Pilot Prera Clear Body Fountain Pen - Calligraphy Medium Nib Review

Well, it looks like I am officially a stub man.

When I first started using fountain pens I was content with European EF nibs like those found in the Lamy Safari. Then I discovered what the Japanese had to offer nib-wise, setting the hook deeper. While those Japanese ultra fine nibs are my daily writers the lure of the stub nib has reeled me in. And, like my standard nibs, the finer the better.

The Pilot Prera is a pen that has been around for years. It is known for its quality build, great feel, and excellent value. I have three solid color barrels that make it into the rotation from time to time, but only when the calligraphy medium (CM) nib came out did I pick up a Clear Body model from JetPens.

Compared to many other fountain pens the Prera is lighter and smaller. It still fits the bill as a full sized fountain pen, albeit near the small end of that chart. This makes it extremely portable, which is one of the main reasons I enjoy it so much.

This review is all about the stub nib though (calligraphy, italic, and stub are not necessarily interchangeable - I use "stub" in the general sense). Checking in at approximately 1.1 mm, the nib is as firm as a nail and writes a wonderfully sharp, yet smooth, line. I talk all the time about finding the proper tools to suit your handwriting style and I have found that stubs fit me perfectly.

My collection of stub nibs is growing fast, and I am searching for more in the 0.9 mm and smaller range. Do any manufacturers have stock nibs in that range, or am I looking at custom only?

Pro Tip: If you like the idea of the Prera CM but not the price tag you can get the same nib in the Pilot Plumix for under $8.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen Review

I'm a little late to the party on the Pilot Metropolitan, but with good reason. I was waiting for MY model to come in - Black Plain Body - and wasn't going to settle for gold or silver or some funky pattern on the barrel. I'm particular!

When I finally did get it I quickly understood what all the hype was about. I noticed two things immediately: The weight of the barrel and the smoothness of the nib. The barrel is made of brass which is something you don't see much with pens in this price range. It gives the Metropolitan a nice heft and the illusion that you are using a much more expensive pen.

The nib, to me, is the real standout. Medium nibs are outside of my normal comfort zone but that doesn't prevent me from knowing quality when I use it. This nib is as good of a steel nib as you will find, regardless of price. It is glassy smooth with nearly no feedback on the page. I loaded my Metropolitan with Aurora Black ink and used a Rhodia 80g DotPad for this review - the ultimate smoothness combination!

While the praise for the Pilot Metropolitan is warranted, it is not without flaws. The biggest one for me is the sharp metal edge on the step-down from the barrel to the grip section. It hits both my thumb and forefinger when writing, making it uncomfortable right out the gate. You can see pretty clearly in this image from JetPens what I am talking about.

The second issue I have isn't as much of a flaw as it is a personal preference: Medium nibs are the only option. Yes, I am aware that you can swap nibs from other Pilot pens into the Metropolitan, but that defeats the purpose of a $15 entry level pen to me. As great as the medium nib is I can't use it all day, every day. I would prefer the choice of an extra fine or a stub nib.

So now the question that many of you are wondering about: Is the Pilot Metropolitan the best entry level fountain pen on the market? No, I'm sticking with the Lamy Safari for the wider range of nib and barrel options. The Pilot Metropolitan is at least in the conversation though, which is more than most under $30 fountain pens can claim.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

My Fountain Pen Education: The Pilot Metal Falcon

As was the case with many of my friend Thomas' pens that he sent me, I didn't know what to make of the Pilot Metal Falcon when I first inked it up. I had heard raves about its flexible nib but never having used one before, I was tentative. It didn't take long for me to get the hang of it and I discovered quickly why it is so well regarded.

It is hard to explain the feeling of a flex nib to someone who has never used one before. In a nutshell, the nib is reasonably firm and produces a fine line while using light writing pressure. When pressure is added, the tines spread and the lines become wider, giving the output on the page a little more flair.

My written review actually does a poor job of showing off the line width variation. Part of that is due to this being an SEF nib, or Soft Extra Fine. The other part is me not wanting to really lean into someone else's pen and spring the nib. If you need more variation, the Falcon nib is available up to Broad.

There were two things I did not like about this pen. One, the metal barrel felt awkward in the hand. I'm not sure if it was the added weight or that it was cool to the touch at start, but I never got used to it. Two, at nearly $250 from most US retailers it seemed expensive for what it is. I didn't find that much novelty or uniqueness to justify the price.

All was not lost though, as Thomas later pointed out to me that there is a Japanese model in black resin with rhodium trim for about $100 cheaper, which we both subsequently ordered. And you guys think I have a problem?

Look for more on my very own Falcon in the near future.