PILOT Metropolitan Collection Fountain Pen, Black Barrel, Classic Design, Fine Nib, Black Ink (91111)

This pen could not be a more complete entry-level fountain pen; Solid, Stylish, and Affordable. This pen feels about as good as it writes, it has the right weight and balance whether you write with the cap posted or not, it is also long enough to do either comfortably assuming you don't have HUGE hands. I bought a bottle of Purple Pelikan ink ( Pelikan 4001 Ink, 1 fl. oz Violet (311886) ) to go with this pen and I can say that this pen writes flawlessly, it never skips and it will write with feathery or a heavy handed strokes. This pen, aside from being an attention grabber, is a solid well-constructed pen that feels much better than any fountain pen you might happen upon at Office Depot. If you are looking for a cheap fountain pen to start writing with, or to just have your friends ogle over, look no further. Now to address some complaints you might have read before buying this pen: Ink Capacity- Some people recommend buying a converter with the Metropolitan, such as CON-50. I have found that the standard CON-20 converter that comes with the Metro will survive a hefty school day with multiple essays even though I cannot see how much ink is left in the bladder, I have even made it through three days with consistent use before I needed to refill (not to mention the bottle of ink will last you an absurd amount of time). So unless you are travelling, enjoy the comfort of seeing your ink level, or can't waste the MINUTE every few days to refill it, stick with the CON-20 and put your money towards better ink. The Pen Cap - I have read complaints of the cap not securing as tightly as many would hope, however I have been using this pen for about two weeks (as a student in High school) and I have not experienced this problem yet. I carry this pen in my pocket putting constant tension on the cap, It still clicks with the same snap it did when I first took it out of the case. I cannot say that I will not experience this problem in the future, but do not worry about this pen falling apart after a few days of use, just because of the price.

I am a shameless pen geek, and to skimp on praising the many virtues of the Pilot Metropolitan Collection fine nib fountain pen would be a sin of omission. I have carried this pen on my person for an entire month now, writing with it as often as I could throughout the day. I began with the black ink cartridge included in the handsome box the pen arrived in, and wrote voraciously -- perhaps often unnecessarily -- in order to use it up so I could fill the squeeze converter with my preferred Noodler's Blue. As a reporter and journalist, I earn my living writing, so you can imagine my amazement (and, eventually, consternation) at how long that single black cartridge lasted. Had I loved black ink, I'd have been in Heaven! But yesterday, the cartridge finally ran dry and now the pen is full of my Noodler's Blue. This is Nirvana of a conscious kind. I don't know how else to describe what the blood running through my own veins feels like as blue line after blue line appears on my fine paper with this exceptional pen. Pardon my language (or don't) but this is equal to the thrill of blossoming romance and its culmination in making the beast with two backs! I am simply beyond thrilled and I have paid far more for fountain pens in the past. I do also love my Lamy and Waterman pens. They are well-made and worth the cost. But compared with this pen, there are some little things that niggle at me concerning the quality of writing they produce. From a collector's standpoint, yes, the other pens have great sentimental value as they are the best pens of their ages. But we have arrived at a new age -- and the Pilot Metropolitan Collection, I pragmatically insist -- is a destination to which all previous efforts have long aspired to reach. I attribute this largely to technology and engineering. And to style and fashion. This pen is uniquely balanced in heft, different to the other pens I adore that were crafted in decades past. The writing is natural, with a perfectly suitable audible scratchiness on the right sort of paper, and my signature absolutely rocks while using this pen. How can it be so inexpensive then, you may wonder. Technology. Science. Art. These are how.

