What is your most recent MB acquisition?

[maclink]

@Nick T Congratulations and enjoy.  That nib does sound like a getter.   I'm in waiting, so hopefully your arrival marks an soon upcoming delivery for me.

 

[Nick T]

5 hours ago, maclink said:

@Nick T Congratulations and enjoy.  That nib does sound like a getter.   I'm in waiting, so hopefully your arrival marks an soon upcoming delivery for me.

 

@maclink I had quite a journey to find this pen. Montblanc has told me that they will "hopefully" be back in stock by the end of December. Hopefully yours will arrive soon. I found mine in an authorized retail shop in Italy. I didn't have to wait but I did do a lot of searching to find it.

[NoType]

5 hours ago, Nick T said:

@maclink I had quite a journey to find this pen. Montblanc has told me that they will "hopefully" be back in stock by the end of December. Hopefully yours will arrive soon. I found mine in an authorized retail shop in Italy. I didn't have to wait but I did do a lot of searching to find it.

Nick T, if ever you find yourself so inclined, I am certain I speak for other members here as well as myself when I say that it would be extremely interesting to hear the tale of your discovery of your inimitable Calligraphy 149.  A great deal of the charm of collecting is down to the story of the acquisition, the thrill of the hunt, so to speak.  Congratulations on your success!

[Nick T]

1 hour ago, NoType said:

Nick T, if ever you find yourself so inclined, I am certain I speak for other members here as well as myself when I say that it would be extremely interesting to hear the tale of your discovery of your inimitable Calligraphy 149.  A great deal of the charm of collecting is down to the story of the acquisition, the thrill of the hunt, so to speak.  Congratulations on your success!

@NoType Yes, a thrilling hunt indeed.... once I knew I wanted one of these pens the "fun" began.

 

An intense week of asking members on the forum for leads, reading every Montblanc thread from start to finish, and a lot of search engine work as well as reaching out to Montblanc several times. At least 20 solid hours of time was spent in the search. It may not seem like much time but my beard grew by the day as I sat hunched at the writing desk scouring the internet and following up everywhere. Who needs to shower or eat when there is a pen to be found...?

 

Search engines did not turn up any pens; only out of stock notices. BAH! But I saw a lot of nice shops that I didn't know existed:)

 

As an early lead, one forum member found me a pen at Montblanc in Italy. I was super excited. The search was over in a couple hours! So easy to find one of these:) But when I went to pay after putting the pen in the cart the payment block was greyed out... a message that Montblanc Italy does not ship outside the country appeared! Many of you must know of this policy, but I was very disappointed. My understanding now is that each boutique buys its own stock. I assume they want to hold on to the in-demand items for themselves. I was hoping they would do some horse trading with a US dealer to make the sale, but as I don't know anyone personally at a dealership here in the US that seemed a dead end. I let Montblanc know my feelings on the subject (!) and quickly moved on to reading everything anyone had ever posted about this pen.

 

I wrote down the mention of any shop's name. It was an education! There are some really nice pen shops around the globe. I have bookmarked several of them for future visits. So many types of paper and other accoutrements that NEED exploration.

 

A forum member ultimately gave the lead that panned out; a brief mention of an authorized dealer where he bought his pen from a post made last spring, in Rome, that receives Calligraphy pens in dribs and drabs. When I visited the store on-line there was one in stock and as a bonus, at the original introductory price.

 

Ultimately it was me checking up on that one brief mention of a shop, made months ago that netted an in-stock pen, new with warranty. I emailed the proprietor who responded quickly and respectfully. The deal was ON... 4 days later it arrived. Luck had as big a part to play as the hours of detective work. I had by this time made peace that I would not find one till they started showing up again at boutiques "en masse".

 

In speaking to an authorized dealer here in Boston, MA I was told that they hope to have more stock of the Calligraphy pens by the end of December. I don't know what they are basing that estimate on but I hope its true for the sake of all who are waiting or want one.

 

This pen is an incredible instrument and loads of fun to write with. A real chameleon that can do a little bit of everything. A joy. I hope production can keep up with demand and that everyone who wants one gets one.

