Pilot Nib Sizes and Specialty Nibs

[NeoTiger]

Heya, I thought there might be a few people interested in learning about the codes on the nibs of modern Pilot fountain pens. Not sure if this has been posted before, I apologise if someone has already done this.

 

First there is the nib size, which is given as a number. The larger the number, the larger the nib.

 

Size 5 - Used in Custom 74 and Custom Legance.

Size 10 - Used in Bamboo and Custom 742.

Size 15 - Used in Custom 743, Custom 823, Custom 845.

 

I've got a Pilot Bamboo, and I find the Size 10 nib to be roughly the same size as the standard Bock 18k nib used in Bexley fountain pens.

 

As for the nib types, other than the standard nib widths from extra-fine to double broad (EF, F, FM, M, B, BB) there are some special types (taking reference from Ujuku's pen store):

 

SF, SFM, SM = Softer versions of the F, FM, and M.

C = Coarse (extra thick nib, thicker than BB)

MS = Music (like a fat stub, usually used for writing music... sometimes has 2 slits instead of 1 for extra ink flow)

PO = Posting (not sure, but seems to be a fine nib with a slight downwards bend, extra stiff)

FA = Falcon (has side cutouts, allows nib flexing)

WA = Wavily (soft medium with an upwards bend, gives a brush-like effect)

SU = Stub

 

Need to add an extra note, is that the Pilot Falcon pen is not the same as the Falcon nib. The nib of the Falcon pen is also a flexy design, but is completely different shape to the FA nib.