Japanese pens, new order to cover all the basics

[Jolltax]

Hiya,

I am super excited as I have been given permission from Mrs Jolltax to buy some more Japanese pens for my birthday, this is after my first purchase of a Pilot Custom 74 which I really enjoy using and has spurred me on to have a few more Japanese pens in my collection.

I don't buy super expensive pens (perhaps in the future?) so my max budget is around the £130 / $200 mark and I am buying the pens direct from Japan (I used penroom on Rakuten (http://global.rakuten.com/en/store/penroom/)), which even after tax and postage is saving me a reasonable amount on high street prices here in the UK.

So in addition to my Custom 74 I have drawn up a list of 3 pens and would be interested in feedback whether I have missed any real classics around the same price range of £50-£130.

1. Sailor Realo Profit (Maroon, M nib) - I like the piston fill and I am pretty sure this is a 1911 variant (hard to tell on Japanese website)
2. PLATINUM Fountain pen #3776 Century Chartres Blue (F) - I believe the nib is great on these ones
3. Pilot Fountain pen Custom823 Transparent black (M) - mostly really positive reviews alhtough I am a bit concerned about the comparisons withthe TWSBI Vac 700 which I won and find the filling a bit problematic, the feed struggles to keep up with the nib imho. I am hopeful that Pilot have solved this iisue and have read many positive reviews.


Hopefully that will enable me to stop scratching my itch for Japanese pens, what do you think?

Joltax

[katanankes]

Well, the Pilot capless is an usual suspect. Right now you can find the 2015 limited edition that is quite stunning. Also the 3776 demonstrator dedicated to one of the Mt Fuji lakes is out (Yamanaka). Admittedly they are a bit over the 200usd mark, but not much.

The Realo is applied to both the 1911 variant and to the Progear variant with piston.

I have a 823, never had a problem with ink flow (and it has a B nib). There is a big buffer of ink in the feeder (you can write one page or more even with the valve closed).

[Laura N]

I know what you mean about the Vac 700. But worry not: the Custom 823 doesn't have any of the issues of the Vac 700. Night and day. :)

However, the Custom 823 does have one feature that most adore, but that didn't work for me. It has a huge capacity and can't be easily partially filled. That's great if you travel frequently or are a one pen/one ink person. Not great if you like to switch up pens and inks frequently. It's an outstanding pen, however.

Sailor pens are among my favorites. I actually like the c/c versions, but the Realos are even better if you want a piston filler.

The Platinum must be less expensive than either of the other two, so that's great, too.

I'm going to add that I'm not sure why you are thinking F nib on the Platinum, and M on the other two. It's been my experience that the nib widths are similar, with the usual disclaimer for possible sample variation. Whether you would prefer the Platinum, Pilot or Sailor nib writing experience is something you won't know until you try. Everyone feels differently about that.

[Jolltax]

I know what you mean about the Vac 700. But worry not: the Custom 823 doesn't have any of the issues of the Vac 700. Night and day. :)

.....I have a 823, never had a problem with ink flow (and it has a B nib)....


This is a relief, I read a lot of positive things about it but I know SREBrown on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAmyQxcnwdU) had feed problems with it so have been a bit worried.

J

[Robert]

I've never taken a pen to a nibmeister at a pen show, but over the years I've mailed a bunch of them to Mike Masuyama for repair/tuning/grinding, and they're always shipped clean. Seems that the same protocol would work for a pen taken to a pen show for work.

[stub]

I am a big fan of all 3 of the big three Japanese pen manufacturers and have had a small army of Pilot, Sailor, Platinum pens with a very high level of satisfaction with all three but recently have fallen hard for Platinum. I just love their nibs and the Century 3776 series is, imo, one of best bang for buck pen lines out there. I have had 3, including a F that was too fine for me, but otherwise lovely (now gone), a Blue in M with Rhodium Trim and a Sai with a B nib. The M nib is great but the B is glorious. Both nibs were perfect out of the box (as was the F), great flow, and they all have that pleasant slight gritty, mildly under polished feel, subtle indeed, that I like so much about Aurora nibs. Both have a little spring (those flat nibs are bouncy) and I did not discern much difference between the SM and the regular M.

Yes, there are mold lines and mild imperfections in the plastic.
Yes, the converters rattle a little
Yes I wish they were a tad larger

But I like these pens so much that I have started selling off others. The M is slimmer than a Pelikan F. But good for everyday work on 7mm lined paper. Not overly thin but left me wanting a B. The B is surprisingly beefy. Not quite a western B but I like that this size. It strikes a balance between a real B (my Pelicans, My PFM, which are too large for everyday work-related writing) and an M. I think of it as the most you can get away with comfortably on 7mm lined paper and really lets you see the ink.

I would suggest a 3776, and for the other, the Pilot Custom Heritage 92, a very nice Piston filler that I think beats the pants off the M200 (but of course can't touch the vintage 400s).

Sounds like you have reservations on the 823, the CH 92 seems a safer bet and it's in your range.

[Miss Fountain Pen]

I know what you mean about the Vac 700. But worry not: the Custom 823 doesn't have any of the issues of the Vac 700. Night and day. :)

.....I have a 823, never had a problem with ink flow (and it has a B nib)....


