Cannot Find Cleaning Montblanc Cartridge

[Xaltotun]

Well, I have called everywhere, and no-one seems to know what those Montblanc cleaning cartridges are. Most places I call in Montreal think I am some kind of lunatic, asking for this "non existing" product. They don't have it for sale, much less for giving away.

 

If it's anything like in the wristwatch world, I am not surprised: most dealers have salespeople that couldn't explain how fountain pens really work or have to be maintained, to save their life. They can sell you the "looks" however.

 

Anyway, what are my options? I wrote to Montblanc a few days ago, no answer (not surprised there, too). Can I make up something in DIY mode? Can I buy it online (haven,t found it)? Is there anyone that has one spare that could, I don't know, trade it with me for a pack of Kaweco ink cartridges?

 

Help and suggestions welcomed!

 

PS: it's to clean a Montblanc Boheme, because of the inside twisting mechanism, I can't just flush it with water....

[Ron Z]

They're slick little items. The cleaning cartridge is essentially a sealed pipette that has a cleaning solution in it, and a cartridge nipple on the end. Though intended for one use, I kept the pipette after the cleaning solution was gone.

 

You can buy plastic pipettes on line. Cut the tip so that it is a SNUG tight fit on the piercing tube inside the pen. Then flush the pen with the usual pen cleaner, or ammonia in water, followed by clear water. Do be careful not to get water into the barrel of the pen because the internal parts will rust.

[Dimitrios_P]

never saw that in any MB boutique.

 

Good to know that is real.

Thank you!!!!!

[kaisede]

never saw that in any MB boutique.

 

Good to know that is real.

Thank you!!!!!

 

Yes it is real, I have one giving to me when I brought the Boheme from MB store.

[Xaltotun]

They're slick little items. The cleaning cartridge is essentially a sealed pipette that has a cleaning solution in it, and a cartridge nipple on the end. Though intended for one use, I kept the pipette after the cleaning solution was gone.

 

You can buy plastic pipettes on line. Cut the tip so that it is a SNUG tight fit on the piercing tube inside the pen. Then flush the pen with the usual pen cleaner, or ammonia in water, followed by clear water. Do be careful not to get water into the barrel of the pen because the internal parts will rust.

 

Good to know, but which plastic pipette should I buy? There are hundreds of variants!

 

 

 

[andybiotic]

No, I won't recommend those cleaning cartridges or using any plastic pipette to clean your boheme. They are never really a tight fit to the nipple (the bit where you attach the ink cartridge) and when you squeeze the water out to clean the section and nib, some water will in inevitably leak out into the internal twisting mechanisms (And you really don't want water residue in there to cause rust and hinder your nib's retractability.... That is one of the reasons why they are not for sale anymore because they don't work!

 

My suggestion (and what I've been doing with mine) is to clean it use a converter (those with a twisting top, I use my standard waterman one). They fit a lot tighter (and thus a better water seal) because the end where it attaches to the nibble is made of hard rubber and not soft squishy plastic like in the cleaning cartridges or pipettes. Have the nib extended all the way out, push the converter into the barrel, make sure it is on tight, then depends on the length of the converter, you may have to retract the nib back slightly until you can grab hold of and turn the converter (note that the nib must still be visible outside the barrel) and start sucking in and expelling water using the converter... slowly... drop by drop... (another reason why converters are better because the flow with these things are very low) This way minimal water will be spill onto the inside of the barrel. After that, dry it with some cotton buds (don't forget about the other end of the barrel where the nib is!) and leave it air dry in a hot water cabinet or something.

 

Yeah... these things are a night mare to clean and maintain... I once had some contaminated ink in it.. imagine the things I've gone through to disinfect it.... :bonk:

Edited October 27, 2011 by andybiotic

[Xaltotun]

No, I won't recommend those cleaning cartridges or using any plastic pipette to clean your boheme. They are never really a tight fit to the nipple (the bit where you attach the ink cartridge) and when you squeeze the water out to clean the section and nib, some water will in inevitably leak out into the internal twisting mechanisms (And you really don't want water residue in there to cause rust and hinder your nib's retractability.... That is one of the reasons why they are not for sale anymore because they don't work!

