My Pilot 743/fa With The Flexible Nib Factory Ebonite Feed

[Drone]

Thanks to Mr. Joey Grasty at the Flexible Nib Factory LLC, my Pilot Custom 743 with a semi-flexible #15 FA nib now has an Ebonite feed. Finally, the almost perfect modern fountain pen is complete! (No thanks to Pilot though.) These feeds are expertly designed and milled right here in the USA.

Two feed color choices are offered, black and red. Both versions are Ebonite. The black version cost me $25 USD plus a few bucks for USPS CONUS shipping. I chose the black version over the red because when it comes to a classic style pen like the 743, attending a black-tie Formal wearing a red tie - is not in good taste. But then again, I can see where the $40 red version would be fun as a conversation starter. The feeds are available in 2-slit and 3-slit versions, with the 3-slit offering more ink flow. I chose to go with the 2-slit version given the ink I normally use in my 743 flows pretty well as it is. This is in-line with the suggestions on the Flexible Nib Factory Web page. Here is a link to their Pilot 743 FA Replacement Feed page:

 

https://flexiblenib.com/store/standard-replacement-feeds/pilot-743-fa-replacement-feed/

I received the new feed in a small plastic vial similar to an ink sample vial but smaller. The vial was enclosed in a small padded envelope. The packaging was effective yet frugal.

 

Image Link: https://i.imgur.com/1GuNW4o.jpg

 

 

Top: The Pilot 743 FA Nib on the new black Ebonite feed. Bottom: The bare plastic 743 factory feed. The Ebonite feed is opaque. The factory plastic feed was originally transparent with a matte finish, but here it is a bit stained from long-term contact with Pilot/Namiki Blue ink. My apologies for the poor cell-phone picture quality.

It was a simple job to swap out the original plastic feed. If you are experienced with this process, it will take you ten or fifteen minutes once you have all the parts arranged before you. What follows is a step by step procedure of what I did, and how it came out...

Note: Use this information at your own risk and keep in-mind, Pilot doesn't sell spare parts to end users. Read the instructions and notes completely through at least once before starting work. My example Pilot 743 pen was purchased direct from Japan three years ago. I do not know if later versions of the 743 are constructed differently.

1. Clean the new feed thoroughly with a dilute solution of warm soapy water and a soft toothbrush. This is just in case there are any left-over machining oils on the feed. (Ink is mostly water, oil and water don't mix.) My feed looked perfectly clean straight out of the package, but looks are deceptive when it comes to cleanliness and fountain pen parts.

2. Empty the pen of ink and unscrew the section from the barrel, then remove the converter or cartridge from the section.

3. Grip the nib and feed with two fingers on the top and bottom of the feed where it meets the section. Do not touch the nib-point or crush the feed fins. Pull the original feed and nib together straight out from the section. Do not twist or try to unscrew it. There are no flat-spots or keyways in the section to guide the feed and nib in or out.

4. Make sure to remove the clear rubber seal-washer from the back of the feed. If the seal-washer didn't come out with the feed, then fish it out of the section with a toothpick. Don't scratch the inside of the section. Don't loose the seal-washer!

5. Thoroughly clean the nib, feed, seal-washer, and section.

6. Transfer the nib to the new Ebonite feed making sure the two tabs on the back of the nib and the two flat spots on the sides of the feed mate up properly (see the picture above). The two parts just lay on top of each other, there should be no force involved.

7. Put the clear seal-washer back on the end of the feed making sure the necked-down (narrower) end of the rubber seal is pointing towards the feed stem (see the picture above).

8. Push the nib, feed, and seal assembly back into the section. Do not use force. When the end of the feed hits the bottom of the section and the seal-washer is properly seated, you will feel it. (Note, this is how my pen behaved. I cannot comment on other Pilot 743 pens.) If you cannot tell when the feed bottoms-out in the section, then there's probably something wrong. A likely culprit is the rubber seal-washer, it may be backwards or it is not seating properly inside the section.

9. Reassemble the rest of the pen, ink it, and most importantly - have fun with it!

Important Note: Out of an abundance of caution, before I re-installed the nib I took an extra step and inserted the feed into the section with the seal-washer but without the nib. Then with the feed and seal-washer properly seated inside the section I counted the number of feed fins left exposed above the end of the section (in my case the number was 13). Finally I inserted the feed and seal with the nib and made sure the same number of feed fins were left exposed. Doing this ensures the rubber seal is seated properly inside the section when you are done.

