Pilot Custom 845 Urushi

[seikoguy]

Since my acquisition of a Pilot Bamboo, a Custom 823 and a Custom 742 with a music nib, I have been on a Pilot "binge" as of late. I decided to check out what is arguably Pilot's top-of-the-line writer, the Custom 845 Urushi. It's a resin pen, with a decent heft to it - heavier than the Pilot 823, but lighter than the Bamboo. The Urushi finish is super-slick and wonderfully glossy. As an added touch, even the enclosed converter has an upper portion with an Urushi finish. Befitting a top end Pilot, the pen comes with a large two-tone nib, the #15. Enough nattering, on to the pics. As always, the decompressed pictures will have the best resolution.

 

http://www.fototime.com/E277C7CBD1220BA/orig.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/C2C337E9FCF9841/orig.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/54077DB30AF6AAD/orig.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/E27425A33AD0793/orig.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/62BEC5248E3CE17/orig.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/D9832FCABBD83AF/orig.jpg

 

 

Finally, a quick pic to illustrate scale. From left to right, Pilot Bamboo, Pilot 845, Lamy 2000.

 

http://www.fototime.com/946D0A8CDF7FAC7/orig.jpg

Edited May 15, 2007 by seikoguy

[RyanL27]

Wow! That one there is one of my dream pens.

 

I've got the Pilot 823, and have been seriously considering a Bamboo recently (is it worth it?), but that pen is just gorgeous! Have you inked it yet? If so, how does it write? Also, how well do those push-button converters work?

 

Thanks for the awesome photos.

[seikoguy]

Ryan, thank you for the kind words. Certainly not easy taking decent pics of pens so it's nice to be appreciated! I have yet to be disappointed by a Pilot fountain pen of current manufacture with their terrific fit and finish, and their wonderful nibs with excellent ink flow. It really depends on what you're looking for. All three pens will make fine daily writers. The Bamboo and the 845 are, perhaps, the more attractive of the trio. As for the 823, the review on Stylophiles said it best that this was a pen that was designed purely to be a great writer. As an 823 owner yourself, you already know that. Does one need the Bamboo or the 845? Heck, no. But there's nothing wrong with wanting them! All three pens are in current rotation now, and I have no regrets whatsoever in acquiring all three. I've found the Pilot CON-70 push-button converters to work quite well for me. So much so that I recently purchased a dozen of them to install in other Pilots in my collection, replacing the CON-20 and the CON-50 converters in them.

 

[RyanL27]

Thanks so much for the info, seikoguy! Let me know if you don't have use for all 12 of those CON-70 converters. I've been wanting to get one and match it with one of the smaller Pilot Music pens on ebay.

 

 

[seikoguy]

Ryan,

 

You're very welcome. It's my pleasure. By the way, I just sent you a PM.

 

 

[Shelley]

Sorry to dig this up again but looking at the 845 I was amazed at how , well, beautiful it looked, and now that you have had if for a while I was wondering how you like it and if you have noticed any problems with it, also how does that filling system work, just curious (and envious too).

[georges zaslavsky]

Nice looking pen Its shape reminds me somewhat the sailor sapporo.

[seikoguy]

Sorry to dig this up again but looking at the 845 I was amazed at how , well, beautiful it looked, and now that you have had if for a while I was wondering how you like it and if you have noticed any problems with it, also how does that filling system work, just curious (and envious too).

Shelly, sorry for my late reply as it's been awhile since I checked in here. The 845 has been a wonderful addition to my Pilot stable. It uses the same, large #15 nib that the Pilot 823 uses, although the nib is two-toned and appears to be a little more finely-decorated. That nib is simply an outstanding nib, and anyone that owns a pen with such a nib will tell you until you are bored to tears, that it's gloriously-smooth. Heaping more accolades on it is simply a moot point! The pump-action converter (CON-70) that the 845 comes with works VERY well - just a few quick pumps and the converter is full of ink. Whomever designed it knew what they were doing. I don't have single complaint on the 845 at all, and very pleased to have acquired it at a good price. It's a writer's pen, but one is to be admired for it's simplicity, and how well it does the job it was designed to do - put ink onto paper. Now, that having been said, the Pilot 823 gives up nothing to it. It's got that superb nib, and even more ink capacity. Sure, it's not as "classy" without that urushi finish, but what a fine writer it is!

 

[newtrane]

Does this pen have a Fine nib? Many thanks!

[Alriel]

Does this pen have a Fine nib? Many thanks!

I believe the third picture from the top shows the fine nib.

The #15 nibs are very good. I had a broad on a Custom 823 that wrote like a fat medium and I had it modified to a Condor nib (Binder trademark? ) and now I have two pens in one!

-Al

Edited March 25, 2008 by Alriel

[MYU]

I must also chime in on this thread... because I now own one of these as well. And I second what Lee has said in all regards. I don't have the Bamboo, 823, or 742. But I have many other Pilot pens and have been disappointed only once (with a cheapie--the Pilot Knight). I had been tempted to get the others that Lee mentioned, yet I couldn't resist jumping right up to the flagship pen once one came within financial reach. I will likely never get an 823, since that pen has the same nib and converter. I may go for a 742 or 743 with FA nib at some point, to see what the flexible fuss is all about (is it enough to satisfy, or will it leave one wanting a nib of vintage flex heritage).

