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PRELUDE An Intrigue with Scarcity Marketing There are some days in life when scarcity marketing absolutely triumphs over our emotions, and this was one of those days where all my rationality seemed to take 'another' toss. As for me, with a career in quants & finance, I have a compulsive inclination to divide anything and everything by the number of users and then by 12 months to arrive at a per-user price metric. But pens, they're poetry to me, and they defy such quantification. I already own a Kingsize with a 14k nib, which I acquired precisely after a 9-month wait in 2020 — no joke. Yet, somehow, the allure of Conid's bulkfiller mechanism with titanium finials, coupled with the temptation of a #6 Ti nib, proved difficult to resist. Then, as fate would have it, the rather modest news section of Conid was updated with this new offering. And honestly, my belief that the Minimalistica surpasses the Regular model in terms of both weight balance and the comfort of its seemingly infinite curvature of the section is grounded in my own experience, as my relatively longer fingers find resting spots almost everywhere along its dimensions. May be more on that later. I acquired a Regular model (the last piece of the AntwerPPen edition) from the gracious Mr. Yves (of Penworld) during my recent visit to San Francisco this month. PS. By the way, if you somehow you managed to overlook the purple rain KS, congratulations are in order because you've just dodged a whopping 1100 EUR bullet If you like a pictorial blogger view, here is a link: A Review of the Conid Minimalistica PRESENTATION (6/6) Love to the Cobox It seems pretty standard for Conid, and I love their engineered box. I would never toss this box into the bin; the first reason, of course, is the whopping price I paid for the pen, and the second reason is that the box is well-designed and pretty lightweight, given it’s made from aluminium sheet. The newer ones carry Penworld logo on the base. I haven't tested their susceptibility to being malleable enough to be bent, but the anodisation does prevent it from getting scratched. Upon opening the box, you'll find a bulkfiller certificate embossed on a silver metal plate on the inside of the lid, along with an instruction manual, a nib testing certificate, and a few extra O-rings. Inside the main compartment, you'll find the foam cut to specific compartments to house a disassembly wrench, an Allen key, and a slot to accommodate a spare nib unit. I do have the tools that came with the Kingsize. DESIGN (5/6) Functionalism The Minimalistica, previously available in five main finishes, is now offered as a limited run product with the most common nib materials and widths (with a promise of permanent availability for select finishes). In fact, all Conid pens are now more or less limited runs. The finials and ends have been permutations of derlin, ebonite, and titanium. The one I acquired is labeled M-DCB-DB-TI, meaning Minimalistica - Demonstrator Conid Bulkfiller - Demonstrator Barrel - Titanium knobs. There's no "+" sign at the end, but I did opt for it with a clip. Here's a link to assist you when your brain gives out! To be frank, the pen's shape isn't particularly attractive. It's not one of those love-at-first-sight designs, like a Yukari Royale! It's simply a cylinder with tapered ends. However, the functional beauty of it becomes apparent when you actually hold the pen. Additionally, the derlin part of the cap in a demonstrator barrel makes it appear even less appealing when it's not filled with ink. The beauty of the pen truly shines as you uncap it. However, this is where I encountered a learning curve. Here's where my -1 penalty for non-intuitive functionality design comes into play, with zero hints provided in the manual. The cap is secured to the barrel by an o-ring placed almost halfway along its length. Initially, I attempted to pull it off like a snap cap, only to find ink spilling onto the table, paper, or anything within nib's reach. It was later that I discovered the proper method of uncapping it, using a slight twist and pull technique similar to what Johan (JRO) demonstrates while changing the nib in this video. Mastering the uncapping process took some time. Additionally, the nib wasn't properly inserted into the housing at first, causing the pen to leak ink onto whatever surface it could find. The cap is adorned with the iconic Conid hook emblem, a familiar sight on most Conid pens. Both the finial and the clip of this pen are crafted from titanium, boasting a finish that seems to match the grade 5 titanium used in the Apple Watch Ultra. While I can't confirm if Conid employs the exact same grade, it's certainly a strong possibility. As for the black derlin portion, well, it's not exactly my favorite, but I can tolerate it. Strangely enough, the black derlin adds a certain continuity to the cap, only to be disrupted by the transparent barrel, when un-inked. There's a sense of understated elegance rather than outright luster to the metal parts. Upon closer inspection, you'll notice the now infamous o-ring nestled inside, which secures the cap in place. While searching for different grades of titanium, I stumbled upon some intriguing facts. Grade 5 titanium, also known as Ti-6Al-4V (which translates to 6% Aluminium & 4% Vanadium), is commonly used in implants to mimic bone-like structures. On the other hand, grade 9 titanium (Ti-3Al-2.5V) finds its home in applications requiring higher precision, including pacemakers. FILLING & CLEANING SYSTEMS (6/6) Bulkfiller breathes its magic, double reservoir maintains the flow I believe this is where this pen sets itself apart. While there are certainly cheaper Chinese alternatives and a rather well-made upmarket Kyuseido Kakari that, I must admit, looks better than this Minimalistica with its #6 nib with variations of syringe-filling mechanisms. Personally, I find filling this pen to capacity quite satisfying, although it's more about contentment than any significant difference for me compared to the capacity of vacuum-filled pens like the Visconti Homo Sapiens or the Pilot Custom 823. Once you unscrew the piston knob, it will initially open the seal of the secondary reservoir, designed for extended writing sessions. To fill ink, you pull out the piston rod (after unscrewing it) and engage the rod with the locking mechanism of the piston seal by further rotating it counter-clockwise. Once the piston seal is disengaged, the pen behaves like a syringe. First, you push it down to expel the air, and then draw ink into the barrel by submerging the nib in an ink bottle and pulling the piston seal up. Then, you lock the piston seal onto the end using the locking mechanism. Next, you rotate the piston rod clockwise to disengage it from the piston seal and push it down to seal the secondary reservoir. Johan's video does a much better job of explaining this process. It takes a few tries to get used to the filling system. Furthermore, the double reservoir design functions exceptionally well. It endured four long-haul flights without a single drop of ink leaking from the nib. For comparison, an Asvine P36 equipped with a Sailor nib leaked a drop, perhaps two. By the way here is the patent application for Conid’s locking mechanism. NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (6/6) A rather inconspicuous superhero Bock Titan. I have one of the earlier models from Bock, initially fitted onto a TWSBI VAC700 and now onto a Leonardo Momento Zero Grande, utilizing the MZ’s ebonite feed. While the original titanium nib offers a pencil-like feedback (2B) and maintains a good flow, the Conid-tuned nib is more of a perfected art. An understated, dull graphite-like luster defines the length of the nib. A series of expanding arcs enclose the brand name CONID, along with the nib size and material Ti, all laser-engraved on the nib. Once you turn the nib, the first thing you'll notice is the feed, followed by the tip. The tip appears to have a sort of elongated stub grind (similar to a Lamy 2000), and I absolutely adore the way it writes. The Minimalistica comes with a medium nib, which writes narrower than a typical Western medium. It's slightly wider than a stock Bock titanium fine nib, and it's been perfect for my needs. Conid utilizes the stock ABS feed (unlike the custom ebonite feed made for the Kingsize), which seems to be quite well-made to sustain a wetter ink flow. Multiple fins ensure ample buffer capacity, and I haven't encountered any drying out issues thus far. PHYSICS OF IT (6/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING The Newtonian Laws The overall capped length measures around 13.7 cm. The section boasts one of the most comfortable girths for grip in my collection. The diameter of the gripping section is approximately 1.1 cm, tapering to 1 cm towards the nib end. The titanium knob balances the inked weight of 32g quite nicely. Below are the pictures along with a Pilot Bamboo (now destroyed Thanks to FedEx) for a comparative reference. Here go the dimensions. Uncapped Length ~ 12.6 cm Total Length ~ 13.7 cm Exposed Nib Leverage ~ 2.4 cm (PS. My toddler wanted his chopper to be in the frame) The weight of the pen is comforting even without the cap. Overall Weight ~ 32.2 g (inked, without cap ~22.2) ECONOMIC VALUE (4/6) Poetry vs Cash I paid the full MRP for this pen with the titanium nib option. Just for reference, I had previously purchased a brand new Visconti Homo Sapiens Florentine Hills at half the price, but that was quite some time ago. Considering a few observations I've made, I do feel this model should be available at a lower price point. For instance, the Kakari is available at more or less the same price. Additionally, the cap has a tendency to cause micro-scratches on the section, which I can observe under a loupe. Furthermore, the capping mechanism doesn't quite match up to the Lamy 2000, it’s neither quick nor efficient. WRITING & FINAL COMMENTS (5.5/6) Writes magnificently and Functionalism all along The writing experience far surpasses the aesthetics of the pen itself. The nib features a stub-like grind and, coupled with the inherent springiness of titanium and commendable nib tuning, delivers an experience that one would want to revisit time and again. I don't use my Kingsize as much these days, even though it seems superior to the Minimalistica in terms of overall craftsmanship. This nib writes wet with no issues of drying out. The feedback, reminiscent of graphite, from a stock Bock titanium nib is somewhat subdued, though still noticeable with drier inks. With even moderate pressure, the nib flexes, opening up its tines and increasing ink flow. The variation is evident with moderate pressure levels, and the tactile sensation can be felt. However, it's worth noting that the theoretical elastic range for titanium nibs is less than that of a 14k/18k gold nib, so I handle it with care. On Endless Regalia 80 GSM paper, the drying time for lines with Iroshizuku Yama Budo ink is approximately 30-35 seconds. While I'm not particularly inclined towards flex writing, the nib does provide a pleasing line variation. I've been using this Minimalistica continuously for around 9-10 months now, and it has become an essential part of my everyday carry, albeit with different nib variations. One of the most crucial aspects is the infinite section, which provides an incredibly comforting experience as you find your own spot on it. There are no obstacles to hinder you—no threads, no steps, no arches—just smooth, uninterrupted comfort. Here is the same pen with a stiffer 3776 medium nib. Thank you for going through the review. You can find other pen and paraphernalia reviews here. REFERENCES The Bulkfiller Mechanism

