Pilot Prera Medium Review

[IndigoBOB]

Pilot Prera Medium Review

I have a love-hate relationship with Pilot’s starter level pens. The Kakuno is a great fit for any age and size as long as you don’t mind carrying a pen that looks like a child’s toy. Then they do offer the Metropolitan that has a lovely formal presentation, but with an undersized section and a cliff-like shelf separating not just the body and section, but the comfort from anyone without small hands.

Then there’s the Pilot Prera: A pen too short to use unposted for larger hands paining those such as myself to go through that hassle to…

… use what becomes a very lovely balanced pocket pen to my surprise, with an every-person’s size section with a minimal transition to the body that acts as a pleasant landmark for holding the pen being an overall full sized writing instrument that rests in the hand effortlessly providing a writing experience that I find can be used for longer writing sessions other than the occasional jot.

The steel nib, a medium with this pen, lays down a European F-MF line, and provides a smooth enough experience for me with a fairly strict preference for Medium nibs in general, whether they be the average Jowo, the thicker Lamy, or this finer Japanese Medium. It’s fairly rigid, but smooth indeed.

The inkflow is reliable with a moderately wet, consistent, and solid line. I simply don’t have a problem with inkflow with the Prera until I run out.

Now, I have installed a con50 converter, which is rather small, a slight challenge to clean due to the agitator inside, but it delivers the ink with no problem for me. You can always syringe fill a Pilot Cartridge to provide a more sufficient ink supply. If you’re daring you can eyedropper it, though I haven’t had the courage. Unfortunately, the con50 has been discontinued in leu of the con40. I don’t much like this newer converter. It feels very cheap, and I have trouble getting close to a full fill, but you can always syringe fill it I guess.

The cap honestly weighs as much as the body. It posts deeply, easily, and securely resting the pen’s center of gravity quite comfortably and securely in the web of your hand culminating to an overall weight that allows the pen to feel substantial, full sized, yet light, reducing hand fatigue especially with regards to the necessary effort to stabilize the pen in hand. And since the weight is further back it centers less on the nib reducing pressure on the nib and decreasing any potential toothiness especially if you use Finer nib options.

The inner lining of the cap provides a sufficient air tight seal to keep the nib from drying out. It helps to provide a unique capping that almost feels magnetic since it’s so smooth and almost effortless, yet secure.

The aesthetics, personally, are something I really like. It has an understated classic look that has flare by being a demonstrator. The colored finials and the metal bands at each end of the cap, section, and body add character in conjunction with the minimalistic labeling and printed design on the bottom of the cap.

It does have a slightly plastic-like feel, particularly if you hold the body without the cap, but I have found the Prera to be durable with no cracks, and it operates as good as the day I bought it a year ago. The clip is strong, yet flexible enough with a smooth clipping and unclipping even around thicker surfaces. The Prera as a whole fits wonderfully in a pocket, and I find I do like its ease of carry.

Overall, I think this is an A grade pen, especially for the price. I do recommend it, especially if you like pocket pens or prefer to post.

But I must say that it does make me want a pen that I don’t have to post to use every time. But I must also mention that that would be a trade off, since the pen posted is uniquely comfortable and well balanced. I do think that Pilot’s lower end pens like the Kakuno and the Metropolitan, as well as the others, are lacking in design for those who don’t have small hands, wanting something of affordable quality, and those wanting something that doesn’t feel like a toy, and that’s disappointing I think. But in conclusion, I frankly am happy to own this Pilot Prera-Medium.

[minddance]

The Pilot steel nibs are ironically smoother and easier to write with than the gold nibs. Ditto Platinum Preppy vs 3776.

 

One might argue that the gold nibs are shaped and tipped more artfully with boundaries surrounding the sweet spot on the tipping to offer precision and control for kanji and chinese characters but smoothness suffers.

 

One major bad point for Pilot steel nibs is that the pens do not seal inks properly and dryout happens. Of course this is also ink-dependent: Pilot Blue for example, defies evaporation. And this is no random coincidence: the ink was formulated for Pilot's own pens (steel nibs) that evaporate inks.

 

If one finishes the ink within a week then all this is no issue.

[TSherbs]

Love my Prera. I prefer the stub nib. I have the classy slate grey.

[IndigoBOB]

I might have to try that stub nib sometime.

