Montblanc Platinum 149 Obbb

[Tom Kellie]

[Tom Kellie]

Tom

 

I am curious to find out how long it took for your bespoke nibs to get to you? I had the privilege of meeting Axel about 6 weeks ago in Shanghai and ordered a couple of Bespoke nibs from him. The store said it would be 6 months before I would get my pens. But they also said 6 months for a simple nib exchange. I feel they are saying this to manage my expectations.

 

[Ghost Plane]

Welcome to the BBBroad side, Pravda. We have cookies.

 

Seriously, these nibs are for so much more than signatures.

[Cyber6]

Welcome to the BBBroad side, Pravda. We have cookies.

 

Seriously, these nibs are for so much more than signatures.

 

 

Can I come over?... I am well known in my circles for my ridiculous wet broad nibs.

 

I have a Vintage Sheaf fer Flat Top with a 1.9 stub..

[Ghost Plane]

Oatmeal-raisin or chocolate chip?

 

That might inspire a bespoke nib...

[Pravda]

Welcome to the BBBroad side, Pravda. We have cookies.

 

Seriously, these nibs are for so much more than signatures.

Only thing I'm jumping from Fs and OMs to OBBB I didn't even receive my OB yet to take for a drive, so bit worried about triple but excited.

[kelvinkeh]

Hope this turns out right...

[Ghost Plane]

Pravda,

That IS a swing. Sort of like swapping a Bugatti Veyron for a Rolls Royce Silver Shadow. They're made to do different things, so they handle differently in traffic. I happen to like getting where I'm going in comfort while taking my baggage with me instead of feeling every bump and pebble as I pass over it and working so hard to control the car.

 

When the OB comes in, relax into it and let the nib show you how it wants to be handled. The big boys have a feel all their own, though.

[Tom Kellie]

[Tom Kellie]

[Tom Kellie]

~ The broadest nibs write with unabashed pizzazz.

As Ghost Plane has written, the BBs, OBBs and OBBBs have their own distinctive feel. That’s not to suggest that they’re hard to handle, but rather that there’s a perceptible shift from having written with an extra fine or medium nib.

While the distinction might not be as abrupt as going from, say, a stick shift off-road dune buggy to the latest model automatic transmission Rolls-Royce Phantom Drophead Coupé, it’s something similar.

Prospective broader nib owners need not fear, as yours truly mistakenly did, that they’ll be a tough-to-control mess, splashing too much ink and lacking the control needed for writing the finer nuances of handwriting.

As kelvinkeh has noted about writing with his two OBBBs, they’re superlative writers, capable of fluid strokes and a full complement of expressive lines. His handwriting examples display the versatility of OBBB nibs.

Because I'm a green newbie, I’m not in a position to comment on inks in wider nibs, leaving that to Ghost Plane and others with significant experience in writing with the broadest nibs. As to inks, I’m in the earliest learning stages.

Perhaps zaddick, kelvinkeh, meiers or Ghost Plane might offer the most reliable perspectives on wider nib use with regard to both inks and papers.

Nonetheless I’d like to mention that it’s been clear that my two OBBBs, my vintage OBB and my two BBs have significant writing performance variation depending on the paper used, which is far more apparent than when writing with narrower nibs.

It’s an overstatement to assert that an OBBB’s writing quality is strictly correlated with paper quality, yet to a degree there’s something to that.

The broadest nibs lay down lovely lines with substantial amounts of ink, hence how that ink is displayed is directly affected by the many variables in the paper surface and overall absorbancy.

The first time that I inked my initial OBBB there was a temporary feeling of disappointment. Within a few minutes it was self-evident that was because the paper hadn’t been optimal. After switching to Clairefontaine the writing fairly dazzled.

Having written the foregoing, I’d like to add a happy surprise, i.e. that it’s not at all essential to write on the costliest 90g paper. On several occasions I wrote on student notebook stock with pleasing results.

It pays to experiment, not only in research, but in determining what paper works best with the broad lines of a BB, OBB or OBBB.

When first inking a new OBBB, it might be useful to have specimens of several types of paper for writing tests. Doing so is likely to demonstrate which types of paper are most compatible with the nib.

