Laban Mento

[NeoTiger]

Yes the pen lid in not airtight where the clip is attatched to the body of the lid. This causes the nib to dry. I fixed it! Use clear nail varnish/nail protector.

I just bought a Laban Mento as well, the Galaxy Black colour according to the description.

 

I too have found that the cap is not airtight, so it's lucky I found this review and solution. I was wondering if there are any other common substances that can be used to seal the cap (I uhh... don't have nail polish handy in my tool box )....

 

Any help is much appreciated :meow:

[DrDiver]

I performed the nail polish operation a few days ago - and it has definitely made the cap airtight (thanks Armchop for the tip!)

 

But - does everybody else find the smell of nail varnish remains in the cap and permeates around the pen? It was bad enough having to go to Boots specifically looking for the polish without stinking to high heaven after the fact.

 

Any tips on reducing/eliminating said pong? Ladies??

[Maja]

I too tried the clear nail polish trick...and it worked! Thanks, Armchop!

The pen starts up right away each time now.

Still some nail enamel smell in the cap, but I can live with it; it's far, far less annoying than having a pen that won't start up right away....

[DrDiver]

Agreed Maja, the benefit of a pen that starts is outweighing the smell of the polish. Just hope I got the right one

[RichardS]

The smell will dissipate. I performed the operation three or so months ago, and it's gone now.

[hilsedwards]

A good and comprehensive review. May I enquire if you had the same problem as I did of the nib binding/touching the end of the cap? Or maybe I was just unlucky.

A few rasps of a rat-tail file soon sorted it out!

[DrDiver]

I think I may be having that problem. When I take the cap off, the nib always has ink on it - about 3-4 mm from tip of nib backwards, cut across at a straight line. I wa sputting it down to nib creep, but on looking inside the cap, the white plastic ring has what appears to be green ink on the sides of it.

I'm now wondering if that is actually touching the nib when the cap is back on. What does teh ring actually do - will filing it down a bit affect what it does?

 

On another point - are there any other converters that fit the Mento but are a bit sturdier and less cheap? Waterman ones do not fit, nor Rotring.

 

Cheers

Dave

[zorroflores]

On another point - are there any other converters that fit the Mento but are a bit sturdier and less cheap? Waterman ones do not fit, nor Rotring.

 

Giovnni is offering one that looks good: New International size converters for sale

Edited September 9, 2006 by zorroflores

[Armchop]

:meow:

adding a new reply to bump rather than just edit an old post.

Having seemed to remember reading on a post that the nibs on the fantastic Bexley FPN LE are sourced from the same manufacturers on the Laban I am going to dig out my Mentos again (after i finish wallpapering and laying a new floor and finishing my teaching prep!). I put them away after trying new pens. But I think I will give them a go in my new favourite inks PR Midnight Blues and PR Sherwood Green.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Armchop

[TheNobleSavage]

They are good pens, especially for the money, thats for sure!!!

 

 

TNS

 

:meow:

adding a new reply to bump rather than just edit an old post.

Having seemed to remember reading on a post that the nibs on the fantastic Bexley FPN LE are sourced from the same manufacturers on the Laban I am going to dig out my Mentos again (after i finish wallpapering and laying a new floor and finishing my teaching prep!). I put them away after trying new pens. But I think I will give them a go in my new favourite inks PR Midnight Blues and PR Sherwood Green.

I'll let you know how I get on.

Armchop

[georges zaslavsky]

Those pens are nice. Nice review thanks

[meowguy]

I am new to the FPN and this is my first post. I got here doing a search on "Laban Mento" so this will be on topic but a little long winded.

 

We attended the NE Pen Show in Somerville, MA yesterday and we had a great time. The dealers were all so helpful and knowledgeable. Grandson Jacob completed the scavenger hunt and won a free fountain pen. Several dealers just gave him pens, some worked, some need repair. That was really very nice and I think young Jacob is in for life. We had Paul Erano's book with us for reference, and to our surprise Paul was at the show and he signed Jacob's book.

