Pilot CUSTOM 845 | Urushi on Ebonite on an old flagship
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- Опубликовано: 2 авг 2024
- Higher-end aka. more expensive fountain pens have to bring something to the table that's different from mid-tier pens, or else, what's the point?
Performance-wise, the Pilot 743 (a resin pen that is about half the price) is probably the equal to the 845. What the 845 brings to the table is urushi on top of ebonite + an 18k nib. Is urushi + ebonite that much of a difference compared to a standard resin pen? Well, it does feel more luxurious but to be honest, the difference isn't that obvious. I am not an expert on urushi by any means but the Roiro urushi lacquering technique that Pilot uses for their urushi pens is achieved by applying a layer of oil-free urushi lacquer over the uppermost coat. After that, it is polished with special charcoal and raw lacquer is rubbed in on top of the coat. Then it is left to dry and burnished. The process is repeated several times to create a beautiful and unique luster.
Regarding the #15 2-tone 18k nib the Pilot 845 comes with, it's nice but I wouldn't say it's a great deal different from the 743's already impressive 14k nib.
For me, the reason why I bought this pen was clearly for the purpose of adding it to the collection. Not rational but then, we are in the luxury band of pens and rationality goes out the window a little bit in this case :)
If you are interested, my previous 743 video - • Unboxing: Pilot Custom... 
Хобби
I just purchased this pen new from Iguana Sell for $662 U.S. with free shipping from Madrid Spain to Seattle Washington and I received the pen in 3 days from the day I purchased it. This pen currently sells for $900+ U.S. on all U.S. web stores. Plus Iguana Sell offers top notch customer service, so you just can’t go wrong buying from them. I purchased the fine nib, which is really more like an extra fine which I prefer. I have never been disappointed in a pilot nib and this one is sheer perfection in my opinion. The pen is lighter than you would expect, and I prefer that too. I don’t cap any of my pens, but if you do, there is a felt lining on the inside of the cap so you do not scratch the urushi fishing; now that’s craftsmanship! I know a lot of people can’t afford a pen like this, but after owning a lot of fountain pens, some ranging well over the $3,000 dollar mark, I can honestly say if I had to chose only one pen now for the rest of my life,it would either be the Pilot Custom 823 or the Pilot Custom 845 Urushi. Those would be my personal choice.
Hi John it's true what you said. The 845 doesn't seem to get much love from netizens but I agree it's a great pen. I got mine in M used but if I had to do it again I would have gotten the Fine.
@@WrexelsWorld I agree; I struggled for years and countless pens from a variety or makers to settle on my nib size of choice. Because of my writing styles for cursive and upper case drafting lettering along with doing fine engineering sketches, I now never buy anything larger than fine, and if extra fine is a choice I get that also. I am 100% sold on both Sailor and Pilot nibs, I have never received a pen nib combo that wasn’t perfect. But I have been greatly disappointed in so many other brands, but that is obviously my experience and opinion.
A classic style pen with a beautiful nib that rewards you every time you use it. I’m getting to the stage with pens, I’m more interested in the nib(the business end) rather than the pen. Lovely black and gold finish.
I must admit I sway towards nib importance vs body importance nearly every day. In the long run both are important. Thanks for your comment!
Beautiful pen indeed. I agree that either of 743/823/845 would suffice the requirements of an user. If you are a collector, things are different. As you are in SGP, you can ask someone like Fookhing to get the nib tuned as per your requirements. Thanks for the video. 😊
Thanks very much Dash for your comments!
I have the same pen with a broad nib. I think the Custom 845 is a magnificent pen. Owning the 845 makes seeking to buy pens like the Custom 823 or the 743 pretty pointless, in my personal opinion, of course. If I had first bought the 845, I’d never have needed to buy any of Pilot’s other Custom line pens.
The 845’s aesthetics are splendid. The urushi lacquer finish is impeccable. Video reviews and online photos don’t do justice to the beauty of the pen, in person. The two-tone 18k gold nib both looks beautiful and writes quite sublimely.
I only wish the entire pen was made of lacquered urushi over ebonite, including the section and finials, which are made of resin. But I don’t mind too much. There are no visible seams on the section of my pen, fortunately.
The price is just about alright, (in Japan) all things considered.
In the U.S. and Europe, the 845 is quite ridiculously priced. It’s almost extortionist pricing.
