West German Montblanc 146 - the best version ?

[kavanagh]

Dear Colleagues,

 

Is the Mont Blanc Meisterstuck Le Grande 146 1980’s with the monotone 14k nib, is this the best version to buy?. This version was made in West Germany. 

Is there any difference between the monotone nib and the more modern bi-tone nib, in regards to performance?.

I am thinking of buying one, and I am not sure what to look for.  It’s a choice between the 1980’s 146 versus the old West German Pelikan M200 ( with a two chicks in the nest medium nib ). 
Any opinions appreciated.

 

Thank you

[sebastel23]

define "best".

what are you actually looking for in that pen? without knowing that, it will be difficult to predict what is best for you. 

however, from my experience with surprises(*), you'll need to try out both (and more) anyway.

 

concerning the differences in nib performance, i can't contribute (due to lack of experience). but i'd expect, that differences between individual nibs will be bigger than between the nibs over time.

 

(*) one example: i always thought i don't like back heavy pens. until a 1984 146 found its way into my hands ...

 

cheers,

sebastian

[Dione]

I don't believe there is any significant difference between the 80's monotone nib and the subsequent two-tone nib but I would never choose to buy the 146 with plastic threads just because it says W.Germany on the clip band. After all the wall came down in 89 so everything after that said Germany anyhow. If I wanted a new 146 that's what I would buy. The nibs aren't that different that I wouldn't aim for the latest version where the nib screws out like Pelikan nibs do.

[kavanagh]

14 minutes ago, Dione said:

but I would never choose to buy the 146 with plastic threads just because it says W.Germany on the clip band

Dear Dione, thank you for your response. Do the newer 146’s have metal threads?. 

 

1 hour ago, sebastel23 said:

define "best".

what are you actually looking for in that pen?

Sebastel23, thank you for responding.

I’m presuming that the West German model has better build quality - but Dione’s post about plastic threads implies that perhaps the West German version is more vulnerable to worn threads. 

[Karmachanic]

32 minutes ago, Dione said:

the latest version where the nib screws out like Pelikan nibs do.

 

Is that why my late model 146P has tool slots?

[Dione]

@kavanaghThe newer 146 pens have metal threads but not sure when exactly that change happened from plastic threads.

@Karmachanic I don't know why your late model 146P has tool slots. I guess it would need to be the latest version from Hamburg. Maybe they still have tool slots anyway.

 

[AcLondon]

I personally have a great fondness for those monotone 146 nibs, particularly the 14/18c ones. I see them as a better writing experience but that could simply be some sort of unreasonable bias.  The plastic threaded pre-early 90s 146s feel significantly lighter in the hand.  I certainly prefer that.  Throw in that the window of W.Germany being marked on the clip was relatively short (less than a decade).  I like that aspect of history they convey.  I'd definitely go for a W.Germany over a more modern one myself. 

[Karmachanic]

1 hour ago, Dione said:

I don't know why your late model 146P has tool slots

 

To use the tool to remove the nib.  Not to simply unscrew like Pelikan.

[Dione]

3 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

 

To use the tool to remove the nib.  Not to simply unscrew like Pelikan.

It's pointless trying to talk to you.

[Karmachanic]

2 hours ago, Dione said:

It's pointless trying to talk to you.

 

Thank you.

 

 

 

 

[meiers]

I like the monotone nib a lot. Sold one a few years and regretted my decision soon after. In my view there is no best 146. They are all very good pens. 

[fpupulin]

I only had experience with two West Germany 146s, and three modern 146. The monotone nibs I tried are distinctly more elastic and responsive (without being flexible) compared to the new nibs. So, depending on your tastes about nib elasticity vs stiffness, you may decide which "period" of the 146 is more apt for you.    

[fountainbel]

5 minutes ago, fpupulin said:

 The monotone nibs I tried are distinctly more elastic and responsive (without being flexible) compared to the new nibs.  

Exactly, as I've also experienced ...

[kavanagh]

8 hours ago, AcLondon said:

I'd definitely go for a W.Germany over a more modern one myself. 