I’ve typed too much, when I know too little!

My intent is to reassure those considering expanding their writing experience to include wide nibs. There aren’t daunting obstacles limiting OBBB utility to signatures on contracts or autographs on the red carpet in Cannes.

As kelvinkeh’s fine handwriting sample shows, OBBBs are delightful daily writers, as are BBs and OBBs.

It bears repeating that the primary quality I associate with the widest nibs is that they’re great fun to use!

When Pravda’s 90th Anniversary OBBB arrives, I’ll be looking forward to his experience in finding which combination of ink and paper best brings out his creativity.

Tom K.

Edited August 26, 2016 by Tom Kellie

[Behike54]

Very informative thread. Thanks to all!

[sd10521]

The Platinum 149 with this nib option actually has me wanting to buy a new Montblanc rather than just drooling over the older models.

Thank you for sharing with us.

[Tom Kellie]

The Platinum 149 with this nib option actually has me wanting to buy a new Montblanc rather than just drooling over the older models.

 

Thank you for sharing with us.

 

[Skoff]

Wow, what a great thread, except that it is likely to cost me money in the future... Oh well. Just don't tell Mrs Skoff, I know my secret is safe with you guys.

 

Thanks Tom for all the super writing samples, beautiful pictures, and of course the really useful information about OBBB nibs. It's always a pleasure to read a thread with such passion and enthusiasm, and great to see nibs that are a little 'left field' being used everyday.

 

Long may production of these more niche nibs continue, not all manufacturers seem to see their value to us, the real enthusiasts. They might not be entirely profitable as individual items but they do keep me interested in a brand. Such a shame that the accountants can convince a manufacturer to drop them because they don't sell in huge numbers (Yes, I'm looking at YOU Pelikan....). Montblanc, if you are listening, please don't go that way.

[Ghost Plane]

These nibs should be exempt from spousal complaints much like great art.

[sd10521]

I did ink up my 149 with the OBB in celebration of this thread.

Tomorrow I'm going to write out some things to sell on Flea Bay to buy that extra B on the nib.

[Mister Mont Blanc]

Thanks for the clarification. I asked because here they told me that I can have any nib swapped into: EF, F, M, B, BB, OM, OB and OBB and these are the sizes I have been playing with.

 

The EEF, Signature, Calligraphy, reverse obliques, and as far as I thought the OBBB would be $1,500.

 

I know Tom already answered this and mentioned this but I just wanted to reiterate the difference in 'formal' language used for this nib between fountain pen users and Montblanc staff... They do refer to the nib primarily as a "Signature Nib." So I would just add to Tom's experience by saying that requesting or discussing a "Signature Nib for the 149" would probably bring better results than inquiring about an OBBB or O3B nib. Or maybe this depends on the region or experience of the boutique staff.

 

In the 149 booklet received with the pen, on the page under Nib Widths, it states "... and a signature nib (O3B), available exclusively for the Meisterstück No. 149." My guess is that before the bespoke nibs became what they are, there wasn't much confusion but now, Montblanc staff know that any nib is possible when you move to the bespoke option compared to the little-known nib option available only via nib swap on one pen model.

[Tom Kellie]

[Pravda]

 

I know Tom already answered this and mentioned this but I just wanted to reiterate the difference in 'formal' language used for this nib between fountain pen users and Montblanc staff... They do refer to the nib primarily as a "Signature Nib." So I would just add to Tom's experience by saying that requesting or discussing a "Signature Nib for the 149" would probably bring better results than inquiring about an OBBB or O3B nib. Or maybe this depends on the region or experience of the boutique staff.

 

In the 149 booklet received with the pen, on the page under Nib Widths, it states "... and a signature nib (O3B), available exclusively for the Meisterstück No. 149." My guess is that before the bespoke nibs became what they are, there wasn't much confusion but now, Montblanc staff know that any nib is possible when you move to the bespoke option compared to the little-known nib option available only via nib swap on one pen model.

I have tried the signature nib and I don't believe that it's the OBBB; at least I hope it's not because I just ordered one and the signature nib is a paintbrush! No way Tom would've came up with the writing sample above with the signature nib.