Problem With Pilot Mr

[Lady P]

I went for a walk today, got cold, walked into a stationary store to warm up, and walked out with one 20EUR bill less, and one fountain pen (a Pilot MR) more. I got home, eager to try my new pen. I tried to fit in a Faber-Castell converter, and it didn't fit. Then I tried a Jinhao converter, and that didn't fit either. Somewhat exasperated (isn't this thing supposed to take standard international converters?), I finally tried the cartridge that came with the pen, and that didn't fit either.

So... I took a good look at the pen, and saw a protruding piece of plastic sticking out of the wall of the thingy (I'm sure there's an actual name for this...) that a cartidge or a converter is supposed to fit around. I tried to remove it with tweezers, but I didn't succeed. Any other ideas?

I should also say that the stationary store that I got this from is one of those tiny places that don't even give you a receipt unless you ask for it. I didn't ask (alas). So there's no way to return this. Essentially, I'm either going to fix it myself, or absorb the 20EUR loss...

[WirsPlm]

The MR / Metropolitan typically takes the Pilot converters and cartridges, only the UK version takes international stuff, and what you're describing sounds like the typical Pilot setup (the protrusion is to open up the small plastic disc that seals Pilot cartridges) Pilot cartridges and converters are available for not much on eBay and Amazon. Is the cartridge that came with it an international cartridge, or does it have a wide mouth that is sealed by a small plastic disc (examples http://www.gouletpens.com/Pilot_Namiki_Black_Cartridges_p/pn69100.htm )?

 

If the cartridge is a Pilot, you may not have pressed hard enough when installing it, Pilot carts need to be seated very, very firmly with more pressure than typical, but the seal is very good once they're in right.

Edited January 25, 2014 by WirsPlm

[rochester21]

The question here is very simple, and related with the type of converter you received with the pen. It should probably have "pilot" inscribed somewhere on it, to let you know if it was made by pilot for pilot fps, or if it`s a generic, chinese converter.

 

The second question is what type of pilot mr you have, because a friend of mine told me that there are two versions, made for Japan and Europe/USA. The Japan version takes pilot cartridges, while the euro version should accept standard cartridges.

 

A piece of advice: avoid using tweezers open flame or a hammer with fountain pens, unless you know what you`re doing.

Edited January 25, 2014 by rochester21

[Lady P]

Hi WirsPlm,

I pressed the cartridge very hard this time (I thought I might break the pen, but I figured what the heck, it doesn't work anyway). Finally, the cartridge fit in! So now it writes. This definitely looks like a standard international cartridge, though; it doesn't look anything like the cartridges from the link that you posted. Strange. I'll try a converter again later (I'm really not a fan of cartridges...). But at least now it writes.

Thanks for your help!

[Lady P]

No, there was a piece of plastic that wasn't supposed to be there. You sometimes see this on all sorts of plastic things (think of a tiny irregularity that you might see on a plastic hanger for example). Most plastic products can be used without difficulty in spite of those tiny irregularities, however, a fountain pen is rather delicate, so it actually creates problems. I think I ended up smoothing it out a bit with tweezers, and then after I applied an unusual amount of pressure, the cartridge fit in. I hope this smoothed the plastic out sufficiently for it to take a converter later. We'll see.

[heymatthew]

I hope this smoothed the plastic out sufficiently for it to take a converter later. We'll see.

 

If not, you could always rinse out the cartridge and refill it using a syringe. At least you know that fits and won't give you any trouble. It's an extra step, but it might be a solution to the problem. Sorry for your troubles! Hope you can find a more permanent fix with the converter.

 

If not, though, I fill a lot of pens using the syringe/empty cartridge method and it works well.

[Lady P]

 

If not, you could always rinse out the cartridge and refill it using a syringe. At least you know that fits and won't give you any trouble. It's an extra step, but it might be a solution to the problem. Sorry for your troubles! Hope you can find a more permanent fix with the converter.

 

If not, though, I fill a lot of pens using the syringe/empty cartridge method and it works well.

 

 

I did manage to fit a converter (by Jinaho) in. I had to press harder than usual, but hey, it fit. Problem solved.

