Get ready to meet your new favorite tool in our latest dip pen review! The Pilot Iro Utsushi review will show you that this isn’t just any dip pen. It’s a compact powerhouse that’s revolutionizing the way creatives make ink swatches and writing samples with both precision and flair.

*This review is compiled based on the feedback of our guest reviewer, @from.pens.with.love. Images in this review were taken by our guest reviewer, as well.

What’s Different About this Dip Pen’s Nib?

Crafted with a sleek resin handle and a sturdy steel nib, this little gem is designed for seamless, enjoyable writing. Unique to the Pilot Iro Utsushi, the nib is permanently affixed to the handle, ensuring stability and ease of use. Available in both Fine and Medium nib sizes, this dip pen offers versatility for your artistic expressions. The Iro Utsushi dip pens combine the stainless steel nib common to fountain pens with the convenience and ease of a dip pen. Many are finding it an irresistible and essential addition to their pen and ink arsenal.

Note: The nibs are NOT sold separately, so choose the one that best suits your style!

The Pilot Iro Utsushi Review: Is It a Must-Have?

Whether you’re a swatching pro or just love adding a personal touch to your collection, the Pilot Iro Utsushi dip pen is a game changer for anyone passionate about their ink. Join us as we dive into why this charming tool is a must-have for your writing desk.

How Many Options Are There & Which Should I Get?

The Pilot Iro-Utsushi comes in 5 colors and 2 nib sizes. You can get either fine or medium nib sizes in any of the 5 colors currently available:

• Black resin
• Blue resin
• Clear resin
• Black wood
• Brown wood

The nibs on this particular dip pen are similar to those used in fountain pens. So, you likely want to try your preferred fountain pen nib size for your first time.

What Do People Love About Pilot Iro Utsushi Dip Pens?

“Personally I prefer to have a line as fine as possible. This is rarely, in my experience, possible with most dip pens as they tend to lay down a wet thick line of ink. Because of that I have for a long time simply inked up a pen. This will, however, leave me with unnecessary cleaning.” -@from.pens.with.love, guest reviewer

If you like a fine line, you may not have been happy with dip pens in the past. Most dip pens veer toward a wider line width, laying down a wet, thick line of ink. However, the Pilot Iro Utsushi changes the game in this department. With this dip pen, fine line fans can enjoy the convenience of dipping, too. The fine nib is actually similar to the typical fine nib you’ll find on modern-day fountain pens – offering a fairly fine line when you dip the pen in ink and put it to paper.

Pilot Iro Utsushi Dip Pens More Accurately Mimic Fountain Pens for Writing Samples

If you tend to complete your ink swatch/writing samples with a fountain pen to get the ink’s shading properties* and an accurate reflection of the ink’s performance with a fountain pen, you know it leads to an excessive amount of cleaning. With the Pilot Iro Utsushi dip pen, you can just dip the pen, test your ink, and then rinse off any excess ink once you’re done. It’s a much simpler process, and with the choice of a fine or medium nib reflecting standard fountain pen nib sizes, you don’t give up the accurate reflection of how the ink will perform when used with your fountain pens.

*Note: “Granted, while the line is thin, it will not leave any shading properties as there is no feed to control the ink like in fountain pens, but the fine line combined with less cleaning makes it worth it.” -@from.pens.with.love, guest reviewer

Pilot Iro Utsushi Review: Writing Sample and Comparison to Waldmann Fine Nib

Our guest reviewer, @from.pens.with.love prepared a writing sample to compare the Pilot Iro Utsushi dip pen’s fine nib with a Waldmann Fine nib (which is a standard Western Fine nib produced by JoWo). You can see the writing sample above with the Waldmann writing sample at the top of the page followed by the Pilot Iro Utsushi dip pen writing sample underneath. You can see in the writing sample that with the Waldmann fountain pen, shading is present in the writing, but there’s no shading apparent with the dip pen. (The ink used in this writing sample is Colorverse Coffee Break ink, which typically offers some shading as long as you are using a nib that isn’t very wet or very dry).

What Size Is the Pilot Iro Utsushi Dip Pen Nib?

The nib of the Pilot Iro Utsushi dip pen falls somewhere between a Japanese and Western fine nib (but it looks like it leans a bit more toward the Japanese side). In this closeup photo of the nib (above), you can see three fine nibs side by side:

• Waldmann Vela Tuscany fountain pen (far left), fine nib
• Pilot Iro Utsushi dip pen (center), fine nib
• Platinum Century 3776 (far right), soft fine nib

How Much Ink Does the Pilot Iro Utsushi Dip Pen Hold?

The Pilot Iro Utsushi dip pen nib holds about as much ink as you’d expect from a dip pen (not a TON). However, it does hold some and you can actually write several words with it before it runs dry and needs to be dipped* again.

How To Dip Your Pilot Iro Utsushi Dip Pen: Clever Tips & Handy Tricks

When you are dipping your Pilot Iro Utsushi dip pen ink fountain pen ink, remember to dip the nib only up to the wave line. If you dip it all the way up to the handle, you may inadvertently get ink in between the resin and nib.

Another bonus of working with the Pilot Iro Utsushi dip pens is that they don’t have problems with oil residue (which is a problem frequently seen with loose dip pen nibs). Other dip pens may need to be “burned” every few times they are used or oil residue can cause the ink to just run off immediately. With the Pilot Iro Utsushi dip pens, this is not a problem. You just dip the pen, write, clean, and then wipe it and it’s ready to be dipped in its next ink!

Get Your Own Pilot Iro Utsushi Dip Pens at Pen Chalet

“I love this nib so much and it has completely changed my inky life…” -@from.pens.with.love

If you suspect you’ll love this dip pen as much as we do (and as much as our guest reviewer does), you shouldn’t put off ordering one of your own. So, shop all your fountain pens, inks, and dip pens now at PenChalet.com.