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Pilot Fountain Pens: A Comprehensive Guide

July 10, 2023 - Posted by Connie to Guides, Fountain Pens, Pens

Pilot was founded in 1918 and is known as one of the “big three” Japanese fountain pen companies. In fact, they’re the largest pen manufacturer in Japan, period. While they’re well known for pens like the ergonomic Dr. Grip and innovative FriXion, they’re also producers of some of the best fountain pens available today. Pilot continues to build on a long history of manufacturing excellence while striving to create fountain pens that appeal to a modern audience. Keep reading to see every Pilot fountain pen available at JetPens, starting from sturdy budget fountain pens all the way to writing instruments that double as veritable works of art.

Table of Contents

Pilot Fountain Pens

Pilot Varsity Fountain Pens

The disposable Pilot Varsity Fountain Pen is perfect for newbies.

Newbies who want to try out a low-commitment fountain pen should pick up the Pilot Varsity. Because it’s disposable, it requires no maintenance at all. Simply replace the whole pen when it runs out of ink. The medium nib features a large, round tip that practically glides across the page. Because the Varsity has a relatively wet flow, we recommend pairing it with fountain pen friendly paper for the best writing experience.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Varsity Fountain Pens	Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Penmanship Fountain Pens

The Pilot Penmanship Fountain Pen is easy to use and comfortable to hold.

The Pilot Penmanship is perfectly suited for beginners who are still learning how to use a fountain pen. It’s easy to use and comfortable to hold, with a triangular grip section that helps guide your fingers into an ergonomic tripod position. Its stainless steel nib is surprisingly smooth despite the fineness of its size. And its long barrel, which emulates the tapered shape of classic dip pens, is well-balanced. The Penmanship only has one flaw: its extra fine nib may not be suitable for all writing styles. Those with large handwriting may want to skip the Penmanship and take a look at Pilot’s other beginner-friendly offerings.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Penmanship Fountain Pens	Extra Fine	Add Items to Cart

Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pens

The Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen has a nib engraved with a smiley face, so you always know which side of the nib should be facing up.

It’s difficult to fight the charms of the Pilot Kakuno. Its name means “to write” in Japanese, and it’s meant to be an introductory fountain pen for kids—or kids at heart. The nib is engraved with an adorable smiley face, so you always remember which side of the nib should be facing up as you write. The Kakuno is available in a variety of different colors, including cheerful cream and pastel combinations.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pens	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Desk Fountain Pens

The Pilot Desk Fountain Pen has a simple yet elegant body design.

Featuring a simple yet elegant design, the Pilot Desk is a sophisticated addition to any writing space. Like the Penmanship, this fountain pen has an elongated body reminiscent of dip pens. It’s available in two understated body colors—black and red—as well as three nib sizes. If you like the length and aesthetics of the Penmanship but prefer fine or medium nibs, the Desk is an excellent alternative.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Desk Fountain Pens	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Explorer Fountain Pens

The Pilot Explorer Fountain Pen is an excellent beginner-friendly fountain pen in Pilot’s repertoire.

The Explorer (also known as the Lightive) is yet another beginner-friendly fountain pen in Pilot’s repertoire. We appreciate that it’s available in a dozen body colors, so you’re sure to find a pen that matches your style. Because it comes with a cartridge and a converter, you can graduate to bottled inks without needing to purchase additional parts. The Explorer is very similar to the better-known Metropolitan that we’ll talk about next, but it’s a good alternative for those who like lightweight pens or prefer the Explorer’s aesthetics.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Explorer Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pens

The Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen is an incredibly popular beginner fountain pen.

If you’re familiar with fountain pens at all, you’ve probably heard of the Pilot Metropolitan. It offers an incredible combination of affordability and quality thanks to its smooth nib and durable metal body. We recommend the Metropolitan time and time again to writers of every experience level. It includes a converter and cartridge so you can choose your preferred filling method. Learn more about the Metropolitan series—including matching gel pens and mechanical pencils—in our dedicated guide.

	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Metropolitan Animal Collection Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Metropolitan Retro Pop Collection Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium, Medium Italic	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Metropolitan Standard Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium, Medium Italic	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Prera Fountain Pens

The compact Pilot Prera Fountain Pen is an intermediate fountain pen.

At just over $30, the Prera is the first Pilot fountain pen in this guide that reaches what we consider to be an intermediate price point. Measuring in at just under five inches when capped, this compact pen is an excellent addition to any writer’s everyday carry. Most will find the Prera too short to use unposted, so we recommend posting the cap on the back of the barrel for the most comfortable writing experience. The Standard fountain pens are opaque, while the Clear Body pens have transparent barrels and tinted accents.

