Conid Fountainbel's Bulk Filler Ltd Demonstrator

[Physalis]

The nib (titanium F) is super smooth, no skipping, wet, and reasonable flexibility. It looks cool, too. The feel of titanium is new to me; not as soft as the soft or flexible nibs I am used to, but not a nail either. It may be the perfect balance between the two for longer writing periods.

 

@Physalis - How does the width of the line the titanium F nib put down compare to, say, a Pilot F nib or a Pilot EF? Wondering if I would need to have the nib ground down to appeal to my much finer (Japanese EF) nib tastes?

 

You would definitely need to have the nib ground down. I would say that the titanium F is approximately 4x the width of a Pilot EF. I may have mine ground down too...

[trhall]

In general an F nib from Bock is probably closer to a Japanese M. Getting something close to a Japanese EF will definetly require a custom ground nib.

 

Thanks! I figured as much. Since @Physalis was so satisfied with the nib, as-is, I wasn't sure if the nib somehow was finer than normal. Appreciate the information.

 

You would definitely need to have the nib ground down. I would say that the titanium F is approximately 4x the width of a Pilot EF. I may have mine ground down too...

 

That's exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks for your help.

[fountainbel]

Hi trhall,

For your information :

Conid can surtely alter the F nib in a EF if you want !

Francis

 

In general an F nib from Bock is probably closer to a Japanese M. Getting something close to a Japanese EF will definetly require a custom ground nib.

 

Thanks! I figured as much. Since @Physalis was so satisfied with the nib, as-is, I wasn't sure if the nib somehow was finer than normal. Appreciate the information.

 

You would definitely need to have the nib ground down. I would say that the titanium F is approximately 4x the width of a Pilot EF. I may have mine ground down too...

 

That's exactly what I wanted to know. Thanks for your help.

[trhall]

For your information :

Conid can surtely alter the F nib in a EF if you want !

 

Thank you, Francis. I'm very particular about my EF line, and I would probably send it to someone I have used in the past. Good to know it is possible for CONID to do this work, though!

[fountainbel]

Hi Olivier,

Please see my suggestion on your question regarding step 5 of the filling process below.

Thanks and regards, Francis

 

 

Presentation

This is the box I received in my mail, very well-packed in a huge carboard parcel with plenty of foam, and protected by a little cardboard sleeve, all enclosed in a bubble-wrap envelop. This pen was ready to travel anywhere !

http://i.imgur.com/ujstc.jpg

When I opened this beautiful yet simple box, I saw the pen :

http://i.imgur.com/RhSXu.jpg

To my surprise, customization wasn't just a word. You can see the inner plate with my full name inside (blanked because I like my privacy ) :

http://i.imgur.com/3bi0S.jpg

This was accompanied by a little manual sheet, a certificate of ownership dated and signed by both Francis Goossens (aka Fountainbel) and Werner Helsen (Conid). With two tools to work on the pen yourself (the wrench is useful for a thorough cleaning, and it adapts clearly on the top of the barrel, thanks to two holes, to unscrew the piston system) :

http://i.imgur.com/p6M5y.jpg

So let's skip all this and go to the pen :

http://i.imgur.com/ra08S.jpg

The pen is nice. I would lie if I said I like demonstrators, but Francis made a tour de force to make one that was beautiful to my eyes. The union of brushed Titanium and transparent resin is particularily well found, with nice proportions and shapes and an elegant and timeless design.

If it wasn't obvious yet, one can rest assured that Francis has a sure taste when it comes to pens.

This pen compares in size with the Pelikan M900 (but of course, not in weight):

http://i.imgur.com/HnOc7.jpg

But the big innovation with this pen is the filling system. Thanks to a disengageable piston, the filling mechanism doesn't waste space and enables at least twice as much ink as the Pelikan M900.

Step 1: Unscrew the turning knob,

http://i.imgur.com/e0J1P.jpg

Step 2: Pull the rod until it reaches the disengageable piston. Notice there is a little screw at the end of the rod.

http://i.imgur.com/Y9Vfi.jpg

Step 3: Keep rotating the knob as if you were unscrewing it from the barrel. The rod is now fixed to the piston.

http://i.imgur.com/wuCeq.jpg

Step 4: Push the piston until the rod is completely inside the barrel again.

http://i.imgur.com/p6J0E.jpg

Step 5: Now pull the piston to suck ink in. At the first time, the pen will get filled at 80%. If it isn't enough, expell the ink bubble when holding the pen with the nib up, and plunge the pen in the inkwell again.