I've been wanting to try out writing with a fountain pen for a long time but could never justify paying a ton of money for a decent one. I was also afraid of buying a super cheap pen due to the fact that I wanted to give it a fair shot and not be turned off just because I refused to spend a little money. After doing some research I found this beauty. This pen gets extremely high marks from numerous websites (gouletpens, jetpens, artofmanliness) and at under $15, it definitely won't break the bank. I purchased the fine nib as I was worried that being the noob that I am, I would make giant ink puddles if I got the medium. I will note that the reviews did say that the japanese medium nib writes like an "american fine" nib. I have not had to chance to try out the medium, so I cannot comment on this. However, I do like the fine nib so far and have not had any problems with it feeling like its "sharp." The pen has a nice balanced weight to it and is made of metal (not cheap plastic). The silver accents make this pen look FAR more expensive than it actually is. The pen comes with a prefilled black ink cartridge (I was unable to figure out the exact ink it comes with) and a squeeze converter. It is also compatible with the Pilot Fountain Pen Converter (CON-50) if you want to use a twist converter. Performance wise, I have no complaints. This pen writes as smooth as butter and I have not had a single instance of skipping or no ink flow in the last week that I've had it, and I've used it every day so far. I've also noticed that my handwriting is better when I use this pen as I tend to slow down and take my time writing with a fountain pen. There is only ONE bad thing about this pen. You WILL get addicted to writing with a fountain pen and you WILL end up spending money on getting cool inks! I would highly recommend this pen to anyone that may be even remotely interested in trying to write with a fountain pen.

For an inexpensive Fountain Pen to wrtie with this is a great pen if you like writing with a fountain pen. One thing I dont like is that the barrel connection to the lower pen/nib area has a bump there that made me change my finger position when I write.

The Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen has far exceeded my expectations—blending affordability, precision, and a touch of class that punches far above its price point. 🖋️ Aesthetic Excellence: From its sleek metallic finish to the minimalist detailing, this pen looks and feels premium. Whether you go with matte black or one of the more unique barrel designs, it’s got serious desk appeal. ⚖️ Perfect Weight & Balance: It’s wonderfully weighted—not too heavy, not too light. The balance is spot-on for long writing sessions, and it feels natural in hand. You’ll be surprised how comfortable it is considering its entry-level price. 🧼 Smooth & Effortless Writing: This pen glides across the page with impressive smoothness. The nib delivers clean, consistent ink flow whether you’re journaling, sketching, or just jotting notes. It feels like you’re using something three times the cost. 💵 Fair Price, Exceptional Value: This is, without question, the gold standard for beginner fountain pens. But the way it performs makes it feel more like a mid- or even high-tier option. If you’re just starting out—or simply want a dependable everyday writer—this is a no-brainer. Also makes for a perfect gift to an aspiring pen enthusiast. 💧 Ink Swaps Are Seamless: Changing inks is effortless. Whether you're using Pilot cartridges or branching out to converters and third-party ink sellers, the process is quick and mess-free. It's compatible and flexible for anyone who likes customizing their ink choice. 🎯 Final Verdict: If you’re looking for a fountain pen that blends style, performance, and affordability—the Metropolitan is it. Elegant enough for your desk, dependable enough for daily use, and beginner-friendly without compromising quality.

Fountain pens can be an annoyance. They hold less ink than ball points and because the ink is liquid there's the risk of leakage. Since the pen has to be refilled regularly there's the extra effort. plus the annoyance of getting ink on your fingers. Fountain pens cost more than ball points and roller balls and can't be used to make impression copies. Most (but not all), fountain pens have caps rather than retractable points, which invites the risk of loss. Still, fountain pens, when they're working properly, require little or no pressure. The result is they don't tire your hand if circumstances require a great deal of writing, which applies to any occupation that calls for note taking. Also, the lack of pressure results in more legible handwriting. A lot of people think it's worth the trade -- but fountain pens can be expensive, and before getting involved with them it's best to try a starter pen. As starter pens go, the Pilot Metropolitan is one of the best. The five stars do NOT mean that the Pilot Metropolitan is the equal of pens at three and four times the price, but it's good enough to be the only pen necessary for people with student loans, and it's an excellent way to find out if you lake fountain pens. It's a good pen to use if you're going somewhere where there's a risk of loss, and because the Metropolitan has an informal look, it's a good pen to carry when you're wearing jeans. The pen is a bit lighter than more expensive pens, but not by a lot -- not enough to alter the writing dynamics. The balance is excellent, and when posted (the cap is put over the barrel of the pen when writing) the pen is balanced and secure. One blogger reported that when posted, the cap did not fit firmly -- I haven't had that problem with my Pilot Metropolitan but have no information about which observation is more representative. The blogger wrote "This was my only disappointment with the Pilot Metropolitan. This pen will post and I did, but not securely. It doesn’t chatter as you write but if you move your hand horizontal for any reason the cap will fall off." Again, that hasn't been my experience The weight of the pen, while lighter than a more expensive pen, is still close to the pricier models since the pen itself is made of brass rather than plastic. It comes in three finishes" gold, silver, and black. The clip is somewhat long and springy, good for use with a heavy shirt pocket or the inside pocket of a bag or backpack, The cap pulls off -- it does not unscrew. This is a matter of taste. Some people prefer the pull-off because it's faster then a screw on cap, other prefer the screw-on because it eliminates the risk of inadvertently pulling off the cap and leaving the uncapped pen in a pocket. The pen comes with a stainless steel nib which is quite smooth. It is packaged with a squeeze converter, which can be a matter of paste. I find the squeeze converters easier to use than piston converters and have never had a problem with leakage, but leakage has been reported. Again, the Metropolitan is not the equal of far more expensive pens, but considering the price it's an excellent value whether as a starter pen or a back-up. This pen is a great starter, and for a lot of people, it's the only fountain pen you'll ever want.

