on salePilot Custom 743 Fountain Pen - Black

Product Code PN18643

In Stock

out of stock

on salePilot Custom 743 Fountain Pen - Black

Product Code PN18643

In Stock

out of stock

$336.00

MSRP $420.00

Color:
Black
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Pilot Namiki Black - Ink Cartridges

Product Code PN69100

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This gorgeous Pilot Custom 743 fountain pen comes in a black resin body with gold accents. The #15 size 14k gold nib comes in a wide range of nib size options. Each nib has a unique, smooth and effortless writing experience.

The Custom 743 fountain pen has the same size body as the Custom 823 but fills with the included CON-70 converter or Pilot ink cartridge. It comes in a gift box with a 70ml bottle of Pilot Blue ink.

Whether planning on gifting this exquisite pen, or writing with it personally daily, the Custom 743 offers an unsurpassed writing experience that will delight fountain pen aficionados.

Condition
New
Brand
Pilot
Type
Fountain Pens
Color
Black
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 Rotations

For pens with a screw-cap closure, how many rotations it takes to uncap/recap the pen.

1.75
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).

Screw-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
Extra-Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad, Double Broad, Falcon, Soft Fine, Fine Medium, Soft Fine Medium, Soft Medium, Posting, Waverly, Stub, Coarse
Nib Color
Gold
Nib Material
14k Gold
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
12.5mm (0.5in)
Diameter - Cap (without clip)
15.6mm (0.6in)
Diameter - Cap (with clip)
19.8mm (0.8in)
Diameter - Grip (mm)

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

10.5mm
Length - Body

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

131mm (5.2in)
Length - Cap
71.5mm (2.8in)
Length - Nib

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

23mm (0.9in)
Length - Overall (Closed)
149mm (5.9in)
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.

164mm (6.5in)
Weight - Body

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

15.0g
Weight - Cap
10g (0.4oz)
Weight - Overall (g)
25.0g
Max Ink Capacity - Cartridge

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

1.20ml
Max Ink Capacity - Converter

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

1.40ml

Customer Reviews

Based on 8 reviews
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P
Peter M.
Nice pen

I like the piston converter. It is the same as the Custom 823 except without vac fitting and has a nice variety of nib choices.

K
Kirk R.
One of the Smoothest writing pens out of the box you will ever buy

I own lots of gold nib pens, 14kt/21kt Sailors, 14kt/18kt Pelikans, other 14kt Pilots, 14kt Platinums, and many various other vintage and some what vintage pens. This Custom 743 with a Fine-Medium nib may very well be the smoothest writing pen of them all and puts out a nice fine line of ink in any direction. Ink flow is superb, no skipping at all. It is an excellent bang for the buck. The CON-70 converter is extremely easy to fill with its plunger type action, much easier than a standard twist type converter and may hold more ink than the standard international converter.
If you want a superb writing pen of excellent quality that rivals or betters the writing experience of pens twice its cost look no further than the Pilot Custom 743. Japanese nibs are much finer tip size than European made nibs so if you want a nib equivalent to a fine nib on a Pelikan, a medium Pilot nib will feel equivalent. I went with the Fine-Medium nib because I wanted something about equivalent to an extra Fine Pelikan or a Fine nib of other European pens and I wasn’t disappointed. (Pelikans tend to have larger tips than other manufacturers)
Cleaning the Custom 743 is also very easy using the CON-70 plunger converter, and quicker than with twist type converters.

J
J. A.L.
Custom 743 - a great alternative to the 823 Custom

I've loved writing with the 'grail' Custom 823 and its smooth nib. But the pump-vacuum Custom 823 has been finicky and difficult to clean. The Custom 743 gives an almost identical writing experience without interrupted ink flow. Only a complete removal of the 823's pressure seal O-ring from its double reservoir (not just unscrewing the plunger) has kept my 823 in my rotation. I know use the Custom 743 almost exclusively.

A
Anonymous
Simply perfect

I was already the proud onwer of a Pilot 74, bought in Ginza in 200r . Moving the the 743 makes an already amazing user experience even more so!

N
Ned L.
Whither the Custom 823?

I own(ed) two Pilot Custom 823s -- one Fine, the other Medium; both in "smoke."In my frustration trying to adequately and less tediously clean the Medium I committed the fatal error of violating the warranty provisions using a TWSBI wrench to open it up for a thorough cleaning after watching a YouTube video. Hey kids, don't try this at home; it never was the same. It wouldn't inhale ink with that satisfying slurp. I'd get maybe a page worth of ink. I sent it to Pilot with full admission of my error in hopes they might restore its magnificence at a cost less than replacing the pen. Nope; no charge, no difference. I've limped along with its devastating underwhelmingness since.But I loved that medium nib! I got excited to learn of the availability of the Pilot Custom 743 -- same nib, same size, nearly the same weight, and a high-quality black resin body that utilizes either a CON-70 converter or Pilot cartridge. The pen is fulfilling my every expectation and promises easier cleaning and greater ink diversity -- in other words, more fun. So, I ask myself and you: Whither the Custom 823? It is highly-rated and very popular. But for $44 more I have every confidence I am going to be much happier with this Custom 743 than I was with its 823 predecessor. As for the 823's anti-ink-burp chamber, I might have to throw away an ink cartridge if I fly with the 743. No biggie.

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.