Loss Of Ruthenium Plating On Starwalker Nib

[Calamus plasticus]

Hi there. I bought a brand new Starwalker Midnight a couple of months ago. I have no doubt about the authencity of the pen, so I am really worried as the nib surface is beginning to accumulate scratches and the ruthenium plating seems to be very prone to damage: I can see the gold metal underneath.

 

Is that normal? Is the plating so fragile? I use my pens with care...

 

I would be grateful for any insight you can give...

 

PS. I would post a pic, but my camera can't get the real thing.

Edited May 19, 2012 by Calamus plasticus

[RudyR]

First question. Where did you get this Starwalker from?

Second question. Are you sure it's a Montbanc and not a counterfeit?

 

This does not seem like normal wear. I checked my Starwalker and do not see either of the problems you described. If you bought this from a Montblanc Boutique or Authorized dealer I would take it back and have them send it back to Montblanc to have the nib swapped out. Believe me, Montblanc would be happy to have that nib to see what went wrong and if it is in warranty, then it should not cost you anything. Sometimes the best of companies goof and make a less than quality product.

[Calamus plasticus]

First question. Where did you get this Starwalker from?

Second question. Are you sure it's a Montbanc and not a counterfeit?

 

Positive: that's the reason why I am astonished... the plating is wearing as if the nib was painted, not plated.

 

Believe me, Montblanc would be happy to have that nib to see what went wrong

 

Yes, the warranty is still valid, and I will do that. I wanted to ask if this was a common issue for Starwalkers, just to know what to expect.

 

Thanks for your prompt answer.

[Newjelan]

Hi, that's awful. I've had one for about a year and use it daily. I'm a heavy user and not good at looking after my pens. Mine still looks like new, so sounds like a fault of some sort.

[Sidestreaker]

I bought mine from a boutique as well, and itt has been almost 2 years now since I bought it.

 

It has already displayed scratches on the nib and yes, like yours it's already displaying the gold beneath. The lip of cap is made of metal and its difficult to avoid contact with the nib all the time. Even the clip is displaying some apparent scratches.

 

It moderately used and does seem to display the scratches easier than my other MB pens or other rhodium plated nibs/platinum plated clips. Being a darker metal, the scratches would be more apparent, I suppose.

[Calamus plasticus]

I bought mine from a boutique as well, and itt has been almost 2 years now since I bought it.

 

It has already displayed scratches on the nib and yes, like yours it's already displaying the gold beneath. The lip of cap is made of metal and its difficult to avoid contact with the nib all the time. Even the clip is displaying some apparent scratches.

 

It moderately used and does seem to display the scratches easier than my other MB pens or other rhodium plated nibs/platinum plated clips. Being a darker metal, the scratches would be more apparent, I suppose.

 

Thanks for your answer: I see that I am not alone in the world...

So, some years from now, the nib is going to be gold in color unless we do not use the pen?

In the meantime (and this is the worse part) the scratches make the nib look bad: I haven't realize that the cause is the metal cap lip, you're right.

Let's seeif someone else has the same problem.

[Chrissy]

Hi there. I bought a brand new Starwalker Midnight a couple of months ago. I have no doubt about the authencity of the pen, so I am really worried as the nib surface is beginning to accumulate scratches and the ruthenium plating seems to be very prone to damage: I can see the gold metal underneath.

 

Is that normal? Is the plating so fragile? I use my pens with care...

 

I would be grateful for any insight you can give...

 

PS. I would post a pic, but my camera can't get the real thing.

If I had purchased a Montblanc pen of any kind, some number of months ago and it was showing any deterioration whatsoever, I would either take it back to the boutique I bought it from or send it to my Montblanc service centre address on the Montblanc web-site for replacement of the affected part or parts. I would most definitely not be content to own a pen that had a degradation like this on it's nib.

[zal]

these are very depressing experiences to read, imagine what it will be like for those whom it is happening.

 

rgds.

 

krishna.

[rockspyder]

Hi there. I bought a brand new Starwalker Midnight a couple of months ago. I have no doubt about the authencity of the pen, so I am really worried as the nib surface is beginning to accumulate scratches and the ruthenium plating seems to be very prone to damage: I can see the gold metal underneath.

 

Is that normal? Is the plating so fragile? I use my pens with care...

 

I would be grateful for any insight you can give...

 

PS. I would post a pic, but my camera can't get the real thing.

