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Metropolitan
A metal-bodied pen at a plastic-pen price, with a converter included: often cited as the safest first purchase in the hobby.
Priced squarely in first-pen territory: low enough that trying fountain pens for the first time doesn't feel like a gamble.
Specs
About Pilot
Founded in Tokyo in 1918, Pilot is one of the oldest and largest pen makers in the world, and the company behind the Iroshizuku ink line and the Namiki maki-e tradition. This model, Metropolitan, dates to introduced for the US market in the early 2010s, succeeding Pilot's Cavalier line.
How to fill the Pilot Metropolitan
Fill it two ways: snap in a pre-filled international cartridge for convenience, or use a converter (a small plunger or twist mechanism that installs the same way a cartridge does) to draw ink from any bottle. The converter route opens up the entire world of bottled ink, which is where most of the hobby's color variety lives.
Choosing a nib size
Nib size determines line width, not writing pressure: fountain pens are meant to glide, never press. Extra-fine (EF) suits small, dense handwriting and thin paper; fine (F) is the most broadly recommended default; medium (M) shows more ink character and shading; broad (B) and stub grinds favor bold, expressive strokes and calligraphy-adjacent writing.
Keeping it clean
A quick flush with cool water every time you switch ink colors, plus a full clean every 4 to 6 weeks of regular use, is enough to keep the nib and feed performing well. Inktend's cleaning reminder is tuned to a 21-day baseline and adjusts naturally to how often you actually refill.
Pairing inks with the Metropolitan
Because refills are quick with a cartridge or converter, this is a good pen for rotating through several colors rather than committing to one; sample vials work especially well here.
Frequently asked questions
More from Pilot
Specs on this page have been individually verified against manufacturer and retailer listings.