Greetings from Louisiana, I am thankful for a site to learn more about pens. I recently dug up a Montblanc 149 after not using it for 15 years or so. It loads ink well and writes beautifully but after a brief amount of writing the ink starts to slow and it begins to skip requiring me to turn the base a bit forcing some more ink to flow. After a days use the base is turned out about 1 to 1 1/2 revolutions. What's the diagnosis? This isn't normal, is it?
Thanks,
doctim11
Greetings from Louisiana
Started by doctim11, Jan 17 2012 11:51 PM
2 replies to this topic
#2
Greg Minuskin
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- Members
- 898 posts
journeyman
- LocationTustin, California USA
Posted 18 January 2012 - 12:07 AM
Greetings Doctim11 from the land of surf, sand, and sun, and welcome to the best board on fountain pens!
I would be glad to assist you with your MB 149! Often the problem is that the feed is clogged underneath the nib, which really requires the removal of the nib and feed for a proper cleaning.
Can you send the pen to me? Currently my turn around time is only 2 weeks!
Please email me directly at greg@gregminuskin.com. I look forward to helping you out.
Sincerely,
Greg
www.gregminuskin.com
greg@gregminuskin.com
I would be glad to assist you with your MB 149! Often the problem is that the feed is clogged underneath the nib, which really requires the removal of the nib and feed for a proper cleaning.
Can you send the pen to me? Currently my turn around time is only 2 weeks!
Please email me directly at greg@gregminuskin.com. I look forward to helping you out.
Sincerely,
Greg
www.gregminuskin.com
greg@gregminuskin.com
#3
Richard
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- ADVISORS
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- 118 posts
ADVISOR
Posted 18 January 2012 - 03:41 AM
I find that the most common cause of the problem your pen is having is a nib that is not adjusted for proper flow. Montblanc is not immune to the syndrome. This is a simple repair that can often be done without removing the nib from the pen. If you're fairly handy with fine work, and if you have a good magnifier (a 10X hand loupe), you can attempt it yourself.
First, empty the pen and then flush it clear by repeatedly filling and emptying with cool water until the ejecta are clear. Stand the pen, nib downward, on a paper towel so that the water remaining in the feed will wick out into the paper towel; you need the nib to be dry.
Examine the spacing of the nib tines with your loupe. When you look at the nib with light behind it, so that the nib is a silhouette, you should be able to see whether there is a gap between the tines at the very tip. If not, adjustment is the first thing to try.
Turn the pen over so that the feed (the black part that lies under the nib) is facing upward, and orient it so that it's pointing away from you. Place the pads of your two index fingers together and rest the nib on them. Then catch your two thumbnails on the edges of the nib, in the gap between it and the feed, and VERY gently spread your thumbs while providing a solid rest with your index fingers. You want to spread the tines the slightest bit to create an almost imperceptible gap between them right at the tip.
Check your work with the loupe. Most people can't eyeball a gap of 0.001 inch, but that's what you want. If there's no perceptible gap at the tip of the nib, try again. If the gap in the slit does not taper from the end of the feed to the tip, you went too far, and you can squeeze the shoulders back together gently to narrow it. You can check the gap with a sheet of ordinary paper, which is about 0.003 inch. If the paper goes in easily, you're still too far apart. Especially with a 149, the gap should be on the small side — but there needs to be a gap.
Ink the pen and try it. If this didn't get it, you can make minor adjustments one way or the other.
Another possibility is that the nib has "baby bottom," which is another weakness not infrequently seen in Montblanc nibs (as well as those of many other manufacturers). For an explanation of this problem, read the section on problems toward the bottom of this article:
http://www.richardspens.com/?nibs=
This is not something that you should try to fix at home. Contact an experienced nib professional.
First, empty the pen and then flush it clear by repeatedly filling and emptying with cool water until the ejecta are clear. Stand the pen, nib downward, on a paper towel so that the water remaining in the feed will wick out into the paper towel; you need the nib to be dry.
Examine the spacing of the nib tines with your loupe. When you look at the nib with light behind it, so that the nib is a silhouette, you should be able to see whether there is a gap between the tines at the very tip. If not, adjustment is the first thing to try.
Turn the pen over so that the feed (the black part that lies under the nib) is facing upward, and orient it so that it's pointing away from you. Place the pads of your two index fingers together and rest the nib on them. Then catch your two thumbnails on the edges of the nib, in the gap between it and the feed, and VERY gently spread your thumbs while providing a solid rest with your index fingers. You want to spread the tines the slightest bit to create an almost imperceptible gap between them right at the tip.
Check your work with the loupe. Most people can't eyeball a gap of 0.001 inch, but that's what you want. If there's no perceptible gap at the tip of the nib, try again. If the gap in the slit does not taper from the end of the feed to the tip, you went too far, and you can squeeze the shoulders back together gently to narrow it. You can check the gap with a sheet of ordinary paper, which is about 0.003 inch. If the paper goes in easily, you're still too far apart. Especially with a 149, the gap should be on the small side — but there needs to be a gap.
Ink the pen and try it. If this didn't get it, you can make minor adjustments one way or the other.
Another possibility is that the nib has "baby bottom," which is another weakness not infrequently seen in Montblanc nibs (as well as those of many other manufacturers). For an explanation of this problem, read the section on problems toward the bottom of this article:
http://www.richardspens.com/?nibs=
This is not something that you should try to fix at home. Contact an experienced nib professional.
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