Pilot Custom 823 Fine Or Medium Nib?

[FountainClogger]

Hi guys, I'm relatively new to fountain pens and I'm in a process of buying a Pilot Custom 823, but I'm having a very hard time deciding what nib size I should choose. I find myself at ease with the line width of pens like the Pilot Metropolitan (MR2) equipped with an M nib or other non-fountain pens such as the Pilot Hi-Techpoint Roller V5 or the Pilot Vball BG 05. Knowing that, what would you suggest me to choose: the F nib or the M nib? Thanks.

Edited January 11, 2017 by FountainClogger

[Bluey]

The custom 823 is an expensive pen. It would be best to buy yourself another Pilot Metropolitans, this time in fine, so that you can decide which you prefer.

 

You can also use Goulet nib nook here

https://www.gouletpens.com/nib-nook

Select the Pilot 823 from the list

Edited January 11, 2017 by Bluey

[cattar]

Pilot fine nib is 3mm, medium is 5mm.

 

From the pens you're using, it seems you like 5.

[FountainClogger]

The custom 823 is an expensive pen. It would be best to buy yourself another Pilot Metropolitans, this time in fine, so that you can decide which you prefer.

 

You can also use Goulet nib nook here

https://www.gouletpens.com/nib-nook

Select the Pilot 823 from the list

 

Hi, thanks for your suggestions. The site you've linked is very useful. Apparently the Pilot Custom 823 F nib is closer than the M nib to the Pilot Metropolitan M nib...

 

Pilot fine nib is 3mm, medium is 5mm.

 

From the pens you're using, it seems you like 5.

 

I thought the same, but apparently the F nib seems closer to my preference. See images.

 

Pilot Custom 823 Fine vs. Pilot Metropolitan medium:

 

[cattar]

Don't order yet. Wait til more chime in.

[FountainClogger]

Don't order yet. Wait til more chime in.

That is for sure. Thanks.

[ItsMeDave]

I had one with a medium nib and loved it, except that it was too smooth.

I got back into handwriting about a year ago (after about a 20 year layoff), and because I lacked precise control, I needed a little more resistance on the page.

I miss it, it's a lovely pen. I've been contemplating picking up a fine.

 

Cheers.

 

David

[Calabria]

I agree with David. I have the M of the 823 line and it's smooth, but I'd rather have an F. With Pilot, and I have a couple CH 72s with M nib, the M is a bit blobby for my taste.

[Betweenthelines]

The 823 fine is going to be finer than your metro medium, and the medium will be broader.

 

My one beef with the glorious 823 is that the fine and medium nibs have such a massive gap between them and it isn't offered in MF. The fine is a tiny bit broader than a usual Japanese fine, but the medium is like a western medium.

[TSherbs]

What about the SFM? Does it come on the 823? I have that on my Custom 74 (ordered from Japan) and love its inbetweenness.

[Water Ouzel]

Apparently the Pilot Custom 823 F nib is closer than the M nib to the Pilot Metropolitan M nib...

 

There's going to be some variation in any pen maker's nibs. I've got two 823's, one F the other M, and the F is slightly finer than the two Metropolitan F's that we've got here. Not by much, but a little.

 

The 823 is much nicer to write with, notwithstanding the slight difference.

[fpwriter]

Have the 823 in B. Love it! The more I use it, the more it inches closer to beimg my top daily use FP.

[FountainClogger]

I had one with a medium nib and loved it, except that it was too smooth.

I got back into handwriting about a year ago (after about a 20 year layoff), and because I lacked precise control, I needed a little more resistance on the page.

I miss it, it's a lovely pen. I've been contemplating picking up a fine.

 

Cheers.

 

David

 

Hi, thanks for sharing your experience. You've raised an interesting point; I too would prefer to have a little feedback from the paper.

 

I agree with David. I have the M of the 823 line and it's smooth, but I'd rather have an F. With Pilot, and I have a couple CH 72s with M nib, the M is a bit blobby for my taste.

 

Yes, I thought the same: the M nib appears to be too blobby.

 

The 823 fine is going to be finer than your metro medium, and the medium will be broader.

 

My one beef with the glorious 823 is that the fine and medium nibs have such a massive gap between them and it isn't offered in MF. The fine is a tiny bit broader than a usual Japanese fine, but the medium is like a western medium.

 

Yes, basically you're confirming what's on the pictures, but are you stating this on the basis of a direct experience?

 

 

There's going to be some variation in any pen maker's nibs. I've got two 823's, one F the other M, and the F is slightly finer than the two Metropolitan F's that we've got here. Not by much, but a little.

 

The 823 is much nicer to write with, notwithstanding the slight difference.

 

That is confusing. Judging from the pictures, it seems that the Metropolitan F is finer than the 823 F.

[Betweenthelines]

 

Yes, basically you're confirming what's on the pictures, but are you stating this on the basis of a direct experience?

 

Yes I've owned both sizes.

[Pendimonium]

To me it sounds like you should go with a 823 B.

