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

[Tom Kellie]

Axel Nier of Montblanc's Bespoke Nib Team in Hamburg, Germany

Bespoke Sketch Nib on a 2000 Writers Edition Friedrich Schiller Fountain Pen

~ For two years after receiving a Bespoke EEF nib from Axel Nier and Montblanc’s Bespoke Nib Team in Hamburg, Germany, I’d enjoyed the exceptional craftsmanship of that ultra-fine nib.

After sending the Bespoke EEF nib to me, Axel had explained that the Bespoke Nib Team was highly adaptable to specialized client requests, even when a nib request was unlike what was typically produced.

My personal regard for Axel Nier is immense, as his discerning understanding of nib realities and his commitment to meeting and exceeding client expectations is consistently highly professional.

What stirred in my thoughts during the past couple of years was a nib customized for rapid field sketching, rather than for handwriting written text. I often sketch natural scenes in fairly rough, remote conditions in Africa.

The specific nib I considered was an Oblique Fine with Flex, i.e. an OF Flex nib. Such nibs were extensively utilized by field naturalists of one century ago and more for rapid sketches of wildlife and landscape.

Late in October, 2017 I tentatively inquired about the feasibility of a Bespoke OF Flex nib. To my delight, Axel responded that an OF Flex was indeed very possible.

Accordingly, in the first week of November, 2017 a Yellow Gold 149 with a BB nib was shipped to Montblanc China in Beijing for processing as a Bespoke Nib request.

That pen is now the monotone Yellow Gold 149 Bespoke Small Signature Nib, presented in this thread two weeks ago with an image series.

What happened? Why the change from a Bespoke OF Flex to a Bespoke Small Signature in monotone Yellow Gold?

The culture where I've worked and lived for two decades is often traditional and resistant to change. That tendency affects a great many aspects of daily life, including Montblanc China.

Their staff was unfamiliar with an OF Flex nib, therefore they balked at sending the pen to Hamburg for a Bespoke Nib, because that sounded strange and irregular in their experience.

As I respect their feelings and wish to maintain a positive working relationship with Montblanc China, I accepted their views and made a request for a Bespoke Small Signature nib.

I’d never have otherwise ordered a Bespoke Small Signature as it hadn’t been in my dreams. As it is, that pen is an extraordinary writer of the very highest quality.

Nevertheless, I wanted an OF Flex. After consulting with a trusted long-time friend and former student, I asked him to assist me in acquiring a pen in the United States for use with a Bespoke nib.

My friend is a life sciences researcher at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, after having earned a doctorate at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

The nearest boutique to him is the Tysons Galleria boutique in McLean, Virginia. Mr. Robert Marciniszyn is both the Tysons Galleria boutique manager and the Montblanc District Manager.

After considerable thought, I asked my friend to purchase on my behalf a NOS un-inked 2000 Writers Edition Friedrich Schiller which had been located. It had taken six weeks to find a genuine NOS Schiller.

My friend brought the Schiller to the Tysons Galleria Montblanc boutique. Mr. Marciniszyn was exceptionally knowledgable and helpful, processing the Bespoke nib request with ease and finesse.

There were no issues of any kind, therefore the Schiller made the journey to the Montblanc USA customer service center in Ft. Worth, Texas, where it was forwarded to Hamburg, Germany.

Axel Nier confirmed receipt of the Schiller, setting his team to work on the OF Flex request. There was frequent contact by Axel, asking salient questions about my sketching style.

He said that the Bespoke Nib Team would like to see samples of the pen and ink field sketches I’d made, so I sent screenshots of five representative sketches to him.

Axel called me from Hamburg, asking probing questions about subtle details of my typical sketching style. Interestingly, we never discussed handwriting as Axel already knows my writing style and the nib wasn't intended for handwriting.

I’d specifically requested a nib with ‘feather touch’ ink flow, meaning that the slightest contact with a paper surface commenced ink flow. I’d also specified a nib which was not at all a wet writer, as that would interfere with sketch quality.

