Some vintage Conklin Endura questions from a vintage n00b

[CelticKnott]

Hey everyone,

I have a vintage Conklin Endura headed my way in the next week or so. It's the first vintage pen I've owned, though I do own and love a good number of modern FP, including 4 Conklins.

I ordered the pen, restored, from a reputable place so I'm not worried about quality issues or disrepair. But I do have a few questions for anyone that knows more than me about vintage Conklins. I love history so I find all of that kind of stuff interesting, but I can't seem to find any good guides that cover Conklin Enduras.

1. Is there a way to tell whether it's 'hard rubber' (ebonite??) or plastic? I know some later enduras were plastic. The listing for the pen just said that it was ~1930s. I'm just curious.

2. Are all nibs at this point actual gold? The nib says 'Endura' and 'Conklin', but nothing else, and is gold-colored, medium. Listing says the nib is firm with basically no give. It does say the trim is gold-filled.

3. The imprint doesn't have any model number or date, just Endura and the usual Conklin stamp, and Toldeo. The clip says 'Patent May-28-1918'. I'm not sure if theres a patent print on the lever or not until I receive the pen. But any additional info about the pen/production history that you may know from that info would be interesting to hear.

Thanks in advance!

[FredRydr]

1. If you post or link to the seller's photo(s) , it would help to determine which material it is made from. Odds are it will be a celluloid plastic if from the '30s. Hard rubber or "ebonite" has a distinctive vulcanized smell when rubbed with your finger.

2. The nib will be 14k gold.

3. Again, photos would help answer your questions. The model number/name is embossed on the barrel, though it might be worn away.

Conklin crescent fillers are my favorite vintage pens, and the nibs are among my best writers.

[CelticKnott]

Thank you! This was the listing http://www.peytonstreetpens.com/othe...-restored.html

[CelticKnott]

That's interesting and good news that you like the vintage Conklin nibs--I have hated most of the modern nibs on the Conklins I have.

[FredRydr]

Your lever-filler Endura is made of nitrocellulose that Conklin called "Pyroxilin" in its "Verd-Green" color. Your pen was manufactured late 1926 to early 1927, before Conklin's Verd-Green nitrocellulose mix became a darker green. Tint notwithstanding, your pen could not be from the '30s, because from 1929, Conklin bestowed two gold bands on the Endura caps.

Vintage Conklin nibs vary, just like other pen manufacturers' nibs. If you don't like your nib but love the rest of the pen, you can always swap nibs and perhaps feeds. Contact Rob Lott (d/b/a Five Star Pens) for nibs and parts. Pete Kirby (d/b/a Pete's Pens) is an excellent Conklin source for pens and advice.

I never owned a modern Conklin to pass judgment, but my understanding is the only similarity is the name.

[CelticKnott]

Thank you so much for all of the info! The precise date is cool to learn--esp since the listing said 30s.

I really like the history of materials and colors from different manufacturers. Can you recommend any additional resources?

And thank you for the tips for potentially swapping the nib. Others have told me not to attempt it, or to have someone grind it from a M to a F, but I like to explore my options fully before I'd decide.

[Jon Szanto]

There is literally NO connection between the Conklin you will receive and the modern company (age: around 10 years). It borders on a sham. They recently introduced a 'flexible' nib <cough> and touted, in their blurbs, "100 years of experience making nibs".

The absurdity of that is that the original Conklin sold their business in 1938 and the following company, which proceeded to make far inferior pens, only lasted a couple years. There were literally *decades* that passed by before the current owners of the name bought it and brought out their... "Conklin" pens. It's night and day.

I don't know of any dedicated Conklin sites but there have been a few threads on some of the fp forums (not sure if here on FPG) that had a lot of photos and info. I have a few of them and they are wonderful pens. I'll keep track of this thread and offer info as I can find it. Lastly, *if* you swap a nib then *only* put in a proper Conklin nib, else you'll devalue the pen. If you get a grind, get it from someone good. The thing is, if a vintage nib is ruined then there is one less vintage nib in the world. Not good.

Welcome to FPG.

[FredRydr]

For additional information, you can use the various websites through a Google search, though I like a traditional book library. For Conklin, try to acquire the heavy 325pp book The Conklin Legacy by Alfonso Mur Bohigas (2013). Be aware that Alfonso did not print many copies, and it lacks an ISBN number, so if you find one, grab it. There are many general books on fountain pens that include Conklin in less depth.

I'm not a purist, but I agree with Jon that it becomes a travesty when an intact vintage nib is reground; something is lost forever. With a bit of searching, you can find a nib that both meets your specifications and fits your pen. (Go to a pen show!) Have a professional do the nib installation on an Endura, at least until you acquire the tools and skills.

If your Endura M nib is boring and you want to keep it in your pen as original, ask a long experienced nibmeister to have a look to see if there is enough iridium to grind ever-so-slightly just the tipping (not the gold underneath) to make it stubbish. But I'd leave it alone and do that kind of thing to modern pens with easily-swapped Bock or Jowo nib units. Hey, just re-grind your modern Conklin to your heart's content!

[CelticKnott]

There is literally NO connection between the Conklin you will receive and the modern company (age: around 10 years). It borders on a sham. They recently introduced a 'flexible' nib <cough> and touted, in their blurbs, "100 years of experience making nibs".

The absurdity of that is that the original Conklin sold their business in 1938 and the following company, which proceeded to make far inferior pens, only lasted a couple years. There were literally *decades* that passed by before the current owners of the name bought it and brought out their... "Conklin" pens. It's night and day.

I don't know of any dedicated Conklin sites but there have been a few threads on some of the fp forums (not sure if here on FPG) that had a lot of photos and info. I have a few of them and they are wonderful pens. I'll keep track of this thread and offer info as I can find it. Lastly, *if* you swap a nib then *only* put in a proper Conklin nib, else you'll devalue the pen. If you get a grind, get it from someone good. The thing is, if a vintage nib is ruined then there is one less vintage nib in the world. Not good.

Welcome to FPG.

Yes, I agree with you and FredRydr, I'd be very very unlikely to actually have the nib ground, if just because there aren't a lot of vintage nibs out there (compared to constantly restocked modern ones etc). Having a Medium certainly isn't a dealbreaker, so I'm not in a hurry to change it, but I appreciate the advice from you both about finding another original in the size I want and trying a penshow to see if I can find someone trustworthy to install. I also love the idea of only doing a slight grind to make it a stub, though I'd still hesitate awhile to do violence to it at all

For additional information, you can use the various websites through a Google search, though I like a traditional book library. For Conklin, try to acquire the heavy 325pp book The Conklin Legacy by Alfonso Mur Bohigas (2013). Be aware that Alfonso did not print many copies, and it lacks an ISBN number, so if you find one, grab it. There are many general books on fountain pens that include Conklin in less depth.

Thanks! I'll look for that. We have a great used book 'mine' in our town, I'll check there first!