Leo Tolstoy Review

[willow92]

Leo Tolstoy fountain pen review

Note on this review:

 

A review of the Leo Tolstoy fountain pen, medium nib.

 

I am writing this review based of the usage of my current collection namely a 146, 147, Sonnet, Sonnet gt, Parker 45, TWSBI, and a Namiki Nippon, a relatively small collection but all heavily used.

 

I didn't want to give a false positive review when the pen was new so i am writing this after a week of use.

 

I am new to photography so excuse my pictures.

 

The pens may be a little dirty as they are all in rotation.

 

I will be using the pen everyday, it will be kept safe but will be heavily used, it will be reviewed with this objective in mind.

 

 

 

INTRODUCTION:

I picked this pen up at the Chicago boutique on the magnificent mile, i had been planing the purchase since i saw the pens pre release pictures.

 

​I was drawn to the pen because of the unusual design, the big body and the look of the cap.

 

I had been searching for a pen that had some weight, would stand out to me, and be a unique capable everyday writer.

 

I spent some time in the boutique examining the pen and making sure it was what i wanted, it did not disappoint and i decided to purchase it.

The pen came in a lovely box with all the normal booklets included with Mont blancs.

 

 

Appearance & Design (8-10) ​

The Pen was just what i wanted in terms of appearance.

I am glad the pen differs from the stock photos, the cap is gray in color and is lighter than most of the pictures i saw, the blue swirling looks light and in an unusual way everything blends together with the silver, it is just what i wanted, beautiful to my eyes.

I use the pen in an office setting and i wanted it to be different but not to ostentatious that i would feel apprehensive about pulling it out in a meeting.

It is not negativly remarked on whereas my 146 and 147 with their gold nibs and rings sometimes are.

Overall i am happy and the pen meets and exceeds its mandate i set when researching it.

Construction & Quality (7-10)

The pen is extremely well built, the fit and finish is superb.

I must note the cap as i am so impressed with it, it is the nicest fitting cap i have experienced, it is thick as you can see below, it secures to the pen barrel in such a pleasing smooth way, there is no wobble at all and is a perfect fit.

I compare this now to the 146 and 147 that i own.

The Tolstoy has metal threads and is smooth with a definite stop when the cap meets its step on the barrel, the 146/147 caps wobble on the barrel and have mold lines on the threads, they also sometimes seat to hard causing extra force to un cap them.

The pen is balanced just right for me, i can write with it for hours and its more comfortable than my other Mont blancs, the big body seats perfectly in my hand and is a pleasure to write with.

I also feel the pen is strong, it just oozes strength and does not worry me or feel delicate, it should be a workhorse.

This all sounds great but i feel compelled to give it a 7 so hear me out.

I know a review is based on ones personal usage but i feel some factors may be of a detriment to others so i must give the overall rating a slight downgrade.

The barrel step down and threads.

A few writers editions have these and i note that the community on here frowns upon a pen with a step, this was something i had noted to test before purchase and like i said above it is extremely comfortable to my writing style however if i change my style to a higher grip that some may have it could cause the barrel threads to cut into the joint of your finger, if you purchase one of these pens i would highly recommend testing at a boutique to check your writing style.

The silver plated barrel.

I am hopeful that Mont blanc thinks of these things but how thick is the plating? i don't intend to put my pen in a showcase i will use it, how long will it last?

Overall it meets my requirements.

Weight & Dimensions (8-10)

 

The weight feels great, it actually improves my writing visibly over my other pens, it is heavier than the 146/147 and at first seems to heavy but a lot of weight is in that cap and once uncapped it is balanced exceptionally well for me during lengthy writing sessions whereas my 146 which is my normal workhorse and was the most comfortable writer now seems strenuous at times.

It is thicker than the 146/147 however it is shorter when capped, it is worth noting that as a shirt pocket pen it may cause your pocket to sag.

As far as i know the pen is not meant to post, the extreme weight of the cap would render the pen useless even if it does post.

 

Nib & Performance (7-10)

 

I wanted my nib to be medium as i prefer that size in the Mont blanc range for everyday writing, the nib is the same size as the 146/147 and is solid gold with Rhodium plating, it is the middle nib pictured below between my 146 and my Sonnet GT.

 

The nib is well proportioned to the body of the pen, it could have been bigger but it suites the pen just fine.

 

One of the reasons i picked this pen when choosing a daily writer was because i love this size Mont blanc nib, these nibs have in my opinion zero flex, instead they glide over the paper smoothly and effortlessly, springy nibs are in my opinion great for expressive writing but i love these nibs for using in a work environment.

 

The nib was perfect from the box and is delightful, like i said earlier the weight of the pen and the nib style really improve my penmanship.

The only reason the rating falls short is because the nib like all Mont blancs is not easily self serviceable which is something i would like.

 

Filling System & Maintenance (7-10)

 

The Tolstoy is a piston fill, i compared capacity by way of syringe and found the following.

