Montblanc 149/146 And Using Non-Montblanc Inks - Ok

[Thymen]

I recently purchased a new Montblanc M149, and I have had my 146 for over a year now.

 

So far, I have only used Montblanc Royal Blue ink with these pens. It's a good ink, and Montblanc recommends to use only their inks with their pens.

 

How serious do I have to take this? I like blue inks, and intend to use the 146/149 with blue only (I have plenty of pens for experimenting with other colours). But I prefer Diamine Saphire Blue and/or Majestic Blue above Montblanc Royal Blue.

 

Would it be OK to use these Diamine inks? Should I expect any problems?

 

Thymen

Edited June 30, 2019 by Thymen

[meiers]

No problem. You can use any good fountain pen ink.

Diamine makes excellent inks.

Edited June 30, 2019 by meiers

[Uncial]

It's called 'marketing for brand loyalty'. I don't take it seriously at all.

[Marlow]

Just be aware that inks with a higher content of solids will require a bit more attention to flushing.

[carlos.q]

Diamine inks are generally safe but I would avoid the glittery shimmering inks in any piston filler.

[Mr.Rene]

It's called 'marketing for brand loyalty'. I don't take it seriously at all.

[PAKMAN]

In piston filled pens such as the 146 and 149 you can use pretty much any ink safely. I love to use Diamine and Iroshizuku in mine.

[zaddick]

Another clear yes it is just fine.

[Thymen]

Thanks for the replies. I asked, because I understand that some inks are quite acidic, and that this may be detrimental to some pens. Don't want to ruin the Montblanc pens, since I bought them not only for using myself, but to leave them to my sons a couple of hundred years from now.

 

I have Diamine Royal Blue, Saphire Blue and Majestic Blue, as wel as Iroshizuko Asa Gao, Tsuki Yo and Take Sumi. These all are supposed to be rather pen-safe. My 146 is slightly drier then the 149, and Montblanc Royal Blue shows a little too pale for my taste. Will try Majestic Blue next fill! The 149 is quite a juicy writer, MRB shows more saturated, will try Asa Gao next time.

 

Thymen

[Erik Dalton]

Youre right to be cautious and ask. Check Richard Binders site under The Good Bad and the ugly.

I think his concern with acidity and Ph center around pens with Ebonite Feeds. I dont believe current MBs have ebonite feeds which might be effected by high PH or high Acidity.

I have a 2018 MB149 with Rose Gold trim. Hard to tell, but i dont think its an ebonite feed.

With my older 146 and 149s that do have ebonite feeds, Ive used Sailor, Iroshuzuku, Pelikan, De Atramentis, J.Herbin, as well as Montblanc inks with no issues at all. However, Im careful to clean and flush them every 3-4 weeks. I choose to stay away from permanent inks, not because they are bad, but just because they take extra cleaning.

The trick is to find the ink that flows best to suite your taste in your pen. Adjust your cleaning and maintenance schedule to match the ink. Some Montblanc and Pelikan inks can be kind of dry. Moving to some of these other quality inks can make a huge positive difference in ink flow sometimes.

 

http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Inks-The-Good-the-Bad-and-the-Ugly.html

 

Welcome to the world of Montblanc. Happy writing!....

[zaddick]

Ebonite feeds in the 146/149 stopped in the early 1990s. Plastic since then.

[Erik Dalton]

Thanks for the in put zaddick.

[Lloyd]

As I recall, SamCapote did thorough pH testing on many inks and found MB and Iroshis to be quite acidic.

[City74]

Well, I haven’t received my 146 yet but I will be using MB inks. Not because they say so but simply due to my top 3 inks are all MB. As others have said I think a nicer quality ink from respected brands would be just fine.

[Wolverine1]

Until a few weeks ago, I had 12 MB 149 pens. I have had MB 149 pens since 2000, and in the past 20 years I have handled and used quite a variety of MB 149 pens. All my MB 149 pens have been used pens, from the 1950's versions to pens that were manufactured in the past 2 or 3 years. And, I have never used Mont Blanc branded inks in these pens. I use Waterman inks, or Diamine inks, or Quink inks or Pelikan 4001 inks or Akermann inks. And I have not had a single problem with my pens as the result of using these non MB inks.

 

Like Uncial said in his comment, I guess it is just Mont Blanc trying you to buy into the MB "brand loyalty"!!!!!!

 

Best of luck, and enjoy your MB 149 pen!!!!

Edited July 2, 2019 by Wolverine1

[Thymen]

I don't want to change ink brand and/or colour a lot with these pens, so I am looking for a good blue that works nicely with each one.

 

I've inked my 146 with F nib with Diamine Majestic Blue, and that appears to be a pretty good combo. On Rhodia it gives a nice and sharp well-saturated line, on more absorbing paper (college block) a little wider, but still quite sharp. More or less the same behaviour as with MB Royal Blue. Ofcourse, Majestic is way more saturated, but I like that with an F nib.

 

I tried the 149 (with M nib) with Asa Gao. This pen is quite a juicy writer, and with Asa Gao a bit too wet for my taste. I know Pelikan inks are more on the dry side, would like to try it. Do not have it available now. Will get some next time I order ink, and some Waterman Serenity Blue too. I have some WSB in cartridges, and colour is quite a nice and neutral blue.

 

Wife: "Don't you have enough inks already? How many does one need before it's enough!"

 

Me: "Just ONE more dear, just one! ....... maybe two....... for now...... "

 

 

Fortunately, Diamine, standard Pelikan and Waterman inks are not very expensive.

[Aysedasi]

Just tell your wife that to avoid losing your warranty MB insist that you use a different ink in your MB pens every day of the year. So you only need another 360 odd bottles......

[Erik Dalton]

I have several bottles of Pelikan 4001 Blue-Black that I purchased in Europe years ago. It’s not available here in the states. I pulled it out of my bottom drawer recently for use in a Pelikan M800 that had a medium nib that just poured ink onto the page. The Blue Black tamed the unruly nib and i’ve Come to realize again why i bought it in the first place. It’s just a really nice ink. More dark blue than black or gray. Also more water resistant than most others.

Just another option for you.

[Thymen]

Just tell your wife that to avoid losing your warranty MB insist that you use a different ink in your MB pens every day of the year. So you only need another 360 odd bottles......

 

I once told my wife that once you open a bottle of whiskey, you have to finish it the same evening otherwise it goes bad.

 

She bought it.

 

I really regretted it the next morning. Have not dared to open another bottle in her presence ever since....

[aurore]

I have recently bought an early 70s 149 NOS (one piece barrel, ebonite feed etc.).

Having tons of inks but none is MB I am curious whether some of inks would not cause troubles. Such as Diamine Midnight or Oxford blue, Sailor Doyou, Iroshizuku Asa Gao or GvFC Midnight Blue and Cobalt Blue?
I actually like the colours of some MB inks (especially Toffee) but would prefer using the inks I already have.
Wouldn't the piston get stucked or plastic damaged with some of the mentioned inks?