Platinum Vs Sailor

[HenryLouis]

Hello there,

 

I recently was looking at Platinum pens. How are the stock nibs? I write at a 50 degree angle and that makes a lot of my pens get off the sweet spot like my Lamy 2000 and such. I have heard pens like sailor also have a small sweet spot. Also, there seems to be a lot of love for sailor but not a lot of love for Platinum.

 

The only place I remember that carries Platinum online is Ujuku and their website is really confusing to go through. I was looking at a couple of models but I do like the 3776 and the President. What are some differences with these pens?

 

http://ujuku1.ath.cx/Ujuku-Shop/statinary/Platinum/fountainpen/PTB-20000PR.htm

 

http://ujuku1.ath.cx/Ujuku-Shop/statinary/Platinum/fountainpen/PTB-10000B.htm

 

I do know of a Platinum dealer a little drive away, so do you think I could order one from them or are some of the pens Japan only? The Platinum President is comparable in price to a Sailor 1911. They also have a similar design. But, which one is better?

 

Henry

[Deirdre]

The only Platinum pen I own has a music nib; it's firm but has a bit of give, probably because of the three tines.

The Sailor I have is an H-MF, so it's a really hard nib.

 

I like the Platinum, not so crazy about the Sailor.

[HenryLouis]

Ah. I must admit I do hear a lot of good things about Platinum's Music nib. However, I can't write with anything thicker than an EF nib.. I think the Lamy F is too wide.

 

I think the Platinum would be better for everyday usage due to it's nib and the sailor better suited for being an at-home pen. I've heard better things about Platinum nibs than sailor nibs.

 

Also I like the Platinum ink colors better than the Sailor colors...

[Tsujigiri]

I kind of like the Sailor 1911 better than the Platinum President for the way the parts fit together. Sailor converters are also quite a bit smoother, although they don't look as nice. The Platinum, however, has a 2-tone nib, which is a nice touch. I just got a Platinum and Sailor pocket pen in the same size a little while ago, and based on that, I'd say Sailor pens have a little more tooth.

[Lloyd]

I've owned several Sailors (1911 full and midsize) and currently own a Platinum 3776 ribbed (medium nib). I prefer the Platinum pen/nib by far.

[Strang]

In a limited sample size (4 Sailors vs 2 Platinums) I also prefer the Platinum nibs.

[Deirdre]

In a limited sample size (4 Sailors vs 2 Platinums) I also prefer the Platinum nibs.

My sample is so far 1+1, but yeah, same thing.

 

I'd love to get Sailor's Hello Kitty pen, but I know it'll be finer than I'd like. The nib only comes in one size and has HK on it, so it's not like it can be swapped, either.

[HenryLouis]

Thank you all for your replies. I think after my edison I will get a Platinum. The president if I can find it at a good price. What do you think retail is on the president and the 3776?

[Mors Ultima Ratio]

Based on my sample of two pocket pens, one Sailor, one Platinum I like platinum nib better. Extremely smooth. I bought another Platinum impressed by nib performance.

[dashreeve]

I'd hate to go against the "consensus", but I have a Platinum 3776 with a broad, and I prefer My Sailor nibs - just my opinion. I did see a President on Oscar Braun for a good price but I think they all sold.

[Deirdre]

Hey, we all like different things, so there's nothing wrong with preferring one over the other. I tend to like nibs with give and wider nibs than I have on my Sailor, so of course it wouldn't tend to be my favorite.

[thebeesknees]

I know that isellpens.com stocks Platinums, and they have quite a nice price.

[HenryLouis]

hmn, which has a smoother/wetter F or EF line?

[jniforat]

Henry,

 

This is funny. It seems that we become interested in the same pens at the same time!! I'm looking at getting an Edison for Christmas, just recently purchased some P51's, and have a Sailor 1911M with a medium nib coming in the mail from a trade. I think the sailor's look a little nicer, but this just my opinion. Tell us what you get and write a review.

 

Thanks!

[kernando]

Platinum's model numbers are usually yen prices before tax. So you can see that a President is 10000 yen more than a plain 3776. Lots of models are 3776, the celluloid, the ribbed, the maki-e, so just saying 3776 isn't specific. The Ujuku vital statistics quantify the size differences and you can see the trim levels in the pictures. The Presidents come in colors and colorless and rhodium trim these days, but I can't remember whether the lower models do.

