Conid Kingsize Bulkfiller with Montblanc 149 Calligraphy nib

[mywatchgr]

My favorite modern flex nib, on my favorite pen...my grail combo, after 3 years of waiting, I was able to finally put everything together... and today they got married 🥰

What do you think?

Pardon my calligraphy I am at an infant stage, but I am working on it...!

Ink: Pilot Iroshizuku ASA-GAO

Paper: Maruman A5 Spiral Notebook (Made in Japan) Not the ideal paper for the combo but it's inexpensive for everyday workout ☺️

@fpupulin@como

[zaddick]

Looks great. Congratulations on achieving a long term goal.

[fpupulin]

I am not an expert on Konid pens (actually I never saw one in flash and bones), but your combo looks very “natural”, I mean, it does not get the impression of a “hybrid” pen. As to the nib, on which I have experience to opine, I would simply say that you have a champion on that pen! Congratulations for the achievement.

[Karmachanic]

Cool.  Now you can put a #8 Bock Ti in the 149. 

[como]

@mywatchgr Congratulations on the handsome setup! If the 149 Calligraphy must undergo a transplant, the Conid Kingsize Demo does it justice no doubt!

[Norfolk]

Congratulation!

 

Nicely Done! 

[fountainbel]

Excellent combination , congratulations !

[mywatchgr]

After a couple of weeks of usage, I have two remarks.

1. You need an ink gas station with this setup, it consumes ink like a maniac!

2. Prior to caping, and especially for travelling, you need to empty the small reservoir into the main chamber, as the nib creeps ink into the cap and looks messy, not much but enough to make it look messy, I wonder if there is a way to fix this....any ideas?

 

Apart from that, it is just awesome and very versatile, from note-taking to long writing sessions to calligraphy which it excels !

[Karmachanic]

  On 6/10/2023 at 11:42 AM, mywatchgr said:

it is just awesome and very versatile, from note-taking to long writing sessions to calligraphy which it excels !

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I suggest this is the reason for your daily ink consumption and not the pen itself.

The valve on my Conid is open 2mm or so, except for travel, and I've not experienced your nib creep problems.  Might be related to your ink consumption problem?  Uncapping 50 times a day to have a delightful scribble?  If that's the case, I further suggest that you consider a second similarly configured Conid, if only for your peace of mind and enjoyment

[mywatchgr]

  On 6/10/2023 at 3:11 PM, Karmachanic said:

 

I suggest this is the reason for your daily ink consumption and not the pen itself.

The valve on my Conid is open 2mm or so, except for travel, and I've not experienced your nib creep problems.  Might be related to your ink consumption problem?  Uncapping 50 times a day to have a delightful scribble?  If that's the case, I further suggest that you consider a second similarly configured Conid, if only for your peace of mind and enjoyment

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Thank you for your comment and suggestions, is your comment based on the MB149 nib? Have you done the same mod?

My remark for the high ink consumption and the nib creep are based on to the MB149 Calligraphy nib with custom-made ebonite housing for the MB nib and feed, when I switch to the Conid Bock nib/feed/housing everything works flawlessly with the same everyday usage.

The high ink consumption is normal in flex nibs, although with the Conid body is a tad more than the MB149, for the nib creep at the moment I just transfer all the ink from small chamber to the main one.

I understand that the Conid Body is not manufactured for the MB149 nib, I am just playing around and sharing my journey.

[Karmachanic]

  On 6/10/2023 at 8:07 PM, mywatchgr said:

Have you done the same mod?

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I have not.  Ink consumption with a flex nib depends upon how one chooses to to use it.   Many examples of 149 Calligraphy flex can be seen here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/354196-the-meisterstück-149-calligraphy-appreciation-thread/#comments

 

[fountainbel]

Using a Montblanc 149 nib in the Kingsize, the radial pretension of the nib in the screw in housing  is lower which could trigger nib creep. Also check if the feed  is fully in contact with the nib and correct if necessary.

[Karmachanic]

  On 6/11/2023 at 8:13 AM, fountainbel said:

Using a Montblanc 149 nib in the Kingsize, the radial pretension of the nib in the screw in housing  is lower which could trigger nib creep

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Would this still hold if one used the appropriate  FNF housing and MB feed?

