Pilot Custom Silver Ishidatami

[Jopen]

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3223/3063784279_d938b8ee83_o.jpg

 

 

Pilot Custom Silvern FK-5MS-Ishidatami (Stone pavement)

 

1.- First Impressions.

 

In the last couple of years, browsing here and there and having a look at some pens from proud owners, I had the chance to see a sterling Namiki, I think that it was a Falcon one, fitted with a Fine nib and also could try it. I liked the concept, the nib and its performance but was not 100% happy with the aperance of the pen. It was not until my eyes stopped at the fantastic Nikolaos Silvern Custom “Winter Trees” that I finally realized the full potential of the Silvern design. Nikolaos Silvern Winter Trees. That was awesome… but the pens were not available and the design went to sleep in a hidden place of memory. What happened unexpectedly was that I had a look at Ujuku’s shop and there was something that appealed to me; not the same design at all, but I found it nice enough to give this pen a try. Some bottles of Sailor and Pilot iroshizuku tsuki-yo filled the parcel home.

 

The presentation has no bells no chorus in it, just a matte silvern cardboard box and inside a plastic one, all well sealed in a plastic bag. Inside, the pen itself with the converter fitted and under the pen tray a silver cleaning cloth, instructions, warranty card and a couple of pilot cartidges.

 

2.- Apperance and Finish.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3139/3063777875_94a5910fa6_o.jpg

 

The pen is the well known cigar or torpedo; shape and size almost as the Yukari, all sterling silver choosing the one with a stone pavement design; the lines making the design are depressed in relation to the surface and have a blackish coloration, giving very nice contrast with the silver shiny surface of the pen. There are some other modern designs for the Silvern collection, namely Koushi (a checked pattern), FK-5MS-Tumugi (pongee) and FK-5MS-Shoutikubai (Pine-Bamboo-Plum), appart from the reviewed FK-5MS-Ishidatami (Stone pavement) Silverns

 

When loking around the pen, the design seam is visible, but not disturbing. The cap has plain ring with the words “sterling silver” engraved. The apperance is harmonious with the clip (the ball ended one) which I find nicer as the older straight edges design. Overall finish is very good, not excellent but with no flaws visible appart from the “non disturbing seam” and perhaps the cap end buttom which could have been obviated to give a cleaner line design.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3182/3063780001_5b562f8fb2_b.jpg

 

 

3.- Design / Size / Weight.

 

The overall length is of 144mm capped, 130mm uncapped and 155mm posted. The section at gripping zone measures about 10mm in diameter. The cap snaps securely in a plastic grove (the older design seems to be better). It has a converter fitted that fills well and sits securely. There is still a lot of volume for ink hidden in the section. The pen weighs 38g. capped and filled and 23 gr without the cap. It is a medium sized pen with no compromises and seems to be designed and constructed to be a user.

 

4.- Nib Design & Performance.

 

The type seems to be an inlaid nib with an extra grip into groves on both sides into the black feed-section plastic. The shape is quite unique by Pilot and is very attractive to me. This is made in 18K rhodinated gold to suit the silver finish of the pen. Contrary to a previous report on a similar pen, and being this one a F nib, it starts every time without hessitation and out of the box it has been a flawless performer, giving a true Japanese F line. It feels just a little tad scratchy when giving some slight pressure (an almost imperceptible tine misalignement), but it is able to write without any pressure or only very slight one, giving a rich flow and without noticing the mentioned very slight misalignement. The other good surprise comes when aplying delliberate pressure, it flexes and gives a 1 to 4 line variation without compromise. Very nice when using inks like Sailor Jentle Brown, Tsuki-yo or similars that give those desired and spectacular shadow gradients. Due to the very thinn tip and behaviour would qualify the nib as a very good one; that was a very pleasant surprise. The nib is also able to draw an extraordinary ultra fine line, almost without scratchiness on the reverse side, of course, without ant pressure.

A writing sample...

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3141/3063784517_2a27507290_o.jpg

 

 

 

5.- The Filling System.

 

The Silvern is a traditional CC filler with a twist button convertor. I did not measure the ink capacity (will dooo…) but it seems to hold enough ink for normal writing requirements (please do not compare with other Japaneese ED’s). It seemed imposible t fill te complete converter, but after a few trials it did almost to 95% of its capacity. The pen needs only to dip the tip till the breather hole to be filled. This is important, because if it is dipped more, the ink comes below the proximal part of the exposed nib and sure one becomes inked fingers sooner or later, no matter how well the tissue is used after filling the pen. Perhaps I would have liked a greater capacity in the converter.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3021/3063783907_76a5a21a04_o.jpg

 

7.- Overall Opinion / Conclusion.

 

This Pilot pen has gained my respects when it has seen use. It is easy to get used to it, not a heavy, not a bulky pen, well made and with VERY GOOD performance at a price which may seem high to some people but packed with quality for this price; most important, it is very usable and seems reliable. Time will tell. In this case, I would say that it is not cheap, not expensive… you pay what you get, with the added bonus of an excellent performance. Many pens at this price range fail and show multiple issues when put into use. The only real fault I find? … they do not make Nikolaos Winter Trees design … If they did, I would go for it!

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3197/3064618572_f922947ab5_o.jpg

 

 

[Siv]

Nice review and excellent pictures as always!

 

A couple of questions for you:

1, Can the pen fit a Pilot CON-70 converter?

