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Montblanc (Mb) Rollerball (Rb) Medium Refills - Comprehensive Thread?


eagle007

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Hi all -

 

I've been trolling this site for the past few days as I look for an MB RB medium blue refill. I find the MB RB refills to just run out of ink (dry out? - but I cap it all the time) way too quickly (3 weeks, 40 small pages of writing). Im using a Starwalker Resin MB pen. In an ideal world, I'd be able to retrofit a G2 refill (I like Gel BP ink) into it, but I haven't figured out a way to do it.

 

So, what suggestions does everyone have to either get a G2 (or other good) gel BP refill OR another RB refill into this pen. Here's what I've tried so far:

 

1. G2 refill - too short. I've tried to fit an eraser tip but have failed to get it to work.

2. yafa refill - they only work for ball point. and the RB version is not made in a Medium Blue (what I want) - also a pain to get because they don't sell them directly.

3. Uniball 207 - someone suggested the Unibal UMR87 (equivalent appears to be a 207 refill here in the US). That's too short too (just a tiny bit) and I haven't been able to get that to work

4. Still to try: Schmidt 888, just ordered some bluRafia ceramic RBs from amazon, and will try those when they come

5. Still to try: opening up the old MB refill and using a syringe to put in ink (sounds too messy)

 

What other suggestions does everyone have? Would be great to make this a comprehensive thread for MB RB medium refills.

 

Thanks

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Can't answer your specific question as I've never tried (nor would I) to fit non-MB refills into any of my pens. However... Are you aware that a MB fineliner refill will fit into your rollerball pen. Maybe this refill will suit your needs better.

My Collection: Montblanc Writers Edition: Hemingway, Christie, Wilde, Voltaire, Dumas, Dostoevsky, Poe, Proust, Schiller, Dickens, Fitzgerald (set), Verne, Kafka, Cervantes, Woolf, Faulkner, Shaw, Mann, Twain, Collodi, Swift, Balzac, Defoe, Tolstoy, Shakespeare, Saint-Exupery, Homer & Kipling. Montblanc Einstein (3,000) FP. Montblanc Heritage 1912 Resin FP. Montblanc Starwalker Resin: FP/BP/MP. Montblanc Traveller FP.

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Can't answer your specific question as I've never tried (nor would I) to fit non-MB refills into any of my pens. However... Are you aware that a MB fineliner refill will fit into your rollerball pen. Maybe this refill will suit your needs better.

 

Thanks BrandonA, but I was hoping I wouldn't have to switch to a fineliner...

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The love of my life has adopted the Starwalker Cool Blue Rollerball that I used to use occasionally. She loves it. I don't miss it at all. I find the refills run out to quickly.

 

In my view, roller balls are an awkward compromise between a fountain pen and a ballpoint pen.

 

Matt

 

 

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The love of my life has adopted the Starwalker Cool Blue Rollerball that I used to use occasionally. She loves it. I don't miss it at all. I find the refills run out to quickly.

 

In my view, roller balls are an awkward compromise between a fountain pen and a ballpoint pen.

 

Matt

 

Matt - that's really my issue, they run out about after 2 weeks and so I was looking for a similar replacement that doesnt force me to go buy a new pen and has similar characteristics... hence, this thread.

 

thanks for the reply.

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Hi eagle007 - I have a resin Starwalker and been using the G2 refills for a while now. The G2 refils are great and as you stated, last longer then MB's version. I did not have to modify anything on the MB or the G2.

 

What I discovered out of frustration of making the G2 work is allowing the MB cut new threads(actually just 3/4 of a thread) into the thick part of the G2. It seems to work, and the 3/4 thread holds the G2 in place even when I press hard on the point to see if I could dislodge it by forc

 

I insert the G2 until it stops, then firmly hold the G2 and twist the G2 back and forth until I sense too much resistance to trun. I then back out the G2 and see if a thread was cut into the plastic collar. The back and forth twisting action is minute, maybe a 1/16 of an inch.

