Originally published at: http://boingboing.net/2016/09/12/my-new-favorite-pen-the-pilo.html
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I dunno, I’m sticking with my Vision Elites, I never cared for the Pilot Precise pens. I’ve found that they do create darker lines, but at the same time their markings are much wider than what I get with the Visions; and the ink blobs and runs like crazy. If I stop writing mid-thought and just rest my pen on the paper, the Pilot Precise tends to leak a lot more ink than the Uniballs ever do.
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I’ve always loved these too - especially the dark blue.
These were my favorite as well, until Pilot introduced a clicky-version of the same pen: the Pilot Precise v5 RT (for retractable)! No cap to lose with all the pen goodness inside.
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Nope. Not for me.
Uniball Signo Ultra Micro 207 (0.38mm, black) for me thankyouverymuch.
V7 preference here.
Man, I wish they had a liquid ink version of a 0.38mm ball. I’ve never really liked gel inks. 
Lovely pens, but do yourself a favor - don’t take them on flights. They leak by design (hence the reservoir near the tip) but there’s a limit to what it can absorb.
I switched to the Pilot G-Tec-C4 after ruining a shirt. Similar feel, smoother flow, no mess.
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They are wonderful pens… I have been using them for years…
JUST be careful not to get them too warm (from holding, or weather)
and not to shake them ever! They will spray ink everywhere!!!
I once covered the floor with red ink during a lecture because the pen clogged up, and I shook it to get the ink to flow…
BIG mistake!
STILL, I love these pens!
Cheers,
Dan
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I’ve been using these for around 20 years, so much so that I get a weird sensation of loss if I don’t have one in my pocket. I don’t even carry around paper or a Moleskine notebook anymore. It’s just such a habit for me. I spin it in my work meetings when I’m bored (so all the time).
The outside of the black ink pens used to be gray, but they switched to black a few years back. There’s a satisfying crisp scratching sound when you use these on the pages of a Moleskine.
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If you like how the V5 writes but want a thinner line with less leaking, try the Pilot P-700.
or the P-500
These were the best you could have until gel really caught on. Liquid ink is just too variable depending on the paper you have. This pen could bleed out to a spidery 1.0 with the wrong paper. If you’ve got the Rhodia like Mark does, it’ll be pretty sweet, just slow to dry. I encourage anyone appreciative of a fine line writing experience to Go Hi-Tec C (or Uni Signo DX if you like it wet) and don’t look back.
I’m all about the Uni-ball Signo Bit 0.18mm pens. I used to import them from Japan. I shed a tear or two when they stopped making them.
They were the best for writing tightly packed text (especially kanji) in tiny spaces like margins.
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I used to like pens, especially the pilot better retractable, but I just use pencils now.
Really nice pencils.
Do you know JetPens? Because they have several 0.25mm pens in stock…
http://www.jetpens.com/Gel-Pens/ct/239?&f=f1d84bb55a3b087ba04e42ce0a1eb746_fc9ad3297ea355f917d3b9158872f8f2
Granted, not 0.18, but the skinniest I’ve seen in a while.
Or, if 0.18 is really your jam…
http://www.jetpens.com/Rotring-Rapidograph-Pen-0.18-mm-Black-Ink/pd/8012
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I’m fond of the V7 0.7mm version of these pens, because I prefer the thicker, blacker line.
But lately I’ve come to favor the Pilot B2P 0.7mm gel roller. Same thick black line, but no worry about ink spatters, plus you get the cool-looking translucent plastic exterior and the knowledge that you’re helping Save The Planet.
Why do so many Amazon reviews say these pens are dry on arrival?
I would recommend not taking them on an airplane, though.
I stopped using these back in grad school, in part because they would inevitably leak like crazy after the pressure changes from a flight. Mostly, though, I stopped because I was in a seminar and looked around the table, and everybody had a Pilot V5. The people in that class were mostly insufferable, so I decided—because obviously I’m 100% never insufferable—I could no longer use these pens.
My current staple disposable pen is a Pilot Fineliner.
Typing out this whole story makes me feel bad about myself, and about capitalism, and about grad school.
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