Pilot Unearthed

[Manalto]

A couple of days ago, I was cleaning out a part of my garden that I had let go wild for many years. While digging up endless root systems of Parthenocissus quinquefolia, I came upon this old Pilot Precise Rolling Ball pen. It was stained a tea color (I should have taken a "before" photo) and dirty, of course. I wiped it down with some spray cleaner and voilá. It wrote a little gummy at first, but now it's a smooth, excellent extra-fine point writer. I've been carrying it with me ever since; in fact, I like it so much, I ordered a 12-pack of Pilot Precise Needlepoint V5s. Could someone indulge my curiosity and give me an idea how old this pen is?

 

Edited May 11, 2015 by Manalto

[Manalto]

Ah, well. I'll bury it where I found it without dates on the headstone; it died today.

[delano]

Sorry for your loss.

 

Considering you could at present get a dozen of the same model for 23 bucks or less

 

http://pilotpen.us/categories/rolling-ball-pens/precise/,

 

the pen could be anywhere from a day old to not very old.

[Manalto]

Sorry for your loss.

 

Considering you could at present get a dozen of the same model for 23 bucks or less

 

http://pilotpen.us/categories/rolling-ball-pens/precise/,

 

the pen could be anywhere from a day old to not very old.

LOL - well, there goes any potential for drama from that story. From the font on the barrel I thought it might be from the 70s!

 

Thanks for the link; I couldn't find them - kept seeing the "V" series, so I thought they were out of production. Thanks also for the good laugh this morning.

 

PS - it started working again!

Edited May 12, 2015 by Manalto

[Frank C]

Nice story. I always liked these pens.

[Keyless Works]

It's a current production pen. One I really like:

 

http://unroyalwarrant.com/2013/12/20/pilot-precise-rolling-ball-extra-fine-review/

[Manalto]

Thanks for the link to your review. I agree with all your comments; it's a pleasant pen to use. (Is the visible feed in the V series functional or just for show?)

 

I tried to get a box of a dozen on Amazon and kept running into a listing mistake that Amazon made with several sellers of that particular pen, discussed here:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/292276-can-an-amazon-seller-cancel-the-sale/

Edited June 15, 2015 by Manalto

[goodpens]

I loved these and the subsequent versions with the ink window. 
 

The new white Pilot Explorer fountain pen looks like a tribute to the original Pilot Precise ball roller—about 40 years later. 
 

https://www.gouletpens.com/products/pilot-explorer-fountain-pen-white

[Black Spot]

It has a school pen vibe to me.

[IanP2303]

On 5/11/2015 at 8:09 AM, Manalto said:

A couple of days ago, I was cleaning out a part of my garden that I had let go wild for many years. While digging up endless root systems of Parthenocissus quinquefolia, I came upon this old Pilot Precise Rolling Ball pen. It was stained a tea color (I should have taken a "before" photo) and dirty, of course. I wiped it down with some spray cleaner and voilá. It wrote a little gummy at first, but now it's a smooth, excellent extra-fine point writer. I've been carrying it with me ever since; in fact, I like it so much, I ordered a 12-pack of Pilot Precise Needlepoint V5s. Could someone indulge my curiosity and give me an idea how old this pen is?

 

These pens can do anything, marker, ball pen, drawing or outlining.