 

Oh by the way, if you twist too hard and the G2 is stuck (which I've done before). Holding the G2, press hard against a pad of paper and slowly twist the MB section back and forth until the G2 frees itself from the MB thread.

 

I added a thin piece of cork at the bottom of the barrel to press against the G2 should the thread in the G2 fails (which hasn't happened yet, I think).

 

What I've done in previous G2 refils was trim off some of the G2 collar to allow more threads to be cut into it, but after awhile found multiple cut threads in the G2 wasn't necessary. Hope this helps, as I've been enjoying my Starwalker with G2 refills for a long time. Randy

Edited by goldbluff
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The love of my life has adopted the Starwalker Cool Blue Rollerball that I used to use occasionally. She loves it. I don't miss it at all. I find the refills run out too quickly.

 

In my view, roller balls are an awkward compromise between a fountain pen and a ballpoint pen.

 

Matt

 

Matt - that's really my issue, they run out about after 2 weeks and so I was looking for a similar replacement that doesnt force me to go buy a new pen and has similar characteristics... hence, this thread.

 

thanks for the reply.

 

 

I am going to follow this thread and see what people say. I am curious... maybe there is an amazing rollerball refill somewhere.

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The love of my life has adopted the Starwalker Cool Blue Rollerball that I used to use occasionally. She loves it. I don't miss it at all. I find the refills run out too quickly.

 

In my view, roller balls are an awkward compromise between a fountain pen and a ballpoint pen.

 

Matt

 

Matt - that's really my issue, they run out about after 2 weeks and so I was looking for a similar replacement that doesnt force me to go buy a new pen and has similar characteristics... hence, this thread.

 

thanks for the reply.

 

 

I am going to follow this thread and see what people say. I am curious... maybe there is an amazing rollerball refill somewhere.

 

 

Same here maybe someone found a solution for the RB just like someone found the convertor for the Starwalker FP.

Another solution that worked for me is to build good relationship with your local MB boutique, I usually get free RB or Fine liner refills every time I go visit the store.

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Hi all -

 

I've been trolling this site for the past few days as I look for an MB RB medium blue refill. I find the MB RB refills to just run out of ink (dry out? - but I cap it all the time) way too quickly (3 weeks, 40 small pages of writing). Im using a Starwalker Resin MB pen. In an ideal world, I'd be able to retrofit a G2 refill (I like Gel BP ink) into it, but I haven't figured out a way to do it.

 

So, what suggestions does everyone have to either get a G2 (or other good) gel BP refill OR another RB refill into this pen. Here's what I've tried so far:

 

1. G2 refill - too short. I've tried to fit an eraser tip but have failed to get it to work.

2. yafa refill - they only work for ball point. and the RB version is not made in a Medium Blue (what I want) - also a pain to get because they don't sell them directly.

3. Uniball 207 - someone suggested the Unibal UMR87 (equivalent appears to be a 207 refill here in the US). That's too short too (just a tiny bit) and I haven't been able to get that to work

4. Still to try: Schmidt 888, just ordered some bluRafia ceramic RBs from amazon, and will try those when they come

5. Still to try: opening up the old MB refill and using a syringe to put in ink (sounds too messy)

 

What other suggestions does everyone have? Would be great to make this a comprehensive thread for MB RB medium refills.

 

Thanks

 

 

Try this one, about half the price of MB and quality is good.

 

fpn_1304802453__montblanc_roller.jpg

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Another solution that worked for me is to build good relationship with your local MB boutique, I usually get free RB or Fine liner refills every time I go visit the store.

 

No, I wouldn't use them even if they were free. My 163 Solitaire was seldom used until I figured out how to use a Pilot G2 refill on it.

