Opening Blind Cap On 149?

[jar]

The white part you saw is the piston itself. And yup, it will be seen in the window.

[Paul Raposo]

The white part you saw is the piston itself. And yup, it will be seen in the window.

 

Thank goodness! I thought I had done something wrong. But frankly, when you described the mechanism as being a big converter, I should have put 2 & 2 together. I honestly thought I had fully researched the 149's, and 146's. Now I'm seeing I just scratched the tip of the iceberg.

Edited August 10, 2011 by Paul Raposo

[hari317]

Thanks for the link, hari317.

 

I did as you asked, and I don't see any screw head. I see what looks like a concave black part, but no screw.

 

Now, I just checked that link, and comment #39, like JLS1 suggested, and I'm still unsure about the date. My pen has the tri-colour 18C nib which would make it from '52-'59, but the feed doesn't have grooves on the face, it appears to be the solid ebonite feed, which is from '69-'75. Further, it appears to have the two-section barrel, which didn't come out until 1985.

 

 

You should look at post no 108 in that dating thread. ver 2.0 of the cart. Look at post 14 of this thread for the features of your pen. Your barrel is single unit.

 

Your cap appears to be correct(if there is no screw), Only the clip seems to have been replaced.

[hari317]

Now a few questions; The nib is tri-colour, but the feed appears modern with fins, rather than smooth. I thought the tri-colour nibs only came with the smooth feeds.

 

 

Never heard of the smooth feed. There is a ski slope feed.

[talkinghead]

 

Now, I just checked that link, and comment #39, like JLS1 suggested, and I'm still unsure about the date. My pen has the tri-colour 18C nib which would make it from '52-'59, but the feed doesn't have grooves on the face, it appears to be the solid ebonite feed, which is from '69-'75. Further, it appears to have the two-section barrel, which didn't come out until 1985.

 

Now the seller said it was given to him 30 years ago, and when I asked if he ever had it serviced, he said he had not. I really didn't get the impression from him that he was lying. He stated the pen has "disappeared" and resurfaced 9 times in 30 years. Meaning he'd put it away, forget where it was, and then find it years later.

 

Pretty confusing. I'm hoping the more experienced people here can shed some light on this.

 

The dating chart is a guide......there are pens that have features that overlap the dates. For me there are celluloid pens, early 60's, late 60's, early-middle 70's, later 70's, then the rest. I would date your pen to early 70's and be done with it (I believe the tri colored 18C nib was used longer than the chart inplies btw ). I don't get bogged down with exact years. Basically impossible to have an exact year unless one has a purchase receipt of a pen with features that match the era of that pen. Your seller says that he was given the pen 30 years ago...well that would only be 1980...so a previous owner may have had it serviced in the 70's, with the traditional MB service change of parts...we'll never know!

 

Put some ink in it and enjoy!

 

Rick

[georges zaslavsky]

You got a nice pen from the 70's with a nice pen enjoy and happy writing

[Paul Raposo]

You should look at post no 108 in that dating thread. ver 2.0 of the cart. Look at post 14 of this thread for the features of your pen. Your barrel is single unit.

 

Your cap appears to be correct(if there is no screw), Only the clip seems to have been replaced.

 

Thanks, Hari. Regarding the barrel, I was going by the reservoir windows, and they look like the modern version which look oval, and spaced further apart; not the earlier style that looks flat, square and spaced closer together.

 

But after seeing your posts on servicing the 149's, I will definitely defer to your experience

 

I've tried looking for a pic of the old curved style clip, but I haven't seen anything clear. Frankly, I don't know what it should look like.

[Paul Raposo]

Never heard of the smooth feed. There is a ski slope feed.

 

By smooth feed, I meant without fins on the sides. I'm still learning the MB language.