This is a relief, I read a lot of positive things about it but I know SREBrown on Youtube (https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XAmyQxcnwdU) had feed problems with it so have been a bit worried.

J

Stephen Brown had a franken-823. Pilot Custom 823 comes just in regular F, M, B, and his was a soft nib. So... Someone must have taken the nib off some other pen and put it on the 823.

[stub]

Not sure if this is urban legend but Neil Gaiman used a Pilot 823 on one of his book signing tours and claimed that it never once gave him trouble and used it to sign thousands of books over a long period of time with 0 issues.

I am going on memory, so could be remembering wrong. A book tour for a well known author is a pretty good test for the robustness and reliability of a fountain pen.

[The Good Captain]

Three great pens and I love them all. However, I've only experience of the *"£ with a Fine nib and the #3776 with a Medium or Soft Fine nib. Whatever you decide, you'll have a great writing instrument!

[C40]

However, the Custom 823 does have one feature that most adore, but that didn't work for me. It has a huge capacity and can't be easily partially filled. That's great if you travel frequently or are a one pen/one ink person. Not great if you like to switch up pens and inks frequently. It's an outstanding pen, however.


I use this method with my Vac-700 to put in however much or little ink I want to. I don't have an 823 so I'm not certain that it works for that pen in the same way, but I imagine it does:
- Unscrew the section from the barrel (if you can't do this on the 823 you could pull out the nib and feed
- Get some ink in a syringe
- Place the piston near the end of the barrel - in the wider part of it
- Expel ink into the barrel. However much or little you want

[Laura N]

However, the Custom 823 does have one feature that most adore, but that didn't work for me. It has a huge capacity and can't be easily partially filled. That's great if you travel frequently or are a one pen/one ink person. Not great if you like to switch up pens and inks frequently. It's an outstanding pen, however.


I use this method with my Vac-700 to put in however much or little ink I want to. I don't have an 823 so I'm not certain that it works for that pen in the same way, but I imagine it does:
- Unscrew the section from the barrel (if you can't do this on the 823 you could pull out the nib and feed
- Get some ink in a syringe
- Place the piston near the end of the barrel - in the wider part of it
- Expel ink into the barrel. However much or little you want

Unfortunately, removing the nib and feed from a Custom 823 will void your warranty, and the section does not unscrew.

[C40]

I'm asking this just because it's something I've wondered about before - how the heck would Pilot know that you've removed and replaced the nib and feed?

Relating to filling the 823: removing the nib and feed just to get less ink into the pen would probably not feel worth the work.

I haven't tested this so I'm not certain about it working: (if this does work, it'd be much simpler than the method I described above... If I remember, I'll test this the next time I fill my Vac-700)
- With empty pen, move the plunger all the way to the front (toward the section)
- Move the plunger only partly backwards (like halfway or however far). The less far you pull it back, the less ink you're going to get. You probably have to pull it a certain distance for it to actually get ink.
- Insert pen into ink and push plunger forward

[Dragonmaster Lou]

I'm asking this just because it's something I've wondered about before - how the heck would Pilot know that you've removed and replaced the nib and feed?

Relating to filling the 823: removing the nib and feed just to get less ink into the pen would probably not feel worth the work.

I haven't tested this so I'm not certain about it working: (if this does work, it'd be much simpler than the method I described above... If I remember, I'll test this the next time I fill my Vac-700)
- With empty pen, move the plunger all the way to the front (toward the section)
- Move the plunger only partly backwards (like halfway or however far). The less far you pull it back, the less ink you're going to get. You probably have to pull it a certain distance for it to actually get ink.
- Insert pen into ink and push plunger forward

Goulet Pens posted a video of using this technique when trying to fill a vac filler like the 823 and TWSBI Vac-700 with the Visconti traveling inkwell (as for some reason I can't recall, you can't do a full fill with those vac fillers all at once using the inkwell). It does work.

[dr.grace]

The nib/feed unit on the 823 does unscrew, but I highly discourage doing that, because you can easily crack the barrel when you reassemble the pen. I speak from experience, unfortunately.

[bluesea]

Hiya,


...So in addition to my Custom 74 I have drawn up a list of 3 pens and would be interested in feedback whether I have missed any real classics around the same price range of £50-£130.

1. Sailor Realo Profit (Maroon, M nib) - I like the piston fill and I am pretty sure this is a 1911 variant (hard to tell on Japanese website)
2. PLATINUM Fountain pen #3776 Century Chartres Blue (F) - I believe the nib is great on these ones
3. Pilot Fountain pen Custom823 Transparent black (M) - mostly really positive reviews alhtough I am a bit concerned about the comparisons withthe TWSBI Vac 700 which I won and find the filling a bit problematic, the feed struggles to keep up with the nib imho. I am hopeful that Pilot have solved this iisue and have read many positive reviews.

Hopefully that will enable me to stop scratching my itch for Japanese pens, what do you think?

