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  1. Greetings! I have recently stumbled upon a montblanc 146 with gold trimming for sale for 150 euros (2nd hand). I am not sure about the date of purchase yet, but if I get that info I'll write it below later. The pen seems to be in good condition despite a small crack on the piston knob. Below are some pictures of this pen. What are your opinions on this pen and is this a good price for one? Thank you very much for your help! Kind regards
  2. I purchased a Montblanc 146 from eBay. I also bought tools to remove the nib and piston units. All went well when I opened the piston end and remove the piston. I greased the barrel interior and screwed the piston unit back into the pen. Sadly, when I unscrewed the nib, I found the lip of the "feeder case" to be broken. I think I need a new feeder case. So, two questions: 1. How to I remove the existing broken feeder case from the barrel? Does it screw out from within the barrel? 2. Is there a source for buying new feeder cases? I checked on eBay, but didn't find any. To help ID my 146 year etc.: 2-tone nib, ink view with stripes, nib socket holes at 4 and 8, tracking number etched on clip, "Germany" on clip. I'm experienced with pen restoration, but I'm new to Montblancs. I know I could send the pen to Montblanc, but I'd rather fix it myself if I can get the spare part. Thanks very much!
  3. Hello everyone, This is my first post back after being away from FPN for a very, very long time and I come seeking your help. I need a new blue ink. I was in love with Montblanc Meisterstuck Diamond Blue ink (see review here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/225885-montblanc-meisterstuck-diamond/) and I am drawing to the end of my supply. I liked its' subdued colouring and how it shaded. In a way it sort of reminded me of old recipe Sheaffer Blue. So I now seek your collective knowledge and help. What blue do you suggest I use that either: 1. comes close in appearance/replicating the beloved Diamond; or 2. New colour blue but has good shading and lubrication qualities. Thanks for your help, P
  4. I am always hunting inexpensive notebooks or legal pads that are fountain pen friendly for my work. I have been, for the most part, disappointed by the cheap quality of the paper on most pads and notebooks for everyday use. Last night, I spotted a display of these "new" notebooks that boast a high quality paper that resists ink bleed. At $1.97 per notebook, I decided to purchase a couple. A Quick Review of the new Five Star Coillege Ruled Notebook by Acco Brands in A5-related size: This notebook is made in the U.S, and is Number 11231. It has a 2 subject divider and a colorful cover. The paper is a light weight, student quality and likely not archival. The overall feel of the paper is smooth, but has a slight amount of toothiness. The manufacturer indicates that the notebook "Lasts all year. Guranteed!", and contains reinforced storage pockets, water resistant cover and high quality paper, "which resists ink bleed with common student writing instruments such as pencil, ball point pens, gel pens, felt tip pens and markers". I decided to see how fountain pen ink would do. The pens, nibs and inks used in this test for feathering, bleedthrough and showthrough were: Montblanc 144, fine 18K gold nib: Sailor Kobe Ooji Cherry Namisu Nova, medium titanium nib: Montblanc Irish Green Conklin Duragraph, 1.1 stub nib: Midnight Blue ink creation of mine Franklin Christoph Panther, Matsuyama medium italic 14K semi-flex nib: DeAtramentis Aubergine Italix Captain's Commission, medium italic nib: Diamine Woodland Green Lamy Studio, fine 18K gold nib: Akkermann #14 Purple Lamy 2000, medium 18K gold nib: Sailor Nioi Sumire Lamy LX, medium nib: Robert Oster Australian Mauve Opal Delta Capri Marina, broad fusion nib: GvFC Deep Sea Green Lamy Safari, broad nib: Diamine Bilberry Lamy Safari, medium nib: Robert Oster River of Fire Lamy Al-Star, fine nib: Robert Oster Tranquility Lamy Safari, fine nib: Cross Violet Custom made, fine 18k nib: Robert Oster Green Diamond Delta Horsepower, 1.1 stub fusion nib: DeAtramentis Robert Louis Stevenson Jinhao 450, Goulet 1.1 stub nib: DeAtramentis Edgar Allen Poe The following are printer scans of the inks tested on the paper. The image quality is not the best, but it should give you some idea. Note that the pink/red/purple colors seem "fuzzy". This is the result of my printer scanner, not the ink feathering. Page 1: Page 2: Feathering/Spreading: Overall there was minimal feathering. Those which did have some feathering included those inks which came from stub or broad nibs. Almost all fine or medium nibs showed little to no feathering. Bleedthrough: There was no bleedthrough, except with my very wet Italix Captain's Commission with Diamine Woodland Green,there were a few tiny spots where the ink was just beginning to bleed. Showthrough: Almost all of the fine and medium point nibs did not show through. The exception is my Namisu Nova which has an exceptionally wet medium titanium nib, and Lamy Safari medium nib with the very wet Robert Oster River of Fire ink. Almost all of the broad and stub nibs did showthrough, with the exception of Conklin Duragraph because the ink is fairly light in color, and surprisingly the Delta Capri Marina with a very wet broad nib filled with GvFC Deep Sea Green. Overall, I am very impressed with these little notebooks. I would recommend these to any student who uses fountain pens, particularly with fine and medium nibs. And with the black or dark blue cover, this would be acceptable for professional use as well as long as your use is non-archival.
