If I remember correctly, the needle at the back of the feed is a relatively recent addition to their pens and it's coated in teflon. Its function is to break up air bubbles that come out of the feed as a function of the air-ink interchange and those bubbles can get stuck in the antechamber between the feed and the barrel, cutting off ink flow. The Opus 88s can also have this problem when the barrel is nearly empty and the ink will fall out of the antechamber into the barrel when you put the pen down on its side, then when you go to write again, the ink will not want to go into the antechamber and just sit in the barrel until you give it a couple firm taps on the side. It really seems to depend on the surface tension of the specific ink you're using. Completely agree about POM/Delrin, it's my favourite plastic as well, mostly for the the tactile sensation. It somehow manages to simultaneously have a really soft, silky, smooth feeling to it and not be slippery whatsoever. I had key caps made for my keyboard out of POM twenty years ago and they're still as good as new. Skin oils from your grubby mitts come off really easily as well, which is a big bonus for objects you are constantly touching like keyboards and pens. I knew you were going to notice that little ramp in the filling mechanism to unstick the piston from the barrel walls! Shows that they tested the mechanism properly and tried to make it as robust as possible for use in the "real world".
Thanks for the info on the needle end on the feed. Air/ink exchange was the only thing I could think off but I've never really had any issues like you described with other pens so wasn't sure. Delrin is just awesome. I had to make a fixture for a customer for their on-site tech to check laser power. All the knobs were Delrin and felt so damn good! When I showed him how to use he loved it. Had the perfect spring load on this swing arm so it could move but also stay in place and everything had self retaining fasteners so no tools needed. Taking the time to get things designed just perfectly is so rewarding when you see the customer love it and it works perfectly every damn time for countless years.
@@Doodlebud Yeah I'll be honest, I've never had air get stuck in my Conid, but it must have been a thing or they wouldn't bother to add a whole new part to the pen. I have experienced it with other pens that have shut-offs though, like vacuum fillers and Japanese style eyedroppers, so I can at least confirm that it is a real thing even if I haven't seen it on this particular pen. It's not a problem with 95% of inks, so most people would never even notice. Couldn't agree more about Delrin, fantastic dimensional stability and as soon as you touch it, it's one of those little things that brighten your day in the shop.
I suspect the purpose of the longer than usual narrowed section above the feed is to give more writing time without unscrewing the seal, and allowing to see how much reserve remains before needing to open the seal. If that is the case, then the spike is indeed to break the surface tension/allow ink to move better.
I’m really glad to see this video. Always have been curious about the “bulk-filler” tech, but have never seen it demonstrated before. I wouldn’t be a fan of it as it’s too fiddling for my taste. Also, I don’t need a pen that holds that much ink LOL. BTW, a visit to Antwerp is well worth it. It’s a fascinating smaller European city, mostly known for its historic diamond market I think.
Great look at your friend's pen. Too much effort to get ink into a pen for me. Enjoy your writing sample soundtrack, sounds a bit like Endless Summer, the surfing doc film from the 60s. Thanks, DB!
In the manual from Conid they say after disengage from the piston when inked, you should pull the rod down with nib above the ink bottle - it is supposed to push out few drops.
Most of us will never get to experience the Conid Bulkfiller. What is the waiting list now, something 143 years? Good luck! It's best just to forget Conid pens; you'll not live long enough to ever hold one.
They get released in batches, just keep an eye on their instagram to see which model is getting a new batch. They do sell out quickly though! Other than that they do occasionally show up on the second hand market but those prices are pretty insane if you ask me. I managed to get an older Bulkfiller Regular in full delrin (no demo) with a titanium nib for €380 at the Dutch Pen Show two months ago, but I must admit that this was an insanely good deal
I never understand why pen manufacturers don’t copy Pilot’s 78g+ caping mechanism: works wonderfully + cheap as chips; thanks for your engineering insight: it’s interesting:)
Hi DB! Thanks for showing this pen with the amazing filling mech! VERY interesting! The whole cap thing seems a bit puzzling to me. GREAT engineering on the filler, but they kind of fell down on the cap. Seems like the o-ring is just there to retain the cap. A bit strange to me. Anyway, thanks for sharing!