[Paul Raposo]

The dating chart is a guide......there are pens that have features that overlap the dates. For me there are celluloid pens, early 60's, late 60's, early-middle 70's, later 70's, then the rest. I would date your pen to early 70's and be done with it (I believe the tri colored 18C nib was used longer than the chart inplies btw ). I don't get bogged down with exact years. Basically impossible to have an exact year unless one has a purchase receipt of a pen with features that match the era of that pen. Your seller says that he was given the pen 30 years ago...well that would only be 1980...so a previous owner may have had it serviced in the 70's, with the traditional MB service change of parts...we'll never know!

 

Thanks much for that, Rick. I'm not going to get too hung up on dating the pen, I'm curious about when it was made. Trying to figure out its history is as much fun as owning it. I wonder if being sold in Canada might have something to do with the dating, because Parker's and Sheaffers tend to belie the regular dating process for American pens.

 

Put some ink in it and enjoy!

 

You mean use it for it's original intent? That's madness

[Paul Raposo]

You got a nice pen from the 70's with a nice pen enjoy and happy writing

 

Thank you very much, Georges. I never thought I'd get bit by the MB bug, yet here I am

[hari317]

Thanks, Hari. Regarding the barrel...

 

You can very easily identify the single piece barrel by its in-situ formed lip. Look at Tom's post#145 here: link

 

I've tried looking for a pic of the old curved style clip, but I haven't seen anything clear. Frankly, I don't know what it should look like.

 

It looks like this, post #129 here:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/MB149/IMG_5512.jpg

 

By smooth feed, I meant without fins on the sides. I'm still learning the MB language.

 

Your feed is the solid ebonite type, the upper one in the following picture. It does have fins on the sides.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/MB149/IMG_5521.jpg

 

Do read Barry Gabay's definitive article on the 149s.

[Paul Raposo]

You can very easily identify the single piece barrel by its in-situ formed lip. Look at Tom's post#145 here:

 

Ok, looking at the pictures in comment #145, my barrel looks like the second one. I had to look up the phrase "in-situ", but I understand what you mean now.

 

It looks like this, post #129

 

Looking at my clip, it appears the same as the clip in comment #129:

 

http://img97.imageshack.us/img97/92/dscn1294p.jpg

 

The GERMANY engraving isn't visible, as it's further back on the band.

 

I also noted what you wrote in this comment:

 

Salient specs:

 

*18C Tritone nib

*Solid HR feeder

*Single unit barrel

*Screw in filler with resin threads

*Plastic cap top screw

 

This consist has no place in the chart, but I date it to approx 1969-1975, based on just the solid feeder. However due to the 18C tritone, maybe this is a transitory model exhausting leftover stocks of the 18C tritone in late 60s-early70s.

 

I think that describes my pen. That last italicized part is pertinent. I've mentioned Rolex in a Parker 51 thread, and the fact that they liked to use up all their parts, and cases. So it's not unusual to find an old case number, with a new movement, and dial. So maybe as with the pen you discuss in your comment #129, my pen is similar.

 

Your feed is the solid ebonite type, the upper one in the following picture. It does have fins on the sides.

 

Yep, mine does look like that. What I meant was, because my pen has the 18C tri-colour nib, I thought those only came with the "ski-slope" feeds--the feeds which didn't have fins on the sides. My feed has the fins on the sides, so I found that unusual, based on the dating chart.

 

Do read Barry Gabay's definitive article on the 149s.

 

I'm taking it in piece, by piece. Massive amounts of information here on FPN. And more importantly, people willing to share it.

[tanalasta]

Ahhh... a very nice pen. A light polish (please don't DIY with any compound if you've not done it before) ... and a little brassing on the rings as would be expected.

 

It looks like a medium nib from the photos but would really have to write and compare to see if it was M or F.

 

I would guess late 60's or early 70's too. My late 60's pen is currently with John Mottishaw but the solid feed makes me think it was more 70's. I'm not as experienced as those here though!

 

Others have answered your questions re: the piston. Please don't pull... especially on a plastic piston mechanism! Turn anticlockwise until you feel resistance, dunk in ink, screw back gently and then generously wipe nib, feed and nib collar with a tissue to remove excess ink. Write and be happy! (provided pen writes well).

 

I try not to soak ebonite feeds overnigiht but others may disagree.

