The Pilot "Custom" Series: An Overview of Some of My Favorite Fountain Pens

March 14, 2026

I think of Pilot’s “Custom” series as containing the brand’s signature pens - effectively their standard lineup. While there are regular models that don’t bear the “Custom” designation (i.e. E95s, Capless Vanishing Point and Decimo), the Custom pens present a broad example of what the company can do, and it’s long past time I photographed them alongside each other. In both the T.G.S. Shop and my own personal collection, Pilot outnumbers any other mainstream brand due to their solid build quality and exceptional nibs, which in my experience rarely need tuning or modification out of the box. I will give a brief overview of each pen, and highlight a few key aspects of each one. Where applicable I have linked to a more in-depth T.G.S. review of each pen, and of course I’ll share my favorites at the end!

Pilot Custom 74

The entry point to Pilot's Custom line, the Custom 74 features a classic streamlined torpedo shape and Pilot's No. 5 14kt nib. The pen ships with the CON-70 pump converter (Pilot's largest) so you can write with bottled ink out of the box. At $216, I still consider the Custom 74 one of the best value propositions on the Japanese pen market, notwithstanding the recent price increases. Going forward, it will be uncommon to find gold-nib pens at the sub-$300 price point, and the Custom 74 remains priced below many "boutique" brands that feature standard JoWo or Bock steel options. (Priced at $216 standard, $240 for the Lavender Fog Special Edition - TGS Shop)

Pilot No. 5 vs. No. 10 Nib Comparison — Pilot’s No. 5 Nib (Custom 74 and Custom Heritage 92, left) next to the Pilot No. 10 Nib (Custom 912).

Pilot Custom 912

For a long time, the Custom 912 remained largely unavailable to the U.S. market and had to be purchased directly from Japan. Featuring a No. 10 14kt nib, which is slightly larger than the No. 5 on the Custom 74 and Custom Heritage 92, the Custom 912 features a flat top design and a sword-style clip. Still relatively accessible price-wise, the Custom 912 opens the door to Pilot's specialty nib line, including the PO (Posting), WA (Waverly), and FA (Falcon) nibs, as well as the "Soft" series. (Priced at $296 for Standard - TGS Shop)

Custom Heritage 92 Demonstrator on Galen Pen Stand — The crystal clear Custom Heritage 92.

Pilot Custom Heritage 92

The lone piston filler on this list, the Pilot Custom Heritage 92 features a flat-top design and clip similar to the Custom 912 but has the same smaller No. 5 nib as the Custom 74. Sometimes overlooked due to the fact that color options are limited, the Custom Heritage 92 is a spectacular pen that I regret having sold off from my personal collection back when the transparent orange demonstrator was still available. (I wanted a broader nib and wrongly assumed I would be able to get another one.) The piston mechanism is exceptionally smooth and the polishing work on the transparent resin top notch. If you're looking for a demonstrator that will showcase your ink collection this one should be on your list. (Priced at $264 standard - TGS Shop)

Pilot Custom 743

The Custom 743 features an even larger No. 15 nib (also 14kt), and the same longer streamlined body style as the more-expensive Custom 823, though with a CON-70 converter instead of the vacuum-filling mechanism. Like the Custom Heritage 912, Pilot makes the Custom 743 available with their range of specialty nibs, though the pen only comes with gold trim so those who prefer chrome or Rhodium are stuck with the 912. (Priced at $392 - TGS Shop)

Pilot Custom Pens in Nagasawa Kip Leather — Shown here in a Nagasawa 5-Pen Kip Leather Zippered case from left, the Custom 823, Custom Urushi, Custom 743, Custom 74, and Custom 912.

