Montblanc Generation With Cracks

[ilineca]

Hi there !

I have a burgundy Montblanc Generation fountain pen. Last year I sent it to you for repairs, because It had cracks all over the surface. Since the warranty had expired, I paid the costs for the repair and transportation. Now, one year later, the same cracks begun to appear. I use this fountain pen occasionally and I haven't damaged it in any way - it even has no scatches. Nevertheless the creacks appear again ! Does enyone has the same problem ?

[kaisede]

Hi

 

From your post I think "you" mean MB service center.

For cracks MB usually just change the whole body. Not sure why it would crack at the same place again.

MB service center carries 1 yrs warrantee for the same repairs.

You can send it back to them and ask them to check if the nib and the clip were not install properly hence too tight on the resin.

[ilineca]

Hi

Thank you for your reply. Yes, I ment MB service center. I just did "paste" from my e-mail to MB

And they changed the whole body (I know this fr sure, for now my pen looks a little different).

Unfortunately they blame me for the cracks ... again.

Without even seend the pen, they knew it is due to improper handling.

The first time I just paid the repairs - I had no wish to argue.

But now it isn't funny anymore

The fountain pen is in a perfect condition, save the cracks.

Edited June 2, 2010 by ilineca

[jar]

Well, the crack in the cap looks like stress on the clip and that the crown is not fully seated. I don't have a Generations to check but my guess on that one that the screw holding the crown in place came loose.

[kaisede]

Do you have a local MB Boutique that you do business with?

 

If so you can try to send it through them. Just remember you have to speak with the manager. Not just anyone.

 

As far as I know when the repair comes back to the boutique it is up to them if they charge you or not. They have the power to waive those charges.

I had a few pens send for repair and the boutique did not charge me for it.

[ilineca]

Too bad I didn't know this before ...

 

Here is the whole story:

 

 

One year ago I wrote mail to MB about my cracked fountain pen.

They advised to contact the local dealer, so they can send it for repairs.

I did so and paid the transportation an repair costs, for MB HQ

believed improper handling is the reason for the cracks.

One year later, the cracks are back, and I used the generation for several months !!

 

I wrote again MB, and they again told me to contact the local dealer .. and so on.

This time I had no time to visit the boutique, so I called by the phone. They wrote MB HQ, and the

answer was again "improper handling", which is really amusing !

So, somehow they just know.

since the local boutique told me they do not decide anything, I wrote this mail to MB HQ 2 week ago.

I have no answer to that:

/I removed the pictures, since they are present in the first post, except the last one, which is attached here.

 

 

Dear Mrs Claudia,

 

I followed your advice and called VIP shop.

I explained my case by the phone and they contacted Hamburg.

Few days later they got a reply - the cracks are result from improper handling.

I believe this conclusion is based on the fact this fountain pen has been damaged once, since the fountain-pen is still on my desk.

 

I write with fountain pens about 27 years and this never happened before with any other pen I have.

The fact this one cracked on the very same places it was cracked last year, before the repair, suggests a design issues. So, here are my comments:

 

1.On the cap

 

/here is the picture of the cap/

 

You can clearly see the crack. There is another one on the other side.

It begins from a 90 degrees sharp edge. This suggest a lot of internal tension in that point, so it is absolutely natural to crack there. I could explain this in details, but I believe I don't have to.

 

 

 

2.Over the nib.

 

/picture of the crack near the nib/

 

 

 

The nib is in a perfect condition. So, the force applied there is not enough to damage the nib at all, but still enough to crack the body?

Another interesting thing is the fact these cracks appear in the contact zone between the internal cap, which covers the nib and the body. So, this cap applies pressure there every time the cap is put on.

 

 

 

3.Around the spring, which holds the cap.

/picture of the spring area/

 

 

 

This is hardly visible yet, but, in time it will become a real crack. Every time the cap is opened, the spring hits the plastic part. It is also a matter of time the cracks to appear.

 

I took a look in one of the classic models :

/picture of MB Chopin /

 

 

None of the thing I wrote could happen here.

 

So, I believe these cracks are result from normal usage.

 

I don't expect you to officially admit this, but I still expect a solution to my problem. You can replace it with another model.

 

It is unthinkable that I will send EVERY YEAR my fountain-pen to be repaired.

 

 

 

Have a nice week,

Ilin Rusev

[ilineca]

Hi again !

I got a message from MB they are going to repair my pen for free, since there must be no doubts in the quality.

I asked "what if it cracks againg", and still waiting for reply.

I REALLY hope this time it won't crack anymore

Thank you all for the help. I hope my next post here will contain something more positive and interesting than a crack-problems

[DecafAmericano]

Ilineca,

 

YES, this same thing has happened to me with my purple Generation. The first time, the crack was at the top of the clip, and then a year later, at the section right above the nib.

