MB released 146 Flex in resin

[bunnspecial]

On 1/22/2022 at 10:50 AM, Sinistral1 said:

For the sake of clarification, I did a Bing search for the new 146C and Iguanasell came up as a seller.  I went to their website and the 146C page came up with no mention that it was not in stock.  I did not delve any deeper than the main page.  Sorry for any confusion my actions and/or info I posted here on FPN.  I hope that you don't have to wait too long before getting your pens!

 

Please don't think I fault you at all on this in any way-I appreciated the "lead."

 

I did a bit of other reading before committing to buy from them, but their reputation seems stellar. It seems perhaps in this case that their communication tends toward a bit ambiguous at best, but that is certainly not your fault!

 

I'm just hoping, as I mentioned, that I can get a pen from their next allocation.

[txomsy]

I wonder... does anybody know if the nib can be got separately substituted into an existing 146?

[Karmachanic]

34 minutes ago, txomsy said:

I wonder... does anybody know if the nib can be got separately substituted into an existing 146?

 

No and no, as I recall from the 149C thread.  Second no related to the feed.

[como]

1 hour ago, txomsy said:

I wonder... does anybody know if the nib can be got separately substituted into an existing 146?

Both the 149C and 146C seem to have the same current version of Montblanc's plastic feed for modern 149 and 146, at least from the overall appearance. I bet that no one would be foolish enough to take out the feed to void the warranty for such a new pen, just to study the ink channels (and mess up their thin fins!). How far back of the models can take this same feed structure requires more expert opinion 🙂. Mine will stay on with the original forever 😀

[invisuu]

I'm not so sure about that, there's a huge difference between a merchant and a distributor. Distributor typically works on a much larger scale, countrywide and such. Are the ADs really distributors?

[invisuu]

2 hours ago, bunnspecial said:

 

Please don't think I fault you at all on this in any way-I appreciated the "lead."

 

I did a bit of other reading before committing to buy from them, but their reputation seems stellar. It seems perhaps in this case that their communication tends toward a bit ambiguous at best, but that is certainly not your fault!

 

I'm just hoping, as I mentioned, that I can get a pen from their next allocation.

I have personally bought many pens from Iguana and I was always satisfied. I wouldn't worry if I were you. 
 

when you're going to get the pen, however, I have no idea. Might be a while, if it will be as popular as 149  C was.

[Arcadian]

10 minutes ago, como said:

Both the 149C and 146C seem to have the same current version of Montblanc's plastic feed for modern 149 and 146, at least from the overall appearance. I bet that no one would be foolish enough to take out the feed to void the warranty for such a new pen, just to study the ink channels (and mess up their thin fins!). How far back of the models can take this same feed structure requires more expert opinion 🙂. Mine will stay on with the original forever 😀

 

Someone somewhere here recently posted that the nib and feed on the 149C unscrews, Pelikan-style, which allows for easier cleaning. If so, that would be a fantastic new and user-friendly route for Montblanc, but also, likely, one that does not permit nib-swapping with pre-Calligraphy pens. 

 

 - P. 

[como]

On 1/23/2022 at 12:45 AM, fpupulin said:

 

I am with you on this, como, about my 149 Calligraphy. I have a few vintage flexible nibs that I like, some OMAS and a Parker. They are perhaps marginally better at calligraphy, but worst than the 149 Calligraphy at everyday writing, and they can not be serviced anymore. As to a contemporary flexible nib of quality, which is able to do what I need and I want, I am done with the 149 Calligraphy. It is good not having to look more, so I can now concentrate on the next special nib I want: a large, juicy, maybe a bit flexible, formal italic, to learn and write gothic scripts.

By the way, I am also done with my collection of extra-fine nibs. I have the stiff but perfectly precise Montegrappa's, the soft and pleasant OMAS of the latest generations, the very pointed vintage, the architect-grind EFs by Montblanc, and now the expressive extra-fine of the Calligraphy. Time to move to the gothic side of the iridium point...

@fpupulin Before 149C, I was not an EF person. The discovery of this pen, thanks to you, also brought me the discovery of extra fine nibs. Would you consider starting an "Extra Fine Nibs" experience thread? It would be greatly beneficial and fun to examine probably the most versatile, competent and fun type of all the nib types! 🙂

[Karmachanic]

delete

 

[Andrew_L]

5 hours ago, txomsy said:

I wonder... does anybody know if the nib can be got separately substituted into an existing 146?

 

The cost of replacing nib in the service is equal to the cost of 90% of the cost of a new pen. I found out in a local service last year when I wanted to order a calligraphy nib for model 149.

[kaisede]

The nib unit (feed and the nib itself) can be screw off and it fits other similar size pens. 146 will fit other 146 style pens. Same with 149 nib unit. Few month ago I took my 149C nib unit and screw it on the 149 platinum pen. Few month before that I screw it on the Alexander Dumas. For the 146, only two pen that I have can't be interchange. It is the Bohem full size and Master work pen. 

 

I never pulled the nib out of the feed. So I am not sure if the nib can fit other feeds. 

[Karmachanic]

34 minutes ago, kaisede said:

Few month ago I took my 149C nib unit and screw it on the 149 platinum pen

 

Please explain your technique for doing this.

