I really like the various materials available on the Duragraph, and I've yet to run into a bad Conklin nib - I especially enjoy their stub nib. Thanks for another great review!
Great review. This exact pen has become my everyday pen. The nib exceeds my expectations. The features I enjoy the most are: 1. the transition from the section to the body is smooth and unobtrusive - I never feel the threads or the step. 2. the screw-in converter - it is so much more secure when refilling from a bottle and there is never ink inside the barrel. I prefer a pen that posts to a reasonable length so as to keep positive control of the cap, but this is the only downside I have found for this pen. The Duragraph is one of the best values for the money.
Just recently came across your channel. Really great review of the Conklin Duragraph. I myself just started the fountain pen hobby and I'm really interested in handwriting. A great amber finish for this pen as well.
The look of the material of this pen is what got me interested in custom turned kitless pens. The huge variety of beautiful acrylic blanks that are available is stunning! How I wish I had the means and space for a lathe... Anyways, a question: what was your first fountain pen? Did you like it?
Seems fairly awkward though with size. But that amber is gorgeous. Wish the Pilot 823 could look that way. As for questions, what ink do you find yourself using every day?
I'd heard that the (YAFA) reboot of Conklin had major nib issues initiallly, but that they'd been resolved. Liking the design of the Duragraph in amber, I thought I'd give one a try and am so glad that I did. The fine nib on mine is excellent - the smoothest fine steel nib I own and on such an inexpensive and attractive pen. A screw in converter is unheard of at the price of this pen and a feature I really like. This pen is a real winner in my book. Great vintage looks and a most dependable writer. Highly recommended - it's my favorite sub-fifty dollar pen. Thanks, David.
Thanks for the review. I am new to Fountain Pens, so still absorbing all videos and reviews. So far, my two faves are Lamy Safari and Osmiroid Prima. This Duragraph is a nice looking pen.
The pen looks good. What is your video editor? Can you show your overhead camera setup and studio lights? How many pens do you daily carry? I am thinking 4 for the different nibs from xf-1.1.
Hey! I am just getting into the fountain pen hobby and I love your reviews. I have an old Elysee from my grandfather. I like it very much and I ordered a Lamy Safari, very excited about it. I would love to have a Conklin Duragraph!
Thank you for the giveaway! As for my question, is there any ink that is universally liked/revered amongst the community but that you felt fell short after trying it? Such was the case for me with Iroshizuku Kon-Peki. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful and decent ink, but after all the pictures and reviews I read, I still felt a little underwhelmed upon trying it myself.
I've had my eye on the orange Duragraph before. I prefer pens with flat ends to the classic cigar shape and I've always liked the look of the material, but found myself wishing that it posted deeper. Still, it's a very nice looking pen.
Nice pen and thanks for the giveaway! I am new to the hobby and only own and tried a few pens, but I already found myself preferring stub/italic nibs over the other sizes. Do you think I should keep experimenting with nib sizes on the next pen purchases or go all in with the same theme?
Do You own/have You tried Conklin All American series by any chance? any opinions? I'm thinking about buying Sunbrust Orange one as a Christmas gift for myself ;)
I like your reviews a lot! Structured, comprehensive but still to the point! Q&A do you have a maximum limit of pens you plan on owning? how do you go about choosing your next pen?
That pen body is gorgeous! I love the way that amber acrylic was swirled and the subtle transparency gives it just a little something extra. Also, what would you say that nib size would be?
You have the best reviews! You consistently present your honest opinion on what you like or dislike while acknowledging that the feature may appeal to others. My question is: Which inks do you find the wettest and driest? I personally like wet inks, but have only found one ink to date that is so dry as to be unusable for me.
Gorgeous pen, especially in that warm amber finish. Reminds me of the antique marble material on some Edison pens I've seen. What is your current favorite fountain pen and are there any grails on your radar?
Great job as always figboot! If you were stranded on a desert island, what pen, ink, and paper would you bring if you could choose only one? For this hypothetical consider you pen would never break and you ink and paper would never run out.
I have had the Conklin Duragraph for several months now and over the past few weeks the pen stops writing and the only thing that gets it going again is if I take it apart, give the converter a little twist to push a little ink along. I have to do this every few minutes. Do you have any ideas of why this would happen and what I can do about it. Thanks for your videos. I find your yt channel one of the most thorough and informative regarding fountain pens!
