Platinum Or Sailor?

[LizEF]

Personal opinion: Sailors F and EF are unbeatable. Platinum's SF is also outstanding. If you like really fine nibs Platinum's UEF is really thin, but has lots of feedback. Both are much better than Pilots F nib. My recommendation is: try a Sailor F and the Platinun SF. Both sell for under 120USD ( if you buy directly fron Japan- I bought a lot from Asiantreasurehunt on ebay).

Best of luck, tell us later what you have discovered! Japanese fountain pens are my favourite pens, and it makes me happy to see people more interested in them!

 

Thanks, thiagojp!

[LizEF]

Well, I decided to order the Sailor, with a fine nib. We'll see how I like it when it arrives... Other pens will have to wait for Christmas or birthday. (Poor pens, but this is the only special / limited edition on my wish list.)

[Drcollector]

Good pick! Hope you enjoy it.

[LizEF]

Thought someone might appreciate a mini "initial impressions" style review (or at least celebrate with me ):

 

I love the look and feel of this thing! It's much nicer looking in person than I expected, even though it's lovely in online store photos. It doesn't look or feel like cheap plastic. Everything about it says quality. The blue is a little darker in person than the photos led me to believe, which I like. And it is SMALL! Which I love. And yet, the metal in the section gives it a nice weight, and I really like the balance. (I've found that it's actually harder to write with a super-light pen, like the Pilot Kakuno, than something with a little more weight to sort of steady itself or something (not sure what it is, just that a little weight is good). Of course, a super heavy pen, or one with poor balance doesn't help either.) I haven't done a long writing session with it yet, but my impression is that I'll enjoy it.

 

Here it is on an A5 Rhodia dot pad with a Lamy Al-Star, TWSBI Eco, Pilot Vanishing Point, it, and then a Karas Kustoms Fountain K Mini:

http://www.paradoxcommunity.com/vps/spgsize.jpg

 

As you can see, it's small. But not too small for my hands:

http://www.paradoxcommunity.com/vps/spghand.jpg

 

And here's a writing sample next to the other pens I currently have inked:

http://www.paradoxcommunity.com/vps/spgwriting.jpg

 

I'd say the line width is roughly the same as the TWSBI EF and Pilot F. IMO, that Karas Kustoms has a pretty fat EF (as does the Lamy, which is not inked right now). (Colors above aren't entirely accurate, but aren't too far off either.)

 

Regarding the nib - it is indeed smooth, but with feedback - its angle to the paper seems to impact how much feedback. And it's quite stiff. I can get some line variation, if I press hard enough, but not a ton. Despite that, it feels like a gold nib to me - it gives ever so slightly as you write (as opposed to some steel nibs - like the Eco's - that don't) - and that is a sensation I really enjoy in my gold nib pens.

 

All around, I'm very pleased with everything about this pen, and glad I decided on the fine nib. I have a feeling this will become one of the pens that's always inked.

 

After I've had more time to write with it, I'll post back how I like it for long writing sessions. Appreciate everyone's feedback to my question.

Edited October 21, 2017 by LizEF

[friedrichwild]

Nice!!!

[minddance]

From my experience the Platinums wrote more like Pilots. I didn't like their fine nibs but the Sailor 1911 fine always was a pleasure to use. Just the right feedback for control, it seems to me that they are the best tuned.

Unless you get the 1911 large the standard is a small pen, it hasn't been noticeable because of of the way it is when you hold it it feels significant. Platinum 3776 is wider and longer and the plastic doesnt feel as good. Pilot 74 which I had was a nice width and length and the plastic felt somewhete in between both - but the nib and did not get along. Both my pilot fine and 3776 were just scratchy. I know it can be remedied but I like Sailor feedback, I can only compare it to an Aurora because I haven't tried that many a pen.

My Platinums did not write like Pilots. In fact, Sailor, Plat, Pilot wrote very differently in my experience. The nibs are ground different and polished differently, different wetness too.

