My Fountain Pen Education: The Pilot Tow

I think I am a Pilot man. For some reason, their pen designs resonate with me, and I have never been disappointed with the quality. Their standard fountain pen inks are excellent, and their high-end Iroshizuku line are some of the best inks on the planet. In the non-fountain pen category they are strong too. Can you say Hi-Tec-C?

One of the things that has fascinated me about Pilot is how well their older designs hold up decades later. I have already reviewed the Pilot Murex - a candidate for the best pen ever designed - as well as a remake of the Pilot Myu in the limited edition M90. While it is nowhere near as old as the previous two pens, the Pilot Tow shares similar design elements and is much more accessible to the average fountain pen buyer.

I am not sure why, but there is shockingly little information available about the Tow online. From what little I can gather, the pen was manufactured in the early-to-mid 2000's ... aaand we're done. Seriously, I cannot dig up much more information on it that that. But having used one I can tell you it is fantastic.

There is nothing about the Pilot Tow that I don't like. The stainless steel barrel is solid and has some weight to it, the cap fits tightly, the clip is firm, and the section is smooth and comfortable. The steel FM nib in this model is great as well. Aesthetically, I like the slightly downward angle of the nib and the slight amount of flex it has when writing.

The Pilot Tow is only moderately difficult to find, but when you do you will discover the best part about this pen: You can have your own for around $30. Speerbob is a well-respected seller and often has them available in his ebay store for that price. Writing this review reminded me I needed to order one of my own. An F nib is on the way!

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.)