Interesting pen. Nice thorough review. Hard to find though. Why do I feel that this is over-engineered? That capping scenario you expounded upon seems just finicky enough to be troublesome in a casual setting. In other words, I'm sure that I would spill ink or dry the nib out on occasion.
The Minimalistica is Conid's worst model by far. If you really like the filling system but hate the o-ring capping system, I highly recommend trying to get your hands on the Regular or Kingsize models (they have normal twist caps).
DB: Thank you for your Engineer's perspective! With such a complex filling mechanism, do you feel that it makes this a better pen? It seems a tad *overkill* 😮
I don't see it as overkill. Its different, works very well, and I like how easy it makes cleaning. Its a few extra turns and takes a few time to get used to, but it works like a charm
Thanks for your usual detailed review of an interesting pen. I was intrigued by this a few years ago (filling system) but the price caused me to pause and wonder if I'd like the system. I bought a Pen BBS 355 (I think that's right) with the same approach -- and discovered that, while interesting, it's way too fiddly for my liking! I'm sure the Conid system is smoother with higher end materials but it's still fiddly!
Love these reviews from an engineer's point of view. Do you have any idea if it is a pen that was produced before or after the restart/pandemic? The clip design on my Conid Kingsize is nicely rounded off -- a bit peculiar that they chose a different design on this one. The inventor of the filling mechanism (Fountainbel) is a lovely person -- he was so kind to restore a couple of vintage pens for me, and fix a Visconti nib that didn't work out of the box. He occasionally posts his one-off pens he made on his lathe in the Dutch fountain pen group on Facebook. Pretty amazing stuff.
I not sure when this one was made but looking on the Conid site all the other clips have a nice profile along the counter to round things off. Maybe the blocky edges go with the look but damn they are crisp edges.
It took me a long time to get a Conid, and I also grabbed the same model. There seem to have been some QC issues with the new ones though where they leak out the bottom against the rod. I have the same exact complaints as you for what many seem to consider as the Pinnacle of engineered pens. Also, I think Leonardo black is darker haha
There is a Model from PenBBS that works similar. It is the PenBBs 355. But the Conid seems to be mutch more thought through with its piston loching that helps when screwing the piston rod in and out. That can be alittle fragile with the PenBBS.
I'm sometimes not so sure about 'unique filling systems' that means *proprietary* and hard to find parts for it when it breaks. or you need special adapters etc. Just like proprietary connectors on computers. *it sucks.* Remember PS/2 connectors & ports ?
Asvine V200 is a clone. I bought the pen without knowing it's a clone. So... Kudos to Conid for designing a good looking pen. Those design elements, albiet copied by a clone, is why I bought the pen. However, unless I win the Lottery, I cannot afford pens at Conid's prices. The V200 also has the o-ring capping system (only thing I don't like) and the friction upon un-posting often dislodges the very thin o-ring. Fixed with superglue.
With the Penbbs 355, the challenge comes; if you do a super fill; when you disengage the piston rod, and reseat it, some ink is ejected from the nib. First time I filled the 355, I was like, " oh no, what have I done wrong?"
You ought to check out the PenBBS 355. Lots of different beautiful acrylics, all turned on lathes, with the same system, but here’s the kicker - it uses a variation that I consider to be better in terms of the engineering. You can swap in plenty of different #6 nibs, but their nibs are good. Quite a treat, and worth checking out for around $45 USD.
Hey, DB how long is it on loan to you? I’d happily lend my Kakari for a comparison vid. There have been just one or two vids comparing, but they still need the DB detailed eye on it to give in depth comparison.
The bigger problem with the capping is that when you uncap, you can very easily put a thumb or finger over the breathing hole while gripping the lid. This creates a vacuum and draws out a lot of ink. Then ink goes missing all the time and you wonder where it went.
Could be an interesting pen if they iron out the bugs. Suicide splat method,living dangerously getting a full fill with pens like the Pilot 830 is a lot of fun.
That's a beautifully designed pen! For the filling mechanism, isn't it almost the same with Kyuseido Kakari FS Titanium? I really like the idea - I love piston fillers, but the only issue is that the filling mechanism takes so much space in the back, like in Pilot CH92 it takes nearly half the pen.
I owned one of the first editions of this pen about 7 years ago. For a pen and company that prides itself on ultra tight tolerances and superlative engineering, the slip cap mechanism always stood out to me as janky and the complete opposite of those values. The other thing I disliked about the pen is how sterile it feels and looks. The pen lacks personality to me. I sold it soon after.
