Pilot Metropolitan Fountain Pen - Retro Pop Gray

Very smooth writer, great upgrade

Very smooth writer, I really like this pen. My wife has a gold tip Pilot and this isn’t quite that good but the price it’s a great buy and a big upgrade from the sub-$20 models.

Durability Issues

When I first got this pen, I was thoroughly impressed. The metal body feels great in the hand and has a good weight to it. I have the stub nib and really enjoyed writing with it. It also looks very attractive and I love showing it off. However, I don't think this pen really held up. I know, it's a $25 pen, so maybe I'm expecting too much, but I have owned it for 6 months, written about 200 pages, and the signs of wear range from noticeable to problematic. The clip on the lid has loosened somewhat, even though I rarely use it. It also rubbed off the finish under the clip, leaving a scratched mark of bare metal. The retro pop design near the grip is also starting to rub off, though less concerningly so. The threads on the body of the pen seem to be made from a soft or brittle plastic, as there are little plastic shavings in the grooves. I know I don't overtighten the pen, because the pen sometimes comes undone on its own, even while writing. Most worrisome of all, however, is the fact that the nib came loose. It almost fell out of the pen while I was writing. When I pushed it back in, the tip got ever so slightly bent and the already somewhat finicky stub nib now catches on the paper. For this reason, I am retiring this pen. Overall, I think it did the job for a cheap pen, but don't be fooled by the good looks and the hefty metal body to believe that this is a high quality pen. I now started writing with a Lamy, which feels less premium, but I expect will last a while longer. My last Lamy did 8 years of daily writing in school and it didn't cost any more than this Pilot Metropolitan.

Love it so much I bought a second one.

The first one was showing signs of heavy use before it broke in half. (It fell off a desk and got stepped on.) So, I bought another one of exactly the same style. This is the pen I use all day, every day.