To Add Or Not To Add: Platinum

[TheDutchGuy]

For those who are familiar with all of the three major Japanse brands: what does Platinum bring to the table that Sailor and Pilot don't, apart from colours?

 

I have two Sailors and these are the pens I love the most (both 14k H-M). I adore that gentle Sailor feedback.Then there's my Pilot Metropolitan M and the Pilot Custon 823 F. My local penshop just around the corner sadly doesn't carry Sailor or Pilot. But it has, as of this week, started to carry Platinum. Had a quick look today at the new arrivals. Basically they've got the cheap 2 euro range, the 20 euro range (competing against the popular Pilot Metropolitan and the Kaweco Classic Sport) and the 200 euro range (the 3776 Century in various colours and nibs, including the double-slit music nib). Didn't have a chance to write with them and will postpone that until I'm ready to buy a new pen. On the one hand I love my Japanese pens more than I do my other pens. On the other hand I wonder if Platinum will bring me something new compared to Sailor and Pilot.

Edited June 15, 2018 by TheDutchGuy

[cattar]

short answer -- yes.

 

 

The preppy and aluminum-bodied plaisir have the same nib. Easy to clean, great for testing inks and slipseal cap so ink doesn't evaporate. Stiff footed nib that always writes and is good for handing to someone who wants to try a pen. I sometimes use an EF, I often carry an F to hand to the curious.

 

The 3776 century nib has a different feedback. I like the nibs, I prefer Sailor and its pencilly feedback. I also like the Pilot Falcon pen's nib, other Pilot gold nibs write too smooth, soft, not interesting to me.

 

Try the pens in the shop. What matters is whether the pens suit you.

 

 

eta. Platinum, like Sailor and Pilot, makes its own nibs.

Edited June 15, 2018 by cattar

[dan in montreal]

 

The 3776 century nib has a different feedback. I like the nibs, I prefer Sailor and its pencilly feedback. I also like the Pilot Falcon pen's nib, other Pilot gold nibs write too smooth, soft, not interesting to me.

 

Try the pens in the shop. What matters is whether the pens suit you.

 

My experience has been about the same as cattar's, but I actually tend to prefer the Pilot nibs because they are really smooth!

If you can try them out in person, go for it.

 

There is one rather cheap pen by Platinum with a steel nib that does not in my opinion have a Pilot / Sailor equivalent at its price point (under 40 USD) : the Balance / Cool. I really like this model - they make great knockabout pens and the nibs are quite springy.

[stan]

My first experiences with Japanese fountain pens were the Platinum ReCelluloids with 14K nibs. I collected almost all of the colors and included Sailor Magellans in the collection. Again for the celluloid.

 

The Sailors were a tad smaller pen with stiffer less forgiving nibs. Smooth as heck.

 

The Platinum 3776 nibs seemed especially user friendly and wrote well. This was back when they came with ebonite feeds. Over the past twenty years nomenclature on Platinum nibs has changed at least four times. I suspect the nibs have been tweaked ever so slightly too. General preference is for the 3776 with round profile nibs, not the flat profile. They were only available on the original 3776 models and, to my taste, more flexible.

 

Over the past year I've moved back to collecting older 3776 celluloid models, new 3776 LEs, Presidents, and Izumo's. I use an Izumo LE with special Kingdom Note nib daily. For the money (they are the most reasonable in cost) Platinum pens are best writers and highly under-rated. Supposedly, they are the best selling pens in Japan. Don't know about that.

 

Platinum does not make as many models or types and kinds of nibs, or LEs or SEs, as Sailor or Pilot and that might be why they are not looked at more closely. I'm my opinion, they do provide as good or better bang for your buck.

 

Regarding 3776 LEs or SEs, I've counted at least ten produced over the past twenty years. This does jot include the makie models.

 

Part of the reason Platinum may be looked down on is their reasonably priced makie pens. To some, frankly, they look cheap. And, they were meant to be and catered to specific market sectors that may not be overseas. To me, some of their hiramakie are well done surpassing anything by Pilot or Sailor. I suggest obtaining an older Platinum catalogue and see the varies pens.

 

Older Platinum 3776 and other post-1990 or so models have become harder to find and prices have steadily risen over the past few years. Still very reasonable compared to other pens. Prices will rise as the market figures out what is available and collecting interest increases.

[JunkyardSam]

If you enjoy the nuanced differences between pens then you'll love the differences Platinum offers from Pilot and Sailor.

 

As you know, the 3776 Century is the pen to get. It has an unusually large gold nib for the price, and a feel on paper that is significantly different from Pilot and Sailor. While a Platinum F or M might be ideal for most people -- my favorite nibs are the UEF and SF. It's not uncommon for those nib sizes to need work out of the box, though, so consider ordering from someone like Dan Smith if you go with one of those nibs... someone who can test and tune the nib before sending it to you.

