Le Petit Prince Aviator Solitaire Doue Piston Movement

October 19, 2019

I have a question about the piston travel distance and piston in general regarding the Le Petit Prince Aviator Solitaire Doue. The particularly model is the one pictured below (pic from Montblanc.com).

I have seen two copies both fresh from the factory. The piston has very limited travel range compared to a regular 146 or other solitaire 146. I can normally unscrew the piston for about 2mm on a regular 146. But I can only unscrew 1mm on this Le Petit Prince (to the extend that the piston tool won't fit). When I feel the resistance, the feeling is more like I will break the rod rather than I hit the end of the barrel. Another observation is that from the 1mm opening, I can't see the piston threads at all whereas I can always see some threads on a regular 146 even with a very slight opening.

I am wondering if Montblanc started using a new piston design on this pen. Or is the quality control so bad that both copies just simply have stiff pistons? (I am saying this because I have had TWO new pens with the piston so stiff and eventually break at the boutique). Or is this how this pen is suppose to work and I'm just paranoid? My dealer has contacted Montblanc for an answer but hasn't heard back. I am trying to see what I can learn here.

I will go to the local boutique tomorrow to see a few more examples.

Thank you!

October 19, 2019

Not sure but I can tell of my own experience with the SE all metal Le P Prince which is blue (with the engraved fox heads). The piston is extremely smooth, doesn't move away from the barrel at all and feels a little alarming in the sense that it seems so short a turn that you wonder if it actually sucked up any ink. It has, however, filled flawlessly every time and seems to hold just as much as any of their other piston filler pens. I'm not sure what you mean about the stiffness, but I certainly would not force it beyond its seemingly very short twist (it is notably less than the 146)

October 19, 2019

I have the same experience with the Aviator as well, very short travel but seems to hold a goodly amount of ink. My Martele has a similar short travel judging by eyeball, but it too fills fine and seems to write a "normal" length of time on a fill. Never thought about it until you asked. I will be curious to see what others have to say.

October 20, 2019

Thanks Uncial and Billh for chipping in.

I went to the local boutique. I found out that the piston can go full three turn on two aviators and three and a quarter turns on the martele. I have checked my other 146 sized pens. The longest travel, on another solitaire 146, is about four and a half turns. The shortest travel, on a Meissen white, also a full metal body, is about two and a half turns. So there appears to be a big variation here.

What I also noticed is that I can't see any piston threads on the Aviator pen. I am guessing that it has got a new piston mechanism. Hope we can learn more.

October 20, 2019

I think what you are experiencing is normal. I can't see the threads on my Aviator Solitaire either and the knob goes from fully closed to fully open in about three turns as well.

Below you can see the piston fully extended on my Aviator Solitaire on the left and a 149 on the right (I'm using a 149 because my only plastic 146-based pen is off at MB getting worked on).