Montblanc Meisterstuck Le Grand 146 Platinum - OB nib

 

 

Comparison with MB F.Scott Fitzgerald

 Comparison with Caran D'Ache Leman

I consider the Le Grand 146 Meisterstuck to be one of the best workhorse fountain pen available in the market. The size is just nice, not too big neither too small, understated but has its own class, great writing quality with a proven track record, good serviceability and readily available parts. It is no wonder that this pen stood the test of time and has proven itself many times to be many favourite writing piece in any collection.

I have been using the 146 more than any other pen (followed by the 149). The OB nib which I've tested in the boutique was something that I fell in love almost immediately and I knew that I had to have this as one of my everyday writing pen.

Comparison with 149

FIRST IMPRESSION
A pen as well reputed as this needs no more introduction. The impression of the Meisterstuck has been an icon within the brand, and as far as fountain pen is concern, this is one of the flagship and iconic product within the ranks of Montblanc. After the 149, this has been one of the most recognizable model thanks to the ballpoint and rollerball variant which captures the wider market of fine writing instrument users.

Comparison with 149

DESIGN 7/10
I love torpedo or cigar shape like pen as this 146. On top of that I have always prefer platinum over yellow gold in combination with black resin. Some may find it rather clinical but the lesser spectrum of colours just emphasize more on its natural shape and form, very much like how some photographs are better displayed in black and white. I for one can't seem to get bored of the design if this pen.

WEIGHT AND BALANCE 8/10
Lightweight and easy to use, this can be used for long writing marathon sessions and ideas just keep flowing onto the pages. Having the cap posted or not makes no difference to me as both the components are light and it is just a matter of length preference in this case. I prefer not to post it, as I find the length adequate for my hands.

CONSTRUCTION AND QUALITY 7.5/10
Being a resin pen, it is relatively more vulnerable and subject to hairline fracture and cracks if one is not careful. Also, as many have experienced, the cap can never close entirely without really tightening the cap when screwed on (creates a slight movement between the main barrel and the cap, almost like a gap). I'd always be careful as not to tighten it too much and just leave it as it is. This does not happen with the older 146s that I have.

NIB AND WRITING EXPERIENCE 8/10
The OB nib which I am using is wet and incredibly smooth and despite being an oblique nib, the sweet spot angle is wide and I have no problems adjusting to the angle, it was almost instantaneous. This is my first oblique nib, and it has now inspired me to look for the next oblique nib in my future purchase of pens. The nib writes almost on any kind of surface, from Moleskine to the smoother Clairfontaine, with different but satisfying result. My favourite ink to go with it is MB Racing Green.

Nib comparison with 149

REFILL SYSTEM 8/10
Piston filled system, easy, trusty and quick to refill and clean. There's really nothing more to add here as it has perform tremendously well in my regular refill and change of inks in the past few months.

VALUE 6/10
I got it at a boutique as I choose this pen to be my regular pen and would prepare myself for regular service, thinking that I would need the warranty to back me up. Also there aren't many platinum plated 146 out there in the second hand market, and certainly not the specific nib I was looking for.

OVERALL 7.4/10
The numerical value stated here is simple and objective number of evaluation that can't really describe the satisfaction level from the use of this pen. This is probably one of my most used in the rotation of pen and would probably fill up the majority of my entries in my journal.

Montblanc William Faulkner Review, Writers Edition 2007

“Very well sir, we can give you with the same discount as our other branch,” Molly (not her real name) hangs up the phone with her manager, she stood behind a display desk waiting for my answer after much debate with me on the various discount scale the MB boutiques are offering throughout the nation now.

“I see,” I was trying to contain my excitement and not look like a fool, giving the moment enough pause before I pull the trigger. You must understand, I was savoring the feel of achievement of not only being able to locate this particular writing instrument, but was able to convince the seller to agree to a bargain. Naturally I’m a shy negotiator and not a very good one at that, always making sure my queries for a discount or sale is out of the audible range of the crowd. “I’ll take it”.

Molly’s smile turn wider and heard towards to locked glass cabinet to reach for the William Faulkner.

“What’s the size of the nib may I know?” I just had to ask, even though I already have an idea, just to keep my mouth moving and my drool from falling.

“It’s a fine nib, sir” Molly passed the pen to me while reaching for the box and opening drawers, producing the warranty cards and receipt books, getting ready to package the only display piece left of this writing instrument perhaps within the radius of 500miles. I inspected the piece, cold to the touch for the first time and feeling the nice weight of metal and resin. I noticed that the pen has been touched before, perhaps by previous potential buyers or it has been moved about by the staff without the use of gloves, and has not been wiped frequent enough to bring out the shine within. It’s ok, daddy’s here now….