  5. Bucketbrah247

    Montblanc 144 Flow Issues

    I've been using this MB 144 for the past year or so. It wrote well for the first 6 months, and then developed an issue with ink flow. This is a 1990s 144 with the snap on cap and stiffer nib. I can write about 20-30 lines on an A4 sheet before it stops flowing. I have to then either shake the pen hard or unscrew the barrel and twist the converter each time to get ink back to the nib. I really dunno what to do about it. I'm not sure whether the feed is clogged or an entirely different issue. Some people on FPN were able to pull off the nib-feed assembly without any tools, but it seems very tightly fixed in my case, and I'm not confident enough to try too hard lest I damage something. What would y'all suggest I do? Is there a way I could solve the problem myself, or should I simply have it serviced by Montblanc?
  6. This might come as a strange admission on a set of threads about solitaires but I’ve never been one to enjoy metal pens; in fact, I usually avoid(ed) them. Over the years pens with metal sections crept into use and I discovered to my surprise that they didn’t really bother me at all. I expected to have problems with the ‘slippery’ grip that is so often mentioned but found most to be fine and solid silver sections to be very pleasingly tactile and free of slippery menace. As I started to use other pens and had the opportunity to use pens owned by others I began to realise that the additional weight was really not the problem I had imagined it to be (a large factor in my avoidance of metal pens) and in fact, at times it aided the writing experience. So, slowly but surely my defences were broken down and over a number of years solitaires of one kind or another have crept into my pen collection and become very enjoyable pens. This thread – or perhaps more accurately, these threads (the label of ‘part one’ was the hint there)- will hopefully provide useful information on a number of Montblanc solitaires. I’ve stuck with Montblanc for the moment but may include others at the end. In truth, there are only two others that are not Montblanc. I’m not entirely sure of the meaning in the use of the word solitaire in regards to pens. I’m taking it to mean a metal or partially metal pen that is a ‘jewel’ – in some sense a little unusual and different from normal (not in the usual line-up of black resin pens). I’m sure someone will quickly correct me if I am far off the mark. This first offering is the Montblanc Pinstripe Solitaire in solid silver with gold plated rings and gold plated clip. Let’s get some of the detail out of the way first. The pen weighs 50gs capped and inked, 26gs uncapped and inked, measures 149mm capped, 130mm uncapped and 156mm posted. It is based on the 146 model and when I bought this second had it came with a somewhat unpleasant medium nib that was swapped out for a broad nib that is a little softer and considerably wetter. The cap is stamped near the base with the silver hallmarks and the section girth is 11mm. The ‘true’ Pinstripe Solitaire model was a pen that attracted me for many years, but fears of too heavy a weight put me off. The price also frightened me. They come in at around €1,500 - €1, 750. That – for me at least - makes for an exorbitantly expensive pen. I like silver, but I was also aware that it can mark very easily. I really didn’t like the idea of getting a pen at that price point and having to watch it slowly gather its war wounds as I used it; even if those war wounds would be largely minor scratches. I decided to watch auction sites and hope. Things may have changed now, but back when I was making an effort to watch places like ebay, Solitaire Pinstripes seemed to be holding significant resale value and appeared to be selling for around €1000; a price I still personally considered too high. I essentially gave up the chase. It's funny how something you want can appear when you stop looking. I stumbled across a Pinstripe at what I felt was a reasonable price. The seller was honest about the nib being a bit dry and not altogether good. Even factoring in the cost of a nib swap I was making a purchase at less than ebay’s asking and auction prices, so I leapt at it. The pen has a black resin section, so slippery metal sections were not a concern. This also provides the addition of an ink window – something that not all of the solitaire models have. The cap is a screw cap, taking much less turns to open and close (about half a turn), but it does cap very securely (and rather stiffly to be honest). The cap also posts and the plastic inner of the cap protects the barrel of the pen from being marked. You don’t have to force it down firmly for it to get a proper and secure grip. It’s a piston filler and feels secure and robust. The cap has a blank section, lacking pinstripes, where you can engrave a name or whatever you desire. Mine is left blank. The snow peak sits in a domed top of black resin on the cap and the rings and clip are picked out in gold plate and the nib is a two-tone nib. I find the writing experience with it to be very pleasing. As I mentioned, this pen came with a medium nib originally. It was unusually firm and very dry. I attempted to make it a little wetter but was not entirely successful. In the end I opted for a broad nib. By this stage I had realised just how much I liked this pen so ensuring a writing experience I liked seemed sensible. I had considered a double broad (my favoured nib) but my local B&M had a broad they could fit at considerably less than sending off for a new nib with MB. This meant I got the old nib back. I usually enjoy extra-fine and fine nibs too, but with a pen of this weight I thought it might be more comfortable and more enjoyable with the larger nib. I write with the pen posted and find it very comfortable, not too back weighted as to effect how I write and the nib glides over the page like a skate on ice with a little softness but no flex. I know some dislike that but it’s what I tend to look for in nibs. The broad nib has a slight stub aspect which isn’t always apparent in pictures but is easily noticed with the naked eye. This