Pilot / Namiki Vanishing Point — Round 3

[petra]

For those of you who have both the older faceted model and newer model, does the change in the clip design really make any difference? I like the looks of the older clip on my VP better, but I'm wondering if the newer design really facilitates a more comfortable or secure grip?

 

Petra

[saturation]

For those of you who have both the older faceted model and newer model, does the change in the clip design really make any difference? I like the looks of the older clip on my VP better, but I'm wondering if the newer design really facilitates a more comfortable or secure grip?

 

Petra

The faceted Namiki is a handsomer pen, IMHO. However, the brass 'torpedo' shaped Pilot VP is far heftier and more durable feeling.

 

I also find the more prominent clip in Pilot VP makes a great stabilizing finger guide. Holding the VP in my right hand, my pointer finger pressed against the clip tip while my thumb holds against the bottom half of the clip, gives me a very tight grip on the pen.

 

The faceted Namiki VP OTAH, the clip was more innocuous and contributed little to the handling of the pen.

Edited February 28, 2006 by saturation

[saturation]

Mine squeeks too but either it goes away with time, or I dont notice it or I am deaf.  My wife tells me that I have selective hearing!!!  I tend to agree!!!

 

TNS

In 4 nibs I own, 2 squeeked. I found I could 'work' it out by writing with it repeatedly.

I noticed the squeeky areas also were not as inked as the squeekless areas.

 

As to what causes it, I thought it was some 'coating' in the nib. Folks on the usenet say its possibly an oil based lubricant in the ink path that needs to get 'washed away'. This lubricant impedes ink flow, ink that allows the nib to glide along its writing path.

[Man-in-Need]

How is it that your pens squeak? In the several months that I have had my Vanishing Point, I've never had it squeak, nor have I had difficulty with the converter? But do you prefer the Namiki cartridges to the converter and ink bottles? Suus cuique, perhaps?

[wimg]

How is it that your pens squeak? In the several months that I have had my Vanishing Point, I've never had it squeak, nor have I had difficulty with the converter? But do you prefer the Namiki cartridges to the converter and ink bottles? Suus cuique, perhaps?

Hi Man-in-need,

 

This isn't meant as a joke, even if it sounds liek one. The tines of a VP are so close, that there are many that squeak when you write with them. This seems to be caused by vibration of the tines rubbing against each other while writing, often in a specific direction. It normally goes away with use. They either do or they don't and you seem to have one that doesn't/didn't do it.

 

Regarding the little piston converters, they generally are a very tight fit. I have several VP nib/feed/filler units, and a few are very tight fits, while other ones have easy to remove piston converters.

 

HTH, warm regards, Wim

[saturation]

Suus cuique mos. Suum cuique.

 

For me it came and went. Most folks do not notice this but some do.

[Man-in-Need]

I did not intend for this to be taken as a joke. It's not as if were all really Ringling Bros. clowns who moonlight as serious people on-line for intellectual exercise. I am just saying that in my experience my pen has not squeaked. But still to anyone just happening across this topic, surely they must find the thought of squeaking or whistling pens quite funny. I put this in the same category as making fun of crippled people or heart attacks, really quite mortifying but inviting absurdity upon itself. I mean we could start a cottage industry of rapping fountain pens. Instead of scratching records we can squeak namiki vanishing points over a hip hop beats with nerd rap lyrics. Start up a group called Stylus Penn'd.

Yet if this should happen to me, what would be an adequate mechanism or technique for repairing the nib?

[Caboose]

Since WimG has graced this thread with his presence, and I know he has nib-smoothing experience, maybe he can answer this question. Doesn't one aspect of nib-smoothing involve very gentle smoothing between the tines (If I'm wrong, correct me in the strongest terms, because this sounds like it could be very damaging if done incorrectly) ? If so, and if it's true that the squeaking seems to be caused, at least in part, by the tines rubbing together, wouldn't a little smoothing in this area be appropriate. My VP barely, barely squeaked when I first got it, and the only reason I noticed was because of reading about the issue on this Forum, but now there is no squeak at all.

 

By the way, I suggest the smoothing only because I have read about it here. I have no experience with this practice and am not sure I would have the cajones to try it on my pens myself....... but there are those out there with this skill.

 

Good luck, Dean

[ballboy]

Very nice pen SP: it's the sort of pen that a ballpoint pen user would appreciate with the retractable nib and contemporary lines.

 

However, I think the elegance of my Lamys and the tempting allure of Watermans Edson, Exception and Serenite amoung others will distract me from one for a while. Plus, of course, there's the KCats (I mean Pelikans)

[Goodwhiskers]

Plus, of course, there's the KCats (I mean Pelikans) 

:roflmho:

Back on topic: I'm still enjoying my Vanishing Point. The only thing to give FP newbies pause is the price (it did for me at first), but the price is quite fair and the value is excellent.

Edited March 11, 2006 by Goodwhiskers

[saintsimon]

... The only thing to give FP newbies pause is the price (it did for me at first), but the price is quite fair and the value is excellent.

You mean the price is fair? Not in Europe, where the MSRP is around € 200, as most B&M shops sell it near that

[Goodwhiskers]

You mean the price is fair? Not in Europe, where the MSRP is around € 200, as most B&M shops sell it near that

Wow. That's shocking. I paid 146 USD for mine after sales tax at a b&m shop (local business, etc.). I've seen it for around 80 USD at some online retailers. Even after shipping import duties, a European could spend a lot less than 200 EUR to get a Vanishing point!

[southpaw]

You mean the price is fair? Not in Europe, where the MSRP is around € 200, as most B&M shops sell it near that 

Wow. That's shocking. I paid 146 USD for mine after sales tax at a b&m shop (local business, etc.). I've seen it for around 80 USD at some online retailers. Even after shipping import duties, a European could spend a lot less than 200 EUR to get a Vanishing point!

