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

[Driften]

It does

 

I'm debating if I want to have the nib ground to a CI. I'm tempted to do this to most of my nibs but I feel like it's kinda silly to have them all be of the same ilk? Like I should at least have one of each size in its "regular" nib size/grind.

 

That really is a gorgeous pen!

 

I do like my cursive italics, but I also find I love writing with my normal nibs as well. It is nice having a change. I think in this special case I would leave it stock. Let the next one be a CI or Oblique CI like I had Dan Smith do with my B 146.

[Tom Kellie]

Reliable OBBB Nib

[Ghost Plane]

Variety works for me. As long as an OBBB is in the mix.

[meiers]

Variety is the spice of life.

[Tom Kellie]

Tom K. - The Platinum 145 was a recent purchase. I found it on ebay and no one bid on it, probably because it had no real description - no mention of it being platinum, no mention of what size or model, and the pictures were quite dark. I snagged it for $118 USD, which I thought was reasonable, even given the conversion to CAD. It came with a F nib though.

 

Coincidentally, I had a MB145 BB nib hanging around the house, purchased last year for a cheap MB 144 I found on ebay (it was listed as a MB 144 nib!). When it didn't fit in the intended 144, I harrumphed and left the nib on my pen shelf, glaring at it bitterly every time I went by. When the Platinum 145 showed up, I realized it was larger than the 144 I had, so I thought I'd give the nib a shot. When it fit, I was so happy I teared up a bit! I thought the 144 was a bit small for my tastes, but the 145 is actually very comfortable to hold, I think. That tiny bit larger size makes a lot of difference in the hand!

 

I went a bit crazy this holiday season buying pens for myself. I'll snag a shot of the three MBs this weekend and post them when I get back to work on Wednesday. I promise! And just last night I got a Burgundy MB 22 with a F nib, still stickered...

 

 

~ saskia_madding:

 

Thank you for describing the special path which resulted in a most special pen.

It seems that everything fell together — nice!

What? A Burgundy 22, no less?

What a Christmas!

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Really enjoying this thread. A long-time lover of EF nibs, I finally found enjoyment with large nibs. The turning point was a Boheme BB nib purchased from Zaddick that has amazing softness and line variation. From there it was on to a platinum 149 OBB, a 146 Solitaire OB, and a loose 146 OBB in a lesser pen. Each nib has its own qualities and feel. I now love the wide, wet lines produced by the larger Montblanc nibs!

 

I am on vacation with only the 149, but will post photos in the future of the nibs I really enjoy. Thanks to all for the time and dedication to this group!

Most of us probably followed some variant of your journey. I’m glad you found us.

 

~ brad7k:

 

Thank you for very generous comment.

The Bohème BB from zaddick sounds like a terrific writer.

It's great to know that you've found the broader nibs to be expressive.

Traveling with a 149 sounds like the way to go.

May the Christmas and New Year season be a happy time for you and yours.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Oh wow Tom...so beautiful

This is my fantasy present.

Which one is mine???

Looks great!

 

~ Something to inspire memories of Christmas past, and dreams of happy holidays to come.

Thank you for your very kind comments.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Really enjoying this new (to me) pen. This is the one I posted about that had the issue with leakage from the blind cap. Still in preliminary testing. The true test will be the first rinse and fill! In the meantime I'm really loving it with St. Exupéry. The shading is wonderful.

 

~ yeepers:

 

Gorgeous pen in a very nice image.

Thank you so much for including a handwriting sample.

I hope that the leakage issues will cease so that you might enjoy the pen as a regular writer.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

The meisterstuck.

Peel the greatness.

 

~ Reed_thoughts:

 

WOW! I LOVE your two images!

They're both so luminous and so sharply clear.

Really wonderful pen photography.

As oranges have been a lifelong feature of Christmas morning for me, this is especially well-timed.

You've brightened this thread with such classy, excellent photography.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

~ A fountain pen, but what nib? Ha! If it were a BB what a surprise that would be.

[dubhe]

I met Prince Edward a few weeks ago and he signed our visitor book with a rose gold 146. I had left my Exupery out for him to use and he brushed is aside to use the LeGrand! I commented that he had a nice pen but he ignored the complement. Medium nib, black ink.

[da vinci]

~ saskia_madding:

 

 

You write with a Platinum 145 BB?

That's a pen which I've been mulling over for more than half a year.

Undecided between an OBB or a BB nib, I haven't ordered one, but it's certainly been in my thoughts.

While we wait to see if Ghost Plane might share an additional image or two of her remarkable Blue Hour Skeleton OBBB, could you be coaxed into sharing a couple of images of your Platinum 145 BB?

