Insecurities dot Org If you're not feeling insecure, you must be utterly clueless.

Warning, huge pictures ahead. Download at your own risk.

First picture: Pilot Petit1 fountain pen in my hand. Shows just how short this pen is. That stuff that looks like condensation inside the body of the pen, just back of the nib, is exactly that. Doesn't seem to do any harm, so I'm ignoring it. Might be my fault, for having rinsed out the pen cap with water and not dried it well enough before capping the pen.

(It needed rinsing b/c there were a few small spatters of ink inside. It had been shipped from New Hampshire to Michigan — if not further, before that — by USPS with an ink cartridge in place. Almost no leakage, really, considering that. Started right up writing when I got it, too.)

Second picture: Pilot Petit1 writing. I need to have the cap posted on the back end of the pen to write, or it's just too short to be comfortable. It writes really nicely; the tip just flows over the page, leaving a nice, wet line of ink behind. Surprisingly smooth and nice for a four-dollar pen. The line's a bit thicker than i'd prefer it to be, but the tactile feel of its writing is great.

Third picture: Pilot 78G fountain pen in my hand. This is more pen-sized. It might be a little bit slimmer and skinnier than ideal for my hand, but the length is just about right.

Fourth picture: Pilot 78G writing. This works with or without the cap on the end; haven't yet decided on which way is more comfortable. I like the look of the line better than the Petit1's, it's thinner and neater, but the feel of it isn't as great. Maybe because the tip seems finer and more needle-like, or because it doesn't put down as much ink? Maybe it'll smooth out with use? I'll likely use it more, because overall, i still like it a little better.

Both pens are very light, which i like. Carrying them around i forget they're in my pocket; writing with them, they don't weigh down my hand at all.

Both pens claim to have a "fine" nib (there's an "F" stamped into each), but the 78G very clearly has a much finer one. For comparison, the Petit1 puts down a line about as wide as i got from the cheap, disposable Bic ballpoints i used to use, but the 78G writes definitely narrower than that, and doesn't seem to lay down the ink as thickly either.

The Petit1's cap just snaps on and off, very conveniently. The 78G's has to be screwed on and off, and I'm already worried I'll forget some day and strip the plastic threads by either pulling it off or pushing it in place. I'm very sure it'll never leak on me, though.