PILOT"CUSTOM 823 - Plunger Type/Transparent Brown" (nib : Medium)

Super lekkere vulpen, met grote capaciteit inkt.

If you are looking at this pen you probably know it has an epic reputation. Outstanding nib, super comfort in the hand, unique ink mechanism and massive reservoir, etc... All of that is true. During the 3 weeks waiting for it to arrive from Japan I became obsessed researching reviews on this pen. I pretty much knew what to expect. So what caught me off-guard? It arrived in a nice plastic case with various forms inside... I was expecting something more flimsy. The pen felt lighter than I expected, but once filled with 2+ ml of ink the weight was in-line with what I was expecting. I got the smoke transparent pen... once filled with black take-sumi ink the pen basically looks like a black and gold pen. It is very difficult to tell there is any transparency, especially in darker settings. The overall feel of the plastic was a bit of a let-down. At best it feels like my TWSBI 580AL plastic, and maybe that is a stretch. If I wiggle my TWSBI cap while on the pen all is rock solid. If I do the same with my Custom 823 I can hear plastic bits rubbing and grinding... just not as tight and refined. I did fix it by applying the tiniest spec of pure silicone grease to the cap threads with a toothpick, fyi. That 10 second fix changed the pen from feeling slightly flimsy to solid. So there are all the negatives. But if you buy a pen for the actual writing experience, this pen is exceptional. The quality of nib feel is worlds apart from the Pilot Metropolitan... and that $15 Metro pen nib is a work horse in its own right and just writes like a machine... but once using the 823 one now can have better understanding of the term 'nib refinement'. I got this pen to be my workhorse pen replacing my prior workhorse Metropolitan. The section and length sizing is just more comfortable, the ink reservoir has me not worrying at all on week long trips and that nib just feels better on all paper... my Metropolitan was smooth on good paper but scratchy on cheap paper. This #15 nib is smooth on all paper. I have a fine nib but there is no sweet spot, the nib seems to work equally well from all angles, which is nice and unlike the Metropolitan. The line size is very similar to my Metro Fine nib, but this nib feeds more ink so the lines are darker and more full of ink... but not too much. In summary, I'm real happy I got this pen. No regrets. And definitely like the black smoke version. 1/3/20 Update: After using this pen regularly for over 1.5 years I reaffirm that it is an amazing writer. Ever since that initial light greasing of the cap threads the pen has remained with a solid feel. After year 1, (8 or 9 fills) the plunger became very sticky in the barrel, making refills difficult and potentially dangerous to the structural integrity of the pen. After some research I learned how to dismantle the pen using a TWSBI wrench from the plunger-knob side of the pen so I could clean and re-grease the plunger with silicone grease... the metal shaft the plunger travels on seemed to have some surface corrosion, but the grease smoothed things out. After that lubrication the pen refills with ink even easier than when brand new. Any tool needs occasional maintenance and this is no exception. Still one of my favorites even after collecting a number of pens more than twice the price.

Received the product as described. Works straight out of the box.. the smoothest pen I have.

Since I first got into fountain pens several years ago, the Pilot Custom 823 has always been on my radar. I have seen countless videos and blog posts calling it a “grail” pen and comparing it to pens like the Pelikan M1000 or even Montblanc models. While those comparisons may be a bit exaggerated, I can confidently say this pen lives up to its reputation in its own right. The Custom 823 is an absolute pleasure to write with, hold, and even just look at. The transparent brown body is beautiful and refined, and the overall build feels thoughtful and well balanced. The medium nib is smooth and consistent, laying down a generous, controlled line of ink that makes long writing sessions effortless. Despite being a vacuum filler with a large ink capacity, this is the pen I end up refilling the most, simply because I cannot stop using it. This may sound overly enthusiastic, but if you have been in the fountain pen hobby for a while and have the budget for it, I genuinely think this pen is worth experiencing. It is a standout piece that feels special every time you pick it up.

I took the plunge and ordered this "much highly spoken" about fountain pen - Pilot Custom 823. When compared to the Sailor 1911 Large 21K nib, this Pilot nib is smoother. It has a unique feeling to it. One of my fav pens is the Pelikan M800... but I think this nib gives it a good run - head to head in my opinion. Fully recommended. About the shipping experience: The seller used Japan post service - full tracking available. No issue for shipping to Singapore. Pen came in a sealed bag (as shown in picture). I just had to flush the pen with water a couple of times, dry it. Then inked it with Pilot iroshizuku ink (tsuki-yo). It writes beautifully out of the box, no issues whatsoever. The shading is mouth watering, in my opinion, considering that this is a fine Japanese nib. After writing with it a day or so, I can understand all the hype about this pen in the internet. No regrets getting this pen. Only sad thing is that, I foresee my other pens might get a little less lovin from me ......