Pilot Prera Madness

[Geslina]

Ugh.  I’m not having a good stationary shopping week.  First a Pilot Decimo that doesn’t write well and will be sent back, then a $42 Nuuna Notebook that arrived with half of the pages damaged from a smushed in corner, and yesterday a Prera fine nib from Amazon that I will also be returning.  My first Prera fine nib came from Jetpens....the demonstrator clear one.  I love, love, love it - but wanted a solid color one.  It wasn’t less money on Amazon, just faster shipping.  Anyway, it’s not the same.  The nib is very, very sharp and scratchy and hard starts every time - or sometimes doesn’t start at all.  I’ve soaked the nib, I’ve tried different inks, all to no avail.  Also, the way the cap clicks on - that nice, satisfying way it snaps into place when you recap - this pen doesn’t do it as smoothly. 🙁

[Misfit]

Sorry to hear of the not good stationery buys. I hope you can get a solid Prera of your liking.  
 

I saw an edition of a Nuuna notebook with the Moon on the cover. But the price!

[Geslina]

12 hours ago, Misfit said:

Sorry to hear of the not good stationery buys. I hope you can get a solid Prera of your liking.  
 

I saw an edition of a Nuuna notebook with the Moon on the cover. But the price!

Haha, that moon Nuuna is exactly the one that I ordered tha arrived damaged.  Yeah, it was expensive....about $10 more than the other designs, but they really are nice notebooks.  256 pages, wonderful paper.  And I like anything with the moon on it, so what the heck....

[Misfit]

I’m the same. I like anything with the Moon on it or the name Moon in it. Hence I knew I’d get the Pelikan Moonstone set before I ever saw it. 
 

Glad to know the paper is so good. I might add one to my birthday or Christmas list. 

[Geslina]

12 hours ago, Misfit said:

I’m the same. I like anything with the Moon on it or the name Moon in it. Hence I knew I’d get the Pelikan Moonstone set before I ever saw it. 
 

Glad to know the paper is so good. I might add one to my birthday or Christmas list. 

As of now, the Munken paper in the Nuuna journals is my favorite paper to write on. It’s smooth, but has a slight toothiness as well.  I don’t think it’s a coated paper.  No bleed through at all, even with the one sopping wet Noodler’s ink I have...so both sides of the paper are usable, which is major for me, I hate using the back sides of paper if you can see anything from the other side. Though I’m not a huge fan of dot grid paper, the dots are closely spaced - 3mm, maybe - and very faint print.  And it’s a good size.  I think it’s worth the money.

[Geslina]

On 2/22/2021 at 2:31 PM, Misfit said:

Sorry to hear of the not good stationery buys. I hope you can get a solid Prera of your liking.  
 

I saw an edition of a Nuuna notebook with the Moon on the cover. But the price!

I soaked the Amazon Prera nib overnight in soapy water, took the nib out of the pen and gave the feed a gentle scrubbing too....and it’s writing fine now.  Which is great.  I hate returning things.

[Misfit]

Oh good. I’m glad you are so resourceful. Happy writing!

[Misfit]

Well, I went looking online for the white Prera, and scored the last one at a website I’ve never shopped at for $49 total. That completes the opaque colors for me. When I get it, that’s when I’ll be sure. 

[migo984]

My little collection of Preras. I managed to get some of the original 2010 Japan-only iros, with solid end caps, released back then  to match the new Iroshizuku inks. Plus the Oeste ‘bird’ Preras. However, the Royal Blue was my first, and is still my favourite. I put that little pen through the mill on a daily basis when I was at work. Never let me down.

 

 

[Misfit]

Hi @migo984  I wish I’d known about the Oeste versions back when they came out.  They look so lovely in your collection.  I must be happy with the opaque ones, plus my original Prera the demonstrator with light blue caps and the M calligraphy nib (my favorite nib for the Preras).
 

I didn’t realize Pilot had made demonstrators with opaque caps. You have an enviable collection. What is your favorite nib with your Preras?

