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Fountain Pen# 2 -- Pilot Metropolitan

Review of the Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen

Contents

  • Pen
  • Pen Display Case (Clear Plastic Top Cover)
  • Con-20 Style Converter
  • One (1) Blue/Black Ink Cartridge

Nib Style Options

  • Fine (F) or Medium (M)

Color / Model Numbers

Classic

  • Black
    • MRFC1BLKFBLKP (F)
    • MRFC1BLKMBLKP (M)
  • Gold
    • MRFC1BLKFGLDP (F)
    • MRFC1BLKMGLDP (M)
  • Silver
    • MRFC1BLKFSLVP (F)
    • MRFC1BLKMSLVP (M)

Retro Pop

  • Green / Marble
  • Red / Wave
  • Orange / Flower
  • Purple / Ellipse
  • Grey / Hound Tooth
  • Turquoise / Polka Dots

Animal Print

  • Purple / Leopard
  • White / Tiger
  • Black / Crocodile
  • Gold / Lizard
  • Silver / Python

Initial Impressions

My Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen (Fine Point) arrived from Amazon, and it is a beautiful writing instrument. The online reviews accurately describe it as an excellent starter pen. The immediate sense of quality is apparent just by holding it. There is a certain weight and heft that exudes quality, making the overall look and feel best experienced through actual use. For $13, this is a phenomenal deal.

It even comes with a decent display case, an ink converter, and a single ink cartridge. I had also ordered a dozen blue ink cartridges and loaded one into the pen. Unfortunately, several of the cartridges exploded during transit, but Amazon was generous enough to refund the dozen cartridges; I salvaged about 6-7 cartridges.

As I wrote my first few words and sentences with the Pilot Metropolitan, I realized how much better it is compared to the Pilot Varsity, as expected. This experience makes me curious to eventually try a higher-end pen like the Platinum Century #3776. For now, the Pilot Metropolitan will suffice as my go-to pen for the next few months, starting my journey into fountain pen use. My only concern at this point is whether to indulge further by purchasing a proper ink converter and some quality ink, but I’ll wait a bit.

One Month Review

It's been a month since I've had the Pilot Metropolitan, and I’ve also had the opportunity to compare it against the Platinum Century. For the most part, I find that I use the Pilot more often at work due to its screwless cap. While the Platinum is more comfortable to use and has a nicer nib, the Pilot is simply easier for quick note-taking.

When I need to write for a considerable length of time, the Platinum is preferred. However, for jotting down quick notes, the Platinum can be cumbersome. I will likely need to invest in a CON-50 Ink Converter so I can monitor how much ink is left, as I've run the Metropolitan dry in the middle of a business meeting.

Update (12/31/17)

I have encountered one small problem with the Metropolitan. Due to its snap cap, if I cap and uncap it in rapid succession, it tends to cause ink to splatter and increases the chance for leakage. This usually happens when I need to cap and uncap during a meeting while taking notes. Out of habit, I've learned to leave the pen uncapped for extended periods or revert to rollerball/ballpoint pens for those specific situations.

While a screw-on cap takes more time, it minimizes the issue of ink splatter associated with a snap cap. Overall, I remain very happy with the Pilot Metropolitan thus far.

 

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