My first Japanese, first Pilot, first VP,...

[Inka]

New to this area of the forums, not a new member, yet this is my first true "Pen Review".

I've used the prerequisite guidelines and created a Pen Review sheet, as asked and as follows.

I hope you enjoy it, at least partially or as much as I've enjoyed writing it!

[i also hope the attachment of my review shows up, doesn't show when I click "Preview Post", so I don't know if it will work or you may need to click on it?]...

 

Pilot_VP_Mustard_Review.doc

 

And now for some of my own photography, of this great pen and awesome gift!!!

 

The box arrived today, via USPS Priority Mail, took only 2 days to get here too...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/Itarrived.jpg

 

I peeled open the end flap sticky stuff, peeled back the lid, then found another box inside.

My first thoughts were "What's this??? I don't remember ordering any Embossed Notecards.", made me look at the return address to see where it came from...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/Whatsthis.jpg

 

Opening the inner box, I found 3 tiny sealed plastic envelopes with "PILOT" and "INK" in English, a bunch of Japanese I couldn't read [unfortunately], and something in bubble wrap...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/Insidetheinner.jpg

 

Peeling back the bubble wrap, I found something I'd been wanting for several years, something I never thought I'd see in my hands in my lifetime.

It was the very same "Mustard" yellow Pilot Vanishing Point with the Medium nib I'd wanted, not just any VP, the exact same color and nib size I'd been dreaming to own some day!

I had bookmarked a vendor Site selling this same pen over a year ago, long since lost to HDD reformatting and having to reinstall Windows XP Pro for the um-teenth time.

So here it is, in all its' sparkling glory, a close-up I took just before the Sun dipped behind approaching storm clouds, thunder booming and rumbling in the near-distance [it was an awe-inspiring moment for me!]...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/Mmmlookstasty.jpg

 

It didn't come with instructions, so off I went to find out how to take it apart for starters.

Just as I'd taken it apart and went to shoot a picture, storm clouds began to roll overhead, changing the Mustard color to an orangie/brown "Mustard".

This is not how this pen looks in real life, not at all, more like the picture above it's closer to yellow with some orange or brown tossed in...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/Disassembled.jpg

 

Now to the nib; it's not solid 14k nor 18k gold like the newer VPs I've seen, it's called by Pilot a "Special Alloy" nib, which I believe to be a gold-plated specialty tempered stainless steel and not gold at all [fine by me!].

These nibs ARE tiny, very tiny, just as I'd read many, many times over the years, the feed is made of a translucent gray plastic material as I could see light through it when I held it up to the light for a closer inspection...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/SpecialAlloynib.jpg

 

I've been carrying a Staples leather Pocket Jotter with me everywhere I go, pen-less, my 1995 "Old Style" Pelikan M800 was just too thick around the middle to fit in the pen loop inside.

The pen loop always went empty, as I carried my M800 in my shirt pocket, finding the gold plated Pelikan pelican-beak clip tended to catch peoples attention more than I'd have liked [i like "stealth" more than attention, usually].

Now I have a fountain pen that's a full-size pen, not one of those toothpick pens made for Day Timers and such, a fountain pen that fits me like a glove and also fits inside my pocket Jotter as if they were made for each other...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/MustardizedPocketJotter01.jpg

 

Another thing I'd noticed, when I did try putting my M800 into the Jotter I could never fold it closed fully, the cover always wanted to pop open and that wasn't any good.

Amazingly, once again as if made for each other, the Jotter folds completely flush with the Pilot VP in the pen loop; they’re absolutely, positively a perfect for each other I must say...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/MustardizedPocketJotter02.jpg

 

One last shot of the Pilot VP in the Jotter, resting nice and comfy-cozy together, then I'm off to enjoy some more writing with it for day-one here...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/MustardizedPocketJotter03.jpg

 

Oh, the ink I filled it with is Noodler's Habañero, a sample gift from a good forum friend I'd been swapping inks with on occasion.

I've used Habañero in my M800 but it never really clicked and going together, and orange/yellow/red ink from a blue striped black capped Pelikan just didn't sit right.

It seemed only fitting that the first inking of this Mustard pen be with an ink of similar color, I think Habañero is nearly as close to perfection as it gets, they really do compliment one another.

 

Many thanks to FPN forum member bphollin, for his recently gifting me this beautiful "pen of my dreams", seriously, and especially to forum member rotomobees who gave it first to bphollin.

If not for FPN, for the kindness and thoughtfulness of those like these two members, I most certainly would never have been able to realize this dream-come-true, truly a gift from the heart that I will always cherish and remember.

 

Thanks for looking!

