Enjoying Montblanc Pens — Broad, Oblique, Extra Fine, Le & Bespoke

[Tom Kellie]

Galactic Cloud

[Tom Kellie]

@ Tom Kellie

 

Lovely pen pics. The MB 32 is similar to the 126.

 

Sorry to hear about your foot.

OTOH, uninterrupted reading and extra attention by Yubi seems a good trade off.

I am unsure if a speedy recovery is needed, in this case.

 

Glad to hear that Yubi has not developed an exotic taste for MB's, Yet.

 

~ 1nkulus:

 

Thank you! The MB 32 is a model which is understated, light-weight and reliable.

Both the 32 EEF and OBBB nibs have been excellent writers.

Ample rest, a reduced schedule, copious water and Yubi's affection through each day have accelerated my foot's recuperation.

Today was the first day in nearly two weeks in which I was fully ambulatory without limping.

Long, quiet days of uninterrupted reading are a luxury beyond compare.

The 90th Anniversary 149 Bespoke EEF has been my companion, jotting notes of various sorts in the slenderest of strokes.

Yubi has never developed a taste for mouthing whatever is unfamiliar, including fountain pens.

He sniffs but doesn't touch. Cheerful but cautious by nature, Yubi is content to toss around those toys he already knows.

He's a lovely writer's companion as he maintains a distance from paper and pens, watching but never approaching.

Cuddling, scratching and play occur when pens aren't in use which he seems to understand.

Tom K.

[1nkulus]

@ Tom Kellie

 

I still think I would prefer the weight of the sterling 126. Is there a stark weight difference between the 32 and 126?

 

Glad full mobility has resumed normal service.

 

Yubi seems to have his priorities and manners well honed.

 

Perfect writer's companion, indeed. Only look, no touch.

 

I have a sinking feeling all the 20 MB's, with equally interesting nibs, in the pic belong to you.

[Tom Kellie]

For Recipe Notes

[1nkulus]

Heat and precious resin yields mangled resin. Hopefully, not part of the recipe...

Edited August 11, 2018 by 1nkulus

[Tom Kellie]

@ Tom Kellie

 

I still think I would prefer the weight of the sterling 126. Is there a stark weight difference between the 32 and 126?

 

Glad full mobility has resumed normal service.

 

Yubi seems to have his priorities and manners well honed.

 

Perfect writer's companion, indeed. Only look, no touch.

 

I have a sinking feeling all the 20 MB's, with equally interesting nibs, in the pic belong to you.

 

~ 1nkulus:

 

After holding both on of the 32s and the 1266 it's clear that there is a marked mass difference.

The 1266 isn't heavy, but it doesn't have the lightness of the 32.

They're both comfortable in the hand. The mass differential hasn't affected writing.

Today all painful after-effects were gone. Yubi played with me in the house, without any wincing on my part.

He's very ‘look but don't touch’ in his approach. I keep my eye on him at all times, but realize he's not prone to chewing.

The Montblanc pens shown in the image were those on the desk at that time.

Several other 149 OBBBs and three Bespoke nibs (two of which are 149s) weren't included.

Different pens, different nibs for different sketching or writing tasks.

Time and regular sketch practice gradually develops an appreciation of the strengths of each nib.

There are no favorites. Each has its use which entails specialty work.

The ongoing challenge isn't about pens, nibs or inks, but rather about paper.

Tom K.

[meiers]

 

 

Unscented Gold

Yubi is the star of this thread.

[Tom Kellie]

Zinnia

[Uncial]

I think Yubi could be an internet star.

[Shannon]

I think Yubi could be an internet star.

 

 

Indeed!

[888007888]

 

~ 888007888:

 

It's an exceptionally lovely Summer afternoon where I work and live in Central China.

Moderately warm temperatures, no humidity, gentle breezes and no haze or air pollution.

Nothing like lovely Newport Beach, but a balmy day of pure pleasure here.

I'd returned from a brief grocery shopping trip downtown and read your post.

It shocked me, as that's not even remotely like anything that I've ever experienced here, despite more than one dozen nib exchanges.

More than three months for an OBB exchange?

Incredible!

I had a NOS Writers Edition pen in the USA which I submitted to the McLean, Virginia Montblanc boutique at Tysons Galleria.

Toll knows how excellent their service is, having posted favorable comments about it.

I submitted the pen to them for a Bespoke nib, which is typically a drawn-out process due to custom craftsmanship.

That pen reached McLean, Virginia and thence to me here in Central China in less than three months.

What you're experiencing is unacceptably delayed service. Your Burgundy JFK deserves far more prompt service than that.

I'm truly sorry that you're having to put up with such a protracted delay. Your local boutique must feel deeply frustrated to have no positive news to share with you.

Would you please let us know how this matter plays out? Something about it seems wrong.

Hoping Your Burgundy JFK Arrives Soon,

Tom K.

