Writer Corner

There are many ways we find to express ourselves. In this fast paced technology world there is an abundance of ways to do so. Many well-known authors from the past and present prefer the feel of a fine writing instrument in their hand while composing.

Starting with his 1994 novel “Stardust” fantasy author Neil Gaiiman first used a Waterman pen with a large notepad. He enjoyed creating with a fountain pen. He now utilizes over 60 different pens which include, Visconti, Pilot Custom 823 Amber and Delta. Dylan Thomas preferred the popular Parker 51 fountain pen with its fast-drying ink. A comparable Parker pen today is the Parker 100 series. Sir Arthur Conan Doyle, the mastermind behind sleuth Sherlock Holmes, composed many of his works with a Parker Duofold pen. According to husband Ted Hughes, Sylvia Plath constructed her writings using a Sheaffer pen.

http://www.penboutique.com/sheaffer-300-glossy-black-fountain-pen.html
http://www.penboutique.com/parker-duofold-lapis-lazuli-blue-gt-international-fountain-pen-fine.html
http://www.penboutique.com/waterman-hemisphere-essential-black-ct-fountain-pen.html

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Pilot Namiki Vanishing Point Copper Fountain Pen - Review

Meet Pilot’s newest addition to the Vanishing Point line, the 2014 Limited Edition Copper.   I had been admiring the Vanishing Point pens for a couple of years now, waiting to see if they would come out with a model that I couldn’t resist.

As bright as a shiny new copper penny, this pen really called out to me. It is almost as much fun to just look at as it is to write with.  The 2014 Copper pen comes with rhodium appointments on the barrel and clip and a rhodium-plated medium 18k gold nib, which I found to be a little wetter than I had anticipated and could possibly be too broad for some writers who are used to the finer points of most Japanese pens. Inverting the nib allowed me to write in a finer font than when holding it in its normal position.

This pen is an absolute joy to write with when partnered with a smooth writing paper, such as Clairfontaine or Rhodia. Since I use my fountain pens for both writing and drawing I was elated to find that the 2014 Copper is not too heavy to hold for long periods of time.

This pen would be a great gift for any collector on your Christmas list. Even if that collector is you!

Linda

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Pilot E95 Black and Burgundy/Ivory Fountain Pen Review

Pilot E95 Burgundy/Ivory Fountain Pen

The Pilot E95 is the latest in a long line of 14k gold nib pens.  It comes in two versions, black and burgundy/ivory, both with gold trim.  The standard Black with Gold trim is nice, but the Burgundy/Ivory really caught my eye.

It is a shorter pen, only 4.7" capped and 5.8" posted, but perfect for my hands.  The pen would probably be too small for someone with large hands. It has that vintage look from the 1960s and still is very classy and sleek.  The scripted "E" on the cap and the gold inlaid nib add to this look.  The cap is threadless so I don't have to worry about unscrewing the cap every time.  I can just pop it off, post and go.

The pen accepts the standard Namiki ink cartridges and also comes with the Con-20 converter.  I'm not a big fan of the Con-20 and so tried the Con-50 and Con-70, but both are too large to fit in this pen.

The Extra Fine is very fine and so would be perfect for those who write small and fast.  The Fine is super smooth and the Medium is a nice wet writer.  The nib can be customized into many other options, including oblique.

I used Noodler's Black ink on Lokta paper for my test run and was very pleased with it.  The Extra Fine nib did not grab at the fibers in the paper, as I thought it may.  It did not feather and was smooth and quiet while testing.

I can't wait to continue to use this pen as I feel it may become my every day writer.

- Joe (Pen Boutique Limited, 5560 Sterrett Place, Columbia, MD 21044)

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Pilot Custom 823

In Praise of the Pilot Custom 823

By Wesley James Young

Pilot Custom 823

When I am asked what my favorite pen is, I always come back with the Namiki Custom 823. Now you are probably wondering what the name means. Thanks to that very same engine of procrastination which allows you to view this review, we can know the number represents year this pen was released, 82 years from the company’s founding in 1918, and the 30,000 yen price on that release date. As for the custom, well no one seems to have a good answer for that portion. My personal theory is that it is just there because the marketing people happened to pull that buzzword out of a hat. But don’t let the name drive your decision, this pen is more than an alphanumeric name.

Appearance & Design

Pilot Namiki Custom 823

 

The color is rich amber color unlike anything you have likely seen on the market. Now I am usually not drawn to gold but the gold-plated trim on this piece compliments the amber too well to pass it over. The clip also embraces a beautacious simplicity by having the company name in a light weight font over a tapering surface ending in a large ball.  In contrast, the name of the pen is engraved in a significantly heavier weight. The barrel is translucent allowing you to see the amount of ink inside of the pen, at least 2.2 ml at a complete fill. 

Pilot Pens

Now I will point out that posting this pen is not something I would recommend. You can but it does not sit well on the barrel in my experience. I do not mind because I do to post most of my pens but if you are the sort who must do so, bear in mind that this pen will probably not work will in that area.

Construction & Quality

The coloring of the resin is consist. The gold is plated properly. I find no flaws with the build quality of the pen. The clip is you typical tension clip and a rather tight one at that so it will stay in the shirt pocket unless you tell it otherwise. After some months of use, the plunger mechanism has not failed me yet, nor have I read of others having issues of that sort with this pen.

Nib & Performance

Namiki Custom 823

Pilot is a Japanese company, so think a size down in terms of nib with if you are used to Pelikan Pens or Lamy Pens.  The nib on this pen is a size 15 nib in 14k and it is a fantastic write. Pilot’s 14k nibs have one of the best balances of springiness and smoothness to deliver a satisfying write as I move across the page. Available sizes are Fine, Medium, and Broad.

Filling Mechanism

This pen fills by a plunger filling mechanism. All you have to do is unscrew the blind cap, pull back the plunger rod, put the pen in the ink and push down. Seconds later you have about 2/3^rd’s of the pen full of ink. To get a compete fill, point the nib up and pull back on the rod till the plunger is just below the ink in the pen, then put the nib in the bottle and push down. 

Pilot Custom 823

Now some of you may notice the pen stops writing after a few minutes. This is not a problem with the pen but a result of the mechanism doing what it is supposed to. When the blind cap is fully screwed into the pen, the plunger cuts the feed off from the rest of the pen. To get the flow back in the nib, simply keep the blind cap unscrewed during extensive periods of writing.

Cost

The retail price is $360 ( our price is $288) . For that you get a box lined with silver colored cloth and a bottle of Pilot Blue ink. For a gold nibed fountain pen, that is not very high. For this pen, I think the price tag is thoroughly justifiable. Especially since this pen is a perfect everyday pen. Not too flashy, writes well, you can fill it on a Monday and likely see three or four Monday’s go by before you need to fill it again. If you’re like me and get bored with colors after a period of time, you will change them out long before you exhaust the ink in the pen.

Final Remarks

This is one of those pens every stylophile should have.

                Buy Pilot Custom 823  Click Here !!
                              

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