Compiled from 11 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The Pilot Custom Urushi is Pilot's largest regular fountain pen: an ebonite body finished in roiro urushi lacquer, with Pilot's first No. 30 nib in soft 18k gold. Pilot Japan lists 155 mm (6.1 in), 20 mm across and 44 g, and it fills from Pilot cartridges or the included CON-70N converter.
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The Custom Urushi in black, capped, to scale at Goulet Pens' 154.6 mm.
Product facts
Product
Pilot Custom Urushi Fountain Pen (Black, FKV-88SR-BM)
Ebonite cap and barrel with a roiro urushi lacquer finish, resin grip, 18k gold nib
Price range
$$$$over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Colors
Blackroiro urushi lacquer · 漆黒 (shikkoku)
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Notes on these facts
Made by Pilot Corporation (Japan); sold in the US by Pilot Corporation of America. Made in Japan: Pen Chalet's product video script describes the cap band as engraved "Custom Urushi" and "Pilot Made in Japan". Pilot's Japanese catalog page doesn't print a country of manufacture. Source. Price: example listing.
Colors: names per Pilot Japan, checked October 24, 2026. Pilot Japan's catalog lists 漆黒 (shikkoku, black), 朱 (shu, vermilion) and 紺青 (konjō, Prussian blue); Goulet Pens sells the same three as Black, Vermillion and Prussian Blue. Tints were sampled from Goulet Pens' product photos. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026. Conversions to US dollars are approximate, at October 2026 rates (US$1 = ¥158 = ₩1,330 = NT$32.5 = CN¥6.7 = SEK 9.9 = DKK 6.7 = ₺49.6 = C$1.41 = A$1.43 = CZK 21.7; €1 = US$1.12; £1 = US$1.32; CHF 1 = US$1.21).
Key takeaways
Pilot Japan lists the Custom Urushi at 155 mm (6.1 in) long, 20 mm across and 44 g, model FKV-88SR.
It carries Pilot's first No. 30 nib, in 18k gold, which Pilot calls a soft nib; Japan offers FM, M and B.
Goulet Pens measures 183.2 mm (7.2 in) posted and 1.34 ml of ink in the CON-70 converter.
Pilot raised the Japan list price from ¥121,000 (about US$766) to ¥165,000 (about US$1,044) on October 1, 2024.
Pen Chalet reads Made in Japan on the cap band; the body is ebonite with a roiro (polished) urushi finish.
What is the Pilot Custom Urushi?
It’s Pilot’s flagship lacquered fountain pen: a large ebonite pen finished in urushi lacquer, with Pilot’s first No. 30 nib. Pilot’s Japanese catalog describes a cap and barrel turned from ebonite, given a roiro (polished) lacquer finish, and fitted with a soft No. 30 nib in 18k gold.
Goulet Pens says maki-e artisans in Japan lacquer the pen. On Reddit’s r/fountainpens it comes up again and again as a “grail” pen, the expensive one people save up for.
In the feeds we read on October 23, 2026, 11 posts named it, and all 11 of Goulet’s customer reviews give it five stars. Our Pilot history explains how Pilot first made lacquer stick to fountain pens.
Pilot Custom Urushi specs
Spec
Value
Maker
Pilot Corporation, Japan
Model (Japan)
FKV-88SR plus color and nib, e.g. FKV-88SR-BM (black, M)
JAN (black, M)
4902505526404
Body and cap
Ebonite, roiro urushi finish; screw cap, 2 turns (Goulet)
Nib
18k gold, No. 30, soft; FM, M or B in Japan
Filling
Pilot cartridge, CON-40 or CON-70N (CON-70N included)
Length
155 mm (6.1 in) per Pilot; 154.6 mm closed per Goulet
Length posted
183.2 mm (7.2 in), per Goulet
Body length
140.2 mm (5.5 in); cap 72.4 mm (2.9 in), per Goulet
Diameter
20 mm at the widest (Pilot); 15.9 mm body, 12.3 mm grip (Goulet)
Weight
44 g (Pilot); 43.0 g with converter, 25 g body and 18 g cap (Goulet)
Ink capacity
1.14 ml cartridge, 1.34 ml converter (Goulet)
Pilot and Goulet agree on the size to within half a millimeter and a gram.
Posting adds 28.6 mm, making a very long pen; most owners write unposted.
What makes the No. 30 nib special?