## Introduction This is a review of the Conid Bulkfiller Regular which I have had over three years now. People often review their pens when the pen is new and they're excited, but I am interested in which pens stand the test of time in appeal, utility and resilience. The short version of this review is that this is the best fountain pen I have owned. It is the sole pen I keep continually inked, my "go-to" and my workhorse. The price is high but so is the value for money. My pen is now called the Regular model in the flat top variant. It is made of black Delrin with a medium titanium nib that was stubbed by Conid. Mine is one of the first pens made after the limited first production run pens in acrylic. It is old enough that it has the old Conid logo set into the cap. My pen has been continuously inked for three years with Diamine Monaco Red. I have never serviced the pen, though I did take it mostly apart once out of curiosity. ## Background about meI used Rotring Sketch Pens through my college years. Later I used Parker 45 flighters at work and in graduate school. It was only in 2004 that I started to buy more fountain pens than I could use daily. I do not consider myself a pen collector, but I must have at least 30 pens, some of them of a cost comparable to the Bulkfiller. I favour post-cork piston fillers, especially Montblanc and Pelikan of the 1960s and I am fond of the Parker 61. Mostly I use red ink, some blue and black. I have the knowledge and tools to service all my pens. I write a lot professionally using loose leaf paper of varying qualities and notebooks with high quality paper. ## Ink subsystemThe star feature of any Conid Bulkfiller is the large ink capacity, safety cutoff and the filling system that makes the first two possible. This pen holds a lot of ink. My pen can hold in excess of 2ml of ink. I am told the maximum capacity is 2.5ml, but I've never measured it and filling the pen always leaves some space in the ink window chamber. Even when writing a lot--and it is a wet writer--refilling feels infrequent. The only pen that feels anywhere near as infrequent is a 1950s Pelikan 400 with a dry OM nib. If you want to understand more about the filling system you can see plenty on the Conid website (www.conidpen.com). Filling is easy to understand, remember and do. It is comparable to a piston filler in complexity. This pen is compatible with the Visconti travelling ink well and this is a good way to get a full fill If your ink bottle is low and not obliging the number six nib and feed on the Bulkfiller. The thing to highlight is that with this pen, the ink flows through an ink chamber (.35ml) by the ink window, which is between the section and the main ink reservoir. To move ink from the main reservoir to this intermediate chamber, you have to unscrew the filling knob at the end of the barrel a few twists. This allows ink to flow from one area to the other. Conid recommend you do this at the start of writing and leave it open until you're done. I never do this, because I prefer to be aware of how much ink I'm using. Instead, I more or less write the intermediate chamber dry, then do a couple twists, refill, then seal again. When I have one of these "intermediate refills" that is partial, I know that I am very low on ink. This is an easy way to monitor the ink in a large capacity pen with an opaque main reservoir. The ability to seal the main reservoir is a great feature when flying with this pen. Before I fly, I open the reservoir, fill the intermediate chamber, then seal. There is air in the main chamber, but even if it expands with reduced air pressure at altitude it cannot force ink out, since it is sealed. The intermediate chamber has been freshly filled, so it has no air in it to expand. Thus, no leaks. The feed and nib sit in a collar that screws into the section, with o-rings at the front and back of the section. This means the interior of the section of this pen is exceptionally clean, even after a filling. Also, the nib unit threads remain clean, making nib exchange easy. I do not recall ever flushing this pen, nor feeling the need to do so. I am pretty sure I filled it with water a few times when I was practicing the filling the procedure after I bought it. I have never had a leak with this pen and the ink supply and filling system has never failed me in any way. The feed is plastic, but it supplies a steady, wet flow that has never railroaded even when I've flexed the nib out pretty far. ## NibThe nib I got was the titanium medium that was stubbed by Conid, probably by Francis Goosens the designer of the Bulkfiller. The stubbing was very good. Mostly I have pens with gold nibs and generally I prefer gold to steel. My favourite nibs as a class are probably the Montblanc nibs of the 1960s and early 70s, the x4 and 22y models. I have a few steel nibs too. I chose the titanium nib because it matched the titanium hardware on the pen (cap band, clip, barrel threads) and because I had heard it was a soft (not flex) nib. It is my only titanium nib and I love the way it feels. It is soft, can flex if pressed, and smooth but not too smooth. The nib feels good and works well. (I can enjoy a bit of tooth which I get from my Aurora Optima factory stub. My writing hand is gentle but I have no ability with flex writing or calligraphic hands.) The nib collar fits a no. 6 nib, so swapping in other nibs can and has been done. Conid's nibs are Bock nibs and I also have one of Conid's steel nibs. I tried it for variety but found it less enjoyable and the bright metal jarred with the matte titanium hardware. The sole weird feature of the nib I have found is that it "sweats" with significant temperature change. What I mean is that one or two small drops of water, with dilute ink, condense on the top surface of the nib. This occurs when I go from standing on a train platform for 15 minutes in 2 degrees C and then sit on the train in 21 degrees C. It is not a problem, because it does not leak. The "sweat drops" are held on the nib by surface tension and easily wiped with a finger. Steel nibs do not do this and I presume it could be explained by the difference in the properties of the metals. ## Functional designBy functional design, I mean how the design of this pen contributes to its function and operation, not how it looks. This is where the pen is in a class of its own. Everything is carefully designed by an engineer, not a product manager. Everything is made to exacting standards. The design has not been compromised for the sake of mass manufacture or cost-efficiency. The materials used are the best of their kinds (titanium, stainless steel), often milled from solid rods. The pen has a perfect functional design. I put the functional design in the same class as the the Brompton folding bike and the iPhone 5s. Here are some of the features that make it excellent. The clip is titanium and solid, not folded metal. It is also concave on its underside, with the same curvature as the cap. I'm told this makes it stronger. It looks good and the clip makes flush contact with the cap. In fact, the outside face of the clip is convex, with the same curvature of the barrel also. Better still, the sides of the clip taper slightly inward, so that the profile of the clip, longitudinally, is as if two radii were continued from the centre line of the cap, past the cap's edge and beyond. (Put another way, the clip is described by segments of two concentric circles around the cap.) I just love that attention to detail. The clip and the cap ring of which it is part are thick and solid. I would not worry about this clip failing. When I first got it, I found the clip not quite tight enough for my taste. I was able to unscrew the top of the cap, take the clip and give it a tiny flex, and then put it back. It has been tight enough since. This illustrates another great design feature: you can take everything apart. Many things you can take apart just by twisting and unscrewing them. All the serviceable parts, such as o-rings, are standard non-Conid specific parts. Conid will sell you a small tool, like a wrench with pins, that will enable removing the filling mechanism. This works well, but I have never *needed* to remove it. (I just had to try it though.). As I noted above the nib unit unscrews too. The attention to detail shows in other places. There is a heavy titanium cap band protecting the cap screw threads from stress. I found the cap did not screw down securely enough when I first got it, compared to a Pelikan. I trained myself to give the cap a extra bit of torque at the end to make it secure. I felt safe doing this because of the cap band, but also because the cap is threaded onto titanium threads on the barrel. So the Delrin cap threads are threaded onto titanium, rather than more Delrin, limiting the stress one set of threads can put on the other. This is another one of those little design details that makes a difference. After a month, the cap screwed on securely every time. The titanium threads serve another function which is that they hide the transition in width from the barrel to the section. There is a slight narrowing from the barrel to the ink window, with the threads in between visually smoothing that change. This is a small thing, but small things add up. More, they are the expression of an engineer's attention to the details. That makes me feel good and reassures me that the filling system's internals will be of a similar standard. In the same way, two exposed o-rings at the barrel's end, provide a secure mount for the cap. If you post this pen, the cap will not move or fall off. The tolerances on the milled Delrin are tight. If you stand the pen on either end, it stands straight and stable. I do this often, because it saves space and makes sure the pen doesn't get lost under papers. I don't often post the pen, so I often stand the cap on end to keep it visible and avoid losing it. I find the weight and proportions of the pen very good for my hand and for writing. The section in particular is a good length that gives you a chance to hold the pen quite "high" on its overall length if you want. The section does not taper all the way to the nib, but is a gentle, almost symmetrical curve. I prefer that, it feels secure. In general, the Delrin is a pleasant material to hold that does not get slick in hot or humid environments. The dimensions and proportions of the flat top pen I have seems almost identical to my modern Parker Duofold Centennial. Technical details including weight, dimensions, exploded diagrams and many pictures can be found on the Conid website: http://www.conidpen.com ## Aesthetic designOne of the things I like about fountain pens is the aesthetic design of many pens. I like some artisan details, though never with a view to sacrificing function for form. My Bulkfiller is not an attractive pen aesthetically speaking. I've highlighted the functional design, because the pen looks like a well made tool. By comparison to the tri-lobed design of the OMAS 360, the tapering lines of the Parker 61 and Montblanc 221, the guilloché of an ST Dupont Montparnasse, or the inlaid nib of a Geha Goldschwing my Conid Bulkfiller is no comparison at all. It is pedestrian by comparison with the aesthetic features of these pens. The Delrin as a material is no match in appearance for lacquered metal barrels like the Parker 100, the rich cotton resin of OMAS, Aurora's auroloide or even Pelikan's faux tortoise shell. The Delrin is plain old black and can be shiny or matte. It doesn't look bad, it just doesn't announce itself aesthetically. Some pens are things of beauty, this is not. However, that said, it is not that it lacks an aesthetic. As I said, it looks like a well-made tool, with form following function. I compared it with the Brompton folding bike and the iPhone. Neither is a things of beauty, I think, but both have an aesthetic appeal from their design. And in the case of the Bulkfiller, I also like the subtlety of the black Delrin and the grey titanium. The pen is noticeable but there is nothing attention-seeking about it. I can understand why people like this pen in clear acrylic, because it highlights further the extent of the engineering design of the pen, like a cut-away drawing. (I just don't like clear, acrylic pens much.) The result for me is that I do not get the same aesthetic pleasure that I get from holding and using some of the aesthetically arresting pens I mentioned above. This is a small disappointment to me and it is one reason that I am considering a Conid Bulkfiller Kingsize in a material other than Delrin. The Kingsize has tapering lines and some exotic materials in limited editions. My pen was made and shipped quite early in Conid's production of Bulkfillers and mine had a rather ordinary box seemingly made of dressed cardboard with some foam inserts. It's fine, especially since I don't use it. (I understand that the current models ship in rather cool aluminum boxes with hinged lids.) ## DurabilityOne advantage of Delrin is that it seems hard and strong. I don't have any visible scratches, nicks or dents anywhere on the pen. Similarly the titanium is, as you'd expect, tough. The metal hardware is not showing any damage and a little buffing makes it look as new. The pen does not look pristine after three years of continuous use though and I've dropped it several times. The Delrin comes with a so-called satin finish which makes it somewhat matte. This wears off with use to become a smooth, somewhat glossy finish that makes it look more like ordinary plastic. It is possible to restore the satin finish but I no longer bother. I like the visible changes from use, just like on a wood-handled tool. ## Overall appeal and summaryAs I summarized at the outset, this is the best fountain pen I have owned. It is now the single pen I use the most and if I had to have only one pen, this would be it. As a tool for writing by hand using ink, I consider it flawless. I keep mine continually inked and--absent another Bulkfiller--I do not imagine that changing. I don't like the numerical quantifications of features since they imply more precision than the assessment warrants. Reflecting my limited experience of pens, I'd provide an ordinal summary this way: - the nib is excellent, but not exceptional; - the build quality and attention to detail is the best, peerless;- the overall utility of the pen is matched by some, but not bettered;- the aesthetic design is functional and adequate, not artistic, and its aesthetic appeal is modest;- the value for money is very good considering the above and the longevity of service I expect.