Joltax





So I just went though this drill last week and came this }{ close to ordering a Full Size Burgundy Realo 1911 f or ef. Its supposed to be similar in size to the MB 146 which fits me so well, and I'm really attracted to all I've heard about Sailor nib qualities. Always thought I'd get a Montblanc Bordeaux 146, but this is a real alternative, although its not as sleek as a 146. Imo that fat gold cap band throws its lines out the window--this coming from an admirer of course. Ymmv

[Jolltax]

I thought I would follow up with a bit of feedback on my new purchases (can't resist!). My pens all arrived in good condition from Japan to the UK with the customary delay while I paid customs duty on them - even with the duty paid I saved quite a lot vs UK prices especially on the Realo and Custom 823 both of which are difficult to find in the UK and are ridiculously priced ........ why would a Sailor REALO pen sell at 150 GBP in Japan and more than double in UK (http://www.amazon.co.uk/s/ref=nb_sb_noss_2?url=search-alias%3Daps&field-keywords=sailor%20realo%20) ?

I have been using them all at work for the last 2 weeks and my current favourite is the Sailor Realo - probably because the nib suits my personal tastes and the ink capacity - I like some nib feedback and a little bit of 'soft' feeling. Just wish it were a tiny bit bigger so I could use it unposted....

Anyway, I am very pleased with all my Japanese pens and they certainly live up to their reputation and reviews:


The 823 is great, I haven't had any feed issues and the nib is great if a litttle harder than I expected.
The 3776 nib is very fine, as people suggested it would be, although its not my usual preference I have actually found it useful recently when filling in my Tax forms - the boxes can be small! I must admit I might seek out a Medium
The Custom 74 with the Soft Medium nib which started me off in my Japanese adventure is still probably the nicest nib (for me!)


http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e352/Jolltax/Pen%20Stuff/All3_zpsnpfolpxb.jpg

Note : the photo doesn't really do the blue and red colours justice, they are much more vivid than they appear here.

To anyone considering either trying one of these pens or importing from Japan to the UK - my experience has been entirely positive ...

Been great hearing all your feedback.

Jolltax

[Jolltax]

So I just went though this drill last week and came this }{ close to ordering a Full Size Burgundy Realo 1911 f or ef. Its supposed to be similar in size to the MB 146 which fits me so well, and I'm really attracted to all I've heard about Sailor nib qualities. Always thought I'd get a Montblanc Bordeaux 146, but this is a real alternative, although its not as sleek as a 146. Imo that fat gold cap band throws its lines out the window--this coming from an admirer of course. Ymmv

I love mine, the nib is one of my favourites - especially if you like a little feedback. I don't own a Montblanc and am pretty sure they are wonderful but for me its hard to imagine how much better one could be than the Sailor :)

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e352/Jolltax/Pen%20Stuff/REALO_zpssxzawrph.jpg

Don't judge me based on my scrawly writing in a meeting :) Wish I had never taken to picture on my notebook ....

J

[bluesea]

Excellent!

[folksathome]

Get a sailor witha naginata togi nib. they are awesome

[bluesea]

So I just went though this drill last week and came this }{ close to ordering a Full Size Burgundy Realo 1911 f or ef. Its supposed to be similar in size to the MB 146 which fits me so well, and I'm really attracted to all I've heard about Sailor nib qualities. Always thought I'd get a Montblanc Bordeaux 146, but this is a real alternative, although its not as sleek as a 146. Imo that fat gold cap band throws its lines out the window--this coming from an admirer of course. Ymmv

I love mine, the nib is one of my favourites - especially if you like a little feedback. I don't own a Montblanc and am pretty sure they are wonderful but for me its hard to imagine how much better one could be than the Sailor :)

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e352/Jolltax/Pen%20Stuff/REALO_zpssxzawrph.jpg

Don't judge me based on my scrawly writing in a meeting :) Wish I had never taken to picture on my notebook ....

J


I have the same Custom 74 that you have w/ med nib. Stock, it was a very smooth writer, with a forgiving flex that actually has a bit of responsiveness to pressure.

How would you compare your C-74 to the Realo 1911?

[Jolltax]

I have the same Custom 74 that you have w/ med nib. Stock, it was a very smooth writer, with a forgiving flex that actually has a bit of responsiveness to pressure.

How would you compare your C-74 to the Realo 1911?

They are both really nice - I would say they have about the same amount of moderate flex if you push them, the Pilot being smoother and softer and the Sailor gives more feedback. I have read that Sailor tune their nibs to be a bit more 'toothy' and this is definitely my experience with mine, 'scratchy' is definitely the wrong word though! Personally I like a little feedback from my nibs and as I am not a very good writer I actually find super-smooth nibs difficult to write with e.g. I have a Lamy 2000 which is very wet and smooth and my handwriting is a total mess with it.

Here is a 2 min scribble showing them side by side :

http://i43.photobucket.com/albums/e352/Jolltax/Pen%20Stuff/20151121_065234_resized_zps7xoqsvhy.jpg

I pushed both nibs more than one would writing normally. By my eyes they have very similar levels of flex but in normal writing the Pilot is much easier to flex so probably more accessible if you have a good enough hand to use flex in your writing (I don't).

They are both really nice nibs and among the best I own amongst my collection of mid-price FP's.

J