149 Bent Tine And Stuck Piston

[luckduck369]

I recently joined the forum and enjoyed a lot from reading the posts on the forum. I am a college student in the early 20's started to develop a big interest on fountain pens. After my grandfather heard about this, he gave me his 149. I am really excited because I heard it is a fine nib. I have a BB 149 but felt it is too wide for me as a student.

So I received the pen in the mail today. First I found out that piston nob does not turn. So I assume there is dried ink in there. I used a little force (I am still not sure if I should do that) then the piston started to move. While doing that, I dropped the pen on the wood floor. I want to do nothing but cry!! Now I end up with a bent right tine, a missing fin in the feed, and the nib/feed section is loose. From what I learned in the forum, I decided not to attempt to fix this myself. With the bent tine, I tried to fill the pen with water. The piston moves now, but not smooth. The pen does not suck up a lot of water as my other 149. I don't know if I break anything while try to twist to nob or because I dropped the pen that the system lost suction.

So I really need advice on what I should do in this situation. I have attached a picture of the nib section for your reference. Thanks in advance for all the help I will get here.

-Ruidi

 

If the picture did not show up, please look at them here. Sorry this is my first time try to put up pictures.

http://www.flickr.com/photos/88355917@N03/12840339785/in/photostream/

Edited February 28, 2014 by luckduck369

[AndrewC]

Easiest would be to send the pen to a reputable repair person or to MB. Contact MB and see what they charge. http://www.montblanc.com/en-us/search.aspx?query=how%20much%20are%20repairs Starts at $75. There are many good repair people around who should be able to handle this. Mike-It-Work, Indy Pen Dance, Ron Zorn, to name a few.

 

Here is a link to repair people from Jim Mamoulides wonderful site Pen Hero-http://www.penhero.com/PenBookmarks.htm

 

Good luck! And lucky you!

[orfew]

Easiest would be to send the pen to a reputable repair person or to MB. Contact MB and see what they charge. http://www.montblanc.com/en-us/search.aspx?query=how%20much%20are%20repairs Starts at $75. There are many good repair people around who should be able to handle this. Mike-It-Work, Indy Pen Dance, Ron Zorn, to name a few.

 

Here is a link to repair people from Jim Mamoulides wonderful site Pen Hero-http://www.penhero.com/PenBookmarks.htm

 

Good luck! And lucky you!

Thanks for the useful link.

[luckduck369]

Easiest would be to send the pen to a reputable repair person or to MB. Contact MB and see what they charge. http://www.montblanc.com/en-us/search.aspx?query=how%20much%20are%20repairs Starts at $75. There are many good repair people around who should be able to handle this. Mike-It-Work, Indy Pen Dance, Ron Zorn, to name a few.

 

Here is a link to repair people from Jim Mamoulides wonderful site Pen Hero-http://www.penhero.com/PenBookmarks.htm

 

Good luck! And lucky you!

Thanks for the helpful suggestions. I will start contacting them.

[Gilberto Castaneda]

Welcome.

One MB per decade of life is not bad at all.

You will have it fixed and will enjoy it, much more coming from your grand father.

Gather some history of the pen, how did he get it, did he used it much, things like that.

Have a nice weekend.

G

[luckduck369]

 

Welcome.

One MB per decade of life is not bad at all.

You will have it fixed and will enjoy it, much more coming from your grand father.

Gather some history of the pen, how did he get it, did he used it much, things like that.

Have a nice weekend.

G

 

After I get it fixed, I will for sure ask my grandfather about the history of it. He will be visiting me in May. I will try to get it done before then. I am sure it will be a great pen for me for many years to come.

[musashi]

You have a kind grandfather--with a very respectable taste for a writing instrument. Fret not, for there have been 149s in much worse condition that have been resuscitated back into life. If there is a Montblanc retailer near your location, they may be of some help. Having that 149 fixed would surely be worth the cost. Aside from the obvious market value of the 149, yours is a hand-me-down from your grandfather. That would be something of a story to tell.

 

 

It wouldn't matter later how your grandfather got it--you'd have a great answer to anyone who asks how you got it.

[Chrissy]

I think you should get it fixed as it will be a great pen when it's working again. The piston is an easy fix by Mb for a level one service fixed price that I think is an unbeatable price.They will replace (not repair) all of the parts necessary to get the pen writing again and I would hope that while they were servicing it, they might be prepared to repair your nib as well. You may as well ask them as they can only say no.

[jslallar]

Heartaches on dropping the pen I am sure, but it is still very much remediable. MB service center is the best value for money, repairs and replacements are easy and cheapest available, done by trained MB technicians.

[mirosc]

Don't try to turn the piston knob too hard. It shears off easily.

For repairs my recommendation is official MB center, too. It's not too expensive, but they really take good care.

[AndrewC]

If the pen is older (80s or older), and MB services the nib, be sure to let them know you want the nib that is on there, as it is likely to be a better nib than the ones now made.

[luckduck369]

I really appreciate the inputs so far.

 

I called Montblanc and they said that if the nib can be straightened out, it is part of the flat rate. If they find it not repairable, they will charge me for a new nib instead of fixing this one. So should I send it to MB anyway?

Edited March 1, 2014 by luckduck369

[mirosc]

I really appreciate the inputs so far.

 

I called Montblanc and they said that if the nib can be straightened out, it is part of the flat rate. If they find it not repairable, they will charge me for a new nib instead of fixing this one. So should I send it to MB anyway?

 

Yes. They do all kind of repairs and controls with the pen (all included in the flat rate). It's like a complete checkup with the doctor. You will get back a pen that is almost new. It's totally worth the money. At least that's what I thought after I got a pen back the first time and saw the protocol what they had done...

Maybe tell them to ask you before they charge you with a new nib. There might be cheaper options for that.

[CS388]

I'd say (from your pictures) that your nib looks repairable.

 

Fingers crossed that Montblanc will repair it within your flat rate service charge. If they can't, then, as microsc says, there may be more economical options than a Montblanc supplied replacement.

 

Good luck.

[luckduck369]

Thanks mirosc and cs388. For now I think I should keep my fingers crossed that MB will be able to straight up the nib under the flat rate. I am planning on to drop it off at the Chicago boutique next weekend.

Edited March 2, 2014 by luckduck369

[Koyote]

Let us know how it turns out.

[mirosc]

I am planning on to drop it off at the Chicago boutique next weekend.

Interesting choice of words...

[Pen Nut]

Hope Montblanc dont go the way of Waterman in respect of servicing / repairing costings. New for 2014 is Watermans way of doing things which is copied at the end of this thread I started in the Waterman forum.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/261278-edson-nib-repair-quotation-joke/

[novarider]

With the flat service at MB they will replace the barrel and feed. If it's a vintage model I would send it to a nibmeister. Can you post some pics of the barrel?

[Gilberto Castaneda]

So would you mind your grandfather's nib and clip "moved" to a new body?

Please consider that, as said above, a nibmeister can offer you all MB repair service offers, cost to be known, keeping ALL or most of the original pen.

This way you will hold the same pen your grandfather once held, which, to me, has a lot of meaning.

 

Pics will help gathering more qualified comments.

 

Good luck.

 

G