 

The 3776 Shungyo SF is a favorite pen at the moment amidst many. It's a very characteristic writing experience quite different from my Falcons or 823 FA. (Which are also great pens.) This particular pen wouldn't write at all on arrival, but after some work to reduce the tension at the tip of the tines -- it has this soft mushy response and tactile nib feel that stands out significantly versus any of my Sailor or Pilot pens. Not better or worse, just different... and very interesting.

 

There's a good chance that when you get a Platinum you may prefer Pilot and Sailor... but something about the Platinum writing experience tends to grow on people over time and you'll find people who are really into pens that get past the "smoother is better" mentality really enjoy them.

 

UEF/SF is a risky first purchase, though. Consider the M, or the F if you like really fine nibs.

Edited June 16, 2018 by JunkyardSam

[LizEF]

I really like the unique feel of the 3776 SF I have. If you like buttery smooth, then you won't like it. I also have a Sailor Pro Gear Slim in F, and lots of Pilots (mostly F, also EF and SEF). I like them all, for different reasons, and the nib feel of the three brands is quite different. If you like variety, and don't mind a bit of feedback, then you'll probably like the Platinum.

[TheDutchGuy]

If you enjoy the nuanced differences between pens then you'll love the differences Platinum offers from Pilot and Sailor.

That's my trip :-)

 

Thanks for the good input everyone. I have to admit that I think the 3776 Century range looks kind of cheapish to me but it's the writing experience that matters. Glad to hear that Platinum has a unique character different from the other big two. I've looked up the SF and that seems to be a pretty amazing nib. Iwatched some YT vids, that will be the first one to try out when the time comes.

[mongrelnomad]

Platinum are absolutely excellent pens, and often offer great bang for your buck. The nibs are different to Pilot and Sailor in a manner that's difficult to describe. I've found them generally between the two in regards to smoothness (with Pilot the smoothest and Sailor the most feedback-y), but always consistent and very very reliable. They also offer some esoteric options, such as the 'soft' nib - think of it as a springy hard nib, as the flex comes from below the nib, not between the tines. Unlike others here, I've never had a problem with any of the ~10 Platinum nibs out of the box.

 

The converters aren't so great - they have a tendency to seize - but they're cheap as chips to replace. The cartridges are very good though, with a ball-bearing built-in that keeps the ink moving and gives the pen a unique sound.

 

I own numerous 3776s (including the celluloids - unique prospects in this day and age) and like them immensely, but think that the Izumo is the stand-out of the Platinum range offering ebonite and urushi (and sometimes maki-e) for a fraction of the Nakaya price (if bought from Japan, as you should). The President nib (18k) is slightly smaller that that of the 3776 (14k), but it is a fabulous nib for those who don't judge exclusively based on size.

 

TL;DR: Platinum are great.

Edited June 16, 2018 by mongrelnomad

[TheDutchGuy]

^-----That's good info, thanx a lot! The Izumo is intriguing (in that price range the Sailor KoP also comes to mind, but is not available with F nibs). I'll have to do some serious saving for an Izumo, and that will take a while, as they retail for around 700 euros here. It'll have to an exceptionally special pen to persuade me to spend that much. Importing from Japan won't save much (a lesson I've learned with my Custom 823). Plus, for a pen in that price range, I want to try before I buy.

[MYU]

Platinum is definitely underrated with regards to their fountain pen offerings. I like rolling back a couple of decades and see about picking up vintage models. Their nibs are excellent, with quality about on par with Pilot and Sailor. Most of their older nibs look rather plain, unfortunately. But the newer 3776 nibs are attractive, IMHO.

[ENewton]

 

There is one rather cheap pen by Platinum with a steel nib that does not in my opinion have a Pilot / Sailor equivalent at its price point (under 40 USD) : the Balance / Cool. I really like this model - they make great knockabout pens and the nibs are quite springy.

 

I am another person who appreciates variety in nibs, as opposed to seeking one particular style or quality.

 

Although my favorite Japanese pen is a Sailor, I use a Platinum 3776 on a regular basis and enjoy how it can be smooth and wet and yet interesting enough to make me mindful of writing as a physical act. By contrast, although I appreciate the utility of my Pilots for swift note-taking and markup, I do not find the writing experience especially interesting.

 

I also agree with Dan that the Balance/Cool should not be overlooked. It is an inexpensive pen, but to me the barrel actually feels more solid than the barrel on a standard black 3776, and the nib has a different kind of softness from the 3776 SF. (To me the SF is delicately bouncy, while the Balance feels as if the nib were melting slightly, which of course it is not.) I use mine with iron gall inks, on the theory that if there were any damage, it would be to an inexpensive pen.

[Olya]

Platinum as a whole isn't the best selling maker in Japan, the 3776 Century is though (or was?) since its introduction a few years ago.

