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Pilot Knight


kissing

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Just throwing in my hat here to say that based on kissing's review and the other praise here, I picked up one of these at Office Depot this morning (the only FP they had among the Knight line.) It is slim, but very comfortable to hold even in my larger hands. The nib is truly smooth and comparable to my other fines, but is in no way scratchy or noisy on the page. It's truly a pleasure to use. I also did not pay close enough attention to all the topics here, as mine came with a squeeze-type converter in the pen. The converter wasn't listed on the packaging, so this was a pleasant surprise when I opened it up (after briefly thinking that I had somehow broken the feed.. "Gahh! What is this thing?!")

 

I actually find it quite comfortable to use posted or unposted, and since I tend to let my fingers cradle the pens as I write, the smaller tapered section is not a problem.

 

Thanks again kissing. I think this pen has just cemented my lust for a Namiki VP.

 

EDIT to clean up confunderated sentences.

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I bought my Pilot Knight at Office Depot. I've found it a pleasure to write with for shorter periods of time because of my preferences for weight and grip length (your experience may differ). Mine came with the squeeze converter, which I like better than the twist piston converter in my VP. I've also tried cartridges in it. The design is impressive and socially useful.

 

The only problem I've had with the Knight, which I've had with a few modern pens of various price levels, is that it doesn't start right up after standing upright and capped for more than a day and a half. I don't know whether that's because the cap's seal against the barrel isn't airtight (it isn't, despite the solid snap fit), because the feed and nib let ink drain completely back into the reservoir, or both. Do the 78G and the Prera (same feed and nibs, different cap seals) start up better?

 

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  • 4 weeks later...
The only problem I've had with the Knight, which I've had with a few modern pens of various price levels, is that it doesn't start right up after standing upright and capped for more than a day and a half. I don't know whether that's because the cap's seal against the barrel isn't airtight (it isn't, despite the solid snap fit), because the feed and nib let ink drain completely back into the reservoir, or both. Do the 78G and the Prera (same feed and nibs, different cap seals) start up better?

 

I haven't had any sort of start up problem with my Prera, and it's one of about 5 pens I have in my bag, so it doesn't get used every day. I just ordered a Knight, we'll see how that goes.

"Life is too short, or too long, to allow myself the luxury of living it badly."

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

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Thanks for the review. I saw one of these at Office Depot today, but I wanted to check reviews. I will post if I decide to go back and get it. It is a sharp looking piece.

:happycloud9:

 

Cathy L. Carter

 

Live. Love. Write.

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I got two Knights for Christmas, one a matte black and the other a shiny red.

I love this pen! As stated, it writes smooth, but not slippery, and looks and feels great in hand.

I like the hinged clip and the sharp "click" that tells you it's securely capped.

 

All in all, a great pen for the money.

 

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The only problem I've had with the Knight, which I've had with a few modern pens of various price levels, is that it doesn't start right up after standing upright and capped for more than a day and a half. I don't know whether that's because the cap's seal against the barrel isn't airtight (it isn't, despite the solid snap fit), because the feed and nib let ink drain completely back into the reservoir, or both. Do the 78G and the Prera (same feed and nibs, different cap seals) start up better?

 

I haven't had any sort of start up problem with my Prera, and it's one of about 5 pens I have in my bag, so it doesn't get used every day. I just ordered a Knight, we'll see how that goes.

Did you get your Knight? How do you like it? I see you're in NYC. Where did you order from, if you don't mind me asking....

Lamy Safari ~ Lamy Studio ~ Pelikan M250

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I haven't had any sort of start up problem with my Prera, and it's one of about 5 pens I have in my bag, so it doesn't get used every day. I just ordered a Knight, we'll see how that goes.

Did you get your Knight? How do you like it? I see you're in NYC. Where did you order from, if you don't mind me asking....

 

Nope, not yet (holiday shipping entanglements, I expect). It has been sent, just not received.

 

I ordered from Pendemonium while they were having that sale (12/27-29/2007). A quick Google search shows it running from $35-$40, not on sale. Not too bad.

