My Pilot Custom 823 (F) runs to extra fine or even extra extra fine. However, it writes smoothly with an acceptable touch of feedback and it is surprisingly wet. I usually don't care for such fine nibs but this writes so well that I have really come to love this pen. I'm confident anyone who used it would like it at least as much as I do. It's an excellent pen. Thank you for your excellent video! Subbed!
This was one of my grail pens for a really long time. There were a few things that kept me from pulling the trigger on the purchase. For starters, I'm more of a Sailor gal. I do have several Pilot pens and most of them are great, but my Pilot Custom 74 was a bit of a disappointment. It has an F nib that keeps catching onto pretty much any paper I use, despite the tines being perfectly aligned. It's also a tad on the dry side. I did manage to make it a hair smoother and wetter but it's just not a very enjoyable writing experience. It was the last of the Pilot pens that I bought and I vowed not to buy any more Pilots for a while. I've also read some horror stories from people on Reddit and FPN who experienced cracking of the barrel and grip section but maybe that was down to improper disassembly/reassembly, something Pilot advises against. And then there was the price. On my side of the globe, this pen's MSRP is €350 (or roughly 500 of your Canadian dollars, if you will). I did think that was a lot of money for what is basically, let's be honest here, a plastic pen with a "only" a 14K gold nib. But then I saw one on sale for €260 and I pounced. And I'll admit that I haven't regretted my purchase for a second. For an F it is indeed surprisingly smooth, with a touch of feedback (which I love) and it's soooo juicy. It's also nowhere near as soft as the SFM nib in my Pilot Custom 91, but it does have a bit of bounce to it. It's perfection, really. I totally understand now what all the fuss was about. I hope one makes its way into your collection sometime in the not too distant future.
Its on my list but i am sort of at the cross roads with this pen. I am debating about whether to get Fine or medium. After lots of reading/ watching reviews, i am still undecided reason mainly being the Fine is too fine according to the reviews and the medium is near to western broad. 😢
@@jax6277 I totally understand the struggle. It's weird because Pilot are usually quite on the money when it comes to labeling their nib widths. Any chance you could test an F or M (or both) to help you make a decision?
@@darkchocolate4643 Thank you for the reply. I live in the UK and there are no brick shops around that sell the 823 so I have to rely on online pen retailers based in the UK. Unfortunately, I have had bad experience with dealing with them over previous purchases apart from one retailer called the writingdesk that actually makes sure every pen is adjusted and is a good writer before the pen reaches my hand but they have run out of stock for the 823. I’ll email one of the retailers and then buy two in different nib sizes and keep the one i like and send back the other and ask for a refund. I’ll see if they agree to that sort of arrangement coz thats the only possible solution i can think of. Many thanks for the help.
@@jax6277 No worries at all, Jax, that sounds like a good plan. I'm from Belgium, but I occasionally buy pens and ink from UK based retailers. My experience with them has always been stellar, especially with Pure Pens. Really friendly staff and very responsive to emails. Best of luck!
I have a Smoke colored 823 and Amber823. WOW! It looked to me like the 823 you were writing with was laying down a medium-size line. Must be the camera or something. More likely my old eyes. My 823 seems more like an to me. I have to write way smaller when I use it. The nib is much smoother and wetter. For most of my pen usage I prefer the . I tend to write a lot on "less-expensive" paper and these pens still write incredibly well. Yes,much better feel on Tomoe River!
@@PEIPenGuy I like the Smoke color. Now I want to get a 743 in the green color Goulet is offering. If I wait long enough they will probably sell out before I decide to part with the do-re-mi.
The 823 is awesome. I really wanted to get the Bungubox exclusive blue color from earlier this year, they sold out quickly. Yes, Pilot is my favorite pen company. I have never had an issue with their nibs. They are beautiful and write very nicely.
