Which Montblanc current model lines will an 18kt nib taken from a ca. 2000 MB 149 fit?

Fred

They'll fit into a Hemingway or Dumas, since those LEs were based on the 149 model (well, really the 139). But the 149 nib should fit in any other 149, based on my experience. But I don't think they'll fit into a Boheme or other non-traditional Meisterstuck line of pen.

Regards, Eric

What about fitting into the 145, 146 or 147?

Fred

Hi Fred,

The main thing with the 14s series of pen is that the diameter (& length) of the pen increases as you go from 144 to 146/147 to 149. I've compared one of my 146s and 149s just know and see the feed diameters are different, and since the nibs are designed for the feed so as to allow ink to flow, I do not believe you could put a 149 nib on a 145/6/7 and get a pen with proper ink flow. Perhaps someone may be able to explain the fluid dynamics of this better than me, but I'm thinking one would crimp the nib too much, even if you could get it to fit.

Now I have seen vintage 146s or 149s with modern nibs, but it was always a 146 nib on a 146 body or a 149 nib on a 149 body. That said, I've got both 146 and 149 disassembled at home, so tonight I will take a look at putting the 149 nib on a 146 body and see what it looks like.

Regards, Eric

Eric,

I am, at present, awaiting delivery of a 147 traveller in vermeil which has a medium nib. I already have a 147 with a lovely fine nib and I was considering having these nibs swapped around.

Is this a job that MontBlanc will undertake? Or will it have to be sent to an independant nib specialist?

Any thoughts would be welcomed.

Regards,

Ian.

Ian-

The only time I sent in a pen to a Montblanc repair facility was when I was living in Germany, and a local pen shop in Heidelberg sent in my 149 for a cap replacement. Cost me 50DM at the time (if I remember correctly). So I have no knowledge of "if" MB would swap nibs between your pens. However, I would think that any knowledgeable pen repair person or nib specialist could swap them for you--and probably fairly quickly, since all you want done is to trade the nib units between the two pens. As I mentioned in a thread on 149 nib removal, the process of properly removing the nib is fairly straightforward, although not without risk. In my opinion, the issue becomes resealing the nib unit back into the barrel.

I don't have any first-hand knowledge with UK pen repairers, but you might check with Battersea Pens, http://penhome.co.uk/index.htm , and if they cannot perform this task for you, I would bet they would know someone who can.

Best regards,

Eric

Eric,

Thanks for your speedy response. Will see what MB say and if its in the negative will try the link you posted.

Regards,

Ian.

Okay,

Got home early from work, no kids or wife, so I was able to play around a little. Here is a photo of two nibs, and 149 and 146 in the center, then their respective feeds, and then a 149 and 146. What I am trying to illustrate is the length and size of the nibs, and about how far they are placed in the sections of each respective pen. You can see on the 146 feed (along the same grid line as the bottom of the 146 nib) a slight change in the diameter of the ribs/comb. It is here that the end of the nib rests on the feed when inserting them into the threaded sleeve. You get the same idea with the 149 nib & feed (although they aren't lined up as well) So I think you might be able to put the 149 nib on the 146 feed and actually get it into the threaded sleeve, but I think the nib would placed too far back on the feed for proper flow, and it appears my initial pondering that the 149 nib would be too 'crimped' on the feed is correct. Plus, the nib would stick too far out of the pen to look aesthetically correct, and I'm not sure you would be able to cap the pen properly if you were able to get the nib assembly together.

Now, after all of this Fred, why would you want to?

Have a great evening, Eric

Click to view attachment

Eric,

Excellent, excellent! The Pelikans make it so easy, but with the Montblancs, I need this visual exercise to understand the differences between the smaller and larger models. I have to hand it to you for tearing them down like this. I suppose I will do likewise when I have the tools.


