Montblanc 146 repair dilemma

[AzJon]

Ok, so here's the deal: I got a 146 on eBay for a good price. Pen arrived and after cleaning 30+ year old ink out of the barrel, I find two hairline cracks in the cap and a very fine crack in the barrel near the piston knob.

The plot thickens: I snoop around some pictures and I have what I think is a transitional model from the late 70s (I will post some pictures when my darn camera charges). It has a monotone nib, a flat gold band on the filler end, ebonite feed, and a solid translucent grey ink window.

SO my dilemma is, if this is a transitional model and I send it in, where it will basically be rebuilt using modern parts, do I kill the pen? Is it a good idea to have this pen fixed by MB?

Help, FPGeeks! You're my only hope!

[wee40811]

If you search around eBay, I think you can find replacement barrel for a reasonable price. As to the cap as long as it doesn't hinder the functionality I will probably just leave it as is. Unless you can find the right cap on eBay.


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[Chrissy]

If you send it to Montblanc and for their level 1 service they replace your cracked cap and cracked barrel with new ones do you consider that 'kills the pen' as far as you're concerned? It's your pen and your decision. It doesn't matter at what stage others think it's dead.

I personally think it's already dead since it has a cracked cap and barrel, won't write without leaking, and won't keep ink inside it without drying out or making a mess inside the cap, or indeed maybe onto any surface that it comes into contact with.

Your chances of finding the correct barrel and/or cap on eBay are remote.

So you either have a dead 146 now or you can get it brought back to life for a reasonable price.

[jar]

If you send it to Montblanc be sure to tell them to not change the nib. That you want to keep.

But, the 146 has changed since yours in size, diameter, threading, piston, section, feeder case... almost nothing in your pen would work on a modern body.

Think George Washingtons axe.

What makes it a Montblanc though is that nib and the way it writes. MB would likely replace parts but what you get back would still write the same.

[Chrissy]

If you send it to Montblanc be sure to tell them to not change the nib. That you want to keep.

But, the 146 has changed since yours in size, diameter, threading, piston, section, feeder case... almost nothing in your pen would work on a modern body.

Think George Washingtons axe.

What makes it a Montblanc though is that nib and the way it writes. MB would likely replace parts but what you get back would still write the same.

Montblanc wouldn't change the nib without being asked as that is a really expensive service level 3 option only. I'm not certain whether they can keep the feed, albeit in one of the current versions of the feeder case.

Your information makes it even more remote that the required parts won't be found on ebay. You would never know whether they would fit together with the parts that aren't cracked on this pen.

[AzJon]

If you send it to Montblanc and for their level 1 service they replace your cracked cap and cracked barrel with new ones do you consider that 'kills the pen' as far as you're concerned? It's your pen and your decision. It doesn't matter at what stage others think it's dead.

I personally think it's already dead since it has a cracked cap and barrel, won't write without leaking, and won't keep ink inside it without drying out or making a mess inside the cap, or indeed maybe onto any surface that it comes into contact with.

Your chances of finding the correct barrel and/or cap on eBay are remote.

So you either have a dead 146 now or you can get it brought back to life for a reasonable price.

I should clarify, the crack in the barrel is near the piston knob and doesn't appear to cause ink to leak. 'Tis a very fine crack.

I suppose my concern is if I would be doing a certain injustice, if the pen is indeed a transitional model, by essentially replacing a piece of history.

Either way, it's my first Montblanc as a birthday (tomorrow) my gift to myself. It writes very well and I am smitten with the little snowflake on the cap.

[jar]

I should clarify, the crack in the barrel is near the piston knob and doesn't appear to cause ink to leak. 'Tis a very fine crack.

I suppose my concern is if I would be doing a certain injustice, if the pen is indeed a transitional model, by essentially replacing a piece of history.

Either way, it's my first Montblanc as a birthday (tomorrow) my gift to myself. It writes very well and I am smitten with the little snowflake on the cap.

No. There were millions of "transitionals" and they are no more valuable than any other edition.

[Chrissy]

I should clarify, the crack in the barrel is near the piston knob and doesn't appear to cause ink to leak. 'Tis a very fine crack.

I suppose my concern is if I would be doing a certain injustice, if the pen is indeed a transitional model, by essentially replacing a piece of history.

Either way, it's my first Montblanc as a birthday (tomorrow) my gift to myself. It writes very well and I am smitten with the little snowflake on the cap.