Dear Conidfan, We are currently living through a period of uncertainty that we'll never forget. The first thing we want to say on behalf of everyone at Conid is that our thoughts are with you. Like many of you, we are trying to do what we can to help our customers and the larger community navigate this challenging time. At this moment we are still working hard to catch up and reduce our backlog. Of course we apply all social distancing measures, and all shipments are carried out with highest awareness for hygiene. As soon as we're ready for the relaunch of the Condipen, we'll inform you first. In the meantime, stay safe! The Conid Team What we have done already A few months ago Conid announced to stop accepting new orders due to the great success of our Bulkfillers. The main goal is to create the greatly needed peace and time to complete the long awaited open orders and maintaining the same quality and individual care as we always have. Zero compromises! Thank you to everyone for the support and understanding. At this moment, we have already taken several initiatives. R&D The Conid team is continuously occupied with R&D. A lot of improvements have been made in the past few months on how parts are produced and measured. The main goals here are the ultimate balance between efficiency, quality and production time. We embrace this challenge with unconditional confidence, and each team member has a crucial role in the creation process of a Bulkfiller Stock With the focus on relaunching soon, plenty of bottlenecks have been solved by increasing the production batch quantities. We just want to be more than ready and cannot afford shortages in crucial parts. An interesting fact: at this very moment, Conid has 164 unique parts in it’s pool, to build up all the variations of only 5 different models. On top of that, all the different nib sizes, and from XF to BB combined, there are 50 standard nib choices to keep in stock as well. These numbers might indicate the challenge that is connected to keep track and maintain the total stock. Building building building... For some who are awaiting their pen to be shipped, with the due date passed for several months, it might seem as we have slowed down and come to a stop. The truth is that in the past few months more pens have been assembled than ever before, and each week we ship what we can. We want to explicitly share our greatest appreciations for the amount of patience and support that we ask from you!

