What Ink Is Safe To Use In Mont Blanc Fountain Pens?

[Mont Blanc Collector]

I recently received a bottle of J. Herbin 1670 anniversary ink as a gift. Since I collect mostly Mont Blanc fountain pens, and they strongly suggest using only their inks, I was wondering if it is safe to use the J. Herbin ink in Mont Blanc fountain pens? Any experience or advice in this area will be greatly appreciated. Thank you in advance for your input!

[tanalasta]

J'Herbin is generally considered one of the safest inks currently available.

 

I use J'Herbin Perle Noir in my MB 146 without any difficulty and the pairing is wonderful. Smooth and delightful.

 

I've not had experience with the new 1670 ink but would wait for others to confirm it doesn't stain, which would be my only worry with any red ink.

[jar]

I have never had a problem with J. Herbin inks in any of my MBs.

[Scrawler]

A little while ago I bought seven bottles of Herbin ink. They are without a doubt the most benign inks that you can get. Mont Blanc pens are very tough and their own black ink is an iron gall ink, which should only be used in a pen with a gold nib. The filler and nibs of Mont Blanc pens are not attacked by anything.

[trojan_four]

I just received my 149 yesterday and quickly baptised it with Montblanc's version of iron gall (the most caustic you can get from them apparently). I have to say, it is super ink - when I wrote with it this morning, it didn't skip a single beat - just smooth writing as soon as the nib hit the paper. This is completely different to my old Waterman which used to take a few strokes to get going after an overnight rest........

 

As an aside, I was at my favourite pen shop yesterday and I questioned them about Noodler's in Montblancs - I was given a firm "No" as a response. Purely from a warranty perspective apparently. Regardless, I'm happy with my blue-black and racing green!

 

Hey there Scrawler - LOVE that avatar!!

 

 

Cheers

Adam

[Scrawler]

I just received my 149 yesterday and quickly baptised it with Montblanc's version of iron gall (the most caustic you can get from them apparently). I have to say, it is super ink - when I wrote with it this morning, it didn't skip a single beat - just smooth writing as soon as the nib hit the paper. This is completely different to my old Waterman which used to take a few strokes to get going after an overnight rest........

 

As an aside, I was at my favourite pen shop yesterday and I questioned them about Noodler's in Montblancs - I was given a firm "No" as a response. Purely from a warranty perspective apparently. Regardless, I'm happy with my blue-black and racing green!

 

Hey there Scrawler - LOVE that avatar!!

 

 

Cheers

Adam

Oh my cat is well known around here. He will not let me type, so I have to write with a pen LOL. The warranty on my Mont Blanc probably expired years ago. I like Sheaffers skrip black ink for that pen, because the nib is so broad. I use Noodlers in a few of my other pens. Never put Mont Blanc iron gall ink in a cheaper pen with a steel nib.

[Joane]

That avatar cat is adorable. He likes that keyboard so much he doesn't even care about chasing the mouse!

 

J. Herbin is one of the few inks I would not hesitate to use in any pen. Innocuous and most of the colours I've used have excellent flow.

[dannzeman]

I've many different inks in my Mont Blancs including Noodlers, Private Reserve, Waterman, J. Herbin, S.T. Dupont, Levenger, and Rohrer & Klingner. The only ink I wouldn't use is Bay State Blue.

[Scrawler]

That avatar cat is adorable. He likes that keyboard so much he doesn't even care about chasing the mouse!

 

J. Herbin is one of the few inks I would not hesitate to use in any pen. Innocuous and most of the colours I've used have excellent flow.

I have seven bottle and cannot get near them because my daughter has commandeered them. She thinks her pens are more deserving than mine. But considering that I write so much more and have so many pens on the go at once, she has relegated me to the Noodlers. I love Poussiere de Lune, but the pen I like to use it in is broad and fast flowing and uses it too quickly.

[meiers]

I use Montblanc Blue-black in my 146 and a mixture of various Pelikan inks (it's an idescribable shade of green) in my 149.

 

Matt

 

 

[trojan_four]

I just received my 149 yesterday and quickly baptised it with Montblanc's version of iron gall (the most caustic you can get from them apparently). I have to say, it is super ink - when I wrote with it this morning, it didn't skip a single beat - just smooth writing as soon as the nib hit the paper. This is completely different to my old Waterman which used to take a few strokes to get going after an overnight rest........

