Mb Runs Through Ink Super-Fast

[essayfaire]

Hi,

 

I have a mid 1980s MB that sat unused for decades. I cleaned out the old ink (which took a while) and refilled it, I wrote without any problems but the next day the pen was dry again. I refilled yet again and had the same issue - lovely ink flow until there wasn't any. Is this normal with a pen coming back into use? I contacted MB by email and the response they sent back wasn't very helpful at all. I'd like to use the pen regularly but I don't know why the ink seems to be evaporating. Has this happened to anyone else? Thanks.

[zaddick]

What is the pen in question? MB made lots of pens. But this does not sound normal at all. An ebonite feed can store some ink but not a few fills.

[meiers]

How many pages of text have you written?

Is the ink window completely dark after you fill it?

 

Can you show us your pen? A picture is worth a thousand words.

Edited May 3, 2017 by meiers

[essayfaire]

No smartphone, so showing the pen is a bit difficult....

 

It's a Meisterstuck 4810, F point, gold nib that also says 585 on it

 

 

And we're only talking a few pages of text and a bunch of lists. It didn't stay full long enough for multiple pages of text.

 

The converter seemed full or almost so when I filled it. I don't have any MB cartridges around to see if that works any better. I don't remember ever having ink issues when I used it years ago, other than the mess.

Edited May 3, 2017 by essayfaire

[meiers]

It sounds like you are using a Meisterstück 144 or 145. Unless your pen is oozing ink out of its pores I'd try cartridges or replacing the converter.

Edited May 4, 2017 by meiers

[thygreyt]

Clogged feed? Or is the converter being fully depleted?

[meiers]

Soaking the nib and feed over night in tepid water sounds like a good idea because it hasn't had a good bath in a while.

 

Then I'd try a new converter or cartridges.

Edited May 4, 2017 by meiers

[essayfaire]

Soaking the nib and feed over night in tepid water sounds like a good idea because it hasn't had a good bath in a while.

 

Then I'd try a new converter or cartridges.

 

I did this after it wasn't drawing up enough ink. Lots of old gunk came out but that it filled and seemed to be working properly.

[essayfaire]

Clogged feed? Or is the converter being fully depleted?

Depleted converter.

[essayfaire]

So having decided to try out a different cartridge and buy a new converter if necessary, I tried to find out if any of the cartridges I have here are compatible. Goulet Pens didn't know because they don't carry MB and suggested I ask y'all. I went to the MB website, and many of the cartridges are out of stock; I chatted with customer service to find out if I could use any of the cartridges I had here before ordering a new converter.. they told me to send the pen to them to be checked out and seemed not to know what an international converter was.

 

So, are any other company's cartridges compatible? I have some Shaeffer, Sailor, and Pelikan ones I could try, Thanks

[meiers]

Most cartridges will do. Go for the international cartridges.

 

https://www.nibs.com/content/which-ink-cartridges-can-be-used-which-fountain-pens

Edited May 5, 2017 by meiers

[georgeb]

I use Waterman cartridges in my MB 144 and MB 145.

[Erik Dalton]

I think it's time to invest in a new Montblanc converter. Unlike the pen, they don't have the same lifespan.

Montblanc pens take standard Int'l cartridges.

[jmnav]

If flow was proper while there was ink, if it ends up too early, the only logical reason is that not enough ink is going into: either piston or cartridge-conversor isn't running its whole path or air is coming into the system while the piston goes upwards.

[meiers]

If flow was proper while there was ink, if it ends up too early, the only logical reason is that not enough ink is going into: either piston or cartridge-conversor isn't running its whole path or air is coming into the system while the piston goes upwards.

I have experienced this problem with two cartridge-converter pens: a Waterman Charleston and a Graf von Faber-Castell. My way of dealing with the issue was to replace the converters. Switching to cartridges works too.

Edited May 14, 2017 by meiers

[essayfaire]

Update:

 

I ordered some cartridges that should fit the MB and while waiting decided to try to fill my current converter one last time and see how long it lasted. Over a week later, it still seems to be functioning properly. I'm not going to ask any questions and just continue to write with it for now. The only other thing I can think of is if for some reason it doesn't like Levenger Blue-Black ink, but that is what it is currently filled with as well.

 

I am so glad that you all weighed in on this and that I didn't send the pen back to MB (don't know why they didn't know what cartridges it could take, though). If it starts to get moody I will order a new MB converter since this one is old. I didn't know that converters have different lifespans than the pens.

 

Thanks everyone for being more knowledgable than MB customer service!

[essayfaire]

Update:

 

So the pen was working properly, I refilled it after a reasonable amount of use, and now it's running through ink again. When I refilled it I noticed the cap isn't closing snugly, so now I'm wondering if the ink is evaporating.

 

What do you think? And is there an easy way to tighten a cap at home?

[meiers]

Please take detailed photos of your pen including writing samples. That might help us.

[Beechwood]

Update:

 

So the pen was working properly, I refilled it after a reasonable amount of use, and now it's running through ink again. When I refilled it I noticed the cap isn't closing snugly, so now I'm wondering if the ink is evaporating.

 

What do you think? And is there an easy way to tighten a cap at home?

 

 

I dont think the ink is evaporating.

 

Assuming that it is not leaking you are either not filling the pen correctly or you are putting a huge amount of ink on the page.

 

When you write a line of text is the ink still wet on the first word by the time you have written the last.

 

If so, I would simply take it to MB and ask for a level one service including the nib/feed adjustment.

[essayfaire]

 

 

I dont think the ink is evaporating.

 

Assuming that it is not leaking you are either not filling the pen correctly or you are putting a huge amount of ink on the page.

 

When you write a line of text is the ink still wet on the first word by the time you have written the last.

 

If so, I would simply take it to MB and ask for a level one service including the nib/feed adjustment.

 

It isn't leaking. The text is dry and doesn't smudge when I tested it at the end of writing a sentence. The flow seems perfect, neither too wet nor too dry. The ink just seems to disappear from the cartridge when I pick it up later or the next day.... I'll try to upload some photos later.