APPREARANCE AND DESIGN: 8

I’ve not always been interested in a pen than has more than one dominating material. Before this, I could only look at black resin or lacquer and perhaps one or two pen which could be tastefully done celluloid. Now, I’m growing into marble texture resin/lacquer or precious metal pens. William Faulkner seems to be successful in using multiple materials and creates a great combination of platinum fittings and cast resin.
The scored line surface on the platinum surface gives a grip to the pen, not too rough, while the resin ends on the cap and piston knob is a pleasure to look at up close. A fine metallic sheen on the greenish/brownish marble-like resin can be seen when light is shined on and it is just pleasing to watch. The dome Mont Blanc emblem on the cap, reminiscence of a classic design touch, with its ivory color just adds the exquisite touch to it. The simple clip design looks elegant and simple, suggesting that one should carry this regularly and not always kept in the study.


CONSTRUCTION AND QUALITY: 9

The pen feels like it can take on a daily activity and can be used as an everyday pen. The simple and elegant design along with the used of multiple materials such as platinum plate and resin, gives it elegance and the simple aesthetic which looks straightforward and functional gives it a feel of robustness. All the rings and joints between different materials are well constructed, without any trace of misalignment as far as the naked eyes can see and even the resin quality seems to be of a higher grade (I do not know much about the chemistry behind it, but it sure feels good). I feel I can take it out with me all day and not being too worried about it.


WEIGHT AND DIMENSION: 8

Personally I feel like the pen is neither too big nor too small and well balanced. Just like my first WE, I enjoy writing it without being capped and a lot of the weight is on the cap. It is smaller than the 149 and my WE Mark Twain. I took it to work today and doesn’t seem to be too heavy to be placed on my pocket, and the shorter length is just right for my shirt pocket, touching the end at the right length. Shorter than a 149, and perhaps closer to a 146.




NIB AND PERFORMANCE:7.5

The only one available is with a fine nib, which I was actually looking forward to . My plans is to have at least one F nib in my small WE collection. However, as I began to start writing, the F nib is rather thick for what it is. It is almost as thick, if not the same thickness, as my medium nib Mark Twain. Not that I am complaining but my expectation was to have a fine nib and hope that it would to behave like one. Nonetheless, the nib works flawlessly with some minor to medium feedback, which I rather like in a pen like this. A well grinded nib such as this that flows effortlessly with some mild feedback gives it a character. I love the Caran d’Ache M nib that has the similar quality and this pen is highly likely to be in my regular rotation. Also it is worthy to mention the beautifully crafted image of an aircraft on the nib reflects his love for flying machines, one of the few duo-tone nibs of the WE collection. This is one of the most beautiful nibs in the collection, in my opinion.


FILLING SYSTEM AND MAINTENANCE 8

Yet another trusty MB piston system. The piston knob is a resin part (which I really like) and split from the body separated by a platinum ring, revealing the brass screw component. There is no way to tell how much is in the barrel but one can feel the difference in weight after it has been filled. Filling was easy and I could only look forward to adventure when this bird is all fueled up.


COST AND VALUE 8

I bought this during a promotion by Mont Blanc that gives an exceptional 30% discount on almost all of the WE series. That gives me tremendous value and be able to stretch my budget to more pens. This is a new pen, straight from the display box, and knowing that it is a limited edition , that kind of bargain is hard to beat.


OVERALL 8.08

There are only a handful of the WE that I’m interested in and William Faulkner is one of them. I am particularly fond of straight barrels and large dome or flat emblems on the caps and William Faulkner fits the description. I have acquired both the Mark Twain and this in a short span of time and though MT proves to be a bliss of a writing instrument, I find myself more drawn to the WF as a more regular pen. Its not too flashy, exceptionally well built, writes great and full of character.

Montblanc George Bernard Shaw Review, Writers Edition 2008

Writers Edition Pens, why did I start,
No doubt these are fine pieces of art,
Limited edition, hard to seek and find,
Smooth and silky writing, in every line.
Each is a bliss, in its own special way,
Always different and unique, what’s more to say,

Owning one or two, I thought I've seen it all,
That is until I've touched the George Bernard Shaw,
Green marble lacquer, with rings of white gold,
Truly a marvel, surely it has a soul,
But wait, what's this? It has an ink window,
It is always good to know when your ink is low, no?

The wild beauty is not only in its looks,
Tis a beast to tame, yet one may be hooked,
For its nib may not be as smooth as butter,
The secret may also be in the choice of paper,
Best angle of writing demands the user's attention,
It rewards strength by flowing ink of passion.

