Noodler's Konrad

[USMCMom]

Pen Review: Noodler's Konrad - Roaring 20's Brown Tort

 

Note added re: Odor .... I haven't noticed any particular odor coming from my Konrad, but ... ok ... I admit it ... I don't stick my pens up to my nose.

 

 

For an Ahab or Standard Piston Fill, you don't need to stick pens up to your nose, they are just smelling awful. After writing one of them even hands will stink.

 

I've been fortunate not to have that problem.

[JimB]

I used Platinum Earth Brown for its first fill and wow ... did that ink and nib combo shade! I plan to do an ink review when I learn out to get my daughter's computer and my camera to play nicely together.

 

 

USMCMom, I couldn't agree more!!! My Konrad just showed up and I threw some Pelikan 4001 Brown in it.... I've never really been a huge fan of this ink, but I LOVE it in this pen!

 

 

Nathan/The Goulets -- Expect another order from me for more Konrads!

 

Similarly, I got my Ebonite Chestnut brown Konrad a week or so ago and also inked up with Pelikan Brown. Before getting the Konrad, I'd shrugged off that brown as not so good. Now I love it. Maybe the flex does it for me.

[Cerbeos]

Similarly, I got my Ebonite Chestnut brown Konrad a week or so ago and also inked up with Pelikan Brown. Before getting the Konrad, I'd shrugged off that brown as not so good. Now I love it. Maybe the flex does it for me.

 

 

Haha I'm just glad we both finally found a pen to make the brown work for us!

[thinkink]

I am thinking of getting one- is the Konrad available with a regular (non flex) Noodler's nib too? I am not sure how a flex nib writes for normal (non-calligraphic) use. I guess there's one way of fining out :-)

[UNDERDOG]

Here's mine!

 

http://www.flickr.com/photos/39530423@N08/7158660592/in/photostream

[RodneyOK]

1336488112[/url]' post='2338815']

I am thinking of getting one- is the Konrad available with a regular (non flex) Noodler's nib too? I am not sure how a flex nib writes for normal (non-calligraphic) use. I guess there's one way of fining out :-)

 

The Noodler's flex nib is firm enough that normal non-flex writing is no problem. You can use it either way.

[Uncle Red]

I inked my Ebonite Konrad about a week and a half ago and I let it sit unused for about 4 days (I needed to use up the ink in another pen) and it started right up this AM.

That is a good sign. Was there any noticeable evaporation?

I haven't noticed any evaporation with mine.

 

+1 on the ease of writing unflexed with these.

[USMCMom]

I am thinking of getting one- is the Konrad available with a regular (non flex) Noodler's nib too? I am not sure how a flex nib writes for normal (non-calligraphic) use. I guess there's one way of fining out :-)

 

I use my Konrad for daily writing, as I'm not a calligrapher and it's fine.

[Stompie]

Is this the same nib as the Ahab?

 

Edit *Not to worry, just checked Goulets site - it is the same nib*

Edited May 8, 2012 by Stompie

[CaptainGroovy]

The mailman delivered my Goulet's order this past Saturday which included my Konrad pen and a bottle of Rome Burning ink along with a few other goodies. After freeing my order from the 20 feet of bubble wrap and at least that much blue cling film. I decided to take a chance and just give my new Roaring 20's Konrad just a quick flush instead of complete disassemble inspection and cleaning, that proved to be a mistake. I filled my Konrad up with my new bottle of Rome Burning ink gave the nib and section a quick wipe with a paper towel and screwed on the blind cap to cover the ink plunger knob and then watched ink drip steadily out of the feed like their was no tomorrow. Luckily I was holding the pen over some cheap copy paper not my Clairefontaine notebook or worse yet my carpet. I then held the pen over my trash can and watched the rest of the ink quickly drain out of my pen. Once empty I pulled the Nib and Feed out of the pen gave them a quick wipe with a rag and saw no obvious problems so I dropped them into dish with some pen flush, and then unscrewed the plunger assemble from the pen barrel and gave it a quick rinse. It was then I saw the problem, their were at least a half a dozen small slivers or shavings of plastic sticking out of the groove that the piston O-Ring sits in. I first tried wiping the plastic shavings off seal with a rag and my fingers with no luck, closer inspection revealed that the plastic shavings were trapped under the O-ring seal. I used a small dental pick and slid the seal off the piston shaft and cleaned the seal with soap and water and then inspected it using a magnifying glass and saw no nick or abrasions. I then gave the piston shaft a scrubbing with a tooth bush and soap and water to remove any remaining plastic shavings. I swabbed the pen barrel with a Q-tip wrapped with a piece of paper towel to make sure it was clean of shaving also. I lubed the O-Ring with silicone grease and re-installed in the piston shaft, I also put a dab of grease on the threads of the piston assembly were it screws into the pen barrel re-installed the Feed and Nib. I again filled it up again with Rome Burning and the pen is now behaving properly as a normal pen, no drips, skipping, or false starts etc. As far as how my Konrad writes the Nib is smooth however it seems a lot stiffer and is prone to rail road tracking if flexed very much at all compared to my Ahab. It also seems to write quite a bit dryer than my Ahab or original style Piston Flex pen. Why my Konrad seems to be a drier writing pen I am not sure of yet. It could be the ink and or how I have my Nib and Feed set. I will know more when I run it my Konrad and Ahab out of ink and switch inks between the two pens. Overall so far I like the pen and think it is a good value at 20 dollars, will I like more than the Ahab time will tell.