does mean that if you are prone to ‘rolling’ the nib you may see issues of what looks like slight skipping. Each MB nib tends to be a little different so some may be fine while others will have a more pronounced stub aspect. The broad is a wet writer and I do find I refill ink more regularly but not as regularly as I thought I would. In the writing sample given the pen is filled with Sailor Studio 837; a rather nice rust orange with subtle flow issues, but writes quite nicely in this pen. In finer nibs this ink can have a heavy sense of drag due to being a touch dry. The Pinstripe Solitaire is a very beautifully made pen. It holds comfortably in the hand and writes well but it’s the design that makes it that little bit more special. It has a resemblance to some kind of steam punk mechanical blimp and has a strong whiff of art deco styling – perhaps more than just a strong whiff. It wasn’t the first solitaire pen that I acquired but was certainly the first that tempted me all those years ago. Its acquisition has been a very long road but it’s a pen I thoroughly enjoy using. You may think me mad but silver often has a buttery quality about its touch to me and more than once I’ve found myself enjoying this tactile aspect as I polish it with my thumb. It’s a shame it is so expensive, and given the softness of silver I don’t think I’d buy new, but with patience second hand ones can be had at reasonable prices and at a reasonable price it is a remarkable pen and a pleasure to own and use. If buying second hand always remember to ask if the pen has any dents. I always asked this on ebay, for instance, and was somewhat shocked at the number of times I had replies of ‘yes’ for pen sales with no mention of dents and no visible dents in pictures. It’s a classic design that I’m sure won’t go out of style and it reminds me very much of the film Metropolis for some reason. Maybe it was all those hours I had to work to afford it.
  7. Ruxsousa

    Procuro Clip Montblanc 244

    Hello everyone, I'm from Portugal and I'm looking for a clip for Montblanc 244, whoever has it for sale or exchange, I would really appreciate it, thank you all
  8. Hello dear FPNers, Today I have something new, something German, something menthol green for you: Moctezuma 1 Pierced Sky is one of the most recent inks released by Montblanc. This ink is a complementary part of new Patron of the Art series: Homage to Moctezuma 1. It is a limited edition ink, and it has a 50 ml cube shaped bottle, which is a pretty standard bottle shape of Montblanc. I suppose this ink is very close to J. Herbin Vert Reseda, but a tad darker than it. Another similar ink is Edelstein Jade. Unfortunately, I have neither of them, because this cannot be called as my favourite shade of turquoise. However, I have Diamine Dark Green and Visconti Green, both of which are also pretty close to Moctezuma, I suppose. Here is a comparison of three inks on white Tomoe paper: They are very close indeed. But before describing the differences between 3 inks' colours, maybe I should mention about some important ink properties: Saturation: Moctezuma has a medium-to-low saturation. It is not as washed out as Herbin Vert Reseda, but still lacks some saturation in my opinion. Sheen: There is definitely no sheen with this ink. Maybe only if you pour down huge amounts on Tomoe, you may see a little bit of sheen. Shading: It has a high shading capacity, I loved it. Obviously not as much as a KWZ Honey, but still very nice shading. Wetness: Moctezuma is a dry ink, as most of you could easily guess, because most Montblanc inks tend to be so (except Elixir line, they are the wettest inks I have ever seen). It is not the driest ink in the world either; not as dry as a Pelikan 4001, but definitely on the dry side of the spectrum. Unless you have a vintage pen with an ebonite feed, or a modern pen which is tuned to write wet, most people wouldn't like this dryness combined with medium-to-low saturation in EF/F nibs I suppose. Check this out again: Lamy Safari M nib's output is not amazingly washed out, but not very legible either. I am more of a BB/OBB guy. I don't use fine nibs very often, but if I do, personally I would like to see a bit darker, or brighter line. The colour choice is already dangerous: it is a pastel menthol green, not most people's first choice of colour to easily read the written, so at least it should have been a bit more saturation in my opinion. About dryness of ink: I suppose both Montblanc and Pelikan specifically keep their nibs' tippings wide, to have them larger surface area when in contact with paper, which makes them smoother. And then they need to adjust their own inks to be a bit more viscous than a regular ink to make it flow slowly through the tines, compensating the thick tipping material's large surface and making the pen write narrower, so keeping the promise of theoretical nib size. I don't know. It is a choice of company. Pilot succeeds in having narrower tippings be smooth, maybe not as smooth as their German counterparts but still quite smooth. And they see no problem in producing a much wetter ink. I suppose most people would trust in Iroshizuku line's fluid properties more than they do for Montblanc inks or Edelstein inks in an indefinite case of which ink to use in an unfamiliar pen. I remember having hard times with some Montblanc and Pelikan inks in my EF/F nibs. Whatever. Note that the pen I used for Moctezuma is Sailor Progear Ocean with 21k Music nib: Mr John Mottishaw cut its tip into a beauuuutiful cursive italic, smooth and crisp, and tuned it to be quite a wet nib: So the wetness of nib would be able to balance the dryness of ink, I thought. Same triple comparison is also done on 80 gr white Rhodia paper, which is the industrial standard of pen world, I suppose.. Let's see the differences between 3 inks above. Here are some close shots of them on Tomoe again: Moctezuma is the lightest of them. Diamine Dark Green is a bit greener than Moctezuma, with a bit more red dye, and it is more saturated. Visconti Green actually has a very similar green-blue ratio compared to Moctezuma, but it is much more