Pilot Custom 823

It's truly a toss-up as to whether the Custom 823 or the Custom 74 is the more popular pen, but we sell a lot of Custom 823 fountain pens simply because many people - especially those who write a lot and don't want to refill frequently - absolutely love the high-capacity vacuum-filling system. You can watch a demonstration of how it works here. The Custom 823 comes in three different transparent demonstrator finishes (Clear, Smoke, and Amber), with a 14kt No. 15 nib. Gold trim only - sorry Rhodium fans! (Priced at $416 - TGS Shop)

Pilot Custom Series Larger Nibs — The larger nibs from the Custom Series, from left: No. 15 FA (Custom 745); No. 15 Medium (Custom 823), and No. 30 Medium (Custom Urushi).

Pilot Custom 845

Here is where things start getting really "Fancy" (capital “F”). The Custom 845 represents an entry point into the Pilot Urushi line, with Black, Vermillion, and Prussian Blue lacquer finishes. While the nib is the same No. 15 size as the Custom 823 and Custom 743, it's 18kt instead of 14kt, and features a two-toned gold/rhodium finish. Currently the Custom 845 is the only Pilot Custom Series pen not represented in my own collection, as I'm holding out for a Prussian Blue in the nib size that I want. (Priced at $1000 - Vanness Pens)

Custom Urushi compared against Pilot Custom 823 — Many thanks to Lisa Vanness for the photograph of the coveted Pilot Prussian Blue Custom Urushi, shown here compared against the Custom 823 for scale.

Pilot Custom Urushi

By far the most expensive pen in my own personal collection, the Custom Urushi is relatively massive but the No. 30 nib is sublime with a softness/springiness akin to the Pelikan M1000 - in my opinion, better. The key consideration here for those considering a Custom Urushi is size - both of the pen itself and the price tag. Larger gold nibs like these are always expensive, and when you combine gold with Urushi lacquerwork, it's simply going to be a higher-priced item. That said, a Custom 845 or Custom Urushi is often the capstone of many users' collections. (Priced at $1700 - Vanness Pens)

Custom 912 Custom 74 Custom 823 Comparison — From left: Custom 912, Custom 74, and Custom 823.

Ranking My Three Personal Favorites Here

We can end this little overview with a personal reflection. I'm going to confess that I'm personally very biased towards Pilot because I love their nibs - their medium nibs especially. They write how I like a gold medium nib to write, with the perfect amount of ink flow. A Pilot medium remains my default when the coveted fine-medium is unavailable. As mentioned above, Pilot is the most-represented mainstream pen brand in my personal collection, and these "top three" appear more than once with me owning multiple colors and nib sizes. That said, the ranking below is driven purely by personal preference, not which pens from the Custom series I feel are objectively better:

Pilot Custom 74. Because of the excellent size for everyday carry, and overall value. I think of the Custom 74 as a workhorse in the same way I think of the Lamy 2000.
Pilot Custom 912. Waverly Nib. All I need to say. Look for a review of this pen/nib combination coming soon.
Pilot Custom 823. I own two: A medium Amber that I had ground to a Kodachi and a fine Smoke. When I want to travel with a few pens that won't need refilling, these are top options since they're effectively ink tanks with a shutoff valve that makes them great for air travel.
On my list: I will eventually add a Custom Heritage 92 and Pilot Custom 845, because I want to round out the collection and a Prussian Blue Urushi pen calls to me.

Bonus feature: We toured Pilot North American HQ in a recent episode of the On The Paper Trail Podcast!

Pilot Kakuno Madoromi Restock on the Table — The Pilot Kakuno is a $15-20 pen that has exploded in popularity, as evidenced by the size of our recent Kakuno Madoromi restock.

A Note on Pricing

I fully understand that whether pricing on these pens is "accessible" is relative. This article addresses a specific line of gold-nib fountain pens which, regardless of what they cost 10 years ago, are expensive luxury purchases that going forward will likely be even more expensive due to rising material costs, tariffs, geopolitical considerations and myriad other factors that are well beyond the scope of this article. The purpose here is not to debate how much things "should" cost, but rather to provide an overview of a popular line of pens that I personally enjoy and believe remain mostly competitively priced in today's current market environment, especially where companies already have pushed some steel nib pens north of $250. For the record, Pilot makes excellent pens at all price points, with the Pilot Kakuno (from $15), Pilot Explorer ($26), and Pilot Prera ($67.50) all warranting serious consideration as both pens for beginners as well as everyday workhorse writers for experienced users.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can also come visit us at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee.