Typically not the biggest fan of orange colors, but this pen looks very nice. I know you have a large collection, do you get most of your pens new? I was thinking about checking pawn shops and was wondering if you had advice or any good finds at one.
Nice looking pen. Thank you for the review and give away. Are there any American brands still manufactured in the US? How do they compare with pens from Europe or Asia?
I purchased one of these. Agree with the review comments. However my pen came with a nib/feed that would not deliver ink. Hard starts and lots of skipping. Was really frustrating. Tried improving the performance, but could not get it usable (I do manage with some of the simpler tuning and restoration tasks) I finally solved the problem by replacing the nib unit with one that came off a 5$ fountain pen from WH Smith. Now its a good performer and I really enjoy using it.
Mine arrived today and for $45 I'm quite impressed. It's fine nib is amongst the smoothest of the fine steels I own. Many of the early production Conklin nibs were apparently abysmal, but it appears that YAFA has corrected that and very well - at least in my example. I really like the amber acrylic, the vintage design and and for me the weight and balance of the pen are very good. I really like screw-in converters which are unheard of in pens at this price. Seems to me that YAFA has hit one out of the park with their Conklin Duragraph. Thanks, David.
a mix of vintage view with modern materials and filling system, brings some flavor of old times without their inconvenience. it looks fantastic with a more than reasonable Price!
I like fines for general writing (I prefer a thin line for small lettering but don't find EF smooth enough) and flex/stubs for nicer occasions. What purposes do you use your pens for and what nib grades do you like for each?
Would love to win the Durograph. I've been looking at that very one for several months now, but I don't NEED it so I have waited. Question: do you use pen flush when cleaning your pens?
I love modern pens that have the classic look and feel. A couple of Q&A...What is your favorite ink brand and color? What do you think of Noodler's inks? Have you used a Bexley pen and if so, your thoughts. Love your reviews.
My question, albeit quite specific, is what are some pens that are suitable for someone with very small hands? Many small pens have thinner sections, which aren't preferable to me as I have joint pain in my hands. But pocket pens meant to be posted are pretty good choices for me as they usually have suitably thick sections.
Thank you kindly for the giveaway! My question would be, what the heck is inside what i assume to be notebooks and/or folders on the left of your monitor setup (when facing them).
Hi david. Regarding the reverse writing, I have a Faber-Castell Loom medium that is too broad for my taste, but reverse writing works very well on normal paper. I'm wondering, will I damage the nib if I write this way all the time?
Beautiful finish on this pen... And my question, something I have been wondering about: How extensive is your pen collection? And how much of it sees regular use? Thank you!
Such a generous giveaway! This pen has been on my wishlist for a LOOONNG time! Those Conway Stewart bottles look almost identical to Diamine bottles. Well, they clearly know a good thing when they see it, they're fantastic bottles and they look so nice, too. :) Q&A: What are your favourite inks?
Thanks for the review and giveaway opportunity. What's your opinion about pens that change their appearance, develop a patina, or otherwise age over time, such as ones made from wood or copper etc? Are there instances where you think it makes the product nicer looking and instances where the opposite is true?
Browns, oranges and reds make for a very seasonal pen, very nice chunky pen too. A question, I have seen a demonstrator pen under the name of Wancher crystal on eBay, do you know anything about this make?
Thanks for doing the giveaway! No question, just a big thanks for your review of the Sheaffer PFM. It pushed me to seek one out & I just got it in yesterday. Definitely a wonderful pen!
I love your reviews! I often need to leave my pens in my car while I'm at work, will the soon to be dropping temperatures effect my pens or should I be a little more cautious?
Thank you, David. For a question: Is there any interesting story you might want to tell about how came to your particular handwriting style? I did not care for it at first but have seen how it seems to work for you. Congratulations to the winner of the pen.
Those bottles look exactly like Diamine's large bottles. Do you know if these are the same? The stickers, shape, everything looks identical. Good luck to everyone with the giveaway!
