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Pilot Vp- Fine Or Medium


chilhowee12

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Good afternoon,

 

I hope everyone is doing well. I am writing to ask for advice, personal experience, and opinions regarding Pilot's VP in Fine and Medium. I am currently in the market for a VP (likely the Blue Carbonesque) and I cannot decide on a Fine or Medium nib. I do not have access to a pen shop to test out nibs so I am asking for your help in deciding. Below is a list of a few of my favorite pens that I currently own and use (maybe you can advise based on what I like/currently use).

 

TWSBI VAC 700- Fine

TWSBI Mini- Fine

Pilot Metro- Medium

 

Thanks!

 

 

Sam

Knoxville, TN

Edited by chilhowee12
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While most Japanese pens write a more narrow line than a comparably labeled western pen, I have found that my two medium nibbed Pilot Vanishing Points write a line comparable to a western medium, and many others on FPN tend to agree.

 

I have posted a writing sample from a medium Pilot Metropolitan and a medium Pilot Vanishing Point. The VP sample seems to be a bit wider than the metro sample. I do not have a fine VP to compare. Your results may vary with different pens, inks and paper choices. Good luck!

 

post-30197-0-30406800-1506454663_thumb.jpg

 

 

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While most Japanese pens write a more narrow line than a comparably labeled western pen, I have found that my two medium nibbed Pilot Vanishing Points write a line comparable to a western medium, and many others on FPN tend to agree.

 

I have posted a writing sample from a medium Pilot Metropolitan and a medium Pilot Vanishing Point. The VP sample seems to be a bit wider than the metro sample. I do not have a fine VP to compare. Your results may vary with different pens, inks and paper choices. Good luck!

 

 

Thank you for this information. Do you find that your VP Medium is smooth?

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Thank you for this information. Do you find that your VP Medium is smooth?

 

 

One of the smoothest pens I own. The 18k nib is also a bit soft. Great pens. I have one in mustard and one in blue carbonesque. Love them both.

Edited by bhbarto

 

 

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Ditto bhbarto's comments on Japanese fines being quite fine. I've pasted some photos below for reference. I've been through the exact dilemma as you, and hopefully I can provide some insight. My first question would be how you like your Pilot Metropolitan fine?

 

My thoughts:

I found that the Pilot VP in Fine was a bit too thin of a writing experience for me. It's an incredibly smooth experience in both fine and medium (and broad for that matter), but I was not a fan of the way the fine wrote. I'll try to explain why: The nib is incredibly responsive and smooth, but as noted, it's incredibly thin. Thus, any variation or shake is immediately evident. It felt good but didn't write so well. I liked the fine nibs on the TWSBIs as they are stiffer steel nibs, so the feedback still allows for a cleaner line. For Japanese gold nibs, I seem to only like when they have a bit of feedback, such as on a fine Platinum 3776.

 

Ultimately, after trying the VP in fine for about a year, I swapped out for a medium at the DC Pen Show. To be honest, if swapping wasn't an option, I would have sold the pen. I really tried to love it in fine.

 

 

Thank you for this information. Do you find that your VP Medium is smooth?

 

The VP Medium is incredibly smooth. Mediums will always feel a bit "smoother" in my opinion given the increased surface, and the pen runs on the wetter side regardless of nib. It seems that your experience is with fine nibs, and TWSBIs are quite similar in feel to a Japanese fine steel nib.

 

One last piece of advice: it's pretty easy to swap out the nib and feed, and a lot of vendors will sell the nibs for each one separately. You could probably find a vendor willing to swap (either at a pen show) or you could actually buy both sizes depending on your mood. If I had liked the VP fine more, I would have done that. I actually have two TWSBI 580ALs but with a broad range of nibs that I swap out depending on my mood (or whatever else I'm carrying).

 

fpn_1506457552__20170926_154951_002.jpg

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I'd get the medium. You would also not go wrong with the broad. It's not too broad even on crappy paper. To echo bhbarto, they are some of the smoothest stock nibs right out of the box of any pens I own.

 

Glenn

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I think it depends on your handwriting. If it is small a F might be just what you need. I have a Pilot VP in a fine and can't complain about it's smoothness. One thing about a F nib is that it will just sip ink and a cartridge or fill will last longer than a medium, which might be a consideration if you are using it to take notes at a meeting, where a VP really shines....no cap to fumble with. Another consideration is how heavy handed you are. If you are used to using ballpoints an M would be great if you have a light touch and smaller handwriting the F might fit you well..

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I think it depends on your handwriting. If it is small a F might be just what you need.

 

100% agreed here. I tend to prefer Japanese mediums and above for larger cursive handwriting, but fines are better IMO for when you're writing small.

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I do very well with the fine, but I bought it from a seller who tested, and if necessary adjusted, all his nibs before sending them out. That was Richard Binder, now retired. I also have a medium which was not tweaked before, and it's good too.

 

I'd say it's a matter of what you prefer, but if you sometimes have to write on cheaper papers (as I do at work), you might find that the fine nib gives you a more manageable line width, as the ink can spread out a bit more on cheap paper. At least, that's my experience.

 

Ditto the comments on handwriting size, although my own writing tends to be rather large.

"So convenient a thing it is to be a reasonable creature, since it enables one to find or make a reason for everything one has a mind to do."

 

- Benjamin Franklin

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Everybody's mileage varies with his/her preferences. My own preferences go to both ends of the spectrum (fine nibs and 1.0-1.5-mm stubs). A friend loaned me a medium-point VP to try out; it was very nice, not too broad at all for my tastes. Nevertheless, when I made my purchase, I went for the fine-point, and I have absolutely no regrets. It is not butter-smooth, but I prefer a little feedback when I write, so it is perfect for me. I have heard that the EF gets a little scritchy, but I have no personal experience, and I probably would not buy one, given how much I like the F. At some point in the future I might get a second VP with the 1.0 stub.

Until you ink a pen, it is merely a pretty stick. --UK Mike

 

My arsenal, in order of acquisition: Sailor 21 Pocket Pen M, Cross Solo M, Online Calligraphy, Monteverde Invincia F, Hero 359 M, Jinhao X450 M, Levenger True Writer M, Jinhao 159 M, Platinum Balance F, TWSBI Classic 1.1 stub, Platinum Preppy 0.3 F, 7 Pilot Varsity M disposables refillables, Speedball penholder, TWSBI 580 USA EF, Pilot MR, Noodler's Ahab 1.1 stub, another Preppy 0.3, Preppy EF 0.2, ASA Sniper F, Click Majestic F, Kaweco Sport M, Pilot Prera F, Baoer 79 M (fake Starwalker), Hero 616 M (fake Parker), Jinhao X750 Shimmering Sands M . . .

31 and counting :D

 

DaveBj

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Everybody's mileage varies with his/her preferences. My own preferences go to both ends of the spectrum (fine nibs and 1.0-1.5-mm stubs). A friend loaned me a medium-point VP to try out; it was very nice, not too broad at all for my tastes. Nevertheless, when I made my purchase, I went for the fine-point, and I have absolutely no regrets. It is not butter-smooth, but I prefer a little feedback when I write, so it is perfect for me. I have heard that the EF gets a little scritchy, but I have no personal experience, and I probably would not buy one, given how much I like the F. At some point in the future I might get a second VP with the 1.0 stub.

Thanks for that info. I'm almost sold on a fine nib. Any chance you share a writing sample? Again, thanks to everyone for their comments. I love my TWSBI fine nibs and hope to have a similar experience.

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