Pilot Custom 74 Sf Vs Sfm Nib

[reductioadabsurdum]

Hello all,

I am looking to purchase my first "nice" fountain pen, and have decided on the Pilot Custom 74, due to the excellent reviews it gets, the nib options, the appearance, the screw cap, and perhaps most of all, the price (~$80 vs. $130+). I currently own two fountain pens - a Sheaffer Viewpoint Calligraphy Pen with a 1.5mm italic nib, and a Pilot Metropolitan with a fine nib. I enjoy both pens very much, although the nib on the Pilot is slightly deformed at the moment. The Pilot puts (put) out a beautifully thin line, which is perfect for my writing needs as a student. At last I can fit summations on one line! The problem I have with it, though, is that that when using the copy paper of infamously terrible quality that we are given in school, the nib tends to catch on the fibers of the paper, resulting in a very scratchy, unpleasant writing experience. If have none of this problem with the 1.5mm italic, of course, as the writing surface is much larger. I am therefore considering a slightly broader nib, hence the sfm in the title.

 

Now we come to the culminating question: First, precisely how much broader than the sf is the sfm, and then is the increase in line width worth the increase in smoothness?

 

Also, is there any reason to not have a soft nib on a daily workhorse? I very much like the idea of a "cushioned ride" and the ability to occasionally add some line variation.

 

Thank you in advance,

Reductioadabsurdium

Edited June 9, 2015 by reductioadabsurdum

[Iollan]

iCan't help you with the thickness of lines, but I use a soft nib as a daily pen.

 

For copy paper, you'd most likely find soft nibs to be a no go. Reason being that because of the softness of the tines, it tends to give a much wetter line, even with only slight/little to no pressure. From my personal experience with a soft nib, there would be severe feathering on copy paper. On the other hand, if you're using it as a daily pen on your own paper of decent quality, its a wonderful experience. Its a very nice pen, but in my opinion it wouldn't be the best thing for what you intend to do with it.

 

p.s. If your pilot metro nib catches fibres on the paper, its not exactly normal - and as you mentioned its deformed? I supposed there's some misalignment in the tines or something else. Since you mentioned it was fine for your purpose except for scratchiness, you could simply get it fixed or get another metro in fine. Or if you're simply looking to get a nicer pen....

[parnesh]

Get the SFM. The difference between F and M is substantial.

[shane27]

I have Custom 74s in both SF and M, and I love them both. There is a decent difference in line width between the two, but they are both very smooth. The SFM should fall in the middle somewhere. I think there is a chart that shows examples of line width for all Pilot nibs

 

I found the link to another FPN topic:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/214722-uh-oh-did-i-just-order-the-wrong-nib-for-the-namikipilot-falcon-namiki-sf-versus-fa/

[araybanfan]

Pilot 74 houses the size 5 nibs. You may consider the 91 and 92 spotting the size 5 family nibs. I pulled out the SFM from 91 to fit the 92. Here is my writing sample including the 742 SF(size 10) on copier paper from Paper one at 100 gsm. Hope this helps.

 

 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/rayshader/037_zpsb4y5zmei.jpg

Edited June 11, 2015 by araybanfan

[elevennx]

Pilot 74 houses the size 5 nibs. You may consider the 91 and 92 spotting the size 5 family nibs. Here is my writing sample including the 742 SF(size 10) on copier paper from Paper one at 100 gsm.

 

http://i2.photobucket.com/albums/y36/rayshader/037_zpsb4y5zmei.jpg

 

Did you buy the Pilot 92 with a SFM nib, or swap the nib from another pen? I know the soft nibs aren't normally available on the 92, or else I'd have that pen by now. I hate the idea of having to buy two pens just so I can get the pen/nib combination I want.

[Algester]

Did you buy the Pilot 92 with a SFM nib, or swap the nib from another pen? I know the soft nibs aren't normally available on the 92, or else I'd have that pen by now. I hate the idea of having to buy two pens just so I can get the pen/nib combination I want.

you unfortunately have to buy the 92 and the 91 for the nib combo... I might be thinking of getting a 92 myself just to get an EDC piston filler with a soft medium nib that I currently have in the CH91 not to mention I have a micro crack in the CH91 section thats currently seeping ink with no way to repair it in sight... did I mention we don't have support from Pilot on this one...

PS: I already contacted Pilot Japan... Y_Y

Edited June 13, 2015 by Algester