Hi David, thank you for the review. You call it a decent pen with a decent nib, at the same time you indicate that you really like the material, and the nib seems to have a fair bit of flex and it is pretty wet. What would upgrade this pen from 'decent' to 'good' or even 'great', would you say?
Thanks for the giveaway! Not sure if you've answered this question before, what is the focus of your collection? How and why do you buy a particular pen? What is your ultimate fountain pen based on your preferences?
I would love to be put in the drawing for the pen. I was looking at one of these. have you seen the blue one? it looks neat. my question is. when is the best time to get a pen? cyber Monday, black Friday, week before Christmas, fountain pen day, etc? or is pen shows better for deals?
Beautiful pen and great review too. Question for a Q/A What do you recommend as a good starter pen for someone new to FP. I don't mean the cheapest or best looking but one that in your mind would spark the FP bug in most people or even you.
Nice review, thanks. Given the pen is somewhat "semi translucent", are there any chances of seeing (or guessing) the inklevel w/o unscrewing the barrel?
It's a bit tough to see the ink level in the converter. The material really varies. There's one small part of the barrel where I can get a decent look at the converter, but the swirling is too thick on the rest of the barrel to check the ink level. The material will vary from pen to pen, so it's tough to say.
Thanks for the giveaway! Vintage pens have always interested me. How would you recommend someone that is familiar with modern pens to move into vintage pens?
I am wondering what you might do to afford these pens. And as people ask SBRE and Matt, if you were left on Gilligan's Island what pen, ink and paper, what would you take?
I really like the various materials available on the Duragraph, and I've yet to run into a bad Conklin nib - I especially enjoy their stub nib. Thanks for another great review!
Great review.
This exact pen has become my everyday pen. The nib exceeds my expectations. The features I enjoy the most are:
1. the transition from the section to the body is smooth and unobtrusive - I never feel the threads or the step.
2. the screw-in converter - it is so much more secure when refilling from a bottle and there is never ink inside the barrel.
I prefer a pen that posts to a reasonable length so as to keep positive control of the cap, but this is the only downside I have found for this pen. The Duragraph is one of the best values for the money.
Just recently came across your channel. Really great review of the Conklin Duragraph. I myself just started the fountain pen hobby and I'm really interested in handwriting. A great amber finish for this pen as well.
The look of the material of this pen is what got me interested in custom turned kitless pens. The huge variety of beautiful acrylic blanks that are available is stunning! How I wish I had the means and space for a lathe...
Anyways, a question: what was your first fountain pen? Did you like it?
Here's my question/entry: how did you get the channel name 'figboot'?
Seems fairly awkward though with size. But that amber is gorgeous. Wish the Pilot 823 could look that way.
As for questions, what ink do you find yourself using every day?
I'd heard that the (YAFA) reboot of Conklin had major nib issues initiallly, but that they'd been resolved. Liking the design of the Duragraph in amber, I thought I'd give one a try and am so glad that I did. The fine nib on mine is excellent - the smoothest fine steel nib I own and on such an inexpensive and attractive pen. A screw in converter is unheard of at the price of this pen and a feature I really like. This pen is a real winner in my book. Great vintage looks and a most dependable writer. Highly recommended - it's my favorite sub-fifty dollar pen. Thanks, David.
Thanks for the review. I am new to Fountain Pens, so still absorbing all videos and reviews. So far, my two faves are Lamy Safari and Osmiroid Prima. This Duragraph is a nice looking pen.
The pen looks good. What is your video editor? Can you show your overhead camera setup and studio lights? How many pens do you daily carry? I am thinking 4 for the different nibs from xf-1.1.
I really enjoy your reviews. What equipment are you using to create your videos?
Hey! I am just getting into the fountain pen hobby and I love your reviews. I have an old Elysee from my grandfather. I like it very much and I ordered a Lamy Safari, very excited about it. I would love to have a Conklin Duragraph!
Thank you for the giveaway! As for my question, is there any ink that is universally liked/revered amongst the community but that you felt fell short after trying it? Such was the case for me with Iroshizuku Kon-Peki. Don't get me wrong, it's a beautiful and decent ink, but after all the pictures and reviews I read, I still felt a little underwhelmed upon trying it myself.
