The Sterling Pelikan Souverän m625

As you might already know, Pelikan as a company encompasses a rich heritage of 180 years – in manufacturing inks, pens and stationery (177 years to be exact, you can find a bit of history in a previous post ). In 1929, it released its first transparent Pelikan fountain pen  and was credited with the genesis of the piston-filling mechanism, using a differential spindle gear. However, the first of the silvery m625 models does not come until the next 77 years go by. 

m625

Pelikan launched the Souverän m625 model in 2006, which constituted of a dark blue resin barrel with rest of the visible hardware - i.e cap, piston knob and grip section, carved out of sterling silver (92.5% silver + 7.5% copper giving the required strength while preserving appearance of the noble metal). It was later followed by an aubergine model and a red model with two variations in the cap section. These had a 18k rhodium plated gold nib. Later, they also released a limited batch of m625s with a red barrel and a 14k nib, for the Asian market.

The pen comes in a standard G15 gift box, essentially the same packaging as all the other standard souverän models.

DESIGN (6/6)

It's an amazingly stunning pen encompassed in a standard souverän series design. Closed, the sterling silver cap and the piston knob dazzle with ambient reflections, while the barrel awaits light to bedazzle you.

Once exposed to the visible spectrum, a play of light reveals the inside mechanisms like a demonstrator. And it's definitely more spectacular to the eyes than it is to the lenses.

The barrel is made up of high grade translucent resin and is resistant to scratches in course of normal use. There is also a thin palladium coating on the sterling silver parts to avoid staining of the pen with time. This was confirmed by the Pelikan team.

On unscrewing the cap, you will instantly notice a resonance in design with a glittering grip section wholly carved out of sterling silver, along with a rhodium plated nib. So there is either reflection or refraction of ambient light, rendering the m625 with its characteristic trait. The silvery metallic grip is quite comfortable to hold and does not feel slippery, and it adjoins the barrel with threads for securing the cap.

Twirls engraved around the sterling silver cap run on its surface gleaming with all possible proximate imagery.  A few swirls end near the middle, where Ag 925 is etched in between, granting a somewhat finality of trust to the glitter show.The logo on the finial is the one embraced by Pelikan post 2003, that of a mother pelican and a chick,   in a brushed palladium finish. At the base, imbibed are the words PELIKAN SOUVERÄN GERMANY, which is common across the range of souverän series. The absence of any differential aesthetics in the cap drives the inherent singularity in appearance.

FILLING SYSTEM (6/6)

A piston filler with a sterling silver knob surely distinguishes the m625 from other models in the range. Apart from enchanting looks, like any other pelikan, it's an easy and hassle-free mechanism. 

The piston end unscrews with three to four rotations and ink is sucked in, with quite a gush, once the piston is screwed back on. And of course, you can observe the entire thing in action.

NIB (6/6) – ALL THAT MATTERS

The dazzling rhodium plated gold nib with an usual iridium tip is tested by hand, and it comes in four main sizes – EF, F, M & B along one special width – BB (extra-broad). Like all its cousins, the nib is exquisite and efficient. With a screw fit mechanism and a standard m6xx feed, the nib-section is an ensemble of efficiency as well as artistry. And this silvery white finish does converge with the sterling silver grip in terms of both glitter and glimmer. 

The tail end specifies the nib-width and composition (14 C, 58.5% Au) of the gold-alloy used. Three arabesques diverge along the shoulders of the nib with two of them converging near the breather hole. The third arabesque runs across the tines towards the shoulders ending with the tail end of the nib. There is of-course the dazzling white mother-baby pelikan logo, resting above the tail. This one is an extra-fine nib and writes smoothly out of the box.

A black plastic feed (earlier ones had ebonite feeds) with closely spaced fins allows a good buffer capacity to hold ink with ambient pressure and temperature fluctuations.

PHYSICS OF IT (5/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING

It does give a comfortable feel to write with the pen without posting the cap. The overall capped length is around 13.3 cm. The total weight of m625 has a significant contribution from the cap, which is otherwise quite well-balanced. And yes, a substantial cap does make the pen very top-heavy if posted.

• Uncapped Length ~ 12.4 cm
• Posted Length ~ 15.4 cm
• Nib Leverage ~ 2.3 cm
• Overall Weight ~ 34 g (Cap Weight ~ 17.5 g)

While not posted, a length of 12.4 cm is quite comfortable for writing because of a thicker girth and a substantial weight, mostly due to the metallic grip and piston-knob sections, eventhough the piston mechanism is made up of plastic rather than brass. (common across m6XXs)

ECONOMIC VALUE (4/6)

Although the m625 retails at excess of USD 700, it is available at lower street prices. I was able to get the pen at a good discounted price in an online action at the bay. I would not undervalue the rating by much, because in the end, the m625 seems more of an art rather than science. As isn't it why all of us buy, discuss and share experiences with fountain pens all the time ?

