Posts filed under Pilot

Reflections on Some Currently Inked Pens

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

Despite being in this rabbit hole for 6.5 years, I continue to learn not just about pens, inks and all that, but about my preferences and habits. There isn’t a right or wrong way to be in this hobby and what works for someone may or may not work for you. For some reason during the past few weeks, a few of my currently inked pens were good reminders of lessons I’ve learned along the way.

Pelikan M215 Blue Stripe

*Hard to tell from this picture but there are silver colored stripes on the barrel of this pen.*

Patience (and research), Grasshopper - I have wanted this pen for 3-4 years (maybe longer) and have seen it on eBay for very high/ambitious prices. And I am definitely not one for patience. But I also don’t want to overspend. Doing research ahead of time, including reaching out to folks who have better pulses on the Pelikan secondary market, made it easier for me to pounce on a listing that was finally in the right price range.

Inks & pen combinations matter - As I mentioned in recent ink reviews, inks behave differently in different pens (and also on different papers too). This M215 is currently inked up with Pelikan Edelstein Tanzanite, which is a lovely blue-black ink. Is it a shocker that this is a good matchup? No, not really, but I haven’t used this ink since I first tried it, gulp, way back in 2017, in a Lamy Safari. I absolutely hated the combination because it felt like writing with sand and I wondered if I should dump the ink out of the pen and get rid of the sample. What I didn’t know then, was that Lamy pens can be on the drier side and that Pelikan inks are also on the drier side (to compensate for their wetter nibs), so that combination was doomed from the start. What’s sad is that I was hesitant to try the ink again, even though I learned more about pens and inks since 2017. I’m glad I decided to try the ink in this pen, because it flows just perfectly from this pen, and it’s a great match colorwise, too. I’ve also since learned that it’s ok to empty out a pen if the ink just isn’t doing it for you. Life’s too short to write with a bad combination.

TWSBI Classic, Blue

Oldie but goodie - One of my first TWSBIs is the Classic, in Turquoise. I love the non-demonstrator look but I don’t really think about them as much because I usually want a demonstrator when I want to ink up a TWSBI. I needed to ink up a blue pen so I decided on the blue Classic. It had a Fine nib and even though Mediums are my usual jam, I just shrugged and inked it up anyway. Then I wrote with it and was shocked at how much I liked the Classic AND the fine nib. It is so easy to ink up the latest acquisitions and forget about the older pens (and inks). I try to balance that urge by having a mix of old and new pens in the “to-be-inked-next” tray. I do this with inks too. It’s like discovering a lost treasure.

Visconti Van Gogh, Starry Night

It’s ok if looks are important - As a Van Gogh fan, and more specifically of Starry Night, I love this pen. Not because it is an amazing writer (I mean, it writes fine) but because looking at it makes me happy. It makes me think about my favorite piece of art and that makes me happy. People place different levels of importance on the nib vs the appearance and that’s one of the many wonderful things about this rabbit hole. My personal pen preference emphasizes looks over writing (probably 65:35 as long as the nib doesn’t write poorly). In the end, as long as you’re happy, whether it’s with the looks, the nib (or both), it’s a win in my book.

Oldie but goodie, this time with ink - I inked this up with an ink that I once loved but sorta put by the wayside (shame on me) - Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo. When everyone was raving about Shin-kai (cough cough, Bossman), I instead fell in love with Tsuki-yo. With all the deluge of inks that currently exist and continue to be released, it’s easy to get caught up in the latest “must-have ink”. I had forgotten how much I liked that ink and I’m glad I decided to use it again.

Platinum Curidas, Matte Blue

It is not a popularity contest - Not gonna lie, the Platinum Curidas is probably one of the more polarizing pens when it comes to looks, nock length, design, etc. And yet, I still love it. I have the original demonstrator finishes but I love this Matte Blue with black trim. The Medium steel nib gives me the perfect line width. Do I love it more than the Vanishing Points or Decimos? Probably not, but I still love it, even if it’s not for everyone, and that’s what matters.

