How Would You Rank Japanese Proprietary Converters Vs Standard International?

[mongrelnomad]

How do Platinum converters die?

They just stop turning...

[ENewton]

They just stop turning...

 

One of mine stopped turning after a few months. It didn't resist turning, it was just as if the knob were no longer communicating with the mechanism.

 

I bought a second one, and after a few months, it seemed to get stuck while moving in one direction, so I tried to move it the other direction, at which point it gave a soft, popping sound and came apart in my hand.

 

A few months ago, I gave someone a Platinum pen as a gift, and he hasn't been able to get the converter to draw ink at all. He uses cartridges instead.

[mongrelnomad]

 

One of mine stopped turning after a few months. It didn't resist turning, it was just as if the knob were no longer communicating with the mechanism.

 

I bought a second one, and after a few months, it seemed to get stuck while moving in one direction, so I tried to move it the other direction, at which point it gave a soft, popping sound and came apart in my hand.

 

A few months ago, I gave someone a Platinum pen as a gift, and he hasn't been able to get the converter to draw ink at all. He uses cartridges instead.

My Sailors are the ones that tend to disintegrate, although I did have one Platinum converter fail as dramatically, though he was one of the weird syringe doodads rather than a piston - a type that I havent experienced since.

 

For the record, I love the CON-70.

Edited July 8, 2018 by mongrelnomad

[msum]

Thanks for the information.

 

Makes one think twice about the Nakaya maki-e converters...

 

Doesnt sound like they could necessarily even be refilled by syringe after they die. I know that would be low ink capacity anyway, compared to cartridge.

[ENewton]

Doesnt sound like they could necessarily even be refilled by syringe after they die. I know that would be low ink capacity anyway, compared to cartridge.

 

Interesting idea. Mine froze with the plunger part all the way down, so I didn't even think of filling it with a syringe, but I just took it apart and reassembled it with the plunger part all the way up, and now I actually could use a syringe to fill it. My Platinum pens are both mediums, and my handwriting is very small, so ink capacity has never been a concern for me.

 

As I said earlier in the thread, I currently have a working converter for each of my Platinum pens, but given my prior experience, I have every reason to think I will someday put your suggestion to good use. Thank you.

[Mew]

 

Interesting idea. Mine froze with the plunger part all the way down, so I didn't even think of filling it with a syringe, but I just took it apart and reassembled it with the plunger part all the way up, and now I actually could use a syringe to fill it. My Platinum pens are both mediums, and my handwriting is very small, so ink capacity has never been a concern for me.

 

As I said earlier in the thread, I currently have a working converter for each of my Platinum pens, but given my prior experience, I have every reason to think I will someday put your suggestion to good use. Thank you.

It's a piston, like your Pelikan piston Fillers. You need to lubricate the piston using silicon grease from time to time. I faced similar issues with my platinum convertor when I had Nakaya. Greased the piston and it worked as a new one would. I still dislike it though, or any other twist convertor.

[ENewton]

It's a piston, like your Pelikan piston Fillers. You need to lubricate the piston using silicon grease from time to time. I faced similar issues with my platinum convertor when I had Nakaya. Greased the piston and it worked as a new one would. I still dislike it though, or any other twist convertor.

 

I understand that it is a piston, but so are the converters on my other c/c pens. Pens I have had for over twenty years still have their original converters, and I have never had to lubricate them.

[bone215]

I have 3 Platinum pens and in each I have used the attached cartridge first. It has a little ball in it that agitates the ink when the pen is turned up or down. These cartridges I just refill with whatever ink I want in the pen. Some of these cartridges last a very long time. I will have to take a look at my Platinum converter that came with the 3776 and see if it is different in quality than others.

 

I have had a few cheap China converters disassemble but I must admit it was after I had manhandled them a bit.

 

Seems like there is a lot of variability in quality of pens, nibs, inks, etc. Sometimes it feels like it is 'the luck of the draw'.

