Pilot Custom 845 Urushi Dark Blue arrival

[dms525]

I have enjoyed my Custom 845 Urushi Vermillion. When the dark blue version was released, I was sorely tempted and finally succumbed. It arrived today, and I think it's pretty wonderful. 

 

 

 

 

David

[PhiloPlume]

Never seen a deep blue or blue 825 or any Pilot fountain pen in that color!  Love it! And you got the nib ground to the way "we" like it 🙂

 

-paul

[Christopher Godfrey]

<...blue 825>  I think you  meant 845?  It is Pilot's latest addition to their range  -- and David has great taste, of course.

@dms525: David, the sole Pilot I own is a 743+FA nib (which I love and about which I have enthused often enough) and I want to ask you about Pilot nibs <other> than the Falcon -- <any> sort of softness or flex to them?  Your thoughts?

[Penguincollector]

 It’s so gorgeous, I can’t stop looking at it.

[dms525]

4 hours ago, Christopher Godfrey said:

David, the sole Pilot I own is a 743+FA nib (which I love and about which I have enthused often enough) and I want to ask you about Pilot nibs <other> than the Falcon -- <any> sort of softness or flex to them?  Your thoughts?

 

I have several Pilot pens. The nibs are generally smooth (unlike Sailor's toothiness) and stiff. The biggest exception - and it's a huge one - is the Custom Heritage 912 FA nib. That one is very flexible - much more so than the 743 FA. This makes me wonder about the CH 912 "Soft" nibs.

 

David

[PhiloPlume]

13 minutes ago, dms525 said:

 

I have several Pilot pens. The nibs are generally smooth (unlike Sailor's toothiness) and stiff. The biggest exception - and it's a huge one - is the Custom Heritage 912 FA nib. That one is very flexible - much more so than the 743 FA. This makes me wonder about the CH 912 "Soft" nibs.

 

David

Hi David,

I have more Pilot pens than anything else.  All models except for this one I think.  They are my favorites in EF and F, I also like the other Japanese makes: Sailor and Platinum. I do like the toothiness of the Sailors a lot.  Slows me down since not as smooth as the Pilots and also feels good writing with them. Platinums sort of have the same feel but not as much to me.  I like to write smaller/thinner than most/all people here as far as I can tell so I mostly use Japanese pens.

 

I like the Custom 823 very much in fine (wish it came in EF too) except not a big fan of the vacuum filler (I like the old fashioned converter better).  I especially like the size of Pilots.  The other two makers are tiny and not as comfortable to hold and write for me.

 

I have a custom 912 FA nib and hate it. I think it is a 912. Never use it. It writes too huge for me and does not always keep up with the ink.  However, the Pilot Metal Falcon in Fine is a dream to me!

 

Congrats on your pen.  The urushis always catch my eye. Maybe someday!  If I ever want to spend that much on a pen, it would be a Pilot and not a Mont Blanc (never tried one though)!

 

I did have some nibs ground to formal italic by three people- fine and medium.  I should do a comparison and post a pic here.  I like them very much since they to not write as "round" for me as the Franklin-Christoph cursive-italics.  Just have to write a tad slower and more deliberate with the formals but not as much as people say I must.

 

-paul

[Christopher Godfrey]

 @PhiloPlume:  re this: <I have a custom 912 FA nib...hate it...writes too huge for me...does not always keep up with the ink>

 

The answer is the same as was for my 743+FA -- the feed!  I have written about this often enough elsewhere; but go to the website of Joey Grasty of The Flexible Nib Factory and buy one of his ebonite feeds -- they are inexpensive and will cure your problem immediately.  It took me all of two minutes to complete the exchange.

 

Two points for your attention: he offers two different feeds -- one with two longitudinal channels and one with three: unless you like to draw with your pens, stay with the two-channel feed.  Secondly, when you remove your nib unit, there is a tiny collar around nib+feed: Joey Grasty advises that it is not necessary to replace it when you re-assemble: his feed was designed to work without.

 

When I first bought my 743, some years ago, I was mad at it for its hard starts and tramlining!  I had it for months, trying to make my mind up about whether or not to sell, when someone kindly told me what I have just told <you>!  (Sadly, I have now forgotten who it was -- alas!  Whoever it was: thanks a million!)  The transformation was an immediate revelation!  It is now one of my very favourite pens.  

 

https://flexiblenib.com/store/product/912en-pilot-912-fa-replacement-feed-2-slit-ink-slot-black-ebonite/

[PhiloPlume]

4 hours ago, Christopher Godfrey said:

The answer is the same as was for my 743+FA -- the feed! 

Hi Christopher,

 

I decided it is probably better to use a pointed pen and nib when I want to write something with a flexible nib. I can't quite get it correct with flexible nibs on fountain pens.  Doesn't look as good.

 

[jandrese]

Nice, I look forward to getting one.

[Christopher Godfrey]

@PhiloPlume: re this: <I decided it is probably better to use a pointed pen and nib...>  I'm not sure what you mean by this comment?  What is a "pointed pen"?  (Aren't they <all> pointed, at the sharp end?)  🙂

 

@jandrese: you look forward to getting one...<what>?