 

I wasn't expecting to like the Prera so much. I didn't like it at first, but I recognized it was a good pen so I kept it, and out of my collection I found it to be the one I enjoyed writing with the most. It works with no problems for me, easy, no hassle... so nice.

 

Ooooh, the slate grey is classy. I thought it would be boring like other solid versions of demonstrators, but I was mistaken. They ornament it so well with the metal bands/aspects that it looks great.

[ENewton]

I have the ivory. It's a handy little pen, easy to use and problem-free.

[thudthwacker]

My Prera is the pen I have with me most often -- usually clipped to my Unemployed Philosophers Guild pocket notebook. I wasn't a huge fan of the fine nib it came with, but I replaced it with a medium Wing Sung nib I got on Ye Bay, and now it's nigh perfect. Filled with Pilot Blue-black, it's my do-everything pen. Fits in a pocket, comfortable to write with, filled with an ink that is exceptionally well-behaved and quite water-resistant -- this pen and ink combo is suitable to just about any purpose I care to put it to. And the pseudo-magnetic feel of capping it is, I confess, very satisfying. If I'm at my desk, I usually have a Lamy or Sheaffer NoNonsense in my hand -- but pretty much everywhere else, it's the Prera.

 

I got it on a lark, too -- a friend and fellow fountain pen enthusiast was selling the pens she found she wasn't using, and offered them to people she knew first. I'd been quite happy with the Varsity and Petit1 pens I'd used, and decided to get a slightly higher-tier Pilot pen to see how I liked it. No complaints at all thus far.

[IndigoBOB]

My Prera is the pen I have with me most often -- usually clipped to my Unemployed Philosophers Guild pocket notebook. I wasn't a huge fan of the fine nib it came with, but I replaced it with a medium Wing Sung nib I got on Ye Bay, and now it's nigh perfect. Filled with Pilot Blue-black, it's my do-everything pen. Fits in a pocket, comfortable to write with, filled with an ink that is exceptionally well-behaved and quite water-resistant -- this pen and ink combo is suitable to just about any purpose I care to put it to. And the pseudo-magnetic feel of capping it is, I confess, very satisfying. If I'm at my desk, I usually have a Lamy or Sheaffer NoNonsense in my hand -- but pretty much everywhere else, it's the Prera.

 

I got it on a lark, too -- a friend and fellow fountain pen enthusiast was selling the pens she found she wasn't using, and offered them to people she knew first. I'd been quite happy with the Varsity and Petit1 pens I'd used, and decided to get a slightly higher-tier Pilot pen to see how I liked it. No complaints at all thus far.

 

 

I myself can't go finer than a Japanese medium. I simply have a preference for medium nibs all the way, though I will go Japanese Broad if it's consistent with smaller Japanese sizings relative to European nibs.

 

I tried a Pilot Metro Fine and that's never going to happen again lol... nor could you get me to use a European/Jowo XF.

 

Pilot BB was my second choice behind using my favorite: Noodler's Heart of Darkness, and since HOD doesn't always work as well as I'd like in many pens due to putting down a thicker line or feeling too dry in some of my drier writes, I was happy to be able to use it with my Prera-M that has a moderate consistent flow.

 

I really dislike writing with an ink that's not water resistant.

[minddance]

My Prera is the pen I have with me most often -- usually clipped to my Unemployed Philosophers Guild pocket notebook. I wasn't a huge fan of the fine nib it came with, but I replaced it with a medium Wing Sung nib I got on Ye Bay, and now it's nigh perfect. Filled with Pilot Blue-black, it's my do-everything pen. Fits in a pocket, comfortable to write with, filled with an ink that is exceptionally well-behaved and quite water-resistant -- this pen and ink combo is suitable to just about any purpose I care to put it to. And the pseudo-magnetic feel of capping it is, I confess, very satisfying. If I'm at my desk, I usually have a Lamy or Sheaffer NoNonsense in my hand -- but pretty much everywhere else, it's the Prera.

 

I got it on a lark, too -- a friend and fellow fountain pen enthusiast was selling the pens she found she wasn't using, and offered them to people she knew first. I'd been quite happy with the Varsity and Petit1 pens I'd used, and decided to get a slightly higher-tier Pilot pen to see how I liked it. No complaints at all thus far.

