Pilot Non-Self-Filling Fountain pen

[hari317]

The Pilot non self filling pen is one of my favorite daily use Pilot pens. This pen has every feature that makes a great daily user:

1. It has a nice smooth GP steel nib (identical to Pilot 78G's nib unit) available in F or M widths.
2. It is an ED filler and holds a decent amount of Ink.
3. Has a reliable slip cap making the pen easy to cap and uncap, ideal for taking notes.
4. Has a great supple clip which can be used over any fabric.

 

The pens capped, the filling instructions are at the back. I noticed at the shop that the pens come packed in a cardboard 10 pen tray with one instruction sheet for each pen.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pilot%20Tank%20pen/IMG_2177.jpg

 

The pen uncapped and disassembled:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pilot%20Tank%20pen/IMG_2179.jpg

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pilot%20Tank%20pen/IMG_2180.jpg

 

The transparent part at the end of the section is actually an insert. This component acts as an O-ring for preventing ink leaks and also probably facilitates drain back of the ink from the feeder spaces back into the ink reservoir when the pen is held upright. Though I have not tried, I am pretty sure the transparent seal can be pulled off and a cartridge/converter used in this pen since the cartridge piercer is very much present in the section.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pilot%20Tank%20pen/IMG_2181.jpg

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pilot%20Tank%20pen/IMG_2184.jpg

 

The nib is of a very fine quality, I have a few of these pens that are now twenty years old, I find that the plating tends to fade away a bit after long use.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pilot%20Tank%20pen/IMG_2185.jpg

 

The nib slit is perfectly aligned with the feed channel

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pilot%20Tank%20pen/IMG_2186.jpg

 

The clip IMHO is stylish and very supple.

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pilot%20Tank%20pen/IMG_2187.jpg

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pilot%20Tank%20pen/IMG_2189.jpg

 

The cap jewel:

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Pilot%20Tank%20pen/IMG_2191.jpg

 

I don't see this pen mentioned often here on FPN, I hope other members can add their experiences with this pen.

 

Cheers,

Hari

Edited August 15, 2008 by hari317

[Dr.Grace]

Interesting! I've never heard of it before. Maybe it's made specifically for the Indian market, where EDs are plentiful. You could probably sell quite a few here in the FPN marketplace, as people tend to like the 78G.

[graceaj]

These pens happen to be one of my favourites. Inexpensive but truly lovely writers. In Singapore they can be got from a local department store for S$7 each(~US$5), but only in red & green. As for using a cartridge, you can pull out the plastic insert and use a mini cartridge meant for the Petit1 pens, but I've found that a long Pilot cartridge is a tight fit.

[hari317]

These pens happen to be one of my favourites. Inexpensive but truly lovely writers. In Singapore they can be got from a local department store for S$7 each(~US$5), but only in red & green. As for using a cartridge, you can pull out the plastic insert and use a mini cartridge meant for the Petit1 pens, but I've found that a long Pilot cartridge is a tight fit.

 

Grace, these are my fav pens too, highly under-rated pens I would say. These are a bit pricier here around 10 to 12USD and not so commonly available. The colors available are Red, Green, Bluish Green, and Black all in GT, nib widths are F and M, have not seen a B yet. Earlier on the sticker design (depicting brand and nib width) was different with three red diamonds.

 

Best,

Hari

 

[CharlieB]

How large is the nib. I'm familiar with Pilot's No. 5, 10, and 15 nibs. I've never seen a 78G, so that comparison doesn't help me.

 

Also, where are these for sale... eBay?

[Readymade]

@graceaj: knew you'd be posting

 

Is there a model number for this pen? Just wondering.

 

Hope this post gets listed with the rest of the pen reviews.

[graceaj]

@graceaj: knew you'd be posting

 

Is there a model number for this pen? Just wondering.

 

Hope this post gets listed with the rest of the pen reviews.

 

:roflmho: Didn't realise I was so predictable. Honestly, I like them for the high quality to price ratio. The only other pen I have that could probably beat these in terms of quality & price is a Camlin 47, but they aren't available here in Singapore.

