Pilot Plumix Review and Nib Swap with Pilot Explorer

[@dangonzalez3505]

08:47 Omg! He pronounced "bona fide" correctly! That deserves a "like"!

[@JuceePeachz67]

Another truly enjoyable video, Mr. Doug. I have the Plumix in my shopping cart for purchase. Looking forward to the Platinum Balance review.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, Ms. Marianne! :)

[@ryansullivan3081]

You should take us on a tour of your local pen shop, if they’ll allow it. I used to watch snap- on truck tour videos and it just made me want to tour my own local snap-on truck. Thanks for the content.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I did! Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/i2ephH2voq6Vf9U and Here: kzbin.info/www/bejne/bZLbi6ydq7Wcnqc

[@DoctorWhoIsBeast]

This has given me a greater appreciation for the squidy pen. Thanks, Doug!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Very welcome!

[@teresaharris-travelbybooks5564]

I was just given a Plumix, so naturally I came to KZbin to see what everyone had to say about it. It's a pretty darn cute pen.

[@joseparada4430]

I am into it. When results available I will tell you how it was. Thank you for your wide explanation. It is a real help. I appreciated, IM. From Spain.

[@March22012]

It’s a great litte pen and the line variation is lovely. Another great video as well. What a wonderful way to start a day mid-week!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks J! Now that the Plumix nib is in my Explorer and I've smoothed it a bit and made it a bit wetter, it is an awesome writer! I wrote with it for a couple of hours sitting by the lake today.

[@dimhelmet]

This was one of my first fountain pens when I fell down the rabbit hole. I also grabbed a writing set that has a Purple with FC, Navy with MC, and Green with BC nib.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I'm going to have to get a BC nib now.

[@dimhelmet]

@@InkquiringMinds Search for PLU-002-KTAZ for the PILOT Enso Plumix set

[@BC7Bill]

Thanks for the tip on a great deal and the chance for a cursive Italic nib at a reasonable price!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Any time, Bill!

[@aag24]

Love your videos Douglas. Are you a professional video editor? Your videos are awfully well done.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, aag24! No, but I have years of experience (including teaching) of multi-track audio editing and mixing. Plus, as a professional theatre lighting designer, I can program stage lighting and moving light consoles which is also not dissimilar to video editing.

[@kauaiphotography]

Aloha Doug! Once again a very comprehensive review and so glad you actually looked at the Plumix pen itself before tossing it out (maybe a giveaway?) I bought a Plumix very early on in my start in fountain pens knowing that it will fit the other models you mention, including the Pilot Kakuno which you didn't mention. The only difference I saw is that the Plumix nib is marked while the one you get with the Pilot Metropolitan is marked and from my memory the Metro with the CM was not available until USA until just a few years ago. I inquired with a few retailers if the nibs are identical and really didn't receive a firm answer. Anyway back to the Plumix (and Kakuno), the tripod style grip, for me anyway, helps me to hold the pen correctly so the stub nib sit's correctly (once again for me anyway!) Funny enough, for the last two days, I have been swapping out my daily diary writing pen with the various Pilot nibs I have and today is day 3, so the cursive medium is my nib of the day. Mahalo from Kauai, Hawaii! Thomas

[@InkquiringMinds]

I've never had the opportunity to see a Kakuno. There are so many Pilots! I know they Metro is available in CM nibs now in the States. Kathy at gadgetstop321 did a comparison of the nibs just the other day.

[@kauaiphotography]

@@InkquiringMinds , having used my Kakuno for the last few days, I am finding it very light weight! The overall build quality seems to be lower than a Kaweco Perkeo, which is in the same ballpark. As for the Metro being available with CM nibs, I believe it was just recently possibly because Pilot USA has just started to bring them in. As you know, some retailers get their stock directly from Japan, so they can offer items that are not brought in via Pilot USA. I am about to swap the M to CM ....

[@WhatIInk]

Great video as usual. Pilot probably has the best full-product-line quality of any pen maker. Pens from $10-$1000 are all of the best possible quality for their price-point. In particular, I'm of the opinion that they literally own the gold-nibbed $100-200 price-point, nobody else even comes close.

