You Win, Pilot Metropolitan

The Pilot Metropolitan is the best fountain pen for beginners. There. I said it.

Ever since it was released, the Metropolitan has been gaining steam. I liked what I saw when I reviewed the original medium nib model, and now that the fine nib model has hit mass release I think it is the fountain pen to choose for beginners over my previous favorite, the Lamy Safari.

I still love the Safari, so what changed? The Pilot Metropolitan nib is superior. Japanese nibs are finer than their counterparts from the rest of the world, and the fine Pilot nib is amazing. I love it in the Pilot Prera, and now it is available in a pen less than half the price? I'm sold. The sharper edge on the step-down from the barrel to the grip is still present, so that flaw puts it even with the molded grip on the Lamy Safari. No pen is completely perfect, right? And while the Safari line has many more stock nib options, the Metropolitan is easily modifiable with the EF nib from the Pilot Penmanship or the stub nib from the Pilot Plumix, all for approximately the cost of the Safari.

What do I want to see next from the Metropolitan line? No more Python or Leopard patterns, that's for sure. Since it is a metal body pen and Pilot is doing some interesting colors in their Vanishing Point line, how about some colored barrels? Get on that Pilot - don't let the Kakuno line have all the fun.

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

Pilot Ageless Future Gel Ink Pen Review

The Pilot Ageless is a pen I have been fascinated with for years but was never sure how it would fit into my writing rotation. I was finally able to pick one up courtesy of JetPens and it is an interesting pen. Let's check it out!

The primary selling point of the Pilot Ageless is the barrel design, and specifically, the retractable mechanism. It features a double-twist deployment. Twist the section once and the nose cone appears. Twist again and the ink cartridge pops out and its ready to write. Reverse the twist and it retracts in the same two-stage process.

There are many things I like about this feature. First of all, it can be operated with just one hand. Rest the barrel in your palm, put the grip section between your index finger and thumb, and give it two little flicks to get writing or retract it for storage. The mechanism is smooth and flawless. Secondly, it is integrated seamlessly. There is no visible knock like with traditional retractable pens, and really no indication of how to deploy the nib if you aren't already aware. It is very well designed.

The barrel itself is made of metal and has a good weight to it. If you have a Retro 51 Tornado Laquers Edition it is close to that weight, maybe a touch lighter. It feels great and is well balanced when writing. When fully deployed it is a full length pen, too.

I have the Carbon Black Gray model with the 0.7 mm gel ink refill. It is ultra smooth and dark but I would prefer a finer refill alternative. I'll need to do some research because the refill is an interesting size to fit this pen. If you like 0.7 mm gel ink you will have no issues writing with this pen.

I compare the Pilot Ageless to the Zebra Sharbo X. It is a premium pen at a premium price, and for that reason it is not for everyone. For me personally, I love the design and if I can find an alternate refill I will use it a lot. If not, It will probably sit on my desk, look pretty, and be used sparingly.

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

Pilot Plumix Review

I've taken my first dip into the world of squared nibs, and I'm afraid I'll have to jump all the way in before long.

The Pilot Plumix with a medium italic nib is my first experience with an italic nib. From what I understand, the italic nib is different than a stub nib, but similar. I did a little research and found this article on Richard Binder's site that explains the difference. Italic nibs are squared off while stub nibs are rounded off a bit. This information will become relevant a little later in this review.

Looks

The Plumix is made almost entirely of plastic, save the nib. Even though it's made of a cheap material, it doesn't feel cheap. The plastic is sturdy and has a gem-like appearance that makes it pleasing to look at in certain light.

The grip section has a triangular grip that resembles what you find on a Lamy Safari. In my use, I prefer the grip of the Safari over the Plumix. If it were up to me, I'd stick with a plain grip section. I'm sure Pilot representatives are listening and will change their entire design to please me. Right?

There's an interesting bulb further down the body of the pen, just past the grip section. The bulb faces down (opposite the top of the nib) and provides some support when writing by snugging up to the space where your thumb meets your hand. I thought the design was a little odd when I first saw the pen, but I have to admit I really like this feature. An added bonus of this bulb is that it keeps the pen from rolling. This is important since the pen has no clip.

The fact that there is no clip on this pen isn't a huge deal for me, but it does mean I don't want to take it out with me. Pilot did integrate some small tabs on the lid of the pen to keep it from rolling.

One of the strangest things about this pen is the cap. It's tiny. It's only long enough to cover the nib and screw onto the section. I've never seen a cap that's so small. Surprisingly, it posts to the end of the pen, but it's not sturdy enough for my taste. A slight bump will send it tottering across the desk.

Overall, the build of this pen is better than I expected for the price. It's actually quite pleasant to hold and use. The quirky design is endearing to me.

Writing experience

In my mind, this nib would create a large, dramatic line variation that would rival calligraphy nibs. In reality, a Japanese medium is not that wide to begin with. The nib lays down a line that's a bit thicker than a regular medium nib when drawing with the flat side of the nib square to the paper (the thick end). If you turn the nib sideways, it lays down a really fine line.

The nib is smooth and has no starting or skipping issues. It ran a bit on the dry side for me. I'm not sure if this is a common issue, but it did annoy me several times. On the other hand, it also forced me to slow down to get the adequate ink flow that I wanted. This was good practice and actually improved my handwriting.

The pen ships with a standard blue Pilot cartridge. I skipped that entirely and went with one of the bulb converters from one of my Metropolitans. I tried several inks in the pen, and found that they were all a bit dry. My only guess is that the feed might need an adjustment or that the wide nib is spreading the ink further. I'd love to know if anyone else has mentioned or noticed anything similar.

The italic nib caused some trouble for me. The squared off edges don't play nice with thin or cheap paper. This nib is definitely much happier with a nice, smooth paper. It's because of this nib that I'm convinced one of my next fountain pens will be a stub. I imagine a stub is better suited to everyday writing. I'll keep the Plumix around to help me improve my handwriting.

Conclusion

Overall, this is an excellent deal for a quirky little pen that will open your eyes to a different world of nibs. And if you're already a member of this other nib world, it's still fun to try the nib and the shape of the pen.

The Plumix is available in purple, light blue, and black. When I purchased the pen, I was under the impression that purple was the only color. Bummer. That light blue looks awesome. But, it's fairly easy to swap the nib to a Metropolitan or a Prera body, so that opens up a lot of style options.

If you're in the mood for an affordable, quirky italic pen, try out the Plumix.

(You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net.)