Broken 146 MB

[Samovar]

I broke my 146 about two months ago

The precious resin shattered just under the piston and a piece about the size of a 10 cents is broken off.

 

I love the nib on my 146 and I'm sad the pen is broken since it was my expensive FP.

 

Will MB fix this? How much? Any similar experience?

 

Samovar

Edited November 7, 2006 by Samovar

[Michael Wright]

In a lot of parts of the world, MB will replace just about any plastic part for a quite reasonable fixed charge. It's a problem for people who want to keep early pens original, but for The Rest Of Us , it's something they definitely get right.

 

Best

 

Michael

[RSVP]

I belive MB will replace anything plastic (except the nib) for a flat fee.

[Blade Runner]

Samovar,

I've had the same experience as Rimmerjar and Michael. Email Montblanc customer service. If you do send it in, pack safely and insure. It's a classic pen. I hope you get it running.

[Samovar]

Thank you all.

I'll go to my favorite pen shop,they send at least a few Montblanc away for repair every week.

 

I really hate the fact that I'll pay to get some precious resin fixed, hey they make guns out of plastic (i.e. Glock) and nobody seem to have found a way to manufacture a pen made out of plastic or precious resin that won't brake!

 

Samovar

[RyanL27]

Samovar - just curious, did you drop the pen? If so, from how high and onto what surface? I'm a new MB owner, and I'm just curious as to how fragile these things are.

 

I hope MB takes care of you and fixes the pen for a reasonable amount of money.

[Samovar]

RyanL27,

It fell on a hard wood floor from a height of a little more than foot. You should take really good care of you Montblanc and never drop it. My MB Starwalker is also broken, same problem and my Scenium rollerball is now a mess of scratches.

 

When I was new to FP, Montblanc was my reference, now I know there is so many amazing pen out there.

 

I'll get it fixed anyway, I got it when I was 16, so it means a lot to me.

 

It's gonna take me a while before I buy another MB even if I find them pretty.

I might be interested in a metal body MB Noblesse, but they are hard to find.

 

Samovar

[Green Maned Lion]

Personally I think making a pen out of black plastic (precious resin my arse) and charging $500 for it requires some gall. Doing so and making it fragile enough to break when dropping it from a foot onto a wood floor, and then charging the customer to fix it requires a ton of gall. The nib I can understand, but the barrel should be more hardy then that.

[Blade Runner]

Personally I wouldn't drop any fountain pen from any height and expect it to come out unharmed. There are sad accounts of Auroras and Pelikans accidentally dropped to hard surfaces and breaking apart irreparably. And I personally don't think it's too much to ask the customer to pay for damage that he/she has incurred. If I dropped a fountain pen or watch or iPod, and it malfunctioned, I would expect to pay for its repair.

[RSVP]

Personally I think making a pen out of black plastic (precious resin my arse) and charging $500 for it requires some gall. Doing so and making it fragile enough to break when dropping it from a foot onto a wood floor, and then charging the customer to fix it requires a ton of gall. The nib I can understand, but the barrel should be more hardy then that.

 

This is true, but consider also the incidenes of Pelikans cracking and also the numerous issues with quality control - especially the nibs.

 

I am not defending MBs practices, but the number of complaints against MB must be factored not only against their greater prevalence but also their deliberate lightness (an attribute which is a significant plust to those who dislike heavy pens). Any pen dropped on a hard surface from a hight has a decent chance of breakage.

Edited November 7, 2006 by rimmerjar

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

There are some tougher plastics around. Many celluloids can withstand a good fall. (But not all) Esterbrook celluloids for example. The Makrolon and lucite plastics can take quite a bit of impact too. I actually dropped my Lamy 2000 several times before. I don't have one now, but I am preparing to get another one. The modern synthetic Montblanc plastics can also withstand much impact. The only modern Montblanc that was made of synthetics was the Generation, and only that way could they get the colours they needed. Before the Generation was a group of all sorts of other Montblancs. If I remember, Precious Resin is a natural material--actually amberised tree sap coloured black or burgundy. It is a marketing point in a way, and a poor material to make pens out of in my opinion. Pelikans are quite durable and they don't break nearly as easily, but their weak point on the section/ barrel joint. I have heard of a few of those coming apart, but that is not all too common and Pelikan Germany or Chartpak will fix it for free.

 

This is not to say that I don't like Montblanc. I have 5 Montblancs, none of which are made of precious resin--just synthetics like Makrolon, brass, stainless steel, anc Lucite. I will probably be getting two precious resin models for the research and design department. And, yes, I have seen precious resin crack. And, no, the pens are not going out off my desk and into the world with me, they are staying home for safety.

 

Dillon

[Samovar]

Thank you for all the feedback.

 

I just came back from the store and for 80$ canadian MB will fix it. It's expensive, but I could not let the pen without repair since the nib was so good. I'll try not to drop it again. I'll get the pen in 3 weeks, I'll post my comment about the repair.

 

I end up coming out of the store with a Lamy Vista with a 1.1 italic nib, it's a fun little pen.

 

I guess we all end up dropping a pen, MB just make a fortune out of our misfortune

[goodguy]

Acording to Richard I understand the MB resin body is so fragil because they put glass fiber in there resin.That gives the pen a unique feel to touch (which I like so much with my MB 149) but also make it more pron to break if you drop it.

 

You can hate MB but I think they make nice pens.

I personaly never use my 149.I just put it in the display case and admire it.

[RSVP]

There is something uniquely tactile about all offerings which use Precious Resin. From what I have read they (MB) are aware of the problem, but have not as yet found another material that is stronger and able to achieve the fine polish and corresponding lightness.

Edited November 7, 2006 by rimmerjar

[Green Maned Lion]

They charge $80 to replacea a peice of plastic? Or hardened tree sap? *shrugs*

 

Once in a while I enjoy startling my girlfriend by dropping my Rotring 600 a few inches onto my desk, which sounds like an anvil droped on something, and whatever. I have done it hundreds of times. I don't think it has had any effect on the pen at all.

 

I've dropped my pelikan too. It hasn't broken yet. And as you said, Pelikan will fix it for free. A nicer pen, and less money. I don't get whats so great about mont blancs. I owned a generation. I didn't like it.

[Blade Runner]

Greenmanedlion,

Admittedly your displeasure with Montblanc pens has little to do with actual experience of their pens.

I suggest trying some more before making a final judgement.

You might like them a lot.

Edited November 8, 2006 by jeen

[Samovar]

I agree, the Rotring 600 is the ultimate rugged pen. I don't drop it for fun, but it's rock solid.

My Pelikan 200 has seen a lot of mileage and remains in perfect shape, maybe the special plastic of Pelikan is better.

 

MB will probably never change the formula of the precious resin, the pen is simply too popular for them to care and if they scrap the pen line, they can fall back on the watches, belt, cuff link and god knows what they are selling.

 

Despite all this, I still think the 100th anniversary would look amazing in my collection, but for that price, I'll get a Nakaya!

[Blade Runner]

If you don't like the resin the 146 is also available in a variety of metals.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v233/jelb/IMG_3499.jpg

This one's my 146 Stainless steel solitaire. It's a sweet writer

[goodguy]

"Green Maned Lion"

 

I have a MB Generation.Its a lovely writer light and leaves a nice wet line but its nothing to write home about.On the other hand my MB 149 is an amazing pen,it just look and feel very very classy.My Waterman Edson sadly doesnt have half of its class.Its a nice writer too even though not as good as my Paragon or my Sheaffer Legacy.

[Samovar]

nice picture Jeen!

It's beyond my student budget, but I just bought a lottery ticket

Does the surface scratch easily?

It's my kind of pen.