[@ungabungus01]

Agree entirely. European pens can't compete in the price to quality ratio, and Chinese pens are the only ones that come close. Vanishing point is my favorite

[@InkquiringMinds]

Great point, Alan! Where does the Platinum 3776 gold nib fit in that equation though?

[@InkquiringMinds]

I might have to try a VP. They don't appeal to me visually though.

[@WhatIInk]

@@InkquiringMinds It's awesome, but that's basically it for Platinum at that price level. Pilot has a very wide selection at the similar price point.

[@stargazer1359]

Nice crisp lines, might have to get one.

[@InkquiringMinds]

You should!

[@vishalramnath8975]

For the Pilot Plumix would only the short Pilot cartridges fit into it? The normal size Pilot cartridges seem a bit too long to fit inside the Plumix. I bought a Plumix today and it works great.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Pilot cartridges are 60mm in length. I know of no other size than this.

[@JohnTravena]

You might be able to use plumbing tape on the wide threaded Plumix. It could be your steam punk Plumix.

[@franchm.693]

I was looking to buy the Plumix for its nib after my Metropolitan's nib flushed down my kitchen sink's drain. Kinda stupid but meh. Now, I'm definitely buying two. I want the Squid pen 😆 Thanks for the review. Love your cut scenes!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Oh no! I put a nib down our sewer drain once as it was at the bottom of a glass of very dark inky water. :(

[@anitasamuel-george5788]

I'm glad you changed your mind about the plumix! I agree it looks funny...but it is very ergonomic. I have 9 that I bought for the nibs...to replace in all my colourful Metropolitans and Kakunos. So I was left with a bunch of Plumixes with either fine or medium nibs. I wasn't sure what to do with them either. Now, I am thinking to use them with my young students! Maybe a writer's club...using a fountain pen that looks like a quill! Or for my students with fine motor or weak hand strength...I am thinking an FP might help especially since it has the finger grip. I already do a lunch time calligraphy club but use Sheaffer calligraphy pens or markers. Hope to penable some children so the hobby continues! We will see with Covid what the future holds with regards to school in the fall...but I will hold onto them until then. Anyway....enjoy the CM nib in your Explorer...I love them! And looking forward to the Balance review. Sorry for long comment!

[@InkquiringMinds]

That's an excellent idea, Anita! What a great pen to get a young person interested in the joy of writing with a fountain pen. I wrote with the Explorer with the CM nib in it for two hours sitting in the shade at the lake today. I've smoothed the nib a bit and made it a little wetter. And now, with this huge ink supply and a very wet nib with character, this pen is a stand out!

[@jarrahfitzgerald2752]

Can you fit a CON40 into a Pluminix?

[@InkquiringMinds]

No. Sorry.

[@jarrahfitzgerald2752]

@@InkquiringMinds no worries. Thanks for the reply!

[@ericrollo615]

Again another excellent video Doug with 2 pens I've never heard off. I've tried flex nibs myself for cursive writing with disastrous results so an italic nib might just get me interested again. I have the full set of Pilot Parallels so I might just try some writing with the 1.5 mm and see what its like.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Fantastic! Those parallels are cool. I had a set years ago but can't locate them now. I never tried the mixable colours with them by touching the tips.

[@JoelTurrell]

When in disgrace with fortune and men's eyes, I all alone beweep my outcast fate, And trouble deaf Heaven with my bootless cries, And look upon myself and curse Pilot for refusing to allow the import of its full line to North America. With apologies to the Bard, Pilot makes SO many amazing pens across such a broad range, that I have frequent attacks of GAS/PAS. ...Anyway, kudos for another exceptional video review.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Blow ye winds and crack your cheeks! Hell hath no fury like a Pilot pen lover scorned by international marketing!

