Review of the Conklin Duragraph Fountain Pen

Product Review of the Conklin Duragraph Fountain Pens

I have heard so much from customers about the Conklin Duragraph fountain pen and what a great pen it is that I decided to try one myself. I have to say that I was not disappointed. I have always liked the look of the pen especially the amber color with the black and orange resin together. The design as well as the color combination is what initially drew me to the pen.



The color on the Amber Duragraph is a mixture of orange and black resins. The amber color resin has a slight translucency while the black resin is opaque. If you look closely you can see the nib through the amber in the cap. Atop the cap and at the end of the barrel are solid black resin ends. The Conklin logo is engraved in white in this black finial on the cap. There are three chrome colored trim rings on the pen with the center band thicker than the others. This center band has the Conklin logo engraved on one side and the "Duragraph" on the other. Additionally, 6 small crescent moons, the trademarked symbol of the Conklin Pen Company, are also engraved.

The section of the pen is the same solid black resin as the finial of the cap and end of the barrel. The pen comes in two different nib colors. Originally the redesign was introduced with a two-tone chrome and gold stainless steel nib. Later Conklin introduced a black version of the nib, also stainless steel. Both colors look great but I am partial to the black nib with this pen. Engraved on the nib is "Conklin" and "Toledo USA". The breather hole on the nib is fashioned in the crescent moon shape.

I love the way this pen writes! I opted for the fine nib which lays down a nice wet line. I actually feel the fine nib is slightly wider than most of the fines I am used to. I had read reviews of others that suggested the the nib actually ran finer but this was not my experience. The pen writes very smooth and I can see why so many have praised this pen. The Duragraph is a great writing experience.

The size of the Duragraph pen is ideal for me and fits my hand well. I would classify it as a mid-size pen although it may be slightly to the larger end of the spectrum. Definitely not close to the size of the Conklin All American fountain pen though. I prefer writing without the cap posted and it has good weight and balance. With the cap posted the Duragraph measures almost 7 inches so it becomes top heavy and just makes it too long to write comfortably.

The Duragraph comes in a blue leatherette box with a soft white satin interior. Included with the Conklin Duragraph fountain pen is a standard universal ink cartridge to get you started. Also included is an ink converter for the pen as well if you prefer to use bottle fountain pen inks.

The Conklin Duragraph fountain pen is also available in Forest Green, a beautiful marbled green resin, and Cracked Ice, which looks like small fragments of white and ivory ice floating in a black background. All three colors of the Duragraph look great.

Conklin was established in 1898 but faded away and was recently revived. They have recently come out with some great new redesigns of their old pen models. These recreations include the Conklin Crescent Fountain pen as well as the All American pen mentioned earlier.

Conklin Duragraph Fountain Pen Review Conclusion

So would I recommend the Conklin Duragraph fountain pen? Absolutely! Our customers rave about the pen and now I know why. The Conklin Duragraph fountain pen is great pen and a great value. It writes well, looks sharp and won't break the pocket book. The pen is well built and sturdy and comes with a lifetime warranty. The Conklin Duragraph is a quality writing tool, definitely worth the price tag.
Buy the Conklin Duragraph Fountain Pens

Specs of the Conklin Duragraph Fountain Pens

Length: 5.500 in.
Posted Length: 6.875 in.
Diameter: 0.500 in.
Weight: 1.000 oz.
Body/Trim: Resin
FillType: Cartridge/Converter

Conklin Duragraph Reviews from our Customers

See what our customers have to say about the Conklin Duragraph Fountain Pens. Don't just take our word for it, read actual customer reviews of the product and see what they think.

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4.5

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Gorgeous pen (cracked ice). A very fun and different resin, perfect for winter! I use these for artwork primarily and find these to be a perfect weight and size. I'm currently using the stub nib with a Diamine Inkvent ink and its a great writer. This writes every time I pick it up!

Kelly
Huntington, MA

overall: 5 out of 5

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Surprised. That is how I would describe my experience with Conklin Duragraph EF. I read many reviewers before purchasing the one (which was incredibly discounted on Pen Chalet): there were mixed feelings. Some people felt like it was Ok others just hated it. Mainly there were problems with the nib. What can I say; the nib is beautiful, it writes smoothly (it is an EF, did I say that?). I paired the pen with Monteverdi Midnight Black: beautiful pairing. The finish is lovely. I love this pen, i couldn’t be happier.

Enzo
READING, MA

overall: 5 out of 5

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Pretty pen. Writes well. Feels good in the hand. I actually like Conklin better than some of the more expensive pens.

Marsha
Reno, NV

overall: 5 out of 5

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I like Conklin pens. They are good pens at a good price. The price at Pen Chalet is even better than other places. The Durgraph is a little thinner than the All American. I like both pens. They are well-made pens.

Marsha
Reno, NV

overall: 5 out of 5

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This pen's colorful resin is what attracted me immediately. I have some showy and glittery fountain pens in my collection, but this Conklin Durograph in amber is sparkly without feeling gaudy. The medium nib writes very well on a variety of papers

Bonne
Scottsdale, AZ

overall: 5 out of 5

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In this price range very nice pen. Nice quality and nice writer. It writes smooth.

Munjal
Richmond, TX

overall: 5 out of 5

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A beautiful pen to add to my growing Conklin collection. It's well made, and writes excellently.
I am very happy with this pen and "Pen Chalet".

Joseph
Media, PA

overall: 5 out of 5

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A very nice old-standby type of pen, with a great retro design. It is good value for the money. The ink fed poorly on the "fine" nib I tried but the "medium" nib is flowing well. It is comfortable with a slightly pencilly feel with little flex. The cap cannot be posted without scratching the finish but posted the pen is too long anyway.

Peter
Jamaica, NY

overall: 4 out of 5

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I'll admit I was a bit worried about this pen when I placed the order (I'd heard about some quality control issues with the nibs). However, I went for the 1.1 stub nib and it was a home run. I love the color, the shape, and the weight, and the nib somehow makes me want to have better handwriting. For the money, it was a great deal, especially given the rising price of fountain pens during the past year or so.

Susan
Massena, NY

overall: 5 out of 5

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A lovely pen, with all the quality that Conklin offers.

Maura
Camarillo, CA

overall: 5 out of 5

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Pictures of the Conklin Duragraph Fountain Pens