What would be ideal for my intended use would be a nib capable of laying down a faint line with minimal pressure, and able to immediately shift to a bolder stroke with increased pressure.

In other words, for sketching purposes a broad line, such as produced by the BBBB Small Signature, would be undesirable, but occasional moderately bold strokes would add increased fluency to rapid field sketching.

With a Bespoke Nib request engraving along the flange at the edge of both sides of the nib is possible, with the word choice left up to the client’s discretion.

I asked for ‘Freedom’ on the left side of the nib which would face me while sketching, and ‘Independence’ on the right side of the nib. These values have been deeply embedded in my thinking throughout my life.

The nature of both ‘Freedom’ and ‘Independence’ reinforce Friedrich Schiller’s thinking, as expressed in his version of “William Tell”, whose crossbow is depicted on the WE Schiller nib.

The motivation for a WE Schiller pen for an OF Flex nib was because I wanted a lightweight, inconspicuous pen with a relatively unadorned barrel and classic yellow gold ornamentation.

After studying a wide range of options, the WE Schiller admirably fit all of my preferences for a sketch pen intended for field use in a variety of conditions.

Axel felt that a new Schiller nib could be crafted which would meet my requirements, with an ink feed internally configured to provide the steady ‘feather touch’ ink flow which I sought.

After several weeks of experimentation by the Bespoke Nib Team, Axel contacted me to say that they had an idea. Rather than making an OF Flex, they proposed creating a one off ‘sketch nib’, optimized for my sketching style.

While it was a surprise, I promptly agreed to the change of focus, as I have complete confidence in Axel’s taste and discretion with regard to crafting outstanding fountain pen nibs.

After I agreed, they made a different nib with reinforced tensile strength, increased tine length, specialized tipping, and a carefully calibrated ink feed which was steady and ultra-sensitive to the writer’s touch.

This required a number of weeks of redesign, testing, tweaking and subtle changes. After considerable time-intensive labor by the master nib craftsmen, a sketch nib was produced.

Axel initially sent a sketch which he’d drawn, to show the nib’s capability. I was very pleased with the result, expressing my considerable satisfaction to him.

Then an artist from Montblanc’s marketing and advertising division was asked to make a sketch of a leopard. The sketch nib in the skilled hand of a professional yielded a remarkable result. I was overjoyed!

The completed pen was shipped from Hamburg to the McLean, Virginia Montblanc boutique. My friend picked up the pen, reshipping it to another friend in Shenzhen, a large city beside the northern border of Hong Kong.

Upon arrival, China Customs raised a number of concerns which delayed the pen’s release to my friends for several weeks. They imposed a 30% customs duty in accordance with a new tariff on “luxury goods entering from the United States”.

The Customs officials removed the pen, carefully inspecting it. They were disturbed by the prominent use of the terms ‘Freedom’ and ‘Independence’, which they felt were at odds with China’s current ideological values.

Those words caused much delay, as they seemed like a challenge to this country's social order. It was necessary to emphasize that they reflected Schiller’s writing in “William Tell”.

When the pen arrived there was dark blue ink on the nib from having been dip tested by the customs inspectors, as it was un-inked when it arrived in McLean, Virginia and was un-inked when it was re-shipped to Shenzhen.

Nevertheless, it arrived in excellent condition, having been protected by careful packaging. To receive the outcome of a dream from many months before was an immensely satisfying moment.

What of the Bespoke Sketch nib itself?

For starters, it had an ‘Easter egg’, as in the computer software term which means a hidden feature which isn’t immediately apparent but may be discovered in due time, bring delight and pleasure.

On the underside of the nib are the hallmarks ‘StØD’ and ‘Au750’. I’d never realized that the Schiller hallmarks were placed in such a discreet location. A small surprise which added to the overall happiness in handling the pen.

