Conid Bulkfiller Regular: Three-Year Review

[darazs]

Not much to add to this great review.

 

My own experience with CONID is wonderfully manufactured pens (i own aregular and a minimalistica), with some flexibility on the nib choice. I have one of those titanium nib (F), which is fun, a normal F steel and three steel (F, M, each reground to a stub. The M stub is my current favorite and makes the regular a pleasure to use with its "normal" fill of Yama Dori.

[a student]

A rather thoughtful and a most helpful review. Entropydave, many thanks for your effort

[entropydave]

You are the first review I've read to mention anything even remotely negative about it, but even you admit the negatives are petty in the grand scheme of things.

 

 

This is one reason I like long-term reviews. You don't really know a pen until you've used it a lot (unless of course it is problematic from the first). Perhaps if one changes pens often then it matters less, but it was notable to me the way this pen became the one pen I wanted inked at all times--in addition to those others that make guest appearances.

 

David.

[Pen Nut]

Pavoni states : However, once I had appreciated being able to swap the Bock nib for one of my vintage flexible ones, my frustrations soon eased and I started to use my regular Bulkfiller as more of a specialist tool befitting the fabulous vintage nib it now carries.

 

Can I take it that nib changing is an easy task and how would you gauge if a replacement nib would fit as it should ?

 

Great long term review by the way Do admire this pen for its workings and quality construction but it has just not 'got me' as yet.....this may change of course

[zaddick]

 

Can I take it that nib changing is an easy task and how would you gauge if a replacement nib would fit as it should ?

 

 

Nib width at the base seems most critical, followed by overall length. Some folks have also modified their feeds for better flow. There is a whole thread on vintage nibs in Conids.

 

I have also heard from Francis in the past you can send him a nib and he will set it up for you of it fits.

[Pen Nut]

Thanks for the info. Still dithering a bit on the whole Conid Bulk Filler thing....

[trhall]

Such a great review. The pros and cons are all mentioned here.

[Mags]

Thanks for the review. I did pay for one but it literally is likely still on someone's to do list to make it. I am waiting another week and going after a refund from pay pal. I get a month in transit not an email saying it takes time to build one.

[mongrelnomad]

Thanks for the review. I did pay for one but it literally is likely still on someone's to do list to make it. I am waiting another week and going after a refund from pay pal. I get a month in transit not an email saying it takes time to build one.

 

 

Wait. It'll be worth it (as someone who has six Bulkfillers)...

[Reevers]

Thanks for the review. I did pay for one but it literally is likely still on someone's to do list to make it. I am waiting another week and going after a refund from pay pal. I get a month in transit not an email saying it takes time to build one.

On your proforma invoice you will see a "Forecast shipping date".

[Cryptos]

I think small independent makers would do well to limit sales to one per customer. This would allow more people to experience those pens.

[entropydave]

Thanks for the review. I did pay for one but it literally is likely still on someone's to do list to make it. I am waiting another week and going after a refund from pay pal. I get a month in transit not an email saying it takes time to build one.

 

 

Timeliness is definitely not a hallmark of the company, but they are totally straight and upright. If they say they'll make it and take payment, you can be sure you'll get it. As you've discovered it might be a few weeks or longer… I guess it is a consequence of being a small operation, making a lot of stuff in small quantities using specialised machinery, and bottlenecks in their supply of nibs.

 

I hope you hang in there, because, as I tried to express in my review, it is a superior pen.

[mulrich]

 

 

Timeliness is definitely not a hallmark of the company, but they are totally straight and upright. If they say they'll make it and take payment, you can be sure you'll get it. As you've discovered it might be a few weeks or longer… I guess it is a consequence of being a small operation, making a lot of stuff in small quantities using specialised machinery, and bottlenecks in their supply of nibs.

 

I hope you hang in there, because, as I tried to express in my review, it is a superior pen.

 

I'd also add that I'd rather they take their time and make the pen correctly than rush and make mistakes. As long as they're upfront I can be patient with long wait times and delays.

[TennesseeTrash]

As far as I understand, they make these pens to order. I asked myself "what will have changed in a month that I wouldn't want the pen anymore?" If I couldn't see myself still wanting the pen after the wait then I wouldn't buy it in the first place.

[Mags]

The pen is shipping today.

[bob-cratchit]

A fine review, no flowery BS straight to the point and an honest view of what is to be expected, I saw the Regular Bulkfiller about 1 year ago, but discounted it on cost, being a fountain pen user I think more than a collector also, I simply do not use anything other than a fountain pen to write with, however 4 weeks ago I finally pulled the trigger on what I am expecting to be the finest pen that I have ever owned, but that is still to be verified, 2 more weeks of waiting and I will know.

Bob

[mikemargolis]

Can you fill these with a syringe?

 

I'm thinking of small ink sample vials... Even with an inkwell, I don't know if you could use an entire sample...

This is the only way I fill my two Conids. Especially the Kingsize with the large #8 nib, there's never enough ink in the bottle to fill it properly. So, I unscrew the entire front section with the nib and feed, and fill with a syringe, and replace the front section. As long as you have some way to keep the pen vertical, that is the best way (imho) to fill a Conid. I have a small block of wood with the proper size hole drilled in it, and put the pen in there.

[mulrich]

This is the only way I fill my two Conids. Especially the Kingsize with the large #8 nib, there's never enough ink in the bottle to fill it properly. So, I unscrew the entire front section with the nib and feed, and fill with a syringe, and replace the front section. As long as you have some way to keep the pen vertical, that is the best way (imho) to fill a Conid. I have a small block of wood with the proper size hole drilled in it, and put the pen in there.

Or you can just buy new bottles of ink

 

You could also try a Visconti traveling ink well; they arent super cheap but are useful in a lot of situations (none of which have involved traveling for me).

[Lloyd]

I bought a Visconti traveling ink well off of ebay for ~$40 to fill my Minimalistica. I highly recommend it for CONIDs (and any other large nibbed pens that need to submerge their full proboscis in the ink).

 

Even if you spend more for a Visconti traveling ink well, you can still resell it here without losing too much money if you don't like it.

[ajoe]

Thanks for the very thorough long term review.