Pilot Custom 743 Fountain Pen, FA Flex Nib

£400.00

This pen mean business. It's a no frills, executive torpedo shape à la Montblanc,  useable in all settings, not least in a professional one. Some people might find its looks conservative, but it is representative of classic 1930s Japanese pen design - cigar shape, gold ball clip and all. You can't really argue with 'classic'. If you can put function ahead of design than you will truly appreciate this pen. 

The model here presented, Custom 74, is the successor to the 65 series; first designed in 1983 on the occasion of Pilot's 65th birthday, and revamped in 1994.

The main attraction is this pen's high performance 14k gold nib. Whereas nearly all pen makers worldwide subcontract their nibs to specialist factories, the Japanese - namely Pilot, Sailor and Platinum - produce theirs in house, making truly superior nibs of great smoothness and sometimes capable of a unique soft flexible feel and line variation, something usually only found in antique pens. The difference with an antique pen is that the Custom will not leak, is extremely reliable, and uses a modern cartridge system - much easier to refill and service. 

Indeed we have chosen this model because it offers great value, for what is a work-horse of a fountain pen, giving its user a fantastic writing experience, which will only improve with years and use. 

This choice of nib, FA (also known as the Falcon nib), developed by Pilot since the 70’s to give a brush effect, is particularly fabulous because it allows razor thin lines and detail, while on down strokes, when more pressure is (gently) applied against the paper, thicker lines are drawn creating flourishes in a calligraphic effect. The Pilot FA nib is world famous and the preferred choice for calligraphic and Spencerian writing.

Owner's choice.

Details
Body material: Resin
Nib size: FA, with full flex (or feedback as it is is also called)
Nib material: 14k Gold
Cap type: Threaded screw-on cap
Cartridge type: Can be fitted with a Con-40 or Con-70 converter cartridge; also takes Namiki/Pilot cartridges which can be found here.
Dimensions: closed 14.5cm, open 12.5cm, posted 15.5cm
Included: presentation box, one black ink cartridge

Choosing Keeping offers this range in Fine (Blue Barrel); Medium (Red Barrel); Broad (Green Barrel); Soft Fine (Black Barrel), Music Nib (Black Barrel), and full flex Falcon Nib (Black Barrel)

Made in Japan