Pilot Custom Urushi

[rogerico]

Forgot to post my unboxing as well:

 

https://youtu.be/ZICaUDmMEAo

[rogerico]

Forgot to post my unboxing as well:

 

https://youtu.be/ZICaUDmMEAo

Wow! Thanks a lot for your post and your comments. You compare this pen to Pelikan M1000 and you say the design is a bit boring. You also compare the nibs. I have a M1000 and I dont like neither the design nor the nib, which is springy. Are they so similar? Is Pilots 30 nib any better?

[sketchstack]

Wow! Thanks a lot for your post and your comments. You compare this pen to Pelikan M1000 and you say the design is a bit boring. You also compare the nibs. I have a M1000 and I dont like neither the design nor the nib, which is springy. Are they so similar? Is Pilots 30 nib any better?

 

 

My commentary on the “boring” design aesthetic is more of a comparison between the Custom Urushi and other pens that are colorful, flashy or limited edition, etc. For example, imagine this pen sitting on a desk next to one of the Classic LB5 models, or maybe some limited edition Visconti. This pen would appear boring to a bystander, I feel.

And my thoughts on the nib probably apply to all large nibs made of gold —they tend to be relatively flexible and soft. The same pretty much applies to Sailor King of Pen and the Bock #8 on my Conid Kingsize. In my experience that kind of comes with the territory.

To summarize more generally, and maybe a little more helpful: When holding and writing, the M1000 and the Pilot Custom Urushi do not feel the same. While there are similarities, they are distinct from one another.

Hopefully this helps a little ...

[Mew]

1. There were no official statement about layers of urushi difference between models. Namiki was revived in 1995 and before that there were no Namiki. All high end models were made under Pilot brand, there should be no reason for Pilot downgrading their product for their new brand. And there were still many very expensive Pilot models made after 1995.

2. Many of Pilot/Namiki models use the same nib, just with different imprints. And since Pilot use a special method to process their gold sheet to achieve a non-uniform thickness in the axial direction, it would be very hard to compare the thickness between models. I could confirm that 14K Pilot emperor and 18K Namiki emperor has less than 5% difference in thickness, measured using a micrometer.

Apologies for the late reply. Completely forgot about this.

 

1. I have asked someone I know in Namiki about this. No point in speculating when there is an easier way around which leaves no room for any further discussion.

2. Thank you. I did measure them myself and there is a bit of a different. Not much though.

[freakman]

Apologies for the late reply. Completely forgot about this.

 

1. I have asked someone I know in Namiki about this. No point in speculating when there is an easier way around which leaves no room for any further discussion.

2. Thank you. I did measure them myself and there is a bit of a different. Not much though.

1. I accidentally broke a JPY 100,000 maki-e Pilot pen(a very deep dent) and haven't have time to repair it yet. I will post my comparison when I got another broken Namiki maki-e within JPY 150,000 range. I already have a snapped 80th Anniversary Pilot pen, it's snapped from the thread on the pen body, I will post pictures of the sectional view of the lacquer surface using a x1000 microscope later. Still haven't snapped any of my Namikis yet...

 

2.You need a #50 nib to get a large flat surface for using a micrometer. For smaller nibs, measurements using a caliper has a very unstable result. I will weight the nib of Pilot 80th Anniversary and current Yukari Royale and post a result here.

[freakman]

I took an alternative method to measure the #10 nibs I have and the result is very interesting:

1. I could not find any Pilot pens without a punch hole underneath the collar besides a 745 18kt SM nib I own. That nib only weight 0.63 gram.

2. For all medium nibbed Pilot maki-e pens I own, the heaviest one is 0.72 gram from Gosyoguruma, while the lightest is 0.7 gram from a old style zodiac monkey maki-e. All these nibs have round punch holes at the bottom.

3. All Namiki #10 nibs with medium tipping weight 0.76 to 0.77 grams.

 

So I guess there's no difference between the nibs of Pilot and Namiki TOTL products besides that punch hole.But the regular line Pilot models have thinner nibs.

