Pilot To Introduce Con-40, Discontinuing Con-20 & Con-50

[Pensei]

CON-50's clean pretty well by spraying inside them with a syringe.

[Shavely Manden]

Just got my hands on CON-40 and I am also able to confirm this. The CON-40 works in my 1970s original Elite, see https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/305381-my-con-40s-have-arrived/ .

 

That's good to hear...I'd been considering a con-40 for my vintage Elite.

[bmillicent]

While researching a nicer Pilot, I came across this thread. Currently, I have one VP, 4 Parallels, several Plumix, and more than a dozen Metropolitans. In short, no shortage of the Pilot brand. That translates into an excess of unused Con 20 convertors with the blue end. I don't wanna toss them or try to sell them, but they aren't getting used either. They need homes. PM me with your input

[ISW_Kaputnik]

An Amazon seller has the CON-40 for $7.11 now, so I added one on to a recent order of non-pen stuff. Just noticed that Jet Pens has them for $7.25.

 

I put the new converter into my plastic Namiki Falcon, which previously had a CON-50, and which was due to be rotated back in. I filled it with a Sailor ink, or at least tried to. No matter how slowly I worked the piston, or how many times I cycled it, there was still perhaps a tad over an eighth of an inch of unfilled space at the top. I thought that maybe the design of the Sailor bottle was not permitting me to immerse enough of the nib and feed, so I emptied the converter again, filled a vial most of the way with the same ink, and tried filling from that. There was still about the same gap at the top. So I have to say that my initial impression of the CON-40 is not good.

 

I'll write with the Falcon until it's empty, and then perhaps consider trying the converter in a different Pilot pen, maybe my Capless Decimo, to see if it can suck up some more ink through a different feed. If it works better, that's great, if I have the same issue, well, I was trying this mostly out of curiosity anyway. Of course, one person's one time experience doesn't mean that everyone will have the same problem, but I'd be curious to know how other early adopters have been doing with this converter.

 

The CON-20 is my converter of choice anyway, at least for pens that won't take the CON-70. I have plenty of the 20s, so even if a couple wear out, I should always have enough to use.

[Nikaa]

Hi!

I have a question. I'm not sure if this is a good place, but I will try. I strongly consider purchasing the Pilot VP Vintage, it seems to be the second series. It looks like this.

 

 

But there is no converter and the cartridge is already worn out. I wonder if a modern converter (CON-40...) would fit to this Pilot? Someone tried using modern converters in vintage Pilots?? Or maybe will be better to look for the original converter for this model (from those years), and if so, maybe someone has seen it somewhere? I will be grateful for help!

[essayfaire]

 

I also don't like any of their converters. I can't understand how they can make such wonderful pens and no decent converter (granted, the con-70 can take a good amount of ink, but I really don't like the way it's filled).

 

Another thing I don't understand is why they make the wonderful Iroshizuku inks and don't offer them in cartridges too (at least I never found Iroshizuku cartridges), particularly considering that almost all of their pens is CC.

I really like Pilot pens, but not the limited cartridge nor the converters! I too have tried to hunt down special Pilot inks in cartridge form to no avail. I wish they would just change to a standard international, or make a new piece that would make their pens compatible with standard cartridge rather than give us another sub-par and small capacity converter.

Edited October 16, 2017 by essayfaire

[Nikaa]

On The nib is 8.66, so I guess it is from August 66. Can I use CON-W? Or maybe also modern?

[ehemem]

On The nib is 8.66, so I guess it is from August 66. Can I use CON-W? Or maybe also modern?

 

 

CON-W. I don't think that more recent converters will work.

[Nikaa]

 

 

CON-W. I don't think that more recent converters will work.

 

Thank you!

[Donald2]

I own 6 Pilot VP fountain pens, 12 Pilot Preras, 6 Pilot Elites and 2 Pilot Metropolitans. All of them came together with the Con-20 Pilot converter for the exception of the 2 Metropolitans. The Metropolitans came with a different converter that has a bladder that looks like the Con-20, but isn't the Con-20.

My question here is "does the bladder converter that came together with my Metropolitans also fit my Pilot VP'S, Pilot Elites and my Pilot Preras?"

Does anybody here know?

[Driften]

I own 6 Pilot VP fountain pens, 12 Pilot Preras, 6 Pilot Elites and 2 Pilot Metropolitans. All of them came together with the Con-20 Pilot converter for the exception of the 2 Metropolitans. The Metropolitans came with a different converter that has a bladder that looks like the Con-20, but isn't the Con-20.

My question here is "does the bladder converter that came together with my Metropolitans also fit my Pilot VP'S, Pilot Elites and my Pilot Preras?"

Does anybody here know?

 

 

Not sure it would work with a VP. I don't think the metal is strong enough to handle the click button pushing on it with out deforming. I would think it should fit on any other pen that takes the standard pilot cartridge. The con-20 will work just fine in a VP. There are still con-20's out in the wild for sale for example http://www.indy-pen-dance.com/Pilot-CON20-Converter.html

[Donald2]

Okay, thank you. I will check them out.

 

What you mentioned in your post above got me thinking. I'm wondering which other fountain pens that the Metropolitan bladder converter fits besides the Metropolitan? I looked at a close picture of the Metropolitan bladder converter and I noticed that the top part of the converter is metal. A strip of metal is looped over the top part of the converter which also kind of acts as the converter frame. Do you really think that the click button being constantly pushed on the VP will deform the top part of the metal on the Metropolitan bladder converter if this particular converter is used on the VP? Has anybody in here ever used the Pilot Metropolitan bladder converter in their Pilot VP fountain pen?

[minddance]

To discontinue CON 50 is an extremely bad move. Con40 does not work for me, ditto CON70. CON70 is a PITA to clean, even with an ultrasonic cleaner. CON40 never fills properly, not as difficult to clean as the CON70 but no walk in the park too. And they both dry terribly slow after cleaning. CON70 pumps in alot alot of air bubbles too. The best way for me now, with Pilots, a syringe-filled cartridge.

Edited October 19, 2017 by minddance

[ehemem]

Okay, thank you. I will check them out.

 

What you mentioned in your post above got me thinking. I'm wondering which other fountain pens that the Metropolitan bladder converter fits besides the Metropolitan? I looked at a close picture of the Metropolitan bladder converter and I noticed that the top part of the converter is metal. A strip of metal is looped over the top part of the converter which also kind of acts as the converter frame. Do you really think that the click button being constantly pushed on the VP will deform the top part of the metal on the Metropolitan bladder converter if this particular converter is used on the VP? Has anybody in here ever used the Pilot Metropolitan bladder converter in their Pilot VP fountain pen?

 

 

I think that the converters that came with the Metros will fit all the other models, but those converters were meant to be used as a tool for flushing and cleaning, not for holding ink...

[max dog]

So how hard would it be for pilot to create a reliable piston converter like Sheaffer or Montblanc that can hold nearly an ml of ink and work reliably. For a manufacturer who is able to produce such nice writers and seems to be so innovative I just dont understand why they cant get past their pathetic low capacity converters. I can never get the Con 40 to fill more than 60% no matter how many times I expel and refill the ink through the nib.

[Algester]

because then you will have the problem of compatibility with pens like the birdie and Elite, Capless

[max dog]

The Sheaffer converter isnt that much longer than the Con 40. Pilot should be able to do some refesign to accomodate a little longer converter in those smaller pens. A Kaweko type of push pull piston converter could also work to enable more capacity in the larger pens.