I have Pilot and Platinum pens and they are great but you should mention Nakaya. They make their nibs in house and are really excellent writers and quite attractive.
Recently I learned that Sailor does quite an amount of collaborations with Japanese games and animes to produce limited type fountain pens or rollerball pens based on certain series and characters and I just thought that's super neat (and not safe for my wallet since they are made to be like luxury-level pens instead of budget pens). I usually like preppy for their affordability and I think Sailor has pretty cool pens (still thinking about their tsuru no ongaeshi pen....), but I'm glad that I can learn about more brands besides the commonly known Platinum, Sailor, and Pilot in this video. Thank you, JetPens! (also I'm begging on my knees, please introduce this VO person. He voices the first ever JetPens video I ever watched and I always enjoy whenever he VOs a video and please let him do introduction videos or QnA video like what Stephanie and Antoine had done. It's alright without face reveals too, I just think he's neat.)
THIS THIS THIS! I really like his voice, he's got a very nice and soothing voice that reminds me of a lecturer who's kind and welcoming to all in his classes.
Three quarters of my collection are Japanese fountain Pens! Here are my top five: -Pilot Custom Urushi Vermillion -Sailor 1911 Realo in Burgundy/Gold Trim -Pilot Custom 823 Amber -Platinum Curidas Demonstrator (Im surprised that I like it more than my Pilot Vanishing Point!) -Pilot Custom Heritage Demonstrator You hit the nail on the head regarding in-house nibs. Some grinds are great like Pineider, but you can only do so much with a Jowo!
my grandmother was a teacher and i found a Parker 21 shrouded nib pen from the early 1950s in one of her old desks. its pretty much identical to the modern Parker 51 fountain pens. i was able to clean and revive it so that it is full of my favorite color ink right now, hanging in my shirt pocket, and i use it daily. it's the best fountain pen ive ever used. it's an extra fine nib, writes like butter on any crappy paper, doesnt bleed through super thin paper, writes instantly perfectly seemingly no matter how long i let it sit, and despite taking quite a bit of abuse since started carrying it everywhere, still looks brand new. Parker is a classic US brand and while i can't vouch for the quality of the modern parker brand, i can truthfully say that they were masterful at creating fountain pens in the 1950s.
I have four Pilot Kakuno and one Platinum Preppy. My ridiculous number of other fountain pens include Lamy (in many colors) and two Kaweco. I also want a Pilot Vanishing Point, but that will have to wait several months until the repairs on our house are done.
@@Alba_bb personally have the kaweco sport, it writes well for me despite my not having really used a fountain pen before. Would definitely recommend you get one, i found my handwriting got a lot easier to read with one
Had a rough start with my Kakuno thinking I broke it and having to adjust my grip as well. Now though it serves like a workhorse and writes as fast as my hand can move. I adore this thing, it makes me want to physically write more than I have in years.
I am a total Pilot fan. My 823 with its superb filling mechanism is the joy of my collection and also the one I use to write in my technical notebooks. The Metropolitan is my favorite starter pen, and I keep a supply on hand to give to my clients as small gifts. They always enjoy receiving them and inevitably become hooked on fountain pens because of them. That's why I call the Metropolitan a gateway pen.
I was scared of fountain pens for so long, but I took the dive and got a platinum preppy and yeah I really love it haha it may not have a luxury design, but I personally like how "office" it looks. I don't think I'll ever be someone who has the patience for fountain pen maintenance, but this I can do xD I also wasn't expecting the lines to be as fine as they are, and it helps a lot since I do actually write in kanji sometimes But one day I'll be able to afford a sailor ;v; one day
I love the Pilot Prera’s! So comfortable in your hand, starts right up, rights really well and a pretty pen. I have 4 and want another with the calligraphy nib.
The Pilot Kakuno in a Clear Demonstrator was my first ever high quality japanese pen. I was definitely suprised at how smooth it wrote for such a small nib (i ordered F). It was my most used pen for about a year, and still holds a good candle to my Safari, Sheaffers, and such. An awesome pen for starters!
my first fountain pen. good writing, cute with a smiley. then i got crazy with fountain pens and i bought nearly 30 which majority of it are chinese fountain pens. i only tried 1/3 of it to date as each that i tried writes good.
