{"product_id":"pilot-explorer-fountain-pen-black-matte","title":"Pilot Explorer Fountain Pen - Black Matte","description":"\u003cp\u003eA notebook, a quiet desk, and a pen that keeps things simple. The \u003cstrong\u003ePilot Explorer in Black Matte\u003c\/strong\u003e pairs a matte black cap and barrel with black accents and a smoky translucent grip. It is an understated finish for daily notes, journal pages, and plans you would rather put on paper.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eThe \u003cstrong\u003ePilot Explorer\u003c\/strong\u003e is one of those “quietly perfect” (and in my personal opinion, underrated) starter fountain pens: lightweight, comfortable, and powered by Pilot’s famously smooth stainless-steel nib (the same general nib family Pilot uses across several of their beginner favorites). It has a quick \u003cstrong\u003esnap cap\u003c\/strong\u003e for grab-and-go notes, a clean modern look, and a grip that works for most hand positions—so it’s the kind of pen you can toss in a bag, take to work or class, and just \u003cem\u003ewrite\u003c\/em\u003e without fuss.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIt’s a \u003cstrong\u003ecartridge\/converter\u003c\/strong\u003e pen that uses \u003cstrong\u003ePilot’s proprietary\u003c\/strong\u003e cartridges and converters, and it’s compatible with both the smaller \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bottleandplume.com\/products\/pilot-con-40-twist-converter\"\u003eCON-40 twist converter\u003c\/a\u003e and the higher-capacity \u003ca href=\"https:\/\/www.bottleandplume.com\/products\/pilot-con-70-converter\"\u003eCON-70 push-button converter\u003c\/a\u003e (both sold separately) if you want more ink on board.\u003c\/p\u003e\n\u003cp\u003eIf you’re newer to the hobby, this is also a great “first bottled-ink pen” because it cleans easily and behaves well with a wide range of inks. It's also \u003cem\u003emuch lighter\u003c\/em\u003e and \u003cem\u003emuch cheaper \u003c\/em\u003ethan the metropolitan, while sporting the same nib. One practical tip: Pilot \u003cstrong\u003eFine\u003c\/strong\u003e tends to run on the finer side compared to many Western brands (great for writing on cheaper paper) while \u003cstrong\u003eMedium\u003c\/strong\u003e gives you a smoother, wetter line that shows off ink properties like shading and sheen a bit more.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Pilot","offers":[{"title":"Fine","offer_id":50526479679716,"sku":null,"price":26.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true},{"title":"Medium","offer_id":50526479712484,"sku":null,"price":26.0,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0745\/4507\/0308\/files\/pilot-explorer-fountain-pen-black-matte-angled-01.jpg?v=1790178504","url":"https:\/\/www.bottleandplume.com\/products\/pilot-explorer-fountain-pen-black-matte","provider":"Bottle and Plume","version":"1.0","type":"link"}