[Mech-for-i]

Well these are tools , and like all thing mechanical, they get used and then the require to be serviced, maintenance, and general clean and lube .. making a habit to do that and you will be fine with them , failure to do so simply are asking for trouble down the road

[Pensei]

I love the Pilot CON 50 and think it is dramatically underrated. Why? Because it is so easy to clean. I can't stand not being able to clean a pen and the converter when I change inks.. With the 50, you just spray it a few times with a syringe, and it is absolutely pristine.Counter example: the Lamy converter, which retains a bit of ink behind the end seal no matter how many times you try to clean it. I have essentially quit using Lamy pens because of that. Sailor converters, also underrated, are also pretty good in this regard. As a bonus on the CON 50, the agitator, or whatever you call it, works well.

[sharonspens]

 

One of mine stopped turning after a few months. It didn't resist turning, it was just as if the knob were no longer communicating with the mechanism.

 

I bought a second one, and after a few months, it seemed to get stuck while moving in one direction, so I tried to move it the other direction, at which point it gave a soft, popping sound and came apart in my hand.

 

A few months ago, I gave someone a Platinum pen as a gift, and he hasn't been able to get the converter to draw ink at all. He uses cartridges instead.

 

I agree with this discussion of Platinum converters. I lost two in the first few months of owning my Yamanaka. Truly, for the price I paid for that pen I expected better. In another thread , someone explained how to take that converter apart and add a little silicone grease to it. I have not had a problem with the current converter since I did that.

 

Sharon in Indiana

[Mulrich]

I love the Pilot CON 50 and think it is dramatically underrated. Why? Because it is so easy to clean. I can't stand not being able to clean a pen and the converter when I change inks.. With the 50, you just spray it a few times with a syringe, and it is absolutely pristine.Counter example: the Lamy converter, which retains a bit of ink behind the end seal no matter how many times you try to clean it. I have essentially quit using Lamy pens because of that. Sailor converters, also underrated, are also pretty good in this regard. As a bonus on the CON 50, the agitator, or whatever you call it, works well.

 

This is basically the same reason I like the CON 20, which I think is underrated. It holds about as much ink as the CON 70 but is much less finicky.

 

My experiences with the various twist converters are all about the same--they don't hold a lot of ink but at least they can be quickly cleaned out. I've yet to have any converter fail and I've used converters from almost every major brand. My favorite is probably made by MB because its small spring breaks the surface tension so ink doesn't get stuck in the back of the converter as easily.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

I wouldn't mind someone releasing and/or 3D-printing some sort of "refillable cartridge" for my Japanese pens (I own pens from all the "big 3") similar to what Noodler's did for some of their models. Yes, you can use the actual cartridges, but the plastic used in their manufacture only has a limited wear-and-tear life.

[Olya]

I wouldn't mind someone releasing and/or 3D-printing some sort of "refillable cartridge" for my Japanese pens (I own pens from all the "big 3") similar to what Noodler's did for some of their models. Yes, you can use the actual cartridges, but the plastic used in their manufacture only has a limited wear-and-tear life.

 

Have you noticed any wear in Japanese carts?

I haven't, in all 3 brands, but I have to single out Sailor & Pilot, because I have used theirs extensively for a few years now and notice no difference!

Standard international and Parker carts I have re-used as well, but I do notice a looser grip with a few of them, luckily no trouble either (yet).

[torstar]

The Japanese converters are all a few levels below western converters including International converters in terms of capacity and ink delivery reliability.

 

Yup, my only complaint.

 

But after a few fill-ups my Sailors work just fine even with that capacity.

[Innosint]

I wouldn't mind someone releasing and/or 3D-printing some sort of "refillable cartridge" for my Japanese pens (I own pens from all the "big 3") similar to what Noodler's did for some of their models. Yes, you can use the actual cartridges, but the plastic used in their manufacture only has a limited wear-and-tear life.

 

I"m fairly sure the soft placticused in all japanes cart are on purpose.