Inked with Montblanc Permanent Black, which works well with watercolors, the nib performs exactly as hoped. The ink flow is immediate, no matter how lightly the nib surface is placed on the paper surface.

It easily produces thin, clear lines at a rapid pace, without any skipping. There’s no scratchiness at all, with pleasing feedback from the paper surface. Moderately light pressure results in bolder lines for emphasis.

Doodling geometric shapes, scribbling biological forms, and testing its range all exceeded any expectations I’d had. The Bespoke Sketch Nib is ready for use in the field as is, with no need for an extended break-in period.

This is my third Bespoke nib. As with the previous two, it exemplifies Montblanc’s commitment to creativity and the refined craftsmanship of specialized writing tools.

My heartfelt appreciation goes out to Axel Nier and the Hamburg-based Bespoke Nib Team for their care, thoughtfulness, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to crafting nibs of wonder.

This may not be my final Bespoke nib. I’ve considered the possibility of a BB Cursive Italic nib, or a Large Signature nib, or even a second Small Signature nib, as that’s an extraordinary writer.

If I someday acquire a 1994 PoA Louis XIV fountain pen, I’ll likely have it re-plated in gold, and request one of the aforementioned Bespoke nib possibilities. Axel has already agreed to help me with that.

The Bespoke Sketch nib fulfills my desire for an ultra-responsive fountain pen which would be capable of holding up under field conditions and perform the rapid sketching which is often necessary to capture shifting light and wildlife.

As ever I strongly recommend Montblanc Bespoke nibs as a possibility worth considering. Their value lies in participating in the creative process of nib design so as to realize whatever sketching or writing dreams one might have.

Tom K.

Arrival

Bubble Wrap Revealed

Packaging

Mummy

Clear Plastic Shipping Tube

2000 Writers Edition Friedrich Schiller

William Tell's Crossbow

Engraving Placed Where I'll See It

Sketch Nib Side View

Underside View

Bespoke Sketch Nib Feed

Piston Knob

Snow Star View

Nib and Cap

Independence

Freedom

[Tom Kellie]

I'm so sad that I can't visit Yubi in person!

 

~ Kalessin:

 

Yubi would love to meet you!

He's friendly to student visitors, happily wagging his tail to greet them.

I'll add more photos of Yubi, who is part of my enjoyment of life, including Montblanc fountain pens.

Tom K.

[Amit.]

Cong

 

 

Axel Nier of Montblanc's Bespoke Nib Team in Hamburg, Germany

Bespoke Sketch Nib on a 2000 Writers Edition Friedrich Schiller Fountain Pen

~ For two years after receiving a Bespoke EEF nib from Axel Nier and Montblanc’s Bespoke Nib Team in Hamburg, Germany, I’d enjoyed the exceptional craftsmanship of that ultra-fine nib.

After sending the Bespoke EEF nib to me, Axel had explained that the Bespoke Nib Team was highly adaptable to specialized client requests, even when a nib request was unlike what was typically produced.

My personal regard for Axel Nier is immense, as his discerning understanding of nib realities and his commitment to meeting and exceeding client expectations is consistently highly professional.

What stirred in my thoughts during the past couple of years was a nib customized for rapid field sketching, rather than for handwriting written text. I often sketch natural scenes in fairly rough, remote conditions in Africa.

The specific nib I considered was an Oblique Fine with Flex, i.e. an OF Flex nib. Such nibs were extensively utilized by field naturalists of one century ago and more for rapid sketches of wildlife and landscape.

Late in October, 2017 I tentatively inquired about the feasibility of a Bespoke OF Flex nib. To my delight, Axel responded that an OF Flex was indeed very possible.

Accordingly, in the first week of November, 2017 a Yellow Gold 149 with a BB nib was shipped to Montblanc China in Beijing for processing as a Bespoke Nib request.

