Restoring An Mb 432 Stylograph - My Journey

March 25, 2018

Latest update - its fixed!!

After letting the lead weight and wire feed dry overnight, I tried it. But the wire feed end was too sharp. So, I took it off again, used some micromest to smoothen the tip, and put it back:

Then I put it back onto the lead weight, applied some of the claylike epoxy and let it set for a few hours. I tried the nib weight and wire feed unit inside the nib unit - it seemed to fit:

The test:

The ink flow is very high, I guess that can be adjusted by placing in a thicker wire feed. But, I am enjoying this wetness. The nib will need smoothening over the coming days – i will do this slowly, in small increments, testing for a day or so before further smoothening.

This has been a truly rewarding restoration journey for me - especially since I have been after a 432 for over a year now and I didn't have any options for professional restoration.

Thanks for the encouragement and advice everyone that tuned in!

March 25, 2018

Amazing job Sia, my sincere congratulations !

Francis

March 25, 2018

Well done.

March 25, 2018

Amazing job Sia, my sincere congratulations !
Francis

Thanks for the encouragement, as always!

Well done.

Thank you sir!

March 25, 2018

As I mentioned before, you can get replacement nib units. If you get one of these of the right size say on eBay, you can remove the weighted wire from the unit and voila. Otherwise you need the hard piano grade stuff for this.

March 25, 2018

As I mentioned before, you can get replacement nib units. If you get one of these of the right size say on eBay, you can remove the weighted wire from the unit and voila. Otherwise you need the hard piano grade stuff for this.

Where would I get replacement nib units for the MBs? I have never seen any. Are you suggesting the rotring nib units?

March 27, 2018

There are a slew of different nib units for Rotring pens of various vintages.

I suspect these fit the same thread as the MB unit and may have even been made for MB by Tintenkuli at the time. Ive successfully replaced worn down nib units from vintage technical pens in the past using a variety of styles including transparent units which are nice.

The problem with the Tintenkulis is you generally pick these up with the nib unit stuck in the section band cause someone at some point used heat vat patience to remove it but thats another story. You dont have that problem :-)

Take a Varioscript 0.4mm unit for example. You could conceivably attempt to disassemble this unit and harvest the tube and weighted wire assembly. Alternatively you could refinish the end on a lathe or with a watch file to match the MB.

The challenge you will have right now is getting the nib unit working properly without piano grade wire. Using standard hardness wire the unit will jam as the wire will get bent.

I can see you are having fun with this challenge youve set yourself so dont want to distract you but Ive worked with these pens for years and can tell you the nib units are supposed to be replaced when they wear out or jam.

You have some options