Edited October 10, 2017 by freakman

[minddance]

Do Pilot Urushi use the same feed-nib and converter system as cheaper gold pens, say 743?

 

Do the urushi write any differently?

Edited November 4, 2017 by minddance

[jar]

Do Pilot Urushi use the same feed-nib and converter system as cheaper gold pens, say 743?

 

Do the urushi write any differently?

Kinda.

 

No.

[ehemem]

Kinda.

 

No.

+1.

[minddance]

Thank you all!

[mke]

Question 1: With what balance did you weigh? Can your balance measure single mgs or what is the error of your balance?

 

Question 2: Now what could/should it tell me that a nib weighs x.xx g and the other y.yy g?

[gerigo]

Kinda.

 

No.

Hmm surprised with Jar's answer.

 

The Urushi uses a different feed than any other Pilot pen, simply because this no 30 nib is completely new to the Pilot lineup. I would imagine because so much investment has gone into this feed, that Pilot MIGHT branch out into other variations based on the Custom Urushi. The converter is the same Con 70 although the nib housing has to be completely designed too. There is a step down narrowing between the grip and the insertion point for the converter. That is new too.

 

As for the writing characteristics its completely different than any other Pilot pen. The nib has much longer tines, which makes it a lot softer. This also makes for a point that's a lot wetter and broader. It's probably the broadest M from the Pilot range I have. Nothing close to the broadness of the Pelikans, but much broader than the 845 and also the Sailor KOP.

[MYU]

I can't tell, but is the section of the Pilot Custom Urushi also coated in urushi lacquer? The Custom 845 has a plastic section and you can see the seam. I don't feel it when I write with it. I would think that for nearly double the cost, that the section would also be urushi!

[Mew]

I can't tell, but is the section of the Pilot Custom Urushi also coated in urushi lacquer? The Custom 845 has a plastic section and you can see the seam. I don't feel it when I write with it. I would think that for nearly double the cost, that the section would also be urushi!

Section is not Urushi coated. It's exactly like 845, just bigger.

Cost is 1.8x because of bigger size and bigger nib.

[MYU]

Section is not Urushi coated. It's exactly like 845, just bigger.

Cost is 1.8x because of bigger size and bigger nib.

Thank you for that information.

I find the 845 to be a very comfortable size, and I think the Custom Urushi may be a bit too unwieldy for me. Still, it's a beauty to behold and I'm glad PILOT made the effort to create this enormous version of the iconic Custom.

[hari317]

I can't tell, but is the section of the Pilot Custom Urushi also coated in urushi lacquer? The Custom 845 has a plastic section and you can see the seam. I don't feel it when I write with it. I would think that for nearly double the cost, that the section would also be urushi!

AFAIK the concept is the same as the 845. Urushi only on cap and barrel.

 

EDit: I just saw your question has been answered already. I tried to buy the Custom Urushi, I was advised of a v long delay and backlog by my trusted source, so at the moment my money is safe.

Edited November 9, 2017 by hari317

[jar]

AFAIK the concept is the same as the 845. Urushi only on cap and barrel.

 

EDit: I just saw your question has been answered already. I tried to buy the Custom Urushi, I was advised of a v long delay and backlog by my trusted source, so at the moment my money is safe.

Ah. Two brothers from different mothers it seems. I was told the same. So I ordered another Eboya just so my money would not expire.

[nekomuffchu]

Pilot Urushi in vermillion finish is now available, this pic was taken today at Tsutaya in Ginza6.

 

http://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/VxRBsH.jpg

[hari317]

Pilot Urushi in vermillion finish is now available, this pic was taken today at Tsutaya in Ginza6.

 

http://imagizer.imageshack.com/v2/1024x768q90/923/VxRBsH.jpg

Very good news.

[hari317]

The best part is that this vermillion seems to be a general release, not a shop exclusive like on 845.