Thanks! I did do reviews of these pens and here are the links. 3776 ua-cam.com/video/w9sq6BP1iys/v-deo.html Pro Gear ua-cam.com/video/IYvAxu_YlrM/v-deo.html
Definitely my favorite fountain pen! I have 3 of them and was hoping to get a medium nib but could not afford it this year and now it is I think $60 more in price...so sad. I love that ink your friend chose, it almost looks like the ink I use in my Pilot 823 Amber which is Ancient Copper by Diamine......soooo gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this grail pen.
I'm getting mine soon, but it's in a Medium, and that fine writes so beautifully. Are you able to show us the toothy/nail-like nib of the Sailor and compare it to the 823 so we know what exactly you mean by nail? I've never experienced any of my Sailor nibs to be like nails, but MF is the thinnest nib I own and I have them inked with wetter inks, so they don't feel like nails or maybe they do, but I'm just not really categorizing them as such for myself. Sometimes when I write faster, the ink does skip a bit on those Sailors, so perhaps that is a nail-like tip. The Custom 823 doesn't seem to skip a beat when you glided the pen across the paper. But since mine will be a Medium, I don't expect it to have any issues anyways with skipping compared to a Fine.
The nib on my Sailor pro Gear is a fine and I find it very hard. The ink that works best in it is Diamine Oxford Blue. I recently tried a friend's Sailor with a medium fine and it was much more to my taste . I returned the 823, and now I will save up for one!
@@PEIPenGuy ah OK, yeah, I can only imagine how a Sailor F and EF would feel like haha. When i first got my MF sailor, I wasn't used to such a fine tip like that before but I've grown to like it a lot and it definitely feels great to write with.
While I love the capacity and over all features of the 823, I wish it had the full line of nibs available like in the 94 or the 912. The "soft" nibs are pretty spectacular compared to the already pretty good standard nibs.
I got one second hand last year and the cap has been closed too tightly before, it seems… it’s a little loose now and I’m really afraid of breaking it. So I would also appreciate the cap band to sit closer to the edge… I think that might have prevented the damage, although there are no visible cracks, really… 🤔
Hi, I was wondering if you found out the name of the Monteverde ink used in this fountain pen (Pilot Custom 823). I really like the colour of it, and was hoping to buy some. Thanks. Great video.
I did want an 823 for a long time and I got one, but shortly thereafter I got a Custom Urushi and a Namiki Emperor, so I haven't touched the 823 since. My 823 has flow issues, running dry despite the valve being open. The bigger pens don't have that problem. So the 823 was an "intermediate grail" and a disappointing one at that.
I love my Custom 74. It was more affordable than the 823. The 74 is a cartridge converter pen, and the 823 is a vacuum filler. Both are beautiful writers. The nib on the 823 is larger too. There are more finish options and nib choices for the 74. Though if I had had the money to afford the 823 when I bought my 74, I would have gone for the 823.
I have a ‘few’ pens and this is my favourite. I have the amber medium. There is no perfect pen as it is subjective of course. It handles a light touch and even a slightly heavier one. Versatile, aside from having to unscrew the rear cap for longer sessions and that it holds so much ink for people who like to change ink often. But for me this is now the ideal in that when I think ‘fountain pen’, this is the image in my mind. The review is spot on, thanks. Good to see you not pushing the nib too far.
I am planning to buy one from online. Would you say 823 medium nib is finer than western medium? I write small but i feel 823 fine might be too fine for me.
Awesome video :) . I like 823 very much-- and have it in F, M, B, and FA. I do believe it is way up there in terms of value for the money [ with Lamy 2000, of course]. However, I can't help but think that the pen in general is very very slightly over-rated.
I do like this pen - it writes so beautifully, and it has a luxury feel. I especially love the #15 nib…but I think instead of getting another, I’m going to go for the 743. Same #15 nib, but no vac fill.