 

Platinum Medium and below are very dry and extremely feedbacky, to the extent that they might scratch despite a perfectly aligned nib. Broad and Cosu ease up in the feedback department and write 'more normally' with decent ink flow, certainly not what I would consider wet.

 

Pilot 74 generally has a blobbier nib shape than Platinum and Sailor, more polished than Platinum pens and a different feedback, probably due to the finishing polish/buff. Depending on your luck, the inner tines are not very well taken care of by Pilot. Flow is adequate, if it does at all, but nibs are certainly not wet. However, 74sfm and sm can be pretty wet if pressured is exerted when writing. BB makes my Alt Goldgrun slightly more legible. Music nib tines are quite readily spreadable to lay quite abit of ink onto paper.

 

Sailor MF and below are fairly rounded nib grind. However my 14k fine has a very slight hint of an architect's grind in that vertical lines are thinner than horizontal lines. M and B are real footy and have an extremely specific sweet spot (which isn't the sweetest of spots), which I call an 'angle police'. Lamy Safari has a grip police in the triangular grip, Sailor M and B nibs do that in the nib grind. Sharp cornered and very unpleasant if not micromeshed. Flow can be pretty wet with Sailor if the tines parted. I cannot say the same for Platinum because the Platinum feed is too regulative and prohibitive.

 

Due to the problems that each of these Japanese makers have, higher-end Japanese pens, Urushi (especially when they share the same nib, feed, converter system as lower end models) or King of Pen will not make me part with money.

Edited November 4, 2017 by minddance

[LizEF]

So, in true addict fashion, I now have both the Sailor Pro Gear Slim, fine nib (have had since late October) and the Platinum Century 3776 with a soft fine nib (arrived today). Love them both - fabulous. Both nibs have that little bit of give that I associate with gold nibs, but the 3776 more so, and it flexes like you'd expect from a soft nib. It's been a while since I used my Pilot Falcon, but I don't think it flexes that much (ETA: I don't think the 3776 flexes as much as the Falcon). (Honestly, the Sailor flexes almost as much, but doesn't like it - it requires a lot more pressure, and it's not something I would do generally, whereas I would do it on a whim with the Platinum when I felt like a little flair.)

 

The Sailor took me a little while to get used to - it definitely has that sort of pencil feedback people describe. Now that I'm used to it, I love it. The Platinum seems to have a little less feedback. The 3776 is quite smooth - I don't know if I got lucky or what, I only know it's lovely. When I cleaned it out, some blue came out, so someone tested / tuned it. I don't know if that's normal for Platinum (this is my first of that brand) or what, but I'm not worried.

 

Both seem suitably wet to me (not dry, not gushing, just a little on the wet side). If I had to pick, I'd say the Platinum is wetter, but I haven't used enough inks to judge that accurately (since I've only had one ink in it so far ). The Sailor wins on looks, though - sorry, cigar, but you're just never gonna win with me.

 

Here's a writing sample, in case you're interested. The Platinum has Robert Oster Gold Antiqua and the Sailor has Kobe #15 Maiko Green:

http://www.paradoxcommunity.com/vps/sailorplatinum.jpg

 

Thanks, everyone for all the feedback!

Edited December 6, 2017 by LizEF

[MuddyWaters]

Thanks for updating your thread. The Platinum 3776 century is such an appealing deal, hard to resist, given the price and gold nib. Always good to get writing samples. Wanna post more that are less zoomed?

[LizEF]

Thanks for updating your thread. The Platinum 3776 century is such an appealing deal, hard to resist, given the price and gold nib. Always good to get writing samples. Wanna post more that are less zoomed?

 

MuddyWaters, this is on an A4 pad - full width - I left the image large (sorry it's not as sharp as I would like - have to hold the phone by hand):

http://www.paradoxcommunity.com/vps/platinuma4.jpg

Edited December 9, 2017 by LizEF

[MuddyWaters]

Lovely, LizEF! Thanks so much for your photo! I can see that it is a versatile pen that leaves a really nice line. Your ink is quite nice too! Did you have to put a lot of pressure/write slowly to get the line variation in your last quote?

