PILOT Metropolitan Collection Fountain Pen, Black Barrel, Classic Design, Fine Nib, Black Ink (91111)

I owned a fountain pen once before, loved the way it wrote, but after one too many hard starts I gave up on it.I decided to try again after educating myself on proper fountain pen maintenance and bought this pen.This pen feels sturdier than the plastic fountain pens typical in this price range. It’s a little on the heavy side, which I personally prefer but others may want to consider. The storage case was unexpected but definitely a plus.Most importantly, it’s reliable. I have used this pen with the provided cartridge and also decided to experiment with bottled ink with the converter it came with. No hard starts as of yet, with just an occasional rinsing of the nib.My only complaint is that Pilot doesn’t sell nibs individually like some manufacturers.

I own the following Pilot fountain pens: 823 M, 823F, Justus F, 723 PO, 723 FA, 912 FA, 742 SF, 742 EF, and a number of Falcons, resin and metal. This pen, in terms of functionality, is right up there with the rest of them.The nib (steel!) is smooth and fine enough to disabuse me of the notion that I need to buy any of the Chinese pens, even a Hongdian, offered in the same price range as this.As a matter of fact, I wonder why a company clearly as capable as Pilot chooses NOT to use the body of the Metropolitan in conjunction with their extraordinary offering of 14k gold nibs. I would gladly fork over $200, maybe a bit more, to have the #15 PO and FA nibs in a body comparable to the Metro.I recently purchased a Cocoon mechanical pencil, and found the ergonomics amenable to my large left handedness, and the way I draw. I use my pens primarily for making art.Highly recommended.

After many years I decided to return to the fountain pen. I originally moved away from it as a result of having to use ballpoint pens for multiple copy documents and, frankly, ease of use. The advent of common copy machine use with their very narrow requirements for acceptable signatures did not help.I looked at a lot of pens and read many reviews around the Internet before deciding on the Pilot Metropolitan. I'd never owned a pen costing more than $25 (my last fountain pen, circa 1978), but I knew I wanted a good pen to start, and it took me days to decide between two pens, one for approximately $90 and the Metropolitan at $13.52. I ultimately decided to be conservative and purchase the lower cost Pilot to explore if I really would prefer a fountain pen after all these years. The many excellent reviews certainly helped with this decision even though I was skeptical until I opened the box.After two weeks of daily use, I unreservedly recommend this pen. Without question, this pen is far better than the pens I used in my earlier fountain pen life. It wrote smoothly out of the box, is completely leak free, refills easily using the installed press plate converter, and does not smear or spray. The cap snaps on and off solidly without being burdensome, and I find that the pen is comfortable either posted (cap on the top of the pen while writing) or not, and I do have a large hand. I do tend to not post the pen, but that's so that I can recap immediately -- just a quickly regained habit. The nib is fairly stiff, which is good for a beginner (or a returner) but does allow for smooth and comfortable writing even on inexpensive copy paper or sticky notes. I do find myself spending a little longer writing even brief notes to myself, but I also enjoy every short note I write. Perhaps that's something of an affectation, but if so it's an affectation I'm becoming increasingly fond of.I combined the pen with Pilot Iroshizuku Bottled Fountain Pen Ink, Ku-Jaku, Peacock, Turquoise (69213), which I reviewed separately. A distinctive colour and a good combination. There are many other colours in this ink line for those seeking a distinctive signature colour.The nib is a little narrower than I expected which made me a little unhappy at first, but after two weeks I'm not at all unhappy. Given that I am returning to the fountain pen, I think this is was a good place to start. I suspect that if I had started with a wider nib I might not have felt as comfortable in writing clearly from the first. And for marginal notes, this nib is truly excellent. I wouldn't be surprised if in future I don't move to an EF nib, depending on application. Similarly, I do anticipate moving to an M nib for casual writing.The pocket clip is a common cause for complaint in reviews I read about many pens. The clip on the Metropolitan is solid, slides easily onto my shirt pocket, holds the pen in place, and releases easily. It works the way a pen clip should.In appearance, the pen has pleasant lines and is simplistically elegant. It looks good lying on the desk and in my hand. It's just plain comfortable to use. Is it as classy (and flashy) as a Mont Blanc? No. Does it look good and occasion favourable comment from persons sitting next to me in meetings? Absolutely and repeatedly.I give this pen five stars as an entry level, or even as common use pen. Would it rate 5 stars to a person well accustomed to the use of a fountain pen for specialized writing? I suspect it would not, but I seriously doubt it would get below 4 stars from that same user.Pros: See above.Cons: I'd prefer a screw-on cap but that's not reasonable at this excellent price point. That's my only complaint -- pretty minor, I'd say.Overall: I'm really pleased. If I'd paid twice as much, I'd still be really pleased. I'm sure I'll move on to that $90 pen or higher, but this is an excellent pen when one considers value for money. If you're thinking about buying your first fountain pen, look no further. This is absolutely the place to start.

Highest quality Classic "Old School" fountain pen but pales in comparison to "Modern" fountain pens.A lot of reviews here will compare the Pilot Metropolitan with the Platinum Plaisir. Although I keep searching for the perfect every-day fountain pen my favorite so far as been the Platinum Plaisir and after trying the Pilot Metropolitan that hasn't changed. Seems like most users fall into either the Pilot or Platinum camp and aren't entirely fond of the other. There is a reason for that though. Both are quality Japanese companies that make fountain pens far superior to their Western counterparts (because fountain pens are still commonly used daily in every Japanese office), and outshine anything from China. However, they both have distinct differences that stem from having different design philosophies.What I do like about the Plot Metropolitan is that the barrel is solid brushed metal, reminding me of early 1980's style fountain pens. It has a very hefty weight with a perfect balance in your hands. When you pick it up you can feel the quality construction. It's Fine nib is genuinely a Fine (pretty darned close to a VF). The ink flows easy and evenly with little to no priming necessary and it hasn't once clogged on me whether using Cartridges or a Converter.What I didn't like about the Pilot Metropolitan however is that the nib is "scratchy" regardless of paper type. I know some people may like that tactile feedback as a matter of preference, as that is how Classic "Old School" fountain pens were. Me, however, I've come to prefer the way that more "Modern" pens such as the Platinum Plaisir effortlessly glides across any paper as if it were a Pen-Ninja. You certainly can't use the Pilot Metropolitan on thermal paper even with the lightest of strokes, and lighter papers may not be usable with this pen depending on the weight of your stroke. Other than that, it's a matter of personal taste.The only other issue I took with this pen is that it has a heavier-weight on the upstroke. It's been a couple of decades since I've used a fountain pen that did that. Again, not surprising for a pen that is positioning itself as the Classic "Old School" fountain pen.You honestly can't go wrong with this pen. It is a bargain at this price-point and depending on your personal preference is either the best at what it does or the second best if you prefer the Platinum Plaisir.Pros* Solid construction* All metal barrel* Fine nib bordering on VF* Excellent ink flow* Doesn't clog (or at least not from a couple days of not having being used)Cons* Scratchy nib when writing on any type of paper* Can't use on Thermal paper at all or lighter weight papers if you have a heavy hand* Thicker/heavier line on the upstroke* Proprietary Cartridge & Converter size (Platinum pens have the same issue)Again, you can't go wrong with this pen. If you already are a Platinum fan then you'll probably find this pen playing second fiddle. If you aren't a Platinum fan then you will probably find this Pilot pen to be the bee's knees. It's all a matter of personal preference.