Is Montblanc 149 As Robust As A Pelikan M800 Or Lamy 2000?

[max dog]

 

You can?! You don't need that tool anymore? When did they make this change? If so, this is fantastic news. A non-removable nib unit (and the resulting difficulty in cleaning the pen that it brings with it) is one of the things that always kept me from owning a 149.

It would void the warranty though if MB knows you screwed out the nib. Its not like Pelikam where they samction the nib unit removal.

[praxim]

It would void the warranty though if MB knows you screwed out the nib. Its not like Pelikam where they samction the nib unit removal.

 

This may vary between jurisdictions, but I think it likely (and true here) that the manufacturer would need to show that the action, screwing out the nib in this instance, was material to the fault or damage which is the subject of the warranty claim.

 

It is an area where manufacturers are quite apt to make a false rejection of warranty or at least try to confuse the issue.

[minddance]

If the nib could be removed for cleaning, 149B and BB would be on my shopping list.

Edited October 28, 2017 by minddance

[Ghost Plane]

If the nib could be removed for cleaning, 149B and BB would be on my shopping list.

What are you feeding your pens that they require disassembly?

[rochester21]

Although both pens are overpriced, from a practical perspective it would be wise to choose pelikan over a montblanc.

 

I am have no info on lamy 2000 durability, but there are fountain pens that will outlast any german piston filler. Even better, there are companies that offer a real lifetime warranty on their pens free of charge.

 

In any case, i never heard anyone buying a Montblanc in recent years because they are durable or robust. The last MB149 owner that i chatted with was frustrated over the fact that the pen was leaking and he could not get it fixed without spending more on the repair that he did on the pen itself. He was unable to fix it himself. This sort of discussion is not uncommon.

 

Last but not least, from my experience it is easier and cheaper to do repairs or maintenance work on a Pelikan than on a Montblanc.

Edited October 28, 2017 by rochester21

[Driften]

 

You can?! You don't need that tool anymore? When did they make this change? If so, this is fantastic news. A non-removable nib unit (and the resulting difficulty in cleaning the pen that it brings with it) is one of the things that always kept me from owning a 149.

 

 

The tool was never much of an issue. They come up for sale for like $15, but unless you have a new one its still not best to remove the nib unit. On my 146 when I needed to clean behind the piston I removed the piston unit easy with a different tool and that is safer then older nibs units. For general cleaning you really don't have to take apart a piston filling fountain pen.

[Ghost Plane]

I won’t argue with easier and cheaper. But Pelikan discontinued the nib sizes I prefer, so my interest ended.

[georges zaslavsky]

The 149 is a durable and reliable pen which has never disappointed me, very sturdy and reliable.One of my daily writers is a 149 and it never failed me.

[Wolverine1]

Raghuram-ji : I own 7 MB 149 pens. I have one pen from the early 1960s and newer ones. I can assure you that the MB 149 is a zabardast pen, and you wont go wrong, as long you buy a pen that a genuine MontBlanc product, and is not a fake, Chinese knock-off.. As far as the the pens cracking and so on, dont believe all the lafanga comments on various forums. What most people wont tell you that it is user-error on their part that their pen cracked or failed in some way.

Edited November 10, 2017 by Wolverine1

[marcelo]

Hi all,

 

I have decided to take a plunge into the world of Montblanc. I always loved the aura around the 149, at the same time concerned with some of the feedback that the cap lip is prone to cracking, so is the barrel at the joint where it attaches to the section.

 

I had a chance to try out the 149 at the MB boutique in Frankfurt airport this year and I loved the way the pen felt. Unposted, it had the perfect balance, posted though, it was too back-heavy. The rose gold finished nib is one of the most beautiful things I have ever seen. I think what makes it beautiful is the inside-out curvature from the base to the shoulder, which are opposite to the pens curvature itself!

 

I didn't notice the seam of the molding near the threads under the bright yellow light. Is it visible, or does MB buff it off?

 

Now the negatives (actually, not so positives!),

 

1) I did notice that the cap lip is very thin compared to Pelikan M800. I have heard that the new version of the precious resin is better than before. So, is this think cap lip strong enough to handle the daily use?

 

2) The Medium nib wrote broader than a Broad. The boutique guys used MB ink and Rhodia paper for the test. So it is not the ink and paper, it's the nib.

 

3) I don't have the habit of posting the cap, however noticed that the cap didn't post securely at all.

 

4) The gold trim didn't look to be as robust as in the vintage Montblancs I had seen.

 

Request your comments/opinions.

