Meisterstuck Blue Hour comes in the same 30ml bottle as other Montblanc Limited Edition inks.

Ink Review: Montblanc Meisterstuck Blue Hour and Giveaway Courtesy of PenBoutique!

July 30, 2015

First of all, many thanks to Pen Boutique for sending me this bottle of Montblanc “Blue Hour” to review. I’ve been buying from Pen Boutique for a long time, and they are certainly one of my first “go to” sources for the Montblanc Limited/Special Edition inks. (I have them to thank for my healthy stock of Alfred Hitchcock Red.)

Montblanc describes the ink as a "Twilight Blue." It exhibits some nice shading in a stub nib.  Here, I used my Lamy 2000 with the .9mm Minuskin Stub Nib. — Montblanc describes the ink as a "Twilight Blue." It exhibits some nice shading in a stub nib. Here, I used my Lamy 2000 with the .9mm Minuskin Stub Nib.

On to the ink itself: Don’t get me wrong, this is an excellent ink, but after using it for a few days I’ve concluded that it’s not for me. Blue Hour, like all Montblanc inks, dries quickly and doesn’t bleed or feather on the vast majority of papers. It shades nicely, and as you can see from my writing sample, has some limited water (err, gin) resistance.

Color-wise, I’d place this ink in the blue-black family. There’s definitely a hint of teal when the ink dries. Many have compared it to Sailor Jentle Yama-Dori, but I would place it closer to classic Waterman Blue Black (or, as it’s now known, “Mysterious Blue”). Blue Hour doesn’t have the reddish sheen of Yama-Dori, and leans more gray. A more detailed color comparison is included at the bottom of this post.

Montblanc Meisterstuck Blue Hour Cap Ink Color

So why didn’t this one take? Probably because the color is too similar to the Waterman, which is NOT a negative comparison because it's one of my favorite inks of all time. As a limited edition, Blue Hour lands at a higher price point ($17 for 30ml at Pen Boutique) than the Waterman, and since I already have a "healthy" stockpile of that ink, then there isn’t a reason to stock up, especially if one is looking for a reason to limit the amount of ink you are hoarding. On the other hand, if you are a Montblanc L.E. completionist, or exclusively use Montblanc Inks, you will not be disappointed because Montblanc doesn’t have another ink like this on the market at the moment.

So, to thank my readers, and to stick with my goal of being "intentional" about what inks I stockpile, I'm giving this bottle away! The usual giveaway rules apply (leave a comment on this post or sign up for my e-mail alerts; if you're already on my e-mail list you're automatically entered). Unfortunately, I have to limit this to U.S./Canada only, since I'll have to eat postage on a bottle of liquid. If you simply can't wait to pick up this ink, head over to Pen Boutique now and order it while supplies last. And if you're the lucky winner and will be attending the D.C. Pen Show next month, I will be happy to personally deliver the ink to you there!

A full page writing sample and color comparison with my "waterproofing test" at bottom right.  Paper is French-ruled Clairefontaine. — A full page writing sample and color comparison with my "waterproofing test" at bottom right. Paper is French-ruled Clairefontaine.

Top of the Tier Ones:  the Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black. — Top of the Tier Ones: the Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black.

My Tier One Pens

July 25, 2015

There’s been a lot of talk about “Tier One” and “Tier Two” pens since this week's episode of the Pen Addict. I take a different approach to this than some. I don’t include in my “Tier One” pens that I hold onto purely for sentimental value. These pens, such as my Waterman Laureate and a Parker 51 that matches a Parker 51 mechanical pencil I inherited from my great Aunt, will never be sold, but I don’t necessarily have them in rotation that often—maybe once a year.

