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.....

Caran D’Ache- Leman Ebony Black- Review

Appearance and Design 8/10
Simple, classic and elegant. There’s something about the proportion of this instrument that I really like, that other pens can’t achieve in terms of balance of looks and appearance. It is not too flashy with its silver plated and rhodium coated trims and black lacquer finish. The golden and rhodium plated nib is proportionate to the pen and looks really elegant. There’s strength behind its simplicity and form.

Construction and Quality 8/10
The metal barrel with lacquer finish over it does have some weight behind it. The heavier mass gives confidence and a solid feel to it, suggesting that this is made to last. Rhodium coat will maintain its shine for a longer time compared to other metals and lacquer finish is a better option to the standard resin. I’d imagine this pen to maintain its good looks for a longer period of time. Pictures may tell a thousand words but nothing can be said about how it feels in the hands until one handles it. Superbly well built!


Weight and Dimension 7/10
Heavier than most pen of the same size, there are more metal parts behind the lacquer and the good weight gives a good feel and encourages me to grip better. I can even write it well not capped on a good day, but having it capped still gives a better grip. Both works for me, often the former to reduce risk of scratching the surface.

Nib and Performance 7.5/10
Smooth, stiff and slightly scratchy with my M nib, but with the right angle and the right paper, it outperforms my MB Starwalker. It skips and pauses a bit in the beginning but has improved so far. You can really feel the surface of the nib on the paper, much like a sport suspension on a sports car, bumpy but fun. I like the writing coming out from it as it has more character. Using Carbon CdA ink now and I just love the tones. I’m rotating it with my
Starwalker. Definitely not boring.


Filling System & Maintenance. 6/10
Piston converter, have no issues so far and easy to refill. Options to use cartridge is available as well.

Cost & Value 7/10
You know what you are paying for when you pick up this pen and it is in the solid construction quality. Nearing the price of a MB 146, it’s a solid pen makes you want to pick it up again and again. I have previously bought a Caran d’Arche Ecridor Eclat for my wife from the same boutique and the sales person gave me a good discount for the Leman and all the ink cartridges and bottle to go with it. I am already considering of another CdA FP in the future.

Conclusion (7.25)
I’m loving it to bits. It is going to be challenging to find another pen to match up the feel and quality of a Caran d’Arche. I’ve tried other FP in their range like the Ecridor and Varius and all seems to have a character of their own. Its tight, its clean looking, and it’s a Swiss. This is for keeps!

Montblanc Starwalker Midnight Black Resin (F nib)

Appearance and Design 7/10
Overall, I like the shape of the pen and the unique swelling cap shape. The floating star is unique and instantly recognizable as a brand and as a range of product. The ruthenium plated clip and ring gives a dark and sleek complexion to the otherwise platinum shiny finish, which I find more appealing, after comparing the two. The ruthenium nib and its minimalistic design has its charm. The shiny resin looks and feels good. Fancy.

Construction and Quality 6/10
The pen feels solid, no sloppy edges and all metal and resin parts are smooth and well made. I do have an identical shell of a fine-liner/rollerball pen and the cap seals better compared to the fountain pen, so there are some minor inconsistency in the quality. The cap screw over the other end and reduces any potential scratch marks. Overall, still a well built pen compared to many other pen/manufacturer I’ve seen so far.

Weight and Dimension 6/10
The pen is rather light and you can’t really feel it in your pocket but good enough for extensive writing. Best used when capped to have the full weight of the pen for balance.

Nib and Performance 7/10
To be completely honest, I have not much of experience in writing with fountain pen, so I am just rating this based on my other 2 pens. My initial experience with this pen take a bit of getting used to like the angle of writing, applying the right pressure and maintaining a consistent composure. I had some problems initially with skips and pauses, but now that I have improved my penmanship, that has been reduced significantly and enjoying it every bit. I write tight and small and the fine nib works well for me, though MB nibs are bolder than most of its competitors, this would generally be a medium nib size.