I've had my eye on the orange Duragraph before. I prefer pens with flat ends to the classic cigar shape and I've always liked the look of the material, but found myself wishing that it posted deeper. Still, it's a very nice looking pen.
Nice pen and thanks for the giveaway!
I am new to the hobby and only own and tried a few pens, but I already found myself preferring stub/italic nibs over the other sizes. Do you think I should keep experimenting with nib sizes on the next pen purchases or go all in with the same theme?
have you tried out the kaweco supra yet? it seems right up my ally.
Do You own/have You tried Conklin All American series by any chance? any opinions? I'm thinking about buying Sunbrust Orange one as a Christmas gift for myself ;)
I like your reviews a lot! Structured, comprehensive but still to the point!
Q&A do you have a maximum limit of pens you plan on owning? how do you go about choosing your next pen?
Fabulous review. What would you consider the best entry level gold nib pen?
That pen body is gorgeous! I love the way that amber acrylic was swirled and the subtle transparency gives it just a little something extra. Also, what would you say that nib size would be?
You have the best reviews! You consistently present your honest opinion on what you like or dislike while acknowledging that the feature may appeal to others.
My question is: Which inks do you find the wettest and driest? I personally like wet inks, but have only found one ink to date that is so dry as to be unusable for me.
Gorgeous pen, especially in that warm amber finish. Reminds me of the antique marble material on some Edison pens I've seen.
What is your current favorite fountain pen and are there any grails on your radar?
what's your recommendation for mid range demonstrators $200-$500? thanks
Great job as always figboot! If you were stranded on a desert island, what pen, ink, and paper would you bring if you could choose only one? For this hypothetical consider you pen would never break and you ink and paper would never run out.
I have had the Conklin Duragraph for several months now and over the past few weeks the pen stops writing and the only thing that gets it going again is if I take it apart, give the converter a little twist to push a little ink along. I have to do this every few minutes. Do you have any ideas of why this would happen and what I can do about it. Thanks for your videos. I find your yt channel one of the most thorough and informative regarding fountain pens!
Thanks for the giveaway! Do you plan to do more reviews on vintage pens?
Typically not the biggest fan of orange colors, but this pen looks very nice. I know you have a large collection, do you get most of your pens new? I was thinking about checking pawn shops and was wondering if you had advice or any good finds at one.
Great review David. My question is: we've seen your Rubix cubes and you've mentioned magic, but are there any other hobbies or collections you have?
I love their Omniflex nib. I’ve got 5 Duragraph pens and several other Conklin pens, love them all. Thank you for the review.
I was really hoping that this pen would be eyedropper convertible... seeing the ink sloshing around behind that semitransluscent amber acryllic
Do you prefer tapered pens, or straight barrel pens? What's the most beautiful pen you've ever seen?
what a nice looking pen
btw, have you ever finished a whole bottle of ink in your fountain pen career?
Nice looking pen. Thank you for the review and give away. Are there any American brands still manufactured in the US? How do they compare with pens from Europe or Asia?
I purchased one of these. Agree with the review comments. However my pen came with a nib/feed that would not deliver ink. Hard starts and lots of skipping. Was really frustrating. Tried improving the performance, but could not get it usable (I do manage with some of the simpler tuning and restoration tasks) I finally solved the problem by replacing the nib unit with one that came off a 5$ fountain pen from WH Smith. Now its a good performer and I really enjoy using it.
how do you compare this acrylic to the noodlers konrad acrylic and the edison premiere nouneau acrylic?
Mine arrived today and for $45 I'm quite impressed. It's fine nib is amongst the smoothest of the fine steels I own. Many of the early production Conklin nibs were apparently abysmal, but it appears that YAFA has corrected that and very well - at least in my example. I really like the amber acrylic, the vintage design and and for me the weight and balance of the pen are very good. I really like screw-in converters which are unheard of in pens at this price. Seems to me that YAFA has hit one out of the park with their Conklin Duragraph. Thanks, David.
Just started watching a few videos ago but nicely done! How big is your pen collection?
a mix of vintage view with modern materials and filling system, brings some flavor of old times without their inconvenience. it looks fantastic with a more than reasonable Price!