After installing the new feed my 743/FA and CON70 converter inked with Pilot/Namiki Blue wrote straight away. Now I have noticeably better ink flow and reserve. Compared with the original plastic feed, I can flex faster and longer before the nib starves. In-fact on good quality virgin (no recycled content) 80gsm office bond I have to go flex-crazy in order to get railroading or hard starts. Again, this is using my favorite ink - Pilot/Namiki Blue.

 

The new feed fits the nib and pen perfectly. The end of the new feed does not hit the paper when I am flexing the nib. Note, the flat sections on the rear of the feed that receive the tabs at the back of the nib allow for a little movement of the nib in and out of the section (at least mine do). This allows for a small amount of flow tuning by pushing or pulling the nib in or out of the section. However, I just left my nib pushed all the way back.

Now to be fair, my stock 743 was a pretty good flex performer to begin with. But I don't think there was anything special about my particular pen. Experience taught me to use sensible combinations of ink and paper that would support the ink flow needed with flex writing given the pen had a crummy sub-optimal plastic feed. Now, the Ebonite feed just makes a pretty good pen much better.

 

The Obligatory Bad Writing Sample: This is Pilot/Namiki Blue on a $0.49 (on sale with member card) Walgreens Wexford brand 80 sheet (160 pages) Composition Notebook.The notebook really isn't too bad given the price! The paper is highly absorbent so showing flex is tough, yet oddly it still doesn't feather and there's almost no show-through. If you're in Walgreens pick one up. I think they sell for $1.25 or $1.50 if you don't have a member card.

 

Image Link: https://i.imgur.com/Ut0Z0vm.jpg



If you own a Pilot 742 or 912 pen with the smaller #10 FA semi-flex nib, at my writing time according to hints on the Flexible Nib Factory Web site there may be an Ebonite feed in your future too. Keep an eye on their Web site and Blog.

For those of you with the Pilot 823 piston-fill pen: These new Ebonite feeds for the 743 will fit your pen too. Both the 823 and 743 pens use the same Pilot #15 size nibs and feeds. However for reasons known only to Pilot, unlike the 743 pen you are normally not permitted to buy the 823 with the semi-flexible FA nib (yeah, I know about Tokyo Pen Shop Quill too). So there really isn't much reason to replace the feed on your 823 - unless you have a doner FA nib floating around somewhere.

My conclusion: If you own a Pilot 743 with an FA nib, this is a must have modification. Just Do-It!

Where to find the Flexible Nib Factory LLC:

Flexible Nib Factory LLC
1448 Halsey Way #114
Carrollton, Texas 75007 USA
+1-214-945-3299
https://flexiblenib.com

Author's Disclaimer: Other than as a retail customer I have no affiliation with the Flexible Nib Factory LLC.

Edited August 29, 2018 by Drone

[Gloucesterman]

Thank you for all of the information and details. What would really put a cherry on top of this great "review" would be some writing samples.

 

Your efforts are much appreciated.

[Bo Bo Olson]

I am very glad you have the feed that is fast enough for your nib.

[Drone]

  On 8/29/2018 at 7:58 PM, Gloucesterman said:

What would really put a cherry on top of this great "review" would be some writing samples.

 

@Gloucesterman: You command - I obey. [bad] Writing Sample added...

[Drone]

Dupe post. Moderator delete please

Edited August 29, 2018 by Drone

[Driften]

Thanks for the writing sample. Did you get the two channel or three channel feed?

[Drone]

  On 8/30/2018 at 1:31 AM, Driften said:

Thanks for the writing sample. Did you get the two channel or three channel feed?

 

Quoting from the O.P.

 

  Quote

 

The feeds are available in 2-slit and 3-slit versions, with the 3-slit offering more ink flow. I chose to go with the 2-slit version given the ink I normally use in my 743 flows pretty well as it is. This is in-line with the suggestions on the Flexible Nib Factory Web page.

