Doubling Down: Pelikan’s Double-Broad Highlighter Nib Isn’t Just for Highlighting

That is the Pelikan double broad nib I bought at the Ohio Show this weekend from Dan Smith, the Nibsmith. I put it on my M205 Blue demonstrator.

I don’t know if the size of that tipping material can be adequately appreciated, but there’s a lot. I call the nib The Blob. In a good way.

Here is a comparison of an M600 BB nib on the left with the M205 BB nib on the right.

And the other side, again with the M600 BB nib on the left and the M205 BB nib on the right.

I’m guessing that Pelikan wanted to make the M205 BB more round for highlighting. That said, I first tried a Pelikan M205 Highlighter fountain pen at the Chicago Pelikan Hub, and that nib was more stubbish than mine.

Having seen the nib, you won’t be surprised that it writes a gigantic line. It’s almost marker-like, and very smooth. It’s kind of fun writing with such a wet and wide nib. Also good for making your points forcefully. Or writing with yellow ink.

Here is a writing sample with the M205 double broad writing in blue and the M600 in pink.

The M205 has Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite ink, which is a wetter ink than the Sailor Sakura-Mori in the M600. But the M205 double broad is just bigger, and it writes wider.

I’m a person who loves a good fine nib, but I think most fountain pen people prefer broader nibs, and this makes an intriguing choice. Because you can buy this one separately. And it will fit into any Pelikan from M200 through M700.

In the US it’s $60. Which means every else in the world it’s probably only $20 or less. (A little black humor, for those of us in Chartpak territory.)

I decided to buy the nib only. You could instead buy it on the highlighter pen. Or if you’re buying a different new M205, ask for the BB nib instead of the usual choices. I’d probably do that, if I ever bought another M200-sized pen, and I’d have the BB modified into a stub or architect’s nib. Because The Blob has tipping material to spare.