From the Vault: Favorite Pilot Pens

March 29, 2017

I'm facing a hellish week of work travel, so I decided to dig some older reviews out of "the vault" and highlight them for newer readers and those who may have missed them the first time around. I selected some reviews of Pilot pens for this retrospective - these pens are some of my favorites, and I've been getting a lot of questions about my preferences among the various Pilot models. If you haven't already, check out the following reviews:

Pilot Custom Heritage 92. Probably my favorite pen in Pilot's current line. This piston-fill demonstrator is not only easy on the eyes, but it's the perfect size for me. Pilot, please bring the color demonstrators to the U.S.!
Pilot Metropolitan. I've been deep into this hobby for years, and I still use the Metropolitan regularly. I have two inked up as we speak. Don't forget to check out the new version with the stub nib.
Pilot Custom 823. A true workhorse, this large ink tank holds enough to last for weeks. Though vacuum fillers are becoming more common nowadays, this is still the best, and one of the highest-capacity.
Pilot Custom 74. The "in-between" size between the Custom Heritage 92 and the Custom 823. I've owned two of these over the years, and I still regret selling one.

Happy reading! Things should settle down and get back to normal this weekend.

Pen Review: The Fisher Space Pen

March 25, 2017

A staple of the everyday carry community, Fisher Space Pens tend to get overlooked by pen addicts who tend to instinctively avoid ballpoints, and that's unfortunate. Fisher Space Pens are great "write anywhere" additions to your arsenal, and despite a few small nits, their widespread availability and versatility make Fisher Space Pens an easy recommendation.

History

If you grew up in the 1980s or earlier (at least in the U.S.), you recognized the Fisher Space Pen by the ubiquitous magazine ads touting the brand's association with NASA. The original Fisher Space Pen was privately developed by Paul C. Fisher as a pressurized ballpoint pen that would write in a zero-gravity, extreme-temperature environment, with the intent of marketing the pen to the U.S. space program. Sorry pencil fans, but Snopes has busted the long-touted myth of the Fisher Space Pen as a solution in search of a problem, and a symbol of overpriced and over-engineered 1960s Space Race excess. As it turns out, "the Russians just used a pencil" story isn't exactly true: while all space programs used pencils in the early days, broken pencil leads pose a hazard when floating around in zero gravity, and woodcase pencils are, well, flammable, especially in a pure oxygen environment. Paul Fisher apparently spent a ton of his own money developing the pens and eventually succeeded in selling them to NASA and other space programs.

Writing Experience

Fisher Space Pen refills come in two tip sizes: fine and medium. Here, the Titanium Nitride pen (far left) has a blue "fine" refill, while the other two have black "mediums."

The Fisher Space Pen refill is highly engineered to perform pretty much anywhere. According to the company's website, the "sealed pressurized ink cartridge performs in temperatures from -30F to +250F, underwater, in zero gravity, at any angle - even upside down!" While I've not had the opportunity to test these more extreme claims (and probably/hopefully never will), the pen does an excellent job of writing on multiple surfaces - including the Field Notes Expedition notebooks - and, yes, it does write upside down, making it a convenient choice for situations when you don't necessarily have a flat writing surface available. The refill writes like a traditional oil-based ballpoint, and the only drawback I've found is that the tip can develop a bit of crust if you let the pen sit unused for too long. (A simple wipe or scribble normally solves the problem.)

A Fisher Space Pen writing sample. While there's not a huge difference, I prefer the fine.

Bullet or Click Pen?

The Fisher Space Pen Company sells multiple models of the Space Pen, but the most popular is the ubiquitous "bullet pen," available in a variety of finishes. I own three: the classic matte black, the black titanium nitride, and the brass. When closed, these pens are tiny, and slide easily into a pocket. When posted, they expand to a reasonable length, which allows them to be used for most types of writing. One thing I will note - the bullet pens aren't particularly scratch or dent-resistant. Given how small they are, I've dropped mine on hard surfaces several times, and they are prone to developing small dents in the tips. (The dents aren't severe, and don't show up very well in the photographs.)

My three Fisher Space Pen Bullets, from left: Titanium Nitride, Brass, and Matte Black (with clip). Check out the gallery below for additional images of the pens extended, in hand, etc.

