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Love, Hate, And A Request For Recommendations


Arkanabar

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I have a Noodler's Konrad in Pequod's Smoke demonstrator. And I have a serious love-hate relationship with this pen.

On the one hand, I absolutely LOVE its form factor -- girth, length, weight, section shape, ink capacity, barrel diameter, the #6 nib -- I dearly love every one of these things about it. I own no pen better suited to my hand and my writing.

But I never use it. In just a few hours, it will dry out so hard that I must dunk the nib in water to get it to write, even when capped. I know I'm not the only one with this problem, and I've never seen any suggested remedy for it. (If you have, please oh please let me know. I'll probably also get a few more.)

So I ask, what pens out there are similar to the Konrad in form factor and weight, but without the drying-out issue? Extra length would not hurt anything, IMO. But don't suggest a Monteverde Intima; there are issues with the finish flaking off the base-metal section. There are two reviews for the Glacier Blue mentioning this, posted one and three months ago.

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The Lamy 2000 springs to mind as being a similar size and holding a lot of ink. If a c/c would do, maybe the Waterman Expert or Phileas?

Mind you, I'd have to dig out my Konrads to double check the size, so it could be smaller than I'm thinking.

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In my hand, the M200/M400 appear to have noticeably less girth than the Konrad. I am unwilling to put up with the ears on the Lamy 2000. The Expert is metal-barreled these days, and I definitely favor lightweight pens. I had a Phileas back in the late 90s, and was decidedly unimpressed with how it was built, particularly that the coloring was printed onto the barrel, and that the barrel finial unscrewed. I might do ok with a Kultur, and I've just found them as low as $24 on Amazon.

 

How does the Nemosine Singularity compare? And on the other end of the scale, what about the Pelikan M600?

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twsbi 580? Aurora 88?

 

Lamy 27 is actually a pretty small pen. It doesn't seem so but next to a P51 and Aurora 88 or indeed a 2000 it seems significantly smaller.

Edited by ink-syringe

Looking for a cap for a Sheaffer Touchdown Sentinel Deluxe Fat version

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Have you experimented with different inks to combat your drying-out issue? Clearly there are those inks that petrify in the slightest of breezes and those that never seem to be fazed by such a thing.

If I knew not where to start, I'd try Pelikan because I can't recall ever having that dry out just like that.

 

I wonder if one could also treat the nib somehow to keep it ...wet... somehow. (My chemistry knowledge has nothing to offer here.)

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Have you tried adjusting the nib/feed relationship? That can make a great difference in Konrads and Ahabs. What ink are you using? Again, a wetter ink may well help the flow. And what nib are you using? I always replace the original nibs with another No. 6 nib of moderate to good quality. The last FPN'er that wanted to get rid of his Ahab sent it to me. A quick cleaning, changing out the nib for good JoWo nib from Goulet, and a diet of Waterman Black ink -- it is one of my favorite every day carry pens.

 

As for other pens, the Nemosine Singularity, many Monteverde pens, the Jinhao pens, and a number of Conklins are all about the same in girth and weight, all take No. 6 nibs. So you have quite a selection of low to mid range pens that you may replace your Konrad with. I have a couple of the Nemosine Singularity Demonstrators, they are excellent pens.

 

Konrads can be a bit finicky but your complaint sounds very familar. And fairly easy to fix, if you really like the pen. I have a half-dozen Konrads, they are some of my best and most reliable pens. So keep chugging and don't give up on it, Arkanabar.

 

Best of luck,

Edited by Randal6393

Yours,
Randal

From a person's actions, we may infer attitudes, beliefs, --- and values. We do not know these characteristics outright. The human dichotomies of trust and distrust, honor and duplicity, love and hate --- all depend on internal states we cannot directly experience. Isn't this what adds zest to our life?

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I'd take Randals advice. Tinker and be patient. I of course had no patience. That's the problem with Noodlers. Look great, feel great,... insert #6 nib ..... holds lots of ink ..then ...scene. One of these times I'll start again.

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I filled the Konrad with Borealis Black, used the original Noodler's halflex nib, and generally used it with the nib in as far as possible, and the feed as far out. (I like a wet line.) I suppose the freeest-flowing ink I have is Waterman Purple.

I've also used Borealis Black in my Mandarin Yellow Ahab, also with the Noodler's halflex nib, and it did not have this issue. However, it has too much girth for me, and causes thumb cramps, even with my nearly slack grip. I've also used Waterman Purple in the yellow Ahab, where it has behaved well.

The other nibs I have that I might use in the Konrad are a Noodler's nonflex f/m, and a 0.8mm Nemosine stub.

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We should split the difference.

My Konrad will drool ink, Cross/Pelikan ink.

I've given up on it, for now. I tried adjusting the nib and feed, and no difference. It is just TOO WET.

Edited by ac12

San Francisco Pen Show - August 28-30, 2020 - Redwood City, California

www.SFPenShow.com

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Try a TWSBI 580, I've barely touched my Lamy Al Star since I got the TWSBI. I even went back for more and bought a mini as well. Those two, and my Pelikan M405 Souveran, are my daily carry pens now (not all at once, I'm a one pen a day guy).