I have a bad experience, the sticker was fused to the lid, caused me to scratch it badly. The nib is so scratchy I can physically feel the letters in the paper. Definitely not any good quality control
@@PEIPenGuy I got a new pen from the store, the label was much easier to take off. My guess is that if labels are to old or exposed to heat they will become way to sticky. I think they should stop putting labels on high end items like this for this reason. The scratchy nib seems to be due to Japanese fine have to be extremely fine tuned so will prob not be perfect out of the box, I got a medium now and it is way better
My Pilot Custom 823 (F) runs to extra fine or even extra extra fine. However, it writes smoothly with an acceptable touch of feedback and it is surprisingly wet. I usually don't care for such fine nibs but this writes so well that I have really come to love this pen. I'm confident anyone who used it would like it at least as much as I do. It's an excellent pen. Thank you for your excellent video! Subbed!
I was impressed by how smooth it is and I love a bit of feedback. Thanks for the sub!
This was one of my grail pens for a really long time. There were a few things that kept me from pulling the trigger on the purchase. For starters, I'm more of a Sailor gal. I do have several Pilot pens and most of them are great, but my Pilot Custom 74 was a bit of a disappointment. It has an F nib that keeps catching onto pretty much any paper I use, despite the tines being perfectly aligned. It's also a tad on the dry side. I did manage to make it a hair smoother and wetter but it's just not a very enjoyable writing experience. It was the last of the Pilot pens that I bought and I vowed not to buy any more Pilots for a while. I've also read some horror stories from people on Reddit and FPN who experienced cracking of the barrel and grip section but maybe that was down to improper disassembly/reassembly, something Pilot advises against. And then there was the price. On my side of the globe, this pen's MSRP is €350 (or roughly 500 of your Canadian dollars, if you will). I did think that was a lot of money for what is basically, let's be honest here, a plastic pen with a "only" a 14K gold nib. But then I saw one on sale for €260 and I pounced. And I'll admit that I haven't regretted my purchase for a second. For an F it is indeed surprisingly smooth, with a touch of feedback (which I love) and it's soooo juicy. It's also nowhere near as soft as the SFM nib in my Pilot Custom 91, but it does have a bit of bounce to it. It's perfection, really. I totally understand now what all the fuss was about. I hope one makes its way into your collection sometime in the not too distant future.
I have a custom 74 with a soft medium nib and I love it. If ever I get an 823 I will most likely get a medium nib on it.
Its on my list but i am sort of at the cross roads with this pen. I am debating about whether to get Fine or medium. After lots of reading/ watching reviews, i am still undecided reason mainly being the Fine is too fine according to the reviews and the medium is near to western broad. 😢
@@jax6277 I totally understand the struggle. It's weird because Pilot are usually quite on the money when it comes to labeling their nib widths. Any chance you could test an F or M (or both) to help you make a decision?
@@darkchocolate4643 Thank you for the reply. I live in the UK and there are no brick shops around that sell the 823 so I have to rely on online pen retailers based in the UK. Unfortunately, I have had bad experience with dealing with them over previous purchases apart from one retailer called the writingdesk that actually makes sure every pen is adjusted and is a good writer before the pen reaches my hand but they have run out of stock for the 823. I’ll email one of the retailers and then buy two in different nib sizes and keep the one i like and send back the other and ask for a refund. I’ll see if they agree to that sort of arrangement coz thats the only possible solution i can think of. Many thanks for the help.
@@jax6277 No worries at all, Jax, that sounds like a good plan. I'm from Belgium, but I occasionally buy pens and ink from UK based retailers. My experience with them has always been stellar, especially with Pure Pens. Really friendly staff and very responsive to emails. Best of luck!
I have two 823s. Both are among my best writers and the most reliable FPs I have used. Everyone needs to at least try an 823 if not own one.
I was really happy to try it out, and is one I'll get someday. Beautiful pen.
Very nice pen review. Love Pilot.
Thank you! I love Pilot too.
This was my grail pen. Got a Broad nib last year and love it.
It's my grail too. Such a beautiful pen. If I ever get one I might choose a medium nib.
i just got a broad version last week. its super great. i like aurora black ink in it.
