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Stripping The Text Off Of A Platinum Preppy

Houston

By Houston
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Houston Extremely Rare

Houston

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Just recently got my first Preppy after years of hearing about them. I'm impressed. What a great product! I have pens at all price points, and the Preppy knocks my socks off as a smooth-as-silk, no-risk daily writer.

 

There's only one thing that bugs me about it: the prominent printing on the barrel -- both the branding and the barcode.

 

Does anyone know an easy way to get it off without damaging the barrel? Acetone/nail polish remover? White spirit? ...?

 

Thanks, in advance!

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displacermoose Extremely Rare

displacermoose

Posted
Posted

There are a couple of threads on this. Some people have had good luck with non-acetone nail polish remover.

Yet another Sarah.

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lectraplayer Extremely Rare

lectraplayer

Posted
Posted (edited)

That has been a common topic. I know a couple Instructables that calls for that Off bug spray in the pump bottle. Google tells of many possibilities.

 

I found it wears off in my pocket but it also microscratches the barrel.

Edited by lectraplayer

If it isn't too bright for you, it isn't bright enough for me.

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A Smug Dill Museum Piece

A Smug Dill

Posted
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There's only one thing that bugs me about it: the prominent printing on the barrel -- both the branding and the barcode.

 

It'd be so much classier if Platinum etched or sandblasted the branding and barcode on the plastic barrel!

I endeavour to be frank and truthful in what I write, show or otherwise present, when I relate my first-hand experiences that are not independently verifiable; and link to third-party content where I can, when I make a claim or refute a statement of fact in a thread. If there is something you can verify for yourself, I entreat you to do so, and judge for yourself what is right, correct, and valid. I may be wrong, and my position or say-so is no more authoritative and carries no more weight than anyone else's here.

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Jamerelbe Antique

Jamerelbe

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I've found that non-acetone nail polish remover worked well, used sparingly. Acetone (apparently) will eat the plastic!

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lectraplayer Extremely Rare

lectraplayer

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It'd be so much classier if Platinum etched or sandblasted the branding and barcode on the plastic barrel!

Agreed, though the Preppy isn't exactly a classy pen. It's probably about equivalent to a Bic, actually.

If it isn't too bright for you, it isn't bright enough for me.

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A Smug Dill Museum Piece

A Smug Dill

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Agreed, though the Preppy isn't exactly a classy pen. It's probably about equivalent to a Bic, actually.

 

That's exactly why I strongly believe it would be best if the Preppy models could (continue to) "punch above its weight", i.e. deliver functionally and qualitatively more/better than what a consumer can reasonable expect at its ¥300–¥400 MSRP, but made in such a way that it cannot easily be made to look more pleasing or attractive to the user, or somehow convince onlookers that the user has chosen to use something classier. I have no doubt there are those who are happy with using a Bic, and can create great art (in writing, drawings, whatever) with a Bic, but should never be given the luxury/option of appearing to be using something 'better' than a Bic if that's his/her instrument of choice.

 

As I've said elsewhere on FPN, it's exactly the sort of pen I'd want to ink up with permanent (pigment, iron-gall, or other) ink and sign really important documents with, especially in front of people of sophistication or presumed high standing (professionally, politically, etc.), as opposed to a thousand-dollar pen I bring to weekly status meetings because that would be what I use 'every day' by choice.

I endeavour to be frank and truthful in what I write, show or otherwise present, when I relate my first-hand experiences that are not independently verifiable; and link to third-party content where I can, when I make a claim or refute a statement of fact in a thread. If there is something you can verify for yourself, I entreat you to do so, and judge for yourself what is right, correct, and valid. I may be wrong, and my position or say-so is no more authoritative and carries no more weight than anyone else's here.

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sciumbasci Vintage

sciumbasci

Posted
Posted

Just buy the Crystal version

 

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0046/3421/4518/products/99f91b3dd143c94420fd118da349b009_grande.jpg

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Houston Extremely Rare

Houston

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Just buy the Crystal version

 

http://cdn.shopify.com/s/files/1/0046/3421/4518/products/99f91b3dd143c94420fd118da349b009_grande.jpg

 

Good option, but I'm addicted to purple. :wub:

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Houston Extremely Rare

Houston

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Many thanks, all. Apologies for having taken up space for something I probably should have just googled. But, on the other hand, if I'd done that, I wouldn't have had the pleasure of reading asmugdill's delightful anti-elitist diatribe against pen poseurs!