saturated. And the red dye content is definitely higher in Visconti, as a result it seems darker with some nice sheen. Sometimes I love writing with over-saturated feeds. They show the full potential of an ink. Also, if you have a moderately wet nib, it gives a clue about how the colour would be seen with a wet nib, especially with a vintage nib. A close shot of writings made with over-saturated feed on Tomoe: Lovely sheen with Visconti Green to be noted. Same thing for Rhodia: It can be said that Moctezuma gives a nice colour with a very wet nib, preferably a vintage one. Some other ink properties: Feathering: Not detected, not likely to feather. In this term, quite a well behaved ink. Bleeding: Not detected, not likely to bleed. In this term, quite a well behaved ink. Showthrough: Some distinct showthrough on Tomoe but every ink has a showthrough on Tomoe, so it shouldn't be a criteria I think: On Rhodia, it has minimal showthrough. Quite well: Note that heavy swabs or parts written with over-saturated feed will of course have showthrough, and even bleedthrough. It is normal. The concentration on normal writing should be the way in judging showthrough/bleedthrough. Water Resistance: Meh. Not so much, but who cares?? Not me, definitely.. Before water test on Tomoe: And after water test: It cannot be said that the writings have gone completely, but they are not legible either. But this situation does not bother me. Actually, I like inks which are not resistant to water. In my experience, they are much easier to clean than water-proof inks. And considering that I am obsessive while cleaning pens until water comes out completely crystal clear, this ink is a nice choice for me. I haven't tried to clean it from my pens, but I am sure it will be cleaned quite fast. CONCLUDING REMARKS If you are into menthol green colour, you will definitely like this ink. Note that it is a bit pale, pastel colour, not very vivid.With very wet nibs, it has a lovely hue of an exotic lagoon at its best. I live in an inland location, but I felt like I am in Maldives.Doesn't have sheen or shimmer, but has a nice shading.Montblanc Moctezuma 1 is not the most unique colour in the world. There are some similar colours like J. Herbin Vert Reseda, Pelikan Edelstein Jade, Diamine Dark Green, Visconti Green, etc.. You may consider them also.Price is about 35 Euros, same as Montblanc Petrol Blue. It is definitely not a cheap ink, but not the most expensive one either. I am not sure if it deserves this price. I would buy it anyway since I am an ink nerd, but I may not buy the second bottle. Besides, alternatives are much cheaper, and this ink does not have amazing specifications in terms of colour.With over-saturated feed, it provides a much more distinct, vivid colour, which means if you are likely to buy it, consider using it in your wet pens, preferably gushers or vintage pens. No need to afraid of cleaning from vintage pens. Hope you enjoyed. Thank you..
  9. ~ On Saturday, 23 April, 2016, I went to the Montblanc boutique in the China World Trade Center in Beijing, after teaching a morning class in the Peking University School of Life Sciences. I’d been invited to what had been described as a “small VIP event”, which I mistakenly supposed would relate to the 400th anniversary of the death of William Shakespeare. The event was to introduce the Rouge et Noir Special Edition Heritage pens. A waiter served superb canapés while Mozart concerti provided a pleasant musical atmosphere. A skilled calligrapher from the Beijing Calligraphy Association wrote couplets for guests. Costume props representing more than one century ago were provided for guest photos against a backdrop of the Opéra de Paris interior. I was shown two of the Peggy Guggenheim Patron of Art fountain pens. The large scale guidebook introducing the pens had images of Ms. Guggenheim with her Lhasa Apsos. An offhand remark to the highly skilled sales representative, who has sold me more than ten Montblanc pens, resulted in the purchase of the Johann Strauss Donation Pen. The ‘M’ nib in champagne gold features a stylized bat in honor of Strauss’s operetta, ‘Die Fledermaus’. The clip on the cap resembles a stringed instrument bow. The size of the pen is a good fit for my large hands, while the relatively light weight makes it an ideal pen for daily use. The design is especially attractive, contrasting well with ten other Montblanc fountain pens. After inking it with Montblanc’s Midnight Blue ink, it smoothly writes on various types of paper. Once again, Montblanc’s quality and ingenuity have pleased me. Tom K. Writing Sample Presentation Box In the Box Side-by-Side Johann Strauss Donation Pen Champagne Gold Medium Nib Die Fledermaus Nib Stringed Instrument Bow Clip
  10. Montblanc Summer, 2020 Event Montblanc — The Collections Summer, 2020 Montblanc Event ~ After consulting FPN Montblanc Forum Moderator Kalessin for guidance as to what might be appropriate to post, this small thread is added for all to read. The ongoing Covid-19 public health event has adversely affected Montblanc's marketing plans for major 2020 releases. Prohibitions or severe restrictions on public gatherings in most areas of the globe have resulted in an altered introduction format. As the situation in southern China, just above the northern border with Hong Kong, has attained a moderately stable equilibrium, Montblanc held a special event yesterday. VIP collectors were invited to visit during assigned time slots. Although no photography was allowed, they were fortunate to see and handle the latest fountain pen creations from Hamburg. While I'm not even remotely in their ilk, Montblanc China graciously offered me the first time slot at 10 am. I accepted, honored to have such a rare opportunity. With the South China Regional Marketing Director, I was seated in a secluded alcove. Black silk gloves were provided for handling the pieces introduced. Superb graphics mounted on boards explained specific design motif inspiration, which was especially valuable. The pieces shown were those typically never shown on Montblanc international Web sites. They were the Limited