 

In my case I'm sure the 3-slit feed would provide too much flow. The 2-slit feed I'm running now runs a bit wet, but it is easily controlled. The good thing is the ink is ready to flow when needed.

[Honeybadgers]

What's the price?

 

This might have just bumped an 823 with an FA nib to the top of my list.

[Drone]

  On 8/30/2018 at 3:05 AM, Honeybadgers said:

What's the price?

 

This might have just bumped an 823 with an FA nib to the top of my list.

 

I own both Pilot 743 and 823 model pens. Personally, as an everyday user I've come to conclude that the 743 is a better pen than the 823. You may decide differently. Here are some things to consider:

 

* Price:

 

You should carefully consider which makes more sense for you: Buying a Pilot pen inside your particular country, or buying direct from Japan. Because of in-country Distributor and Reseller commissions and margins as well as importation and shipping costs, the price inside your country may be too high to justify the faster delivery and in-country warranty support that it buys. For example, as of August 2018 the Japan-direct price of the 823 is around $225 USD (Amazon) while the U.S. reseller price of the 823 is around $290. An increase of almost %30.

 

These days the 743 costs a little less than the 823. Historically the price difference used to be more. As of August 2018 if bought Japan-direct the 823 sells for around $225 USD. If anything that price is around five or ten dollars less that the historical average. The 743 with an FA nib sells for around $220 USD. I used to see the 743 for less than $200 a piece if I shopped around and bargained with a friendly small Japanese reseller. Today the Internet leverages the power of Arbitrage, but it also tends to herd buyers towards a smaller number of powerful product-diverse automated resellers. This often causes price consolidation across similar product lines. I think we're seeing some of that here.

 

Let's not discount Pilot's role: It may be that Pilot is trying to drive down the difference between in-country Distributor-managed prices and prices on the Internet to the point where the higher in-country prices make sense given importation costs and the value added by in-country warranty support. If that's true, I wish them luck. Maybe the days of being gouged by greedy in-country Distributors is coming to an end.

 

For either pen, shipping from Japan to most anywhere on Earth by Japan-Post/EMS via air with online tracking and insurance costs roughly $8-$15 per pen depending on distance (destination duties, taxes, etc., if-applicable, are not included). Shipping to the U.S. via EMS takes around 5 to 7 working days depending on location.

 

To buy Japan-direct search Amazon, eBay, and Rakuten, usually in that order. I have yet to see any Chinese fake 823 or 743 pens, but the clock keeps ticking.

 

* 743 Pros Over the 823:

 

- The 743 costs a little less than the 823. But these days the difference is only 5% or less.

 

- The 743 comes with the FA nib, the 823 doesn't. Actually, the 743 comes with fourteen different nib options. The poor 823 only comes with three: F, M, & B.

 

- For more than a page or so of writing you have to loosen the pesky filler knob on the 823 to allow pressure to equalize. And don't forget to screw the knob back down when you're done!

 

- The C/C-fill 743 is far easier to clean and maintain than the vacuum-fill 823. That makes swapping ink colors much easier with the 743.

 

- The 823 is not designed to be regularly disassembled and reassembled for cleaning and/or maintenance. If a part cracks on the 823 you're screwed, Pilot does not sell replacement parts. You have to send the whole pen back to Pilot for very expensive and time consuming repairs.

 

- When you're out of ink, just pop a spare cartridge into the 743. With the 823 you have to carry a bottle of ink around with you.

 

- Both pens are essentially the same in terms of size and form-factor.

 

* 823 Pros Over the 743:

 

- If your goal is to impress people who don't really understand fountain pens, the complicated vacuum-fill 823 wins over the boring C/C-fill 743.

 

- The 823 comes in transparent colors. The 743 only comes in opaque black and deep red.

 

- The 823 holds more ink than the 743.

 

- An unmodified 823 with the filler screwed down can't leak. That's good if you fly a lot.

 

- If you pay significantly more money you can buy the 823 outside of Japan. The 743 only sells direct from Japan. But for either pen the price will probably force you to buy Japan-direct anyway. These days with the Internet and relatively fast-inexpensive International shipping, that's easy to do. Where this issue may matter less is in countries that charge draconian taxes, duties, and fees for importing anything, and greedy exclusive in-country Distributors take big margins.

