The Conid Minimalistica Demonstrator Fountain Pen: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Conid Minimalistica is a fountain pen made in Antwerp, Belgium by Conid Pen. Conid is known for their bulkfiller system (described below) and their unique, custom-designed pens.

I borrowed Brad's Minimalistica back in August. I was so impressed with it that I decided to order my own. When a demonstrator version of the Minimalistica was announced, I jumped on it.

The Conid Minimalistica comes packaged in a hinged black metal box.

Inside is a card indicating who worked on the nib and an impressive titanium plate with the certificate of authenticity inside the cover.

The foam insert holds the pen, tools and extra nibs (if you ordered them). A small cleaning cloth is also provided.

The metal box is enclosed in a cardboard sleeve with your name and pen information hand-penciled on top. This gives the pen a "made-just-for-me" feel. The code tells you exactly what pen you purchased: M BCB DB FT+ = Minimalistica Black Conid Bulkfiller Demonstrator Barrel Flat Top Plus Clip. I feel like I just solved an equation.

Brad's pen is the solid black "Pi" model. I was very disappointed that my clip didn't have the Pi symbol on it, but I learned that Brad's is one of the first production run that came out March 14, 2015 (3.1415=Pi). So no Pi symbol for me.

Our pens are essentially the same, except for the fact that mine is a demonstrator. Although mine appears to be a few millimeters longer, I think that is just due to how deeply the caps fit onto the barrel.

Brad's Minimalistica (L) and Mine (R)

When you compare the caps side by side and the pens (uncapped) side by side, they are the same length.

Brad's Minimalistica (L) and Mine (R)

The cap is made of Delrin resin with a solid titanium clip and the yin-yang Conid logo on the finial.

My clip ring has a small flaw on it, but, really, you can only see it if you use a magnifying glass or a macro lens.

The piston knob has a small hole for the hex key should you want to remove it from the pen. Above that is a titanium ring engraved with "Antwerp Belgium Conid." Otherwise the pen is unadorned.

The Minimalistica is 137 mm/5.4 inches in length capped, 126 mm/5 inches uncapped, and 160 mm/6.3 inches posted. It weighs 26 grams (without ink) and holds 2.5 ml of ink. For me this is the perfect size. However, a whole range of pens is available, including the Regular, the Giraffe, the Slimline, and the Kingsize.

One of the main claims to fame for Conid is their unique bulkfiller system. With the bulkfiller, the ink completely fills the barrel, unlike other systems which always leave space. The instructions included with the pen explain the process, but watching the video helps you understand the system more fully. The demonstrator Minimalistica allows you to see the filling system in action, and, I must say, it's very cool.

The one caveat I have about this otherwise perfect filling system is that you have to unscrew the piston a few millimeters for long writing sessions (just like the Pilot Custom 823). It's not a big deal, but sometimes I forget and the ink stops flowing.

The titanium nib is smooth and bouncy. I love the design on the nib and the titanium complements the pen perfectly.

And just look at that gorgeous fine nib ground to a perfect stub:

Writing with the Minimalistica is a wonderful experience. The fine stub nib offers some line variation and the ink flows nicely. On occasion I've had some skips, and if I push the nib too hard (it is not a flex nib) sometimes the ink stops completely. A pull and push of the piston gets everything working again.

I decided to disassemble my pen completely in order to clean out the first batch of ink. You can only do this if you order the special tools.

Conid offers instructions on their site and you can watch Stephen R. E. Brown's video which shows you step-by-step how to disassemble the pen (though Brown's pen is a different model). Disassembly is not at all difficult, and I was able to get all traces of ink out of the nooks and crannies of my pen.

I removed the nib unit and cleaned that as well. The only difficulty I had was reinserting the nib unit. I discovered that I had to insert the feed first and then push the nib in on top of it.

Conid pens are made to order, and, once you place your order, you will receive an email confirmation (this can take several days, so be patient). The company emails you again when they start work on your pen and one more time when the pen ships. It took about a month from the day I ordered my pen to the day I received it.

I love my Conid Minimalistica. It is a well-designed pen, and, depending on the model, you have dozens of configurations from which to choose. That said, it is also a very expensive pen because it is custom made. Considering the superior materials and design, I think it is well worth the cost.

Pros

• This is a beautiful, custom-designed demonstrator pen made with top-notch materials.
• Conid uses a unique filling system with a huge ink reservoir.
• You can completely disassemble the pen for cleaning (though you have to pay extra for the tools).
• The titanium nib is spectacular and the stub grind is perfect.

