#petit1

[aridecutie123]

[xav-acid]

View this post on Instagram

#pilot #petit1 #fountainpen #onmydesk

[kawkaw2013]

万年筆沼きっかけ #petit1 なんせ手軽に始められた #一本描きスケッチ #文具 #ダイアンに報告

[tree-sitter]

But I want all eight colors.... >_< #ajaddict #penporn #pilot #petit1 #fountainpen

[penanddesign]

The Pilot Petit1 has, in some shape or form, marked its presence in my collection - and Pen&Design alike - since I first laid eyes on it. Back in 2011 it seemed to be the quintessential mini-pen, complete with a stunning array of colours and economic price. In 2012, a new model was launched (much to my surprise), and though it boasted several improvements, gone were the varied and vibrant colours, replaced by a set of different Petits - a fountain pen, rollerball, and brush pen. This year (much to my surprise...again), the third iteration of the diminutive Pilot was launched, bringing the back the clear and fun colours, but increasing the size of the barrel by good almost-centimetre (or almost-fourth-of-an-inch) in order to ship it with an uninstalled cartridge. I'm really not sure as to why Pilot keeps releasing new models; the pens don't seem to be prized by their company as some sort of champion fountain pen profit machine, nor do they seem important enough in their fountain pen lineup to warrant three remakes in three years. But I'm not one to complain when a company refuses to rest on its laurels (even if they could use it!)

Unfortunately, not all of the changes to the new Petit1 are improvements. In fact, most changes are barely perceptible. The colour tone seems to have changed to a slightly darker tone, though that might just be my imagination talking (I stained my last black Petit1 red, so maybe that's why). I'm similarly dubious that the pen writes better, or that it writes worse. I don't think that Pilot has changed the nib on the Petit1; its a nib that most like, offering solid if unspectacular writing quality, though - over the last few months - I've become tired of its performance. It seems to write scratchier, and while I originally extolled the values of its nib, I don't find myself reaching for it very often, or even using it outside of the house. The Fine nib is a staunch Fine, and I appreciate the fact that Pilot made it thin yet not needlepoint sharp. There isn't much room for line variation or flex, and only the slightest hint of springiness, but this sentence could very easily be transposed into any modern steel-nibbed pen review. The ink cartridge only holds 0.6 mL, and one cartridge should last no more than 2-4 days with moderate usage. This actually isn't too bad by my standards, and the fact that there are online tutorials which preach converting the pen into a 2.0 mL eyedropper is just an added bonus.

The design of the pen has remained consistent since its inception. I really enjoy its simplicity, from the bright plastics used to the way the clip flows into the pen. The torpedo shape makes it pleasant to hold or slip into a pocket, and the pen is extremely durable. It might gain some scratches throughout its travels, but these don't concern me too much. It's beautifully-designed, and I wish it came in pure demonstrator or solid grey demonstrator models. The two-tone colour scheme still works well for the colours though, and I'm pleased that Pilot got rid of the terrible translucent white colour. This is how colours on a pen should be done.

My hands aren't crazily large, but their not incredibly small either; I enjoy the small size of the capped Petit1, and find its length perfectly acceptable when posted. It fits fine in the hands. While a longer pen might feel a bit nicer, it's more than worth the trade-off for me. One of the changes I don't like, surprisingly, is how Pilot slightly increased the size of the pen. I would have preferred a smaller pen, even if it mean that the cartridge leaked while shipping, or the pen was a bit smaller posted. When you're making a pen this compact, even fractions of a centimetre are important. The pen is still smaller than most other pens on the market (I believe it ranges between 4.2-5 inches when capped, posted, respectively), as one of the pictures above exemplifies, but I can't help but feel a little bad when I compare it to the older Petit1 models. Maybe most people won't mind a difference this small, but it's annoying to me. I've also noticed a price increase make its way through each Petit1 model. I don't see how this is possible; Pilot actually reduced the price after the first model, and has kept it at 200 Yen since. I assume something like taxes or customs must be what's driving the importers' price up by 80% (and $0.50 more than the first model...which was 100 Yen more!) Once again, this change equals to less than a dollar per pen, but it caught my attention nonetheless.

