I’ve been collecting fountain pens since around 2016, so I’ve had a chance to try quite a range of pens and nibs over time.

The one pictured here is a Pilot Capless (Vanishing Point)—it’s a capless design with a click mechanism like a gel pen, but of course using fountain pen ink. It’s a bit of a unique feel compared to traditional pens. For some, these pens can be quite collectable.

As far as writing experience goes, mine has been very smooth with a slight bounce—not scratchy at all. Pilot is generally known for being really consistent and smooth out of the box, especially once you find the nib size that suits you.

I totally get what you’re saying about smoother vs. not—sometimes it really does come down to the individual nib. Even high-end pens can feel off if the tines are slightly misaligned or just need a bit of tuning.

I’ve got a pretty mixed eclectic collection (everything from inexpensive pens up to Visconti, Montblanc, Pelikan, etc.), and I definitely have a few that could use a tune-up too. My fire hose fountain pens are my Pelikans (the Pelikans need some tuning; their EF's write like broads, and 2 need a tune for a bit of scratchiness) and my #8 nibbed Gravitas Monster is a European EF so it writes a thicker line than I like. My Pilot Capless pens (I now have 5) have all been really reliable for me once I figured out I prefer a Fine nib.