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Pilot Pluminix


london

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Another review I've been meaning to post for a while.

___

 

I bought this Pilot Pluminix on impulse whilst purchasing some ink at an arts and craft store not far from where I work. This is a pen aimed at the school and student market. There are 10 different neon colours in the range and the price on the street varies from 99p to £4.99.

 

http://www.smithcreative.co.uk/images/plum-capped-lr.jpg

 

Design - 6/10

The design of the Pluminix is pretty unique. It has a sort of science fiction feel to it - reminiscent of something from the Matrix, Stargate Atlantis or the Abyss, a sort of marine animal influened design. For some reason it reminds me of a squid. Others might say it is simply cute.

 

The body, section and cap are all made of a fairly standard, transparent plastic. The type used for shatterproof plastic rulers. The body and cap are available in quite a number of colours (or tints), 10 I believe, all based on the same transparent plastic. This allows you to see the collector and the ink cartridge – so its always obvious how much ink you have left.

 

It is reasonably sturdy and the sample I have is well manufactured. A nice feature is the screw-on cap. For a cheap pen that you are likely to just throw in your bag or pocket I think this is a good plus.

 

Feel - 5/10

Being made of plastic, it is a light pen. It is quite small, so not the most comfortable of pens - but it is aimed at the young student market.

 

One problem I did find at first is the cap. When used posted, you must have it oriented the right way, or the little plastic ears on the cap dig into your hand. It is something I have kind of got used to though. Obviously not a problem if you don't use it posted though!

 

The section is curved and angled for the fingers and this position is reasonably comfortable. But it does force you to hold the pen in a certain position. Not a pen for the ham-fisted male being quite small. Combined with an italic nib, this is not a pen for writing fast with or scribling notes, but with a little concentration gives great results.

 

Dimensions: 121mm (4 3/4")capped, 124mm (4 8/9") posted

 

http://www.smithcreative.co.uk/images/plum-write-lr.jpg

 

Nib - 7/10

The nib is what attracted me to this pen. Big, shiny, a 1mm italic and from Pilot. If you like italics it performs pretty well, not great, but gives good definition between horizontal and vertical strokes. Stiff.

 

http://www.smithcreative.co.uk/images/plum-nib-lr.jpg

 

http://www.smithcreative.co.uk/images/plum-writing-lr.jpg

 

Filling - 6/10

The Pluminix takes short international cartridges which allows a good range of inks compared to some pens that use proprietary cartridges only, such as Parker and Lamy. But it will take only one at a time with no room for a spare. There is no room to fit a convertor either so you are stuck with cartridge use.

 

Cost - 9/10

I paid 3.99 for this pen, which can't be bad.

 

Overall verdict – 33\50

This is a low-cost pen, so was never going to score highly, but great value for money. Cheap to add to your collection particularly if you'd like to try an italic nib for the first time.

 

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Nice review. I've never seen one of these pens before. I like the nib.

:happycloud9:

 

Cathy L. Carter

 

Live. Love. Write.

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Anyone know of a US source of these pens?

 

Donnie

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)

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Thanks for the review! This is the first time I've seen this pen. Does the Pluminix come in a Fine Italic?

 

As far as I'm aware, its a one size fits all. So a roughly 1mm nib is all that is available. As it is a school pen, I would also expect them to keep it simple, so again one nib size only.

 

(but I may stand corrected if anyone knows different!)

 

- Mark

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I have one of these in blue and use it all the time. I think the nib is like the Pilot 78G broad, it is very smooth. My pen cost 99p from WHSmith. I would like one in every colour but I have never seen any other pens for sale! I wish a converter would fit because at the moment I am refilling cartridges with bottled ink.

 

Thanks for the review!

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this looks really good - I will pop into to whs to see what they have on offer

 

thanks for the review

So I'm opinionated - get over it!!.......No, really - get over it!!

Hmmmm I was going to put up a WANTS list - but that's too long as well ......

 

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png

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I have one of these in blue and use it all the time. I think the nib is like the Pilot 78G broad, it is very smooth. My pen cost 99p from WHSmith. I would like one in every colour but I have never seen any other pens for sale! I wish a converter would fit because at the moment I am refilling cartridges with bottled ink.

