Independents

Haven’t done that yet though…. but I was thinking of buying some empty cartridges from the internets and playing with different colors.

But I really liked the Boheme. It was a great width - about the same width as the Montblanc 146. But shorter, but you could post the cap - the cap posted on the back with a screw! So it felt even more secure and you weren't risking scratching anything. I ... 

There is a platinum coated section on the upper side of the pen where you screw the cap, it is very secure. However if you liked the girth of the Boheme, as far as I can see from the pictures the Montblanc Bebe might be a bit on the thin side.

That Montblanc Bebe is definitely a smaller pen. I wished you could try the Boheme. But now that they've stopped making it, they're hard to find.

Its intricate mode of working delighted me. You screw the cap and the nib comes out etc. very nice. Maybe I can find one on pen swap or in some other place, I’ll keep it in mind

And the cap can go on both ends! There are screw threads on both the nib side and the back side.

Thanks Patrick!

The nib on that one is not huge. I'd say it's possibly bigger than the Montblanc Classique 144. But not much bigger if it's really bigger at all. It's definitely smaller than the 146. I've got one around here somewhere. Because it's a cartridge pen and yo... 

However in my MB baby the nib size is pretty small too. On my Pilot Custom 823 it is much more bigger and the nib size affects how you write. On my two pens I am using medium nibs, I asked my Nakaya too with a medium nib however people say that apart from... 

That's the right paper! Sounds like you've got a nice set up!

Now I’m reading inks, trying to find different colors from different brands like Iroshizuku, Akkerman etc. It’s a nice hobby, apart from watches of course!

Here's a great website I use for comparing the Iroshizuku inks... It's a decent resource. I use the Montblanc inks - which are very safe, they won't stain your barrels. If you use a Demonstrator pen it won't stain the inside of the pen usually. It's prob... 

First when I fancied using a fountain pen I didn’t know anything so I bought a Lamy, it was a proprietary cartridge pen and it was so hard to clean I remember wasting quite a lot of time in front of the sink, then putting the pen in a cup filled with wate... 

Mine takes much longer than that since I have a built in piston! Need to cycle that thing up and down 30 times or so!

Still much much better than my Lamy, and it was a cartridge pen!

Do an internet search for "fountain pen cleaning bulb syringe" and consider getting one of those. That helps with cleaning a lot!

It looks very easy I will buy one thanks 🙏

I really like the pen. I had one. I miss it. I still have two; a Noir et Noir and a Rouge et Noir which are technically pre-Boheme. Beautiful pen. I like it.

I wasn’t aware of the Mozart series, yes size wise they are very much alike, a very nice pen, one distinction is that mine has no clip which I find easier to just put on your coat pocket and go about your business. Nothing to accidentally hook on somethin... 

I've owned many Montblanc fountain pens, but never a Pilot 823. I've heard amazing things about them though!

It’s a really nice pen, maybe not nice like a Montblanc but for its price bracket it’s worth every penny. It’s a bigger pen though so I keep that one at home.

It's such a cool pen! The problem is that all of these pens are very nice, but I don't write enough to keep more than 2-3 pens inked at any given time. Can you tell us which Nakaya you're waiting for? Totally okay if it's a secret!

But please check their web site in english. I discovered ( albeit late ) that you can directly order from Japan and they have very intricate pens, please see sections Makie, Raden, Tame Sukashi, Yako Makie etc. there are so many intricate and beautiful pe...  

But in order to get those prices you need to be able to order to a Japanese address I guess? Anyhow, I’ll check

If you haven't been to Japan... I highly recommend a visit! Good excuse to fly to Japan!

Just this June I was there for a long trip in between Tokyo and Hokkaido, since we are in wps I also bought a grand seiko while there, I’ll do a post of it some time, trying to capture some good photos of it. The problem with Nakaya is they don’t instantl... 

I was in Tokyo in June for the Patek Exhibition. I had a great time! I hope you had a good time too! I've never been to Hokkaido! It must be nice in June. And not cold!

I am learning so so much from this site. I don’t have a Patek yet so even though I read about the exhibition I wasn’t there for it. Maybe in the future if they do one again… We went to Sapporo which is a nice city like a compact Tokyo, and cooler so it wa...  

I've never been to that area! Now I want to visit! Ahh, glad to have a new appreciator on our site! And I hope you find the Patek Philippe of your dreams one day! Here is a link to the Patek Tokyo Exhibition that I wrote during my visit to Tokyo. www.... 

At the time I was in Tokyo for some days at the end of our visit and could have gone to that exhibition, I remember seeing on this site other members getting together and sending photos of this gathering to WPS, but somehow I missed your post and that I c... 

The week complication isn't a big help to me. But I REALLY LIKE THAT CASE!

But a sportier looking steel Patek on a strap is just the thing for me, and this special one is a watch that I might be able to purchase in the future, so fingers crossed. Thank you very very much for your kind wishes, indeed I need luck on my side

Sending you all my good wishes for this watch in your direction!

And thank you for how kindly you received and welcomed me to this site as a moderator.

On behalf of all the moderators, we're so happy you found our site and registered! Did you know, the case to the 5212 is the same case design used as the World Time for the Tokyo Exhibition? Same case! ...  

This place is a gem I didn’t know the World Time for the Tokyo Exhibition shared the same case with 5212, though I read at the time the extensive review of the watch on this site and read also the discussion over the watch, it never occurred to me that tw... 

