78 replies to this topic

[como]

tubular: May I ask of you have received yours by now? I remember you ordered yours about three weeks before I. Mine is supposed to deliver mid August. I guess I should not be holding my breath. I am in a similar situation: in an attempt to consolidate my collection and while waiting for my Conid, I sold five pens, but bought six more (and much higher values) :-))))))))))

I ordered a Kingsize and two nibs in mid-April and was given an estimated shipping date of 26 June.  I haven't heard a word.  Even the cheery little newsletters about who they are and how to fill the pen and so on have stopped.  I've got other pens to keep me busy, so I don't really mind.  But I am spending more time than I should looking at (and sometimes buying) other pens that, if the Conid had arrived, I probably wouldn't be looking at.  The delay is becoming unexpectedly costly.

[tubular]

tubular: May I ask of you have received yours by now? I remember you ordered yours about three weeks before I. Mine is supposed to deliver mid August. I guess I should not be holding my breath. I am in a similar situation: in an attempt to consolidate my collection and while waiting for my Conid, I sold five pens, but bought six more (and much higher values) :-))))))))))
 

 

Hi, como.  No, I've still no pen and no word, but then given what others have reported I wasn't expecting anything to happen until the end of August at least.  I bought one used Parker, sent a batch of other pens to have their nibs worked on, ordered an absurd amount of ink, and have wondered off and on about selling an Omas Arco; but that's all so far.  

 

I want the Conid people take the time they need to make these pens properly; if that means I wait four months, or five, then fine.  But if they haven't had a breakdown in their machinery or the supply of their materials then I don't know what would account for their having  misjudged their workload so badly.  I would have thought they would have by now a good sense of how long each pen (or each part of each pen) takes to make and could then add up the hours and the days and multiply by the numbers of orders they have and give customers a realistic estimate.  I would have thought that this could be presented more or less automatically.  Why a flood of later orders should delay previously placed orders I don't understand at all, unless (did I merely imagine having read this?) they allow people to pay extra to jump to the head of the line.  But I've never been involved in manufacturing of any kind and have no real idea of the kinds of problems it involves.

Edited by tubular, 04 August 2019 - 03:24.

[tubular]

Como, what did you sell and (more importantly) what did you get?  What compensates for the absence of a Conid?

 

in an attempt to consolidate my collection and while waiting for my Conid, I sold five pens, but bought six more (and much higher values) :-))))))))))
 

[silverlifter]

I don't know what would account for their having  misjudged their workload so badly.

For such a small outfit, any interruption can have a significant impact on output. Other than the supply chain issues you mention, the next biggest risk would be around people: scheduled or unscheduled leave, for example.

As Francis mentioned, they are trying to recruit more staff, and that would mitigate some of these issues. Ultimately, though, they are a boutique maker and part of that means a queue which, unfortunately, is prone to stretch.

[como]

I sold two Omas resin pens and some British vintage, and bought some more Omas etc in celluloid and two MBs. To be honest I am too embarrassed to say it, as I had promised myself no more buying pens before the August Conid delivery! I hope the Conid comes soon.

Como, what did you sell and (more importantly) what did you get?  What compensates for the absence of a Conid?

[tubular]

So you have two reasons to hope for the Conid's arrival, then.  I hope you enjoy the new pens in the meantime.

 

I had promised myself no more buying pens before the August Conid delivery! I hope the Conid comes soon.
 

[como]

Thank you, tubular. You too! Btw, please think over before you sell the Arco. You will probably regret it :-)

So you have two reasons to hope for the Conid's arrival, then.  I hope you enjoy the new pens in the meantime.

[tubular]

Btw, please think over before you sell the Arco. You will probably regret it :-)
 

 

I might.  It is extremely pretty.  But, like you, I am feeling a little embarrassed at having so much money (though not so much by comparison with many here) in pens.  With so much else to do before the summer ends, though, I probably won't get around to it.

[tubular]

Whether because of my grousing on this board or because I had really, legitimately reached the head of the queue, I heard from Conid today that my Kingsize will be here Monday.  So little did I expect this that I had just given way and bought a Namiki.  (So much for consistency.  So much for frugality, too.) 

 

I hope everyone else hears from Conid soon!

 

 

Photos follow, one of the Conid in Belgium, one of the Namiki on my desk.

 

 

 

[JulianR]

Same timing and issue... Ordered mine on 2 April 2019. I had initially not received any responses to my grouching (I sent an email each month after the estimated date). Finally received a response from Johan that my pen ready but awaiting my gold nib - which remains on order from Bock and but is not due to arrive at Conidt until the end of August. Conid offered to send me a Titanium XF to see me through - which I (obviously) gratefully accepted! (I don't know yet, whether I mail it back to them when my gold nib arrives or what... But I don't really mind).

 

So I am now hoping to see my pen early next week.

