Pilot Con-50 Converter In A Vanishing Point

[speedevil]

I've read a few posts that the CON-50 converter is a little too long to allow the "door" to close when the nib is retracted.

 

Would shortening the "knob" a little allow the CON-50 to fit properly in the vanishing point pens (both Pilot and the older Namiki version)?

 

I've just ordered a few CON-20 converters and a CON-50 converter, so I'm going to do some measuring and see if this is possible,

 

If the knob can be shortened and allow the door to close completely, then this seems like a good solution.

 

What have I overlooked? Any other suggestions?

 

Thanks in advance.

 

[Bluey]

I don't own any con-50s to test, but I'm led to believe that the con-50 fits the modern VP.

Whether the pen is retracted or not has no bearing on the size of the converter.

Edited February 25, 2017 by Bluey

[speedevil]

My understanding is that the CON-50 will fit, but it is just a little too long to allow the door in the cap to completely close - so the nib dries out.

 

If I can make the CON-50 the same length as the CON-40 by shortening the knob, that would be a simple fix.

 

There could be more to it than I'm aware of, so I asked.

[BillZ]

Have no personal knowledge of it BUT I have read that the Con-20 holds at least as much if not more ink than the Con-50. Drawback is that you cannot tell when the Con-20 is full.

[Bluey]

If you think about it it doesn't make any difference. All the clicker at the end of the pen is doing is pushing the (converter + nib section) part through the trap door.

 

I agree with BillZ. The con-20 holds a little more ink and I find it to be a better converter due to it's simplicity and slightly easier maintenance for flushing.

Edited February 25, 2017 by Bluey

[speedevil]

If you think about it it doesn't make any difference. All the clicker at the end of the pen is doing is pushing the (converter + nib section) part through the trap door.

 

Correct. But if the CON-50 converter is longer than a CON-20/40, then the nib unit cannot retract enough for the door to close. That's what I would like to address.

[Bluey]

I've added a cross section of the pen with the cartridge which I've copied form the internet somewhere and also attached a photo that I've just taken of the clicker end of the pen - the white part pushes the converter and nib section through the door.

 

If you say it's large enough to fit in with the pen retracted it should be the same for when it's not I guess.

Edited February 25, 2017 by Bluey

[graystranger]

The original poster is correct that a too-long converter will affect the pen functioning because he is talking about THE LENGTH of the converter, not how the opening fits the nib unit. It may fit the pen perfectly as a converter, but if it is a tiny bit too long the seal will not close fully when the clicker is retracted. Then the pen dries out quickly. That is why you have to use a metal cap over the cartridges, the metal cap sets the length of the nib unit correctly for the mechanism and more rigidly than a plastic cartridge.

 

My Vanishing Point pens all came with the Con-50 converter, but I never used them. I refill the cartridges with my bottled inks of choice using either an ink syringe or a pipette. I can see the ink level in the Pilot cartridges and they hold quite a bit more ink than a converter does. So, I cannot talk about new vs old pens and the Con-50 converters.

[Bluey]

The original poster is correct that a too-long converter will affect the pen functioning because he is talking about THE LENGTH of the converter, not how the opening fits the nib unit. It may fit the pen perfectly as a converter, but if it is a tiny bit too long the seal will not close fully when the clicker is retracted. Then the pen dries out quickly. That is why you have to use a metal cap over the cartridges, the metal cap sets the length of the nib unit correctly for the mechanism and more rigidly than a plastic cartridge.

 

My Vanishing Point pens all came with the Con-50 converter, but I never used them. I refill the cartridges with my bottled inks of choice using either an ink syringe or a pipette. I can see the ink level in the Pilot cartridges and they hold quite a bit more ink than a converter does. So, I cannot talk about new vs old pens and the Con-50 converters.

I know what he's talking about and it's not that.

I use the cartridge and I don't use the metal cap, but have had no problems. You can see what I use in the pic. Or if that's not clear, here's a better one. There was a metal cap supplied with it but I think I may have chucked it away.