And that seems high to me as I got mine, BNIB, for 1/2 that. Just shows how much prices vary between stores and also between markets.

[Man-in-Need]

Wow! Where do you find these kinds of prices? I have yet to find a VP for more than $125 American. I only paid around $111 for mine. This is the kind of pen that more people need to hear about. It eases one in to fountain pen usage and has a level of convenience you seldom find. Rather than fidget with a cap I can go and write instantaneously. I wish more FP's aspired to the VP's level of aestheticism and control. I will advise anybody to get a VP hook or crook.

[Roger]

Wow! Where do you find these kinds of prices? I have yet to find a VP for more than $125 American. I only paid around $111 for mine. This is the kind of pen that more people need to hear about. It eases one in to fountain pen usage and has a level of convenience you seldom find. Rather than fidget with a cap I can go and write instantaneously. I wish more FP's aspired to the VP's level of aestheticism and control. I will advise anybody to get a VP hook or crook.

In August 2005, my new VP cost $71.98 from Pam Braun. I see that she is not advertising her price on them now, asking, instead, that you contact her for the price. They probably have gone up as the nib/feed/converter assemblies have gone up by about $5.00 since then.

 

But, an email or phone call to her will, I'd bet, still garner the best price for a new one around.

[southpaw]

Wow! Where do you find these kinds of prices? I have yet to find a VP for more than $125 American. I only paid around $111 for mine. This is the kind of pen that more people need to hear about. It eases one in to fountain pen usage and has a level of convenience you seldom find. Rather than fidget with a cap I can go and write instantaneously. I wish more FP's aspired to the VP's level of aestheticism and control. I will advise anybody to get a VP hook or crook.

I know up until 2006, Pam Braun at www.oscarbraunpens.com sold them for $72, but there was a price increase in 2006 and I'm not sure what she's asking for now. Regardless, her service and prices have always been tops! No affiliation, just one of her many FPN happy, satisfied, and repeat customers.

[wimg]

You mean the price is fair? Not in Europe, where the MSRP is around € 200, as most B&M shops sell it near that 

Wow. That's shocking. I paid 146 USD for mine after sales tax at a b&m shop (local business, etc.). I've seen it for around 80 USD at some online retailers. Even after shipping import duties, a European could spend a lot less than 200 EUR to get a Vanishing point!

Hi Steve,

 

This is exactly why I got mine from Pam´s! After import duty, postage, etc., it was less than 100 euros. Here in the store: exactly 200 euros.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[saintsimon]

You mean the price is fair? Not in Europe, where the MSRP is around € 200, as most B&M shops sell it near that 

Wow. That's shocking. I paid 146 USD for mine after sales tax at a b&m shop (local business, etc.). I've seen it for around 80 USD at some online retailers. Even after shipping import duties, a European could spend a lot less than 200 EUR to get a Vanishing point!

Hi Steve,

 

This is exactly why I got mine from Pam´s! After import duty, postage, etc., it was less than 100 euros. Here in the store: exactly 200 euros.

 

Warm regards, Wim

I think Pilot's pricing in Europe has to do with their product range here. They mainly offer their cheap, mass produced office stuff.

 

The only FPs of value offered here are the Capless and the Bamboo. Nothing else. I think they can't offer their MontBlanc lookalikes, like the 'Custom' series in Japan. So maybe they try to replace those by postioning the humble Capless higher.

 

It is a tough market here, with strong local brands and alert lawyers. The only Pilot products which stand out are the Capless and the Bamboo.

 

I think, that is something that makes it hard for Sailor to enter the markets: which of their pens stand out optically (except Maki-e)? Dealers here don't need more Montblanc lookalikes, and MBs lawyers won't let them in (I've seen them in action on TV).

Edited March 10, 2006 by saintsimon

[wimg]

Hi saintsimon,

 

Over here they have a full range of Namiki Maki-es, and the main B&M store also has an MB boutique. Even so, they sell a lot of Sailor too, and some of those are MB lookalikes, IMO.

 

Sailor actually stands out for its nibs: incredibly smooth, most of the time anyway, and many different special ones too, like the Nahagara and Naginata nibs, the Togi, the Zoom... Optically there colourful marbled resins and ribbed pens stand out, I think, and the CP7 series in silver.

 

Warm regards, Wim

[saintsimon]

Hi saintsimon,

 

Over here they have a full range of Namiki Maki-es, and the main B&M store also has an MB boutique. Even so, they sell a lot of Sailor too, and some of those are MB lookalikes, IMO.

 

Sailor actually stands out for its nibs: incredibly smooth, most of the time anyway, and many different special ones too, like the Nahagara and Naginata nibs, the Togi, the Zoom... Optically there colourful marbled resins and ribbed pens stand out, I think, and the CP7 series in silver.

 

Warm regards, Wim

I know that by personal experience Wim , I bought a Sailor Pro Gear at pengallery ($160, no taxes :blink: ) this January, and its fine nib is excellent, although a bit toothy.

 

The thing is: Sailor is absolutely unknown in Germany, so how to stand out and also avoid a huniliation by MB lawyers (they ripped off pages from a pen catalog at a pen fair in front of the camera. I think it was Sailor ). The design of the Pro Gear and the redisigned King of Pen are surely meant to avoid confrontation. For sure, they have to emphasize the nib quality.

 

As for the Pilot FPs, here is all they offer officially in Germany:

http://www.pilotpen.de/pages/inhalt/produk...federhalter.php

 

And for sure Maki-e allways stands out, that is not the domain of MB

Edited March 10, 2006 by saintsimon