[christam]

@Nick T  I'm not waiting for one and I won't be ordering one thanks to my inability to use that type of nib, but I really enjoyed your story of research and success.  Thanks for posting such a detailed account.

[maclink]

@Nick T Thanks for sharing that story.  Most interesting it was.  It makes getting the pen that much sweeter.

[Bo Bo Olson]

From my understanding the Calligraphy nib is not even a semi-flex....so I'd not worry much about using the nib.....It don't do a lot. Even if you are Ham Fisted.

 

From my reading it didn't even make it into the semi-flex class. So the nib will not beyond you.

If it didn't make it into semi-flex class, it has to be regular flex like the '70-mid '90's pens.

 

So no big deal, like the Pelikan 200's springy regular flex nibs....or the '82-97 Pelikans.

I do have two 80's 146's and a W.Germany 149 with that.

Would rate my Woolf as @ regular flex...but on the hard side of regular flex, but my '80-90 MB's a bit more springy. It was of course that era.

 

 

I'm rather spoiled with semi-flex and maxi-semi-flex, also in old vintage '50's MB's.

So in my reading I was disappointed with this MB Calligraphy nib (so never even dip tried it at my B&M) and the so called Aurora 'flexi' nibs, which didn't even make it to the semi-flex of 15 years ago, back when Aurora still made semi-flex nibs.

Regular flex is now 'officially' flexi.

 

Some 10 years ago my B&M had a sale and I had tested an Aurora 'Verdi' pen, and it was past toothy into scratchy. I had taken one of my nice semi-flex nibbed pens with me to the B&M to compare. Then I read they stopped making semi-flex nibs....and was disappointed when the new 'flexi' nib wasn't, and wasn't even semi-flex. Which recently retired workers knew how to make.

There are very many Verdie's.  All $$$$.

 

A decade ago while flying out of Frankfurt, I tried that old fashioned looking 1910/1912?? pen, and was very disappointed it wasn't even semi-flex. I didn't expect superflex, and by the way some raved about the nib, expected something, that wasn't there. A tad of flex.....

 

Back then for me, regular flex was so ho hum, I didn't chase them.

I do like them more now. Regular flex being dryer than semi-flex does two toned shading inks better.

I suggest chasing a '50-70 MB in it should be semi-flex. One needs one.

 

Warning, they are like Lays Potato Chips.

[NoType]

On 10/27/2021 at 12:07 PM, Nick T said:

@NoType Yes, a thrilling hunt indeed.... once I knew I wanted one of these pens the "fun" began.

 

An intense week of asking members on the forum for leads, reading every Montblanc thread from start to finish, and a lot of search engine work as well as reaching out to Montblanc several times. At least 20 solid hours of time was spent in the search. It may not seem like much time but my beard grew by the day as I sat hunched at the writing desk scouring the internet and following up everywhere. Who needs to shower or eat when there is a pen to be found...?

 

Search engines did not turn up any pens; only out of stock notices. BAH! But I saw a lot of nice shops that I didn't know existed:)

 

As an early lead, one forum member found me a pen at Montblanc in Italy. I was super excited. The search was over in a couple hours! So easy to find one of these:) But when I went to pay after putting the pen in the cart the payment block was greyed out... a message that Montblanc Italy does not ship outside the country appeared! Many of you must know of this policy, but I was very disappointed. My understanding now is that each boutique buys its own stock. I assume they want to hold on to the in-demand items for themselves. I was hoping they would do some horse trading with a US dealer to make the sale, but as I don't know anyone personally at a dealership here in the US that seemed a dead end. I let Montblanc know my feelings on the subject (!) and quickly moved on to reading everything anyone had ever posted about this pen.

 

I wrote down the mention of any shop's name. It was an education! There are some really nice pen shops around the globe. I have bookmarked several of them for future visits. So many types of paper and other accoutrements that NEED exploration.

 

A forum member ultimately gave the lead that panned out; a brief mention of an authorized dealer where he bought his pen from a post made last spring, in Rome, that receives Calligraphy pens in dribs and drabs. When I visited the store on-line there was one in stock and as a bonus, at the original introductory price.

