I have the Custom 823 in amber and smoke, both with medium nibs, and these are some of my favorites. I also have four different Sailor 21K nibs and don't really care for any of them. I need to try the Sailor 14K nibs to see if they feel any better to me. Another pen I like as much as the Pilot Custom 823 is the Platinum President with the broad nib, which is a very pleasant writer.
I have to agree with you on the Sailor 21K nibs .. their medium is a hard medium and writes like crap .. I returned it. Why would you pay for a gold nib and it writes like a nail .. it was even feathering and seemed very untuned. Shame, but I lost faith in Sailor after that. I might give custom 823 a go, let's see. Meanwhile my Parker Sonnets are pretty decent.
@@melodychest9020 Yes, I have a Parker Sonnet Prestige in fine that is nice, but one of my best writers is a Parker Duofold Centennial Blue Chevron in fine that is better than any Sailor I've used. It's pricey and has a tendency to sing in use but it's a real beauty.
@@chrislj2890 Thnx for that tip! Parker duofold is in my wishlist and should have got it 3-4 yrs earlier when I was looking at it. Now, it is so expensive that I am finding it hard to make that call. Btw, I tried the Cross Peerless 125 with the 18k sailor nib .. was ok but the pen had some finish problems with the bottom cap having rough edges where it meets the body. Quality control sucks with a lot of brands now I feel.
@@melodychest9020 I only have a Cross ballpoint so I can't comment on their fountain pens, but unfortunately these days there are quality control issues with many products manufactured, and I'm afraid it will only get worse with the workforce we have.
@@chrislj2890 Yes I agree, especially after covid, it has worsened more I feel. With Cross balllpens, I love the Peerless 125 ballpens but why they wouldn't have better quality refills is beyond me! The standard Cross refills made in China are so mediocre.
OP, thank you for doing this video. Those 2 are my dream pens. They look so high-quality and practical and good-looking. My order is on its way to me. It's good to know what to expect, so thank you again. Not sure what's up with all the Sailor bashing in this comment section, but I'll add my Sailor defense. Sailor gold nibs are a very small tad softer than their steel nibs. They offer not softness but just a microscopic cushiony feeling, which still gives you steel-like control but also more comfort, compared to true nails like Pilot Metros for example. Admittedly Sailor gold nibs are not as soft as Pilot's, but softness is not always desirable. It's not what all writers are looking for all the time. Sometimes when I'm awfully tired and cannot control my hands very well, I'd need something stiffer so that my handwriting looks more controlled and not all over the place. Softness is not conducive to speed either. If I want to write something quick, softer nibs slow me down or make the text look messy. My favorite color is brown (the earth-like color), but any browns I put in Pilot soft nibs just looks off and unsettling to my eyes, as if the ground below me is shaking. There are practical reasons why I reach for my Sailor more often than my Pilot, even though Pilot's nibs write very well. Plus, Sailor aesthetics really speak to the feminine side in me.
I ended up going with the pilot. Later I may get the sailor. 823 was my all time grail pen. Even though I managed to get much more expensive pens along the way before it!
In my opinion the custom 823's writing experience compares favorably to the Montblanc 149 and M800s. These are its peers I'm my opinion. Not the Sailor 1911. The quality control on the 823 nubs is extent compared to all these pens (139, M800s and certainly the 1911).
I have the CH92 and the 823 in fine. They are very close I do think the 92's #5 is thinner with the diamine sepia or KWZ Honey ink in it vs the 823 #15 with the Noodlers Burma Road Brown. I feel the 823 is just wetter and that might be all the difference. I might have Diamine sepia in the 823 in the future. Without using the same ink its really hard to say and each pen could be a bit more unique but pilots are very consist like platinum on their finest nibs. I also have the #10s in CH912 and 742 all have been very good except the 742 FA. I put in an 2 slit ebonite feed and still find it railroading. It might be a me issue as a fast twitchy writer.
So, is the Pilot Custom 823 basically amber or transparent amber all over, EXCEPT FOR the area near the nib (feed? I’m not aware of all the appropriate jargon, I apologize for any lack of clarity), which is a sort of dull medium-to-darkish blue? I’m asking because some other areas looked blue, but I think that was just the blue ink showing through the chamber, probably?