Editions of 888 or 88 or 8, depending on the model. As several models have not yet been officially announced on any Montblanc Web site, it's necessary to describe them in an oblique manner, leaving details to their release in the coming months. Others have been officially released, therefore such indirectness isn't necessary. Please pardon the lack of explicit details in certain cases, which I wish might be provided. First, the Moctezuma LE 888 is very impressive, due to the detailed turquoise lapidary work. The texture is smooth, with only the slightest sense of it consisting of separate pieces. The slender red pen slips out almost as an afterthought. The pen is all about the immense cap with a spear-like clip like few others. The tiny nib size was a surprise…almost smaller than a Classique nib. The Aztec heart motif on the nib was readily discernible when looking through a loupe. It required several tries before I became used to the special technique used to take the small pen out of the cap on all three models shown to me. Second, the Victor Hugo LE 83 and Victor Hugo 8 are similar. The finish and materials of the most limited edition are as expected. The great surprise was the Victor Hugo LE 83. When initially handling it (wearing the black silk gloves provided) I was impressed by the detailing. The superb design graphics on boards educated me as to why certain design choices had been made. Seeing the rose window from Notre Dame on it was a pleasant surprise. What I didn’t realize until the South China Regional Marketing Director showed me, was the nature of the cap. She turned on a light beam in her smartphone, then placed the cap on it. Voilà! The light shines out through blue transparent material through the skeletonized cap. The effect is stunning. Montblanc needs to show that in a video. If they do so, they’ll rapidly sell every one. Not only that, the pen barrel also shows light through blue. It’s elegant and tasteful. A lovely design which I hadn’t anticipated. Third there was a Dragon model intended for East Asian collectors. One of a series, it is decorated with diamond highlights. The barrel is decorated in lacquer with a tastefully restrained image related to the theme. Fourth, it's no secret that Montblanc will follow-up on 2019's Calligraphy Flex Nib models with something different but comparable. Having handled that model, and written with the nib, it's apparent that the next iteration is likely to be very well received. The Limited Edition pen itself, and the specially crafted nib constitute a tour-de-force. The exquisitely hand decorated pen exceeds in quality of detail nearly any other Montblanc fountain pen I've handled. Having worked in East Asia for decades, I've gradually come to appreciate refined techniques, especially when very well executed. In the case of the pen that I handled, looking through the loupe was ravishing, due to the wealth of detail in tasteful colors. When the cap goes on, the design is lined up with gorgeous precision. The colors are subtle yet eye-catching. 2020's very special nib has a lovely, simple design on it for the Limited Edition. A regular black 146 travels with the show, enabling invited guests to write with the special nib, which features the same surface motif as last year's Flex Nib. Inked in Mystery Black, it’s effortless to use. To me it seemed much more responsive than 2019’s Flex Nib. Playing with the nib for 7 or 8 minutes, the number of types of strokes, from OBB to EF, were impressive. A buyer using such a nib for several hours would likely find it to be a deft sketching tool, a tool for writing Asian characters, or an unconventional handwriting instrument. Fifth, and finally, I was shown the most extraordinary Montblanc fountain pen that I've ever seen or read about. As it's not yet been officially announced, although it has been discussed in a speculative FPN thread, it's essential to remain frustratingly vague as to specific details. In this case, that's quite a challenge, as the pen in question has dazzling craftsmanship and the single greatest surprise I've ever encountered in any writing instrument. Nonetheless, no spoilers. The Very Limited Edition pen is wholly unlike the two versions based on the same theme which will soon be available in boutiques or from the usual trusted resellers. After leaving the Montblanc Event this morning, I thought to myself that the Hamburg design team must’ve had a great time designing this one-of-a-kind pen. When first shown to me, I was dazzled. The finish, the discreetly placed small gemstones, the sophisticated overall aesthetic balance are as good as it gets. At the outset, the pen seemed like the heaviest fountain pen that I’ve ever picked up. It’s ultra-bulky, or so I thought. But the absolute shocker is the culture-specific design motif on the pen. Those crazy Hamburg gnomes have exactly duplicated, stone for stone, an ancient design from an ornament recovered from a well-preserved tomb. If it were possible, what a joy it would be to describe the semi-precious stones of considerable size which are mounted in an exact facsimile of long ago artistry. It’s a shocker to see and handle. There’s no two ways about it. In a large collection of pens, it would easily stand out above others. Yet while admiring the work through the loupe, I was asking myself where the pen was, as there was no trace of it, aside from a slender clip. HUGE SURPRISE! I'm unable to write more, as that would spoil the surprise for all. There's much to say, including my own sense of delight, but it's best left until this model and its companions are released. I was dumbfounded by the overall artistry. The time and care which went into it are a magnificent example of Montblanc’s continuing commitment to high craftsmanship. Again, please do pardon me for writing in a coy style which leaves more questions than it answers. I respect Montblanc's determination to manage the marketing of their own creations. Please know that in 2020 there are yet lovely wonders to be released from Hamburg. There are inks associated with most of these models, but at the event, the inks had not yet arrived. Tom K.
