Fountain Pen: Pilot Elite 95
- whimsicaleccentric
- Jun 25, 2024
- 2 min read
VISUAL
I find that the Pilot Elite 95s really evokes a bygone era with its design and its color scheme. The large cap is made of anodized aluminum coated in a silky champagne lacquer. The gold clip matches the gold detailing around the base of the cap. The section and barrel are made of a burgundy plastic.
The cap is very large in comparison to the rest of the pen, which visually is interesting and functionally works to make this pen go from a pocket pen to a full-sized pen.
The 14k nib is inlaid into the section of the pen, with a sculptured and interestingly-shaped cut away profile that really lets the nib become a huge part of the design.
TACTILE
This is a lightweight pen, but the materials all have a quality feel to them, even the injection molded plastic. The cap is super silky smooth, and is a great balance between lightweight and still substantial enough to not feel 'cheap.'
The burgundy plastic of the section and barrel is surprisingly grippy for how it appears. Even though there is a decent slope to the very long section, I never feel insecure in my ability to hold onto the pen.
A small ring is situated at the top of the barrel. The cap pushes up against this as a stopping mechanism when capping or posting. It does add a step-up effect to move from the section to the posted cap, but it's so far back from where I hold the pen that it does not interfere with my writing.
PRACTICAL
This extra fine nib is so enjoyable. It's smooth and incredibly fine. It's one of my often-inked pens just for how much I love this nib.
Posting is required to make this pen useable. The act of posting the cap is bizarrely very satisfying - it slides on so smoothly and securely. It also doesn't drag against the plastic, so I don't feel like it's damaging the finish.
I prefer to use a cartridge rather than a converter with the Elite, as I find that the converters that fit are more annoying to use.
STATISTICAL
Pen Measurements:
Weight: 14.62g
Weight of Cap: 5.35g
Length Capped: 119 mm
Length Uncapped: 105 mm
Length Posted: 146 mm
Nib: 7mm 'Extra Fine' 14k Gold
Body Style: Umbrella
Fill Method: Cartridge
Fill Volume: 0.9 ml
Comparison Pens: Pilot Metropolitan, LAMY LX
OVERALL
Pros:
Beautiful vintage design
Awesome inlaid nib!
Cons:
Cartridge is the best option to use with this pen
Pens with unique design elements make me so happy, and when they show off amazing engineering choices it's even better news. I highly recommend this pen to anyone!
DISCLAIMER: Pens and inks purchased by myself. Photos and opinions are my own.
Comments