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

[1nkulus]

The new Herbin blue.

 

Are you referring to Herbin Bleu Des Profondeurs?

[Ghost Plane]

Are you referring to Herbin Bleu Des Profondeurs?

Yes.

[Tom Kellie]

THANK YOU, TOM!!!! What a neat way to show off the writing of these special pens and a feast for the eyes first thing in the morning.

 

The quite different shaping of the nibs is indicative of Montblanc's custom work. The EEF tip looks microscopic with the potential to puncture. Ow! The magnification required to work on such a fine tipped nib must be significant.

 

I think I remember a post of yours months ago? that beautifully demonstrated the width differential of the small signature and it was dramatic. That's the post that awoke me to the availability of bespoke nibs and the world of difference between them and stock nibs.

 

~ AlohaLani787:

 

Thank you so much for sharing your feelings about Montblanc Bespoke nibs.

They're examples of meticulous craftsmanship intended to meet specialized customer preferences.

The Bespoke EEF nib writes tiny margin notes in reference books or in a copy of Shakespeare's plays.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Yubi makes my morning! The cutest face on the planet. He has such a gentle and calm expression. Another photo for the 2019 Yubi calendar.......

 

~ AlohaLani787:

 

Were it possible for Yubi's black mask to blush, he would.

Thank you, on behalf of Yubi!

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

You are welcome.

Perhaps, one day I shall order a bespoke nib although I am unsure what to order.

 

OTOH, what is the difference between a bespoke nib and a nibmeister tuned?

Ordering a flex nib is the only option that comes to mind, since all nib sizes are available as standard and tweaks can be done aftermarket.

 

Tell Yubi, we are all much obliged.

 

~ 1nkulus:

 

Montblanc's Bespoke Nib Team in Hamburg crafts nibs to meet specialized preferences.

They don't alter existing nibs, but rather craft nibs from scratch.

The Montblanc Service Warranty remains in force for Bespoke nibs, unlike nibs altered by 3rd party craftsmen.

If one has a type of nib which isn't a standard offering, Montblanc might create it as a Bespoke nib.

Yubi is happy to make others happy!

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

You can go MUCH wider with a bespoke ad you can get a custom feed to ensure ink flow to your specifications. You can also get a 3-tine nib. None really available from a nibsmith.

 

~ zaddick:

 

Thank you for noting these advantages of Montblanc Bespoke nibs.

The process of requesting a Bespoke nib is highly personalized, with extensive back-and-forth communication to determine a customer's preferences.

The ink flow is adjusted to meet one's needs, with specialized design and engineering which takes weeks of tweaking.

Width of nib face is highly variable, including nibs substantially wider than a 149 OBBB.

The 3-tine nibs undergo extended testing to ensure both robustness and smoothness.

As the nibs aren't altered after the fact through grinding or tipping, they're cut and crafted from the outset to meet a given Bespoke nib design.

The Montblanc Service Warranty remains in force for Bespoke nibs, which is helpful.

The Bespoke Nib Team in Hamburg goes to considerable lengths to satisfy customer preferences, putting their years of experience to best use.

The added joy of personalized engraving on the nib edge provides deep satisfaction when writing with a Bespoke nib.

While Bespoke nibs aren't necessary for most writing tasks, they're an appreciated option from Montblanc's gifted Hamburg nib specialists.

The three Bespoke nibs on my writing desk are in daily use. In 2019 another Bespoke nib may join them.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

I noticed that the knob in the picture is loose as mine, is that normal ?

 

~ mjchuang9:

 

The PoA Marquise de Pompadour shown in the photo isn't inked at present.

After flushing the pen, the knob was left open.

It's not at all loose. In fact, of all of the piston-filling pens on my writing desk, its knob is the smoothest.

I measure knob quality of all of my other fountain pens by how nearly they approach the superlative quality of the knob on the PoA Marquise de Pompadour.

If yours is loose, it may require professional attention.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

hihi Yubi looks funny

 

~ Memorexx:

 

He is funny!

At the time of that portrait, he wasn't feeling very humorous.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Those are awesome photographs Tom! And Yubi is adorable, even soaking wet.

 

Happy Reformation Day to you (I'm not a spooky kind of guy)...

 

~ BillH:

 

Thank you!

Yubi's mood for the hours following a bath is less than cheerful.

It takes time for his luxuriant coat to fully dry, during which time he mopes around with the look of misery.

The upside is that the following day he's gorgeous, feels clean, and appears to have forgotten the previous day's damp discomfort.

Like you, I'm highly aware of the 31 October and the nail pounded into the All Saints’ Church door in Wittenberg.

As student friends over here follow this thread, Halloween greetings were posted, in deference to their sensibilities.

Yubi was my treat last evening, even if he may have felt as if I'd tricked him with a bath.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

I love this post and this image. It shows us a piece of the beautiful world that we inhabit.

 

 

~ meiers:

 

Thank you!