I got a Pilot Kakuno after watching your video about beginner friendly fountain pens. It was supposed to be a temporary solution for getting into using one again... but it became my everyday pen and I have it always in my bag for at least 5 years 😉
@@ecksdog I believe they still sell a VERY similar desk pen that is effectively the same, with a slightly different name, excluding the word CARBON. ~$15, worth a try.
I have 5 pilot preppy fountain pens. Each has a different ink - and as an artist and journal writer this style pen suits me to a T, price wise, smooth flow (even over "rough" watercolour paper for out lining) - fantastic pens and and price wise minimizes any anxiety over mislaying or losing pen! Love the other more expensive pens but the Pilot Preppy is a great working pen!
I have no Japanese fountain pens, but I'm interested in the Preppy or the Sailor for drawing, and I fell in love with the look of the Elabo for writing. What a stunning line! Logging into my Wish List RIGHT NOW!!
I have had the 0.5 and 0.3 size preppy pens for a couple of onths, and today I bought a 0.2 version (EF) My first thought when I inked it up and got it flowing was that it would be excellent for drawing. It's REALLY fine. It's a little scratchy, but you expect that in such a fine nib. And if you don't like it, give it away - for under $6.00 (I'm in Canada) it's not too expensive to give to someone who might like it.
I would like to have my first gold nib be a Custom 74 or a 912 by Pilot b/c the Pilot Metropolitan, despite being a "starter" pen, is absolutely my favorite writing experience. I appreciate TWSBI's use of a second cap and screw mechanism. I have had TWSBI pens inked for 1 year+ without hard starts, which is not the same as the metropolitan, but I just cannot beat that writing feeling especially for the price range
@@houghwhite411 the capping is not as good but it definitely lasts more than 2 days for me. For a slip cap pen I think it’s on the better side of capped pens
I have a pilot kakuno, a kaweco classic sport, a noodler’s creeper, a custom 74, a vanishing point, a twsbi eco and a twsbi diamond. I just really love pilot fountain pens cause their designs match my taste and I love fine nibs. I hope I can afford a beautiful maki-e fountain pen one day.
Only minor bummer is Sailor Platinum and Pilot all use proprietary ink cartridges, but obviously you can just buy a converter. I have both a Sailor and a Pilot and they are nice pens the steel nib Sailor Compass can be a bit toothy but writes on any paper without bleed through . My Pilot E95S with a gold nib writes smother but does still have some feedback. Both pens are in a fine sized nib.
Platinum makes a cartridge adapter to allow you to put any short standard cartridge in it. I don't know if an international converter would fit into the adapter, and if it does, I don't know if you'd be able to put the barrel of the pen back on because I believe the platinum converter is a bit shorter that the international one - but don't quote me on this!
The reason I got into fountain pens is to try and improve my handwriting I started with a Preppy F nib, Pilot Kakunos in 3 nib sizes, and now I ended up with a Custom Heritage 92 that writes like magic. I may have a bias because most of my pens are Japanese ones but I just love them.
@@PratameshMistry in this price range, there is only one pen I could think of. It's the Pilot Metropolitan available in F and M, the reason I suggested such a pen is it's one of my pens the barrel and the cap are made of brass and available in variety of colors. Sure, the converter it comes with is rather small but at this price range, I wouldn't complain. If your local shop does have it in stock, try it out for yourself first before you buy it so you could see if it's for you. I hope I was able to help out with the solution you look for.
I own several Japanese fountain pens and each one performs a different task for me. I’m still experimenting with fountain pens, as I am a newbie to the fountain pen world. Thanks for sharing this wonderful knowledge about Japanese fountain pens.
I love this video! Great production and content coverage, as usual! I own several Sailors, Pilots, and Platinums! My favorites are all Sailor pens; I love the feedback and the feel/weight of Sailor pens. As a serial ink-changer (I use ~0.5mL at a time), I enjoy the ease of cartridge fills and tend to stay away from piston or other fill mechanics that are difficult to clean. My two absolutely favorites are the King Of Pen 1911 M in black/gold and the Pro Gear MF in white with pink gold trim. Simply divine! 🤩
A Sailor PG Slim - Purple Cosmos was my first fountain pen that put a hole in my wallet. I now have PGS Supernova and a 1911S Stormy Seas. My wife has a few vintage Sailors as she likes their thinner body and EF nibs for her teeny-tiny handwriting. I also like the feedback of the Sailor pens and can see the collection growing in no time.
