Pilot Prera Medium-Nib Fountain Pen, Slate Gray Body (FPR-3SR-SGY-M)

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Pretty nice! It’s not much of a secret that I think fountain pen design has a long way to go, I think often they’re quite fussy looking, I prefer simple design. And I think this design is simple, especially given that it’s a demonstrator (meaning it’s see-through). You can choose different colours for the top of the cap and bottom of the barrel and I went for blue. I’d have happily chosen no colour, but that wasn’t an option. I’ve only used one ink in it so far – the Iroshizuki Tsuki-Yo ink that I also got from Pen Chalet – but I’d be interested to see how different it looks with a different coloured ink inside.

Post: Secure and rigid. The posting is wonderful! You'll want to post the cap to make sure it's long enough to grip properly. The white inner cap somewhat distracts my view of the demonstrator but I think you just accept it for what it is.What I really like about the cap is the way it feels good in the hand even for its size. I have small hands—small enough to use this pen comfortably unposted. But I still post it for convenience. It's well-balanced and lightweight, good for taking notes. I have “a few”! I do prefer the solid colours (slate grey & dark brown are lovely) but enjoy the Oeste series too. I have every nib size, I think, plus a couple of home-tuned italics. I actually like the plain old medium nib best of all. The ink flow is perfect for me. As a preference, the medium nib was more to my liking because of the wider line and wetter ink flow. Ooooh, this has SUCH a fine nib! I mean, obviously that’s because I chose a fine nib, but still, it’s very fine. As you can see from the 1st picture in this post, it lends itself well to detail, and I actually think this would make a good drawing pen. Franz: As I said above, I got to play with both pens and the weight and dimensions are the same. The Prera may be in the featherweight class of pens but the feel was quite nice. Holding the pen unposted was a bit uncomfortable but once the pen’s cap is posted, it’s a nice size pen to handle.

Yeah, ok, I get why people can get quite into this fountain pen game. It is a lovely pen. I still manage to get covered in ink every time I use a fountain pen, no matter how expensive, so I guess that’s just my own problem. In fact, I’d got this pen so messy that it took me ages to take these pictures because I was putting of cleaning it up. Still, there’s something about knowing you’re using a good quality pen that makes me forgive the messiness. The best way I can really measure how good something is, is by how much I use it. I’ve had this about a month now and I’ve been using it lots, so that’s a pretty good sign. The pen is an excellent writer. Every ink I've put in it does great. Mine is a bit of a wet writer, which compensates for the dry ink I've put in it. How many months have you used your Prera before the cap started getting loose? I used my Prera a few weeks only (it has been off my rotation for quite a while); but, based on my limited time with my Prera, the capping mechanism seems to be well designed against the wear.I had to remind myself of why I originally bought it after shelving it for a while because I was on the search for a full sized pen unposted. The o-ring goes at the bottom of the threading and acts as stopped. This way when you screw the body down, there is some pressure against it from the grip section and it’s less likely to loosen over time. The silicone grease goes on the threads and prevents any ink from snaking its way down the threads over time. The Best Eyedropper Fountain Pens Katherine: The Prera is a tiny bit narrower and smaller than my “perfect” pen for long writing experiences. (Maybe I should just remember to cap it…). But I have no issues or discomfort at all after using this pen to draw or journal for an extended period. A very versatile size! Katherine: When I first discovered the Prera (thanks, Internet) I wasn’t thrilled at the idea of spending twice as much as a Metro on a pen with the same nib. So instead I borrowed Pam’s. I found that the Prera is a small, light pen that’s a solid performer… I figured I’d buy one used at some point, since I now actively try to avoid buying pens just because they’re “cheap”. But, when I saw the limited edition Oeste Kingfisher (pictured above), I hadto have it. After almost a month of hunting on Rakuten then three weeks of waiting, I have it! I think it’s a unique looking pen without being “weird” or flashy. It’s clean and classic, but not easily mistaken for any other pen. I have a love-hate relationship with Pilot’s starter level pens. The Kakuno is a great fit for any age and size as long as you don’t mind carrying a pen that looks like a child’s toy. Then they do offer the Metropolitan that has a lovely formal presentation, but with an undersized section and a cliff-like shelf separating not just the body and section, but the comfort from anyone without small hands.

Pam: If I was a more talented writer, I would wax poetry to the “perfection” that is the Prera for my pixie-esque hands. (Now maybe a good time to warn you of the possibility to excessive alliteration for the remainder of the post.) Pam: I prefer the Prera over the Metropolitan for one simple, albeit, major reason: no step! The “iron fist” grip that I typically use on all my F and EF pens falls right around the section and right at the step (where the barrel and section meet) of the Metropolitan, which can lead to discomfort. The Prera eliminates that issue altogether! It’s a subtle and smooth transition from section to body on the Prera, making it one of the most comfortable pens for me to use for prolonged periods of time. In comparison to other pens, it is probably closest in size to the Sailor Pro-Gear Slim, and a decent amount shorter than Pilot’s other entry level model, the Pilot Metropolitan Pop. Left to right: Pilot Prera, Sailor Pro-Gear Slim Cosmos, Pilot Metropolitan Pop, TWSBI Eco I myself can't go finer than a Japanese medium. I simply have a preference for medium nibs all the way, though I will go Japanese Broad if it's consistent with smaller Japanese sizings relative to European nibs.

It’s very easy to use

Overall, I really like the aesthetics. Only a small issue with the inner cap liner being white and not clear. On a clear demonstrator too? Seriously? Oh well. It's a very minor complaint I have. I could have had the green, white, or yellow Prera all equally. I think this pen would get boring with any of the more subdued/common colors. The light blue is nice as well, but since I went to NC State University, I could not get 'Carolina Blue' pen. You can't go very wrong with a Pilot steel nib they are priced reasonably and there's not much to lose if you don't like it. Lastly, and this is totally up to you, but you probably want a pen that isn’t too expensive. This is normally not an issue because of the requirement for plastic parts, but it’s something to keep in mind anyway. Things You Need For a Conversion