2, Is the nib sold as flexible? How much pressure do you have to apply to get the variation you see - a lot or comparable to a Custom 743 FA?

 

Your review has encouraged me to seek one of these out. Probably in the Tsumugi finish...

[Jopen]

Thanks Siv... and a couple of answers for you...

 

1.- I have still not tried to swap converters and haven't a spare 70 push type to try, but in the instruction leaflet appears a con70 also...

2.- The nib is not sold as a Flexible. There was the choice for medium and fine only. It behaves very much the same as the flexible nibs from Nakaya, i.e. not a great deal of pressure but you have to press a bit if you want the tines to open. A good thing, ink supply response is very good (see the sample writing in which delliberate pressure was applied...) My Yukari nib, also fine, is rigid in comparison. With more pressure it goes only to double the width while this goes easily to 4 times the normal line width...

 

(edited for wrong conv reference)

Edited November 28, 2008 by Jopen

[Nikolaos]

Hi Jopen,

 

you did a fantastic job with the review and your photography is excellent. I think from the modern silvern versions of the series the stone pavement is the best looking. I totally agree with your comments about its usability, quality and overall performance. I am sure you will get great pleasure using this pen for many years.

 

Thanks for the great review

 

Nikolaos

[Jopen]

Thanks a lot "LORD OF THE WINTER WOODS"... for your kind words. I have been using this pen extensively for the last days and it has been a good surprise and experience. There are much better pens around but they may double the price and more. The special thing I find in this pen is the particular style it has. With time I will get my fingers and my loupe in this nice nib to do the final adjustment. Sure it will end writing absolutely smooth as I like. One thing I've found is that the fingers have to keep appart from the nib, otherwise one may get an inked index finger quite easily; I don't know if this is normal or perhaps this pen has an issue here (more likely)...

[Doug C]

....my god,.....trying to do a quick calculation as to the airline costs for a round trip ticket to the Canary Islands....Jopen, do you have an alarm system...no reason,....just wondering....

 

 

Another amazing review of your extrordinary collection...

 

[Jopen]

Yes, I have... and a hungry dog too .. :ltcapd:

Thanks...

 

BTW, If someone is wondering what is the background material... it is the inner layer of a Veitchia joannis leaf sheath ... Whhatt?! ... it is a very nice palm that comes originally from Vanuatu... That may explain how much imagination has one to use in order to keep original backgrounds when posting photos for FPNers

Edited November 28, 2008 by Jopen

[hari317]

An excellent and thorough review with amazing pictures! Thanks Jopen!

[techman]

How could someone go about getting one of these? I went to the website and have had no luck in figuring out the prices in us dollars or how to place an order.

 

Thanks

 

[gregamckinney]

How could someone go about getting one of these? I went to the website and have had no luck in figuring out the prices in us dollars or how to place an order.

 

Thanks

 

Here's one option: Ujuku ebay store.

 

Regards,

greg

[jlepens]

Jopen, another great pen. You are becoming the envy of the Asian board. Good work!!!

[mallymal1]

Jopen,

 

Excellent!

 

I totally agree with you about Nikolaos' Winter Tree pens

 

However the Ishidatami certainly looks...and sounds...to be a respectable substitute , and I reckon it has to go on the list of 'wants'.

 

Thanks for giving us a great review :clap1: :clap1: :clap1:

 

Mal

[Jopen]

Jopen, another great pen. You are becoming the envy of the Asian board. Good work!!!

 

Thanks Joi, but I do not want to be the envy of anybody...

I could not wait any more and got mi fingers onto this nib. I did not like that tad of scratchiness it had, the sound on the paper which made my teeth reach the floor (just exaggerating a bit). It took less than 10 minutes to bring it into a buttersmooth nib. Now it glides without any noise on good and bad paper while retaining its perfect performance with a true F and wet line. I love it... Now I ask myself... as this is not the first nib with this behaviour that reaches my hands, and having a very fast and easy solution ... why do nibmeisters at factories not use this small extra time to turn the nibs into high level ones? ...

 

I took some photos in the process. What I did was a very slight reshaping, and final polishing. The difference is not easy to see but when writing this is another very different nib and experience...

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3217/3068192871_5649537c5e_o.jpg

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3188/3069028182_b04d2f5a77_o.jpg

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3280/3069028344_ab562eb802_o.jpg

 

edited for photos

Edited November 29, 2008 by Jopen

[Renzhe]

...I'm not sure what you did.

[Jopen]

[ What I did was a very slight reshaping, and final polishing. The difference is not easy to see but when writing this is another very different nib and experience...

 

if you pay attention, belly is a bit rounder (a small corner has dissapeared) and the roughness of the surface has been sanded and polished

[techman]

If you don't mind. What did it run ya? It sure is nice.

\

Edit: found the link at ebay. Nice pen. I will have to save for one.

Edited December 1, 2008 by techman

[Pen2009]

Can someone tell me which converter PIlot is using for Silverns? I have two of them and what came with them is not a standard Con-50, when I compare them with my Capless/Decimo.

 

For some reason, I could not even fill this converter up to 70%.

 

I soaked the nib section for cleaning for several days (I left it dipped in water while I was taking a 2-week holidays in Sydney). Now, it seems there is some glue (which is used to have the inlaid nib attached to the nib section) smeared on the grip section. Can someon tell me what would be the best way to wipe off the glue?