The Numbers:
Weight: 14g
Length (capped): 120.3mm
Length (uncapped): 116.3mm
Length of cap: 51.9mm
Price: $97.50 from Pen Chalet
Material: Resin
Filling Mechanism: Piston filler
Colours: Black, red, taupe, white
Intro:
I have always wanted to get myself a Pelikan fountain pen since I found out about piston filler fountain pens. It was only recently that I have finally pulled the trigger. I took advantage of Pen Chalet's fantastic 50% discount and got myself a M nib white Pelikan M205. You can get one yourself there I must say the Pelikan M205 didn't disappoint me.
The Pelikan M205 is one of the smallest piston filling fountain pen that Pelikan offers. Pelikan numbers the pen according to their size so the M205 is much smaller than the M1000. The difference between MX05 and MX00 is only in the colour of the accents of the fountain. (X being the variable) The MX05 has silver accents while the MX00 has gold accents. This might all be confusing if you just discovered Pelikan fountain pens. I hope I managed to clear the fog a little.
Packaging: The Pelikan M205 came in a blue clam shell style box. The white M205 nestled nicely on the indentation inside the box. The packaging is pretty standard and nothing too special. It served its purpose well.
Appearence:
As mentioned above the Pelikan M205 is a white pen with silver accents. I love the simple yet elegant white body of the Pelikan M205. Like all other Pelikan pens, the M205 sports the Pelikan logo of the mother pelican and baby pelican on a black field on the finial of the pen. The clip is springy enough to slip into a pen sleeve or pocket easily but stiff enough not to slip out too easily. It's a nice touch that the clip is in the shape of a pelican's head and beak.
The cap is a screw on type for security. The threads on the barrel is really smooth and they don't press painfully into my hand when I write. I really enjoy the tinted ink window section. It comes in handy to guage the ink I have left in the pen. The centre band has the words "Pelikan" and "Germany" on it. I like that the branding is very minimal on the Pelikan M205. This helps to keep the pen in line with its simple and elegant design.
Performance:
The nib is just so smooth. It glides easily across the paper. The medium nib lays down a fat and wet line. I am not one who prefers wet and juicy nibs like most people but I know many love their nibs this way. However as a lefty, I would think I have to pair the M205 with a drier ink or go with a narrower nib size. The nib is surprisingly springy and I can get a decent amount of line variation on the steel nib.
The nib unit can be remove easily by turning anti-clockwise. See this video for a better idea. That's helps with cleaning but I am not sure if it would pose a problem when I need to re-grease the piston. That said, the piston knob is smooth and it goes up and down the barrel easily.
The M205 is a light weight fountain pen thanks to the resin body. It allows me to write without any fatigue. Even though it is light, the pen is well balanced when it is unposted but I found it just ever so slightly back heavy when it is posted.
Conclusion:
The Pelikan M205 is a light weight resin piston filler fountain pen with a springy steel nib. I enjoy the line variation that the nib offers while I found the nib too wet for my everyday use. I think I would fair better with a EF or F nib.
Pros:
* Springy steel nib
* Piston filler
* Wet and juicy
* Post-able
* Line variations!
Cons:
* Nib too wet for me
Additional Reading:
* Clicky Post's review
* The Pen Addict's review
* The Well Appointed Desk's review
Disclaimer: I got the Pelikan M205 at a discount from Pen Chalet. This has in no way influence my opinion on the pen reviewed.