 

- Some unscrupulous resellers try to get you to buy the CON70 converter separately. Don't do it. The converter normally comes in the box with the 743.

 

Edited August 30, 2018 by Drone

[Drone]

  On 8/30/2018 at 3:05 AM, Honeybadgers said:

What's the price?

 

This might have just bumped an 823 with an FA nib to the top of my list.

 

Over on reddit this appeared:

 

Pilot Custom 823 fitted with FA nib and ebonite feed

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/9be1ez/pilot_custom_823_fitted_with_fa_nib_and_ebonite/

[Honeybadgers]

  On 8/30/2018 at 12:29 PM, Drone said:

 

Over on reddit this appeared:

 

Pilot Custom 823 fitted with FA nib and ebonite feed

 

https://www.reddit.com/r/fountainpens/comments/9be1ez/pilot_custom_823_fitted_with_fa_nib_and_ebonite/

 

Still nothing about price. But I know there is one US vendor out there that will fit an FA nib to an 823 for you before shipping.

 

If I could get that whole setup for under $400, I'd jump on it, but I have the feeling it's not really possible.

Edited September 3, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[A Smug Dill]

  On 8/30/2018 at 11:20 AM, Drone said:

 

* 823 Pros Over the 743:

- If your goal is to impress people who don't really understand fountain pens, the complicated vacuum-fill 823 wins over the boring C/C-fill 743.

 

 

Well put!

[minddance]

I would love to have this ebonite feed for my Custom 74 and 912 too.

[Honeybadgers]

I found the feeds from the seller for $40. Should I get a red or a black ebonite feed for the amber 823? I have an 823 with an FA nib on the way (they can be ordered from a single japanese seller that gets the 823 with the custom 743 nibs as an authorized option from Pilot) I think black will be classier, but red may really pop.

[Boz]

Could you name the Japanese seller, please?

 

 

  On 11/3/2018 at 11:48 PM, Honeybadgers said:

I found the feeds from the seller for $40. Should I get a red or a black ebonite feed for the amber 823? I have an 823 with an FA nib on the way (they can be ordered from a single japanese seller that gets the 823 with the custom 743 nibs as an authorized option from Pilot) I think black will be classier, but red may really pop.

[Honeybadgers]

http://www.japanshop-quill.com/pilot-custom823.htm

 

You can get any of the finishes with the FA nib, or the waverly (I thought it was more, sorry). I asked the seller and they are authorized by pilot, he doesn't just swap them out with the 743 nibs, they come from pilot with the nib, he double checks them and then sends them out. They do qualify for warranty work if needed, but must be returned to Japan for it.

[Boz]

Thank you.

They seem to be out of stock at the moment.

 

 

 

  On 11/4/2018 at 3:14 AM, Honeybadgers said:

http://www.japanshop-quill.com/pilot-custom823.htm

 

You can get any of the finishes with the FA nib, or the waverly (I thought it was more, sorry). I asked the seller and they are authorized by pilot, he doesn't just swap them out with the 743 nibs, they come from pilot with the nib, he double checks them and then sends them out. They do qualify for warranty work if needed, but must be returned to Japan for it.

[Honeybadgers]

They are always out of stock, he orders them specially from Pilot.

 

Send him an order form and he will have your pen ready the following month, and tuned/ready to go within another day (he says he inspects and tunes every one before shipping)

Edited November 4, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[Boz]

Thank you very much for the clarification.

I will do that asap.

 

 

  On 11/4/2018 at 7:14 PM, Honeybadgers said:

They are always out of stock, he orders them specially from Pilot.

 

Send him an order form and he will have your pen ready the following month, and tuned/ready to go within another day (he says he inspects and tunes every one before shipping)

[Mr_PFM]

There's a youtube review of this setup with the 823 + FA + 3 slit ebonite feed here: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=kmJhHE8oMmc

 

I've tried it with both the two slit in the 3 slit. The 3 slit is super wet but for normal writing where you're not flexing heavily I think it's fine. It would be neat if the pilot started selling the 743 in the US bec I'd love to get an #15 FA with an additional flex grind from John Mottishaw like he offers with the #10 FA nib. Now that combined with the 823's ink capacity and the 3 slit feed would be interesting...