Tools

Pelikan tools

Starting with the very first Pelikan fountain pen from 1929, it was a great advantage that the pens can be easily disassembled. On the one hand, it was possible to carry out repairs on the spot at the stationery store, on the other hand, it was not a problem to screw another nib into the chosen pen according to the customer's wishes or to take the clip off the pen for a ladies handbag. Tools for this work were available for the stationery store to use.

On this page, only a few tools and repair kits are shown. We hope the site can be expanded and possibly you can support us with further photos and information.

Pliers

Pelikan pliers (detail view)

The simple unscrewing of the nib units risks breaking off the fins of the ink feeder. Pelikan therefore offered special pliers to protect the fins.

The shown pliers have three notches, so that they can be used only for the first models 100 and Rappen.

Combined pliers for the 100, 100N and Rappen models also exist; these pliers have notches for the three and four fin ink feeders.

For the same purpose, ie the unscrewing of the nib units, a nib key was used from the 1950s, and this forms part of the repair kit described below.

Pelikan pliers

Repair kit

For stationary traders repair kits were available. Frequently these also contained demonstrator pens - the series production pens in a transparent version, in order to show the construction and make dismantling easier to recognize and learn.

These boxes contained tools for disassembly and sometimes instructions how to proceed.

Repair kit

Description of contents

Dismantling instruction Pelikan 60

The Pelikan 60 pencil is also commonly referred to as a "Knickebein" (translated: bend leg), because of the extraordinary technique for forwarding the lead, that requires pressing the center of the pencil.

The dismantling and reassembling of this pencil has to be done in a defined order, therefore this guide was offered. It was found in the repair box shown above. Maybe it will help some users and collectors of this unique pencil.

Pelikano nib exchange kit

Boxes for nib cahnges were made specially for the Pelikano fountain pens and made available to stationery stores. Too much pressure when writing often damages the nibs of school fountain pens. Exchanging the nibs is simple and fast. The right tool and spare parts help.

Every good stationery shop had stocks of replacement steel nibs in different widths for the common Pelikan fountain pens.

Dismantling kit

Pelikan dismantling kit

A Pelikan dismantling set for the piston fountain pens with inserted mechanics, e.g. Pelikan 120, 140, 400 / 400N / 400NN, could be used if the seal had to be replaced.

Warning! From my point of view, this purely mechanical approach is no longer suitable for these models today. More gentle techniques, e.g. the heating of the barrel or even long soaking should be used to avoid damaging the pen.

Pelikan dismantling kit

The instructions describe how the set should be used.

As already mentioned above, I would like to advise you against a purely mechanical approach to taking out the mechanics of these fountain pen models. These models are over 50 years old and more gentle procedures should be used!

Gimborn repair kit

It wasn't only Pelikan which delivered repair kits and tools to stationery traders; its sister company Gimborn had corresponding offers.

Below is a repair kit designed for the Gimborn Major (1st Series) and Major Gold models in the early 1960s. This includes in particular the necessary tools for the exchange and fitting of caps with a colored cap top and the clip, which could be tightened / loosened by a nut with a special key.

Here, too, you will find the list of contents and instructions for the procedure in the box.

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