The Pilot Penmanship, Kakuno, Explorer, Metropolitan, and Prera all use the same nibs. They thus provide similar writing experiences, and their nibs can be easily swapped.

Product Name		Nib Size	Add to Cart
	Pilot Prera Clear Body Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium, Medium Italic	Add Items to Cart See All Models
	Pilot Prera Standard Body Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Cavalier Fountain Pens

The Pilot Cavalier Fountain Pen is just as elegant as a ballerino.

Named for one of the principal roles in Tchaikovsky’s The Nutcracker, the Pilot Cavalier is just as elegant as a ballerino. Its steel nib practically glides across the page. The Cavalier is very slim, so writers with small hands should consider this pen. Those with large hands may want to skip the Cavalier.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Cavalier Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Custom Fountain Pens

The Pilot Custom series includes pens that feel like they’ve been customized for each individual’s hand.

The Custom series exemplifies Pilot’s endeavor to create fountain pens that are so well-suited to individual writers that they feel like they’ve been customized for each hand. Most of the pens are fitted with elegant nibs made of 14 karat or 18 karat gold; the Custom NS and its stainless steel nib is the lone exception. Almost all of the pens have classic cigar shapes with rounded ends. The 845 Urushi, Heritage 92, Heritage 912, and Heritage SE are set apart by their flat tops and have a more modern aesthetic.

Learn more about just a few of the standouts in the Custom lineup below:

The Custom Heritage 912 is available with fifteen different nibs, which includes standard sizes as well as specialty options like the extra broad Coarse nib or the Waverly nib, which has a slightly upturned tip that provides an exceptionally smooth writing experience.
The Custom Heritage 92 and SE feature piston-filling mechanisms, which are rare sights on Japanese fountain pens.
The Custom Kaede Maple has a cap and barrel made of real maple wood that has been polished to a satin finish.

	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Custom 74 Fountain Pens	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Custom 743 Fountain Pens	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, Double Broad, Falcon	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Custom 823 Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium, Broad	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Custom 845 Urushi Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium, Broad	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Custom Heritage 92 Fountain Pens	Fine, Fine Medium, Medium, Broad	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Custom Heritage 912 Fountain Pens	Extra Fine, Fine, Fine Medium, Medium, Broad, Double Broad, Coarse, Stub, Music, Soft Fine, Soft Fine Medium, Soft Medium, Falcon, Posting, Waverly	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Custom Heritage SE Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Custom Maple Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart
Pilot Custom NS Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot E95S Fountain Pens

The Pilot E95S Fountain Pen adds a sophisticated, retro touch to your everyday carry.

Based on a series of Pilot fountain pens from the 1960s and 70s, the E95S adds a sophisticated, retro touch to your everyday carry. In fact, this fountain pen is meant to be carried with you everywhere, as it’s sized to be perfectly pocketable. Measuring in at under five inches when capped, the E95S extends to a full-sized pen when the cap is posted on the back of the barrel. It’s fitted with a 14 karat gold nib that’s integrated directly into the grip section.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot E95S Fountain Pens	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pens

Featuring a retractable mechanism, the Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pen extends the nib with a push of a button or twist of a knob!

The Pilot Vanishing Point (also known as the Capless in Japan) is an incredible feat of fountain pen ingenuity. After all, it’s one of only a handful of retractable fountain pens! The nib extends by pressing the button or turning the knob on the back of the pen. A “gate” in the nose cone prevents the nib from drying out when it’s retracted, too. The clip’s position makes sure that the nib points up and doesn’t leak when the pen is attached to a pocket. However, writers with nontraditional grips may find the clip gets in the way of their fingers.

The Vanishing Point is available in a Standard version with a top button, as well as several other body styles at varying price points, summarized below:

Approximately the same size as the standard Vanishing Point, the Fermo uses a twist mechanism to extend the nib.
The Decimo is a slimmer version of the Vanishing Point that’s well-suited to smaller hands.
The LS has a silent retraction mechanism. Press down on the button to extend the nib, then flick the twist knob at the base of the button to retract the nib.
The SE is named after the French word seul, which means “sole” or “only.” It has a marbled resin body that ensures no two pens look alike. It matches the Custom Heritage SE.
The Raden is named for the decorative technique used on its barrel. It's inlaid with real pieces of iridescent abalone shell.

	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Capless Fermo Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Vanishing Point Decimo Fountain Pens	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Vanishing Point LS Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium, Broad	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Vanishing Point SE Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Vanishing Point Raden Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium, Broad	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Vanishing Point Standard Fountain Pens	Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, Stub	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Elabo & Falcon Fountain Pens

Pilot Elabo & Falcon Fountain Pens have beak-like nibs that are softer than those on typical fountain pens.

