Pilot Cavalier

[Immoteus]

I have a Pilot Cavalier coming in soon and I was wondering about the user experience with the Cavalier. Thanks in advance!

[lingyuki]

WooHoo! A pen I've used before~

 

The Cavalier is a beautiful pen, with a wonderful nib like standard Pilot pens. It has a good heft, considering the thinness of the pen. Some people might call it a women's pen because of its thinness. I had a pink one with a fine nib and I loved it. Until my sister took it from me~

[willietheshakes]

The Cavalier is a beautiful pen, with a wonderful nib like standard Pilot pens. It has a good heft, considering the thinness of the pen. Some people might call it a women's pen because of its thinness. I had a pink one with a fine nib and I loved it. Until my sister took it from me~

 

It might not be just the thinness that makes people think it's a women's pen...

[Immoteus]

Thanks for the input! My friend just returned from Japan for some personal business and I received this pen as a present for helping him setup his new life in socal. I'm grateful for the gift; but I really don't like this pen (too thin and its cart only).

[dcande01]

Does anyone know what the nib is made of? I haven't been able to find this info. anywhere.

[Betty]

Does anyone know what the nib is made of? I haven't been able to find this info. anywhere.

 

It's a steel nib.

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

It takes the Con-20 converter. You can put it up for sale. I am sure someone will be interested in it.

 

Dillon

[Saintpaulia]

I am seriously considering the purchase of a Pilot Cavalier, in particular because of its slim size which seems to fit my small hands better than thicker pens. There is surprisingly little info on this model of Pilot and it is sometimes problematic to find things on this site with this search engine. I have to try lots of different ways to get the computer system to find me all the posts. Could be my general computer ignorance.

 

I am writing here in the hopes of getting some replies from those previous posters (some going back to 2008) who might still have the pen, or remember it well enough to comment upon it. Besides I was wondering about the material used for the nib too! It looks gold or brassy by its color (not that the color means anything I guess).

 

I am particuarly at 6s and 9s over whether to buy a fine nib or a medium nib. Given some of the reports I've read of this particular pen, and to a certain extent Asian pens in general, I gather that their fines are more like an extra fine and their mediums more like a "Western" fine. Is this so? I will most likely be using this pen on fairly high quality types of paper, such as Clairefontaine, and have found in the case of my Platinum Plaisir in a fine point nib that it is a bit too difficult to write with smoothly.

 

Another odd thing about this Pilot Cavalier is that it only seems to be offered here in the U.S. thru JetPens, and only as a fine. In order to get it in a medium I will have to order it thru eBay with a Japanese seller, which will cost me about $6 more. Not a big deal but still...

 

Thanks in advance for help,

Breck

Edited July 18, 2012 by Saintpaulia

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

It's a rather thin pen that takes the Pilot Con-20 converter (as I said before). It has a gold-plated steel nib. It's quite a nice writer. I don't have one anymore, but I recommend it. The nib runs fine as do most Japanese pens. If you want a fine, you might want to look to get a medium nib.

 

Dillon

[Laura N]

Hi,

 

It's a rather thin pen that takes the Pilot Con-20 converter (as I said before). It has a gold-plated steel nib. It's quite a nice writer. I don't have one anymore, but I recommend it. The nib runs fine as do most Japanese pens. If you want a fine, you might want to look to get a medium nib.

 

Dillon

 

+1

 

I got one with a fine nib from Jetpens ages ago. It's a very nice pen to use, but it has a nib that I'd consider equivalent to an extra-fine.

[javachoco]

After I've used the pen for a while, it has grown on me. It's the lowest price of all my fountain pens but delivers the best experience. It writes very smoothly, no skipping like my sailor 1911 EF, and not too wet like the Platinum modern maki-e Fine nib.

 

It writes as fine as a 0.5 mm ball point pen. It writes a very tiny finer than the Pilot Prera. It gives me more control one the thickness of my lines/curves within my letters.

