Montblanc 742

[ballboy]

This pen has been in my collection since this summer. I thought I would get to know it before posting a short review. It's not my usual type of pen: Vintage and Montblanc. I simply haven't found the modern pens in this maker's collection as enticing as general consensus finds them. However, when this off the beaten path find came along, something in me had to find out about it...

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s149/bucketzoid/PENS/Image0143.jpg

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s149/bucketzoid/PENS/Image0142.jpg

http://i151.photobucket.com/albums/s149/bucketzoid/PENS/Image0145-1.jpg

 

So far, I've not regretted this purchase, despite it being the most expensive and oldest pen I've ever bought. I expect its charisma and general writing appeal to last for quite some time still.

[kazoolaw]

There is something very classy about this slim pen with the narrow stripes down the sides.

It's a bit of a shock to see the broad OBB line from a diminutive pen, but utterly appropriate with the brown ink.

Your choice is proof of the often heard advice here on FPN that a few nicer pens is better than many beaters.

Thanks for sharing,

gary

[Brian]

Nice review. I am thinking that maybe the reason why there are so few comments here is because the 742/744s are not that easy to come by, especially the ones that are all metal. IMHO the few that are out there are mostly owned by rather rabid fans who want to keep this great pen their little secret.

[freewheelingvagabond]

very nice pen and a very nice review!

[Bo Bo Olson]

Picture taken from Ebay, the dark part of the clip is light shadow only, it is plain gold with a nice classy outline at the edge of the clip.

IIt is lightly chased with wider straight line chased areas, bordered by narrow plain lines. A '50's rolled gold 742, not the 14k gold version.

 

That pen I won some six years ago for  E-150 at a live auction....and 25% auction cost and 19% tax is @ E 200...$245.

 

A hell of a lot less expensive than the 14/18K gold ones...and their nibs are no better.

 

A good price, were but me and the dealer bidding, and he had to make a profit, not me; and I wasn't going to let that  Dealer get that nib and not even know what he had.

 

It is a standard sized pen, 32 g, with 1/3 a load of Herbin Lie de Thee.

It is a gold plated  brass, heavy pen, that rests posted in the pit of my thumb, it is too short not to be used posted. To heavy to be held higher.

 

Mine has a very nice semi-flex nib, two color gold, looks to be an F....in often MB don't mark the pen nor nib with size. The nib is the only one I have that is right between a semi-flex and a maxi-semi-flex nib. Normally semi-flex clumps together and so does maxi.

 

If one wants to push the nib it gives a nice fancy decender or wider letter. Otherwise it's a nice tad 'softer'  semi-flex nib

The nib writes well enough to make up for the pens heaviness.

 

It's been sitting around in a velvet wristband jewelry case for the longest time. A bit too good to hang around with the more common pens of mine, in the humidor.

 

I'm trying to get down to 7 pens inked, so it's the 742's time to empty....and end up in either my glass topped cherry two drawer pen case or my walnut humidor. More than likely the latter.

[JNeffLind]

Nice looking pen.  Not familiar with this one, but would love to try it.

[Bo Bo Olson]

It has a very fine semi-felx 'F' nib. Most of my 35 semi-flex nibs clump together, my 742's nib is the only one that sets between semi-flex and my 15 maxi-semi-flex nibs.

I have a system for measuring  based off of having regular flex nib that rate, semi or maxi; based on half pressures.

 

A Regular flex, like the modern 200, or the German 80- mid to late 90's regular flex  nibs. There were many US nibs like some  Esterbrooks or some Shaffer pens that did have regular flex as normal issue. (I don't collect US pens so can't name exact Esterbrook nib, or other brand's exact model and era.

 

I define regular flex as when well mashed will give a line 3 X a light down stroke. (If one started with Japanese nibs, a 'soft' one,but not so mushy as some say.) Or soft +.

Semi-flex requires half that pressure to reach 3X. Soft ++

Maxi-semi-flex, half the pressure of a semi-flex to reach 3X or 1/4th the pressure to mash a regular flex to 3X. Soft +++

 

So the 742 nib  lays between as a Soft ++ 1/2.

 

My system works the same way with superflex, if one only has a few of them. The more one has of them the more the borders blur, but it is a help to those new to superflex.

 

One can get by with a regular flex and semi-flex to jump my system to superflex. Though one must have those too, to rate superflex my way.

Tine spread 4, mostly 5-6, and outside of sprung nibs on youtube and buy a pre sprung nib on Ebay....the rare 7X.

 

Easy full Flex  1/2 of a maxi, or  1/8th a regular flex.Soft++++ with more tine spread.

Wet Noodle. 1/16th less pressure from a regular flex. Soft +++++

or Weak Kneed Wet Noodle, a term invented by the English nib grinder John Sowobada(sp).  much less pressure. I've only had a 1920's MB Safety pen, with such a nib in my hand.