 

As an aside, I was at my favourite pen shop yesterday and I questioned them about Noodler's in Montblancs - I was given a firm "No" as a response. Purely from a warranty perspective apparently. Regardless, I'm happy with my blue-black and racing green!

 

Hey there Scrawler - LOVE that avatar!!

 

 

Cheers

Adam

Oh my cat is well known around here. He will not let me type, so I have to write with a pen LOL. The warranty on my Mont Blanc probably expired years ago. I like Sheaffers skrip black ink for that pen, because the nib is so broad. I use Noodlers in a few of my other pens. Never put Mont Blanc iron gall ink in a cheaper pen with a steel nib.

 

 

Which begs the question I've long been meaning to ask; is the nib on the (new) 149s solid gold or gold plate?

[Scrawler]

 

 

Which begs the question I've long been meaning to ask; is the nib on the (new) 149s solid gold or gold plate?

My pen is old and has a solid gold nib. I cannot afford a new one, so I have not looked into it, but at the price, I would expect them to be gold with rhodium plate, or 18K white gold.

[trojan_four]

Per Montblanc's site:

 

"Nib: Hand-crafted 18 K gold nib with rhodium-plated inlay"

 

I take this to mean it's solid gold, with rhodium plated over the "top" of the solid gold nib? Thoughts?

[Scrawler]

Per Montblanc's site:

 

"Nib: Hand-crafted 18 K gold nib with rhodium-plated inlay"

 

I take this to mean it's solid gold, with rhodium plated over the "top" of the solid gold nib? Thoughts?

Yes. 18K gold nib with rhodium plate. Exactly what I would expect for a high quality nib. The rhodium inlay on top of gold looks really nice, and is very durable and resistant to attack by both acid and alkaline substances. They did not do the rhodium plate when my nib was made.

[trojan_four]

Per Montblanc's site:

 

"Nib: Hand-crafted 18 K gold nib with rhodium-plated inlay"

 

I take this to mean it's solid gold, with rhodium plated over the "top" of the solid gold nib? Thoughts?

Yes. 18K gold nib with rhodium plate. Exactly what I would expect for a high quality nib. The rhodium inlay on top of gold looks really nice, and is very durable and resistant to attack by both acid and alkaline substances. They did not do the rhodium plate when my nib was made.

 

Nice one - it's certainly a beautiful looking nib, and one which has even put me off non duo-tone nibs......

 

I'll be using blue-black a fair bit so I'll report on how it goes. Although lots of members on here use it too (and for far longer than I) with no issues.

[niksch]

They did not do the rhodium plate when my nib was made.

 

The 149 was never made with a mono-color nib. Always tri-color or bi-color, but the plating can be worn off. I've seen several 149s over the years with various states of plating wear, particularly of 149 nibs of the mid-70s.

[trojan_four]

They did not do the rhodium plate when my nib was made.

 

The 149 was never made with a mono-color nib. Always tri-color or bi-color, but the plating can be worn off. I've seen several 149s over the years with various states of plating wear, particularly of 149 nibs of the mid-70s.

 

 

Hi Eric

 

Interesting - so it becomes a mono colored, solid gold nib then? I wonder if the newer ones received a better version/technology plate which is more wear resistant.

[Scrawler]

They did not do the rhodium plate when my nib was made.

 

The 149 was never made with a mono-color nib. Always tri-color or bi-color, but the plating can be worn off. I've seen several 149s over the years with various states of plating wear, particularly of 149 nibs of the mid-70s.

Mine is not a 149, that was trojan_fours. My pen predates rhodium plating on Mont Blanc nibs. It is an old pen.

[niksch]

Mine is not a 149, that was trojan_fours. My pen predates rhodium plating on Mont Blanc nibs. It is an old pen.

 

 

Why not tell us what the model is then? Early 20s model?

[niksch]

Interesting - so it becomes a mono colored, solid gold nib then? I wonder if the newer ones received a better version/technology plate which is more wear resistant.

 

The plating is decoration, and not sure why it wears on certain 'vintages' over others. The only other plating I've seen wear off is the palladium plating on some 136 and 138 models I've previously owned.

 

edited to add: Just as scrawler said, 18K gold, not solid gold. That's 75% gold, 25% other metals (jar will chime in here) to make an alloy.

Edited May 25, 2010 by niksch