Tip:
Highlight text to annotate it
X
Pelikan is a company with a longstanding reputation for solid engineering and conservative design.
This conservatism was particularly in evidence in the Pelikans of the 1950s -- with one notable exception:
the Pelikan 60 mechanical pencil, also known
as the "Knickebein", meaning "bent leg". Neither twist nor button-activated,
this pencil bends in the middle to advance the lead. When the pencil is held bent,
the lead may be pushed back in, as it does not retract automatically.
The mechanism is a modified injector system.
Disassembly is easy and straightforward. All major components unscrew;
the axial actuator rod also serves to retain the clip, so once the cap is removed,
the clip simply slides out of its slot. The cap and barrel are made of acrylic
-- invariably dark green, with gold filled trim. The Pelikan 60 was very solidly built.
You will occasionally see cracks in the acrylic, but these are usually just stress lines
at the front of the barrel, which don't affect its function.
I would guess that the majority of examples produced are still in good working order.
Nonetheless, production numbers must have been relatively small.
They are hard to find, and even now, many collectors don't know about them.
For those who love gadgets and the unusual, though, to see one is to want one.