Basically, I found this post and fell in love. I'm looking for a smallish demonstrator with black cap and section and an integrated filling mechanism. Apart from a couple of TWSBI's is there anything like that on the market? Thanks!

My favorite modern flex nib, on my favorite pen...my grail combo, after 3 years of waiting, I was able to finally put everything together... and today they got married 🥰 What do you think? Pardon my calligraphy I am at an infant stage, but I am working on it...! Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku ASA-GAO Paper: Maruman A5 Spiral Notebook (Made in Japan) Not the ideal paper for the combo but it's inexpensive for everyday workout ☺️ @fpupulin@como

If you are somewhat obsessive, like me, then before you commit to a purchase over a particular threshold, you will conduct extensive research. So, before I completed the transaction for a Conid Minimalistica, I read every thread that included the term here, and on FPG and /r/fountainpens. The Conid brand is one that gets a lot of love from these communities, so there was quite a lot of material to wade through, and—specifically for the Minimalistica—not all of the comments were positive. In general, the negative perceptions around the pen were focussed on four areas: The Cap. The use of an O-ring as a capping mechanism drew most negative comments. These were usually along the lines of complaints about the difficulty of removing the cap because of the tightness of the seal. Conid relatively recently (early 2019) changed from a green to a black O-ring, so this may be a contributing factor, but I find the “push and twist” movement to cap the pen excellent. It takes very little effort, and less than a quarter turn of the cap to securely and safely cap the pen. Additionally, it feels better than many push to cap systems that rely on a raised ring, or the L2K's ears, to secure the cap as these systems require different levels of force, which can mean a slightly uncontrolled uncapping action. Similarly, some people complain about the slight rocking of the cap when either closed or posted as the lip of the cap can hinge when the O-ring flexes. Again, I have played with this to reproduce the effect and I can't say that it is significant enough to bother me in either case. One downside of the O-ring in the cap is that when you do post, the O-ring sits over the delrin turning nob. So, if you twist the cap anticlockwise to unpost, it will start to unlock the bulkfiller. This can be annoying, so on the rare occassions that I do post, I make a point of turning the cap the other way to free it from the barrel. The Clip. A number of people complained about the sharpness of the edges of the titanium clip. This is a legitimate complaint. The edges should be chamfered as, the way they are, they are unpleasantly sharp. And, for the majority of the time that I am using the pen unposted, I hold the cap in my left hand and unconsciously fondle it. The two corners at the top edge of the clip are especially unforgiving. The acrylic grip. An admittedly smaller number of complaints have focussed on the slipperiness of the acrylic "section". I am quite sensitive to this and refuse to buy any pens with metal sections for this reason. However, I find that the grip on the acrylic is wonderful. I have had no issues with grip, even over protracted sessions. Finally, a couple of issues that apply to Conid pens, not just the Mini. The second reservoir. Conid's nib collars ship with a steel pin protruding from the rear that apparently is intended to improve the flow between the primary and secondary reservoir. I immediately swapped out the Conid nib assembly for a Flexible Nib Factory one that holds my Sailor nib. Needless to say, this collar does not have the steel pin. Despite this, I have found no issues with ink not freely transferring between the two reservoirs while writing. This may be because of the ink (Aurora Blue), but I have found the design to work exceptionally well. Typically, I start the day by filling the second reservoir and then resealing it before writing. For longer sessions, I'll open it up a couple of millimeters and over the two to three hours that I am writing, I have experienced no starvation, or other irregularities. Communication. Lots of people find that once you pay for the pen, Conid essentially goes dark until your pen is about to ship. This was my experience. When I was finalising the details (custom grind, clip engraving and additional parts), Jonas was terrific to deal with. After that, you get the automated emails and that is it. Personally, as someone who has been in the queue for a custom pen for close to eighteen months, this does not bother me. The team is small (around 6) and I would expect them to be focussed on making the sale and getting the pens out the door, not handholding anxious customers. Others obviously disagree, and argue that for the cost, much better customer service is called for. Francis has confirmed they are looking to expand the team, so perhaps there will be more communications during the build process. In any event, no-one has ever not received their pen, and as far as I am concerned, the wait is well worth it. Overall, the Minimalistica is a terrific pen. While it is expensive, it is an exquisitely engineered writing instrument and, unlike a lot of comparably priced pens, it will work perfectly out of the box. After having read a plethora of views about it prior to it arriving, I find that it has actually surpassed my expectations, and it is not often that you can say that about a pen. Or much in life, really.

