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Montblanc x Fritz Schimpf 149 Italic Edge


Tom Kellie

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On 7/22/2022 at 4:05 AM, como said:

large.22C69D81-2849-473E-B55C-F0A10C3F25BD.jpeg.4119baf00dab0272dd252ee59b0c7048.jpeg

 

A quick writing sample for these who are curious and consider this pen. I bought this pen with the intention of learning to write gothic scripts. It's also fantastic for normal writing.

 

1. Line variation. It's significant as shown in the photo. True to Fritz Schimpf's description of a 4B, it's definitely much thicker on the downstrokes than my OBB.

 

2. Softness. It's slightly softer than a regular modern 149. It's very pleasant and a joy to write with. 

 

3. Smooth. It's very smooth for normal writing. This is impressive to have this cut and maintain its smoothness, great work, MB and FS!

 

4. Edge. True that you can tilt the nib onto its edge and get pretty thin lines, as shown in my photo after the first word "Edge", after the wavy lines (Line 6).

 

I really like the Platinum version, as it's my first one and it looks great. The nib looks clean and beautiful.

 

Thank you to Fritz Schimpf and Montblanc for the initiative, concept, execution, and many thanks to Sebastian Stolz for such great service. 🙏👍

Como, this is a wonderful analysis both for those of us who are new to Fritz Shimpf collaborative efforts with Montblanc, and others whom have considered or already acquired the Italic Edge but not yet received or inked it.

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7 hours ago, Carrau said:

After seeing Herr Schimpf's demonstration of Zwischenlicht with the new pen, I tried it myself on Rhodia paper.  While I didn't catch the color anywhere near as well as on his note (above), the pen performed beautifully at normal cursive writing speed with this ink.  I marvel at the line variation possible with this large nib (clearly it can write wider than in this test, which was done to see variation with usual writing for me).  For comparison, I used a Pelikan 400 OBB (semi-flex) that I had inked at the moment with Birmingham Pens' Sea Holly Ink, another broad pen with considerable line variation, and an ink of a similar color. (No flexing attempted with either pen in this test, just writing at my usual angle).

 

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Carrau, the instructive results here fully illustrate how good was your idea for this comparison, and on Rhodia paper as well.  The differences are astonishing and show the Italic Edge to great advantage.

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22 minutes ago, NoType said:

@Tom KellieHaving read your many and various posts and threads ever since joining this venerable forum approximately a year ago; being entertained, enlightened, and elevated by them incalculably; and now following with increasing delight and interest this new thread you’ve created; well, I could not resist sending you this missive in hopes of expressing my deepest gratitude to you for joyfully, seemingly tirelessly, and dedicatedly turning out writing samples and incisive commentary featuring the Italic Edge in an amazing variety of inks, most of which are novel to this fountain pen neophyte.  One cannot overstate the value of your information in this thread, which is no less than a great public service, and your generosity in giving your time, effort, and ink while educating all of us in this forum is very much appreciated, to say nothing of being inspirational.  Much thanks!

Well said.  Tom and Franco (149 Calligraphy thread) are so generous with their time and talents, and so inspirational to many of the rest of us.  We are so fortunate to have them as part of our community.

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10 minutes ago, NoType said:

 

Carrau, the instructive results here fully illustrate how good was your idea for this comparison, and on Rhodia paper as well.  The differences are astonishing and show the Italic Edge to great advantage.

Thank you-I was hoping it might be a bit helpful.

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1 hour ago, Tom Kellie said:

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Tom, of all the interesting inks on display, I particularly like the pen’s effect with Soft Snow of Ohara.  You have been busy.  Thank you.

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I’ve experimented with a variety of ink types and colors with this pen, (too many to post) and my experience so far has been that light and medium shades of most colors look very good with this nib on Rhodia and Staples TruRed tablets.  Medium blue inks looked especially good, and some of the lighter blues, like Sailor Manyo Nadeshiko, Pilot Ajisai, and Akkerman Delft Blue almost “pop” with color in contrast to their appearance with other nibs. Most other lighter color inks look much more saturated in this pen (like Tom’s example with Soft Snow in his post above).  I suspect this is all related to the volume of ink flowing on to the page.  I’ve dipped  several Iron Gall inks including KWZ IG Blue-Black and IG Green #3, and putative IG ink Pelikan 4001 BB, and all performed well with shading.  Wetter inks predictably look very saturated.  This nib really expands the usefulness of drier as well as lighter colored inks for me.