 

I came across a Laban Mento for sale on one of the tables and at first I did not buy it. But as I walked around the room I kept coming back to it, so of course I bought it. Mine has the Iridium "B" nib. As said above, this is a huge pen. It is said the pen is mightier than the sword, you could actually hurt someone with this pen if you struck them with it. :ltcapd:

 

I will definitely try the nail polish trick in the cap. Seems like an easy fix with no real downside. I don't know much about nibs and would have to actually try them side by side to tell the difference, but the nib supplied seems to work very well. I guess mine is just the basic nib?

 

My other purchase at the show was a 1970's vintage Montblanc 221. That was to replace a pen I lost in a move last year. Wife Sandra (the Antiques dealer in the family) picked up a very nice old Schaeffer to rehab. We both seem to like the same kind of pens...large celluloid.

 

Jim.

 

 

 

 

[jandrese]

right on, I totally agree!

 

i have the electric yellow version. I didn't have it more than 3 hours before 5 different people, all strangers, complimented me on it. I have $500 pens that nobody has ever noticed.

[ht1]

right on, I totally agree!

 

i have the electric yellow version. I didn't have it more than 3 hours before 5 different people, all strangers, complimented me on it. I have $500 pens that nobody has ever noticed.

 

 

I would like to hear your description of the colors on the pen. I have considered getting the electric yellow, but I haven't because I can't tell how the colors will look in real life. The yellow looks fine, but I would like to know if it is bright or a darker shade of yellow. The other color looks purple in some pictures, maroon in some, and deep red in others.

 

ht

[meowguy]

Not knowing anything about nibs as I stated above, I ordered a 14k gold one for the Mento in medium from ISellPens.com I was going to try to learn how to replace the nib as well, but Todd offered to send the new nib in the section, so I can screw it on. I will let you know my impressions of the new nib.

 

My other pens are a Montblanc 221, Pelikan M215 FP, and a 1947 Parker 51 (waiting delivery). I also have an MB roller ball, but the Mento has really become my everyday writing instrument unless the document requires pressure for NCR copies.

[hardyb]

Not knowing anything about nibs as I stated above, I ordered a 14k gold one for the Mento in medium from ISellPens.com I was going to try to learn how to replace the nib as well, but Todd offered to send the new nib in the section, so I can screw it on. I will let you know my impressions of the new nib.

 

You picked the right guy to work with, he is a gem.

Edited April 16, 2008 by hardyb

[meowguy]

I received my 14k nib for my Mento from IsellPens.com. The nib is absolutely gorgeous, but it did give me a few fits getting it broken in to my liking. I am using Pelikan ink. The new nib is a medium, the old was broad.

 

There was a suggested fix for the air leak in the Mento cap which I was anxious to try because my nib was always drying out between uses. I tried to drip some shellac into the cap, but that only ended up making a mess. I acquired a hypodermic needle and was able to get a fair amount of shellac into the cap. So much so that it started leaking out of the clip slots on each side. So there I was holding this thing leaking shellac and trying to figure out what to do next so I wouldn't destroy my pen.

 

Rubbing alcohol seems to work as a solvent for shellac if it is not too dry and so I was able to clean up the outside of the cap. It took two days for the shellac to dry inside the cap. The key here is to put in just enough to seal the clip...and NO MORE. Leave the cap off the pen while it dries and try to keep the cap level with the open end slightly elevated with the clip down. Put the body of the pen in a plastic bag to key it from drying out too much.

 

But all is well now with the new nib and tight sealing cap. My custom Mento is a gem and it has become my everyday pen of choice.

Edited April 29, 2008 by meowguy

[torstar]

I prefer to fill the converter directly if possible, less mess and leakage.

 

The Mento is the only pen of dozens that consistently provides an immediate ink feed after flushing and half-drying.

 

I'll note that the air gap was remedied with two coats of nail varnish.

 

This pen often puts to shame others I paid 10-fold more for.

[Joso]

My solution to the drying out problem was to remove the plastic washer retaining the clip (attached to the bottom of the cap with a simple screw) and adding to it a slightly larger

rubber washer (cut from a bicycle tube by means of a hollow punch). 

Back in place, problem solved.