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Amazon.com.au is offering the Pilot Falcon Collection fountain pen in Red (resin) with Rhodium Accents and Soft Fine Nib ships from and sold by Amazon US for A$157.11 (inclusive of GST) at the moment. Delivery is free if you have Prime membership with Amazon Australia. Or you could buy it directly on Amazon.com which these days has gone back to being willing to ship to Australia delivery addresses if it is also the actual seller of the products for US$99.99, plus US$5.50 to ship to Australia (fair enough), then another 10% of that subtotal for GST, bringing the total to US$116.04, which works out to A$162.82. Depending on which credit card you have, your credit provider may charge say another 3% on top of that amount for foreign transactions. There are six units in stock when I looked just now. Camelcamelcamel shows that this is the second lowest price on Amazon.com for this pen model since early 2015. The lowest price was US$90.65, which appeared as a blip in September 2018 and then went back up north of US$150 very quickly.

Hello all! I hope you can help me out. I recently bought a Sailor Profit Standard MF with a 21k nib and a Platinum 3776 Chartres Blue with a Soft Fine 14k nib. Problem is, my platinum skips a lot and feels scratchy while writing. I need to apply some pressure in order for the nib not to skip while writing. I also tried the Sailor, and it is a completely different experience, it has a little bit of feedback but writes smoothly. I know this terms are very subjective, but at least I can tell you the feeling of the comparison. Sailor's nib feels great, like feedback, whilst the platinum nib feels scratchy and skips. I did a small writing sample where I first applied almost no pressure and then I did. Is my Platinum Nib defective or is it that I just don't know how to use the soft fine nib?