My “Tier One”, defined as user pens that are almost always inked up and that (at least for now) I would never consider selling, are:

Sailor Pro Gear Imperial Black Edition. A great daily user with an understated look. I love matte black pens, and this one has sentimental value because I received it the day my daughter was born.
Delta Fusion 82 Limited Editions in Celluloid. Say what you will about the “science” behind the Fusion nib, but I can’t argue with the fact that these are among the smoothest steel nibs I have ever used, and this limited edition series from Bryant at Chatterly Luxuries/Pentime are a relatively budget-friendly way to enjoy Italian Celluloids. I opted for the Marmo Incrinato/Pompeii versions. The Pompeii has an architect's nib.
Montblanc 146 with .6mm stub nib. Once I finally got this nib tuned properly, it writes like a dream and is one of my favorite pens. I always end up inking this pen, even if I end up giving it a break every now and then. The nib shows off ink well, and the line variation is excellent. Montblanc quality control (especially on pens from the 1980s and the early 1990s) leaves something to be desired.
Lamy 2000 with .9mm Greg Minuskin stub retip. This Lamy 2000, the first nice (>$100) pen I ever purchased, is another great writer. Unfortunately the medium nib was ruined during “nib work”, but I sent it off to Greg Minuskin who added a super-smooth stub. The result is close to perfection.
My Blue Parker 51. The first vintage pen I ever purchased, featuring a relatively rare (for a Parker 51) fat medium nib.

I’m generally with Brad on how I characterize something as a “Tier Two” pen. My Tier Two includes nice writing pens that are frequently in rotation but are easily replaceable, or vintage pens that I use a lot but for some reason don’t rise to the level of a true Tier One because they just aren't as durable. This Tier Two list also consists of models, as opposed to individual pens.

Parker Vacumatics. Probably my favorite vintage pens overall. They don’t travel well inked, and therefore don’t see as much use as my Tier Ones, which is the reason they sit here at the top of Tier Two.
Fusion 82 (any): If I didn’t have my two celluloid pens in my Tier One, I would still have a standard Fusion 82. The pen has near perfect size and balance for my hand, and as discussed above, I’ve enjoyed using the nibs.
Sailor Pro Gear (any): In addition to the Imperial Black Edition, I have the Pro Gear Sky, which is probably in the process of working its way into Tier One.
Lamy 2000 (any): I have a second Lamy 2000 with an EF nib that I use regularly for work.
MaxMadCo Stainless Steel Bolt Action: I have yet to review this pen, which has become my go-to non-fountain pen for daily carry.

There are several other pens I've been using recently, but not enough to make a decision on where (or whether) to include them. I can see the Bulkfiller Minimalistica making one of the two lists, as well as the Esterbrook J with the "Fine Stub" nib. Stay tuned for updates!

A Pen Geek's Pen: The Conid Bulkfiller Minimalistica

July 18, 2015

Some of you may recall that back in April, I embarked on a “streamlining” of my pen and ink accumulation and sold off nearly a dozen pens, with the goal of buying three or four “custom” pens. While the Conid Bulkfiller is not a “custom pen” per se, because it’s not manufactured to each customer’s specifications, it is what I would call “small batch” (to borrow a whiskey term). Meaning, these pens are manufactured to order (i.e., the pen is not made until a customer’s order is placed), and some customization is possible. I opted for the Bulkfiller Minimalistica, a streamlined version manufactured from Delrin and trimmed with Titanium (including the nib).

History

Conid pens are built around the filling system, termed the “bulkfiller.” The name “bulkfiller” refers to the fact that most piston or plunger-filler pens do not fill to 100% capacity—the ink reservoir is never completely full. Francis Goossens (a noted pen repairman and collector who goes by Fountainbel on FPN) sought to correct what he considered a shortcoming, and the concept of the Bulkfiller was born.

The Filling System

It’s nearly impossible to describe the bulkfiller system without a visual aid. Watch this video first (courtesy of Conid and Francis Goossens via YouTube) and bear with me.

In short, the filling system acts like a syringe. While a typical plunger filler takes advantage of a vacuum in the barrel created when the user depresses the plunger past a certain point, ink enters the Bulkfiller on the upstroke (like a syringe), after which point the user disengages the plunger rod from the seal and slides it back into the barrel, leaving the seal at the top of the ink chamber. The pen holds a full 2ml of ink, and some of the larger models hold as much as 6ml.

