Is it sacrilege to have a Mont Blanc nib reground to a stubby?

[I like mango pudding]

I really like the qualities of a stub nib, but my MB pen is only a B nib. Would it be sacrilege to have modifications done to it to become a stub nib? Do I see jaws dropping at even the mere thought of doing this, especially to a nib that belongs to a 146 or 149?

[tandaina]

No. A pen is worth nothing if you don't enjoy writing with it. A stubbed MB is worth more to me than a non stubbed MB cause I like stubs!

[cwent2]

I agree with tandaina - your pen, your enjoyment.

[jar]

Yup, if you want to get it stubbed, get it stubbed. But MB 146 and 149 nibs are usually pretty stubbish anyway.

[orfew]

It is your pen, it should suit your writing style.

[I like mango pudding]

okay, thanks. The jury is still out on whether or not I want to do modifications to the nib. The nib is an OB nib, and it is a bit "thick" for me at the moment. I can live with it but it's the dry starts that bug the sht out of me. I'll do a bit more writing with perhaps a different ink, to see if A, the dry starts disappear, and B, to see if I can get used to the OB nib. I have a 1.1 stubby that I really love to write with, and would like to emulate that nib profile, but don't want to do that just yet. My handwriting isn't coming out the way how the 1.1 stubby is coming out. The OB is making my handwriting into something else. Different than an M nib and different from the 1.1 stubby.

[I like mango pudding]

So, how much would it cost a nibmeister to modify a nib to a stubby?

[cedargirl]

You say it is an OB nib - At the risk of stating the obvious - you are aware, I hope, that you need to hold an oblique nib differently to a normal round nib or a stub nib.
It needs to be rotated a bit anti-clockwise, otherwise it will dry start.
Sorry if this was unnecessary.

[I like mango pudding]

yeah, don't worry, I am aware it is an OB nib and the pen needs to be held to the paper differently than a stub nib. I probably will stick with the OB on this, but I'm more thinking for my next MB purchase, most likely a 149.

[cedargirl]

Oh! I'd so love a 149 with an OB nib - actually probably a 146 - better for my handsize. Good luck with it.

[I like mango pudding]

yeah, I got the TWSBI mini with a 1.1 stubby and the 146 OB at the same time and my handwriting style lends better to the stubby. I'd hate to modify the 146 nib and would rather adjust my handwriting style to accommodate the OB rather than adjust the nib to accommodate my handwriting style. I think I'll buy some cheaper pens with different nibs and see what best suits my style of writing before I get a 149 with a particular nib profile.

I actually write with my fingers way past the finger grips and past the threading for the cap (almost half way up the pen at times), but normally my first knuckle of the middle finger rides on the threading, sometimes a bit higher. With the OB, my finger tips are right at the finger grip section. I really don't like writing that low.

[cedargirl]

Sounds like the 149 might suit your hand size better. But there are way cheaper pens to experiment with different nibs.

[I like mango pudding]

yeah, I went and got a Jinhao 159 just for that reason. I got it with a broad nib to practise on before I "splurge" on an expensive pen. I can write high up on the pen with a M nib, but the line variation is not speaking to me. I just viewed a youtube video of someone writing with stub nibs and flex nibs and I just fell in love with that handwriting.

here it is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnItiNU5N2M

(if linking yt vids is against the rules here, someone let me know, I'll remove it)

[cedargirl]

Good choice - very MB 149-like.
I have been impressed with the quality of the Jinhaos. I have a couple of X750s and an X450. They have all written well straight out of the box.
From memory, they take size #6 nibs and you can get a full set - EF, F, M, B, OB, OBB - from xfoutainpens.com.
Might be worth doing this to work out which you prefer.

[earthdawn]

yeah, I went and got a Jinhao 159 just for that reason. I got it with a broad nib to practise on before I "splurge" on an expensive pen. I can write high up on the pen with a M nib, but the line variation is not speaking to me. I just viewed a youtube video of someone writing with stub nibs and flex nibs and I just fell in love with that handwriting.

here it is. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nnItiNU5N2M


(if linking yt vids is against the rules here, someone let me know, I'll remove it)

It is not against the rules and Leigh Reyes... she is AMAZING !!!


& if you want it stubbed then get it stubbed.... I love a stubbed nib myself.

[whych]

My 2c worth.
It seems a pity to modify the nib when MB do stub nibs as well.
Oblique nibs aren't as common as they used to be.
Rather find a new stub nib for it and sell the OB nib.
It seems you already have plenty of takers for the nib.

[I like mango pudding]

I have every intention to keep my OB nib and most likely keep it unmodified unless absolutely necessary. I just need to know what options I have available to me.

[whych]

Start looking for an MB with a broad stub nib then.
Try ebay.de and use translate.google.com. Most of the guys will ship outside Germany if you ask nicely.

[I like mango pudding]

yup, that's what I am aiming for at the moment. But before I spend big bucks for one, I'm going to practise on my newly purchased Jinhao 159 with a B nib, and maybe get some nib replacements for that, just to get the feel of different nibs.

There is one stubbed B 149 on FPN, but he's asking for a premium for that. I'm not ready to lay down a chunk of change yet. Not until I hone down my ideal nib profile. I'm relatively new to fountain pen writing, after being absent for it for at least 10 or 15 years.

[whych]

The cheapest stub option to discover whether you want a stub or plain nib is the Lamy Safari/Al Star type pen.
Their nibs are tipped and the 1.1 mm is a bit thinner than the thickness of the OB MB should be. Also seems there are some of them that are pretty collectable so you can kill 2 birds with one stone - try various nibs and have a collectable pen.
If the MB has a problem starting, it could be a simple nib fix. They should all write pretty wet and be quite forgiving of pen rotation. The obliques give a more subtle line variation than the stub does but I find without the hassle of having to change to moving the pen closer to right angles with the line of writing.