Help the novice

[DrCodfish]

A friend picked up a MB at an estate sale, two of them actually.  One is a Meisterstuck, 146.  The other is a smaller pen, not sure the designation, it is damaged, the cap is broken all the way around just below the clip ring. the finial appears undamaged.

 

Both pens look to have minimal desk ware, but it appears they have not been inked in a very long tome.  the 146 piston is stuck. what is the best way to get water, or pen cleaner into the ink chamber in order to start the process of freeing up the piston?  also,are these nibs removable similar to Pelikans, or is there a more significant disassembly process? Does this seem like something that MB would be the better chichoice for refurbishment? any help would be greatly appreciated. I can provide pics if I can figure out how to do so.

 

Best, DrCodfish

[David In Austin]

You might try soaking the pen in flush and distilled water, but you might want to consider sending it to a nibmeister and have them go over it. My Jewelry Repair is the official place to get Montblancs repaired in the US, and while they do excellent work their customer service leaves something to be desired according to a lot of feedback here and elsewhere. You could also consult with Joel Hamilton at ink-pen.com and Kirk Speer at penrealm.com,  who are two of the best pen nibmeisters and pen repair people around. Be careful with the piston and DON"T FORCE IT or you could break it. It sounds like there is probably some old ink or something else gumming it up. 

 

Hopefully some other more knowledgeable people will weigh in on this and give you some better advice, but hang in there. It sounds like you found a couple of good pens that, with a little work and investment, will be wonderful to have for the future.

[CS388]

Before I did anything, I'd stand them in a glass of clean water, covering the nib and the section - for a couple of days.

The capillary action can sometimes draw water and moisture into the chamber, which will give you a better shot at freeing the piston.

I'd start with a gentle back and forth twisting movement - and, as David in Austin points out: don't force it.

I'd expect nothing to happen, the first few attempts - so, I'd re-soak and repeat.

 

That's not my advice, it's just what I would do, if I wasn't in a hurry to use the pens.

My next step, if that didn't work would be dismantling - yes, you'd need some special tools.

 

Hopefully, they're just a bit 'gunked up' and you should be able to get them writing, again

 

Of course, there are also professionals available, who will do this work for you, including Montblanc.

 

Good luck.