AcLondon, I regret not buying a W. German 146 with a medium monotone nib, unused and near mint for $355 dollars. For some strange reason, I felt if I did buy it, it would be because of its name and marketing and not performance - it was the only thing that put me off. 
This is probably going a bit off topic, but would love to know how the monotone 146 nibs compare to the old style W. German Pelikan M200 nibs ( 2 chicks in the nest). 

[kavanagh]

1 hour ago, fpupulin said:

The monotone nibs I tried are distinctly more elastic and responsive (without being flexible) compared to the new nibs. So, depending on your tastes about nib elasticity vs stiffness

I would prefer the elastic / softness of the monotone nib. I only say this because it reminds me of the Pilot ‘SM’, soft medium nibs.
Did the elastic threads for the old style W. German 146 pen extend to the piston dial at the back of the pen ?( where you unscrew the piston knob). Do these suffer any problems with prolonged usage?. 

 

1 hour ago, fountainbel said:

Exactly, as I've also experienced ...

Have you tried and Pelikan old style nibs ?, and if so, how do they compare to the monotone 146’s?.

[bunnspecial]

4 hours ago, Dione said:

It's pointless trying to talk to you.

 

Is that response really necessary?

 

Aside from that, I suppose you'd best tell my newest 146 that it shouldn't have slots to unscrew the nib. This is an LE that came on the market in May(80 Days) so it's not exactly an old stock pen.

 

[Karmachanic]

Vestigial design artefacts?

[bunnspecial]

50 minutes ago, Karmachanic said:

Vestigial design artefacts?

 

I guess I must really have an oddball one since I gave it a quick test to try unscrewing by hand, and unlike my Pelikans, the nib didn't want to budge with as much pressure as I feel comfortable applying.

 

If I were going to remove it, I'd want to grab a wrench...

[Michael R.]

Some prefer the early 14C monotone nibs over later versions. Also some prefer the ebonite feed over later plastic feeds.

 

The writing experience is much different compared to later (> 1990s) models. Try and judge by yourself which you like more.

 

All 146 pens (even 1950s celluloid pens) up until know have slotted nib collars to remove the nib unit using a tool. Different versions and set-ups exist and parts as well as tools are not always interchangeable.

 

Some versions use extra sealing while later versions have a self sealing constructions,

 

All nib units are made to be removed with a tool but sometimes they are loose enough to screw out by hand also. I do this with my pens but cannot recommend this to anyone without experience as you can misallign or damage nib and feed this way.

 

Cheers

 

Michael 

[bunnspecial]

1 hour ago, Michael R. said:

All 146 pens (even 1950s celluloid pens) up until know have slotted nib collars to remove the nib unit using a tool. Different versions and set-ups exist and parts as well as tools are not always interchangeable.

 

Some versions use extra sealing while later versions have a self sealing constructions,

 

All nib units are made to be removed with a tool but sometimes they are loose enough to screw out by hand also. I do this with my pens but cannot recommend this to anyone without experience as you can misallign or damage nib and feed this way.

 

 

The only ones I've ever personally felt safe unscrewing by hand were ones with an ebonite feed. The fins on the plastic are too thin and easily bent for me to try and risk it if it takes more than just mild finger pressure(which it always has for me).

 

Even still, I've never had one unscrew by hand where the nib and feed didn't end up a bit mis-aligned.

 

Short answer, for me, is always use a wrench. Of course the real answer is don't think these are TWSBIs and you HAVE to remove the nib every time you clean one(when I take a nib out, it's for a very specific reason), but if you do use a wrench. Also beware of the bubblegum. Not sure when they quit using it, but I believe it came in sometime in the W. Germany period(for 149s it was the first 2 piece barrels). They WILL leak if you don't seal the threads. There are sellers on Ebay who have the bubblegum, but I have been using the Sheaffer-formula non-hardening thread sealant that Ron Zorn sells. It's a Rosin-type sealant, and it's the same thing I use Vacumatic sections and pretty much anywhere else I need to seal threads semi-permanently(ones that I'd like to easily open again in the future, which this will do with a little bit of heat, but not routinely take them apart).