Montblanc 146 F Vs Ef

June 25, 2019

I have recently got a new Montblanc 146 EF via ebay bidding and it was quiet a good deal. I am currently looking for nib adjustment to both of my Montblanc 146s: one in EF and one in F. It is very likely that I will have them being taken care of at the SF pen show.

I want to share with you guys some close-ups I took for the 146 nibs. I also included my brief thoughts of the nibs and a comparison of these nibs to the other pens I own. I also included a small writing sample at the end. I would love to hear your thoughts. Thank you!

The Montblanc 146 in F

Through the fountainpennetwork website, I was told that this pen was the model from the late 90s. I absolutely enjoyed the grind of the nib. It has a very special shape and I absolutely enjoyed it. The very slight feedback of the nib makes me never want to stop writing with it. I have to say that when it comes to smoothness vs. feedback, this pen is my absolute best – there is no second. The only issue I have with it is that after writing with it for a long period of time, the flow of it could decrease and it causes hard-starting issues. My current solution is to prime the feed by using the piston. It is impressive to note that I actually prime the feed even if the pen hasn’t hard-start yet. I have to say that I enjoy a bit wetter feel - it allows the ink to show it’s beautiful color variations.

The Montblanc 146 in EF

Through what I have learned so far, I believe this pen is manufactured quite recently. It has a very different grind than the older Montblanc nibs. Instead of looking like a “tear-drop” like my other 146 in F, the nib is flatter and more square-like. Although I never own any italic nib, the quite different writing experience makes this 146 seem like one to me. It is very fine - as fine as my Justus 95 in F. When writing in my most comfortable angle (about 45 degrees from the surface of the paper), I found the horizontal strokes are slightly narrower than the vertical ones. Furthermore, when writing with a smaller angle to the paper, I found it gives me a wider line - it can be as wide as the 146 in F. The nib also has very characteristic feedback. The feedback is less than my Sailor 1911L in MF while more obvious than my Justus 95 in F. To put the thoughts together, this nib is rather special. I like it. However, I have to actively think about “how to write well” when I use it - different from my 146 in F, which I can just write with more ease. The solution to this in my mind is to probably make it a bit smoother and wetter. I obviously need more suggestions on this since I’m not very sure about it.

Comparing these to pens to my other pens

I will talk about what I like about my other pens in this section so that you can have a better understanding of what I enjoy.

First is my Lamy 2000 in EF. It is very smooth and the perfect has the wetness. The width of the pen is perfect. The downside is that it is can scratch the paper when slightly rotated and the weight of the pen is not the best for me (on the light side)

When it comes to my Pilot Justus 95 in F, I have to say it is near perfect for me. The pen is smooth and writes as soon as it touches the paper. I love how sensitive the nib is and enjoy the wetness of it when it is set to the softest setting. The only downside of the pen is that I would prefer a piston filling mechanism than a converter.

I also want to talk briefly about my Custom 823 in M and Sailor 1911L in MF. The 823 is my most smooth nib and it can hard start sometimes (which I am also interested in fixing, I also would prefer a slightly finer nib). The Sailor 1911L is very wet, and I love it. I also enjoy its special feedback - but I would not want that on every nib of my pens.

Short writing example:

Edited June 25, 2019 by ByronZ

June 25, 2019

Nicely done. Thanks for taking the time to create this point of view and sharing it. Very informative.

June 25, 2019

Very good pictures. One of the problems is MB don't mark the nibs, so if one buys a used one, one has to guess.

I eyeballed my won at a live auction 146 to a semi-vintage '70-80 F.

Seems narrower than your later F.

Wider ...or close to your EF.

Later MB was reputed to be a wider nib....not just by the Japanese pen users. I have a B=BB actually on my Woolf.

Could you please expand your text....it's real hard to read.

June 25, 2019

Very good pictures. One of the problems is MB don't mark the nibs, so if one buys a used one, one has to guess.
I eyeballed my won at a live auction 146 to a semi-vintage '70-80 F.
Seems narrower than your later F.
Wider ...or close to your EF.
Later MB was reputed to be a wider nib....not just by the Japanese pen users. I have a B=BB actually on my Woolf.

Could you please expand your text....it's real hard to read.

I will repost with text expanded soon!

June 26, 2019

What inks are you using, a wetter ink should remove the need to re-prime.

What papers? A slicker paper could also remove the need to re-prime.

I don't re-prime any of my 50 or so piston pens...............but then again I'm normally after the drier two toned shading inks, than the boring to me, supersaturated vivid wet line.

Semi-flex will give you a wetter line and if vintage will be stubbed and be very nice. An OB from that era is narrower than modern. It is a writing nib not a signature nib.

It took me quite a while in MB even used was over my border of budget, but I lucked into a great balanced MB 234 1/2 Deluxe in semi-flex KOB.

I won at a live auction a semi-flex +, rolled gold 742 in @ F. It is a heavy pen.

Then it took me a while to run into a medium large '50-70 146 with a F maxi-semi-flex. It has great balance, my other Large 146, only fair balance.

My Large 146 is '70-80's and only regular flex.

I have a Virginia Woolf that is a stubbish B=BB, and in a 'Springy' nib, good tine bend but only 2 X tine spread.

I do like semi-flex having 29, and have lucked into 16 maxi-sem-flex.

Do take a look on German Ebay......Ebay.de. There are often used vintage MB pens at a good price.

Semi or maxi, will be much wetter writers................wider nibs make for a wetter script also.

June 26, 2019

What inks are you using, a wetter ink should remove the need to re-prime.

What papers? A slicker paper could also remove the need to re-prime.
I don't re-prime any of my 50 or so piston pens...............but then again I'm normally after the drier two toned shading inks, than the boring to me, supersaturated vivid wet line.

Semi-flex will give you a wetter line and if vintage will be stubbed and be very nice. An OB from that era is narrower than modern. It is a writing nib not a signature nib.
It took me quite a while in MB even used was over my border of budget, but I lucked into a great balanced MB 234 1/2 Deluxe in semi-flex KOB.
I won at a live auction a semi-flex +, rolled gold 742 in @ F. It is a heavy pen.
Then it took me a while to run into a medium large '50-70 146 with a F maxi-semi-flex. It has great balance, my other Large 146, only fair balance.

My Large 146 is '70-80's and only regular flex.

I have a Virginia Woolf that is a stubbish B=BB, and in a 'Springy' nib, good tine bend but only 2 X tine spread.

I do like semi-flex having 29, and have lucked into 16 maxi-sem-flex.

Do take a look on German Ebay......Ebay.de. There are often used vintage MB pens at a good price.

Semi or maxi, will be much wetter writers................wider nibs make for a wetter script also.

I am using Pilot Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo in my 146 F, which have slight hardstart problem after a lot of writing. To my knowledge, Tsuki-yo is a very wet ink.

I use Kobe #16 Nada Brown in my 146 EF. It never have any flow issue. Its quiet wet even in this really fine nib.

June 27, 2019

Informative, thank you! I’ve got an old 146 EF with a vintage 14C-engraved nib that left the factory as an architect nib. Apparently MB did that for a while. I _love_ that nib. I prefer architects over stubs. The 146 is definitely a grail-kind-of-pen for me: fits the hand like a glove, great materials, great fit and finish, ample ink reserve, always writes perfectly, never lets me down.