I just bought my 1st montblanc Boheme Fountain Pen and would like some instructions:

1. What ink should I use? Anything I should be careful about?

2. How often should I use the pen? When will the ink dry out?

3. can I do "major underlining" when I use the pen? or will this harm the nib?

4. how should I clean the pen-nib? how often?

Thank you!

There is an excellent article on how to look after your pen here:http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref_info/care.htm

1. Most fountain pen inks (Parker, Waterman, Sheaffer, Montblanc) are fine. Stay away from ALL INKS NOT MARKED FOR FOUNTAIN PEN USE. Indian ink, powdered ink, Chinese ink, iron-gall ink, PAINT, blood, white-out etc etc etc.

Montblanc is extremely fond of telling it's customers that only Montblanc ink can be used in Montblanc pens. This isn't true. They do it only to make you buy their ink. Granted, the bottles are cool, but feel free to use whatever fountain pen ink you like.

2. As often as you like and as often as is possible and convenient. I would suggest every few minutes. Ink will dry out when the pen's either empty, flowing incorrectly or if it's been left uncapped and open for a long time.

3. Meaning what exactly? You mean pressing down on the nib? Yes, it can harm the nib. Fountain pen nibs (unless they're flexies) aren't supposed to be forced down. You can damage the nib quite severely.

4. Use tissue or toilet paper which is clean and dry. Whenever necessary and every time after filling the pen.

They not only tell you to use their ink but they also inform you that if you do not, you are invalidating their warranty. They even say this about the Montegrappa which, as of this date, is still under their name.

When I brought my Montegrappa in to their service center in Bethlehem, Pa. in August, it had a Dupont cartridge in it, supplied by the store where the pen was purchased. Not only did this store say that Montegrappas could use just about any short cartridge, so did every major pen shop that I called and believe me, I called many. When the service center saw that Dupont cartridge in the pen, they told me to never ever use any cartridge but Montegrappa in that pen.

I just bought a Boheme and a Mozart and I treasure these pretty little pens. I am loathe to use anything but MB ink in them even though I have 150 bottles of ink that are not MB.

I know I run the risk of having the entire board jump down my throat for saying this but I probably will never use anything but MB ink in these pens.

Take a look at this MB instruction sheet which comes along with their inks (at least in bottles):

Click to view attachment
Note that they (1) say "clean every 3 months", and (2) show the drawings of how you can/should get rid of 6-8 drops after filling. That has been discussed here elsewhere and I still think that this point (2) is unnecessary.

Mike

For "clean every 3 months" do you think they mean "flush with water"?

I do not like to do it with the 149.

Only time I did it it took me forever to get out the water and back the correct ink color.
Even worse with the Aurora 88 piston filler (with its hidden ink reservoir). Flushing it a real headache.

Usually I "rinse" the pen by loading/unloading it with ink a couple of time.
Clearly enough I use it always with the same ink (MB blue/black).

Usually I do not get rid of the ink, and nothing bad ever happened. I think it is suggested only as a safety measure (if you fill the pen but do not keep writing immediately).