You are extremely lucky to have a Wing Sung nib write well. In my experience, only the nibs that come with wing Sung pens write ok, the individual nibs sold separately are very very thrashy. Yes, there is a difference although they are all marked 'wingsung'.

[IndigoBOB]

You are extremely lucky to have a Wing Sung nib write well. In my experience, only the nibs that come with wing Sung pens write ok, the individual nibs sold separately are very very thrashy. Yes, there is a difference although they are all marked 'wingsung'.

 

 

I noticed that, too, with the wing sung nibs. I ordered a 5-pack from a top chinese vender and got what looked like unfinished nibs with almost no tipping.

 

They were very different from the ones that came with my WS 698, which I did feel to have a good shape to it, rounder than the Pilot nibs, and overall OK, but honestly better than some Pilot nibs I've tried, though not all.

[migo984]

Thank you for a great review. It reminded me why I really love my Preras.

 

I have “a few”! I do prefer the solid colours (slate grey & dark brown are lovely) but enjoy the Oeste series too. I have every nib size, I think, plus a couple of home-tuned italics. I actually like the plain old medium nib best of all. The ink flow is perfect for me.

 

This pen is superbly well-made & never lets me down. The section feels full-size, which is surprising when you first try it out, given its length, or lack of. The snap cap is a thing of genius; I could play with it all day :-)

 

When I worked I took my first one, a royal blue, with me everywhere. I did not treat it kindly & it certainly wasn’t cosseted. I chucked it in my handbag & gym bag, into my desk drawer, glove compartment of the car, threw it into my pencil case together with all the other stuff in there, clipped it to my planner with a bulldog clip!...... But it still looks good & works perfectly.

 

An under-rated Japanese classic & superb vfm.

[Misfit]

The Pilot M calligraphy nib is fabulous. I first got it on a Prera I was lucky to find for around $33. That same nib comes on the under $10 Plumix. It has a nice crisp italic line. I love it.

[minddance]

You can't go very wrong with a Pilot steel nib they are priced reasonably and there's not much to lose if you don't like it.

 

The gold nibs are, however, another matter.

 

Buy from reputable shops that have good exchange and refund policies - as always

[IndigoBOB]

Thank you for a great review. It reminded me why I really love my Preras.

 

I have “a few”! I do prefer the solid colours (slate grey & dark brown are lovely) but enjoy the Oeste series too. I have every nib size, I think, plus a couple of home-tuned italics. I actually like the plain old medium nib best of all. The ink flow is perfect for me.

 

This pen is superbly well-made & never lets me down. The section feels full-size, which is surprising when you first try it out, given its length, or lack of. The snap cap is a thing of genius; I could play with it all day :-)

 

When I worked I took my first one, a royal blue, with me everywhere. I did not treat it kindly & it certainly wasn’t cosseted. I chucked it in my handbag & gym bag, into my desk drawer, glove compartment of the car, threw it into my pencil case together with all the other stuff in there, clipped it to my planner with a bulldog clip!...... But it still looks good & works perfectly.

 

An under-rated Japanese classic & superb vfm.

 

I had to remind myself of why I originally bought it after shelving it for a while because I was on the search for a full sized pen unposted.

 

But once I recommissioned it to try out different inks I found myself quickly learning to accommodate the use of this pocket pen, fast acquainting myself with what turned out to be a fitting enough pen for me.

 

I think the easy capping and posting makes a big difference. You don't have to pull hard, shove on, nor put much muscle effort at all to have the cap securely post and cap.

 

It seems a lot went into this design successfully.

---------------

I am an average joe myself and prefer the medium nib above all.

 

I'll admit, I underrated this pen myself at first.

The Pilot M calligraphy nib is fabulous. I first got it on a Prera I was lucky to find for around $33. That same nib comes on the under $10 Plumix. It has a nice crisp italic line. I love it.

 

ooooh, I do enjoy that nib, too. I don't have it anymore. My nephew somehow got a hold of that nib on a Metro after his older sister set it down... oh boy lol, did he press hard on that one to make it write like a ballpoint .

 

After knowing what I do now, I wouldn't mind picking up another one and inking this pen up with some lubricated Sailor ink like Doyou or Shigure or a number of other Sailors that make Calligraphy nibs glide.

You can't go very wrong with a Pilot steel nib they are priced reasonably and there's not much to lose if you don't like it.

 

The gold nibs are, however, another matter.

