The Cheapest Tool To Untwist A Montblanc

[Florence]

When I told my husband that I had to buy online a special tool to open the MontBlanc in order to clean its pump, he waved me off and came back with this wonderful tool he engineered with a paper clip. The paper clip was cut off, slightly eroded as to facilitate its extraction when the pen is being twisted back together, and bent with a basic "pince" (whatever the word is in English). It works perfectly. For no money ! I opened up the pen, cleaned the pump and re-assembled it with it. Try it !

Florence

[broker]

Would you mind take some pics of the process?

thanks

[USMCMom]

Your husband gets a BIG Atta Boy award!! Good for him!!

[hari317]

Well done!

[Florence]

The process is quite simple :

1°) unscrew the top part as if you were going to pump. At some point of resistance, if you look closely, you've got those 2 small holes in the golden ring : put the device in them.

 

2°) keeping firmly the pen, use to device to unscrew the top cap further. You may encounter resistance but should not feel compelled to force too much (or else stop right in your tracks !)

That's it... The top comes off, you've unscrewed it fully. To re-assemble it together, it's a bit more difficult because taking the device off the small holes is a bit hard, but eroding its surface and slightly bending the little legs outwards made it.

Sorry, no pictures available, I don't feel like emptying the pen once more and re-doing the operation.

[Pen Nut]

Well done !

[Pen Nut]

Well done !

[broker]

Thanks Florence

[pavoni]

This is what makes collecting fountain pens so exciting. Inspired. Thank you for sharing Florence.

 

Pavoni.

[daenghafez]

Congrats on the ingenious innovation.

 

This too reminds me of VW Beetle's accessories of the 60s for tools removing the hubcap. If I am not mistaken, the accessories was called as "bear claws".

[Bo Bo Olson]

Eroding = filing?

Did you file the tips of the paper clip?

[penboard.de]

The process is quite simple :

1°) unscrew the top part as if you were going to pump. At some point of resistance, if you look closely, you've got those 2 small holes in the golden ring : put the device in them.

 

2°) keeping firmly the pen, use to device to unscrew the top cap further. You may encounter resistance but should not feel compelled to force too much (or else stop right in your tracks !)

That's it... The top comes off, you've unscrewed it fully. To re-assemble it together, it's a bit more difficult because taking the device off the small holes is a bit hard, but eroding its surface and slightly bending the little legs outwards made it.

Sorry, no pictures available, I don't feel like emptying the pen once more and re-doing the operation.

 

http://www.penboard.de/shop/pb/9928g.jpg

 

Hello Florence,

 

compliments to your husband - might be a little soft, the metal would bend in some cases, when the piston is sitting too tight - but well, its a wonderful solution.

 

Picture shows the 28 Euro solution - I had them milled as a copy of a Montblanc tool.

(sorry, sold out, stick to the paper clip. :-(

 

But picture might help to show, how it has to be done.

maybe better to invest some more cents and take a bigger paper clip so you have a better lever in hands. :-)

 

Best regards

Tom

[PBW]

^^^ very nice tool.

 

Would it be possible for you to tell the dimensions. Specifically the radius and pin widths and depths. I have the materials to make my own but would like to know the actual measurements so I can make my own. Thanks.

[watch_art]

Here's one homemade tool.

A dremel and a couple of bends.

 

 

 

I myself used an old pair of tweezer and a torch to heat the tips, then twist an bend them down to shape.

[hari317]

I use a homemade tool too, but made in home of my friend Fountainbel who lives in Belgium .

 

Fountainbel made tool:

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/MB149/IMG_3270.jpg

 

More pictures here.

[jigesh]

I have one from Tom when he had them in stock. But this one is a very creative solution indeed.

[penboard.de]

I have one from Tom when he had them in stock. But this one is a very creative solution indeed.

And I am sitting in Hamburg right now,

left my last tool at home in Italy - and had to diassemble a 149 two days ago - did not find out about the paperclip before today.

Now I am searching the flat for paper clip and pliers. :-)

 

Regards

Tom

[rroossinck]

I use a homemade tool too, but made in home of my friend Fountainbel who lives in Belgium .

 

Fountainbel made tool:

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/MB149/IMG_3270.jpg

 

More pictures here.

No fair, Hari!

 

If anyone does have specific dimensions handy, I'd like to have them. A buddy made me a piston wrench for my M8xx, and I'd like to have one for my 149, too. Thanks!

[FredRydr]

...I had them milled as a copy of a Montblanc tool.

 

Tom, are you able to share a link to a list of tools specific to Montblanc pens?

 

Thank you.

 

Fred

[eric47]

Tom, are you able to share a link to a list of tools specific to Montblanc pens?

 

Getting your holiday gift list together early Fred?