Pilot Capless/vanishing Point

[Steven]

I have been using my Pilot VP (older aluminum body) for over 35 years in a fine point. I had to replace the original nib assebly many years ago since the metal started to crack and also started to corode in some places from daily use. This pen has a very smooth nib, feels good when writing and is a work horse. I bought it while in college and have been using it in my rotation ever since. I could own the company for what I have spent buying cartredges for it. I also own the current Raden model and it weighs more and feels a bit fatter than my older VP but it is also a joy to write with. The nib assembly has not changed since I bought the original which allowed me to easily replace the one that wore out. So I highly recomend the VP.

[mirosc]

matte black?

there are lots of reports here for scratching and lost plating.

You should know that beforehand.

[Moshe ben David]

I used to be in retail sales which meant whilst on the sales floor I was constantly taking notes and pulling/replacing my pen in my shirt pocket. I have two VP in M nib and found them very convenient as well as practical in that environment. Both are very smooth writers and wrote perfectly straight out of the box. I highly endorse the VP!

 

When thinking of nib size on these or any other Japanese pen and mentally comparing to an American or European pen, please keep in mind that the Japanese nibs tend to be on the 'finer' size relatively speaking. In other words, a M nib may appear similar to a F nib from a European or American maker.

[Tamlynn2210]

I once was in position like you and ordered one <F> Capless from Hong Kong, the nib was scratching, making screeching sounds, dry, unusable. I tried different inks, washing it, nothing helped. I tried putting a razor between the tines and smoothing the nib with very fine sandpaper and I made it even worse. Finally, angrily trying to get it to write using different methods I destroyed the nib completely. (Yes, I was an idiot, but at that time I didn't know about anyone who could repair the nib in Europe.)

 

I didn't want to give up, since I dreamed of this pen for a very long time: I bought a new nib unit in a local pen shop (almost for the price of the whole pen + nib from HK), tried it in the store – finally I have gotten my Capless to write.

 

However, even with the tested nib I am not very fond of its writing, the stainless steel nibs of MR/Prera feel much better to me. I think this is common among the interviews – not a lot of people rate the nib as 'very good' or even 'exceptional' out of the box. If I were you, I would definitely think about having the nib tuned, since you are in Europe, there is a FPN member in the UK who could do that… The expenses of having a tuned VP from the US would be immense.

 

Another thing you should consider, if you're looking after the black matte variant, is the durability of the finish.

I wasn't aware of the durability issues with the matte black . I ordered one this morning from Cult Pens and now I'm thinking I may have made a mistake. Are the Carbonesque models more durable?

[Koyote]

Great pen. Since it has a relatively small ink capacity, I use it with the excellent Pilot cartridges -- blue and blue/black, both wonderful inks.

[tomkeb]

I wasn't aware of the durability issues with the matte black . I ordered one this morning from Cult Pens and now I'm thinking I may have made a mistake. Are the Carbonesque models more durable?

 

I would say it is, but in your case – since you bought the pen from an official retailer – there should be a solution if anything goes wrong. I think I read, here on FPN, about a man whose Capless finish didn't last, he contaced the UK Pilot office and they said it was unacceptable for such an expensive pen and gave him a new one… if I am remembering right. Maybe you can find the particular post.

[beboy]

I am also a beginner in FP and Pilot VP is one of the first pens I got. For a former ballpoint user, it is perfect. The clip might be an issue for some, but for me it is a reminder to prevent me not to turn the pen in my hand and avoid the nib to be at an inappropriate angle. Also the medium nib is so smooth. I tried the fine nib first, but it was too scratchy for me.

I also like that it draws less attention (I have the matte black version, no scratch after 1 month of extensive use) from other people, so can almost use a good quality fountain pen incognito.

[Centopar]

I'm sure I read somewhere else here that there was a problem only with an early batch of matte black ones. Worth a search if you're worried.

 

This afternoon, I had a meeting with a guy I've never met before, where I had to interview him for some design contracting work. We both got our VPs out of our bags simultaneously. He got the job. (Not because of the pen - but it did help us establish that we have an affinity!)

[kiavonne]

I have several vanishing point pens, and yet another one on the way. I found a great deal on a pre-owned (used) one from John Mottishaw, and even with a custom nib grind, it is less than retail. Being a great workhorse, a "nearly mint" modern vanishing point is still a pretty good pen.

 

I use the Pilot proprietary cartridges with my vp's, as the converters hold next to nothing for ink. The cartridges, on the other hand, hold more ink than most other brands, and they are way easier to refill, since the mouth of the cartridge is so wide. A bottle of ink and a starting box of cartridges, and one will be set up for a good while.

 

I don't think you'll have a problem with the clip placement. A regular tri-grip should work fine, and as someone else mentioned, It actually helps me keep my grip in the proper place.

 

The nibs are fairly smooth, and I've never had much in the way of issues with them. They are finer than western nibs, but I really like them. I have medium, find, and custom cursive italic nib units for my vp's.

Edited January 20, 2014 by kiavonne

[Moshe ben David]

I wasn't aware of the durability issues with the matte black . I ordered one this morning from Cult Pens and now I'm thinking I may have made a mistake. Are the Carbonesque models more durable?

 

I can give a 1/2 answer. I don't have the matte black, but I do have a blue carbonesque. I find the finish very durable. It also has a tactile sense lacking in smooth finishes -- the carbonesque have a definite texture to them. You'd probably want to handle one to see if it suits you or not. I love it.

[Ink Sandwich]

Just three small things to add:

 

1) If you're unsure if you're comfortable with the clip on the 'wrong' end, just take a thick ballpoint pen upside down and pretend to write with it. You've written that you use a normal tripod grip, so you should be fine with the Capless as well.

