Noodler's Konrad Rollerball Durability Question.

[BigbyWolf]

Those of us who are fans of Noodler's for whatever reason have probably seen the YouTube video on how durable Noodler's pens are. If not, it starts out with Nathan Tardif getting into a vehicle and running over a Charlie eyedropper pen and a clear demonstrator Konrad rollerball pen. First on bare ground, then on wet asphalt. He then proceeds to fire another set of said pens from a 10ga over-under shotgun (according to Nathan, it's not something you can legally get away with anymore...). Here's a link to the video:

Now, what this tells me at 4am is that the Konrad appears durable enough to clip to a hip pocket of a pair of jeans and carry that way throughout a typical day. I normally carry a Tuffwriter Precision Press aluminum pen in that same position and have had only occasional problems with the mechanism being activated as I move about. The Precision Press is a clicky-type ballpoint/rollerball/gel writer depending on what refill you use, and sometimes mine ends up being in the 'clicked' position when I remove it from my pocket. The tip of the pen also tends to start unscrewing a bit as well. I blame that on the 3 small o-rings on the front part of the pan, myself.

What this boils down to is a question, of course. Would a Konrad rollerball be able to withstand the abuse of being clipped to a hip pocket and basically sat on during a normal day? I'd hate to find out the hard way that my pen cracked and leaked a pen's worth of ink all over my pants.

[thesmellofdustafterrain]

did you ever find out the answer to this?

 

4pm here and I'm wondering the same kind of question.

Edited May 10, 2019 by the-smell-of-dust-after-rain

[BaronWulfraed]

I wouldn't trust it...

 

Note that "driving over" a pen has to account for the surface area of the tire and pen, and weight spread. (I didn't view the video so this is all hypothetical). Say a tire contact patch of 5x8 inches (40sq.in.). Say a 3000lb vehicle with weight evenly divided, That makes 750lbs per tire, or less than 20lbs per square inch... That's the amount I can apply pushing down with my thumb on a scale.

 

However, the pocket scenario is not a distributed force. You are describing a /bending/ force wherein you might have 50+lbs pressing on one end, and another 50lbs pulling the other end, all meeting somewhere in the middle. It's the difference between, say, stepping on a wooden pencil laying on the floor vs grabbing both ends and bending it.

[doriath19]

I've been using Noodler's Konrad rollerball pens for the last 3+ years now, and they see a good bit of use. The main reason I wouldn't carry one in my pocket is that they will invariably burp. That being said, the plastic is quite sturdy. I have some FPR Darjeelings that I carry in my pant pocket on occasion (when I'm using a cartridge, not eyedroppered). I think they are pretty much the same material as Noodlers. I also imagine it depends on what you are doing with the said pen in your pocket.