 

Thanks & Regards,

Raghuram Marur.

The M800 is way more beautiful and more exclusive than the 149, IMO. As I think they are equivalent in terms of robustness...

[wspohn]

While I have several NB including 144, 146 and 149, I've never seen the point in owning more than one 149 - they are basically all the same with very minor differences is parts spec over the years.

 

I's say they are durable and have very nice nibs and that it is correct that the nibs seem to be broader than their rating. The XF is the broadest I can use, and it is like many other pens' F.

 

The Pelikan is also excellent, although my favourite is the M1000 which has a slight flex to the nib.

 

I have disassembled both kinds for various reasons but can't think why anyone would need to take apart a piston filler for cleaning, particularly if they have access to an ultrasonic cleaner. Couple of buzzes in one of those and two or three flushes with water will clean just about anything (I only disassemble if the piston seal needs replacement or lubrication).

 

First thing to decide is whether the size of the 149 suits you. Try it and the 146 as many people find the latter better suited to their hands. The other advantage to the 146 is the variety of finishes available. I have black plastic, Bordeaux plastic, gold plate over brass, vermeil, and sterling versions.

 

If you write in one place all the time, be aware that both sizes have pen stands available. IIRC the 149 version is threaded so you can screw the pen in, but the 146 stand is not. I used to have one of each on my desk at the office, but since I retired I don't need,use them any more.

 

If you buy either, use them awhile and decide whether the nib suits you. I've had a couple of MB customized by nib grinders, to XXXF etc.

[rammarur]

Thank you everyone for the response! Saving up for the MB.

[friedrichwild]

 

 

I have disassembled both kinds for various reasons but can't think why anyone would need to take apart a piston filler for cleaning, particularly if they have access to an ultrasonic

I have a MB 146 and the piston needs lubrication and i can do nothing to it. So it is not only the cleaning

[wspohn]

But many MB seem to go their whole lives without piston lubrication, presumably obtaining such as is necessary from whatever is contained in the inks.

 

Every converter out there is in essence a small sealed piston unit and I have never heard of one seizing the mini-piston in the bore despite a total inability to disassemble and lubricate them. Are you suggesting that the seals used in converters are superior to those used by MB in their piston fillers?

 

The only MBs I've seen that had seal issues were the ones that were put away for long periods without first flushing them. Take an almost but not quite empty MB and throw it in a drawer for a years or so and the ink can dry out and in essence cement the piston seal to the inside of the barrel, and then you would need to take it apart and would probably have to replace the gunked up seal.

 

In any case, I do own the special wrench to service them and remove the filler, but the only time I have need to use it was a 146 that had a threaded insert just below the knob that was insufficiently tightened into the barrel and so the whole mechanism needed to be properly tightened.

 

That is a bit of a PITA, by the way, as you need to estimate the amount to thread the piston rod into the end knob, or you'll run out of threads and the assembly will be tightened but still have a gap between knob and barrel.

[friedrichwild]

But many MB seem to go their whole lives without piston lubrication, presumably obtaining such as is necessary from whatever is contained in the inks.

 

Every converter out there is in essence a small sealed piston unit and I have never heard of one seizing the mini-piston in the bore despite a total inability to disassemble and lubricate them. Are you suggesting that the seals used in converters are superior to those used by MB in their piston fillers?

 

 

 

 

I do not know how to answer to this question. Maybe i did a stupid thing while flashing my pen because it happened after i cleaned it with soap water. Maybe i should only use water. But still i can not fix my own mistake but with a pelikan i could fix it. Do not misanderstand be though. I love my MB and i consider it as one of me best fp but i wish i had the option to lubricate the piston

[max dog]

I do not know how to answer to this question. Maybe i did a stupid thing while flashing my pen because it happened after i cleaned it with soap water. Maybe i should only use water. But still i can not fix my own mistake but with a pelikan i could fix it. Do not misanderstand be though. I love my MB and i consider it as one of me best fp but i wish i had the option to lubricate the piston

I find a few cycles of MB Royal Blue helps to lubricate the pistons and restore a little smoothness.

[Lam1]

But many MB seem to go their whole lives without piston lubrication, presumably obtaining such as is necessary from whatever is contained in the inks.

...

 

That has not been my experience. Although my sample is small, it shows a very different tendency. Four out 6 piston fillers have needed/are in need of lubrication in less than a year of sporadic use (one in as little as 3-4 months, 2-3 fills, was completely stuck). The other 2 have less than 6 months and only 1 or 2 fills, so it is too early to tell. This was using mainly MB inks and the occasional Edelstein.