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@Carrau Many thanks for this diligent ink testing.  As a way to keep track of all the different inks with which generous and community-minded members as yourself, Tom Kellie, and Como have tested the Italic Edge, I have been taking notes.  Thus far:

 

Inks for Italic Edge 100

   Recommended: Dry and | or Light Colours

   Tested:

      Akkerman  Delft Blue **

      Diamine  Damson

      Diamine  Prussian Blue

      Fritz Schimpf  fritzrot * ^

      Fritz Schimpf  gewitterwolke

      Fritz Schimpf  morgenröte

      Fritz Schimpf  sirimiri

      Fritz Schimpf  sundowner *

      Fritz Schimpf  zwischenlicht ^ **

      J Herbin  Café des Iles

      J Herbin  Vert Empire

      KWZ  Iron Gall Blue-Black **

      KWZ  Iron Gall Green #3 **

      Kyo-Iro  Soft Snow of Ohara

      Kyo-no-too  Aonibi **

      L’ Artisan Pastellier  Sepia

      Montblanc  Burgundy Red

      Pelikan 4001  (Iron Gall) BB **

      Pelikan 4001  Königsblau (Royal Blue)

      Pilot  Ajisai **

      Robert Oster  Midnight Sapphire **

      Rohrer & Klingner  Alt-Goldgrün

      Sailor  Manyo Nadeshiko **

      Waterman  Serenity Blue **

——————

   Tested by:

      * Como (on Feinpost or Brause Calligraphy)

      ** Carrau (on Rhodia or Staples TruRed)

      ^ Sebastian Stolz (on Feinpost)

      all others Tom Kellie (on Feinpost)

 

 

Please let me know of any errors; most of these inks are new to me and I’m almost certain to have fumbled their names.

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@NoTypeWow! Thank you! Sorry I forgot to mention the ink in the writing sample. It was Fritz Schimpf Fritzrot. I have since also used Fritz Schimpf Sundowner. Both very wonderful wet ink with good shading. Nice intense colors of red and orange. No issues with the pen. The paper in my writing sample was Fritz Schimpf Feinpost. I also tried Brause Calligraphy pad of A5 size, similar.

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25 minutes ago, como said:

@NoTypeWow! Thank you! Sorry I forgot to mention the ink in the writing sample. It was Fritz Schimpf Fritzrot. I have since also used Fritz Schimpf Sundowner. Both very wonderful wet ink with good shading. Nice intense colors of red and orange. No issues with the pen. The paper in my writing sample was Fritz Schimpf Feinpost, which Herr Stolz sent along. I tried Brause Calligraphy pad of A5 size, similar.

Como, thank you for this info, which I edited into the above notes.  Updates to follow as more information becomes available from other members.

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7 hours ago, NoType said:

@Carrau Many thanks for this diligent ink testing.  As a way to keep track of all the different inks with which generous and community-minded members as yourself, Tom Kellie, and Como have tested the Italic Edge, I have been taking notes.  Thus far:

 

Inks for Italic Edge 100

   Recommended: Dry and | or Light Colours

   Tested:

      Akkerman  Delft Blue **

      Diamine  Damson

      Diamine  Prussian Blue

      Fritz Schimpf  fritzrot * ^

      Fritz Schimpf  gewitterwolke

      Fritz Schimpf  morgenröte

      Fritz Schimpf  sirimiri

      Fritz Schimpf  sundowner *

      Fritz Schimpf  zwischenlicht ^ **

      J Herbin  Café des Iles

      J Herbin  Vert Empire

      KWZ  Iron Gall Blue-Black **

      KWZ  Iron Gall Green #3 **

      Kyo-Iro  Soft Snow of Ohara

      Kyo-no-too  Aonibi **

      L’ Artisan Pastellier  Sepia

      Montblanc  Burgundy Red

      Pelikan 4001  (Iron Gall) BB **

      Pelikan 4001  Königsblau (Royal Blue)

      Pilot  Ajisai **

      Robert Oster  Midnight Sapphire **

      Rohrer & Klingner  Alt-Goldgrün

      Sailor  Manyo Nadeshiko **

      Waterman  Serenity Blue **

——————

   Tested by:

      * Como (on Feinpost or Brause Calligraphy)

      ** Carrau (on Rhodia or Staples TruRed)

      ^ Sebastian Stolz (on Feinpost)

      all others Tom Kellie (on Feinpost)

 

 

Please let me know of any errors; most of these inks are new to me and I’m almost certain to have fumbled their names.

