Pilot Custom 74 - Ranking the Nibs

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)After testing 14 of Pilot’s #15-sized 14K gold fountain pen nibs on the Pilot Custom 743 two years ago, and then 15 of the #10 sized nibs last year, I asked, no, I begged Jaclynn Burleigh (now Carpenter, congrats!) of Pilot USA if I could test their #5-sized 14k gold nibs in their Pilot Custom 74 pens and she said yes! All of the currently available Custom 74 colors and nib options are represented here. Left to right: Merlot, Grenadine, Clear, Forest Green, Teal, Blue, Blue Stone, Smoke, and the US exclusive Lavender Fog. Jaclynn was kind enough to include all of the colors as well as the various nib sizes. Unlike the 912/742 and 743/823, which have 14-16 nib options (the Signature nib isn’t available on the 743), the Custom 74 has 8 nib options, which makes it a little easier…