/!\ Hard Hat Area /!\ I wrapped the nib with a paper towel, because there are ink projections from the ink contained in the feed when expelling the bubble. (Maybe I'm doing it wrong, in this case I'll take advice from more savvy people ).

 

 

Olivier,

An easier manner to get a 100% filling is simply activating ( pushing/pulling ) the piston a second time while the nib is still under ink level. The air bubble will practically disappear doing so.

As shown on the instruction leaflet , the piston should be anchored in its back postition and the piston rod should be pushed in when the nib is still in the ink bottle.

Francis

 

http://i.imgur.com/gcrVn.jpg

Step 6: Screw the turning knob as if it was at the end of the barrel. This disengages the rod from the piston. Push gently the rod back inside de pen, and screw the knob on the barrel. Et voilà!, you're ready to use the pen for a solid week of non-stop writing !

http://i.imgur.com/2oKkj.jpg

Here is a little written review with some blah blah. Remember you have to sligthly unscrew the turning knob, in order to open the flow between the feed and the reservoir. The end of the rod is a plug. This pen won't leak when not used!

The nib is in Titanium, Fine, and it allows a little variation as seen here :

http://i.imgur.com/Ih6YG.jpg

One's got to love the logo :

http://i.imgur.com/xaGre.jpg

There is a real attention to details here. The number of my pen is engraved at the top of the clip.

http://i.imgur.com/1YWsm.jpg

On the cap's ring, stands the name of the creator proudly sitting beneath the clip's end:

http://i.imgur.com/iT7Ga.jpg

The nib and feed:

The nib is very smooth, allows a little line variation and the engraving's pattern is quite beautiful. It is quite large, and starts instantly. No problem like on the Stipula T which needed lots of tweaking in order to work better. Francis adjusted everything prior to sending the pen, and it's just perfect.

http://i.imgur.com/GZ8Ms.jpg

The section has a very comfortable form. It's a real pleasure to hold this pen !

http://i.imgur.com/coUZW.jpg

Now, since I don't have any way of measuring the ink volumes, here's a little picturesque comparison, of what the pen contained, expelled in an empty ink bottle.

Since the bulk filler won't expell all the ink, what's in the left bottle is only 80% of what was inside the pen's reservoir.

(on the left, this pen; on the right, the M900)

http://i.imgur.com/sPEG3.jpg http://i.imgur.com/B4hEX.jpg

 

My impressions

Pros

- This pen is a real proof it is still possible to innovate in the world of fountain pens, and that's what led me to buy it.

- The Bock nib is very smooth and the flow is finely adjusted.

- The pen is very well-balanced, posted or not, and very light. It has a timeless design.

- As far as I know, it's completely hand-made, which ads up to the personalization.

- Considering the limited human resources involved, the price is fair.

- Five years guarantee !

Cons

- The box is a bit cheap.

- The rod on my pen isn't perfectly straight, which induces some friction when activating the piston. Maybe some QC to improve there.

- There is a little scratch on the clip.

- The cap doesn't screw very safely. I have the feeling it could unscrew in a vest pocket, and since it is asked not to overtighten it, my advice would be to carry it in a pouch. Not a big deal, but better know it before your pocket changes colour

 

Conclusion

As you might have understood, this pen isn't perfect, but it is obvious the designer loves his trade and shows it in his design. I warmly recommend this pen to any enthusiast, and wish success to Francis for his future projects. Be sure I will be keeping an interested eye on them !

[Lemon328i]

So far, this pen has been a stellar performer in all conditions, such as the hot humid outdoors or inside air conditioning. It has performed superbly on two flights so far as well. I did notice that when the pen gets to less than 1/2 full, I get feed saturation similar to what one would get with eyedroppers. This went away when I refilled the pen. To be fair, even with the saturated feed, it did not leak or bleb. This is also dependent on the ink (I use Gates City True Blue), so will see if this also happens with other inks.

 

FYI, the Visconti Traveling Inkpot is an excellent way to easily fill this pen to the maximum capacity. Just remember to push the piston all the way to empty first or the overpressure from the inkpot will cause a mess - you'll want to practice with water until you get the hang of it. With this pen and a traveling inkpot, I could write for weeks on end without needing another pen on hand.

