Mb 149 Expression Nib - Calligraphy?

[Lszuk]

Thanks to all for your very helpful and thoughtful answers. I have been collecting fountain pens for over 40 years but find that the only ones I really use most of the time are my various 149s. I love the stiff nib with an even flow.......but was intrigued by the idea of this nib and was going to try to step out of my comfort zone. I dont have any interest in calligraphy but would like to try to spice up my handwriting a bit. I just dont want to be frustrated by a very dry nib if Im writing as usual and its scratchy or hard to start.

Edited September 17, 2019 by Lszuk

[sampah1962]

Is that with normal writing pressure? Would you recommend this nib for everyday writing? Is the ink flow adequate without sig. pressure? (previous samples seemed to indicate a dry flow with minimal pressure).

 

Thanks.

I have been using this for a week now, I must say that I will not use this for daily pen, taking a note, or quick writing. Without pressure, it will come up extra fine.

[oldrifleman]

I just received mine yesterday evening and I have been using it all day at work to make notes and record my thoughts. It is inked with one of my favorite inks Pelikan Smokey Quartz. It is a bit scratchy, but it is getting better. I am learning how much pressure I can use to get the results I want. It is still a fine but no longer an extra fine. Yes it is a lighter line than I am used to, but that ok. By the end of the day I was about as fast as I am with one of my wider nibs. It is not as springy as I anticipated ( not as soft as a titanium bock). Will I keep it, yes, I like it, it is just not as I expected.

[gerigo]

I do agree that it is not what I expected. The word flex makes many of us go a bit rabid, and there seem to be expectations as to how flex will perform. I am glad with the direction that Montblanc has taken but nevertheless, I find I have to learn to discover the characteristics of the nib.

 

I just received mine yesterday evening and I have been using it all day at work to make notes and record my thoughts. It is inked with one of my favorite inks Pelikan Smokey Quartz. It is a bit scratchy, but it is getting better. I am learning how much pressure I can use to get the results I want. It is still a fine but no longer an extra fine. Yes it is a lighter line than I am used to, but that ok. By the end of the day I was about as fast as I am with one of my wider nibs. It is not as springy as I anticipated ( not as soft as a titanium bock). Will I keep it, yes, I like it, it is just not as I expected.

[danrodcard]

would anyone knows how it compares to a 149 with a split ebonite feed?

[grantmm]

I have been using this pen daily for my team's standup notes. These call for quick writing and limited space. I feel that it performs better than my 149 EF nib. Very smooth writer even with the drier Sand of the Desert. The ink I am using in today's notes is the new Jungle Green. This has the same no nib weeping that the Sand of the Desert showed. There was no skipping or hard starts, it only did exactly what I hoped for.

 

This feels like it really is a do everything nib. Totally in love Thank you, Montblanc for finally putting this out!

 

[grantmm]

I also love using it to write stupid little notes to put on my coworker's desk.

 

 

 

 

Edited September 18, 2019 by grantmm

[AndyLogan]

I also love using it to write stupid little notes to put on my coworker's desk.

 

 

 

 

 

I'm fairly certain the last one was by Bart Simpson, I'm not familiar with the others tho, well it has been years since I last saw an episode of the Simpsons.

[bstnnyc]

That's absolute nonsense. I just spoke to my favorite brick and mortar pen retailer yesterday and he said that they have 13 Expression 149s in the back. Are they artificially trying to inflate demand to appeal to your FOMO to get you to make the purchase?

 

I just visited my local MB boutique to try out the pen and was told that they only received 1 and that it sold immediately the day it came in, but that I could put my name on a list to order one. They said their tester pen hadnt come in yet either, which also makes me feel like theyre trying to boost orders by appealing to FOMO exactly as you described it

[Jeremy_Smith]

I’m curious as to how it compares to the vintage Monte Blancs. I’ve always heard they were pretty flexible- regardless it is a beautiful pen.

[oldrifleman]

I was actually just playing with this. I have a vintage 60s pen and one of the new Flex pens. I did some loopies with both and the new flex I could do extra fine to double broad pretty easy with a bit of scratch. The vintage was smoother and could do fine to broad.

[dbs]

Finally got my 149 flex. Here is the first day impression:

 

1) Very scratch, although not as bad as Pilot 823 or Sailor Fine. If you familiar with modern Montblanc or Pelikan M1000, this scratch is a nightmare. I have 90s Writer edition, the EF is as scratch as this one

2) Need write slowly to demonstrate limited variable line width, otherwise it will skip, not skip due to baby bottom, but lack of ink flow

3) Can write faster without pressure, then it is thin, dry EF

4) Hard to write on rigid, smooth and non-smear paper such as Rhodia. Very hard to write on any paper contains cotton fiber, such as most thesis paper, No problem on Tomoe River 65g paper

5) There is always ink stain on the tines.

