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Thread: The Story of the Woolf

  1. #1
    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default The Story of the Woolf

    Years ago I bought a WE Virginia Woolf FP via an Italian pen store that occasionally sold Montblanc pens on ebay. I don't remember if it was listed as new or not, but it had it's box and warranty. The warranty was already out of date because it was already some years after it's original issue.

    It quickly became a pen that was always filled with either Caran d'Ache Colours of the Earth - Sunset or Montblanc Hitchcock ink. It was one of my favourite writers. Maybe even one of my three favourite writers. :-)

    Then I started to notice when I wrote with it, I had inky fingers. Never a good sign. On investigation under my loupe I found three hairlines going down from the threads and into the grip. I was shocked, and emptied out the Hitchcock ink straightaway.

    When I phoned my favourite Montblanc boutique and discussed the possible price of the repair that would undoubtedly include a new grip, I was given a price of somewhere around £60. So it was sent off during May before we went to Florida. Upon our return there was a telephone message saying that the cost to fix my pen was £353.

    On phoning the boutique the reason for this was that, allegedly, the barrel and grip were all one piece. I thought that quite odd, since there's a gold band in the centre, but had to just pay up. I also mentioned that I considered it vital that the "new barrel" and the "old cap" would still match perfectly. We agreed that I would pay for the part at £295 and they would pay for the service at £58. They also offered me my choice of a free bottle of ink.

    The pen was only away for a couple of weeks and it was returned in a really nice plastic padded box. The cap and barrel looked very nice and matched each other well, but my first surprise was how tightly they were screwed together. I knew then that I had never overtightened them and potentially caused the hairlines by doing so. After getting them apart, my eye was immediately drawn to the huge gap between the nib tines. It was at least 1mm, maybe more. I took a quick picture before I took a deep breath and crossed the tines over each other a few times, then ensured they were both set level along the slit and at the ends.

    I was obviously so shocked when I saw it that my camera setting was wrong and the picture was out of focus.

    On a previous occasion I've had a WE pen come back with bent feed tines after a free nib exchange, so I was at a loss to believe that Montblanc at Hamburg had not properly checked this pen before it left them. Over the next few days I thought about writing an email, but suspected it would be a waste of time sending it to the service department. Eventually I sent an email to the CEO about my pen.

    A very nice man in charge of the service department replied quickly and said I could return the pen to have the nib reset for free, but I didn't want to do that. He also said he would look for some Hitchcock ink. Sadly, he failed to find "even one drop" so instead he sent me a bottle of Elixir Pourpre. Oh and he also organised a refund to me of half of the price I had paid. Only fair since I had to fix the nib myself in order to make the pen write again.

    It's turned out well in the end, but my Woolf doesn't quite write as wet and smoothly as I remember it writing before. Elixir Pourpre ink is very nice.

    Here is the Woolf. Just a quick pic on the back cover of my Seven Seas Writer Journal. Looks like the clip needs a clean....

    Montblanc Woolf_0003.JPG
    Last edited by Chrissy; August 22nd, 2019 at 12:33 AM.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

  2. The Following 7 Users Say Thank You to Chrissy For This Useful Post:

    Ahriman4891 (August 23rd, 2019), AndyLogan (August 31st, 2019), AzJon (August 21st, 2019), azkid (August 21st, 2019), catbert (August 21st, 2019), junglejim (August 21st, 2019), Marsilius (August 21st, 2019)

  3. #2
    Senior Member azkid's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Story of the Woolf

    I'm sorry you had problems with getting the pen serviced right the first time and for the price originally quoted. Maybe with a little more gentle adjustment the pen can be restored to its original glory?

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Story of the Woolf

    Quote Originally Posted by azkid View Post
    I'm sorry you had problems with getting the pen serviced right the first time and for the price originally quoted. Maybe with a little more gentle adjustment the pen can be restored to its original glory?
    Thanks azkid. In the end I paid £147.50 and received a nice bottle of Elixir Pourpre ink that I would never have purchased. It's very wet ink and therefore makes the Woolf write more like it used to.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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    Senior Member christof's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Story of the Woolf

    I like the Woolf, specially the pattern...


    Picture: Werner Schnell

    c.

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    FPG Donor ♕ Chrissy's Avatar
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    Default Re: The Story of the Woolf

    Quote Originally Posted by christof View Post
    I like the Woolf, specially the pattern...
    c.
    Excellent! That's why I really like it. The Waves.
    Regards, Chrissy | My Review Blog: inkyfountainpens

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