 

I put a small piece of soft cylindrical eraser (Solita Push Eraser refill) at the bottom of the barrel. Then I simply put a Pilot G2 refill in it without cutting out threads or anything. It stays firmly in place while I write and the point doesn't wiggle at all. No I love carrying my Malachite roller. It is a Meisterstück though, but it should work OK on a Starwalker, too.

Mi blog "Mis Plumas Fuente" contiene evaluaciones en lengua Castellana, muestras de escritura y fotografías originales de las plumas en mi colección.

 

Visítenos en http://misplumasfuente.wordpress.com/

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Hi eagle007 - I have a resin Starwalker and been using the G2 refills for a while now. The G2 refils are great and as you stated, last longer then MB's version. I did not have to modify anything on the MB or the G2.

 

What I discovered out of frustration of making the G2 work is allowing the MB cut new threads(actually just 3/4 of a thread) into the thick part of the G2. It seems to work, and the 3/4 thread holds the G2 in place even when I press hard on the point to see if I could dislodge it by forc

 

I insert the G2 until it stops, then firmly hold the G2 and twist the G2 back and forth until I sense too much resistance to trun. I then back out the G2 and see if a thread was cut into the plastic collar. The back and forth twisting action is minute, maybe a 1/16 of an inch.

 

Oh by the way, if you twist too hard and the G2 is stuck (which I've done before). Holding the G2, press hard against a pad of paper and slowly twist the MB section back and forth until the G2 frees itself from the MB thread.

 

I added a thin piece of cork at the bottom of the barrel to press against the G2 should the thread in the G2 fails (which hasn't happened yet, I think).

 

What I've done in previous G2 refils was trim off some of the G2 collar to allow more threads to be cut into it, but after awhile found multiple cut threads in the G2 wasn't necessary. Hope this helps, as I've been enjoying my Starwalker with G2 refills for a long time. Randy

 

Randy - thanks for the reply. I've actually tried your technique before and it is quite good. It is actually pretty easy to get the thread worked into the G2 refill so it doesnt move too much. That said, it doesn't work completely for me and it would be great to see if you have found a solution to the following: the point end side of the pen (the "nib") doesnt actually come out all the way, it only comes out about half way, so it doesnt really look a genuine refill. And so, oddly, I tend to hold the pen pretty low to the bottom of the pen and that annoys me.

 

So, I've tried to turn the G2 refill refill some more to get it protrude lower, but once I get about that 1/16 of an inch you reference, it doesnt go any further, and so I can't get it go lower... any thoughts?

 

Any other ideas?

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Hi all -

 

I've been trolling this site for the past few days as I look for an MB RB medium blue refill. I find the MB RB refills to just run out of ink (dry out? - but I cap it all the time) way too quickly (3 weeks, 40 small pages of writing). Im using a Starwalker Resin MB pen. In an ideal world, I'd be able to retrofit a G2 refill (I like Gel BP ink) into it, but I haven't figured out a way to do it.

 

So, what suggestions does everyone have to either get a G2 (or other good) gel BP refill OR another RB refill into this pen. Here's what I've tried so far:

 

1. G2 refill - too short. I've tried to fit an eraser tip but have failed to get it to work.

2. yafa refill - they only work for ball point. and the RB version is not made in a Medium Blue (what I want) - also a pain to get because they don't sell them directly.

3. Uniball 207 - someone suggested the Unibal UMR87 (equivalent appears to be a 207 refill here in the US). That's too short too (just a tiny bit) and I haven't been able to get that to work

4. Still to try: Schmidt 888, just ordered some bluRafia ceramic RBs from amazon, and will try those when they come

5. Still to try: opening up the old MB refill and using a syringe to put in ink (sounds too messy)

 

What other suggestions does everyone have? Would be great to make this a comprehensive thread for MB RB medium refills.

 

Thanks

 

 

Try this one, about half the price of MB and quality is good.