 

Overall, this pen is little overhyped. Your handwriting won't get any better with this little amount of line variation. And it is not for daily quick note taking.

[Tom Kellie]

Finally got my 149 flex. Here is the first day impression:

 

Overall, this pen is little overhyped. Your handwriting won't get any better with this little amount of line variation. And it is not for daily quick note taking.

 

 

~ dbs:

 

Your initial impressions are helpful. Thank you for taking time to explain your experience with the 149 Expression Nib.

If it's unsuitable for daily note taking, and has the shortcomings you've mentioned, what is it well-suited for?

In other words, if you were encouraging a friend to consider this pen, what might you emphasize as being a strong point...if any?

As you're an actual owner, writing with an Expression Nib, your impressions carry much weight.

Tom K.

[BillH]

I'll chime in here too. When I first got mine I was a bit worried it wouldn't be a good everyday pen either. I have a tremor and many times my hands are not as "under control" as they used to be... I used to tie flies for fishing, and handload for shooting... sigh, no more. Anyway, I found the nib flexed very easily and made variations where and when I didn't want them. The first page or two was frankly kind of ugly. But I've kept at it and have gotten used to writing with no pressure at all, and I find that quite satisfactory. Now I'm trying to learn how to bring in a little pressure when I -want- it. Hard for me to learn as I've never had a flex or learned calligraphy. But I am still glad I bought this one.

 

Not sure I'll go for the Gold Leaf 146 though.

[oldrifleman]

I also was concerned when I first got mine, I quickly got used To it and now I have no problem taking notes with it. Will it make you a better writer, no, but I have not found a pen yet that does. As far as skipping, I had a couple of episodes the very first day, but none since then. Maybe my hand is heavier than some but with Pelikan Smoky Quartz ink it has never really been dry, it is lighter than my Broad nibs, but on par with my fine nibs. The only negative is that I do have ink across the front of the tines, but reality is that it really does not bother me, it drys up as I start writing. It is one of my scratchiest nibs but as I use it more I quit noticing that. Is it the pen to rule all pens? No, but it is a nice addition the squad 😁

[Fritz Schimpf]

As I have had the chance to test the 149 Flex for quite some time now, I would like to show some of the possibilities this nib offers.

 

 

 

 

Should one of the 149 Flex not write without pressure I would recommend returning it to Montblanc for a check-up.

This is not a normal behavior of this nib.

 

[oldrifleman]

I agree, the pen will write with no pressure. The line may not be super dark but that is more from being an XF nib than lack of flow.

[max dog]

<blockquote class='ipsBlockquote' data-author="thewritingraven" data-cid="4244118" data-time="1567333517"><cite class="ipb" contenteditable="false">thewritingraven, on 01 Sept 2019 - 18:25, said:</cite><p>Thank you, I really appreciate you taking the time to compare and your writing is lovely, which would you say was the softest nib?</p></blockquote>I did a comparison between a few of my flex nib pens and found Omas Ogiva to be the softest. Armando Simone Club Magic Flex, Montblanc 149 flex and Pilot Custom 743 FA are quite similar in their nib softness. Interestingly, Pilot Custom Urushi medium nib (nib size 30) is as soft as them. Montblanc 146 flex is the least soft and takes the most pressure to flex it.I don’t flex my nibs normally and don’t know calligraphy so I just haphazardly apply pressure to flex them to show you the effect. Photos of the pens, nibs, flex writing and normal writings are attached. Not sure why the files uploaded have low resolution. Nevertheless, have a look at the pictorial comparison!

Wanderlust, thanks for the great side by side comparison. I have the Pilot 912 FA. How does the 149 Expression nibs ink flow keep up with the flex compared to the FA?

[Tom Kellie]

~ After re-reading this thread, it's clear that the comments posted are helpful.

The pen and handwriting sample posted by Fritz Schimpf above are especially useful in showing what the Expression Nib is capable of doing.

Those who've added either model of Montblanc's Calligraphy Collection Expression Nib flex nibs may have mastered regular writing use.

If so, any images of handwriting samples would be valuable for others, in order to better visualize these nibs’ potential.

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/350141-montblanc-meisterstuck-calligraphy-149-expression-nib/

Croma's thread about tensile strength and nib flexibility is a valuable resource in the FPN Montblanc Forum.

Nevertheless, I'm interested in seeing other samples of Calligraphy Collection Expression Nib writing from either the Gold Leaf 146 or the 149 models.

As this is a largely unfamiliar set of nibs, images may offer as much or more than descriptions.

Tom K.

[Zdenek]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=uWNSotzqQXM