Rep Montblanc pen to math siny new watch. Any good?

[ninjagaiden]

Folks,

I was looking at Andrew's and Joshua's sites and noticed they can get hold of some of Replica Montblanc pens. Now I know the fountain pens might be a problem, but I figure you can't go wrong with a rollerball.

I'd quite like a simple polished SS Montblanc like this one:

http://www.yourtrustytime.com/index.php?main_page=product_info&cPath=222_223&products_id=6160

Anyone got any experience of these?

[mastrmindalliance]

Hey, I've bought a few from josh which will be the same as these. There are actually pretty good quality although they vary from model to model. For example the Thomas Mann is is kind of flimsy in parts, but the Etoile De... while not exactly accurate is outstanding quality.

Though they don't say - some of them, though not all, do actually take the gen ink refills.

The difference between the rep and gen ink is only a feeling of scratchiness while writing. The inks on paper look identical.

[ninjagaiden]

That's good to know. Don't like the diamond cap on the etoile though. Do you think the Ingrid Bergman will be okay?

[seriph]

Hi - that "bergman" is nothing like the original if that bothers you .... there are only a couple that are precise, but again, if you don't care then go for it .... I have around 50 rep pens here at home and as mentioned, some are not even close, some are OK and some are basically indistinguishable. In that vein, I try to get pens that even on close observation are identical, but I do have maybe 20 different La Donnas (that's the Bergman model) and many are absolutely stunning. Boxed and delivered they run around $45 ea. but I have to buy them in lots of ten...... that makes the $58 price tag for a single pen OK in my books.

Oh and while I am banging on about all this, I have 13 fountain pens .... all reps and all writer well.

Hope this helps.

Edited October 1, 2011 by seriph

[PeteM]

Blimey mate.... 13 Fountains and 50 pens.... now thats a collection.... I gotta ask mate... Why so many ?

I sound like my Mrs... when she asks why I have so many watches but only one wrist (for wearing it that is!)

[ninjagaiden]

If the pen is mightier than the sword, then what you have is not a collection but a WMD cache!

But seriously, I am after a well constructed polished SS rollerball. It doesn't have to be very faithful to a Gen Montblanc (unless there is a really good rep of an SS pen that you would recommend).

Which one would you recommend? I tend to get my reps from Joshua @ perfect clones.

Thanks

[PeteM]

If you are in UK mate then try contacting Reg (Narika) He picks up some nice pens of which I have bought a few as presents...

Good prices and quick delivery... however if you are after a particular one or high quality and he dont have it, then he can pick it up on his next visit to you know where

[seriph]

But seriously, I am after a well constructed polished SS rollerball. It doesn't have to be very faithful to a Gen Montblanc (unless there is a really good rep of an SS pen that you would recommend).

Hey - personally, I would go to a decent pen shop in your area - MB is really only the best known brand of quality pen. There are hundreds of spectacular pens out there and most are very reasonably priced.

Stainless steel pens: I don't know mate ..... I do have a couple polished SS pens but I don't recall seeing many other than Parker ones. That said, I probably don't 'see' them because my focus is elsewhere.

Seriously, go to a pen shop and you will be blown away by the range and beauty of pens - they are what I call "useful art"

[seriph]

Blimey mate.... 13 Fountains and 50 pens.... now thats a collection.... I gotta ask mate... Why so many ?

I sound like my Mrs... when she asks why I have so many watches but only one wrist (for wearing it that is!)

Hear ya loud and clear! What I have done is source reps of the highest quality. This means/requires buying several lesser versions of course (sound familiar?) and chipping away at the research until one finds the "Holy Grail"

Along the way I have met some characters and have enjoyed doing a bunch of pen related stuff like writing poetry and making pen boxes as gifts.

Folks may not realise, but there are pens which surpass watches in value and rival them in beauty. The fountain pens are an indulgence really .... it is nice to have original vintage FPs and they are really quite beautiful. I will be making an 'overmantle' in my office (in our 1880 home) that has shallow illuminated display cabinets on either side (that kind of look like columns ..... very hard to describe) - I will set up displays inside each side to show off the pens and enjoy them.

It is an obsession I guess, but truly what real hobby isn't? I have loved miniature machines since my first train set (5yrs of age) and have re-purposed what people think is junk, since becoming an adult. There is nothing more yummy than getting a design right, whether it is on paper of in real life. The design for the last box I made (2 weeks ago) for my mate's 50th came to me while his wife was telling me her plans for his surprise party. Here's that story , which all just came to me in a blink:

http://www.fountainp..._1#entry2087929

it worked out well.

