Are Diamine Inks OK for a 1990s 144?

[Prettypenguin]

I have a little 144 that I have always used MB ink cartridges in. I recently found the converter and wanted to try my new Diamine Earl Grey in it but I was wondering if anyone had heard of any issues before I take the plunge.

[Chrissy]

You should experience no problems at all when using Diamine inks in your Mb 144. :)

[Pterodactylus]

You can use any fountain pen suitable ink in your Montblanc pens. :)

[Prettypenguin]

Excellent, thank you both!

[bunnspecial]

In general, I consider the non-exotic Diamine inks(no super sheeners or shimmers) safe in any pen of any make or vintage.

Futher, modern Montblancs, and by modern I mean basically any resin piston filler(1960s on) are pretty hardy pens. I tend to not use really difficult to clean or staining inks(no shimmer, no BSB) in my piston fillers because, at least on a lot of mine, taking them apart for cleaning involves cleaning and then reapplying sealant(something I've done plenty of times but am not inclined ot make a regular thing), and the ones from before then there's a bit of risk of barrel breakage on the 1-piece barrels. Ones made since ~2014 or so I don't think need sealant, but I also don't have a nib wrench for them...

All of that is irrelevant though on a C/C pen like a 144. I'd not have any qualms about putting anything through it. The only caveat I'd add is if it's old enough to need a push-fit converter, the MB ones are no longer made, the current screw-in style won't fit, and I've had mixed luck getting a good seal with other brands of International converters.

[Chrissy]

Not sure whether this is classed as a screw in or push in but I bought it with a couple of Montblanc inks and don't have a Mb pen that it fits since all of my Mb's are piston fillers. :noidea:

68232

[pajaro]

I use a variety of inks in my four 144s. That includes Diamine green and Noodlers green. If ink messes it up, I have extra converters and nib/section units.

[DrPenfection]

Perhaps I am more obsessive than most, but when it comes to my MBs, I am very finicky about the inks that I put in them, even my cartridge only an c/c MBs. I do not put any super sheeners or shimmer inks in them. Also, I don't use any pigmented ink. If I use a permanent ink (only in my cartridge only or c/c pens), I am adamant about using the ink quickly and cleaning the ink out thoroughly. And for my piston-fillers, I only use an ink that is made by a manufacturer that produces piston fillers (i.e. MB, Pelikan, original Aurora, etc. ) Waterman is always a safe bet. The basic Diamine and J. Herbins are also good, but I don't use those in my piston fillers.

And, with every pen that I have inked (10-20 at a time), I write with each pen every day. I also clean out my pens as soon as they are very close to running out of ink. Also, each month I clean out each pen even if there is ink remaining, usually on the last day of the month. I let them dry thoroughly, then re-ink those that I have chosen for the next month, and rotate the others. I never let ink just sit in a pen and never let a pen dry out.

As I said, I am a bit obsessive about my pens.

[pajaro]

The advantage to the 144 for me is that if an ink fouls the piston somehow, I can throw the piston filling converter away. Then flush out the nib and feed, I got rid of the piston fillers after they developed leaks at the blind cap (using MB ink only) that were expensive to have repaired.

[Chrissy]

I'm also very precious with my pens and am careful about what inks I fill my piston fillers with. My own choice is to not use permanent inks as I don't need to do so. As Diamine has been making inks in Britain since 1864 I guess they have been used in piston fillers a few times so I trust them in any of my piston fillers. Before my Lamy 2000 had it's nib exchange it was never filled with any ink except for Diamine Steel Blue. They always felt like a great combination together. Once I find an ink and pen that really play well with each other I tend to stick with that but I clean them out very regularly. :)

[bunnspecial]

Just a bit of a side note in this old thread, here's an article from Richard Binder which specifically calls out Diamine inks as safe

https://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Inks-The-Good-the-Bad-and-the-Ugly.html

I know some people may disagree with his overall analysis. I personally think there's room for a bit more nuance, but Richard also wrote this article from the standpoint of someone running a full time repair shop and I doubt he wanted to say(for example) "Noodler's Black is perfectly fine, but don't let Heart of Darkness anywhere near your pens."(don't know if Heart of Darkness is a known problem child, but just mentioning two specific black inks from a brand that catalogs over 100 different inks, and some may not realize that "Noodler's Black" means a specific ink and not any of the dozen different black ink made by the company).

In any case, though, the fact that he puts Diamine on equal footing with Waterman speaks volumes, as Waterman IS many peoples' reference for a "safe in any pen" ink.

[calamus]

Just a bit of a side note in this old thread, here's an article from Richard Binder which specifically calls out Diamine inks as safe

https://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Inks-The-Good-the-Bad-and-the-Ugly.html

I know some people may disagree with his overall analysis. I personally think there's room for a bit more nuance, but Richard also wrote this article from the standpoint of someone running a full time repair shop and I doubt he wanted to say(for example) "Noodler's Black is perfectly fine, but don't let Heart of Darkness anywhere near your pens."(don't know if Heart of Darkness is a known problem child, but just mentioning two specific black inks from a brand that catalogs over 100 different inks, and some may not realize that "Noodler's Black" means a specific ink and not any of the dozen different black ink made by the company).

In any case, though, the fact that he puts Diamine on equal footing with Waterman speaks volumes, as Waterman IS many peoples' reference for a "safe in any pen" ink.

If you read the entire article carefully, he does point out that not all Diamine inks are as safe as Waterman, which he scores at 10 out of 10: "Some Diamine colors, however, especially their reds and colors containing red dyes, such as pinks, violets, oranges, and browns, appear more prone to clogging issue, and these inks have much lower scores."

Their shimmer inks are another category that can be problematic, although I didn't notice Richard Binder mentioning them in that particular article.

[Prettypenguin]

Just a bit of a side note in this old thread, here's an article from Richard Binder which specifically calls out Diamine inks as safe

https://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Inks-The-Good-the-Bad-and-the-Ugly.html

I know some people may disagree with his overall analysis. I personally think there's room for a bit more nuance, but Richard also wrote this article from the standpoint of someone running a full time repair shop and I doubt he wanted to say(for example) "Noodler's Black is perfectly fine, but don't let Heart of Darkness anywhere near your pens."(don't know if Heart of Darkness is a known problem child, but just mentioning two specific black inks from a brand that catalogs over 100 different inks, and some may not realize that "Noodler's Black" means a specific ink and not any of the dozen different black ink made by the company).

In any case, though, the fact that he puts Diamine on equal footing with Waterman speaks volumes, as Waterman IS many peoples' reference for a "safe in any pen" ink.

Thank you for linking this article. It’s currently my morning read accompanying my Americano. Also reminds me that I need to buy more Waterman ink now that I’m back in the game in a big way.