on salePilot Explorer Fountain Pen - Gray

Product Code PN12271

In Stock

out of stock

on salePilot Explorer Fountain Pen - Gray

Product Code PN12271

In Stock

out of stock

$25.00

MSRP $31.25

Nib Guide

Not sure which size nib is best for you?

Try our Nib Nook tool to view and compare nib widths using our writing samples. Learn more ›

ENHANCEMENT OPTIONS
Pilot CON-70 Converter - Black
Upgrade Your Converter + $13.90 Pilot CON-70 Converter - Black
Color:
$13.90
$13.90

Pilot CON-70 Converter - Black

Product Code PN69901

In Stock

out of stock

$13.90
Add this item
Free Gift With Purchase
Pilot Metropolitan Ballpoint Pen - Retro Pop Gray
Free Gift with Purchase Pilot Metropolitan Ballpoint Pen - Retro Pop Gray
Color:
FREE
FREE

Pilot Metropolitan Ballpoint Pen - Retro Pop Gray

Product Code PN91425

In Stock

out of stock

$0.00 $23.74
Add this item

Introducing the Explorer, the newest value fountain pen from Pilot. This red resin pen has a matte metallic finish and is complemented by black trim. It has a snap cap, a stainless steel nib, and comes with a Pilot ink cartridge as well as a CON-B squeeze converter for use with bottled ink. It comes packaged in a gift box.

Click here to shop all compatible Pilot ink cartridges.

Condition
New
Brand
Pilot
Type
Fountain Pens
Color
Silver/Grey
Demonstrator

Whether or not the barrel of the pen is translucent, allowing you to see the ink and filling mechanism inside.

No
Body Material
Resin
Cap Type

How the cap is opened/closed from the barrel of the pen. Some common options include Snap-Cap, Screw-Cap, Magnetic Cap, or Capless (no cap).

Snap-cap
Compatible inks & refills

Which ink this pen will accept. Choices include bottled ink and various styles of pre-filled ink cartridges.

Bottled ink, Proprietary Pilot ink cartridges
Filling Mechanism

How the pen fills with ink. Click here to watch our video tutorial on common filling mechanisms.

Cartridge, Converter
Grip Material
Resin
Nib Size
Fine, Medium
Nib Color
Silver
Nib Material
Steel
Postable

Whether or not the cap fits securely onto the back of the barrel when open.

Yes
Retractable

Whether or not the nib/tip can retract into the body of the pen (usually for click or twist-open style pens).

No
Diameter - Body
12.2mm (0.48in)
Diameter - Cap (without clip)
13.5mm (0.53in)
Diameter - Cap (with clip)
16.5mm (0.65in)
Diameter - Grip (mm)

Measured from the place most people choose to rest their fingers, which varies with each pen.

8.8mm
Length - Body

The measurement from the back end of the barrel to the tip of the nib.

128mm (5.04in)
Length - Cap
57.7mm (2.27in)
Length - Nib

The measured length of the visible portion of the nib when it is installed in the pen, from grip to tip.

17.6mm (0.69in)
Length - Overall (Closed)
142mm (5.59in)
Length - Overall (Posted)

When the cap of the pen is posted onto the back of the pen body, this is the measurement of the entire pen including the nib.

162.3mm (6.39in)
Weight - Body

If a converter is included with the pen, this weight is reflected in the total.

6g (0.21oz)
Weight - Cap
6g (0.21oz)
Weight - Overall (g)
12.0g
Max Ink Capacity - Cartridge

The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using a cartridge.

1.08ml
Max Ink Capacity - Converter

The maximum volume of ink that can fit in the pen when using a converter.

1.28ml

Customer Reviews

Based on 31 reviews
87%
(27)
10%
(3)
3%
(1)
0%
(0)
0%
(0)
G
Gary G.
Great pen

Great pen, nice a light weight, and writes very smoothly.

T
Travis C.B.
Sick flow

This lovely little number flows so well that I'm not even sure I'm touching the page sometimes. It doesn't gush, but it's happy to share. I like the length of the Explorer, I dig the color, the 'click' when capping, and the push-button converter (ok, I modded the con70; it doesn't come standard). It's plastic and you can feel it, but for the price and how I use it, it's great and I can easily recommend it.

