Pilot Custom 845 B Nib

[hari317]

I bought my first Custom 845 in November 2009. I wrote a very enthusiastic review of the pen at that time but I ended up selling the pen to a fellow pen collector in India. This was one of the pens that I have regretted selling and was on the lookout for a good deal. Finally my patience paid off and I was able to purchase this pen from Taizo(Engeika) through his auctions at a very good price. Slightly lower in USD than my previous purchase, but I still ended up paying about 15% more in INR due to the recent downward slide of the INR Vs the USD. I inked up the pen today and yes I think it deserves another review.

 

Taizo's packing standards have increased over the last time. This time, the pen came packed nicely in a cardboard box:

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7062.jpg

 

Box opened:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7063.jpg

 

Pen box:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7064.jpg

 

The box revealed:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7065.jpg

 

Model sticker:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7066.jpg

 

Inner Felt Box:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7067.jpg

 

The Contents:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7068.jpg

 

The pen sealed in its sleeve:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7069.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7083.jpg

 

The pen removed after cutting the sleeve open:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7084.jpg

 

Tag's backside:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7085.jpg

 

De-tagged:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7086.jpg

 

Uncapped:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7087.jpg

 

Showing the Deluxe Con-70 converter:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7088.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7089.jpg

 

The Glorious 18K two toned size 15 B Nib:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7090.jpg

 

Side profile:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7091.jpg

 

Feeder:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7092.jpg

 

URUSHI marked with gold dust on the cap back:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7093.jpg

 

I discovered that the cap is also a two piece construction. The trim rings are molded to the plastic cap lip and this lip is then inserted into the lacquered ebonite cap, this can be seen clearly in the following picture:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7094.jpg

 

From L-R: Platinu Izumo, Pilot 845, Old MB 149:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7095.jpg

 

The enclosed Urushi pamphlet, some interesting information there:

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7096.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7097.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7098.jpg

 

Some scribbles and writing samples:

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7099.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7100.jpg

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/Custom845B/IMG_7102.jpg

 

The Pilot B's line is slightly wider than the Platinum B and roughly equal to the classic 149 M's line. I used a Dunhill-Pilot Black cartridge from a big box included with my AD2000. I just inserted the cartridge into the unflushed pen and the ink just raced to the nib tip, no squeezing of cart, shaking was required to start the flow. Just wonderful.

 

I am glad I re-purchased an 845.

 

Cheers!

Hari

[Strang]

Thanks for the informative review of a great pen, Hari! It was especially nice to see the side-by-side photos with the Platinum and the MB. Like you, I passed my first 845 B on; and then missed it so much that I repurchased one. I think it's really a worthy flag-ship pen for Pilot.

[Inked]

Hello Hari317

 

Nice to see you were able to find an old friend again.

May your relationship be a lasting one this time.

 

Does it come in a double broad?

 

Inked

[jandrese]

Thanks for this review, especially for the extra info. Enjoy!

[hari317]

Thanks for the informative review of a great pen, Hari! It was especially nice to see the side-by-side photos with the Platinum and the MB. Like you, I passed my first 845 B on; and then missed it so much that I repurchased one. I think it's really a worthy flag-ship pen for Pilot.

Thanks Richard.

 

Hello Hari317

 

Nice to see you were able to find an old friend again.

May your relationship be a lasting one this time.

 

Does it come in a double broad?

 

Inked

 

Thanks! This pen is not going anywhere. Yes, it does come in Double broad as well.

 

Thanks for this review, especially for the extra info. Enjoy!

 

Thanks Jandrese!

Edited May 29, 2012 by hari317

[Pensioner]

Thanks for the great pictures and writing samples. I've been watching for available 845's, but wasn't sure about medium vs. broad. Your review helped me decide to go for a broad nib. There are a couple of medium nibs out there, but I think I'll wait. Very helpful!

 

Pensioner

[breaker]

nice review and pics!

thanks!