I have both the Platinum Preppy and the Pilot fountain pen. Incredible quality and at an amazing price too! I’ve had the Platinum Preppy for almost 2 years now and it still works like a charm (I’ve had the Pilot fountain pen for almost 6 years, and it still works flawlessly).
I only have the kakuno 😂 would love a preppy tho and I would definitely start buying from you guys once I move to the UK! My current country is legit halfway across the world from you guys so... :'D
I have had several fountain pens in the past, some cheaper and some more expensive, and have always enjoyed them. I recently ordered a set of the Platinum Preppy (7 different colors) after the good recommendations. I can say that they write beautifully, I have the 0.5 size and it is perfect for me, as I like fine line pens. It is not scratchy at all, even on cheap paper (haven’t tried standard US college ruled three punch, but the pen is not scratchy on regular printer paper.) The colors are rich, the ink flows well, and it writes wonderfully on my personal favorite paper, Rhodia.
I have the first generation of Pilot Preppy fountain pens from Jet Pens and loved it for its low budget; ideal for a then student like me. however, as I was twisting the body of the pen back into place one day (after a refill), it cracked on me. Because of this inconvenience of not having a seal, I no longer use it and am just stuck with it. I've debated on just buying another preppy, but the original pen is basically new, so that was not a solution for me. I am stuck with it, no longer in use, ink is new as well, just waiting until I find another fountain pen that's eye-catching.
I have several, a couple of Sailors, Pilots, and Platinums. One of the ones I didn't realize was particularly special was the Platinum 75th anniversary pen. 18k gold nib.
Japanese fountain pens are my favorite. I just love how smooth my Vanishing Point is. I also love the fact that their ef nibs are so small since my handwriting is on the tiny side.
I have some nice Japanese pens. From Sailor, I have: KoP, 1911 Large, 1911 standard, Pro Gear "Imperial Black"... from Pilot: Custom 845, 743, 912, 74. black E95s, Maroon E95s. All bought direct from Japan. US retail prices for these pens are insane. My 4 Preras, and 3 Metropolitans, I got here in the US.
Pilot Petit 1 was my first and the one that dragged me down into this rabbit hole 😂 It was my edc pen with it's reliable and compact size. Reliable enough to be on my pocket for everyday writing, everywhere 😀
I have several Pilot Metros, one Custom 74, a whole bunch of Preppies, a couple of Sailor Compasses, and one Sailor 1911S. Didn’t know about the medium italic on the Prera, though… I might have to check that out.
This voice ❤️ I love everyone but this voice is the one that kept me watching. Also… I recently purchased a Pilot Kaküno to try the fountain pen life and I’m loving it so far. I don’t think it will convert me away from my beloved Pentel Energel in a Zebra Sarasa Clip body… but I do find myself using them both often. I love to life journal with my Pentel Energel but my book journal will definitely be written on fountain pen. I just need the converter and that super nice green ink I’ve been eyeing for some time 🥰 Also… I don’t post… is not comfy for me 😅
I was so looking forward to getting a Pilot Prera last year but then I went to try it in a store. It feels so light in my hands and so didn’t get it. What do people make of that? Love to hear your experience!
@@ichirofakename thanks! I was reflecting further after I posted the comment. I have light-weight pens from other makers. Perhaps I was just surprised because the pen looks like it’s more substantial!
I have 4 Japanese fountain pens: Sailor pro gear slim Pilot Falcon Platinum century Pilot Metropolitan I am thinking on buying a Pilot Vanishing point, what do you think?, is there a better option?
I blame JetPens for starting my fountain pen addiction! 😅 I have a Pilot Custom 74, a Sailor Shikiori with steel nib and just got the Sailor PGS in Dragon Palace. The Pilot Custom needed the tines widened slightly to finally write well but now it’s one I want to reach for and the Sailors wrote well on the first try. I wish Sailor fountain pens were cheaper. All those colors are beautiful!
I only got a manuscript Fountain pen yesterday from my local stationary shop this is UK made with interchangeable nibs, I should hopefully be able to do Japanese symbols with them?
