Introduction: Save $200 in 2 Minutes and Have the World's Best Writing Pen
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About: I've worked for Instructables off and on since 2006 building and documenting just about everything I enjoy doing. I am now the Creative Programs founder and manager for Autodesk and just finished building out…
Hack together your very own Mont Blanc writing pen for only $15 in about 2 minutes! This video is entirely based upon the awesomely successful Instructable Save $200 in 2 minutes and have the worlds best writing pen.
Mont Blanc pens employ some mighty fine technology and are widely regarded as one of the best writing implements in the world. So what's the problem? They typically cost between $200 and $300 - a little too expensive of a pen for most of us. What's the solution? Modify the ink refill cartridge in 2 minutes of course so that it fits in a regular old Pilot G2.
We're such a fan of kingant's Instructable that we decided to make a little video about it!
182 Comments
6 years ago
This was an awesome hack! I have lots of faux Mont Blanc pens and made a bunch for friends. Thanks!!!!!!
13 years ago on Introduction
And everybody looks at the pen you have and thinks " That cost less than $5" LOL The Americans developed a pen that would write in zero gravity, cost... $10,000 to develop. The Russians used a pencil! Russia ONE, America NIL... The same as this instructable! Oh Btw. Did the cheap pen work?
Reply 7 years ago
goood one!!! hahahaha!! and btw its a true story
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
Apparently old ballpoint pens had pistons in them to push the ink into the ball, but they got rid of that. I think that is how the space pen worked.
Also when you write down scientific stuff it is preferable to use a pen, because it can't be erased.
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
Erasing in zero G's seems like a very risky endavour.
Reply 10 years ago on Introduction
A bit of clear tape to cover it...
:)
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
okay im tired of hearing this saying. its INNACURATE. russians AND americ ans used pencils in space, but the lead was too fragile for this use, so the americans spent $50!!!!! to make this pen not $10,000 not a million. plus, everyone uses this pen in space. and dont think im ragging on the russians, becomes i am russian-american
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
Not to mention it was the Fisher company, a private company, who developed the pen, then marketed it to NASA.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
That's rude
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
I beg to differ, the only person that will know you have a posh pen refill is the person whom modified the pen. The expense of this pen is the actual pen build, and not the ink refill, hence the price of the seperate parts.
Reply 13 years ago on Introduction
Actually, both the Americans and Russians used pencils in the early days. The reason NASA developed a pen was because the bits of graphite that went flying around could be dangerous - they could get into the machinery or into the astronauts' eyes.
7 years ago
Tried to view your video but just get a message saying the uploader has not made this video available. Same problem on you tube.
12 years ago on Introduction
I tried this, and it was great... for about a month. That's when the Mont Blanc refill dried up and quit working. You see, that's the thing about most rollerball pens: they have to be capped to keep from drying out. Mont Blanc pens included. If you look at the actual Mont Blanc rollerball pens, you'll see that they all have a removable cap.
But, I may have a solution: A bit of internet research and I found Schmidt Capless Rollerball Refills. They come in short and long versions. The long version looks like the same length as the Mont Blanc refills (4 1/4"). They sell for around $4 each, and appear to be quite similar to the Mont Blanc refills... they may even be made in the same factory in Germany!
Reply 12 years ago on Introduction
No go... The Schmidt refills are too large in diameter to fit most G2 pens (standard G2 and G2 Limited), and on the G2's where they're not too fat (G2 Pro), they have a slightly different tip configuration.
Reply 8 years ago on Introduction
Schmidt model 888 refills (also sold under the "Private Reserve" name) fit and work in a G-2 pen perfectly (the ones I tried before that didn't work were Schmidt model 8126 Short). The Schmidt refills are intended for many rollerball pens, including capless models. You can get them for around $2-3 each on Amazon or eBay. They come in a wide variety of ink colors and come in fine (0.6mm) and medium (0.7mm) tips. There you go... a smooth writing ceramic rollerball pen with a German-engineered cartridge in a readily-available, inexpensive Pilot G2 body for about $5.00 that WON'T dry out in a couple weeks. And, I think they write every bit as good as a Mont Blanc!
11 years ago on Introduction
Funny, but I do the exact opposite. I have some really fine writing instruments (though not a Montblanc) and for those I can, I replace their cartridge with the G2 refill. In my opinion, the gel ink in the G2 is among the best available and the refills cost a lot less than the expensive name brand replacements. the results look better and write better than what you are doing.
12 years ago on Introduction
$200... for a PEN!!?? that is incredibly overpriced, but that not even the part that writes. the part of the pen that does all the work is the ink cartridge writing and all you know Why is so much crap overpriced these days! Go back a couple hundred years and you could buy whole countries for the cost of that pen : P wait, now wityh that thought i will take the $200 in my piggy bank and build a time machine. then after that i will buy a country... Instead of STUPID OVERPRICED PEN : ). who needs such a fancy pen anyway i am fine with a regular old ballpoint pen thats like $5 for a 25pack. darn business making pens 200 dollars!
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
I can get 30 pens for 99 cents... and also, the ink tube is so big, you can write without the rest of the pen as long as you don't mind it not retracting... That's what I do with some of the G2 ink tubes I find or take out of the rest of the pen...
Reply 11 years ago on Introduction
How is the different from $1000+ watches? They all tell the same time, just like how all pens (for the most part) write.
12 years ago on Introduction
just use a normal pen