Hey guys. Just wanted to start a discussion about conid open orders to see if anyone else here has orders with them before they stopped accepting them. I placed mine in Aug 2019 and still havent gotten mine yet. Looking around on reddit and here, i see that there are some people with orders since july 2019 that havent gotten theirs either. Apparently they have posted an update here; https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/353199-conid-news-update/?hl=conid, but it honestly feels like the same old song and dance for the past few months even before covid happened. I get that covid has definitely affected everyone pretty hard and would likely cause more delays, but some communication with regards to their open orders would be much appreciated. Now, to those with open orders/ recently received your orders, could you share your experience/ current status with the whole thing? Ive tried getting in touch with them a couple times since then but to no avail. I dont plan to cancel my order, but given the lack of communication and the global situation, it is a concern that if they do fold, some of us with open orders might be out close to $1000

First off, here are some photos: Nib: http://imgur.com/2vPuwy4Writing Sample: http://imgur.com/t7WFQ4XComparison with Sailor B: http://imgur.com/DW2lT1XHello all, I hope you are well during these strange times. Today I have a short review of my impressions of Sailor’s contemporary Naginata Togi Medium nib. I have been using it for the past month or so as a daily writer. Now, Sailor Naginata Togi nibs and I have a long relationship built upon longing and reluctance. I’ve always wanted one, since getting the chance to try one years ago. They write beautifully, but the prices have been getting a little wild over the last few years. Recently I sold off most of the pens I hadn’t been using, trimming my collection down to a pair of Conid AVDA Phis and an old 146 that I use as a ‘can-I-try-your-pen?’ pen. With the Conids, I have a few Sailor nibs I rotate through, and this NM is the most recent addition to their ranks. Now, I got the chance to try one of the modern Naginata Togi nibs while living in Barcelona, but I waited until I returned home to Canada to purchase one as the price was ever so slightly better and I had the opportunity to purchase it from Wonderpens—best stationery shop in Canada folks, full stop. The modern rendition of the grind is spectacular, and a true equal to the originals I‘ve had the pleasure to use. They write wet, really wet, and I would not have the patience to use one in a Sailor body with their tiny converter, so a Conid was a must for me. The feed does a spectacular job at keeping up, aided I am sure by the sheer volume of ink in the Minimalistica’s reservoirs. The nib performs as advertised, though I should note that the line variation has no practical use in regular western cursive scripts. Personally, I use a higher writing angle to make corrections or small notations. The feel of this nib is unlike any other Sailor nib. The sweet spot is massive, the tunes have some play to them affording some pressure-based variation, and the feedback is unique among Sailors. If a Sailor Fine is a sharp HB pencil lead, and a Sailor Broad is a fairly sharp H or F pencil lead, then the Naginata Togi Medium is a well used B or 2B pencil lead. It sings across the paper without ever feeling scratchy. Run the flat of your finger nail across a teak tabletop, that’s what it feels like. Sonorous, soulful, and spirited, this is a generation nib. I don’t truly know what else I can say, about the nib or it’s performance. If you have any questions, please feel free to ask away.

Hey guys! After almost a year of waiting, i finally received my grail pen i ordered back in August 2019, the conid bulkfiller regular! I made a video going over what came with my order, some of the available accessories and some general comments on the quality of the pen and how it writes. I made it to provide some insight into how Conid's quality has changed since their order stoppage, and to show you guys waiting on your open orders or are keen on ordering one when they reopen orders, what you can expect from the company! You can find my unboxing at this video link! Thanks so much guys and let me know if you've got any questions or comments!

Hello everyone, hope your weeks are off to a fine start. I come to you today with a very specific question: is my Montblanc 146 nib scraping its shoulders on the inside of my Conid Minimalistica’s cap? I usually use my Minimalisticas with Sailor nibs, but I have a lovely 146 nib, which I’ve had ground to a CSI, that I occasionally swap in. My question springs from the slightest scraping sensation I can feel when capping the pen fitted with the aforementioned nib. Now, both of my Conid’s are the all Delrin AVDA Phi versions, so I am unable to actually see if the nib and the inner cap are indeed making contact. I would hate to damage such a fine nib, so I am hoping someone out there with a clear capped Minimalistica is using a 146 nib and could answer my question. Thank you in advance. All the best to you and yours, Eli

Hi all, I ordered a Conid K DCB DB SL TI on April 1st. I have since requested an update 3 times - with absolutely no signs of life. Is this normal for these guys? Yes, it says the lead time will be at least 10 weeks. Maybe the heat is getting to me, but hate being ignored by someone who has a grand of my money. What have people experienced with this outfit? Many thanks, Martin

I’ve been thinking about Conid’s current offerings a lot, recently. Speculating about where the brand will go in the coming months and years. What do you want to see them focus on next, which direction do you think the brand will take? Personally, I hope they’re able to find the time to innovate, once they have their backlog under control and their process ironed out. I’m a huge fan of the Minimalistica, and would order one made in a nice celluloid or attractive resin in a heartbeat (though a friction-fit cap may not jive well with ‘fancier’ materials). Also an ink window on the Delrin model, even for a higher price, would be an instant buy. I’d also welcome any new pen models, especially some more in the no.6 nib range. I’d love to hear any thoughts and opinions you might have, below. I know Conid’s processes and practices can be a divisive topic for some, but let’s try to keep our gaze on the future. Cheers!

https://gph.is/g/Z2mM7rW I am absolutely loving this combination at the moment. My current workhorse pen, a Conid Minimalistica AVDA Phi, outfitted with a Sailor B, writes perfectly for my hand. The nib certainly writes wetter than it would in a Sailor body, but by no means is it a firehose. It’s inked with Tsuki-yo and the paper used in the clip is Tomoe River (the thicker 68gsm) in a Breeze notebook made by Taroko Design.

Hello all, this will be my first review here — my first post, for that matter — so do tell me if I need to make any changes to its format. the pen I am reviewing today is the Conid Minimalistica AVDA Phi Special edition. If that mouthful wasn’t enough, my specific configuration is: M BCB BB SL. Which essentially means it’s all Delrin. What’s unique about this special edition is the cigar shape of the pen, rounded finals as opposed to the usual flattop, and the engraved clip. I had been sweating over which Conid to order for a while, and deciding on this one was a slow process. I initially wanted a king size in all Delrin (not a huge fan of ebonite) but I found the pen to be too heavy once I got one in-hand. The section of the Regular, and the two exposed o-rings at its rear left me ergonomically and aesthetically turned-off, so it was out too. The slimline was too small and had a similar concave section to the Regular, which I didn’t enjoy. I have yet to try a giraffe... I had two doubts about the Minimalistica initially: I don’t like how it looks with flat finals, and I was worried about the friction fit cap. Once I got one in-hand, and realized that you could get one with rounded finals, these concerns vanished. The feel of the uninterrupted rather girthy section of the pen was perfect in my hand. The weight and balance ideal. I ordered one immediately. I went without a nib, as I almost exclusively use Sailor H-M and H-B nibs for my long writing sessions. I wanted to really put this pen to work. I placed the order in late June, had a Sailor nib ready to go in an FNF housing two weeks later, and then I waited. The pen arrived in October. By this time I had moved to Barcelona for work and the shipping took one day. I opened the package, greased the o-rings on the piston, threaded in my nib of choice and inked my new Minimalistica with Tsuki-yo. Then I got to writing. I write a good deal, try to get in two hours most weekdays and will do a longer session on Sundays. This pen is exactly what I hoped it would be. After a long session I have zero pain or fatigue in my hand or wrist. I don’t have to deal with filling in the middle of a session — ever — and the material feels so nice in my hands. I have used six different nibs in this pen: Sailor H-B, H-M, H-F, H-F CSI (Kirk Speer), H-M CSI (Kirk again), and finally a Montblanc 146 Broad CSI (you guessed it, Kirk Speer). Flexible Nib Factory truly has made my life better. Without access to these nibs, I’d undoubtedly be less happy with the pen. The nibs definitely write wetter than they do in a Sailor body, but not to an extreme degree. The Montblanc writes fine, like you’d expect, nothing incredible but the grind on it makes it fun to use once in a while. I have used this pen everyday since its arrival, it’s been inked with Tsuki-yo, Fuyu-syogun, and Take-sumi. I could not be happier with its performance; I ordered another on November Second. I will attach some photos of the pen below. Please feel free to ask any questions. Cheers!

can anyone give me a heads up as to what gold #8 nibs people have swapped into their conid kingsize with a high level of compatibility ? thinking of buying a kingsize and wonder if there are options for nib swapping with this particular model ?

