Pilot Falcon Metal with Soft-Fine Nib Review

[@JunkyardSam]

Also, you can completely eliminate railroading with the addition of a tiny amount of soap to the ink. I use a 1:200 ratio distilled water to Dawn dishwashing soap. Yes, 1:200 -- a TINY amount makes a big difference. I add 1 drop per 0.5ml for smoother writing and reduced feedback in Japanese Fs and EFs. It's a night and day difference, and there's no feathering or side effects unless you use too much. Probably 2 drops per 0.5ml if you're doing a lot of flex. This also solves the issue of certain Pilot pens "running dry" and requiring a twist of the piston to resaturate the feed. People on Fountain Pen Network suggest Photo Flo as a purer alternative but I'm not worried about such a small amount of soap in modern pens. It just works.

[@chrisumbel3195]

Ah, interesting. Soap would lower the surface tension. Good idea!

[@clay7840]

I've been considering this as my first gold nib, this review pushed me over the edge to get it.

[@jeko32]

The extra numbers on the nib are the date code for manufacture - 410 would be April 2010

[@sbrebrown]

Interesting, I did not know that.

[@ioannisalexandropoulos2616]

+Je Ko Then I guess I'll get one in April 2020...

[@Sonicman415]

I find your voice and accent to be soothing. Helps that you are highly intelligent and articulate, but as a singer I am sensitive to the timbre of someone’s voice. I like the look of this nib, and this pen. Another great vid.

[@dreika71]

My first fountain pen was a Lily 718 (still using it) and painting huge titles or shading sketches by using the length of the slit to lay down ink became something I inexplicably can't part with. I started browsing for what fountain pens exist not that long ago, and happened upon the Pilot Falcon. The structure of the nib stood out. I don't know how I missed this particular video of the Pilot Falcon. I resorted to searching for images that were taken from a "side profile view" of this pen so that I may look if the line of the slit intersects the body, to expectably inconclusive results. The question of whether you can use the slit to lay down ink due to the raised structure of the nib plagued me for days. I'm a bit tired of just browsing for fountain pens, so I might just give in and get this one, since I can't find another pen that both has a bit of flex and has the angle for painting with the slit. I don't know why I am so fixated on having this probably unintended feature in a fountain pen, but thank you for showing this.

[@DD-d6d3]

Love the soft Pilot nibs. Thanks for the review.

[@johnedgar7956]

Another excellent and informative video. I really like that nib. Thank you Stephen! Also, Diamond Ancient Copper is a favorite of mine, it was good to see it turn up in one of your terrific videos. :-)

[@karmakaramlan]

I just bought the black version with soft medium Nib for 430 AUD. While the pen felt good in hands and writes okay I guess, I do get variations of dark and light with Parker blue ink with no pressure. Probably a bit too expensive for what I got.

[@JunkyardSam]

Excellent review!!! However I have 2 resin Pilot Falcons (SEF & SF) and they absolutely can NOT be converted to eyedropper pens. I tried twice with each... All 4 times - after 1-2 minutes the ink just starts burbling out of the nib! (Not side/threads but actually the back side of the nib.) and I don't mean a burp, I mean a messy constant drip. I'd love this pen as an eyedropper but no way... I don't understand reports of success- I sometimes wonder if they are trolls!

[@sbrebrown]

Thank you for the input (on both accounts): very useful!

[@clarenceyee3529]

The brick & mortar store near me (Toronto) sells the resin Falcon for around €160 + tax. They don't carry the metal version although I see engeika has it for €165.

[@vincenzo1791]

I agree with your opinion on the prices of japanese brands in the EU. It's like they gave up on our market because they don't want to compete with the local manufacturers like Pelikan, Lamy and so on. That'd be sad (at least for me, I'd rather buy Japanese pens in this price range).

[@rainbowisculture]

Bubbles! Glad I'm not the only one having problem with filling Con70.

[@okeypokes4736]

Would the resin falcon be able to do the broad paintbrush strokes you did or only the metal?

[@volcanowb]

Comparing the con-50 falcon t the con-70 falcon; which would be more ideal for illustrating and urban sketching? Considering the weight, capacity and hand/arm fatigue. I wear a men's, large glove. Any comments would be helpful in making the decision. Thanks!

