Four-way shoot out: a review of mini fountain pens

[VertOlive]

Just got the 114, I dipped it in Diamine Aubergine and it writes smooth as cream! Problem, since there's no converter, where to get cartridges for this little pen? Am I doomed to blues and blacks??

[AndyT]

Problem, since there's no converter, where to get cartridges for this little pen? Am I doomed to blues and blacks??

Two possible solutions: firstly, you can take a syringe and refill a cartridge with whatever takes your fancy. That's tiresome in more ways than one, because you'll have to wait for the ink to be dragged through the feed to the nib by capillary action.

So secondly you could take a used cartridge, cut it down and shellac a suitable latex sac onto it and convert the pen into a bulb filler. That's completely reversible so there's no risk, and it's actually quite straightforward. Earthdawn has a video which explains everything, here.

[kaisnowbird]

Just got the 114, I dipped it in Diamine Aubergine and it writes smooth as cream! Problem, since there's no converter, where to get cartridges for this little pen? Am I doomed to blues and blacks??

Great to hear that your Mozart is performing well.

For cartridges, you have several options:

1. The most obvious and expensive would be Montblanc's own cartridges, which come in a variety of colours.

2. My experience is that some international standard cartridges work with the Mozart, others don't.
If you compare the MB cartridges with "standard international", you will notice that there is a ridge near the neck of the cartridge and the MB's ridge is further back, whereas the standard int'l has the ridge closer to the opening. I would recommend you find a brand that has either no ridge (eg. Schneider) or a soft one (eg. J Herbin) and test.
Even if some won't fit, you can always use it in other pens.

3. As Andy suggested above (my preferred option except when travelling ) -- fill empty cartridges with your favourite bottled ink using a syringe. This way, I get to mix colours in the cartridge when I feel like it too.

[VertOlive]

Given that I don't see my favorite colors in cartridges, guess I'll go hunt down a syringe. The nice thing is, the pen came with one empty cartridge so I won't have to mix my Diamine Aubergine with the yucky black ink in the full cartridge they sent!

[Sailor Kenshin]

Given that I don't see my favorite colors in cartridges, guess I'll go hunt down a syringe. The nice thing is, the pen came with one empty cartridge so I won't have to mix my Diamine Aubergine with the yucky black ink in the full cartridge they sent!

Plastic pipettes work, too, as well as craft syringes. Good places to look are craft stores and fleabay, but I think Goulet also has a kit.

Given that I have a few Pilot pens and HATE their squeeze converter, refilling is a plus.

[mbsjr]

Excellent. Thank you. By the way, I post fountain pens, but not on threads. Today is my first. Your effort and attention to detail were of great use to me. I am grateful.

[kaisnowbird]

Excellent. Thank you. By the way, I post fountain pens, but not on threads. Today is my first. Your effort and attention to detail were of great use to me. I am grateful.

Thank you mbsjr. I'm very flattered and glad to be of help.

Merry Christmas, and .

[mhphoto]

Well, I'm sitting here drooling over the M320 and Mozart… Great reviews!

[Simon Pen-Pusher]

Wonderful stuff thanks.

BUT, what about one of the most amazing min-fountain pens of all.... the Kaweco Liliput. I am always blown away by its performance. A midget that performs like a giant!

And it is possibly the cutest little pen of all - brilliant design. This ad photo shows it in full flight - capped (screw type) for big pen like performance.

Kaweco Picollo Capped.jpeg

And this shows its parts:

Kaweco Picollo Large.jpeg

[kaisnowbird]

I think I mentioned in my review of the Duller FP that I prefer it over Liliput, for two reasons:

1. Liliput has a screw off cap and if I'm not mistaken, the cap is then screwed onto the back for posting. For me, that's a little too much effort just to sign a credit card receipt or tick a few items off my shopping list.
2. Liliput has no clip, and I need that clip. A mini pen is harder to retrieve from deep pockets, I need to clip it somewhere. Besides, the clip prevents it from rolling off the desk.

I am very interested in the carbon fiber version of the Kaweco Sport though - if I can find one at a better price somewhere.

[Woody]

Interesting and great stuff. That Kaweco makes a great eye dropper as well.

[KrazyIvan]

In my findings with the Liliput, I agree with Kai. It annoyed me to no end otherwise I would have kept it.

[BillZ]

I didn't go through all of the responses but was the Bexley Jitterbug mentioned? I picked one up at Dromgoole's in Houston a few months ago as an upgrade to my Kaweko FP. It's the same length so it fits in the Kaweco case easily. It uses I. S. cartridges but comes with an o-ring for eyedropper use.