Can You Remove Engraving From Montblanc Pens?

Montblanc is known globally as a classy, high-quality, and expensive pen. A person flashing a Montblanc when signing a contract or a cheque will often try to show it off as a status symbol. This can be ruined somewhat if there’s some engraving on the pen, especially if it’s a company promo. Which leads to the critical question: Can you remove engraving from a Montblanc pen?

Engraving can be removed from a Montblanc using Micro-Mesh, but the process is slow and time-consuming. Results are not always perfect, depending on the depth and size of the engraving. Alternatively, Montblanc’s Leven 1 Service can replace the part of the pen that’s been engraved, but at a price.

It is possible to remove the engraving from a Montblanc yourself, but since it’s so easy to make a mistake and damage the look of the pen, many people opt to let a professional do it for them. The process is not complex, though, and with some patience, even amateurs have managed to remove engraving from a Montblanc, leaving the pen looking beautiful and shiny. Here’s how to do it.

Removing Engraving From A Montblanc Using Micro-Mesh

Micro-Mesh is a type of sandpaper that is used for fine polishing. The sandpaper is backed with cloth making it soft and flexible. It has a very fine grain, ranging from 1,800 to 12,000 grit. This makes it the perfect sandpaper to use for removing engraving from a Montblanc pen since it leaves very little evidence of sanding on the pen’s shell.

Before going into the steps, it is essential to note that your results will depend mainly on the size and depth of the engraving. Very deeply engraved letters will require more sanding, which could leave one side of the pen a different shape than the rest of it. This technique should preferably be used on shallow engraving, and sanding should be done equally on all sides for best results.

Step 1: Disassembling The Montblanc

You may ask why it’s necessary to disassemble the Montblanc since this could be quite an arduous task. There are two primary reasons.

The first is that Montblanc pens are made of a plastic or resin shell, with many metallic rings and clips spaced all over. These clips and rings are often made of gold, engraved with the Montblanc logo and the model of the pen. You do not want these metallic parts to be damaged or scratched while you sand and polish the pen’s shell to remove the engraving.

Secondly, there are often fine scratches all over the pen’s shell. While you’re removing the engraving from one part, that part becomes shiny and polished, which will contrast very severely with the rest of the pen that could still be scratched. Disassembly allows you to polish and sand the entire pen to get it all looking like new, not just the engraved part.

Disassembly may differ from one model to the next, but it’s essential to separate the shell parts from the metal components.

Step 2: Cleaning The Montblanc Pen

You should get rid of all dirt, grime, and ink stains before you start sanding. An ultrasonic cleaner will do wonders, but a soft cloth and some alcohol will do in a pinch. The important thing is to get into all the tight spaces and really clean it out thoroughly.

Step 3: Sanding Out The Engraving With Micro-Mesh

Before you start the sanding process, it’s essential to reinforce the shell by putting another object inside of it. For example, a Sharpie or similar marker will easily fit inside the cap of the Montblanc pen. This is to keep it from cracking or getting damaged in some other way while you’re sanding away the engraving.

Next, cover up any metal parts that you could not remove with a piece of tape so that you don’t accidentally scratch them. Be sure to cover only the metal, with no parts covering the plastic shell, or you may get an uneven sheen once the process is finished.

Now you can start with 1,500 grit Micro-Mesh. Sand away at the engraving, but keep on rotating the body of the Montblanc so that you sand equally on all sides. The 1,500 grit Micro-Mesh should effectively get rid of the engraving entirely. Once it’s done, the shell will have a rough look and no engraving.

Next, you can move up to 1,800, 2,400, and higher grit, repeating the process until you reach 12,000. After completing the sanding process, the plastic should be quite shiny again. You can then finish it with some plastic polish or wax to make it look like new.

Remember, you should do this with every plastic part of the Montblanc so that the level of polish and shine is even all over the pen. Once you are done, you can then re-assemble the Montblanc and admire your handiwork!

Other Methods For Removing Engraving From A Montblanc

Most Montblanc users and pen enthusiasts agree that the Micro-Mesh method is best, but some people have had varying degrees of success using other methods. These include:

1. Use a Sharpie. This method does not remove the engraving as much as it covers it up. It involves simply using a Sharpie in a color that matches the pen’s shell to paint the engraving so that it isn’t as clearly visible.

• Similar to the Sharpie option, you can also use a wax that’s a similar color to the pen’s shell to cover up the engraving. Again this is not genuinely removing the engraving but rather covering it up, and it could get wiped off over the years, exposing the original engraving again.

Maybe Let Someone Else Remove The Engraving For You?

If the Micro-Mesh task sounds a bit daunting, that’s because it is. Too much sanding could make the shell thin. Uneven sanding leads to uneven sides on the shell. It could utterly ruin the look of the Montblanc, which would be a pity.

Some people do this for a living. They have the necessary knowledge, experience, and equipment to do a proper job without ruining your pen forever. Yes, they can be reasonably expensive, but still more affordable than buying a new Montblanc pen.

Tied to this, the last option (or some would say the first) is to take your pen to the Montblanc Boutique for a Level 1 service. You can request that they replace the part that’s engraved. Yes, this will cost a bit more to do, but at the same time, you have the assurance that your pen is as close to an out-of-box state as it can possibly be.

Conclusion

Montblanc is not just a status symbol. The quality of the pen, and the comfort of using it, are immeasurable and many who own a Montblanc swear by it. Taking good care of your Montblanc is essential, and if there is some engraving that you would like to remove, ensure that you know the pros and cons of each method before you finally make up your mind about it.