On The Brink Of A Conid, A Little Sadly

[tubular]

I agree that this combination is utterly winning. But photos make it seem as if this pen looks best empty. I had a moment last night during which I flashed on a half-used clear-bodied Bic ballpoint, which uses the same aesthetic transparency, and then thought about the way certain shops make their wares look particularly fine by placing them in glowing solitude upon an empty shelf, to the confusion of the customer, who buys the object in mistake for the shining spareness of its temporary presentation.

 

 

 

For the Kingsize the titanium clip and knob will just have to go with a fully transparent pen, IMO.

Edited April 9, 2019 by tubular

[mulrich]

 

 

Thank you so much, Mulrich. I don't switch nibs and I don't mind cap turning many times. For me it's important that the barrel is transparent so I can see the action (that's the highlight of this pen :-) I like the black cap on Minimalistica. For the Kingsize the titanium clip and knob will just have to go with a fully transparent pen, IMO. It would be very kind of you if you don't mind posting some photos for size/girth comparison with some commonly known pens. I don't seem to find any size measurement on Conid's site. It's probably just me but I don't manage to find.

 

If you give me a few pens you like to use I'll post comparisons of the Conids with those I have in my collection.

[como]

 

If you give me a few pens you like to use I'll post comparisons of the Conids with those I have in my collection.

 

MB 146/149, Omas Ogiva/Paragon old or new style, Visconti Homo Sapiens Maxi/Midi, Lamy anything (I am not a Lamy fan but I know the size is a good common comparison). You choose. Thanks so much!

[tubular]

If you tend to cap and uncap your pen often while writing (i.e., lots of short notes) the slip cap will probably be a little more functional.

 

My only real issue with the Minimalistica is the lack of ink window.

 

I think about both these issues too. I don't like leaving a pen uncapped for longer than two seconds, and I don't like that moment when I press harder on a nib before realizing the ink is gone.

[tubular]

 

I have been unseeing it for 5 months

 

I like this sentence, too, peroride.

[como]

I agree that this combination is utterly winning. But photos make it seem as if this pen looks best empty. I had a moment last night during which I flashed on a half-used clear-bodied Bic ballpoint, which uses the same aesthetic transparency, and then thought about the way certain shops make their wares look particularly fine by placing them in glowing solitude upon an empty shelf, to the confusion of the customer, who buys the object in mistake for the shining spareness of its temporary presentation.

 

I know what you mean. But I trust that Conid will not look like a cheap plastic pen. I intend to disassemble and clean the hell out of it when I finally have it. I treat my pens as if they were expensive watches. They are tools but also objects of beauty. Conid will especially be scrutinised for that, as people buy them and expect them to be perfectly made.

[tubular]

I know what you mean. But I trust that Conid will not look like a cheap plastic pen. I intend to disassemble and clean the hell out of it when I finally have it. I treat my pens as if they were expensive watches. They are tools but also objects of beauty. Conid will especially be scrutinised for that, as people buy them and expect them to be perfectly made.

 

No, it will never look like a Bic. And I wouldn't use it to fish a stray raisin from behind a radiator--wouldn't use any of my pens that way. But I would use the pen for writing, sometimes on a very messy writing table; between cleanings it would be inked. And ink can be blotchy stuff, something I don't normally think about but which the arrival of a little ink sample the other day reminded me of.

 

Would it be too beautiful to use?

[como]

 

No, it will never look like a Bic. And I wouldn't use it to fish a stray raisin from behind a radiator--wouldn't use any of my pens that way. But I would use the pen for writing, sometimes on a very messy writing table; between cleanings it would be inked. And ink can be blotchy stuff, something I don't normally think about but which the arrival of a little ink sample the other day reminded me of.

 

Would it be too beautiful to use?

 

I absolutely intend to use it. It's the efficiency of the design that initially drew me to wanting this pen, so it will be used. Otherwise I will just buy a painting

[mauckcg]

How much does it take to damage one of the #8 titaniums? (Other than by dropping them, I mean.)

 

 

 

If you push too hard you will spring the nib. Titanium nibs can't be pushed as far as a gold nib.