Ask TGS: What's In Your Travel Bag for 2026?

February 7, 2026

Since I’m gearing up for a fairly significant round of travel over the next two months, and just returned from two trips, I thought it might be fun to break down my “go bag” travel stationery for 2026. Sometimes I bring more than the items on this list, sometimes less, but I’ve made an effort to dial in my travel kit according a few basic preferences for stationery travel:

If I don’t know that I’ll use it on the trip, I’ll usually leave it at home.
One fountain pen for non-pen show trips, to use for journaling or longer-form writing projects.
Use modular cases that pack flat or roll, and minimize paper as much as is practical to reduce weight.
On pen show trips, all the rules go out the window, since the purpose of the trip is to share pens.

Joe's Notebook Stack from his 2026 Travel Kit — I know it’s not packing “light”, but it’s a lot less than I used to carry! From top, journal, planner, and 6-ring binder for work notes.

My 2026 Travel Kit From The First Two Trips of the Year

Mechanical Pencil (Uni Kuru-Toga). I rarely take multiple fountain pens with me on an airplane unless I’m traveling to a pen show. If it’s a true work trip, and especially one where I have to work on the plane, I’m using either a mechanical pencil or some sort of multi-pen. On a bumpy flight, it’s nice to be able to erase your mistakes with the pencil, and there’s nothing worse than having a much-loved pen roll off your tray table and having to dive for it before it slides under someone else’s seat. Lately my pencil of choice has been one of the Uni Kuru-Togas, since the rotating lead mechanism helps keep the point sharp.
Gel or Low-Viscosity Ballpoint Multi Pen (Pilot Frixion 3 or Pilot 4+1). A good multi-pen allows you to have multiple ink colors readily at hand, and if you have a 4+1 design, you also have the mechanical pencil in the same pen body. While low-viscosity ballpoint ink is my default, lately I’ve been experimenting with Pilot’s line of Frixion gel pens, which I’ve enjoyed for many of the same reasons I like using mechanical pencils - erasability! The Frixion is hugely popular in Japan, and has increasingly made inroads among planner enthusiasts because, well, sometimes plans change.
Sticky Notes or Document Flags. Even though I’ve moved many of my larger work documents to pdf format, I still mostly read physical books, and I tend to annotate my personal notebooks so that I can find things later. Cloth & Paper and Craft Design Technology both make highly versatile lines of document flags and sticky notes that I enjoy, and lately I’ve discovered Japanese-style memo rolls, which are essentially rolls of paper tape that you can cut to size and write on. That said, there’s not really a specific format I prefer, and sometimes I’ll even roll with classic Post-Its since I’m usually writing with a pencil or gel pen and I don’t need excellent paper.
Pen Roll or Pen Case. I’ve moved towards pen rolls and smaller pen cases as opposed to zippered pouches or bulkier album-style storage. I find pen rolls to be the most versatile for those of us who travel with a heavier kit, since they hold a lot yet still roll up to a compact size that fits in a carry-on travel bag. On this last trip, I was testing out one of our new Rickshaw 6-pen Coozy Rolls as well as the new Fillmore zippered pen case. The Coozy Rolls are a classic that I’ve talked about before, but the Fillmore is a newer design that I like because this layout holds up to six pens in individual slots plus a larger slot for a notebook - or more pens. Best of all? The Fillmore unzips flat to form a tray that works great on a hotel desk.
Two Notebooks: One Personal and One Work. If there’s one area where I’ve cut down on bulk when traveling, it’s been paper. I used to travel with several journals out of a misguided FOMO-like fear that I would find myself without the exact notebook I wanted to write in. I finally realized that it made little sense to take five notebooks on a three-day trip, so now I’ll usually carry my personal journal and planner. Sometimes I’ll add a 6-ring binder if I think I’ll need to take work notes that I don’t want to permanently add to the planner. This past weekend was a three-notebook trip.

