Mb 146 Ink Volume

[Ileach]

Hello,

 

I was wondering how much is the ink capacity of my MB 146 (bought in 2016). The information I found online were between 1.4 and 2 ml but when I took a look at my ink bottle I knew this can't be true. So I tested it myself.

 

What I did: The pen was already inked up. I discharged the ink into the ink bottle and then filled the pen up again. I let out five drops (I was interested in the volume I use for writing) and then turned it upside down, closed the piston completely. After this I did not clean the feed or whatever and discharged the ink into a small test tube. From there I used a syringe to measure the ink. This was pretty easy since even the last few remains of the ink "clogged" together in little drops. I took a syringe with a volume of 1 ml so it was pretty easy to read the exact amount. I did this three times with same results.

 

Result: I have 1.15 ml of ink in my pen. When I take a look at the ink window I think there might be space for another 0.2 ml.

 

Just in case someone else is looking for this information.

[dubhe]

This is useful, thank you. I refill MB ink cartridges for use in my Kaweco AL Sport and they take 0.85 ml.

[Penman222]

Thanks for the info. I get about 10 written journal pages per fill on my 146, more than ample for my modest writing needs.

[max dog]

With my 146 (bought new last year) I do notice the pen goes on writing quite a bit even after the chamber as viewed through the ink window looks empty. If you take into consideration the ink in the feed and nib, the total amount of ink the 146 can hold will be significantly more than what the chamber alone holds, and would be closer to 1.5 ml.

 

So tonight I got a 3 ml syringe, an empty MB ink bottle, and measured exactly how much ink my 146 will hold. I thoroughly dried out the feed and nib, filled the MB ink bottle with exactly 9ml of water. I then did a fill of the 146 from the bottle, expelling the water back out and refilling again to make sure there are no air pockets. The volume of water left in the bottle measured to exactly 7.5 ml. Therefore, 9ml - 7.5ml = 1.5 ml the pen took away

 

That means when the 146 is completely dry, it will take 1.5 ml of ink to fill, and you have 1.5 ml of ink to write with until the pen goes completely dry.

 

I'll measure how much ink my 149 will hold another time.

 

Edit: I just did the same procedure with the 149, and exactly 1.5 ml.

 

Both the 146 and 149 hold the same volume of ink at 1.5ml.

Edited August 22, 2016 by max dog

[whatanicepen]

With my 146 (bought new last year) I do notice the pen goes on writing quite a bit even after the chamber as viewed through the ink window looks empty. If you take into consideration the ink in the feed and nib, the total amount of ink the 146 can hold will be significantly more than what the chamber alone holds, and would be closer to 1.5 ml.

 

So tonight I got a 3 ml syringe, an empty MB ink bottle, and measured exactly how much ink my 146 will hold. I thoroughly dried out the feed and nib, filled the MB ink bottle with exactly 9ml of water. I then did a fill of the 146 from the bottle, expelling the water back out and refilling again to make sure there are no air pockets. The volume of water left in the bottle measured to exactly 7.5 ml. Therefore, 9ml - 7.5ml = 1.5 ml the pen took away

 

That means when the 146 is completely dry, it will take 1.5 ml of ink to fill, and you have 1.5 ml of ink to write with until the pen goes completely dry.

 

I'll measure how much ink my 149 will hold another time.

 

Edit: I just did the same procedure with the 149, and exactly 1.5 ml.

 

Both the 146 and 149 hold the same volume of ink at 1.5ml.

I thought 149 would hold more ink!? Thanks!

How about the converter?

[max dog]

I thought 149 would hold more ink!? Thanks!

How about the converter?

With my 145, 0.9 ml for the converter alone, and 1.2 ml when filled through the nib. I am not surprised at all as it always felt like my 145 with converter rivaled the 146 piston filler in ink capacity based on how much I could write with it before needing to refill.

 

I have the newer converter that come with the agitator. The older ones without agitator may be slightly more capacity

[max dog]

With my 146 (bought new last year) I do notice the pen goes on writing quite a bit even after the chamber as viewed through the ink window looks empty. If you take into consideration the ink in the feed and nib, the total amount of ink the 146 can hold will be significantly more than what the chamber alone holds, and would be closer to 1.5 ml.

 

So tonight I got a 3 ml syringe, an empty MB ink bottle, and measured exactly how much ink my 146 will hold. I thoroughly dried out the feed and nib, filled the MB ink bottle with exactly 9ml of water. I then did a fill of the 146 from the bottle, expelling the water back out and refilling again to make sure there are no air pockets. The volume of water left in the bottle measured to exactly 7.5 ml. Therefore, 9ml - 7.5ml = 1.5 ml the pen took away

 

That means when the 146 is completely dry, it will take 1.5 ml of ink to fill, and you have 1.5 ml of ink to write with until the pen goes completely dry.

 

I'll measure how much ink my 149 will hold another time.

 

Edit: I just did the same procedure with the 149, and exactly 1.5 ml.

 

Both the 146 and 149 hold the same volume of ink at 1.5ml.

User error with reading the markings on my syringe. I re-measured :

146 piston filler = 1.7 ml

149 piston filler = 1.7 ml

145 converter = 1.0 ml

 

+/- 0.1 ml margin of error.