[sidhant172]

I must also chime in on this thread... because I now own one of these as well. And I second what Lee has said in all regards. I don't have the Bamboo, 823, or 742. But I have many other Pilot pens and have been disappointed only once (with a cheapie--the Pilot Knight). I had been tempted to get the others that Lee mentioned, yet I couldn't resist jumping right up to the flagship pen once one came within financial reach. I will likely never get an 823, since that pen has the same nib and converter. I may go for a 742 or 743 with FA nib at some point, to see what the flexible fuss is all about (is it enough to satisfy, or will it leave one wanting a nib of vintage flex heritage).

 

 

 

Just wanted to clear things up. If I am not mistaken, I think although the nibs on both the custom 823 and custom 825 are #15, the one on the 823 is 14K and that on the 845 is 18K. I am curious to know if there is a difference in writing feel between the two nibs at all due to this.

 

[Silvermink]

That urushi converter is too cool.

[Idiopathos]

Don't forget the other 'Pilot' in this group. The Dunhill AD2000.

 

Mine is in a gold-speckled urushi red, with a Pilot M that is quite F, but M enough to be easy to use.

 

My 845 is a good user, too. With the same converter as the Dunhill, of course, it is a large, comfortable pen, with a B nib that is just a bit wetter.

 

Now, I'm going to buy the Bamboo, which should be the most economic way of acqiring the qualities of the above two.

[Wile E Coyote]

I must also chime in on this thread... because I now own one of these as well. And I second what Lee has said in all regards. I don't have the Bamboo, 823, or 742. But I have many other Pilot pens and have been disappointed only once (with a cheapie--the Pilot Knight). I had been tempted to get the others that Lee mentioned, yet I couldn't resist jumping right up to the flagship pen once one came within financial reach. I will likely never get an 823, since that pen has the same nib and converter. I may go for a 742 or 743 with FA nib at some point, to see what the flexible fuss is all about (is it enough to satisfy, or will it leave one wanting a nib of vintage flex heritage).

 

Hi Myu;

 

The 823 doesn't have a converter. It has a built in vacuum filler similar in function to a Visconti Power filler. It also holds a lot of ink. I haven't measured the volume but it looks to be much more than the CON-70.

 

Now you have a reason to get one.

[rogerb]

And I think the 845 is made of urushi-covered ebonite, not resin as was mentioned in the first post.

I have had 2 ....lost one in the US Customs , and had to get a replacement.

Superb pen!

The B nib is far from being Broad, btw.

[Wile E Coyote]

Just wanted to clear things up. If I am not mistaken, I think although the nibs on both the custom 823 and custom 825 are #15, the one on the 823 is 14K and that on the 845 is 18K. I am curious to know if there is a difference in writing feel between the two nibs at all due to this.

 

 

 

You are correct, the 845 has an 18k nib and the 823 has a 14k nib. I don't have both (yet) but I do have 2 MB 149s, one with 14k and another with 18k, and find the 14k to have more flexibility or spring than the 18k.

 

I'm not sure you can say for sure that the gold content is a good indicator a nib's potential flexibility. It has more to do with nib geometry and metal processing such as annealing, work hardening, etc. I believe too much gold will affect the metal's elasticity and make a nib more prone to becoming "sprung."

[bbbiswas]

Ryan, thank you for the kind words. Certainly not easy taking decent pics of pens so it's nice to be appreciated! <img src="https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/public/style_emoticons/<#EMO_DIR#>/smile.gif" style="vertical-align:middle" emoid="" border="0" alt="smile.gif" /> I have yet to be disappointed by a Pilot fountain pen of current manufacture with their terrific fit and finish, and their wonderful nibs with excellent ink flow. It really depends on what you're looking for. All three pens will make fine daily writers. The Bamboo and the 845 are, perhaps, the more attractive of the trio. As for the 823, the review on Stylophiles said it best that this was a pen that was designed purely to be a great writer. As an 823 owner yourself, you already know that. Does one <b>need</b> the Bamboo or the 845? Heck, no. But there's nothing wrong with <b>wanting</b> them! All three pens are in current rotation now, and I have no regrets whatsoever in acquiring all three. I've found the Pilot CON-70 push-button converters to work quite well for me. So much so that I recently purchased a dozen of them to install in other Pilots in my collection, replacing the CON-20 and the CON-50 converters in them.

 

I have the opposite feeling about CON-70. You cannot smoothly and gradually fill ink in this converter as you can do with CON-50. With CON-70 while pushing the button, whole pen may shake and the nib tip will hit the bottom of ink bottle and the nib will bend. For all all my PILOT pens (including 845) I have changed to CON-50. I have found the PILOT nibs tips well ground to write smoothly. Ink flow is optimum. Never had any problem with PILOT pens (maybe I am lucky with Pilot) whereas I had problems with my Montblanc 149, LE Oscar Wilde and 75th Anniversary 145 and PARKER LE DNA and Sailor PG. So PILOT is my Number 1 choice.

[leod]

I'm liking the Pilot Bamboo in that pic