# Is this broken Mont Blanc repairable?



## GavH

I've come across a broken MB (exact model yet to be established) offered for sale on a well known auction site for 'parts or repair'. The barrel has an almost clean, diagonal break near the end. Does anyone know if this is repairable or would a whole new part be required.

Assuming it is repairable, I'll assume it'll have to go off to MB via my local authorised dealer, but does anyone have any clue as to a likely cost for such a repair?

Assuming it is not repairable, does anyone know where to source a replacement barrel and again, likely costs (local dealer again?)?

Many thanks in anticipation.


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## andriver

Mont Blanc repaired a ballpoint pen for me that was broken like the picture. It came back good as new. At the time, mid 90's, they did not charge me for the repair. I think the repair center was in New York or New Jersey. Your best bet is to call them direct. Good luck.


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## Benjamin Chin

That FP is a MB 144, now replaced by MB 145.

The 144 uses a push cap while 145 has a threaded cap. That 144 is now a vintage.

The barrel is broken, no doubt about it.

Call your nearest Montblanc service center about any possible charge for the replacement of the barrel. It is possible to replace the barrel alone. Montblanc has spare parts.

It is true that Montblanc once replaced damaged parts for free; but I heard it is now charging for parts.


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## CyBuzz

I once too broke my MB. Dropped it on a ceramic tile floor...right on the end and broke. Sent it off and it was repaired free of charge. I even told them that I dropped it, but it still came back fixed for free. It was a wedding gift from my wife, so I felt horrible. I am glad they fixed it.


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## LeverTime

I *think* MB will fix anything except the nib for a flat $70. That is probably only true if they still have the parts to repair this pen, though. They replaced a broken cap and feed on my 149 a few weeks ago, and they charged the flat $70 fee.


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## Benjamin Chin

LeverTime said:


> ... They replaced a broken cap and feed on my 149 a few weeks ago, and they charged the flat $70 fee.


I believe your experience provides an indication to the likely amount that MB will charge. It is unlikely to be too far off; afterall, your 149 is a more costly pen than the 144.


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## GavH

LeverTime said:


> I *think* MB will fix anything except the nib for a flat $70. That is probably only true if they still have the parts to repair this pen, though. They replaced a broken cap and feed on my 149 a few weeks ago, and they charged the flat $70 fee.


I believe you are correct, my local MB dealer was telling me on Wednesday that MB now do 'fixed rate' repairs. IIRC she quoted me £57 for a service regardless of the type of pen, however a replacement nib would be £150. We both remarked how at worst, MB would charge little more than £200 to fully restore a damaged pen that could likely be picked up on ebay for £50, hence my interest in the damaged one in this thread, which would appear not to need the expensive replacement nib.


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## stevenkim

I worked for Mont Blanc Boston in 2005-2006, we always had charged for repairs then. Although I had some discretion based on the client.


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## Benjamin Chin

CyBuzz said:


> I once too broke my MB. Dropped it on a ceramic tile floor...right on the end and broke....


You are not alone. Another owner broke her MB (a ballpoint), also a gift, by merely dropping it:
http://www.penreview.com/penreview/mont_blanc_meisterstuck_classique


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## jaytaylor

Benjamin Chin said:


> You are not alone. Another owner broke her MB (a ballpoint), also a gift, by merely dropping it:
> http://www.penreview.com/penreview/mont_blanc_meisterstuck_classique


It is no news flash that MB use a brittle resin. Also they are not designed to be dropped onto hard surfaces, if one is inclined to drop pens then a cheepo bic is the pen for the job.


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## scuttle

jaytaylor said:


> It is no news flash that MB use a brittle resin. Also they are not designed to be dropped onto hard surfaces, if one is inclined to drop pens then a cheepo bic is the pen for the job.


Actually, any decent fountain shouldn't have a problem with the body cracking - a roll off the table is an expected hazard. For this reason pens were traditionally made of materials like ebonite, celluoid or vegetal resin when they weren't made of metal. But these materials are expensive and tricky to produce (celluloid had a long curing time, which plays havoc with responding to unexpected demand.) So modern MB's are made of plastic with strands of glass fibre. This material looks like high quality celluloid (unlike most modern plastics), is probably about 10 cents a ton to produce - and shatters like explosive filled egg shells.


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## jaytaylor

I can gaurantee you I do not own a fountain pen which is not decent, my collection is approx at 500 fountain pens.

I doubt if any would not suffer damage if rolled off a desk onto a hard floor, I have come across a few celluloid pens with cracked caps and blind caps having suffered the same fate.

The materials used in a fountain pen would have been chosen for many reasons other than "expected roll off a desk".

