Featured MONTBLANC Meisterstuck No. 146 Pinstripe Vermeil Fountain Pen

Been after one of these for years...and I finally got one!



Here it is alongside my Sterling Silver Pinstripe 146, and the classic 149 Diplomat...



The Solitaire line (which is Montblanc's metal pen line) dates back to the 80s, and died out in the early 2000s, I think, so these pens are the better part of 30-40 years old. Not easy to find, and certainly not for reasonable prices, but I got lucky with this one and bought it online, all the way from Europe!

 

When I bought the pen, the piston-action filling-mechanism was very stiff. If you don't remedy this, you risk snapping the mechanism in half, which is basically an irreparable situation.

To prevent that, you have to pull the pen apart, and lubricate the mechanism with silicone grease.

Unfortunately, getting silicone grease is very difficult for me. No shops that exist locally sell the stuff, so I had to buy it online. It FINALLY arrived yesterday, so I started pulling the pen apart to get into the filling mechanism, and then pulled apart the filling mechanism to lubricate the piston-rods.

This has to be done very carefully because the parts are thin and delicate and can quite-easily be broken. So, slow and steady, with a light touch, is the name of the game here.

Step 1 - pop on the piston-wrench.



Step 2 - Crank it around until the piston mechanism can be pulled out the back.

Step 3 - Pull apart the piston:



Step 4 - Lubricate generously with grease (the stuff in that little glass jar), and then slooowly crank it back together...



Step 5 - Reassemble the pen and test the smoothness of the mechanism. Perfect!

 

Amazing work @Shangas. I am very impressed that you managed to get the dismantling tool as well to get to the piston.

Now only one missing from your collection is the 146 pure silver.

 

I have the Sterling, that'll do for now.

Next one is the 18kt gold 149!! But that's like $10,000.

I don't have that many spare kidneys!!

 

I would imagine the149 in 18kt to be heavier to use for daily normal writing. Never actually seen or held that one in person.

 

I know somebody who owns one. IT CHONKKEH!!!

Average price online (ebay, etc) is about $10k, from what I've seen.

 

I'm not buying that either. If I had a spare ten grand to blow I'd have new TVs, new computers, and fancy dental work.

 

Yeah, there's so many other things I could buy with that kinda money. Seems a waste to blow it all on one thing that isn't like, a car, or a house, or something.

 

WOW! I've collected a few fountain pens over the years, but nothing like yours! (My granddad told me that a gentleman always carries a good pen and a handkerchief....and I do!!)

 

I've been collecting and repairing fountain pens for about 20 years, give or take. It's a very enjoyable hobby.

 

I normally do not show my pen collection, am quiet protective about them. I dont even carry 1 in my pocket, as I dont want to be seen showing off. Though in my profession, it pays to show off that you are successful (because you own these (overpriced) pens).
I must add that the last 2 on the right are chinese pens. But they write like a dream.

 

Lovely!