That pen is now the monotone Yellow Gold 149 Bespoke Small Signature Nib, presented in this thread two weeks ago with an image series.

What happened? Why the change from a Bespoke OF Flex to a Bespoke Small Signature in monotone Yellow Gold?

The culture where I've worked and lived for two decades is often traditional and resistant to change. That tendency affects a great many aspects of daily life, including Montblanc China.

Their staff was unfamiliar with an OF Flex nib, therefore they balked at sending the pen to Hamburg for a Bespoke Nib, because that sounded strange and irregular in their experience.

As I respect their feelings and wish to maintain a positive working relationship with Montblanc China, I accepted their views and made a request for a Bespoke Small Signature nib.

I’d never have otherwise ordered a Bespoke Small Signature as it hadn’t been in my dreams. As it is, that pen is an extraordinary writer of the very highest quality.

Nevertheless, I wanted an OF Flex. After consulting with a trusted long-time friend and former student, I asked him to assist me in acquiring a pen in the United States for use with a Bespoke nib.

My friend is a life sciences researcher at the National Institutes of Health in Bethesda, Maryland, after having earned a doctorate at Georgetown University in Washington, DC.

The nearest boutique to him is the Tysons Galleria boutique in McLean, Virginia. Mr. Robert Marciniszyn is both the Tysons Galleria boutique manager and the Montblanc District Manager.

After considerable thought, I asked my friend to purchase on my behalf a NOS un-inked 2000 Writers Edition Friedrich Schiller which had been located. It had taken six weeks to find a genuine NOS Schiller.

My friend brought the Schiller to the Tysons Galleria Montblanc boutique. Mr. Marciniszyn was exceptionally knowledgable and helpful, processing the Bespoke nib request with ease and finesse.

There were no issues of any kind, therefore the Schiller made the journey to the Montblanc USA customer service center in Ft. Worth, Texas, where it was forwarded to Hamburg, Germany.

Axel Nier confirmed receipt of the Schiller, setting his team to work on the OF Flex request. There was frequent contact by Axel, asking salient questions about my sketching style.

He said that the Bespoke Nib Team would like to see samples of the pen and ink field sketches I’d made, so I sent screenshots of five representative sketches to him.

Axel called me from Hamburg, asking probing questions about subtle details of my typical sketching style. Interestingly, we never discussed handwriting as Axel already knows my writing style and the nib wasn't intended for handwriting.

I’d specifically requested a nib with ‘feather touch’ ink flow, meaning that the slightest contact with a paper surface commenced ink flow. I’d also specified a nib which was not at all a wet writer, as that would interfere with sketch quality.

What would be ideal for my intended use would be a nib capable of laying down a faint line with minimal pressure, and able to immediately shift to a bolder stroke with increased pressure.

In other words, for sketching purposes a broad line, such as produced by the BBBB Small Signature, would be undesirable, but occasional moderately bold strokes would add increased fluency to rapid field sketching.

With a Bespoke Nib request engraving along the flange at the edge of both sides of the nib is possible, with the word choice left up to the client’s discretion.

I asked for ‘Freedom’ on the left side of the nib which would face me while sketching, and ‘Independence’ on the right side of the nib. These values have been deeply embedded in my thinking throughout my life.

The nature of both ‘Freedom’ and ‘Independence’ reinforce Friedrich Schiller’s thinking, as expressed in his version of “William Tell”, whose crossbow is depicted on the WE Schiller nib.

The motivation for a WE Schiller pen for an OF Flex nib was because I wanted a lightweight, inconspicuous pen with a relatively unadorned barrel and classic yellow gold ornamentation.

After studying a wide range of options, the WE Schiller admirably fit all of my preferences for a sketch pen intended for field use in a variety of conditions.

Axel felt that a new Schiller nib could be crafted which would meet my requirements, with an ink feed internally configured to provide the steady ‘feather touch’ ink flow which I sought.