 

 

I am sorry to hear about the delay! I would at a minimum check in for a status update. I was able to get nib exchanges for two out-of-production pens in about 5 weeks (despite some issues as noted in another thread). My boutique was very helpful, so Id hope yours would be as well.

 

And I would not be shy about requesting a refund - I was told my exchanges would at the longest take 8 weeks - if the response is subpar. Best of luck and let us know how it plays out.

 

 

If I may ask, how does it matter that they take 2 months or 3 ?

 

I plan to keep my pens for a long long time. As long as the work done is perfect, I do not mind waiting... I would always try not to irk the local staff since most things are outside their scope of influence. They are better kept as good friends who are allowed an occasional misstep as long they remember it and make amends for it later :-)

 

 

The turn around in nib exchanges during July and August might be a bit slow. I've always found them to be very fast to be honest, but I have read quite a few complaints about some places in Europe and pretty much all of the USA. I've no idea why this is the case, but some seem to be very, very slow. Do some boutiques/authorised sellers wait until they have a batch together to send all at once?

 

 

 

In Europe July and Augustus are the period of Holidays so maybe the teams are in reduced workforce. That is the reason I'm waiting September to send my Blue Hour skeleton to MB to exchange the nib.

 

 

 

 

 

That was my impression too esp. for USA

 

Thank you all so much for your replies and advice. The update: I ended up visiting the boutique and speaking with the sale manager. He really felt bad as he was the one that showed me the pen as they were placing them in the display cases the day I of my purchase and was the one that sent it out for the nib exchange. He did not realize that it had been more than 3 months since I purchased the JFK and he also did not have the authority to grant me a refund without speaking with the store manager first. He also apologized that I had to come out to the boutique and he could not grant me a return. I let him know that I understood it was not his fault and that I held nothing against him. The look on his face ... I could tell he felt really bad. He has always been very helpful whenever I visited them. He assured me that he would speak with the store manager the next day and that they would make it right.

 

Happy and confident that he would make good on his word, I walked around that store and decided to buy the Homage to Homer fountain pen. Although I would typically send it in for a nib exchange ... I decided against it due to this unfortunate situation with the JFK nib exchange. A few weeks ago I picked up the Homer rollerball and realized I really am more of a fountain pen person. I picked this Homer in a Fine nib.

 

The very next day the boutique called me. They reached out to the USA service center and were informed that my pen had actually never been sent to Germany and was sitting in the USA service center for the past 3 months waiting for nibs FROM Germany. They also said they didn't expect any champagne gold JFK nibs to arrive until the end of October and would not be able to fit my pen with a new nib until November at the earliest! 7 months for a nib exchange!!! Unheard of and quite shocking to hear. Needless to say, the management and boutique staff knew this would not be acceptable. I went to the boutique that evening and they fully refunded me.

 

It's rather unfortunate as I was really looking forward to the OBB nib on the burgundy JFK and now that I have the Homer ... I would like to send it in for an OBBB or OBB exchange, but alas ... I will stick with the Fine nib. For future purchases, I will seriously think about simply purchasing preowned MBs with the nib size I want and may not ever purchase a new pen again for fear of never getting a nib exchanged within a reasonable time-frame.

 

Perhaps I'll find some MB treasures at the San Francisco pen show in a few weeks with some very very wide nibs. In the meantime, I'll fill my Homer with some Corn Poppy Red and just admire its design (which by the way, did not intrigue me at first, but due to the FPN threads and photos, the design really grew on me).

 

Thanks again all.

[Tom Kellie]

It's rather unfortunate as I was really looking forward to the OBB nib on the burgundy JFK and now that I have the Homer ... I would like to send it in for an OBBB or OBB exchange, but alas ... I will stick with the Fine nib. For future purchases, I will seriously think about simply purchasing preowned MBs with the nib size I want and may not ever purchase a new pen again for fear of never getting a nib exchanged within a reasonable time-frame.

 

Perhaps I'll find some MB treasures at the San Francisco pen show in a few weeks with some very very wide nibs. In the meantime, I'll fill my Homer with some Corn Poppy Red and just admire its design (which by the way, did not intrigue me at first, but due to the FPN threads and photos, the design really grew on me).

 

Thanks again all.

 

~ 888007888:

 

After having read about your travails in dealing with Montblanc USA, as well as your recent post in the “Homer or Antoine de Saint-Exupéry” thread, I'd like to offer the full contact information for someone who may very likely be able to satisfactorily assist you.

The manager of the Montblanc boutique in McLean, Virginia, at the Tysons Galleria mall, is highly experienced. supremely competent, and fully up-to-date on Montblanc's policies and procedures.

Through contacting him and providing full particulars of your needs, I'm confident that he'll provide you with solutions rather than apologies or excuses.