[Karmachanic]

If you push too hard you will spring the nib. Titanium nibs can't be pushed as far as a gold nib.

 

Neither are designed to be pushed. A ti nib is NOT a flex nib.

[mauckcg]

 

Neither are designed to be pushed. A ti nib is NOT a flex nib.

Yes. But they are soft. Soft nibs people tend to assume they can push a bit more which you really can't do with titanium.

[Karmachanic]

Yes. But they are soft. Soft nibs Ignorant people tend to assume they can push a bit more which you really can't do with titanium.

 

Fixed it!

[OmegaMountain]

The last couple of posts being said, you can get some nice line variation out of Ti and I think anyone with a decent hand can tell how far they can be pushed. I think they have more of the paint brush quality you would feel with an elastic nib...

[Karmachanic]

The last couple of posts being said, you can get some nice line variation out of Ti and I think anyone with a decent hand can tell how far they can be pushed. I think they have more of the paint brush quality you would feel with an elastic nib...

 

Well put!

I do however, have a problem with the idea of 'pushing'. To me that connotes forcing the pen beyond its natural self defined limit. Do that and disaster ensues. So, for me, best not to push. So perhaps, gently learning "how far the nib can go." As in restraint, caution. Letting the nib tell one when to stop. Which comes from gaining familiarity with said nib.

 

Semantics perhaps?

[como]

I finally saw the measurements on their site, such small font size! So the Kingsize is like Omas Ogiva but girthier, and Minimalistica is quite a bit shorter, a bit like Montegrappa Extra 1930 but a little slimmer. I like the Kingsize better, oh so expensive! It's going to surpass Montblanc 149 and many high end pens' prices.

[mulrich]

 

MB 146/149, Omas Ogiva/Paragon old or new style, Visconti Homo Sapiens Maxi/Midi, Lamy anything (I am not a Lamy fan but I know the size is a good common comparison). You choose. Thanks so much!

 

I did my best to line the pens up along the bottom edge in both pictures so you can compare lengths.

 

The Minimalistica is probably closest to the Homo Sapiens or Pelikan M800 and the Kingsize to the Omas Paragon.

 

Let me know if you want any other comparisons and I'll see what I can do.

 

From left to right:

Visconti Homo Sapiens Maxi; Montblanc 149; Montblanc 146; Conid Minimalistica; Conid Kingsize; Omas Milord; Omas Paragon (new style, aka Grand Paragon); Lamy 2000

 

Uncapped:

 

Minimalistica and Pelikan M800:

 

Comparing nibs (same order as above but with an M800 added in):

[mulrich]

I'll also add, even though the basic design of the Minimalistica and Lamy 2000 are similar they are different enough to easily tell apart. Unless you're not paying attention when recapping, in which case the caps are indistinguishable until you put the Conid cap on the Lamy.

[como]

Mulrich: Thank you so much!! This is EXPLOSIVE!!!!

 

Really great comparison. Looks like Minimalistica is very similar in size to MB 146, and Kingsize similar to new Paragon (but probably more comfortable). I can write both MB 146 and new Paragon pretty comfortably, so that's great news. I think either I go for Minimalistica with black cap and clear barrel, or Kingsize cigar-shaped Streamline Demo. Have to look around to see what other pens I am willing to let go :-) to reach the King!

 

 

I did my best to line the pens up along the bottom edge in both pictures so you can compare lengths.

 

The Minimalistica is probably closest to the Homo Sapiens or Pelikan M800 and the Kingsize to the Omas Paragon.

 

Let me know if you want any other comparisons and I'll see what I can do.

 

From left to right:

Visconti Homo Sapiens Maxi; Montblanc 149; Montblanc 146; Conid Minimalistica; Conid Kingsize; Omas Milord; Omas Paragon (new style, aka Grand Paragon); Lamy 2000

[tubular]

Thank you for these photos, Mulrich; they are really great.

 

Somehow I hadn't realized how big the Minimalistica is--the name misled me.

[Karmachanic]

Thank you for these photos, Mulrich; they are really great.

 

Somehow I hadn't realized how big the Minimalistica is--the name misled me.

 

Design, not size.