  11. Hey everyone, happy Friday! simple question today, will a MB 146 nib fit the Bock housing in this pen: https://www.schondsgn.com/collections/fountain-pens/products/fountain-pens I am selling a nib of mine that I have in a Bock (250?) housing, the housing that fits a Conid Minimalistica or Regular. I am by no means an expert in anything Montblanc, or Bock, so I am just looking for some assistance here. thank you in advance, and info helps. have yourselves a great weekend!
  12. Hello everyone, hope your weeks are off to a fine start. I come to you today with a very specific question: is my Montblanc 146 nib scraping its shoulders on the inside of my Conid Minimalistica’s cap? I usually use my Minimalisticas with Sailor nibs, but I have a lovely 146 nib, which I’ve had ground to a CSI, that I occasionally swap in. My question springs from the slightest scraping sensation I can feel when capping the pen fitted with the aforementioned nib. Now, both of my Conid’s are the all Delrin AVDA Phi versions, so I am unable to actually see if the nib and the inner cap are indeed making contact. I would hate to damage such a fine nib, so I am hoping someone out there with a clear capped Minimalistica is using a 146 nib and could answer my question. Thank you in advance. All the best to you and yours, Eli
  13. Hello everyone, I am thinking about getting a James Dean LE because its whole look is very appealing to me. The pen is made with quiet a lot of silver parts. Now I wonder if the beautiful look will disappear after some days when tarnishing begins. Does anyone have any experience with how badly this pen tarnishes over days, weeks or months? How would you handle it? I found It very annoying that Agatha Christies snake clip went black after some time. I know, that polishing helps but I would prefer the pencil to stay as beautiful on its own as it was on the first day. And is this pen more prone to scratches or finger prints than other pens because of its silver body? Best regards Mick
  14. Tom Kellie

    Montblanc Black Ink Trio

    Montblanc Elixir Calligraphy Black Black Inks by Montblanc Three Montblanc Black Inks
  15. Bigeddie

    Montblanc Permanent Blue

    Hi all, Montblanc seem to be shaking up their line a bit, Midnight Blue is no longer listed as being a permanent ink and two new permanent inks are being introduced. The packaging is the same format as the existing inks with new graphics, All white with blue and black text. The bottle is the same shoe as we are used to with the existing line up (with the nice two part filling arrangement). http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5477/10108346353_779b6d73ca_z.jpgIMAGE_1.jpg by Bigeddie100, on Flickr Included below are samples of the new ink, and some from Royal Blue for comparison. My scanner is now older than some forum members, that is to say rather tired. I have taken photos in direct sunlight for comparison. Both inks were in Lamy Safari pens with medium nibs. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3806/10116527246_e1c1a9baf1_z.jpgMontblanc Permanent Blue on Rhodia by Bigeddie100, on Flickrhttp://farm8.staticflickr.com/7386/10116406034_5589af727b_z.jpgMontblanc Royal Blue on Rhodia by Bigeddie100, on Flickr http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3671/10116489245_b6dc2e255b_z.jpg Montblanc Permanent Blue on copy paper by Bigeddie100, on Flickrhttp://farm4.staticflickr.com/3722/10116459185_46749139fe_z.jpgMontblanc Royal Blue on copy paper by Bigeddie100, on Flickr Analysis:The flow of the new ink was surprisingly dry (much lighter flow than that of the new black ink), I was expecting more punch. The colour is a pleasant true blue (not so purple as the Royal Blue) with some nice shading. In terms of performance, there was no feathering, bleed or show through on the Rhodia. On the copy paper there was quite a lot of showthrough and bleed, much more so than Royal Blue; but the colour did not seem to soak in to the paper and spread as much, whereas Royal Blue lost a lot of it's density. Water resistance:These new permanent inks from MB are the first that I have seen with an ISO certification for permanence, here I am only testing water resistance when dry. The inks proved to be very water resistant, I would be hard pushed to detect the difference between inks before and after soaking. Certainly this ink along with the new Permanent Black are the most water resistant inks out there, unlike the pigment inks nothing floats off of them. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3747/10116653463_80c76125ea_z.jpgWater resistance in progress by Bigeddie100, on Flickrhttp://farm4.staticflickr.com/3764/10116561223_bec75a871d_z.jpgWater resistance by Bigeddie100, on Flickr Conclusion: I like it, it's quite a nice colour and performs well on Rhodia paper, on cheap pulp the performance would suit one sided use, where the appearance is good but the bleed and show through are worse than non-permanent equivalents. The biggest downside is the price, these new inks are being sold from MB at £19 a bottle compared to £11 for the standard inks. For my uses (typically on FP friendly papers) I would stick to Royal Blue.