"Life is too short, or too long, to allow myself the luxury of living it badly."

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.pnghttp://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

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I haven't had any sort of start up problem with my Prera, and it's one of about 5 pens I have in my bag, so it doesn't get used every day. I just ordered a Knight, we'll see how that goes.

Did you get your Knight? How do you like it? I see you're in NYC. Where did you order from, if you don't mind me asking....

 

Nope, not yet (holiday shipping entanglements, I expect). It has been sent, just not received.

 

I ordered from Pendemonium while they were having that sale (12/27-29/2007). A quick Google search shows it running from $35-$40, not on sale. Not too bad.

 

$29.98 at Oscar Braun Pens. (no affiliation)

 

Gustatus similis pullus!

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How much better is the Pelikan 200 than the Pilot Knight for the cost, at almost double the price? I have a Safari on the way, but I'd like to have one at work and one at home.

 

Thanks!

Lamy Safari ~ Lamy Studio ~ Pelikan M250

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How much better is the Pelikan 200 than the Pilot Knight for the cost, at almost double the price? I have a Safari on the way, but I'd like to have one at work and one at home.

 

Thanks!

 

Worth it. All the way. The Pelikan is just a better pen, imho. The nib is smoother, the screw cap is great, and the piston is the best filling system ever. But as I've said, I do like the Knight a lot. If you don't like light pens, don't go with the Pel. The Knight is much more weighty.

They're both sharp-looking pens, but my conclusion: you can never go wrong with a Pelikan.

 

 

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I got the Knight today and I really like it! I love heavy pens :wub: - the Prera is too light and small for me. It's really sleek. I inked it with Noodler's Legal Blue (which is what I keep in the office). My only complaint is the HORRIBLE nib creep with this ink. I'll have to switch inks to see what works best with this pen.

 

I've written a couple of postcards for swaps and the Knight writes nicely. I'm pleased with the purchase. :thumbup:

"Life is too short, or too long, to allow myself the luxury of living it badly."

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.pnghttp://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

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I got the Knight today and I really like it! I love heavy pens :wub: - the Prera is too light and small for me. It's really sleek. I inked it with Noodler's Legal Blue (which is what I keep in the office). My only complaint is the HORRIBLE nib creep with this ink. I'll have to switch inks to see what works best with this pen.

 

I've written a couple of postcards for swaps and the Knight writes nicely. I'm pleased with the purchase. :thumbup:

What are the other 4 pens you use? Is one of them a Pelikan? Is your Knight now the best?

 

Sorry to hear about the creep :/ That sucks :(

Lamy Safari ~ Lamy Studio ~ Pelikan M250

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What are the other 4 pens you use? Is one of them a Pelikan? Is your Knight now the best?

 

Four other? You've lost me :hmm1: ... I have 5 in my bag and one clipped to my shirt today. (3 Rotring Cores, Rotring Skynn, Pilot Prera, and Pilot VP Raden on my shirt - all differently inked.) I've only had the low-end Pelikans - Pelikanos and the like. I'll probably get one eventually. What do you mean the best? Costwise, the Knight is on the med-low end of my range, but it writes very well - it literally skates across the page. I'm happy with it.

 

 

Sorry to hear about the creep :/ That sucks :(

 

Actually it seems to have improved a bit; it's more of a smear now. I'm betting it's situational and will go away with the right inks. :thumbup: Thanks!

"Life is too short, or too long, to allow myself the luxury of living it badly."

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.pnghttp://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

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Oh - I see now what you're referring to.

QUOTE(succubus @ Dec 27 2007, 01:45 PM) *

 

I haven't had any sort of start up problem with my Prera, and it's one of about 5 pens I have in my bag, so it doesn't get used every day. I just ordered a Knight, we'll see how that goes.

 

I carry about 5 or 6 a day but I have way more than that - my selection depends on my mood, and or the journals I've chosen to carry.

 

I do use the Prera a little bit every day now because it's become the designated pen for my Moleskine Planner. (I track my weight.) The Knight is far smoother than the Prera.

