Pilot Prera

JMJ -

Anyone have experience with the Pilot Prera Fine Nib pen?

I bought one off Amazon and am waiting for it.


I currently have an unknown Parker model (my daughter bought it for me from Office Max for Fathers Day last year). It is nice but I wanted to try one with a finer nib.

YBIC
Mike

I'm using a Prera with a fine nib at my desk right now. I enjoy the pen, but it's a little small when writing with the cap unposted, which is what I normally do. The cap does post very nicely though, so it's actually nice and balanced to use with the cap posted. I always worry about creating a ring around the pen body when posting caps, but it seems like that won't be an issue with the Prera because of the way the cap posts. It seems like the cap never actually touches the body of the pen when it's posted. The nib is very smooth and it's a little on the wet side, which is what I really like. I would say that it's not nearly as smooth as a Pilot Custom 74 also in fine, but it's still very enjoyable to write with. Just a very small amount of feedback from the paper. I like the Prera and would buy it again. I'd imagine you'll be happy with it because it's a very nice pen for the price.

JMJ -

Thank you for that.

If I may ask, what kind of paper and ink do you use with it?

YBIC
Mike

The paper I normally write on is usually nothing special. Most of the time it's Blizzard Blinding White copy paper that my company gets delivered from W.B. Mason. My Prera writes a nice fine line on this paper, very similar in width to a typical ballpoint pen.

http://www.wbmason.com/ProductDetail.aspx?ItemID=BLZ41200&uom=CT&COID=

Although I love writing with a fountain pen, If I had to use special paper, I'd probably not use a fountain pen for my normal every day writing.

I've used a few different inks in the Prera and they all seem to function just fine in the pen. Right now I'm using Noodler's Gruene Cactus Eel, but I've also used Aurora Blue and Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black. I recently bought some Private Reserve Electric DC Blue that I'm looking forward to running through my Prera, but so far I have not given that a try.

Overall, I'd say my Prera is a no fuss fountain pen that just does what it's supposed to do. I really like it for the price. I think I paid maybe 26 bucks for it, and another 6-7 dollars for a converter.

JMJ -

Thanks again for the info. Just got the pen and wrote a little with it. I like the fine nib, it writes much better (for me) than the thicker nib my Parker has. I wrote on just a small notebook that I write my grocery list on; it looks really nice.

You were right, it is a little small and it is light since it is a plastic body (my Parker is metal).

I will definitely try the Pelikan Black, maybe even the royal blue.

It is very nice (especially for the price, $28 on amazon plus 8 for the converter). Now I just need to work on my penmanship...

YBIC
Mike

I quite like mine (finer than my EF German nibs, dark line, very smooth). I post it usually, which as a snap cap works well. This is one of those pens where I think the demonstrators look better than the non-clear ones.

I ordered a second with a calligraphy nib from Japan.

Preras/Metropolitans make up the majority of the fountain pens that I use regularly. Platinum makes up most of the rest.

It is the most dependable, best writing pen that I barely use. It writes like a dream and always starts even after leaving it sit for weeks on end. The only reason I don't use it more often is that my favorite pens have a bit more personality. I use it as a day planner pen for my hobonichi planner.