 

Parker sonnet 0.6ml

Mont blanc 146 1.2ml

Leo Tolstoy 1.0ml

 

This means it has enough to get the job done and provides me with about a weeks worth of ink however it holds less than its smaller brother.

The pen is easy to fill and the piston fill is much smoother than my 146, it appears to be the same piston assembly as other Mont blancs and you can see the slots for the piston removal tool when you unscrew the back cap.

The score is again decreased because i would like to easily disassemble the pen myself.

 

 

Cost & Value (8-10)

 

 

I will say i purchased this pen at a boutique and so paid the full msrp even though it is available slightly cheaper else where i will still always purchase this way because i respect that the company operates brick and mortar stores and that the level of help, advise and expertise is worth the price in my opinion. i can't imagine purchasing a pen like this blind and would not attempt to as for me i enjoy the retail experience.

The pen receives an 8 because i understood what i was purchasing, i did my research and planned for the purchase, is it worth it? you have to answer that yourself but for me it was.

Conclusion (Final score, 7.5-10)

 

Overall the pen has met or exceeded my expectation, time will tell with the silver plating which would be my only concern.

If i was to take it all back and reconsider purchasing the pen i would undoubtedly purchase it again.

I intend to work the pen hard and will use it daily, i have no concerns of its ability to function well for a very long time.

I would recommend the pen to others if the design appeals to you and if you test the pen before purchase to make sure it will be comfortable.

 

Thank you for reading.

Edited September 27, 2015 by willow92

[da vinci]

Very interesting and helpful review, thank you

[Amberjack]

Well done review and nicely done photos. I hope the Tolstoy serves you well for many years.

 

Jack

[subbu68]

Quite an interesting pen. Good review too..

[Mainecoon]

Nice and helpful review. And don't worry about the pics. Thanks for your time.

Enjoy writing with it for a long time!

[flipper_gv]

(bleep) I need that in my life. Just out of fanboy-ism.

[subbucal]

Very nice review

[zaddick]

A helpful review. I appreciate the effort and thoughtfulness.

[maksim]

Thanks for that great, honest review.

 

I am considering this as my first new Montblanc, I love something of Russian heritage, however do question the price tag.

 

Will be visiting my favorite MB boutique in Las Vegas in two weeks, so am looking for a purchase.

 

There is also an Amex deal right now for $150 off a $1,000 purchase at MB, so that would be my justification.

 

Humn... this one, or the 1912 Heritage twist?

[mmg122]

Lovely pen. Excellent, informative review. Thanks for taking the time to do this, Willow92.

Hope you picked up a bottle of the LE Leo Tolstoy ink too...it's a very nice blue and quite well behaved.

[willow92]

Thanks for that great, honest review.

 

I am considering this as my first new Montblanc, I love something of Russian heritage, however do question the price tag.

 

Will be visiting my favorite MB boutique in Las Vegas in two weeks, so am looking for a purchase.

 

There is also an Amex deal right now for $150 off a $1,000 purchase at MB, so that would be my justification.

 

Humn... this one, or the 1912 Heritage twist?

I also looked at the heritage and the blue hour however this pen was meant to be mine, i sincerely hope you find the right one for you, there is something about shopping at a boutique that is so satisfying, looking online and reading reviews is naught compared to handling the product in person and the staff are always in my opinion so helpful, even if i do appear to cheaply dressed to make a purchase i am always helped.

[willow92]

Lovely pen. Excellent, informative review. Thanks for taking the time to do this, Willow92.

Hope you picked up a bottle of the LE Leo Tolstoy ink too...it's a very nice blue and quite well behaved.

Oh my i was disappointed to find that none of the 3 boutiques i visited had the ink or A4 refills, i might have to resort to ordering it online as i am really looking forward to it, as of now i am resorting to Royal blue which is very satisfying.

[willow92]

Thank you so much for all your thoughtful comments.

[J85909266]

I kind of like this pen. It is beautiful and impressive. Congrats on owning it and thank you for the review.

[jsolares]

I can't wait for my BB nibbed pen to arrive, it's all ready in Hamburg just waiting for it's shipment here

[mrchan]

Very well thought out honest review. I was looking to get this pen and my main concern was the silver plating too. Thanks for your time and effort put into this. I love the nib design and after trying it out at the boutique, I also felt that the cap closed very nice and securely too.

Will probably need to get one, if the MB boutique in brisbane ever gets their hands on the FP alone! (currently they are only selling the sets).

[Inked]

Thank you for your review.

 

A very bold design from Montblanc. It's nice to see a little daring.

Looks like the pen has substantial girth.

 

Your pics are great and let us see the pen from another perspective.

 

Thank you, and work it hard indeed.

 

Inked

[Appelboompen]

Thank you for this review,

 

I like the way you compares the pen and your honest opinion.

 

Keep us up to date about the progress of the silver plating