Pilot PO nib - additional "feature"

[trhall]

So I love my Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with a PO nib. It writes a very fine line but is still quite smooth.

I had always used it on nicer, fountain pen friendly paper. Guess what I discovered when I tried it on cheap work copy paper? It actually does a very decent job of keeping a fine line, with little to no feathering. See a comparison with a couple of other pens, including a Pilot EF.

10497

Another fun thing you can do with the PO nib is flip it over and use it for some shading or thicker underlining.

The PO nib is still one of my favorites.

[reprieve]

I've been using my PO nib on cheaper work paper as well. It's great for marginalia and underlining. Even with a wetter ink (it's currently filled with Iroshizuku Ku-jaku), there's little to no feathering on copy paper. I'm consistently amazed by the PO nib's super fine line.

[trhall]

I've been using my PO nib on cheaper work paper as well.

Good to know I'm not alone in this usage scenario. Thanks!

[ExeArco]

Okay, its fine.

Is it smooth?

My 3776 EF is a tad scratchy for my tastes.

[trhall]

It is very smooth to me. But I also love fine nibs and have a fairly light hand when I write. Is your 3776 misaligned?

[ExeArco]

I think its just the nib being an Extra Fine.

I'll be able to tell whether its misaligned soon when my loupe comes, but I don't think so.

[Hewson]

Love my PO nib but it's similar to my Sailor 1911L EF nib on both Rhodia, Apica and copy paper. It does lay a more consistent line though.

[raging.dragon]

If I recall correctly the Posting (PO) nibs were originally developed for writing on Japanese post cards made from paper with a tendancy to feather severely. So it makes sense that they work well on cheap, feathery, paper!

[allanorn]

Looking to get a 912 with the PO nib - how well does it write with cursive?

[trhall]

Looking to get a 912 with the PO nib - how well does it write with cursive?

Works great with both print and cursive.

[discopig]

That is a pretty impressive writing sample.

[reprieve]

Oh man. I took this pen out of rotation for the first time a few weeks ago. I've been missing it (but too many pens already inked! argh!) and then I saw this thread. And then I pulled out my bottle of Pilot Blue-black...

[Curtisvan]

Excuse my ignorance. What is a PO nib?

[kallenpj]

Excuse my ignorance. What is a PO nib?
Posting. For post cards and such. Very fine nib with a touch of curve at the tip.

[Basu988]

Pilot is making fountain pens? Great. Need to buy one.

[KBeezie]

Pilot is making fountain pens? Great. Need to buy one.

Well that was pretty random (I wonder what his next 8 or so posts will say, ie: typical spam prevention limit).

[a_m]

So I love my Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with a PO nib. It writes a very fine line but is still quite smooth.

I had always used it on nicer, fountain pen friendly paper. Guess what I discovered when I tried it on cheap work copy paper? It actually does a very decent job of keeping a fine line, with little to no feathering. See a comparison with a couple of other pens, including a Pilot EF.

10497

Another fun thing you can do with the PO nib is flip it over and use it for some shading or thicker underlining.

The PO nib is still one of my favorites.


What about bleedthrough?

I have often found that fine nibs have a terrible bleedthrough effect on cheaper paper.

[trhall]

What about bleedthrough?

I have often found that fine nibs have a terrible bleedthrough effect on cheaper paper.

Didn't notice any with the PO nib. I can't test it at the moment but maybe someone else can

[Basu988]

Well, that isn't a random thing if a person doesn't know about it. Isn't it?

[Basu988]

Any idea how much it would cost?

[Basu988]

$186 Dollars...hmm...Thanks for telling the price.

[heldercgrande]

Pilot PO nib is very good pen but has a certain disadvantages !!

Hello,

Just curious, what are the disadvantages of the PO nib?

[ProfMS]

I have a Pilot 912 with a PO nib. It's perfect and incredibly smooth for such an extra-extra fine nib.

[Bart Willems]

Well, that isn't a random thing if a person doesn't know about it. Isn't it?

While nobody is supposed to be omniscient, being surprised that Pilot makes fountain pens on a fountain pen forum is a bit like asking on a car forum if it is true that Ford makes cars.

To be fair, Staples and most other office supply stores in the USA will only offer ballpoints, rollerballs and gel pens from pilot, and even when you visit the Pilot website you'll have to search hard for them (because even the Pilot branded fountain pens are listed under “Namiki collection.”)

Pilot makes pens with sensationally smooth nibs, even the cheapest Varsities (disposables for around $2 each when bought in bulk) have surprisingly good nibs. From there you can get a Pilot at pretty much any price you can imagine, but the Custom Heritage mentioned in this post costs around $220. To get acquinted with the brand you might want to start with a cheaper Metropolitan or Kakuno (less than $20) or perhaps a Prera (around $40) although they don't come with a PO nib.

[konrad_white]

Thanks for review.
I think about PO nib.
If #15 PO nib give me more than #10 PO?

[dfo]

Thanks for review.
I think about PO nib.
If #15 PO nib give me more than #10 PO?

Pilot pens with a #15 nib do cost more than those with a #10.

I don't see the point in choosing a #15 PO nib over a #10 PO. Both nibs are super rigid and get the same amount of ink to the point. If you want a tad larger nib, go with the #15, but the size doesn't change the writing experience.

[awa54]

My only "posting" nib so far is in a 1960s Pilot E switch-filler, it's about as smooth as an extra fine nib can be and it's virtually feather proof due to the very dry line it lays down. At first I was concerned that it would be prone to skipping or drying out if left un-capped for a few minutes, but it seems to be pretty much immune to any of the issues you might expect from a dry writing EF nib!

If Pilot made a PO in the 5 sized nibs I'd jump on one, but the 912, 742 and 743 are all just a bit bigger than I prefer.


P.S.
Pilot's description of the purpose behind the PO nib would tend to support your results with low quality paper, since they designed it to write on postcards that were made of soft, fibrous paper.

[mark1727]

I have the 3776 UEF, and talk about not smooth!



Okay, its fine.

Is it smooth?

My 3776 EF is a tad scratchy for my tastes.

[Lloyd]

I have the 3776 UEF, and talk about not smooth!



Okay, its fine.

Is it smooth?

My 3776 EF is a tad scratchy for my tastes.
Mine is quite smooth.

Sent from my SM-G991U using Tapatalk

[Cyril]

Well, that isn't a random thing if a person doesn't know about it. Isn't it?

If someone doesn't know about "Pilot" and says it in a pen forum, he doesn't know anything about PILOT.... It is random mistake.

I think it is a good idea too to have another writing sample on Higher weight/ quality paper to see the result . It is what I think.

[ceebert]

How does the line of a Posting nib compare to a Pilot XF or F? I’ve been flirting with a PO 742/743 as a do-it-all work pen.

[Osiris]

How does the line of a Posting nib compare to a Pilot XF or F? I’ve been flirting with a PO 742/743 as a do-it-all work pen.

It's identical to a Pilot extra fine in line width, except it will actually stay at that line width unless you put on significant pressure. The extra fine will go half-way to a fine if you don't pay attention to ensure that you're using very light pressure all the time.

[UltraExtraFineIrishman]

659496594865947Mine too. I own the PO nib in the 912, 742 and 743. All are fantastic for note taking, but my favorite is the 743 with the size 15 nib. Just a wonderful writer.