Spotlight: Pilot

As Japan’s oldest and largest writing instrument manufacturer, most people have used a Pilot pen at some point, whether as a student, a professional, or a hobbyist. Founded in 1918 by two naval engineers, Ryosuke Namiki and Masao Wada, they started their business with the mission to create a fountain pen with a gold nib made entirely in Japan. From there Pilot has grown with facilities all over the world and has become a leader in developing new technologies to change the standard of writing tools. The breadth of Pilot's product line covers everyday gel pens to luxury fountain pens created with highly specialized artisanal techniques like maki-e art and urushi lacquer finishes. While an introduction to an ubiquitous brand like Pilot might be unnecessary, you may be interested in exploring a different facet of Pilot's extensive product offering. In this feature, we're highlighting some of Pilot's bestselling and unique products we have at the Paper Mouse.

Everyday Writing

FriXion

Innovation has been an important part of Pilot's mission from the beginning, and to this day, they are at the forefront of developing technologies to overcome particular limitations of everyday writing tools. One of their recent breakthroughs is the thermo-sensitive ink used in their FriXion pens, markers, and highlighters. Instead of altering the surface of paper to erase ink, the thermo-sensitive ink in Pilot's FriXion writing instruments erase by heat produced from rubbing the ink with the rubber end of their writing tools. This keeps the paper intact, prevents mess from eraser and paper residue, and best of all, comes in wide variety of colors to enjoy.

Dr. Grip 

Handwriting has many benefits such as supporting memory and cognitive function, but a writing tool with the wrong weight and shape can cause strain and discomfort, which ends up eclipsing those advantages. PIlot's Dr. Grip line of writing tools was made with this in mind and is the only pen certified for Ease-of-Use by the Arthritis Foundation. The firm silicone grip, thicker barrel, and smooth G2 gel ink makes it easier to grasp the pen with less tension. The retractable design allows for handling the pen with one hand.

Fountain pens

Kakuno

Kakuno, originally created to help introduce fountain pens to school children, has become a favorite entry-level fountain pen for journaling enthusiasts. These pens are affordable, playful, available in a fun colors, and arguably have the most adorable nibs on the market. The hexagonal shape keeps the pen from rolling off your desk. The engraved nib while cute also has a functional purpose. Together with the triangular grip, it promotes holding the nib at an optimal position for writing with a fountain pen.

Metropolitan

The Pilot Metropolitan is a brass-body fountain pen with a sleek look. The classic cigar shape and balanced weight make it a great choice for a gift especially for someone new to fountain pens. They're a classy metal fountain pen at an accessible price. They also come packaged with a converter so you can dive right into exploring fountain pen ink options.

Parallel Pen

Pilot Parallel pens function like a fountain pen, using ink cartridges and a plastic feed but have a peculiar nib made of two parallel metal plates. These pens create a range of extra-wide to thin strokes based on the angle you hold the nib and are a favorite tool for writing in broad-edge calligraphy scripts like Italic, Gothic, and Roman. You can use regular fountain pen inks with these pens or Pilot's specially formulated ink cartridges designed for ink mixing. Simply touch the nibs together perpendicularly on two different pens to transfer ink and create strokes with beautiful color gradations.  

Vanishing Point

Pilot Vanishing Point has the convenience of a retractable ballpoint pen, but the elegance of a luxury fountain pen. The sophisticated mechanism inside the pen has a trap door-like opening, which keeps the nib from drying out without using a traditional pen cap. The Vanishing Point continues to have a loyal following ever since its debut as the world's first retractable fountain pen in 1963. The classic Vanishing Points are weighty and made with a durable brass body. Other models are available with an aluminum or birchwood body.  Vanishing Point fountain pens use an incredibly smooth 18k gold nib.

Custom 823

No matter how many times you fill your pen, the vacuum filling mechanism in Pilot's Custom 823 makes each refill as magical as the first. This filling mechanism also provides a large ink capacity. With the added feature of a built-in safety valve, there's no need to fear ink explosions due to changes in air pressure –great news if you ever want to bring your pen along for a trip.

Custom 743

There are so many more writing instruments from Pilot we could mention, but one we must mention that is a particular favorite (especially for Jenny) is the Custom 743. This model comes in a wide range of nibs, including several specialty nibs. Even if you don't intend to purchase a fountain pen, we encourage all pen enthusiasts to try our testers with a Posting nib and a Waverly nib.

The Posting nib writes shockingly smooth for a an incredibly extra-fine nib due to the unique downward curved shape. It was originally designed for making the most of the limited writing space on a postcard. And thanks to the controlled flow of ink of an ultra-fine nib, this prevents the feathering and bleed-through on most papers even if they're not fountain pen friendly. 

The Waverly nib bends upward, like a fude nib, but not as dramatically. The nib shape allows for a wider range of writing angles, so the ink to flows with more ease in a variety of grips. If you like to hold your pen very upright or if you're left-handed, this nib shape might suit your writing.

Posting Nib	Waverly Nib

Fountain Pen Ink

Iroshizuku Ink

Pilot created a beloved ink collection to go with their fine writing instruments, Iroshizuku ink inspired by the Japanese nature and landscapes. Many fountain pen users swear by the reliability and beauty of these inks. They come in two sizes, a signature 50ml glass bottle with a unique pointed reservoir shape so you can reach every last drop and smaller 15ml glass bottles that you can use up faster to try a wider range of colors.