What's Your Most Recent Mb Purchase? 2018

[Axis]

Well, I joined the club of blue hour skeleton fans. I was not fond of the 90 year Skeleton but this one appealed to me when released. Then I forgot about it and was reminded some month ago by a friendly FPN-member ;-)

 

So I received today after some weeks the very last one globally available via Montblanc :-))

 

It will get a bespoke nib soon.

[Ghost Plane]

Good choice

[zaddick]

Looking forward to seeing the bespoke nib Axis. Enjoy your new pen.

[orangesam]

Greetings fellow Mont blanc users! I would like to show three recent purchases and compare their similarities. They include the Oscar Wilde, Agatha Christie, and the Beatles Fountain pens. The three pens are almost identical in length capped and posted. But they vary considerably In length and grip unposted. I was amazed that all three and the 149 are exactly the same length when posted!

 

The Oscar Wilde is a nod back to the pens from the early years of Montblanc. The pen is very comfortable to use as it is larger and longer then the Agatha Christie unposted. Unfortunately though I think the cap is too short and does not look quite right.

 

The Agatha Christie is an awesome looking pen and is easily my favorite. It is a tad bit narrow and short for my tastes, but almost perfect.

 

The Beatles pen is heavier and thicker than the others and feels considerably more solid and durable. The cap is huge and is meant to resemble the tall microphones used by the Beatles during some of their recording sessions. The pen unposted is not as long as the others, although it is long enough to be usable and comfortable.

 

The Montblanc cap top emblems - the Agatha Christie is huge and mellow; the Agatha Christie is smaller but mellow; the Beatles is huge and bright white.

#Squadgoals

[ASL]

Nine Fountain Pens 146 Silver .. Ha Ha Ha

here they are

 

[MontblancGeek]

Well, I joined the club of blue hour skeleton fans. I was not fond of the 90 year Skeleton but this one appealed to me when released. Then I forgot about it and was reminded some month ago by a friendly FPN-member ;-)

 

So I received today after some weeks the very last one globally available via Montblanc :-))

 

It will get a bespoke nib soon.

Congrats! I agree, the 90Y Skeleton is not at the top of my list either (maybe because I unfairly compare it with the 75Y and it cannot hold a candle compared to that one).

 

What color ink will you be using on your Blue Hour? My personal favorite for that one is Lavender Purple.

[Pravda]

Well, I joined the club of blue hour skeleton fans. I was not fond of the 90 year Skeleton but this one appealed to me when released. Then I forgot about it and was reminded some month ago by a friendly FPN-member ;-)

 

So I received today after some weeks the very last one globally available via Montblanc :-))

 

It will get a bespoke nib soon.

Congratulations Axis!! It is rather pretty isnt it?

 

Just got my nib installed on mine yesterday actually, it was hand delivered from Hamburg by Roberta during last weeks events Good youre going bespoke because broad nibs for this model are no longer available.

[Axis]

Congrats! I agree, the 90Y Skeleton is not at the top of my list either (maybe because I unfairly compare it with the 75Y and it cannot hold a candle compared to that one).

 

What color ink will you be using on your Blue Hour? My personal favorite for that one is Lavender Purple.

 

Thanks - I plan turquoise for that pen.

[Axis]

Congratulations Axis!! It is rather pretty isnt it?

 

Just got my nib installed on mine yesterday actually, it was hand delivered from Hamburg by Roberta during last weeks events Good youre going bespoke because broad nibs for this model are no longer available.

Yes, it is. You triggered me - thanks for that :-))

[AndyLogan]

It's is also a way to use up more ink Andy! I hope you enjoy the stubbish qualities of the broad nib.

 

A fun way to use the numerous inks I've acquired and an excuse to buy more!

[Ghost Plane]

Are we buying up all the broad nibs from MB between us?

 

 

Maybe they should make more.

[Michael R.]

[Michael R.]

And for me another project pen:

 

An early version green striated 146 Meisterstück (with Masterpiece imprint).

 

Needs a lot of cosmetic work and loving care. The telescopic mechanism needs repair also but nothing too complicated. Should turn into a nice pen even the color is not perfect but evenly ambered slightly.

 

Im very happy it came apart safely after some heat, efforts and more heat ...!

 

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

PS: Im sorry for the lousy ipad pictures; will need to take better ones later

Edited March 30, 2018 by Michael R.

[Michael R.]

Finally some progress with my long term project: the junk Meisterstück 35 black & pearl!

 

Bought the barrel, gripping section with feed and wrong nib many years ago. Unfortunately the black & pearl barrel was not only warped and bent but also showed some serious dents from the shrinking material.

 

After the first straightening attempt by a repair person (which already had shown a big change to the better), more efforts by myself (heating and trying to bent it back) it finally is in a not only acceptable but in rather very nice condition after FPN member fountainbel (Francis Goossens) accepted the challenge when handing him the remains of the pen at the Cologne Pen Show a few weeks ago.