[@johnrdoe108]

GREAT VID DOUG, THANKS

[@BigHenFor]

Doug, have you seen the Jinhao Shark? This Plumix has a lot in common with the Shark's design, but I think the Plumix is made better and has the bonus of the stub italic nib. I own 6 Sharks I bought as a bulk pack, and I love using them. They are comfortable writers, perhaps as they were meant as children's starter pens. I can write for hours with the sharks. They are cheap, and unfortunately, the plastic forming the barrel can crack if overtightened. (I still love the one that cracked it so a piece of Sellotape improved our relationship.) Even though the Plumix is an upgrade to my Sharks, I'm going to instead drop some change on it's smaller sibling, the Pluminix. This is a pocket pen-sized version of the Plumix and comes with fine and broad versions of the stub nib. I'm checking out Aliexpress as the prices there are looking right. I hope I enjoy it as much as you enjoyed the Plumix.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Yes, I've seen the Shark online but never had one. I hadn't heard of the Pluminix! Thanks for the info!

[@mariojulien001]

The Plumix is my first fountain pen i buy and i like it. Hope to see Platinum Balance review. Thanks

[@InkquiringMinds]

+mariojulien001 It will be up tomorrow morning!

[@meh8982]

You're the first person I've seen who picked up that the Plumix is supposed to resemble a quill! I usually turn the nib in a Plumix a little so I can write at a more comfortable angle. Also, check out the Pluminix (available on ebay) - a shorter version of the Plumix that is available with bold and fine italic nibs as well as the medium that the Plumix has. (Same section as the Plumix, just a short body.) Great for swapping. The old Pilot 78G (made in Japan, not China) also came with bold and even double bold italic nibs, but those are no longer being made and the remaining ones are very overpriced. (The 78G has an identical section to the Metropolitan, completely interchangeable, but a cheaper plastic body.)

[@InkquiringMinds]

Great info! Thanks, Meh!

[@davidmcguigan5497]

If someone gave me a Montblanc, I bet I would find a reason to use it. Then, I would know if a pen that cost thousands is worth thousands. Thanks for your treatment of the Plumix despite your nib agenda. I have eyedroppered its Chinse counterpart, Jinhao Shark, with no problems thus far although you don't really get a typical eyedropper fill because of the pen's design--a good deal of space between the barrel and the sipping end of the feed. I see that Bobby offers an architect nib. Does your local store carry any Chinese brands? A fountain pen enthusiast could get misty-eyed at the sight of a brother or sister standing before the empty gaping maw of a mailbox. Hope your goodies show up soon!

[@InkquiringMinds]

My store does not carry any Chinese pens at the moment. I've seen Bobby's postings for various "Bobby Pens". I've got one of his mini-fude nibs in my Wing sung 618 and it is marvelous. Once Mr. Bobby starts shipping to Canada again, I might try one of his architect grinds.

[@FountainPenJourney]

Great review Doug. It’s a shame that the Pilot Plumix isn’t widely available here in the UK.

[@InkquiringMinds]

They don't seem to be widely available anywhere! Perhaps in Japan?

[@FountainPenJourney]

Douglas Rathbun Ah, so it’s not just here in the UK then.

[@BigHenFor]

@@FountainPenJourney Try Aliexpress or Amazon. I don't know yet if those sold on Aliexpress are originals but they are there. It seems the family of Pilot Plume desk pens has another member there without the grip but sharing the cap from the Plumix and the Pluminix. They're on Aliexpress and they come in solid black and clear plastic. Might be worth a look.

[@FountainPenJourney]

@@BigHenFor many thanks, I'll take a look 👍

[@joseparada4430]

I would like an eyedropper or piston pen suitable for a Kakuno nib. Can you mention anyone? Pilot has good nibs but small capacity in ink deposit. Thank you.

[@InkquiringMinds]

You have a few options. You can seal the bottom of the barrel of the Kakuno with superglue and silicone grease the threads between the section and the barrel. Or you can pull the nib and put it into a Plumix or Prera and do the same thing. The Pilot Con70 converter holds a lot of ink and is compatible with the Pilot Explorer so you could swap the Kakuno nib there as well. They are essentially all the same nib between the Kakuno, 78G, Prera, Plumix, Penmanship, MR/Metropolitan and Explorer. Here is the procedure for the Plumix: fpgeeks.com/forum/showthread.php/11992-Converting-Pilot-Plumix-To-Eye-Dropper-Fill-Pens

[@michaeljaeger2774]

Luv the plumix very versatile

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, Michael!

