Appelboom Slices Ep 1 - Pelikan M800 40th Anniversary of Souverän Unboxing and Review

[@Copperplate_69]

Your opinion as a brilliant designer is always very appreciated! - Thank you! 😊 I will have a look at my modest collection and enjoy an already existing pen! 🖋

[@InkquiringMinds]

Wonderful! Thank you so much, @Blue_Pelikan!

[@williamcatalano1762]

Pelikan has become probably my favorite brand of Fountain pen so far since I got into the hobby the last 4 or 5 years. Just classic looks. They just got it right way back and continue to keep it right. My only complaint is that sometimes you might get an over polished nib with babies bottom, and the fact that they discontinued the opaque barrel to see the ink. I still have quite a bit more pens to check out from brands I've never had in my hands yet, but It's going to take A LOT to knock Pelikan off the mountain. I even have a special Montblanc 146 and while I adore that pen and it's always inked, I feel like my Pelikans are a bit cheaper and more bang for your buck especially if you get them at a reduced price like I did and do. Great pen and great video as usual Doug!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, @williamcatalano1762! I keep waiting for a pen to dislodge my Pelikan M800 Blue Stripe from the top of the list. So far, nothing. Not even this one!

[@fossilimprint2954]

Agree with your end suggestions - missed opportunities.

[@corranhorn765]

I defintely should have a Pelikan M series someday. The writing feelings seems awesome.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, @corranhorn765!

[@paulmchugh1430]

I think that no ink window is a big miss. The band around the barrel is fine with me. The gold piston knob is meh, in my estimation and there should be 2 chicks for this anniversary edition as well as making the logo black (the green looks like some sort of tarnish). As for the nib, there could have been something more to it, like a two tone nib. Even with a discount I am sure it is still beyond my means. The packaging is superb.

[@TheMagicalSock]

It makes me really sad that Pelikan doesn’t manufacture translucent barrels anymore. It steers me away from a new one.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I agree.

[@bluesplotch]

the "lotus" flower on the nib is two upside down pelicans

[@InkquiringMinds]

Cool!

[@santauxia]

Awesome pen.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I think so too!

[@wittwittwer1043]

The mid-barrel band is reeded, not knurled. I have quite a few Pelikans, including two M800s and an M1000. I think the 40th Anniversary pen is overdone; the barrel band destroys the symmetry, and the both the gold section and piston knob are unnecessary. I think it would have been better to change the the finial logo in some special distinctive way, and repeat the design on the filler knob. The packaging is grandiose; I don't save most packaging, as in my case they merely collects dust (though I have saved a couple of sturdy pen boxes to use in case I need to ship pens as gifts, for repair, or nib grinding).

[@InkquiringMinds]

Yeah I knew I misspoke and corrected myself.

[@konradyearwood5845]

The gold band and the gold turning knob are a bit too gaudy. The finial is a bit of a disappointment as well. Mind you, I would not say no if someone threw one my way!

[@JohnBarrow1961]

I totally agree, Doug, the band in the middle and overdone gold elsewhere doesn't work for me. Pelikan dropped the ball on this one and cranked up the price to boot. The standard M800 doesn't need any improvements as it's about as good as it gets straight out of the box. As I understand it, Pelikan has eliminated the translucent striations from the standard Souverans as well, which is another fail, AFAIC. That's a very useful feature. I'm glad my collection of M800's are of the older specs. Cheers!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Excellent! Well said, @JohnBarrow1961!

[@juanpablopila9042]

Saludos muy cordiales desde Ecuador Dios te bendiga siempre

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you!

[@judyjacobs5827]

The addition of that gold band in the middle of the barrel and the loss of a properly-crafted mother and chick(s), as well as the substitution of black for translucent layers are unnecessary detractions from the barely-changed design of the Souveran. The US rep for Pelikan told me the company did a poll to find out if customers cared if they got rid of the translucent layers, and they didn't. He said. They said. More's the pity. Could they have made the special anniversary limited edition (tmi!) pen in the same size at least, as the first Souverans? Apparently nobody thought of that. This is a hazard of selling a storied brand to philistines. I was able to buy a year-of-issue Pelikan model 200, no M. It has, alas, a crack, and I'm not sure what kind of adhesive would be safe for the material. So it sits in its case. Thanks for the fun and well-thought out review, especially as you seem to agree with me on all salient points. Thanks also to Stephen, and to Joost. No, I have no intention of buying this overwrought and overpackaged pen. Do the new Pelikan bosses think they are MB? One hopes not.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Excellent! Well said, @judyjacobs5827!

[@bradbeth63]

The regular 800 is such a great pen, it’s hard to improve. Methinks Pelikan tried too hard. Less is best. Nice review though!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Totally agree

[@ibpopp]

As others have said, a wasted opportunity. It seems that Pelikan's accountants have mistaken kitsch for quality; and the opaque barrel is a colossal blunder. I wouldn't touch it with a barge pole.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Many feel the same.

[@atbossgrim]

Love my pelicans but this one have all the NOs for me. Metal grip - check , no ink window - check , cheap ass cap band - check, metal threads on plastic - check. Sometime you wonder …

[@InkquiringMinds]

Excellent! Well said, @atbossgrim!

[@schm4704]

Meh. I love my Pelikans, but this is just "how can we possibly add more bling to an already perfect design". In my eyes, none of the additions to this pen make any sense aesthetically.