Pen review - Pilot Vanishing Point!

Yes! Time for another pen review! I love reviewing pens... :)


The star of today's review is the Pilot Vanishing Point. If you've been into fountain pens for even a short amount of time, you will probably recognize this name. This is a VERY popular pen, and for good reason!


The Pilot Vanishing Point is all about convenience, and ease of use. It's not marketed as a luxury pen, or a pen made for looks. It's marketed instead, as a pen that is built with the user in mind. It is designed around the task of writing on the go.


As we dive into this review, we'll hit on 5 categories. Each one will be scored on in two ways, on a scale of 1/100. It will be scored on both: 1) How it stacks up against pens in the same price range. And 2) How it compares to perfection. The reason for these rankings is to show how good the pen is, and how good it could be. There is no such thing as a perfect pen, and compared to perfection, even the best pens can fall short. Still this scoring method shows what could be improved upon the design, and points out things that you might not like about it. The method of ranking the pen against similar pens in it's price-range helps to identify what you get for your money, and shows off the good features of the pen. I hope that makes sense. Keep reading, and it will make even more sense as the review goes on.



Now, the specific VP in this review is the relatively new Black Matte Stealth VP! This makes the review somewhat relevant to this pen only in areas such as presentation/packaging, but in other areas (nib, weight/size, and parts of design) it holds true to all of the VP line.


The 5 parts we'll cover:

• Presentation
• Design
• Weight and size
• Functionality
• The nib

And now, without further delay - let's begin!

Presentation:

As stated earlier, this part is a bit "irrelevant" to anyone looking at buying a "non LE (Limited Edition)" vanishing point. I can only speak about the packaging that my pen came in, since it's my first and only VP.

The packaging for the new VP is impressive and well done. Normally I don't care much for packaging, as I'm just interested in the pen. However, in this case, where I'm paying extra cash for the pen being an LE, I think special packaging is in order.

The pen came to me in a large-ish black box, with the words gently imprinted on it: "PILOT" along with a logo to the left-hand side.

Upon opening the box, we are greeted with a very "fancy" sheet of paper. It features a small bit of text about how great the pen is, and looks pretty cool too. The paper has a "wax" texture to it, making feel very high-quality.

A zoomed shot of the paper to show the text, and perhaps capture the texture, to some degree.

Now we lift off this sheet of paper, and underneath is found one of the most uniquely packaged pens ever!

Within the outer box of the pen-packaging, is an inner box. It's basically a frame, with two sheets of plastic on either side. The plastic feels just like the kind that you use in food-prep - very soft, and stretchy, but not weak. The case opens right were you see the words PILOT. It has a magnetic lid, and opens up on hinges.

Within the case is the pen! It is made to look as if it's suspended in mid-air. This is a really cool way of boxing up the pen, and it definitely sets this VP apart as an LE.

I was really impressed with the stealth VP packaging, and I think it is much deserved, since it's an LE. I would give this pen-packaging an 8/10 for the price range! For what pen-packaging could be, I'll give it a 6.5/10.

I think that the way the warranty book, ink cartridge, and cartridge cover (all included) are all tossed into the box loosely is rather "unprofessional" looking, thus the deducted points. If I had perhaps found a nice felt tray on the bottom, with the "goodies" nicely nestled in, I would have been a bit more impressed with that part. But I'm really not picky about that myself, I just thought you ought to know what the packaging is like in all areas, in case you're interested in getting this one for yourself, or for a friend.

Also, the inner box, containing the pen, is very difficult to remove from the outer box. Thus, when you are eager to see your new pen, it can a bit frustrating, if you're the impatient type.

Aside from those minor quibbles, it's a great box, and lovely presentation of this cool pen.

Now onto the next category! (my favorite one)

Design:

For me at least, a good design (and I mean "beauty" not functionality here) is always a deciding factor when I buy a new pen. My pens need to look good! At least in my eyes. I will say straight-up that the black matte VP is an awesome looking pen!

Let's begin, shall we? - So here's the black matte VP! Just pure awesomeness from pilot!

I love the sleek tapered design, arched curving clip, and that section joint. They all add to make for a minimalist design that is extremely aesthetically pleasing.

Upon depressing the button, out pops the nib! It's rather small, but suits the pen somehow.

Engraved on the underside of the pen, right above the section joint:

PILOT

JAPAN

And it looks real good in the silver/white contrast text that they've put it in.

Some angle-shots to show you that sweet-looking clip again!