OVERALL (5.4/6)

I adore the distinct red translucent design of the m625 which is embraced with the glistening contours of sterling silver. This pen is blessed with a smooth extra-fine (EF) nib which delivers a thin but a very wet line. The line width closely resembles a Pilot 14k-FM nib. For a relatively dry Pelikan Royal Blue ink, it takes around 12-13 seconds to dry. I could not find any line variation with horizontal and vertical strokes for this one. And yes, nib's a nail too when it comes to flex.

Thank you for your time. You can find some more pen and paraphernalia reviews here.

A.W Faber Castell 554D Progress : A Vintage Pen

A few weeks ago, I stumbled upon a NOS (New Old Stock) Faber Castell 554D Progress fountain pen, when I was searching for inks. It was placed inside a cellophane wrap, printed with green A.W Faber-Castell and was finally packaged inside a small cardboard box. A small pen which kind of resembled a rather compressed modern MB146, with its striped ink-windows. Since, I have an excellent experience with most of the Faber-Castell fountain pens including the reviewed ones here – Ambition, Intuition and Elemento, I went ahead and purchased the pen. Later, Faber-Castell Co. confirmed that the 554D featured in their brochure till 1960.

Faber-Castell started manufacturing fountain pens in 1951, after acquiring the Osmia Company and produced fountain pens till 1975. It carried the Osmia logo [diamond-in-a-circle] till the 1960s, given Osmia’s high brand recognition in the fountain pen industry and the same logo is also present in this one.

PRESENTATION

I like the vintage bit of packaging in the traditional way - a thick cardboard box, which has actually become thin these days. As you can see, the cellophane wrap carries the green A.W Faber-Castell name. There is a classical user-guide in German, with instructions on how to fill the pen.

DESIGN

The pen is made of up plastic parts with gold plated trims. This gloss of black and dazzle of gold is still being followed in modern times.

The nib size and the model number are etched in golden on the barrel, just below the piston-knob.

The golden cap band mentions PROGRESS on one side and FABER-CASTELL on the other.

The striped transparency of ink windows renders a rather elegant angle to the overall design of the pen.

FILLING SYSTEM

The piston filling system was initially clogged, as the lubricants had dried out over all these years. After the first stop of the piston knob, by rotating the piston-knob further in a counter-clockwise direction, the entire piston unit can be pulled out. I applied some silicone grease (metroark211) on the piston seal, which is made of transparent plastic, and the piston mechanism was as good as new. If you can notice a white plastic thing through the ink windows below, that’s the piston seal.

It takes in a good amount of ink with the piston fill mechanism, which lasts as long as the 0.8-0.9 mL capacity Faber-Castell converters.

NIB – ALL THAT MATTERS

The 14k gold nib is inserted into a screw-fit sleeve unit and the unit can be easily unscrewed from the barrel. It is a vintage EF nib and has got a hint of feedback, which is duly compensated by a rather wet flow of ink. You will notice an old Osmia diamond-in-a-circle logo embossed at the centre of the nib with Faber and Castell at top and bottom respectively. The nib specifications of 14K and 58.5% follow these impressions towards the tail end.

PHYSICS OF IT – RELATIVELY SPEAKING

The cigar structure of this pen makes it a somewhat comfortable companion. The only disadvantage is that the cap cannot be posted securely.

• Uncapped Length ~ 12 cm
• Nib Leverage ~ 1.85 cm
• Capped Length ~ 13.3 cm

Though the length is comparable to a M400, a wider grip section and post-ability of cap are the duly missed elements. Now a days, most of the fountain pens can be posted.

OVERALL

This vintage 14k nib has a wet flow, with a hint of feedback like most EF nibs. The nib is quite stiff with no hint of flex. There is also a bit of line variation among the horizontal and vertical lines. It takes almost the same time (15 secs) to dry as a modern GvFC Intuition Fine nib.

It was fun reviewing the 554D. Hope you enjoyed it.

A LAMY 2000 story (with a little zen tale of maintenance)

MOTIVATION

This might sound pretty clichéd.. but it is actually true. If you love fountain pens, it is difficult to stay away from the Lamy 2000 for long. The 2000 is often quoted to have a timeless design, a masterful construction and a rather envious efficiency. And, it comes with a small 14k platinum-plated gold nib. The first of the Lamy 2000s are said to have been launched in 1966 and have well succeeded to become the flagship product of the company. To get the 2000 designed, Lamy had drawn a joint-project with a free-lancer (a top designer in the industrial space during the 1960s), Gerd Alfred Müller – of Braun fame. Incidentally, he was one of the first salaried designers of Braun and one of the advocates of the Bauhaus movement (‘form follows function’ maxim). And that project ended up with a piston-filler fountain pen made out of rigid fiberglass-reinforced makrolon polycarbonate and brushed stainless steel along with a gold nib. 

PRESENTATION (6/6)

The L2k arrived in a small tri-folded black cardboard box (with a thick paper outer-sleeve), that locks the third fold on a silver colour plate bearing the ‘LAMY’ logo. These folds reveal the pen resting on a zig-zag felt-like paper floorboard along with a leaflet/manual.

DESIGN – CAPPED (6/6)

The pen in its final elements apparently bestows a fluidic design. Even though it is often quoted to have an understated appearance with the brushed black makrolon matter, I feel that that’s the way the pen truly differentiates itself from others. The spring loaded clip made out of brushed-steel, is both efficient and stunning at the same time. 

