The Pilot light is on, but... (a controversial view - and a giveaway)

I have a complex relationship with Pilot.

• I love Vanishing Points (or "Capless" if you're in Australia - so less imaginative a name!);
• I love Decimos (marginally smaller Vanishing Points - with another lack-lustre name - but great pens);
• I like Falcon nibs;
• I love the gentle cushioned "thwack" of the cap when you replace it on a Prera;
• I like Kakunos and the cheeky smily faces on the nibs.
• I love the ingenuity of Pilot Parallels;
• I love the quality of Pilot nibs - never had a Pilot nib that didn't work well straight out of the box.

There is no question: the Pilot light is on; but...

there is just no spark!

Ok, I'm just going to come out with it: Pilot Pens (other than Vanishing Points, Decimos and Kakunos) are dull; and yes, this includes the iconic 823.

There is nothing wrong with their quality, their ingenuity or even their creativity; but when it comes to design, (again with the notable exception of the VPs and Decimos) to me they lean towards "functional" over imaginative: the pen that takes you from A to B, no issues; then you park it, lock it, and forget about it.

THE CUSTOM HERITAGE 91

FIRST IMPRESSIONS

There is nothing wrong with the Pilot Custom Heritage 91.

Box: utilitarian (but that's fine).

Pen: yeah, it IS one. It looks like one, colour is nice. But gee, its ... O.K.

7/10

APPEARANCE AND DESIGN

I've mentioned this before but let me say again that: “In matters of grave importance, style, not sincerity, is the vital thing”. Oscar Wild - The Importance of Being Earnest.

The Pilot Custom Heritage 91 is sincere.

I'm pleased that the clip isn't the ball-clip present in many other Pilot pens - ball-clips always remind me of the budget Sheaffer 'No-nonsense' pens - cheap but functional, 1970s clunky -. This clip is better, a touch more class (just a touch); but I'm not too sure about the "Pilot" engraving on the clip: simple, uppercase lettering on the top of the clip that again seems to cheapen the pen and make it look a little like the sort of throw-away pen you buy from a milk-bar or paper shop. 

The Orange, as I've said, is a good colour - and quite bright for Pilot main-stream. The black section and finials (top and bottom) go well with the orange; and the silver hardware tops it off nicely. 

The silver cap-band is probably my favourite feature from a style perspective - and I'm not really sure why. Perhaps it is that the band offers a touch of class, or variation to the pen that helps it to look a little less pedestrian, safe, and middle of the road.

7/10

WEIGHT AND DIMENSIONS 

It's a light pen.

Not too light, not too heavy. A good, practical weight for writing. Functional.

The 91 is a mid-size fountain pen (comparable in size to a Sailor ProGear Slim) at a length (capped) of around 136mm; uncapped around 123mm). 

It can post comfortably, and due to the lightness of the pen this doesn't upset the balance at all. 

While I tend to prefer my pens girthier and heavier; the Custom Heritage 91 delivers on what it promises here.

8/10

NIB AND PERFORMANCE

Pilot knows how to produce good nibs; and this, 14k gold nib is no exception. I managed to snag a soft medium (normally only available for the black model of this pen for some reason beyond me); and it is a dream!

Again for reasons that I do not understand, Pilot tends to make nibs like the Soft Medium (SM) unavailable outside of Japan. 

I have used a Pilot SM nib before: at the Pilot stand at the 2018 Sydney Pen Show. When I last used it I remarked what a fabulous nib it was. Using the SM nib in this pen I was again aghast at why this nib isn't more freely available. It's supurb.

The nib wrote beautifully out of the box. A little wet (the way I like it), a lovely bounce, perfectly smooth, with a dash of line variation. 

Ignore the B sticker, it's a SM.

If I leave the pen alone for a while and pick it up to write again - no issues. It writes beautifully first time, every time.

The nib is a size 5 - just one size too small for my preference - but utilitarian. 

As for the feed. It's plastic (as are most feeds in this range), and it works well; but for some reason, this one was a greyish colour which, for me, made it look VERY plastic and did no favour to the aesthetic of the pen or nib. The only reason I didn't score the nib higher was its size and the look of the feed; otherwise, best feature of the pen.

8/10

FILLING SYSTEM

Piston fillers are always my preference. This pen is a cartridge/ converter pen. Nothing wrong with it. Easy to clean. No issue changing inks. Utilitarian.

7.5/10

COST AND VALUE

The Custom Heritage 91 is meant to be part of Pilot's mid-range. Being mid-range however, does not make this a cheap pen. At Bookbinders Design it retails for around AU$216. Expectations at this price are greater than say for a Pilot Kakuno, Prera or Metropolitan. For AU$200 plus, this pen has to kick a few goals; and it's good - just not interesting. With so many other choices out there, it really has to appeal to you to pay this sort of money.

6/10

CONCLUSION

This blog is a personal opinion; and I know my aesthetics are not everybody's (luckily). There is nothing intrinsically wrong with the Pilot Custom Heritage 91; and there is a lot that is good about it (especially the nib).

It is utilitarian. It writes well. If that is what you are looking for in a pen, then look no further.

Here it is compared with a Blue version of the same pen.

For me however, I'm (clearly) looking for a little more.

A similar size and colour Sailor just provides the spark for me that the 91 just doesn't. I know it'll work; but I want more.

I would be interested to hear your thoughts (politely of course); especially if the Pilot Custom Heritage 91 is your sort of pen. 

AND, if you REALLY like this pen, thanks to Bookbinders Design, it could be yours!

Just write a comment on this Blog story or on my instagram post for this pen by no later than Friday 14 February, (Valentines Day), and I will select a random winner of this pen. Giveaway open to international.

Overall Score: 72.5/100

0-50          = to be avoided at all costs

51-60        = if it’s cheap and you don’t really care….

61-70        = a nice pen with the makings of something better                          (just don’t spend too much)

71-80        = A better than average pen with just a few flaws                            that stop it from being really good

81-90        = A good pen, a keeper only a few minor places off                        being great

96-100      = Grail