Pilot Kaküno

[@xerxiusmaximus]

Oh my Gawd... loved, loved... simply loved that "soapbox" break down... really, really on point... I so think too many in this hobby just don't get it (REALLY, THE DO NOT GET IT!)... although, according to "them"... they think (misinformed on some level, obviously) that they do. The cost and/or rarity of anything does not make it more of the thing that it is, nor does it lessens things that these certain folk seem to put beneath their notice (because it is not numbered, "limited edition", bespoke, handcrafted (as if a salad or sandwich or something of the sort) or is of some material that in essence pans out to about an eyedropper-full of it). Thank, thank, thank... for always giving us your gut and blood-raw honesty and keeping things real. After all... it is just another means of sharing/expressions/communicating when it comes to writing with a fountain pen... and not some exclusive member's-only secret society whereby the price of admission/acceptance/approval is weighed on how much of a museum-quality or degree of cachet your writing instrument is... phew....

[@ferociousnprettypens]

🤣 that "phew" at the end got me. Happy you got that out. 🙌 I'm glad I kept that in the video. Having something pricey isn't bad, but something doesn't have to be expensive to be able to write and draw beautiful things. I COMPLETELY agree with you, and that people forget that. And I never want to feed into a culture that you need to spend a lot of money to enjoy a FP. Some of the things I post may be expensive, but I'm going to balance it out because there's so many awesome FPs under $30. And maybe artsy fartsy time will help too, because the pens I use for art aren't "artisnal salads" (🤣😭💀) to be able to follow along. Seriously. Best comment ever. 🙌

[@susanbeckett9347]

You might like to joke around, but I love that you really know your stuff. Thanks for not talking down to any newbies, and being such an encourager.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

We're all new at some point. Gotta keep things positive! 🥳

[@Cup13Cakr]

I 👏🏻 LOVE 👏🏻 YOUR 👏🏻 PRICE 👏🏻 MESSAGE 👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 I love the Kakuno even though I have more expensive pens!!

[@ferociousnprettypens]

Thank you!! I was contemplating leaving it out, but I'm glad I kept it in there 😆

[@ChrisSaenz13]

Your message on the hobby being accessible/affordable to all at all price points is so true & important to empasize!!! It makes me happy to hear you state that so clearly!!! I wanted so much to love the Kakuno I had but there was something about it that wasn't right for my writing angle or something. I love the look of the Kakuno so much so it's a bummer... I see the colors and I almost re-purchase but then I remember how the first one (medium nib) was such an awful writing experience for me!! And I knew how to check and smooth nibs but nothing made it better so I didn't keep mine. 💜✒

[@evayaaasantewaa448]

Thank you very much for that "soapbox" message. I no longer feel that I need that message, but I can imagine there are others who do. Fountain pens and their ink are wonderful treats, and they are for everyone who might enjoy them. My modest collection is definitely all on the affordable side of things, and I am very happy with them.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

Well said!

[@Franc1302]

At the very first minute (and half) I've liked very much "the message" you said about don't need to spend a lot money to be part of this community. I have watched a lots of videos about fountain pens and for the first time, I felt very welcome. Thanks!

[@oldladywithacamera]

Love all of my Kakunos (EF, F, M). Thank you for you for emphasizing the point that a lot of folks cannot afford the Montblancs and such.

[@inksplat]

Excellent intro message!! 🙌🏼🙌🏼🙌🏼 the nib and feed is the same as a Pilot Prera too. I was about to ask if the tines were misaligned but you just saw it on the video 😂 I have a couple Kakuno pens, and haven’t had any problems with mine. I think your nib issue could be an isolated incident. I actually prefer the Kakuno to the Metro. I don’t like the weight of the metro at all. Love the bloopers and a+ thumbnail 😂💜

[@ferociousnprettypens]

🙌🙌 digital high fives right back at ya! Based on the other comments, it seems to be an isolated incident; knowing that, I also prefer the Kaküno. It's just so much more comfortable to use! I just ordered a few another in a fine and extra fine for inking and drawing with Platinum Carbon Black. 🤓

[@terrimccormick1324]

I love your video. I recently found your channel. I use the "M" nib to write with and try new color inks. The "M" nib writes fine so I I will ink up my other Kakunos to check. I bought a "EF" and "F" nibs to swap on my Metropolitan pens.