You may add:

Diamine-Earl Grey-darker gray / more saturated than usual, 

                -Eclipse-very dark purple/black usually

Both Diamines were well behaved.

 

Birmingham Pens-Tattered Jute (sepia, water resistant)-perfect in this pen

                                 -Cornflower (medium blue, water resistant)-fine behavior, slightly darker

                                -Pincushion Moss (green, water resistant) deeper green than usual

                                -Lichen Watermark (murky green)- a medium saturation now

                                -Aluminum Oxide  (blue/teal grey)-darker than usual, nearly black

                                -Eroded Bronze (slate blue)-improved saturation makes a usable ink.

All the Birmingham inks looked and were well behaved

 

Robert Oster-Gray Seas (a gray that leans quite blue)-well behaved, beautiful shading

                        -Midnight Sapphire (blue leaning to gray)-well behaved, lovely shading that is similar to Pelikan 4001 BB

                        -Purple Rock (gray purple or purple gray)-much more saturated/darker, less gray than usual-less shading than usual

 

Mont Blanc-Toffee Brown (usually a reddish brown)- more saturated, goes down with its usual red tones, but becomes less red and more chocolate like as it dries-modest shading on Rhodia.

 

Pilot Irosh.-Ajisai-always a lovely, lighter blue, the color of Cape Jasmine (Plumbago) or Cornflowers-that color appears more saturated in this pen, and wowed me.

 

Sailor Manyo -Nadeshiko-Like Ajisai, this is usually a similar lighter, delicate blue, reminiscent of  Cape Jasmine (Plumbago) or Cornflowers, and just a bit less saturated than Ajisai.  In this pen, the color is much more saturated and “pops” compared with its usual.  Like Ajisai, something usually rather subtle and lovely is less subtle and every bit as lovely.

 

KWZ-Iron Gall Blue Black-always a favorite ink for me, and in this pen, what a joy, with a rich dark blue line that glides across the paper, the blue transforming before your eyes into that intense Blue-Black.  Too saturated for any shading, although I only dipped this.

         -Iron Gall Green #3-like its cousin IG BB above, the ink couldn’t go onto the paper more smoothly, a beautiful deep green that gradually takes on the green black color of a Norway Spruce in winter, fully saturated with no shading seen.

Both KWZ IG inks are outstanding in appearance and behavior for me

 

Kyo-no-to- Aionibi-alas, an ink whose slate blue color really always appealed to me, however, I could never find a pen that liked it very much, being very dry. It performed better in this pen than any other I’ve tried, with beautiful shading, and a little skipping here and there.  Progress, I suppose.

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@CarrauWhat a significant addition to the list.  I will edit, reformat to see if I can include your findings, and repost the new list in short order.  Thank you for your substantive report.

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@CarrauYour latest report with its different formatting and additional commentary inspired me to reformat my notes to accommodate the additional information.  Here is the 26 July edited list:

 

Inks for Italic Edge 100

   Recommended: Dry and | or Light Colours

   Tested:

      AKKERMAN  

         Delft Blue **

      BIRMINGHAM PENS

         [All looked and behaved well]

