Montblanc 149 Broad Nib !

[ASL]

Hello dears and all my best wishes to you and your families for a very happy 2016.

I am writing trying to find out the approx cost of buying a broad nib for my MB 149 and also if you can recommend a trustworthy shop in Europe that I can send him my pen to change the nib?

My 149 is a new edition not a vintage with the serial number and germany round the clip .. It is fitted with extra fine nib, smooth writer but I like the broad ones much particularly when you use it for signatures.

Ps: someone told me that my current nib could be customized to act as broad ! Is that possible?

Many thanks in advance.

Amr

Edited December 30, 2015 by ASL

[gerigo]

If it's a current pen, send it to Montblanc. They will replace the nib for you within the 6 weeks period from the time of purchase of the pen. Outside of this grace period, you would have to pay a fee and they will also return your old nib. If you do it through Montblanc, you can choose from any of their standard sizes from EF, F, M, OM, B, OB, BB, OBB and for the 149 OBBB.

Edited December 30, 2015 by gerigo

[zaddick]

It will cost you about 300 USD or probably a similar number of Euros to have MB do the swap if you are outside the exchange period.

 

You can look for a nib, but they can run 150 Euros plus probably 30 to have the swap done.

 

You may be better off styling your pen and buying a used one with a B or even buying a new pen gro MB with the nib size you want. I went that route when I switched from a B to 03B because it is very hard to find that nib width used.

[ASL]

Unfortunately, my pen is now out of the grace period ((( I have just spoke to MB store and had the shock; LE 3000 Egyptian Pounds to do it ! this is almost $350 besides the broad is not available currently at the store !

 

I guess I have to decide between 2 options;

 

1- Buy a used 149 (Complete pen) from Ebay with the same value or may be less, change the NIB and keep rest of the pen as parts.

 

2- Customization is an option ?? Correct ?? I saw on the web some shops offering customization services at an average price between $$ 55-75 ! Did anybody made a "Nib customization" turning Extra Fine to broad and if yes, was a success ??

 

Thank you for your help and wish you all a very happy new year..

 

Amr

[tinta]

Sounds like you may need to re-tip your present EF nib, to be able to achieve a nib that's B or wider.

This firm in Spain specializes in this sort of work.

I have read good reports about: goldnibs.com here on FPN.

Best of luck:

Istvan

 

PS: I tried to include a link here on this post, but something on FPN has not allowed me to do that. I've sent links successfully hundreds of times, but for some reason, not this time. The above firm in Spain is easy to find.

Edited December 30, 2015 by tinta

[ASL]

Hi Istvan .. Thank you for your suggestion .. do you recall the name of this Spanish firm or the link of their website ??

 

Many thanks in advance.

Amr

[tinta]

http://www.goldnibs.com/

[ASL]

Super got it .. Thanks again.

[tinta]

Hope it helps. Istvan

[meiers]

It might be worth your while to start shopping for a new or used 149. I would definitely determine the costs and benefits of all my options.

 

My nib preferences change frequently and I don't regret having a variety of nibs in my little collection.

 

The B nib 149 does come up... Even here in the classifieds.

 

Best wishes! Please, share your journey with us. Matt

Edited December 30, 2015 by meiers

[penmanila]

Retipping by goldnibs would be my instant choice. They did a great job retipping my Agatha Christie into a broad stub, fast, for not too much

[meiers]

Was it more economical than a nib exchange?

[ASL]

I wrote them ( Gold Nibs) an email and they were surprisingly too fast in responding with full and complete details on cost and labor work plus shipping ! it would cost Euro 69.00 re-tipping it to broad, restore finish with Rhodium... Cost wise they are super and of course far cheaper than buying another MB 149 Parts or a Sol e Broad Nib.. however, there is one thing I wanted to understand better here; is it OK to restore finish with rhodium " ?? to my knowledge Rhodium is a very expensive metal yet it will wear off eventually and require re-plating?? Is that fine and OK ???

Thanks for your help and support in advance.

Amr

[meiers]

This sounds like an excellent deal.

I am looking forward to hearing from the other members of this forum.

 

MB nibs are already rhodium plated.

Edited December 30, 2015 by meiers

[tinta]

to my knowledge Rhodium is a very expensive metal yet it will wear off eventually and require re-plating?? Is that fine and OK ???

Thanks for your help and support in advance.

Amr

I have two completely rhodium plated Sailor nibs & a German JoWo two-tone (partial rhodium finished) nib.

If nib wiping is kept to a minimum, with a soft, clean tissue or fabric (micro-cloth), there should be minimum wearing of the rhodium plating. I do not foresee any of my rhodium finish nibs needing re-plating.

[OCArt]

Do you send the whole pen in to Gold Nibs? I ask because I also have a 149 that I wish to be broader.

[penmanila]

yes, i sent them the whole pen, so they could test it properly as well.

 

when it was all done (within a couple of weeks), they sent me a picture of a writing sample from the pen (i had asked them to give me a 1.0mm stub):

 

 

Do you send the whole pen in to Gold Nibs? I ask because I also have a 149 that I wish to be broader.

[ASL]

I have packed the 149 pen and its almost ready to go Goldnibs Spain .. I shall keep you posted when it comes back .. wish me luck and wish my pen a safe trip.

[tinta]

Hope that all turns out the way you expect. When you get it back please let us know what the writing is like & maybe a picture or two of their (goldnibs) work.

Istvan

[ASL]

Sure I will Istvan.