Yes, the real amber clear area in the pen is the body besides that most of everything else has solid color blocking the amber transparency like the cap that’s keeping the nib from drying out.
I have the Smoke version and you can see the blue ink thru the pen in certain lighting, but mostly the pen looks black. It’s nowhere near as transparent as the Amber.
@@geslinam9703 I actually just saw this pen as a tester in person at Yoseka at the weekend, and I *could not* tell the colorway! (Smoke vs Amber, that is.) 😂 HOW can one not tell??! “Well, it looks pretty black (“neutral”), but I can clearly see the blue ink in the chamber; blue is a cold color, so maybe it’s making the body look colder? Hmm…the butt end-that you twist to vent-it does look pretty warm; is it the lighting (they have jeweler-y showroom-y lighting, very pretty)? A lot of gold in this pen, after all, maybe that makes it look warmer. *uncapping, posting* yes, well, no…hmm 🤔.” Eventually I asked a staff member: after a minute or so of them inspecting it, they determined that it was actually the Amber pen with the Smoke cap! 😂😂😂 someone using the testers had swapped them! I considered the re-paired pens a lot…but somehow I could not like EITHER of them as much as that Amber-pen-Smoke-cap combo. I decided this means I wasn’t ready to buy yet! 😂😂😂
@@geslinam9703 Also, I heard from Manda B here on YT that it’s actually pretty hard to fully clean out? Particularly if one wants to swap the ink for another color. Do you find yours hard to clean?
@@beritbunny lucky you to live close enough to go to yoseka in person! I haven’t cleaned my 823 yet because I’m afraid to take it apart. I’ve only switched inks once, for this reason, and used another Pilot ink just to be safe. When I switched colors, I filled the pen several times with distilled water first, and flushed it out….but eventually I’m going to have to take it apart to clean it, because it’s good to put some fresh silicone grease on the piston thing. The pen writes beautifully, though. A true pleasure to write with. The ink capacity is a plus, but not a big selling point for me because I change inks a lot. The pen is also a little heavier than I prefer…but, oh, the nib is so smooth. I had been considering getting an Amber one with a medium nib….but for now, will wait and see how much of a hassle it is when I get around to finally disassembling it for the first cleaning. I don’t want to influence you to NOT get one….and there are plenty of videos showing how to clean it step by step - you might want to check them out before buying. Adventure Denali has a video showing her taking hers apart. I can recommend Platinum fountain pens. I have a few of the Platinum 3776, and they are by far my favorite of my gold nib pens. Great writers, nice comfy weight, and simple cartridge/converter style….and, you can find them for a low as around $100. Yoseka should have some you can sample. The Platinum nibs are finer than Pilot. A Platinum fine is more like a Pilot extra fine. The Platinum medium is perfect, in my opinion. Good luck on your search!
Ugh, decisions, decisions. I have been thinking of getting the 1911L. I have the 823 and like it a lot, though it’s a bit heavy…the perfect weight for me is the Platinum 3776. I also have a Sailor Pro Gear in medium-fine - and it’s really not my favorite pen. I’ve seen reviews about the 1911L being somewhat soft, due to the higher gold content, but you are saying the opposite. So I’m still undecided.
1911 21k is not soft, the metal is soft but the nib is hard, its just easier to sprung it thats all, so it sorta makes less feedback but still no lane variation. Try pilot 845 its a hair lighter, also as its a converter filled so less ink less weight too. I really liked 3776 soft fine nib, a very nice nib if you havent tried it. From Pilot i liked Justus 95 which is also softish nib really interesting and very underapreciated
@@Cortesevasive yup, 1911 21K nib is very hard and will tear off the paper if you write hard! I didn't like it at all as it seemed like pretty pointless .. no pun intended!
Yes you can get very fine lines with Sailor .. their medium writes like quite fine .. not sure about the precision part, as it writes like a nail and has no flex. Why would you even waste 21K gold on something like that, beats me.
I have the Custom 823 in amber and smoke, both with medium nibs, and these are some of my favorites. I also have four different Sailor 21K nibs and don't really care for any of them. I need to try the Sailor 14K nibs to see if they feel any better to me. Another pen I like as much as the Pilot Custom 823 is the Platinum President with the broad nib, which is a very pleasant writer.