 

This is a fantastic buy and worth both the price and the wait.

[pavoni]

I'm up early this morning getting ready for a 3-day Employment Tribunal, where I shall naturally be accompanied by my travelling companion - my trusty Fountainbel Bulkfiller Demonstrator.

 

In two weeks time I have my holiday abroad. I think I'll take up your great idea on the Visconti Travelling inkpot Lemon328i. Thanks.

 

Pavoni.

[olivier78860]

Same remark here, very reliable pen. Also, on a side note, I had little scratches on the clip, and Francis changed it incredibly fast. I sent the cap on monday, and got it back on thursday.

So in the "Pros", let me add "Unbeatable service".

 

It's the least to say I'm completely satisfied with this purchase.

[pavoni]

+1 on the service (which is an often overlooked element when choosing a pen).

 

I have no problems with my pen but ordered another nib. Super fast delivery and courtesy follow-up e-mails from the ever reliable Francis.

 

Pavoni.

[fountainbel]

Very happy to read your positive experience reports Olivier and Pavoni, much appreciated !

Surely look forward reading feedback from other owners .....

Francis

 

BTW, I've posted on a new streamline bulkfiller prototype I've finished.

This version was made in the famous bleu marbled Tibaldi celluloid.

You can see pictures of this pen in the " Market place"

Edited August 19, 2012 by fountainbel

[falarcon]

I secured number 25 of 60 and I am waiting for it to be shipped. Quite excited about it!

[mandarintje]

After more than a year of enjoying this pen which has been with me to New York, the Swiss Alps, Italy, the Jersey Shore, it has survived a minor earthquake, a tropical storm, high altitude, cheap paper and even my heavy handedness.

 

It started off as a prototype and over the course of the last...18 months or so Francis?... it has been tweaked a couple of times. Nothing major, and not even through fault but through improved ideas. It is now THE most reliable pen that I depend on every day at home and elsewhere. It carries so much ink you wouldn't believe it. Filling it is so simple, yet every time you do it, you sort of wonder if you can remember because it has been so long ago =) the capacity is massive.

 

Here are some pictures of mine. In case you can't read the text, mine is tailor made with a vintage 14k flex nib, a sterling silver clip. It works every time I pick it up, and I have been known to leave it a couple of weeks while I'm doing renovations or whatever and still it works straight away. Not only that, but to have a modern pen like this with such a capacity and safe (non-leaky) mechanism alongside a flexible vintage nib is just a dream come true.

 

In short: I love it. (and the rest are collecting dust)

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab338/mandarintje/IMG_0239.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab338/mandarintje/IMG_0238.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab338/mandarintje/IMG_0237.jpg

[hari317]

Superb Darren!

[ArchiMark]

After more than a year of enjoying this pen which has been with me to New York, the Swiss Alps, Italy, the Jersey Shore, it has survived a minor earthquake, a tropical storm, high altitude, cheap paper and even my heavy handedness.

 

It started off as a prototype and over the course of the last...18 months or so Francis?... it has been tweaked a couple of times. Nothing major, and not even through fault but through improved ideas. It is now THE most reliable pen that I depend on every day at home and elsewhere. It carries so much ink you wouldn't believe it. Filling it is so simple, yet every time you do it, you sort of wonder if you can remember because it has been so long ago =) the capacity is massive.

 

Here are some pictures of mine. In case you can't read the text, mine is tailor made with a vintage 14k flex nib, a sterling silver clip. It works every time I pick it up, and I have been known to leave it a couple of weeks while I'm doing renovations or whatever and still it works straight away. Not only that, but to have a modern pen like this with such a capacity and safe (non-leaky) mechanism alongside a flexible vintage nib is just a dream come true.

 

In short: I love it. (and the rest are collecting dust)

 

 

Gorgeous pen, writing, and pics....thanks for sharing!

 

Supposed to be getting one soon......I think....

[dcpritch]

Mine is filled with R&K Alt Goldgrun right now, but I think I like the look of that blue ink in yours, mandarintje. It sounds like you were in on this project at the very beginning. How fun it must have been to work with Francis all the way through!

[crazystan]

These are gorgeous pens, and again, I am absolutely jealous. I just hope that someday, I will be able to afford a bulk filler, demo or not.

 

Also, thank you all for the explicit level of detail provided, so that I may live vicariously through your posts!