 

Ultimately it was me checking up on that one brief mention of a shop, made months ago that netted an in-stock pen, new with warranty. I emailed the proprietor who responded quickly and respectfully. The deal was ON... 4 days later it arrived. Luck had as big a part to play as the hours of detective work. I had by this time made peace that I would not find one till they started showing up again at boutiques "en masse".

 

In speaking to an authorized dealer here in Boston, MA I was told that they hope to have more stock of the Calligraphy pens by the end of December. I don't know what they are basing that estimate on but I hope its true for the sake of all who are waiting or want one.

 

This pen is an incredible instrument and loads of fun to write with. A real chameleon that can do a little bit of everything. A joy. I hope production can keep up with demand and that everyone who wants one gets one.

Nick T, I am somewhat at a loss for words to express my deep satisfaction with your Calligraphy 149 “discovery tale,” which has all the elements essential to great storytelling: background and context; heartbreak and disappointment; sheer hard work and perseverance; humour; suspense; details and specificity; and finally, the successful denouement.  You are a gifted narrator and the forum is indebted to you for this fabulous account.  Thank you so very much for your quick response to my request for the tale, which caught me a little unawares — that teaches me for taking my eyes off the forum for trivial,  mundane, minor details Ike work.  As you so eloquently asked, “Who needs to shower or eat when there is a pen to be found . . .?” to which I might add “or a pen tale to be devoured?”

 

You have been so generous that I hesitate to put forward any further requests, yet I couldn’t help but wonder if you might find time to enlighten us with your hard-won discoveries of the international pen shops you mention, where all manner of writing paraphernalia might be found.  Please forgive my brashness, but any knowledge you have gleaned  would be keenly appreciated by new members such as myself.

[NoType]

23 hours ago, Bo Bo Olson said:

From my understanding the Calligraphy nib is not even a semi-flex....so I'd not worry much about using the nib.....It don't do a lot. Even if you are Ham Fisted.

 

From my reading it didn't even make it into the semi-flex class. So the nib will not beyond you.

If it didn't make it into semi-flex class, it has to be regular flex like the '70-mid '90's pens.

 

So no big deal, like the Pelikan 200's springy regular flex nibs....or the '82-97 Pelikans.

I do have two 80's 146's and a W.Germany 149 with that.

Would rate my Woolf as @ regular flex...but on the hard side of regular flex, but my '80-90 MB's a bit more springy. It was of course that era.

 

 

I'm rather spoiled with semi-flex and maxi-semi-flex, also in old vintage '50's MB's.

So in my reading I was disappointed with this MB Calligraphy nib (so never even dip tried it at my B&M) and the so called Aurora 'flexi' nibs, which didn't even make it to the semi-flex of 15 years ago, back when Aurora still made semi-flex nibs.

Regular flex is now 'officially' flexi.

 

Some 10 years ago my B&M had a sale and I had tested an Aurora 'Verdi' pen, and it was past toothy into scratchy. I had taken one of my nice semi-flex nibbed pens with me to the B&M to compare. Then I read they stopped making semi-flex nibs....and was disappointed when the new 'flexi' nib wasn't, and wasn't even semi-flex. Which recently retired workers knew how to make.

There are very many Verdie's.  All $$$$.

 

A decade ago while flying out of Frankfurt, I tried that old fashioned looking 1910/1912?? pen, and was very disappointed it wasn't even semi-flex. I didn't expect superflex, and by the way some raved about the nib, expected something, that wasn't there. A tad of flex.....

 

Back then for me, regular flex was so ho hum, I didn't chase them.

I do like them more now. Regular flex being dryer than semi-flex does two toned shading inks better.

I suggest chasing a '50-70 MB in it should be semi-flex. One needs one.

 

Warning, they are like Lays Potato Chips.

Bo Bo Olson, this may have been requested of you previously, so please forgive this repetition, but could you please define the terms you’ve utilised here?  Regular flex, semi-flex, maxi-semi-flex, superflex?  I for one am desperately in need of an education here, for your points all but sailed far, far over my head.  Any guidance you may provide would be very deeply appreciated!

[Karmachanic]

4 minutes ago, NoType said:

but could you please define the terms

 

😨

[NoType]

2 minutes ago, Karmachanic said:

 

😨

Karmachanic, yes, my ignorance must seem shocking, but I am endeavouring to improve my knowledge.