I have a lot of trips on the horizon, so this topic was particularly timely for me. If you come see me at this year’s California Pen Show (which is just around the corner) I’ll probably have much more than this in tow. How many pens do you travel with? Do you have a dedicated travel notebook that you only use for trips? I’m interested to hear from you, and this may even make it into a future podcast episode as a topic for discussion.

Rickshaw Coozy Roll being used as pen tray. — Traveling with the Coozy Roll (or any pen roll for that matter) is convenient because it serves as a pen tray on your desk when not being used as storage.

Platinum Preppy Fountain Pens — Never underestimate the humble Platinum Preppy, which punches far above its price point.

Ask TGS: Buying My First Fountain Pen

January 10, 2026

Question: I’ve recently rediscovered an interest in writing by hand, and while I’ve always appreciated a good pen, I’ve never used a fountain pen and don’t know where to begin with all the different nib and filling system options. And what do I do about paper? Help!

I get this question all the time, and while I’ve probably answered it before in blog posts and/or videos, it tends to be timely right after the New Year when everyone has purchased their fresh planner or notebook and many consider whether they should pick up a fountain pen for the first time. But where to begin? Here’s my “two minute speech” that I typically give people in the shop or at a show:

Don’t Spend a Lot of Money

If you’ve never used a fountain pen before, don’t start at the $200 price point. In fact, you probably don’t even want to start at the $50 price point. There are plenty of excellent fountain pens that cost $25 or less, which will allow you to get a feel for writing with a fountain pen nib, cleaning the pen, changing the ink, etc. without a huge sunk cost. In my own store, I have plenty of people who come in having never written with a fountain pen at all, and I almost always direct them to the Platinum Preppy, the Pilot Kakuno, or the Pilot Explorer (the latter if they really insist on having the ability to use bottled ink immediately since the Explorer ships with a converter). The Preppy is a great option for those uncertain about nib sizes and how different fountain pen nibs will work with their handwriting, since Preppy’s are inexpensive without being “disposable”, and you can buy them in multiple sizes to experiment. Our “Best Pens” post highlights these options and several more.

Ink Cartridge Options in the T.G.S. Store — Start with a basic ink, but even cartridges come in a range of colors.

Start with a Basic Blue, Black, or Blue-Black Fountain pen Ink

While experimenting with inks is a huge part of the fountain pen hobby, get used to writing with fountain pens first. Standard blue, black, and blue-black inks usually flow well, dry relatively fast, and come in both bottles and cartridges. (I usually recommend cartridge pens for true beginners.) It’s especially important to pay attention to ink if you’re left-handed, since many lefties hold the pen in a way that causes their hand to smear the ink if it takes too long to dry. Making sure the pen and ink combo is compatible with your handwriting style is the formula for success.

Our B5 and A4 paper sorter, which we keep stocked with many different fountain pen friendly paper brands.

Be Sure You Have Some Decent Fountain Pen Friendly Paper

The same paper that you can use for ballpoints, gel pens, rollerballs, and pencils won’t necessarily work well with fountain pens. Most fountain pen ink is water-based, meaning that it may feather and bleed-through on particularly absorbent paper, especially recycled papers or office stock. Purchasing some slightly better paper with a heavier paper weight or coating will make for a more enjoyable writing experience. While Clairefontaine, Rhodia, Maruman, and Leuchtturm1917 are the usual go-to recommendations for solid paper that is easy to source, there are many smaller brands as well. For several years I’ve tracked paper brands and their relative “fountain pen friendliness” in this evergreen blog post that gets updated annually.

