Pilot 742 Fa Nib Ink Flow Problem

[bso]

Hi, I'm very disappointed with a recent purchase: Pilot Custom 742 with an FA Nib. I had high hope for a super flex nib. But it doesn't work at all. I complained to the seller who said I should apply very little pressure. Quote:

 

Please try not applying too much pressure, just let it exert its weight on the paper.

This product is sensitive with pressure.

 

First, that doesn't make sense for a flex nib. Second, it still doesn't work. I have made a video to show all:

 

 

He doesn't seem to incline to give a refund...

 

Thanks. Any advice is welcome.

 

[Bluey]

If you have a look at most of the reviews on the net about 80% say the same - railroading and poor ink flow. To be fair, it's not really a problem with the pen but a misunderstanding of what it's designed to do.

 

If you go slowly the feed can keep up to a degree, but any faster than a snail and it will railroad.

 

The problem could well be because Pilot are a Japanese company after all, and their pens are primarily designed for writing Kanji/Hanzi(ie short strokes) rather than western alphabets(ie short and long strokes).

 

If you want decent flex and intend to write in western alphabetics, I would avoid the Japanese pens and look at vintage flex from somehting like a Pelikan 100NN

Edited July 26, 2016 by Bluey

[miel]

I do have a 912 with a FA-nib and I am okay with it.

 

At first: My pen loves Iroshizuku inks. Most others don't work very well.

 

Second I did work a little bit on the feed to improve the ink flow. You can find videos on youtube that are showing what one can do.

 

My pen does write effortless a very thin line on Clairefontaine veloute paper when using no pressure.

Flexing from EF to BB is possible with slight pressure. But ones has to be careful because this nib is soft.

For sure this is not a full-flex wet noodle, but I didn't expect so, when I bought it.

Edited July 26, 2016 by miel

[Cryptos]

Mine works just fine, but then again I am using it within its limits and design. Also using Iroshizuku tsukiyo and shinkai inks only so far. I suspect a significant percentage of the reports talking about problems with this nib are actually more connected to incorrect usage. It's not designed for Western ornamental scripts.

[caslon]

My Pilot 912 FA had the same problems when I first got it, sent it to Pilot repair in Florida and they got it working fine.

Flex is great but the flow of ink is not. Yes, there are youtube videos about taking out the feed tube, it gets the flow going but maybe too much?

Is there a half-way solution to make it a little better?