[Paul Raposo]

Ahhh... a very nice pen. A light polish (please don't DIY with any compound if you've not done it before) ... and a little brassing on the rings as would be expected.

 

It looks like a medium nib from the photos but would really have to write and compare to see if it was M or F.

 

I would guess late 60's or early 70's too. My late 60's pen is currently with John Mottishaw but the solid feed makes me think it was more 70's. I'm not as experienced as those here though!

 

Others have answered your questions re: the piston. Please don't pull... especially on a plastic piston mechanism! Turn anticlockwise until you feel resistance, dunk in ink, screw back gently and then generously wipe nib, feed and nib collar with a tissue to remove excess ink. Write and be happy! (provided pen writes well).

 

I try not to soak ebonite feeds overnigiht but others may disagree.

 

Hi tanalasta. Thanks much for the kind words. I'm slowly getting used to this pen. I haven't given any of my pens a polish, because I haven't found anything I feel safe using. Normally I'd use a Cape Cod polishing cloth, but I'm not really sure how thick the plating is on the gold trim, so I don't want to risk it.

 

Could you say why you don't like to soak ebonite feeds overnight? Some have said yes; some have said no. But there doesn't seem to be a consensus.

[niksch]

I would guess late 60's or early 70's too.

 

I agree with Tanalasta in that this pen is either very late 60s or very early 70s. The rounded piston ring gives credence to an earlier vintage, but the solid, non-grooved feed means early 70s. I have seen a few threaded pistons with rounded piston rings, but not many.

 

All other aspects of this pen point to late 60s or very early 70s.

 

Eric

[Kalessin]

With regard to soaking the nib and feed overnight... Ebonite feeds are in contact with the water part of ink for all the time that there is ink in the pen. I don't believe I've heard of anyone's feeds dissolving from the inside...

 

 

Welcome to 149 ownership! Nice pen! Try a jewelry polishing cloth (also known by a brand name, "Cape Cod Cloth") to give it a gentle polish.

[niksch]

With regard to soaking the nib and feed overnight... Ebonite feeds are in contact with the water part of ink for all the time that there is ink in the pen. I don't believe I've heard of anyone's feeds dissolving from the inside...

 

One thing I forgot to mention is that the water should be cool. Never warm or hot. Warm or hot water will discolor the ebonite.

Edited August 20, 2011 by niksch

[Paul Raposo]

I agree with Tanalasta in that this pen is either very late 60s or very early 70s. The rounded piston ring gives credence to an earlier vintage, but the solid, non-grooved feed means early 70s. I have seen a few threaded pistons with rounded piston rings, but not many.

All other aspects of this pen point to late 60s or very early 70s.

 

Eric

 

Thank you for the help in dating this pen, Eric. The 18c nib was the confusing part, but clearly MB liked to use up all their parts. I still find it amazing that pens that are decades old, with proper care, and cleaning can still function today, as they did when new.

[Paul Raposo]

With regard to soaking the nib and feed overnight... Ebonite feeds are in contact with the water part of ink for all the time that there is ink in the pen. I don't believe I've heard of anyone's feeds dissolving from the inside...

Welcome to 149 ownership! Nice pen! Try a jewelry polishing cloth (also known by a brand name, "Cape Cod Cloth") to give it a gentle polish.

 

Thank you for the advice, Kalessin. When I first got the pen, I left the nib in water for about 7 hours. The next morning, I noticed the water was a very light grey colour. I knew nothing about ebonite feeds, and assumed this feed was plastic. I'm fairly certain there was no damage to the feed, as the works fine.

 

Thanks for the tip about the Cape Cod cloth. I have several of these on hand for my watches. I'll give the pen a going over with a fresh one.

[Paul Raposo]

One thing I forgot to mention is that the water should be cool. Never warm or hot. Warm or hot water with discolor the ebonite.

 

Thanks, niksch. I always use cool water, after making a big mistake as a teenager, with one of my first hard rubber barrel fountain pens.

Edited August 20, 2011 by Paul Raposo