Poor man's Mont Blanc from a Bic Clic Stic

Now I admit, this is not an original idea of my own. Instead, I got my inspiration from another Instructable called "Save $200 in 2 minutes and have the worlds best writing pen." As a diehard fan for several years of the Zebra Pen F-301 series, I thought it nearly impossible to find a better writing utensil.  With the entry level Mont Blanc pens coming in at around $200 and prices going up to the you-have-to-be-joking range, there must be something to it, right?

Yes. When I first wrote with a Mont Blanc, I wasn't terribly impressed. It seemed a little smoother than average, but not much. It took a split second for the ink to flow causing your first letter to have a bald spot. Once the cartridge was worked in, it was another story. It feels like writing with grease on glass it's so smooth. The pen practically writes by itself.

Now is your chance to have your own German engineered Mont Blanc fine writing instrument for the cost of a $0.25 pen and a $7 dollar Mont Blanc refill. It's better this way, trust me. Your colleagues will appreciate your down-to-earthness for using such a humble pen. Little will they know your Pinto of a pen is rocking a McLaren engine.

Step 1 Collect tools and supplies

You will need:
-a Bic Clic Stic
-a Mont Blanc $7 refill
-scissors
-machinist rule

Optional:
-Safety cutter or Exacto Knife
-Super Glue

Of course, be careful when using the incredibly unsafe "Safety" cutter or Exacto and keep Super glue off your flesh, especially orfices.

If you have the opportunity, pull the clicking mechanism off of the backend of the pen prior to purchase and measure the the length that inserts into the pen body. Some of them insert 1" others insert 1 3/32". You want the one that goes in 1". You can use the other one, but you'll have to shave off 3/32". Come on people, it's a Bic. They don't have the precision and constistancy of the German engineered Mont Blanc. In due time, in due time...

Comments

[Aloyssius]

I've never tried Mont Blanc or Zebra refills. Are they better than PaperMate Lubriglide? Those are only $3.50 for a pack of two, and they write like a dream and last forever.

Unfortunately, PaperMate stopped making a decent pen to accept them. Now they only make weird-looking contraptions with awkward lumps and protrusions everywhere.

But I find that the original non-Stic Bic Clic accepts them. It costs $1.75, and it has about the same shape as the classic PaperMate Profile or Malibu.

[The DNR]

Hello,
I believe this is is really a misnomer.  A large part of the reason Mont Blanc pens command such a high price is the weight and feel of the pen.

If you would like to spend $15 to change the ink in your bic, that is fine, but realize that expensive pens are expensive for their heft, ergonomics, weight distribution, and many other reasons, not just the cartridge.

Overall a good idea to change writing inks.  I am a huge fan of the jetstream ink refills.

[austin]

I used a Pilot G2 with the mont blanc refils and it works well, I dont think the refils are worth the price though. Zebra sansa pens are smoother and i like being able to tell the ink level. Ive had problems in the past with the mont blanc refils dieing before they are really out of ink, especially the fine ones.

[austin]

*Zebra Sarasa

[troseph]

I'd completely black out the numbers on your check because If I tried hard enough I could read those clearly.

[Jayefuu]

There are LOADS of these ibles flying around, I like how yours though kept me interested enough to read to the end though. It was worth it for the last step. Thanks :)

5*