Jump to content

Which Pen Should I Get? Justus 95 Or Custom 743?


Zlh296830

Recommended Posts

I am currently a college student and I love using fountain pens. They just make writing much more enjoyable for me. Currently my everyday pens are Pilot Custom 823(M), Pilot Falcon(SEF), and Lamy All-Star(EF). I have them inked with different colors which is great for me to take clear notes. I love, love, love using the 823 and it is the pen I that use the most. I have a medium-heavy hand and I really enjoy the springy but not-too-soft nature of the 823 nib since it allows me to take notes with very fast hand writing (it is also very smooth!). Harder bibs are not bad writing by any means, but they are certainly not my favorites: Lamy All Star, Pilot Kaküno (F, M). I have them in the pen box simply to have more colors and to use them once in a while to switch the feel a little bit.

 

I am currently looking at Justus 95 and Custom 743 because the size and weight of them are very similar to the 823. I have tried the Justus 95 in store with dipping ink, and I find the hard setting very practical for taking notes on even cheaper paper while the soft setting gives more room to flex since it requires less pressure to spread the tines. I am aware that the 743 probably have a silightly bigger nib than the Justus 95 just like the 823 do, and has a lot more nib to choose from, such as SFM, SF, and of course the regular Fine nib.

 

You might noticed that I am not considering the broader nibs since Japanese M is the broadest nib to be practical for everyday acdemic notes, and I already got it on my amazing 823. Im only considering F-FM. The F nib I tried on Justus 95 is close to what Im looking for.

 

After the long explanation about my situation, let ask some specific questions I wish you could address. I will give a comment for each of the questions I ask to let you know what Im looking for specially. Also, please dont use price as a criteria.

 

1. Should I just get an 823 in F? (I kinda want to branch out a bit, I dont know whether it would be worth the investment to stay with the same model).

 

2. Does the nib options of 743 significantly better than the Justus 95? (Comparing the #15 SFM SF of the 743 to the Justus 95 F nib)

 

3. Is the 743 FA even worth me looking at? (I think it will be a fun nib, but Im concerned about its practiality for my every day use. I am also concerned about the railroading issue it potentially have)

 

4. I heard Sailor has great nibs. But I am concerting about the size/weight of 1911 L or pro gear L (I am not considering the King of Pen) and their ink capacity. With this in mind, should I shift my focus to Sailor?

 

5. What are some other pens with very similar size and weight has a springy (but not-too-soft) nib I should consider? (I care nothing about a flourished look, practicality is the most important thing. Its not that I dont enjoy a more colorful look, I just dont think it worth the money for me to just buying the look of the pen for my purpose)

 

 

Thank you all and I hope to hear from you guys soon!!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 13
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • Zlh296830

    4

  • Honeybadgers

    3

  • RudraDev

    2

  • gyasko

    1

Top Posters In This Topic

The Custom 743 is what I'd go for.

I love the Pilot Justus; it's a fun pen and you change the softness of the nib, but it's neither excellent at everyday writing, nor is it a super good flex pen.

 

But, since you mentioned you have a Custom 823, which is one of the best daily writers, I suppose you could go with the Justus. It'll add a little more variety to your collection.

Then, you can get a 743 down the line.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The Custom 743 is what I'd go for.

I love the Pilot Justus; it's a fun pen and you change the softness of the nib, but it's neither excellent at everyday writing, nor is it a super good flex pen.

 

But, since you mentioned you have a Custom 823, which is one of the best daily writers, I suppose you could go with the Justus. It'll add a little more variety to your collection.

Then, you can get a 743 down the line.

Thank you for the response! Which nib do you think I should get if I get the 743?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I write plenty of academic notes with stubs & broad nibs, the broadest being about 1.5mm. Broader nibs make for more legible notes, and that makes them the practical choice.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1-2: Something to consider is that the 823 and 743 use the same (Pilot #15 nib) so if you go for the 743, you can swap nibs between the pens if you choose. You could buy a 743 with a Fine (or any other) nib, and swap that fine nib into your 823, giving you the option of an 823 in Fine without having to buy another pen of the same model.

 

3: The FA nib is usable for everyday. The stock feed doesn't usually supply enough ink for Western cursive, as opposed to the short strokes of Japanese writing, but this can be rectified if you're wiling to tinker. See for example: https://flexiblenib.com/store/standard-replacement-feeds/pilot-743-fa-replacement-feed/

 

4: Sailor does offer a wide variety of specialty nibs, but they are all firm. I don't think you will find a soft nib in the lineup.

 

5: Pelikan M1000?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I use both 823 and 743 and enjoy using them a lot. My 823 has an F-nib and my 743 the PO-nib.

The PO is great for note-taking, allows for a very fine line and exact writing. My favourite note-taking pen (I print a lot, rather then write cursive)

I also have a 743 in WA and it's another one to consider, very reliable and very comfortable to write with, but more of a medium (well suited for cursive though).

 

Personally I don't like the FA nib for everyday use (unless you have an extra-light hand, maybe).