My favorite Fisher Space Pen, however, is the original Astronaut Space Pen, which according to the company is essentially the same pen as the one taken to the moon in 1969. I own the "Shuttle" version with the black grid design. I love the click mechanism on this pen, which has a button on the side that you use to retract the tip. It's a slim pen, similar to a classic Cross Century II, but it has added length that makes it a better pen for extended notetaking in meetings, etc.

The Fisher Space Pen Astronaut "Shuttle" pen with the black grid design. Aesthetically, this is one of my favorite models of the Space Pen.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Like I said, Fisher Space Pens are an easy recommendation if you're looking for a relatively inexpensive, write-anywhere option. Personally, I use the Astronaut pen more than the Bullets on a day-to-day basis, but the latter are a fixture in my travel bag when I'm on the road due to their compact size. As long as you can tolerate ballpoints, the refill is reliable and readily available in fine or medium widths either online or in most brick-and-mortar office supply stores. (Most Fisher Space Pen refills also come with a small plastic adapter that allows you to use them as Parker-style refills in other pens, if you enjoy the refill but find the Fisher Space Pen bodies too small.) The pressurized Fisher refills can be somewhat expensive, but they seem to last longer than a typical ballpoint refill.

UPDATE: As of 2024, we now carry a selection of Fisher Space Pens in our own shop, including the Bullet Pens, the original AG7 Astronaut Pens, and the Shuttle Pens, along with a wide array of Fisher Space Pen refills.

Further Reading: If you like the Fisher Space Pen "bullet" form factor, but find yourself losing a lot of Space Pens, check out my review of the Pokka Pen, which was designed as a solution to this specific problem.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pens featured in this review with my own funds, for my own collection.

Muji: Quality Inexpensive Stationery from Japan

March 18, 2017

I visit New York City fairly regularly, and I've always maintained a short list of stationery stores that I visit when I'm in town: Fountain Pen Hospital, Kinokuniya, C.W. Pencil Enterprise, and McNally Jackson. Due to rising real estate prices, the stationery (and especially the fountain pen) scene isn't nearly as vibrant as it was five years ago, after Art Brown International Pen Shop and others were forced to close. This past fall I decided to mix things up a bit and visit a store that I'd never been to before but had heard a lot about: Muji.

I'd describe Muji as a Japanese Ikea/Crate & Barrel-type store that sells their own brand of household goods, including kitchenwares, candles, and of course, stationery. In their larger stores and online, Muji sells larger items like rugs and furniture. I had heard good things about Muji notebooks and gel pens, and spent a half-hour or so rifling through the pen display in the SoHo store on a Saturday afternoon. Here's what I came away with:

From left: Muji .38mm needle-tip polycarbonate click pens in blue and orange; Muji needle-tip .25mm stick pen in blue-black; Muji .38mm round conical tip stick pens in black and orange.

Muji sells inexpensive gel pens that are available in a range of tip sizes, from the standard .7mm to the ultra-fine .25mm (in some models). I was mainly interested in how Muji could execute on the finer end of that range, in the .25mm and .38mm tip sizes, which is difficult to do well. I grabbed a small handful of pens in black, blue, blue-black and orange, and overall, was pleased with how they performed, especially given the price point. Other ultra-fine tip Japanese gel pens like the Hi-Tec-C and the Uni Signo DX can run as much as $3.50 per pen, depending on where you buy. With the exception of the .25mm needle-tip pen ($3), Muji's offerings generally are priced at $1.50-1.75 per pen.

From left: Muji conical-tip stick pen; Muji needle-tip stick pen; Muji needle-tip click pen.

Of all of the pens I tested, my favorite is probably the standard round .38mm conical-tip stick pen. Both the black and the orange write consistently, don't skip, and the round bodies are comfortable to hold. My second favorite is the .25mm needle-tip stick pen, which is a nice shade of blue black but writes an extremely fine line and is uncomfortable to grip for long periods of time. I would not purchase the polycarbonate click pens again. The orange pen barely writes at all, and the blue pen writes inconsistently, alternating between skipping and blobbing. The hexagonal plastic bodies dig into my fingers, making for an awkward and uncomfortable writing experience.