I am sorry to say that I just don't see the appeal for the price they are asking for this pen. I have both a TWSBI Eco and an Asvine V200 and love the simplicity of both designs, each at a price point less than $50.00 USD that write beautifully and are readily available with many different nib options. This pen is over-engineered and the Gravitas version looks better. Not to mention the lack of availability ( most likely the appeal for the collectors). Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the design, engineering and production and the fact that it is a small company that normally makes aerospace parts that also makes pens on occasion but I think I will be buying pens from companies that make pens full time.
The only issue with bulkfillers is that a bit of ink can some out of the pen as you insert the rod. Other than that it's great, though I still prefer disassemblable piston fillers.
before you talked about how the person who lent you the pen wanted to try chou kuro, i was about vow never to lend you a pen 😂 that stuff is so much harder to clean out of a pen than any other ink!
@@Doodlebud i tried it first with a glass pen and it just stuck in all the crevices and didn't want to come out, so now i only use it with a dip pen and it never wants to come off those nibs either. i was planning on dedicating a pen to it, but i just don't care enough about the color to risk it when there are so many other blacks that don't cause problems for me. i wonder if there's something wrong with the batch my bottle came from.
@@Danny.._ It's probably because you have very hard water with lots of minerals in it in your area, which Platinum explicitly warns against using in the little pamphlet that comes with every bottle of Chou Kuro. Try some distilled water instead, which you should be able to find at any pharmacy/drug store.
15:03 "Super easy for cleaning" I wouldn't call that "cleaning" because even when I'm using a bulb filler after 15 minutes of pushing copious amounts of water through the feed the water never comes out clear, if you're changing between chemically incompatible inks then disassembling the feed and piston to wash out the pen is the only option. Just for casually switching between inks without fussing about mixing colors then yes this system looks like a big improvement over standard piston fillers. It's super ironic that Nathan Tardiff got so close to making the perfect filling mechanism with his oversize .308 converters, but in making the plunger hollow he also made the piston impossible to clean. Sometimes innovation can be taken too far.
This pen looks like a real pain in the ass. All that stuff going on is just waiting for something to go wrong. I don’t want a pen that I have to worry if I don’t cap it just so it’s gonna dry up. It seems like it’s the antithesis of a lamy 2000. This is one I think I’ll take a pass on.
never heard of a clip that functions as a paper cutter before, they truly are innovative.
😂
Great multi-tool
I mean, right?
It's a "feature"
This pen is from my hometown: Antwerp, Belgium! The price puts this out of reach for me, but I’m proud to have such a cool pen made right at home
Cool filling system…but with that high price tag and scarcity, I’m happy with my penbbs with a similar filling system and my kyuseido Kakari.
If I remember correctly, the needle at the back of the feed is a relatively recent addition to their pens and it's coated in teflon. Its function is to break up air bubbles that come out of the feed as a function of the air-ink interchange and those bubbles can get stuck in the antechamber between the feed and the barrel, cutting off ink flow. The Opus 88s can also have this problem when the barrel is nearly empty and the ink will fall out of the antechamber into the barrel when you put the pen down on its side, then when you go to write again, the ink will not want to go into the antechamber and just sit in the barrel until you give it a couple firm taps on the side. It really seems to depend on the surface tension of the specific ink you're using.
Completely agree about POM/Delrin, it's my favourite plastic as well, mostly for the the tactile sensation. It somehow manages to simultaneously have a really soft, silky, smooth feeling to it and not be slippery whatsoever. I had key caps made for my keyboard out of POM twenty years ago and they're still as good as new. Skin oils from your grubby mitts come off really easily as well, which is a big bonus for objects you are constantly touching like keyboards and pens.
I knew you were going to notice that little ramp in the filling mechanism to unstick the piston from the barrel walls! Shows that they tested the mechanism properly and tried to make it as robust as possible for use in the "real world".
Thanks for the info on the needle end on the feed. Air/ink exchange was the only thing I could think off but I've never really had any issues like you described with other pens so wasn't sure. Delrin is just awesome. I had to make a fixture for a customer for their on-site tech to check laser power. All the knobs were Delrin and felt so damn good! When I showed him how to use he loved it. Had the perfect spring load on this swing arm so it could move but also stay in place and everything had self retaining fasteners so no tools needed. Taking the time to get things designed just perfectly is so rewarding when you see the customer love it and it works perfectly every damn time for countless years.
