How To Clean (Flush) A Montblanc 146?

[HegnerRJ]

Hi people.

 

How do you usually clean your MBs?? What method do you recommend for a Montblanc 146? I can't find any tool for removing the nib or piston.

Thanks!

[hari317]

There is usually no need for any disassembly to clean the pen. Simply fill the pen with clean room temperature water and expel. Do this several times till the water runs clear.

Edited December 17, 2017 by hari317

[HegnerRJ]

Hi Hari!

 

Yeah, usually we don’t need any disassembly but flushing with a syringe for instance , it will speed up the process and may be more effective. Thank you for replying.

[jmnav]

Hi people.

 

How do you usually clean your MBs?? What method do you recommend for a Montblanc 146? I can't find any tool for removing the nib or piston.

Thanks!

 

You will find removal tools on Internet quite easily. That said, you don't need to disassemble the pen unless you are putting it on long-term storage. If you use it continously and with the same ink (i.e.: your only pen), you don't need to clean it at all. If you use it semi-continously, or you are changing ink colors/brands, (i.e.: you have some pens on rotation so you use them, say, a week a month) just clean them with clean water: pump it up and down till it stays clear. If you still are to use the pen, only it'll stay longer without use (say, once every two-three months), again, clean it just with water, but then, store it filled with water, and go to the pen after, say, a week -you most probably see the water is colored with the last remains of ink, so clean it again and store it filled with clean water.

 

All in all, only disassemble your pens if they are not working properly. The more you tweak them, the higher the chances to have problems.

[hari317]

Hi Hari!

 

Yeah, usually we dont need any disassembly but flushing with a syringe for instance , it will speed up the process and may be more effective. Thank you for replying.

The 146 is designed to be cleaned effectively by simply filling with clean water and expelling it. The owners manual recommends the same method.

 

146s have to be disassembled when they have been neglected or abused. Like leaving a pen full of ink to simply dry out. Or a wrong ink like drawing ink was used. When faced with such situations, the 146 can be fully dismantled. Today the tools are available from multiple sources on the internet or you can make on your own also.

 

Whatever the situation. Good luck!

Edited December 17, 2017 by hari317

[Glenn Atkins]

 

You will find removal tools on Internet quite easily. That said, you don't need to disassemble the pen unless you are putting it on long-term storage. If you use it continously and with the same ink (i.e.: your only pen), you don't need to clean it at all. If you use it semi-continously, or you are changing ink colors/brands, (i.e.: you have some pens on rotation so you use them, say, a week a month) just clean them with clean water: pump it up and down till it stays clear. If you still are to use the pen, only it'll stay longer without use (say, once every two-three months), again, clean it just with water, but then, store it filled with water, and go to the pen after, say, a week -you most probably see the water is colored with the last remains of ink, so clean it again and store it filled with clean water.

 

All in all, only disassemble your pens if they are not working properly. The more you tweak them, the higher the chances to have problems.

 

Why do you store your pens with water in them?

 

Glenn

[HegnerRJ]

 

You will find removal tools on Internet quite easily. That said, you don't need to disassemble the pen unless you are putting it on long-term storage. If you use it continously and with the same ink (i.e.: your only pen), you don't need to clean it at all. If you use it semi-continously, or you are changing ink colors/brands, (i.e.: you have some pens on rotation so you use them, say, a week a month) just clean them with clean water: pump it up and down till it stays clear. If you still are to use the pen, only it'll stay longer without use (say, once every two-three months), again, clean it just with water, but then, store it filled with water, and go to the pen after, say, a week -you most probably see the water is colored with the last remains of ink, so clean it again and store it filled with clean water.

 

All in all, only disassemble your pens if they are not working properly. The more you tweak them, the higher the chances to have problems.

 

Very nice tips!!! I didn't know about storing filled with water. Thank you!

[HegnerRJ]

The 146 is designed to be cleaned effectively by simply filling with clean water and expelling it. The owners manual recommends the same method.

 

146s have to be disassembled when they have been neglected or abused. Like leaving a pen full of ink to simply dry out. Or a wrong ink like drawing ink was used. When faced with such situations, the 146 can be fully dismantled. Today the tools are available from multiple sources on the internet or you can make on your own also.

 

Whatever the situation. Good luck!

I have mine preowned so I don't have the manual. Thanks for explaining that.

[HegnerRJ]

Today the tools are available from multiple sources on the internet or you can make on your own also.

Can you please share one source??

[siamackz]

I would only disassemble a 146 if I really had to. You are going to break the original sealant if you open the nib and section. And there are always chances of damaging the pen when disassembling it. Cleaning does not require disassembly. If youve got though ink stains in there then you can use Rapidoeze solution and then rinse with water.

[hari317]

Can you please share one source??

http://www.pentooling.com/toolsmontblanc.html

[HegnerRJ]

http://www.pentooling.com/toolsmontblanc.html

 

Thank you!

[HegnerRJ]

I would only disassemble a 146 if I really had to. You are going to break the original sealant if you open the nib and section. And there are always chances of damaging the pen when disassembling it. Cleaning does not require disassembly. If youve got though ink stains in there then you can use Rapidoeze solution and then rinse with water.

I gave up doing that...was just curious about. Thanks.

[jmnav]

 

Why do you store your pens with water in them?

 

Two reasons:

1) Ink is basically colored water; if you let the pen dry, whatever minimal ink residues that are left will end up on the worst parts, clogging what are not meant to. Even dust can be a problem for long time storage.

2) While current materials are not as higroscopic as they used to be, I consider they'll be better wet, as they are designed to be.

 

A fountain pen on daily usage may go without cleansing for decades, if you are not using it, the second best is having it wet where it was meant to be wet (but without the colored part that may precipitate).

[Chrissy]

On the other hand brand new Montblanc (or other piston filling brands) are made and stored dry sometimes for very long periods of time, maybe years, in retailers before they are sold. So the insides can't possibly be intended to always be wet.

[Fermata]

Arthur Twydle used to demonstrate that the 146 and 149 could never be completely flushed and cleaned because the swept volume of the nib and feed was more than the piston was capable of evacuating.

[hari317]

Arthur Twydle used to demonstrate that the 146 and 149 could never be completely flushed and cleaned because the swept volume of the nib and feed was more than the piston was capable of evacuating.

I have learnt a lot from his articles that were on his website when I was starting.

 

How would he demonstrate this?

[Fermata]

I have heard of this rather than seen it, a little before my time. It was something to do with the capacity of the feed being such that you could never get all the ink out of it by just using the piston and, conversely, it was thought that this large feed capacity lead to overfilling of the pen which he thought was a design fault. I think that the 1950s MBs had an instruction to expel a few drops of ink after filling.

 

This issue is referred to in one of Peter Twydle's books.

 

Even if it was a design fault I think that this might just be a consequence of a large nibbed piston filled pen.

 

On the subject of filling piston pens with liquid I thought that this was only to be done with cork pistons, Twsbi say do not leave any ink or water in their pens if the pen is out of use.

[Chrissy]

I think that the 1950s MBs had an instruction to expel a few drops of ink after filling.

 

 

I think this is still referred to in current warranty booklets

[jmnav]

On the other hand brand new Montblanc (or other piston filling brands) are made and stored dry sometimes for very long periods of time, maybe years, in retailers before they are sold. So the insides can't possibly be intended to always be wet.

True. And then you have the stories of those that buy a Montblanc and their first impressions are less than ideal.: too dry, the line interrupts itself... you know, the kind of problems one can expect from a [dirty/clogged by protection waxes] pens.