 

Each time, I had to pay for repair, even though I made a fuss the second time and wrote to MB repair.

 

I even started a rather lengthy (controversial) Topic on FPN (now Locked) entitled "Never Again." If you're in the mood to be entertained, you may want to read through it!

 

In the end, I'm glad I repaired the pen, but REALLY. I take care of my pens well, and know how to use them.

 

IMHO, I think there was a bad batch of resin/plastic that was used for a few years on these otherwise nice Montblancs.

 

Let's hope neither one of us is a repeat!

[DetlevCM]

If I remember correctly from a German forum - http://www.community-fountainpen.de/smf/index.php - some of the cheaper older Montblancs used a cheaper resin that dried out, the generation would be such a cheaper model.

 

A substance - don't ask me which one evaporates from the pen making the resin (plastic) brittle - hence the cracks.

If they replace the body they would replace with a piece that is roughly the same age - hence its already dry and brittle, hence the pen will quickly crack.

 

On that note - the Meisterstück series won't do this.

Edited July 9, 2010 by DetlevCM

[Tobleron]

What does a Montblanc warranty covers? Is it common that Montblanc shirked off their responsibility by claiming all defects are due to improper handling?

[DetlevCM]

What does a Montblanc warranty covers? Is it common that Montblanc shirked off their responsibility by claiming all defects are due to improper handling?

 

I think there have been very different experiences.

Edited July 10, 2010 by DetlevCM

[jar]

What does a Montblanc warranty covers? Is it common that Montblanc shirked off their responsibility by claiming all defects are due to improper handling?

 

Not in my experience, but some problems do point directly to improper handling and not a defect.

[Kalessin]

Montblanc's warranty covers defective parts and materials for one year from the original date of purchase from an authorized dealer.

 

I can't seem to find a warrantee statement about repairs, how long the repair and any replaced parts are guaranteed, but it's worth asking Montblanc customer service or a boutique about what guarantee they place on repairs.

Edited July 13, 2010 by Kalessin

[kaisede]

Brand new pen is 2 yrs.

Repaired pen is 1 yr.

 

I think it all comes down to if the pen was purchase through MB boutique or not. If the pen was brought at the boutique they will get out of their way to make sure that you are happy with their service.

 

Maybe sometimes that would justify paying the full MSRP.

[DetlevCM]

Brand new pen is 2 yrs.

Repaired pen is 1 yr.

 

I think it all comes down to if the pen was purchase through MB boutique or not. If the pen was brought at the boutique they will get out of their way to make sure that you are happy with their service.

 

Maybe sometimes that would justify paying the full MSRP.

 

Unless I am mistaken they haven't been produced for years now...

[kaisede]

Brand new pen is 2 yrs.

Repaired pen is 1 yr.

 

I think it all comes down to if the pen was purchase through MB boutique or not. If the pen was brought at the boutique they will get out of their way to make sure that you are happy with their service.

 

Maybe sometimes that would justify paying the full MSRP.

 

Unless I am mistaken they haven't been produced for years now...

 

 

I am not sure if they stopped producing them but they are around. If you ask your local boutique to get one for you I am very sure they can.

[DetlevCM]

Brand new pen is 2 yrs.

Repaired pen is 1 yr.

 

I think it all comes down to if the pen was purchase through MB boutique or not. If the pen was brought at the boutique they will get out of their way to make sure that you are happy with their service.

 

Maybe sometimes that would justify paying the full MSRP.

 

Unless I am mistaken they haven't been produced for years now...

 

 

I am not sure if they stopped producing them but they are around. If you ask your local boutique to get one for you I am very sure they can.

 

Yes, but in that case the actual pieces would be old - as a result a solvent has evaporated from the "resin" and "new parts" would be as brittle as "old parts".

[Kalessin]

I stand corrected; Montblanc's International Guarantee is indeed for two years, according to the Customer Service FAQ on the http://www.montblanc.com

[meiers]

I stand corrected; Montblanc's International Guarantee is indeed for two years, according to the Customer Service FAQ on the http://www.montblanc.com

 

 

Thank you !

By the way, that is one scary avatar.

 

Two questions, if you don't mind.

 

Where does the image originate?

How about a cute and cuddly teddy bear, for a change?

 

Matt

Edited July 15, 2010 by meiers

[jar]

 

Thank you !

By the way, that is one scary avatar.

 

Two questions, if you don't mind.

 

Where does the image originate?

How about a cute and cuddly teddy bear, for a change?

 

Matt

 

Ursala Le Guin and the World of Unbinding.