[@valerieparent2394]

I have two kakünos with medium nibs and both of them wrote smoothly straight out of the box. You must have had bad luck. Very entertaining review again! Most pen and ink reviews are so serious. This is really refreshing!

[@ferociousnprettypens]

Luck was definitely not on my side for this. Everyone else had a similar experience to yours. It just gave me an expense to use suspenseful music...and buy another kakuno. Fingers crossed my luck changes with the next one. :D

[@puterihumaira]

I have about a dozen Kakuno M nib pens and I love how durable these pens are. Like you said, I can just throw it in my bag without worry of leaking or breaking. Another affordable entry level fountain pen is Platinum Preppy. While I LOVE the Platinum nibs, the body? casing? of the pen is not as durable as Kakunos. I've broken few Preppys :( So Kakunos for beginners? YEAH!

[@ferociousnprettypens]

I have a few Preppys (Preppies? Preppyeseses??) and Plaisirs. I love writing with them, BUT the feed is a pain to clean out between inks. The Kaküno is easy peasy. Glad the nib issue was a fluke. In the words of Ariel, "I WANT MOOOOOOOOOOOAR." 😂❤️

[@levon9]

The Preppy's have not worked out for me, not sure if I had bad luck with both nibs, but I have two clear Kakunos and plan to get more, they are super reliable and fun to use. Pilot has never let me down.

[@stargazer1359]

I show up for you. Whichever pen, ink or other shenanigans you're up to. Hi Stella & Inky. 😻

[@Elphie8a]

Same! 🙃

[@ferociousnprettypens]

Thanks! 😆 🙌 This is our fun little corner if the interwebs. ❤️

[@stargazer1359]

Dramatic music.... 😻😹

[@zinncomicsandart8811]

I have 4 kakunos , a medim a fine and two ef all worked great out of the box . The ef are a little scratchy at first but break in pretty quickly

[@roxatruta]

Oh this is an isolated incident, I love the Kakuno and have so many! There are other smiley faces on the nib, too, so I have the whole collection. 😁

[@ferociousnprettypens]

Whaaat? Other smiley faces???? 😍 Uh oh. 😅

[@Carolee-nf2ud]

I had exactly the same problem with the kakuno! Scratchy scratchy scratchy. I thought it was because I had an extra fine nib. I have 6 pilot metropolitans and all of them are fine.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

Based on other's experiences the scratchiness is not normal - - I ordered a second (and maybe third) one to see if the experience is different and also...I like the faces on the nibs because I'm really a 12y.o. at heart. :P So...we'll see if it was a fluke. :)

[@cerealnana]

I have two kakuno and actually love them! I have not had any problems.

[@thepwicks]

Oooookkk so I got into this hobby in February (yup two months in....) and my first pen was a pilot kakuno medium nib. Soon after I bought a fine nib but it writes exactly like my medium nib. One of them was scratchy however I don't know if its just me (b/c I"m a noob) but I find the scratchy one writes smoother when I use a cartridge as opposed to the converter. (does that make sense I don't know) I also bought a extra fine kakuno which is very nice and I use it in my planner (its a japanese planner with narrow lines so having extra fine works well).