@@Doodlebud Yeah I'll be honest, I've never had air get stuck in my Conid, but it must have been a thing or they wouldn't bother to add a whole new part to the pen. I have experienced it with other pens that have shut-offs though, like vacuum fillers and Japanese style eyedroppers, so I can at least confirm that it is a real thing even if I haven't seen it on this particular pen. It's not a problem with 95% of inks, so most people would never even notice.
Couldn't agree more about Delrin, fantastic dimensional stability and as soon as you touch it, it's one of those little things that brighten your day in the shop.
I suspect the purpose of the longer than usual narrowed section above the feed is to give more writing time without unscrewing the seal, and allowing to see how much reserve remains before needing to open the seal. If that is the case, then the spike is indeed to break the surface tension/allow ink to move better.
I’m really glad to see this video. Always have been curious about the “bulk-filler” tech, but have never seen it demonstrated before. I wouldn’t be a fan of it as it’s too fiddling for my taste. Also, I don’t need a pen that holds that much ink LOL. BTW, a visit to Antwerp is well worth it. It’s a fascinating smaller European city, mostly known for its historic diamond market I think.
That’s a pricey bottle of ink. You’re very generous! New to your channel (and the hobby) but already a big fan 🎉
I was sent the bottle of ink to try out so passing on the good karma
Great look at your friend's pen. Too much effort to get ink into a pen for me. Enjoy your writing sample soundtrack, sounds a bit like
Endless Summer, the surfing doc film from the 60s. Thanks, DB!
I always enjoy these pen reviews.
So do I :)
In the manual from Conid they say after disengage from the piston when inked, you should pull the rod down with nib above the ink bottle - it is supposed to push out few drops.
Yeah a drop or two can come out when its pushed back down. Everything gets messy when I try to show stuff on a video
My theory is that you get messy on videos just to increase viewability... 😀
Most of us will never get to experience the Conid Bulkfiller. What is the waiting list now, something 143 years? Good luck! It's best just to forget Conid pens; you'll not live long enough to ever hold one.
just get the gravitas one imo, or even the penbbs (that one has a different look though)
They get released in batches, just keep an eye on their instagram to see which model is getting a new batch. They do sell out quickly though! Other than that they do occasionally show up on the second hand market but those prices are pretty insane if you ask me. I managed to get an older Bulkfiller Regular in full delrin (no demo) with a titanium nib for €380 at the Dutch Pen Show two months ago, but I must admit that this was an insanely good deal
@@totallylegit2068 Gravitas one breaks, is top heavy, inconsistent, and a pos.
I never understand why pen manufacturers don’t copy Pilot’s 78g+ caping mechanism: works wonderfully + cheap as chips; thanks for your engineering insight: it’s interesting:)
Hi DB! Thanks for showing this pen with the amazing filling mech! VERY interesting! The whole cap thing seems a bit puzzling to me. GREAT engineering on the filler, but they kind of fell down on the cap. Seems like the o-ring is just there to retain the cap. A bit strange to me. Anyway, thanks for sharing!
Interesting pen. Nice thorough review. Hard to find though. Why do I feel that this is over-engineered? That capping scenario you expounded upon seems just finicky enough to be troublesome in a casual setting. In other words, I'm sure that I would spill ink or dry the nib out on occasion.
Yeah the capping seems a bit off. Surprised it wasn't tweaked a bit further
2:52 - built-in letter opener … 😮
Could be a feature
I would love to get this pen, its just the cost is the only con for me. Overall solid vid and wish you a good day.
The Minimalistica is Conid's worst model by far. If you really like the filling system but hate the o-ring capping system, I highly recommend trying to get your hands on the Regular or Kingsize models (they have normal twist caps).
How's the Slimline?
DB: Thank you for your Engineer's perspective! With such a complex filling mechanism, do you feel that it makes this a better pen? It seems a tad *overkill* 😮
I don't see it as overkill. Its different, works very well, and I like how easy it makes cleaning. Its a few extra turns and takes a few time to get used to, but it works like a charm
Thanks for your usual detailed review of an interesting pen. I was intrigued by this a few years ago (filling system) but the price caused me to pause and wonder if I'd like the system. I bought a Pen BBS 355 (I think that's right) with the same approach -- and discovered that, while interesting, it's way too fiddly for my liking! I'm sure the Conid system is smoother with higher end materials but it's still fiddly!