To judge it fairly, a brief jury is unjust,
Took it to work I did, used it all the time I must,
Some pen are made to please, most to serve,
Tis Irish writer only rewards those who deserve,
With a mind of its own, mastering it is not easy,
Till this moment, I'm unsure if I am yet worthy

Appearance and Design: 8/10
Without sounding too direct, this pen is FREAKING AWESOME! If you want people to look at your direction when you walked into the room, THIS IS IT! The polished platinum and green lacquer just shouts out and attention seeking mode is constantly on with this pen. Don't get me wrong, this is not in any way a distastefully ornate pen, but a really beautiful piece of work and engineering. The green lacquer is of multiple depth and has a tint of blue glitter in it under certain angle of light. The polished platinum is well made and the engraved signature and serial number is subtle and elegant on the platinum rings. I'll let the pictures speak for itself, yet they do not do it justice. Not to mention, the large size Montblanc emblem is one of my favourite part of the pen. The clip is simple and practical, good idea as not to distract it from the silver and green band pattern.

Construction and Quality: 9/10
Clearly one can see that this is a solidly constructed pen with exceptionally well selected materials that are made to last. Polished white platinum rings and green marbled lacquer offers the user years if not a lifetime of great looks with good care. All the joints are even and well put together. The piston knob and the pen shaft contact point are both finished with the platinum ring, half the actual width of the width of the progressively narrowing width of the platinum ring pattern throughout the barrel of the pen, and it closes perfectly. Very neat indeed. However, I find that the knob turns out on its own quite easily, so it is important to ensure that it is securely closed at all times, as sometimes posted cap on the end may accidentally turn the knob. Hard as cold steel!

Weight and Dimension: 8/10
This is a full size pen, comfortable to hold and one of the heaviest pen I’ve owned particularly in the Writers Edition range. I find writing without is best without the cap. It may be a bit heavy for the pocket, and I’d keep it in my pen case. Here’s a comparison with the rest and the 149.


Refill System: 9/10
Two words, ladies and gentlemen, INK WINDOW. Not a common feature amongst the writers edition line and surely an appreciated feature. It suggests an instrument of everyday use perhaps or maybe it is begging for me to fill it up with Irish Green? Anyhow, the more important point here is that, again, this is a piston refill system. The knob is made from mainly lacquer and there's a neat transition of materials there. The system works smoothly as how it should and so far, I've not any problems with it.


Nib and Performance: 7/10
I have a medium nib, with a bit of ‘teeth’ and require adequate pressure applied to it to ensure satisfying ink flow to the paper. No shortage of feedback there and with the nib that is semi-flexible to stiff. My experience with FP is rather limited to a few that I've been using so far, and this is the first time I'm using such a nib. It starts immediately, no skipping (only at off angle or writing really fast, especially on the anti-clockwise strokes, may thin down the strokes but hardly skips, perhaps I should try other inks), but can maintain a good ink-flow, as it is rather wet, though not as much compared to Twain and Faulkner. The written text looks confident and holds true to its width. There's an optimal angle of writing for this nib, and I had to adapt my writing style to bring out the best from the nib. So far it has worked well and has been rewarded with some satisfying writing experience. It may not be the nib for everyone, particularly to most who would love a smooth one. Eliza Doolittle's flower is the theme for the pattern on the nib and it is one of the most beautiful nib design I've seen so far, delicate and well detailed.

Value: 8/10
Again I managed to obtain this at below MSRP with the latest offers they are having here. At the moment, I’ve seen other WE are still readily available on the market, such as Faulkner, Schiller and Woolf, but the G.B. Shaw is gradually disappearing, and I was lucky to find the nib that I want after much searching.


Summary: 8.17
This is my third WE pen and every new pen I’ve taken out from the shelf just continues to amazes me. I have been staying away from FP which are not black or has too much chrome on it but this one just totally took me by surprise. If there is a quality or feel of a product that actually speaks, this is it. Though it may not be for everyone or for every occasion and the nib may not be suitable for everyone, but for a collector; this is one pen that should not be overlooked. .

Montblanc Mark Twain Review, Writers Edition 2010

"But sir, did you not reserve 2 fountain pens?" the salesperson looked at me puzzled, with 2 boxes of WE in her hand, one of which contains the Mark Twain FP which I've been anxiously waiting at the writing desk in the Mont Blanc boutique with a rather stiff leather chair. It seems odd that the carpet surface patch on the floor seems to made to ensure that the furniture does not move about easily, which I find rather annoying not being able to adjust the position of my chair easily to be in the most comfortable position to inspect one of my soon to be heirloom writing instrument.

"I think ONE of them is yours..." my wife quickly point to the boxes, as the salesperson was about to leave us and determine to dig the shelves again, "it seems to have your name written on the sticky note". True enough, not only my name was misspelled on the note, but it seems like whoever that put those boxes together with my reservation note, was kind enough to include 2 choices of nibs M and F for me to choose. Splendid. Good thing my wife has a good eye there, the agony of waiting any longer was unbearable. Perhaps the experience of driving through a sandstorm earlier on from Abu Dhabi to Dubai has made our senses sharper and more alert, and me a bit edgier.