Don’t judge an ink before using it - I bought a sample of Taccia Ukiyo-e Hiroshige-Ruri and after swatching it, I thought “yet another dark blue ink” and was glad that I hadn’t bought a bottle. After pairing it up with the Curidas though, I’m loving the richness of this blue ink, along with its subtle sheen that can even been seen on Rhodia, and am now adding it to my “bottles to buy” list. It’s another reminder that I shouldn’t judge an ink too quickly!

Pilot Falcon/Elabo, Metal Blue

They can’t all be winners - The Pilot Falcon (or Elabo in other markets) is a pen that has a fun, bouncy nib that can give some line variation, which I generally love, but there’s something about this one that isn’t doing it for me. I really like the plastic version of this pen with a Soft Fine nib, but I don’t think it’s the minimally- added weight. The Akkerman Delfts Blauw ink is flowing just fine so it’s not that. Maybe it’s the Soft Medium nib which feels blobby and almost squeaky. I really want to love it, but I don’t, so I think it’s better to part ways, than to have it stay in the collection untouched and unloved.

It’s hard saying goodbye - Despite everything I just wrote about the pen not being a good fit, it’s still really hard for me to decide to sell a pen. I just have to remember that someone else will enjoy it more than I do and that I can use the proceeds to get something else, like that bottle of Taccia Hiroshige-ruri :-)

None of these things are earth-shattering or new in any way, but I don’t usually have these revelations when I’m writing with my pens. So when they do pop up, it’s worth taking a moment to pay attention to what they’re trying to teach me.

Posted on November 17, 2023 by Kimberly Lau and filed under Fountain Pens, Pilot, Pelikan, TWSBI, Visconti, Platinum.

Pilot Explorer Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Pilot Explorer fountain pen may have been around for close to five years now, but it still feels like a new release from Pilot. And even though it's been on the market for years now, I still automatically think of the OG Explorer when someone mentions "Pilot Explorer." In my mind, there's still only one Pilot Explorer, and it's a quirky, discontinued rollerball pen that is really hard to find nowadays. Because of this block in my brain, I compulsively refer to the fountain pen version as the "Pilot Explorer fountain pen" because my brain won't let me use the old name. If this is the kind of thing I have to look forward to as I continue becoming Old™, I guess bring it on? Or maybe be a little more creative with naming things? Either way, we're here to look at a fountain pen, and I'll leave my name judgments behind with this paragraph.

Kimberly actually looked at a similar variant of this pen back in March, so be sure to check that out for the demonstrator barrel and fine nib! The one I have the pleasure of using is from Vanness and it's the Turquoise colorway with a medium steel nib. I try to branch out from my preferences for turquoise and purple, but I also have a hard time saying no when turquoise or purple happen to be the only "interesting" color option for a product. That's what happened with the Explorer fountain pen, and I couldn't be happier with this finish color. The turquoise is delightful and has a little bit of metallic sparkle mixed in with the paint to give it a bit more visual interest. Pairing this up with a turquoise ink is a must (at least in my opinion). I chose Infinity Turquoise from Private Reserve because it was the easiest Turquoise for me to reach in my embarrassingly disorganized ink shelf, but I would have preferred using Pilot Iroshizuku ama-iro to satisfy the brand-on-brand OCD.

Moving on from the exterior color, there are few other details on the outside of the pen that make this a unique entry among Pilot's fountain pens. The matte black clip and finials provide a great contrast to the bright body color. There are a couple of black circle cutouts at the top of the cap, and I wish Pilot had skipped this part because it detracts from the overall look of the pen. There's also a large "Pilot" logo debossed along one side of the cap that also diminishes the overall feel of the pen. The Kakuno is the closest comparison for the Explorer fountain pen, and there aren't any large logos there, so I'm confused why Pilot chose to go all-in on the logo with this pen. The Metropolitan is also comparable in terms of price, and the only logo present on that pen is minuscule — there's a small Pilot stamped into the shoulder of the clip. Big differences!

Uncapping the pen is a smooth process. The cap snaps on/off from the grip section, which makes it easy to operate with one hand. The cap also posts securely on the back of the pen. There's a nice audible snap when putting the cap back on the pen so you know it's closed and ready to go.

The grip on this pen is similar to the Kakuno, but it's just a bit smaller in diameter. The translucent plastic is smooth, but still provides plenty of grip when using the pen.