I like fines for general writing (I prefer a thin line for small lettering but don't find EF smooth enough) and flex/stubs for nicer occasions. What purposes do you use your pens for and what nib grades do you like for each?
Not in for the drawing, but what's that black dot on your left collar point?
wetracy It's 's an eyelet. The shirt is one of the new ones from the Bill Murray golf line.
thanks for one more nice review and pen. My question for you is how many fountain pens do you own and how do you keep them?
Just something I've been wondering about recently. Should you clean a pen between inkings even if you fill it back up with the same ink?
Danke
Would love to win the Durograph. I've been looking at that very one for several months now, but I don't NEED it so I have waited. Question: do you use pen flush when cleaning your pens?
I love modern pens that have the classic look and feel. A couple of Q&A...What is your favorite ink brand and color? What do you think of Noodler's inks? Have you used a Bexley pen and if so, your thoughts. Love your reviews.
I was allready considering purchasing this pen in the forest green. After watching your review I have decided to move it up on my list. Thanks.
Nice review as always! You mentioned in a recent video that you like magic. Do you do card routines as well? Any favorite tricks?
Thank you for the review and giveaway :D
Which grind (architect, italic, etc...) would you recommend for a print writer?
This is a great looking pen! In you experience do you prefer piston fillers or cartridge/converters? Why?
My question, albeit quite specific, is what are some pens that are suitable for someone with very small hands? Many small pens have thinner sections, which aren't preferable to me as I have joint pain in my hands. But pocket pens meant to be posted are pretty good choices for me as they usually have suitably thick sections.
Thanks for the giveaway.my question is what is your most expensive pen and why did you decide to purchase it??
Thank you kindly for the giveaway! My question would be, what the heck is inside what i assume to be notebooks and/or folders on the left of your monitor setup (when facing them).
Hi david. Regarding the reverse writing, I have a Faber-Castell Loom medium that is too broad for my taste, but reverse writing works very well on normal paper. I'm wondering, will I damage the nib if I write this way all the time?
Beautiful finish on this pen... And my question, something I have been wondering about: How extensive is your pen collection? And how much of it sees regular use? Thank you!
I like that Amber color! Here's a q&a for you: Do you usually have a pen of the day/week/month, or do you just grab whatever feels right at the time?
I really like the newer conklin models coming out. what's your favorite Conklin model?
Such a generous giveaway! This pen has been on my wishlist for a LOOONNG time! Those Conway Stewart bottles look almost identical to Diamine bottles. Well, they clearly know a good thing when they see it, they're fantastic bottles and they look so nice, too. :)
Q&A: What are your favourite inks?
How do you get so many pens, and is the clip on the herringbone enough of a deal breaker to part with that for the giveaway over the amber one? ; )
Thanks for the review and giveaway opportunity.
What's your opinion about pens that change their appearance, develop a patina, or otherwise age over time, such as ones made from wood or copper etc? Are there instances where you think it makes the product nicer looking and instances where the opposite is true?
What is your favorite your favorite type of filling mechanism?
Browns, oranges and reds make for a very seasonal pen, very nice chunky pen too. A question, I have seen a demonstrator pen under the name of Wancher crystal on eBay, do you know anything about this make?
Wancher is the house brand for Engeika.com. I haven't had an opportunity to check out this model yet.
Thanks for doing the giveaway!
No question, just a big thanks for your review of the Sheaffer PFM. It pushed me to seek one out & I just got it in yesterday. Definitely a wonderful pen!
Cool! Glad it helped. At the next pen show I attend, I might seek one of those out myself.
That's a really nice looking pen. Thanks for providing some of the company history - it's always interesting to hear.
I love your reviews! I often need to leave my pens in my car while I'm at work, will the soon to be dropping temperatures effect my pens or should I be a little more cautious?
Thanks for your reviews. I watch them all. Keep up the great work
I like the amber finish too, but the cracked ice finish is even a little prettier to my eye. Thanks for the review.
Thank you for another fine review. Question: What is your experience with iron gall ink? Has such an ink ever damaged one of your pens?
Thank you, David. For a question: Is there any interesting story you might want to tell about how came to your particular handwriting style? I did not care for it at first but have seen how it seems to work for you.
Congratulations to the winner of the pen.
