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

[Tom Kellie]

To Close 2017 and Welcome 2018

[Bisquitlips]

I just spent the last two hours reading this entire thread.

 

You people!!!! ... !!!!

 

Make me wanna buy more pens!

 

And I deeply appreciate that!

Edited December 31, 2017 by Bisquitlips

[Toll]

Tom, as the year comes to a close I want to thank you for your artistic photos (the last one is over the top) and your always kind and thoughtful posts. Belated Happy Birthday and Happy New Year!

[mulrich]

Darn. Thats such a downer. At least you got your pen. Im still waiting on mine and I know I placed my order before you did. Hopefully this will be a quick swap for you. I love the prices we can get overseas but the shipping times leave much to be desired.

This was my first order from LCdC and Im not overly impressed. Theyre paying for the shipping to fix the problem, which is expected given the situation, but if they had checked the pen before shipping we could have avoided the problem entirely. They still have solid pricing and a selection of pens Im interested in that are hard to find so I wont write them off. FWIW, Appelboom ships with FedEx which arrives in less than a week and avoids the black hole of USPS customs.

 

Looking forward to someday using the O3B

[yeepers]

This was my first order from LCdC and Im not overly impressed. Theyre paying for the shipping to fix the problem, which is expected given the situation, but if they had checked the pen before shipping we could have avoided the problem entirely. They still have solid pricing and a selection of pens Im interested in that are hard to find so I wont write them off. FWIW, Appelboom ships with FedEx which arrives in less than a week and avoids the black hole of USPS customs.

 

Looking forward to someday using the O3B

 

Yeah...the shipping is always an issue but overall service has been quite good for me so I can't complain about that. And they do extend the discounts to MB which none of the other vendors do so I wind up going back for that reason. My understanding is that they are looking into other shipping options so hopefully that will be coming in the new year.

[mulrich]

 

Yeah...the shipping is always an issue but overall service has been quite good for me so I can't complain about that. And they do extend the discounts to MB which none of the other vendors do so I wind up going back for that reason. My understanding is that they are looking into other shipping options so hopefully that will be coming in the new year.

I appreciated the MB discount and I keep waiting for someone at MB to find out and put an end to it. Fortunately MB only reads these forums for copyright violations.

 

As long as LCdC avoid DHL Ill keep them on my watch list.

[Pen Nut]

This tester set I owned was a great way of evaluating (pathetic excuse I know) various MB nibs. Remembering what ink was in what pen was 'interesting'

 

 

 

[Driften]

This tester set I owned was a great way of evaluating (pathetic excuse I know) various MB nibs. Remembering what ink was in what pen was 'interesting'

 

 

 

 

 

What nib did "Test Special" have?

[zaddick]

It had the kugel nib, basically a fat ball of tipping to mimic a ball point. The pen was also a 145.

[Tom Kellie]

It had the kugel nib, basically a fat ball of tipping to mimic a ball point. The pen was also a 145.

 

~ zaddick:

 

Happy 2018 to you!

A question, if you don't mind:

What was the motivation for having a smaller pen body with a Kugel nib, included in the tester pens?

Why not a 146-sized pen? What was the sales advantage of a solitary 145?

Why a Kugel nib? What was the reason for including it if it wasn't an option for a nib exchange?

Thank you for all of your patient assistance during 2017. I hope that these questions won't be overly time-consuming.

Tom K.

[CS388]

 

 

Why not a 146-sized pen? What was the sales advantage of a solitary 145?

 

Hello Tom.

 

I've always wondered this.

It's a question which has been posed before on this forum, but I can't recall the conclusion(s)

I have asked assistants and others, but never had a satisfactory answer.

 

I remember that set, Pen Nut. Wonderful!

 

 

Wishing you all a joyous 2018

[Blueberry567]

 

~ zaddick:

 

 

Happy 2018 to you!

A question, if you don't mind:

What was the motivation for having a smaller pen body with a Kugel nib, included in the tester pens?

Why not a 146-sized pen? What was the sales advantage of a solitary 145?

Why a Kugel nib? What was the reason for including it if it wasn't an option for a nib exchange?

Thank you for all of your patient assistance during 2017. I hope that these questions won't be overly time-consuming.

Tom K.

I would assume that because pen was a transitional pen to help ballpoint users switch to fountain, and the size of the 145 is much more akin to that of a regular ballpoint than the larger 146.

[CS388]

I would assume that because pen was a transitional pen to help ballpoint users switch to fountain, and the size of the 145 is much more akin to that of a regular ballpoint than the larger 146.

 

Interesting. I see the rationale.

 

I've only used tester sets on a few occasions, I thought that one of the specials had a stub nib?

 

Thanks.

[zaddick]

Hello Tom. The "S"-nib was meant as a "special" nib for those who are used to ballpoints, rollerballs, or felt tip pens. Sometimes customers had issues writing with a broad nib because they turn and twist the tip. The large, smooth ball tipping resolved this issue.

 

It was available on the #145 (Chopin) Meisterstück only. I am not sure of the reason, but I postulate it was meant not to compete with the 146 series and likely had a forecast of limited sales. The 145 also uses cartridges which may be more desirable to someone used to non-fountain pens. Again, just my speculation on why the 145.

 

Rumor has it Norbert Platt (the CEO of Montblanc at that time) canceled the sale of the "special" nib because he was unhappy with the lack of line variation for a bold nib. Apparently he claimed it was not a Montblanc-like nib due to the lack of the stubbishness typical in modern B (and larger) nibs.

