Montblanc 149 - Broad

[Gregor Samsa]

I too have a pair of big hands. This is thanks to 7 years of parentally enforced hard labour at a piano during my childhood. I recently acquired a MB Franz Kafka, which is quite a large pen and I find it very comfortable to hold. In contrast, I have a Caran D'ache Ecridor which is hard and small (whilst aesthetically v. pleasing) thus difficult to write with. I was considering a 149 and an M600 believing them to be similarly sized to the Kafka. Surely an M1000 is much wider and longer than the 149? Or are they similar sized pens? Could someone post a picture of the 149 and M1000 side by side?

 

 

Perhaps I should be looking at an M800 or 1000 instead of the 600.

Edited May 17, 2011 by Gregor Samsa

[Pino]

If you're looking for 149 sized, then definitely not the M600. I have both and the M600 is almost identical in size to the 146 when uncapped. Capped/posted, its even smaller than the 146. Don't have either the M800 or M1000 so I can't say which one is closer to the 149.

[Gregor Samsa]

If you're looking for 149 sized, then definitely not the M600. I have both and the M600 is almost identical in size to the 146 when uncapped. Capped/posted, its even smaller than the 146. Don't have either the M800 or M1000 so I can't say which one is closer to the 149.

 

Thanks Pino, I will look towards the larger M800. I think the 1000 is just too big for me.

[Boston Brian]

My wife bought me a MB 146 over 30 years ago in Harrods of London, and it is a B nib, and it is my top pen, everything about the pen is perfect even after 30 years of very regular use. I bought a BB MB Solitaire from a gentleman on this site, and it is taking me a while to get used to it. Perhaps such a very broad point on such a small nib is the problem, but all my pens are broad or OB, but I expect that I will get used to the Solitaire soon. Fingers crossed.

[mjchuang9]

I had my 75th anniversary 149 M nib change to B nib, but it writes like broader M. I mean not stubbish enough to have line variations. In my experiences, nib exchange of earlier MB pens probably do not have the same quality than original. For example, the imperial dragon F is too fine , Agatha B is overflow. I doubt the quality of spare nibs are the same as first time fitted. There are much or less scratches on the surface of the exchanged nibs. Sometimes I asked to send back again.

I recently got another normal 149 B, the perfect stubbish nib having line variations and perfect flow. I always bought LE before because I wanted to be different from others. I think that is total wrong idea. Since I am a pen user more than a collector. I should focus more on writing experience although I still appreciate Maecenas (M nib not inked).

At the moment, I enjoy the non-LE writing pleasure of 149,Churchill and Aurora 88.

Edited May 24, 2011 by mjchuang9