 

2) I bought my pen from a Japanese seller on eBay. I've read somewhere that, depending on whether you buy it, Japanese nib sizes on the Capless can be different to those sold in the US or elsewhere, i.e. Japanese nibs could be finer, Western nibs broader. My Capless has a Japanese Fine nib, and I'm fine with that, but it's really a EF or XXF nib by Western standards. The thickness is good, but it tends to be a bit more picky than my other FPs when it comes to ink / paper combinations. This might be a drawback, since it doesn't take too well to my standard Pelikan Blue Black, but Montblanc (which is however much more expensive) works extremely well with it and makes it the smoothest and finest FP I have.

 

3) If you're from Ireland and paying with Euros, the exchange rates at the moment are extremely favourable for the Yen. I'd pay about 25% less than when I bought it about a year ago.

 

Hope this helps!

[Tamlynn2210]

Thanks for all your replies, everyone. The Matte Black version should be at my house right now but I'll have to wait until I get home from work to play with it :-). I'm going to see how I like the feel of the finish before I decide whether to keep it or not. I take good care of my pens and have a spot ready in my pen case for the Capless so it won't be bashed about too much, but if it really is that easily scraped I would rather send it back for another model.

 

I also notice that Cult Pens sell the Capless bodies separately. Does anyone have a collection of bodies and just a few nibs and swap them about :-)? Or is it just more economical to buy an entire pen?

[kiavonne]

I have several vanishing points, simply because I like the different finishes and colors available. I have some of the limited editions, as well as several of the solid colors. I also buy just the nib units now and again so I can swap out nibs, such as a custom grind italic vs the standard nib.

 

Economically, if you're happy with the one pen and body style you've chosen and don't feel the want or need for more, swapping out nib units would be the way to go. For me, the vanishing point is like those potato chips you hear about, I can't have just one. Plus, when working or in seminars or classes, I like to have at least two, and maybe even three, pens at hand with different colors of ink.

[Elyptic]

As a new Pilot Vanishing Point owner (first fountain pen and have had it less than a week), I can't help but think I've found the perfect pen system for me. That's not to say that I won't try other styles of pens, as this first fountain pen has opened up my curiosity, but for a workhorse, it would be hard to convince me there's something better out there.

 

Let me also state that I, like many others, work in a professional setting but have a somewhat casual dress code (engineer) and often, no pocket on my shirt.

 

My reasons for liking the VP are:

1. Not flashy. The matte black version fits in as a low-key pen (as do a few of the other colors / styles). I've never seen anyone carry a gold accented pen where I work. And therefore, I wouldn't want to either.
2. No cap. I know this is somewhat obvious, but caps simply get in the way. I'm walking from meeting to meeting, to engineering labs, to other people's cubes / offices all day. I carry a simple notebook, a pen, and my cell phone with me. Often, I'm writing standing up, or on the corner of a table. Having to uncap a pen and then keep track of the cap, is just not practical. Not to mention that one handed pen use is awesome (and necessary) when standing.
3. Nib options. The fact that the whole nib unit comes out and is easy to swap seems like a great way to have an easy rotation of pens in a common form factor.
4. Metal body. I want something durable. While the matte black finish has gotten mixed reviews, my pen is going to get dropped. It's just a fact of my life. Therefore, I don't want to worry about something cracking and ink spilling everywhere.

It really boils down to use...

Edited January 21, 2014 by Elyptic

[warblerick]

I once was in position like you and ordered one <F> Capless from Hong Kong, the nib was scratching, making screeching sounds, dry, unusable. I tried different inks, washing it, nothing helped. I tried putting a razor between the tines and smoothing the nib with very fine sandpaper and I made it even worse. Finally, angrily trying to get it to write using different methods I destroyed the nib completely. (Yes, I was an idiot, but at that time I didn't know about anyone who could repair the nib in Europe.)

 

I didn't want to give up, since I dreamed of this pen for a very long time: I bought a new nib unit in a local pen shop (almost for the price of the whole pen + nib from HK), tried it in the store – finally I have gotten my Capless to write.

 

However, even with the tested nib I am not very fond of its writing, the stainless steel nibs of MR/Prera feel much better to me. I think this is common among the interviews – not a lot of people rate the nib as 'very good' or even 'exceptional' out of the box. If I were you, I would definitely think about having the nib tuned, since you are in Europe, there is a FPN member in the UK who could do that… The expenses of having a tuned VP from the US would be immense.

 

Another thing you should consider, if you're looking after the black matte variant, is the durability of the finish.

On the contrary, mine was really quite exceptional out of the box. Purchased at Pen Boutique many years ago, and never had any nib-meister touch it.

[warblerick]

I wasn't aware of the durability issues with the matte black . I ordered one this morning from Cult Pens and now I'm thinking I may have made a mistake. Are the Carbonesque models more durable?

I have the blue carbonesque, and have never had ANY issues with it. A fine writer and sturdy,

[Blue_Moon]

As a new Pilot Vanishing Point owner , I can't help but think I've found the perfect pen system for me. That's not to say that I won't try other styles of pens, as this first fountain pen has opened up my curiosity, but for a workhorse, it would be hard to convince me there's something better out there.

 

+100

Edited January 21, 2014 by Blue_Moon

[Tamlynn2210]

It came! And I love it :-). The finish on the Matte Black is lovely. The only problem is I now want a White Carbonesque one

 

Excuse my chicken scratch :-(

Edited January 21, 2014 by Tamlynn2210

[Elyptic]

It came! And I love it :-). The finish on the Matte Black is lovely. The only problem is I now want a White Carbonesque one

 

Excuse my chicken scratch :-(

 

So glad you're happy with it!

 

And to be fair, your chicken scratch is legible... Mine is ... well.... let's just say I'm working on it...