And there goes that nib. I love how pilot chose a rhodium nib instead of gold on this VP model. The white/silver color matches both the imprint, and the pen (in a contrasting way).

My camera doesn't quite do the matte texture justice, but this photos does show it to a small extent.

I've gotta easily give this pen a 10/10 for design in it's price range! I love the design, and I mean LOVE it! That's the main reason I bought it - the looks. For what a pen could be (given an infinite budget), I'll go with 8/10. Reasons:

1) The nib is not ugly at all, but I would like to change the shape just a bit, were it a perfect world. ;)

2) I would like the clip to have been "one piece" with the nosecone, and had it sweep up, instead of being a large bump there, where it's attached. Go do a google search for "old style namiki vanishing point stealth". You'll know it when you see it by two things - the older VP's were faceted, instead of smooth (I prefer the smooth new ones), and the clip was one piece with the nosecone (I like that look better than the new ones).

Aside from that, I can't find anything else that I dislike about this pens design! Let's go over a few small over the details of it:

Finish: Matte black. It's a pretty good "satin" as pilot calls it. Feels smooth in the hand, but with a lot of texture, just like real cloth. I LOVE the feel of it. Can't say that enough (I'll say it more in weight/size).

We've got that clip: It follows the "lines" of the pen very well, and keeps fairly well with the sleek "stealthy" design. Though some people find this clip bothersome (see functionality below), I do not. I do wish that the clip was one piece with the nosecone, such as is seen on vintage VP's. But, the way it is now, it works well, and looks good! It doesn't look "divine", or perfect, but it does look great.

I love the small details, like that one trim ring right before the pen fades into the clicker button. Though a small detail, it's things like this that put pilot, and the VP on my list of pens-to-buy. :)

Now we move on to another important category!

Weight/size

This category might be a little weird in that I don't have a scale, or a ruler for this pen! I will compare it to some very popular pens, and thus achieve a good comparison.

From left to right:

Pelikan M805 - TWSBI 540 - Pilot VP stealth - Pelikan M205 - Namiki Falcon

With the clicker-knob, the pen is as big, if not a hair bigger than the Pelikan M805. However, you wouldn't want the pen to rest on your hand on the button, thus the actual "usable size" goes down to being close to the Pelikan M205.

I find the size very well suited for my hand. I've always been very un-picky about pen sizes. Pelikan M805 is good with me, and a Pelikan M205 is good with me.

The most important thing is that the pen has a thick grip section. Lucky for me, the VP does! Some will complain that it's to slippery. I have found that to be true sometimes, but for me (on a normal day) it is not slippery at all. Perhaps the black matte texture helps with this?

The weight of the pen is great! The box claims that the VP is "perfectly weighted". I would not quite say that, but it is near-perfect for me. The body on the newer VP's (unlike the older ones) is made of solid brass, with a coating over the top, in this case, a black powder coating. The brass adds a quality heft to the pen, and I love it. I don't like lightweight "cheap" feeling pens. This pen is one were you pick it up, and immediately think quality, sturdy, well-built writing instrument. 

So, we'll go for a 8/10 on size/weight for this pens price range. I know that size and weight are purely subjective to the user, so don't take my ratings without a few handfuls of salt. :)

I'll give it the same 7/10 for what a pen could be. I would prefer an even thicker grip section if possible. Not much thicker, but a tad-larger would do me well. :)

So, we now move onto an area of the pen that is very important to the user. And yes, I am a user, not a collector. I bought this pen to work-hard for me!

Functionality

The black matte VP was created for functionality, so it naturally excels in this area. Let's go over the details:

So, first we've got the filling system!

 The VP's filling system has always been a large "roadblock" to this becoming many peoples daily user pen. It is a c/c filler, and uses Pilot's proprietary cartridges, and converters. There are two converters that fit this pen:

1) The con-50 converter (pictured in this review). This is what comes with the pen. Very small ink capacity.

2) The con-20 converter. This is an aerometric style converter, and holds more ink that the con-50.

You can also use cartridges, and many people use a syringe to re-fill old ones instead of using a converter. I prefer the converter myself, but I have changed over to the con-20 converter. The con-50 is just an annoying converter, period. Luckily the con-20 is only around $3.00, and so I bought one to use in this pen. Not only does the con-20 hold more ink, it just looks better! It's all metal, instead of black and clear plastic.

Next on our list - that clicker button!

The vanishing point is named for a very good reason. It can be described in two very simple sentences:

Click the button, and the nib pops out. Click the button, and the nib vanishes.

