This is a topic which arisen previously, but I have a specific question. Let's keep pricing and judgements out for the moment. The Montblanc 149 is always ranked as one the all time greats. Having come upon a VERY good deal, I'm pondering getting one. Anyone have experience with it? Good/bad/indifferent?
Montblanc 149 Fountain Pen
- Thread starter iamn8
- Start date
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
Site Sponsors
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
PipesMagazine Approved Sponsor
- Status
Not bad, but an M800 is a better performer, IMHO.
The ultimate test... in my view... is how it feels in your hand.
Try both!
The ultimate test... in my view... is how it feels in your hand.
Try both!
Also your hand. Comfort makes a huge difference, and keep in mind that you will be writing at a slant, and not up-and-down like a ballpoint.
I LOVE fountain pens and the size VERY much appeals to me. I suppose the good news is that they hold value if purchased second hand. I'll never know till I live with it for a bit, huh?
Haines, your response showed great insight and was helpful in the extreme.
Agreed, comfort is a seriously important factor.
chuma kifo, the M800 is actually more expensive compared to the 149 I'm considering.
Haines, your response showed great insight and was helpful in the extreme.
Agreed, comfort is a seriously important factor.
chuma kifo, the M800 is actually more expensive compared to the 149 I'm considering.
If you are a collector and want to have a "round" collection, I think a Mont Blanc is just as indispensable as a Dunhill would be in a "round" pipe collection.
Some people want to have them just to have them.
You just have to decide if you're one of those people.
Some people want to have them just to have them.
You just have to decide if you're one of those people.
I enjoy they way they feel to write with, how the ink looks on paper, the endless variety of inks you can use/collect.. Some pens are very nice pieces of art in and of themselves as well.
I also like that I'm able to replace at least one thing in my life that most people consider disposable with something that has more permanence and some of the pens are even heirloom-quality.
I also like that I'm able to replace at least one thing in my life that most people consider disposable with something that has more permanence and some of the pens are even heirloom-quality.
If you are new to fountain pens go to this forum:
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/
It is the equivalent of this forum for fountain pens. You will find a lot of info and stuff about FP.
I am a collector of FP and I could write a book of advice for you but I don't all the time. I have a MB which was gifted to me and honestly it writes well. However, I never bought one for myself because if you look at the nib, the aesthetic and so on you can find better pens for the same amount of money. Look at some Italians or Japanese pens and they blow away the MP. MB is by far the biggest company and they marketed successfully themselves as the only Fountain Pen (for people who do not know about FP). For collectors and users it's another story and there many other choices in my opinion better. But it all depends in what you look in a FP.
http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/
It is the equivalent of this forum for fountain pens. You will find a lot of info and stuff about FP.
I am a collector of FP and I could write a book of advice for you but I don't all the time. I have a MB which was gifted to me and honestly it writes well. However, I never bought one for myself because if you look at the nib, the aesthetic and so on you can find better pens for the same amount of money. Look at some Italians or Japanese pens and they blow away the MP. MB is by far the biggest company and they marketed successfully themselves as the only Fountain Pen (for people who do not know about FP). For collectors and users it's another story and there many other choices in my opinion better. But it all depends in what you look in a FP.
MBs are at the top end of the law of diminishing returns, really. They're of great quality, but many pens are, and you can get one as functional and subjectively as appealing looking for many times less money. Same argument can be made for pipes to some extent.
There are lots of great pens out there. Mont Blanc is just one of the most prestigious, because they are valuable. They represent money and luxury, and market themselves that way as well. If you are in to exclusivity, you might be in to Mont Blanc. Nothing wrong with them, but I think there are Mont Blanc people and not-.
If you're a collector, though, one can just be a check mark off the list so you can have a "round" collection - like them or not.
Like having a Nolan Ryan card if you collect baseball cards. Even if you never cared for him or even saw him play, he's probably on your list if you're interested in having a "complete" collection.
There are lots of great pens out there. Mont Blanc is just one of the most prestigious, because they are valuable. They represent money and luxury, and market themselves that way as well. If you are in to exclusivity, you might be in to Mont Blanc. Nothing wrong with them, but I think there are Mont Blanc people and not-.
If you're a collector, though, one can just be a check mark off the list so you can have a "round" collection - like them or not.
Like having a Nolan Ryan card if you collect baseball cards. Even if you never cared for him or even saw him play, he's probably on your list if you're interested in having a "complete" collection.
