Pilot Prera Madness

[brunico]

Just wanted to know if the Prera nibs fit in any other Pilot pen?

 

Yes, the Penmanship (EF), Plumix/Pluminix (italics), Metropolitan/MR and 78G, possibly others. There are two different feeds - one for Pilot cartridges and one for international cartridges, where Pilot markets these - but the nibs are the same and fit both types.

 

why spend hundreds of dollars on fairly inexpensive pens when you could get one or two high end Japanese fountain pens with gold nibs that have been adjusted to your liking?

 

Well, for one, Sailor doesn't do a Professional Gear in lime green

 

I have a Sapporo with a custom-ground nib as well as a Prera. The Sapporo is 'nicer' to use, much in the same way that it adds a little something to the experience of tea to drink it from decent china rather than from a mug given away by a drugs company. But they leave marks on paper in the same way, and neither gives me any trouble, so I'm happy with both.

 

The Prera scores over the Sapporo in that one doesn't fret about tossing it into a bag. For those of us who don't use ballpoints or rollerballs for anything - or have way too many inks - inexpensive, reliable fountain pens are worth their weight in gold.

[Aramchek]

New member of the Prera fan club here. Bought one in Ivory with F nib recently and while I'm sure that either the Sailor Professional Gear I bought at the same time or the Prera is the most pleasant to write with of all the pens I have, I'm not sure which of them is the best (which is impressive considering the price difference). Still I wasn't planning to get another Prera (I prefer variety) but then I saw the translucent ones on this thread... Dang FPN its army of enablers! Normally I don't care for C/C demonstrators, but those are nice!

I'm currently using Pilot blue-black which is a bit too bright for my taste but otherwise quite nice. I just hope mine doesn't share the Diamine allergy since that's the brand I have most bottles from.

 

Oh, regarding the plastic thingie that is used to break the seal on cartridges - it is also in the MR.

[Gloucesterman]

Some flaw of what? I'm not sure what you mean.

 

People are different-y. Some of us love color, and like having many workmanlike, inexpensive pens in sooo many colors (like the Safari!)

 

Different pens for different people!

Now does the new roll of paper roll from the top or the bottom? Hmmm :mellow:

[thag]

It's all your money, but why spend hundreds of dollars on fairly inexpensive pens when you could get one or two high end Japanese fountain pens with gold nibs that have been adjusted to your liking? I'm not bashing anyone here, just am not following the thinking. A fine pen like a fine watch will last a lifetime. Again, not complaining here. Your money, your pens, your prerogative. Just really curious because every other thread is about some flaw.

 

Why would a pen snob be lurking on a Prera thread?

[Edwaroth]

I have one Prera in Solid Blue. New in box for 25USD. I have no plans to buy another. I'd rather the next 25USD be spent on a Picasso

[JemC]

I just hope mine doesn't share the Diamine allergy since that's the brand I have most bottles from.

 

 

My Prera loves Diamine inks. It's currently loaded up with Red Dragon and works excellently. I should note that I converted it to an eyedropper, but I doubt that would make the difference.

[Edwaroth]

For the record, I swapped a medium 78G nib for the Prera fine and it truly is a sweet writer now. I still would not buy another. It's a nice pen but there are others out there of better qaulity and finer writing abilities...even at 25USD.

[kemuri]

I'm new to the Prera. Just got one one in my mail last week.

 

M nib, demonstrator with a violet end. Just very, very light but a great pen so far.

 

I saw all the nice pectures posted at this thread. All converted to eyedroppers!

 

Does anyone can tell which is the best way to convert it?

 

Thanks!

 

 

-kemuri

[thag]

I'm new to the Prera. Just got one one in my mail last week.

 

M nib, demonstrator with a violet end. Just very, very light but a great pen so far.

 

I saw all the nice pectures posted at this thread. All converted to eyedroppers!

 

Does anyone can tell which is the best way to convert it?

 

Thanks!

 

 

-kemuri

 

I converted an orange accent Prera today. It is my first eyedropper. I used silicone grease only. No o-ring. I have heard of one other person not using grease or an o-ring. I'm too chicken to do that.

 

So far, so good. Doesn't appear to be any leakage. The thread section is pretty long, so it should not be a problem.

Edited June 18, 2013 by thag

[JemC]

I've been using my Prera as an eyedropper for over a year now, just using silicone grease, and it's been perfect.

 

The Prera definitely has long & snug enough threads that an ample sheet of silicone application will completely seal in the ink.

