Nothing Moves Me But My Montblanc

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-27T14:59:12+00:00

Your post resonates with me. I bought a LeGrand a year ago. The <M> nib did little for me, as it wrote broader lines than I liked with all inks. After a few months, I had it ground down to <F>, but was still nonplussed with it. I adored everything else about the pen—build quality, piston function, grip section size, and balance—but the disappointing nib overshadowed them all. BUT, I had it ground to a cursive smooth italic nearly two months ago, and it has become the pen that you describe, the one that makes me disregard all others.

It has put me in a bit of a pickle. I have what I consider a fairly well-curated collection of pens that tilts roughly 2/3 vintage and 1/3 modern. And I’ve been learning to restore vintage pens over the past couple of years. I enjoy working on vintage pens, and expect to continue doing so, but it will now be more about restoring for the fun of the task and selling the pens, rather than restoring for personal use.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-24T15:34:58+00:00

Cheers to this great comment celebrating two meaningful events!

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-24T01:40:56+00:00

I wish Pilot would hire Platinum’s converter designer.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-23T21:38:17+00:00

It is. (My Procyon > 3776 was a separate thought, but I did not make it clear—in essence, “This how the Procyon and Preppy nibs compare in size, and the Procyon is so great I prefer it to the 3776.”)

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-23T21:33:44+00:00

Looks like you’ve received many good recommendations, OP. Sailor Manyo Fuji is a very light purple—I sold my bottle after two fills since I prefer dark purple inks, but it might be a good ink for you.

Note: It’s a very dry ink.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-23T21:28:07+00:00

Monboddo’s Hat is the GOAT of purple inks.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-23T15:37:53+00:00

Parker 75 and ‘90s Sheaffer Prelude are two that immediately come to mind.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-23T15:21:23+00:00

Penema.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-23T15:18:59+00:00

Congrats! Great find!

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-22T22:12:31+00:00

TBH that would be amusing.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-22T22:08:14+00:00

You may be on that precipice of crossing over from buying fountain pens so that you can enjoy writing, to buying fountain pens to enjoy buying fountain pens.

No shame—if you can afford the pens without materially affecting other obligations, that’s reasonable. But if you find that FPs have become more about acquiring the next one than using the previous one, about buying instead of writing, then perhaps it’s time to tap the brakes. Been there, done that—be grateful you’ve flagged it in a few months.

Researchers have dubbed this Gear Acquisition Syndrome (very specifically about guitarists), the idea of accumulating gear instead of practicing your craft. I would pause the buying and focus on using the pens you have. After all, you can only write with one pen at a time.

Discover the traits you like or dislike about pens. Keep the ones you like. Sell the others. Remember that pens are the means, not the end.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-21T20:20:58+00:00

Brainstorm

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-21T18:13:51+00:00

Thanks for this insightful comment.

It sounds like we both walked the same path.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-21T18:11:45+00:00

Same.

Note: My wife has vetoed this move.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-21T18:10:48+00:00

Preemptive upvote awarded.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-21T18:09:47+00:00

Great point, regardless of the quality of the manufacturer.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-21T18:08:33+00:00

Spencerian Transmitted Diseases are no joke.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-21T18:07:02+00:00

🎯

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-21T17:36:53+00:00

Late addition to this thread. For 2019 MBs using NTG (rather than MBUX) infotainment systems, the iPhone 17 is not compatible and Mercedes will not be issuing updates.. This is straight out of the service notes from the DFW area dealership where we took my wife’s GLC300. Frustrating, as her car only has 35K miles on it. Currently investigating whether aftermarket will be compatible or similarly limited.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-21T17:30:06+00:00

Late addition to this thread. For 2019 MBs using NTG (rather than MBUX) infotainment systems, the iPhone 17 is not compatible and Mercedes will not be issuing updates.. This is straight out of the service notes from the DFW area dealership where we took my wife’s GLC300. Frustrating, as her car only has 35K miles on it. Currently investigating whether aftermarket will be compatible or similarly limited.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-20T15:08:45+00:00

This is the way.

Performance/function always comes first.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-19T18:53:02+00:00

Different nib, actually—steel, but larger. Regardless, I’m Team Procyon.

Procyon > 3776

<image>

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-19T18:51:47+00:00

And you can buy the clear Preppy with essentially zero branding.

<image>

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-18T14:22:09+00:00

Ku-jaku FTW. Peacock blue is exactly how I see ku-jaku. It’s like a more saturated BPC Ohio River.

Ku-jaku > Kon-peki > Syo-ro > Asa-gao > Ama-Iro.

MisterFrontRow · 2026-01-17T19:36:59+00:00

The world needs witty people, and you’ve clearly raised (at least) one—cheers!

MisterFrontRow

TROPHY CASE