A
Anonymous
Excellent Quality

I am no stranger to pens, but fountain pens are a new experience for me. This was a fantastic buy and the quality was incredible. It's a pleasure to both write and line with it and I foresee more purchases in the future.

N
Noam G.
Surprisingly good pen!

I got this with a M nib after owning a Metropolitan with a F nib. I was shocked at how much more I liked this pen. The combination of the better ink flow due to the thicker nib size and a much more comfortable pen to hold results for me in a significantly improved writing pen. For those who are cautious about this pen because it's plastic while metropolitan for nearly the same price is not, don't! The material feels great, and it holds a con-70 (free at this time) vs the much inferior con-40 the metro holds.

M
Mike M.
Great first pen!

Over the past six months I've taken up journaling and, after the suggestion of a friend, decided to give fountain pens a go. The Pilot Explorer has been a great first pen! It writes smoothly, has a great seal, and the converter holds a good amount of ink. My only complaint is that I wish I had waited until the clear version was available. Still, really enjoying it so far!

FAQs about Fountain Pens

How do I fill a fountain pen with ink? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

It depends on the pen's filling mechanism, which you can find in the Technical Specs section above. 

Here's a quick definition of the most common filling mechanisms:

  • Cartridge - A small, disposable, sealed plastic reservoir that holds fountain pen ink. These come pre-filled with ink, and typically you just push to insert them into place and you'll be ready to write! Check out our quick guide here.
  • Converter - A detachable and refillable ink reservoir that allows you to use bottled ink in a cartridge-accepting pen. Typically you will install the converter into the grip section, dip the nib/feed into the ink, and twist or pull the converter knob to draw ink into the converter. Here's a video for how to fill a cartridge/converter pen using a LAMY pen as an example.
  • Eyedropper - A pen that utilizes the entire barrel as a reservoir for ink. Ink is directly filled into the barrel, allowing for a high ink capacity. Here's a video on how to do it!
  • Piston - A type of filling system that uses a retracting plunger inside a sealed tube to draw ink into a pen. They are typically either twist or push-operated. These pens cannot accept cartridges or a converter, and only fill from bottled ink.
  • Vacuum - A push-style piston that uses pressure to fill the large pen body with ink. They seal the ink chamber when closed, making it ideal for flying without risk of leaking. Check out our video on how to use a vac filler here.

Check out more info on these filling mechanisms including a video on how to fill each one on our blog.

How do I clean a fountain pen? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

It depends on the filling mechanism, but it mostly comes down to flushing it out with water, and sometimes a little bit of Pen Flush if the ink is really stuck. 

It's a bit easier to show than to tell, so we've put together a few quick videos showing you the process:

How often do I need to clean my fountain pen? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

We recommend a good cleaning every 2 weeks, and any time you change ink colors. 

Water will usually do the trick, but we recommend you use our Goulet Pen Flush if the ink has been left in the pen for a while and could have dried up, or when you’re switching ink colors.

My pen won’t write! What do I do? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

First things first... make sure you have ink in the pen! Be sure that the ink cartridge or converter is seated properly in the pen, and that you aren't out of ink.

We always recommend you give your pen a good cleaning first, using our Goulet Pen Flush, or a drop of dish soap in some water. New pens often have some machining oil residue left in the feed, so a good cleaning often does the trick first.

If that still doesn't work, try priming the feed. This consists of either dipping your pen nib and feed in ink, or forcing ink from the converter down into the feed. 

If it’s still not working after that, please reach out to us so we can help! 

What's your return policy? 8EDA1617-F73A-4DAF-8245-6D2BF4ABEB7B

You can submit a return request within 30 days of your order date. You can read all our Return Policies here.

To initiate a return, please submit a request at the Return Portal. Our Customer Care team might reach out to you for more information.

Please note we are unable to accept a return of any Namiki or Sailor Bespoke fountain pen for any reason once it has been used with ink. Please thoroughly inspect and dry test the pen before use.