[@sbrebrown]

I do not think the difference in weight will be perceivable

[@volcanowb]

@@sbrebrown Others are saying the same thing. I'm thinking the con-70 volume and design advantages are worth the tradeoff of 13g. Do you suggest any additional concerns?

[@phillipgraham1422]

Once again pilot makes a great fine nib with a feed that just cant keep up

[@michelewhite1900s]

How do you think this line variation compares to a stub nib?

[@Lyander25]

Gesundheit :)) Thanks for the review! Not sure I'm gonna pick one up (resin version looks really nice to me, filling system aside), but the added heft... Yeah, I need to try this pen out again. Cheers!

[@jisa39]

Writing sample 9:20

[@bbppchan]

Just wondering, does the metal rod of the power filler or vacuum filler will risk corroding or discolour ink, given that metal pen should not be used as eyedropper?

[@sbrebrown]

I haven't experienced that.

[@antoespiga]

What about a justus 95 review?

[@SuperKawaz750]

I am just curious: do you still have this pen or did you sell it? If you have it, do you feel the same about it? do you use it regularly? i am asking because my feelings for this pen always change. On February i may love it but on March...not so much and so on! thanks!

[@sbrebrown]

Fotis Papadopoulos I think I sold it

[@WirlWind494]

This is one of those pens I've waited to buy because I've heard so many good things. Wanna use my other pens first so I feel like I got my moneys worth before completely replacing them with this for everyday writing :p

[@rgj8044]

I recently (August 2024) bought a Pilot Falcon fountain pen with the soft nib. I have collected and used fountain pens for 20 years. This pen worked for about a month of casual use before the ink ceased to flow through the nib. Then it just failed. There was no damage to the nib - the ink just stopped flowing properly. In my sad experience this was just a piece of junk and do not recommend this at all. I really expected so much more from a Japanese product but... in this case it was a shameful, cheap piece of shame. This is my experience and resulting opinion.

[@patrick.hudepohl]

Like the video, but love the Akkerman Inks Poster on your wall.

[@sbrebrown]

it's neat, right? I like it too.

[@AAtherl]

another excellent review as per usual, would I be able to fit the larger capacity converter shown here in the original falcon if I purchased it separately?

[@sbrebrown]

I'm almost certain that would work!

[@dustyreed1386]

+Adam Atherley The Con-70 Converter will only fit the metal Falcon.

[@AdrianMutu87]

This pen is very expensive even from Japanese sellers (as much as custom 823). For a soft nib pen with barely line variation to show for in regular writing, seems like an excessive price.

[@jolandavanderveen5438]

Hoi Stephan, Ik heb zaterdag jl een Pilot Falcon SF bij Akkerman Amsterdam gekocht. Een hele fijne pen, maar het systeem om de inkt mee op te zuigen ken ik niet goed. (ken alleen de Pelikan) Het probleem is dat als ik pomp er inkt in komt maar bij de volgende "pomp" er weer uitloopt. Ook krijg ik hem dus niet echt vol. Kun jij me vertellen wat ik fout doe. Bedankt voor je moeite om antwoord te geven. Jolanda van der Veen Amsterdam.

[@sbrebrown]

Je moet die converters een beetje tijd geven, dus pompen, dan een paar seconden wachten, weer pompen en wachten, etc. Helemaal vol krijg je hem nooit

[@jolandavanderveen5438]

@@sbrebrown Dank je voor de snelle reactie. Er kommen ook allemaal belletjes in de converter. Ik laat aan het einde een druppel inkt eruit lopen. Maar ik ga je raad uitproberen. Fijne woensdag.

[@beestingza]

Did you get new glasses? They are nice! Do you mind me asking what they are? Thanks!

[@sbrebrown]

Yes, I did. they are brandless

[@Michelt007]

Interesting comments about the Japanese manufacturers raising their prices for the European market. Fountain pens are no different from other products, for example, at that time when music CDs were still something people would buy, the price of the same CD was more than twice, in Europe, what it was sold for in Canada (for a Canadian artist). It is like that. Note to oneself: when on vacations or business trip to Japan, take the opportunity to fill up a suitcase with fountain pens!!