Maybe I just got a couple duds with the click pens, but it's enough to make me not try them again. (Note that the orange is dried out and skippy. The blue looks fine in the picture, but it tends to blob ink.)

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Two out of three ain't bad, right? Next time I find myself in a Muji store, I'd have no hesitation about picking up a fistful of the round stick pens. I don't really have a use case for the .25mm needle-tip, but it's a good writer for something with that fine of a point. Based on my experience, I'd recommend that people take a pass on the click pens. There are better options out there. Eventually, I plan on testing out Muji's notebooks, mechanical pencils, multipens, highlighters, and even - maybe - their aluminum fountain pen.

If you don't have a Muji Store anywhere near you, most of their goods are available online, either via Muji directly or through Amazon. Currently, Amazon has several deals where you can order an assortment of Muji conical gel pens or the needle-tip stick pens in various colors, and there's even a stationery sample pack that allows you to test Muji's pens AND notebooks. If, like me, you prefer very fine gel pens and ballpoints, but tend to lose "disposable" pens and don't like to invest what can be a ton of money in Hi-Tec-C's and Signo DX's, give Muji a shot.

Disclaimer: I purchased the pens featured in this review with my own funds for my own use. This post contains affiliate links.

Flex It! A First Look at the Aurora Vintage-Style Flex Nib

March 11, 2017

While many pen companies have attempted to replicate vintage-style flexible nibs, from the inexpensive steel-nib pens sold by Noodler's to the more expensive offerings from the new Wahl-Eversharp, no one has been able to get it exactly right. Until (maybe) now. Aurora's new 70th Anniversary 88 sports a specially developed 14k flexible nib which comes as close to reproducing true "vintage-style flex" as I've experienced in a modern pen. While flex nibs aren't exactly my thing, I can still recognize a good one when I see one.

"Flexit" Events Sponsored by Kenro

The Aurora Flex Pen Demo at last week's 2017 Baltimore Washington International Pen Show

Aurora's US distributor Kenro Industries has been actively promoting the new 70th Anniversary pen by hosting "Flexit" events in cities around the country, including at the recent Baltimore Washington International Pen Show that I attended. (Just search the Instagram hashtag #flexitbwi.) Kenro had several of the new flex pens on display at their table for attendees to test, and they graciously allowed me to take one of them home to review (along with a bottle of their long-awaited Aurora blue-black ink). So what's the verdict?

I like this pen and this nib. And this is coming from someone who can't write with a flex nib to save his life. No, I'm serious, just watch the video of my comically bad writing sample. But, if you regularly write in cursive, or enjoy calligraphy, you'll want to check out Aurora's latest creation. The 14k nib is soft in the sense that it gives you easier and greater line variation than the various steel nibbed "flex" pens out there - not to mention a smoother writing experience - but it's not so soft that you feel like you're going to spring the nib. It's somewhat similar to the Omas "Extra-Flessible" nibs released a few years ago, but those were way too wet, felt extremely delicate to me when I tested them out, and I heard reports of them springing easily and not holding up well to everyday use. The Aurora nib feels sturdier, and it actually works fairly well as a regular writer, laying down a fine/medium-fine line when writing with light pressure and minimal flexing of the tines. It's a bit wet to use on office paper, but the Rhodia dot-grid paper handled it quite nicely.

The Aurora 88 flex nib is fitted with an ebonite feed so that the ink flow keeps up with the nib. The 88 also has a nice big ink window so you can see when you need to refill.

I'm not familiar enough with vintage flex pens to provide any intelligent commentary on how it compares to very soft "wet noodle" flex pens like those manufactured by Waterman in the 1920s and the 1930s. If that's your expectation with the Aurora Flex nib, you may be disappointed, but I will note that Dan Smith of The Nibsmith has indicated that he'll be able to grind the nib to maximize line variation, and I'd recommend that you contact him for additional information.

A Note on the Aurora 88

The Aurora 88 is a classic fountain pen. The version that I have is made from a dark green polished resin with gold trim.

The "88" is Aurora's longtime flagship pen, and one of those pieces that has sat on my list for years but for whatever reason never made it into my pen case. Even though I probably won't go in on the flex nib, there are some strikingly gorgeous models of the 88 out there, whether it be the Satin Black with Rose Gold Trim, last year's "Sole" limited edition, to this year's upcoming "Nebulosa" limited edition. I enjoy the size of the 88, it has a high-capacity piston filling system, and it's extremely comfortable to write with. You'll probably be seeing one on the blog soon!

