Vintage Celluloid Barrel Questions.

[varmas]

Dear all,

can anyone enlighten me as to what the black paint inside vintage celluloid barrels is?

 

How does it wear off over time? Dissolved by ink, flacking, exposure to light, etc?

 

Is it possible to repaint the barrels?

 

As an aside is there any craftsman who machines celluloid barrels to replace trashed ones?

 

 

Many thanks in advance,

Solomon

[hari317]

Very interesting question Solomon, I have seen some vintage 146 on ebay with the barrel so nicely ambered that it looks like a demonstrator. I suspect the color might have bene given during the production of celluloid stock rather than surface paint, but this is only my guess.

 

-Hari

[FredRydr]

I have a celluloid 142 EF with some of the black paint worn off over the threaded area of the barrel, so I made inquiries. I was informed by Gary Lehrer that the barrels were originally painted on the outside, and they can be dipped for a repaint. I would think that is not an inexpensive process.

 

I am aware of one restorer who is working on a method to repaint with the lines/stripes. We'll see how that goes.

 

For the best solution, just accept the following premise: Patina Is Good

 

Fred

[Diamondback]

Solomon,

 

My information is the same as Fred's re barrel "painting". Regarding celluloid barrel machining/repairs, I understand that Max Schrage and perhaps Lutz Fiebig(?) can do this.

 

Mark

[varmas]

Thank you gentlemen for the replies.

 

Hari, the black celluloids were certainly painted but the info from Fred and Mark suggests it could have been either on the inside or out.

 

My 149 is definitely painted on the inside. Running my fingernail did not find a snag as external paint wear would do. Next, running a butter knife, there was no unevenness to the surface finish or paint scrapping. Under strong light the wear is even through the barrel. Natural hand oils and frequent handling near the nib section would cause more wear to that region if painted on the outside to my thinking. With a 20x loupe there is no sign of splotches - I am thinking of car paint exposed to the elements as an anology here.

Surprisingly another 50s 149 and 146 are as black as a raven's wing.

 

So now we have 2 methods of painting depending on vintage. One more thing to consider when buying vintage MBs .

 

These things just pique my curiousity - why didn't MB make black pigment impregnated celluloids?

 

 

Stay well,

Solomon

[FredRydr]

I spoke to vintage Montblanc experts at the NYC show, including the guys who are working on reproducing celluloid parts.

 

The solid black paint is on the outside. The lines over the ink view area are painted on the inside.

 

Fred

[niksch]

I spoke to vintage Montblanc experts at the NYC show, including the guys who are working on reproducing celluloid parts.

 

The solid black paint is on the outside. The lines over the ink view area are painted on the inside.

 

Fred

 

I have couple of celluloid 14x pens in which this paint is lost and appears to be "ambering" from the inside, giving the pen a sort of demonstrator appearance.

[Michael R.]

I spoke to vintage Montblanc experts at the NYC show, including the guys who are working on reproducing celluloid parts.

 

The solid black paint is on the outside. The lines over the ink view area are painted on the inside.

 

Fred

 

I have worked on several vintage MBs with the black added on the inside. I even polished the inside of one pen (234 1/2)completely (removing the black coating) to give it a "demonstrator look" because it lost its' black "inside" almost completely anyways. I have not come across any vintage MB with the black added on the outside yet.

 

Cheers

 

Michael

[hari317]

Very informative thread, any idea why Montblanc decided to paint the pens rather than using colored stock?

 

Thanks!

Hari

[varmas]

Maybe MB wanted to have a series of colours so it left the celluloid clear. But decided on black finally.

 

As for the inside painting, Penparadise did mention it on a post about the 139. Unfortunately I can't remember what brought about the issue.

 

Fred, I am sure the experts at the pen show may have come across pens we ,definitely I, haven't re: external painting but my 149 is painted on the inside. If I had used my knife any harder I would have gouged the pen but no paint peeling or flacking occured on the parts that were still blackish.

 

Thank you for taking the time to speak with them about this query.

 

 

Stay well,

Solomon

[soapytwist]

Very informative thread, any idea why Montblanc decided to paint the pens rather than using colored stock?

 

Thanks!

Hari

I would have thought it more likely that creating an ink window with a different coloured celluloid would have left the pen with a seam between the two that would be susceptible to leaking? Technical folks please shoot down this guess if it's wrong!