A Couple Of Questions About The 'M'

[Uncial]

I've been offloading a few pens and a friend offered a swap for two of my pens. They live in a different country, so trying out the pen isn't posiible. I completely trust them, that isn't the issue. It's the MB red version of the M. It's not really on my radar and I'm not excited by the black version but I think the red one looks fine. If I don't like it I can easily flip it I think.  We are still in lockdown here and retail is still closed so theres no chance of dropping in anywhere to see it in the flesh.

 

Question is, can it be posted? There seems to be endless confusion over this. Maybe the original black one didn't post but the red one does? There are a lot of mixed messages out there and I can't find a single image of the red one posted.

 

Second question is, is the step annoying?

[dennis_f]

 

The fountain pen cannot be posted.  It is said that the RB and the BP can be posted (I haven't tried).  I've tried the Red, the Black, the Ultra Black, and the Glossy Black, in 4 different boutiques in 3 different cities, and not one posted.

 

There was word (in online reviews and what not), right around the time they first hit the market that they did post.  The 4 I've used were sold between 2019 and 2020, and they did not.  So maybe there is an elusive first run batch that did post, but I've not seen one.

 

Adding to the confusion, I've been in MB boutiques and have had the staff tell me that they did post, and then tried to do it myself, but could not, much to the staff's surprise (they also couldn't post them once I handed the pens over). 

 

Hope this helps.  

 

Ps: if someone does claim that they own one that posts, I'd try to find out the year/month it was released.  Perhaps there is a run out there that posts.  Or worse, maybe it's a case of hit and miss.

 

D

 

 

 

Edited April 4, 2021 by dennis_f
Edited a typo

[dennis_f]

 

Just saw your second question on a re-read of your post, so I thought I'd add a second response.

 

About the step: I find it hard to quantify whether or not a step is large or comfortable, because everyone has their own sense of what does and doesn't work for them.  Personally, I like to grip most of my pens just behind the section, and I can't do this on the M; the step does force my fingers to hold on the section.

 

I'm 6' tall with big hands, and I don't find the grip uncomfortable.  It's about the size of a Pelikan M600.  I find the Pelikan is more comfortable because of the smoother curved shape of the section. 

 

One thing about the M is that some people (myself included) find that it rotates in your hand as you write.  I've had this happen within 5 or 6 lines, sometimes more, but always within the span of a page (maybe twice).  I don't find this tiresome but some people do.

 

I think though, that YMMV in regards to getting a good answer about how "comfortable" it is.  It's different than any other pen I own, in the same way that a Pelikan is different than an Omas is different from a 149, etc etc.  

 

D.

[MoriartyR]

The M is a nice pen - it feels high quality and I think it is a cool, minimalist design. It definitely does not post. I think the confusion arose from MB’s marketing photos which misleadingly showed a posted fountain pen. Only the rollerball and ballpoint versions can be posted. I understood that they made the fountain pen unpostable because the strong magnets could affect iron gall inks.

 

You probably know this but also worth pointing out that the M is cartridge only. No converter. There are supposedly some mini-converters from other brands that would fit inside, though they may not fit the section perfectly and some say they leak a little. Also the grooves on the pen’s metal section (which give a nice grip) would be a pain to clean if you dipped the section in ink, so it is definitely designed to be filled with cartridges. If you embrace the simplicity and cleanness of the design then cartridge-filling matches the ethos of the pen best.

Apparently the M was popular with architects and designers. It’s the SAAB 9000 of pens.

[CS388]

Yes, I think the section would get pretty messy, if the pen was regularly dipped in ink.

 

I have also read the conflicting reports on whether this pen will post or not, and the consensus seems to be that it will not. Which I regard as a fault, considering that nearly all pens, since the invention of pens will post.

Even a Bic Cristal will post.

 

If it was a piston filler (with a smooth section) and could post, I'd be all over this pen.  

As it is, I'm passing on it. So far.

The red one does look nice, though.

 

Good luck.

[arcfide]

15 hours ago, MoriartyR said:

Apparently the M was popular with architects and designers. It’s the SAAB 9000 of pens.

 

So that explains why I keep thinking so much about this pen. I really do like it. 

[A1979]

I have three “M”: glossy black (RB), Ultra Black (FP) and Red Signature (all metal, RB): none of them can be posted. 

[CS388]

56 minutes ago, A1979 said:

I have three “M”: glossy black (RB), Ultra Black (FP) and Red Signature (all metal, RB): none of them can be posted. 

 

Thanks, A1979. Glad to read a definitive answer. 

 

Just to clear this up, once and for all: can you tell what it is that stops the cap from being posted?

Diameter? Cap internals? Barrel end? Something else?

 

Thanks again for clearing this up.

 

[Linger]

On 4/5/2021 at 1:30 AM, dennis_f said:

 

One thing about the M is that some people (myself included) find that it rotates in your hand as you write.

it does. I love the design, could live with the cartridge only, but sold mine because of the rotation-issue.

[A1979]

22 hours ago, CS388 said:

 

Thanks, A1979. Glad to read a definitive answer. 

 

Just to clear this up, once and for all: can you tell what it is that stops the cap from being posted?

Diameter? Cap internals? Barrel end? Something else?

 

Thanks again for clearing this up.

 

I honestly don’t know - and would like to. I’ve also read the explanation mentioned by MoriartyR (“I understood that they made the fountain pen unpostable because the strong magnets could affect iron gall inks”), but this does not apply to the rollerballs... Maybe it depends on the production year / production batch. 

[Uncial]

Thank you all. There's enough info for me to confidently pass on this one.