I have to agree with you on the Sailor 21K nibs .. their medium is a hard medium and writes like crap .. I returned it. Why would you pay for a gold nib and it writes like a nail .. it was even feathering and seemed very untuned. Shame, but I lost faith in Sailor after that. I might give custom 823 a go, let's see. Meanwhile my Parker Sonnets are pretty decent.
@@melodychest9020
Yes, I have a Parker Sonnet Prestige in fine that is nice, but one of my best writers is a Parker Duofold Centennial Blue Chevron in fine that is better than any Sailor I've used. It's pricey and has a tendency to sing in use but it's a real beauty.
@@chrislj2890 Thnx for that tip! Parker duofold is in my wishlist and should have got it 3-4 yrs earlier when I was looking at it. Now, it is so expensive that I am finding it hard to make that call. Btw, I tried the Cross Peerless 125 with the 18k sailor nib .. was ok but the pen had some finish problems with the bottom cap having rough edges where it meets the body. Quality control sucks with a lot of brands now I feel.
@@melodychest9020
I only have a Cross ballpoint so I can't comment on their fountain pens, but unfortunately these days there are quality control issues with many products manufactured, and I'm afraid it will only get worse with the workforce we have.
@@chrislj2890 Yes I agree, especially after covid, it has worsened more I feel. With Cross balllpens, I love the Peerless 125 ballpens but why they wouldn't have better quality refills is beyond me! The standard Cross refills made in China are so mediocre.
OP, thank you for doing this video. Those 2 are my dream pens. They look so high-quality and practical and good-looking. My order is on its way to me. It's good to know what to expect, so thank you again.
Not sure what's up with all the Sailor bashing in this comment section, but I'll add my Sailor defense. Sailor gold nibs are a very small tad softer than their steel nibs. They offer not softness but just a microscopic cushiony feeling, which still gives you steel-like control but also more comfort, compared to true nails like Pilot Metros for example. Admittedly Sailor gold nibs are not as soft as Pilot's, but softness is not always desirable. It's not what all writers are looking for all the time. Sometimes when I'm awfully tired and cannot control my hands very well, I'd need something stiffer so that my handwriting looks more controlled and not all over the place. Softness is not conducive to speed either. If I want to write something quick, softer nibs slow me down or make the text look messy. My favorite color is brown (the earth-like color), but any browns I put in Pilot soft nibs just looks off and unsettling to my eyes, as if the ground below me is shaking. There are practical reasons why I reach for my Sailor more often than my Pilot, even though Pilot's nibs write very well. Plus, Sailor aesthetics really speak to the feminine side in me.
I don't know why it was so funny to me when you kept saying let's get into the writing sample. I guess because I was saying the same thing.
I ended up going with the pilot.
Later I may get the sailor. 823 was my all time grail pen. Even though I managed to get much more expensive pens along the way before it!
In my opinion the custom 823's writing experience compares favorably to the Montblanc 149 and M800s. These are its peers I'm my opinion. Not the Sailor 1911. The quality control on the 823 nubs is extent compared to all these pens (139, M800s and certainly the 1911).
As an owner of Montblanc 149 and a Pilot custom 823, I agree with what you said.
Which F nib custom nib thinner between Custom 74 and 823. Someone told custom 74(have5nonib) thinner than 823 someone told despite
I have the CH92 and the 823 in fine. They are very close I do think the 92's #5 is thinner with the diamine sepia or KWZ Honey ink in it vs the 823 #15 with the Noodlers Burma Road Brown. I feel the 823 is just wetter and that might be all the difference. I might have Diamine sepia in the 823 in the future. Without using the same ink its really hard to say and each pen could be a bit more unique but pilots are very consist like platinum on their finest nibs. I also have the #10s in CH912 and 742 all have been very good except the 742 FA. I put in an 2 slit ebonite feed and still find it railroading. It might be a me issue as a fast twitchy writer.
So, is the Pilot Custom 823 basically amber or transparent amber all over, EXCEPT FOR the area near the nib (feed? I’m not aware of all the appropriate jargon, I apologize for any lack of clarity), which is a sort of dull medium-to-darkish blue? I’m asking because some other areas looked blue, but I think that was just the blue ink showing through the chamber, probably?