         Aluminium Oxide **

            (blue|teal grey) darker than usual,

            nearly black

         Cornflower **

            (med blue, H20 resist) slightly darker; 

            fine behaviour

         Eroded Bronze **

            (slate blue) improved saturation

            makes it usable 

         Lichen Watermark **

            (murky green) now med saturation 

         Pincushion Moss **

            (green, H20 resist) deeper green than 

             usual 

         Tattered Jute **

            (sepia, H20 resist) perfect in this pen 

      DIAMINE  

         China Blue

         Damson

         Earl Grey **

            darker grey; more saturated than usual

         Eclipse **

            (very dark purple) black when wet

         Prussian Blue

         Red Dragon

         Salamander

         Sargasso Sea
      FRITZ SCHIMPF

         Fritzrot * ^

            (red) wet; good saturation; good 

            shading

         Gewitterwolke

         Morgenröte

         Niebla

            (misty violet) an ideal ink for this pen

         Sirimiri

         Sundowner *

            (orange) wet; good saturation; good 

            shading

         Zwischenlicht ^ **

      J HERBIN

         Café des Iles

         Vert Empire

      KWZ  

         Grapefruit

            high saturation 

         [Both, below, looked and performed 

         outstandingly]

         Iron Gall Blue-Black **
           high saturation; no shading in dip test

         Iron Gall Green #3 **
           (green-black) similar colour to the tree 

            Norway spruce; high saturation; no 

            shading in dip test

      KYOTO INKS

         Kyo no Oto Aonibi **

            (slate blue) beautiful shading; slight 

            skipping; performs best in this pen

         Kyo-Iro Flaming Red of Fushimi

         Kyo-Iro Soft Snow of Ohara

      L’ ARTISAN PASTELLIER

         Omi Osun

         Sepia

      MONTBLANC

         Burgundy Red 

         Cool Grey

         Toffee Brown **

            (usually reddish brown) more 

            saturated; more red when wet | more 

            chocolate when dry; modest shading on

            Rhodia

      PELIKAN 4001  

         [Iron Gall] Blue-Black **

         Königsblau [Royal Blue]

      PILOT

         Ajisai **

            (light blue) similar to but more 

            saturated colour than the flowers the Cape 

            Jasmine (Plumbago) and the Cornflower

         Iroshizuku Kon-Peki
      ROBERT OSTER

         Gray Seas **

            (blue-leaning grey) well behaved;

            beautiful shading 

         Midnight Sapphire **

            (grey-leaning blue) well behaved;

            lovely shading similar to PELIKAN 4001 

            Blue-Black

         Purple Rock **

            (grey purple) much more saturated |

            darker; less grey than usual; less 

            shading than usual

         Terracotta

            an ideal ink for this pen
      ROHRER & KLINGER

         Alt-Goldgrün

         [Iron Gall] Salix
      SAILOR

         Manyo Ink Nadeshiko **

            (light blue) similar to but more 

            saturated colour than the flowers the Cape 

            Jasmine (Plumbago) and the Cornflower;

            (similar to PILOT Ajisai)

      WATERMAN

         Serenity Blue **

            very wet

——————

   Tested by:

      * Como (on Feinpost or Brause Calligraphy)

      ** Carrau (on Rhodia or Staples TruRed)

      ^ Sebastian Stolz (on Feinpost)

      all others Tom Kellie (on Feinpost)

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I appreciate all the effort people have put into this topic. I have not yet inked mine. It seems like paler and drier inks work best. I'll let you know when I make a decision. Please keep up the good work!

 

 

"One can not waste time worrying about small minds . . . If we were normal, we'd still be using free ball point pens." —Bo Bo Olson

 

"I already own more ink than a rational person can use in a lifetime." —Waski_the_Squirrel

 

I'm still trying to figure out how to list all my pens down here.

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Wow! What a great thread to start my day with, a mug of tea in hand. I’m sort of happy that the 149 is too big for my hand and that kingsize nibs like these exceed my humble abilities, otherwise this incredible pen might have been impossible to resist.

 

Thanks for all the great photos and info!

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Just to jump in from the inky side of this: The great pics and writing samples from @Tom Kellie also show something that for some might have been hard to believe. Many inks change their appearance completely depending on the nib's wetness they flow from.

 

In a rather dry pen some of these might not work at all, look lackluster and feel unpleasantly dry. In such a generous writer and coming from a nib that spreads them out, many inks deemed too light/pale/dry to be usable show a completely new face and only then exhibit their beauty. 

 

Thank you for demonstrating this and showing the amazing qualities of this fun new nib!

 

And no, I don't need one, I don't need one, I don't need one, ... I have to resist, as I have plenty of vintage nibs, wet & juicy & broad. Cannot buy more, no no no. 😉

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