On the way into the boutique I was already mesmerized by an exhibition by Mont Blanc and Magrudy's Bookshop to honour all the great writers, by displaying the fantastic Writers Edition writing instruments along with the respective literature of those authors. This was done just outside the boutique and it was great to see some of these pieces that I may never lay eyes on, especially the older ones. (Here a separate posting covering the exhibition.http://www.fountainp...ers-exhibition/)

I walked out from the store with a sense of satisfaction of acquiring this pen after much looking around. It was only recently that I took up interest in the Writers Edition and soon begin to realise that the ones I really like are beginning to dissapear from the marketplace. In the meantime, I shall enjoy my newest acquisition, the Mark Twain.


Lets get on to the pen, shall we?

APPEARANCE AND DESIGN 9/10


I'm sure many of you are aware of the special packaging for the WE series, a box that looks like a book that opens up and revealing the writing instrument within, wrapped in plastic. The concept of the pen revolves around the Mississippi River. The wavy etched pattern on the deep blue resin barrel resembles the waves of the river while the crown on the cap mimics the shape of steamboat chimneys, while the clip resembles the jew's harp. The clip design is both delicate and well detailed and well made. Mark Twain's signature is on the platinum ring right below the clip, very well placed. The wavy sinuous lines adds depth to the already gorgeous deep blue precious resin, and the platinum clip and rings all completes the dimension of this spectacular pen. The deep blue resin has a nice and deep tone to it. It seems to be more opaque compared to the standard Black resin. The ivory colour resin for the MB logo is an eye catcher. The large Mont Blanc emblem has its appeal and the overall design composition is easy on the eye. The platinum plated piston knob seems to create a visual balance for the whole pen, which is suitable for the design.

CONSTRUCTION AND QUALITY 8


The pen felt exceptionally well built and quality control is great. However the resin body would require extra care from cracks and scratches. Most of the contact point of the pen when capped, placed on flat surface would be first be met with either the piston nob, the ring, and the ‘crown’ on the cap or the clip, all made from platinum. Hence minimal contact reduces the chances of scratches. Overall its a well and solidly built pen.


WEIGHT AND DIMENSION 8
I like the weight of the pen and it gives a confidence of a well built pen. One thing for certain, writing with it uncapped is better in terms of balance and weight. Capping it makes it heavier and encumbered. It is safe to say that it’s a well balanced pen (uncapped) and not too huge nor too small for majority of users. The etched wavy lines somewhat makes me want to run my fingers all the time, just like any other well textured pen, makes you wants to always feel it and pick it up. Here's a comparison with the 149.

NIB AND PERFORMANCE 9
Loading it up with MB black and performing all the rituals of filling up is just another experience while appreciating the details and texture of this pen. The nib is engraved with 2 fathoms,tied knots indicating the navigable depth of the Mississippi, simple but elegant. When the nib touches the paper, the whole world just stood still and it glides effortlessly on the paper, producing wet and wonderful lines. Yes, its THAT good. it’s a wet and smoother writer and great for fast writing. It has very minor feedback, almost non existent sometimes when my writing angle is consistent. Mine is a M nib, to fill the gap of MB nibs in my small collection so far. If all MB pens writes this well every time I’ve tested them, I’d be very broke by now. Anyone who loves wet and smooth nibs will love this.
FILLING SYSTEM AND MAINTENANCE 8
Standard MB piston filling system, fills up nicely and works well as expected. There are no windows to see the level of ink but that’s not really a problem for me, I would not want the design to be compromised. I have not cleaned it nor refill it so I can't quite comment in that department. For the exterior, there always seem to have specks of dust getting trapped in the etched lines along the surface of the barrel. The lines are small enough to be subtle but large enough for the dust to fall off. One may have the tendency to use brushes that may be abrasive and may scratch the surface, so exercise care here.

COST AND VALUE 7
This is the latest WE out there and though it is suppose to be more readily available compared to the previous ones. I foresee that this is one of the WE that will be quickly taken up and already I had problems locating just the fountain pen. There are some really good deals on previous WE in the MB boutiques here nationwide, between 20-30% off depending on models but this particular one seems to be an exception.

FINAL SCORE 8.168
My first WE fountain pen and I am just thrilled that I have made this choice. I am looking at other WE pens and it’s a race against time to grab them while they are still available out there. The Mark Twain is an ornate and yet tastefully done pen, well balanced, great refill system and most important of all, a fantastic writer. This should be seriously considered by any collectors out there.

The Mark Twain has passed the smoothness test and looks good enough to eat, but will it pass the Ultimate Choco Desert challenge? Stay tune.....