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lectraplayer Extremely Rare

lectraplayer

Posted
Posted

Many thanks, all. Apologies for having taken up space for something I probably should have just googled. But, on the other hand, if I'd done that, I wouldn't have had the pleasure of reading asmugdill's delightful anti-elitist diatribe against pen poseurs!

Always a good thing to spark a discussion, or a debate here.

 

 

 

That's exactly why I strongly believe it would be best if the Preppy models could (continue to) "punch above its weight", i.e. deliver functionally and qualitatively more/better than what a consumer can reasonable expect at its ¥300–¥400 MSRP, but made in such a way that it cannot easily be made to look more pleasing or attractive to the user, or somehow convince onlookers that the user has chosen to use something classier. I have no doubt there are those who are happy with using a Bic, and can create great art (in writing, drawings, whatever) with a Bic, but should never be given the luxury/option of appearing to be using something 'better' than a Bic if that's his/her instrument of choice.

 

As I've said elsewhere on FPN, it's exactly the sort of pen I'd want to ink up with permanent (pigment, iron-gall, or other) ink and sign really important documents with, especially in front of people of sophistication or presumed high standing (professionally, politically, etc.), as opposed to a thousand-dollar pen I bring to weekly status meetings because that would be what I use 'every day' by choice.

 

True, they can do some things to liven it up a bit, though I'm not sure what I'd want to do to "make it look classy." I can think of a few functional improvements (such as a better cartridge retention system as my habit of slinging it around often jars the cartridge loose. Not something a spring can't fix. :D ...though I have also tried my Preppy with an iron gall (Salix to be specific) and it really isn't wet enough to make the iron gall part useful. ...but really, if you're looking to impress somebody of class with a stinkin' Preppy, you're wasting your time. You might have a fighting chance with an Ahab though. ;)

 

That said, a Pilot Vanishing Point is really what I want.

If it isn't too bright for you, it isn't bright enough for me.

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Honeybadgers Donor Pen

Honeybadgers

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Posted (edited)

I've tried acetone and found that it just didn't work very well on some preppies but great on others.

 

Honestly, get some 800 grit sandpaper, follow with 1600, 3000, 5000, 7000, and then some simichrome and finally an optical car paint polish. Seems like a lot of stuff, but that's like $15-20 in supplies and you now have everything needed to polish up and restore vintage pens!

Edited by Honeybadgers

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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Brianm_14 Extremely Rare

Brianm_14

Posted
Posted

Just upgrade to a Plaisir, which is a Preppy with a college education (actually, just an opaque barrel) and you are done.

 

You can even swap out nibs as you wish! What's the problem? Just pick up a Plaisir or two at the lowest possible price. The price vary considerably, depending on where you look.

Brian

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Brianm_14 Extremely Rare

Brianm_14

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Or . . . Couldn't a Dremel Mototool or some other form of a polishing wheel or two accomplish all of this in short order, with little manual labor?

Brian

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Honeybadgers Donor Pen

Honeybadgers

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Or . . . Couldn't a Dremel Mototool or some other form of a polishing wheel or two accomplish all of this in short order, with little manual labor?

 

 

You'd get really patchy results.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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Bibliophage Vintage

Bibliophage

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non-battery powered dremels (high speed), can melt the plastic, so you're better off leaving those for cutting and grinding rather than sanding.

 

For me, the cartridges cost to darn much.

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tomtom42 New

tomtom42

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Posted

As written before I had good success with a soft eraser - but be prepared to spend 10-15 minutes rubbing per preppy...

 

 

For me, the cartridges cost to darn much.

 

I refill these and also bought some converters from the 'bay...

 

br,

tom

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Honeybadgers Donor Pen

Honeybadgers

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non-battery powered dremels (high speed), can melt the plastic, so you're better off leaving those for cutting and grinding rather than sanding.

 

For me, the cartridges cost to darn much.

 

They're not that pricey, like $6 for a 20 is about the same as standard international, and they come with a big ball bearing and way more ink.

 

Also, they're built like tanks and are the best cartridge in the game for refilling.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

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Houston Extremely Rare

Houston

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They're not that pricey, like $6 for a 20 is about the same as standard international, and they come with a big ball bearing and way more ink.

 

Also, they're built like tanks and are the best cartridge in the game for refilling.

 

Agree with the quality of the carts, esp for refilling. I tend to use a converter in all my Platinum pens. It *is* pricey for a converter, when compared with the price of a Preppy, but it's roughly the same as many other converters, and built better, in my opinion.

 

Looks like I'll be going into the drug store to find some non-acetone nail-polish remover.

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