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Pilot "U" product line (questions)


awa54

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First off, I recently acquired a NOS 1970s U branded Pilot that uses the same nib as the Custom Grandee, but in a very slim pen with a fixed clip and stainless cap. as one might expect it writes very nicely and while many would call it too thin, I happen to like slim pens so I'm quite pleased with my purchase.

 

Second, I've idly wondered about this branding before; it seems to be found on 70s and 80s (maybe early 90s as well?) slim pens with gold nibs, some I've seen (or own) are colored lacquer over metal, others like this one are resin and stainless... perhaps these were a full length, though less ornamented "L" equivalent?

this pen has a ¥5000 tag, so it fell somewhere in the middle of Pilot's regular line, neither a budget, nor premium priced offering.

 

Any insights on this branding line would be very interesting to hear.

 

Thanks!

 

**correction: I finally put in the work and rummaged through all the boxes of basket-case pens I own and the green lacquer pen is "L" branded, though otherwise dimensionally identical to a "U" branded pen I own, at this point I will have to admit that if I got that wrong, it's likely that a similar red lacquered pen I saw in an Ebay auction is probably an L pen too :(

 

s-l1600 (1).jpg

s-l1600 (2).jpg

s-l1600 (3).jpg

s-l1600 (4).jpg

s-l1600.jpg

David-

 

So many restoration projects...

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Posted Images

No idea, but I do want to compliment you on your photos. 

 

While I'm here, I'd like to ask if you would mind posting the diameter of this pen at the capband (if there were one)? Thanks. 

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1 hour ago, Paul-in-SF said:

No idea, but I do want to compliment you on your photos. 

 

While I'm here, I'd like to ask if you would mind posting the diameter of this pen at the capband (if there were one)? Thanks. 

 

LOL! those are skimmed from the auction I won...

 

I do however own pro level photo gear and have the skills to take pictures *like* that, I've just been too lazy to set up a photo nook with neutral color temperature lighting and diffusors.

at my work I set up a mini-studio for jewelry photography, so the goldsmiths could document and promote their custom creations... just haven't gotten around to it at home :(

 

the cap measures 10.1mm where it meets the barrel.

 

attached are comparison pics of this pen with my other "U".

 

I also own the remains of an "L" branded pen that's dimensionally identical to the all stainless/red U, but has a metallic green patterned lacquer over brass cap and barrel. it also has an identical section, feed and nib layout, with green resin section.

that pen had been left with some ink in it that literally fused the feed into the section, I removed the nib and created a 14k nibbed Franken-Birdie with it... that gives you a size reference for these pens!

 

 

DSC02820smcr.JPG

DSC02821smcr.JPG

David-

 

So many restoration projects...

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25 minutes ago, awa54 said:

the cap measures 10.1mm where it meets the barrel.

 

Thanks. That really is a slim pen. 

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When I first saw the post, I thought it was this Pilot disposable erasable fountain pen.  

 

Thank your for sharing this find.

PL04791-BK-ZZZ_Pilot-V-Pen-Erasable-Ink-Fountain-Pen-Black_P1.jpeg

Fountain pens are my preferred COLOR DELIVERY SYSTEM (in part because crayons melt in Las Vegas).

Create a Ghostly Avatar and I'll send you a letter. Check out some Ink comparisons: The Great PPS Comparison 

Don't know where to start?  Look at the Inky Topics O'day.  Then, see inks sorted by color: Blue Purple Brown Red Green Dark Green Orange Black Pinks Yellows Blue-Blacks Grey/Gray UVInks Turquoise/Teal MURKY

 

 

 

 

 

 

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49 minutes ago, amberleadavis said:

When I first saw the post, I thought it was this Pilot disposable erasable fountain pen.  

 

Thank your for sharing this find.

PL04791-BK-ZZZ_Pilot-V-Pen-Erasable-Ink-Fountain-Pen-Black_P1.jpeg

 

Eraseable?!?!

 

I had no idea Pilot had perfected the Black Arts!

David-

 

So many restoration projects...

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Thanks for showing this. Would love to find one. I was in the process of buying the one below (resin, not lacquer) and the seller's wife decided she wanted it ... Broke my heart! 😄 (But that reminds me to ask his wife if she wants to sell it now ...).

 

Supposedly, but perhaps it's only 2nd-hand conjecture, Pilot's "V" means "view" (as in a ink view window), "E" means "Elite", and "L" means "lady" (am I forgetting any letters?). I wonder what the "U" means?

 

large.273217778_637107144063947_7875527887096908739_n.jpg.453a5baa31aacd89a5f1ce28392ab0ab.jpg

 

large.273852886_996518480949054_7982032852774760760_n.jpg.6af5dbdfa6cb63d949159e1066ac9e72.jpg large.272327194_1272119253606332_5192201307208681195_n.jpg.19fdc1ac9d0a6b1c1005b1b7658b8528.jpg

 

 

My pens for sale: https://www.facebook.com/jaiyen.pens  

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  • 2 weeks later...
On 5/19/2022 at 11:23 PM, PithyProlix said:

"L" means "lady" (am I forgetting any letters?)

 

L can also be for "Laurate"  There's also "R".

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