[Betty]

Platinum Preppy Fountain Pen[IMG]



After the Pilot Petit1 fountain pens, US customers can now buy another disposable fountain pen from Japan, the Preppy fountain pen from Platinum.

- uses Platinum cartridges only
- very smooth writing; no feathering even on cheaper paper (that might be the ink though)
- can write with the nib upside down for a thinner line
- nib feels very comparable to a Pelikan steel nib & a Lamy Safari nib
- line width seems to be about Pelikan EF size or more like a Japanese MF size
- a tiny bit longer than a Pelikan M200
- weight & barrel girth about the same as a Pelikan M200
- $4.95 at jpens.com

This post has been edited by Betty: 29 March 2007 - 12:34 AM

[Maja]

Thanks for the review, Betty, and a nice clear photo of a pen I'dnever heard about...until now
Sounds like another nice disposable (sadly ) pen from Japan. I have a disposable Pilot V-Pen (or Varsity) and it too is a nice writer, but it lays down a M line. This is a nice alternative to those who prefer an XF nib width.

[alvarez57]

Wonderful to have around as a pen-borrower...Can I have your pen for a sec?

[deitic_nib]

Never mind, didnt read the small text.

This post has been edited by deitic_nib: 30 March 2007 - 02:41 AM

[Taki]

[kernando]

Betty, thanks for the review and the clear picture. I first noticed the pen going to JPens from the mention in your other post, probably one about the Pilot Petit1. I've bought my mother and sisters each one of those because they're cute and the colors are pretty, but I didn't get one for myself. I can pull off cute plastic, but the grip seemed too short and wide for me, and I didn't trust the clip.

It's too bad Platinum made the clip on this one clunky looking to my eyes, but I'm glad to see it takes normal sized cartridges, and probably isn't too short and fat. There's room for a converter, right? It looks from your picture as if they sell them with the cartridge loose inside. Is the barrel one piece and what do you think of it as an eyedropper? I remember the Pilot Petit1 having a little "ledge" inside, up against which the threads of the section butted. It looks like it'd be fun to get one of the lighter colored ones (pink or yellow or maybe green?) and have it as an eyedropper with the color all the way from barrel to feed to nib. Then I'll expect somebody to grind a yellow one into an italic highlighter with Noodler's Firefly.

[Betty]

[Blackhill]

I just ordered a blue one yesterday at Jpens because I thought they were cool looking and at the low price, worth a try. I'm glad to hear they are good writers. Thanks for the review.

Cheers,
Laura

[jonro]

Interesting pen! It looks like Japan is ready to compete with the Kultur, just in time for Waterman to stop production. How big is this pen compared to a Kultur?

[Betty]

[FrankB]

Betty, I don't think Waterman is going anywhere soon, but they are discontinuing the Kultur. Several people here at FPN have spoken well of the pen. I am not familiar with them either, and I was curious to see what one might cost and to get general information, but I could not locate one anywhere on the Internet. I think they were a sub model of the Phileas, but I am not sure.

I sort of like the Pilot disposable pens, and I will at least try a Preppy to see what it is like. I really can see using it as a loaner pen. Thanks for the review.

[cmeisenzahl]

Very cool, never saw that one before!

[churl]

Here's my picture of the Preppy. It's a fun little pen for under $5, and cartridge filler, so not disposable. The colored nibs are quite nifty, but I settled on the somewhat boring blue.

jpens.com was prompt service.

[Betty]

Yup, Churl...turns out the blue is really a "blue black". I hated the color so much I emptied out the cartridge and refilled it with another blue...much much happier now

This post has been edited by Betty: 10 April 2007 - 01:40 PM

[Blackhill]

Mine arrived last Friday. I chose the blue, but I like the color of the ink. I like the pen, too. It is a nice writer.

This will be my giveaway pen since it is inexpensive, but a reliably good writer. It will be a good pen to introduce others interested in trying a fountain pen.

Cheers,
Laura