Pilot Custom Urushi Black Fm Nib Review - First Impressions Of 'the Big One'

[XYZZY]

Filling System and Maintenance: 8/10

As one of my only c/c pens, I've actually come to appreciate the con-70 for its ease of filling and cleaning relative to my piston/vac/etc. pens. You see, I have large pens, which means that many don't even fit into small bottles! This is a pen I can syringe-fill which makes my life A LOT easier. Additionally I can dilute inks as I go with the syringe to get the perfect shade of my inks.

 

Another thing about filling this pen: As with other (all other?) Pilot Custom series pens, the fill hole is toward the front of the feed, and not at the more usual position where the feed meets the section. This means that if you're filling the pen by dunking it into ink and pumping the converter, you only need about 1cm of ink in the bottle. In that regard it's easier to fill than most pens with a #5 nib, much less a #6.

 

This is easily my favorite pen. I have a persistent skipping problem with a specific stroke that I keep meaning to post about, but I enjoy writing with it so much that I keep forgetting.

 

On July 4 I used it for copying out the U.S. Constitution by hand. 304 minutes, in four sittings, and it the pen was comfortable the entire time.

[samasry]

 

Another thing about filling this pen: As with other (all other?) Pilot Custom series pens, the fill hole is toward the front of the feed, and not at the more usual position where the feed meets the section. This means that if you're filling the pen by dunking it into ink and pumping the converter, you only need about 1cm of ink in the bottle. In that regard it's easier to fill than most pens with a #5 nib, much less a #6.

 

This is easily my favorite pen. I have a persistent skipping problem with a specific stroke that I keep meaning to post about, but I enjoy writing with it so much that I keep forgetting.

 

On July 4 I used it for copying out the U.S. Constitution by hand. 304 minutes, in four sittings, and it the pen was comfortable the entire time.

 

 

I agree about the con70. There was some post that led me to believe that u need to keep pushing on it to fill. In fact, the con70 could work with just one push and it would fill the entire converter. This is much better than any converter I have tried from Sailor, or Lamy, or even other pilot converters like con40.

 

On the other hand, my issue with this pen, is the lack of clarity by pilot about which parts are ebonite and which are plastic. I was under the impression before I bought it that only the section is plastic. This is based on a review by a person named Fig Boot (sp?) on youtube.

Howver, this pen seems to only integrate two small tubes of ebonite, one in the body and one in the cap. I am not even sure about the one in the cap, as there are some illustrations (in previous thread on FPN) that the main structure of the cap is plastic and there is only a cylinder veneer of ebonite (if any). The cap could have been made more elegant and less bulky if they do not use that much plastic to make it appear as if on steroids.

 

This is really disturbing for a pen with a $1100-$1200 MSRP in the US. This is probably the reason why people tend to get the impression that this pen is resin and not ebonite. Even some of the sites that sell it has it listed as urushi on resin.

[Betweenthelines]

My impression is that you are correct that there are two 'tubes' of ebonite/urushi, the barrel and cap, with the section, finial, and end of barrel being resin. I understand too your frustration, it feels lazy to me. Same with the KOP ebonite and its plastic section. In Sailor's case they didn't want to bother manufacturing new sections (you can swap in from a resin KOP). Not sure what Pilot's excuse is as with this larger nib size I'm pretty sure they had to design everything new.

 

However at the end of the day, it's still a superb writing instrument (like the KOP ebonite) so I can forgive these faults.

 

As far as the con-70, after years of messing with it I still can't figure out how to fill it using the button! However that's okay because I prefer to syringe fill anyhow.

[samasry]

My impression is that you are correct that there are two 'tubes' of ebonite/urushi, the barrel and cap, with the section, finial, and end of barrel being resin. I understand too your frustration, it feels lazy to me. Same with the KOP ebonite and its plastic section. In Sailor's case they didn't want to bother manufacturing new sections (you can swap in from a resin KOP). Not sure what Pilot's excuse is as with this larger nib size I'm pretty sure they had to design everything new.

 

However at the end of the day, it's still a superb writing instrument (like the KOP ebonite) so I can forgive these faults.

 

As far as the con-70, after years of messing with it I still can't figure out how to fill it using the button! However that's okay because I prefer to syringe fill anyhow.

 

 

I know why they did it. It is to differentiate it from the Emperor which is double the price. For most people the difference between #30 and #50 nib is really not that critical, it can not justify $1000 difference. So the pilot has to cut corners in the area ebonite (coverage) and urushi ( # layers).

 

For the con-70, all I remember that it was a single slow squeeze all the way down and release that worked perfectly. What I do not remember was whether the squeeze (to get air out) was outside the bottle and the release was inside the ink, or whether both were inside the ink bottle. I do not take that monster to work as it will surely get me weird stares, so it does not get filled often, this was the first re-fill in 2 months

[Betweenthelines]

 

 

I know why they did it. It is to differentiate it from the Emperor which is double the price. For most people the difference between #30 and #50 nib is really not that critical, it can not justify $1000 difference. So the pilot has to cut corners in the area ebonite (coverage) and urushi ( # layers).