[LizEF]

Lovely, LizEF! Thanks so much for your photo! I can see that it is a versatile pen that leaves a really nice line. Your ink is quite nice too! Did you have to put a lot of pressure/write slowly to get the line variation in your last quote?

 

In my opinion, you don't have to write especially slowly when flexing - but you have to hold the pen straight on to the paper (so that the nib tines are going straight down when you press), and press on the downstrokes and let up on the upstrokes, so it's just naturally slower than normal writing. But when I do it, it's me that sets the pace, not the pen. In above writing sample, the pen kept up with me until the letter "v" in the word "having" - the "i" railroaded and I had to give the pen a second to catch up with me (it might take more or less time depending on the ink - some inks just don't have the flow to do that).

 

As for the amount of pressure, it doesn't seem like a lot of pressure or be difficult, but that's totally subjective. I have four pens that flex to some degree. To me, they all seem to take about the same amount of pressure to flex - the G nib might require a little less than the others:

1. Zebra G nib (in Jinhao x750)
2. Pilot Falcon, SEF
3. FPR Indus, flex
4. Platinum 3776 Century, fine

Interestingly, when it comes to the feel of the nib as I'm applying pressure, the Platinum feels softest, even though it doesn't seem to require less pressure and its line variation isn't huge / any better than the others. For all of them, the limit (the point where I should not press any harder) is easy for me to distinguish - but that may be me more than the feedback from the metal, don't know.

 

Hope that helps. Please let me know if you have other questions.

[gryphon1911]

I know I'm late to the game, but I'd like to throw my experience into the mix of I may.

 

I find Pilot entry level pens not to my liking. I just never loved them like I do European brothers like Lamy or Kaweco. I just recently was gifted a pilot vanishing point in medium and that has changed my mind about pilot. Absolutely love that pen, great for me at work.

 

My favorite Japanese pens are Platinum.

 

Keeping with the theme of the post, I was able to pick up both a Platinum 3776 and a Sailor 1911. While they are very similar, I hated the nib response from the Sailor, but absolutely love everything about the 3776. I'm ok with the feedback, the nib is wet and smooth.

 

I also have an 03 and 05 Platinum Plaisir, which are not my go to entry level Japanese pens.

 

The Sailor sits unused, and I'm sure I'll see it someday.

 

There really is no substitute for getting the pen in hand and using it.

[sharonspens]

Thank you all for this thread! I saw the notice today that Sailor is putting out an orange edition in the U.S. next month, and that got me thinking seriously about buying my first Sailor. I love my three Pilots, and I like the Platinum I own, but I wasn't sure how the Sailor might compare. I just did a forum search for a thread that would offer comparisons and this one has been quite enlightening.

 

Yes, I will likely get a Sailor at some point in the foreseeable future.

 

Sharon in Indiana

[mke]

> about buying my first Sailor

You have no Sailor? That leaves me speechless.

I am going to sell all my Pilots - and I have many (e.g. Custom 74, 743, 823 and 845) - and stay with Sailor FPs.

[sharonspens]

> about buying my first Sailor

You have no Sailor? That leaves me speechless.

I am going to sell all my Pilots - and I have many (e.g. Custom 74, 743, 823 and 845) - and stay with Sailor FPs.

 

You are going to sell your PILOTS? What????????? I could part with many things, but my Pilots - no, no, no. The Sailor will simply be an addition to the stable.

[sharonspens]

> about buying my first Sailor

You have no Sailor? That leaves me speechless.

I am going to sell all my Pilots - and I have many (e.g. Custom 74, 743, 823 and 845) - and stay with Sailor FPs.

 

You can relax now. I did a test drive with the standard and large fresca blue 1911s today at Fahrney's. Don't care for that color, so i just couldn't pull the trigger. If they had shown me a large 1911 demonstrator, I would have a Sailor in hand right now. Instead, I placed a pre-order for the large tangerine with a medium nib; now I have to wait (semi-patiently) until they hit the States next month.

