PILOTMetropolitan Collection Fountain Pen, Black Barrel, Classic Design, Fine Nib, Black Ink (91111)

This pen could not be a more complete entry-level fountain pen; Solid, Stylish, and Affordable. This pen feels about as good as it writes, it has the right weight and balance whether you write with the cap posted or not, it is also long enough to do either comfortably assuming you don't have HUGE hands. I bought a bottle of Purple Pelikan ink (Pelikan 4001 Ink, 1 fl. oz Violet (311886)) to go with this pen and I can say that this pen writes flawlessly, it never skips and it will write with feathery or a heavy handed strokes. This pen, aside from being an attention grabber, is a solid well-constructed pen that feels much better than any fountain pen you might happen upon at Office Depot. If you are looking for a cheap fountain pen to start writing with, or to just have your friends ogle over, look no further.Now to address some complaints you might have read before buying this pen:Ink Capacity-Some people recommend buying a converter with the Metropolitan, such as CON-50. I have found that the standard CON-20 converter that comes with the Metro will survive a hefty school day with multiple essays even though I cannot see how much ink is left in the bladder, I have even made it through three days with consistent use before I needed to refill (not to mention the bottle of ink will last you an absurd amount of time). So unless you are travelling, enjoy the comfort of seeing your ink level, or can't waste the MINUTE every few days to refill it, stick with the CON-20 and put your money towards better ink.The Pen Cap -I have read complaints of the cap not securing as tightly as many would hope, however I have been using this pen for about two weeks (as a student in High school) and I have not experienced this problem yet. I carry this pen in my pocket putting constant tension on the cap, It still clicks with the same snap it did when I first took it out of the case. I cannot say that I will not experience this problem in the future, but do not worry about this pen falling apart after a few days of use, just because of the price.

After many years I decided to return to the fountain pen. I originally moved away from it as a result of having to use ballpoint pens for multiple copy documents and, frankly, ease of use. The advent of common copy machine use with their very narrow requirements for acceptable signatures did not help.I looked at a lot of pens and read many reviews around the Internet before deciding on the Pilot Metropolitan. I'd never owned a pen costing more than $25 (my last fountain pen, circa 1978), but I knew I wanted a good pen to start, and it took me days to decide between two pens, one for approximately $90 and the Metropolitan at $13.52. I ultimately decided to be conservative and purchase the lower cost Pilot to explore if I really would prefer a fountain pen after all these years. The many excellent reviews certainly helped with this decision even though I was skeptical until I opened the box.After two weeks of daily use, I unreservedly recommend this pen. Without question, this pen is far better than the pens I used in my earlier fountain pen life. It wrote smoothly out of the box, is completely leak free, refills easily using the installed press plate converter, and does not smear or spray. The cap snaps on and off solidly without being burdensome, and I find that the pen is comfortable either posted (cap on the top of the pen while writing) or not, and I do have a large hand. I do tend to not post the pen, but that's so that I can recap immediately -- just a quickly regained habit. The nib is fairly stiff, which is good for a beginner (or a returner) but does allow for smooth and comfortable writing even on inexpensive copy paper or sticky notes. I do find myself spending a little longer writing even brief notes to myself, but I also enjoy every short note I write. Perhaps that's something of an affectation, but if so it's an affectation I'm becoming increasingly fond of.I combined the pen with Pilot Iroshizuku Bottled Fountain Pen Ink, Ku-Jaku, Peacock, Turquoise (69213), which I reviewed separately. A distinctive colour and a good combination. There are many other colours in this ink line for those seeking a distinctive signature colour.The nib is a little narrower than I expected which made me a little unhappy at first, but after two weeks I'm not at all unhappy. Given that I am returning to the fountain pen, I think this is was a good place to start. I suspect that if I had started with a wider nib I might not have felt as comfortable in writing clearly from the first. And for marginal notes, this nib is truly excellent. I wouldn't be surprised if in future I don't move to an EF nib, depending on application. Similarly, I do anticipate moving to an M nib for casual writing.The pocket clip is a common cause for complaint in reviews I read about many pens. The clip on the Metropolitan is solid, slides easily onto my shirt pocket, holds the pen in place, and releases easily. It works the way a pen clip should.In appearance, the pen has pleasant lines and is simplistically elegant. It looks good lying on the desk and in my hand. It's just plain comfortable to use. Is it as classy (and flashy) as a Mont Blanc? No. Does it look good and occasion favourable comment from persons sitting next to me in meetings? Absolutely and repeatedly.I give this pen five stars as an entry level, or even as common use pen. Would it rate 5 stars to a person well accustomed to the use of a fountain pen for specialized writing? I suspect it would not, but I seriously doubt it would get below 4 stars from that same user.Pros: See above.Cons: I'd prefer a screw-on cap but that's not reasonable at this excellent price point. That's my only complaint -- pretty minor, I'd say.Overall: I'm really pleased. If I'd paid twice as much, I'd still be really pleased. I'm sure I'll move on to that $90 pen or higher, but this is an excellent pen when one considers value for money. If you're thinking about buying your first fountain pen, look no further. This is absolutely the place to start.