My grail pen is my Omas Milord Arco Oro Bronze Celluloid.
Nice choice!
I have a Smoke colored 823 and Amber823. WOW! It looked to me like the 823 you were writing with was laying down a medium-size line. Must be the camera or something. More likely my old eyes.
My 823 seems more like an to me. I have to write way smaller when I use it. The nib is much smoother and wetter. For most of my pen usage I prefer the .
I tend to write a lot on "less-expensive" paper and these pens still write incredibly well. Yes,much better feel on Tomoe River!
Thanks for watching. To me the line seemed like a fine. Which colour 823 do you prefer?
@@PEIPenGuy I like the Smoke color. Now I want to get a 743 in the green color Goulet is offering. If I wait long enough they will probably sell out before I decide to part with the do-re-mi.
how fun, can't wait to watch
Thanks!
Someday, I think I may pick up one of those. First need to break my TWSBI/save money habit. 🙂
I know what you mean! I have a pen jar and I toss change into it.
The 823 is awesome. I really wanted to get the Bungubox exclusive blue color from earlier this year, they sold out quickly.
Yes, Pilot is my favorite pen company. I have never had an issue with their nibs. They are beautiful and write very nicely.
A blue 823 would be very nice!
Great pen. I’m not fond of piston fillers so I opted for the 743 instead.
Pilot makes great pens. The 823 is still on my want list.
Please do a Sailor Progear next. Or a Platinum 3776.
Thanks! I did do reviews of these pens and here are the links.
3776 ua-cam.com/video/w9sq6BP1iys/v-deo.html
Pro Gear ua-cam.com/video/IYvAxu_YlrM/v-deo.html
I love my 823. Writes great; looks great. Smooth; I like my TWSBI 580, but the nib isn't as smooth-writing as the 823.
The nib on the 823 is beautiful, and the steel nibs on my TWSBI's are excellent.
Yes… Quite a desirable/grail pen for sure..
However, there’s Wingsung 699 as an ‘interim arrangement’ 😉
There are some nice Wingsun pens out there.
@@PEIPenGuy I referred to 699 because it’s a clone of Custom 823
A beautiful and very inspiring review. Lovely pen sleeve by the way.
Which brand is it?
Sadly I don't know the maker of the pen sleeve. It is beautiful.
Definitely my favorite fountain pen! I have 3 of them and was hoping to get a medium nib but could not afford it this year and now it is I think $60 more in price...so sad. I love that ink your friend chose, it almost looks like the ink I use in my Pilot 823 Amber which is Ancient Copper by Diamine......soooo gorgeous. Thank you for sharing your thoughts on this grail pen.
I really want one and it was wonderful to try it out. Ancient Copper is one of my favorite inks and would look great with it.
I'm getting mine soon, but it's in a Medium, and that fine writes so beautifully. Are you able to show us the toothy/nail-like nib of the Sailor and compare it to the 823 so we know what exactly you mean by nail? I've never experienced any of my Sailor nibs to be like nails, but MF is the thinnest nib I own and I have them inked with wetter inks, so they don't feel like nails or maybe they do, but I'm just not really categorizing them as such for myself. Sometimes when I write faster, the ink does skip a bit on those Sailors, so perhaps that is a nail-like tip. The Custom 823 doesn't seem to skip a beat when you glided the pen across the paper. But since mine will be a Medium, I don't expect it to have any issues anyways with skipping compared to a Fine.
The nib on my Sailor pro Gear is a fine and I find it very hard. The ink that works best in it is Diamine Oxford Blue. I recently tried a friend's Sailor with a medium fine and it was much more to my taste . I returned the 823, and now I will save up for one!
@@PEIPenGuy ah OK, yeah, I can only imagine how a Sailor F and EF would feel like haha. When i first got my MF sailor, I wasn't used to such a fine tip like that before but I've grown to like it a lot and it definitely feels great to write with.
