Is Mont Blanc the gold standard in pens?

[snowbird]

I'm thinking about getting a nice pen for daily use and notice that Mont Blanc seems to get most of the attention on here. Are these generally considered the best pens?

[Noonan]

Are you looking for a fountain pen or a ballpoint/rollerball? If you're going the BP/RB route, my opinion is that you're wasting your money buying a Montblanc. At that point, it's an expensive resin shell with a $10 pen cartridge in it. For fountain pens, MB is basically the Rolex of pens. Not the best, far from the worst, and generally the most recognized. Their nibs write extremely well but I like my Pelikan just as much.

[snowbird]

Thanks, that's helpful perspective. I'm looking for a ballpoint pen.

[Zed Homme]

Originally Posted by snowbird

Thanks, that's helpful perspective. I'm looking for a ballpoint pen.

In my opinion, Caran D'Ache makes the best ballpoint cartridges. I found a simple BP pen from them for about $180. IMHO it writes much nicer than any MB BP.

[snowbird]

Originally Posted by Zed Homme

In my opinion, Caran D'Ache makes the best ballpoint cartridges. I found a simple BP pen from them for about $180. IMHO it writes much nicer than any MB BP.

Thanks, I'll check those out.

[Lion]

Originally Posted by snowbird

Thanks, that's helpful perspective. I'm looking for a ballpoint pen.

Your best bet is to go to a pen store and check out the stock as there are many fine quality pens. This way you can demo the stock and decide on one. I do not know where you live but there is a company called Paradise Pens which have stores in many cities. Happy hunting and take it easy!!!

[How]

I own a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck Roller Ball. To say that I am far from happy with it is an understatement. Their roller balls are very scratchy and you can only write at a certain angle to get the desired flow of ink. This is partly due to the fact that they use water-based inks, but on the most part I would imagine their roller ball tip design. Would I be wrong in expecting that a Mont Blanc should perform better than that?

I have since given up on that MB, and since have been using a Cross Townsend (roller ball) - the very same pen that Mr President Barack Obama uses. They use gel based inks and their Selectip rollerball tips write as smooth as silk... and it writes perfectly with the pen at virtually any angle!!!

After my experience with Mont Blanc, it completely shot my confidence in roller ball pens (after all, MB IS supposed to be one of the best!). I was going to go back to ball point pen. Until I discovered this Cross... It changed my mind in two seconds. Converted!

I will never go back to ball point so maybe you should check it out too!

Double thumbs up. After all... this IS the 'First Pen'!

[Lion]

Originally Posted by How

I own a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck Roller Ball. To say that I am far from happy with it is an understatement. Their roller balls are very scratchy and you can only write at a certain angle to get the desired flow of ink. This is partly due to the fact that they use water-based inks, but on the most part I would imagine their roller ball tip design. Would I be wrong in expecting that a Mont Blanc should perform better than that?

I have since given up on that MB, and since have been using a Cross Townsend (roller ball) - the very same pen that Mr President Barack Obama uses. They use gel based inks and their Selectip rollerball tips write as smooth as silk... and it writes perfectly with the pen at virtually any angle!!!

After my experience with Mont Blanc, it completely shot my confidence in roller ball pens (after all, MB IS supposed to be one of the best!). I was going to go back to ball point pen. Until I discovered this Cross... It changed my mind in two seconds. Converted!

I will never go back to ball point so maybe you should check it out too!

Double thumbs up. After all... this IS the 'First Pen'!

Other companies make refills which work in MontBlanc pens...so check them out!!!

[snowbird]

Originally Posted by How

I own a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck Roller Ball. To say that I am far from happy with it is an understatement. Their roller balls are very scratchy and you can only write at a certain angle to get the desired flow of ink. This is partly due to the fact that they use water-based inks, but on the most part I would imagine their roller ball tip design. Would I be wrong in expecting that a Mont Blanc should perform better than that?

I have since given up on that MB, and since have been using a Cross Townsend (roller ball) - the very same pen that Mr President Barack Obama uses. They use gel based inks and their Selectip rollerball tips write as smooth as silk... and it writes perfectly with the pen at virtually any angle!!!

After my experience with Mont Blanc, it completely shot my confidence in roller ball pens (after all, MB IS supposed to be one of the best!). I was going to go back to ball point pen. Until I discovered this Cross... It changed my mind in two seconds. Converted!

I will never go back to ball point so maybe you should check it out too!

Double thumbs up. After all... this IS the 'First Pen'!

Wow that's too bad. For that kind of money you should at least get a pen that writes well.

[snowbird]

Originally Posted by Lion

Your best bet is to go to a pen store and check out the stock as there are many fine quality pens. This way you can demo the stock and decide on one. I do not know where you live but there is a company called Paradise Pens which have stores in many cities. Happy hunting and take it easy!!!

Thanks, I'll see if there's one of those nearby.

[Perdu]

I choose the Meisterstuk because I love the design and lived opposite Mont Blanc. Technically I'm sure there are many brands that are just as good.

[2careless]

I think for fountain pens MB is the "Rolex" - borderline A grade but there are other better brands.
Their rollerballs dry up very quickly and as mentioned above are difficult to write with at particular angles. You'll have to check that out for yourself at a store.

BTW Cross has moved most of its production to China. A former Cross employee posted about this around 2 years ago here in TRF.

