Pilot 845 In Vermilion Urushi

[jar]

I recently added a Pilot 845 to my accumulation since I had sold off a bunch of pens and although it was slightly more expensive, the Vermilion Pilot Custom 845 with a BB nib called out to me. I was a little hesitant since the Pilot Namiki pens I did own never quite seemed to live up to expectations but since this was a higher end Pilot and also one custom built for only one dealer I figured I'd take a flyer.

The good folk at Tokyo Pen Shop Quill sent me an email to say that the vermilion model was finally back in stock and sure enough, about six days later a package showed up. As always everything was very well packed and there was even lagniappe (they must be from the Far Eastern Creole community); an advertising ballpoint stylus and an origami stork.

So first about the pen itself. It's a flat top in red and black. The nib is the largest on Pilots family of pens (#15 which is also used on the 743 and 823) with the body made from ebonite with an urushi coating. Pilot claims that only a very high quality Japanese origin urushi is used for the pen and the red parts certainly feel like urushi.

Some pictures:

http://www.fototime.com/29CC4956E10E825/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/944915F077AC4C4/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/B0347232CAAEB1F/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/53CE712A10E47BE/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/8B8019C0FAD8FC8/medium800.jpg

The nib stamping shows an April 2015 manufacture code.
http://www.fototime.com/9589BA7FDB960BF/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/52135F407C47E1B/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/97F9A6541681A66/medium800.jpg

In size the pens is about Pelikan M800 class but slightly larger both capped and uncapped.
http://www.fototime.com/C875CCD98CED78B/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/702D0152BE7178F/medium800.jpg

Long long ago and in a land far far away, in the year I graduated from High School, Mad magazine introduced "Spy vs Spy". In the series, two spies, one all in white, one all in black, hatch elaborate plans to get the other one, but they never succeed and in each case the plan actually ends up harming the originator. It was a continuing thread of great ideas that never quite work out and end in minor disaster, never so great as to stop the series but also never fully successful. The other thing was that throughout the series it was never quite clear who was good or who was bad.

Unfortunately, this pen is kind like the series. It shows fantastic promise of success but then blows up in my face. Never a total failure but never a real success.

First:

There is no doubt that the urushi is superbly done, the ebonite body is light but...

there just is not the depth found in the urushi finishes from Nakaya and Platinum, the section and end caps are just plastic and not urushi coated and the overall feeling is of a very nice mass produced object where the Platinum Izumo and Nakaya pens are definitely individual hand made objects.

http://www.fototime.com/3EAE0D1A05ADE94/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/7D866350435F74B/medium800.jpg

The nib is a big 18K "BB" but it is a European BB instead of a Japanese BB, wider even then the "C" nib I have on a Platinum President and that is the base for my Nakaya Mottishaw stub.

http://www.fototime.com/EA9984647382B4D/medium800.jpg

I like wet nibs and but this one may be too wet even for me. I ran through a full Pilot cartridge during the first day testing. Switching to the Con-70 converter and Pelikan 4001 turned it from a gusher to just the wettest pen I own.

Speaking of the Con-70 converter, while it is easy to use and hold lots of ink in this pen there is also a rattle I don't find when using a Con-70 in my other Pilot/Namiki pens. If you happen to tap the pen you hear and feel what I thought was the converter hitting against the inside of the barrel. Taking it apart though reveals a converter that feels rock solid with no play at all.

You can tell the designers were thinking ahead, for example inside the cap lip is a felt band that will protect the body should the pen be used posted. BUT.. posting the pen really changes the balance and makes it very back heavy. Worse, the simple weight of the clip tend to try to rotate then to put the weight on the bottom. Posting with the clip on the down side places the clip right against the webbing of my hand. I have a Montegrappa Espressione Duetto with the heavy Sterling silver cap that naturally posts with the clip on the underside 180 degrees from the nib but it's long enough that the clip does not interfere with my hand and also heavy enough that the balance point does not change noticeably.

Other reviews mention seams on the section. I can say that is simply not the case with this pen. The section is totally seamless both visually and by feel.

In all, there is nothing truly bad about the pen, much that is really good and it is one I'll enjoy but it was so close to being a GREAT pen that the Spy vs Spy comparison hurts.

Edited December 5, 2016 by jar

[mulrich]

I bought one of these off the classifieds a year or so back and like the look and feel of the pen but I can't get the nib working exactly right. I even sent it to be stubbed but it still occasionally hard starts. Aside from the occasional hard starts I think it's great.

[rwilsonedn]

"the overall feeling is of a very nice mass produced object" ...

That is exactly the feeling I had looking at your (splendid as usual) photos. A high-quality manufactured pen, but not a work of craftsmanship.

Thanks for a great review.

ron

[flipper_gv]

Just a quick note. I feel that this pen is supposed to be more of an executive type of look and not the typical urushi style pen, hence the solid color (that Pilot seems to only do anyway), and the styling of the pen. A blend of the classic and the modern if you want.

[zaddick]

Thanks for the review. I has passed on this pen before but always wondered how I might like it. Now I can leave it off the watch list.

[Barkingpig]

Thank you for perhaps the most unbiased & honest review I have ever read here! I have long admired the pen & surely understand your hesitation about it. I thank you for presenting it with such an honest review.

[jar]

Just a quick note. I feel that this pen is supposed to be more of an executive type of look and not the typical urushi style pen, hence the solid color (that Pilot seems to only do anyway), and the styling of the pen. A blend of the classic and the modern if you want.

That might be so but compared to my Kuro Izumo and Kikyo Nakayas it still falls flat. There is just no life in the finish.

