Pilot VP - Raden Water Surface

[kaisnowbird]

Yesterday I received some birthday gifts from myself (not nearly my b'day yet ), which included the Pilot Vanishing Point Raden Water Surface, with a medium nib.

It was love at first sight. This pen exceeded my high expectation based on all the promotional pictures I've seen. I heard aria echoing when I first took off the plastic sleave and held it in my hands.

Although I have no quasi-professional camera gear, let alone skills, I have to take a few pics and share.

P1000915.JPG

P1000916.JPG

P1000917.JPG

P1000918.JPG

P1000920.JPG

P1000919.JPG

The nib is true Japanese medium (ie European fine), smooth but not glassy slippery, medium wetness and slightly springy. The pen came with a bottle of Iroshizuku Ku-jaku (Btw, Iroshizuku is the best packaged ink I've ever seen!). To me, they are a perfect match.

I always wondered if the finish is synthetic lacquer or urushi, and the little subtle imprint near the end of the barrel confirms it.

P1000921.JPG

The patience and precise work that went into the cutting and inlaid of the abalone shell pieces is just stunning. The urushi looks wet and luscious. It's warm to the touch

P1000923.JPG

P1000922.JPG

This is now, without a doubt, my favourite pen.

P1000924.JPG

[Jon Szanto]

Well-done. A beautiful pen!

[Jeph]

wow. I would be afraid to let air even touch that one. Does anyone make a vacuum sealed pen case with magnetic suspension? Maybe they should.

[Tony Rex]

YOU BEAUTY.

Fantastic pen, Kai. Thanks for sharing.

[tiffanyhenschel]

Beautiful! Thanks for sharing.

[Robert]

I would say that your photographic skills are excellent. Thanks for posting the pics.

[Lady Onogaro]

Kai--It's a lovely pen. I don't think I have seen pictures that capture the beauty of the pen as yours do. Your photographs certainly do justice to the abalone pattern.

[kaisnowbird]

Thank you all for the kind words and encouragement.

A particular charm of this pen is that some of the raden pieces light up as you turn the pen, while others fade into the black urushi. And the 'lights' do not always come on exactly as you expected, which makes it feel like the pen has its own spirit and will.

[dr.grace]

After seeing these photos, I think I'm going to sell some of my pens to buy one of these.

[Bogon07]

Kai, your photographs are great, the are the best I've seen showing off this exquisite pen.
I just love the Doppler shift effect. It only needs to write half as good as it looks to be fantastic.

I've always been attracted to the Pilot Vanishing Point RadenWater Surface - now even more so.

Congratulations on the new pen and thanks for sharing photos of it.

[Murfie]

What an amazing wow factor. That pen is simply stunning and you have done it a treat with the excellent photos. Thanks for posting them, Kai. Hope you get many years of writing pleasure from that beautiful instrument. You can use it on your next letter to me. (hint, hint, nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

And, might I add, that's wrecked the forum. After those pics anything we might post will be soooo bland!

[Crazyorange]

Beautiful pen. You have great taste

[Larry Barrieau]

The pen is beautiful and the pictures are great. Any tips in how to capture photos like that?

Larry

[lisantica]

Just when I thought I didn't need that pen!
So very beautiful, and I love your photos too.

[kaisnowbird]

Kai, your photographs are great, the are the best I've seen showing off this exquisite pen.
I just love the Doppler shift effect. It only needs to write half as good as it looks to be fantastic.

I've always been attracted to the Pilot Vanishing Point RadenWater Surface - now even more so.

Congratulations on the new pen and thanks for sharing photos of it.

Thank you Mr Bogon. Really glad that you enjoyed the pics.

[kaisnowbird]

What an amazing wow factor. That pen is simply stunning and you have done it a treat with the excellent photos. Thanks for posting them, Kai. Hope you get many years of writing pleasure from that beautiful instrument. You can use it on your next letter to me. (hint, hint, nudge, nudge, wink, wink)

And, might I add, that's wrecked the forum. After those pics anything we might post will be soooo bland!

You are too kind Murfie. I'm blushing.

Hint taken, btw. Cheers.

[kaisnowbird]

The pen is beautiful and the pictures are great. Any tips in how to capture photos like that?

Larry

Hiya Larry. I'm most flattered. I am truly ill-qualified to give photography tips though.

The above pics were taken with a humble point and shoot camera (a Canon?) on full auto settings. I took them in daytime with natural lighting on a coffee table. When the light got harsh or the shadow was too heavy, i simply used a piece of white paper to filter or reflect the light to soften things a little.

I think the pros will smirk at my lazy makeshift solutions.

[Larry Barrieau]

I think the pros will go get a point and shoot and a piece of white paper.

[SammyJr]

Hi. Do you mind me asking how much you paid for it and where you got it? Recently one went on eBay for very cheap, 250. wish I would have known about it. I love this pen. I had the cheaper Raden one, Galaxy, 6 months ago and got it for, 200 but lost my job and needed the money lol. But eventually I wanna get the water Raden one, so beautiful. In real life does it still look just as amazing? I am hesitant to pay anything more than 350 but I know they sell for 640 on most sites.

[earthdawn]

Man you got some fantastic pictures of it. You really captured the beauty of it.

I have a friend who has a VP and I really need to revisit it and see if I like it enough to pick one up.

Thanks for the review and taking an obvious LOT of time taking by far the best pictures I have seen of this pen yet!