Like the Kakuno, the Explorer fountain pen is entirely made of plastic, which makes it really lightweight. Contrast this to the Metropolitan, which is brass and aluminum, the writing experience is much different. I like using the Explorer fountain pen for longer writing sessions because it just disappears in my hand. I feel the same way about the Kakuno. I have no problem using the Metropolitan for extended periods, but I can definitely feel a difference in overall hand fatigue.

The steel nib on this pen is very similar to the Kakuno and Metropolitan. The medium size of this nib is a Japanese medium, which is close to a typical European fine. The nib is smooth and performs well out of the box — exactly what I've come to expect from Pilot, even on their lower-end pens.

The pen came with a squeeze cartridge converter (same one that is included with the Metropolitan), and also a black cartridge. At the price point, this is a nice inclusion. If it didn't come with a converter, I'd definitely add one to the order.

The Pilot Explorer fountain pen is a great entry-level option for new-comers, but also an excellent workhorse that can justify a place in any collection. The lightweight but durable material make it easy to use, and the price point is easy to accept at just $25. If the turquoise color isn't your thing, there are several other options as well. This makes a great first fountain pen for yourself or as a gift, but it's also a solid fountain pen to add to your collection. Just be aware that this isn't the first Pilot Explorer!

(Vanness Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on October 25, 2023 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Pilot, Explorer, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Pilot ILMILY Nuance Gel Pen Review

Very few things in my stationery life get me more excited than a gel ink pen with a fine line and a unique ink color. The Pilot ILMILY Nuance Gel Ink Pen combines those things perfectly, and packages them into a great barrel.

Review over, right? Not so fast.

As a fan of Pilot’s highly Instagramable ILMILY (I Love Me, I Love You,) product lineup, I somehow had missed the launch of the Nuance. It wasn’t until a friend included one in a care package of awesomeness to me that I tried one out, and I was immediately hooked.

That pen in question, the Nuance Black Yellow, made me giddy. As I alluded to up top, an 0.5 mm gel ink pen, and in a color as weird as Black Yellow, really gets me going. It wrote well, and the barrel was cool and comfortable. Immediately, I asked, “Are there more?”

Yes, Brad, there are more. Many more.

One of the fun ideas I’ve seen pen companies tackle over the past several years is the idea of “Black+” ink formulations. My all-time favorite is Uni-ball’s Signo DX in Lavender Black (0.38 mm please, and thank you.) Uni-ball expanded on that idea with their BLX formulation in other pen lineups, and brands like Pentel and Sakura dabble in a more limited capacity. These colors take the very business-like black ink formulation and add a hint of other colors to the mix.

Pilot took that “hint” of added color directly into the product name of this lineup. The colors are nuanced on the page, often requiring closer inspection to see the alternate shade come through. They are there, to be sure, but set your expectations accordingly.

In my writing samples, I made sure to mix in the Black ink of the Pilot G2 0.5 mm pen as a baseline. The Nuance lineup also has a Black-only ink pen, but I wasn’t compelled to purchase that one. I did purchase the remainder of the colors, minus Black Brown, which was simply an oversight on my part.

The beauty of these inks is that you can get away with using them in settings where Black ink is the expectation. You and I can have our little secret, ok? I think Black Red and Black Yellow have the most noticeable undertones, and therefore are my favorites. Black Green is the least interesting, and Black Blue and Black Violet land in the middle. Other brands do those combinations better.

It’s almost impossible to see through a computer screen, but the writing order is Pilot G2 Black, Nuance Black Blue, Black Violet, Black Red, Black Green, Black Yellow, and then back to the Black G2 down the page.

If you know what to expect going in to the ILMLIY Nuance series, you will be happy with the results. That is, if you want to pay over $4 per pen. That is at the top of the price range for a gel ink pen, but that is where Pilot has placed this premium brand. At that price I can’t recommend the entire set, but if you like them, pick out one or two of the more interesting colors. Or, pro tip, grab the refills for half the price and use them in Pilot G2 compatible pens. Taps forehead.

I’m glad the Pilot ILMILY series exists. Yes, it is premium priced, but it gives them a platform to experiment outside of their normal product lineups. I’m always for that.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)