[@uihcmoht]

This is the only pen/brand that offers a range of fine Stub, medium stub, and bold stub. This is a game-changer for someone who would like a custom medium CI grind instead of the typical fat 1.1stub. Like you, I simply tossed the pen and kept the nib and feed.

[@InkquiringMinds]

The Explorer is the perfect nib holder for this Plumix nib.

[@archivist17]

Not my bag (despite being a major Pilot fanboi!), but a cool pen nonetheless. What a scoop! I wish we had some decent bricks & mortar stores in the UK.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I'm doing my best to keep our local shop in business!

[@cjs_hobbies]

Hey Doug great video as always. Have you gotten a Caliarts EGO? I also am a fan of pilot and swapped the Plumix with the EGO nib. You get a piston filler with the EGO. Get the clear one as I know that works the lattes EGO is a step backwards as a cartridge-converter pen.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Not yet! I'll have to check it out!

[@Domina7ion]

Although the asthetic of such a short nib might not work for everyone, I wonder how many grips would be improved if they had the threads just above the nib like this one? It would give the designer so much more space and options to work with.

[@InkquiringMinds]

It is a clever design.

[@lucm6476]

Doug , Pointe Moyenne Italique - right on the money !

[@InkquiringMinds]

Wow! Thanks Luc! I thought I butchered that!

[@jeffroberts532]

Well I'm gonna have to check out the Platinum Balance. Great idea to buy a Plumix for the nib. From the looks of it I don't think I'd use the Plumix though, but it is interesting. Thanks for another great video! P.S. After a quick check on the interwebz, I think it might be that Platinum renamed the "Cool" to "Balance".

[@InkquiringMinds]

Jeff. I had suspected that was the case. Some of the "Cool" named pens are still available online. Must be NOS.

[@jeffroberts532]

Looking forward to your review of the Balance, if you choose to accept that mission!

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@jeffroberts532 I'm editing it now and it will be up on Saturday.

[@SonyaLyles]

I purchased the plumix as an inexpensive way to try out a stub nib. But I see no difference in my writing. It does not show up with any line variation, What am I doing wrong?

[@InkquiringMinds]

If it is truly a stub (no tipping material) it should give a thinner horizontal and a thicker vertical. Try rotating the pen in your grip or angle your page.

[@SonyaLyles]

@@InkquiringMinds Hi IM. Yes it is the Pilot Plumix 1.0 Stub with no tipping. It took me a few days to learn to keep it flat and not rip the paper. Now I can keep it flat but there isn't "flair". I will try to turn both the paper and the nib and try again. Thanks for your quick response.

[@karlpmueller]

I like the Plumix more than I expected too--I put fine nibs in mine and use them for marking up documents on copy paper--but I like faceted sections in general. If you ever want to buy something weird on eBay, search for the SKB F12--it's like a Plumix (or more precisely a Penmanship) that bulked up at the gym, same grip design but significantly thicker which I find very comfortable (though it is funnier-looking). Btw, I agree with you about the unpleasantness of the Metro in the hand, but for me the Kakuno is even better than the Explorer (though I like my grey one because it's exactly the same color as Nooder's 54th Massachusetts).

[@InkquiringMinds]

I have two SKB pens. They aren’t worth inking.

[@stargazer1359]

Oh, I have super bad experience with the Balance, gold finish chipping off in chunks on two pens purchased at the same time ( on the nib)

[@InkquiringMinds]

Oh no! I'l have to keep an eye on that!

[@stargazer1359]

@@InkquiringMinds They have a one year warranty.... I didn't use them for a while, and now I know why they were so scratchy...not polished steel underneath the gold colored exterior. I'd send them to you for parts, but different colors, green & burgundy

[@robertreid7221]

Hi Doug, I thought at first what an ugly lovely pen the plumix is, and couldnt understand why it appealed to me, but it did. So I considered buying one. However, it is a steal at $10.00 US, but not at GBP £15.00 or $19.10 US. So maybe I'll stick it on the back burner for a while and see how I feel in a week or two. Thanks Doug, for yet another video to stimulate my inkquiring mind Cheers, Rob.✌❤ PS. Nice shirt !