Give Yourself Some Time to Adjust to the Pen (and Writing with Fountain Pens in General) Before You Start Buying More

It’s easy to get carried away with online recommendations - everyone has their own opinion on “the best” fountain pen, often driven by their own personal preferences and experiences. That said, there’s only one way to figure out what your own preferences are, and that’s to gain as much experience as you possibly can by using pens for an extended period of time before moving on to something else. Obviously, if a pen truly doesn’t work for you (i.e., it doesn’t write, is falling apart, hurts your hand after more than a day or two), move on immediately, but try to avoid the “I-like-this-but-wonder-if-there-is-something-better” mentality that often leads to an acquisition mindset rather than the thoughtfulness or creativity many are seeking out in the first place.

A huge part of why I decided to open the physical T.G.S. shop in Nashville is to give people the opportunity to come in and experience fountain pens in person and to have conversations like this one before picking out a pen and deciding which one is right for you! We are open Thursdays and Fridays from 1-6pm and Saturdays from 10-6pm.

Stack of Journals and Notebooks that Will form Joe's Core Rotation in 2026

My 2026 Notebook Setup: The Year of Practicality

January 7, 2026

Last year I didn’t stick to any specific notebook system and my organization (not to mention my personal well-being) suffered for it. I had thought that by moving from three dated Hobonichi planners to a more flexible undated system, I’d have more versatility, but as it turns out I do need more structure for the business side of things. Accordingly, I’ve added back one dated planner. The rest of my rotation will look similar to those who have followed me in the past, with a ring binder and a standard personal journal as my other primary daily drivers. I continue to use some e-readers for “junk paper replacement,” and a variety of single-purpose notebooks that will rotate in and out of use throughout the year.

Wonderland222 A5 Core Stacked Weekends Planner, Open on Desk to Weekly Layout — My Wonderland222 currently lives in this gorgeous leather A5 cover sent to me by British Belt Company. When I travel, I will likely consolidate with other notebooks and notepads in an A5 Roterfaden Taschenbegleiter.

Business Planner: Wonderland222 A5 Core (S) (“Stacked”)

I’ve already done a separate YouTube video on why I chose this particular planner, but to briefly recap, I needed more structure to track the T.G.S. business, including all the various moving parts surrounding website content, ordering product for the shop, general administration, travel, and more. I have so many different things going on right now that I need to be much more disciplined with my time, making the Wonderland222’s vertical weekly layout perfect for my method of time blocking. (“Stacked” refers to stacked weekends, meaning that Saturday and Sunday are a single column since I don’t fully plan-out either day.) This planner also contains annual and quarterly layouts, a Gantt chart/habit-tracking layout, monthly recap pages, and even 80+ blank pages at the back which can be used for more detailed daily planning if the need arises. I view the Wonderland222 A5 Core as offering most of the functionality of the A5 Hobonichi Cousin in a format that’s far less bulky.

SPAD by Brelio A5 Ring Binder Open on Desk — The black exterior with burgundy interior didn’t hurt either.

General Looseleaf Notebook: SPAD by Brelio A5 6-Ring Binder

I’ve usually kept some form of ring or disc binder as a working notebook, since much of my notetaking and writing lives on looseleaf sheets, and I like to be able to move notes around and organize them. I would have run it back for another year with my A5 Plotter, but when Lisa Vanness brought the Brelio brand back from Japan, I immediately gravitated towards this slightly more robust leather planner with - dare I say it - a more polished finish and larger rings. The integrated pen loop and four pockets sealed it, since it allows me to carry paper, index cards, and other accessories. Alongside my Wonderland222 Planner, I’ve used this notebook daily since mid-December.

Maruman Mnemosyne A5 Dot Grid Paper in Hardcover Journal Format — I love a clean, versatile dot grid format. The Mnemosyne has margin guides so you can lay it out as a planner or bullet journal if you so desire.

Personal Journal: Mnemosyne Hardcover Journal

My biggest regret from 2025 was the lapse in my journaling habit. I wrote far less in this A5 Mnemosyne journal than I would have liked, so it will stay in rotation and get finished. Because my personal journal contains things like stream-of-consciousness writing, random rants, and lists in addition to drafts and other longer musings, I like this journal to be more of a “commodity notebook” - something I’m not afraid to scuff up and get dirty. Once I finish this Mnemosyne I have a couple of Leuchtturm1917 notebooks lined up to take its place.