After this video and several mentioning the 355, there might be one on the way ;)
Love these reviews from an engineer's point of view. Do you have any idea if it is a pen that was produced before or after the restart/pandemic? The clip design on my Conid Kingsize is nicely rounded off -- a bit peculiar that they chose a different design on this one. The inventor of the filling mechanism (Fountainbel) is a lovely person -- he was so kind to restore a couple of vintage pens for me, and fix a Visconti nib that didn't work out of the box. He occasionally posts his one-off pens he made on his lathe in the Dutch fountain pen group on Facebook. Pretty amazing stuff.
I not sure when this one was made but looking on the Conid site all the other clips have a nice profile along the counter to round things off. Maybe the blocky edges go with the look but damn they are crisp edges.
It took me a long time to get a Conid, and I also grabbed the same model. There seem to have been some QC issues with the new ones though where they leak out the bottom against the rod. I have the same exact complaints as you for what many seem to consider as the Pinnacle of engineered pens.
Also, I think Leonardo black is darker haha
Its a super cool pen but yeah, those little things I brought up surprised me a little.
There is a Model from PenBBS that works similar. It is the PenBBs 355. But the Conid seems to be mutch more thought through with its piston loching that helps when screwing the piston rod in and out. That can be alittle fragile with the PenBBS.
it's got the super sharp cornered metal clip that will give you a rude awakening if you're not careful
I'm sometimes not so sure about 'unique filling systems' that means *proprietary* and hard to find parts for it when it breaks.
or you need special adapters etc.
Just like proprietary connectors on computers. *it sucks.* Remember PS/2 connectors & ports ?
Oh, I saw something similar recently from 365 store. The pen "New Penbbs 355" has similar mechanism.
id like to see someone remake one of the old waterman's pump fillers. super scary to fill but theyre cool
Thanks for the review. It does remind me of the penBBS 355. Do you have this model? If so have you compared the two?
I've had several people mention this pen so I now have one on the way
Asvine V200 is a clone. I bought the pen without knowing it's a clone. So...
Kudos to Conid for designing a good looking pen. Those design elements, albiet copied by a clone, is why I bought the pen. However, unless I win the Lottery, I cannot afford pens at Conid's prices.
The V200 also has the o-ring capping system (only thing I don't like) and the friction upon un-posting often dislodges the very thin o-ring. Fixed with superglue.
With the Penbbs 355, the challenge comes; if you do a super fill; when you disengage the piston rod, and reseat it, some ink is ejected from the nib. First time I filled the 355, I was like, " oh no, what have I done wrong?"
Gravitas has a similar filling system for their Kyuseido pen
Those look awesome!
Sure if you want a pen that breaks, is top heavy, and you can't get repaired.
You ought to check out the PenBBS 355. Lots of different beautiful acrylics, all turned on lathes, with the same system, but here’s the kicker - it uses a variation that I consider to be better in terms of the engineering.
You can swap in plenty of different #6 nibs, but their nibs are good.
Quite a treat, and worth checking out for around $45 USD.
Its already been ordered ;)
One of my grails. Maybe one year.
Hey, DB how long is it on loan to you? I’d happily lend my Kakari for a comparison vid. There have been just one or two vids comparing, but they still need the DB detailed eye on it to give in depth comparison.
Its heading back tomorrow. Thanks for your offer, I really do appreciate it!
The bigger problem with the capping is that when you uncap, you can very easily put a thumb or finger over the breathing hole while gripping the lid. This creates a vacuum and draws out a lot of ink. Then ink goes missing all the time and you wonder where it went.
Ahhh interesting, I haven't run into that but I could see that happening
Could be an interesting pen if they iron out the bugs. Suicide splat method,living dangerously getting a full fill with pens like the Pilot 830 is a lot of fun.
Nice knife. I mean clip.
Amazon package opener?
I'm curious to your thoughts on the Gravitas Kyuseido, which has a similar filling system.
Its looks very cool! I'd love to get my hands on one
@@Doodlebud I've held one at the Dutch penshow. My budget didn't allow to buy it...
