Pilot Custom 845: Seeking Feedback And Sources

[MightyEighth]

I've become very interested in the Pilot Custom 845, having had an opportunity to handle one not long ago. I don't see too many posts about it here, so I want to ask a couple of questions.

1) If you have one, can you please share your thoughts and experiences including what nib width(s) you have?

2) Because it is not distributed in the U.S. I will need to find an international source. I see some Japanese dealers on eBay and on Rakuten. Can I get some recommendations for good and reliable sources?

Thanks much,

Marc

[gerigo]

I guess because this board is primarily used by people who use English, it's limited to the parts of the world where coincidentally the 845 is not officially available. So perhaps that MIGHT be the reason why it's not as talked about. Frankly for quite a few years after I started collecting fountain pens, this pen flew under my radar because of 2 reasons. One the design is conservative, and 2 the nib selection was what I considered during those times as uninspiring or exciting.

 

Now that I own both the 845 and the Custom Ichii, I can say that they have become pens that I can't do without.

 

It's a pen designed primarily as a writing instrument first. This is because of the unique shape of the pen. It's quite long, not very thick, and the body is not completely straight. There is a slight swelling in the middle which makes it very comfortable when you grasp the pen for writing sessions. Also it's fairly slim. It's not a fat pen but not thin either, which makes it really comfortable to grip.These 3 points make the pen ideal for writing for almost any one. Not many have pointed this out, but after using the pen for a while now, I appreciate it's unique thoughtful design.

 

Of course it has the largest capacity converter in the business. Many hate it, but I like it because it's quite unique and makes the filling experience special.

 

As for the nib choices, it's a little unfortunate it's only available with F, M, B and BB. I have both the Fine and Medium and found them to be perfectly tuned. On the wet side and a little broader than the corresponding Sailor or Platinum Fines and Mediums.

 

Finally the finish is unique. At this price point, I BELIEVE it's the only pen available as an urushi pen. It feels very different than other pens which are usually all acrylic.

 

Hope this helps.

 

As to the source of pens, sorry I can't help but because it's a Pilot, it should be available through the usual online Japanese pen stores. I purchase both my pens when I was in Tokyo.

Edited March 16, 2018 by gerigo

[Bluey]

1) I don't have the exact pen but I have had lots of Pilots, and the nib qualities are basically the same throughout the sizes and nib widths of the Custom range.

 

2) pisuke2005

cerisiersjaponais

 

Although I have never dealt with him, there's a guy called Taizo or something who goes under several different usernames on eBay and Rakuten. Two of them being hunnyhunt and Engeika. He has the Wancher brand.

Edited March 16, 2018 by Bluey

[rutherfordr]

I bought my Custom 845 from a seller on ebay called "pisuke2005". I've bought about half a dozen Pilot fountain pens from him over the past few years, and the experience has always been fantastic. I'd recommend him without reservation.

 

Here's his current listing for the Custom 845 pen:

 

https://www.ebay.com/itm/Pilot-NAMIKI-Custom845-M-Medium-nib-Ebonite-URUSHI-Large-18Kt-BK-Fountain-Pen/142707133041?hash=item213a020a71:g:k5UAAOSw3RZaRmd0

[jmccarty3]

I bought my Custom 845 from Tokyo Pen Shop Quill, with the vermilion urushi finish and the Waverly nib option. TPSQ offers more options like this, but there frequently is a long waiting period, because they are totally dependent on Pilot's manufacturing whims (I won't call them schedules).

 

All that being said, I love the pen, as I do all my Pilot/Namikis. The nibs just seem to suit me.

[jar]

I've had a couple 845s, one vermilion and the other black. I sold the vermilion one almost immediately since I really disliked the nib and found it almost useless but still have the black. It is an ok pen but not anything really special.

[sketchstack]

I'll chime in with yet another endorsement for "pisuke2005" as a seller on Ebay. I recommend checking his listings regularly as he often has most if not all items on sale. (Items being off sale tends to be the exception I think.)

 

I have a BB Pilot 845. The double-broad is indeed very broad. Not a daily writer, more of a curiosity in my world. I do rather enjoy it and will likely add a M to my lineup someday.

 

Here's the thing about Pilot pens: If you laid out their pens, from the $15 Metropolitan to the $1,000+ Custom Urushi, I'm pretty confident that they'll write well out of the box. No, this doesn't mean there's never been anyone with a bad Pilot fountain pen --but from my experience very few brands have their level of consistency regardless of price point.

[MYU]

I have one with a <B> nib. It lays down a rather thick but conservatively wet line. Extremely smooth. The pen is "stately" and has that kind of Montblanc style to it, but it feels great. Just the right thickness for an above average sized man's hand (I wear gloves size L or L/XL). The urushi coating on the black ebonite holds up beautifully. My pen looks pretty much like the day I got it. I also bought my 845 from "pisuke2005". Excellent fulfillment.

[MightyEighth]

^^^^^^^. Thanks so much for all the great feedback. Not sure when I’m going to put in an order but it’s right on the edge.

 

Thanks again, and I’ll be happy to hear additional testimonials.

 

Marc

[Maurizio]

I will get one this year by hook or by crook.