 

One other thing to consider is, that the 823 - due to the large amount of metal parts in the vacuum filler system - is very top heavy. Maybe try a cheaper vacuum filler first and see how you like it? For me it turned out to be too fatiguing.

[ChadRiggsbee]

I have a Pilot Custom 823 with a fine nib, and although it was "okay," I never really cared for it to much. Maybe I was unlucky and received a bit of a lemon, but it writes a bit dry for my taste, and occasionally has skipping and hard starting issues. Before I purchased the pen, I tried out the fine and medium nib, and found the medium to be a bit too broad for me. The fine nib is nice, but the pen as a whole has just never "clicked" for me as one of my very favorites.

 

I wrote about this on another thread, so I won't rehash it all here, but I purchased a Pilot Custom 743 with a Waverley (WA) nib a couple of days ago, with the intention of swapping that nib with the fine nib on my 823. Long story short, I love the nib, and I also have come to like the 743 more than the 823. If you are on the fence about nib size (fine or medium) and the vacuum filling system of the 823 is not an absolute must-have for you, I highly recommend the Custom 743 with a WA nib. Its line width is right around a fine-medium to me, but it is beautifully smooth and also gives you the ability to change the line with a small bit by changing your writing angle to the paper (the same idea as a Sailor zoom nib, but not nearly as extreme in width and variation). Anyway, I highly recommend the 743 Waverley if you are not dead-set on a Custom 823.

[FountainClogger]

Yes I've owned both sizes.

 

Thanks, nice to have some actual data from the real world.

 

To me it sounds like you should go with a 823 B.

 

One other thing to consider is, that the 823 - due to the large amount of metal parts in the vacuum filler system - is very top heavy. Maybe try a cheaper vacuum filler first and see how you like it? For me it turned out to be too fatiguing.

 

A B nib? Really? I don't follow the logic here. As for other vacuum fillers, I also have a TWSBI VAC 700 with an F nib, which I absolutely loathe (very scratchy and stiff), but the balance and weight of the pen don't cause me any trouble.

Edited January 12, 2017 by FountainClogger

[Pendimonium]

 

Thanks, nice to have some actual data from the real world.

 

 

A B nib? Really? I don't follow the logic here. As for other vacuum fillers, I also have a TWSBI VAC 700 with an F nib, which I absolutely loathe (very scratchy and stiff), but the balance and weight of the pen don't cause me any trouble.

 

I've read mixed reviews; some suggesting that the Metropolitan writes more like a western M, but I'm not sure, and I don't have a Metropolitan. My 823 F runs very dry and is imo is not suitable for western writing. I don't know about the other nib sizes though. It's cheaper / possible to grind a larger nib down one size, but difficult and expensive the other way around.

 

If you have the VAC 700 and like it, I guess you'll enjoy the 823 too then.

[FountainClogger]

I have a Pilot Custom 823 with a fine nib, and although it was "okay," I never really cared for it to much. Maybe I was unlucky and received a bit of a lemon, but it writes a bit dry for my taste, and occasionally has skipping and hard starting issues. Before I purchased the pen, I tried out the fine and medium nib, and found the medium to be a bit too broad for me. The fine nib is nice, but the pen as a whole has just never "clicked" for me as one of my very favorites.

 

I wrote about this on another thread, so I won't rehash it all here, but I purchased a Pilot Custom 743 with a Waverley (WA) nib a couple of days ago, with the intention of swapping that nib with the fine nib on my 823. Long story short, I love the nib, and I also have come to like the 743 more than the 823. If you are on the fence about nib size (fine or medium) and the vacuum filling system of the 823 is not an absolute must-have for you, I highly recommend the Custom 743 with a WA nib. Its line width is right around a fine-medium to me, but it is beautifully smooth and also gives you the ability to change the line with a small bit by changing your writing angle to the paper (the same idea as a Sailor zoom nib, but not nearly as extreme in width and variation). Anyway, I highly recommend the 743 Waverley if you are not dead-set on a Custom 823.

 

Thanks for sharing your experience. One thing that's becoming clearer and clearer is that the M nib is more like a broad one on the 823.

I didn't even know what a Waverley nib was before reading your post and doing the due research, but it's not something I really feel the need for as of now. Besides, I would like to avoid converter pens, because I prefer pens with an integrated filling system and the plunger mechanism seems to me the most efficient and quick (and fun, why not?).

Edited January 12, 2017 by FountainClogger

[FountainClogger]

 

I've read mixed reviews; some suggesting that the Metropolitan writes more like a western M, but I'm not sure, and I don't have a Metropolitan. My 823 F runs very dry and is imo is not suitable for western writing. I don't know about the other nib sizes though. It's cheaper / possible to grind a larger nib down one size, but difficult and expensive the other way around.

 

If you have the VAC 700 and like it, I guess you'll enjoy the 823 too then.

 

Thanks for the clarification. At this point, given your and others' experience, I'm starting to think that buying this pen is not such a good idea.