 

fpn_1304802453__montblanc_roller.jpg

 

mlr8 - thanks, I've looked into the Monteverde refill (incidentally, I believe this is manufactured by Yafa, i learned that when I called yafa looking for this MB RB refill) and unfortunately I am unable to find one that is Medium Blue. I only can find the M222BU which is a fine medium. Have you found something different? if so, please share with us! thanks.

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This photo presents a MB RB refill on top of the Pilot G2 refill that is in use inside my MB 163 RB. Using the eraser spacer, the tip of the G2 refill protrudes the same length as the MB refill, and there is no threads formed near the tip of the G2 refill. Is the Starwalker RB that different than the Meisterstück one?

 

Btw, the G2 refill was taken from an actual Pilot G2 pen 0.7.

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5302/5698753920_68d162d361.jpg

Mi blog "Mis Plumas Fuente" contiene evaluaciones en lengua Castellana, muestras de escritura y fotografías originales de las plumas en mi colección.

 

Visítenos en http://misplumasfuente.wordpress.com/

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This photo presents a MB RB refill on top of the Pilot G2 refill that is in use inside my MB 163 RB. Using the eraser spacer, the tip of the G2 refill protrudes the same length as the MB refill, and there is no threads formed near the tip of the G2 refill. Is the Starwalker RB that different than the Meisterstück one?

 

Btw, the G2 refill was taken from an actual Pilot G2 pen 0.7.

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5302/5698753920_68d162d361.jpg

 

 

My own experience is that the g2 refills do not fit the boheme rollerball. However the Schimdt 888 will screw in perfectly and looks to fit well. I do not use a 163 RB and therefore can't comment on the G2 refill fitting this pen.

 

In my Legrand RB the Pentel KFR10 refill (that fits the Pentel K230) fits reasonably well with a piece of eraser at the back end where is a small spring. It lays a nice thick wet / juicy line that is just a dream to use. I would not want use any other RB refill in my Legrand. Only thing I find annoying is to unscrew the cap. If you want a smaller line and other colours such as blue or red that is available too (medium)

 

Mohan

 

Mohan

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Eagle007, your response about the point barely sticking out when treading for about 1/16 inch also bother me a little as well. So I went to Ace Hardware to get 3/16 brass tubing to try two ideas.

 

First is to file the tube and sharpen it like a leather punch, hoping it would easily thin down the plastic collar to allow more threads to be cut and expose more of the point. Nice in theory but was too much effort to trim the plastic. I was only able to cut maybe 1/32 of an inch after twisting and lightly hammering the tube.

 

Second try was heating the tube and melt the plastic, to allow the MB section to cut more threads easily. Ok, one of two results using this method. 1) plastic coller diameter was indeed reduced but was too narrow to allow threads to be cut and 2) the narrow collar allows the G2 refil to protrude furhter out, to about the same length as the original MB roller ball.

 

My last idea was to trim away with a exacto knife or small utiliy knife to slowly trim the thick collar so it would pass through the MB threaded section, which it did. Now the the G2 point extents to the same amount as the MB roller ball. This last idea seem to work the best which I'll continue to use now (and hopefully not trim some of my fingers off in the process).

 

Now this last idea requires a spacer behind the G2 to keep the G2 from being pushed back into the barrel. All I added the the G2 end was two small round self-adhesive felt pads, trim the pads to the diameter of the G2 and put everything together. So now the Starwalker appears to have a factory refill since the point protrudes the same distance as the rollerball.

Edited by goldbluff
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I have not tried this so I can't say how well it works, but if your main concern is the cost of refills, you may want to check out this how-to on refilling MB refills.

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This photo presents a MB RB refill on top of the Pilot G2 refill that is in use inside my MB 163 RB. Using the eraser spacer, the tip of the G2 refill protrudes the same length as the MB refill, and there is no threads formed near the tip of the G2 refill. Is the Starwalker RB that different than the Meisterstück one?

 

Btw, the G2 refill was taken from an actual Pilot G2 pen 0.7.

