Platinum Carbon Desk Pen Dp800 <M Nib>

[antichresis]

I just received my international shipment of this particular pen today (part of a much larger group order to save on shipping costs to this country).

 

First impressions: It's very very light, almost negatively so. It almost feels like a disposable 10c ballpoint.

It's pretty thin but apparently not thin enough for a desk pen stand my dad gave me (although to be fair it's probably for a ballpoint).

The cap that comes with it is not as flimsy as the reviews I've read make it out to be. Pretty stiff but definitely stable. It's a snug fit too. You need to push it close more than the cap of a Quasi-Imperial, for example.

The nib is ok. Soft. I got a medium nib since I'm into Japanese mediums right now. I have the Pilot Penmanship anyway if I want an extra-fine nib for marginalia.

 

The only quibble I have is that it scratches whenever I write a stroke to the right (pen pointing up); on regular use you don't notice it although the nib does make a sound when you make such stroke (is this what is called "singing"?).

 

Just some questions: Desk pens are kept downward (the reverse of a regular fountain pen), and according to a comment on one site it's to be kept so. Why is that? Is it true at all? I also assume that the pen will not leak if left in a pen holder?

 

There's also a note in the box that only Carbon ink should be used with the pen. I'm pretty sure the pen will work with whatever ink and who followed Nathan Tardiff's instruction with regard to Kung Te-Cheng, but is there any remotely possible thing that could happen with a different ink?

 

Lastly, would anyone know how this rates against the DPN-70 from Pilot? I actually wanted that pen (I have a dozen Pilots and I try pretty much all their cheap pens, even importing those that aren't available in the local market, but this is my first Platinum) but the retailer I bought from only had this for desk pens.

https://imgur.com/a/GijJt

Edited October 24, 2016 by antichresis

[sciumbasci]

The pen is designed to write with Carbon Ink. Along with it's cousin, the Sailor Desk Pen (which is supposed to write with Sailor Nano Inks) it sports a different feed, for it has a larger feed channel to prevent clogging IIRC. But it is by no means intended to be used with carbon inks only.

[zchen]

I only have EF nibs for the Platinum and Pilot desk pens. The Pilot one is a bit wetter, and smoother as a consequence. This was with Montblanc Blue ink.

Edited October 24, 2016 by zchen

[ac12]

A desk pen can be kept in ANY position, if you can cap the pen.

It is nib down, because that is the only way it will stay in a standard desk pen holder.

An NO it won't leak into the holder. If it does, you have another problem.

 

Example1. A Parker 51 desk pen is simply a Parker 51 with a taper/long tail. I can swap the body of a 51 aerometric desk pen by puting on a short body and a clip cap, and it is now a clip pen that you can put into your pocket. Similarly, I can do the reverse to a 51 clip pen and turn it into a desk pen.

Example2. Some of the early desk pens from Parker and other companies came as a convertible kit, you could remove the desk pen taper and screw on a short blind cap and screw on a cap, and you now have a pen that you can put into your pocket.

Example3. The Lamy joy (a desk pen without a base) is simply a Lamy Safari with a taper body.

 

I LIKE light pens. They let me write for a LONG time without getting my hand tired of holding the pen. Most of my pens are less than 20 grams, with some of my favorites below 15 grams.

[antichresis]

A desk pen can be kept in ANY position, if you can cap the pen.

It is nib down, because that is the only way it will stay in a standard desk pen holder.

An NO it won't leak into the holder. If it does, you have another problem.

 

Example1. A Parker 51 desk pen is simply a Parker 51 with a taper/long tail. I can swap the body of a 51 aerometric desk pen by puting on a short body and a clip cap, and it is now a clip pen that you can put into your pocket. Similarly, I can do the reverse to a 51 clip pen and turn it into a desk pen.

Example2. Some of the early desk pens from Parker and other companies came as a convertible kit, you could remove the desk pen taper and screw on a short blind cap and screw on a cap, and you now have a pen that you can put into your pocket.

Example3. The Lamy joy (a desk pen without a base) is simply a Lamy Safari with a taper body.

 

I LIKE light pens. They let me write for a LONG time without getting my hand tired of holding the pen. Most of my pens are less than 20 grams, with some of my favorites below 15 grams.

Thank you!

[antichresis]

The pen is designed to write with Carbon Ink. Along with it's cousin, the Sailor Desk Pen (which is supposed to write with Sailor Nano Inks) it sports a different feed, for it has a larger feed channel to prevent clogging IIRC. But it is by no means intended to be used with carbon inks only.

Thanks for clearing that up. It does look like I won't be having a problem with it and Pilot Blue-Black (and hopefully any other ink).

[antichresis]

I only have EF nibs for the Platinum and Pilot desk pens. The Pilot one is a bit wetter, and smoother as a consequence. This was with Montblanc Blue ink.

That's a bit surprising, no? I would have assumed that the Platinum would be wetter from the feed's larger ink channel. Thanks for this piece of info. Is the line thicker then? Maybe I can figure out a use for something wider than my Penmanship to justify another purchase.

[ink-syringe]

I have never seen a Platinum Carbon desk pen in M. I'd jump on one. They are surprisingly nice but only spidery EF here. </sad_trombones>

[antichresis]

I have never seen a Platinum Carbon desk pen in M. I'd jump on one. They are surprisingly nice but only spidery EF here. </sad_trombones>

I've never tried it but maybe that place they call Rakuten/Engeika has? Shipping from Japan shouldn't be so expensive, since you live just beside it? I'm just guessing here though..

[dcwaites]

I have one in EF. After trying Platinum Carbon Black, Noodler's Heart of Darkness, I have finally settled on Iroshizuku Take Sumi as it's ink. It has performed flawlessly with that ink, starting up instantly after a two week break.