Pause to Restart: https://www.conidpen.com/pause-to-restart/?utm_source=ActiveCampaign&utm_medium=email&utm_content=Conid+Newsletter+November&utm_campaign=Conid+newsletter+November+2019

I contacted Conid back in April '19 to ask when they expected to reintroduce the CAISO system to their Kingsize pens, and Jonas wrote back to say it is definitely coming back but gave no date, it's awaiting improved engineering.... Does anyone have any updated info on when this feature will be returning? And if you have a pen with it installed, is it worth waiting for?

I have always liked to write with a fountain pen! But I work in an environment that is very unfriendly for fountain pens ... After a few falls I therefore stopped. I recently read an article in the newspaper about fountain pens, enough to get my way back. I now use some pens from Mount Blanc with the ink Lavender Purple. After I discovered that here in Belgium one of the top of the fountain pens is made, I immediately ordered my first Conid fountain pen. I'm really looking forward to it!

A micro review of just received Conid AVDA. Nice jotting pad. Was not expecting this. Compared to Fred's pen. And again. Bock Pd nib. And here it is compared to an IPA.

So let me state first off, I am a huge Conid fan. I bought my Kingsize Bulkfiller in January 2015 and use it every day. Bought and sold a Minimalistica, didn't like that I couldn't see how much ink was in the pen. Also, I should tell you I just finished a project of writing the entire Bible out longhand, and have restarted again in Genesis. So, I write about an hour a day, I guess you could say I'm a power user... I have a ton of nice pens, but keep coming back to the Conids as my favorites. When they announced the Antwerppen, I knew I had to have one. And I wanted the regular size, since I have a Kingsize already. This pen is only available through two retailers in Antwerp, Belgium, Kockx and Penworld. Conid will not sell you this pen directly, even if you have a relationship with them already. The Antwerppen is only available with a steel nib. If you want some other nib, you have to purchase it separately, but you get the steel anyway. My Kingsize has a flexible titanium Bock nib, which I love, and I wanted the same nib on the Antwerppen. Kockx quote was €808 which broke down to €615 for the pen, €125 for the extra nib and €69 for shipping to USA. I had to remind them that there was no VAT to USA, and then they dropped the price to €668, about US$775. Penworld.be has an online shopping cart, the pen is also priced at €615, but when added to the cart it immediately dropped to €508 without the VAT. And shipping was free. I decided not to get the nib from Europe. Conid gets €70 plus €35 for shipping, (about $120) so Kockx was clearly doubling the Conid price for the nib. They need to make a profit, I get that. Goulet sells the exact same nib for $60 and I needed ink anyway, so that was a no-brainer. I placed the order with Penworld on a Tuesday afternoon, they shipped it Wednesday and it arrived Friday! Packaged well, handwritten thank you note, and gift wrapped. Their service was spectacular, I can not recommend them more highly. Now to the pen: I adore the pen size, shape and color. While lengthwise, it's very close to the Kingsize, the width is significantly thinner. I am not a big guy, I don't have large hands, and while I love the Kingsize, the Conid Regular pen is a perfect size for me. I love the demonstrator barrel, but like a solid cap so i don't stare at the inevitable ink splatters inside the cap. I wrote with the pen for about a week with the steel nib that came with it. Conid tunes nibs quite well, and this was a very nice smooth writing nib. But it was hard as, well... steel, and I relaly like the little bit of flex in the Bock #6 Ti nib. The new nib came from Goulet yesterdy, and was a piece of cake to install. Pull out the section, swap nibs, leaving the old feed and holder, and put it back together. Took about two minutes. Really really love the pen now. Yeah it was $600 plus nib, but that gets you a very rare pen that is gorgeous, and has the super cool and super practical Conid Bulkfiller filling system (google that). Look, if you want an awesome pen and you've got $600 to burn, this pen is, in my humble opinion, way better than any Pelikan, Montegrappa, Visconti or Mont Blanc, and I've owned them all. Enjoy the photos and post any questions or comments please.http://www.mikemargolis.comAntwerppen1.jpghttp://www.mikemargolis.com/Antwerppen1.jpg http://www.mikemargolis.com/Antwerppen2.jpghttp://www.mikemargolis.com/Antwerppen3.jpghttp://www.mikemargolis.com/Antwerppen4.jpghttp://www.mikemargolis.com/Antwerppen5.jpghttp://www.mikemargolis.com/Antwerppen6.jpghttp://www.mikemargolis.com/Antwerppen7.jpg

Hi All, The topic says it all - I love the design of the Conid Bulkfiller, and am rather committed to buying one soon. The only issue I'm having is exactly what to order - I think one of the nice things about Conid is that they're willing to discuss some customisation, and I've seen a few lovely images of Conid pens with sections, barrels, etc which are not the "standard" parts offered on the Conid webshop. I don't own many fountain pens - I like quality pens, and each one is an individual item I've painstakingly thought about before purchasing, both for appearance and performance. I'm not at all doubting the performance of the Conid But there are so many lovely Conids (and many I'm sure I haven't found in my search), so I'm still in the process of working out what I actually want it to look like. So, please post/link photos here. I'd love to see what people have had made, even if it's just a "simple" Conid. Help me!!! Thanks

