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My Pilot Elite "big Cap" Extra-Fine (70S-80S)


KBeezie

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Picked up this Pilot Elite "Big Cap" with an Extra-fine nib (gold plated, probably steel base nib) from Speerbob on ebay. Circa late 70s, early 80s.

 

I took out the old squeeze filler which was clear silicone with a small push window and replaced it with the latex squeeze filter that came with my pilot metropolitan as it's nicer, as it has a full bar all around the latex sac that's easier to squeeze completely. The recess is so deep that part of the exposed sac goes into the pen, so looking at it with the "barrel" removed seems like a tiny ink capacity.

 

It's decent smoothness, not quite as smooth as my Montblanc 225, also not quite as 'fine' as my Montblanc 225 (nor my "fine" Platinum PTL-5000), I was kind of expecting it to be more like a Japanese extra-fine, rather than somewhat shy of a medium (I guess only the gold 'extra-fine' Pilot nibs are that fine).

 

I noticed it also has a tiny bit of a spring to the nib, and can provide some line variation similar to the Platinum PTL-5000 I have.

 

It's pretty small capped, but not too small, comfortable to put in a pocket. Also when posted or even used without the cap attached it's not too shabby to write with.

 

fpn_1398762236__capped.jpg

 

fpn_1398762261__posted.jpg

 

fpn_1398762280__nib_top.jpg

 

fpn_1398762296__nib_bottom.jpg

 

Since there's no breather hole on top, I'm guessing it has an intake in that little hole at the bottom, similar to my MontBlanc.

 

fpn_1398730226__fine_scan_apr28_1280.jpg

 

 

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Nice pen :)

I have just recently discovered the pocket pens myself and have a Pilot and a Platinum on the way, can hardly wait to try them out :)

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Nice pen :)

I have just recently discovered the pocket pens myself and have a Pilot and a Platinum on the way, can hardly wait to try them out :)

 

Hrm, that reminds me, I should order that Platinum PG-250 soon.

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Hrm, that reminds me, I should order that Platinum PG-250 soon.

I should probably do that as well. I gifted a couple of c/c fountain pens along with some bottles of ink and a bunch of short international standard cartridges last year.

My dad has been trying to use the pen I gave him, but it has not been that practical as an EDC, I think a pocket pen would be much better for that, and the adapter Speerbob includes with the pen would mean he could use the cartridges he's already got, and I know a doctor that likes fountain pens who might also appreciate one :)

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I ordered one of these recently as a cheapie bday present to myself, should come in tomorrow I think. I thought it would be more of a Japanese EF, but I can live with a western EF~F. That Platinum pocket pen looks nice, now you're making me want another...

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I ordered one of these recently as a cheapie bday present to myself, should come in tomorrow I think. I thought it would be more of a Japanese EF, but I can live with a western EF~F. That Platinum pocket pen looks nice, now you're making me want another...

Nice

Let us know what you think about it :)

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I've a few of these (I like the design and the quality) and they would have been excellent for me if the nibs weren't too fine for my taste, so they're mostly used for note-taking on small-size paper.

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Got my elite in today and it's a nice little pen, writes as thin as my vintage fine nibs and pilot petit1 fine, which is good enough for me. Not Japanese EF, but still very skinny. I had to adjust the nib a bit, but it writes nicely now. I don't really like how the cap doesn't post all the way down to the ring, but the length and balance are pretty good. I also really like the spring-loaded clip. Overall a great pen for the price.

Edited by dooooooor
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I found this pen to be surprising nice to write with. I also was amazed at how fat a line it draws for a supposed EF nib. In fact I kept checking to make sure I hadn't read it wrong!

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Got my elite in today and it's a nice little pen, writes as thin as my vintage fine nibs and pilot petit1 fine, which is good enough for me. Not Japanese EF, but still very skinny. I had to adjust the nib a bit, but it writes nicely now. I don't really like how the cap doesn't post all the way down to the ring, but the length and balance are pretty good. I also really like the spring-loaded clip. Overall a great pen for the price.

 

Talking bout the Pilot or the Platinum? My pilot caps all the way down to the ring.

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Yeah, I was just going to reply how the photos that Speerbob have on ebay shows it to cap all the way to the ring...good info btw, I was wondering if the clip is spring loaded.

Edited by pompa
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Talking bout the Pilot or the Platinum? My pilot caps all the way down to the ring.

 

Yeah the Pilot. It gets tight around halfway through the sticker and I don't want to jam it in further. Maybe my clutch ring is too tight, but eh, it's not a huge deal.

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Yeah the Pilot. It gets tight around halfway through the sticker and I don't want to jam it in further. Maybe my clutch ring is too tight, but eh, it's not a huge deal.

 

Half way thru the sticker? oh you mean in terms of posting it, not capping it. Yea mine doesn't post down to the ring either, I only post it up to close to the sticker as you said. Capped it goes right to the ring.

 

Edit: and you did say 'post'... I wasn't looking. I suppose it would be kind of nice to post right to the ring in terms of feel.

Edited by KBeezie
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I have one of these, also from Speerbob. It is a great writer, and is one of the few narrow pens I like using.

 

I also have a Platinum, with a 14K nib. It is also a great pen, but it doesn't have a converter. I use the international cartridge converters with it, but I'm not a fan of cartridges... So the pen sees little use... There was a converter made for these pens (I also may make one, one of these days!) but they are very rare at this point.

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I have one of these, also from Speerbob. It is a great writer, and is one of the few narrow pens I like using.

 

I also have a Platinum, with a 14K nib. It is also a great pen, but it doesn't have a converter. I use the international cartridge converters with it, but I'm not a fan of cartridges... So the pen sees little use... There was a converter made for these pens (I also may make one, one of these days!) but they are very rare at this point.

 

You mean this?

 

http://www.gouletpens.com/Platinum_Cartridge_Converter_p/plat-converter-500.htm

 

http://www.gouletpens.com/v/vspfiles/photos/Plat-Converter-500-3.jpg

 

It's the same one that came with my Platinum PTL-5000.

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