Oddly enough, at this instant a sizable team of laborers are standing in that tree-shaded street maneuvering an immense spool of cable intended for student dormitory air-conditioning and heating.

That's eagerly anticipated here, as few local students have ever experienced the comfort of interior climate control.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Poor Yubi! You can tell by his expression he is resigned to his fate, trusting that the pen person will be pleased with him when it’s over.

 

~ Ghost Plane:

 

Your interpretation of Yubi's woe-is-me expression is spot-on.

While he doesn't contest his baths, being gentle and well-mannered, the damp aftermath puts him into a blue mood all day.

His beauty and feeling of comfort the next day make it all worth it.

But on bath day, such future benefits are far from his thoughts.

Tom K.

[1nkulus]

@Tom Kellie

 

I doubt my needs would do justice to the nib specialists at MB.

My limit is OBB and anything narrow can be catered for by any competent nibmeister.

 

IMO, considering the cost, the bespoke service is for flex nibs and nibs larger than O3B.

[Tom Kellie]

@Tom Kellie

 

I doubt my needs would do justice to the nib specialists at MB.

My limit is OBB and anything narrow can be catered for by any competent nibmeister.

 

IMO, considering the cost, the bespoke service is for flex nibs and nibs larger than O3B.

 

~ 1nkulus:

 

Thank you for explaining your perspective.

What you've explained is entirely reasonable.

As for me, I've thoroughly enjoyed the process of requesting Bespoke nibs from Montblanc in Hamburg.

While they're self-evidently not for everyone, they've been great fun for me.

Tom K.

[mjchuang9]

 

~ mjchuang9:

 

 

The PoA Marquise de Pompadour shown in the photo isn't inked at present.

After flushing the pen, the knob was left open.

It's not at all loose. In fact, of all of the piston-filling pens on my writing desk, its knob is the smoothest.

I measure knob quality of all of my other fountain pens by how nearly they approach the superlative quality of the knob on the PoA Marquise de Pompadour.

If yours is loose, it may require professional attention.

Tom K.

 

 

Hi Tom,

The knob is loose when I turn out the piston about one turn, and then functions normally in my Pompadour. I also have a few montblanc pens with the same issue. it would be a little annoyed when touching the knob.

Edited November 1, 2018 by mjchuang9

[1nkulus]

@Tom Kellie

 

Different strokes for different folks.

 

As long as you enjoyed the experience and were happy with the result and cost, then all is well.

 

OTOH, MB could make nibs larger than O3B available off the shelf for a premium.

$200 for O4B and O5B. $400 for O6B.

 

I am unsure why the larger nib sizes would warrant a bespoke service, other than to inflate the price.

(After a certain point, for a small gain you have to bear a lot of pain)

I would give O4B a shot, even though my limit is OBB, just for the novelty if it were available without the bespoke service.

[AlohaLani787]

 

 

 

Poor Yubi! His eyes are asking "why did you try to drown me?" I hope he received some well deserved treats after his "ordeal."

[Tom Kellie]

The knob is loose when I turn out the piston about one turn, and then functions normally in my Pompadour. I also have a few montblanc pens with the same issue. it would be a little annoyed when touching the knob.

 

~ mjchuang9:

 

Thank you for explaining the exact nature of the problem.

As none of my Montblanc pens has this issue, I'm unable to suggest any solution.

The PoA Marquise de Pompadour on my writing desk is effortlessly snug, without any play to it.

I'd be dissatisfied with a piston knob as you've described yours.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Poor Yubi! His eyes are asking "why did you try to drown me?" I hope he received some well deserved treats after his "ordeal."

 

~ AlohaLani787:

 

The bath itself is fairly gentle, with mildly warm water in a dog tub, and a shower nozzle used with considerable care.

It's the damp aftermath which lacks appeal, from Yubi's perspective.

Chunks of steamed chicken breast were a soothing post-bath peace offering.

He accepted the chicken with gusto!

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Eight Hours After His Bath

[Tom Kellie]

@Tom Kellie

 

Different strokes for different folks.

 

As long as you enjoyed the experience and were happy with the result and cost, then all is well.

 

OTOH, MB could make nibs larger than O3B available off the shelf for a premium.

$200 for O4B and O5B. $400 for O6B.

 

I am unsure why the larger nib sizes would warrant a bespoke service, other than to inflate the price.

(After a certain point, for a small gain you have to bear a lot of pain)

I would give O4B a shot, even though my limit is OBB, just for the novelty if it were available without the bespoke service.

 

~ 1nkulus:

 

In every sense my three Montblanc Bespoke nibs have surpassed all expectations.

There has been nothing troubling about the process. The final product has been a delight to use as a daily writer in each case.

Another benefit of Bespoke Nibs has been the option to request a monotone yellow gold 149 nib.

At different stages in one's life and career, different sorts of tools are appealing.

For me, at this age, Bespoke nibs are a great pleasure. Their superlative writing quality is exactly what I've sought.

Tom K.