Nib question

[stevekolt]

Is there any line variation with an MB fine nib? If not, would it make sense to send it to Mike Masuyama to hav it ground to a fine stub?

[Robert]

My MB 149 fine nib has almost no line variation, and Mike Masuyama is an excellent choice to have yours ground to a stub. He did amazing work on my 149 a few years back - - the nib had been badly deformed as a result of being dropped, point first, onto a hardwood floor. Mike brought it back to life.

[pajaro]

I think you would end up with an extra fine stub, perhaps even narrower. What kind of Montblanc are you discussing?

[jar]

It's unlikely that you would get any line variation even if modified.

[Robert]

It's unlikely that you would get any line variation even if modified.

I've had two fine nibs ground to stub - a Pelikan M800 and Bock titanium (on a Conid Regular Bulkfiller). The results were quite acceptable - decent line variation. Not as pronounced as with medium nibs I've had stubbed, but quite nice nonetheless.

[stevekolt]

I'm looking at a new Johannes Brahms. With my being a musician, the design speaks to me. One dealer has only a fine nib, but his price is better. I have another dealer looking into getting me a medium, should find out tomorrow. I also sent an email to Mike Masuyama. I really like the medium stub grind of his on my Franklin Christoph pens. Thank y'all for the help.

[pajaro]

It is my impression that when you grind a nib to a stub, you will get a nib finer than the one you started with. So, if you grind a medium round nib to a stub, you can expect a fine stub. I have a couple of mediums ground to stub, and they ended up as fine stubs. The line variation is there, but it doesn't knock my socks off. If I were putting a good deal of money into a pen to get an end result of line variation, I would get a pen with a broad nib, aiming at having it ground to a medium cursive italic. I have several stub nibs from fine to broad, and the line variation is rather nebulous, but the broad impact is there if that's what you want.

[stevekolt]

And another question for everybody. My new MB 146 medium nib writes a much finer line than my Pelikan 400 medium. Is this normal, and is the nib size designation on the MB in the star on top of the nib? If not, where would I find the nib size designation?

[FredRydr]

It depends upon how old the nib is. No. 9 F nibs from the 60s and earlier can flex (not as well as No. 6 and smaller nibs) for nice variation. F nibs from the celluloid era will flex very nicely for great variation.

Fred

[dfo]

Totally normal. New Pelikans are usually gushers and their stated nib sizes run larger than the same sizes of other pens. I love my Pelikan m800. I had Mike turn the medium nib into a stub and it writes about a .8mm line.

And another question for everybody. My new MB 146 medium nib writes a much finer line than my Pelikan 400 medium. Is this normal, and is the nib size designation on the MB in the star on top of the nib? If not, where would I find the nib size designation?

[alexander_k]

It depends upon how old the nib is. No. 9 F nibs from the 60s and earlier can flex (not as well as No. 6 and smaller nibs) for nice variation. F nibs from the celluloid era will flex very nicely for great variation.

Fred

Correct: if you want Montblanc flex, go vintage and you won't regret it. Even low-tier nibs can be great.

[Pterodactylus]

It depends upon how old the nib is. No. 9 F nibs from the 60s and earlier can flex (not as well as No. 6 and smaller nibs) for nice variation. F nibs from the celluloid era will flex very nicely for great variation.

Fred

Correct: if you want Montblanc flex, go vintage and you won't regret it. Even low-tier nibs can be great.

There are no Montblanc flex nibs after WW2.
The 50s nibs are semi-flex not flex nibs.

[FredRydr]

There are no Montblanc flex nibs after WW2.
The 50s nibs are semi-flex not flex nibs.

Sorry, but that is incorrect. Of course, it is also rather subjective.

I've had wonderful flex nibs produced for 13x, 14x and more Montblanc pens from the late '40s, '50s and even '60s. One notable mid-late '50s 146 EF nib with finned feed was an easy choice over my Waterman pinks, my favorite until the day I lost the pen in Rockville MD.

Fred

[Pterodactylus]

There are no Montblanc flex nibs after WW2.
The 50s nibs are semi-flex not flex nibs.

Sorry, but that is incorrect. Of course, it is also rather subjective.

I've had wonderful flex nibs produced for 13x, 14x and more Montblanc pens from the late '40s, '50s and even '60s. One notable mid-late '50s 146 EF nib with finned feed was an easy choice over my Waterman pinks, my favorite until the day I lost the pen in Rockville MD.

Fred

Writing sample?

I have quite a lot 50s and 60s Montblancs and they are all at most good semi-flex.
Of course the stubby character add additional line variation, but not caused by flex.

[Pterodactylus]

50s Montblanc semi-flex nibs.


Quote 002 by Ptero Pterodactylus, auf Flickr

(Montblanc 264 - OBB ..... Seitz-Kreuznach Limonengrün)
(Montblanc 144 - BB ..... Montblanc Miles Davis)
(Montblanc 344 - OB ..... Seitz-Kreuznach Känguru Gelb)