 

I had the salesman at Mustafa show me the box of a dozen that they sell for $78, and there was no model no. or name that I could see. I also emailed Pilot pen Singapore, but they didn't reply; I suspect Mustafa imports these directly themself.

[hari317]

How large is the nib. I'm familiar with Pilot's No. 5, 10, and 15 nibs. I've never seen a 78G, so that comparison doesn't help me.

 

The 78G is a fairly popular and inexpensive pen here on FPN. I don't have a Pilot no 5/10 or 15 nib to take a comparison shot, but I can take a shot along with a 1911M, Sheaffer NN, Sonnet, frontier so that you get an idea. Tell me which one of these you are familiar with...

 

Is there a model number for this pen? Just wondering.

 

None AFAIK. It is called the nonb-self-filling pen. it can be called the Pilot Tank pen though.

 

Best,

Hari

 

[tt32003]

Bought one from Mustafa last week.

They only have green or red

And only in M nib.

On a rough measure I can put about 1.5ml of ink in it, maybe up to 2ml.

 

Btw Mustafa also selling another type of Pilot fountain pen at S$7 too next to the eye dropper.

The nib looks quite similar to the eye dropper (they call the eye fropper ink pen)

[Readymade]

Btw Mustafa also selling another type of Pilot fountain pen at S$7 too next to the eye dropper.

 

I think that one comes with a squeeze filler instead. It's a good way to get a Pilot converter for cheap

[tt32003]

Btw Mustafa also selling another type of Pilot fountain pen at S$7 too next to the eye dropper.

 

I think that one comes with a squeeze filler instead. It's a good way to get a Pilot converter for cheap

 

Do note that the pilot pens are selling for S$8 at the 4th level stationary department , but only S$7 at the ground floor.

 

[graceaj]

Do note that the pilot pens are selling for S$8 at the 4th level stationary department , but only S$7 at the ground floor.

 

Last time I went it was $7 upstairs as well, and I was quoted $78 for a box of one dozen. Possibly this may mean that the price is going to rise, since they key in the stock no. and the price is pulled from computer inventory rather than typed in by the cashier.

[diplomat]

I missed this topic this summer, so let me jump in to say… what a great pen for such a small price! And excellent review (this one really deserve to be moved in the review database…), with informative and quality pics. I love Pilot, because they are able to surprise customer with outstanding products from each range of price.

 

Great pen!

 

Thanks again for your review.

 

[yucki8aby]

Can anybody give me an estimate on the line width of the M nibbed pen?

[Pink Ink]

Wow, I really want this pen. I've been meaning to convert one of my pens to an eye-dropper but this is perfect. I'd just need one of these and then a cheap Pilot desk pen with an XF nib, swap nibs and voila -- my perfect pen. I don't suppose there's a way to get this pen in the U.S.?

 

 

 

Can anybody give me an estimate on the line width of the M nibbed pen?

From what I see of the nib, it's the same one used by the 78G, Knight, Prera so it should have the same M line as these pens.

[hari317]

Can anybody give me an estimate on the line width of the M nibbed pen?

 

Approximately 0.5mm

[yucki8aby]

thank you very much

[xeth3r41x]

elegant, but weird looking grip imo

[yucki8aby]

i bought one, the cap didn't align with the body, nib is too try for my preference and isn't exactly that smooth. oh well. YMMV

[Johnny Appleseed]

Reviving and old thread -

 

I recently got one of these pens from an ebay seller in India. The pen was stickered, but the sticker too worn to read.

 

The pen had been inked, and when I tried to flush the barrel I kept getting blue ink coming out of the barrel, long after it should have come clean. Figuring it was a thich layer of dried ink, I ran a cotton swab into the barrel, only to find some sort of sponge seems to have been attached to the inside of the barrel, completely at the end.

 

The sponge (or spongey material) is securely attached to the end of the barrel and does not easily come out.

 

Has anyone who has one of these seen this configuration before? Was this some sort of ink-maker system where the sponge was loaded with a dry or concentrated ink, so you could just add water? It certainly is making this pen difficult to flush or change ink color.

 

John