Pilot Kakuno Fountain Pen, Clear Barrel, Fine Nib (10819)

Caneta-Tinteiro sem requinte mas super bacana para quem ainda gosta e/ou tem tempo de se entregar à escrita manuscrita. Fácil de trocar os cartuchos, com excelente pena, uma escrita ágil, leve, marcando bem o papel e sem borrar. Foram duas aquisições ao mesmo tempo, com diferença apenas na grossura da pena, e valeu 100% a pena (literalmente a "pena").

Pilot fountain pens are the best value for money writing instruments out there. Love this pen.

Siempre he querido una pluma fuente, pero esta golpea las 3 B (bueno, bonito y barato). Suave al escribir, facil de limpiar, facil de sujetar. Recomiendo usar el convertidor Pilot CON-70 para mayor capacidad y facil refill. IMPORTANTE: Usar tintas base agua.

With this price tag, am amazed at the quality of the Nip. Woulda liked it to be a bit heavier, it feels very light.

I have been on a pen kick recently. I have mostly used pencils because my work involves math and I make tons of mistakes that benefit from an eraser. Writing in pen just has a certain tactile enjoyment though, which is different from a pencil. And if something makes work more enjoyable, I'm all for it. (See mechanical keyboards). I first revisited basic Pilot G2 gel pens, and tried a Pilot Metropolitan ballpoint pen. They both write smoothly, are refillable, and feel great ergonomically; the Metro has a nice hefty metal body and premium look while the G2s are light and inexpensive. I could have stopped there and been content, but got the idea of trying a fountain pen. For a first fountain pen, I wanted an inexpensive but good writer with a finer nib. I focused on Pilot because of their reputation for consistency and quality. I was thinking of trying a Pilot Metropolitan, but decided to try the Kakuno instead. My decision was influenced by the Inkquiring Minds YouTube channel, who did a few videos comparing the two. He pointed out the big step-down on the Metro from the barrel to the section; it looks like this would interfere with my grip. I went with a clear Kakuno with a fine nib. For about $10, it has been a real pleasure. I find myself taking more handwritten notes and even working on my cursive handwriting (see the YouTube channel OpenInkStand Art & Calligraphy) because it's enjoyable. The packaging is very beginner friendly and welcoming. When first plugging in the cartridge, I had to squeeze it a bit to get the ink flow started, but it has been a reliable writer since then. It's cool to be able to see the ink through the clear barrel and section. The section has a subtle triangular shape which I find very comfortable for writing. The barrel has a smooth hexogonal shape and a roll-stop which both keep the pen from rolling away. The plastic feels robust like it will not easily crack. There is no clip, which isn't a concern for me, but I hear that you can buy an add-on Kaweco Sport clip for about $6 and it will fit the Kakuno. One of the things people love about fountain pens is that they can be refilled with whatever ink you like, but I am actually pretty satisfied with the included Pilot Namiki black ink. It behaves well with the standard quality copier paper and spiral notebook I am using. It dries almost immediately, does not feather noticeably, does not wash off the page if I wipe it with a damp tissue, and does not bleed through the page or show through enough that the other side is unusable. I ordered a 60ml bottle of the ink which should last quite a while. I was able to refill the Kakuno cartridge from the 60ml bottle with an eye dropper that I had on hand, without any mess or needing an ink syringe with a needle. I think I prefer this method to one that involves dipping the nib into the ink bottle. I also picked up an all-grey Kakuno as a backup, also with a fine nib. I like the look of the transparent grey section on this one, even though the ink isn't as visible as the clear one. The Kakuno is certainly not luxorious, but I think these two colorways - clear and all-grey - won't look out of place at all in a professional setting. Overall, the Kakuno seems to be a great entryway into the fountain pen writing experience.