If I seem to be hung up on the minutia of the Pilot Petit1, it should correspond with my respect for Pilot - and what this pen should be - too. This pen is so simple, so enticing, that I can't help but own six of them. I have one first-gen, two second-gens, and three of the newest model. It's made out of sturdy, bright plastic, and its shape is unassuming and relaxed. I really, really wish that Pilot USA brought this pen to the Americas, and instituted some changes along the way. I want it smaller, cheaper ($2.00 would be perfect, and less than 6 cents above the current Japanese retail price), and sporting a bit better nib. The pen is so small and simple in its approach that I want it to be near-perfect. The design is already fantastic. The idea is equally so. Some have complained that the feed for the pen isn't technically a fountain pen-optimized feed, and that it wears out within a few refills. If this is true, I hope that it can be remedied. I want a simple Petit1. One with its trademark simple design, but with a simpler price, and simple smooth writing quality. I want it to be built to last too. I still recommend buying at least one of these compact fountain pens, but - at the rate in which the series has been progressing, or rather become mired in miniscule details - I'm not sure I'll be buying too many fourth-generation Petit1s, should they ever come to fruition. I don't know what Pilot's got on hand for 2014, but I hope that they focus on the details, and finally make a true fountain pen staple out of the Petit1. 

[penanddesign]

Pilot Petit1

[penanddesign]

Pilot Varsity Review - Your First Fountain Pen!

I’ll get to the point right away. The Pilot Varsity is the fountain pen to use if you’re new to the world of fountain pens. It’s not flashy, and not very heavy. It gets its design cues from a classical pen standard (or at least, that’s what it seems like to us), and it looks cheap enough to not attract any unnecessary attention. At just over $3, the price is also right. For under a fiver, you get a light, well-designed pen which is inconspicuous, holds a ton of ink, and is made by none other than Pilot - one of the premier fountain pen companies in the world! The ink flow and nib are also ridiculously smooth and consistent. The ink flow is flow-y (if that’s even a word) and in a market where a restrained ink flow is becoming a norm among distinguished pens, the Pilot Varsity is refreshing in the sense that it has a flow of great, rich ink. Yes, this pen comes loaded with ink - and high-quality ink, too! - and while Pilot labels it disposable, one can easily solve that problem with a pair of pliers, a bottle of ink, and a needle (just search “refill Pilot Varsity”, and we’re sure Google will provide a myriad of well-written articles!!)

[penanddesign]

The Japanese Pens YOU Need!! Part 1

Pick one up here! Pilot Varsity The Pilot Varsity is, in many ways, like a cousin to the Petit1. While it may be physically larger, hold more ink, and have a smoother nib, it suffers due to it’s relatively uninspired design, and the fact that it is disposable and non-refillable (though that can be solved with some DIY… Just search on Google!) If you’ve never used a fountain pen before, or are new to the customs of refilling ink, or maintaining a fountain pen, then this is for you. It’s larger than the Petit1 (and for some, thus easier to write with), has a smoother nib performance and writing quality, and comes loaded with a large amount of ink off the bat. It’s design may please those unaccustomed to quirky fountain pens.

You can pick one up here Pentel Aquash Watercolour Brushes These pens are ridiculously cool. They fill up with watercolors, and are basically pen-brushes for watercolor painting. This is the type of quirky pen that artist, in particular, laud with unfettered delight and praise - it’s not only a novel idea, but a functional one as well! Plus they come in their original Japanese packaging.

Try one of them here! Pilot Vanishing Point Fountain Pens A retractable fountain pen?! That’s a seemingly impossible idea. Yet, once again, Pilot manages to make it work - and work fantastically to! This pen is basically like one of those cap less click pens, only with a fountain pen nib instead of a traditional ballpoint or rollerball tip. It’s not cheap at over a hundred dollars d

… and many find it horribly ugly, but there’s no denying that this pen takes two fantastic concepts - fountain pens and click-out pens- and marries them together with immaculate design. Search online for these, and you’ll find them in a variety of styles, colours, and, well, price points. Namiki Fountain Pens These pens are ridiculously beautiful, adorned with fine, fine Japanese artwork. They do, however, come with a price. These pens range in the hundreds-of-dollars category. The Namiki Urushi pens, for instance, can easily go for $1200 , if not more. These are beautiful pens, but rest assured that they are expensive. We’ve never even tried one, only seen one. But we assume that that’s what matters - as pens that ornately designed, and sumptuously priced, sell based on…well, their looks. Visit Namiki.com if you’d like to see more of these amazing pens.

That’s all for now! Join us for our next article, where we discuss other fantastic pens from all over the world!