Inktend / Pen library / Souverän M600
Pelikan
Souverän M600
The mid-size of Pelikan's Souverän line, known for a springy gold nib and the brand's signature differential-pressure piston mechanism.
This sits at the upper end of the hobby — a pen most people buy after they already know their nib and grip preferences, often as a long-term or milestone piece rather than a daily-carry first pen.
Specs
About Pelikan
Founded in Hannover in 1838, Pelikan is one of the oldest writing brands still operating, known for its striped Souverän pens and the differential-pressure piston filler it patented in 1929. This model — Souverän M600 — dates to part of Pelikan's Souverän line, whose piston mechanism dates to 1929.
How to fill the Pelikan Souverän M600
Unscrew the piston knob at the back of the pen, submerge the nib fully in a bottle of ink, and slowly turn the knob counter-clockwise then clockwise to draw ink in. Piston fillers hold significantly more ink than a standard cartridge — often enough for several weeks of regular writing — at the cost of being limited to bottled ink only.
Choosing a nib size
Nib size determines line width, not writing pressure — fountain pens are meant to glide, never press. Extra-fine (EF) suits small, dense handwriting and thin paper; fine (F) is the most broadly recommended default; medium (M) shows more ink character and shading; broad (B) and stub grinds favor bold, expressive strokes and calligraphy-adjacent writing. The Souverän M600's gold nib will also flex slightly with pressure, giving line variation that a steel nib of the same size won't produce.
Keeping it clean
Because Pelikan Souverän M600 holds a larger ink reserve, a full flush every 4–6 weeks (or whenever you switch colors) keeps the feed running cleanly. Inktend's cleaning reminder is tuned to a 21-day baseline and adjusts naturally to how often you actually refill.
Pairing inks with the Souverän M600
High-capacity fillers like this one are the natural home for sheening and shading inks — you'll actually see the color develop across a full page instead of running out mid-paragraph. Browse the ink library and filter by sheen.
Frequently asked questions
More from Pelikan
Specs on this page have been individually verified against manufacturer and retailer listings.