Table of Contents Motivation Introduction What came with the pen Styling Pen Material / Fitting Measurements Ergonomics Filling System Capping System Nib(s) Cost Communication Conclusion / TL:DR Motivation I've wanted, for a while, to try my hand on writing a longer work for a fountain pen. I originally planned to write a review rather than an overview for the Conid. Instead, I ended up writing a bulk of this on a lazy Sunday morning so I've decided to leave the review for later down the line. I did not take any care in editing this so please excuse any grammatical errors. Introduction My personal allure to the Conid pens lies in the filling system and ergonomics. The Conid model that I found most fitting to my preference was the Minimalistica. My main fascination with the pen was the uninterrupted physique of the pen body. No threads on the body: count me in! At that point in time, the filling system was a nice additional to the pen that I found to be just interesting. I took a leap of faith buying the Conid pen. I didn't have any idea what the pen was going to be like. After my extended experience with the Minimalistica, I found the pen to be quite worthwhile. What came with the pen -spare o-rings -business cards -box (very cool style) -writing sample slip -instructional slip for filling the pen -cleaning cloth -tooling (ordered) There isn't any instruction of any sort with the use of the spare o-rings. I can tell that one goes on the cap and another goes on the rod. Not sure on the third middle-sized one; I did look over the tutorials on Conid's site but I did not see any use for it. Styling The pen comes with a stealth pen styling: black with titanium trim. I like that the pen does not warrant any unwanted attention - very suitable for a daily workhorse. I don't connect with the pen personally... It is a pen that says: time to get to work! There is a beauty in that; I don't get distracted by the beauty of the pen. Conid allows for some deviation from their slotted style. I asked for a few changes: cigar-shaped body, initials on the clip, and removal of the cap finial. I was able to secure my suggestions barring the cigar-shaped body. I wondered if it was because the cigar-shaped Minimalistica was only made for their special edition - I never did ask. The laser-engraved initials came as complementary, rather than at an additional cost. Admittedly, I later decided to cancel adding my initials to the clip. It came as a surprise that the pen came with my initials on it. It didn't really matter to me, but it leaves communication on the mind for possible future purchases with Conid. Pen Material / Fitting To my untrained knowledge, I can't speak much technical opinions on the pen. I can only go by how it feels and how it has aged in the time I have had the pen. The material that I chose for the pen is the Delrin model. Originally I found the material to feel a bit slippery compared to the Sailor plastic I was used to. Over time I found no real issue with gripping the pen. I'm not certain if it is psychological to me or physical to the pen, but I did find the grip to be less slippery over time. The pen feels substantial. There is a denseness to the pen that gives the impression of a very solid pen. There are only a few minor aesthetic flaws that came with the shipped pen. My own weight measurements Cap - 8.30 grams ~ Body - 18.83 grams ~ Uncapped inked (regular method, 1 fill) - 20.70 grams ~ Uncapped inked (Visconti Inkwell, 1 fill) - 21.13 grams ~ Conid's measurements Uncapped - 126 mm Capped - 137 mm Posted - 160 mm fountainbel's grip measurements "2- Minimalistica : conical shaped grip medium diameter 11.2mm , front diameter 10.3mm diameter12.5mm at 20mm from front of section." Ergonomics The main ergonomic appeal to me is the lack of threads on the body. Since the pen cap is done with an o-ring, there are no threads or clutch on the pen body. That leads me to my second point. The pen is excellent in the hand uncapped. The uncapped length, weight, and balance of the pen works for my hand quite well. The pen feels solid in the hand: it just feels right like a nice fitted glove. To give a comparison, for a pen of a similar length of the Minimalistica, perhaps a tiny bit shorter, I would usually prefer to post the pen. A pen like a Montblanc 146 or a Sailor 1911. I think, for one, the Conid is a bit longer as well as a bit more back heavy which is why I prefer the ergonomics of the Minimalistica rather than a similar pen shape. I have really never used the pen posted, so I have not much comments. The posting does occur on the o-ring of the cap on the knob of the body. Perhaps a deeper posting on the body would be more ideal. The unposted version is more than enough for me however! The gripping section of the pen, if you can call it that, is what I find ideal: not too thick and not too slim. Filling System I'm not going to go into too much technical detail since other reviews list the details much better than I could. I will say that the filling system is easy to use: easy to fill, easy to clean, and easy to use when you want to refill the reservoir. Just a complete filling system I feel. I don't have any real issue with refilling the reservoir or opening the seal for longer writing sessions. It is a process that comes as a ritual to the pen. For longer writing, the knob is unscrewed and pulled out some length. There is some play with the rod when the knob is unscrewed and extended. This is noticeable at times during writing. Really not noticeable to me, but could be for hard-handed writers perhaps. It's more or less just the tapping motion where you notice the play. The sidestrokes and such: you don't notice the play at all. There is no ink-window with this delrin model. You can hear the ink sploshing inside the body, and can somewhat tell when the ink is running low. This does take some getting used to. I purchased the companion tooling for disassembly. I've only taken apart the pen once out of curiosity. Personally, I would prefer a longer knob rather than the short stubby one the pen current has. For refilling with the Visconti Inkwell, I would have to empty the pen out without creating the seal. If you try to empty with the seal entact, a lot of pressure builds up inside the inkwell. As you may guess, some ink spews out. Filling the pen is easy enough but I'd have to turn the knob pretty quick after I pull the knob all the way down. The knob wants to move up for whatever reason after I fill the pen. A fuller fill is easier on the Visconti Inkwell, but I'd imagine a 2-fill for the Conid would create the same result. Although it is more troublesome if you have the delrin model instead of the transparent. Capping System The pen caps on with an o-ring secured inside the pen cap. I've found no real issue with the o-ring system. Even if the seal becomes too loose, one can replace the o-ring easily. The o-ring leaves a faint marking - which isn't deep, just a tattoo'ing - on the body of the pen. There is some play to the cap with the o-ring capping system. This isn't not a real issue because the pen is very securely attached. There is a machined inner cap inside the pen. I have not encountered any drying out of the nib thus far. There is a hole on the cap that does what it needs to do. It is stealthily hidden under the clip. The clip works I suppose? Personally, I just bought the clip version of the pen just so that cap wouldn't roll around. I've never used any pen clip for actually clipping. Nib(s) Originally I bought the pen to fit my Sailor nibs on the pen. I later find that Sailor nibs don't fit perfectly on the Bock feed - I encountered a saturated feed when refilling the seconday reservoir. I relucantly went back to the steel medium nib that I bought with the pen originally. I later did find that the feed had a slight chip that may have caused the saturated feed. I have moved to a standard Bock feed in the meantime - of which I haven't encountered any saturated feed. The steel medium nib is a dry writer. It writes smoothly, and without much feedback. I don't use this steel nib anymore: I now favor the Titanium Bock nib. I prefer a nib that is on the wet end and writes with more feedback. One point to note about the nib unit is that they are modified by Conid. The plastic bit that is usually there for the converter is drilled off; There is also a metal tube attached to the feed as well. Another point is that it is a bit confusing to buying additional nibs after buying the pen. You go through the same process as buying the pen but move the quantity of the pen to 0. I think that there should be a separate tab on the Conid website for accessories such as tooling, nibs, and maybe even the Conid pen stand that comes with the special editions. The Bock Titanium nib I have on the pen current wasn't purchased from Conid, so I don't think it is much to talk about. I do the enjoy the nib a lot more after I got it adjusted by Mark Bacas. I do not think about attempting to get a Sailor nib on the Conid anymore, the adjusted Titanium nib is a pure joy to write with. Cost The Minimalistica isn't cheap. It is a serious investment in a pen that I've made only a few times. But this was the only time where my satisfaction was at its highest. No real complaints for the pen that weren't fixed - just the nib problem initially. Where does the cost come from? From my perspective and reading of the web, the materials are all excellent and the pen is made with a tight tolerance. I don't really understand the second point as much, but I'll take the many people who mentioned it to be right. The filling system is another part of it of course. What pens uses the Bulkfiller? Just the Conid models. The filling system is great to use from a user perspective. The single Steel nib that I bought initially was disappointing. There are plenty of options for attaching vintage nibs or other Bock nibs. So there is no real issue with having a good writing experience. Communication Communication is a good point to bring up. I don't think Conid's communication is great. My impression is that it is all managed by Werner - who I believe is plenty busy with other work. Really, communication is the greatest weakpoint of this pen. If you order the pen and don't want to change your order later on, the communication is just fine - just slow. But if you want to change your order, and add more bells and whistles to the pen, that is where I would suggest thinking it over carefully before submitting your order. Conclusion / TL:DR The Minimalistica is a solid overall package of a pen.