 

http://www.fototime.com/5B5EC213BC0EAA6/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/6D2FA537CEFE35C/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/861DED6E4BE9605/medium800.jpg

[FOUR X FOUR]

Thanx for showing it off. I was interested a few years back but I think it was no longer in production

[Behike54]

Wow, the Kikyo jumps to life in your pics as opposed to others I've seen online.

 

Are you sure the pen isn't supposed to hold the venon of a spitting cobra and is really a back-up line of defense? THINK ABOUT IT!

Use the firehose in good health, brother!

p.s. Can I talk, or is this Russia? Why can't one buy a Neo-Standard cigar?

Edited December 6, 2016 by Behike54

[jar]

Wow, the Kikyo jumps to life in your pics as opposed to others I've seen online.

 

Are you sure the pen isn't supposed to hold the venon of a spitting cobra and is really a back-up line of defense? THINK ABOUT IT!

 

Use the firehose in good health, brother!

 

p.s. Can I talk, or is this Russia? Why can't one buy a Neo-Standard cigar?

You'd have to ask John Mottishaw since the design was his baby. But I imagine you could ask for one directly from Nakaya since making a pen without a clip is certainly easier than making a pen with a clip.

[TassoBarbasso]

Thanks for the review. I has passed on this pen before but always wondered how I might like it. Now I can leave it off the watch list.

 

You would make a massive mistake I own one of these Pilot 845 and it's become my favourite pen. One day I'll write a review of mine.

[jar]

Thanks for the review. I has passed on this pen before but always wondered how I might like it. Now I can leave it off the watch list.

As I tried to show it's not a bad pen. As I said; "In all, there is nothing truly bad about the pen, much that is really good and it is one I'll enjoy but it was so close to being a GREAT pen that the Spy vs Spy comparison hurts."

 

The pen is also probably priced correctly, lower than the similar offerings from Danitrio, Platinum and Nakaya that are truly handmade.

 

I don't want to give the impression that this is not a good pen and probably a good value as well and it may well be unfair to compare it to the pens I did use in the review. For example, I would say this pen stands up well when compared to a Pelikan 800 or 1000 or a Montblanc 146 or 149.

 

But with just a few changes it could have been a great pen. If they had used ebonite for the cap and barrel ends and also for the section, if those parts had also been urushi coated, if the urushi had only had greater depth and life and if the nib had been tuned just a little better this would have been a memorable pen.

[Behike54]

As I tried to show it's not a bad pen. As I said; "In all, there is nothing truly bad about the pen, much that is really good and it is one I'll enjoy but it was so close to being a GREAT pen that the Spy vs Spy comparison hurts."

 

The pen is also probably priced correctly, lower than the similar offerings from Danitrio, Platinum and Nakaya that are truly handmade.

 

I don't want to give the impression that this is not a good pen and probably a good value as well and it may well be unfair to compare it to the pens I did use in the review. For example, I would say this pen stands up well when compared to a Pelikan 800 or 1000 or a Montblanc 146 or 149.

 

But with just a few changes it could have been a great pen. If they had used ebonite for the cap and barrel ends and also for the section, if those parts had also been urushi coated, if the urushi had only had greater depth and life and if the nib had been tuned just a little better this would have been a memorable pen.

 

I "got that,"from your review. Sometimes the best movies (or most anything els), are worthy more criticism for a number of reasons. Thinking critically about something doesn't always mean negative......I think about it as being discerning. I bet a lot of people want to push my face in a pie right now!

[zaddick]

 

You would make a massive mistake I own one of these Pilot 845 and it's become my favourite pen. One day I'll write a review of mine.

For me, no. The urushi is flat (in terms of depth) and I would spend too much time touching plastic. Pilot nibs are fine and all, but too narrow for my tastes and I don't find enough character in their writing. I have plenty of other, nice handmade ebonite and urushi pens to give this one more thought.

 

I did not disparage the pen nor say it was a bad value or without redeeming qualities. It may be amazing for many folks, but not me. Too many other butterflies for me to chase.

 

I look forward to your review. Reviews are one of my favorite aspects of FPN.

Edited December 6, 2016 by zaddick

[jar]

A size comparison with some other pens was requested in the Japan sub-forum so here are a few more.

 

 

From top to bottom: Montblanc 147 (146 same size), Waterman Man 100, Parker Duofold Centennial, OMAS Paragon (old style), Pilot 845

http://www.fototime.com/2E45951F384B3D0/medium800.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/1187C7788005404/medium800.jpg

[JonSzanto]

Interesting. Just last night I was looking at this very pen from the very same shop, with the WA nib option. I've lost my zeal for the moment. I *do* want to find the pen to try the WA nib, but will continue a leisurely pursuit.

 

Thank you, Jar. Always well-balanced reviews from you.

[jar]

So I let the pen sit for about 5 days, unused but capped and it started immediately when tried. That's good but certainly not unexpected. I would still rate this as a good but prosaic fountain pen.

 

It's cheaper than the Nakayas or Namiki Yukari (smaller in size) and Yukari Royals (about same size) or the Platinum Izumo and much, much cheaper than the urushi Sailor King of Pens.

[Sagarb]

A great review..nice photographs..thank you. Such a nice collection you have.

[ShortRound131]

Beautiful pens, thank you for sharing.

[SUNIL GARG]

I have this Pilot 845 since 2012 & liked it a lot for the superb M nib. Last month I purchased a Pilot 743, which is not a Urushi

& sports a 15#, 14K Nib. Also,while 845 is a cigar shaped body as compared to the torpedo shape of 743.

 

I wonder why but the shape makes a huge difference. At least it did so in my case. Now I am using the Nib section of 845 in 743

and I am very pleased. By the way, one of my other favourite pens is Platinum President Black in 18K, F nib.

Edited December 14, 2016 by SUNIL GARG