Pros: (1) well-constructed. (2) completely functional. This pen will always write. (3) the "fine" nib is great for lefties. Just enough ink comes out to write, but not so much that it smears if your hand glides or rests upon what has been written. The pen's wetness is just right for lefties. (4) ink cartridges are cheap enough, and last a pretty good length of time. Cons: (1) the grip diameter is just small enough to make long-writing sessions somewhat uncomfortable for those with larger hands and/or carpal tunnel. I love this pen, but I would love it more if it were just a little thicker. For comparison, I also have a TWSBI Eco. The grip diameter is only slightly larger than the Metropolitan, but it makes all the difference. When writing with the Metropolitan, I have to take little breaks to rest my wrist and fingers, but if you do not suffer from larger hands and/or carpal tunnel, then disregard this "con." The pen is otherwise perfection. (2) the CON-40 converter is a little annoying. I had to go through steps I found on Reddit in order to fill the converter all the way. I normally never get ink on my hands when filling a pen, but in this case I had to scrub my fingers to get the ink off. I had a choice: get ink on my hands for a full converter or to have a half-full converter. I wish Pilot would make a better converter. If you are a lefty, the generic Pilot Namiki ink is completely suitable and dries quickly. I have never had Namiki ink on my hand from writing, and I write in a matter in which my hand rests upon what has already been written. If I wrote with a pencil or ballpoint, my hand would definitely be dirty. Lately, I have been using Noodler's American Aristocracy with astounding success. The Metropolitan handles that ink well. At some point, I will try Noodler's 54th Massachusetts. I have yet to try the Pilot Iroshizuku inks, but I have heard good things about it. BUY THIS PEN!

Between retiring from a 30 year career and finding some old fountain pens while cleaning out my desk and seeing the "How It's Made" episode that covered fountain pens, it gave me a revived interest in using a fountain pen for everyday writing. Two of the old ones I had tucked away were probably not worth trying to revive and I had trouble locating any refills for my Parker Vector fine nib I bought when the Vector line came out, but while in the office supply store I located some Yafa Icona Italian made fountain pens on clearance for $1.99. I got what I paid for with the Yafa pen. It came with about 8 refills of various colors. Some of the refills worked great like the blue, purple and pink, but black was hit and miss from the start as were some Staedtler calligraphy refills, which I now understand that calligraphy refills are not really for fountain pens. I finally went to another store and found a refill for my Parker Vector and used it for several weeks at my new job. There is nothing wrong with the Parker other than it is not fine enough for my likes in my cheap spiral bound notebook I use as a work journal. So I started checking out Amazon reviews, various fountain pen web sites and discussion boards; and found two reasonably priced pens recommended for folks just getting started with fountain pens. The recommendations were the Pilot Metropolitan and the TWSBI ECO. The Pilot arrived first and I filled it with some Noodler's Ink Q-E'ternity that I bought for it's reported quick drying properties. And I believe the Q-E'ternity ink was the start to my initial disappointment with this pen. I thought the ink pen laid down a pretty wet line that showed some bad feathering, but did not completely bleed through the paper. The fine nib was very smooth over the paper, but the feathering and wetness of the lines made me start using the TWSBI Eco once it arrived. After going to school at the Goulet pens web site by watching a ton of videos, I realized that as much as this pen is recommended, and the normally stellar reviews, that I either got a dud or something else was to blame. So I dumped the Q-E'ternity ink and flushed the pen and inserted the ink cartridge that it came with from Pilot. This made all the difference in the world. The feathering was gone, the line seemed less wet and the pen was very comparable to the TWSBI Eco performance. The Pilot ink doesn't dry quite as fast as the Q-E'ternity, but that's tolerable given I am a righty and normally don't touch where I have just written. I have spent the afternoon writing several pages of notes and I am very pleased with the pen's performance in my cheap notebook using the Pilot ink. This pen was half the cost of the TWSBI Eco that I have used for the past week and just as good, but the TWSBI may improve with using a different ink from the Q-E'ternity from Noodler's. Wow, so many variables to consider when dealing with fountain pens. So I think the lesson learned from this is when getting a new pen, I will use the ink supplied with the pen or another ink that is reported to work well in the pen by others. I really like the pen now and it's going to be hard to choose between it and the TWSBI Eco.

