Pilot 78G Fountain Pen Review

I'm continually surprised by the fountain pens that can be had for less than twenty dollars. I have a few, and they've mostly been delightful to use and share with others who are interested in fountain pens. Today I'll be focusing on the Pilot 78G.

I first learned about the 78G after reading a couple of reviews from PenFan and The Daily Acquisition. To be honest, I've had many Pilot fountain pens on my wish list for quite some time, but most of them are a little expensive. After reading these reviews, I quickly found a reputable eBay dealer and bought a pen to try. The pen shipped from Hong Kong, so it took a week and a half to arrive. For a "cheap" pen, it has not let me down. I think I paid $12 for the pen with shipping, which is a few bucks cheaper than the Metropolitan.

The nib is a very smooth writer, which I expected from a Pilot. The fine nib is on par for the Japanese nibs – nice and small. I used the black ink cartridges that came with the pen, though it also came with a converter. The converter is the type that is included with the Metropolitan. The black ink from Pilot is dark and quick to dry.

The ergonomics of the pen are comfortable, but they detract from the aesthetics. It's light, which makes it ideal for long sessions, but it also looks like brittle plastic and attracts scratches from minor use. I'm not a fan of the gold trim, but that's included on all the color options. In general, I don't expect it to look amazing because of the cost. The aesthetic concerns vanish once I start writing or drawing.

This pen is similar in price to the Sailor High-Ace Neo, and I sometimes favor that pen over the 78G. It's a tough call, but the Sailor puts down a finer line. The pens feel similar in my hand, so maybe I'm just partial to the Sailor because of the silver trim.

Overall, I don't think you can find many pens with such good value and solid performance. It can be slightly difficult to find one, but I had very good luck with eBay. There are several colors (black, red, teal, and green) and nib options (F, M, and B) to choose from. Some sellers even sell packs of several colors. If you are looking for a cost-effective Pilot for yourself or a fountain pen beginner, the Pilot 78G is a good place to start.

Kaweco Elite Review

Another sample recieved from the fine people at Kaweco, the Kaweco Elite is different than any Kaweco pen I have previously reviewed. Most people know Kaweco as the premier pocketable fountain pen manufacturer - the AL Sport and ART Sport are two of my favorites - and they also do a fine job with full sized pens like the Kaweco Allrounder.

The pocketable pens and most of the full sized pens share one thing in common: the nib. It is smaller, somewhere around what many would consider a #5 sized nib. They are also interchangable, meaning an AL Sport nib can be unscrewed and put into an Allrounder. The Kaweco Elite is a loner in the main Kaweco production line, using a larger steel nib they call the 250, which is along the lines of a #6 sized nib.

The larger nib works wonderfully for the Elite since it is a bigger, heavier pen. The barrel is turned from a single block of piano lacquer acrylic with a high-gloss finish that looks spectacular on the octagonal barrel. The metal cap has quite a bit of weight too - you aren't going to want to write with it posted.

Weight isn't an issue at all when writing - any concerns vanished once the nib hit the page. The medium steel nib is smooth and consistent. It is firm as well, which is a feature I personally enjoy a lot in my fountain pen nibs.

This is a great pen, made only better by using a bottle of Kaweco Aubergine in the provided converter, which is the color you see in the written review below. I'll be sad to send this one back to Kaweco, but it has earned a solid spot near the top of my wish list.

You can currently purchase the Kaweco Elite from JetPens for $150 in F, M, and B nib sizes.

Thank you to Kaweco for providing this product for review! You should also check out Azizah's review at Gourmet Pens for more information on the Kaweco Elite.

My Fountain Pen Education: Nakaya Naka-Ai Writer Ao-Tamenuri

WARNING: Do not read this post unless you want your wallet to be emptied.

No post I do about Nakaya is going to do this brand justice. I have been reading and researching these pens for about a year now and still feel like I am a complete novice concerning this historic brand. Luckily, I was able to spend some time with one a few months ago. To say I came away impressed is an understatement.

Before ever getting this Nakaya Naka-Ai Writer Ao-Tamenuri from the venerable Thomas I was in awe of everything Nakaya. The pictures I saw and the reviews I read only solidified the fact that this was my holy grail pen. The designs alone are exactly what speaks to me as a pen owner, not to mention the amazing finishes and world-class nibs.

What makes a Nakaya so special? Each pen is a handcrafted work of art, taking from 3 to 6 months to make depending on the requirements and finish. The barrels begin as hand-turned ebonite and then are finished with many layers of Urushi lacquer to provide a depth in color that is unparalleled. If you have an hour or two to kill (and a drool bib), browse through the Nakaya product catalog. Only then will you begin to understand why these pens are so loved and respected.

The naming conventions may be confusing, but once you are familiar with Nakaya's style they are easy to break down. Let's take this model apart to understand what the name means:

Nakaya - The manufacturer

Naka-Ai - The barrel shape

Writer - With clip

Ao-Tamenuri - The finish, in this case blue-green underneath black

The Ao-Tamenuri is one of the newest finishes available, and is a Nibs.com exclusive (Correction: The Naka-Ai model is the Nibs.com exclusive, not the Ao-Tamenuri finish. Thanks Thomas!). I know Thomas had been waiting a while for this one and I can see why. There is a depth to the finish that is impossible to capture in pictures.

When I finally got the nerve to ink up and use this pen I understood why Nakaya's are so revered. As soon as I picked it up I could feel the warmth in the barrel and the perfect balance. The nib provided a writing experience unlike I had felt before (this one has a stock EF nib). It is dead smooth and only takes a feather-light touch to write a solid line, but you can hear the nib moving across the page as you write. It is very hard to explain, other than it sounded like music to my ears.

So why don't I have one of these pens in my arsenal yet? Well, the model I reviewed runs about $700, with entry-level Nakaya's starting around $550. The price isn't necessarily a deterrent. I could save up for one in a few months if I wanted to. The problem is I know I won't be able to stop at one, and I'm not sure how Mrs. Pen Addict would feel about that.

This small review does not do a pen like this justice. At all. Here are several links where you can read and learn more about Nakaya fountain pens:

-- A Bit About Platinum and Nakaya

-- The most gorgeous red - Nakaya Dorsal Fin

-- The Nakaya Urushi Wajima-nuri -Tamenuri

-- A Snooping around the Nakaya Fountain Pen Company

-- Hands-on with the Nakaya Piccolo Writer Heki-tamenuri Fountain Pen

-- 2012 Top Ten Pens

Be safe out there. And hide your wallets.