After several weeks of experimentation by the Bespoke Nib Team, Axel contacted me to say that they had an idea. Rather than making an OF Flex, they proposed creating a one off ‘sketch nib’, optimized for my sketching style.

While it was a surprise, I promptly agreed to the change of focus, as I have complete confidence in Axel’s taste and discretion with regard to crafting outstanding fountain pen nibs.

After I agreed, they made a different nib with reinforced tensile strength, increased tine length, specialized tipping, and a carefully calibrated ink feed which was steady and ultra-sensitive to the writer’s touch.

This required a number of weeks of redesign, testing, tweaking and subtle changes. After considerable time-intensive labor by the master nib craftsmen, a sketch nib was produced.

Axel initially sent a sketch which he’d drawn, to show the nib’s capability. I was very pleased with the result, expressing my considerable satisfaction to him.

Then an artist from Montblanc’s marketing and advertising division was asked to make a sketch of a leopard. The sketch nib in the skilled hand of a professional yielded a remarkable result. I was overjoyed!

The completed pen was shipped from Hamburg to the McLean, Virginia Montblanc boutique. My friend picked up the pen, reshipping it to another friend in Shenzhen, a large city beside the northern border of Hong Kong.

Upon arrival, China Customs raised a number of concerns which delayed the pen’s release to my friends for several weeks. They imposed a 30% customs duty in accordance with a new tariff on “luxury goods entering from the United States”.

The Customs officials removed the pen, carefully inspecting it. They were disturbed by the prominent use of the terms ‘Freedom’ and ‘Independence’, which they felt were at odds with China’s current ideological values.

Those words caused much delay, as they seemed like a challenge to this country's social order. It was necessary to emphasize that they reflected Schiller’s writing in “William Tell”.

When the pen arrived there was dark blue ink on the nib from having been dip tested by the customs inspectors, as it was un-inked when it arrived in McLean, Virginia and was un-inked when it was re-shipped to Shenzhen.

Nevertheless, it arrived in excellent condition, having been protected by careful packaging. To receive the outcome of a dream from many months before was an immensely satisfying moment.

What of the Bespoke Sketch nib itself?

For starters, it had an ‘Easter egg’, as in the computer software term which means a hidden feature which isn’t immediately apparent but may be discovered in due time, bring delight and pleasure.

On the underside of the nib are the hallmarks ‘StØD’ and ‘Au750’. I’d never realized that the Schiller hallmarks were placed in such a discreet location. A small surprise which added to the overall happiness in handling the pen.

Inked with Montblanc Permanent Black, which works well with watercolors, the nib performs exactly as hoped. The ink flow is immediate, no matter how lightly the nib surface is placed on the paper surface.

It easily produces thin, clear lines at a rapid pace, without any skipping. There’s no scratchiness at all, with pleasing feedback from the paper surface. Moderately light pressure results in bolder lines for emphasis.

Doodling geometric shapes, scribbling biological forms, and testing its range all exceeded any expectations I’d had. The Bespoke Sketch Nib is ready for use in the field as is, with no need for an extended break-in period.

This is my third Bespoke nib. As with the previous two, it exemplifies Montblanc’s commitment to creativity and the refined craftsmanship of specialized writing tools.

My heartfelt appreciation goes out to Axel Nier and the Hamburg-based Bespoke Nib Team for their care, thoughtfulness, wisdom, and unwavering dedication to crafting nibs of wonder.

This may not be my final Bespoke nib. I’ve considered the possibility of a BB Cursive Italic nib, or a Large Signature nib, or even a second Small Signature nib, as that’s an extraordinary writer.

If I someday acquire a 1994 PoA Louis XIV fountain pen, I’ll likely have it re-plated in gold, and request one of the aforementioned Bespoke nib possibilities. Axel has already agreed to help me with that.

The Bespoke Sketch nib fulfills my desire for an ultra-responsive fountain pen which would be capable of holding up under field conditions and perform the rapid sketching which is often necessary to capture shifting light and wildlife.