[Nick T]

52 minutes ago, NoType said:

You have been so generous that I hesitate to put forward any further requests, yet I couldn’t help but wonder if you might find time to enlighten us with your hard-won discoveries of the international pen shops you mention, where all manner of writing paraphernalia might be found.  Please forgive my brashness, but any knowledge you have gleaned  would be keenly appreciated by new members such as myself.

Hello and welcome @NoType I am of the opinion that no question is too small or large for these forums. All journeys begin with the first step....

 

I will PM you the names of some shops I found that "need" further exploration by your truly. I'm not sure if forum rules would allow me to post them here. I don't have any association with these establishments.

 

I'm glad to hear you enjoyed the story of my search.

[invisuu]

10 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

 

😨

 

He said he's new here. He will learn, give him some time.

[Karmachanic]

13 hours ago, NoType said:

Karmachanic, yes, my ignorance must seem shocking, but I am endeavouring to improve my knowledge.

 

Not the unknowing.  It's the answer that scares me

[maclink]

4 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

 

Not the unknowing.  It's the answer that scares me

[Wael El-Dasher]

Just arrived today. Very excited to get to know this lovely Heritage 1912 with Broad nib.

 

cheers

 

Wael

 

[Toll]

32 minutes ago, Wael El-Dasher said:

Just arrived today. Very excited to get to know this lovely Heritage 1912 with Broad nib.

 

cheers

 

Wael

 

Congratulations! I don’t think you will be disappointed!

[mmks]

The recently launched Elizabeth Taylor fountain pen, the lacquer is very beautiful on this pen and I think looks better than in photos. A comparison photo with other pens I own from Muses collection.

 

[Tom Kellie]

~ @mmks:

 

Thank you for posting the comparison photo above.

 

The excellent lighting makes it possible to more fully appreciate the Muses models.

 

The Elizabeth Taylor lacquer is striking.

 

        Tom K.

[Bo Bo Olson]

On 10/28/2021 at 10:03 PM, NoType said:

but could you please define the terms you’ve utilised here?  Regular flex, semi-flex, maxi-semi-flex, superflex?  I for one am desperately in need of an education here, for your points all but sailed far, far over my head.

My system of halves is subjunctive, and it helps to have both a regular flex and a semi-flex nib to fully understand it.

Folks tried electric scales but that worked even less than my horseshoe close system.

 

Nail-manifold nib, not tine spread 1X.

The P-51, the post '97 Pelikan 800.

Semi-nail = when mashed 2 X tine spread,

the P-75, post '97 400&600.

 

Regular flex, semi & maxi-semi-flex are in a three X tine spread set. Just requires different pressure to max the nib or to 3 X.

If one pushes a semi-flex more than 3 X that is Nib Abuse. Semi-flex is a flair nib, not a calligraphy nib.

It will give you that old fashioned fountain pen script with out you doing anything at all.

 

Regular flex when well mashed 3 X tine spread. Soft +.

The Pelikan 200 and Japanese 'soft' nibs. Regular flex in many pen companies use to issue this flex with their pens. Some Sheaffer in the early 50's and perhaps later, Esterbrook made a nib in this flex, Wearever were in this flex.

 

Semi-flex needs half that pressure to reach it's max of 3 X tine spread. Soft ++.

There are some early '50 Sheaffer that are semi-flex, Esterbrook made a hard semi-flex nib, Whal Eversharp make semi-flex in the '40's. There were some semi-flex made in England; Swan, even English made Parker and Sheaffer.

But mostly in Germany they made factory stub semi-flex. Easy to get from '1950-65 for Pelikan '72 for Geha, About '69 for MB.

 

Maxi-semi-flex = half the pressure needed from a semi-flex or 1/4th the pressure needed to mash a regular flex. Soft +++

Osmia had both semi-flex (small diamond nib)  and maxi in Large diamond and or Supra or both. It is the only company where one has the chance of choosing. A couple fine collectors who have many more than my 8 Osmias tell me, That it's not awlways.