Anyway, back to the POINT! Beautiful things are beautiful things - when someone designs something stunning, many people are moved by its beauty and grace. I can't afford the huge sums of money that MB and other makers can command for their pens (at times, a new LE or Writer's Edition MB is $1000 - $5000 and travels into the stratosphere for say, an MB Charlie Chaplin Skeletal) so when the wife and I visited Honk Kong I saw a shop that had replicas by the thousands and they all looked pretty good to me at that time. So I bought a few and it began from there. I have a pen design of my own in mind to make and market but that's a while away as yet. Suffice to say it will be wrapped in canvas sail-cloth from a windmill on the plains of La Mancha, Spain and its barrel from wood from the windmill's spar. Hopefully it will work out - I'll be impressed if anyone recongises the "connection" - but I got the inspiration from a story which means a lot to me.

So pens, watches, ink bottle, train tickets, aircraft, antiques ..... people collect a million different things - I guess I will never understand why people collect Barbie Dolls but I seriously doubt they care that I don't.

The cheapest pen I have cost me nothing and the most expansive, I guess around $150. I use a $6.85 (delivered from China through eBay) fountain pen every day and people are always commenting that it is a classic style. I enjoy using it and it writes well.... though possibly not as well as a $50K MB original, but I will never know. And it doesn't really matter - I have a saying that goes "If you can't write, you can't write with a thousand dollar pen."

Of course, even a crappy pen will write and even my rubbish buys in the pen world aren't totally useless because I can use the refill in my other pens. In Australia MB charges around $16 for a refill ..... I get precisely 16 for that price out of China! And so it goes ..... I will post some pics of some nice pens later if anyone cares to see them but I don't want to monopolise the discussions with my crap any more than I have

Edited October 1, 2011 by seriph

[seriph]

Sorry to intrude again but I just wanted to point out that BREITLING markets their own range of very beautiful pens. Usually available through eBay for under $200

[jmcavalier]

Hi - that "bergman" is nothing like the original if that bothers you .... there are only a couple that are precise, but again, if you don't care then go for it .... I have around 50 rep pens here at home and as mentioned, some are not even close, some are OK and some are basically indistinguishable. In that vein, I try to get pens that even on close observation are identical, but I do have maybe 20 different La Donnas (that's the Bergman model) and many are absolutely stunning. Boxed and delivered they run around $45 ea. but I have to buy them in lots of ten...... that makes the $58 price tag for a single pen OK in my books.

Oh and while I am banging on about all this, I have 13 fountain pens .... all reps and all writer well.

Hope this helps.

So any recommendations on some reps that are "basically indistinguishable" ?

[ninjagaiden]

Thanks for all the advice guys. I ordered a Bergman full steel rollerball pen from Joshua in the end. It's free shipping and I am happy with everything else I have had from him.

I was going to hang around for a consensus to jmcavalier's question, but I found the strangest thing - my eye is more drawn to some of the Montblanc rep designs than the originals! For example, a Meisterstuck platinum plated rollerball does not look as nice (to my eye) as the 'Rep' Bergman full steel. Beauty is in the eye of the beholder!

I'll let you know what the pen is like when it arrives...

[PPN]

The pens look nice, but the dealers told me they definitely don't take gen refills. Which sort of is a turn off for me. But do let me know what you think when yours arrives.

[mastrmindalliance]

The pens look nice, but the dealers told me they definitely don't take gen refills. Which sort of is a turn off for me. But do let me know what you think when yours arrives.

As mentioned, some do whether they state or not

I bought a few from Josh that didn't state "take gen refill". When they landed i tested them with various gen felt, rollerball etc. I sent Josh a 'heads up' saying that they do infact take the gen. he said, "i know, but best not to state just in case". (i assume, in case a new batch is built differently or something)

So, it's a luck of the draw or trial and error thing.

Insterestingly, a couple of the cartiers took gen MB refills too

[PPN]

As mentioned, some do whether they state or not

I bought a few from Josh that didn't state "take gen refill". When they landed i tested them with various gen felt, rollerball etc. I sent Josh a 'heads up' saying that they do infact take the gen. he said, "i know, but best not to state just in case". (i assume, in case a new batch is built differently or something)

So, it's a luck of the draw or trial and error thing.

Insterestingly, a couple of the cartiers took gen MB refills too

Good to know. Which MB pen did you buy?

[mastrmindalliance]

I can't tell you the models now (will have to check later). But one was the all steel etoile de. One of the cartiers was the thick all steel with cross hatch pattern.

[seriph]

All the reps I have are MB reps and use MB refills .... I am referring to rolling ball and ballpoint. All the Fountain Pens are piston, not cartridge - I am out for the day but will respond to the PM's within 24 hrs.