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Pilot Custom 823 Fine


m_osman

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I am fairly new to fountain pens with a limited experience. Thus my experience only reflect my opinion.

 

I was ready a lot of rave reviews about the pilot custom 823 watching a lot of videos as well. I kept an eye for this pen for sometime, and finally purchased it, i wanted something that can write a fine line smoothly, everyone said how much it is a smooth writer out of the box without having to adjust anything with the nib.

 

I order the amber , the color is nice with the gold trim. The plunger filling system is very interesting , I really liked it. but when I started writing with it (yes i flushed it) the nib didn't impress me. I am not saying it is bad or anything. The ink flow was good but it was just ok , not so smooth as i would expect and not toothy or scartchy, I'd say it has more feedback, a bit of drag or control if you would say just that you know you are writing and a very small sweet spot.

 

My main problem wasn't the nib (although it didn't impress me much) the weight and how the pen feels in hand. I have smallish/medium size hands. when I started using the pen, I use all my pens unposted. it felt back heavy , it would feel it want to slip down while resting and writing thus putting more strain holding it. It did feel uncomfortable for extending period writing , I tried so much to like it but it didn't fit well.

 

I still consider my m600 the perfect balance in size weight and comfort.

 

Am I the only one who isn't so much impressed with the fine nib of the 823 and the comfort and weight of it ?

Edited by m_osman
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I wonder if this is perhaps due to your preference for posting pens and your small/medium hand size. I use almost all my pens unposted and I have medium/large hands and the 823 is wonderful. It is just such a reliable pen. Everytime I uncap it, it writes. The ink capacity is amazing. But it is no secret that some pens work better for others. I, for instance, can't stand the Lamy 2000 because of the section shape. I don't like how light Nakaya pens are. Yet these are both loved and respected pens -- they simply aren't for me.

 

And that is okay!

"Why me?"
"That is a very Earthling question to ask, Mr. Pilgrim. Why you? Why us for that matter? Why anything? Because this moment simply is. Have you ever seen bugs trapped in amber?"
"Yes."

"Well, here we are, Mr. Pilgrim, trapped in the amber of this moment. There is no why."

-Kurt Vonnegut, Slaughterhouse-Five

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The Custom 823 is a bigger pen - might just be a function of your hand size. What grip do you use? You said you used it unposted, correct?

 

If you end up wanting to replace it, a Custom 91/92/74 might be a better size for your smaller hands.

 

As for the nibs - I know many describe Pilot nibs as butter smooth but my F/SF pilot nibs (Metro, Custom 91) have never been my smoothest, but they are by far my favorite because of their fine line and what they do for my handwriting control while still being fairly smooth. I would say it is a trade off: because Pilot fine nibs are so fine and controlled, you will lose a little bit of that glassy smooth feeling compared to a wider nib. FWIW, it did take me a couple months to warm up to my Custom 91 nib before I loved it...even with what I said above.

 

Best of luck - sorry to hear you are not as excited as you hoped. The 823 is at the top of my wish list so I appreciate hearing some negative feedback.

 

~AK

Edited by AK-47

Whenever you are fed up with life, start writing: ink is the great cure for all human ills, as I found out long ago.

~C.S. Lewis

--------------

Current Rotation:

Edison Menlo <m italic>, Lamy 2000 <EF>, Wing Sung 601 <F>

Pilot VP <F>, Pilot Metropolitan <F>, Pilot Penmanship <EF>

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Back heavy while unposted? Never heard that before. My SFM nib is not my smoothest, nor did I expect it to be.

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I wonder if this is perhaps due to your preference for posting pens and your small/medium hand size. I use almost all my pens unposted and I have medium/large hands and the 823 is wonderful. It is just such a reliable pen. Everytime I uncap it, it writes. The ink capacity is amazing. But it is no secret that some pens work better for others. I, for instance, can't stand the Lamy 2000 because of the section shape. I don't like how light Nakaya pens are. Yet these are both loved and respected pens -- they simply aren't for me.

 

And that is okay!

 

 

I don't post my pens. it was not comfortable specially feeling fatigue in the area between my thumb and index finger after prolonged writing.

 

The Custom 823 is a bigger pen - might just be a function of your hand size. What grip do you use? You said you used it unposted, correct?

 

If you end up wanting to replace it, a Custom 91/92/74 might be a better size for your smaller hands.

 

As for the nibs - I know many describe Pilot nibs as butter smooth but my F/SF pilot nibs (Metro, Custom 91) have never been my smoothest, but they are by far my favorite because of their fine line and what they do for my handwriting control while still being fairly smooth. I would say it is a trade off: because Pilot fine nibs are so fine and controlled, you will lose a little bit of that glassy smooth feeling compared to a wider nib. FWIW, it did take me a couple months to warm up to my Custom 91 nib before I loved it...even with what I said above.

 

Best of luck - sorry to hear you are not as excited as you hoped. The 823 is at the top of my wish list so I appreciate hearing some negative feedback.

 

~AK

 

Tripod grip, I tried to like it. but after writing with it and trying my fine and extra fine m200 , I still tend to lean more to the pelikan side. It has a very nice fine line width , a hair thicker than the metropolitan fine and wet.

 

Still couldn't justify keeping it while not enjoying the writing experience as a whole from nib to comfort. even my sailor 1911M MF nib is smoother but after applying some micro mesh to it just a little.

 

+1 I only loved the filling system, even better than a piston filling system.

 

Back heavy while unposted? Never heard that before. My SFM nib is not my smoothest, nor did I expect it to be.

 

Yes indeed , didn't balance well for prolonged writing sessions.

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I have the smoke and gold Fine Custom 823. It is the pen I travel by plane with since I can lock down the reservoir. I don't notice any sweet spot, in fact what I find exceptional about this pen is the nib performance for me seems not to change between inks nor writing surfaces nor angles held. It is a bit automatic in that way, to the point it is kind of lacking in character (flaws). It is a long pen, but pretty plain Jane looking. All told, it is a rather unexceptional workhorse pen for me, but I wouldn't travel across the country with any other pen... all the things that make this pen on the verge or boring are the same things that drive me to make it my travel companion.

 

Our differing experiences continue to explain why so many pen models exist as every person and every hand experience a pen differently.

 

40171037834_51f1aeceba_b.jpg

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Me too. I very nearly ordered one a few weeks ago, but decided to wait on a F-C 66 and 1901. F-C is so far behind on their production that I could have had the pen from Japan in my hand before I've even been able to order one from F-C.

 

C

Oh, I know this of myself

I assume as much for other people

We’ve listened more to life’s end gong

Than the sound of life’s sweet bells

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I have medium sized hands and love my 823, but my other favorite pens are Pelikan M800 and MB 146 which feel very similar. If you don't care for the balance and weight of the 823, stay away from those.

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