[Sinistral1]

Having had my 146C for a few days now has revealed that I seem to have an ink flow problem.  If I try to write without any flexing it has hard starts until I adjust the angle of the nib to the paper.  Once that is done it lays down a EF line until I lift the nib off the paper to start a new word, then it hard starts again.  The other problem is that when I flex the nib it immediately railroads, as though it is being starved of ink.  I have tried Parker Penman Emerald and Montblanc Rudyard Kipling (Jungle Green).  Should I be using inks that have more pigment in them?  I did not wash the nib with soapy water and maybe that’s the problem.  This is my first new in the box Montblanc - any advice would be very much appreciated!!

[como]

@Sinistral1 If you have time, please have a look at @fpupulin Franco’s 149C thread.https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/354196-the-meisterstück-149-calligraphy-appreciation-thread/#comments By now it’s VERY LONG, but it has wealth of useful info on inks suitable for this pen (I consider the 149C and 149C the same except for the size). In short, I suggest that you get a bottle of MB Permanent Blue or MB Permanent Black, and use it for a few days to see how it goes. If after some time with this ink, and you are still having the problems, go to Montblanc to sort it out with them. 

 

[Uncial]

3 hours ago, Sinistral1 said:

Having had my 146C for a few days now has revealed that I seem to have an ink flow problem.  If I try to write without any flexing it has hard starts until I adjust the angle of the nib to the paper.  Once that is done it lays down a EF line until I lift the nib off the paper to start a new word, then it hard starts again.  The other problem is that when I flex the nib it immediately railroads, as though it is being starved of ink.  I have tried Parker Penman Emerald and Montblanc Rudyard Kipling (Jungle Green).  Should I be using inks that have more pigment in them?  I did not wash the nib with soapy water and maybe that’s the problem.  This is my first new in the box Montblanc - any advice would be very much appreciated!!

The Kipling ink is a little dry, but not massively so. It might be that it's just a little too dry for this nib and i would think it a bit too light. I wouldnt use any of tge Penman inks. I've found them to be stubborn cloggers and persistent with flow issues even when watered down, especially the blue - which everyone raves about but in terms of behaviour I was thoroughly unimpressed.

[fpupulin]

3 hours ago, Sinistral1 said:

Having had my 146C for a few days now has revealed that I seem to have an ink flow problem.  If I try to write without any flexing it has hard starts until I adjust the angle of the nib to the paper.  Once that is done it lays down a EF line until I lift the nib off the paper to start a new word, then it hard starts again.  The other problem is that when I flex the nib it immediately railroads, as though it is being starved of ink.  I have tried Parker Penman Emerald and Montblanc Rudyard Kipling (Jungle Green).  Should I be using inks that have more pigment in them?  I did not wash the nib with soapy water and maybe that’s the problem.  This is my first new in the box Montblanc - any advice would be very much appreciated!!

 

I have unfortunately direct experience of a limited number of inks in my 149 Calligraphy, as I have not tried many combinations with my pen.  Nevertheless, assuming that the 146 and the 149 Calligraphy will behave in a similar way, I feel confident in saying you that the following inks (in alphabetic order) are quite good to work with its flexible nib, with no hard starts and no railroading:

 

Diamine Ancient Copper

Diamine Golden Brown

Diamine Tobacco Sunburst

Herbin Perle Noire

Montblanc Black Permanent

Montblanc Blue Permanent

Pelikan Edelstein Onyx (black)

Rohrer & Klinger Alt Goldgrün

 

I found to be too wet for the Calligraphy nib the Aurora Black and the Lamy Black inks. 

 

The Calligraphy nib of the 149 behaves perfectly on several types of paper, unless on Hahnemühle Ingres laid paper, where it skips and railroads like crazy, as if the paper was literally sucking the ink from the feeder. As I really like the feeling of Hahnemühle Ingres, I just write much more sloooooowly, but also in this case I can not completely avoid hard starts and skipping.

 

I have had very acceptable results (even if not the best possible) on the regular ruled paper of the Moleskine Cahiers, which are broadly available, and maybe you can test them with your nib and one of the recommended inks.  

 

If your pen will still skip and railroad with this combo of paper and ink, I would follow the suggestion of asking Montblanc to take care of the issue.

[kaisede]

5 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

 

Please explain your technique for doing this.

If you look directly from the tip of your nib you will see there are two rectangular mark on the nib collar. I bend a pair of tweezer to fit in there. Once secure than turn and you can unscrew the nib unit. Some pen works some don't because it is on tightly. NEVER force it. My 146C is on tightly so I cannot take it off. My Kipling was very loose so I unscrew the nib and put more lubricant in the piston. If you use the search function you can see people posting pictures on the tools they used. It was how I learned to unscrew the nib. 

[arcfide]

 

4 hours ago, Sinistral1 said:

Once that is done it lays down a EF line until I lift the nib off the paper to start a new word, then it hard starts again.

 

In addition to what others said about maybe that being a less than ideal combination of inks, I would also take a close look at the state of the tines after you write a bit. The flexibility of the nib can cause the tines to misalign themselves on snap back if you have a little bit of hand rotation at the wrong time. This can then cause a hard start on the next line unless you apply sufficient pressure to "reset" the tines (not much). If you are doing this consistently in the way that you write (many people do) then you might have to watch out for that or make sure that you realign the nib for a new stroke (either one works). 

 

This might not be an issue for you, but it was something I noticed that I was doing with the nib on occasion. 

[SpecTP]

I have no hard starts or railroading with MB Red Fox ink

[Sinistral1]

Thank you for the suggestions/information.  I don't have any of the inks fpupulin recommends and Montblanc permanent black is out of stock every place I have looked for it,  So, I put a Dromgooles exclusive called NASA Blue in and I'll play with this extra saturated ink for a couple of days to see how it works.