I’m now anxiously waiting to get the pen that dethroned the 845 as Pilot’s new flagship pen: the Custom Urushi. I bought the irresistible Vermillion.
Good review of a very special pen indeed!
Ebonite is very different from standard resin. Ebonite itself is not only extremely tough, but it's also impervious to darned near every chemical there is. Combine this with the Urushi finish and you have a pen that is certainly going to last for generations with just ordinary care. The 645 may not look all that different, though I think the finish has a depth to it that ordinary resin [pens can't match, but looks aren't the only way a pen can be different, and better. I think the 645 is a large step up from ordinary Pilot resin pens, which I am not fond of.
I love Pilot nibs to death, but their resin pen bodies? No, not much at all. I think you have to get into Namiki Maki-e and Chinkin pens before you find pens worth collecting, but the 845 is an exception. It is, I think, the one standard looking, but exceptionally well-made Pilot pen to add to a collection of Maki-e and chinkin pens, just to round things out.
Thanks James for sharing. I know about the pros and cons of resin vs ebonite+urushi in terms of toughness of finish over time however, visually, there is no difference that is discernable with the naked eye.
Thank you for this review. I don't know this pen, so this was great to see.
It looks like it's a very good pen. But, I agree, not $850.00 good. For that I could get a hand made to order Onoto Plunger filler in natural acrylic and with solid silver fittings. And, they are top drawer as writers.
I like that purple ink - do you remember what you used please?
Cheers
Should be Murasaki Shikibu
@@WrexelsWorld Chuckles Murasaka Shikibu Iroshizuku? One of my favourite inks. Ah, well at least I'm consistent. Thanks for coming back - It's appreciated.
Thank you for the great video. How does it feel when writing compared to the custom 743 you have? Is the 845 smoother? Please be specific and detailed.
I haven't used these two pens for a while. My 743 came with a FA nib whereas this came with a M. In terms of nib feel, there isn't a lot of difference based on nib material. The main factors that contribute to writing feel will be nib size (these two have the no 15 nib size), nib grind (probably the greatest factor, most any nibs tuned and ground properly will feel smooth), nib material (in a blindfold test, it would be hard to tell the difference between 18k and 14k) and lastly nib design (some nibs are deliberately made thinner or have a design that promotes bending to make them feel softer e.g. the FA). To summarize, the 845 could be slightly smoother but only because of the grind. Other sub-factors are ink flow (feed design look similar) and also the body (the 845 has a plastic grip section but the rest of the body is mostly ebonite that has a urushi coating.
@@WrexelsWorld Thank you, sir. I really appreciate this detailed article. I'm subscribing.
I didn't realize you can swap out the 743 section w/ 845... this is huge b/c then you can get t he FA nib!
Yes you can. I hardly do that though, as I will lose track of what pens came with what nib in the long run. Thanks for your comment!
2 stars is nib size10,3 stars is nib size 15
A rough gauge, but it isn't always so. The stars signify the pens rank in the Custom series.
Is it worth buying pilot custom 845 in comparison to pelikan 800 and montblanc 149?what about build quality and writing experience of the pen?any cracks issues in the body of the fountain?
That's a good question. It would depend on the price you get it at. Its a much simpler pen (the other 2 are piston fillers), and the ebonite body should be robust and not crack prone. Writing experience wise, it's a good choice if you prefer a thinner nib.
Should I pick one up new for 560 sgd?
Hard to say without knowing your requirements. That price is decent though, street price is around 800 from retail shops in Singapore.
@@WrexelsWorld i love my twsbi 580 in medium but its too thick. I love my soft fine custom 74 but id rather it not be a soft nib. The line variation is a bit distracting for me. I think a fine nib 845 would suit me. And i feel that the twsbi is more comfortable to write with.
@Stig the 845's nib is also slightly soft as its 18k. Go try a 742 or a 743 if possible in F. Do you write in print or cursive mostly?
@@WrexelsWorld i write combination of both. Its weird but it is what it is. Do i just go to the shop in funan and try out the 743? Not sure if i can do that, seems weird if im not buying from them.
So far my favorite pen (to write with) is the lamy studio with the 14k nib. But it too is a bit too wet and thick. I cant squeeze as much into a single line as with a finer nib. Downside of the studio is the pen scratches itself when posted. I write with it posted and unposted as both are comfortable to me.