Below is the information for your convenience and for any others, e.g. Ghost Plane, who aren't near a Montblanc boutique yet may need specialized assistance from someone who knows what they're doing.

I recommend directly communicating with Mr. Marciniszyn, as he's the most fully informed member of that boutique's staff.

Tom K.

Mr. Robert Marciniszyn

Manager

Montblanc Tysons Galleria Boutique

2001 International Drive, Suite #2134

McLean, Virginia 22102 USA

(703) 734-5101

[Tom Kellie]

Yubi Post-Surgery

[empliau]

Best wishes for a pain-free recovery for Yubi! I fall in love again every time with his soulful gaze ...

[Toll]

Yes, indeed, Tom, the team at the MB Boutique in Tysons Corner, Virginia, under the leadership of Rob, offers exceptional customer service. I am willing to pay a premium, if you will, that is, no discounts, because of such professional service.

 

All the best to Yubi.

[Ghost Plane]

Thanks, Tom! I need to jot this down against future need. I’ve pretty much decided on a hiatus from future purchases until the Fort Worth nonsense gets straightened out. It’s pitiful when I can send a Visconti to Italy via Coles for a major repair and get back a completely overhauled pen in half the time MB is taking for things as simple as nib swaps.

[nishantdr83]

 

I have been dealing with the MB Boutique in Tysons for a few months now since Toms recommendation and I can safely say that they provide the best MB service this side of the Atlantic. You will find them bending over backwards to make sure that no stone is left unturned. All calls are answered and no question is considered unimportant. Needless to say, they are my go-to ..

 

 

I have been dealing with the MB Boutique in Tysons for a few months now since Toms recommendation and I can safely say that they provide the best MB service this side of the Atlantic. You will find them bending over backwards to make sure that no stone is left unturned. All calls are answered and no question is considered unimportant. Needless to say, they are my go-to ..

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Thank you all so much for your replies and advice. The update: I ended up visiting the boutique and speaking with the sale manager. He really felt bad as he was the one that showed me the pen as they were placing them in the display cases the day I of my purchase and was the one that sent it out for the nib exchange. He did not realize that it had been more than 3 months since I purchased the JFK and he also did not have the authority to grant me a refund without speaking with the store manager first. He also apologized that I had to come out to the boutique and he could not grant me a return. I let him know that I understood it was not his fault and that I held nothing against him. The look on his face ... I could tell he felt really bad. He has always been very helpful whenever I visited them. He assured me that he would speak with the store manager the next day and that they would make it right.

 

Happy and confident that he would make good on his word, I walked around that store and decided to buy the Homage to Homer fountain pen. Although I would typically send it in for a nib exchange ... I decided against it due to this unfortunate situation with the JFK nib exchange. A few weeks ago I picked up the Homer rollerball and realized I really am more of a fountain pen person. I picked this Homer in a Fine nib.

 

The very next day the boutique called me. They reached out to the USA service center and were informed that my pen had actually never been sent to Germany and was sitting in the USA service center for the past 3 months waiting for nibs FROM Germany. They also said they didn't expect any champagne gold JFK nibs to arrive until the end of October and would not be able to fit my pen with a new nib until November at the earliest! 7 months for a nib exchange!!! Unheard of and quite shocking to hear. Needless to say, the management and boutique staff knew this would not be acceptable. I went to the boutique that evening and they fully refunded me.

 

It's rather unfortunate as I was really looking forward to the OBB nib on the burgundy JFK and now that I have the Homer ... I would like to send it in for an OBBB or OBB exchange, but alas ... I will stick with the Fine nib. For future purchases, I will seriously think about simply purchasing preowned MBs with the nib size I want and may not ever purchase a new pen again for fear of never getting a nib exchanged within a reasonable time-frame.

 

Perhaps I'll find some MB treasures at the San Francisco pen show in a few weeks with some very very wide nibs. In the meantime, I'll fill my Homer with some Corn Poppy Red and just admire its design (which by the way, did not intrigue me at first, but due to the FPN threads and photos, the design really grew on me).

 

Thanks again all.

Edited August 13, 2018 by nishant

[Tom Kellie]

Yubi is the star of this thread.

 

~ meiers:

 

Thank you!

He's certainly the star of my writing life.

Yubi’s patience and loyalty while I'm at the writing desk have earned my love many times over.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

I think Yubi could be an internet star.

 

~ Uncial:

 

Both Yubi and I are flattered.

Where I work and live “foreign” Internet stars aren't generally seen, but there are domestic versions.

As I haven't seen the international Internet in nearly 15 years, I have little idea what's popular these days.

Yubi feels glad to be recognized on the Internet, right here in the FPN Montblanc Forum.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Indeed!

 

~ Shannon:

 

Thank you so much!

With a writing table of nice Montblanc pens, windowsills with year-round blooming pelargonium, and Yubi, my life is full.

Tom K.