Platinum Carbon Black Question

[elevennx]

So, I just tried this ink today for the first time. It was a cartridge, used in the Platinum desk pen. The cartridge has some kind of agitator ball inside, and having decided that I love this ink, I now want to get a bottle. How important is that agitator ball though, since when I use the ink in a converter, or refill another brand's cartridge, that ball won't be in there? I imagine they put that in the cartridges because they thought it was necessary for this ink.

[Sky Fountain Pens]

It's most likely for keeping the ink from spilling/leaking.

[Kuhataparunks]

Sky Fountain Pens mentioned a use for that ball bearing inside; it creates a seal inside whenever turned down so that only a drop will come out if it's turned upside down.

It also acts as an agitator, to prevent and break air bubbles that may form inside the cartridges.

It's by no stretch necessary for using Platinum ink, though.

 

Is the Desk Pen Extra Fine, and how is the Carbon ink and how does it differ from standard platinum ink?

I'm branching out into the Platinum brand now. I'm excited to try a few of their things

[ZaphodBB]

All of Platinum's cartridges have the agitator ball, probably to ensure even flow as the ink is used I guess. The bottled Platinum Carbon Black flows wonderfully without any help - it actually saved my broad nibbed Chartres Bleu 3776.

 

It was a "troubled" pen from the beginning; hard starts, skipping, etc - but when I inked it with Carbon Black it wrote like a dream and is now in my every day rotation.

[Davros]

I was shocked at how flow-friendly Carbon Black is. Great ink, at least for me and my pen.

[VivienR]

I using Parker Deluxe converters, they have no ball inside them, the ink works perfectly, have very nice flow. My opinion: don't worry about that.

[elevennx]

Thanks for the replies everyone. Do any of you notice nib creep with this ink? I just found some blobbed on the nib and section of my Platinum desk pen. The ink flows so well, that I wondered if that same property might make it more likely to leak a bit too.

[VivienR]

I didn't experienced with Sonnet fine nib. It writes when its needed without any side effect. At least I didn't found. But obviously need some extra care.

[Chettiar]

1) nib creep - A big Yes on the platinum carbon pen

2) the agitator ball helps I would think (I used a platinum converter on the platinum carbon pen for a while. The pen did not dry out but the converter did have residue which needed extra cleaning. So reverted to the cartridge and syringe refilling)

 

(Edit - used a and b above instead of 1 and 2. The b ) changed to a smiley!)

Edited January 17, 2015 by Chettiar

[elevennx]

Two answers - a) nib creep - A big Yes the agitator ball helps I would think (I used a platinum converter on the platinum carbon pen for a while. The pen did not dry out but the converter did have residue which needed extra cleaning. So reverted to the cartridge and syringe refilling)

Have you used this ink with anything other than the platinum carbon desk pen? (Unless I am misreading, it sounds like that is where you have experienced the nib-creep). I'm trying to figure out if the nib creep/leaking issue I am having is due to the pen or the ink, or the combination. I'm kind of hoping it's not the ink, because I really want to get a bottle of this and use it in all my pens, really. That's how much I like it.

 

I'd probably do the same as you and just refill the cartridge since it has that ball in it already. That won't help of course when I want to use the ink in a non-Platinum pen. Unless...does Pilot, or Sailor, sell any cartridge ink with an agitator ball?

 

It's at least encouraging that VivienR seems not to have experienced this in her pen.

[Chettiar]

Have not used it with any other pen. Just the desk pen. Will test it out in a Baoer pen tonight and will confirm in two days (the nib creep takes a while to develop though. The desk pen took a week worth of travel to show the blackness spreading out!)..

[Chettiar]

Baoers needed cleaning so loaded in a Lamy with black EF nib and also a jumbo hero. Will update after tomorrow's travels!

[Davros]

It is a combo of pen and ink, but I find nib creep to be common with this one.

[Chettiar]

Hmm.. Steady writing with the Lamy + platinum carbon today and the Lamy hard starts later during the day.. A moment or two not long though.. That Lamy used to be quite a dependable writer.. Travel tomorrow..

[elevennx]

Hmm.. Steady writing with the Lamy + platinum carbon today and the Lamy hard starts later during the day.. A moment or two not long though.. That Lamy used to be quite a dependable writer.. Travel tomorrow..

 

I've had it loaded in a Kaweco Sport Classic, medium nib, for 4 days now and I don't see any problems with it. If I look closely to where the feed meets the section, there is a slight glistening ring visible, but it doesn't touch the nib. That might be normal, but I don't see it on my other Kaweco, loaded with Herbin Bleu Nuit. If that's as far as it goes, it won't be a problem. I'll try keeping the pen stored nib down for a few days and see if that has any effect. So far though the only thing I notice is amazing performance on this nib - ridiculously smooth.

 

Let's see how you fare with your Safari.

[elevennx]

It is a combo of pen and ink, but I find nib creep to be common with this one.

 

Do you remember which pens you've noticed it with?

[Davros]

Do you remember which pens you've noticed it with?

The main ones are a EF Vanishing Point, an Ahab with various Goulet nibs, and a F TWSBI 580.

[VivienR]

Yesterday, I filled one of my Sonnet with it (Fine, 18k rhodium-plated). Still no creep.

[Chettiar]

No nib creep yet on the Lamy (Al star with black EF nib - if you would like to know).. Hard starting after three days of non use and leaving up right.. But once started smooth.. The converter us not showing any signs of staining, shade etc.. No clogs observed anywhere..

[elevennx]

The main ones are a EF Vanishing Point, an Ahab with various Goulet nibs, and a F TWSBI 580.

 

My Ahab is absurdly wet to begin with, regardless of how I try to adjust the feed/nib positioning, so I'd be really hesitant to put this ink in that pen anyway. But as for the rest you mention, I wonder if the problem is something that would occur consistently in those models, or if it is dependent upon some other variable specific to the pens you actually own.