Pilot Prera

[artaddict]

I ruined my Prera nib by trying to smooth it, so I replaced it with a Pilot 78G B nib. Works great with Polar Blue.

When I first got the Prera I was amazed at how smooth the fine nib was for such an inexpensive pen. I found out the hard way that there is not much tipping to work with.

Edited March 28, 2008 by artaddict

[Rapt]

Polar black is a Noodler's "eel" ink with extra lubrication and it also has minimal spread keeping lines fine.

[chibimie]

Another question: what is the pen's behaviour in terms of starting immediately after being left unused for, say, three days? Or after being uncapped and unused for several minutes? Does it skip frequently?

 

I am thinking about buying one of these in M and in the nice spring and summer colour limegreen

 

I've used my F-point (more like an XF) Prera for writing notes in the margins, routinely keeping it uncapped without writing with it for ten minutes or more, and up to thirty or so--and it writes immediately. I've been very pleased about this.

[Lloyd]

Another question: what is the pen's behaviour in terms of starting immediately after being left unused for, say, three days? Or after being uncapped and unused for several minutes? Does it skip frequently?

 

I am thinking about buying one of these in M and in the nice spring and summer colour limegreen

 

I've used my F-point (more like an XF) Prera for writing notes in the margins, routinely keeping it uncapped without writing with it for ten minutes or more, and up to thirty or so--and it writes immediately. I've been very pleased about this.

What ink are you using?

[KCat]

Another question. Do you get nib creeb when uncapping due to suction (as happens with my Waterman Hémisphere and the same model pen of a friend of mine)?

 

Nope. But I uncap single-handledly and this greatly reduces the forces on the pen. Hold the barrel of the pen in your palm, use thumb and forefinger to grip the base of the cap and push the cap up. You'd be surprised at how much smoother the action is and how little strength it really takes using this method to uncap a snap cap pen.

 

I would guess that neuromuscularly, our opposable thumbs are ideal for working single-handedly. When using two hands we're trying to coordinate signals from two separate sides of the body. After all, we don't write with two hands at once.* Just a guess. (Ain't Evolution/God/The Goddess great?)

 

*I recognize that there are some freaks of nature here that can do this.

[aka]

Just received my prera. I saw this post, and just HAD to order it. Just one thing though..

 

The nib feels quite scratchy.. perhaps i'm used to my lamy and visconti fines, but this thing squeeks and seems to snag on the paper. Even when I use a lighter touch, it's still hardly smooth. Perhaps it just needs a good soaking and cleaning?

[chibimie]

Another question: what is the pen's behaviour in terms of starting immediately after being left unused for, say, three days? Or after being uncapped and unused for several minutes? Does it skip frequently?

 

I am thinking about buying one of these in M and in the nice spring and summer colour limegreen

 

I've used my F-point (more like an XF) Prera for writing notes in the margins, routinely keeping it uncapped without writing with it for ten minutes or more, and up to thirty or so--and it writes immediately. I've been very pleased about this.

What ink are you using?

 

I have been using the Frédéric Chopin by de Atramentis, a deep olive-green.

[chibimie]

Just received my prera. I saw this post, and just HAD to order it. Just one thing though..

 

The nib feels quite scratchy.. perhaps i'm used to my lamy and visconti fines, but this thing squeeks and seems to snag on the paper. Even when I use a lighter touch, it's still hardly smooth. Perhaps it just needs a good soaking and cleaning?

 

That definitely does NOT sound right. I just tried my F point on several kinds of paper--from smooth to coarse fiber--and the nib is quite smooth, without snagging, and never any squeeking.

[KCat]

Just received my prera. I saw this post, and just HAD to order it. Just one thing though..

 

The nib feels quite scratchy.. perhaps i'm used to my lamy and visconti fines, but this thing squeeks and seems to snag on the paper. Even when I use a lighter touch, it's still hardly smooth. Perhaps it just needs a good soaking and cleaning?