Give your writing a distinctive flair with the Pilot Falcon. Also known as the Elabo in Japan, this fountain pen has a nib shaped like a bird’s beak that is softer than typical fountain pen nibs. Applying gentle pressure spreads the tines and makes lines thicker, so you can create line variation similar to that found in pointed pen calligraphy. The Falcon is a convenient option for writers who enjoy the distinctive look of modern calligraphy but don’t want to fuss with dip pens. However, we should note that the Falcon nib is considered a soft nib rather than a flex nib. Applying too much pressure can “spring” the nib, separating the tines permanently.

A modified version of the Falcon nib can also be found on other pens like the Custom 743 and Custom Heritage 912.

	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Elabo Fountain Pens	Soft Extra Fine, Soft Fine, Soft Medium, Soft Broad	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Metal Falcon Fountain Pens	Soft Extra Fine, Soft Fine, Soft Medium, Soft Broad	Add Items to Cart See All Models
Pilot Falcon Standard Fountain Pens	Soft Extra Fine, Soft Fine, Soft Medium, Soft Broad	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Lady White Fountain Pens

The Pilot Lady White Fountain Pen is a beautiful fountain pen that’s sure to impress.

The Pilot Lady White is a beautiful fountain pen that’s sure to impress. Its white grip contrasts against the beige barrel, which is printed with a subtle maple leaf pattern in pure white. The pen is on the slimmer side and a good fit for small hands. It even includes a carrying pouch made of real leather.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Lady White Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart

Pilot Justus 95 Fountain Pens

The Pilot Justus 95 Fountain Pen features an innovative nib that can be adjusted to change its softness.

The Pilot Justus 95 features a nib that can be adjusted to change its softness. A knurled adjuster at the grip section extends or retracts a plate over the top of the nib, decreasing or increasing the nib’s flexibility. As with Pilot’s other soft nibs, the Justus 95’s nib is not a true flex nib and heavy pressure should not be applied during writing.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Justus 95 Fountain Pens	Fine, Fine Medium, Medium	Add Items to Cart See All Models

Pilot Maki-e Fountain Pens

The Pilot Maki-e Fountain Pen has a luxurious finish that evokes the delicate pattern of a dragonfly’s wings.

The Pilot Maki-e is a luxurious fountain pen with a special maki-e finish that evokes the delicate lace pattern of a dragonfly’s wings. Maki-e is a traditional Japanese art in which urushi lacquer is applied to a surface, and metal powders are sprinkled over painted designs in the lacquer. Urushi must be applied in dozens of layers and cured between each, so a pen can take months to complete; each step is also completed by hand.

While maki-e has been used decoratively for centuries, Pilot was the first to apply the process to fountain pens using a specially developed LACCANAITE method.

This surface treatment was a necessity during the early 1900s, when fountain pens were made of ebonite, a vulcanized rubber that would become discolored when exposed to ultraviolet light or moisture. LACCANAITE technology prevented ebonite from degrading due to the application of urushi lacquer. Today, Pilot’s maki-e fountain pens are usually made of brass (though the Custom 845 Urushi has an ebonite base), but Pilot’s urushi innovation makes their expertise clear.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Maki-e Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium	Add Items to Cart

Pilot Ishime Urushi Fountain Pens

The Pilot Ishime Urushi features a handcrafted urushi lacquer finish with a textured surface reminiscent of a cobblestone path.

The Pilot Ishime Urushi Fountain Pen features a handcrafted urushi lacquer finish with a textured surface reminiscent of a cobblestone path.

The Pilot Ishime Urushi features a handcrafted urushi lacquer finish with a textured surface. The fountain pen is named for the Japanese word for “stone,” and the organic shapes on the cap and barrel are reminiscent of a cobblestone path. The Ishime Urushi is available in four colors and is fitted with an 18 karat gold nib.

Product Name	Nib Size	Add to Cart
Pilot Ishime Urushi Fountain Pens	Fine, Medium, Broad	Add Items to Cart See All Models

More Resources

Conclusion

Thanks to the impressive quality of Pilot fountain pens, it’s no surprise that the brand is mentioned in the same breath as Platinum and Sailor as one of the best Japanese fountain pen companies. And with such a staggering variety of fountain pens to choose from, many fountain pen enthusiasts have at least one Pilot pen in their collections. Whether you start with a beginner-friendly Metropolitan or want to add an innovative Vanishing Point to your pen case, there’s sure to be something in the Pilot lineup for you.

Do you have a Pilot fountain pen? Let us know what you think of it in the comments below.

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