Herbin 1670 Stormy Grey With Gold Flecks Okay In Montblanc Pen?

[Joane]

Have you used/would you use the new J. Herbin 1670 LE ink, Stormy Grey/Gris Orage with gold flecks, in a MB pen? Absolutely beautiful ink!

 

Normally this would be an ink-forum question but it relates specifically to people's experience with ths ink in a MB, which is why I put it here. Got the ink last week and I really want to use it in my 145 F but some reviews seem to intimate that the gold flecks might cause clogging or damage to a pen, while others say it's fine. The flecks do settle rather rapidly in the bottle, leading to some doubt as to whether they might lodge in the feed.

 

TIA for sharing any thoughts or experiences on this ink/pen combo.

[bostonfin]

I've had no problems in my 149. Store the Pen nib up. Make sure you shake gently for lack of a better term before use to distribute the gold and every so often when it starts writing a heavy good color. I also have the nib removal tool so I'm not too worried, but I've yet to have a problem. I hope this helps.

[linearM]

How are MB pens somehow different than other pens? Are they more prone to problems such as the feed clogging than say a Pelikan, Edison, or Waterman?

Edited November 24, 2014 by linearM

[Omnias]

How are MB pens somehow different than other pens? Are they more prone to problems such as the feed clogging than say a Pelikan, Edison, or Waterman?

I think the pen itself isn't any more prone to clogging, the issue is the risk to such a high dollar pen. Personally, unless if it is one that you consider relatively replaceable for repairs in the future, I wouldn't risk it, simply because if something did happen and you would not want to pay the costs to repair it since it is obvious that Montblanc would not cover any damage, then you are in a bit of a bind. However, if you are simply wanting to have a cool ink to use, and possibly look cool in the pen too, I would highly recommend considering a cheap demonstrator such as Nemosine, Pilot Prera (off Amazon for approx. $35), or even a TWSBI 580/Vac700, as even the Twsbi, while not the cheapest pen, is certainly much cheaper than any Montblanc, and you get to see the colours shine and can tell when it is properly mixed.

[Pravda]

I don't think it is about clogging as much as the fact that the 149s have an ink window and wouldn't want gold particles to get clogged visibly there and to remain even after you're done with the ink?

[Chrissy]

I wouldn't use it in any of my piston filling FP's

[Pen Nut]

Had a glass of Smirnoff vodka last night that had gold bits in it

[bstnnyc]

I will echo what has been said I've tested this ink in a c/c that I don't care much about, so I was able to leave the ink unused in the pen for 3 weeks. I had no issues whatsoever in terms of startup, flow, clogging... However, when cleaning the pen, some of the particles were stuck at the bottom of the converter and would not come out until I took the converter out and cleaned it on its own.

[Chrissy]

Had a glass of Smirnoff vodka last night that had gold bits in it

I've seen that in the supermarket and it looks neat. Currently though I'm into trying out Artisnal gins.

[Pen Nut]

Penderyn is a great whiskey, one of my favourites, and I believe they also do gin as well ( its made in Wales !! )

 

 

Anyway back to pens, great arent they.....

[Joane]

I do have an inexpensive Sheaffer demonstrator from the 1990s I was going to use but I think the effect would look super with the script of the 145.

 

This is the Sheaffer:

 

 

 

Edited to add:

 

Thanks for the comments. I do agree the main issue with an expensive pen is the potential cost and consequences if anything does go wrong. I tend to use only the most innocuous inks and while things have gone wrong with some of my pens, it has never been an ink issue.

Edited November 24, 2014 by Joane

[bostonfin]

The gold does not seem to stick to the acrylic or resin. So I would guess that your ink window would be fine. However as mentioned the gold does seem to like any sort of piston plunger or rubber seal.

[Michigan]

I love it in my OMAS. This evening it ran out of Stormy Grey, and I filled it with Iroshizuku shin-ryoku green. Now the green has gold flecks. Please note that I didn't bother rinsing out the pen. And it has a piston.

 

I suppose if you are appalled at the thought of gold flecks on your ink window, do not put it in your Montblanc. I may avoid putting it in my silver 146 for this reason.

[inkstainedruth]

I have Stormy Grey in a 1980s era Pelikan m100 with a 1 mm nib. Looks fabulous coming out of that pen. And yeah, it's a piston filler. And no, I don't know how much trouble I'm going to have (if any) flushing it out, because I just keep refilling it because the ink is SOOO gorgeous coming out of a big wide nib like that.

OTOH, it didn't cost me anything like the price of your average run of the mill MB....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Joane]

Thanks so much for all the comments and advice. I've been mulling it over and now, here's my plan:

 

1. Try out ink with glass and/or dip pen to get the hang of it.

2. Fill and use it with Sheaffer demonstrator and/or calligraphy pen.

3. If all flows well and flushes thoroughly, try it with 145, which has convertor fill.

 

Given the ink's tendency to deposit the sparkles, at this point I would probably draw the line at a piston-fill pen.

[meiers]

That sounds like a reasonable and safe course of action.

[meiers]

Let us know how it goes.

Edited November 30, 2014 by meiers

[Joane]

Let us know how i goes.

It may take a while til it gets to the 145, but I will report.

[Joane]

I have now used the glass pen just to test the look of the ink. Then I filled the Sheaffer, wrote that out, flushed and refilled Sheaffer with MB Midnight Blue to see if any there is any residue of gold flecks after flushing. I can see none, not even under a bright light, which usually highlights the flecks. Next step: MB 145F...

[Chrissy]

 

Given the ink's tendency to deposit the sparkles, at this point I would probably draw the line at a piston-fill pen.

This sounds like a good plan