[@ferociousnprettypens]

That's a very interesting observation on cartridge vs converter. It might be because there's more ink with the cartridge and that adds more lubrication to the nib/feed, meaning less scratchiness. That's just my guess. :)

[@sarabaumann7410]

I have a kakuno and have had no issues with it. I gave it to my daughter who wanted to start trying doing line art with fountain pens (so she can steal my inks....). It works great for her with no misalignment. 😃

[@ferociousnprettypens]

Ooooh! Line art - it's so much fun and so cool that she's getting interested in using FPs for it. Yay! A new member of the hobby! :)

[@marilyngardner4269]

Your videos are so much fun to watch--upbeat and keeping it real! I have a good handful of Kakunos and have not seen the issue you had, so I hope you'll get a few more and try again. I got hooked on the clear ones with translucent colored caps that you can get from Japan--they're so much fun. I end up using them more than my Pilot Metropolitans, and as someone else noted, the Kakuno will hold a CON 70 converter, which is great. And who can resist a pen that smiles, winks, or sticks its tongue out at you?

[@seanthomas8864]

I'm glad I'm not crazy, I have an old metropolitan that writes better than my Kakuno. I like the kakuno, but I noticed the same thing about the wetness. I did not have a problem with the nib. (Both nibs were in M).

[@ferociousnprettypens]

I'm so glad you said something, because I thought I was crazy too. 😂❤️ I swapped converters between the pens (I had a con-40 in one and the squeezey one in the other) and it made no difference. 🤷🏻‍♀️

[@kenneth.h]

I have 3 Pilot Kakuno pens and they all seem fine. I have a extra fine, a fine, and a medium nib. All three nibs are smooth writers, but the extra fine provides a noticeable amount of feedback and makes it sound like writing with a mechanical pencil. Both Fine and Medium nibs are pretty smooth. I would say that they are great pens and I love to use them for long writing sessions. I think Pilot Kakuno pens are great fountain pens for those who want to try their hand at this hobby.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

I realigned that nib, added an extra fine to the mix, and the Con…70 converter, the big one that’s button filled. Aaaaand I love the Kakuno. Such a great work horse.

[@marilynjones9823]

Thanks so much for reviewing a more economical pen, and for your soapbox speech! Unfortunately, it’s too easy to get caught up in FOMO in this community and most people don’t have the budget to spend $hundreds on pens. Sorry you got a lemon, I have two Kakunkos, one in EF and even that one isn’t as scratchy as yours. Love the one with a smily face sticking out its tongue. PS I use the Pilot CON70 in mine, that one fits as well as the other Pilot converters.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

My pleasure! The FOMO in this hobby is SO REAL! I have to remind myself "do I really need x??" And I had no idea abou tthe Pilot CON70! That's helpful to know. I absolutely hate the CON-40. When I fill that one, it's always an experiment in how much ink I can get in there without spilling it everywhere! lol.

[@marilynjones9823]

@@ferociousnprettypens urgh! "need" is such a tricky word! :D

[@ferociousnprettypens]

100% My soul says I need it. But my wallet does not. Stingy jerk face. 😂

[@kumogami00]

Just found your channel recently and am cracking up with the hilarious outtakes. I Franken-penned an EF nib from my well-loved Kakuno into a Metropolitan Python body. Tried to ween off it for an EF E95s upgrade but it's not been successful lol

[@jcparkins]

I have several Kakunos and have not had any trouble with the nibs at all.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

I'm glad to hear that. It seems like my experience was a complete fluke. I'm just lucky that way, I suppose. :D

[@z1LeaF]

Yeah I think you just got a dud as my Kakuno is wonderful!

[@HandmadebyLorelei]

I have a kakuno- I didn't have any issues with mine. However i have had that similar issue with more expensive pens, like my new acquisition Lamy Studio. UGH. so ahnoyed, and I have no clue what to do.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

I've had the same issue with Lamy extra fine nibs. Have you reached out to the retailer? You could ask them to send you a new nib. That's the best thing about Lamy Studios - the nibs can be swapped just like and with the nibs from Lamy Safaris, etc. Or, if it's a stainless steel nib and you don't want to mess around with any of that or realigning it - just pick up an extra nib from your fave retailer. I hope you get it figured out!!!