Hi guys, I have been intrigued lately by Conid fp. I am considering buying it, but I am not sure if I should get the Regular, or Minimalist. They both take 2.5ml of ink inside which is great for what I do (use a lot of ink redlining architectural drawings). They both look cool. Minimalist however costs roughly $100 less than Regular. Have you had any experience with them, and do you think it is worth paying more for Regular? Thank you.

Hi all. My apologies for being 'new' to the forum; I've lurked here for many years, and have digested countless reviews of pens and inks. My fountain pen journey began as a 16 year old, almost two decades ago, with a Waterman Phileas as a birthday present. Unbeknownst to me at the time, my youthful use cracked the section, and so for a long time I thought fountain pens were supposed to leak ink into the fingers. Needless to say, my passion quickly waned. Then in 2012 on an overseas trip, I impulse-bought a modern Sheaffer - which was a delight, and with a fine nib it was suddenly usable on all sorts of papers that I had thought the Waterman had not been (as a fat medium)...and I became interested in pens again. Over the past 5 years, I have acquired and disposed of a great many of the 'greats' - Lamy 2000, Parker 51, Pilot VP, Pilot 823, Sailor 1911, etc. With a brief peak at around 20 pens, it became obvious that I do not enjoy what many of you cherish in this hobby - the routine of cleaning and re-inking individual pens. It was clear to me that I needed to whittle the collection down to a small, but cherished, core. As I would go through up to 2 converters/cartridges of ink per day, I gravitate to piston/vacuum/other fillers. And so, having sold all the others, I was left with: a Sterling Silver Sailor 1911L with Naginata Togi nib for my first daughter's birth, a Burnt Orange M800 for my second daughter's birth, a Homo Sapiens BB nib, a 1953 Pelikan 400 Brown Tortoise, and a 1970's Omas Gentleman with super flexible gold nib. I was close to pen nirvana. I just needed one more pen, I thought... Which brings us to here. After much internal debate and consideration, I felt Conid represented most of what I loved about fountain pens - a unique mechanism, clever engineering, exclusivity, a wide selection of nibs, and the practical elements of easy cleaning and long-duration between fills of ink. Herein lies my review. I tend not to like numerical ratings, as inevitably a new purchase scores very highly and it is impossible to compare scores between pens. Apologies therefore for lots of text, and some of the pictures will have my Reddit username attached. The Ordering The Conid website is clear and concise, with lovely pictures of each model and a variety of after-purchase options. I picked out the model I most liked, thought I would not be satisfied without trying one each of the gold and titanium nibs, and put a few comments in the comments section. Within a short time, I received an email relating to my order and confirming details. I was then given an estimated ship date. Almost to the day, I received notification of package and shipping. As the pen departed Conid they sent a nice update email with pictures of my particular pen and the writing samples they generate during the testing process. DHL from Belgium to Australia took 5-real-world (ie. not business) days to arrive, including customs clearance (with a small amount of duty and import tax to pay). Pretty snappy! The Unboxing I don't like fancy boxes. They all live in a drawer, empty and unloved, at my house. The box is as shown: Utilitarian. Resembles a military ammunition box. Inside it the pen nestled nice and securely, along with the extra nibs, tools (if ordered), spare o-rings (a nice touch), instruction manual, and a lovely engraved plate: It all looks like it's made to suit function, rather than being 'pretty', and that's exactly how I like it. I've read other reviews say they'd prefer even simpler packaging to reduce cost - I think it suits the pen nicely, but that's just me. The Pen I've had TWSBIs previously, so they are my immediate comparison point. I haven't previously had a high-end demonstrator, so users of M800 demonstrators may be able to chime in. At this price point, I like my pens to feel solid and I prefer a bit of weight. I have big hands. This pen fits me better than any other I've used and feels valuable. For comparison, I feel modern 149s feel plasticky for their price point (but this is very much personal taste), and I overall don't like the light plastic feel in a high-end pen. The finish is perfect on my pen. I cannot find any imperfections that bother me. Everything is 'necessary', down to the beautifully functional clip that's machined from a solid piece of titanium. The ink sloshes around beautifully inside the body of the pen, meaning that for the first time, I somewhat regret my 'professional blue' ink choices... To summarise, even if nothing else, the feel of the pen out of the box made it clear the money spent was used wisely. The Nib As far as I'm concerned, this is what it's all about. Like many of you, I've had fluctuating experiences with the big manufacturers tending to provide nibs that write with...ahem...varying quality from the box (cough cough Visconti). The effort Conid put into checking nibs prior to shipping is evident. I ordered both an 18k Gold Medium and Medium titanium. They are both superb. I ordered both because prior reviews didn't help me pick one over the other. On the one hand, I love gold nibs and value smoothness with a hint of character. For example, I'm not the hugest fan of Sailor's "pencil on paper" feedback, even though I have retained a lovely example of their pens. But oldrifleman's review that they didn't like the pen until fitting it with titanium meant I didn't want to have any regrets. I like stubs, but not for everyday use, so I resisted the chance to modify one of these. The titanium nib is not as soft as I'm lead to believe the Size 6 nibs are. It's soft, but I don't think it's quite as springy as the Visconti Dreamtouch Palladium nibs, for example. The Conid example I have is quite smooth, though I agree with previous reviewers that there's a slight feedback of titanium like a high frequency resonance....as someone who prefers little feedback, I find it quite pleasant and it's no where near Sailor levels. However...the gold. Wow. What a nib. It's smooth, it has some softness, and it's neither too wet nor too dry for me. It's unbelievably my favourite nib in my collection right now, and that's despite my conscious effort to avoid bias towards 'a very expensive recent purchase'. It's perfect for me, and I do actually quite like the gold tone against the titanium. I think it's a little bit of show, for an otherwise not-very-showy pen, and I prefer it to the rhodinated look. Simply put, I love the gold and a week into ownership, it's been on constantly. The $60 spent on the titanium is by now means a waste, and it's incredible that it can even compete with the stunning gold nib, but I can't see myself swapping nibs very much at all. I've gone through two fills of ink, and it just grows on me more and more. Conid nailed this one! Summary This pen arrived in Australia at considerable cost. The Euro to AUD is not kind, and further import duty stung a little. It's my most expensive pen. However. Everything about this pen is exactly as I wanted it. The experience purchasing from Conid was one of outstanding communication and as-promised service. This pen meets my needs as the ultimate daily user perfectly. It holds bucket loads of ink, looks pretty doing so, writes like a dream, and somehow flies under the radar without being excessively opulently flashy, with just a hint of bling with the gold poking out from the nib. It joins the final collection, complements it perfectly, and (hopefully) obviates any further pen purchases for the indefinite future. Overall, I love it! I highly recommend Conid pens to people with similar likes to me.

I finally got a few photos of my fountain pen from Belgium! This is going to be the longest week of waif ever!