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5302/5698753920_68d162d361.jpg

 

Carlos - perhaps the MB pens are different, I dont have a Meisterstuck and when I look on the MB website, I can't see the two compared. The G2 refill you are using looks identical to mine, except the plastic towards the bottom is blue as opposed to clear/white. Also, I dont see the eraser space you are using and I dont follow what you did there.

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Eagle007, your response about the point barely sticking out when treading for about 1/16 inch also bother me a little as well. So I went to Ace Hardware to get 3/16 brass tubing to try two ideas.

 

First is to file the tube and sharpen it like a leather punch, hoping it would easily thin down the plastic collar to allow more threads to be cut and expose more of the point. Nice in theory but was too much effort to trim the plastic. I was only able to cut maybe 1/32 of an inch after twisting and lightly hammering the tube.

 

Second try was heating the tube and melt the plastic, to allow the MB section to cut more threads easily. Ok, one of two results using this method. 1) plastic coller diameter was indeed reduced but was too narrow to allow threads to be cut and 2) the narrow collar allows the G2 refil to protrude furhter out, to about the same length as the original MB roller ball.

 

My last idea was to trim away with a exacto knife or small utiliy knife to slowly trim the thick collar so it would pass through the MB threaded section, which it did. Now the the G2 point extents to the same amount as the MB roller ball. This last idea seem to work the best which I'll continue to use now (and hopefully not trim some of my fingers off in the process).

 

Now this last idea requires a spacer behind the G2 to keep the G2 from being pushed back into the barrel. All I added the the G2 end was two small round self-adhesive felt pads, trim the pads to the diameter of the G2 and put everything together. So now the Starwalker appears to have a factory refill since the point protrudes the same distance as the rollerball.

 

Randy - How did you heat the tube without melting everything else? On the exacto knife idea, I thought of trying that as well I just have not gotten around to it (and I'm hoping there's a more natural solution). Im hoping that I can cut enough of the plastic at the bottom that I could still thread it. can you post a pic of what you've done?

 

jlalicker - this may be a great fallback option. My primary concern is not so much the cost, its the life of the refill. If it lasted 6 months, I'd gladly shell out the money for the refill. But they are only lasting 2-3 weeks, if that. So, i guess what I could do is buy 10 refills and refill them every half year... before i fall back to that, I'm gonna keep looking though...

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Carlos - perhaps the MB pens are different, I dont have a Meisterstuck and when I look on the MB website, I can't see the two compared. The G2 refill you are using looks identical to mine, except the plastic towards the bottom is blue as opposed to clear/white. Also, I dont see the eraser space you are using and I dont follow what you did there.

 

The eraser spacer got stucked at the bottom of the barrel. When I want to use a fineliner refill, I take the spacer out with an unbent paper clip. Otherwise, the spacer remains there so I can change G2 refills without doing additional steps: open the section, trash the old refill, put in a new one, close the section and continue writing.

Mi blog "Mis Plumas Fuente" contiene evaluaciones en lengua Castellana, muestras de escritura y fotografías originales de las plumas en mi colección.

 

Visítenos en http://misplumasfuente.wordpress.com/

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eagle007, here's some qick pics I took just now.

 

In 2b, you'll see the 3/16 brass tubling that I will heat over a small flame on the stove, then slowly and firmly push into the G2's thick collar. I had to do this two or three times to reach the end of the collar before the clear plastic tube.

 

 

In 3b after three heating and inserting sessions, I got the brass tubing as far down as possbile, about 1/8 inche before the clear tube.

 

 

In 4b, this shows the amount of G2 point showing after the heating and inserting sessions. The point displayed here is the same amount as using tghe original MB roller ball. I think I'll use this process instead of shaving using a razor utility knife. Good luck

post-34996-0-19410100-1304912552.jpg

post-34996-0-88003000-1304912785.jpg

post-34996-0-10177300-1304912796.jpg

Edited by goldbluff
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