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.

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.

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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. The problem with metal isn’t so much that the pen will leak, but rather that some inks can corrode metal. This could ruin the pen, affect the color of the ink, affect the longevity of the ink on paper, or cause pen leaks over time. Then there’s the Pilot Prera: A pen too short to use unposted for larger hands paining those such as myself to go through that hassle to…

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.

Clairfontaine 90g, 5 lines/inch. Yes, this is my normal handwriting size. In engineering school, I used to write 2-3 lines of equation in one line of paper. So yes, I do like my fine Japanese nibs. The size of the Prera when capped is on the smaller side measuring only 4¾” (121mm) and growing to 5 5⁄ 16″ (136mm) when posted. You can see it above next to the TWSBI 580AL. I don’t mind the smaller capped size as it fits fine in my hand when posted. The barrel does have some taper but runs roughly 7⁄ 16″ in diameter. The Prera uses a friction fit cap with a white inner sleeve (that really should be clear so you can see the nib) to keep the nib from drying out. Once posted it stays in place and when returning it to the capped position closes with a snap letting you know it’s on properly. The cap clip as a nice curved design and is just stiff enough to hold it in my case without being a pain to open. The center cap band is a simple silver ring with the Prera logo band silk screened onto the cap itself. While I am normally a fan of fancy engraved bands the screened approach does give the pen a unique look with the ink visible underneath. What I missed with the Prera and only noticed when inked up was that the inner barrel features some subtle faceting that runs almost to the lower band. In the Hand: Pilot Prera (posted) — from left to right: Katherine, Pam, and Franz In the Hand: Pilot Prera (unposted) — from left to right: Katherine, Pam, and Franz The Prera has a snap cap and the cap is postable. It is also rather short – a maximum of 5.3″ with the cap posted, and 4.9″ from body to nib tip. 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.)

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.

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Ink Flow: Again, although this can be dictated by ink choice, the feed on every Prera I've owned is perfect right from the factory. No skips or blotches here and there's enough flow to allow the pen to start without scribbling. 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 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. 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. Your Pilot pen will now have its new nib installed, and you are ready to add ink and write! As pens like the Pilot Prera do not have nib units in other sizes available for them, purchasing an inexpensive Plumix or Penmanship is an easy way to acquire a compatible medium italic or extra-fine nib for your not-so-inexpensive Prera.

As a preference, the medium nib was more to my liking because of the wider line and wetter ink flow. I love my Prera demo. I have the one with the light blue. It was my first fountain pen. I only paid 40 but I had to wait about 4 weeks cause I got it mailed Sal and it took customs forever to clear (Customs actually told me it never left Japan but it actually was sitting in JFK and it never got scanned).

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You don’t need much in the way of additional stuff to convert a pen to an eyedropper. Basically you just want a few things to ensure the seal between the pen body and section is very secure and to prevent leaks. Most people recommend using both of these: 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! The aesthetics, personally, are something I really like. It has an understated classic look that has flare by being a demonstrator. The colored finials and the metal bands at each end of the cap, section, and body add character in conjunction with the minimalistic labeling and printed design on the bottom of the cap. Unlike other fountain pens, the Pilot Capless featured a fully retractable nib. The Capless was reintroduced as the Vanishing Point in 1972. Pilot Namiki Capless 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.