It's that easy! Super-convenient is this pen's middle name. It's a great "quick-note" pen to have around. Deployment of the nib is just a click away, and can be achieved one-handed. The blessings of not having to fiddle with a cap are abundant, and to many to list. I'l keep it to this: it's very, very, very handy. :)

"Now, how does the button feel?" - Good question! My answer: "Oh yes, oh yes that's a very nice button." Indeed, the solid click it makes does not feel cheap in any way whatsoever. I get asked this a lot. You need to try a VP to feel the button. It's nothing like a plastic ball-point. It has a distinct "metal" feel to it, and it's solid! Makes a highly satisfying click-noise when pushed. Indeed, one could play with the button all day long and never use the pen ( I speak from experience here :P )

"And that clip?"

There is much discussion, loving words, and hateful words about the new VP clips. It either works for you, or it doesn't. In defense of the clip, I will say that it is positioned properly for writing with the pen. If your fingers are bothered by it, you're holding the pen wrong. I hate to tell people they're doing that, but it's true. Using a correct "tri-pod" grip to hold the pen, the clip falls cleanly, and comfortably between ones thumb and index finger. However, if you grip your pen in any strange manner, this clip might bother you. Everyone says "you need to try the VP in person before you buy it - to see if you like the clip". Not so: Just look at your hand while writing. Imagine that clip there - will it affect your hand? Of course, trying it would be beneficial. But most of us don';t have the time, or a store nearby to try out pens.

I love the clip, as it forces my hand to hold the pen properly when I'm tempted to revert to my old "ball-point grip days". 

Now to speak of that cool opening in the nosecone. ;)

The nib of this pen, when fully retracted, is sealed from the elements (dust and air) via a small, spring loaded trap door. It can be seen in the above picture to some extent. This trap doors prevents the nib from drying out.

"And how does the door open when the nib is pushed out?"

For the longest time, everyone was saying that the feed pushed the door open. That is not correct - the metal tip of the nib is in fact what pushes the VP trap door open. This has caused a lot of concern to VP owners, but so far, no one has noticed any wear at all on their nibs from clicking the pen. So, fear not! Many people who have had their VP's for years and years still have nibs that look like new. The general consensus is that the nib wears to such a small degree that by the time you ought to be concerned about that, your pen will already be in broken pieces. Considering that the VP is an extremely sturdy pen, I'd say you're pretty safe. :)

Durability: This was not going to be a category in the review originally, so I'll keep this short. This also only applies to the Black Matte Vanishing Point: There has been much questioning about the durability of the new black matte VP over on Fountain Pen Network. Some people have had the finish scratched right off, while they were carrying their pen in a pocket with keys and coins. Others have had it flake off with no use! I have taken the matter into my own hands, and I am personally working with Pilot to figure this one out. I will keep reports posted here, on FPN. My VP has not worn much, but I see the beginnings of it. Pilot seems genuinely interested in fixing the problem though, so we're already on the right track!

Now, for things I would personally like to see added to the design:

- A different trap door system that does not involve rubbing the nib against the door. It's just a bit irksome to me, the fact that it does that.

- The durability of the finish concerns me, however Pilot is working on the issue. Only time will tell what will happen, but I have hopes of them re-doing the formula and making a stronger coating.

- A spring loaded clip would be nice. :) But then, that's just me dreaming of utopia I suppose... I've never loved "bend" clips, ones where you're just bending the metal to fit it over the clip-able object. something like the Lamy 2000 (soon to be reviewed here!)

Overall, I'll give the VP black matte a 6/10 in functionality. Fix the coating issues (or if you have a normal VP - non black matte), and it goes up to 9/10! I think Pilot will fix the issues too, it's just a matter of time. 

For what a pen could be, and with the current durability issue, it's coming at about 5-6/10. Any other VP, without the coating problem, would rank at about 8/10 for me.

Still, the VP is built to be functional, and that it is! I love how convenient it is, especially when I'm in a hurry. It's also less messy than a normal pen, for quick notes. Mainly because the nib is so small, there is little chance of bumping it on something, and leaving an inky mess behind.

The Nib

As usual, this will probably be the second most vital part of this review. The nib is the most important piece of any pen. Without a good nib, the pen is worthless, except as a decoration. I don't know about you all, but I don't care much for a $130.00+ decoration! I have demanding expectations for a pens performance, and all of that starts with the nib.

Let's try covering the nib using points, and see if that makes it easier.