Tom K.

Tom,

 

As you know I am something of an aficionado of the 144/145/Classique sized pens, and having a few spare moments I thought I would take some photos for you, although I must apologise for the lack of precision.

 

It was a good exercise for me to undertake, inking up a couple of pens for the first time in a while. I am sorry to say that I don't have a 144 B nib to include for comparison - I did have one but it was lost along with another pen.

 

So to start, a few nib shots:

 

A comparison of my 90 years solitaire BB and a standard 144 BB, standard 144 and my 149 BB, then 90 years Classique and the 149, and then the 145 op solitaire, and the 144. Then a writing sample, showing the impact width wise of 3 vertical pen strokes, with the nib presented square onto the paper, which is 3mm TR gridded:

 

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Mb%20nib%20comparison/IMG_0836_zpsonoyzuek.jpg

 

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Mb%20nib%20comparison/IMG_0835_zps3t5y0sbi.jpg

 

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Mb%20nib%20comparison/IMG_0833_zpsqqb14e2i.jpg

 

 

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Mb%20nib%20comparison/IMG_0832_zps2feqd4qx.jpg

 

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Mb%20nib%20comparison/IMG_0826_zps2n8pwg5e.jpg

 

In terms of conclusions, the 149 is of course beefy, but no broader than the 145 BB. Both are broader than the noticeably 'sharper' 144 BB which is perhaps surprisingly my favourite. I hope that helps move the 145 onto the bought list

 

Finally a couple of gratuitous shots of the 90 years solitaire!

 

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Mb%20nib%20comparison/IMG_0831_zpslrwlrpwx.jpg

 

http://i1022.photobucket.com/albums/af344/996nick2009/Mb%20nib%20comparison/IMG_0827_zpsezf4szec.jpg

[jmccarty3]

I'm debating if I want to have the nib ground to a CI. I'm tempted to do this to most of my nibs but I feel like it's kinda silly to have them all be of the same ilk? Like I should at least have one of each size in its "regular" nib size/grind.

 

It just so happened that I wound up with four older 149s in EF, F, M, and B. The F is my original one that I bought new 50 years ago, and it's still a sentimental favorite. Two others were gifts from friends, and the B I bought as new old stock from the son of the man who sold me the original F. Then I added the platinum finish OBBB to round out the set. I'd say go for variety in finishes and nibs.

[Ghost Plane]

Wallowing in those gratuitous shots.

[Pravda]

I love the 90 Years Solitaire! If only it was made 146 size.. strange that year they had 90 years 149, Skeleton, and 145 size only pens. The 146 just got the regular resin

[Memorexx]

The solitaire looks like a blue hour...do you have more pics of it?

[dubhe]

I know its too small, but I still want one! Lovely photos, thank you.

[da vinci]

The solitaire looks like a blue hour...do you have more pics of it?

Not easily to hand unfortunately. It's not blue, but rather a shiny brown enamel. Quite spectacular!

Edited December 25, 2017 by da vinci

[Tom Kellie]

It just so happened that I wound up with four older 149s in EF, F, M, and B. The F is my original one that I bought new 50 years ago, and it's still a sentimental favorite. Two others were gifts from friends, and the B I bought as new old stock from the son of the man who sold me the original F. Then I added the platinum finish OBBB to round out the set. I'd say go for variety in finishes and nibs.

 

 

~ That's a well-balanced collection.

It covers the full range.

That it includes a Platinum 149 OBBB is especially nice, as that's a lovely pen.

A variety of finishes and nibs offers choice.

Excellent advice!

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Tom,

 

As you know I am something of an aficionado of the 144/145/Classique sized pens, and having a few spare moments I thought I would take some photos for you, although I must apologise for the lack of precision.

 

It was a good exercise for me to undertake, inking up a couple of pens for the first time in a while. I am sorry to say that I don't have a 144 B nib to include for comparison - I did have one but it was lost along with another pen.

 

So to start, a few nib shots:

 

A comparison of my 90 years solitaire BB and a standard 144 BB, standard 144 and my 149 BB, then 90 years Classique and the 149, and then the 145 op solitaire, and the 144. Then a writing sample, showing the impact width wise of 3 vertical pen strokes, with the nib presented square onto the paper, which is 3mm TR gridded:

 

In terms of conclusions, the 149 is of course beefy, but no broader than the 145 BB. Both are broader than the noticeably 'sharper' 144 BB which is perhaps surprisingly my favourite. I hope that helps move the 145 onto the bought list

 

Finally a couple of gratuitous shots of the 90 years solitaire!