 

 

I hope Francis does not mind citing his comments what he has achieved:

Attached a picture showing your straightened barrel and the new ebonite cap Ive made.The barrel is reasonably straight now, although the barrel slightly shows a deepened place made during your previous re-strightening effort.Since you did not use a centering pin during re-straightening , the barrel wall was inwards compressed./dimpled at the opposite side of your bending effort.Given the front side of the barrel is shrunk , the inner diameter is 0,25mm smaller at the front side , limiting the diameter of the centering pin I could use.Enlarging the bore at the front op the lathe was no option since even with the re-straightened barrel, the remaining eccentricity did not allow centering the bore perfectly on the lathe.Ive managed to expand the barrel threads with 0,4mm bringing them back to their original diameter, so the barrel threads now fit again in the original cap youve includedThe new cap thread fits perfectly on the barrel threading , and the section now screws in easily.Given the barrel threads profile was worn and rather shallow, Ive opted for minimal thread backlash , obtaining a decent thread profile engagement .Ive also made brass cap rings which were gold plated twice avoiding any risks for premature brassing.The rings are firmly swaged in the cap grooves.

 

Im really happy how this turned out! Many thanks again Francis, for your great work!

 

Now I will need to find the correct matching parts which are still missing like the nib, clip, cap top, filling knob and internals.

 

Maybe one day I will be able to find a matching black & pearl cap or at least a matching celluloid to have one made.

 

Until then it will be a nice custom Frankenpen Oscar Wilde style made from vintage parts ;-)

 

Additionally shown for illustration with original Montblanc 35 parts and pen

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

 

 

Edited March 30, 2018 by Michael R.

[Ghost Plane]

Now THAT is a project pen.

[jmccarty3]

A burgundy 221 with an EF nib arrived today. Appears to be working well, and the section is free from cracks.

[AndyLogan]

Finally some progress with my long term project: the junk Meisterstück 35 black & pearl!

 

Bought the barrel, gripping section with feed and wrong nib many years ago. Unfortunately the black & pearl barrel was not only warped and bent but also showed some serious dents from the shrinking material.

 

After the first straightening attempt by a repair person (which already had shown a big change to the better), more efforts by myself (heating and trying to bent it back) it finally is in a not only acceptable but in rather very nice condition after FPN member fountainbel (Francis Goossens) accepted the challenge when handing him the remains of the pen at the Cologne Pen Show a few weeks ago.

 

1FC5C8B6-3CF7-4C62-8710-608819E3987C.jpeg

 

I hope Francis does not mind citing his comments what he has achieved:

Attached a picture showing your straightened barrel and the new ebonite cap Ive made.The barrel is reasonably straight now, although the barrel slightly shows a deepened place made during your previous re-strightening effort.Since you did not use a centering pin during re-straightening , the barrel wall was inwards compressed./dimpled at the opposite side of your bending effort.Given the front side of the barrel is shrunk , the inner diameter is 0,25mm smaller at the front side , limiting the diameter of the centering pin I could use.Enlarging the bore at the front op the lathe was no option since even with the re-straightened barrel, the remaining eccentricity did not allow centering the bore perfectly on the lathe.Ive managed to expand the barrel threads with 0,4mm bringing them back to their original diameter, so the barrel threads now fit again in the original cap youve includedThe new cap thread fits perfectly on the barrel threading , and the section now screws in easily.Given the barrel threads profile was worn and rather shallow, Ive opted for minimal thread backlash , obtaining a decent thread profile engagement .Ive also made brass cap rings which were gold plated twice avoiding any risks for premature brassing.The rings are firmly swaged in the cap grooves.

2DC2C85D-34DD-4131-AF17-F73F6BE15394.jpeg

 

Im really happy how this turned out! Many thanks again Francis, for your great work!

 

Now I will need to find the correct matching parts which are still missing like the nib, clip, cap top, filling knob and internals.

 

Maybe one day I will be able to find a matching black & pearl cap or at least a matching celluloid to have one made.

 

Until then it will be a nice custom Frankenpen Oscar Wilde style made from vintage parts ;-)

 

Additionally shown for illustration with original Montblanc 35 parts and pen

 

Cheers

 

Michael

 

 

FF230B6B-4511-45EF-9D8E-9DFBDD6E1BAA.jpeg

 

B3816356-6569-4221-8A87-BC28F1F0D247.jpeg

 

 

 

A lovely way to restore unused parts.

[Tom Kellie]

A burgundy 221 with an EF nib arrived today. Appears to be working well, and the section is free from cracks.

 

~ jmccarty3:

 

Congratulations on the new pen. (I initially typed “new arrival”, but somehow that suggested a different sort of event)

You mentioned that the section is free from cracks.

Is that because 221s are prone to such cracks...or a more general observation?

The 221s have recently attracted my attention. An EF nib must be a pleasing writer.

Tom K.

[jmccarty3]

Tom--

 

The burgundy models of this type do seem to develop cracks in the section more easily than the black ones. I bought a burgundy 22 that seemed OK until i filled it the second time, after which it showed a network of cracks in the section and leaked all over the place. I sent photos of the damage to MB guru Brad Torelli, who told me that the cracks were too extensive to repair. I hope this one does better. The EF nib is very nice.

[kandarp]

I've been refocusing my collection and got pretty sweet deals on a 1950's Celluloid 146, a 70s 149 and a Agatha Christie (looks to be a F nib). I'll post pictures of these once I get my Proust back from niksch.

 

My wife will most likely make me list the Christie and the 149 on FPN to pay for the other two