 

Today is the first day since I received it, that I haven't carried the Knight, so I'll get to see if it has start up problems by the time I get back to it. (The Raden VP better matched what I'm wearing - pens are my jewelry.)

"Life is too short, or too long, to allow myself the luxury of living it badly."

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.pnghttp://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

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The only problem I've had with the Knight, which I've had with a few modern pens of various price levels, is that it doesn't start right up after standing upright and capped for more than a day and a half. I don't know whether that's because the cap's seal against the barrel isn't airtight (it isn't, despite the solid snap fit), because the feed and nib let ink drain completely back into the reservoir, or both. Do the 78G and the Prera (same feed and nibs, different cap seals) start up better?

 

I haven't had any sort of start up problem with my Prera, and it's one of about 5 pens I have in my bag, so it doesn't get used every day. I just ordered a Knight, we'll see how that goes.

I misread your post thinking you had stated your Knight was 1 of 5. My bad.

I was curious if you felt the Knight was the best quality pen--best writer, best looking, etc.

 

Thanks

Lamy Safari ~ Lamy Studio ~ Pelikan M250

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Just to follow up - I'm using different ink in the Pilot Knight now (Noodler's Squeteague, then Noodler's Ellis Island) and I no longer have nib creep. :thumbup:

"Life is too short, or too long, to allow myself the luxury of living it badly."

Eleven Minutes by Paulo Coelho

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.pnghttp://img244.imageshack.us/img244/5642/postcardde9.png

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  • 1 month later...
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I have to say - I was very impressed with the Pilot Knight! There is something about Japanese nibs that make me feel that they're on a different level to most western nibs of same priced pens.

 

Pricing

I got my Knight recently for $35 (new in box with papers, twist converter included). Great value for its price. I believe that the quality of Pilot Knights matches those of Steel-nibbed Parker Sonnets, which cost considerably more than $35.

 

Body

The barrel and cap material is metallic matte, so it's a durable, tough-built pen. The design is very contemporary and comes in Black, Navy blue, Burgundy and Silver. The one I got is a nice Burgundy, and I think its quite pretty :wub: (most of my other pens are dull black or grey matte <_<)

 

The clip is spring loaded and is a 'one-piece' bar shaped chunk of metal. Looks durable, and is aesthetically sophisticated. Pilot sure did put a nice effort into design - even in an inexpensive pen like this.

 

The cap makes a hearty sounding "click" as it shuts securely, and removing the cap is with ease. It's actually quite ambiguous because when you snap the cap shut, you feel that its a very firm fit - but the cap comes off with little effort.

 

The grip section is quite short compared to most other pens, so if you like big, long grips on pens, the Knight may take a little getting used to. Since the grip section is short - the nib isn't poking as deeply into the cap as other pens. This means that there is less risk of that awkward collision between cap and nib that you might accidently do in the opening ceremony. This sure is a good characteristic for me, because I feel my heart lose a beat whenever I rush to open a pen, and I scrape the nib across the cap (usually no damage, but my heart aches :( ).

 

As it is a metal pen, there is a bit of bulk to the pen, but I wouldn't consider the Knight as a heavy pen. To me, it is well balanced. I don't think the pen was designed to be used posted, as the cap doesn't stick on securely at the back. You wouldn't want to post it anyway - heavily unbalanced to write.

 

Nib

Appearances aside, this economic beauty wields a lovely Japanese "M" nib (meaning it writes like a Western Fine). This is what I meant in the title as "just write"! The elusive ideal thickness and wetness between a Fine and a Medium I had been searching for is this very nib! The Pilot Knight has hooked me onto Japanese fountain pens, as its shown me beyond the modern Parker's jungle of "Fines" that write like double broads :doh:

 

It's a smooth writing nib (but not too smooth :) ) that is firm and writes consistently. The wetness fits the description of "not to wet, not dry" pretty much perfectly! (For me, Parkers are too wet and Lamy's are too dry)

 

 

 

 