Takeaways / Where to Buy

I probably won't be picking up a 70th Anniversary Aurora 88 with the new flex nib, but that doesn't mean you shouldn't! Supply is extremely limited, with only 188 pieces distributed worldwide in each color. The pen will cost $650, and will be available in limited quantities from Aurora dealers such as Anderson Pens, Vanness Pens, Pen Chalet, and the Nibsmith. If this is a pen that interests you, I'd act quick as soon as the color you want becomes available.

Disclaimer: As I mentioned, Kenro Industries loaned me this pen for review purposes. Other than a bottle of Aurora Blue-Black ink, I was not compensated for this review. This post does contain affiliate links.

Pen Review: Pilot Custom 912 with FA Nib

March 8, 2017

The Pilot Custom 912 is one of those pens that's attractive in that distinguished "black pen with rhodium trim" kind of way, but it's main purpose is to act as the showpiece for Pilot's specialty nibs, including the stub (SU), the Waverly (WA), Posting (PO), Music, Soft Fine (SF), and the Falcon (FA) nibs. The pen featured in this review sports Pilot's semi-flex Falcon (FA) nib, which is the first that I've had the opportunity to try for an extended period of time. While I can see why many people really like this nib, it doesn't work so much for my personal handwriting style.

Note the "wings" cut out of the sides of the nib, which adds to the springiness of the nib. As with the Pilot Custom 74 and the Pilot Custom 823, Pilot adds a nice engraving to the Rhodium cap band.

Build

The Pilot Custom 912 is a sturdy, well-built pen that could easily serve as your daily driver (provided, of course, you find a nib that works for your writing style). It's on the larger side (5.5 inches unposted and 6.25 inches posted), but still fits very comfortably in the hand. The Custom 912 uses Pilot's Con-70 high capacity pump-style converter, which is the same one that comes with the Custom 74 and which I always enjoy. The barrel is made of black resin, and since the pen is a cartridge-converter filler, it's a light pen, making it suitable for longer writing sessions (again, assuming you have the appropriate nib). Rhodium plated trim and a 14k gold nib lend a classic look, if a somewhat unexciting one.

The Pilot Falcon (FA) Semi-Flex Nib

The nib is plainly intended to be the star of the show on the Custom 912. I wrote with a Pilot Metal Falcon many years ago, and wasn't blown away. For whatever reason, my print-cursive hybrid style of handwriting doesn't lend itself to the Falcon/FA nib's flex. (To be more accurate, I should say semi-flex - the FA nib is not a "flex nib" in the vintage sense, but it's more than just "springy"). As you can see below, you can coax some very nice line variation out of this nib, but I didn't find it to be the smoothest writing experience when printing, as opposed to writing cursive. This past weekend I had the opportunity to test drive Aurora's new vintage-style flex nib, which, in my opinion, seems more versatile in terms of easily switching between cursive and script. I should have a review of that nib up on the blog in the near future.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I will definitely purchase a Custom 912 at some point, but it probably won't be a model with the Pilot FA nib. This past weekend I also had the chance to write the Pilot's PO nib, a super-stiff, extra-fine Japan-only specialty nib that would probably be my first choice. (NOTE: being able to test rare and hard-to-find nibs is one of the many benefits of visiting pen shows!) That said, I know many people who enjoy writing with flex and semi-flex pens who love the Pilot FA nib and can make it do wonderful things with their handwriting.

Many thanks to Ron at Pen Chalet for loaning me this pen for review purposes. Pricing on the Pilot Custom 912 is currently $224, minus whatever coupon code or discount Ron is running. As of the time of this review, Ron currently has the Custom 912 in stock with Extra Fine, Soft Fine, Stub, Music, Falcon (FA), and Waverly nib options. The PO nib still seems to be unavailable stateside, so if you're interested in that option you'll have to take your chances buying internationally.

Disclaimer: This pen was loaned to me by Pen Chalet for review purposes and returned to Pen Chalet after completion of my review. This post contains affiliate links.