Keep in mind, all metal platings are extremely thin, and any scratches will take off plating very quickly, exposing the base metal underneath. This is normal. I would rather be concerned about the cause of the scratches on your nib - it means you are wiping it with something too abrasive, or it comes into contact with abrasives in some other way. For example, I've found tissue paper to be far more abrasive than I would have imagined, and since I've started using chamois or microfiber cloths for nib wiping, I have not seen scratches for a very long time.

Hear what the boutique has to say, maybe they can still have it sorted out for you, but try to eliminate the cause of the scratches altogether.

Good luck

[Calamus plasticus]

Keep in mind, all metal platings are extremely thin, and any scratches will take off plating very quickly, exposing the base metal underneath. This is normal. I would rather be concerned about the cause of the scratches on your nib - it means you are wiping it with something too abrasive, or it comes into contact with abrasives in some other way. For example, I've found tissue paper to be far more abrasive than I would have imagined, and since I've started using chamois or microfiber cloths for nib wiping, I have not seen scratches for a very long time.

Hear what the boutique has to say, maybe they can still have it sorted out for you, but try to eliminate the cause of the scratches altogether.

Good luck

 

I think that sidestreaker is right about the origin of the scratches: the cap lip, that is metal.

If I had been aware that the plating was so fragile, I would have been even more cautious (as I am when using my Waterman Edson, for example, that is very prone to scratches on the nib). But no Montblanc I ever have used had this problem: their nibs are solid.

I will take it to the Montblanc service, see what they say.

[Felix1]

@ "I will take it to the Montblanc service, see what they say."

 

Did the OP fall off the forum nearly three years ago? I'm curious what Montblanc did since I have a similar issue.

[Calamus plasticus]

@ "I will take it to the Montblanc service, see what they say."

Did the OP fall off the forum nearly three years ago? I'm curious what Montblanc did since I have a similar issue.

I am here:-)

No, at the end I didn't take it to the MB service. I sold it at a local pen forum to someone sho does not care about the discoloration. I guess I didn't like the pen that much....

[Monty_UK]

So I have spent nearly £500 on a fountain pen, and had this exact problem. It has been back to MB once, been repaired. I even got a hand written note apologizing, but within a month, it is happening again. The pen is less than a year old!

 

I am super careful in putting the lid on, and have never wiped it. Bottom line, this is rubbish. I have a £45 Lamy with a £6 nib which I have had for eight years. Not a scratch!

[Brufen6OO]

I confirm this, I once bought a pre-owned Starwalker fountain pen who had barely been used and already had a lot of wear on the grip section, the ruthenium plating was very damaged. Since I am somewhat OCD with these things, I had to sell it. I felt embarrassed, there's no excuse for a pen like this.

[FourRings]

This happened to my Starwalker metal nib shortly after I put Diamine Sapphire Blue in it.

It's in Texas now... Boutique Manager said he's never seen it before... Guess I'm not alone.

 

Oh and to add to this... My wife got me the Metal for Anniversary, and went through grey market as the design was D/C. Som Montblanc may end up charging me $215 for a new nib. I'll gladly pay it, but this should have never happened...

Edited February 10, 2016 by FourRings

[ASL]

This must be a fulty pen .. Go back to Montblanc service .. Trust this should be covered by MB for free !

[Newjelan]

I've now had mine for about 6 years (my original post was a year out), used a variety of inks including those with sparkles and the nib still looks perfect (and works perfectly). So I'd say it's definitely a fault - poor quality control.

[Montecristo]

Somehow MB seems to have some issues with plating. I have had this happen to me twice. The first time with a 75th Ann. 149 ltd where the rose gold plating on the nib came off easily and now with the Defoe 'end of the pen body' (twist mechanism for inking). Both are original pens purchased @ well known AD in Holland. I live in the tropics and use my pens all day, however do not wipe them with any abraisive material. I do carry them in my shirt pocket, also outdoors. I am suspecting humidity and temperature play an role....

[Cordovian]

I went to get my Starwalker Extreme to take with me to work this morning and about a third of the coating is off the nib!

 

I'll try to post a pic in the next day or two but it's come off in two circular shapes on either side of the breather hole then there's more missing along the tines. It's like it's turned into dust or dissolved away. There are no visible flakes on the nib or in the cap. It's just gone!

 

I bought this one from Marte Modena at an extreme discount so I doubt any warranty would apply (booklet is not stamped). I'm really disappointed and I'm not sure what to do. I don't want to pay for a replacement nib only to have it do it again.

 

Edit to add: The only ink that's been in this pen since purchased has been MB Blue Hour.

Edited February 17, 2016 by Cordovian

[Valdair]

The new Blue Hour or the old iron gall version?