Nicely packaged, if you are giving as a gift. Pen has a simple elegance to it. Cap pulls off, so its faster than those with threading. I purchased the FINE nib and it is perfect, exactly the width I was craving. Before using for the first time, I put a drop of detergent in a cup and aspirated the water into the pen and few times, followed by clear water. Then I filled it with ink using the included converter. It wrote perfectly immediately, smooth as glass, not laying down too much ink, nor too little. Pen is light and feels right, without being too light. My only caveat is that silver metal part of the barrel that engages with the cap is close to where I often hold the pen when uncapped; it will work for me, just may require a small adjustment to how I hold it. When capped, which feels good too, it is not a problem, since I hold the pen further up on the barrel. This pen is sold at a very reasonable price and outperforms those cheaper pens I have purchased from China. So if you just want one pen, I think it fits the bill.

Complete review Pens and inks under Considerration - 1. Parker Vector Metallix (F) with Parker Quink Black 2. Parker frontier Matte Gold Trim (F) with Lapis Bard Irish Joe 3. Pilot Metropolitan (F) with Waterman Red 4. Pilot Metropolitan (F) with Parker Quink Blue 5. Lamy Safari (M) with Pelikan 4001 Violet 6. Lamy safari (M) with Lamy T52 Turquoise 7. Lamy 2000 (F) with Lamy T53 Crystal Amazonite Out of all of the above mentioned pens "Pilot Metropolitan" truely justifies the price, consistent writer whether you choose one pen over other both fine nibs have same width. Looks a classical masterpiece i have no problem with weight of pen or grip (normal 6 feet tall man),.. Only bad part is convertor is old style, you need to buy CON 40 converter for another 600 INR LAMY SAFARI seems overvalued, should be around 2000 INR, both pens feel different but very very smooth can be used whole day for writing compared to pilot metropolitan, though both nibs are MEDIUM but feel slightly different. (not the case with pilot) Parker vector Metallix I would say go ONLY if you have not much of money or just want to start with fountain pens, writing with this is good, pen is very short so not so comfortable (FINE) is comparable to pilot , BUT BUT,..... NONE of the OTHER pens dry, but I had weird experience with Parker Metallix that it gets dry ink if not used for a week, LAMY and Pilot on other hand can be used without headache after a month (Although I know it will be futile to do comparison of pen which is hardly 5 times cheaper with set of expensive ones) but I SAY SKIP Parker Frontier is also FINE, writes good but definitely not on the finer side, better to go for this than Vector Lamy 2000 fountain pen is true gem of fountain pens cannot be compared with the others (and should not be 😂) it's expensive with price of INR 25000, but go only if you love writing,. I do write alot so for me its ok. But first make a habbit of admiring the cheap ones. --------- NOW coming to Inks Parker Quink is truely what justifies the price - depth of color is awesome for INR 100, writes good,. Consistent and dries quickly Best ink you can buy is "Pilot Iroshizuku" and Lamy T53 Crystal collection I have both but could not show sample of Iroshizuku,.. Both costs INR 1500 so not on affordable side,. But fantastic inks Pelikan 4001 is one of the affordable and yet beautiful inks (use with medium nib) to feel the color shading effects.... You can go for it!! Waterman Ink goes with its name, it's watery (Not Bad) but takes time to dry out,.. But rich in color little costly but comparable to Pelikan, makes Pelikan better ink. Lapis Bard Irish Joe is good but expensive, ink dries in between Pelikan and Waterman,.. LOOKS ugly till wet but it's looks jaw dropping BEAUTIFUL once dries, lots of highlights and definitely worth the price. Lamy Ink T52, Ah! Again as Lamy pens it's expensive better to skip this and jump directly towards Pilot Iroshizuku ink Lamy crystal ink i use only with Lamy 2000, ink is good but very expensive than Pilot Iroshizuku, thus making Pilot ink a better choice anyday. Now coming to which Nib Size to choose If you write small really small then go for fine nibs, so Pilot Fine is go to pen if money is not a constraint. Medium Nibs on other sides highlights the shades of inks, much smooth and makes fountain pen a true gem of engineering., I would say if not sure GO with MEDIUM, it's definitely make you into fountain pens. It does not matter how expensive or how cheap pen or ink or watch you use., just you should love it,.. Cultivate a habbit of writing its worth of.