[@InkquiringMinds]

LOL! There you go again! And, yes, the Plumix seems to be difficult to get. It is at inflated prices even on Amazon.

[@BigHenFor]

Try Aliexpress UK.

[@GuntherSchmidl]

I hadn't heard about the Plumix at all! My collection is getting "slightly" Pilot-heavy at this point...

[@InkquiringMinds]

You say that like it is a BAD thing!

[@GuntherSchmidl]

@@InkquiringMinds no, no, it's the best thing.

[@merlinuwe1]

Do you think the plumix with an italic nib is also usable for left handed people?

[@InkquiringMinds]

Yes it is , Uwe. It is straight across. There is no oblique to it at all.

[@ichirofakename]

What a great pen: cheap and special. I like mine too.

[@InkquiringMinds]

It really is!

[@Domina7ion]

How have you found eyedroppering? I'm wondering if its worth doing as from my experience you are forced to refill when its just over half empty, making its large ink capacity mostly cosmetic. So what if it holds 4 ml if it burps once you've used 2ml. I was wondering if this is universal to all your pens or you've found some that are resistant to this.

[@davidmcguigan5497]

Hi. i have similar questions. I have eyedroppered a couple of inexpensive pens, Jinhao Shark and 992s, and they are just under 1/2 full. I don't use them for anything important, so I won't mind if they burp, but I am going to use them until empty to see how that goes. Personally, I don't take the approach that if I can eyedropper, I will. I don't mind refilling and having the opportunity to change ink or put a pen away for a while.

[@Domina7ion]

@@davidmcguigan5497 yeah, being given a cue to change your ink regularly (or put a pen away as you say) is actually really good. Sometimes it feels like a chore using up such a big ink supply.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I agree. I've turned a couple of Penbbs 308s from eyedroppers back into C/C for just that reason. It all depends on your needs. If you are away from your ink supply for a few days and don't want to haul bottles with you, having the ED option is really convenient.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Dom: I have not ED'd the Plumix and would not attempt it. I'm sure it can be done, but those threads are very loose.

[@Adriel-ze6lw]

Sir Douglas, I'd think that getting a Plumix with a Broad Nib might be good for the Metropolitan? It seems that the Metropolitan just has the better body for some reason

[@InkquiringMinds]

Whatever body works for you Adriel! The Plumix nib will fit the Metro. But, you can also get a Metro with a "CM" nib which is the same thing.

[@dr.chihab]

I used a plumix for 5 years in school over 10 years ago. and it was the first fountain pen i really enjoyed and used extensively. Had bought it for 1$ 😂

[@InkquiringMinds]

They are perfect for a student who wants character in their writing.

[@Taib89]

When u r the first viewer And the first comment And a fountain pen enthusiast And a Pilot lover

[@InkquiringMinds]

woohoo!!!

[@stargazer1359]

Love Cyrano!

[@InkquiringMinds]

My Panache! I worked on an incredible production of Cyrano at the Shaw Festival back int he mid-80's. Very memorable.

[@meh8982]

@@InkquiringMinds Really? I saw a wonderful, heartrending production of Cyrano with the Anthony Burgess translation at the Shaw Festival, but I think it was a little before the mid 80s. Have never forgotten it and always wished I could see it again.

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@meh8982 That was the production. Heath Lamberts played Cyrano. It was directed by a very deaf Derek Goldby. It was 82 and 83.

[@artkung3629]

Doug! So your video last week had me curious with the Flames cap, but now i know for sure... You're a Calgarian!! so am i! i'd love to meet you for a coffee if you would be interested. i'm a total newb with fountain pens. let me know if you're up for that.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Welcome aboard! That's great fellow Calgarian! Once we are past this current madness it would be great! There are a number of local enthusiasts waiting to get together; my pen friend in Okotoks and a few others from the Calgary Pen Club too!

