Pilot V-Pen Disposable Fountain Pen

[Corona688]

The Pilot V-Pen is a self-contained disposable fountain pen in the three-dollar range, available in blue, black, or red with fine or medium nibs. Choice in a retail store is likely limited to medium-point blue/black.

 

The pen is close enough in size, shape, design and material to the Pilot V5 rollerball that I suspect they use the same ink reservoir and feed.

 

The cap appears to be one piece of injection-molded plastic, with an insert inside to hold the nib in airtight fashion. The pocket clip is part of the same plastic, and uses a poorly designed living hinge, so probably not that durable. The lid fits more tightly than the average pen. The packaging says it is airtight, and the pen likely sat on the shelf for a very long time before purchase without drying out.

 

The nib appears to be made from thin stamped steel formed on top of a rigid plastic support. It has no flex. Without an iridium point it cannot glide as smoothly as a proper fountain pen, but isn't as scratchy as an average steel point either. It confers a feeling of soft friction like a felt tip instead. It writes a dark, uniform line which compares favorably to a rollerball. The nib does not leak ink when the pen is shaken.

 

The pen had no trouble starting. The 'sweet spot' for writing is large enough that this pen should work for anyone without practice. It will even write when the nib is rolled completely upside down. The pen body feels a little short in the hand.

 

The included black ink is quite dark, does not bleed, and dries very quickly. There is only negligible smearing one second after writing, none at all after two. The ink is not waterproof.

 

Cheap, solid, and well-performing -- not too bad an introduction to fountain pens, though a little strange feeling if you've used one before. If the pen is a similar to V5 rollerballs as it looks, it might be refilled by pulling the nib section out forwards, but the fuzzy feeling is probably its nib being ground slowly flat, so its life can only be extended so far.

Edited February 20, 2018 by Corona688

[Dr. Saleem Ali]

This pen I used many years ago .Its a pleasure to write with.The nib was quite smooth and ink of good quality .Alas , the pen was diposable .However it was a good experiance .

[AmandaW]

I used these for many years before getting my first "proper" fountain pen and still have one as a spare in my handbag. I've seen them available online with a fine nib. And red ink. But I haven't tried anything other than black medium and even those are no longer available in the stationery stores here, so I order replacements online. They're very reliable. I've never had one dry out.

 

Edit to add: I just ordered a fine point. Will report back with a line comparison when it arrives.

Edited February 20, 2018 by AmandaW

[Corona688]

Thanks, updated with those details. Having used them a long time, would you say the point wears noticeably by the time the ink runs out?

[AmandaW]

Thanks, updated with those details. Having used them a long time, would you say the point wears noticeably by the time the ink runs out?

 

No, I don't think they wear down, but they last for ages and most of mine have been lost, or given away, before they ran out of ink. I like them enough to keep replacing them.

 

I especially like them for drawing. I carry an aquash, or similar waterbrush, with it because the ink is watersoluble and washes out to an attractive grey with a little water. It makes a nice portable little kit for sketching.

[TSherbs]

Thanks, updated with those details. Having used them a long time, would you say the point wears noticeably by the time the ink runs out?

 

gosh no

[EBUCKTHORN]

I'd would like to direct everyone who is reading this thread to another (relevant) thread currently active on FPN:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/333217-writing-instruments-and-single-use-plastics/?do=findComment&comment=4008125

(I hope the link will take you to the beginning of the the thread. If not, please scroll up.Thanks for being willing to consider the questions addressed there).

Edited February 20, 2018 by EBUCKTHORN

[EBUCKTHORN]

This is my second try asking participants to look at a related current thread on FPN. The first time my post with its link never made it . I show it again below and also list the title: "Writing Instruments And Single-Use Plastics" and it is in "It Writes But it is Not a Fountain Pen" Thanks for considering the questions raised there.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/333217-writing-instruments-and-single-use-plastics/?do=findComment&comment=4008125

[Corona688]

I've already posted in there. What else did you want me to do?

[EBUCKTHORN]

Corona688 Thanks for posting. I just went back and re-read your post. The reason I posted here is because I had stumbled upon this thread that features a disposable fountain pen-a pen that makes no sense at all in terms of concern about single use plastics, and felt this was a good place to further try to raise awareness about the plastic waste problem.

 

I feel strongly about this and other environmental matters but am especially concerned about waste from pens because it involves my hobby. If you were to ask my family and friends they would assure you that I'm very capable of proselytizing about "environmental" concerns (including climate disruption) but am trying my best not to do that here.