Pilot Custom 74 Soft Fine Review This is my first ever review, so please bear with me and please let me know of any mistakes. Table of ContentsIntroductionPackagingForm Factor and AppearanceNib and SectionConclusion (TLDR) Statistics · Name: Pilot C74 · Country of Origin: Japan, imported to US · Model Number: FKK-1000R-B-SF · Color: Black with Gold Accents · Price: $84.39 from Amazon (free Prime one-day shipping included) · Included Items: Box, warranty papers (no converters, just a cartridge) Part I: Introduction The Pilot Custom 74 is perhaps one of the most well known 14k next-step pens on the market. Its name comes from when it was first manufactured, in 1992, 74 years after Erich Drafahl and Ryosuke Namiki created the Namiki Manufacturing Company, which would go on to be named Pilot. The Custom 74 looks extremely different in Pilots US and Japanese markets. In the US, it is sold to distributors for around ¥20,000 ($168), and is available only in demonstartor colors. In Japan, the pen is called the C74, and is available only in solid colors. In Japan proper, the pen is sold from Pilot for ¥10,000, however, it is available from most importers for around ¥8,500 (~$86). The Amazon vendor Future Station, from where I purchased the pen, is currently selling it for $84.39. However, it is a direct Japan import, so it only ships with a cartridge, box, and papers (no converters included). Luckily, Con-70s are not rare, so I ordered one with the pen for an added $9. Part II: Packaging (85/100 It serves its purpose in a very no-frills fashion) The packaging the Japanese Market C74 arrives in is rather nondescript and utilitarian. There is a grey cardboard sleeve, with the Pilot logo embossed in a glossy gold finish on the top. Besides this, the box has a set of letters Z-C-GN on the front, and some Japanese recycling notifications of the back. Once the sleeve is open, the utilitarian focus continues. You are greeted by a black, lightweight plastic boxwhich I personally think looks more like a chest. It, like the sleeve, features the Pilot logo in gold on the top. Once opened, the box has the Pilot logo on a stitched fabric background, with the pen sitting in its plastic sleeve and clip tag on top of a plastic felt-ridged cover with a decorative ribbon. Once you take out the plastic pen rest, you are left with a warranty card (in Japanese), a return policy guide and fulfillment form (if you are not satisfied with the product), and a sticker of some sort. Also included is an instruction manual with English, Japanese, and pictograms. It is very detailed. In some similar reviews Ive read, people often describe the box as being cheap, and to some extent, theyre right. The box is in no way comparable to that of a Pelikan m205, or even perhaps a Conklin or Monteverde. However, the box serves its purpose excellently with no frills attached. It is protective of the pen, built well using the least expensive materials as possible, and is brilliantly functional. This seems to be a bit of a metaphor for the not only the box, but also for the entire pen itself. Part III: External Form Factor & Appearance This pen is the classic cigar shape. From end to end, I measured the Pen as being 14.1 cm with the cap, and 12.6 cm without the cap. By itself, the cap is 6.7 cm. Compared to my current pens, its just a couple millimeters longer than my TWSBI Eco, Lamy Safari, Platinum #3776 Century, and Waterman Kultur capped. With the cap off, it is longer than the Century, but shorter than everything else. However, it does stand out due to its narrowness. Its maximum circumference is 11 mm, and is 10 mm at the grip (about the same as the barrel of a Safari). Most of my other pens hover around 12 to 14 mm, and those two to four millimeters do make the pen seem thin. Although it is not uncomfortable for me (my hands are about average size, erring towards slightly large), it definitely feels awkward compared to some of my other pens. For someone with big hands, it may be uncomfortable for long periods as time). It gets a little bit tiresome for me after 40 minutes of writing. (This week, I had final exams, and challenged myself to use each pen for the essay portion of the test.) However, this pen, by the end of the test, did make my hands cramp up. The pen is made out of black resin (aka plastic) with gold-colored accents. It is very light, weighing 12 g without a converter or ink inside. Although it is light, and plastic-y, the build quality is excellent. It is sturdy and has so far received no cracks even after a small number of drops onto hardwood flooring. It also looks nice; it has a very classic, almost Mont Blanc-esque feel to it. The clip is a triangle with a sphere on the end. It is connected to the cap by a simple gold ring separating the finial. It is stiff, but serves its purpose well. To keep things symmetrical, the pen also has a similar gold ring by the end of the barrel. At the end of the cap, there are two gold bandsone wider, raised band with the text ☆ Custom 74 ☆ Pilot Made in Japan. Next to it, is another thin gold band like on the finial and barrel. The cap screws on tightly in about two rotations. The threading is firm and there is no movement. In my short ownership, the pen has not once become loose without me unscrewing it. The cap is firmly attached to the barrel, and there is little to no movement. It does take a little force to unscrew if it has been screwed tightly. It friction posts posts securely. The pen is also well balanced, both with the cap on and off. The pen, although it seems to be cheaply made, is very well made. It feels good in the hand, and is not cumbersome or obstructionist. It also looks good. It has an understated, functionalist beauty to it that some may not like. It is not gaudy or attention-calling, it just looks classic and feels sturdy. Part IV: Nib, Section, and Writing Like the body of the pen, the grip is simple. It is a small section, only a centimenter in diameter and 1.6 mm long. There is no ledge between the threads and the grip, and the threads themselves are not sharp, so they can be used as a grip if need be. It is a normal, circular grip, and the pen feels nice in the hand. Now, we get to the #5 nib, the golden portion of this instrument (pun not strictly intended). It is a 14 karat (58.5%) gold Soft Fine nib. (Roughly a JoWoTWSBI, Goulet, Monteverde, etc.EF size). It writes gorgeously. I inked it with my go-to Noodlers black, and as soon as it touched my Rhodia paper, I was astonished. The nib is very smooth, with just the right amount of feedback (as I got to cheaper and cheaper paper the feedback got more and more intense). It feels incredible in the hand. Not only that, but it is gorgeous. It features some really nice scrollwork besides the pilot name, model and size number. It really gives the nib some visual character. However, this is no normal fine nib, it is a soft fine, and it feels amazing. With it, you can get line variation going from a western EF to a western M or maybe even a B. Every once in a while, it will get to a BB, but it normally railroads before then. And although this is not a flex nib (and please, please do not use it that wayyou will kill the poor tines), it does make it possible to add some panache to your writing quite easily. The feed keeps up with the nib no matter how fast, providing a nice, steady, wet flow of ink. It is really a joy to write with. Writing Sample on 90g Rhodia Part V: Conclusion (or TL;DR) For $86, this pen is truly incredible. It has a 14k nib with great variation and wonderful characteristics. It is built well and it feels sturdy; the resin is wonderful. It is compatible with all Pilot convertersespecially the incredible Con-70, and is all around an incredible pen. I really recommend it. Final Score: 265/300 88%. Would recommend. As this is my first review, please let me know what I can do better next time, Caleb

