What's a MB "Signature Nib"?

[yachtsilverswan]

Was browsing (drooling) over Mont Blanc's web site to prep for the Christmas shopping season. I noticed Mont Blanc offers a "Signature Nib" as a replacement nib on the 149. What's a signature nib? Is it a stub? Is it similar to Richard Binder's Cursive Italic Nib? Does anyone have one of these creatures?

[jmkeuning]

I'm pretty sure that is an O3B; a really broad oblique.

 

I had an OB on a Pelikan... I have no use for it really, but an O3B could be fun!

[niksch]

A note with regard to WIDE nibs...

 

"jmkeuning" is exactly correct...as confirmed in the features subpage of the 149 section on www.montblanc.com . OB3 is OBBB. That would be an extremely wide nib. Allow me to relate a cautionary, but agreeable personal war story regarding extra-wide nibs...

 

A couple years ago, I sent a(n) 149 nib to Greg Minuskin to be retipped/ground to an OBB. He politely cautioned me against this width because of the size of the 149 nib and what would be an extra wicked width on a 149 nib. I resisted his advice. I e-mailed another pen friend of mine for additional advice, and he was (less politely) adamant that I would not like an OBB given the width of the nib size on a 149. I resisted still. We bantered via e-mail until my pen friend sent one of those Sheaffer's calligraphy nibs ground to about how he thought my future nib would write [i will admit there may be some scientific flaws to this method]. I wrote with it and I was only slightly convinced to drop a notch to OB. As an engineer used to careful lettering and an since I was at the time an EF afficianado, I reluctantly, but fortunately, agreed to an OB.

 

Well, once I got the nib back from Greg and set in my FP, I thought I had made a huge mistake by asking for an OB, let alone an OBB. I had wanted the pen/nib to be a good signature nib (for me) but it took me multiple weeks to get used to Greg's OB nib because it wrote so wet and wide (from what I was used to).

 

None of this was Greg's fault, his nib work was fantastic.

 

I had set the nib myself, so I reset it at least twice to make sure it was set correctly. I must be consistent, because this early 1970s 149 continued to write the same way each time on each reset attempt. I was convinced I was going to have to buy a new nib with less "B" for this pen, because I thought it wrote way too wide, and I had ruined that particular nib (for me). SO I put the pen in the drawer and let it set for a spell.

 

Now, in 2007, after several attempts at using this nib in its pen, I like it. A lot. I sign my name about 57 times a day (I'm in the Army), and everyone in my unit knows my signature. Did I say I like it a lot? It's probably becasue the nib is really an OB+, and the flex in the nib is delightful. I've learned to control this pen [vs 146s] and it's a joy to use.

 

So what's the point of this message? Be careful with the Ultra Oblique Broad widths. They sound sexy, really sexy. But, unless you have a huge signature, are used to wide nibs, & write somewhat slowly, you probably don't want an extra wide nib. But maybe you can grow into one like I did.

 

Regards, Eric

[piembi]

I won an ebay auction for a vintage Pelikan 400. It came with an OBB nib. This pen is definitely not for everaday use!

Though I do like M and B nibs, BB is far too broad.

 

I srewed this nib into a very discoloured 400 I wanted to sell anyway and forgot about it.

After a while I tried again and got more and more comfortable with the nib. It is very smooth and very wet.

Now I will keep this OBB nib and will screw it into some nicer body....

But only because I am not short of Pelikan 400s and can live with a rarely used pen.

[Inky.Fingers]

[Chrissy]

A Montblanc signature nib is a really broad oblique BBB nib that they believe is used for writing signatures.

[Tom Kellie]

[Nathanb]

 

 

 

Thanks for the writing sample Tom!

 

Lovely way to paint us a picture of what an OBBB lays down

 

Do you also favour the OBBB for signature duties?

[Tom Kellie]

Do you also favour the OBBB for signature duties?

 

 

~ Nathanb:

 

Oddly enough, I typically sign with one of my two M nibs.

I'm averse to an overly prominent signature on business documents.

Thank you for your very kind comment.

This morning I've posted a full-length handwritten letter written with this yellow gold OBBB nib, in the “Platinum 149 OBBB” thread, to demonstrate the nib's versatility.

Tom K.

[OngL]

Is O3B still included in an option for nib change or a bespoke nib?

[Pravda]

Is O3B still included in an option for nib change or a bespoke nib?

Normal nib change, albeit staff might not be aware.

 

Edit: And it only fits 149 size

Edited December 27, 2016 by Pravda

[Tom Kellie]

[Pen Nut]

I had an O3B on a 149 sometime ago. It was then described as the 'signature' nib but this may not be marketed as that now. There was a thread on this recently which may explain more. Here is a picture of the MB point of sale catalogue where the nib gets a mention.

 

[FredRydr]

 

 

Tom,

 

What is your red ink?

 

TIA

 

Fred

[Chrissy]

 

 

Tom,

 

What is your red ink?

 

TIA

 

Fred

 

Can I hazard a guess?

 

Montblanc Shakespeare Velvet Red

[Tom Kellie]

What is your red ink?

 

~ Hi, FredRydr!

 

In most cases I write in shades of blue, especially paler blue, when available.

However, within the limits of what's on offer from Montblanc China, I've purchased other colors.

As much of my work during the academic year involves marking student research manuscripts, red ink is a staple.

When the red gold 149 OBBB arrived yesterday, there was also a bottle of Montblanc William Shakespeare Velvet Red.

As much as anything to try out the two arrivals, the red gold 149 OBBB was inked with the Velvet Red.

In the handwritten note above the pleasingly rich, deep red writes well.

I'm delighted to receive it as a gift from Montblanc China. It's a color that I'd gladly use for work purposes.

Thanks so much for noticing and asking!

Tom K.

[OngL]

Learning something new everyday

[Ghost Plane]

Are skeletons based on 149s or 146s? Thinking of nibs...

[OngL]

Usually 146 for skeletonized LEs and 149 on older ones. Others can comment more on this.

Edited December 28, 2016 by OngL

[Tom Kellie]