I am very much impressed with this pen! It writes like a dream right out if the box and feels very sturdy and well made in the hand. I like the size of Nib which is huge and the fact that it is a bit heavier than Sailor pens. It feels solid and very reliable! I love it already ♥️ The ordering and shipping as usual worked like a dream with Appelboom.
The Pilot 823 F is a beatiful pen at a very good price. It has an amazing nib (that is no surprise given it is a Pilot, after all), a vacuum filler and demonstrator body. I am a big fan of this model and I previously bought the M version (in amber). I completely agree that this is the most bang for buck in the fountain pen world for professional work. The Appelboom experience was excellent, as usual.
What can I say? Pound for pound the best fountain pen of all! It is a dream to write with (thanks Joost and the team for a brilliant tuning service) and it is a pen I never tire of using. The ink capacity is brilliant and the ink flow is very consistent. I cannot rate this pen highly enough - I would give it ten stars if I could!
The Pilot Custom 823 in black, also called smoke, is a stunningly beautiful pen.. Mine came with a bottle of Pilot black ink, and although it is essentially a grey demonstrator, when filled it appears as a classic solid black pen with gold trim and nib. The wonderful difference is that the entire barrel is an ink window. The craftsmanship is superb. This pen is balanced and elegant, comfortable in the hand posted or not. The nib writes smooth with a touch of feedback that varies more or less depending on the paper. It's hard to imagine a better value for the dollar, favorably comparable to pens costing much more. Pilot has hit it out of the park with this pen!
I purchased this Pilot Custom 823 as a kickoff to a country-wide faculty interview process as I had heard that the piston is able to seal the ink making travel (by air or car) much easier.
Indeed, I had no issues with ink leaking and was able to write comfortably on the plane and the large ink capacity allowed me to make it through a week of travel without needing a refill.
The Medium nib on the pen is fantastic. It glides well on both high density and copy paper. I have no problem taking quick notes with the pen. It is also very comfortable for longer writing sessions. I will note it is a little heavier than other resin pens I own, but I didn’t find this to be an issue.
Bitten by the fountain pen bug a few weeks ago. Went out and promptly bought two Namiki pens, and then online research pointed me to this pen as a daily writer. This is the first one to arrive and what a pleasure! It has a classic and elegant look, and it is comfortable and balanced to write with posted or unposted. The B nib is wet and smooth, and it writes with a right amount of feedback for me. This will be the workhorse in my collection and certainly be used to sign a lot of documents.
The package was shipped earlier than expected, and arrived nicely gift-wrapped at the U.S. in two business days via DHL. The communication with Appelboom has been easy and smooth. I will definitely buy from them again (actually have made three orders).
This pen is truly all that you see on reviews. The pen is light enough with having a premium feel and weigh (with the vacuum filler rod). Pictures do not do the pen justice.
Plus the section and barrel unscrew for better cleaning and access. User serviceability is always appreciated.
As for writing experience, this is by far the smoothest and best Fine point nib I own. I am all for fine nibs (as it best fits my writing style). I will for sure being getting the clear demonstrator 823 as soon as I can. I can only imagine how smooth the writing would be on the point on a 823.
Believe the hype if you're wary of pulling the trigger. This pen is worth it.
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