The Minimalistica

Originally, Conid offered one model (the “Regular” Bulkfiller), but that has changed over the past few years. There are now 5 main options (Streamlined, Minimalistica, Regular, Kingsize, and Giraffe), and within certain of those primary offerings the customer can choose from different designs. The names of the models are fairly self explanatory (i.e., the “Giraffe” is a very long pen that holds 6ml of ink). I opted for the Minimalistica, a newer model that only comes in Matte Black Delrin and sports titanium trim. Since I purchased this pen for daily use, I chose the version with a clip.

Conid pens are manufactured entirely by CNC lathe in a factory outside of Antwerp, Belgium. Conid builds each pen to order, creating a lag time of 4-6 weeks between placing an order and receiving your pen. It’s worth the wait.

The Conid packaging is high-end.  The pen arrives packed in foam in a metal box, with an engraved titanium plate certifying as to the authenticity.  If you ordered a spare nib and/or the disassembly tool, those will also come packaged in t… — The Conid packaging is high-end. The pen arrives packed in foam in a metal box, with an engraved titanium plate certifying as to the authenticity. If you ordered a spare nib and/or the disassembly tool, those will also come packaged in the box.

The Build

People rave about the build on Conid pens. This is a pen addict’s pen, as it truly is “engineered for people who love writing.” The manufacturing tolerances are incredibly precise. Because Delrin seems to be a fairly “soft” material, and because it’s black, it shows some marks from the machining of the pen, but I can find no “flaws” in the pens finish. The titanium trim is especially well done, and the clip is a single solid piece of titanium!

The filling system on my pen works flawlessly, although it takes a few tries to understand how to engage/disengage the seal from the piston and to get the hang of filling it completely. Again, this pen is not for everyone. It’s the creation of a vintage pen repairman/collector who set out to perfect the fountain pen filling system by creating something that is a hybrid of the classic vintage fillers. I cannot emphasize how much ink this pen holds—it took me nearly three weeks to write it dry, and I write a lot and made a concerted effort to use this pen.

Fortunately, Conid provides helpful step-by-step instructions that ensure, eventually, that even the most mechanically challenged among us will be able to fill the pen.

There is one quirk. In order to make the pen safe for airplane usage and/or to prevent it from burping ink due to temperature or altitude fluctuations, the pen has two ink chambers: the larger chamber at the back, which holds the vast majority of the ink, and a smaller chamber up front, just behind the feed. The smaller chamber holds perhaps 2-3 pages worth of ink, and when it runs dry you have to unscrew the blind cap slightly (and sometimes give the pen a quick flick of the wrist) to allow ink from the back chamber to refill the smaller chamber and the feed. Several other vacuum-filling pens share this double-chambered feature—namely Viscontis that utilize the “Power Filling” system. Both the Pilot Custom 823 and the TWSBI Vac 700 require you to unscrew the blind cap to allow ink to flow through during prolonged writing sessions.

The pen is comfortable to use both posted and unposted. The cap is a slip-cap, which uses an O-ring for friction-fit, so the posting is not the most secure in the world, but I’ve never had it fall off. For some reason I tend to prefer this pen unposted, which is rare for me, but I think Conid nailed it on the length. See the gallery below for some size comparisons with the similarly sized Lamy 2000 and Delta Fusion 82. The Conid is a bit thicker.

The Nib

After trying Brad Dowdy’s and Thomas Hall’s Bulkfillers at the Atlanta Pen Show, I knew that I had to go with the titanium nib. The nib is manufactured by Bock (who, to my knowledge, manufactures most, if not all, of the titanium nibs for the fountain pen industry). I have had one other titanium nib in the past, a Stipula T-Flex, but I didn’t care for it and ended up swapping it out for a gold stub. I found the T-Flex too “flexy” for everyday writing, and too wet to use on standard office paper, which is the bulk of my fountain pen use. The standard Bock fine nib, however, is perfect for me. It’s one of the smoothest nibs I own, and there’s an ever-so-slight springiness to it that gives your writing good shading and visible line variation. In other words, it’s a good everyday writer without the more boring qualities of your typical stiff-as-a-nail steel nibs.

