Montegrappa Miya

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Here's a wonderful little pen I received in an art trade.

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5055/5474034067_924df8066d.jpg

007 by snennewton, on Flickr

 

 

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5251/5474630762_c8bfb5f579.jpg

008 by snennewton, on Flickr

 

 

 

 

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5139/5474035089_5314e1ee39.jpg

010 by snennewton, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5254/5474631120_e2ccec9b13.jpg

009 by snennewton, on Flickr

[Ghost Plane]

Have one and I'm not crazy about the hump in the middle [hits me a little awkward] but the color and the nib are more than worth it.

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How was your nib starting out? This pen wrote dry when it wrote, and not at all the rest of the time. Like I said, sick horse, but I do love it. The hump is kind of odd, and does make for a weird feeling in the hand.

But did you have to work on your nib at all?

[MikeF]

I've got an Argento (the same but with a silver cap) in dark blue celluloid.

Mine wrote perfectly from start and is one of my best writers. The flow is very good, and I usually fill it with Pelikan Blue-Black - which is a bit on the dry side, it would not work if the pen didn't had a good flow. And the Blue-Black matches so well the colour of the pen.

Actually, I quite like the way it fits my hand. The threads are digged, and do not protrude, so they don't disturb my fingers - it's probably the kind of threads that are most comfortable to hold of all threaded cap pens I have. And the "hump" is in line with the section, and is wonderful to grab (my grip is fairly high). The only criticism I can make it seriously is to be a bit short for my hands. Ah, an Extra... one day...

[watch_art]

have you posted yours? I find the cap doesn't want to stay put sometimes.

[MikeF]

No, I never post my pens... except for a Pilot M90...

 

In some pens it seems almost criminal, you'll scratch the barrel.

 

Edit: BTW, I think the Argento has a slightly different finish on the section to make it less slippery, though it doesn't seems to make a huge difference. Anyway, silver does get some oxide, and if you don't polish it frequently, it won't be slippery soon.

Edited February 24, 2011 by MikeF

[Ghost Plane]

How was your nib starting out? This pen wrote dry when it wrote, and not at all the rest of the time. Like I said, sick horse, but I do love it. The hump is kind of odd, and does make for a weird feeling in the hand.

But did you have to work on your nib at all?

This one, no, but other Montegrappas were dry out of the box and went to MikeItWork for firehosing. I find the caps have trouble staying posted on this model and I need them to post given my stance on the pen. But the other models are fantastic.

 

Get these nibs sorted and they're very responsive gliders. I rather like the c/c as it lets me take it on travel with a supply of carts.

[watch_art]

I just adjusted the nib and feed again, actually. MUCH better. No more skippy thin lines. DID YOU KNOW this thing is 18K? I didn't notice that until I had the nib out. I thought it was steel! Ha!

 

The nib has a soft feeling, like writing through mud almost. Don't know if that makes sense. No... it doesn't. Mmmm.... well, it's mushy. Very nice. Not at all like my 18k MB 149 nib which is quite firm.

[camoandconcrete]

It just had to be red.... This makes me want to get the Miya even more.

 

Recently, I purchased another Monte and it was the first one to have a dry/skipping nib. I was disappointed because I had bought seven others that all had perfect nibs right out of the box.

 

However, I read Richard's post in the repair section on how to improve inkflow; so I tried it last night. I did everything he said to do and now the Symphony writes perfectly. No skipping/hesitating whatsoever. And the nib now writes the way I like it...very wet. It is an EF that can flex almost to BB.

[watch_art]

Is it 18K? If so be careful flexing it. They'll spring a lot easier than the 14K apparently.

 

What did you do to get your writing wetter? Just spread the tines?

[camoandconcrete]

Is it 18K? If so be careful flexing it. They'll spring a lot easier than the 14K apparently.

 

What did you do to get your writing wetter? Just spread the tines?

 

It is an 18K, but I am very careful. This one just happens to have rather long tines. I spread the tines, adjusted the feed making it closer to the nib, before I could put a piece of paper through it. And I cleaned out the feed. It was nerve-wracking and fun at the same time.

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it IS fun isn't it!?

[camoandconcrete]

it IS fun isn't it!?

 

It really IS!

[ballboy]

The hump is kind of odd, and does make for a weird feeling in the hand.

I tried one; felt like a thick marker pen to hold, and the nib was skippy; beautiful enough to overcome little differences like that. Turquoise is exquisite;

[watch_art]

Mine was skippy at first... and then I fixed it. Hope the person who just bought it likes it as much as I think they will once they get it and write with it. Because it is nice.

[beginnersmind]

I have the red Miya too. I actually find the body shape and taper of the grip make it one of my most comfortable pens. It has one of the best handcut ebonite feeds I have ever experienced (not like some drippy Omas pens I have had) The cap threads are sooo smooth when I hold the pen. I had a big sell off of my collection about five years ago and the Miya was one of a very few that I held on to. I love the clip too, it slides over a heavy sweater or a thin tee shirt with ease and stays put.

[watch_art]

It is definitely a great pen. Alas, not one that I reached for often enough. After adjusting the nib so that it would write properly, it did get some use, but not much, so I sold it to fund another pen. The Deccan M1000!!! The threads are wonderful though, as they don't irritate your fingers at all. It even posts perfectly if you like to do that.