  16. I would like to help a friend repair her Montblanc 221, black. It has a hairline crack on the plastic nib holder of the hooded nib. I dont have photo yet but the problem described to me seems a common problem of this model. My question is: must I use MEK, or is Loctite 480 sufficient? I havent been able to buy MEK where I am, but I found Loctite 480 online in Switzerland. I plan to leave the pen for 2 weeks after the glue gets into the crack. Not too optimistic about repairing cracks, but I must try at least. Otherwise her pen is a leaky unusable pen. The leak might not just come from the crack, but that would be the first suspicion. I much appreciate any suggestions.
  17. AppleheadMay

    Starwalker Line-Up, Old Design.

    Good evening folks! It has been quite a while since I posted here. My interest in the pen hobby watered a bit but lately it got renewed, in some form at least. I sold my pens, inks and some accessories and took a fresh interest in the Montblanc Starwalker series ballpoints of which I already had one for ages (Rubber & Platinum) and recently acquired four more (Red Gold Metal, Midnight Black Metal, Mystery Black and Doué). I'm planning to add two more for now. I am posting here for two reasons: - I have a few small questions. These will apply mostly to the ballpoints. - I want to make a list of all "old design" Starwalker models that existed. That would be the longer, more bulged at the head models with spherical glass with the star, not the new shorter, less bulged models with the flatter glass. Of course, feel free to make a list of those in here as well. This list will apply to ballpoints, fountain pens, rollerballs and pencil. I will make the list in the second post below for reference. Your help for completing it with extra models and launch-years would be greatly appreciated. Here are my questions: - could it be that from the Rubber & Platinum ballpoint model there were two generations (versions)? Mine would be the first generation as I bought it when it came out. On this generation it is the barrel that screws into the head. I have seen the odd picture of a Rubber & Platinum one where the head screws into the barrel like on most newer models I have. - Has there ever been a "Starwalker Gold Resin"? I mean, not the "Red Gold Resin" one that is available now but a yellow gold one? - Does anyone know if a "Starwalker Chert" from Montblanc exists?>
  18. Red Fox is a Montblanc Limited Edition, based on their Le Petit Prince series. The ink is a dark brown orange, not unlike the fur of a fox. I wasn't sure what to expect of this ink to be honest, reviews are mixed, but in the past week I have been writing a lot with it. It's great for personal use and at the same time, despite being a dark orange, it's a color that you can easily use in an office environment to take down notes. For longer reads the color remains pleasant. The ink and its color surprised me and I must say, I really like this ink. At 35 euro for 50 ml the ink is expensive, but well worth it. It's a high quality ink. As expected, no feathering, no bleed-through on decent paper, shading is strong and excellent and the ink behaves extremely well in my Parker Duofold (medium nib). Lubrication is a bit better than most Montblanc inks I know but still, some pens have difficulties with it. TWSBI and Montblanc is not a good combination in my experience. This is a non permanent ink, water will severely damage your writing. Drying times are OK. To give an idea what the ink looks like, I have written several samples with both the Parker and a Lamy with a broad nib. The orange is very distinctive and quite different from other inks I own. At first I thought it would be closer to a red, but but the two colors that come closest are Orange Indien (J. Herbin) and Cornaline d'Egypte (Herbin 1798).
  19. neverforget

    Montblanc Ink Smudge Resistance

    So about 10 years ago I thought montblanc ink was the best, although back then I had no idea what makes an ink "good" or "bad", overall the 8 or so inks I have performed well and i had no complaints but pretty much never use them since the colors are not my taste anymore. Fast forward to today, my most recent MB ink purchase is royal blue which I think is a fantastic blue and performs very well in the pen; the problem I am noticing is that is smudges DAYS after being laid down on paper. As a very primitive control, Pilot Blue Black ink, on the same papers, dries to be completely smudge proof in 30-60 seconds max. Has anyone observed this about mb ink? What exactly causes this? How much does the ambient temp and humidity affect this property of inks? thanks for reading