A crack is a crack is a crack. It's your pen to do whatever you like with. You won't be doing any injustice to anyone. You would actually be bringing back to life, a pen that is almost useless in it's current form.

[AzJon]

I should clarify, the crack in the barrel is near the piston knob and doesn't appear to cause ink to leak. 'Tis a very fine crack.

I suppose my concern is if I would be doing a certain injustice, if the pen is indeed a transitional model, by essentially replacing a piece of history.

Either way, it's my first Montblanc as a birthday (tomorrow) my gift to myself. It writes very well and I am smitten with the little snowflake on the cap.

A crack is a crack is a crack. It's your pen to do whatever you like with. You won't be doing any injustice to anyone. You would actually be bringing back to life, a pen that is almost useless in it's current form.

Thanks, Chrissy. That's the perspective I needed. I really appreciate your input.

[pajaro]

My experience with having an eighties 146 worked on by Montblanc service for a leak of ink at the piston knob was that they put my nib in a new pen. The new pen was heavier, because of the brass piston instead of the original's resin piston, but it was very satisfactory. The service is great. The thing about these pens is that they are backed by a company that is likely to be there to do a R&R, and not be gone like some other companies.

There is the dilemma with a resin piston pen that, if you send it in for a repair, you will likely get your nib back in a new pen with a brass piston, heavier than a resin piston. So, you have to decide about that tradeoff.

[Chrissy]

IMHO Brass pistons are better than resin pistons. Brass screw threads are more durable than plastic ones. Also, maybe plastic ones are more likely to suffer damage in the event of any future problems such as a stiff piston.

Montblanc changed over from plastic pistons to brass ones for a reason, and I wouldn't have thought it was a cost cutting exercise. I could be wrong though.

I remember buying an Oscar Wilde WE once, and I was immediately put off it when I saw it had plastic piston threads.

[Bisquitlips]

I should clarify, the crack in the barrel is near the piston knob and doesn't appear to cause ink to leak. 'Tis a very fine crack.

I suppose my concern is if I would be doing a certain injustice, if the pen is indeed a transitional model, by essentially replacing a piece of history.

Either way, it's my first Montblanc as a birthday (tomorrow) my gift to myself. It writes very well and I am smitten with the little snowflake on the cap.

No. There were millions of "transitionals" and they are no more valuable than any other edition.

Agreed! This is true in my experience. Transitional models are nice to have in your collection, but their values do not carry a premium. I wish they did as I have several, but realistically the are just models in transition. Enjoy them and if necessary get it repaired and don't worry about the value. But do retain the nib if at all possible.

[pajaro]

Some people thought the the lighter weight of the resin piston mechanism conferred an advantage of a better balance in the pen. Those people would prefer to have someone repair a pen rather than send a pen with the resin piston to Montblanc. Personally, I sent my resin piston to Montblanc. At present I have a 146 with the resin piston. It has a medium nib, too wide for me. I have no preference with regard to the piston. This pen is probably twenty-five years old at least. So, durability is probably a crap shoot between resin and brass pistons. The seals seem to go first.

[Marsilius]

Maybe I'll add a comment question. I thought some people would say that you would want to keep the ebonite feed if you have one in the pen? Montblanc would replace that, too.

[AzJon]

With all this talking about it, I figure I ought to share some pictures of the pen:







Seems to fill and not leak, so that's good. The piston is very stiff when expelling liquid, but very smooth when drawing it in. I'll let is live as is for a while and see what I think. I'll be in SF in a few weeks as it is. Maybe I can just drop into the boutique while I'm there and drop it off.

[empliau]

Brad Torelli might be able to fix the cracks if you want to keep the pen as original as possible. He can work miracles with Montblanc plastic.

[Bisquitlips]

There are several different ways to repair hairlines. But keep in mind that the hairlines will not totally disappear, but will stabilize.

Without going into detail here, just Google it up and pick the avenue you want to travel. It takes patience to work with hairlines and is not an Elmer's glue solution.... unless you dilute it x6 and use a tooth pick and rub the heck out of it with your thumb. Then use some Zam to polish it out with some good pen polish after that.

Don't panic! Hairlines are really a part of collecting really incredible fountain pens.

[fountainpenkid]

Brad Torelli might be able to fix the cracks if you want to keep the pen as original as possible. He can work miracles with Montblanc plastic.

+1.