[adam11]

Enjoy your beautiful pen. My VP looks like Cinderella with this fancy Mustard of yours

[Anton Emdin]

Thanks for the review. I've been thinking of VP's for just this very purpose.

[Inka]

Enjoy your beautiful pen. My VP looks like Cinderella with this fancy Mustard of yours.

Honestly, I wasn’t expecting this at all, so had it the color of “Pickled Pigs’ Feet” I’d still be thrilled just having it. Not as thrilled, but thrilled nonetheless.

Yeah, it was and is my “VP Dream Color, Mustard” but considering I’ve never even held or owned any VP before I would have been happy to get any VP.

 

OK, now you have me wondering, what color and/or texture is your "Cinderella" VP?

Have you posted any pictures of it here, that you could possibly Link me to?

 

 

Thanks for the review. I've been thinking of VP's for just this very purpose.

 

Thank you as well.

I’m glad to hear you got some good information from my review, was counting on [at least hoping] that someone would.

I’ve been researching these for many years; can fully understand now how anyone could get nearly obsessed with collecting them to the point of saying to themselves “*Gotta catch ‘em all!!!” [*the Pokemon-craze, not me, the kids] so to speak.

With all the difference designs, changes to the mechanisms over the decades, all the different colors, materials used, different textures and so on, I could see how it could become the-never-ending-story of acquisition and collecting very easily.

[holgalee]

Lovely review and photos! And your handwriting is even more amazing than the pen to me!

[Inka]

Lovely review and photos! And your handwriting is even more amazing than the pen to me!

Thank you, for the kind words and on complimenting my hand writing.

It's not the best I can do, I tend to fly along while jotting down notes and in some cases my written reviews.

I actually hand-wrote the pen review before typing the one I'd attached.

If anyone is having trouble opening the .doc file, done using MS Office 2k3 WORD, I'll go ahead and post the hand-written version before I shut down my PC and go to bed [going on 01:00 AM here now and I'm wiped!].

 

Here's the hand-written one I had done first, a little sloppy as I was rushing this time with all the picture taking, cropping to fit forum rules, uploading, transfering,... you get the picture I'm sure.

I hope this helps and that y'all can read it OK...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/Pilot-Vanishing-Point-Musta.jpg

 

Going to bed now, looking forward to the next time!

ZZZZzzzzzzzzzzzz.....................

[Pen2009]

I have exactly the same pen. I use it when I need to write quickly in one hand while I am on the go. It is a heavy pen. If I am going to sit in a meeting with a desk or a table in front of me, then, I use my other pens as they are lighter or at least they feel lighter in my hand. Among my pens, a VP is the only pen I sometimes fumble because of its rather slippery surface and heavy weight.

[Inka]

I have exactly the same pen. I use it when I need to write quickly in one hand while I am on the go. It is a heavy pen. If I am going to sit in a meeting with a desk or a table in front of me, then, I use my other pens as they are lighter or at least they feel lighter in my hand. Among my pens, a VP is the only pen I sometimes fumble because of its rather slippery surface and heavy weight.

I love mine too; write with it every day & night now and the more I use it the more comfortable I am using it.

The clip that some complain about has proven to me to be very useful where it's at.

As I pull the VP from my shirt pocket or Pocket Jotter, click the nib outward, the clip gives me instant alignment nib-to-paper without having to ever look at the nib orientation to the page.

So far I've not experienced and slippage or fumbling, really hope not to, mine doesn't really feel slippery in my hand at all [at least not yet].

I still use my old M800 for letter writing, but after getting this VP I've begun to at least try writing a couple of letters and the more I use it the better it feels even after long periods of writing.

Thanks for the feedback, still very new to this pen and VPs in general, so I have a few questions I'll be asking later.

Any feedback or information, tips or tricks, maintenance, whatever, will be greatly appreciated!

 

I was about to upload an update to the VP vs. Polar Brown issues I've read, emptied my VP of the Habanero to try for myself if my Polar Brown worked and as you'll soon see it's working flawlessly.

 

I’m going to bed right after uploading this next, so maybe I'll be seeing you this later weekend.

G'night, g'morning, g'day, Pen2009, [wherever you are, as I didn't look under your Avatar to see if your location was listed].

Same goes out to the rest of FPN members, ditto to the G'.......

[Inka]

UPDATE:

 

After having read a few complaints by members saying their Noodler's Polar Brown ink causing problems in their pens, especially their Pilot VPs, I had to test this for myself.

I've not once had a problem with my bottle of Polar Brown when used in the few pens I had prior to getting this Vanishing Point pen, not even a problem using it in my Pelikan M800 "Old Style" with a F nib.

