PILOTFountain Pen Converter (CON-70)

For me, the Pilot Custom 743 just may be the perfect pen. Substantially the same design and the same nib of the much-vaunted Custom 823, but with a converter instead of the vacuum fill. I don't want a converter so small that I have to fill it after practically every writing session. Still, to paraphrase a 16th Century Italian playwright, 'One should do with lovers exactly as one does with ink colours*: Have many, enjoy them one at a time, and change often.'The CON-70 strikes the perfect balance between ink capacity and change frequency. It fills just fine through the nib and the button, but I find it less messy and more efficient to fill from an ink syringe (easily found on Amazon; I use a 1" needle). Filling from a syringe can lead to dry starts with cheaper pens or different converters, but with the CON-70 and No. 15 nib of the Custom 743 the ink flows immediately and it always writes like a dream without issue.I've seen some people recommend a different converter for each ink colour to avoid transfer issues. I simply use a longer syringe (3-4" needle that can extend to the very back of the converter, pictured) and completely flush out the nib and converter with water between fills. That can leave small water droplets in the CON-70 that could (in theory) dilute the ink in your next fill; you can either blow it out with compressed air or I just leave it to dry overnight. If you want to refill right away, it will likely be just fine a bit wet, or just have a spare CON-70 in reserve (hence why you are here!)The Pilot Custom 743, paired with the CON-70, more than live up to the hype. Happy writing!*the original quote says 'clothes' here. But it holds true for fountain pens, so Guarini will forgive me.

using with pilot kakuno.... had zero issues. I bought syringes to refill with after reading some reviews saying the pump function doesn't work. mine worked fine. I ended up with quite a few air bubbles in mine. ... but it writes smoothly. far better with my new hongdian ink than the namiki disposable cartridges. I think the problem may also be removed by taking more care when filling it. i.e. making sure the nib is completely submerged... holding the pen either straight up and down, or at a slight angle. relieving the depressor very slowly.... I need to experiment.... I just pumped it 5 times at first and it barely filled it. did it probably 5-8 more times and then I felt one pump with slight pressure that wasn't there before and stopped. it definitely looks full. even if I do wind up having to use the syringes I'd be happy with this set up .. but unless I find out the airbubbles can't be fixed and are an issue I don't think there is anything bad to say. al

Don't know why some people don't like these. They hold more than regular converters and are quite easy to clean. The push button is easier and clear than twisting the knob on conventional converters. Almost like a Vac fill. Just hold the pen vertical. With the same hand, push the button a few times and you are done. Easier to fill and cleaner.

Got this for my Pilot Kakuno and it fits perfectly. It holds a lot of ink and is the easiest to fill.

I got the CON-70 to go along with my Pilot Custom 74 and I've been using it for a good few months now. I've decided to write this review in two different sections. Lets start with the cons.Cons (heh get it... cons):- The first thing I disliked about this converter was the price, it feels like too much to spend on a converter- My biggest peeve with this converter has to be its cleaning. Cleaning this converter is such a pain. Any time you want to switch inks, in particular from black to a lighter color, you pretty much have to completely take apart the converter and clean it out. There are a few videos on this process on YouTube you may want to look at when you need to do this for yourself. I've found that just flushing with water a few times will not completely clean it, a soak and sonic cleaner may get the job done without taking the pen apart though.That pretty much sums up my negative feelings on this converter. Now for all the things I love about it!- Its a piston filler!! That alone is a pretty awesome addition to any beginner collection of fountain pens.- It has a massive ink capacity. If this is going to be for your every day writer and you need massive amounts of ink or you just hate refilling your pen then this converter is amazing.- It has a clear base so you can see the amount of ink you have left.I have a love hate relationship with this converter. I love it because its beautiful, big, and fun to fill. My only real problem now that I have it on my pen is that I wont switch colors as often because of the hassle of cleaning out the converter. If you're getting this for a pen that you are going to be using every day and not changing the color on a lot I couldn't recommend this converter enough. If you're going to be changing ink a lot you may want to go with something like the CON-50.

This is a great converter for your pilot fountain pens. If your pen can fit it, then go with this over the con 40. The agitator is great

why it wasn't holding more? I looked closely and something had disconnected inside the mechanism. so it sucks up only a small amount of ink. I was able to turn it upside down and fill it with a dropper Great capacity- plunger broke with normal use. not how it is supposed to work

By far the better of the two pilot options! I absolutely love the button fill feature and get the best fill with it compared to the terrible con 40 converter. I’ve purchased multiple of these for my pilot pens and currently have it in my Kakuno.