 

Try cleaning but I suspect this is a bum nib. They can't *all* be perfect. Don't know who you bought from but I would recommend contacting them and explaining the problem. You may be able to get it exchanged.

 

I don't know Visconti fines but my Lamy fine was much broader than the Japanese fines I've used so some of this may be due to your hand being accustomed to "Western" fines which are almost always fatter and more tolerant to pressure. Still, it is probably a misaligned nib or something. Check it under magnification but do contact the seller about the problem also. This is not a nib I recommend novices try to smooth on their own - the nibs are just too fine with too little tipping and too great a risk of making an uncomfortable nib into an unusable nib.

[aka]

chibimie and Kcat, thanks for the responses!

 

I'm glad to report, the nib is finally performing up to standards! I think it was a matter of priming the feed and breaking in the nib a bit. I've used the pen for everything the past week, and now it's lovely! Very smooth .3 line or so, with the right amount of feedback and wetness! Lovely!

[Coalpaw]

I concur with the "scratchy" feeling of the nib. I purchased the Prera Ivory Fine as well, with a CON50 converter and filled it with Noodler's Eternal Brown. I find that it skips and is uneven on a variety of papers. Also, when it is at rest it requires a bit of starting to get going. The Lamy Safari EF I was comparing it with was worlds better ... a smooth consistent line every time, only it is filled with Noodler's Legal Lapis so I'm going to fill the Prera with the same ink and do a proper comparison.

 

[Lloyd]

I concur with the "scratchy" feeling of the nib. I purchased the Prera Ivory Fine as well, with a CON50 converter and filled it with Noodler's Eternal Brown. I find that it skips and is uneven on a variety of papers. Also, when it is at rest it requires a bit of starting to get going. The Lamy Safari EF I was comparing it with was worlds better ... a smooth consistent line every time, only it is filled with Noodler's Legal Lapis so I'm going to fill the Prera with the same ink and do a proper comparison.

If you feel adventurous, gently pull the tines apart ever so slightly. My Prera had a similar disorder and, after widening the gap between the tines, it can go many minutes uncapped. Warning: doing this will increase the linewidth a tad.

[kkhon]

I found the F nib on my Prera a bit dry & scratchy too, but it's been performing flawlessly after I flossed the gap between the tines (with an A-4 sheet of paper) a few times. It does, as Lloyd says, widens the line a little, but since it's already close to an EF to begin with, that doesn't bother me too much.

[aka]

I concur with the "scratchy" feeling of the nib. I purchased the Prera Ivory Fine as well, with a CON50 converter and filled it with Noodler's Eternal Brown. I find that it skips and is uneven on a variety of papers. Also, when it is at rest it requires a bit of starting to get going. The Lamy Safari EF I was comparing it with was worlds better ... a smooth consistent line every time, only it is filled with Noodler's Legal Lapis so I'm going to fill the Prera with the same ink and do a proper comparison.

If you feel adventurous, gently pull the tines apart ever so slightly. My Prera had a similar disorder and, after widening the gap between the tines, it can go many minutes uncapped. Warning: doing this will increase the linewidth a tad.

 

How did you pull the tines apart? I've tried doing this, but the tabs are so darn small!! Might have to grow my nails out a bit!

[Lloyd]

There are many ways - some have the grip to just grab the two tines and pull. An easier way is to use a shim - either .001" brass sheeting or 35mm film negative. Slide it from the breather hole to the (tight) tips. Once there, use the shim two apply gentle pressure on the inside of each tine. Only very little separation is desired.

[Coalpaw]

I concur with the "scratchy" feeling of the nib. I purchased the Prera Ivory Fine as well, with a CON50 converter and filled it with Noodler's Eternal Brown. I find that it skips and is uneven on a variety of papers. Also, when it is at rest it requires a bit of starting to get going. The Lamy Safari EF I was comparing it with was worlds better ... a smooth consistent line every time, only it is filled with Noodler's Legal Lapis so I'm going to fill the Prera with the same ink and do a proper comparison.