BTW, I love the nib on this pen (very smooth), but after a couple of days of use, I can tell that the step down between the barrel and the grip section doesn't work too great for me. So I don't think I'll be using this pen too much, and perhaps I won't even keep it (we'll see). I'm still glad I bought it because I was seriously considering buying a much more expensive pen that has a similar type of step down, and it's far better to discover this type of thing with a 20 EUR pen than with a 100+ EUR pen...

ETA: It's possible I'll buy other Pilot pens in the future though, as long as they don't have the step down between the barrel and section. As I said, I love the nib.

Edited January 27, 2014 by Lady P

[WirsPlm]

 

 

 

I did manage to fit a converter (by Jinaho) in. I had to press harder than usual, but hey, it fit. Problem solved.

 

BTW, I love the nib on this pen (very smooth), but after a couple of days of use, I can tell that the step down between the barrel and the grip section doesn't work too great for me. So I don't think I'll be using this pen too much, and perhaps I won't even keep it (we'll see). I'm still glad I bought it because I was seriously considering buying a much more expensive pen that has a similar type of step down, and it's far better to discover this type of thing with a 20 EUR pen than with a 100+ EUR pen...

 

ETA: It's possible I'll buy other Pilot pens in the future though, as long as they don't have the step down between the barrel and section. As I said, I love the nib.

The step down can be a bit annoying, but the great thing about the low cost Pilot pens is that the nibs are basically all swappable, so you can pick another body you like (78G, Prera, Knight, Plumix and Penmanship) and put the nib into it. I'm not sure about the Kakuno, I'd be very surprised if it wasn't swappable but I haven't done it so YMMV.

[Lady P]

The step down can be a bit annoying, but the great thing about the low cost Pilot pens is that the nibs are basically all swappable, so you can pick another body you like (78G, Prera, Knight, Plumix and Penmanship) and put the nib into it. I'm not sure about the Kakuno, I'd be very surprised if it wasn't swappable but I haven't done it so YMMV.

 

That's useful to know, thanks!

[theexpanciluser]

If you use euros, then you live in Europe. Doesn't it make sense that you have the European vision with standard cartridges?

[Lady P]

If you use euros, then you live in Europe. Doesn't it make sense that you have the European vision with standard cartridges?

 

Yes, I do live in Europe, and I do have a European version, which uses standard international cartridges.

[heymatthew]

If you use euros, then you live in Europe. Doesn't it make sense that you have the European vision with standard cartridges?

Your logic is completely flawed. I live in the US and use Dollars yet I buy the Japanese version at ALL US retailers. By your logic I should be buying my Pilot pens in Yen.

[heymatthew]

 

 

 

I did manage to fit a converter (by Jinaho) in. I had to press harder than usual, but hey, it fit. Problem solved.

BTW, I love the nib on this pen (very smooth), but after a couple of days of use, I can tell that the step down between the barrel and the grip section doesn't work too great for me. So I don't think I'll be using this pen too much, and perhaps I won't even keep it (we'll see). I'm still glad I bought it because I was seriously considering buying a much more expensive pen that has a similar type of step down, and it's far better to discover this type of thing with a 20 EUR pen than with a 100+ EUR pen...

ETA: It's possible I'll buy other Pilot pens in the future though, as long as they don't have the step down between the barrel and section. As I said, I love the nib.

 

 

Glad you got it working. And as others have already said, you can always pull that nib and put it in a Prera or 78 (although it won't match a 78 because it's accented with Yellow Gold-Colored).

[hleduc]

 

Hi WirsPlm,

I pressed the cartridge very hard this time (I thought I might break the pen, but I figured what the heck, it doesn't work anyway). Finally, the cartridge fit in! So now it writes. This definitely looks like a standard international cartridge, though; it doesn't look anything like the cartridges from the link that you posted. Strange. I'll try a converter again later (I'm really not a fan of cartridges...). But at least now it writes.

Thanks for your help!

 

I can confirm Lady P post. I just got Pilot MR, too. I took out the nip and pressed so hard until it fit. just for your info I used the faber castell converter

 

(I tried to post my own picture but it did not work)