@solidpnoy My first 149 from my dad (the one with the 14C nib) was the start of it all; I'm now at four 149s, with the new three sporting different nibs.
@bsodmike I forgot to ask on the other comment, are you a member of the fountain pen network? It's been a boon to me, I think I must be about the only person under 40 (much less under 25) to use a fountain pen for close to a thousand kilometers around, south Australia isn't a global hotspur for fine writing instruments, makes me feel a little less mad to see other peoples much more robust collections...with a collection like yours you would fit right in, it's making me itch for a montblanc, I'v
@AUSNick87 it depends where I'm living at the time. When I'm at home I have my pen box which makes it far more enjoyable to maintain a larger rotation of pens. However, when I'm travelling or at work I try to limit myself to 5 FPs (on rotation) and the 100th Anniversary BP.
There was a time when I'd rotate over 10 FPs during the week!
Beautiful pens, great videos, and very informative. I've enjoyed watching them. Are you still adding to your collection, and if so, can you post a new video showing them?
I would be particularly interested to see a comparison between the Montegrappa's and the Montblanc's, and wonder if you still consider the Montegrappa's to be the best writing pens you've come across or if you favour the Montblanc's? I have a 149, broad, and love it. Was very interested to see your 149 OBB.
@georgebanksesq Hello George, While I like the Montegrappa the pride of my collection is most certainly the four 149s I have now: F nibbed dated to 1978-80's belonging to my late Father - still inked!, B nib daily writer, OB UNICEF Helmut Jahn 149, and the OBB.
There has been quite a shift in my collection since this clip. Picked up three WE pens, the Fitz, Dickens, Shaw as well as a Solitaire LeGrand - I've since parted with them all, and instead added a Solitaire Barley Sterling Silver B.
hey there again! long time no talk! i just got my hands on an Edgar Allan Poe FP, not the complete set but thats all i wanted lol. i also got a Monteverde Prima, never heard of them till i went to italy last month so i came home with that, both nibs are B. just wondering what is your suggestion if my MB is writing dry, I'm using Moleskine to write in, just wondering if u have any good inks in mind.
@jeezee213 Congrats! With Moleskines, to experience dryness is quite an achievement as their paper is notorious for bleeding, and with B nibs no less. It could be their feeder needs a proper cleaning, as it sounds like the airflow is being restricted hence the slow draw of ink.
You could try Caran d' Ache's range of inks, but the most "wet" ink I've used to date is the Montegrappa black. Particle size of the ink will have some effect, but I believe the capillary draw of the ink is the issue.
@jeezee213 thank you for the advice, i cleaned the feed thouraly and I used some of my Mont Blanc Black, Blue ink and it writes much better. I switched from the molskine as the feathering was terrible so i am now using Rohdia webster, the Clarefontain paper is much thicker and great for wet inks. I have a question for you as well. What is the difference between an oblique nib and a italic?
@GunGuy0 Thank you :) I just purchased another MB today, the MST Barley in Sterling Silver with MoP Star and a channel set 0.035ct G VVS2 diamond in the clip. It's definitely a stunning FP!
Currently with an M nib, but will have it fitted with an OB nib.
I hate talking to simple minded people who are like, its just a pen. No, no it is so much more than that it is a writing instrument of perfection. With that mind set I can see why the only thing you will be signing are the back of your bi-annual bus passes.
A piston filler is different to a typical cartridge fountain pen as you simple unscrew a section near the bottom end of the pen. When you unscrew it, it causes a piston to travel along its body towards the nib section, pushing ink out. Screwing that section flush with the barrel of the pen causes the piston to be pulled back into the barrel thus causing ink to be drawn in (the same way a syringe would).
As you have a cross-sectional diameter of the barrel and its length, they hold more ink!
You also get cartridge converters, for pens that take cartridges - like the Lamy Safari. These work on the same principle but the size of the converter is typically the same size as the cartridges and therefore they cannot hold as much ink as true piston converters.
The Montblanc 149 and Pelikan M1000 are probably the largest capacity piston fillers, while the Montegrappa Extra 1930 is a faux piston filler. You operate it like a piston filler but inside it has a cartridge converter.
It is due to this reason the Extra 1930 holds as much ink as a normal cartridge converter FP. I have been able to write about an hours worth with the Extra 1930 but the 149 has lasted me right throughout 3-hour examinations at University.
I have taken all my undergraduate engineering exams and my postgraduate exams in fountain pens. For these I always had a 149, two Extra 1930s, a Parker Duofold and latterly as Sailor Naginata Togi + MB ink bottle for emergencies. Cheers, Mike.
Put it this way, you tend to find the piston filler mechanism on more expensive pens. However, considering the extra parts I guess it would also be correct to say that it would make it more expensive as well.