[Uncle Red]

Very sweet pen Hari, I hope you enjoy it for many years.

[hari317]

Thanks for the great pictures and writing samples. I've been watching for available 845's, but wasn't sure about medium vs. broad. Your review helped me decide to go for a broad nib. There are a couple of medium nibs out there, but I think I'll wait. Very helpful!

 

Pensioner

 

Hi, yes the M and F are most often listed, however with patience you should be able to win a B one for about 340-350USD. I have seldom seen a BB listed, however.

 

nice review and pics!

thanks!

Very sweet pen Hari, I hope you enjoy it for many years.

 

Thank you so much!

[Pensioner]

Thanks again Hari -- I was just re-reading your reviews of the 845, because Engeika has a broad nib one up now.

 

Pensioner

[georges zaslavsky]

Looks like a very a high quality pen Happy writing and congrats. Unfortunately I am so much maybe too much addicted with my 149s, my Paragons and my 360s that I don't seems to look for other type of pens :roflmho: unless if I found an old Namiki Emperor at a very decent price.

[anders2620]

Thanks, Hari. Very nice pictures. In the last two pictures, it appears that the 845 nib tends to feather more than the other two pens. Is this something you have observed?

[PeppWaves03]

Beautiful pen. Is this only available in Japan?

[hari317]

Looks like a very a high quality pen Happy writing and congrats. Unfortunately I am so much maybe too much addicted with my 149s, my Paragons and my 360s that I don't seems to look for other type of pens :roflmho: unless if I found an old Namiki Emperor at a very decent price.

 

:roflmho: thanks!

 

Thanks, Hari. Very nice pictures. In the last two pictures, it appears that the 845 nib tends to feather more than the other two pens. Is this something you have observed?

 

I think that is a function of the Pilot ink. I am now using Aurora Black and I see no feathering. another factor may b the wetness of the nib, the Pilot is quite wet.

 

Beautiful pen. Is this only available in Japan?

 

Yes. But the Japanese sellers happily ship abroad.

 

Best

Hari

[t8853]

Received mine today. What a fine pen. Fantastic M nib, just the right amount of smoothness and so "responsive" (pressure variation produces phenomenal shading effect with WM "Havana" ink..looks great on sustainable Earth paper with light brown lines)...Needless to say, the Urushi finish is something else. The pen is also perfectly sized / weighted and balanced. All in all I'd say in the same class as (my recently acquired) Pel M800 but "better" in several aspects.....

 

 

[zenshrink]

It is a great pen. I have a double broad and it is a very smooth writer with surprisingly nice line variation. I had to buy mine from Engeika in Japan.

[hari317]

Received mine today. What a fine pen. Fantastic M nib, just the right amount of smoothness and so "responsive" (pressure variation produces phenomenal shading effect with WM "Havana" ink..looks great on sustainable Earth paper with light brown lines)...Needless to say, the Urushi finish is something else. The pen is also perfectly sized / weighted and balanced. All in all I'd say in the same class as (my recently acquired) Pel M800 but "better" in several aspects.....

 

 

It is a great pen. I have a double broad and it is a very smooth writer with surprisingly nice line variation. I had to buy mine from Engeika in Japan.

 

Thanks for sharing your experiences. The pen is riding in my pocket today.

[rogerb]

Thanks for the informative review of a great pen, Hari! It was especially nice to see the side-by-side photos with the Platinum and the MB. Like you, I passed my first 845 B on; and then missed it so much that I repurchased one. I think it's really a worthy flag-ship pen for Pilot.

As I have just written elsewhere, I, too, had to correct the mistake of trading my first one!

[nicholasyeo]

Another great pen! I am not exactly crazy about the B nibs on Engeika's sale but yeah, it can be sometimes had for great prices and shipping is incredibly quick. Thanks to Hari for a great preview of this pen!

[Pengrump]

Wonderful pen! I have on with a medium nib that I bought from Taizo several years ago at a very good price. Your pics are great, Hari. I very much enjoyed your review.