  20. How should I deal with MB blueblack IG ink in unopened bottles dated 2013? Sealed and stored at room temperature.
  21. I just received a MB 149 platinum body with no nib and feeder since I already had those two items. The collar was already inserted. The feed goes in until it hits the bottom and the horizontal notch on the nib is just above the barrel. The nib goes in very quickly and when it hits the bottom of the collar, the feeder is the same if not little longer that the nib. I have 4 other MBs and changed nib/feeder with the MB platinum resulting in the same situation: the nib/feeder is too loose for the platinum collar. Questions: Do I need to get a different nib or a feeder (I have plastic feeder similar to the pictures of Platinum on websites)? do I need to get a different feeder? if so will it fit into the Platinum? Thank you for considering my questions. Hal
  22. Montblanc Great Characters John F. Kennedy Special Edition Fountain Pen in Navy Blue: “Change is the law of life. And those who look only to the past or present are certain to miss the future.” - John F. Kennedy I recently acquired this beautiful pen from the Fritz Schimpf online store. The pen arrived packaged extremely well. It took awhile to arrive likely due to delays caused by Covid-19. I have using this pen almost non-stop since it arrived a month ago. My review below, deviates somewhat from the standard review. I do give a final review at the end. The pen comes in a large, navy blue box, along with a very informative book about John F. Kennedy and the specific details of the pen which commemorate his life, with warranty certification on the back page. The pen comes in two color variations – Navy Blue and Burgundy precious resin. The Navy Blue was manufactured first and comes with platinum detailing which perfectly accent the deep blue. The pen is crowned with the Montblanc snowflake logo. As is typical, Montblanc recently announced they would no longer be making the Navy Blue color variation. John F. Kennedy was the 35th President of the United States. He was the youngest man elected to that office, at the age of 43. He came from a wealthy and powerful family, but forged his own way. He was not a great student, but graduated from Harvard University. The Burgundy color represents this achievement. After graduating, John entered the U.S. Navy, which the Navy Blue commemorates, and was stationed in the South Pacific during World War II. Although seriously injured, John survived the war but his older brother Joseph did not. The 3 rings on the cap of the pen commemorate the 3 brothers – John, Robert and Joseph. John’s initials are engraved in the clip. JFK’s dream was to put a man on the moon. The “moon lander” is engraved in the nib, which commemorates that final descent upon the surface of the moon. Summary: 1. Appearance & Design: 10 Strong, clear navy blue resin finished with brilliant platinum accents. Well-proportioned with attention to detail. 2. Construction & Quality: 10 Everything about this pen exudes a high quality of construction and beauty. 3. Weight and Dimensions: 10 This is a pen with some weight to it but is very nicely balanced. The cap, however, does not post. Weight: 56.81 g Length: 14.5 cm Length, uncapped: 12.5 cm 4. Nib and Performance: 10 The nib is a BB (double broad), and is exquisite! It is very smooth and is moderately wet. It wrote perfectly out of the box. I have not written through 3 fills of ink and it is performs flawlessly. 5. Filling System and Maintenance: 10 This is a piston filler and performs fantastic. As mentioned above I have filled this pen 3 times (with typical flushing in between): the first time with Waterman Serenity Blue (my standard for new pens), the second time with Montblanc JFK navy blue ink, and this third time with Sailor Manyo Sumire. The pen cleans nicely between fills and the piston works well. 6. Cost & Value: 10 The Navy Blue color is no longer shown on Montblanc’s website. The retail price of the burgundy color is $1,035.00. For the quality of this pen, I think this is a reasonable price. The attention to detail and overall balance exceed the other Montblancs that I have had. 7. Conclusion: 60 out of 60 = A perfect 10!* This pen has great meaning to me. It is a reminder of a very special time in the life of my family. As a result, I saved and purchased this pen for reasons that revolve around my father mainly. My father also served in the Navy in the South Pacific (as well as in Europe) during WWII. And he worked in the space program as a director throughout the 1960’s and early 1970’s, which included all the Apollo missions to the moon. My father-in-law worked as a director at NASA during this time. So this pen has special meaning to me, especially the blue color variation. I had heard that Montblanc has stopped making the navy blue color. So, when I approached Sebastian at Fritz Schimpf, I did not expect that he would be able to find one for me. But Montblanc has just a few left, and he was able to get one and have BB nib put on it directly from the factory. What was really great is that Fritz Schimpf sold it to me for a great price! They also included a bottle of Montblanc JFK ink as well as Fritz Schimpf Fritzrot – both are fantastic inks. The JFK is a bit dry but has is a great color with a reddish-coppery sheen. The Fritzrot is a luscious burgundy red - like a great pinot noir - and is moderately wet. On top of all of this, Sebastian monitored the entire shipping process from the store to my home. He would email me with updates each week, and when it appeared to be lost, he was able to track it down and move it on to me. But, he informed me that if the shipping company could not find, he would order a new one with a new nib and send it out overnight. What customer service! I can not say enough good things about Fritz Schimpf! In conclusion, this is an exquisite pen – truly a grail pen for me! Yes, it has special meaning, but the pen itself far exceeds my expectations and is superior to any other pen I own. IMHO, Montblanc has created a masterpiece here. *For those that know me, I am a bit of a perfectionist and rarely give high marks. So, for me to rate a pen this high is very unusual. While I wish that the cap would post, I knew that it did not when I purchased the pen – the website was very clear about this. So I could not take a point off for that. Disclaimers: I am not affiliated with Fritz Schimpf. I purchased the pen from them, but all opinions are my own. While I love this pen, any opinion I may hold of John F. Kennedy as a politician or any decision he made, is not given, included nor intended in this review.
  23. Montblanc launched the new Writers Edition recently, honouring Rudyard Kipling (The Jungle Book, If, etc.). We made a small video about both the editions of Montblanc on our Youtube channel: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=33SAAGYiZhU What do you think of this new Writers Edition?





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