 

Thanks for the review!

 

There's a shop in Clerkenwell (London), that has a big box full -- lots of colours :-)

 

I've been interested in the 78G, so it would be great to find out whether the nibs are indeed very similar. As the Pluminix is a little small for me.

 

- Mark

 

Edit: And meant to say -- I've never seen them in WHS. Are they in amongst the pens, or in with the kid's stuff? At 99p might get another colour or two myself.

Edited by london
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I love these little pens - I have several, but I'm still missing a few colours and may have to check out the shop in Clerkenwall next time I'm in London!

 

They are great to just throw in your pocket or handbag and I don't worry too much if I should lose one (I've got about 8 replacements! :rolleyes: ).

 

And they take the cartridges of my beloved Diamine ink.....what more could a girl ask for?

Edited by CasmiUK

"Baldrick, you wouldn't recognise a cunning plan if it painted itself purple and danced naked on top of a harpsichord singing 'Cunning plans are here again'"

 

Twitter: @CasmiUK

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Sorry if I sounded misleading, I bought mine in WHSmith but haven't seen any since, it was last summer so I imagine they may have more this summer for the back to school stock. I went back several times to see if I could get another but it must have been the last one. What is the name of the shop in Clerkenwell - or the street name? I think they might have a run on these pens now!

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Sorry if I sounded misleading, I bought mine in WHSmith but haven't seen any since, it was last summer so I imagine they may have more this summer for the back to school stock. I went back several times to see if I could get another but it must have been the last one. What is the name of the shop in Clerkenwell - or the street name? I think they might have a run on these pens now!

 

The shop in Clerkenwell is:

 

Stuart R Stevenson

68 Clerkenwell Road, London, EC1M 5QA

 

More details on this blog page of mine.

 

Nice little shop. But if you all go, leave some for me :roflmho:

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I found a blue one for sale online at £3.75 but didnt fancy another blue pen. The red looks nice but I couldnt find anywhere that sells them. I think perhaps for the most part they are a back to school item. But thats OK because it means they will be in the shops again soon!

So I'm opinionated - get over it!!.......No, really - get over it!!

Hmmmm I was going to put up a WANTS list - but that's too long as well ......

 

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png

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Thanks for the address, I will make a note of it as I think it's definitely worth having another of these pens.

 

Your blog is interesting!

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Thanks for the address, I will make a note of it as I think it's definitely worth having another of these pens.

 

Your blog is interesting!

 

Thanks :-)

Edited by london
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I contacted Pilot about retail outlets for this pen and they have discontinued it. If you see one buy it as there wont be anymore.

 

 

 

 

 

edited to say: I found some at www.fredaldous.co.uk (no affiliation :D

Edited by calliej

So I'm opinionated - get over it!!.......No, really - get over it!!

Hmmmm I was going to put up a WANTS list - but that's too long as well ......

 

http://img525.imageshack.us/img525/606/letterji9.png

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  • 1 month later...

Just thought I'd mention this...

 

I have 3 Pilot Calligraphy (look like the Pluminix but are mid 90's or so) which I'm soaking in water at the moment to get the old ink out and maybe get them working again.

 

I might be inclined to part with one if they all work again.

 

Even got the original tube they were in, complete with insert. :)

Hell even the sticker is still on the tube!

 

Silke

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Ah, the CHEAP Squid pen. :lol: That cap does it. ;)

 

Too bad they were discontinued. Nearly $15 for the pen with shipping from the UK puts them out of realistic reach for us flattened dollar Yankees. :(

Edited by MYU

[MYU's Pen Review Corner] | "The Common Ground" -- Jeffrey Small

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I have a Pilot Plumix (not Pluminix) that I bought in Paris for 7 euros 2 weeks ago. It has the same general design as your pen, but is larger and is a bit fancier. The body and cap are opaque black save for the ink window, with "ripple" pattern chasing. The nibs come in a range of italic sizes from XF to BB. The pens fit a full-size international converter. The flow and nib performance are excellent. Line variation is somewhat more dramatic than the Lamy italics, but it is still not a proper formal/crisp italic. I will try to post some pictures for comparison with your pen.

 

 

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