As ever I strongly recommend Montblanc Bespoke nibs as a possibility worth considering. Their value lies in participating in the creative process of nib design so as to realize whatever sketching or writing dreams one might have.

Tom K.

Arrival

Bubble Wrap Revealed

Packaging

Mummy

Clear Plastic Shipping Tube

2000 Writers Edition Friedrich Schiller

William Tell's Crossbow

Engraving Placed Where I'll See It

Sketch Nib Side View

Underside View

Bespoke Sketch Nib Feed

Piston Knob

Snow Star View

Nib and Cap

Independence

Freedom

 

Congratulations Tom !!!

 

It must be a wonderful feeling to finally have the pen in your hands.

 

Thank God that the customs didn't fiddle around with the pen too much.

 

I am a newcomer in this field and am getting to learn a lot from you every day.

 

Please keep on writing . We just love it.

 

Best

 

Amit

[zaddick]

Tom - another amazing nib and story. I liked the Schiller pen so much I ended up with two over the years (now with new homes). I hope you enjoy the vintage aspects of the pen and staring at the cap while composing your thoughts. I look forward to Yubi, not-so-wildlife sketches.

[Tom Kellie]

~ grantmm:

 

Thank you so much for your thoughtful comment about Zuji's passing.

He was as fine a writing companion as I've ever known.

His loss was quite a blow, from which I've not yet fully recovered.

I'm glad that you're able to care for your King Robert.

Like nishant, I write with a 2001 PoA Marquise de Pompadour.

It's become a daily writer, as I enjoy the heft of the pen's mass.

BTW: Your OBBB in Montblanc Emerald Green writes such lovely strokes and curves.

I like your very nice handwritten post.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Napping Puppy

Waking Up

[Tom Kellie]

Congratulations Tom !!!

 

It must be a wonderful feeling to finally have the pen in your hands.

 

Thank God that the customs didn't fiddle around with the pen too much.

 

I am a newcomer in this field and am getting to learn a lot from you every day.

 

Please keep on writing . We just love it.

 

Best

 

Amit

 

~ Amit:

 

Thank you very much for your very kind comment.

Yes, it's a great relief to see the Bespoke Sketch nib sitting on my writing desk.

The incoming customs process was a prolonged ordeal. When it concluded, there was considerable relief.

I'm a newcomer also, as my first Montblanc purchase was in 2013, although I'd received a 149 as a gift 25 years before.

Reading posts throughout the FPN Web site has been an education.

Such members as Ghost Plane, zaddick, niksch, Chrissy, Kalessin, jmccarty3, Michael R., da vinci and meiers regularly encourage others with practical advice based on their long experience.

The photography of farmdogfan has inspired me, as have images from Reed_thoughts and Cyrille.

We're fortunate to have such a talented group of members to educate us concerning the finer points of Montblanc fountain pens.

We're all learning from one another, as there are so many aspects of fountain pen acquisition and use to consider.

I'm so pleased that you're enjoying the posts in this thread.

Tom K.

[Tom Kellie]

Tom - another amazing nib and story. I liked the Schiller pen so much I ended up with two over the years (now with new homes). I hope you enjoy the vintage aspects of the pen and staring at the cap while composing your thoughts. I look forward to Yubi, not-so-wildlife sketches.

 

~ zaddick:

 

Thank you so much for your encouraging comment.

I'd focussed so much on the Bespoke Sketch nib's specialized qualities that the Schiller's own charms were somewhat overlooked.

Therefore it's been great fun to examine the Schiller now that it's finally arrived. I see why you liked it so much that you had a brace.

I selected the Schiller because the long, unadorned pen was exactly what I wanted to use during field sketching sessions.

The cap was an afterthought, yet after arrival, the amber cap body and the elegant clip are superb touches for ongoing enjoyment.