It's a fun nib for journaling or writing letters, but it kind of distracts me from my notes.

Also, I write in print for my notes and I found that the FA isn't well suited for it.

 

The Sailor 1911L is great, I enjoy the Sailor nibs and especially their feedback. Wonderful to write with. I'd choose a H-F for note-taking.

And for every-day capacity isn't really an issue. You could go for the Realo, but capacity isn't that much higher. I bought a small & portable inkwell, problem solved :)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I write plenty of academic notes with stubs & broad nibs, the broadest being about 1.5mm. Broader nibs make for more legible notes, and that makes them the practical choice.

I don’t use broad nibs is because I think will sue so much paper. Also, when writing chemical reaction mechanisms, it will be very painful if you can’t fit everything in the same page. This is just a personal preference. You may chose to write large but I prefer writing a good amount of information on the same page so I don’t have to be constantly flipping the pages when I’m reviewing them.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If you want flex, a 743 FA with a flexible nib factory ebonite feed (an extra $15 to completely transform the pen) is pretty tough to say no to.

 

If you want a very large, very light, very comfortable pen that can actually flex a little and also be firm when needed, the justus 95 is impressive. I use mine way more than I thought I would. I also use the adjuster bar a surprising amount, rather than just setting it and leaving it. If I'm writing a lot, I like the soft setting for the bounce, and if I'm doing math or chemistry formulas, I like it hard for the quickness.

 

the F nib justus is mandatory, the M seems stupid.

 

If you want a waverly or broad or stub or whatever, the 743 is your only option.

 

I would say the 95's nib is better than a SF or SFM.

 

Also, the guilloche pattern in the plastic of the 95 is a lot nicer in the hand than I thought. It really feels nice under the fingers.

 

Alternatively, in the $300 range (so about justus 95 money) you can order an 823 with an FA or waverly nib from tokyo pen quill shop (they're the only retailer pilot authorizes to sell with the FA/WA nib) I went for this option when I got an 823 and I adore that pen. It'd be a tough choice between it and the 95, but I think on balance the justus is a better everyday writer for my very specific needs, though there's absolutely nothing wrong with the FA nib as an everyday writer, I just don't love it as much when I'm writing very small mathematical and chemical formulas.

 

the 2 slot FNF ebonite feed completely solves the FA's railroading problems (which are a little more overblown than most would expect - it only starts to railroad if you're writing a lot in spencerian with a lot of shades)

Edited by Honeybadgers

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Thank you for the response! Which nib do you think I should get if I get the 743?

You can try the F or the FM nib on the 743
Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the F nib is all you're after, just go for the justus. With the bar on full, it's simply the pilot F nib.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

If the F nib is all you're after, just go for the justus. With the bar on full, it's simply the pilot F nib.

If you want flex, a 743 FA with a flexible nib factory ebonite feed (an extra $15 to completely transform the pen) is pretty tough to say no to.

 

If you want a very large, very light, very comfortable pen that can actually flex a little and also be firm when needed, the justus 95 is impressive. I use mine way more than I thought I would. I also use the adjuster bar a surprising amount, rather than just setting it and leaving it. If I'm writing a lot, I like the soft setting for the bounce, and if I'm doing math or chemistry formulas, I like it hard for the quickness.

 

the F nib justus is mandatory, the M seems stupid.

 

If you want a waverly or broad or stub or whatever, the 743 is your only option.

 

I would say the 95's nib is better than a SF or SFM.

 

Also, the guilloche pattern in the plastic of the 95 is a lot nicer in the hand than I thought. It really feels nice under the fingers.

 

Alternatively, in the $300 range (so about justus 95 money) you can order an 823 with an FA or waverly nib from tokyo pen quill shop (they're the only retailer pilot authorizes to sell with the FA/WA nib) I went for this option when I got an 823 and I adore that pen. It'd be a tough choice between it and the 95, but I think on balance the justus is a better everyday writer for my very specific needs, though there's absolutely nothing wrong with the FA nib as an everyday writer, I just don't love it as much when I'm writing very small mathematical and chemical formulas.

 

the 2 slot FNF ebonite feed completely solves the FA's railroading problems (which are a little more overblown than most would expect - it only starts to railroad if you're writing a lot in spencerian with a lot of shades)

 

Thank you very much!! I just purchased the Justus 95. I will probably do my first ever comparison review on my current pens and this new pen.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

You should like it. If you don't, reselling them for only a $20-30 loss is not hard at all.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

Link to comment
Share on other sites

The 823 with a f or fa nib gets my vote.

Pens are like watches , once you start a collection, you can hardly go back. And pens like all fine luxury items do improve with time

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Good luck with the Justus!

 

Also take a look at Sailors (they're very light, actually) and 3776s in the future, for modern pens... 3776s can be found for around $60 if you look around enough on Amazon.

 

And you might be interested in trying some vintage pens as well, if you like flex nibs.

Edited by WLSpec
Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33501
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26627
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...