[fountainbel]

  On 6/11/2023 at 10:10 AM, Karmachanic said:

 

Would this still hold if one used the appropriate  FNF housing and MB feed?

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This will not work , the Kingsize feed being 8mm in diameter, and the MB149 feed only 7.3mm

[mywatchgr]

  On 6/11/2023 at 8:13 AM, fountainbel said:

Using a Montblanc 149 nib in the Kingsize, the radial pretension of the nib in the screw in housing  is lower which could trigger nib creep. Also check if the feed  is fully in contact with the nib and correct if necessary.

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Thank you Francis for your input, the amazing pen, and customer service!

 

On your MB149 nib suggestions, indeed I have checked several times the nib and feed have very good contact.

I am using the https://flexiblenib.com/store/product/bm149e-housing-for-montblanc-149-modern/ with the MB149 nib and feed, as I cannot find/source any other alternatives, any other suggestions ???

The nib creep is not much, but it's there, I might try some silicone grease on the threads of the nib housing, but I don't think the issue is there.

[fountainbel]

  On 6/11/2023 at 3:27 PM, mywatchgr said:

 

Thank you Francis for your input, the amazing pen, and customer service!

 

On your MB149 nib suggestions, indeed I have checked several times the nib and feed have very good contact.

I am using the https://flexiblenib.com/store/product/bm149e-housing-for-montblanc-149-modern/ with the MB149 nib and feed, as I cannot find/source any other alternatives, any other suggestions ???

The nib creep is not much, but it's there, I might try some silicone grease on the threads of the nib housing, but I don't think the issue is there.

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It looks there are axial  disassembly/ assembly slots at the front of the "flexible nib" replacement housing

The front collar on the housing normally axially seals in the small back-up chamber in the section. However these axial slots  eliminate sealing.Consequently ink will seep in between the housing and the section during filling. The ink remains there - continuously filled by ink creep from  the feed-  triggering ink creep coming  out of the section...

[Karmachanic]

  On 6/11/2023 at 2:06 PM, fountainbel said:

This will not work......

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Works for me.  This particular FNF housing has external Bock 380 threading, and fits an MB 149 14k nib and feed in a custom ebonite Ranga. 

 

There is another model made to accommodate the #8 nib

[fountainbel]

  On 6/11/2023 at 6:13 PM, Karmachanic said:

 

Works for me.  This particular FNF housing has external Bock 380 threading, and fits an MB 149 14k nib and feed in a custom ebonite Ranga. 

 

There is another model made to accommodate the #8 nib

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Yes, no problem in case you use special made diameter 7,4mm housing, but not with the original Bock size 8 housing...

However the axial slots in the housing still imply the risk of ink seeping in which may trigger nib creep......

[mywatchgr]

  On 6/11/2023 at 5:10 PM, fountainbel said:

It looks there are axial  disassembly/ assembly slots at the front of the "flexible nib" replacement housing

The front collar on the housing normally axially seals in the small back-up chamber in the section. However these axial slots  eliminate sealing.Consequently ink will seep in between the housing and the section during filling. The ink remains there - continuously filled by ink creep from  the feed-  triggering ink creep coming  out of the section...

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Thank you Francis, now this makes complete sense, any ideas on possible fix by a user?

What if I try and grease the outer part of the nib/feed housing with some thick silicone, i.e. 300k cst? (can try, I don't see any harm in it)

[fountainbel]

  On 6/13/2023 at 6:14 PM, mywatchgr said:

Thank you Francis, now this makes complete sense, any ideas on possible fix by a user?

What if I try and grease the outer part of the nib/feed housing with some thick silicone, i.e. 300k cst? (can try, I don't see any harm in it)

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 Filling the grooves with silicone may work...

You could alternatively install a 1.5 mm thick washer over the housing (having the internal diameter of the housing and the external diameter of the housing collar) 

and seal it with shellack.

However the best approach would be to contact FNP and  warn them on the drawback of the slots! 

At this occasion you could ask them to make you a housing without the slots .

My motto : Don't fight the consequences created by a problem, find & fight the root cause...