 

I see the o-ring being most useful for people who are inclined to overtighten, especially on pens with brittle plastic - a good example being the Platinum Preppy.

[arcadeflow]

I have a red Pilot 78g M nib, and received a gray Pilot Prera F nib. I bought it from StationeryArt for $25+shipping. At first, I wondered why some stores sell it for $50, when in fact it is a simple pen made with light plastic (at first it didn't even think it was that much better than the 78g plastic). But after handling it a little, I understood that it is much better finished, the details are finer, and I just love the cap action, the way it opens and closes is a pleasure. I still believe $50 is too much, but I liked it a lot, the nib is much better than my 78g M, even though people say they are the same. Maybe they are finished with more care, or maybe I just prefer F nibs, or maybe my 78g is faulty. The extra weight is nice when cap is posted, it feels like a well thought out pen, maybe that is why they charge more for it. I have a Metropolitan coming so that will be another quality level to compare.

Edited June 23, 2013 by arcadeflow

[kemuri]

 

I converted an orange accent Prera today. It is my first eyedropper. I used silicone grease only. No o-ring. I have heard of one other person not using grease or an o-ring. I'm too chicken to do that.

 

So far, so good. Doesn't appear to be any leakage. The thread section is pretty long, so it should not be a problem.

 

I just did it today (turn it to eyedropper).

 

Didn't use grease or o-ring and it is working fine.

 

As Thag said, the threads are just good enogh to keep the ink inside... looks like it was made for it!

 

Thanks!

 

 

-kemuri

[thag]

 

I just did it today (turn it to eyedropper).

 

Didn't use grease or o-ring and it is working fine.

 

As Thag said, the threads are just good enogh to keep the ink inside... looks like it was made for it!

 

Thanks!

 

 

-kemuri

We are both on FP Geeks discussing the same subject! ;-)

[kemuri]

That's true, friend!

 

Didn't notice that!

 

-kemuri

[Aramchek]

Well, now I'm a wee bit less pleased with my Prera. I had it with me and noticed it sounded strange when I moved it. So, I unscrewed the barrel and was rewarded with blue hands Somehow, the converter had come loose. This is my first Pilot pen, I'm guessing I used less force than I should have when I first attached it.

[thag]

Well, now I'm a wee bit less pleased with my Prera. I had it with me and noticed it sounded strange when I moved it. So, I unscrewed the barrel and was rewarded with blue hands Somehow, the converter had come loose. This is my first Pilot pen, I'm guessing I used less force than I should have when I first attached it.

 

Sorry to hear that. I have several Preras and the converters wedge in pretty tight.

[ukobke]

Well, now I'm a wee bit less pleased with my Prera. I had it with me and noticed it sounded strange when I moved it. So, I unscrewed the barrel and was rewarded with blue hands Somehow, the converter had come loose. This is my first Pilot pen, I'm guessing I used less force than I should have when I first attached it.con

Next time press harder the con-20. It fits perfectly. I had the same problem with a Custom 74, but it was my fault.

[kemuri]

Well.. some pics of the Prera turned to eyedropper.

 

 

http://i1366.photobucket.com/albums/r768/xkemurix/Fountain%20Pens/IMG370_zps49ecab81.jpg

 

http://i1366.photobucket.com/albums/r768/xkemurix/Fountain%20Pens/IMG372_zps24a08b02.jpg

 

Let's see if It works!!

 

 

-kemuri

Edited July 3, 2013 by kemuri

[Misfit]

I’m reviving this topic, because it was fun to read when I was searching for reviews of the lime green Prera. If I don’t revive it, it’s hard to find. 
 

My first Prera was a demonstrator with light blue ends, and a M calligraphy nib. When I wrote with it, wow what a great nib. 
 

Several years later, I decided I needed a new pen because of life’s frustrations. Although I’d be very poor if I bought a pen for the frustrations of now. I like the lime green color. I put Diamine Blue Edition Ho Ho Ho in it, and it wrote well. 
 

The light or soft blue is appealing, and maybe brown and/or ivory. 
 

Here are mine:

(The flash makes the pen more green than it is.)

 

[Olya]

On that note, some of the solid colours have been discontinued last year.

 

Yellow, Lime Green, Soft Blue and White are no longer in production.

 

Brown, Slate Grey, Royal Blue, Vivid Pink and Ivory are still being produced.

 

The demonstrator line, Iro-Ai, is the same as ever.

 

The prices for the discontinued colours are crazy on eBay.