Didimauw, pipesmokingtom has it down pretty well. Fountain pens feel great to write with, the result is a classier look on paper, etc. They feel a lot nicer in the hand than most ballpoints.
I have three Lamy Safari pens, one each with bold, medium, and extra fine nibs. Not a tremendous investment. Love them all, use them all. They are great for sketching out designs for my customers, adding a special touch to a signature or written correspondence, and taking a minute to reflect while you reload with ink. I have misplaced my pens at home, but never lost one in my four years of ownership which is a marvelous.
Used to mix my own purple ink for them, that was a lot of fun!
I have three Lamy Safari pens, one each with bold, medium, and extra fine nibs. Not a tremendous investment. Love them all, use them all. They are great for sketching out designs for my customers, adding a special touch to a signature or written correspondence, and taking a minute to reflect while you reload with ink. I have misplaced my pens at home, but never lost one in my four years of ownership which is a marvelous.
Used to mix my own purple ink for them, that was a lot of fun!
Wow, I just checked that forum out and I had no idea there was so much to do with pens! I would love the idea of a fountain pen, but I don't write letters, add in my line of work (driveshaft factory) I definitely wouldn't want such a nice pen. I do need something nice but sturdy and that can handle the factory life though...
I have always loved fountain pens, but never owned anything other than a basic low end one. Still don't really have much desire to collect, but I really appreciate and respect those that do.
Friend of mine back home has a VERY impressive collection, with pieces that go back to the early 1900's, etc. Last check I think he said the collection in total was worth probably close to $100k.
Friend of mine back home has a VERY impressive collection, with pieces that go back to the early 1900's, etc. Last check I think he said the collection in total was worth probably close to $100k.
I have one. It's an ok pen for impressing snooty clients but not so great as writing tool. I have the medium nib, which is really nice but a bit wider than I prefer (typically German). I'm a lefty though. The nib was a bit scratchy straight out of the box which was surprising considering the price but w/e, I sent it out to be tuned and it was fine afterward. The nib has a just a bit of feedback which I like.
Anyway, my issue with the pen is that it's a nightmare to clean. You can't break it down for cleaning, you have to repeatedly fill and flush the piston with water if you want to change ink. I lost it and when it turned up 3 weeks later the ink had dried a bit and congealed. It was a nightmare to get the gunk out. I found that Pilot Iroshizuku series of inks worked really well with the 149 and were easier to clean out . Pretty colors too.
If you're buying used ask after the piston. If it's gunked up you'll need to ship the pen back to MB for repair/replacement.
I still pull it out on occasion but it's mostly for show. I use a TWSBI for most of my writing and think it's great. It may not impress anyone but it doesn't alienate the younger folks the way the MB can with it's "I'm your daddy" vibe.
Anyway, my issue with the pen is that it's a nightmare to clean. You can't break it down for cleaning, you have to repeatedly fill and flush the piston with water if you want to change ink. I lost it and when it turned up 3 weeks later the ink had dried a bit and congealed. It was a nightmare to get the gunk out. I found that Pilot Iroshizuku series of inks worked really well with the 149 and were easier to clean out . Pretty colors too.
If you're buying used ask after the piston. If it's gunked up you'll need to ship the pen back to MB for repair/replacement.
I still pull it out on occasion but it's mostly for show. I use a TWSBI for most of my writing and think it's great. It may not impress anyone but it doesn't alienate the younger folks the way the MB can with it's "I'm your daddy" vibe.
Unfortunately, this pen will impress nobody since I live alone and rarely, if ever, go anywhere. As is so with many of us in the pipe community, I have an appreciation of rituals which are provided by pipes and fountain pens alike. I also have an appreciation for thoughtfully engineered tools and the 149 has been around for awhile and falls into this category. While there are certainly exceptions, from what I can gather online, the general consensus seems to be that it's a world class pen. There is absolutely an anti-Montblanc crowd just as there is an anti-Dunhill crowd, but I love Dunhill as well. This has nothing at all to do with impressing anyone. I smoke alone and I write alone. There's nobody to impress. I suspect I'll love this pen, but if I don't, I'll easily be able to sell and recoup the cash. If I don't love it, I might just try the M800. I'm not a collector of pens, just a seeker of the right one for my purposes 
Thanks for the input! These sorts of threads always help me work through a desicion and potential pitfalls.
Thanks for the input! These sorts of threads always help me work through a desicion and potential pitfalls.
- Status