[@mrbluenun]

Hi, Thanks for the review of this Falcon, and ‘sneezes’ are allowed! I also do not understand why Japanese and other Importers seem to think Europe is a cash drain for a whole lot of things.

[@DD-d6d3]

mrbluenun the problem isn't Pilot... It's Lamy and Montblanc wanting to protect their EU sales from Japanese competition.

[@Valkaneer]

@@DD-d6d3 I know, it's like these fellows have no idea that it's their own government doing this to them.

[@veronical8103]

Thanks for the review. Looks like Platinum 3776 SF nib is a clear winner compared to Pilot Falcon. Thanks again for the review! 🙏🏻

[@abcdable1]

Seems like Pilot flex pens work best with pilot inks! Have you had this observation, or is it just confirmation bias?

[@sbrebrown]

I haven't experienced it, but I haven't tried that many different inks, I must say.

[@Oneiromant]

+am pm can't say its totaly true, i don't fiddle too much with different inks, but for me it performs better (better ink flow i mean) with kon-peki and tsuki-yo from pilot than with red dragon or meadow from diamine. but majestic blue from diamine works good too, i think same as ink from pilot

[@caomhan84]

+am pm I've found that to be the case with my Custom 74 SF nib and by Custom Heritage 91 SFM nib. When used with Pilot inks, the performance is flawless. But the flow is weaker when I've tried Noodlers, Diamine, and Montblanc inks in them. Pilot inks are very wet and viscous in general...the only inks I've found that really compare are Waterman.

[@copperchef.]

Having used a Pilot Falcon and Custom Heritage 912 w/ FA nib with 6 different Pilot inks along with other inks I will say Pilot ink is *generally* better in regards to flow. I've found that it still benefits from having a tiny bit of soap added. That's basically my go to technique for soft nibs and italic/ stub nibs. Vintage pens seem to have wetter feeds so it hasn't been needed. Currently I'm using Diamine and Bungbox inks these 2 pens with a drop of soap and it hey perform great.

[@menc73]

+am pm Do you have any experience using permanent pigmented inks (sailor or platinum carbon for example) I would like to have this pen, mainly because I draw and sketch, and permanence is important to me. Any advice?

[@GoldenShip24]

How would you compare this to the Pilot Metropolitan F nib, regarding line width? Is it thinner? (w/o pressure)

[@sbrebrown]

GoldenShip24 I haven't used a Metropolitan fine nib, so I have no idea, sorry.

[@thedirtygot9570]

I have both and they write identically!

[@christiandesanto6380]

This pen is definitely not cheaper in the US maybe in Japan but here it's $250

[@aloofmusician856]

Does it not come with a normal nib? Like not soft? and would it be cheaper?

[@explorerextraordinaire5472]

nice video~! Thanks doctor

[@johnedgar7956]

Sigh...auto correct is the bane of my online life & my tablet won't let me edit a comment. "Diamine..." not "diamond" ...apologies

[@FirstFlyte]

What's this? An episode where there's more ink on the wall than on Stephen's fingers? Sacrilege!

[@herbertagcaoili3770]

Clap portable

[@chrislj2890]

Your comment about mistaking it for a Parker or Waterman was interesting, since I just got a Parker IM which looks very similar, and that's what I thought when you held up the Pilot. My Parker's a sweet little writer for less than $21 on Amazon. As for the Falcon, I found the metal version for $240 in the U.S. and $180 on eBay from Japan. Over $340 in Europe is just plain nuts, and I don't understand the reasoning behind it either.

[@masonrudesheim9098]

Gold nib, that's why.

[@chrislj2890]

+Mason Rudesheim The Falcon prices I stated are with a 14K nib.

[@oddharsh]

+CHRIS LJ 14K is gold lmao

[@mauraserena4521]

Very fine!? No Is fine!

[@Valkaneer]

It seems you have no idea how your own government works. It's the tariffs and taxes put on by your own government that drives the cost up so high.

[@DD-d6d3]

No. Prices are higher in Europe as set by manufacturers.

[@soundknight]

That rail road was awful. Not good enough for such an expensive pen.