Pilot Varsity

There was a Pilot Varsity in a drawer here at work, unused and unloved. So I adopted it (no one else wants it). I've been using it at work to sign bills of lading -- basically anything that isn't done with carbon-copy forms. The ink in it (assuming it's just Pilot black) performed well. The nib is steel, but it's actually pretty springy and allows for smooth writing. The feed seems perfect for work -- generous enough to lay down a nice line, but not so juicy that it causes bleed-through and feathering. It's surprisingly good for such a cheap pen.

When I ran out of ink last week, I brought the pen home and cleaned it up. Then, following the instructions on Youtube, I refilled the pen with Noodler's X-Feather. The Noodler's is slightly darker than the Pilot ink, and it definitely behaves better on copy and filler paper. Overall, I'm happy to have a refillable "eyedropper" fountain pen to use at work when I can.

The varsity is one of the best low cost pens for people to try FP's or even us oldsters

Great save (Although I would imagine you have a collection of great "saves" over the years lol), glad you are enjoying an unloved pen, and giving it purpose once again

How did you go about eye droppering a Varsity? Won't the metal react with the ink?

I did the same thing, someone gave me a varsity awhile ago and I lost it. Found it used up the ink, cleaned off the graphics and filled with a sample of Noodler's ink (forgot the colour). It is the best work pen I could have. I drop it, bang it and it comes back for more. I even get the delivery guys looking at me funny and they ask people still use pens like that? How old is it? When I tell them they are amazed they are still being made.

Luke49783 said:

How did you go about eye droppering a Varsity? Won't the metal react with the ink?

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Varsity's are all plastic, no?

syngent said:

Varsity's are all plastic, no?

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You're right, I'm getting it confused with the Metropolitan!

I have refilled a number of Varsities. The fiber filled channel between the ink and the nib does a great job of helping the pen start immediately. It is soft plastic and very rugged. No worries if dropped capped. They have never leaked on me.

I pull the nib/feed right out and fill. That approach allows me to rinse out the old ink if I'm changing inks.

Nibs are amazing for the price.

I initially had a seven pack of Varsities. I gave two away, the others have all been emptied of their original inks. One of these is now my only red ink fountain pen, refilled with Noodler's Fox. It's kind of a cloggy ink, and I don't use red every day anyway, but the Varsity will start right up with it even after being left for a couple of weeks. Writes pretty smoothly, too, after serving as my practice nib for smoothing with micromesh and mylar. And for what is effectively an eyedropper, it doesn't seem to have the blobbing problems that some eyedropper pens do when they get over half empty.