Degussa the German Gold producer, took Osmia's nib factory for debt, but continued making Osmi'as nibs and same in their own brand. IMO having made both semi&maxi gold ribbon wheels sold to which ever company wanted a gold ribbon with out differentiation. My WAG is 1 in 5 is a maxi.It is an explanation of why other companies didn't brag it's maxi-semi-flex nibs.

I have maxi-semi-flex nibs in Osmia, MB, Pelikan, Geha and no names.

I have 35 semi-flex and 15  maxi-semi-flex. But then again I sit on the wall of the German well.

 

Superflex has a tine spread of more than 3 X, and an ease of tine bend makes it superflex.

Superflex has occasional 4 X nibs....I may have one, maybe two. But mostly 5-6X tine spread nibs.

7 X is rare unless you are buying pre-sprung for your convenience nibs on Youtube Nib Abuse Channels or the same in Ebay. (Do read Richard Binders fine article on metal fatigue in his site.)

This, my superflex division is for noobies to superflex. Maurcio a superflex expert don't care much for my division.....in the more superflex pens you have or sold, the more the borders blur. He is right.

How ever, my system of halves gives an @ approximation instead of total ignorance.

It takes experience to know when one has maxed a nib. One of the reasons I suggest working one's way up the flex ladder instead of springing into the deep end of the pool with out one's water wings.

And it don't really matter a bit in hell if the nib goes 5 X or 6 X in the end. So make your light line, do a 3 X line and try wider in steps.

And then remember where it felt  too much...it could be 5 x or it could be 6 X...remember that and strive to never take it that high again. If a 6X XXF-B is or EF-BB is a wide spread.

Personally I sweat to write at XXF, think to write at EF, so scribble merrily along at F.

 

Back to the chase.

What I call Easy Full Flex, requires half of the pressure of maxi to 3 X, 1/4th the pressure needed for semi to 3 X, or 1/8th the pressure needed to mash a regular flex to 3 X.

A fun nib to scribble with or even learn a bit of calligraphy......I'm a scribbler still.

If you take a hard semi-flex Ahab and grind half moons into the nib shoulders in the Ahab or Pilot Mod, you will end up with a nice fun Easy Full Flex nib. I do have a  Pelikan 100n that is a 5 X Easy Full Flex. In I have read Richards advice strive not to take the nib over 4X.

I have 4 or 5 or 6 (oddly don't keep a good count...my best guess is 5) however out side that 100n, all those nibs are on no name pens.

 

Wet Noodles require half the pressure to max than the Easy Full Flex. or 1/16th the pressure needed to mash a regular flex to 3 X.

 

It is ease of tine spread that makes a Wet Noodle. To me, it has nothing to to with being mushy......that is a sprung nib. But someone known, had that as part of his definition of a Wet Noodle. I have two '52's with Wet Noodles from Maurcio, one goes 6 X the other 7X (2 stage), but my best and final Wet Noodle is a 7 X Soennecken nib in a no name pen. (Not all 52's are superflex from what folks say.)

None of them reach into flexible dip pen range. They look uncooked.

 

The term Weak Kneed Wet Noodle was invented by the English nib grinder John Swoboda.......I had just put a ??? on the term, until now. I had only run into one such nib, also on a MB Safety Pen, that was missing tipping on one tine at a live auction.

According to my 'system' the nib on the below should be half of a Wet Noodle; 1/32nd the pressure needed to max a regular flex to 3 X.  It is that indeed and perhaps more. Could be 1/64th. (So much for my system of halves....oh, well worked well up to Wet Noodle.)

It does reach into the middle of dip pen range.

Hunt 44 Round tip or a Soennecken no number;

but not as easy to flex as a Soennecken # 11, Hunt 99 or Brouse 511.

I even fiddled for a minute or three with some of the mid range dip pens I have......got to get a good free download book. Bound to be something from 1900 floating around.

 

The Important Thing is, it is a 5X nib, perhaps it 6X (sometimes it's hard to tell....and don't matter in the end anyway.)....not a 7 X or more nib..............AND it will BLOB!!!!

Don't know if 2ml was too little ink or not.

It is a very wet writing nib, and I am using R&K's Salix.

Before.