Vintage Platignum Find

[Pentode]

Hi all,

 

I stumbled upon this Platignum cartdidge filler recently as part of a lot of pens on Ebay and I'm curious about it's cartridge.

 

I've read here (and elsewhere) that vintage Platignum pens that use these old, discontinued cartridges will also accept modern Cross cartridges.

Does anyone here know if this pen is one of the models that will? Furthermore, if it accepts modern Cross carts, will it also work with modern Cross converters?

 

Lastly, does anyone know which model this is? I've found scant information on Platignum pens online.

 

Thanks so much in advance for any light you can shed!

 

 

 

[PaulS]

sorry, can't tell you which model this is............... Platignum made very many slightly different looking sac and cartridge f.ps. during the second half of the C20 - lots of which have their name on the barrel imprint, but some don't unfortunately. The rather obvious lack of interest in what were very cheap pens, lacking in quality, means there are few collectors and even fewer who want cartridges - however, have a look at this link - appreciate it's six years old but might still have some use - and don't forget to look on ebay - old cartridges do still surface occasionally.

 

https://www.google.com/url?q=https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/210442-platignum-converter/&sa=U&ved=0ahUKEwiYsKC3h6LVAhXFa5oKHWASC2gQFggKMAM&client=internal-uds-cse&usg=AFQjCNG5byljHDq3hV1ArTXS1KKnOlRp2A

 

Also remember that since you obviously have an empty cartridge of the correct pattern, then this can be filled with syringe, a few times at least.

Have a look too at the FPN search engine for Platignum - there's a fair bit to read.

 

Just possibly your pen is a Regal, but really not sure - some models went through a few minor face-lifts.

Edited July 24, 2017 by PaulS

[Chrissy]

Hi all,

 

I stumbled upon this Platignum cartdidge filler recently as part of a lot of pens on Ebay and I'm curious about it's cartridge.

 

I've read here (and elsewhere) that vintage Platignum pens that use these old, discontinued cartridges will also accept modern Cross cartridges.

Does anyone here know if this pen is one of the models that will? Furthermore, if it accepts modern Cross carts, will it also work with modern Cross converters?

 

Lastly, does anyone know which model this is? I've found scant information on Platignum pens online.

 

Thanks so much in advance for any light you can shed!

 

Platignum1.JPG

 

Platignum2.JPG

 

 

I have a Platignum pen with a cartridge like that. I just refill the cartridge using a syringe.

[Pentode]

Thanks, both of you, for the replies.

 

Refilling with a syringe is the obvious choice for now, but the carts do wear out after a while. If I'm able to find another cart I can always make a squeeze-bulb converter out of it, which will save on wear-and-tear of the cart opening, but I don't want to do that to the only cart I have. I may just buy a pack of Cross carts to see what happens.

 

I was able to find some Platignum info here on FPN, but not a lot on the cart fillers (for the reasons Paul stated) so I figured perhaps a photo or two might help me more.

[PaulS]

collectors do tend to give this brand a miss in general - the older steel nibs are not ideal for writing - their plastic has a reputation for shrinking, and sometimes they smell . However, if you get the chance have a look at Platignum Pressmatics - some of their Varsity Pressmatics, and their The Statesman - all of which either had gold nibs or could be fitted with one - they're better quality.

But with the option of other better quality and inexpensive f.ps., available fairly commonly, then Platignum seems to have been relegated to the nostalgia bin.

Edited July 24, 2017 by PaulS

[Bluey]

I think that looked like a Platignum Cadet. At one time they were cheap, plentiful in every stationery shop, and very poor quality with a horrible nib.

Edited July 24, 2017 by Bluey

[Pentode]

I think that looked like a Platignum Cadet. At one time they were cheap, plentiful in every stationery shop, and very poor quality with a horrible nib.

C'mon, don't candy-coat it. Tell me how you really feel about these pens.

[grainweevil]

I've read here (and elsewhere) that vintage Platignum pens that use these old, discontinued cartridges will also accept modern Cross cartridges.

Does anyone here know if this pen is one of the models that will? Furthermore, if it accepts modern Cross carts, will it also work with modern Cross converters?

 

Sorry, bit late to this, but yes, the Cross cartridges will fit that one. Physically the converter fits, but I've not tried it with ink.