So I emptied the Noodler's Habanero back into its' bottle, flushed out the VP section with feed & nib, dried it out and refilled it with my Polar Brown ink and began to write.

I've tried it on Rolla [Circa] paper, Day-Timer Desk size paper, Staples Eco-Friendly sugarcane bagasse paper [2 types], 3x5 cards, AmPad Canary yellow Legal pad, Inkjet printer paper,... no problems whatsoever.

So I did a re-worked review sheet, an update if you will to both my Polar Brown and my VP reviews, uploaded it to Photobucket so I could shot the results [i'll be posting this on my Polar Brown review and the "Bad, bad, Polar Brown thread]...

 

http://i633.photobucket.com/albums/uu56/InkaFX/Pilot-VP--Polar-Brown-Revi.jpg

 

To those that have problems with Polar Brown in any of their pens, all I can think of at this point is that "maybe" you did get a bad lot.

If you haven't done so already, I highly recommend calling Nathan Tardif of Noodler’s, explaining the problem, and sending it back to him to research for all the rest having any problems.

I've spoken with Nathan and he's easy to talk to, he cares about his product and would surely want to help if you don't talk to him with anger and disrespect.

I had thought to call him about the white residue in the bottle of Polar Brown once it's been sitting for some time unused, but since I've never had any problems I'd felt no dire need to call.

It's worth a try, my friends, instead of fuming over it and getting nowhere but angry, Nathan may have an answer or at least he may offer you an exchange for another ink if you just don't want to try another bottle.

 

Best wishes and good luck, would like to hear good outcomes as well:

 

Scott ~Inka~

[wykpenguin]

I am using the same model as my daily user. So far it's been great.

 

Lovely colour.

[alvarez57]

Scott:

 

They are great pens. I have the same one and was a daily user until I got other pens whose clip would not interfere with my fingers for I tend to rotate the pen. Nevertheless, they ARE great pens.

The nibs you can find them @ eBay. I've bought from seller Speerbob and from Montgomery

VP nibs

[adam11]

Sorry for the late response. I'm afraid I don't have photos of the pen (Cinderella is somewhat shy, I should say .

 

My VP is simple black- all my pens are black- and with rhodium trim, but it has indeed excellent Fine nib from Mr. Binder. But, let me tell you, this Mustard of yours is so tempting. I believe this is just one of the very few pens that I really like and it isn't black.

[Inka]

Thanks all, for the continued feedback, and compliments, and Links, and...

 

I'm finding VPs to be amazing mechanical wonders, had thought with more parts there might be more to go wrong but this pen seems solid and very well built.

I can see where the clip could annoy some, depending how we hold our pens, yet I'm still finding it works as a writing aid the way I hold mine as odd as that may sound.

The color is one of those things I still cannot explain, why of the myriad of available colors the Mustard grabbed my attention a few years back and has never let go of my brain.

I usually go for the blues or the blacks or a combination thereof, at least currently that's what I have, other than my Plumpster with its' blue pearl qualities to the resin with swirls of caramel.

When I've pulled out my Plumpster in the past to sign things, people always noticed it immediately and commented "Cool pen!".

When I pulled out the VP to sign documents at Children & Families for my Medicare/Medicaid, or at Bank of America to sign a check, not one person said a word about it.

They probably thought it was just another ball pen and I actually kinda like that now, times I don't mind attention and sparking up pen conversations and others when I just want to write and run.

 

I've read some VP history; see there are many materials and mechanical workings from the day [year] they were introduced.

Being new to them, do they require any lubrication to the working parts, should the finish [not sure, I think Mustard is enamel over metal?] be waxed and polished occasionally or avoided?

Have any of you noticed the plating on the button [or "knob" as I see it labeled in drawings], wearing off quickly with use, or is it durable and just maybe get some expected micro-scratches from clicking/use?

I still can't get over how tiny the nib is, even after having worked in the micro-electronics industry for nearly 20 years.

I’ve spent much time working through a microscope doing air-gap bonding of microchips and related parts; yet as small as this nib is it still writes as smooth as or smoother than any large nib I've tried.

On more conventional fountain pens I need fairly large nib to write comfortably, not so with this VP, as the more I use it the better it feels to me.

 

[mishugina09]

I have been considering a VP pen for school for a little while and have a few questions. Does it ever tend to leak at all, or is it a solid pen? When you have the nib within the barrel is their a small lid over the opening or is it just an open circle?

 

It looks fantastic, and I love the color, I hope it works as well as it looks.

[Inka]

I have been considering a VP pen for school for a little while and have a few questions. Does it ever tend to leak at all, or is it a solid pen? When you have the nib within the barrel is their a small lid over the opening or is it just an open circle?

