Pilot Capless Decimo

[Mike S.]

Just a brief review of a great new pen I received in the mail today -- a blue and silver Pilot Capless Decimo with a broad nib.

 

I purchased this from the Japan Ujuku Shop -- Ujuku -- a couple of weeks ago and received it today. It took a while from the time I placed my order until I got an e-mail confirmation and paypal invoice, but all in all, the service was great and the price was very fair. (My favorite part was the tag line on the e-mail confirming shipment that said, "Since I cannot speak English, please do not call.")

 

I have a regular Pilot VP (blue carbonesque) and, while I like the pen and find it to be a very convenient and reliable writer, I have always found the clip to be in the way and thought it a bit too heavy, making it a pen I like a lot, but don't really love. The Capless Decimo addresses both of these problems -- it's a pen I can love. It is a slimmer pen than the VP and the clip has a lower profile than the VP clip, so it's not as intrusive (to me) when writing. It's also a lot lighter in the hand, making it extremely comfortable to write with.

 

http://i115.photobucket.com/albums/n286/mpsampson/DSC00072.jpg

 

The innards are also interesting: instead of the twist converter that came with my VP, the Decimo comes with a squeeze bulb converter (rather like the one in my Pilot Knight) and a rather large, empty plastic "cartridge" that fits under (and completely fills) the metal cone that comes with the pen. Although the opaque rubber-plastic sac in the converter prevents me from seeing how much ink is in my pen, I can never see how much ink is in the pen with the twist converter either, so I don't see that as too much of a downside. I plan to try filling the "cartridge" that came with the pen with a syringe and see how it works. Either way, I find the filling system to be an accetable equivalent to the one that came with my VP. Aside from the differences in the filling mechanism, the metal portion of the nib unit looks the same as the one in my VP and I believe it would be interchangeable (though I haven't tried it yet to be sure).

 

The nib is a wonderful, smooth Japanese broad that writes more like a European medium and is just about the perfect width for my writing. It is marked 18k and is silver in color (the nib in my blue carbonesque VP is 14k yellow gold, even though the trim on the pen is silver -- the silver colored nib unit in this pen was a nice surprise).

 

I am a big fan of Pilot pens in general and really appreciate and admire their high-quality workmanship and great nibs (in addition to my Decimo, I have a Custom 823, a Falcon, a Knight, and a VP). I really like the Decimo and predict that it will be a pen that I will leave on my desk and use on a daily basis.

 

Mike

Edited April 17, 2007 by Mike S.

[lefty928]

Thanks for the interesting details on the converter and the photo comparison. Please keep us posted on the converter question. This is an excellent review -- and what great timing: I thought I was over buying for awhile after my new Sailor 1911M arrived so quicly from Pam Braun, but no ... and guess what's next on my list?

[Johnson]

I don't need a Decimo!! Why do you write these reviews?? Pens are silly anyway!!!!!!

 

OMG the new drool smiley is the bomb!

[jonro]

Nice review. I hope the old nibs fit the new pens. I've got to find one to try out see if I find it more comfortable than the VP (which isn't bad, but the clip is noticeable to me). I wish Pilot would figure out a way to make the clip removable or repositionable.

[coco]

Thanks for the review! I have a Decimo arriving any day and I can't wait!

[Keng]

I have a VP with 3 nib sizes. It'll be great to know if these can be used in a decimo or a fermo for that matter.

[Sharkle]

Thanks for a great review, and so timely, as I've been eyeing this pen lately. As it is somewhat thinner than the VP, I'm not sure I'll be able to resist! I just might really need this pen

[Johnson]

According to Richard Binder, standard VP nibs fit both the Decimo and Fermo. Go get one of his stubs, they are awesome.

[J-san]

Geez... And I was hoping to save up for an iPhone this summer... It's a very handsome pen. I'm having trouble justifying a Decimo when I have a VP carbonesque that functions perfectly.

[maryannemoll]

OMG the new drool smiley is the bomb!

 

Just an indication of how much the FPN Admins know us. They know we drool all the time! <_<

Edited April 17, 2007 by maryannemoll

[Mike S.]

I'm having trouble justifying a Decimo when I have a VP carbonesque that functions perfectly.