Edited January 2, 2018 by zaddick

[CS388]

Nice one, zaddick. Thanks.

[Driften]

Nice one, zaddick. Thanks.

 

 

I agree! Thanks Zaddick for the information.

[Tom Kellie]

Hello Tom. The "S"-nib was meant as a "special" nib for those who are used to ballpoints, rollerballs, or felt tip pens. Sometimes customers had issues writing with a broad nib because they turn and twist the tip. The large, smooth ball tipping resolved this issue.

 

It was available on the #145 (Chopin) Meisterstück only. I am not sure of the reason, but I postulate it was meant not to compete with the 146 series and likely had a forecast of limited sales. The 145 also uses cartridges which may be more desirable to someone used to non-fountain pens. Again, just my speculation on why the 145.

 

Rumor has it Norbert Platt (the CEO of Montblanc at that time) canceled the sale of the "special" nib because he was unhappy with the lack of line variation for a bold nib. Apparently he claimed it was not a Montblanc-like nib due to the lack of the stubbishness typical in modern B (and larger) nibs.

 

 

~ Hi, zaddick!

 

This helps a lot and answers my questions.

It sounds as if it was a transition pen for those unaccustomed to writing with a fountain pen.

That's interesting, as when I was a child, in the early 1960s, fountain pens were in widespread use.

Thank you for taking time to reply.

May 2018 be an outstanding year for you and your pen collection!

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Former Montblanc China World Trade Center Boutique Staff Member LIU Yang, 刘洋

~ Throughout the years that I lived in Beijing, it was my considerable good fortune to be assisted in all of my Montblanc purchases by an exceptionally capable individual.

Mr. LIU Yang, 刘洋, combined many fine qualities — experience, cheerfulness, patience, a “can-do spirit”, candor, and superb attention to detail.

He'd worked for years as a concierge in an international hotel, hence was well-suited for meeting the requirements of Montblanc's international clientele.

After I relocated to Central China, he was hired by Bulgari, for whom he now works in Beijing, when not enjoying time with his small daughter.

The above image was taken at the conclusion of my farewell visit, during which I bought a number of inks to last me for a year or more.

When I first brought up the possibility of an OBBB nib, he was hesitant, as neither he nor his colleagues had ever processed such a request.

Nevertheless, even after his manager downplayed the possibility, he listened to my explanation of what I'd read in Fountain Pen Network.

All of my contemporary Montblanc pen purchases — including ballpoints, a rollerball and a mechanical pencil — were processed by him.

We learned together about OBBB nibs, the Bespoke nib process, the Montblanc handwriting analysis software, and about nib exchanges.

All of this is an example of how valuable Montblanc boutique staff are. Developing a friendly relationship over time is a satisfying experience.

At no time did he ever push me to purchase anything. In fact, several times he talked me out of buying what he felt I really didn't need.

Montblanc Hamburg Nib Manufacture Expert Axel Nier worked with LIU Yang on several occasions, telling me how impressed he was by Mr. LIU.

Whenever comfortable and appropriate, I hope that others will enjoy a positive relationship with their local Montblanc boutique staff.

Tom K.

[Carrau]

 

Former Montblanc China World Trade Center Boutique Staff Member LIU Yang, 刘洋

~ Throughout the years that I lived in Beijing, it was my considerable good fortune to be assisted in all of my Montblanc purchases by an exceptionally capable individual.

Mr. LIU Yang, 刘洋, combined many fine qualities — experience, cheerfulness, patience, a “can-do spirit”, candor, and superb attention to detail.

He'd worked for years as a concierge in an international hotel, hence was well-suited for meeting the requirements of Montblanc's international clientele.

After I relocated to Central China, he was hired by Bulgari, for whom he now works in Beijing, when not enjoying time with his small daughter.

The above image was taken at the conclusion of my farewell visit, during which I bought a number of inks to last me for a year or more.

When I first brought up the possibility of an OBBB nib, he was hesitant, as neither he nor his colleagues had ever processed such a request.

Nevertheless, even after his manager downplayed the possibility, he listened to my explanation of what I'd read in Fountain Pen Network.

All of my contemporary Montblanc pen purchases — including ballpoints, a rollerball and a mechanical pencil — were processed by him.

We learned together about OBBB nibs, the Bespoke nib process, the Montblanc handwriting analysis software, and about nib exchanges.

All of this is an example of how valuable Montblanc boutique staff are. Developing a friendly relationship over time is a satisfying experience.

At no time did he ever push me to purchase anything. In fact, several times he talked me out of buying what he felt I really didn't need.

Montblanc Hamburg Nib Manufacture Expert Axel Nier worked with LIU Yang on several occasions, telling me how impressed he was by Mr. LIU.

Whenever comfortable and appropriate, I hope that others will enjoy a positive relationship with their local Montblanc boutique staff.

Tom K.

How very decent of you to honor him with this-I’m sure you miss working with him.

[Tom Kellie]

I just spent the last two hours reading this entire thread.

 

You people!!!! ... !!!!

 

Make me wanna buy more pens!

 

And I deeply appreciate that!

 

 

~ Bisquitlips:

 

We're at your service — unapologetic facilitators, enablers and promoters of Montblanc fountain pens, vintage and contemporary.

In 2018 do consider buying a Montblanc pen. If you do, am image and handwriting sample would be most welcome.

Thank you so much for your enthusiastic comment!

Tom K.