 

It looks fantastic, and I love the color, I hope it works as well as it looks.

I've only had this one for @ 24 days but I use it every day single day, morning/noon/night, carry it with me in my pocket Jotter everywhere I go and not once has it ever leaked.

There is a small cover inside the hole, known as the "Shutter", that's spring loaded and opens when the nib extends and closes against a rubber seal when the nib is retracted.

It must be doing its' job since not once have I had a dry start, the pen writes every time I go to use it.

 

Keep in mind the nib sizes run smaller than marked, compared to other fountain pens I've used, my M-edium VP nib writes such very fine lines I could fit two lines of text in one College-ruled paper line if I wanted to.

 

Consider getting a converter if you like using bottled inks, or some models already come with one if you check the specs.

I don't have a converter for mine but the cartridges are so easy to refill that I don't need anything more than a syringe or eye-dropper and a bottle of ink.

The cartridges hold more ink than pens that use International cartridges but they're also Pilot-specific and cannot be substituted for Internationals.

If you get one for school, either make sure you have plenty of cartridges handy since you're not as likely to find them in your local Staples for example, or get a little Nalgene bottle [like a traveling ink well] and an eye-dropper for quick fills.

I like the cartridges better than most others, a larger opening you can fill with an eye-dropper instead of a syringe, if you're into refilling your own.

Edited September 9, 2009 by Inka

[adam11]

I never had any leakage problems with my VP either. Practical and, at least for most of non-FP users, very unusual pen.

 

 

I've only had this one for @ 24 days but I use it every day single day, morning/noon/night, carry it with me in my pocket Jotter everywhere I go and not once has it ever leaked.

There is a small cover inside the hole, known as the "Shutter", that's spring loaded and opens when the nib extends and closes against a rubber seal when the nib is retracted.

It must be doing its' job since not once have I had a dry start, the pen writes every time I go to use it.

 

Keep in mind the nib sizes run smaller than marked, compared to other fountain pens I've used, my M-edium VP nib writes such very fine lines I could fit two lines of text in one College-ruled paper line if I wanted to.

 

Consider getting a converter if you like using bottled inks, or some models already come with one if you check the specs.

I don't have a converter for mine but the cartridges are so easy to refill that I don't need anything more than a syringe or eye-dropper and a bottle of ink.

The cartridges hold more ink than pens that use International cartridges but they're also Pilot-specific and cannot be substituted for Internationals.

If you get one for school, either make sure you have plenty of cartridges handy since you're not as likely to find them in your local Staples for example, or get a little Nalgene bottle [like a traveling ink well] and an eye-dropper for quick fills.

I like the cartridges better than most others, a larger opening you can fill with an eye-dropper instead of a syringe, if you're into refilling your own.

[mishugina09]

I have been considering a VP pen for school for a little while and have a few questions. Does it ever tend to leak at all, or is it a solid pen? When you have the nib within the barrel is their a small lid over the opening or is it just an open circle?

 

It looks fantastic, and I love the color, I hope it works as well as it looks.

I've only had this one for @ 24 days but I use it every day single day, morning/noon/night, carry it with me in my pocket Jotter everywhere I go and not once has it ever leaked.

There is a small cover inside the hole, known as the "Shutter", that's spring loaded and opens when the nib extends and closes against a rubber seal when the nib is retracted.

It must be doing its' job since not once have I had a dry start, the pen writes every time I go to use it.

 

Keep in mind the nib sizes run smaller than marked, compared to other fountain pens I've used, my M-edium VP nib writes such very fine lines I could fit two lines of text in one College-ruled paper line if I wanted to.

 

Consider getting a converter if you like using bottled inks, or some models already come with one if you check the specs.

I don't have a converter for mine but the cartridges are so easy to refill that I don't need anything more than a syringe or eye-dropper and a bottle of ink.

The cartridges hold more ink than pens that use International cartridges but they're also Pilot-specific and cannot be substituted for Internationals.

If you get one for school, either make sure you have plenty of cartridges handy since you're not as likely to find them in your local Staples for example, or get a little Nalgene bottle [like a traveling ink well] and an eye-dropper for quick fills.

I like the cartridges better than most others, a larger opening you can fill with an eye-dropper instead of a syringe, if you're into refilling your own.

 

Thanks! I will have to add the VP to the Want list for a future date. Good advice on the cartridges, I use both Cartridge and bottle depending on the pens, a lot of mine I like the Noodlers Ink because for school I worry about the bulletproof nature in case I make a mess on a notebook one day. I will be sure to carry extra cartridges or get a converter for the pen, probably get both for days I feel like playing and procrastinating!