[TMac]

I received my Konrad yesterday. Total transit time from I Sell Pens to East Coast US was 3 days!!!

 

Also bought Private Reserve Sepia to match the pen.

 

I I can say is wow. The pen is a good size and lays down a consistent, smooth line. Easy to fill. Easy to disassemble if you want to tweak it or give a thorough cleaning.

 

Great pen and the usual great experience with Todd.

[Miles R.]

Note added re: Odor .... I haven't noticed any particular odor coming from my Konrad, but ... ok ... I admit it ... I don't stick my pens up to my nose.

Of course not. You're supposed to stick fountain pens in your ears. Then you can have the following exchange with people:

 

Normal person: Why have you got fountain pens in your ears?

 

Fountain pen fancier: What did you say?

 

NP: I said, why have you got pens in your ears?

 

FPC: Pardon me?

 

NP: You've got pens in your ears!

 

FPC: What?

 

NP: PENS IN YOUR EARS!!

 

FPC: I'm sorry; I can't hear you. I've got fountain pens in my ears.

[watch_art]

[USMCMom]

Note added re: Odor .... I haven't noticed any particular odor coming from my Konrad, but ... ok ... I admit it ... I don't stick my pens up to my nose.

Of course not. You're supposed to stick fountain pens in your ears. Then you can have the following exchange with people:

 

Normal person: Why have you got fountain pens in your ears?

 

Fountain pen fancier: What did you say?

 

NP: I said, why have you got pens in your ears?

 

FPC: Pardon me?

 

NP: You've got pens in your ears!

 

FPC: What?

 

NP: PENS IN YOUR EARS!!

 

FPC: I'm sorry; I can't hear you. I've got fountain pens in my ears.

 

:ltcapd:

[WayTooManyHobbies]

My Konrad was inked with Rome is Burning immediately upon arrival. I find that I'm reaching for this pen more often, despite some of the issues (feathering, show-thru, bleed) with the ink. This is just a -nice- pen to deal with. It writes well, can flex if you want it, holds plenty of ink and shows it to you, fills easily, uncaps nicely, the clip is sound, it even looks pretty good. I'm very impressed. The Konrad is nicer than the Ahab, and the Ahab wasn't bad. This is a really good $20 fountain pen.

[ThirdeYe]

I caved and got one of the Roaring 20's Tortoise Brown Konrads from the Goulets. I'm hoping it's better than my original Flex Nib Creapers. I could hardly use them because of the excessive evaporation. Can't wait!

[melissa59]

I just received my Red Mesa Tortoise Konrad, my first fountain pen. I took it out of the box, read the directions and I already have a questions.

 

The directions don't say anything about washing it before using it, but obviously that is a Must Do after reading all the posts here. But after the sentence about replacing the o-rings, it says:

"Use plumber's faucet lubricant (pure silicone grease) to lubricate the mechanism (fill gap between the o-rings with the grease before installing) which can be obtained for approx. $2 at the local hardware store.

 

Does this mean that I need to use silicone grease after each washing? Or just after each o-ring replacement? The o-rings are so close together that the "gap" seems to be barely the thickness of a fingernail between the two. Is that the area where I need to put the grease?

 

I had a heck of a time getting my Konrad to properly come apart. When I first tried to unscrew the piston's cover cap, the entire piston came out. I guess the cover cap was on too tight. Finally got them separated, put it all back with the cover cap loosely screwed on. Next time I tried to take it all apart, I got the cap off but couldn't get the piston to come out. I had to screw the cap on snugly, then unscrew it and the piston came out with the cap attached again. Oh well...I think I can live with that.

[gentlyom]

I was hesitating if I should get one of the Noodler flex pens, now thanks for the review, I have determined to get one of these. It has the classic fountain pen look, with piston & flex, plus saves a lot of cash. A good deal.

[watch_art]

You only need to grease the o rings inside the little converter if you take it apart b/c it gets really stiff (after some use).

[lovemy51]

i should be getting mine in the mail by monday