Ha! Yubi-as-wildlife. Now there's a mind-bending concept. He's such a cuddly little lovebug!

In 2018 I've acquired a Coral Red Danish-made pen, a Patron of Art and a Writers Edition, which are added to the Donation Pen that I already owned.

A little bit of everything, which helps me better understand the collectors who have a wide assortment of Montblanc fountain pens.

Were I a fountain pen, I'd be inked in pure liquid happiness. I feel so fortunate to enjoy such superb writing tools.

Tom K.

[Uncial]

The Schiller is a wonderful pen that I think is probably a bit under-rated. I love the older WE's with their vintage leanings.

[Autococker07]

Beautiful pen, and fantastic nib! The delicate and precise nature of this instrument is evident in your note, and looks wonderful for one with the skills to draw (not me, sadly).

 

I like the Schiller immensely, quite understated without being boring.... stunning is the word I would use.

 

How does the size compare to your 149? I have found the size of the 149 about perfect for my comfort, and it's simplicity is classic. The Friedrich Schiller shares the same understated look.

 

I bet the "wild" Yubi sketches this treasure will create from your hand will be outstanding! Congrats and enjoy!

 

Jim

[nishantdr83]

Dear Tom,

The journey to personalized nibs is as bespoke as the craftsmanship. Congratulations on another fine addition to your collection. It appears that I log on to FPN only to search for your latest posts ... and this morning, it was totally worth it. I took a small break at work and put my 5 minutes to perfect use reading your post. Truly delightful!

I am enjoying my Pompadour for sure and pleasantly surprised by the smooth, wet flow of the M nib. I need it in F/EF but may have found a solution for that...

Best

Nishant

[zaddick]

Beautiful pen, and fantastic nib! The delicate and precise nature of this instrument is evident in your note, and looks wonderful for one with the skills to draw (not me, sadly).

 

I like the Schiller immensely, quite understated without being boring.... stunning is the word I would use.

 

How does the size compare to your 149? I have found the size of the 149 about perfect for my comfort, and it's simplicity is classic. The Friedrich Schiller shares the same understated look.

 

I bet the "wild" Yubi sketches this treasure will create from your hand will be outstanding! Congrats and enjoy!

 

Jim

 

Think of the Schiller as a flat top 146 and you have it about right. Length is similar to a 149, but the girth is a fair bit less. And of course the nib is a #6 size vs a #9.

[James4226c]

My personal regard for Axel Nier is immense, as his discerning understanding of nib realities and his commitment to meeting and exceeding client expectations is consistently highly professional.

What stirred in my thoughts during the past couple of years was a nib customized for rapid field sketching, rather than for handwriting written text. I often sketch natural scenes in fairly rough, remote conditions in Africa.

The specific nib I considered was an Oblique Fine with Flex, i.e. an OF Flex nib. Such nibs were extensively utilized by field naturalists of one century ago and more for rapid sketches of wildlife and landscape.

Late in October, 2017 I tentatively inquired about the feasibility of a Bespoke OF Flex nib. To my delight, Axel responded that an OF Flex was indeed very possible.

Accordingly, in the first week of November, 2017 a Yellow Gold 149 with a BB nib was shipped to Montblanc China in Beijing for processing as a Bespoke Nib request.

That pen is now the monotone Yellow Gold 149 Bespoke Small Signature Nib, presented in this thread two weeks ago with an image series.

What happened? Why the change from a Bespoke OF Flex to a Bespoke Small Signature in monotone Yellow Gold?

The culture where I've worked and lived for two decades is often traditional and resistant to change. That tendency affects a great many aspects of daily life, including Montblanc China.

Their staff was unfamiliar with an OF Flex nib, therefore they balked at sending the pen to Hamburg for a Bespoke Nib, because that sounded strange and irregular in their experience.

As I respect their feelings and wish to maintain a positive working relationship with Montblanc China, I accepted their views and made a request for a Bespoke Small Signature nib.