 

I didn't buy Platinum pens for their reputed tooth, as I always liked smooth nibs and still do, but Platinum's tooth never bothered me to my surprise, I like it actually and the 3776 Century has become one of my most used pens. Even if you like super smooth nibs, I'd give the Platinum a try, a taste for tooth might be there and surprise you too.

 

The cheap pens, Preppy & Plaisir, are a good gauge if you don't want to pay too much for sth you might not like. Though I'm sure your pen shop will let you try Platinum's nibs as they carry the brand.

 

The Balance is also an excellent pen, but the nib is springy and not stiff like Plainum's other offerings.

 

In comparison with Sailor & Pilot, in my experience Pilot is the buttery smooth one with a cushiony nib, Sailor is fairly stiff and smooth with a touch of feedback, and the Platinum has the most tooth and is also the loudest, but very reliable.

 

I don't know, I've read several times now that people find the 3776 Century cheap looking or feeling, but I can't say that I share that feeling. If you use a cartridge though, the ball is quite loud.

[twin63]

I have much less experience than the other members that have posted, but do have pens from the 3 companies. I agree that you should at least try Platinum. I just started using the 3776 Century and Balance a couple of weeks ago and they definitely give a different writing experience than Pilot or Sailor. I like what all 3 brands bring to the table, though I prefer Pilot overall.

 

One thing I haven't done yet is test the 3 brands with different types of paper and ink. I'm sure that will further enhance my preferences for these Japanese pens.

[RocketRyan]

I think Platinum pens write beautifully and they look great, but materials aren't the most premium. But for the money they are excellent pens.

[TheDutchGuy]

It's funny how most people perceive Pilot as buttery smooth and Sailor and Platinum as feedbacky. My two Sailors definitely have feedback, but it's a silky pencil-like feedback without tooth or drag. It's very pleasant. My Pilot Custom 823 F, on the other hand, is not pencil-like at all and its feedback might be described as toothy. It's not scratchy in the least and under the microscope I can see that the nib is perfectly aligned and rounded, but it's so fine (as in small/narrow) that it just has tooth when writing. Some days I like it, some days the pen seems to fight me.

[invisuu]

The 3776 with a B nib I have is very pleasantly stubbish. The capping mechanism is superb and very satisfying. I would gladly recommend it.

 

Platinum for 2 EUR, I'm guessing Preppy, is suprisingly good. Huge ink chamber if you eyedropper convert it. Cheapest super-extra-fine nib you can buy as far as I know.

 

Platinum PTL-5000A is also great. I have the maki-e version and the nib is bouncy with plenty of feedback.

 

That said, please be aware that the 3776 goes for about 70 EUR in Japan. I paid 200 EUR for the Platinum 3776 Nice Lilas limited edition. The regular ones are much cheaper.

[TheDutchGuy]

The 3776 with a B nib I have is very pleasantly stubbish. The capping mechanism is superb and very satisfying. I would gladly recommend it.

 

Platinum for 2 EUR, I'm guessing Preppy, is suprisingly good. Huge ink chamber if you eyedropper convert it. Cheapest super-extra-fine nib you can buy as far as I know.

 

Platinum PTL-5000A is also great. I have the maki-e version and the nib is bouncy with plenty of feedback.

 

That said, please be aware that the 3776 goes for about 70 EUR in Japan. I paid 200 EUR for the Platinum 3776 Nice Lilas limited edition. The regular ones are much cheaper.

Isn't the 3776 Century slightly more expensive than the "normal" 3776...?

 

Regarding nibs: anything wider than Western M makes my writing look very dense and decreases readability. I have a 1.1 mm stub that I use daily to make headers above my work notes and journal entries and it's great for that. And I have an old Sheaffer Targa that also has the stubbish character that you describe from the Platinum, it's a great pen, I use it occasionally for journaling.

 

I will definitely get one of the cheaper Platinums, to see how it compares to my Pilot Metropolitan and Kaweco Classic Sport. Should be fun.

[JonSzanto]

I have to admit that I think the 3776 Century range looks kind of cheapish to me...

 

To each their own. Here are two of mine, the Tortoise celluloid (I happen to have a Nakaya nib in it) and a Callico with a music nib. I don't happen to find them lacking in appearance.

 

 

I'm not certain if I missed it or not, but many of the 3776 models feature a spring-loaded inner cap ("slip-and-seal") that is remarkably effective at keeping the pen from drying out. In my experience, with a number of these in use, it goes well beyond marketing hype and you can go days or weeks between use and the pen will write immediately. Some people find that a good thing.

[TheDutchGuy]

^---Those pens definitely do not look cheap. Wow, such beauties. The ones I saw in the store (black, transparent blue and transparent red) looked cheapish to me. The cap seal is very nice, I definitely appreciate such details.

[minddance]

My eyes say yes but my hands say no. The writing sensation disappoints me in more ways than I could possibly imagine.