While I love the capacity and over all features of the 823, I wish it had the full line of nibs available like in the 94 or the 912. The "soft" nibs are pretty spectacular compared to the already pretty good standard nibs.
I agree. I have a soft medium on my Custom 74 and it's amazing.
I got one second hand last year and the cap has been closed too tightly before, it seems… it’s a little loose now and I’m really afraid of breaking it. So I would also appreciate the cap band to sit closer to the edge… I think that might have prevented the damage, although there are no visible cracks, really… 🤔
Good to know. Maybe it will be ok.
Hi, I was wondering if you found out the name of the Monteverde ink used in this fountain pen (Pilot Custom 823). I really like the colour of it, and was hoping to buy some. Thanks. Great video.
I didn't find out.
I had two. One fine amber and one clear with a custom itallic nib. I sold both. SO STUPID to sell them!!! Need to buy again.
It's a beautiful pen!
I finally pulled the trigger on this pen today. It's not my grail but it was very coveted.
Congratulations! What is your grail pen?
@@PEIPenGuy a Pelikan m1000 with raden. 🥹
I did want an 823 for a long time and I got one, but shortly thereafter I got a Custom Urushi and a Namiki Emperor, so I haven't touched the 823 since. My 823 has flow issues, running dry despite the valve being open. The bigger pens don't have that problem. So the 823 was an "intermediate grail" and a disappointing one at that.
Thanks for the info, and congratulations on the Urushi and Emperor!
So do you prefer that to your Custom 74? If one was going to take the plunge and purchase one of these high end Pilots, which one should it be?
I love my Custom 74. It was more affordable than the 823. The 74 is a cartridge converter pen, and the 823 is a vacuum filler. Both are beautiful writers. The nib on the 823 is larger too. There are more finish options and nib choices for the 74. Though if I had had the money to afford the 823 when I bought my 74, I would have gone for the 823.
I have a ‘few’ pens and this is my favourite. I have the amber medium. There is no perfect pen as it is subjective of course. It handles a light touch and even a slightly heavier one. Versatile, aside from having to unscrew the rear cap for longer sessions and that it holds so much ink for people who like to change ink often. But for me this is now the ideal in that when I think ‘fountain pen’, this is the image in my mind. The review is spot on, thanks. Good to see you not pushing the nib too far.
It is an amazing pen. I have a few pilots and I love them.
I am planning to buy one from online. Would you say 823 medium nib is finer than western medium? I write small but i feel 823 fine might be too fine for me.
Goulet Pens has a nib comparison chart that might help you. www.gouletpens.com/pages/nib-nook
Is the pen worth the price? Or should I stick to my twsbi eco’s? I was thinking about getting 823 in a medium nib.
Is the ink color Monteverde Moonstone?
I don't think so.
Awesome video :) . I like 823 very much-- and have it in F, M, B, and FA. I do believe it is way up there in terms of value for the money [ with Lamy 2000, of course]. However, I can't help but think that the pen in general is very very slightly over-rated.
Thanks for sharing!
I do like this pen - it writes so beautifully, and it has a luxury feel. I especially love the #15 nib…but I think instead of getting another, I’m going to go for the 743. Same #15 nib, but no vac fill.
I have a bad experience, the sticker was fused to the lid, caused me to scratch it badly.
The nib is so scratchy I can physically feel the letters in the paper. Definitely not any good quality control
That is unusual and discouraging. Have you contacted Pilot about the problem?
@@PEIPenGuy I got a new pen from the store, the label was much easier to take off. My guess is that if labels are to old or exposed to heat they will become way to sticky. I think they should stop putting labels on high end items like this for this reason.
The scratchy nib seems to be due to Japanese fine have to be extremely fine tuned so will prob not be perfect out of the box, I got a medium now and it is way better
I had the same problem with the fine nib. Very very very scratchy.
The medium nib is a lot better. 😊
I love my 823(m), 743(fa) and 912(fa), I call them my holy trinity grail pen
That is a grail trinity for sure!