guess the ink!

[mizgeorge]

Though funnily enough, Tomato Red was one of the others I was considering

[Yazeh]

@mizgeorge do you have a preference between Pilot Elites and pocket Platinums?

[PithyProlix]

Me too - slim, medium, fat, short, long, light, 'just right', heavy. It would be so much easier if I liked a very few pens and hated the rest!

I love the simple cylindrical design. My favorite thin pens - the Sailor Hoscal, Dupont Classique, Dunhill's version of the Montblanc Noblesse (plus I recently got a Pierre Cardin-branded version of the Aurora Hastil that I might fall in love with) - have a similar look. I'm thinking about a Waterman Exclusive that I was offered yesterday too... Is there any end?

[DrPenfection]

What a lovely pen! And this ink goes well with it.

Diamine Red Dragon / Matador
Kaweco Ruby Red
Robert Oster Royal Red / Rubine / Fire Engine Red / Red Candy
Noodler's Tokyo Gift

[DrPenfection]

Diamine Classic Red
Van Dieman's Tasmanian Safron
PenBBS 114 Zhang Ailing

[DrPenfection]

Robert Oster New York
Laban Ares Red
IWI Summer Solstice
Diplomat Red
Pennonia Devil Red

[DrPenfection]

Ink Institute Cat at Noon
FWP Algonquin Maple
Jacques Herbin Rouge d Orient
L'Artisan Pastellier Rouge Fraise

[Yazeh]

Colorverse Eye on the Universe - Hubble?
3 Oysters -Delicious - Chili Red?
Van Dieman's - Tasmanian Safron?
Blackstone Uluru Red?
De Atramentis - Oriental Red?

[PithyProlix]

@mizgeorge do you have a preference between Pilot Elites and pocket Platinums?

You didn't ask me so I'm butting in again because I have quite a few of both, but not the current Elite, just vintage ones. I don't have a Korean Pilot Elite either so I can't say anything about it.

It's not exactly an apples to apples thing because the Elites were the higher end of Pilot's pocket pens. If you consider Platinum's higher end pocket pens only then it would be hard for me to state a preference.

All my Elites - I have about 20 of them - are great pens. Such a consistent model. Wide variety of nibs sizes/types and there are three overall nib designs. If I could have a single pen only it might very well be an Elite with a Script nib.

The higher end Platinums are not quite as consistently good but the nibs can be magical (even with some of the lower-end gold-nibbed pens) in a way that Pilots are not. The tactile feel is like the nib is not made of metal - it almost feels like you are writing with a brush. There are some models that have a bit of a thicker section than the pocket Elite and a little heavier and I prefer their ergonomics a little bit.

If you have questions about specific models and/or nibs I'm glad to discuss.

[Yazeh]

De Atramentis -Wine - Montepulciano?
Diamine Flowers - Tulip?
Akkerman- #12 Scharlaken van Jan Steen?

[mizgeorge]

No correct guesses yet - though there are a couple that are getting close!


As for the Japanese pocket pens, I bow to PPs experience. I have pens from all three makes, but my two current favourites are both Pilots - funnily enough a steel nibbed Korean Pilot (like the one I used previously) which can still be bought very cheaply as NOS, and a very beaten up flower decorated one. I particularly like the fact that the pilots can take a modern converter, which does make them a bit more versatile.

If I could only have one, it would be a MYU. I had a small collection of these, which was stolen some years ago, and I've never been able to replace them. I'd also quite like to get hold of a Platinum pocket with a music nib - I've never seen one IRL, but I know they're out there!

[PithyProlix]

My friend sells the NOS Korean Elites, as well as many other NOS Korean Pilots plus older NOS Japanese 78g's with italic nibs, from Thailand on eBay and Etsy. Her seller name is PastelCactusCafe and I think that's where most people have been getting them. I just checked though - the sales site she uses within Thailand says she is sold out and she has none on eBay right now. It looks like she has availability on Etsy but I wonder if that's correct. She's a great seller and her prices are low - foreign shipping will take a long time unfortunately because all the faster shipping options from Thailand are expensive. I have two (or three?) Korean Pilots with the same nib and feed design and I like them but I think they are very different from Japanese Elites.

BTW, I have four Elites, all F nibs of the same design, inked up with the Ostrich blue-blacks, waiting for me to do some more reviewing.

Don't count out Sailor pocket pens. Some have magical do-not-feel-like-metal nibs too, even lower-end gold-nibbed ones. All-in-all, though, I think Pilot and Platinum have the edge on pocket pens.

Also don't count out the vintage full-size gold nib 'salary man' workhorse pens. The quality is just as good and plastics the Japanese were using have really held up.

I'm thinking about selling my Myu, F nib. I don't think it has ever been inked. Also my Murex, M nib.

I've never seen a Platinum pocket with a music nib here - I'd love to find one. Actually 2nd hand pens with music nibs are rare here but I recently found (and purchased) a Custom 74 with one.

[Yazeh]

Thanks both for your responses.

Montblanc The Legend of the Zodiacs? Conan Doyle?

[Yazeh]

Pennonia Fox Friend?
Sailor Ume/ Dark red?
Montblanc burgundy Modena Red?

[Yazeh]

VInta Union Red/ Clamp Pink?
Cult pens wistful watermelon?
Pennonia Regal crimson?
Cult pens snap dragon /orchid?

[Yazeh]

Kaweco Ruby red?

[Yazeh]

@Pithy,

Thanks for introducing a good seller. She has stuff on ebay, too. A nice pilot with an Ef nib.

Why a Script nib? What is so special about it?

[mizgeorge]

Haha! This one came from her Along with one of my Elites and a few pink and purple pens for my daughter - who loves them. Really nice seller to work with (I tend to use etsy rather than ebay). The other source for a lot of these is speerbob on ebay - who also used to live in Thailand, I believe.

A Myu and a Murex...




None of these inks. Some are very much in the right area, but not there yet.

[Yazeh]

Herbin rouge d'orient?
Vroni?
VInta Damili/ La Union?
Carol Red?
RO Muddy Dragon? New York?
Conklin Bright Red?

[Yazeh]

Conklin Rose Pink? Valentine Red?
Manuscript red?

De Atramentis Holiday Red/ Poinsettia red?
Esterbrooke Scarlet, Tangerine?
Irori/ Sakuramori?
Wearingeul Jane Austen?