It’s simply the biggest nib Pilot fits to a regular-production pen, and Pilot tunes it to flex a little. Pilot’s Japanese copy says the large No. 30 nib lets you enjoy the pen’s springiness to the full.
Vanness Pens notes it’s far larger than the No. 15 nib on the Pilot Custom 823. Goulet measures 27.4 mm of two-tone gold showing beyond the grip.
Soft doesn’t mean a flex nib: expect some bounce and a little line variation, not dramatic swells. For a softer Pilot nib at a lower price, see the Pilot Falcon.
How big and heavy is it?
Big: 155 mm long, 20 mm across and 44 g, about two and a half times the weight of a Custom 74. Pilot lists the Custom 74 at 143 mm and 17.4 g.
Custom Urushi
Custom 74
Length (Pilot)
155 mm (6.1 in)
143 mm (5.6 in)
Widest (Pilot)
20 mm
14.7 mm
Weight (Pilot)
44 g
17.4 g
Nib
18k, No. 30
14k, No. 5
Converter (Goulet)
1.34 ml
1.23 ml
Most of that weight is in the size and the 18 g cap, so the pen feels balanced unposted. If you have small hands, try one at a pen show first.
How do you fill it?
From Pilot cartridges or a converter, through the barrel; there’s no piston. Pilot Japan lists the CON-40 twist converter and the CON-70N push-button converter, and includes the CON-70N.
Goulet measures 1.34 ml with the converter, a little more than a cartridge’s 1.14 ml. Unscrew the barrel, fit the converter firmly, then press the CON-70N’s button several times with the nib under the ink. Our guide to filling a fountain pen walks through each method.
Which color should you choose?
It’s a matter of taste: all three share the same size, nib and price. Pilot Japan sells three colors, each with an FM, M or B nib:
Color (Japanese name)
Lacquer (Pilot Japan)
JAN we read
Black (漆黒, shikkoku)
Roiro lacquer
4902505526404 (M)
Vermilion (朱, shu)
Vermilion lacquer (朱漆)
4902505545542 (B)
Prussian blue (紺青, konjō)
Blue lacquer (青漆)
4902505674747 (B)
The codes run FKV-88SR-B (black), -R (vermilion) and -L (blue), followed by the nib letters, so FKV-88SR-RFM is vermilion with an FM nib. Goulet Pens lists the black pen with the FM nib.
Where is the Custom Urushi made?
In Japan. Pen Chalet reads “Pilot Made in Japan” engraved on the cap band; Pilot’s own catalog doesn’t print a country.
How much does it cost?
It’s in our $$$$ band, over $75, near the top of Pilot’s regular range. Pilot’s Japanese catalog lists ¥165,000 (about US$1,044) including tax, or ¥150,000 (about US$949) before tax.
Pilot’s price list shows the pen went from ¥121,000 (about US$766) to ¥165,000 (about US$1,044) on October 1, 2024. For other pens at this level, see our best luxury pens.
Frequently asked questions
What does urushi mean on a fountain pen?
Urushi is Japanese lacquer made from tree sap. On the Custom Urushi, Pilot applies a roiro finish, a lacquer polished to a deep gloss, over a body turned from ebonite.
How big is the No. 30 nib?
It's the largest nib Pilot puts on a regular-production pen, twice the size number of the No. 15 nib on the Custom 823 and 845. Goulet Pens measures 27.4 mm of nib showing beyond the grip.
Can you post the cap on the Custom Urushi?
Yes. Goulet Pens lists it as postable and measures 183.2 mm (7.2 in) posted, but the 18 g cap makes a long, back-heavy pen, so most owners write with it unposted.
Which colors does the Custom Urushi come in?
Pilot Japan sells three: shikkoku (black), shu (vermilion red) and konjō (Prussian blue), each with FM, M or B nibs. US shops carry the same three colors.
Does the Custom Urushi have a piston?
No. It takes Pilot's own cartridges or a converter. Pilot Japan lists the CON-40 and CON-70N; the CON-70N comes in the box.
Is the Pilot Custom Urushi made in the USA?
No, in Japan. Pen Chalet reads Pilot Made in Japan on the cap band.
How much does the Custom Urushi cost?
It's in our $$$$ band, over $75, and among the most expensive regular-production Pilots. Pilot Japan lists ¥165,000 (about US$1,044) including tax.
