Handcraft Repair

[Cruachan]

I bought a 1950s Montblanc 146 which the seller thought wasn't working, but (with some advice from this forum – thanks) I got it to fill with ink and it writes very nicely. The only problem I've encountered is that it leaks very slightly from the cap end (the bit that unscrews to fill it). This leak is not a huge problem; it's just a bit of seepage. I've written all day with the pen without getting ink all over my fingers, but I wouldn't risk carrying the pen in my shirt pocket. I sent the pen off to Montblanc to see if it could be overhauled (and partly also to have it verified as a genuine MB, which it is) and they are quoting £180.00 for a 'handcraft repair', with no guarantee that the problem will be fixed (due to its age and the fact that it has obviously been an everyday using pen)! I had supposed that it would only be a matter of replacing a seal or two and wasn't anticipating a bill like that. So, before I agree to the repair, I'm wondering what other people's experience of Montblanc repair/service is. That amount of money could just about get me another pen, so I'm wondering if the repair is worth it, or what people's experience is of using other UK pen repairers whose costs are more reasonable.

 

All advice gratefully received.

 

[wordherder62]

Under no circumstances let them touch your pen! Get a qualified pen repair person to do it. I'm not sure who to recommend in the UK but I know several competent U.S. repairers who would do it for far less and be more likely to return the pen in its rightful state. MB's repair service just isn't equipped for this--thus the high price. If you're lucky they'll farm it out to someone else. You need to get a qualified vintage pen repair person to do your pen.

 

 

[Dan Carmell]

Yes, Wordherder is quite right--do NOT let Montblanc touch your 1950s 146! I am not saying they are bad at repairing current pens, but they simply aren't set up to handle vintage pens.

 

Take a look at www.penhero.com in the the Bookmarks area, pen repair. There are a number listed in the UK and several are well known: The Battersea Pen Home and Jim and Jane Marshall (who are noted author's of pen and writing equipment collecting books) website, the Pen and Pencil Gallery. You might also contact WES, the Writing Equipment Society, which is the UK's omnibus collectors club for pens, etc. and ask if they have a list list of recommended repairers.

 

Good luck!

 

Dan

[RSVP]

I have heard that http://www.maxpens.de/ is THE repair person for Montblanc.

[Nikolaos]

Hi,

 

i agree with all the suggestion above, and i would recommend also www.maxpens.de. I have sent a montblanc in the past to Max and his work was great and i got the pen back in 2 weeks. I am about to send my 1950s 146 for repair as well...it is not filling up any more. Max is a great guy and he will charge reasonable, way less than what you have been quoted. I think he used to work for MB for like 30 years or so!

 

Nikolaos

[RSVP]

I would dearly like to have thsi vintage MB repaired. The problem is I don;t know nearly enough German to write an email to maxpens asking for a quote.

 

The pen appears to be an Azurite 322 with double cap rings. The nib has the "a" warrant but the innards are broken (the pen came open easily and showed that the push-button arm was broken in two a long time ago). Apart from some brassing to the rings and a little pitting to the extra-flat clip I think it has remained in good condition because of this.

 

Would someone with a knowledge of German be kind enough to give some pointers?

 

[Cruachan]

QUOTE (rimmerjar @ Mar 28 2007, 07:43 PM)

The problem is I don;t know nearly enough German to write an email to maxpens asking for a quote.

Hi rimmerjar,

 

Type out what you want to say (in English or whatever your first language is) and then paste it into AltaVista BabelFish Translation (http://babelfish.altavista.com) and click on 'English (or whatever) to German', then 'Translate'. If you then copy the German text you can paste that into a letter or e-mail. The translation will not be grammatically correct, because of how German sentence construction works, but it will make enough sense. It will help if you keep your English sentences as short as possible.

 

Hope that helps.

 

PS: I think you should have started a new topic.

[Nikolaos]

rimmerjar

 

don't worry about the German thing. Max can speak english. I don't speak a word of German and all our communication was in English

 

no problem there!

Nikolaos