Fountain Pen Questions

[vipereaper30]

I just picked up my first pen that didn't come free from the box at work. Was going to go ballpoint or rollerball but thought to myself, why go this far and not make the leap to a fountain pen?

So I went with a Montblanc that I thought looked and felt really great. But I'm already wondering about a couple of things.

1. Where do I store it both on my person and when not in use?

2. Do I need one of those leather cases for protection?

3. Can I just lay it on any surface like marble, wood desk, etc? Or should I baby it like my watches, leather tray only kind of thing?

4. How often do you clean your pen? My salesperson suggested every few months to rinse out with water.

5. She also said you need to open/close the refill valve thingy 2 or 3 times to ensure it's full. Seems like overkill, no?

Thanks everyone!