Pilot Kakuno, Pilot Metropolitan, Pilot Prera, Pilot VP Matt black, Sailor Pro colour, Sailor 1911 std gold nib, Platinum preppy, Platinum Procyon dull yellow and each pen is F/EF
I have 4 Japanese fountain pens, Pilot Petit1, Platinum Preppy, and Pilot Calligraphy fountain pen, and Pilot Kakuno. And yes, I'm still new to fountain pens, I love them so much, but I think I won't buy the expensive one, because I'm broke. The inexpensive fountain pen also already good too for everyday writing, you won't be that sad when you lost it (compared to the expensive one)
Nothing beats a Pilot EF nib or a Pilot F stub nib. Nothing. Not even other Japanese brands! And I'm talking about Pilot Penmanship, Plumix, and Pluminix, which are suuuuuuper budget fountain pens.
As of now, i only have a pilot metropolitan (the turquoise one) as my first fountain pen. I'm eying the champagne vanishing point decimo tho as my next fp (maybe as a graduation gift a few years from now) or a maki-e pen cuz they're just so pretty
Here are the Japanese Pens I own: 1) Pilot 823, 743, 912, Vanishing Point, Prera and Metropolitan. 2) Sailor Pro Gear King of Pen and regular Professional Gear. 3) Platinum 3776 and President. Japanese pens have all the same qualities: 1) Well balanced even when posted. 2) They all post securely. 3) Great nibs that write perfectly right out of the box. 4) Very comfortable to hold. 5) They all look beautiful and professional so you can use them at work and school. So here are my questions: 1) Why do Pilot, Sailor and Platinum make the worst converters of all time? There is nothing convenient about them. The Pilot Con-40 barely holds any ink and is difficult to operate because of the very short knob. The Pilot Con-70 is very time consuming to clean out and filling it with ink is a hassle too. Sailor's converters are just like the Pilot Con-40. Platinum makes the best converter out of the three companies which isn't saying very much, very difficult to twist, like they were tightened intentionally so you have no choice but to turn them slow which is very frustrating. 2) They make these awful, terrible, miserable converters and then sell them separately so you're forced to pay an extra $5 to $10. Why not include them with the pen? Why the extra punishment for their customers?
Japanese fountain pens are beautiful, they are not my thing nibs to fine for my hand. Personally I love the pilot, but platinum and sailor are good brands, especially with their flagship models. I own a a few pilot fountain pens ( metropolitan/ varsity ) the rest of my collection are US/ European brands.
I have all three prime Japanese brands: Sailor, Pilot, and Platinum, PLUS Wancher, and Nakaya. I have a number of each brand and varying nibs. I don't enjoy Japaneses EF and F nibs; I prefer stub, and M or above. Most of the Japanese FPs that I own cost in the $200 range or above. I prefer 14K nibs, but I have two 21K nibs in my King of Pen models. The quality of the pens I own rival the brands Montblanc, Waterman, Pelikan, Parker, and Franklin Christoph. For a long time, Japan had a bad reputation for making inferior products. Those were usually inexpensive items, made specifically for export. I was in Japan in 1948. Tokyo was still largely flattened, with people living in makeshift hovels made from the rubble. But even in those times, their manufactury was recovering, and they were producing top-quality goods, especially fabrics and glazed earthenware. But there were some obviously "made in Japan" goods, some of them made from the beer cans our occupation soldiers threw away. The ones I remember were small cars and trucks with friction motors, that threw out sparks as they moved. The outsides were painted to look like the toys they were to represent, but if you looked inside, you could still see the beer can brand names. The toys were packed in extremely flimsy "cardboard" boxes. But things that were manufactured to be used IN Japan were of extremely high quality, and now, so many years after WWII, their quality products are recognized around the world.
Would you say that a Japanese fountain pen fitted with an extra fine nib would be a good match for lefties? I got a Safari fountain pen in extra fine from you guys in the recent past and it's so much better than my medium Safari fountain pen.
Hi there! Generally, the finer the nib, the faster the ink dries and the less prone to smudging your ink will be, so in that regard they might work better for lefties. However, the jump between an extra fine Safari nib and an extra fine Japanese nib is huge. Japanese nibs are finer than their western counterparts, so a Japanese EF nib might feel scratchy in comparison to the Lamy EF. If you're looking for a finer writing experience, you can try something like the Platinum Preppy or Pilot Kakuno in extra fine to test Japanese nibs out! www.jetpens.com/Platinum-Preppy-Fountain-Pens/ct/5111?&f=f143487d973693ea4191bd7ebbc0e799 www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Kakuno-Fountain-Pens/ct/1984?&f=f143487d973693ea4191bd7ebbc0e799