DESIGN – UN-CAPPED (5/6)

Then there is LAMY embossed on one of the mount-sides of the clip, with GERMANY 2 written on its underside. As per some FPN posts, the GERMANY 1 or 2 could refer to the cavity number of the die in which the clip was made. Once uncapped, the pen depicts a engineering marvel, the one without boundaries. Concealing all the seams of individual parts starting right from the piston knob and ending with the nib, the lamy 2000 plays an effortless symphony, from the blackness of makrolon body through the subtle set of glassy ink windows (0.25 cm) towards the silvery brushed-stainless steel grip section ending with a hooded metallic nib (14k – Gold: Platinum plated). And that’s when you do realize a splendid piece of industrial design, by Müller!

                 I do find the snap-cap a blessing, when it comes to taking quick notes. Once uncapped, the pen becomes quite susceptible to rolling and falling off from smooth surfaces even with a little hint of slope. [That’s why probably a Minus – 1]

There is a stainless steel disc adorning the end of piston knob, ending the sweet sonnet of an eternal design with a silvery look which once started with the steely grip and clip. 

FILLING SYSTEM (6/6)

The piston knob is adequately large and quite comfortable to operate. The brushed surface ascertains a firm grip. Initially, the piston knob was too snug for my comfort, but it worked like a charm after lubricating the piston seal. In fact, it now is apparently smoother than the nib itself. More on it later. 

The pen draws and expels ink through its breather hole (below pic), located on the underside of the hood. Rather, the mechanism gushes ink in or out with remarkable efficiency. The ink capacity is said to be around ~ 1.4 – 1.5 mL. 

PHYSICS OF IT - RELATIVELY (6/6)

From the perspective of writing comfort, I would prefer the whole 25 grams and keep the pen posted. For short notes, I am comfortable to use the pen un-posted. 

            Dimensionally, it is quite similar to a Pilot Custom Heritage 91/92 and is a rather medium sized pen. The hooded nib seems small but an elusive unification with the metal grip gives the pen an unexpected leverage with a somewhat bottom heavy design. So you might never feel the absence of a big nib. 

• Capped Length ~ 14 cm
• Uncapped Length ~ 12.5 cm
• Posted Length ~ 15.4 cm
• Nib Leverage ~ 0.75 cm
• Total Weight ~ 25 g
• Body Weight ~ 15 g

NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (5/6)

Below, is the complete nib-section which is hidden under the hood. It’s a rather small nib but to reiterate, it’s a supremely efficient and an effective design. And thanks to Müller, apart from the most elegant of appearances, LAMY also managed to save some costs on the gold part of the nib. 

                          Mine was an EF nib and was yet another QC victim [Minus –1]. I did smoothen it up, but again the angularly-varying nib widths were not pertaining to my taste. But thanks to Lamy India Customer Service – by William Penn, they replaced it with a F nib in three weeks, totally free of charge. I was assured by them, if any Lamy is within a year of purchase (from anywhere across the globe), William Penn will happily service the pen at zero cost. The replaced nib is quite smooth and I believe it’s one of the older pieces in their service stock. It does draw a line quite similar to a pilot FM nib or a pelikan EF.

DISASSEMBLY (5/6)

The best part of the pen is the ease of dis-assembly without a need of a tool. (The only part in which you would probably need a tool is probably pushing out the piston rod and seal out of the barrel)

             The steel grip section can be unscrewed off from the barrel in a clockwise manner, with the piston end on top. Be careful when you push out or push in the nib section, for I had used a cloth to hold the nib + feed, while gently pushing out the nib. While putting it in, I would suggest making sure that the convex opening of the grip section is well-aligned with the nib and feed faces the breather hole. It should smoothly fit-in, else it’s not aligned. The nib can be easily damaged during this exercise and secondly, there are multiple o-rings – metal (grip section) and rubber ones (nib section) to take care of. [Minus –1] I recommend staying away from the force (forcing the nib section in), even when The force is with you!

                   The piston knob can be screwed off in a quite similar manner of operation. After a stop, once it’s rotated anti-clockwise from top a few clicks are heard and it comes out completely revealing a plastic internal end cap for this version. 

Since, my piston knob was quite snug from the beginning, I took the liberty of disassembling the pen to apply some silicone grease on the interiors of the barrel, with an ear-bud. After turning the piston knob in and out for a few times, it was magically butter-smooth to operate. I referred to this video by Brian Goulet.

ECONOMIC VALUE (5/6)

I was able to win the pen at USD 120 on an online auction. I am not sure whether I could have got it for less. It probably sells at a street price of USD 150-160 and retails at USD 200+ in India. And, post the nib-replacement I am pretty happy with the pen. 

OVERALL (5.5/6)

Know what! If you haven’t already, you must get it. It deserves a place in your collection. PS – It was 1966 not 68

ADORABLE REFERENCES

The Lamy 2000 Bible by Brandon

Applying Silicone Grease Video

Thank you for going through this review. Hope you enjoyed it. The Lamy Dialog 3 is reviewed here.