I'm not crazy about the 5212, but I am crazy about that case!

It is for me too at least an attainable dream for the coming years

When we were in Tokyo we went to Itoya but sadly then I didn’t know about Nakaya, so didn’t check, wonderful store though. But for Nakaya there is also an option of producing the pen according to your specifications, there is a questionnaire to fill while... 

I would try the standard pen first and if I can't imagine it being any better, then I'll just go and get the standard pen. But if I sense anything is even the slightest bit off, I'll try the custom route. Just to evaluate it and see if it's actually any b... 

So I hope that it’s going to be right for me, Nakaya beeing a very exclusive brand there are no places around me to go and try one, so I directly went the custom route. The stationary store which I bought it informed me that I’ll have to wait around 9 mon... 

Please share your lovely new pen once you get it! And a few months after that, please let us know how it writes! I'm already volunteering you for TWO articles on this pen!

I promise to write articles about this pen once I receive it.

I can't wait. And it will also show the world this very little known brand - Nakaya is almost unheard of.

However I think in time this will change

It's already abuzz in the hardcore fountain pen community. I can't wait to see the Dorsal Fin!

They are indeed beautiful

Wait! I have too many pens. I hope I don't like the pens at all and then I don't have to buy one at all! (joking)

They are STEALTHY works of art!

Hoping to have more fountain pen posts soon!

It is true that fountain pens can be seen as an outdated writing instrument but also true that for those who still hand write there is no other pen so enjoyable to write with as a fountain pen. I´ve been writing and collecting fountain pens for many years... 

I've only been collecting the past 25 years. It seems you have been collecting for much longer than I have! I too started with fountain pen collecting before watch collecting and started appreciating them much like how you did. I started very much with Ge... 

... since so long and even before taking watch collecting like me. I read your comments about your preferences with much interest. The Montblancs are great pens indeed. I own many of them too, including some vintage ones, but I don´t write too much with m... 

I do like the 149 and my daily pen is the 146. I really like my 146. I don't use vintage pens neither. I've heard horror stories about getting them repaired. When it comes to Pelikan, I do really enjoy the M1000. It's a great pen. The nib is so much more ... 

I´m glad to share with you the love for both MB and Pelikan pens. Agree with your thoughts here. The 1000 is an stunning pen for sure. I own it and enjoy its big and flexible nib but it´s too big for my hand for long writing sessions. But superb for signi... 

I'm really interested in trying out the Nakaya Dorsal Fin V2. It definitely looks interesting to me. Maybe I should get a Nakaya Dorsal Fin Version 2 with a music nib? Hmmmm... For music nibs, I'm definitely leaning more towards the 3-tine 2-slit models f... 

Here I´m sharing some shots of my Nakayas Dorsal Fin 1 and 2 to add some fuel to your interest in these beautiful pens. My Dorsal Fin 1 is equipped with a "B" nib which writes like an European M. Dorsal Fin 1 has the "fin" on the cap only. DF2 has fin on ...  

Okay. I'm definitely sold. Now, all I have to do is to try the pen and make sure that I like the way it sits in my hand. I was thinking at first to do the exact same color as your Dorsal Fin 2, but to do it with a white metal (platinum or Rhodium) plated ... 

There are many nice choices of nib finishes but of course require extra $ to add them. The pen is very comfortable but as pens are very personal it would be better if you can try it in your hand and feel it. I´m sending a link by PM which you´ll find inte... 

I became interested in pens when I got one for my birthday (photo). Unfortunately, I don't write with it too often because the writing is too thick. A friend told me that I need a fine or extra fine nib, but it's very hard to find one 🤔 ...  

That is a VERY NICE pen you got there! You can take your pen to the Montblanc boutique near you and ask them to change out the nib. If your nib is in perfect condition, they can exchange it for you generally with very small cost. If your nib is not perfec... 

...my Montblanc pen is silver, I like it a lot. I visited the boutique already. Received the info from a seller that I have to leave my pen with them, they have to send it somewhere for the nib change. However, they will keep the old nib and for a new, I ... 

At that point, I'd just buy another pen! If you were close by, I'd find you a nice Pelikan with an EF for not much more than that! And Pelikan pens, you can unscrew the nib section and replace it on your own!

but I would like to use my gift as well 🤭 I tried once some Japan pen. The nib was great. Very thin and precise. As well easy to use with different angles. Unfortunately, I don't remember the brand name 🤔 The only thing I remember is that the company made... 

The three biggest Japanese fountain pen brands are Pilot/Namiki (they're both the same company, under Pilot Group), Sailor, and Platinum. Japanese fountain pens are known for super smooth fine nibs because the characters have very small markings that need... 

Do you know this brand?

One of the Big 3 Japanese pen brands. They have a higher end brand that is artisan crafted called "Nakoya" where I like the "Dorsal Fin" model. All Platinum brand pens are high quality. I've written with them, but I don't really use one on a continuous ba... 

Platinum PP-100000M Silver hammered like my MB, but has only M and B nib sizes 🙈 ...  

Platinum's M is probably as fine as a Montblanc F. Do you ever make it to Japan?

I have friend from Japan 😉

And visit some Japanese watch stores too!

Currently using ...  

I've got the same bottle of Quink somewhere. And we both have Montblanc 146 pens! Although mine is the simple black plastic version and yours is the nice "Solitaire" version. What a nice collection!