As I said, a fountain pen and I generalise here and that includes Mont Blanc are not designed to be dropped.


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## Benjamin Chin

jaytaylor said:


> It is no news flash that MB use a brittle resin. Also they are not designed to be dropped onto hard surfaces, if one is inclined to drop pens then a cheepo bic is the pen for the job.


I dropped mine several times over the years, on hard concrete floor, without problem. :-d:-d


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## fluppyboy

It is a well known fact that the "modern" plastics used in current MB pen barrels can shatter much more easily than celluloid barrels. They have been known to shatter spontaneously, to relive stresses caused by the casting process. On the other hand, they do not scratch as easily. I guess you get to choose which you prefer - a nice shiny pen with a crack in the barrel, or a scratched up pen that is in one piece.


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## scuttle

jaytaylor said:


> I can gaurantee you I do not own a fountain pen which is not decent, my collection is approx at 500 fountain pens.
> 
> I doubt if any would not suffer damage if rolled off a desk onto a hard floor, I have come across a few celluloid pens with cracked caps and blind caps having suffered the same fate.


Of course you have. Many celluloid pens are almost a century old! Otoh, some designs of MB are notorious for rarely surviving as long as five years. Without even being dropped, in the case of twist mechanism ballpoints, some models of which shatter because they can't stand the torque of their own retraction mechanism.



> The materials used in a fountain pen would have been chosen for many reasons other than "expected roll off a desk".


Yes, they will have. But resilience will have been **one** reason - which is why ebonite and celluloid were originally favoured. Oh - a 1931 Esterbrook isn't G-Shock tough, but is much tougher than a modern Mont Blanc. In fact, virtually everything is.



> As I said, a fountain pen and I generalise here and that includes Mont Blanc are not designed to be dropped.


Bad English leads to bad thinking: fountain pens are designed TO write, not to drop. But that doesn't mean that sensible designs won't consider robustness or that all pens will be equally fragile or tough!


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## maverickmonk

Thread from the dead, I know and I apologize, but I've heard that it is better to bring up an old thread than start a new one. I say this because my mother was given an MB Meisterstruck rollerball as a company gift a good long while back, and I hoped to fix it for Christmas for her. It is broken in exactly the same way as pictured, the upper barrel cap broke in half after falling from her pocket or purse or whatever it was that it fell from. Is there a way to have them just send the part? I don't think it would be possible to make the exchange in time for Christmas. Also the thought of paying labor to have someone screw on an endcap seems just silly.


Edit: After reading responses in here I dare say I agree, the pens do seem awfully fragile for their price. I have several Lamy designs and they have been through hell and back, and they're even fountain pens, which are usually considered more "delicate"


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## Therightadvisor

maverickmonk said:


> Thread from the dead, I know and I apologize, but I've heard that it is better to bring up an old thread than start a new one. I say this because my mother was given an MB Meisterstruck rollerball as a company gift a good long while back, and I hoped to fix it for Christmas for her. It is broken in exactly the same way as pictured, the upper barrel cap broke in half after falling from her pocket or purse or whatever it was that it fell from. Is there a way to have them just send the part? I don't think it would be possible to make the exchange in time for Christmas. Also the thought of paying labor to have someone screw on an endcap seems just silly.
> 
> Edit: After reading responses in here I dare say I agree, the pens do seem awfully fragile for their price. I have several Lamy designs and they have been through hell and back, and they're even fountain pens, which are usually considered more "delicate"


The 144/163/164 precious resin pens are by far the most prone to cracking/breaking.

Montblanc will not send parts, you have to send the full pen itself to them. That's why the availability of aftermarket parts is so scarce.

Also, you won't pay a labor charge 95% of the time, Montblanc almost always charges a flat $80-90 fee and if they try to charge them more, argue until they lower the price.

If you need the pen repaired in time before Christmas, your best bet is to search around on ebay for another barrel. You'll probably pay around the same price anyways.


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## Kittysafe

My ST Dupont Defi's get dropped all the time, neither a break or scratch on 'em. Of course you all already know how much I love them


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## maverickmonk

Since I'm a do-it-yourselfer (I'm only doing this as part of the gift because it will go great with the desk-set I'm making her), I pulled out some model building experience and used MEK and some shavings to re assemble the pen. (With a note that says that I'll send it in for her at a later date if she would like). It's not perfect, but what do you guys think? It's really only visible in certain light, it was hard to capture the crack










Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk


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## Uwe W.

Looks good, but a before picture would have been nice for comparison. I suspect that certain colours might help to hide the repaired break; I have a hard time imagining that the OP's pen would look as good glued back together.


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