[Zed Homme]

I've had good luck with their rollerballs, but not their ballpoints. I tend to hold a pen pretty vertical though when I am writing. I still prefer FP.

[Tempusfugitus]

Pen afficionados rate old Mont Blancs but not new ones, believing that marketing and premium pricing have taken over from true quality. Some of the premium Japanese makes, or Pelikan, probably make a better pen. For me, the answer is a vintage Sheaffer PFM - simply the best but each to his own.

[itsaswiss]

When I buy something from the MB Boutique the sales person gives me a MB ballpoint to sign the receipt, which feels really smooth, it catches my attention. Ownership of one might be in my future.

[drockadam]

Originally Posted by itsaswiss

When I buy something from the MB Boutique the sales person gives me a MB ballpoint to sign the receipt, which feels really smooth, it catches my attention. Ownership of one might be in my future.

I love my MB Meisterstuck Ballpoint in Gold/Black Resin, it's a fantastic writing instrument! Very smooth!

[rolio]

I have the Monte Blanc BP (excellent every day for the last 16 years); a Pelican fp, rb, and bp (great also); a Cartier fp (it's alright); and Waterman bp, fp, and rb. All serve their purposes. I love MB and Pelican best. Try them all out. A watch will make you smile, pens will move you :)

[jimbones43]

One of my favs is the Meisterstuck Platinum trim classique ballpoint. I do not like rollerballs (I'd rather write with a sharpie extra fine if push comes to shove)
I like ballpoints for some reason and the MB's are good writers. Probably overpriced but I love the design, weight, girth etc.

To each his own,...

[Lol-x]

Montblanc is brilliant in fountain pen quality.
The 149 Montblanc is universally recognised as being THE PEN.

In terms of ballpoints and roller-balls....these are not what you use for penmanship. In rollerballs and ballpoints I think there are better writing options on offer.

I personally love the Fisher Space Pen ballpoint (broad) Cap-o-matic for day to day writing. It has a great feel and the ink under pressure flows freely at any angle.

[OrangeSport]

My daily writing instruments in the office are Montblancs. They are used mainly for notes, sketching example graphs etc during meetings and calls. Because of this a fountain pen isn't my tool of choice, so I have three Meisterstuck examples; a classic pencil (Signature For Good edition) and two Le Grands (a ballpoint and a pencil).

I loved the Le Grands. The ballpoint is one of the nicest I have used. It does feel special, and most people who pick it up to use it comment on it. I use the pencils most as I like pencils for note taking and jotting down ideas. The Le Grand is, once again, superb. The Classic is also nice, but the feed mechanism is not so good. It can be less reliable as the lead wears down.

Montblanc compliments Rolex very, very well.

I also really like Faber Castell's eMotion offerings in wood. I have a ballpoint and a pencil. Both are very nice, and punch above their much lower price point. They are perhaps a little more robust, so ideal when I am out and about.

Hope that is of use.

Some of my threads are here:

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=219147

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=217002

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=208181

https://www.rolexforums.com/showthread.php?t=206978

[inspires]

My daily writers are either my MB Le Grand Rollerball or my MB Meisterstuck Rollerball. I usually keep the Le Grand on my desk and the Meisterstuck in my jacket pocket. Being a lefty, I have not found a FB with a suitable tip, and the closest I've come to a FP that is reasonably comfortable is my Pilot Custom 74 with MS nib.

[rikz944]

I have had a few MB models, and Noonan is right about the resin bodies, they can break.
Like Lol-X, I love my Fisher space ballpoint, but it's not as impressive taking it out of your pocket.

For my money, the Waterman pens work well, certain models have a good feel and some are nice looking And they are brass lined, so they're tough. All that and not nearly as expensive.

[2th Dr]

Mont Blanc is the Rolex of pens. It is well recognized, but not THE best. As far as rollerballs go, I would say ST Dupont is the best. I don't use fountain pens so I can't comment on those. For a ballpoint, I'd say they are all pretty much the same, at least in this southpaws hand.

[Zed Homme]

Originally Posted by 2th DR

Mont Blanc is the Rolex of pens. It is well recognized, but not THE best. As far as rollerballs go, I would say ST Dupont is the best. I don't use fountain pens so I can't comment on those. For a ballpoint, I'd say they are all pretty much the same, at least in this southpaws hand.

Caran dashe makes ballpoints that put all others to shame. Best ballpoint on the market, and you can get them cheap too.

[2th Dr]

Originally Posted by Zed Homme

Caran dashe makes ballpoints that put all others to shame. Best ballpoint on the market, and you can get them cheap too.

Good to know Chris, thanks! I need a good ball point. I'm gonna look at those again.

[playero]

i usually use Cartier Pasha 1980-90s version with ballpoint. I use the refill from a space pen fisher and adapted the refill easily. Most name brand refill in stores do not move that fast so they do not write that good. the fisher has a parker refill similar that is generic for the industry and another type I usually adapt to a MB also

[Johnny Fever]

Check out Waterman

[daniel76]

They are excellent pens

[bungcarlo]

I never had any problem writing in any angle with my Classique RB and love it dearly until....I accidently acquired a Montegrappa Espressione RB. This pen IMHO is top notch!

[Mickey®]

Not in my world. I'd take an Aurora over a MB every day of the year.