[@michellesgoldberg]

I'm sorry you got a dud, but I really think it's an isolated incident. I've got several, and I always keep one inked up. M nib is great for sheening inks, lays a good amount of ink but not too much. F dries quickly, so it's great for note taking. I love your channel. You give it like it is! I was just looking over my pen collection and I've only got a handful of pens that were over $50. I'm totally hooked on ink! I love playing with new colors, and recently got a few shimmering samples to play with.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

I LOVE color, so ink colors is one of the main reasons I'm so into FPs now. I hope you enjoy the shimmering inks! I can't wait to hear what you think of them.

[@talksfromtheheart]

Affordable pen reviews are always necessary and I have one and no nib issues.

[@LisaVTX1]

Preaching the truth! 🙌

[@ferociousnprettypens]

🙌🥳

[@AkaAelius]

Isolated incident. I got an EF and a F and both wrote fine straight out of the box.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

I bought a couple of additional Kakünos and had no issues with any of them. Obviously I get the one out of alignment nib when I’m filming a video review. 😬😂

[@lisaaebi8329]

I only have gotten into fountain pens since the pandemic started and the Kakuno and Metropolitan were my first purchases. Had good experiences with both pens, but actually like the Kakuno a bit better due to the ergonomics and overall cuteness. Even though it's now one of my cheapest pens, it's one of my very favorites and will always have a special place in my heart since it had led me to this new hobby and a world of interesting and creative people. 😍 I had the same problem with tine misalignment with my first TWSBI and was so disappointed. Must have been a total "one off" and kept hearing how so many love the TWSBI, so broke down and got another same TWSBI Eco that I Iike now. Funny how one bad pen can totally taint impressions of a brand, but glad I gave the TWSBI a second chance.

[@ramonafirehorse]

Love your brand of ridiculousness! Was wondering what guide sheet you were using?

[@ferociousnprettypens]

🥰 It's a Taroko Design pencil board. The include one when you buy their notebooks veia their Etsy shop. I can't believe I haven't lost it. 😅

[@evayaaasantewaa448]

I have two Kakunos, and they're both perfectly okay, among my favorites. Both have Japanese Medium nibs. You got a bad one.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

You're totally right. I got another one and it's totally fine. I think this one probably just slipped through their QC with a misaligned nib, and I assume that's super rare since there's so many of these out there. :)

[@evayaaasantewaa448]

@@ferociousnprettypens You just never know. I'm glad to hear you got a good one this time! Enjoy!

[@ALittleBitofALot]

How odd. I love my Kakuno pens, my medium is actually really good with shimmer inks (not Diamine shimmers). Also, I still think you are the coolest LOL

[@ferociousnprettypens]

I thought it was odd. I've never heard of anyone else having issues. But it's all good -- I'll try to realign it and if that goes sideways...I'll just swap the nib with a Metro nib. Problem solved!! And no, you're the coolest!!! ❄️🌬😘

[@ALittleBitofALot]

@@ferociousnprettypens I should send you one of mine 🤔 funnily enough, I had a metro with M nib and oh how I hated it. I felt like it was about to rip the paper. I’ve not tried another.

[@ericmiller6828]

You CRACK me up!!

[@ferociousnprettypens]

I crack myself up too, WIN WIN!!! 🙌🙌😂

[@ZPD-doo-DAH]

I love Pilot Kakuno and Metropolitan pens. I've owned several and have never had a nib problem with any single Pilot pen. When you write, I notice that you're pressing down quite hard. A fountain pen is supposed to write without any pressure, other than it's own weight. Perhaps you might be bending the tines when you're trying to use the nib as a flex--to create line variation. The nibs are not supposed to flex. It's possible that you got a lemon nib, but it might also be you're pressing too hard.

[@ferociousnprettypens]

Hey Gloria. I am the first to admit that I am heavy handed! No question about it. But not usually the point of misaligning a nib. The tunes on this one were uneven. So…it is what is. I bought 2 more and they’re fantastic. 🤗

[@zinncomicsandart8811]

They are the same nib your metropolitan is just worn in more

[@Knoize1]

wow... gorgeous woman...