If you feel adventurous, gently pull the tines apart ever so slightly. My Prera had a similar disorder and, after widening the gap between the tines, it can go many minutes uncapped. Warning: doing this will increase the linewidth a tad.

 

How did you pull the tines apart? I've tried doing this, but the tabs are so darn small!! Might have to grow my nails out a bit!

 

I ended up using a razor blade, starting from the breather hole and working my way down. I did this a couple of times, then switched to the supplied cartridge to test the "out of box" experience of that for comparison. The writing experience has improved quite a bit, and I'll compare it to the Noodler's and CON50 when the cartridge runs out.

[Ondina]

A pen that has so many post must have something, I'm starting to think....should I get one?

[aka]

A pen that has so many post must have something, I'm starting to think....should I get one?

 

It's a pretty good pen. The design and construction is very nice! The main area of controversy, if you can call it that, is the smoothness of the nib. Some people find it slick and smooth, while some, like me, find it very scratchy. That being said, if you'd like to take that chance, and want a well built, nicely designed pen with a very fine (about .35) nib, then I would recommend it!

[adair]

During a recent visit to Kinokuniya in Manhattan, I purchased an ivory-white Prera Medium, keeping in mind the high praise from KCat and other members for this pen. The medium writes on the fine side, and the nib is very smooth and pleasurable. The smooth feel of the white barrel is also pleasant; I know that it is plastic, but it makes me feel as though I were touching a white piano key, or perhaps an older form of plastic-like material, such as Bakelite. The compact size is perfect, and the cap clicks on softly, as if pneumatically. My two gripes are: the nib does not re-start easily if left unused for a day or even a few hours---I need to do some vigorous scoring on scrap paper to get the flow going, though once it rebegins, it does so smoothly. Secondly, you are limited to Pilot carts with this pen or to an aerometric converter. I dislike aerometrics, and I am not delighted with Pilot ink colors. I wish that it used International carts, such as Omas. Nevertheless, I'd give this pen a 3.5 out of 5, which is pretty darn good. Only my Aurora 88 Nikargenta and my trusty Pelikano "Deep Space Black " get full perfect fives from me!

Edited April 17, 2008 by adair

[Cedar]

During a recent visit to Kinokuniya in Manhattan, I purchased an ivory-white Prera Medium, keeping in mind the high praise from KCat and other members for this pen. The medium writes on the fine side, and the nib is very smooth and pleasurable. The smooth feel of the white barrel is also pleasant; I know that it is plastic, but it makes me feel as though I were touching a white piano key, or perhaps an older form of plastic-like material, such as Bakelite. The compact size is perfect, and the cap clicks on softly, as if pneumatically. My two gripes are: the nib does not re-start easily if left unused for a day or even a few hours---I need to do some vigorous scoring on scrap paper to get the flow going, though once it rebegins, it does so smoothly. Secondly, you are limited to Pilot carts with this pen or to an aerometric converter. I dislike aerometrics, and I am not delighted with Pilot ink colors. I wish that it used International carts, such as Omas. Nevertheless, I'd give this pen a 3.5 out of 5, which is pretty darn good. Only my Aurora 88 Nikargenta and my trusty Pelikano "Deep Space Black " get full perfect fives from me!

 

 

I've not had the problem with either of Preras not restarting, neither capped for a few days or left uncapped for less than 1/2 hour (maybe less...not sure).

May be the difference between fine and medium nibs but I would think so.Which is why I bought the second one. I don't know what the difference is. I bought the Namiki (6899? Is that the number?) but it is a screw type and works fine in both Preras. Not sure what you mean by "aerometric converter" but I'm thinking you mean the squeeze type. Perhaps this info will help "fix" what you don't like?

I like the type or weight of the plastic, too. It has a decent feel to it rather than the very thin, cheap feel some pens have.

 

Cedar