Joe's Remarkable 2, Black and White Version

Electronic Notebook: Remarkable2 E-Ink Tablet

For the past few years I’ve used a Remarkable2 to store larger pdfs and research source material for both personal/TGS projects as well as my legal practice. While I always prefer reading and writing on physical paper, the Remarkable2 gets “remarkably” close to the tactile feel of analogue while still offering the convenience of not lugging around a 300-page three-ringed binder when you’re doing an up-and-back-same-day business trip with four connections. Similarly, since I enjoy reading doorstop biographies and history books, I have a Kindle Scribe that I use for travel. I’ve also experimented with using both the Remarkable2 and Scribe for notetaking and journaling on airplanes, after a couple of semi-traumatic experiences of having physical pens roll off the tray table mid-flight or otherwise losing them in an airplane seat.

Experimentation/Pen Show Notebook: Roterfaden TGS_25 A5-Slim

I’ve always kept a “scratch notebook” that I use to test pens and inks, draft posts, and otherwise just experiment and have fun. I usually take this notebook with me on vacations and to pen shows, and there’s no real set purpose. If I have a writing project that I want to do but doesn’t “fit” anywhere else, it probably goes in this notebook. Similarly, if someone offers to let me test a pen or ink, or asks me to demonstrate something for them at a show or meetup, I’ll pull out this notebook. Since early Summer I’ve been using our own Roterfaden TGS_25 cover, in the portable A5 Slim format.

Joe's Office in the Early Morning — My system may not be the most efficient, but hey, I’ve got shelf space for all those notebooks.

Other Notebooks

I keep a variety of single-purpose notebooks for specific projects that I don’t engage with on a daily basis. Most of these don’t travel with me, live at my desk or on my bookshelf, and play very specific roles in my workflow. I have a few Plotters, two of which are used to organize ink swatches and paper samples, and another that I am using to organize research and ideas on a longer-form writing project. I use a William Hannah A5 as a paper tasting and paper sample reference journal. I have various Filofax notebooks that I use as archives and to organize research on topics of interest that I have followed for years. I tend to print a lot of online articles and read/annotate them in physical form, hence the large archive.

Tune in Next Week to “On the Paper Trail…”

Lisa Vanness and I are collaborating on a YouTube and Podcast project titled “On the Paper Trail…”, the first episode of which is slated for release sometime next week (or sooner). We’ll be discussing our respective 2026 Notebook Setups in more detail, as well as providing a general introduction to the project and answering reader/listener questions. You can subscribe to the YouTube Channel, and we will also be setting up an RSS Feed for those who wish to listen in a podcast app.

The Gentleman Stationer is supported by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. You can always come talk pens in person at our physical stationery store in Nashville, Tennessee, open from 1-6pm Thursdays and Fridays and from 10am-6pm Saturdays.

Welcome to 2026: Stationery Resolution(s) and Plans for the Upcoming Year!

January 3, 2026

We kicked off 2026 with a New Year’s Day livestream in the new On the Paper Trail YouTube Channel! Lisa Vanness and I will be launching our podcast as well as periodic video content through that channel, though I will also link to this new collaboration project here wherever possible. In this most recent video, we discuss our goals for 2026, including a common intention to use more of what we already have from our rather extensive personal ink and paper collections, and discuss our joint goals of doing more in-person events and continuing to grow the stationery community.

Mark Your Calendars for a January Joint T.G.S./Vanness Pens Event with Matthew Chen in Nashville!

Save the date for Friday, January 23 and Saturday, January 24, when Lisa Vanness and Matthew Chen of Matthew’s Nibworks will be joining us for an in-store event. Matthew will be tuning and grinding fountain pen nibs all day Friday and Saturday, and Lisa will be bringing her shop exclusive pens and inks, special editions, Galen Leather, and more. Stay tuned for additional details, including possible after-hours gatherings with the Middle Tennessee Fountain Pen Club and a possible On the Paper Trail Special event.