It's just that I have this spare M nib that the Bethlehem service center returned to me after a swap for an F nib in my seven-year-old 149. I was wondering how many models it might fit if I put in on the market. On the other hand, I'm contemplating having it custom ground to a cursive italic oblique and look for an orphaned 149 (sans nib) to fit it to. Got a Bordeaux with bent tines, by any chance?

Fred

Hello again Eric,

Having spoken to you I e-mailed MB and got a speedy response. Thats the good bit.

To swap nibs over on my 147's MB estimate the cost to be between $54 and $294 PER PEN !!!!!

Now I dont mind spending on my one and only interest and estimates rarely bother me but does that sound a tad on the expensive side to you ???

The e-mail clearly acknowledges that this is an exchange and not a purchase of nibs so what sort of a procedure is it !

Regards,

Ian.

Ian, I'll post another photo essay later tonight when I get home. And yes, I think that price per pen for this nib swap is a tad steep.

Regards, Eric

Hi Ian-

Here is the photo essay...it's not a difficult task to endeavor to accomplish your goals of swapping the nibs, but I'll caveat to begin this post, if you haven't done this before and/or you don't have the correct tools, you could bejigger up your pen. (Sorry I cannot remember my British Army friends' comments for "screwing it up".)

If you look at the base of the nib/feed you'll see two slots (not pictured). There is a specific tool you should use to place into these slots and turn the nib unit anti-clockwise, generally/usually after you've heated the section to loosen the existing sealant. You'll see a pink-ish rubberish substance as you turn the nib unit out of the barrel. Here is a photo of the disassembled pen "in sequence":

Click to view attachment

Now here is a close up of the components. What you see is the nib unit consisting of the nib, the feed (not seen) and the threaded sleeve. The nib and feed fit into the threaded sleeve that functions as what we consider a section in other pens. You can see where the threaded sleeve screws into the barrel. The piece on the bottom of the photo covers the above described assembly to complete the assembly of the pen. In some 146s, this piece does not separate from the barrel. Here is the close up;

Click to view attachment

Disassembly, as I see the process, is fairly simple--if you have the right tools and patience. I have bejiggered up a couple (or more) pens in my trials. But the real test of the repair (or nib switch in your case, Ian) is the resealing of the nib unit into the barrel, because if the pen leaks, the pen is bejiggered. I have used two methods to seal the nib section into the barrel and both have worked for two years, and these were on pens that I use daily.

So I do think that $54 to $294 is excessive, but at least if MB UK or MB Europe screws up your pen, they can replace it with correct parts.

Have you talke to Battersea yet??

Eric

If you look at the Pen Repair forum here on FPN, you can get a feel for what's involved in working on a pen. Almost everyone messes up pens they're working on when they first start learning to fix them, luckily there are bags and buckets of third-tier pens to learn on (though admittedly most of them aren't piston-fillers). While it may seem expensive to have MB work on a pen, they guarantee their work and will fix screwups, and they generally don't sell parts outside the company.

The screw-in nib unit does take some careful work to get out. For putting it back in, orange shellac should be a good sealant to use (it seals well until it needs to be broken for the next servicing (with the help of some heat)), and there are a number of descriptions of its use in the Pen Repair forum . I'd definitely recommend learning to work with it in parts-grade pens before trying it in a MB repair.

Kalessin is very much correct, and what I forgot to mention last night was that if MB does the repair swap, it will not void the warranty for materials defects and/or workmanship. Most of the pens I have taken apart are ones that I have found which were broken or leaking, and older modern 146s or 149s. And, most of them I have kept for my use because I am still very much an amatuer at this, I will readily admit.

Eric

Eric,

Thank you for the very informative input. Wont try that myself and willl be contacting the Pen Home shortly to seek their advice.

Regards,

Ian.

http://penhome.co.uk/penrepairs.htm#pens? pen home doesn't repair mont blancs "We do not repair modern Montblancs (1970ish on) - these should be returned direct to Montblanc".

thanks for the info even though its not quite waht I wated to hear !