I simply refill the cartridge via pipette.

Edited February 25, 2017 by Bluey

[MsRedpen]

If it's of any help - my Decimo arrived with CON 50, and all fits and works properly.

Nib retracts completely, no dry outs at all.

CON 50 does not hold much ink, you can't see how much is left without dissembling it, but the lenght is of no issue. Keep in mind my comment is based just on experience with the new Decimo.

 

European vendors sell VPs/Capless already supplied with 50, though CON 50 has been discontinued/replaced with CON40, if you want to buy the converter separately.

 

Happy writing!

Edited February 25, 2017 by MsRedpen

[Chrissy]

I have a VP that came with a CON-50 converter and cartridges. Those are all I've ever used with the pen, and the shutter closes as it should. I always use the metal case over my cartridges too, as that makes the cartridge exactly the right size and shape for the clicker to push the nib out.

[MYU]

Get yourself some cheap pipettes and cartridges. Just refill a cartridge using a pipette. Less messy than dipping the nib into an ink well. And you'll end up with more ink inside.

[Arkamas]

I recently got a VP and when I first tried inserting a CON-50 it didn't quite seem to fit, however I tried pressing a little bit harder to fit it completely in the nib unit and it is actually a perfect fit. The connection on a VP nib unit is a bit tighter than other pens I think, at least as my pen has shown, and the door closes completely. No worries. Just make sure to fit the converter snugly into the unit and everything will work as it should.

Edited February 28, 2017 by Arkamas

[Chrissy]

I recently got a VP and when I first tried inserting a CON-50 it didn't quite seem to fit, however I tried pressing a little bit harder to fit it completely in the nib unit and it is actually a perfect fit. The connection on a VP nib unit is a bit tighter than other pens I think, at least as my pen has shown, and the door closes completely. No worries. Just make sure to fit the converter snugly into the unit and everything will work as it should.

 

Yes, my converter was so tight I couldn't get it out. In fact it's still very tight when I try to push it back in after cleaning.

[Arkamas]

 

Yes, my converter was so tight I couldn't get it out. In fact it's still very tight when I try to push it back in after cleaning.

 

Yeah, it's a bit trickier to work with. I was worried I might damage mine at first.

[Ron Z]

The CON-50 is what was supplied with the metal Pilot VP and the Decimo from the start. It works fine, and is the right length. It does need to be seated properly though.

 

But the CON-50 will not work in the earlier faceted NAMIKI Vanishing Point that preceded the Pilot model. The reason is that there is a brass ring in the button end that catches the shoulder of the converter and pushes the nib assembly forward just that little bit so that the trap door does not close completely. The CON-20 is what was supplied and is what has been used until now. I understand that the new CON-40 will work because it is thinner and doesn't have the shoulder below the knob.

 

If the converter is a snug fit, try turning the body as you pull on it.

 

Get yourself some cheap pipettes and cartridges. Just refill a cartridge using a pipette. Less messy than dipping the nib into an ink well. And you'll end up with more ink inside.

 

I don't like cartridges. If you use one you should plan on more pen maintenance because the pen doesn't get flushed when refilled like it does when you use a converter.

[graystranger]

Ron, I never thought of the pen not getting flushed when you refill cartridges, but that makes sense.

 

I used Noodler's Black in my first (1999) Vanishing Point converter from 2009 until 2011 or 20012 without flushing the pen out at all. Never had any problems, though that is not a recommendation, it speaks well of a pen that can write daily for one to two years without flushing the nib out.

 

At that time I did not know pens needed to be flushed out from time to time. I probably got some paper fiber in the nib at one point and flushed the pen out (just ran tap water through the section, no bulb syringe back in those days).

[Bluey]

 

I don't like cartridges. If you use one you should plan on more pen maintenance because the pen doesn't get flushed when refilled like it does when you use a converter.

Or you could use one of those bulb syringes when you flush it out after changing inks or putting the pen away for a little while.