Sono estremamente soddisfatto. Per il prezzo pagato, modestissimo, ho una penna eccellente. La qualità e la cura delle stilografiche Pilot è presente anche negli strumenti di fascia di prezzo basso. Ottimo il pennino F, non facilmente reperibile nelle Metropolitan; il converter in dotazione, oltre alla cartuccia omaggio, rendono la penna utilizzabile in varie modalità. La scatola di metallo completa ottimamente il set.

I bought this pen after reading a few different reviews on other websites. I had never really used a fountain pen before so I am coming at it from a complete beginners perspective. The pen comes with one ink cartridge and a converter (which is quite small and I imagine wouldn't hold much ink). It also has a sheet of filling instructions for every method with each different kind of pen that pilot sells. It also provides information on how to clean and and keep the ink pen in top condition. The pen itself is wonderful to use. The ink flows well and there is no scratchy feel to it at all. It has a nice weight to it and isn't too thick. At first I was slightly worried about the thickness if the pen as I have small hands but the size is perfect. The ink runs out fairly quickly (if you write a lot like I do) and so I was disappointed that there was only one cartridge. Packets of cartridges can be bought fairly cheaply though, or you can use the converter to fill from a bottle of your own ink so that isnt much of a problem. For the price this is a perfect pen to get you started on in my opinion, so if you have an doubts just go head and buy it!

Después de leer muchas buenas opiniones decidí comprar esta pluma, sobre todo para ver cómo es comparada con la Lamy Safari. Tengo varias plumas Lamy (Al Star, Safari, Joy, Vista) en todas ellas el mecanismo es prácticamente el mismo, solo cambia el material. Comparadas con ellas, la Pilot es casi del mismo largo, pero es más pesada debido al material. El material de la Pilot es bueno, pero sigue pareciendo una pluma relativamente sencilla. La forma en que encajan las partes no me agrada porque se siente la fricción entre metales. Viene con un convertidor incluido, pero la capacidad de carga es pequeña. Lo mejor de la pluma es que de verdad el punto es fino y esto es lo que buscaba y que no había encontrado en las Lamy. Me gusta más la estética, el tacto, la capacidad del convertidor, la forma de la plumilla, la ventana que deja ver el nivel de tinta, el clip, cómo encaja la tapa y el agarre de la Lamy Safari, pero cuesta el doble que la Pilot y además la Lamy no viene con convertidor. La Al Star que es básicamente una Safari pero de metal cuesta prácticamente cuatro veces más. Lo que me gusta de la Pilot es que incluye convertidor y que la plumilla de verdad es fina. El punto fino de la Lamy me sigue pareciendo grueso y el punto fino de la Pilot es notablemente más fino que el de Lamy. En suma, comparada con su principal opción, la Safari, ambas son excelentes plumas económicas y no tienen ningún fallo. Sin embargo, me gusta mucho más la Safari y a pesar de costar más, lo vale. De la Pilot Metropolitan me gustó mucho el punto fino y esto es lo que estaba buscando. Si buscas una pluma con un punto realmente fino, esta es una opción genial. Actualización: Estoy gratamente sorprendido con el flujo de tinta de la pluma, pese a ser un punto muy fino el flujo de tinta es inmediato, continuo, sin saltos y tiende a ser no muy húmedo, creo que es mejor que las Lamy que he probado, sin embargo las Lamy siguen siendo mis favoritas por lo que ya mencioné.