Mb 146 Notebooks

[sandy101]

Has anyone tried the new MB146 notebooks at all? Are they any good? I just noticed that the paper is 85 gsm - where I can get 100gsm for a fifth of the price. Is the paper any different than other stuff?

[Pravda]

My experience is that the newer versions are not ideal for fountain pens. They don't shade, feather slightly and bleed through terribly to the reverse side.

 

The older versions were a disaster.

[Valdair]

Heavier paper is not always better for fountain pens necessarily. I got really nice, heavy glossy copier paper from Staples that feathers like crazy. In my experience Montblanc's paper is not that great either.

[luckduck369]

I second Pravda. I gave both the old and new version notebooks to my wife, who uses ballpoints exclusively. They glide through quite smoothly though

[Chrissy]

I have one of the books they use in boutiques to test pens on, and that's fountain pen friendly.

[notsimar]

what nib widths have you tried Chrissy? any writing samples?

[Pravda]

I have one of the books they use in boutiques to test pens on, and that's fountain pen friendly.

 

 

what nib widths have you tried Chrissy? any writing samples?

 

 

It is true that the ones put on the boutique desks to sample the nibs performs as it should. Ironic that someone made a conscious decision that this be 'good' paper to exalt pen performance and the ones you sell to the consumers is not so good.

[Tom Kellie]

It is true that the ones put on the boutique desks to sample the nibs performs as it should.

 

 

~ Where I work and live, the paper provided in Montblanc boutiques doesn't at all perform as it should.

Presumably different Montblanc regions use paper from different suppliers.

The paper here feathers, has striking bleed-through, tending to cause strokes from fine and extra fine tester pens to look sloppy and crude.

That's been the case in at least five different boutiques I've visited, in both Beijing and Shanghai.

It's well-known here that to test pen nibs in a boutique, it's best to bring one's own paper sample.

In doing so, the tester pens perform well, but on Montblanc's own pad, they're misleading to unacceptable.

The primary reason that I sidestepped broad nibs for years was because using the broader tester pens produced strokes which were unappealing, due to messy bleeding and feathering.

When I was finally advised to bring my own paper, the BB and OBB tester pens were excellent, which began my interest in the broader nibs.

It's very good to know that in Montblanc boutiques in other nations the paper is up to standard. In this country that's sadly not been the case.

I'd go so far as to say that the one and only aspect of Montblanc which has underwhelmed me has been the low-grade paper provided here to test nibs.

Aside from that one single aspect, service, furnishings and equipment in Montblanc boutiques here has been uniformly outstanding.

Tom K.

Edited March 4, 2017 by Tom Kellie

[ItsMeDave]

At the boutique in Vancouver, BC, the paper provided to test pens is not fountain pen friendly.

[jmccarty3]

The medium sized Rouge et Noir Notebook #146 - 1906 Edition, with the snake embossed on the leather, has fountain pen-friendly paper. I wrote in mine with a Rouge et Noir fp with a medium nib, using Montblanc Permanent Black ink, and had no problems. I do have the larger #149 Notebook with the heavier paper and a beautiful blue leather cover. Almost seems too elegant to write in.

[CS388]

I was amazed at how bad Montblanc stationery was.

 

A friend bought me a notebook one Christmas, because she knew I liked the pens. Almost every ink I had bled through, I could only use one side of the page. It was a nice looking book, but useless.

I'd expected top quality, but it was just nicely packaged.

 

This was about seven years ago. Never bought any since.

There are excellent quality notebooks available from most stationery, or art stores, at a fraction of the price.

ymmv, of course. Hopefully, they've changed for the better and you'll get a good one.

 

Enjoy

[horationelson]

I have a Shakespeare 146 pad (the "newer" version after the original was recalled due to the error on the cover) - too imposing to write in for now, but I have been planning on getting a standard 146 pad for daily writing.

 

For completeness, I have the A5 agenda (103386 - still on sale on the MB website) which takes refill of the Montblanc Medium Notebook (09596) and the paper quality is great - no bleeding/feathering and it doesn't go through to the other side of the page. However, it's not clear to me that the paper quality/thickness is. I suspect 85 gsm but could be wrong.

[Chrissy]

what nib widths have you tried Chrissy? any writing samples?

 

I have to say that I've not been ambitious, and that I will live to regret. I have 2 EF nibs that I don't like at all. One is in a 147 and one is in a 146 (that one feels slightly better.) Most of my Mb's have F nibs and they vary between F and almost M. I have one 149 with a BB nib that I rarely use. I also had one Mb Boheme with a B nib that I never used, so I ground it myself into an architect point. I could do writing samples, but I have a problem with the middle finger of my right hand at this time. I can just about write one letter, that I've done today already. I suppose I'm feeling old.

[sandy101]

Thank you, everyone. I must admit I am a sucker for a nice leather journal. Your comments have convinced me to look elsewhere.

 

In the meantime, I've ordered an A5 Tokaro booklet which comes with Tomoe river paper and a plastic sleeve to keep it in. I'm hoping it will work out as a cheap and cheerful A5 style refillable journal for the road. Hardback A5 journals are nice and rugged, but are hardly pocket friendly. I've tried the Tokaro paper before, and it is very FP friendly.

[Dcharles]

Sandy, I'm not sure if you can order from Staples on your side of the pond and if so what the shipping would be like, however they make a great line of notebooks called Arcs that are ring bound like Levenger Circas, though much more affordable. I have found their paper to work excellent with fountain pens.

[sandy101]

Yes, they have them here, but I'm left-handed and ring binders are a pain to use for lefties. The rings obstruct the movement of the wrist.

[Nathanb]

I purchased the medium leather a5 journal (?) and the 'notes' pad that came with it was truly awful.. So I replaced it with the 146 notepad and below is it's outcome.. I use this for client visits and don't mind using a new page each time.

 

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b558/nbendy1/MB%20paper%201_zpsaxskbq8a.jpg

 

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b558/nbendy1/MB%20paper%202_zpseczn8zay.jpg

[EclecticCollector]

I purchased the medium leather a5 journal (?) and the 'notes' pad that came with it was truly awful.. So I replaced it with the 146 notepad and below is it's outcome.. I use this for client visits and don't mind using a new page each time.

 

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b558/nbendy1/MB%20paper%202_zpseczn8zay.jpg

I actually don't see any bleed through at all in your second photo. There is some show through (also called ghosting) but I can't see any place where ink has soaked through the page to the other side.

[Nathanb]

I actually don't see any bleed through at all in your second photo. There is some show through (also called ghosting) but I can't see any place where ink has soaked through the page to the other side.

 

Thanks for the correction, I'm still rather new to the game

[Newbie420]

I purchased the medium leather a5 journal (?) and the 'notes' pad that came with it was truly awful.. So I replaced it with the 146 notepad and below is it's outcome.. I use this for client visits and don't mind using a new page each time.

 

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b558/nbendy1/MB%20paper%201_zpsaxskbq8a.jpg

 

http://i1291.photobucket.com/albums/b558/nbendy1/MB%20paper%202_zpseczn8zay.jpg

Hi,

 

I am considering getting this. How do you find this leather holder?