I’d never have otherwise ordered a Bespoke Small Signature as it hadn’t been in my dreams. As it is, that pen is an extraordinary writer of the very highest quality.

He said that the Bespoke Nib Team would like to see samples of the pen and ink field sketches I’d made, so I sent screenshots of five representative sketches to him.

Axel called me from Hamburg, asking probing questions about subtle details of my typical sketching style. Interestingly, we never discussed handwriting as Axel already knows my writing style and the nib wasn't intended for handwriting.

After several weeks of experimentation by the Bespoke Nib Team, Axel contacted me to say that they had an idea. Rather than making an OF Flex, they proposed creating a one off ‘sketch nib’, optimized for my sketching style.

While it was a surprise, I promptly agreed to the change of focus, as I have complete confidence in Axel’s taste and discretion with regard to crafting outstanding fountain pen nibs.

After I agreed, they made a different nib with reinforced tensile strength, increased tine length, specialized tipping, and a carefully calibrated ink feed which was steady and ultra-sensitive to the writer’s touch.

This required a number of weeks of redesign, testing, tweaking and subtle changes. After considerable time-intensive labor by the master nib craftsmen, a sketch nib was produced.

Axel initially sent a sketch which he’d drawn, to show the nib’s capability. I was very pleased with the result, expressing my considerable satisfaction to him.

Then an artist from Montblanc’s marketing and advertising division was asked to make a sketch of a leopard. The sketch nib in the skilled hand of a professional yielded a remarkable result. I was overjoyed!

The completed pen was shipped from Hamburg to the McLean, Virginia Montblanc boutique. My friend picked up the pen, reshipping it to another friend in Shenzhen, a large city beside the northern border of Hong Kong.

Upon arrival, China Customs raised a number of concerns which delayed the pen’s release to my friends for several weeks. They imposed a 30% customs duty in accordance with a new tariff on “luxury goods entering from the United States”.

The Customs officials removed the pen, carefully inspecting it. They were disturbed by the prominent use of the terms ‘Freedom’ and ‘Independence’, which they felt were at odds with China’s current ideological values.

Those words caused much delay, as they seemed like a challenge to this country's social order. It was necessary to emphasize that they reflected Schiller’s writing in “William Tell”.

When the pen arrived there was dark blue ink on the nib from having been dip tested by the customs inspectors, as it was un-inked when it arrived in McLean, Virginia and was un-inked when it was re-shipped to Shenzhen.

Nevertheless, it arrived in excellent condition, having been protected by careful packaging. To receive the outcome of a dream from many months before was an immensely satisfying moment.

Tom K.

 

 

Hi Tom!

 

Thank you for sharing your experience with Axel.

Your journey with him has piqued my curiosity about getting a bespoke nib.

Will let you know if I ever inquire.

 

Aloha,

James

[Inky.Fingers]

 

Who is this mysterious man?

More importantly, is that a writable instrument?

[nishantdr83]

Pompadour 4810 is gorgeous. The hand painted porcelain brings a certain degree of charm to this instrument.

[Michael R.]

What a story! And what a journey which must have taken lots of patience.

 

I wish you many many years of joy to come with this wonderful addition.

 

Hopefully we will learn more about our future nib adventures soon again.

 

Cheers from Germany

 

Michael

PS: I'm happy to see a canine companion on your side again :-)

[empliau]

 

Who is this mysterious man?

More importantly, is that a writable instrument?

 

That's Ghost Plane's next pen, as soon as they attach it to a suitable barrel

[Ghost Plane]

You HAVE seen my Spirit, right?

[niksch]

You make me scared sometimes.

[Tom Kellie]

That's Ghost Plane's next pen, as soon as they attach it to a suitable barrel

 

~ empliau:

 

Ha Ha Ha!

Pass the freshly baked cookies.

The dinner plate-sized chocolate chip cookies...

Tom K.