Cleaning House Giveaway: Pelikan Souveran M1000

This is not a typo. I am giving away a Pelikan M1000.

I reviewed this pen a couple of months ago for Massdrop, which you can read about here. This is the green stripe model with gold trim and a medium 18k gold nib. I love having this pen as part of my collection but the fact remains that it just doesn't see a lot of action. I reach for a few of my other Pelikans before this one, so I may as well send it off to someone else who will use and enjoy it.

Here is how to enter:

1. Leave one comment on this post anytime between now, and Wednesday night at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. You are limited to one entry. This contest is open to US and International readers.

2. For this contest, I will pick one winner at random from the comments section of this post. The comments will be numbered in the order they are received, i.e. the first comment is #1, the second #2, and so on. The Random Integer Generator at random.org will be used to pick the number of the winner.

3. The contest winner will be posted on Thursday, April 30th. The winner will have one week to email me via the Contact link at the top of the page.

Thanks and good luck!

Pelikan Souveran M1000 Fountain Pen Review

YES!

That was the answer I gave Massdrop when they asked if I would be interested in reviewing the Pelikan Souveran M1000 fountain pen for their latest pen drop. The M1000 represents the top of the food chain among Pelikan's main line of pens and I am excited to have this opportunity to give you my thoughts on it.

As a company, Pelikan is one of the most respected in the fountain pen industry. Their history traces back over 170 years, and their quality and care in manufacturing shows in every single product they make. I was a fan of Pelikan well prior to receiving the M1000, with models from the 200, 400, and 800 series already in my collection, and a 600 in route as I type this. So yes, I like Pelikans.

Top to bottom: M405, M800, M1000.

While it has the same general design and lineage as other Pelikans in the flock, the M1000 is a completely different bird from any I have used previously. It is largest pen in the series, checking in at 5.74 inches long when capped and 1.16 ounces strong. Posting this pen is a no-go unless you are Andre the Giant, but I don't post so it works for me. I thought it would be too big honestly, but my recent experiences with the M800 Tortoise had me prepared for what was in store.

The barrel is large - let's get that out of the way right now. Too large? I don't think so because it is light enough to not get in the way. It's not feather-light by any stretch, but the overall feel is something Pelikan clearly considered with this pen in giving it great balance and making for a great writing experience.

The nib is the real star of this pen. I have never seen, much less used, a nib this large. It is a thing beauty. And it is different. So different I had to research what exactly it was I was experiencing as I was writing with the M1000 for the first time.

Gold, as most of you well know, is a soft material. With the size, thinness, and length of the tines in a nib this large, there is going to be some give when writing. It is not marketed as a flex nib pen, but you can't help but notice and feel the springiness when writing.

With my writing style (block print) the Medium nib took some getting used to. I had to use very light pressure and let the pen do all of the work. I got used to it quickly, but I can't help but think this nib is better suited for writers with a more flowing cursive style. My preferred nib is hard and firm, and this is the exact opposite.

This large 18k gold nib is a feature of the design. Many sites that sell it mention the difference in feel when comparing the M1000 to the M800 and below. It is a completely new writing experience that's for sure.

Will it fit your needs? If you have ever had the Pelikan M1000 on your wish list you will be hard pressed to find a better price. Massdrop only has 110 of the pens available, and nearly half are gone as I write this. Two barrel choices are avialable - Solid Black and Green Stripe, both with gold trim - and nibs ranging from EF to B.

Head over to Massdrop to check out all of the details. If you have never used Massdrop before, just sign up with your email address and you will be able to check this drop out, as well as the many other items they have for sale.

My thanks to Massdrop for providing this pen to me at no charge for review purposes.

Pelikan Classic Series P205 Cartridge Fill Review

Image via Goldspot.com

The best way to get someone interested in fountain pens is to make it as easy for them as possible. And give them a nice pen. The Pelikan Classic Series P205 accomplishes both of those things.

It’s widely known how much I enjoy my piston filling Pelikan Traditional M205, and the new P205 is practically a carbon copy, minus the piston filler of course. As I alluded to earlier, this is a matter of convenience, and the P205 pulls it off without a hitch. Did you expect anything less from Pelikan?

Let’s start with the barrel design. It is Pelikan through and through. While their designs aren’t flashy, they are recognizable. The sleek, simple design is German engineering at its finest. The Pelikan beak clip is a standout, and the logo on the cap is a timeless tradition. Everything related to the build quality of this pen, and any Pelikan for that matter, is spot on.

From top to bottom: Pelikan M405, M205, P205

That translates to the nib as well. I went with a broad nib for something different and it is as clean and smooth as one would expect. I’m turning the corner on wider nibs too, as they allow for an ink expressiveness that you don’t get in extra fine nibs. The steel Pelikan broad nib is a prime example.

The cartridge filling system in the P205 (P is short for Patrone, the German word for cartridge) is the selling point of this pen. Many will ask why they should forego what is deemed as a superior filling system in the piston filler, and it all comes down to convenience. Fountain pen users, even experienced ones, sometimes want to pop in an ink cartridge and go. The P205 allows you to do just that, and in a beautiful barrel to boot.

But let’s be clear about one thing: Pelikan is no fool. They introduced this pen in conjunction with their new high-end Edelstein ink cartridge line. And I say good for them, because Edelstein inks are some of my favorites. The written review uses the Sapphire Blue cartridge, a bright blue that pops off the page, and I have enjoyed using Tanzanite and Topaz cartridges as well. All are top notch. They use the international sizing standard too, so other compatible cartridges and converters fit as well.

Pelikan is a premium brand. While there may be pens that offer more for less, there are few brands that can match the form, feel, consistency, and quality of a Pelikan. This is one of those pens that when it is in your hand you can feel the difference between it and other brands. The P205 and Edelstein ink cartridges are great additions to the product line and I look forward to years of use with this pen.

(Goldspot Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)