[inkstainedruth]

 

gosh no

 

+1. Unfortunately that was because in my case the first Varsity I had ran out of ink in 3 days....

And I was ONLY using it in my journal. So 3 pages per day for a whopping 3 days, on (probably) A5 paper.... And it was a glorious shade of blue at that. And then it bit the dust....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Corona688]

Corona688 Thanks for posting. I just went back and re-read your post. The reason I posted here is because I had stumbled upon this thread that features a disposable fountain pen-a pen that makes no sense at all in terms of concern about single use plastics, and felt this was a good place to further try to raise awareness about the plastic waste problem.

If its any consolation I bought it because I do intend to refill and reuse it to destruction, then recycle the feed for something else. I spent some weeks pawing through pen piles, looking in vain for a dead one. It's nothing but a pile of parts to me.

 

I also think it'd be trivial for Pilot to make a refillable version of this, given the nib doesn't wear nearly as fast as I thought it would. The first thing to break on all my fountain pens has been the lid, and expensive ones seem no better...

Edited February 20, 2018 by Corona688

[torstar]

Used to pop out the nib/feed/section and refill it many times back in the day.

[TSherbs]

 

+1. Unfortunately that was because in my case the first Varsity I had ran out of ink in 3 days....

And I was ONLY using it in my journal. So 3 pages per day for a whopping 3 days, on (probably) A5 paper.... And it was a glorious shade of blue at that. And then it bit the dust....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

weird

 

a tissue paper journal, perhaps?

[AmandaW]

This is my second try asking participants to look at a related current thread on FPN. The first time my post with its link never made it . I show it again below and also list the title: "Writing Instruments And Single-Use Plastics" and it is in "It Writes But it is Not a Fountain Pen" Thanks for considering the questions raised there.

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/333217-writing-instruments-and-single-use-plastics/?do=findComment&comment=4008125

 

Your message would be more useful if you showed how these pens can be disassembled and refilled. (I would like to know what the ink is because it's good - turning neither blue nor brown when washed with water in a sketch. Purchasing multiple bottles of ink to try to replicate is wasteful of the earth's resources too.) The v-pen lasts a long time, I usually get a year. I'm expecting the fine point I ordered to last even longer because the finer line will use even less ink. It seems that many of the readers here would be driving production of more than one pen per year. Yes they can be refilled, but are they?

 

It would also help if refillable pens were as robust - none of my v-pens have dried out or leaked - features I need in a small sketch kit which travels in my purse or glovebox. How many refillable pens should be purchased and discarded to find one that does that? Do they not become disposable because they failed? Or because they were lost or stolen? (The latter is more likely with a more expensive refillable fountain pen - how do you put that right when you insist it be used?)

 

Or perhaps you see the needs of the sketcher as worthless? Would it make a difference if you knew that I document the litter along the local creek. Yes, I take a bag and clean up after I'm finished drawing or filming. And the litter? It's primarily soft drink and alcohol bottles and cans, both glass and plastic. And syringes.

[EBUCKTHORN]

Amanda W Thanks for joining in. I do not know the procedure for refilling the pen but others seem to. Perhaps someone could offer details?I assure you I would never consider the needs of sketchers as worthless and don't understand why anyone might feel that way.

[Corona688]

torstar has confirmed it refills just like a pilot hi-tecpoint. Pull the nib forward and the entire feed section is removed with it. This removes literally every functional part in the pen, there's nothing left but an empty space with an ink reservoir beneath it.

 

I would've suggested using the same ink Pilot sells for their hi-tecpoints, but there appear to be no more cartridge-taking hi-tecpoints. Not even their "recycled pens". For shame. Whatever it is, is extremely fast-drying. Does anyone know a super-fast-drying black which might be similar?

Edited February 21, 2018 by Corona688

[Jamerelbe]

Amanda W Thanks for joining in. I do not know the procedure for refilling the pen but others seem to. Perhaps someone could offer details?I assure you I would never consider the needs of sketchers as worthless and don't understand why anyone might feel that way.

 

Here's a simple Youtube 'tutorial' - it's not hard to do, but you *will* need pliers!

 

[Honeybadgers]

Thanks, updated with those details. Having used them a long time, would you say the point wears noticeably by the time the ink runs out?

 

Iridium/osmium (probably osmium since it's cheaper) = no way on earth you're going to wear a nib before this pen disintegrates.

[Corona688]

Seriously? They put an iridium point on a disposable pen? What on earth for?