Look at the Montblanc 146 if you would like to try a decent piston filler. Hope this helps :)
Haha oui, vous avez tout à fait raison. Je continue à oublier de le prononcer correctement, mes excuses. Merci de signaler cela. J'ai juste ajouté quelques plus de morceaux de Montblanc à ma collection inclus deux stylos d'édition limitée et des 149 quatrièmes ! Une vidéo mise à jour sera signalée autrefois la semaine prochaine.
Very nice review. I used to have the 149 14C nib. It was quite too big for my taste why I had to let it go.
solidpnoy 1 month ago
@solidpnoy My first 149 from my dad (the one with the 14C nib) was the start of it all; I'm now at four 149s, with the new three sporting different nibs.
bsodmike 1 month ago
@bsodmike I forgot to ask on the other comment, are you a member of the fountain pen network? It's been a boon to me, I think I must be about the only person under 40 (much less under 25) to use a fountain pen for close to a thousand kilometers around, south Australia isn't a global hotspur for fine writing instruments, makes me feel a little less mad to see other peoples much more robust collections...with a collection like yours you would fit right in, it's making me itch for a montblanc, I'v
phrenzy1 1 month ago
@phrenzy1 Yup, I've been on TFPN for over 3 years - it's a great community. See mwdesilva [dot] com for photos.
bsodmike 1 month ago
Great pens!
jinder72 5 months ago
@jinder72 Cheers!
bsodmike 4 months ago
how many pens do you actively use?
AUSNick87 9 months ago
@AUSNick87 it depends where I'm living at the time. When I'm at home I have my pen box which makes it far more enjoyable to maintain a larger rotation of pens. However, when I'm travelling or at work I try to limit myself to 5 FPs (on rotation) and the 100th Anniversary BP.
There was a time when I'd rotate over 10 FPs during the week!
bsodmike 9 months ago
@bsodmike wow, that's very cool. It's nice your a collector who finds a practical use for his collector's items. :)
AUSNick87 9 months ago
@AUSNick87 I've actually changed as a collector over time. Decided I
want to be practical with all my pieces - it was one of the reasons I
sold my Dickens, Shaw, and Fitzgerald. Yes, they are all WE pens. I
might look at getting another Fitzgerald sometime in the future as it
was by far my favourite.
bsodmike 8 months ago
@bsodmike Why did you sell your Fitzgerald?
AUSNick87 8 months ago
Beautiful pens, great videos, and very informative. I've enjoyed watching them. Are you still adding to your collection, and if so, can you post a new video showing them?
I would be particularly interested to see a comparison between the Montegrappa's and the Montblanc's, and wonder if you still consider the Montegrappa's to be the best writing pens you've come across or if you favour the Montblanc's? I have a 149, broad, and love it. Was very interested to see your 149 OBB.
All the best.
georgebanksesq 1 year ago
@georgebanksesq Hello George, While I like the Montegrappa the pride of my collection is most certainly the four 149s I have now: F nibbed dated to 1978-80's belonging to my late Father - still inked!, B nib daily writer, OB UNICEF Helmut Jahn 149, and the OBB.
There has been quite a shift in my collection since this clip. Picked up three WE pens, the Fitz, Dickens, Shaw as well as a Solitaire LeGrand - I've since parted with them all, and instead added a Solitaire Barley Sterling Silver B.
bsodmike 1 year ago
@georgebanksesq On the topic of the best writing pens; without a hesitation I will say it *is* the 149 Diplomat.
Best Regards, Mike.
bsodmike 1 year ago
what ink do you use?
yamborghini3 1 year ago
@yamborghini3 MB, Montegrappa, Yard-o-led, CdA etc. I really want to add some J. Herbin to the mix as they produce some divine colours...
bsodmike 1 year ago
hey there again! long time no talk! i just got my hands on an Edgar Allan Poe FP, not the complete set but thats all i wanted lol. i also got a Monteverde Prima, never heard of them till i went to italy last month so i came home with that, both nibs are B. just wondering what is your suggestion if my MB is writing dry, I'm using Moleskine to write in, just wondering if u have any good inks in mind.
jeezee213 1 year ago
@jeezee213 Congrats! With Moleskines, to experience dryness is quite an achievement as their paper is notorious for bleeding, and with B nibs no less. It could be their feeder needs a proper cleaning, as it sounds like the airflow is being restricted hence the slow draw of ink.
You could try Caran d' Ache's range of inks, but the most "wet" ink I've used to date is the Montegrappa black. Particle size of the ink will have some effect, but I believe the capillary draw of the ink is the issue.
bsodmike 1 year ago
@jeezee213 thank you for the advice, i cleaned the feed thouraly and I used some of my Mont Blanc Black, Blue ink and it writes much better. I switched from the molskine as the feathering was terrible so i am now using Rohdia webster, the Clarefontain paper is much thicker and great for wet inks. I have a question for you as well. What is the difference between an oblique nib and a italic?
jeezee213 1 year ago
love pens...i have a novice collection...i wish i have more, but at the moment i am quite happy with what i have collected...=]
thanks for letting us see your fabulous collections...they are a treasure...