 

Buy from reputable shops that have good exchange and refund policies - as always

 

 

I've had the same experience. My Prera M works better than my Pilot CH 92 ever did. That was a black hole of a nib. I was disappointed how Pilot handled my problems with that nib and that was that start of a story I stop there lol. That CH 92 did not end up working well at all. The pen was great, but the nib had something wrong with it from the start no one could fix and none wanted to replace.

 

I was pretty peeved with pilot, but I let that go, re inked the Prera, and some good came out of them for me, and at the price you can get this pen I thought it would be helpful for the consumer, and I thought that was important especially is someone likes to cap their pens, is looking for a solid pocket pen, or simply wouldn't mind branching out affordably.

------------------

 

I agree, I like how affordable replacement nibs are while not feeling cheap.

[TSherbs]

You guys are making me want to buy a plumix to try out that M nib.

[minddance]

The steel stub/italic (?) nibs are really quite good. They are available in Plumix and Pluminix too.

 

Medium steel nibs are good too. When you get a good one, it will be real smooth.

 

I am talking about only the nib and writing experience; the steel nib pens do not preserve inks very well and dryout will occur = ink will evaporate.

 

If you use the pen within a week or so then this won't be any issue at all.

 

Pls note: do not get the 78g+: they are not made in Japan. They are made in China and are not the same thing as the good old 78G.

Edited August 23, 2018 by minddance

[IndigoBOB]

You guys are making me want to buy a plumix to try out that M nib.

 

 

@minddance is right. When you get a good one it's really smooth.

 

I find my Prera Medium writes a Fine to Medium Fine european line, though my tines may be further apart than others. But I like it much better than any Jowo steel Fine nib I've tried.

 

I haven't used a Lamy Fine nib that I've liked. TWSBI uses Jowo's, and I've never enjoyed a fine nib from them (just a tad too rigid for me).

 

So that's another reasons why I do like this Prera-M.

Edited August 23, 2018 by IndigoBOB

[pajaro]

I have a beautiful lime green Prera with a fine point. This pen dries up like someone's ordering "Quickstep!" at it. No point in inking it until I am ready to use it and then put the unused ink back and flush the pen. Cartridges do not help at all. I have thought about dripping some five minute set time epoxy into the cap and letting it cure for a day. This apparently has worked for others with Parker Sonnets. I like this pen. It is pretty. I have swapped nibs with my Plumix, but the italic nib doesn't help the Prera. The fine writes OK, and is smooth for a Japanese fine. I have a lot of better pens, though.

Edited August 23, 2018 by pajaro

[displacermoose]

I have a beautiful lime green Prera with a fine point. This pen dries up like someone's ordering "Quickstep!" at it. No point in inking it until I am ready to use it and then put the unused ink back and flush the pen. Cartridges do not help at all. I have thought about dripping some five minute set time epoxy into the cap and letting it cure for a day. This apparently has worked for others with Parker Sonnets. I like this pen. It is pretty. I have swapped nibs with my Plumix, but the italic nib doesn't help the Prera. The fine writes OK, and is smooth for a Japanese fine. I have a lot of better pens, though.

 

I have two Preras. One of them is drop deal reliable, the other has a drying out problem. I made the mistake of disassembling the cap to clean it (it's a demonstrator and ended up spitting Dragon's Napalm under the inner cap; hideous) and I have not been able to get the finial to screw in well enough to keep a good seal. Makes me sad. If anyone has any tips for getting that flat little disk to screw in tightly, I'd love to hear them.

[pararis]

I like them so much I've got three of them. Two with CM nibs and permanent inks (blue & black) that I carry and use with a notebook. The other is a m nib that has Cross archival black ink (although I don't find it very "archival," it is a deep black).

 

Oddly, the price on these pens varies a lot. If you shop, you can get well under the typical over $50 price. One U.S. retailer sells them for between $32 and $38. Another reason I have three of them!

[pajaro]

 

I have two Preras. One of them is drop deal reliable, the other has a drying out problem. I made the mistake of disassembling the cap to clean it (it's a demonstrator and ended up spitting Dragon's Napalm under the inner cap; hideous) and I have not been able to get the finial to screw in well enough to keep a good seal. Makes me sad. If anyone has any tips for getting that flat little disk to screw in tightly, I'd love to hear them.

 

Prior owner might have taken the cap apart, and maybe that's why my pen dries out.