• Smoothness
• Flow (factory, un-tuned)
• Spring/flex?
• Size
• Design

Smoothness: This is usually what people want to know most, when they first think of a nib. "Is it smooth?". In a word: absolutely! I ordered a B nib for my VP, and is very smooth. Not the best I've ever seen, but as far as factory nibs go, it's right up there with Pelikan and the likes. Tines were in pretty good alignment when I got the nib too. They needed only very minor adjustment, and honestly, they didn't feel any smoother afterwards. :)

Flow: Out of the box - 5/10. To dry for me, but they did choose a good "in between" place to stay on the safe side. With some tweaking, it was up to 7/10, my favorite flow setting. Sadly, I must report a concern/problem with the VP nibs. This is a very common problem too, which is really sad, coming from a company like Pilot.

The nibs tend to run dry as they write. Meaning: They start out writing really nice, but after a paragraph, the flow lessens to where it is very dry, and almost scratchy. People suggest that replacing the converter with a cartridge will solve the problem. It did help a little, but I hate having to re-fill, and/or buy new cartridges. This to me is a substantial flaw, and needs to be fixed by Pilot. My guess is there feed system for this nib. It needs some work...

Spring/flex?: Yes on the spring, no on the flex. This nib provides a very nice "cushioned" ride, in two ways. 1) The nib has a little spring/bend to it. 2) The whole nib unit (feed, converter, etc.) springs slightly when you write. Putting these together makes for a very pleasant experience! I enjoy the "character" of this nib, from this aspect. Don't take this to mean it's going to be a mushy nib though. It's not, I can assure you of that. It just has enough "bounce" to make it pleasant to write with.

Size: Small. Very small... It looks like a flattened Parker 51 nib. Still, it goes with the pen well, even though this is a larger pen.

Design: Honestly, I think it's ugly. "Does it go with the pen?" Yes, but I stil think it's ugly and could be improved. I won't go into my design ideas of how it could be improved, but I do think the lines of the nib could be slightly altered, thus producing a much more pleasing look.

So, comparing it to other pens in the price range: I'll call it a 6-7/10. Fix the flowing problems (not all that common), and you've got a winner here at 8/10. The flowing problem is not really that bad, and most of the VP's don't have it. And also, if you're really using the pen for what it's made for (jotting down quick notes on-the-go), you'll have no problems with the flow, if indeed your pen happens to have that problem.

For what I nib could be, I'll give it: 6/10 (my nib, with it's flow problems) and 7/10 if you've got a good unit. The small flaws that I see with this nib are:

• The sizes run an entire size smaller than stated. A broad is a medium. A medium a fine. And a fine is an extra-fine. I will say that this is pretty normal for Japanese pens. Perhaps they write smaller in their native language? I don't know, though I've always been under the impression that those beautiful, intricate letters took a lot of space.
• It only comes in three sizes: F, M, and B. I would like to see an XF, and a BB option. :)
• It is a little ugly. Maybe just my personal preference though.
• The flow problems NEED to be fixed by Pilot, eventually... 
• The nibs can "squeak" sometimes. I got one of those, and I actually love it, but some people hate that noise. Basically, the nib tines vibrate (to fast and small for human eyes to see) as you're writing, and they make noise, that sounds like squeaking... I think it's kind of cute, and funny. :)

Conclusion!

Time for some wrap-up! Overall, I really love the Pilot Vanishing Point, and the entire line of them, not just my black matte one. I will admit though, that the black matte one is my favorite color by far. I am hoping that Pilot will soon fix the durability issues of the coating, because once they do, I'll feel much safer using my pen. This pen is meant to be rugged, and if the coating can't handle a bag, purse, pocket, etc., that it can't be a rugged pen!

If you're looking for a pen to keep with you at all times, to have on hand, and jot down quick note at work, home, etc., than the VP is for you! Believe me, though I can be hard on pens in my reviews, I am just trying to be honest. I really do love this pen, and I will always have a VP somewhere in my collection. I think you should too. :)

The Black Matte Vanishing Point can be had for about $140.00+. Others in the VP line are about $100.00, give or take. They can often be found used for a great price too. For that price, you really need to try one, at least just to say you did. It's such a great pen, and I think almost any collection could benefit from the addition of a Vanishing Point.

Well, that concludes this review of the Pilot Vanishing Point! I hope you've enjoyed it. Please, give me your thoughts/comments below, in the discussion area. I'd love to hear your opinions on the pen, and review. Also, any insight you can share with me, and my readers is always a great thing!

That being said, it's time for a great big...

The End!

Regards,

Tyler Dahl