[@artkung3629]

@@InkquiringMinds That'd be great! Would love to meet you and the rest.

[@anthonydavis4829]

Ĺove the reviews but now I'm watching for the funny film clips.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Oh! You're the one!

[@anthonydavis4829]

@@InkquiringMinds yes, you found me. Todays "Animal House" clip was perfectly suited for the unpackaging of the pen. Still smiling while writing now.

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@anthonydavis4829 LOL Let's do it!

[@martinlebl631]

@@anthonydavis4829 Well it is a vintage Belushi, and as we all know vintage is the best. ;)

[@i.c.3157]

This pen certainly looks interesting however I'm a bit cautious with pilot nibs since I've heard great things about them but have two metros with a fine an medium that wrote like absolute 'schmidt'.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Fair enough! I find the cheap Pilot medium nibs to be rather bland. My Pilot e95s however, is sensational. The jury is still out on the 14K Pilot Falcon nib though.

[@elizabethrosa1335]

"A few minutes from now" Hahaha! You time traveled!!! Now that I have watched this, I have to find my purple Plumix! Even worse than companies who take your money and don't give it back right away is PayPal that hold funds hostage so you can't get your handmade fountain pen from Brian Weaver. Jerks. Your videos are a great way to pass the time while I wait for the govt to tell me I died from covid (without being tested) ;) Thanks!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Imagine having to wait for the government to inform you that you've passed on! They probably want your vote! LOL

[@elizabethrosa1335]

LOL! I am never voting again. Unless it is for Article 5.

[@martinlebl631]

Buying a plumix is cheaper than getting a loose nib for one of these pens, so I wonder how many of Plumixes are acquire just to part them out for their nib. Hearing all sorts of people doing this it must be a fair number.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I think that's why they are in short supply and the price is going up.

[@martinlebl631]

@@InkquiringMinds Could very well be. Of course at the moment it could just be COVID-19 related. Maybe Pilot should just sell the nibs for ten bucks, as I am sure they would make brisk business.

[@stargazer1359]

New intro, Sir Doug...?

[@InkquiringMinds]

Inkquiring MInds ya know! I have a mirrored website now called "Inkquiring Minds". :)

[@merlinuwe1]

@@InkquiringMinds I searched the whole evening to find out what you wrote with this amazing ink...

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@merlinuwe1 Inkquiring Minds. I make up words. :)

[@Ryan_H22]

The nib out of either of those Pilot pens will also fit the Wing Sung 3001 that used to be $1.35 US on eBay but have since gone up to the $2.50ish range. I have a Plumix nib in one 3001 and a Kakuno winky face nib in another. :-)

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, Ryan, for that info. Now to look for some 3001 stubs.

[@MateuMatheu]

Also the vac filler Wing Sung 3013 or Paili 013. The youtuber The Hardcore Dilettante has a couple of good videos about it. The Pilot Kakuno admits a Con-70 and as a pen it pleases me on the eye, nib design included, more than a Platinum Preppy, and it performs no less efficiently.

[@martinlebl631]

@@MateuMatheu I wonder how many Plumixes are bought solely to be harvested of their nib.

[@MateuMatheu]

@@martinlebl631 Sometimes the change of routes from 743 to 823 has also a bit of traffic, especially on FA trucks and all sort of Soft cars.

[@Raul1971xxx]

Hello Dough, ¿Can you do a review of the Leonardo Momento Zero piston filler?.

[@InkquiringMinds]

+Raúl Marín LOL! You funnee Raul! I would have to save up six months of KZbin revenue to afford that pen! 🤣🤣

[@Raul1971xxx]

@@InkquiringMinds My Goodness.. ¿How much cost that pen?.. 😄😄😁😁

[@InkquiringMinds]

At Appelboom the Grande is $370 Cdn. Which would end up being over $400 Cdn with shipping and duty. That is for a steel nib.

[@Raul1971xxx]

@@InkquiringMinds More or less 300 or 400 €uros.. no, it is not cheap. I suppose that with a gold nib it could cost 800 €uros.. Hmm....... 🤔😄