[Pentode]

Thank you grainweevil, I'll pick up some cross carts and give it a try. I'll wait and see how it writes before I spend any more on a converter.

From the descriptions so far, I don't have very high expectations.

[peterg]

In my day at school we squeezed the cartridge and usually managed to get a quarter fill. Not ideal but it worked. I think that with syringe filling the cartridge would last a long time.

 

The nibs were not that bad, although the Osmiroid style nib units were better, and yes, they sold by the thousand because they were better than the alternatives at that price (around 25p in the 1970's).

[Pentode]

I think that with syringe filling the cartridge would last a long time.

 

More than likely, especially since I have a lot of pens going in and out of rotation, but my idea was that if the Cross carts fit, I could use one to make a squeeze converter* so I wouldn't have to sacrifice the original cart or risk wearing it out with repeated refilling.

 

*cutting the cart down and attaching a sac to it, as is popular with Kaweco Sports.

[grainweevil]

From the descriptions so far, I don't have very high expectations.

 

As far as I recall mine wrote okay; a bit stubbish, I think. Just go into it with Hero 616 expectations, rather than Parker "51" ones.

[Sailor Kenshin]

If you can't locate a Cross cart,I have one or two spares.

[Pentode]

If you can't locate a Cross cart,I have one or two spares.

Thank you, Friend! I'd really appreciate that.

 

Crazy busy now, but I'll PM in the next couple of days.

 

Really... very much appreciated.

[Pentode]

The verdict: The Cross carts fit perfectly!

 

Thanks to a generous gift of two carts from Sailor Kenshin, I was able to try it out and the fit is pretty much ideal.

 

Also, true to Bluey's word, the nib is absolutely horrible. I'm going to spend a little time (VERY little) attempting to improve it's performance, but I suspect I'll be trying to put lipstick on a pig. Still, it's nice to know those carts will work in case I wind up with a Platignum cart filler with a better nib.

 

Thanks all for your suggestions and opinions and, especially, Sailor Kenshin for the carts!

[Sailor Kenshin]

What's the nature of the nib horribleness? Scratchy, poor flow, what? Do you have a loup, and can you see if the tines are aligned?

 

Jess tryin' to help. And I'm glad the carts fit!

[Pentode]

The tines are very flexible, but not like a flex nib. It's more like a nib that's been sprung, but I think it's just a result of poor quality rather than actually being sprung.

Aligning the tines with a loupe helped, but not a whole lot. There's a limit to how much time I'll put into a drugstore pen, but I'm planning to give it one more good try before dismissing it as a poorly made pen and a fun experiment.

[Sailor Kenshin]

The fact that it's semi-hooded, almost like a Parker 45, might make this a bit more tricky to fix.

[PaulS]

compared to the range of Platignum f.ps. that have open nibs, there are very few indeed that have this type of semi-hooded nib, and of those few their model known as the '100' pen has arguably the best of that sort - the 100 f.p. was introduced in 1960. It's a pen that shares the same capillary filling system as the P61, so like the Parker system, this one also probably unsuccessful. Another, less expensive Platignum, with hooded nib, is a model I can't put a name to - it has a gold coloured outline diamond feature which is seen on the section just behind the nib - perhaps trying to copy the inlaid gold arrow on the P61.

 

Images on the screen can be unreliable, but looking at the o.ps. nib here, it does appear that there is some reasonable amount of tipping material remaining on the point, so it might be assumed that with a little tlc this nib could be made to write o.k., but as I say images can be unreliable.

It doesn't look as though scratchiness is the culprit - perhaps bad contact with the feed?

 

I'm not sure how many hooded type nibs were used by Platignum, but it can't have been more than three or four models I wouldn't have thought, but would agree that most were poorly made pens.

Edited August 13, 2017 by PaulS

[Sailor Kenshin]

The tines are very flexible, but not like a flex nib. It's more like a nib that's been sprung, but I think it's just a result of poor quality rather than actually being sprung.

Aligning the tines with a loupe helped, but not a whole lot. There's a limit to how much time I'll put into a drugstore pen, but I'm planning to give it one more good try before dismissing it as a poorly made pen and a fun experiment.

 

If you can't get it writing the way you want, we could take a look and see if we can do something.