The No. 6 Titanium Bock Nib.  Note that the brushed finish of the titanium nicely complements the Delrin.  Most Bulkfillers come outfitted with a #6 nib. The Slimline sports a #5, and the Kingsize comes with a #8(!!?). — The No. 6 Titanium Bock Nib. Note that the brushed finish of the titanium nicely complements the Delrin. Most Bulkfillers come outfitted with a #6 nib. The Slimline sports a #5, and the Kingsize comes with a #8(!!?).

A writing sample with the fine titanium nib.  Note the shading. — A writing sample with the fine titanium nib. Note the shading.

The Verdict

This is a great pen, and I don’t regret the money spent or the wait. I did choose the title "a pen geek's pen" deliberately--it’s not for everyone. The filling system is complicated and somewhat tricky to master, and if you’re a serial ink changer you may get bored with how long it takes to write the pen dry. But the manufacturing is superb, the nib is wonderful, and Conid’s customer service is outstanding (especially once they figured out how to refund the VAT for non-EU residents).

You can purchase the Bulkfiller directly from Conid on their website. Pricing is consistent with most custom pens, and ultimately depends on the options you select. The basic Bulkfiller Minimalistica with a steel nib will run about $315 (give or take a few dollars for the exchange rate). If you add a titanium nib and the proprietary tool for disassembly (allowing you to repair/clean the pen on your own without shipping it back to Antwerp), the price jumps to about $390 or so. It's expensive, but you are paying for quality machining, titanium trim, and a fairly rare material like Delrin that I understand to be somewhat difficult to work.

I purchased this pen with my own funds, and was not compensated monetarily for this review.

Atlanta Pen Show Kickstarter Hightower

July 14, 2015

I finally got around to photographing my reward from the "Send Myke to Atlanta" Kickstarter campaign. I've been using this thing like crazy over the past few months (I saved the sleeve and re-wrapped it for its photo shoot). The case is, of course, a standard Nock Co. Hightower (3 pens + bifold), but what makes this one special is the Union Jack tag. You may be able to purchase this color combination over at Nock Co., but unless you paid to fly Myke to the states, you will never have this tag!

I did a full review of the Hightower a while back. For me, it's the most practical of all the Nock Co. cases because you can carry three pens (or even pencils), plus a notebook or notecards or whatever else you can cram into the bifold pocket. Get yours now!

If you missed out on my reviews of the other Nock Co. cases, see Part I and Part II here.

Ink Review: Montblanc JFK Navy Blue

July 11, 2015

Another Montblanc Limited Edition Ink, and yet more money flows out of my pocket. I’ve done pretty well so far on my purchasing hiatus, which to me is even more impressive in light of how much I love this ink and how much I really want to stock up on it so I always have some available.

Montblanc issued JFK Navy Blue to accompany its JFK Limited Edition Fountain Pen, part of the “Great Characters” series. (If the pen strikes your fancy, Mr. Greer over at Pentime/Chatterly Luxuries has the pen listed at a really good price for these Montblanc Special Edition Pens.) The ink is a true “navy blue,” more vibrant than the other ink bearing this description, Noodler’s Navy. If I had to place this ink into a color group, I would call it a blue-black, but it definitely leans more to the blue end of the spectrum. The ink has good shading and, on some papers, I've seen a tiny bit of red sheen (not much, and it doesn’t photograph at all). Otherwise, the flow is excellent, and JFK Navy Blue shares the same properties of other Montblanc inks, including a lack of feathering and bleed-through, good dry time, and functionality on cheap paper.

The writing sample here is done with a Conid Bulkfiller Minimalistica (fine nib) on Nock Co. Dot-Dash notecards.

I ordered this ink from La Couronne du Compte in Tilburg, the Netherlands. As with other Montblanc/Pelikan inks, if you’re in the U.S. the exchange rate may now make it more economical to order from abroad, but unless you can get a promotion or discount on shipping the end result may be the same. Last I checked, the JFK ink was getting harder to find. Stateside, Fahrney’s Pens and Pen Boutique have this ink in stock, and it runs $19.00 per bottle.

I paid for this ink with my own funds, and was not compensated monetarily or otherwise for this review.