[dmcdonald]

Another happy Fountainbel-Conid Bulk Filler owner here!

 

I received my Bulk Filler (number 32 of 60, steel nib ground to an M stub) yesterday. It was shipped from Antwerp on Monday and arrived here in Rome on Friday.

 

I'm still fairly new to fountain pens (I've been using a Faber-Castell E-Motion Wood fountain pen for a couple of years now, after moving up from a Tombow rollerball), so I'm not really qualified to add much to Olivier's excellent and thorough review. The Bulk Filler is certainly a big step up from the Faber-Castell (that pen has a serious posting problem, although I do like the wood barrel)! The huge reservoir will be great for travel, and the nib writes wet and very smoothly, just as I like it! After reading more threads on FPN, it seems I'm very much in the minority as a mathematician who doesn't lust after XXXXXXXF nibs, although I do often use a Lamy Accent pencil (which I've had for over a decade now) as well.

 

I can, however, add a photograph I took of the pen before filling it. I've not got much experience with product photography, but I'm happy with the way this one has come out.

 

Also, I should mention that fountainbel happens to be my great uncle!

 

[mongrelnomad]

After more than a year of enjoying this pen which has been with me to New York, the Swiss Alps, Italy, the Jersey Shore, it has survived a minor earthquake, a tropical storm, high altitude, cheap paper and even my heavy handedness.

 

It started off as a prototype and over the course of the last...18 months or so Francis?... it has been tweaked a couple of times. Nothing major, and not even through fault but through improved ideas. It is now THE most reliable pen that I depend on every day at home and elsewhere. It carries so much ink you wouldn't believe it. Filling it is so simple, yet every time you do it, you sort of wonder if you can remember because it has been so long ago =) the capacity is massive.

 

Here are some pictures of mine. In case you can't read the text, mine is tailor made with a vintage 14k flex nib, a sterling silver clip. It works every time I pick it up, and I have been known to leave it a couple of weeks while I'm doing renovations or whatever and still it works straight away. Not only that, but to have a modern pen like this with such a capacity and safe (non-leaky) mechanism alongside a flexible vintage nib is just a dream come true.

 

In short: I love it. (and the rest are collecting dust)

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab338/mandarintje/IMG_0239.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab338/mandarintje/IMG_0238.jpg

http://i877.photobucket.com/albums/ab338/mandarintje/IMG_0237.jpg

 

:puddle:

 

That 139 clip! The vintage nib!

 

(Is there any way of adding these modifications to the production BulkFiller?)

[ArchiMark]

Another happy Fountainbel-Conid Bulk Filler owner here!

 

I received my Bulk Filler (number 32 of 60, steel nib ground to an M stub) yesterday. It was shipped from Antwerp on Monday and arrived here in Rome on Friday.

 

I'm still fairly new to fountain pens (I've been using a Faber-Castell E-Motion Wood fountain pen for a couple of years now, after moving up from a Tombow rollerball), so I'm not really qualified to add much to Olivier's excellent and thorough review. The Bulk Filler is certainly a big step up from the Faber-Castell (that pen has a serious posting problem, although I do like the wood barrel)! The huge reservoir will be great for travel, and the nib writes wet and very smoothly, just as I like it! After reading more threads on FPN, it seems I'm very much in the minority as a mathematician who doesn't lust after XXXXXXXF nibs, although I do often use a Lamy Accent pencil (which I've had for over a decade now) as well.

 

I can, however, add a photograph I took of the pen before filling it. I've not got much experience with product photography, but I'm happy with the way this one has come out.

 

Also, I should mention that fountainbel happens to be my great uncle!

 

 

Classy photo of this handsome pen!....

 

And nice to have such an uncle too!

 

My number 34 pen is only about 15 miles away now according to USPS site....so close, yet so far.....hopefully, will arrive on Tuesday....can't wait....

 

[Marsilius]

A beautiful pen. And how do I know? I just had a very nice afternoon in Sint Niklaas with Francis in his shop behind his house. He picked me up at the train station, adjusted and ground a couple of nibs on my pens, and showed me the Conid Bulk Filler and a number of really nice prototypes. So, I ordered a Demonstrator, and look forward to having a great pen.

Perks included having nice coffee and cake, chatting with Francis and his wife, and seeing the chickens and a really nice garden.

I can only want than any visitor should not be surprised by having ordered a pen by the end of the day.

Thank you Francis!

Mars