 

For the con-70, all I remember that it was a single slow squeeze all the way down and release that worked perfectly. What I do not remember was whether the squeeze (to get air out) was outside the bottle and the release was inside the ink, or whether both were inside the ink bottle. I do not take that monster to work as it will surely get me weird stares, so it does not get filled often, this was the first re-fill in 2 months

 

 

I find it hard to believe that making the entire pen in ebonite would be that much more expensive. Look at all the cheap Indian ebonite pens out there. Though I do know that raw urushi is expensive these days, so I get wanting to use less urushi. I'll have to try the slow squeeze method, thanks!

[samasry]

 

 

I find it hard to believe that making the entire pen in ebonite would be that much more expensive. Look at all the cheap Indian ebonite pens out there. Though I do know that raw urushi is expensive these days, so I get wanting to use less urushi. I'll have to try the slow squeeze method, thanks!

 

 

Not more expensive, but more attractive and competitive (to us) when compared to the Emperor. People would be hard pressed to justify the upgrade to the Emperor and pay 2K instead of 1K or less.

 

All the big 3 Japanese pen makers cut something while making pens in this price range: KOP , u get zero urushi. The Izumo u get urushi and ebonite, but a nib that seems worse than Sailor's 1911L ( i could be wrong, but that is how it appears to me). The Wancher is pretty similar to the Izumo, albeit u can save like 100-200 quids, c'est la vie.

 

I do not think Ebonite is that expensive at all, it is just their way of pushing people with means, to the next level pen

Edited July 26, 2019 by salmasry

[Betweenthelines]

 

 

Not more expensive, but more attractive and competitive (to us) when compared to the Emperor. People would be hard pressed to justify the upgrade to the Emperor and pay 2K instead of 1K or less.

 

All the big 3 Japanese pen makers cut something while making pens in this price range: KOP , u get zero urushi. The Izumo u get urushi and ebonite, but a nib that seems worse than Sailor's 1911L ( i could be wrong, but that is how it appears to me). The Wancher is pretty similar to the Izumo, albeit u can save like 100-200 quids, c'est la vie.

 

I do not think Ebonite is that expensive at all, it is just their way of pushing people with means, to the next level pen

 

 

I'm actually currently trying to circumvent Sailor's insistence on plastic sections or super high price of urushi KOP's by having an ebonite KOP given the kuro-tamenuri treatment by Ernest Shin. If your grail doesn't currently exist, have it made!

[samasry]

 

 

I'm actually currently trying to circumvent Sailor's insistence on plastic sections or super high price of urushi KOP's by having an ebonite KOP given the kuro-tamenuri treatment by Ernest Shin. If your grail doesn't currently exist, have it made!

 

This is Awesome. Please give us a good review with photos once you get that done. Good luck

[Betweenthelines]

 

Some higher quality photos. I can honestly say this pen is the best writer out of my small quiver of masterful writers.

[samasry]

Very nice pictures of the Pilot custom urushi. True, the nib does feel different than most other nibs during writing.

 

Nice ink color as well, which ink is that

 

Did you go ahead with those custom upgrades to the KOP

[Betweenthelines]

Very nice pictures of the Pilot custom urushi. True, the nib does feel different than most other nibs during writing.

 

Nice ink color as well, which ink is that

 

Did you go ahead with those custom upgrades to the KOP

It's Kon Peki. Yes Ernest is still working on it, he's taking much longer than he originally quoted which I have heard is a pattern for him, but he does good work. I am trying my best to remain patient!

[samasry]

It's Kon Peki. Yes Ernest is still working on it, he's taking much longer than he originally quoted which I have heard is a pattern for him, but he does good work. I am trying my best to remain patient!

 

 

I suspected it is Kon Peki, I wanted to make sure. It looks really nice.

 

Early on, I snubbed Kon-Peki as I like to pretend to be a know it all and have my own way, and I decided that tsuyu Kusa is superior. Now I realize the error of my ways.

 

I wish I can use my Pilot pen as much as you do. I can not find a sweet spot for it. I use my pens exclusively at work and this beast would make people wonder if I have lost it

[Betweenthelines]

 

 

I suspected it is Kon Peki, I wanted to make sure. It looks really nice.

 

Early on, I snubbed Kon-Peki as I like to pretend to be a know it all and have my own way, and I decided that tsuyu Kusa is superior. Now I realize the error of my ways.

 

I wish I can use my Pilot pen as much as you do. I can not find a sweet spot for it. I use my pens exclusively at work and this beast would make people wonder if I have lost it

Kon Peki has always been a favorite of mine. Definitely not overrated!

 

See your mistake is trying to pretend that you haven't already lost it. We're spending hundreds of dollars on pens and inks! We're in crazy town, just gotta embrace it!!

[samasry]

Kon Peki has always been a favorite of mine. Definitely not overrated!

 

See your mistake is trying to pretend that you haven't already lost it. We're spending hundreds of dollars on pens and inks! We're in crazy town, just gotta embrace it!!

 

 

Oh my God

They've turned me into one of them

I am one of them

 

[Betweenthelines]

 

 

Oh my God

They've turned me into one of them

I am one of them

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sD3SF6foL00

Haha!! Indeed! Some days I stare at my ink stained fingers and question my life direction, but most days it's totally worth it.