Yes, the real amber clear area in the pen is the body besides that most of everything else has solid color blocking the amber transparency like the cap that’s keeping the nib from drying out.
I have the Smoke version and you can see the blue ink thru the pen in certain lighting, but mostly the pen looks black. It’s nowhere near as transparent as the Amber.
@@geslinam9703 I actually just saw this pen as a tester in person at Yoseka at the weekend, and I *could not* tell the colorway! (Smoke vs Amber, that is.) 😂 HOW can one not tell??! “Well, it looks pretty black (“neutral”), but I can clearly see the blue ink in the chamber; blue is a cold color, so maybe it’s making the body look colder? Hmm…the butt end-that you twist to vent-it does look pretty warm; is it the lighting (they have jeweler-y showroom-y lighting, very pretty)? A lot of gold in this pen, after all, maybe that makes it look warmer. *uncapping, posting* yes, well, no…hmm 🤔.” Eventually I asked a staff member: after a minute or so of them inspecting it, they determined that it was actually the Amber pen with the Smoke cap! 😂😂😂 someone using the testers had swapped them! I considered the re-paired pens a lot…but somehow I could not like EITHER of them as much as that Amber-pen-Smoke-cap combo. I decided this means I wasn’t ready to buy yet! 😂😂😂
@@geslinam9703 Also, I heard from Manda B here on YT that it’s actually pretty hard to fully clean out? Particularly if one wants to swap the ink for another color. Do you find yours hard to clean?
@@beritbunny lucky you to live close enough to go to yoseka in person!
I haven’t cleaned my 823 yet because I’m afraid to take it apart. I’ve only switched inks once, for this reason, and used another Pilot ink just to be safe. When I switched colors, I filled the pen several times with distilled water first, and flushed it out….but eventually I’m going to have to take it apart to clean it, because it’s good to put some fresh silicone grease on the piston thing. The pen writes beautifully, though. A true pleasure to write with. The ink capacity is a plus, but not a big selling point for me because I change inks a lot. The pen is also a little heavier than I prefer…but, oh, the nib is so smooth. I had been considering getting an Amber one with a medium nib….but for now, will wait and see how much of a hassle it is when I get around to finally disassembling it for the first cleaning. I don’t want to influence you to NOT get one….and there are plenty of videos showing how to clean it step by step - you might want to check them out before buying. Adventure Denali has a video showing her taking hers apart.
I can recommend Platinum fountain pens. I have a few of the Platinum 3776, and they are by far my favorite of my gold nib pens. Great writers, nice comfy weight, and simple cartridge/converter style….and, you can find them for a low as around $100. Yoseka should have some you can sample. The Platinum nibs are finer than Pilot. A Platinum fine is more like a Pilot extra fine. The Platinum medium is perfect, in my opinion. Good luck on your search!
Ugh, decisions, decisions. I have been thinking of getting the 1911L. I have the 823 and like it a lot, though it’s a bit heavy…the perfect weight for me is the Platinum 3776. I also have a Sailor Pro Gear in medium-fine - and it’s really not my favorite pen. I’ve seen reviews about the 1911L being somewhat soft, due to the higher gold content, but you are saying the opposite. So I’m still undecided.
1911 21k is not soft, the metal is soft but the nib is hard, its just easier to sprung it thats all, so it sorta makes less feedback but still no lane variation.
Try pilot 845 its a hair lighter, also as its a converter filled so less ink less weight too. I really liked 3776 soft fine nib, a very nice nib if you havent tried it. From Pilot i liked Justus 95 which is also softish nib really interesting and very underapreciated
@@Cortesevasive yup, 1911 21K nib is very hard and will tear off the paper if you write hard! I didn't like it at all as it seemed like pretty pointless .. no pun intended!
Go Pilot for comfort, go Sailor for precision. End of story.
Yes you can get very fine lines with Sailor .. their medium writes like quite fine .. not sure about the precision part, as it writes like a nail and has no flex. Why would you even waste 21K gold on something like that, beats me.
@@melodychest9020what about between pilot 74,823 and 743. Which is the finest between these in F nib or same nib