 

I have bought both a Pilot Custom Kaede and a Pilot Cherry Wood Vanishing Point, neither of which are available in the US, from Japanese sellers on Amazon. The prices were quite reasonable and I had no fear of the transaction because it is a rare seller who’s willing to risk their presence being removed from the lucrative Amazon platform by doing a bad deal with a customer. Th 845 is available from several sellers on Amazon. Shipping time was slow for both orders but that was expected.

 

You should also check out the Tokyo Penshop Quill as others have mentioned because they and only they carry the 845 with some of Pilot’s other rarer nibs such as the FA and the mentioned Waverly.

[MightyEighth]

You should also check out the Tokyo Penshop Quill as others have mentioned because they and only they carry the 845 with some of Pilot’s other rarer nibs such as the FA and the mentioned Waverly.

I have indeed had an eye on them but their prices are a good bit higher than some of the sellers on eBay and Rakuten.

[Tseg]

From a performance standpoint is there any reason to think this pen is different than the Custom 823? Or us it just the aesthetics and converter? Is the section thicker?

[MYU]

^ The Custom 823 is a very different kind of pen, mainly due to the vacuum filling mechanism. It's impressive... able to hold 2ml of ink in one filling. That's a bit more than double that of a CON-70. However, the shut-off valve means having to remember to unlock and relock it every time you use the pen. Plus, there's a greater chance for seals to degrade and require replacement. The CON-70 is a fantastic converter. It not only works quite well, it's very easy to clean. If you do need to do copious amounts of writing with the same ink, the Custom 823 is probably the better choice.

[sketchstack]

If you're going to throw in the Pilot 823 to compare against, my understanding is the 743 is the converter-only model that uses the same nib size as both the 823 and the 845. They're bound to have a different feel in the hand but you can get the 743 for around $220 if you really hunt around. That may satisfy the desire for a "larger" Pilot pen.

[MightyEighth]

Following up to this thread I started last month...

I just received this Pilot Custom 845 <Fine> and I am very happy with it. The pen wrote perfectly out of the box and the Fine nib is nicely smooth on a variety of paper qualities. The pen's weight, width, and unposted length are about as perfect for my hand as any pen I've held, and the Urushi finish is exquisite.

I chose a Fine nib for practical reasons. I'm not an artistic writer, so I don't make good use of flex or broader forms. I need to write on a variety of paper qualties so I don't want to deal with a lot of feathering, and I'd like to be able to use wetter inks without similar concern. The Japanse Fine also offers some contrast to other pens in my collection, mostly Pelikan, which are Western Fine and put down wider lines. I sort of wish Pilot offered a Medium-Fine for this pen, something I have and appreciate on my Sailor 1911L, but I'm going to be good with the Fine.

While I understand that common criticisms of this pen include the visible seams on the section and threads, and the fact that it uses a cartridge/converter system, neither concerns me. Indeed, I prefer a converter for overall maintenance and for the ability to more easily ink up with a syringe.

For context, my other Pilot pens prior to this acquisition were the Metropolitan that got me started and the E95S. When considering stepping up to a high level Pilot, the 845 stood alone for me because I wanted a flat-ended pen and because, as I mentioned before, I go for traditional nibs. The 823, while also a great pen, was not a consideration because I don't require the ink volume and because I wasn't interested in the vacuum fill (I have a TWSBI Vac Mini anyway).

I expect this pen to be the flagship of my personal collection for a long time.

[katerchen]

It's a nice pen, but nothing really special. The nib is the same as the 823 and that being equal(ly good) between the two of them I'd pick up the 823 more.

 

Maybe it's just me, but I expect a fancy filling system from a flagship pen and some weight, like -- say -- the M1000.

 

Also : there is a weird little felt liner inside the cap lip to prevent the scuff marks that inevitably develop on every pen with a twist cap, but it will wear away eventually.

 

I bought mine from a private seller in pristine condition (apart from said felt liner showing signs of wear).

 

Also : this is yet another vote of confidence for Pisuke ... he's a great guy. I didn't click the listing, but keep an eye on it : he usually puts up his pens at one price then discounts them by 15-20 percent in a day or so. Watch out for that.

 

-k

 

EDIT: Ah, hehe. I am a slow typer and obsessively re-edit my initial posts. Congrats on your new pen

Edited April 10, 2018 by katerchen

[Mew]

I have indeed had an eye on them but their prices are a good bit higher than some of the sellers on eBay and Rakuten.

Which is understandable. It's not a discount store like the ones of rakuten. whatever they are charging is the MRP of the pen.

[Tseg]

Congrats on the new pen! I think this pen with plastic section makes it a durable daily writer compared to others with Urushi sections that show adverse effects with ink contact over time. While my smoke Custom 823 is a great pen the transparent resin already has a number of scuff marks after just a month+. The other Custom 823 oddity is the gold nib looks gold in sunlight but silver in artificial light whereas the gold furniture looks yellow gold in any light.

[cullercoats]

A belated footnote on the nib of the 845. The 823 and 743 have a 14k gold nib, whereas the 845 has a unique two-tone 18k nib. The nib size is the same (15) but the writing experience is ever so slightly different. Folk looking to buy a Pilot pen of any sort need to heed the advice above that they do write more generously than Sailor or Platinum nibs of the same width, and the soft nibbed versions are broader still.

Hope that helps

Adrian