Elusive Pilot Tank?

[Gallifrey]

So while I was researching cheap pens that hold a lot of ink for notetaking, I came upon the Pilot Tank. It seems like the perfect pen for me: cheap, eyedropper, and I like the way it looks. Unfortunately I can't seem to find that much info about it, or anyone that is selling whether it be on ebay, amazon, various pen websites, or FPN. Does anyone know where I might locate one? Thanks!

[Anirban4u]

checkout ASApens.in (should be under Vintage nad NOS section); maybe out of stock now though.

Subramaniam is a member here and will respond to ur PM.

 

However, I heard that he's OoO ATM.

[Algester]

It's only found in india as much as that is of further concern in Singapore and Malaysia as well

[Gallifrey]

That explains it, thanks for the info. Perhaps I'll set my sights on an easier to obtain pen haha.

[rwilsonedn]

I would suggest finding a Tank. It's one of the best fountain pens I've ever seen in terms of pure functionality. My sample is a beautiful writer, bullet-proof, and shows absolutely no hint of eyedropper-related dripping or surging. Fit and finish are excellent. It's clearly an inexpensive, mass-produced pen, but in the best Pilot tradition it's a pen that will always be there for you and will delight you in the process.

ron

[Gallifrey]

I will continue to keep an eye out for sure, but I'm not sure it's likely that I'll find one. The website posted is out of stock and the $20 + shipping is also a little higher than I'd hoped since the last thread I saw on FPN had them for $9 which is why I was so attracted to the pen at that price point. I'm sure it's a great pen but for ~$30 I feel like there might be better options that are available in the US.

[kidde]

Try looking for it as the "Pilot Non Self Filling" pen, the official name. It is very similar to the 78g except for pull off metal cap and a sponge in the barrel. Good luck in your search.

 

Paul

[Lou Erickson]

Would the 78G convert to an eyedropper with a little silicone grease in the grooves and maybe an O ring the way the Preppies do?

 

Wait... I found a review here. The pictures make me think they're the "unknown, unnamed Pilot" Teri at Peyton Street had at the San Francisco Pen Show. I apparently have one... the insert to prevent cartridge use is the same, as is the marking on the nib. I was going to tear it out to put a converter in.

 

You might e-mail or PM Teri and see if she has more.

Edited September 11, 2014 by Lou Erickson

[Angela]

Why don't you take a look in the FPN classifieds for a eyedropper from India. I think there are several listed now. Just search for "India" in the classifieds (there is a pull down menu in the search box).

[Sheshka]

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Pilot-Fountain-Pen-1970s-New-Old-Stock-Green-w-Gold-Cap-Medium-Nib-Perfect-/111187037586?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item19e3438d92

 

I could be wrong, but I believe this is the pen you're referring to? (Sorry for the ebay UK link, but hopefully it's enough to find it on the US site if you need to). Before now, I've found it under the name Kidde mentioned.

[Lou Erickson]

That's actually from Peyton Street Pens, who I mentioned earlier. Same auctions are on the US eBay. I believe those are the same pens I have - I have the red one. The auction does not show the inside, but it has the plastic insert the review showed.

Edited September 11, 2014 by Lou Erickson

[Sheshka]

That's actually from Peyton Street Pens, who I mentioned earlier. Same auctions are on the US eBay. I believe those are the same pens I have - I have the red one. The auction does not show the inside, but it has the plastic insert the review showed.

 

You're right, sorry, missed that you mentioned them already!

[Gallifrey]

Wow thank you guys so much, I'll send her a message and see if she has any fines lying around by any chance. Y'all are pretty much magic workers when it comes to pen info haha.

[Lou Erickson]

Don't be too afraid of the Pilot Medium. They're not very wide.

[hari317]

The NSF pen has a sponge plug inserted deep into the end of the barrel to reduce the ink capacity. Thus a converter will not fit even if the white elastomer seal is removed from the section.

I was going to tear it out to put a converter.

[Lou Erickson]

The NSF pen has a sponge plug inserted deep into the end of the barrel to reduce the ink capacity. Thus a converter will not fit even if the white elastomer seal is removed from the section.

I looked at mine, and there is one there. Why would an ED want to reduce ink capacity? Does the sponge do something more?

[hari317]

Why would an ED want to reduce ink capacity? Does the sponge do something more?

 

The answer as to why, depends on the design of the feeder used in the pen(specifically the ink buffering capacity of it measured in ml or any other unit).

 

The larger the ink capacity, the larger will be the volume of the air inside the pen as the ink level depletes. Air expands much when its temperature is increased (temp rises due to heat flowing from the writer's hand to the pen). This expansion can cause the ink to be forced out of the pen if the fins on the feed are not capable of buffering this excess flow (in the writing position, the column of the expanding air sits above the ink column and thus pushes on the incompressible ink column, leading to excess flow than that demanded by the pure capillary action of ink transfer from feed to ink slit to paper )

 

Perhaps they found that their feeder was inadequate to buffer the effects of changes in ambient temperature and pressure if the full barrel volume were utliised to hold ink, thus they decided to limit the ink capacity, thus limiting the volume of air under low ink level conditions.

 

HTH.

[Algester]

Don't be too afraid of the Pilot Medium. They're not very wide.

not unless you get to the Custom line and Custom Heritage line where they seem to be more true to size as your western equivalents

[Gallifrey]

The medium would probably be similar to my Sheaffer 100 fine right? I'd like a slightly thinner line if possible because I tend to write very small. Also I use really cheap paper so it bleeds less.

[Lou Erickson]

The medium would probably be similar to my Sheaffer 100 fine right? I'd like a slightly thinner line if possible because I tend to write very small. Also I use really cheap paper so it bleeds less.

The nibs on the Tank appear to be the same as the 78G, which will be near-identical (if not identical) to the Metro.

 

The Nib Nook over at Goulet Pens will show a Metro M and a Shaeffer 100 F. The Metro M is pretty comparable to the Sheaffer F, perhaps a smidge wider.