 

My suggestion (and what I've been doing with mine) is to clean it use a converter (those with a twisting top, I use my standard waterman one). They fit a lot tighter (and thus a better water seal) because the end where it attaches to the nibble is made of hard rubber and not soft squishy plastic like in the cleaning cartridges or pipettes. Have the nib extended all the way out, push the converter into the barrel, make sure it is on tight, then depends on the length of the converter, you may have to retract the nib back slightly until you can grab hold of and turn the converter (note that the nib must still be visible outside the barrel) and start sucking in and expelling water using the converter... slowly... drop by drop... (another reason why converters are better because the flow with these things are very low) This way minimal water will be spill onto the inside of the barrel. After that, dry it with some cotton buds (don't forget about the other end of the barrel where the nib is!) and leave it air dry in a hot water cabinet or something.

 

Yeah... these things are a night mare to clean and maintain... I once had some contaminated ink in it.. imagine the things I've gone through to disinfect it.... :bonk:

 

Well, I obtained one from Montblanc directly (free, I paid shipping only).

 

I did not read your post in time to be warned, so I used it as prescribed. For the record, mine had a fairly "tight" "opening" (wow, this sounds more kinky than it should be ).

However, when I was done, I had the idea to look inside the pen with a strong flashlight, and indeed a few drops had leaked out. With a twisted paper tissue, I was able to dry everything, and now I believe everything is dry, without having had any real damage done.

 

How in heaven did you end up with contaminated ink??????

Edited November 2, 2011 by Xaltotun

[Monblanc Love]

Dear Friends,

 

I just wanted to let you know that I just got one at my local Montblanc Boutique. They are given free of charge.

 

 

I think there may be some confusion. Sometime back, I understand Montblanc used to sell them in packs of 3 (Montblanc product ID: 36118). The ones that were sold had problems identified by Andy as mentioned above, but the new ones that are distributed free of charge actually works. I currently have 4 Boheme pens – the new cleaning cartridge that I got works flawlessly without leaking a drop of water.

 

I hope this helps.

 

Cheers

Monblanc Love

[andybiotic]

You guys are lucky.

 

I bought mine second hand and I don't think they are just going to give me one by just going in and asking for it. Let my method be an alternative for you. Those plastic cartridges will loose it's grip eventually after repetitive use and MB may one day stop producing them altogether. With a converter, I have no need to worry about getting them at all for as long as I live (I may have to get another converter but those are even more readily available.) Good to hear that you were able to clean your pens "neatly"!

[Bigeddie]

Thanks for the picture, it's a big help.

 

Resurrecting this thread to ask:

 

Has anyone come across these recently? (do they still exist?)and Does anyone know if they will work with a 147, are they long enough?

 

Alternatively, is there a trick to cleaning out a 147? Looking at it I can't imagine a converter will be long enough unless I try to make some sort of specially adapted one. Knowing me, that could be dangerous.

[hari317]

Thanks for the picture, it's a big help.

 

Resurrecting this thread to ask:

 

Has anyone come across these recently? (do they still exist?)and Does anyone know if they will work with a 147, are they long enough?

 

Alternatively, is there a trick to cleaning out a 147? Looking at it I can't imagine a converter will be long enough unless I try to make some sort of specially adapted one. Knowing me, that could be dangerous.

 

Just rinse the 147 (sans cartridge carrier) under a running tap. This method has worked well for me and is the method suggested by Montblanc in the manual.

[colrehogan]

Thanks for the picture, it's a big help.

 

Resurrecting this thread to ask:

 

Has anyone come across these recently? (do they still exist?)and Does anyone know if they will work with a 147, are they long enough?

 

Alternatively, is there a trick to cleaning out a 147? Looking at it I can't imagine a converter will be long enough unless I try to make some sort of specially adapted one. Knowing me, that could be dangerous.

 

Yes, they will work for cleaning a 147. I just cleaned mine out last week using one of these.

[Bigeddie]

Thank you to Colrehogan and Hari317 for the rapid replies!

 

I will try to track one of them down. I hadn't thought about putting it under a tap, but as it lacks the retracting nib (Boheme) system I suppose it can't do any harm

[Mr. Pentulant]

I've had good luck cleaning my Boheme with a clean, empty MB cartridge, closed end cut off, with a bulb syringe fit into the back in place of a converter. Much faster/easier to get good water flow through the pen while not making a huge mess. This might work for a 147 as well depending on what your bulb syringe is like, but I don't have one of those to play with..