Cons

• The pen is very expensive, but you are paying for a custom design.
• At this price I think the tools for disassembling the pen should be included at no extra cost.
• You have to remember to unscrew the piston knob a few millimeters for long writing sessions.

Lamy Imporium in Black and Gold: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

My first fountain pen was a Lamy Safari in metallic blue. I pretty much hated it. The grip was uncomfortable; the steel nib was scratchy; I didn't like the cartridges. I doubt I would have stuck with fountain pens had I not bought a Pelikan later that year and discovered the joys of a gold nib and a piston fill.

I refused to consider any more Lamy pens for a long time after the Safari. I believe it was Brad's review of his Lamy 2000 that convinced me to try the brand again, but that was almost a bust. I ordered a Lamy 2000 Makrolon through Massdrop, and when it arrived it had a bum nib. One tine was longer than the other, and there was this big divot on the top of the nib. Fortunately, Massdrop is an authorized Lamy dealer, so I was able to get a replacement nib. Now the pen writes like a dream, and it's one of my favorite pens.

The bum Lamy nib.

When I first saw shots of the Lamy Imporium, I was mesmerized. I loved the guilloche patterns, the clean lines of the cap, and the nib–oh, that nib! The black exterior with the gold center was just too cool. Then I saw the price. $520 for a Lamy? No way. Plus, initially I was told the pen wouldn't be sold in the US (that turned out to be incorrect). I quietly resigned myself to no Lamy Imporium.

But then Black Friday arrived, and I happened upon a sale at Pen Boutique. The Lamy Imporium was reduced plus Pen Boutique was offering an additional 20% off! I got my pen for around $320, which seemed considerably more reasonable.

The Imporium comes in a large, heavy box wrapped in tissue paper inside a white cardboard outer box. The box is black/gray with the Lamy name on top. The lid is hinged and when you open it, the pen is centered in the middle with a ribbon to keep it in place. The ribbon doesn't work. My Imporium had made its way to the outer edges of the box during shipping.

Underneath the presentation board is a cartridge, a cleaning cloth, and a booklet about the Lamy Imporium. It's nicely packaged, but in all honesty, a huge box like this seems unnecessary. I know the more expensive pens all come in big, heavy boxes (think Visconti and Omas), but Lamy could have crafted a much smaller, elegant box.

I'm not exactly sure what the Lamy Imporium is made of. Lamy states that the pen has been "partially galvanized" and "refined" with a black matte PVD coating, but what has been galvanized is never stated. I think that the underlying body of my pen is steel, but there's also a titanium version.

Regardless, it's a beautiful pen designed by Marco Bellini. The barrel and grip have contrasting horizontal and vertical guilloche patterns.

The screw-on cap is smooth with a gold-plated clip that nicely matches the cap's shape. The clip is spring loaded and opens and closes easily.

The only branding is the word "Lamy" on one side of the clip.

The barrel sports a gold ring where the nib and grip meet and a gold disc at the bottom.

The Imporium is a solid pen in the hand. It weighs 47 grams capped. It is 141mm/5.6 inches in length capped; 121mm/4.8 inches uncapped; and 169mm/6.7 inches posted. I write with it unposted (posted it is a bit ungainly), and the guilloche pattern on the grip helps to keep my fingertips from slipping on the coated metal surface. The ribs on the grip are rounded, and I don't find them to be at all uncomfortable.

The 14K EF nib is spectacular, writing more like a fine. Lamy describes the nib as "PVD-refined bicolour gold" that provides "a uniquely soft writing experience." I will say the nib writes smoothly and has unique feel. There's no flex, of course, but it has a bit of give when you press into it.

The pen is a cartridge/converter filler. I suppose a piston converter would have made the Imporium prohibitively heavy, but at this price point you sort of expect a piston.

I have a crazy affection for this pen. It grabbed me the moment I laid eyes on it, and I can't explain that rationally. It's just a black and gold guilloche pen. Big woo. But I think it's absolutely fantastic.

Pros

• The Lamy Imporium is incredibly solid and well made.
• The nib on this pen is fantastic. Not only is it unique with the black and gold contrasts, it writes beautifully.
• I love the design of this pen with the guilloche patterns and the contrasting smooth cap. The gold accents add just the right amount of elegance.
• Even though the pen is heavy, it is well balanced. The guilloche design makes the grip easy to hold.
• If you don't like the black and gold, there's an all-black, stealth version and a titanium version.