John L

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Have you tried heat setting the feed on your Konrad? That may help with ink flow.

"Oh deer."

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Have you tried adjusting the nib/feed relationship? That can make a great difference in Konrads and Ahabs. What ink are you using? Again, a wetter ink may well help the flow. And what nib are you using? I always replace the original nibs with another No. 6 nib of moderate to good quality. The last FPN'er that wanted to get rid of his Ahab sent it to me. A quick cleaning, changing out the nib for good JoWo nib from Goulet, and a diet of Waterman Black ink -- it is one of my favorite every day carry pens.

How will any of that help a cap that doesn't form an airtight seal well enough to stop the nib drying out in a couple of hours?

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Heat setting the feed might help. I have a Waterman Carene that had a drying out problem. I solved it by putting it in a Sheaffer Imperial desk pen's base. It sits nib down and always writes right off unless I have let it run out of ink in the converter. Maybe you could find an attractive desk pen base for yours.

 

The real issue in a case like this is probably the inner cap. There should be an inner cap in the cap to keep the pen nib moist. The inner cap might be missing or damaged.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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I have had a similar relationship with my Konrad. I have just one, in ebonite, and it also dries out, no matter what. I have two nibs for it, one stock, the other modded for easier flex. I think I've adjusted the nib/feed as well as I could. With the "right" ink, the pen writes very nicely.

 

My suggestion would be an Indian ebonite pen, such as the Airmail 69EB. The nib is extra fine and writes very smoothly. The line is wet with most inks.

---

Please, visit my website at http://www.acousticpens.com/

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Pens I have that are similar sized to my Konrad - which I put a Goulet B in. Oh, and I have Diamine Red Lustre in it right now, (one of the shimmer inks) haven't touched it in 1-2 weeks or more and it started right up.

 

Pelikan M200

Waterman Phileas

Pelikan 120 Merz & Krell

Parker 51 Special

Pilot Metropolitan

Esterbrook J and LJ (LJ probably to thin for your taste though but same length capped)

 

All within about .25", capped, uncapped and posted of the Konrad.

 

Pens I have that are quite a bit longer: Parker 45, Lamy Al Star, Jinhao 599, Cross Aventura, True Writer Silver Anniversary. (not sure on the resin TW's)

Edited by Runnin_Ute

Brad

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" - Rudyard Kipling
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." - Mark Twain

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Just get a Parker 51.

"Don't hurry, don't worry. It's better to be late at the Golden Gate than to arrive in Hell on time."
--Sign in a bar and grill, Ormond Beach, Florida, 1960.

 

 

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I understand completely. I had a Konrad and loved the feel of the pen. But it never wrote well. I returned it. Later, at a pen show, I was describing my love/hate relationship with a vendor, and she promptly handed me another Konrad and asked me to try again. Alas, I did. While this pen wrote better, it still didn't behave as nicely as it should have.

 

The only pen I have found that fits my hand as well - well, actually better - is a Delta Horsepower. I have mine fitted with a 1.1 stub fusion nib. It is a wonderful pen, writes first time, every time.

 

The other pen that fits my hand well is my Franklin Christoph Panther 40. I fitted it with a 14 K Masuyama medium italic semi-flex nib. Great pen! This is my favorite pen, and the Delta Horsepower is a close second.

Edited by DrPenfection

"Today will be gone in less than 24 hours. When it is gone, it is gone. Be wise, but enjoy! - anonymous today

 

 

 

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  • 3 months later...

Pens I have that are similar sized to my Konrad - which I put a Goulet B in. Oh, and I have Diamine Red Lustre in it right now, (one of the shimmer inks) haven't touched it in 1-2 weeks or more and it started right up.

 

Pelikan M200

Waterman Phileas

Pelikan 120 Merz & Krell

Parker 51 Special

Pilot Metropolitan

Esterbrook J and LJ (LJ probably to thin for your taste though but same length capped)

 

All within about .25", capped, uncapped and posted of the Konrad.

 

Pens I have that are quite a bit longer: Parker 45, Lamy Al Star, Jinhao 599, Cross Aventura, True Writer Silver Anniversary. (not sure on the resin TW's)

I have an M200, and it's my first Pen of a Lifetime. I find it a bit narrower than the Konrad, and I would love the bit of extra girth.

I haven't seen a Phileas in many years. I might look into getting one (or a Kultur) to see how it goes. I remember that I was unhappy with its limited ink capacity.

I have a "51," and I just don't really care for the shape of the collector. I want that stop at the end of the section.

The Metro has a very narrow section, and that's always been a bit of a turn-off for me.

I have an Estie, which I'm not sure is a J or an LJ, but it's noticeably narrower in the barrel than my M200. I have a foam insert in my pen cup with holes cut into it and the M200 needs a slight push to be seated, while the Estie just drops all the way in.

 

In short, length isn't the big deal with the Konrad; section girth and form factor are what I most love about it, followed by ink capacity and then weight.

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