Hallowe'en Horror Story

[AnnieB123]

Not for the faint of heart. (Fair warning).

 

My daughter is something of a physics geek. (I mean this in a super proud mama-bird sort of fashion). She's at uni in the mechanical engineering programme and takes on freelance maths/physics tutoring for 'crisps and lager' money.

 

All 3 of my kids have grown up with parents who are daily fountain pen users. They all use fountain pens. So the minion (daughter) comes home for the weekend and says 'I was given this as a bonus by a nursing student who was delighted that she passed her midterms. Avert your eyes, mum'.

 

Apparently this pen was given to said nursing student years ago by a family member, got dropped into her handbag along with who knows what and at one point, accidentally drop kicked into a wall (nib horror pics coming up below). The cap was also lost (or broken?) along the way.

 

The daughter would like for it to be repaired/renewed. She loves 'gadget-y' pens, and really loves the fact that it's retractable.

 

Should I send it to MB for service or is there likely to be an expert here on the forum who would take it on? Are there caps still available? Does the Boheme cap (which I assume would still be available from MB) have the same threading as the original noir et noir cap with the black onyx-like stone on the clip? Obviously it'd be a frankenpen, but right now it's more 'return of the bride of wolfman', so frankenpen would be an upgrade.

 

Pics. (apologies for the quality... 'Dammit Jim, I'm a bionerd, not a photographer'!)

this mess (and the pic above) all look to be relatively shallow. I'll go out on a limb here and say it looks like at some point a tissue with some solvent came into contact with the pen (acetone? maybe cyanoacrylate type glue? who knows). It can maybe be buffed out?

Pelikan cartridge dried inside the pen for years.

No comment.

 

Well, jury?

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[mhguda]

Somebody would treat a Montblanc like that?

[AnnieB123]

Yeah, sad isn't it?

 

This is exactly why I can't think of any young person (who isn't one of my kids) to whom I would ever give a pen as a gift. It doesn't seem to matter if it's expensive or not. It's 'just a pen' (and therefore basically disposable).

 

[cybaea]

You can certainly ask MB for a quote; from the pictures they should be able to give you an idea if it is possible. Alternatively try your friendly local pen-restorer and see what they say.

[jar]

Yeah, sad isn't it?

 

This is exactly why I can't think of any young person (who isn't one of my kids) to whom I would ever give a pen as a gift. It doesn't seem to matter if it's expensive or not. It's 'just a pen' (and therefore basically disposable).

 

 

You've got yourself quite a dilemma there.

 

The pen is a "Noir et Noir". pretty damn rare, available only one year and then withdrawn from the market for trademark infringement. It's a real winner. The cap came with an onyx stone in the clip.

 

Will Montblanc restore the pen since there was a lawsuit that required them to withdraw the pens? I don't know.

 

BUT wait, there's more. If you call in the next 30 seconds Montblanc would likely gladly replace that pen with a brand new Boèhme.

[Dillo]

 

You've got yourself quite a dilemma there.

 

The pen is a "Noir et Noir". pretty damn rare, available only one year and then withdrawn from the market for trademark infringement. It's a real winner. The cap came with an onyx stone in the clip.

 

Will Montblanc restore the pen since there was a lawsuit that required them to withdraw the pens? I don't know.

 

BUT wait, there's more. If you call in the next 30 seconds Montblanc would likely gladly replace that pen with a brand new Boèhme.

 

I think someone here did get a pair of Noir et Noir pens repaired recently in September this year. I think it's worth asking.

 

Dillon

[JLS1]

I also think it's worth asking MB, but I think the nib replacement might be pricey and they might replace the barrel with a modern Boheme that's not infringing. You might be better off talking to a nibmeister (Oxonian perhaps?) to see if you can get the nib fixed...some of them can work magic.

[Garyfph]

Somebody would treat a Montblanc like that?

Yes, that's hard to believe! But the person might not know what a Montblanc is!

[Fabienne]

Yea, since it's an important MB and it does matter what barrel is replaced with what, I would go to a nibmeister for this one. Good luck, there are a quite a few really good ones out there.

[AnnieB123]

I also think it's worth asking MB, but I think the nib replacement might be pricey and they might replace the barrel with a modern Boheme that's not infringing. You might be better off talking to a nibmeister (Oxonian perhaps?) to see if you can get the nib fixed...some of them can work magic.

Pen sent off to Mr. Sorowka (Oxonian) yesterday. Now we wait and see if there's life to be had in the poor old pen.

 

It's... aliiiiiive!

 

I'll update with a happy ending (hopefully) and some before and after pics ^^

[Chrissy]

I would send it to Montblanc without hesitation. I bet you'll get that fixed for the most reasonable price by them.

[Paul80]

Please do tell, what was the copyright infringement.

 

Paul

[jar]

Please do tell, what was the copyright infringement.

 

Paul

 

IIRC it was a Trademark infringement over the phrase "et Noir" and with a fragrance company, but it was long ago and I'm old and not too sure what I had for breakfast this morning.