 

It's been quite a horrible wait. It feels stupid to feel anxious about a materialistic item that will not (really) change my quality of life in any real way - but that is the nature of desire, I guess.

 

I have a (Kingsize) Conid Monarch from Fontoplumo, which I bought to sidestep the Conid queue. Using it daily it has somehow only fueled my resentment/longing for the King Demonstrator... Anyway, I may buy another Kingsize in black - but not before I hear Conid get their delivery times down to 6 weeks or so. I'm not into waiting nearly 5 months for a pen... or really anything!

Edited by JulianR, 10 August 2019 - 03:31.

[JulianR]

The lead times keep getting longer.  The last pen i ordered was right on two months last year.  I've heard it can be well over three now.

It is 4.5 months now. 1 April, now it's 10 Aug... I am expecting it next week, the 17th. 

[tubular]

Same timing and issue... Ordered mine on 2 April 2019. I had initially not received any responses to my grouching (I sent an email each month after the estimated date). Finally received a response from Johan that my pen ready but awaiting my gold nib - which remains on order from Bock and but is not due to arrive at Conidt until the end of August. Conid offered to send me a Titanium XF to see me through - which I (obviously) gratefully accepted! (I don't know yet, whether I mail it back to them when my gold nib arrives or what... But I don't really mind).

 

 

That's odd.  I ordered two weeks after you, and one of my nibs is a gold extra fine.  This suggests they did bump me up, and (because that is the nature of bumping up) at the expense of someone else.  I may have been given your nib.  If so, I am very sorry.

[LudVinPen]

 

 

Conid offered to send me a Titanium XF

 

I ordered a Minimalistica with a titanium nib. As I can see they  have titanium nibs in stock, so this (probably...) won't delay my delivery    

Still hoping the end of the month, fingers crossed....

 

Meanwhile enjoying my other pens. 

My Wing Sung arrived this week. At least, a little bit cheaper... But a nice pen!

 

Greetings,

LD

[como]

tubular, thank you for the hopeful message. Congrats on the Namiki Yukari. That’s a stunner! I ordered my Conid on May 8. It’s supposed to deliver on Aug 15. Judging from your delay, I guess I won’t see it until October. :-(

Whether because of my grousing on this board or because I had really, legitimately reached the head of the queue, I heard from Conid today that my Kingsize will be here Monday.  So little did I expect this that I had just given way and bought a Namiki.  (So much for consistency.  So much for frugality, too.) 
 
I hope everyone else hears from Conid soon!
 
 
Photos follow, one of the Conid in Belgium, one of the Namiki on my desk.
 

 
 

[tubular]

tubular, thank you for the hopeful message. Congrats on the Namiki Yukari. That’s a stunner! I ordered my Conid on May 8. It’s supposed to deliver on Aug 15. Judging from your delay, I guess I won’t see it until October. :-(
 

 

Thank you, como.  I like the way the Namiki Yukari looks, and I like the way it feels ever better. 

 

I hope you are wrong about an October delivery.  For what it is worth, my not yet arrived Conid is cheering yours on. 

[Betweenthelines]

My Conid order was placed April 15, shipped Aug 9, so about a 4 month lead time currently.  They are backed up with communications so don't expect response, but do expect your pen to eventually ship, just long after quoted lead time.

 

Agreed that Conid should hire someone to handle communications, and should more accurately represent lead times.

[como]

Thank you, tubular. Meanwhile other pens are enjoying some attention time 

 

Thank you, como.  I like the way the Namiki Yukari looks, and I like the way it feels ever better. 

 

I hope you are wrong about an October delivery.  For what it is worth, my not yet arrived Conid is cheering yours on. 

[Betweenthelines]

Well my Conid Kingsize arrived today, but much to my dismay the extra gold EF nib unit I paid for was not included in the package. I was a little worried after it wasn't in the photo they sent me but figured I would wait to verify since it would arrive shortly. They indeed forgot about it. Am a little perturbed, especially because my email may not be read for a while. So the waiting continues...

[tubular]

I think, como, you should tell them (it will be the truth) that you won't forget about them when the Conid comes.  Now that mine has come I can say it seems quite a different creature from all my other pens.  I am spending all my writing time going back and forth among them to try to understand the differences, and with each change I appreciate each one anew.  I like the Conid very much, but using it is making me appreciate the others--the Japanese pens especially--as the luxuries they are.  The Conid has many wonderful qualities, but luxury is not among them.  

 

Thank you, tubular. Meanwhile other pens are enjoying some attention time 

[Betweenthelines]

I just inked it up and the Ti stub is skipping and hard starting to the point of being unable to complete a sentence. I've experienced this with other Bock Ti nibs but this is the worst I've had. Multiple papers, kon peki ink. It's a poorly ground nib. Even the writing sample photo Conid sent me has a skip in it! Clearly they did not really test it. Missing a nib unit and can't even write with the nib I have on a pen that cost a grand. Needless to say I'm peeved.