First Impression: Pilot Vanishing Point / Slate Grey / Binderized Broad Stub

I am a faithful listener of "The Pen Addict Podcast", in which Myke and Brad regularly discuss "the pen which cannot be named" - The Pilot Vanishing Point.  I have long desired the Slate Grey Pilot VP and was oh-so-close to picking one up around the holidays once Pilot announced that they were going to discontinue the body color.  I hesitated, and then they were gone.  However, by some strange miracle, Richard Binder still has them available at his website.  After listening to The Pen Addict week after week, and hearing about how amazing this pen is, I finally took the plunge, and there you go.

I am delighted with this pen.  I honestly don't know why I was such a goofball about it and waited so long.  I have been using it all week at work, and have used it for note-taking, signatures, and just plain doodling.  I honestly cannot stop using this pen.  As soon as I took it out of the box and held it, I knew I wanted another one.   

I find the Slate Grey a little bit difficult to photograph, but it is such a lovely, unobtrusive, understated, quiet color that really suits me.  This pen is a delight to look at and hold.  I do not find that the clip interferes with my grip on the pen.  In fact, if you are comfortable writing with a LAMY Safari, then you are likely comfortable with the Pilot VP.  I will add, that Richard Binder now offers a service for additional charge whereby he will remove the clip if it is an issue for you.  I think the charge is somewhere in the ballpark of $15.00 USD - a nominal fee considering the amount of use this pen will receive once you own it.  

Additionally, I do not find this pen too fat or chubby in the hand.  I have small hands, and sometimes have difficulty with pens in the grip section.  I have no problems with this pen and find that I am able to grip comfortably both lower towards the nib as well as a little bit higher up towards the clip.

Aside from the fact that Richard seems to be the only vendor who still offers this pen in this particular body color, he also offers a service whereby he will adjust the ink flow in the pen for an additional charge.  I routinely write on extremely cheap, absorbent paper at work.  I can only use certain select pens and inks with this paper, for example finer nibbed pens, dryer writers, and non-fussy inks otherwise I will see excessive feathering on the page.  I explained this to Richard, and asked if an ink flow of "4" would be appropriate.  Richard's standard ink flow adjustment is "6", which I find to be somewhat generous.  I intend to use mostly Pilot cartridges with this pen, since they hold more ink thus less high maintenance; a plus in a fast-paced work environment.  It is also my understanding that Pilot Blue-Black (the color I mainly intend to use) is very free flowing.  I was nervous about the ink flow adjustment at "4", and wrote a follow up email to Richard asking for his input.  He was very gracious and responded right away, and agreed that "4" was likely reasonable.  Thanks, Richard!

Since the pen arrived, I can't stop using it.  I inked it right away without cleaning, and the nib could probably use a good rinse, but the ink flow adjustment was right on.  Extremely minimal feathering on the cheapy-cheap paper, and it has written well on most other papers.  It hesitates a bit on smoother papers, but that's fine because this pen will see a majority of use on paper that is frankly better used as kindling than for communication.  

 

August 4, 2012: edited to add photos of writing samples.  Pilot VP with Pilot Blue-Black cartridge, ink flow = "4".

Exacompta Space 24 planner.  Ivory colored paper.

Exacompta Space 24 planner  Ivory colored paper.

The cheapest paper I've ever seen: Quill brand notepads.  Slight feathering seen.

The cheapest paper I've ever seen: Quill brand notepads.  Same page, but no feathering here.

Leuchtturm 1917 journal.  Paper is smooth; ivory color.

Apica 6A10.  Paper is smooth, with slight grey-ish tone.

I would definitely say that the ink flow adjustment to "4" is appropriate due to the combination of poor quality paper and the free-flowing nature of Pilot Blue-Black.  The combination balances out.  Notice that there is some very slight feathering on the Quill notepad paper.  The notepad quality is inconsistent.  I've seen pages with no feathering, and also feathering and no-feathering on the same page.  It's just garbage, but what can you do?  The amount of feathering is so minimal that it doesn't bother me.  I use these notepads for notetaking, listmaking, etc.

Links: 
The Pen Addict Podcast at 70decibels.com
The Pen Addict Blog
Richard Binder
Pilot Blue-Black Cartridges at Jetpens.com