Love your reviews. I'm pretty new to all this so I'm learning a lot from your reviews. Thank you so much!
Those bottles look exactly like Diamine's large bottles. Do you know if these are the same? The stickers, shape, everything looks identical. Good luck to everyone with the giveaway!
hello! i would like to included in the drawing please and thank you! what are some of your current daily carries?
Excellent Review and such a beautiful pen! When did you get started in fountain pens and what was your first pen?
Ever thought of making a blog with links to your youtube videos, plus some other paraphernalia pen-related to fill it with?
Thanks to you and Pen Chalet for the chance to win. Questions: Do you have a grail pen? How would you design the perfect fountain pen?
Always loved this pen. Do you see yourself as a collector? What is your motive for acquiring more fountain pens and when enough is enough?
Hi David, thank you for the review. You call it a decent pen with a decent nib, at the same time you indicate that you really like the material, and the nib seems to have a fair bit of flex and it is pretty wet. What would upgrade this pen from 'decent' to 'good' or even 'great', would you say?
Thanks for the giveaway!
Not sure if you've answered this question before, what is the focus of your collection? How and why do you buy a particular pen? What is your ultimate fountain pen based on your preferences?
Nice looking pen. What are you favorite ways to store your pens? Portable cases? Boxes? Stands?
Hey there...I did an entire video on this topic a while ago. You can check it out here: ua-cam.com/video/NbulJI0EbzY/v-deo.html
Wow, for someone relatively new to the hobby (a bit over a year right?) that's one heck of a collection. Nice cases, thanks for sharing!
I would love to be put in the drawing for the pen. I was looking at one of these. have you seen the blue one? it looks neat. my question is. when is the best time to get a pen? cyber Monday, black Friday, week before Christmas, fountain pen day, etc? or is pen shows better for deals?
Beautiful pen and great review too. Question for a Q/A What do you recommend as a good starter pen for someone new to FP. I don't mean the cheapest or best looking but one that in your mind would spark the FP bug in most people or even you.
Hey there! Recent follower here. I like your channel a lot. Question: what writing do you use your pens most for? Work, journaling, etc...
Nice! Beautiful Pen .... love the finish on this pen and the price point!
Nice review, thanks. Given the pen is somewhat "semi translucent", are there any chances of seeing (or guessing) the inklevel w/o unscrewing the barrel?
It's a bit tough to see the ink level in the converter. The material really varies. There's one small part of the barrel where I can get a decent look at the converter, but the swirling is too thick on the rest of the barrel to check the ink level. The material will vary from pen to pen, so it's tough to say.
Great review and exciting giveaway! My question: what is your preferred section diameter?
thanks for the review and giveaway. do you have a preferred ink brand? one you avoid?
The pen looks way nicer than that other pink one.
Regarding the questions: any favourite flex nibs?
Nice review! Can the nib interchange with other brands?
Thanks for the giveaway! Vintage pens have always interested me. How would you recommend someone that is familiar with modern pens to move into vintage pens?
Awesome custom Rubik's cube! And, as always, very good review!
I know it is a rather silly question: but what is your ultimately, strongly, utmost favorite ink? Just one pick. For example, mine is KWZ azure#4.
I am wondering what you might do to afford these pens. And as people ask SBRE and Matt, if you were left on Gilligan's Island what pen, ink and paper, what would you take?
So, what's you preferred filling system?
Nice pen. So what's your favorite nib size?
Pretty pen! Thanks for the review, David. How long have you been into fountain pens?
The materials used in these pens are impressive looking. If only it didn't post so long it would be ideal.
My question, what pen has surprised you the most in the course of your testing? Thanks for the giveaway!
I really like the material of this particular model. Duragraph in Forest Green looks great too :)
Great review, I really enjoyed your insights. Very cool Rubik's as well
thanks for the review and giveaway! as for the q&a: you seem to have a large collection of inks, maybe you could give an overview of those.
SoundsLikeFelix I agree! I would love to see an ink collection, as well!
Does the ink make a difference in a flex pen's flex performance? If so, what are some inks that help a flex pen peform well?
thank you for the honest and clear review and for the giveaway,too.
Are there any Chinese or Indian pen companies that stand out in your mind for particularly high quality or interesting designs?