 

You don't want any Sailor Professional Gear models, right? Platinum doesn't do the flat end thing so much. A bunch of the Platinum pens are snap caps too, the maki-e ones and the ribbed, I think. The section looks longer and thinner than the threaded sections. I've held a maki-e (just a middling one) and though everything else is big, the section is thin enough for me. And those models don't have superfluous trim rings, like the one that gets dipped into ink.

 

Except for a plastic INK PEN, my Sailors are all slim pens, and those are all 18k extra fine, except for a steel I had ground to a cursive italic. The EFs are plenty fine and pretty smooth for that size. So I can't comment on regular sized Sailors. They seem pointier on both ends.

 

I have a bunch of old model Platinums, and I think it's only from medium down to fine, no EFs. They are really smooth. The Pelikans can't keep up.

 

Are you saying you hold pens at a high angle? I think my angle is lower than 45 degrees, and usually pens have the flatter spot of the tipping set for a higher angle. What's wrong with the Lamy 2000? I mean, if it's an EF, isn't that bigger than any F or EF you're considering from a Japanese make? Maybe Japanese tips are really good and you won't have the same problem, and maybe the Lamy is weird. But if the tips are comparable in angle, shape, smoothness, then would the smaller tips give you a problem?

 

You're not worried about ink colors in bottles, right? You probably could get more colors in Platinum cartridges though, from all the little two-packs marketed with Preppies. The litle metal ball in the Platinum carts is fun to rock back and forth.

 

What about Pilots?

[Tsujigiri]

hmn, which has a smoother/wetter F or EF line?

 

I have 3 of each brand. Based on my pens, Platinum has a smoother F and Sailor has a better EF. Not sure if that's generally true, though.

[cl0123]

Based on:

1. Half a dozen of Sailor with various fine or EF nibs.
   
2. Only ONE 3776 with a Music nib.
   
3. One Sailor MS nib but un-inked and not-tested.
   

 

All of a sudden I think I might have found a reason to try a Platinum with a fine or extra-fine. Unhealthy for the finances department... and really I do not need more fountain pens with fine or extra fine nibs.

 

Not sure if it varies greatly with different samples, but the 1911 full-size and the 1911 Medium that I have both exhibit a little bit of give (F and EF nibs), so unlike the true hard-nail Lamy EF nibs. Really great writers so far, but if Platinum's can write even better...

 

 

With Aloha,

 

Clarence

[HenryLouis]

Hi Kernando,

I have a vanishing point but it goes off the sweet spot on upstrokes. I hold my pens around 45 degrees.

My 2000 M is too thick and wet. My handwriting has changed since I got it and cant use anything broader than the Reform 1745 F. It also gets off the sweet spot often. The tip is flat as opposed to round.

I do like the look of Platinum Blue black so I ordered 3 preppies.

I like the look of the Pilot custom 742 but Pilot nibs are dry. The 823 is dry as well.

As for trim black with gold trim

[HenryLouis]

I apologize for the second post as this mobile device has limited text capacity.

 

as i was saying I don't have a pen with black and gold trim yet.the only classic pen is my Reform 1745...

 

I think hooded nibs are hard to orient properly and thats why I have the sweet spot problem. So conventional nibs from now on.

[Pengrump]

I have many Platinum pens and a few Sailors. The Platinum nibs run very fine and all my Platinum pens are dry writers with Platinum blue black cartridges and a little wetter with most other inks. I like the Platinum converter, but I find the converters I've had don't last long before breaking down. Perhaps I'm too finicky about getting all the ink out and flush them too much. I didn't like the first Sailor I had, one of the old Profit Mosaics. It would stop writing and I had to constantly twist the converter. However, I have a Sailor Sapporo Mini that I use constantly. It has a fine nib, that is only a bit finer than the medium nib on the Platinum 3776 I bought when I visited Tokyo in 2004. Since I just had some bad luck with a Platinum music nib, I'm off the brand temporarily. I'm thinking about springing for a Sailor Realo piston filler…maybe. However, of the big three Japanese pen companies my favorite is far and away Pilot. My Custom 845 writes like a dream, and my 823m though not quite as wet as I like, even with the tail opened up, is a lot wetter than any of my Platinum or Sailor pens. I've never yet had a Pilot that didn't write well out of the box.