Are All Pilot Con-50 The Same?

[senzen]

I need a con-50 converter for my Pilot Penmanship, I'm seeing different prices on ebay, the cheapest being from China; anyone got these? It's not something I would usually worry about, but after three terrible converters for a Kaweco Sport, I might as well make sure... I know the con-50 has been replaced by the con-40, and I don't like squeeze converters like the con-20.

[zaddick]

At some point a few years ago, Pilot added a little metal bit to the con 50 to help keep ink from adhering to the converter walls.

 

IF you are asking if a convert of low cost coming from China is the same as an original converter from Pilot, you already know the answer. If it is good enough, you can decide or others may be able to share their experiences. I have none with knockoff converters.

[max dog]

Make sure you get one with an agitator. The early Con 50s that came without an agitator tended to have issues with airpockets impeding ink flow and were horrible. The agitator is noisy. The new Con 40 addresses the noise concern by using several small metal beads instead.

[senzen]

Make sure you get one with an agitator. The early Con 50s that came without an agitator tended to have issues with airpockets impeding ink flow and were horrible. The agitator is noisy. The new Con 40 addresses the noise concern by using several small metal beads instead.

 

Thanks, I had one but gave it away.

[senzen]

 

IF you are asking if a convert of low cost coming from China is the same as an original converter from Pilot, you already know the answer.

 

Not really? On one hand, it's not the most popular item in the world, I mean it's a subsegment (converters) of a subsegment (pilot users) of a tiny segment (fountain pen users); on the other hand, it shouldn't be too hard to copy. I guess I'll just go for a "made in japan"for x3 the price.

[akrohn2010]

A converter is a fairly simple device -- I'd imagine an "imitation" CON-50 will work just fine for your purposes. If not, order the real thing after trying a cheaper one and you're only out a few bucks and will know the answer for sure!

 

For instance, the cheap converter that came with my Jinhao does its job just as well as the CON-50 and CON-70 I imported from Japan. They all hold ink, they all deliver it to the nib reliably. As long as they don't come loose, leak, or make too much noise (I have one of the earlier CON-50s that rattles), they are all equal in my eyes.

 

Just my 2 cents...

~AK

[Bluey]

I don't think there is any difference between the ones sold from Japan and the ones from China except the price. Go for the cheapest as your life support is not going to depend upon it and they're inexpensive. I've bought a con-20 converter from China or HK before and was fine.

 

I would suppose the Kewaco converters were "made in Germany".

Edited August 23, 2017 by Bluey

[senzen]

A converter is a fairly simple device -- I'd imagine an "imitation" CON-50 will work just fine for your purposes. If not, order the real thing after trying a cheaper one and you're only out a few bucks and will know the answer for sure!

 

For instance, the cheap converter that came with my Jinhao does its job just as well as the CON-50 and CON-70 I imported from Japan. They all hold ink, they all deliver it to the nib reliably. As long as they don't come loose, leak, or make too much noise (I have one of the earlier CON-50s that rattles), they are all equal in my eyes.

 

Just my 2 cents...

~AK

 

One would think... My Man 100's converter eventually failed, the newer ones don't fit, the official Kaweco converter leaks, one of my Platinum seemed to require a wrench to turn... These con-50 are going for $7.50 from known sources, not the end of the world, but no longer chump change.

[senzen]

I don't think there is any difference between the ones sold from Japan and the ones from China except the price. Go for the cheapest as your life support is not going to depend upon it and they're inexpensive. I've bought a con-20 converter from China or HK before and was fine.

 

Makes sense.

[JunkyardSam]

Hey pseudo88 -- if your Platinum converter "requires a wrench to turn" it almost certainly needs to be lubed. Disassemble it -- lube the seal and the post with silicone grease and it may suddenly work much smoother. I had this issue with two of mine. I waited too long on one Platinum converter and it damaged the interior threads (I had to manually recarve part of it with a scalpel!)

 

A piston converter needs to be lubricated just as much as a piston pen. Every 2-3 years at least, or sooner depending on the types of inks you use. Basically if it doesn't turn smoothly it needs to be lubed. Some Platinum converters are hard to turn and need lubrication straight from the factory!!!

 

Regarding CON-50s --- I didn't know there were knockoff CON-50s but even the ones that come from Pilot can vary: some of them can be unscrewed to remove the metal bit inside and for lubrication... but I have a couple that are glued and can't be dismantled... Someone suggested that if I leave it in warm water for some time it will dissolve the glue. I haven't tried it.

 

But all CON-50s are the same size.

 

I failed to lube a CON-50 in time and the rubber bit became detached from the post. Sadly this is one with a glued top part so I can't get inside to fix it.

 

PS. The metal bit inside is helpful... but some inks need it more than others, for whatever reason.

Edited August 24, 2017 by JunkyardSam

[senzen]

Hey pseudo88 -- if your Platinum converter "requires a wrench to turn" it almost certainly needs to be lubed. Disassemble it -- lube the seal and the post with silicone grease and it may suddenly work much smoother. I had this issue with two of mine. I waited too long on one Platinum converter and it damaged the interior threads (I had to manually recarve part of it with a scalpel!)

 

A piston converter needs to be lubricated just as much as a piston pen. Every 2-3 years at least, or sooner depending on the types of inks you use. Basically if it doesn't turn smoothly it needs to be lubed. Some Platinum converters are hard to turn and need lubrication straight from the factory!!!

 

Regarding CON-50s --- I didn't know there were knockoff CON-50s but even the ones that come from Pilot can vary: some of them can be unscrewed to remove the metal bit inside and for lubrication... but I have a couple that are glued and can't be dismantled... Someone suggested that if I leave it in warm water for some time it will dissolve the glue. I haven't tried it.

 

But all CON-50s are the same size.

 

I failed to lube a CON-50 in time and the rubber bit became detached from the post. Sadly this is one with a glued top part so I can't get inside to fix it.

 

PS. The metal bit inside is helpful... but some inks need it more than others, for whatever reason.

 

Thanks, good advice! The platinum converter started behaving more normally after the last cleaning, but I'll try to get some silicone grease and tune up my converters.