I definitely recommend this pen if you're looking for a reliable, high-quality everyday writer. I think the Pilot Knight is also a nice moderately-priced gift idea, especially for someone who has just gotten into FPs, or you would like to introduce FPs to. It's a guaranteed "good start" IMO ;)

 

I give it a proud 8.5/10 :lol:

 

 

 

Comparison of Pilot Knight M with typical Western M (Sonnet)

 

I just got a Knight so far I love it. Starts instantly and writes smooth. It puts down a line a bit finer than my modern Sonnet fine. I think it is more reliable as well. It feels sturdy, looks classy, and is a great value. I prefer the look and feel over my Lamy Safari which is one of the few pens in the same price range. I would call it an excellent value

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I would like to add a vote for this pen.

There are disparaging remarks elsewhere, and I think those folks are missing the point (as it were). This is a good solid everyday writer, something I have in my shirt pocket right now and don't worry about. Please note the nice slenderness of the barrel that also makes it easy to hold and use for long periods of time. This is not one of the big, fat, cigar size ceremonial pens that people take out once in a blue moon to do a cool signature. This is a workhorse pen, highly durable, not at all flashy, get the job done but have a good time doing it. Actually, it reminds me of my Honda wagon for all the reasons I just listed. The fact that it is reasonably priced means that if something should happen to my Knight, I would be upset, but I could afford to replace it and move on.

The high durability does come at a price, it is heavier than most of my other pens, but only slightly, on the other hand the matte finish is much more comfortable and secure than, say, my Waterman Phileas, a pen I got for the same reasons (everyday use, easily replaced) but spends most it's time at home 'cause after half an hour of use the Phileas starts to feel like a wet fish.

BTW, the clip on the cap really is built like a battleship. Solid baby!

Je suis, ergo sum

---Tom Stoppard

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  • 3 months later...

 

I have to say - I was very impressed with the Pilot Knight! There is something about Japanese nibs that make me feel that they're on a different level to most western nibs of same priced pens.

 

Pricing

I got my Knight recently for $35 (new in box with papers, twist converter included). Great value for its price. I believe that the quality of Pilot Knights matches those of Steel-nibbed Parker Sonnets, which cost considerably more than $35.

 

I see Sonnets all over eBay for $25 and less -- least I have seen for a Pilot Knight is $40. You said it's a good value compared to the higher priced Sonnet -- is it a good value if the Sonnet is lower priced? I have never tried either, but I have some Vectors, Jotters & a Reflex from the Parker camp, but no Pilots.

 

Sonnets on eBay for $25 and less are almost, definitely chinese fakes :o Please be careful of them :o

 

The Pilot Knight certainly feels better and more worth the money than the Vector, Jotter, and Reflex though.

 

a) Pilot Knight uses better materials. Durable matte steel body with heft - Probably one of my toughest pens. Vectors are either weak plastic, or plain steel. Jotters are thin steel or plastic. Reflex? - rubber and plastic :bunny01:

 

b ) The Pilot looks better, design wise.

 

c) Pilot has a higher quality nib. One that does not need to be sent back for replacement due to quality control (Parker nibs often need to go back for replacement upon purchase, unfortunately). Also, many members find that Vector/Jotter/Reflex nibs are too fat or too wet for writing. Pilots are fine, as japanese pens go.

 

 

I love my Vector and Jotter, but compared to the Pilot Knight, they are in a whole class lower in my opinion. ;)

 

I hope you have positive experiences with Pilots if you ever use them in the future :)

 

Kissing,

Do you have any fine point Pilot Knights? I am a medium nib user but would love to have one good reliable fine point. Are they sufficiently wet? PS I just returned from OZ..Melbourne and Geelong and VIC province for 11 days. Fine country.

 

Wanda

 

 

 

ps: The Sonnet is my favourite pen. I like the Sonnet better than my Knight, but Sonnets do cost way more :lol: Despite the different feeling of nibs (Sonnets are soft nibs, Knights are a bit stiff) - Pilot provides an equal product on the quality level IMHO.

 

Check out this new flickr page for pen wraps

W He

 

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