 

I'd recommend it as a travel/daily fountain pen.

[Saintpaulia]

After I've used the pen for a while, it has grown on me. It's the lowest price of all my fountain pens but delivers the best experience. It writes very smoothly, no skipping like my sailor 1911 EF, and not too wet like the Platinum modern maki-e Fine nib.

It writes as fine as a 0.5 mm ball point pen. It writes a very tiny finer than the Pilot Prera. It gives me more control one the thickness of my lines/curves within my letters.

I'd recommend it as a travel/daily fountain pen.

 

Hey there! Since I posted my query I have taken delivery of a fine, which was much too fine for me. I had read elsewhere that the Cavalier fine while very fine indeed was smooth and "delightful" etc. I disagree with that sentiment. It was not smooth in any definition I have of the word. I had to send the fine back and I have since ordered and am awaiting receipt of a medium nib from Japan. I believe that the medium will be what I was after at the outset.

 

One thing I've learned thus far in my short fountain pen hobby is that "practicing due diligence" by reading extensively in reviews of a given pen do not necessarily keep me from getting the wrong type of pen anyway. There are so many variables in ink, paper, writing style, what one expects, what one considers good or bad, smooth or scratchy, etc.

 

But, since I have held a Cavalier in my hand, I can say with absolutely no reservation that it is a beautiful pen. Mine was and will be a dark Prussian blue type with the gold trim. Also the weight was really perfect, in the low 20 grams range. I am beginning to tire of non-metallic pens. For me they simply do not have the heft that I find attractive.

 

Breck

[mhosea]

Hey there! Since I posted my query I have taken delivery of a fine, which was much too fine for me. I had read elsewhere that the Cavalier fine while very fine indeed was smooth and "delightful" etc. I disagree with that sentiment. It was not smooth in any definition I have of the word. I had to send the fine back and I have since ordered and am awaiting receipt of a medium nib from Japan. I believe that the medium will be what I was after at the outset.

 

I would also prefer a medium, I think. I bought a fine for my wife, and it is very fine. I really don't remember how it wrote out of the box. Maybe it wasn't that smooth. I remember I spent a few minutes smoothing the nib a little. I don't remember needing to align the tines or change their separation, though, so I think it was just a little buffing. It's really smooth now considering how fine it writes. It is, of course, crucial that no pressure be applied with a nib this fine in order to experience it as it should be experienced. I have Diamine Red Dragon in it, which works well. I think it is extremely well-made for its price. I love the way it posts! I don't like thinner pens, generally, but this one is cool enough that I've considered buying myself one. I wonder why Jetpens stopped carrying the mediums.

[javachoco]

I've got this pen in red for a few weeks now. I didn't like it at first, but the pen started to grow on me. It didn't write so smooth at first but the more I write, the smoother the pen writes. The nib has some flex, too. It's really a nice pen in terms of quality and design for its price.

 

The only thing I don't really like much is the CON-20. I really can't see the ink level. Cartridge is good but pilot black ink is a bit grey.

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Is this pen a screw on or snap on type cover?

Thanks

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

It's a snap-on cap, but it's well designed and works very well. The closure is one one of the smoothest I have seen in a long time.

 

Dillon

[Saintpaulia]

Is this pen a screw on or snap on type cover?

Thanks

Also, the cap snaps on when it posts.

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Does this pen write as fine as the Pilot 78G? I have a 78G in Fine nib and love how it writes. My only knock on the 78G is that is is plastic, light, and feels cheap. I would like something that writes just like the 78G, but with more heft. I wish they made the 78G in a metal body pen. I like the screw on cap of the 78G as well, but it's not a deal breaker if I can get something that writes like the 78G.

 

I would like to add, that I am also looking for something on the less expensive side.

Edited January 3, 2013 by InfernoOrangeSS

[alc3261]

Yes, it does write like a 78 G.

[InfernoOrangeSS]

Yes, it does write like a 78 G.

Thank you for your help.