Cons

• Obviously the biggest negative about the Lamy Imporium is the cost. It is super expensive for what you get. I would never have bought one at the full price.
• Some may find this pen too heavy for comfort.

Edison Pearlette Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

When I purchased my first Edison pen at the 2014 Atlanta Pen Show, I told myself that it wouldn't be my last. In that review, I spoke highly of the Beaumont that I had, and my feelings for that pen haven't changed a bit. So, it was no surprise to me that I was heavily drawn toward another Edison at the 2015 San Francisco Pen Show earlier this year in August.

This year, I walked away with a brand new Edison Pearlette in Deep Indigo Flake with a fine steel nib. I've always been drawn to the shape of the Pearlette in general, and this year I decided to go for it. I have to admit, I was on the hunt for a more custom Pearlette, but I'm also a big fan of this blue flake material. And, like the last Edison review, I don't think this will be my last Edison...again.

Aesthetics

The Pearlette is part of the Edison's Production Line, which means they make the pen in three standard color options, along with the standard nib line-up. You have options of fantastic steel nibs, or gold nibs if that's more your thing. Since these pens are part of the production line, they're a bit more economical than the custom and limited pens from Edison. The regular steel nibbed Pearlette comes in at $149, with a $125 additional charge for a gold nib. Not bad at all for a high-quality, beautiful pen.

The Pearlette features a streamlined design that is equally minimal and mesmerizing. It reminds me of certain Nakaya models, and I think that's on purpose. In my opinion, you can't go wrong with the shape of this pen. It's elegant, clean, and balanced.

The size of the Pearlette is something between small and standard. It's right at 5.25 inches closed, and just under 4.75 when uncapped. This is a very comfortable size for me, but it's important to note that it is a smaller pen. This can be surprising when you only see pictures online of certain pens.

The "furniture" on the Deep Indigo Flake model is silver. The nib is the perfect size in relation to the body of the pen, which can sometimes be off in some pens. Apart from the clip and the nib, this pen is entirely resin. This makes the pen incredibly light and strong.

The cap screws on, and has very tight tolerances. When capping or uncapping the pen, it feels entirely sure and closes nicely without any gaps between the cap and the body. The pen will accept both a standard cartridge or a cartridge-converter, which Anderson pens included with my purchase. I've been using the converter exclusively since I can fill it with a matching Akkerman color.

The clip on the pen is fairly strong, but has a good bit of side to side give. Nothing alarming, but something to consider if you rely heavily on the clip. Personally, I'd love this pen in a clipless version to maintain the sleek aesthetic.

Overall, when you look at this pen, the shape draws you in, but the writing experience hooks you.

Writing

Picking this pen up and holding it in the writing position is what sold me. Before picking it up for a serious look, my thoughts were somewhere in the "I don't need another pen just because it's pretty" range, but that changed immediately after a quick test drive.

The grip is a fantastic shape for me. For reference, I hold pens using a fairly "standard" grip (standard as in how they try to teach it in grade school, but standard is really whatever works best for you). The grip is a tad small, which lends itself to smaller writing. I paired this pen with a fine nib, and I think that was an excellent choice.

The cap posts easily, but I typically use it unposted. Come to think of it, I very rarely post my pens unless they are a compact, short size (like Kawecos or the TWSBI mini).

The nib wrote flawlessly from the beginning, and I've never had anything but good experiences since then. It's smooth, flows well, and starts quickly. This particular nib can get a bit dry after 3-5 days of being idle, but it's easy to get started again if you just lay the pen flat for a couple minutes. Also, the nib is minimally decorated with the Edison logo.

Another point about the nib is the amount of shading I can get out of it. This isn't a flexible nib by any stretch, but I'm impressed by the amount of variation I can get out of it without any modifications. All in all, it's a delightful pen that produces a very pleasant writing experience.

Conclusion

Now that I have two Edison pens in my collection, my hearty recommendation for someone new to the brand is still enthusiastic. I enjoy both of my Edison pens, both for their aesthetic qualities and the fantastic writing experiences they both offer. The only problem I'm noticing at this point is that I have a very narrow color scheme in my current collection, which is something I need to correct in the future.

Anderson Pens have all the Edison Production Line pens for sale, and if you're lucky enough to attend a show, you can pick one of these beauties up in person.