Hello, I have a question regarding Pilot #10 Soft Fine nib vs. FA nib. After researching, I've purchased the Pilot Custom Heritage 912 with FA nib. However, I was much disappointment as it was difficult (probably due to being inexperienced with flex nibs, although I did try out a Noodlers flex nib...yes, I'm aware it does not compare to a real flex nib) for everyday handwriting as the lines were consistently too thick with the slightest pressure. So I'm planning on purchasing the same pen with either a Fine or Soft fine nib. What I can't gather from researching (google and YouTube), how Soft Fine actually writes compared to the FA nib. I understand the Soft Fine has less flex but that's it. But what else? Does it take a lot of pressure for line variation? If so, that's is what I'm after. An everyday Fine line but with added pressure (a lot of pressure), providing thicker line. But how much pressure does it take? I couldn't consistently get a fine line with FA nib as the SLIGHTEST pressure would thicken the line. And I couldn't write well as I was so concentrated on maintaining minimal pressure. In this case...should I just get a Fine nib? I'm in a dilemma as I'd like to get some line variation but only with some decent pressure. Something like the Noodlers pen experience where you get a consistent fine line unless decent amount of pressure given for thicker line is what I'm wanting... Thanks for all the assistance!

Hi All, just wondering if the rhodium-plated version of the Chartres blue pen was available in an SF nib .... I'm interested in trying this nib. I've already got a gold-plated Burgougne and wanted a different look for the Chartres. Is it possible?

Hey all, So I am pretty new at fountain pens. I currently only have 3 pens, but only really use 1 at the moment. Pens: Pilot Metro (current and favorite atm) Pilot Custom 74 TWSBI Vac 700 Reason I'm posting is I am looking for local groups I can travel to to meet new people, and a reliable repair guy for FP's. Both my Custom 74 and Vac 700 need Nib flow adjustment and I am too afraid to mess something up on my new pens!! I actually have not really been able to write with the 74 or 700 because the tines are too taught/close together so i have to exert too much force to get a nice flow going. Any recommendations on where I can get my FP nib tune near the SF/Livermore area? I have not been able to find many current posts about reliable repair shops/guys. Any help would be greatly appreciated!!!Look forward to meeting you guys and becoming a fountain pen aficionado. Sincerely, Crushin

Really contemplating on purchasing a Pilot/Namiki Falcon. Never owned a gold nib before and was wondering if you guys could help me out in selecting the right nib size. So long story short, the very first fountain pen I purchased was a Pilot DPN-70 Desk pen (almost similar to the platinum carbon desk pen). I really adore the line it lays down but it tends to be a little scratchy (i eventually smoothened it with mylar and it writes like a dream, but writes with a thicker and wetter line). I will be buying a namiki falcon but I have absolutely no idea as to which nib size I should buy, should I go for the soft fine or the soft extra fine? Is the soft extra fine nib on the namiki falcon scratchy when compared to the soft fine? I recently purchased mylar paper from goulet pens (no affiliation) and smoothened all your my nibs and I am loving how smooth they run with almost no feedback and i have got so used to it! However, I would not want to risk smoothening the nib on the falcon with mylar (if i do purchase it). I want it smooth out of the box. I write with almost light pressure (probably light to medium). So what would you suggest? Soft extra fine vs Soft fine? I have seen the writing samples on goulet pens and for me it just boils down to how comfortable the nib is, and in short it should glide across the paper with no pressure. Are there any owners of the Pilot/Namiki Falcon who own the pen in Soft extra fine or extra fine, and could share their experience with the pen in terms of: Scratchiness, feedback and smoothness? This would definitely help me in deciding on which nib size to go for! Thanks in advance!

Hi everyone, I plan on going to my first pen show sometime soon. There's one coming up in San Francisco that's relatively close to where I live. What should I expect at the pen show and how should I prepare? What kind of pens show up there? Is there any sort of etiquette I should follow? I am a beginning collector that has recently ventured into the Lamy 2000, Pilot VP/Decimo, Platinum #3776, Pelikan M200 range of pens. I have never spent more than $150 on a pen and have no experience with vintage pens. I would appreciate any tips or suggestions. Thanks!