 

I consoled myself with a trip down to Jenni Bick in Dupont Circle and bought more paper, instead.

 

Sharon in Indiana

Edited January 19, 2018 by sharonspens

[matteob]

Not tried the Sailor as plumped for the Platinum 3776 Century in Bourgogne colour. I bought from J-Subculture and would recommend you do the same for any Japanese pen. The price was half that of UK (and US)and dekivery was very efficient by EMS Speedpost. I went for the Platinum as I could find more positive reviews on it than the Sailor and it was a fair bit cheaper. The nib I chose is a medium which translates a a European fine and indeed the line is about the same as a Bock or Jowo fine. I did not want any thinner than that. Ink flow is good: not too wet or dry and what I like about it is the fact that it is smooth but has some feel: not tooth but feel. It is like writing with a good quality pencil like a Staedtler Noris HB (2) and I love pencils as much as pens. It makes for more precise writing.I will try the Sailor too but as said pricier and more conservative im colour. Platinum also has an ingenious airtight cap to stop ink evaporation so it should start right up after long periods of unuse as well as being safe for pigment inks. It is my favourite pen. So much so that I see no need on buying another for a while. It goes well with my TWSBI Eco daily carry.

Edited January 24, 2018 by matteob

[sharonspens]

Not tried the Sailor as plumped for the Platinum 3776 Century in Bourgogne colour. I bought from J-Subculture and would recommend you do the same for any Japanese pen. The price was half that of UK (and US)and dekivery was very efficient by EMS Speedpost. I went for the Platinum as I could find more positive reviews on it than the Sailor and it was a fair bit cheaper. The nib I chose is a medium which translates a a European fine and indeed the line is about the same as a Bock or Jowo fine. I did not want any thinner than that. Ink flow is good: not too wet or dry and what I like about it is the fact that it is smooth but has some feel: not tooth but feel. It is like writing with a good quality pencil like a Staedtler Noris HB (2) and I love pencils as much as pens. It makes for more precise writing.I will try the Sailor too but as said pricier and more conservative im colour. Platinum also has an ingenious airtight cap to stop ink evaporation so it should start right up after long periods of unuse as well as being safe for pigment inks. It is my favourite pen. So much so that I see no need on buying another for a while. It goes well with my TWSBI Eco daily carry.

 

I have a 3776 Yamanaka (demonstrator) with a F nib. I used it as a daily writer for the whole of 2017, with the exception of leaving it inked and unused for the month of June. It started up on July 1 as though I had used it the day before. A very nice pen, indeed, but not a great converter.

[matteob]

The Platinum converter capacity is a bit small I grant you. That is my only complaint though!

[ENewton]

I am also very happy with both my Platinum and my Sailor pens and am glad not to have to surrender any of them.

 

My Pro Gear Slim (fine) and my Platinum Balance (medium) both have among the most interesting nibs in my collection and are completely different from one another. The Sailor makes me feel that I am writing with a delicate instrument sensitive to every nuance of my writing. I can use even very wet inks on cheap paper, although the nib has an especially lovely feel on smooth paper such as Tomoe River. The Platinum Balance nib seems quite soft and is wet enough that it is my dedicated pen for use with iron-gall inks. It is entirely forgiving as to paper.

 

My Platinum 3776 (medium) has a very firm nib and is the smoothest, wettest pen I have. It writes a wider line than I expected: whereas my Balance medium produces a line comparable to that produced by my Waterman fine points, the 3776 medium produces a line comparable in width to lines produced by my Waterman or Lamy Safari medium points. And I feel I now know what people mean by "buttery"; I confess that when I first put the 3776 to a smooth paper, I was alarmed by how slippery it was.

 

I do find the Platinum converters not to be very durable. The capacity doesn't worry me at all, but I keep having to replace them, while other converters are still intact after more than twenty years of use.