[Misfit]

I found a website that is run in Hong Kong that has a supply of opaque body Prera pens including the hard to find, discontinued colors. 

I ordered a white one from them, and it’s due to arrive on June 19th. I saw some in soft blue, lime green and yellow as well. Prices run from high $40s to low $50s. 

[Misfit]

My white Prera arrived today. The price of $49.99 now seems very reasonable considering they provided a converter, and a box of 6 black ink cartridges. Plus any order over $25 qualifies for 2 free Pilot Spotlight highlighters. 
 

I now have 9 opaque Preras, 10 in all. So I did chase the discontinued colors. It’s a great pen, especially (for me) when I put the calligraphy nibs on the pens. 

[ellbell]

Oh wow super cool Prera thread. I have not seen any of the first row of @migo984 collection. I love all of those!!! I love mine so much I keep them all inked and keep it flowing by doing a Prera focus weekly. I have let all the light blue ones loose in the house. I have F and M of each color. Now I want all those hehe.

All of mine have just wonderful smooth nibs, most of them out of the box smooth. I have no hard starters and no failed nibs. At the very most a couple needed a little help getting aligned. This pen is such a sleeper jewel. I have many Pilots and all are a dream except my little Lucina. I wish I could find a 14k gold nib for it and then it will join the rest and be a dream.

 

 

[Misfit]

That’s a great looking group of Preras @ellbell

 

I opened my vivid pink version today. It is waiting for the nib I cleaned from a Plumix I cleaned today. Poor Plumix section is stained. 
 

I’m jealous of some of @migo984’s pens from that top row. I am happy having attained the current lineup including the recently discontinued colors. I’ll have 9 opaque and one transparent which is the light blue.

 

Edited to add the dark brown version is going to be a birthday gift when mine comes around. 

Edited July 12, 2021 by Misfit
Detail about last pen

[ellbell]

I am super jealous too of his first row. I don't have any of those. I have a bunch of Kakunos, Plumix and Explorers. If I just can't get a nib on a Prera smooth I know the nibs from one of these 3 will fit. [Explorers are the same nib, Plumix is the Italic nib and Kakuno has the face nib] Sometimes just cleaning out the pen and putting a new nib on it gives it a new life. I had one Pilot Explorer that wasn't perfect so I tried a #5 TWSBI [TWSBI mini] on it and it is smooth as silk. I like having these around because there is really nowhere to get replacement Pilot nibs. Any pens with steel nibs get taken apart in this house. Pilots did it to me by being soooo smooth. haha

 

This is very cool being in a thread that is 10 years old!!

 

Thanks for answering me Misfit!!

[Misfit]

Had to come back to this thread, and add a photo of my Preras. 
 

[Misfit]

Well, add another demonstrator to my Preras. I ordered the version of the Iro-Ai Prera in pink, thinking it would pair well with the new Berry Leuchtturm notebook. Although the notebook looks good with contrasting colors too. It has the M calligraphy nib, and comes with a converter. 

[Misfit]

Here it is, paired with the notebook that inspired me to get the Iro-ai in pink. 
 

[The Elevator]

Interesting thing here;

I just bought a Prera secondhand (spent all my money and couldn’t afford it at the $40 asking price for new) and it arrived a couple days ago.

 

I assumed on the pictures that it had the smoke colored ends, but now upon receipt it turns out to have opaque dark blue-green ones. 
 

From what I can gather, this means it was a Japan only release, making it more desirable for those who collect these economy style pens. a happy surprise, but I must know more: what is the history of the Pilot Prera? Specifically, what’s up with the clear ends vs the opaque ones, and which color of Iroshizuku was mine likely intended to match?

 

[Misfit]

@The Elevator

Congratulations!

Oh wow, yours is one of the Preras that match up to Iroshizuku inks.  @migo984 has those in her collection. She posted a photo in this thread. Her photo is on this page. She does mention the opaque ends match Iroshizuku inks released in 2010.