NingasKugon09 1 year ago
i swear those kind of pens where i live cost almost 1,000 of dollars
SilverAeilidh 1 year ago
make a new video of your new pens!
scotfreak 1 year ago
man that croc skin pen holder is slick! congrats on your purchase...got me wanting to get into pen collecting now lol
GunGuy0 1 year ago
@GunGuy0 Thank you :) I just purchased another MB today, the MST Barley in Sterling Silver with MoP Star and a channel set 0.035ct G VVS2 diamond in the clip. It's definitely a stunning FP!
Currently with an M nib, but will have it fitted with an OB nib.
bsodmike 1 year ago 2
I hate talking to simple minded people who are like, its just a pen. No, no it is so much more than that it is a writing instrument of perfection. With that mind set I can see why the only thing you will be signing are the back of your bi-annual bus passes.
daddy1330 1 year ago
i think the epitome of awesomeness, is writing with a montblanc while wearing a rolex, just my opinion
scotfreak 1 year ago
Im just wondering, but what exactly is a piston filler pen? what makes it different?
velocitycain 2 years ago
A piston filler is different to a typical cartridge fountain pen as you simple unscrew a section near the bottom end of the pen. When you unscrew it, it causes a piston to travel along its body towards the nib section, pushing ink out. Screwing that section flush with the barrel of the pen causes the piston to be pulled back into the barrel thus causing ink to be drawn in (the same way a syringe would).
As you have a cross-sectional diameter of the barrel and its length, they hold more ink!
bsodmike 2 years ago
You also get cartridge converters, for pens that take cartridges - like the Lamy Safari. These work on the same principle but the size of the converter is typically the same size as the cartridges and therefore they cannot hold as much ink as true piston converters.
The Montblanc 149 and Pelikan M1000 are probably the largest capacity piston fillers, while the Montegrappa Extra 1930 is a faux piston filler. You operate it like a piston filler but inside it has a cartridge converter.
bsodmike 2 years ago
@bsodmike Very informative! I didn't know how much the Extra held compared to the 149 & M1000.
Are you able to fill your 149 completely with ink without problems?
tubezoid 1 year ago
@tubezoid No problems at all, and I re-fill four 149s on a regular basis...
bsodmike 1 year ago
It is due to this reason the Extra 1930 holds as much ink as a normal cartridge converter FP. I have been able to write about an hours worth with the Extra 1930 but the 149 has lasted me right throughout 3-hour examinations at University.
I have taken all my undergraduate engineering exams and my postgraduate exams in fountain pens. For these I always had a 149, two Extra 1930s, a Parker Duofold and latterly as Sailor Naginata Togi + MB ink bottle for emergencies. Cheers, Mike.
bsodmike 2 years ago
You can see a cartridge converter in the Part 1 video at 6:22.
bsodmike 2 years ago
wow, thanks, i think piston fillers would be the best way to go. but they're the most expensive, right?
velocitycain 2 years ago
Put it this way, you tend to find the piston filler mechanism on more expensive pens. However, considering the extra parts I guess it would also be correct to say that it would make it more expensive as well.
Look at the Montblanc 146 if you would like to try a decent piston filler. Hope this helps :)
bsodmike 2 years ago
Thanks, I checked it out, and i definitely like what i'm seeing. again, thank you!
velocitycain 2 years ago
appreciated the video, keep up with the videos!
GunGuy0 2 years ago
Votre collection est vraiment précieux. Mais la prononciation française est horrible. Ditez s'il vous plaît «Mon.Blan» et non «Mom.Blanke»
paulo17369 2 years ago
Haha oui, vous avez tout à fait raison. Je continue à oublier de le prononcer correctement, mes excuses. Merci de signaler cela. J'ai juste ajouté quelques plus de morceaux de Montblanc à ma collection inclus deux stylos d'édition limitée et des 149 quatrièmes ! Une vidéo mise à jour sera signalée autrefois la semaine prochaine.
bsodmike 2 years ago
i can't understand people collecting Mont Blanc's.
sesdeux 2 years ago
I collect pens but I also collect just about everything else.
I collect watches, first edition books, wines, cigars, toy soldiers, militaria...
Buy what you like.
Maxobillion 2 years ago
sweet mate!!! I myself have started collecting pens ;) Btw trying to " steal " my father's Breguet Pen :D
Great video mate... as always !!!!!
azaas 2 years ago
It's very easy - just tell your Dad you love his pen and would love to remember him by it...I'm sure he'll let you have it or at least borrow it.
bsodmike 2 years ago
is that the rose gold date just?
scotfreak 2 years ago
Yes :) It's my everyday watch now.... :)
bsodmike 2 years ago
Finally!!!!!
scotfreak 2 years ago