What Are Pilot Varsities Like?

[NewPenMan]

Thinking of grabbing a bunch of them...curious what they're like..similar to other Pilots, such as the 78g?

 

Thank you

[TheRealScubaSteve]

They're decently smooth with a touch of feedback, but the nib is rolled so a bit unlike most other pens' nibs. They can be refilled as well so it's hard to go wrong for a couple bucks. Also they pretty much never dry out or suffer from hard starts because there's a wick in the feed.

[bogiesan]

Varstiys are perfectly serviceable, non-refillable (can be done), throw away pens. If you're buying at a deep discount, get all you can afford. Keep some, give some away as gifts to avid writers who are afraid of fountain pens. But If you're paying straight list, don't get carried away on the first purchase; you can always buy more if you want to, they're available easily.

[NewPenMan]

Cool.

 

Sounds like refilling accomplished by pulling out nib and feed?

[lurcho]

The Varsity is unbelievably great. I can't remember if I tweaked the one I've been using for the last two years (after refilling, obviously), but if I did it was a very minor nib-slit widening using the thumbnail method demonstrated on, for instance, John Mottoshaw's site.

 

I've no idea if the Preppy by Platinum is of comparable writing quality (and those pens, at a similar price-point,are explicitlt refillable), but you can't go wrong with these little rippers. The Varsities, I mean.

 

By the way, someone above said these pens had a 'rolled' nib, which I took to mean 'folded under'. This used to be the case with the version of the Varsity sold in Britain - the V-Pen - but the current models sport a proper lump of hard stuff. like proper nibs do.

 

Except they're better than some expensive ones.

 

These nibs, concocted from slender stainless steel, are also pretty flexible. Soft.

[lurcho]

Sorry. But you do refill them by wrapping an elastic band, or folded tissue, around the nib and feed, and yank with pliers. Easy-peasy.

[benbot517]

The Varsity is a pen that is far too good for the price they charge. I bought a pack of them in all different colors, and I loan them out to people who want to try a fountain pen. It's a great introduction. Every single one in the pack was great.

[Danny Kaffee]

I've found they are excellent writers. In fact, I have several more expensive FP's that don't write nearly as nicely.

[SujiCorp12345]

There's another way to refill them: (from an earlier post by Amber)

 

Edited March 22, 2015 by Suji

[nujnay]

It's pilot V-pen in certain parts of the world. Please ignore the writing. Doing my homework lol.

 

The nib is without doubt is very good. Some might not like the weight of the pen because it is very light and the cheap plastic feel to the pen. The clip isn't that springy so it is not wise to clip it onto your jeans. I feel that it might just break. Otherwise, it is a great pen at a great value. Plenty of hack to refil and huge ink capacity. I use mine almost everyday. Hope this helps

 

*edit: omg why is the picture upside down! Argh

Edited March 22, 2015 by nujnay

[NewPenMan]

Are they medium-size nibs only?

[shawndp]

The Varsity is M as far as I know but the V-Pen (almost the same thing) can be had in a F - not sure where you can buy those though (a friend had the F). I always have a Varsity in my bag as they are the ultimate backup pen - never dry, never skip and never leak. You can refill them with your fav inks and also scrub the bodies with acetone to give it a matte-ice finish. I bought a dozen pack and did that for one of my friends who draws with them.

[DaveBj]

Here's a refill method that doesn't involve taking the pen apart. I haven't had to do this yet, but I have the necessary equipment.

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NQsNOTA6gTg

[ISW_Kaputnik]

Since they can actually be refilled, I've found them to be good for inks that I don't want to use in "better" pens because of clogging issues. In particular, I keep one filled with Noodler's Fox for the rare times I want to mark something up in waterproof red.

 

Here is the method that I use to refill them.

 

I've never used this method, but it seems that it might work, and would be less likely to damage your pen if it did.

[OcalaFlGuy]

I have said before the Best First, $20 FP is the 7 pack of all the different colors Varsities. You can get them on Fleabay for less than $20 shipped, they even come in their own little case.

 

Without having to search through ink reviews, you get 7 pretty decent and usable colors, that can, as has been noted be refilled.

 

They are great to give out as FPs to people who want to try a FP.

 

They are nearly foolproof. I tried to bake one in a car in Fla for 4 months.

 

 

It walked out of the fiery furnace. Wrote first touch to paper.

Bruce in Ocala, Fl

[Charles Rice]

They are a lot of fun. I love to give them away, too. My brother found two in his basement that had been there forever. They wrote perfectly on the first try.

[NewPenMan]

How does the varsity or vpen compare to the preppy, esp as the latter is already refillable?

 

Comparablen nib? Anything setting one above the other?

[Buzz_130]

The Platinum Preppy nib is very different from the Varsity or V-pen. The Platinum is a nail. The Platinum nib also comes in different sizes (and even colors if that appeals to you). Unscrew the body, fill a cartridge, and write. The Preppy's looks is also closer to more conventional pens.

 

Buzz

[NewPenMan]

If a pen is a "nail," is that a good thing?

[tinkerteacher]

If you're a semi-old fart like me, you'll instantly recognise the 'feed system' of the Varsity/V Pen. It's straight out of a 1980s Pilot V5 and V7 rollerball pen. Pilot has since managed to take that uber-simple ink delivery system from the V5 rollerball, which really only consists of a long thick synthetic fiber encased in a plastic tube (the fins are for show), and hack on all sorts of ink delivery systems from highlighers, permanent markers to fountain pens.

 

Also check out the Petit1, the Varsity/V Pen's smaller, cuter cousin.

 

You can pick up V Pens for around USD 1, or USD 9 for a ten pack, through online Japanese Market retailers if your Google Translate skills are high enough.