Filling System & Maintenance. 6/10
The only complaint I have here is the cartridge system without any piston converter. If this is the only pen, I’d imagine, I’ll be changing cartridges very often and will be running out of ink before I run out of ideas to write. So far no leakage and maintains a clean pen, even in flight.

Cost & Value 6/10
I had a coupon for Mont Blanc when I bought this pen so I paind less than half of its retail price and definitely a value for me. But with that price, you are comparing it to some great writing pens out there like Pelikan, Souveran, Duofold or Sailor. With its brand name and the status it carries, it does attract more attention with its unique appearance and design.

Conclusion (6.33)
This is my everyday pen, well almost, and I’m sure to rotate this with some other pen as they come along. It is attractive but not too flashy, unique and interesting in terms of design and most importantly, it writes well enough for me.

Montblanc Meisterstuck 149 Review

This will be my first review on my purchases for the past few months with my recent new obsession with fountain pens. I’m have been using disposable roller pens and fluid ink pens and writing in blocks almost all my life. I do occasionally use FP but has never been a fan until recently. I picked up my first MB FP because I can’t seem to find anything else interesting in the FB boutique to spend my coupon on. So, there you go…
I did more research on FP and other manufacturers and almost any enthusiast will surely find their way to this forum. After a few weeks enjoying my Starwalker, I came across a modest Caran D’Arche boutique in a neighborhood mall (just happen to walk pass 5 times within 10 minutes). Fell in love with the Leman series – the Black Ebony and immediately it is on my list. After losing sleep for a few days, I finally returned to the shop to pick up the Leman along with a bottle of carbon black ink. It was all smiles from the sales assistant.

In the following weeks, I was searching for more writing paper and notebooks to go with my lovely pair of FP which I use in rotation. In the same time, after much reading and research, I have decided to include the MB149 in my collection list, so there I was, going into every MB boutique that I came across to hunt down the legendary instrument with the best price. To my dismay, seemed like all the MB boutique in Kuala Lumpur has sold off all the 149 stock in the country (probably I was not the only one with the coupons around). Eventually I found rather low profile timepiece shop that also distributes MB products. And there it was, a MB 149 greeting me like a long lost friend.

After pages of ink dipping, page filling, late nights scribbling and practicing on my penmanship, here’s a story of not one but 3 pens being used almost daily. I know that there have been reviews before on the same pens but I would just like to put them together and share my experience in using them.

Meisterstuck 149- (B nib)

Appearance and Design 8/10
What can I say, its not even right for me to put a number there but I will anyway. Classy, elegant and fat. THE pen that every collector must have, sometimes more than one.

Construction and Quality 7/10
Precious resin and gold nib, clip and ring. Well built, if there are invisible cracks here (nature of resin) I can’t see it. The pen is at its showroom quality now and I’m sure it will last long enough to pass to my kid when he/she gets to college.

Weight and Dimension 7/10
Though it is a large pen, my small hands finds it rather comfortable to grip and write with it. With this kind of pen, I go for the B nib to write big. When I pick up this pen, I would want to write BIG. Its weight is rather light, comfortable for extensive writing. I find that writing without the cap is better and already well balanced.

Nib and Performance 8.5/10
Super smooth, writes instantly well from the box and still continuously being impresses by the results. I don’t have to explain more on the quality everyone knows.

Filling System & Maintenance. 7/10
This pen is new in my shelf and I have no issues with it so far. The piston filling systems holds lots of ink and there is no leakage for now and writes perfectly every time. This is my desk pen.

Cost & Value 6/10
Expensive and highly valued, people buy this as a must have and embrace all its imperfection. There’s more than a pen here, it comes with reputation and a soul (as what MB likes to say about their pens). The vendor gave me 20% off discreetly to get me out of the store.

Conclusion (7.25)
A major item in the checklist has just been ticked. To possess the 149 is to carry the burden to write something worthy of it. Seriously…