 

It's better to have a softer cart that wears out than haveing the slightly chance to wear out your pen.

[minddance]

They each have their own peculiarities, just like their nibs.

 

Pilot con50 in my opinion is the best pilot convertor, easy to clean and no nonsense. Con70 is very very difficult to clean thoroughly even with ultrasonic cleaner: when you thought you cleaned it, coloured ink remnants come out to say hi again, almost never ending, exactly like the Pilot Custom823. Con40 is full of nonsense, difficult to clean and dry and ink remnants too, ball bearings are very irritating and too many nooks and crannies for ink to stain and hide and not wash off. And forget about filling by dipping the nib into ink bottles with con40, you could barely get ink into the pen.

 

Sailor convertor does its job, not much nonsense, ink capacity could be greater, since Sailors write rather wet.

 

Platinums are a piece of junk. Hard to turn the piston and makes my hands the dirtiest.

[Dragonmaster Lou]

 

Have you noticed any wear in Japanese carts?

I haven't, in all 3 brands, but I have to single out Sailor & Pilot, because I have used theirs extensively for a few years now and notice no difference!

Standard international and Parker carts I have re-used as well, but I do notice a looser grip with a few of them, luckily no trouble either (yet).

 

I'm mostly hearing about it from anecdotal evidence. I haven't refilled my carts much, though I hold on to them, just in case...

 

Talking about Platinums, one option for them might be to get an adapter to use standard international cartridges and converters, though I haven't tried: https://www.gouletpens.com/products/platinum-cartridge-adapter

Edited July 31, 2018 by Dragonmaster Lou

[Olya]

 

I'm mostly hearing about it from anecdotal evidence. I haven't refilled my carts much, though I hold on to them, just in case...

 

Talking about Platinums, one option for them might be to get an adapter to use standard international cartridges and converters, though I haven't tried: https://www.gouletpens.com/products/platinum-cartridge-adapter

Thank you for clarifying! I thought someone's finally experienced wear & tear on Japanese carts & conv, because I seriously don't recall one single account stating that any of the big 3's carts or conv wore out (conv needing regreasing and stuff like that aside).

 

Yeah as said I've noticed some int standard carts and Parker carts becoming a touch looser, but no trouble so far (and to be fair my most used and re-inked pens are Sailor & Pilot, so can't say how long Parker and others can hold up, but Sailor & Pilot seem to have a veeeeery long re-use life! I find their carts to be the best out there, wish the standard would be Sailor or Pilot carts...).

 

In terms of converters, Sailor's are my fave. I find Sheaffer, Parker & Pilot converters (and some dirt cheap international standard ones from China) are crazy smooth and move very well & do their job overall perfectly well, Sailor's are for some reason stiffer(!), but Sailor's have not let me down yet: the insert is huge and easy to clean (even with a Q-tip), I can fill the whole thing up, no wear or ink flow problems and well, what more could anyone want from a conv? Same with the carts. Pilot carts too.

Sheaffer's can be tough to clean, Lamy's too. I don't understand the black blob that retains ink residue in Lamy Z? (the red one) converter. I've heard of Parker carts & conv wearing out, same with other makers (again, except the Japanese big 3).

 

I think I'll have to discard a Sailor cart or two because of my habit of squeezing them a bit, rather than due to any signs of repeated use!! (btw Plot carts can't be squeezed nicely, they crack, and Platinum's are hard as a brick wall, but the opening isn't as nicely wide (still wide though) and the ball can be annoying and it's steel, corrosion might become a problem).

 

Imo Sailor makes the best carts & conv, with Pilot firmly in 2nd place.

Edited July 31, 2018 by Olya

[Dragonmaster Lou]

I'll have to agree with you that the Sailor converter is probably the best of the big 3's that I've tried. It's arguably the simplest and "flimsiest" looking in some ways, but something about its simplicity makes it just work, somehow.

 

On the other hand, I do have the infamous Platinum converter piston seizing up problem, so I'm not a fan there.