A genuine break-in is mostly denied among collectors: the iridium pellet at the nib tip is so hard that practically no measurable wear occurs in normal use — not even after decades, so used pens can be bought without concern. What is felt as "breaking in" is in practice mostly the writer's own adaptation to the instrument. Only when the iridium pellet is broken off does the softer gold wear quickly. Targeted nib customisation is possible at the Montblanc service in Hamburg, where the writing style is observed and the nib individually ground. Since gold nibs are made by hand and vary even within one nib width, switching to a different nib of the same width can bring noticeable improvements.