Pelikan M1000 Double Broad Nib Review: A Big, Juicy Line Worth the Money?

Introduction

Pelikan used to make some of the most desirable specialty nibs in the fountain pen world, including italic options as well as broad and even triple broad variants. Production of those specialty nibs stopped a few years ago, and one triple broad nib recently surfaced online with a price tag of around $11,000, which tells you exactly how sought after they are.

Following demand from the community, Pelikan has now brought back the Double Broad nib as a standalone M1000-size nib unit. We spent time writing with one to see whether the revived nib lives up to its reputation.

Who This Nib Unit Is For

This is a nib for people who already love very broad, wet, expressive lines. It is not an everyday note-taking nib. It is a statement nib, meant to impress, and it delivers a line so wide that comparing it to anything finer feels almost unfair.

It also suits owners of the Pelikan M1000 or M1005, since the unit is designed to fit both pens directly. If you own a different flagship-size pen, a custom section machined to accept an M1000 nib can work too, as demonstrated with a bespoke pen fitted with an M1000-compatible section.

What You Get for the Money

The nib is 18K gold with what appears to be a rhodium accent, and it is enormous. In standard sizing terms it sits around a number 8, placing it between a typical number 6 nib and something like a number 10 monster nib. Set next to a common entry-level steel nib, the difference in scale is almost comical.

Pelikan sells the unit in extra fine, fine, medium and broad for €345, while the Double Broad comes in at €380 before tax, roughly $314. These are nib units only, without a pen, and that is genuinely expensive. Gold prices have pushed nib costs up across the industry, so at this point the money gets close to what a complete quality pen costs. Pelikan also states the nib is crafted in more than 300 steps.

How the Double Broad Actually Writes

Writing with it is a delight. The line is wide, juicy and genuinely double broad, which matters because some brands use the term loosely. Flow keeps up effortlessly, and the nib feels smooth and fast. The feed is plastic rather than ebonite on current production, though the performance does not suffer for it.

The ink used in testing was Monteverde California Teal, a very wet ink that suits this nib perfectly. Very broad nibs naturally develop a slight stub-like character, and this one is fairly round but not entirely exempt. Reverse writing is also surprisingly pleasant: still smooth, and it produces a much finer line, which makes the nib more versatile than its width suggests.

Things to Consider Before Buying

A few honest caveats are worth knowing before spending this much on a nib alone.

First, on some papers the nib sings. On the laid paper used for the main writing sample it stayed quiet, but on other papers a noticeable sound appears. A nibmeister can tune that away, but if nib feedback noise genuinely bothers you, factor that in.

Second, close inspection shows what looks like a slight misalignment between the feed and the nib tines. The tines themselves are aligned, and there were no skipping, scratchiness or ink flow issues during testing, so it appears cosmetic. Still, perfectionists may find it distracting, and given the price it is a fair thing to scrutinize.

Third, and most obviously, it is expensive. €380 buys a really nice complete pen. If any of these points concern you, sending the nib to a professional nibmeister for tuning is money well spent. Do not attempt adjustments yourself on a nib at this price.

Buying Advice

If you have an M1000 or M1005 and you have always wanted the Double Broad, this is your chance. Pelikan clearly found an audience willing to support the revival, and it would be great to see the triple broad return as well.

Buy it if you want a huge, expressive, wet writer and you accept that it is a luxury purchase rather than a practical one. Skip it if very broad lines, potential nib song, or a nib unit without a pen do not fit how you actually write.

Conclusion

The Pelikan M1000 Double Broad nib unit is a beautiful, oversized, genuinely juicy writer that justifies its cult status. It is not cheap, and it is not perfect, but for fans of expressive broad nibs it is a very welcome return.