That's a beautifully designed pen! For the filling mechanism, isn't it almost the same with Kyuseido Kakari FS Titanium?
I really like the idea - I love piston fillers, but the only issue is that the filling mechanism takes so much space in the back, like in Pilot CH92 it takes nearly half the pen.
BOOM
PEW PEW
I owned one of the first editions of this pen about 7 years ago. For a pen and company that prides itself on ultra tight tolerances and superlative engineering, the slip cap mechanism always stood out to me as janky and the complete opposite of those values. The other thing I disliked about the pen is how sterile it feels and looks. The pen lacks personality to me. I sold it soon after.
The Conid Giraffe is my last remaining grail. As I approach the end of my driving career, maybe I can trade my car for one.
You must be driving a 2005 smart car.... thats how much mine was worth after 340,000 kms 😆
I am sorry to say that I just don't see the appeal for the price they are asking for this pen. I have both a TWSBI Eco and an Asvine V200 and love the simplicity of both designs, each at a price point less than $50.00 USD that write beautifully and are readily available with many different nib options. This pen is over-engineered and the Gravitas version looks better. Not to mention the lack of availability ( most likely the appeal for the collectors). Don't get me wrong, I appreciate the design, engineering and production and the fact that it is a small company that normally makes aerospace parts that also makes pens on occasion but I think I will be buying pens from companies that make pens full time.
The only issue with bulkfillers is that a bit of ink can some out of the pen as you insert the rod. Other than that it's great, though I still prefer disassemblable piston fillers.
Which one in the wall of text is the link for this pen?
www.conidpen.com/minimalistica/
Couldn't you take care of the sharp edges on the clip with carefull use of a jeweler's file? Just enough to remove the sharp edges.
Yes that can be one. Its not my pen so I'm leaving it as is. But I think that's something that should be done by the manufacturer
Interesting pen, but way too expensive and also difficult to buy even if you have the money.
That's about twice the capacity of a standard converter!
What's that cool looking hexagonal brass pen at ~8:30 into the video?
It's Kaweco Special brass
Thanks for the reply. Review will be out at some point
Looks like there’s a ball point pen in there 😂
Its very interesting, I'd love to learn more about that design decision
before you talked about how the person who lent you the pen wanted to try chou kuro, i was about vow never to lend you a pen 😂
that stuff is so much harder to clean out of a pen than any other ink!
It's been easy peasy for me to clean out, even after months if being inked up. He really wanted to try that ink as well 😁
@@Doodlebud i tried it first with a glass pen and it just stuck in all the crevices and didn't want to come out, so now i only use it with a dip pen and it never wants to come off those nibs either. i was planning on dedicating a pen to it, but i just don't care enough about the color to risk it when there are so many other blacks that don't cause problems for me. i wonder if there's something wrong with the batch my bottle came from.
@@Danny.._ It's probably because you have very hard water with lots of minerals in it in your area, which Platinum explicitly warns against using in the little pamphlet that comes with every bottle of Chou Kuro. Try some distilled water instead, which you should be able to find at any pharmacy/drug store.
A grail pen - oh my...
Noice
Ah, yes. Loaned. Of course 😂
15:03 "Super easy for cleaning"
I wouldn't call that "cleaning" because even when I'm using a bulb filler after 15 minutes of pushing copious amounts of water through the feed the water never comes out clear, if you're changing between chemically incompatible inks then disassembling the feed and piston to wash out the pen is the only option.
Just for casually switching between inks without fussing about mixing colors then yes this system looks like a big improvement over standard piston fillers.
It's super ironic that Nathan Tardiff got so close to making the perfect filling mechanism with his oversize .308 converters, but in making the plunger hollow he also made the piston impossible to clean. Sometimes innovation can be taken too far.
Very pricey pen😢
Doooooooooodlebud
This pen looks like a real pain in the ass. All that stuff going on is just waiting for something to go wrong. I don’t want a pen that I have to worry if I don’t cap it just so it’s gonna dry up. It seems like it’s the antithesis of a lamy 2000. This is one I think I’ll take a pass on.
So where is Doodlebud?
Right here making pen vids as always :)
@@Doodlebud 😂Sure, but which one from the left 2. or 3.?😄
@@e.meisner3824 🤐🤫