 

I either had no problem justifying the purchase of this new pen in spite of my perfectly-functional carbonesque or have long since given up trying to justify new pen purchases . . . Either way, I found myself using my new Decimo at work again today -- I almost never use the same pen 2 days in a row. I really like this pen a lot.

 

I don't know if you can see it in the photo, but the finish is sparkly -- almost like a metallic finish on a car. It's not a solid blue like the regular blue VP.

 

Mike

[coco]

Our Decimos just arrived--they're wonderful! Hubby put in the cartridge and began writing--medium nib, very smooth. I attempted to fill mine via the converter and got nowhere fast, gave up after several attempts, put in a cartridge, and love writing with it (fine nib). I have a bad habit clipping pens onto my neck collar while writing...occurred to me how easy it'd be to accidentally click the pen and stab myself in the carotid artery...husband assured me it would take 15-20 minutes to bleed to death and I'd have plenty of time to call for help.

 

I'm breaking myself of the clipping-pens-to-the-neck habit even as I type.

 

And I figured out why I couldn't fill via converter--just read in this thread that I need to use the plastic piece! Not sure how to do that.

 

Other than the death-defying aspect of the Decimo, I love it!

[Mudge]

I either had no problem justifying the purchase of this new pen in spite of my perfectly-functional carbonesque or have long since given up trying to justify new pen purchases

Hmmm. Care to swap wives for a bit?

[tomw]

Hi,

 

I just got back from a business trip in San Francisco and got a Decimo (sort of a metallic gray color) there - I love it. My standard VP is a bit too fat and heavy - the Decimo is perfect. I do not notice the clip nearly as much since it is lower profile. I am currently using the factory supplied M nib in it - but might try one of my old VP nibs in it.

 

 

I got it at a cute Japanese pen/paper/gift store in the huge mall on Market St. (the one with Nordstroms). I cannot give more details now since my paperwork is at home but they do mail order and I'll look up the address etc. and post it later if anyone is interested.

 

Tom

[spilled ink]

I just went to cyberpens.com and saw the Pilot Decimo as well as a pen called the Pilot Fermo(also appears to be capless).Does anyone know the differences between the 2 pens?Has anyone written both pens?Any advice as to which is the better pen?Would appreciate any feedback!

Edited April 24, 2007 by spilled ink

[MYU]

I just went to cyberpens.com and saw the Pilot Decimo as well as a pen called the Pilot Fermo(also appears to be capless).Does anyone know the differences between the 2 pens?Has anyone written both pens?Any advice as to which is the better pen?Would appreciate any feedback!

There are a couple of great reviews on these pens in this section, sharing opinions of both. I think the consensus is that the Decimo feels better than the Fermo. The Fermo is bigger and heavier, plus you need to twist the rear knob to get the nib to extend/retract (a two-handed operation).

 

As I see it, if you're happy with the size and weight of the VP, the extra $$ for the Decimo may not be worth it to you. But again, it's really personal preference.

[Mike S.]

I think there have been some discussion threads on this topic in the Writing Instruments section. Basically, the Fermo is a VP with a twist mechanism rather than a click mechanism. That means it's a two-handed pen that looks more like a "regular" pen. The nib units are the same, so the difference is really the feel in the hand and the opening mechanism.

[spilled ink]

I went to the Ujuku websie,placed an order for the Pilot Decimo in Japanese pink and received a paypal statement.The only problem is that most of the statement consists of row after row of rectanguar boxes.How do I make sense out of this statement so that I can submit payment?HELP!!!!

[Taki]

I just went to cyberpens.com and saw the Pilot Decimo as well as a pen called the Pilot Fermo(also appears to be capless).Does anyone know the differences between the 2 pens?Has anyone written both pens?Any advice as to which is the better pen?Would appreciate any feedback!

Fermo has a twist mechanism to retract the nib instead of click like other VP's. Dan Carmell did a very nice review of decimo and Fermo.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/in...showtopic=18655

[Mike S.]

I went to the Ujuku websie,placed an order for the Pilot Decimo in Japanese pink and received a paypal statement.The only problem is that most of the statement consists of row after row of rectanguar boxes.How do I make sense out of this statement so that I can submit payment?HELP!!!!

 

 

I got the same thing -- I assume it's all Japanese characters that my computer can't translate -- so I just clicked the button on the bottom and crossed my fingers. Everything turned out fine.