Unusual cartridge/converter for a circa early 1980's Platinum 3776?

[PithyProlix]

Yesterday I received a flat-topped Platinum 3776 with a snap-on cap, consistent with those described as '2nd generation' in threads here such as the one linked to at the end of this post. I was a bit surprised to find that the cartridge it came with is different from what I thought is a standard for Platinum (my 3 other Platinum pens from around the same era, though none of them 3776's, use the 'normal' Platinum cartridge). The cartridge in this pen has no lip, a wider mouth, no ball inside, the plastic is materially different, and is slightly longer. The 'normal' Platinum cartridge doesn't fit in the section, having a larger diameter body than the one that came with this pen.

Is this cartridge or a converter that fits this pen available? I ask because I haven't been able to remove the ink stains from the cartridge that came with it and I'm concerned about filling it with ink.

 

 

 

[PithyProlix]

More info. 

I don't have a great measuring tool but the inner diameter of the cartridge mouth is approximately 6 mm, the largest diameter of the body (which is at the mouth) is approximately 6.5 mm, and the length is approximately 58.5 mm.

[A Smug Dill]

11 minutes ago, PithyProlix said:

The cartridge in this pen has no lip, a wider mouth, no ball inside, the plastic is materially different, and is slightly longer.

 

The opening looks like that on a (current model) Pilot ink cartridge to me. Have you tried eyeballing your old Platinum ink cartridge with a Pilot one side by side and comparing them?

[PithyProlix]

8 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

The opening looks like that on a (current model) Pilot ink cartridge to me. Have you tried eyeballing your old Platinum ink cartridge with a Pilot one side by side and comparing them?

 

Great minds think alike. I was just about to post that it appears to be an exact match to one of my Pilot cartridges when I saw a notification for your message.

 

Surprised that Platinum designed a pen that fits a Pilot cartridge. But that makes things easier than I thought they might be.

[Mr.Rene]

5 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

The opening looks like that on a (current model) Pilot ink cartridge to me. Have you tried eyeballing your old Platinum ink cartridge with a Pilot one side by side and comparing them?

I agree..It is not unusual to find wrong cartridges inside wrong f. pen..

Few years ago visiting a Flea Market  I found a Parker f. pen with a short CARTIER cartridge inside..the Seller said:  The pen was an unusual edition model..It was a cooperation between Parker & Cartier Companies  !!!  hahaha 🤣 🤣 😂

[PithyProlix]

8 hours ago, Mr.Rene said:

I agree..It is not unusual to find wrong cartridges inside wrong f. pen..

Few years ago visiting a Flea Market  I found a Parker f. pen with a short CARTIER cartridge inside..the Seller said:  The pen was an unusual edition model..It was a cooperation between Parker & Cartier Companies  !!!  hahaha 🤣 🤣 😂

In this case a Platinum cartridge does not fit a Platinum pen but a Pilot cartridge does.

 

I really don't think it is a counterfeit because, as far as I know, this pen is not known to be counterfeited and, besides, having Platinum pen not fit a Platinum cartridge would be, well, a terrible counterfeit. 

 

I don't know anything about the history of this pen other than I bought it in Thailand from a Thai seller. I wonder if Platinum purposely designed this pen for the Thai market - I'm assuming that, for some reason, a pen that fit a Pilot cartridge would sell better in Thailand? 

[stan]

To my knowledge Platinum only made pens for their own and international cartridges. 

 

Please post a photo of the Pilot cartridge in the Platinum section.

[PithyProlix]

9 hours ago, stan said:

Please post a photo of the Pilot cartridge in the Platinum section.

 

Here you go. This is actually a different cartridge - one that came from one of my Pilot pens. It fits like a glove - the outer diameter into the section and the mouth around the section tube. As I wrote, the Platinum cartridge's outer diameter is too wide to fit into the section. And, even if it fit into the section, the Platinum's cartridge's mouth is obviously too small for the section tube.

[PithyProlix]

Picture looking inside the section.

 

[hari317]

interesting that the pilot valve displacer feature is missing.

[stan]

Mystery solved.

1990s and earlier 3776s had the longer and wider in diameter metal section piece as shown in the photographs of your pen. A Pilot cartridge will fit inside the diameter of the metal. This is standard design for Platinum 3776 models of that era. It was subsequently changed to a shorter length and narrower diameter section - cost cutting IMHO.

 

Am assuming a Pilot cartridge might be made to work if it can be punctured by the nipple. Pen might leak from the poor fit. Why not insert a Pilot cartridge or fill the one you have and see.

 

The prior owner may have attempted use of a Pilot cartridge in lieu of not having one by Platinum. Could have sold the pen in frustration in using proprietary cartridges.

 

Use the Platinum cartridges and you'll do okay.

[PithyProlix]

16 hours ago, stan said:

Mystery solved.

1990s and earlier 3776s had the longer and wider in diameter metal section piece as shown in the photographs of your pen. A Pilot cartridge will fit inside the diameter of the metal. This is standard design for Platinum 3776 models of that era. It was subsequently changed to a shorter length and narrower diameter section - cost cutting IMHO.

 

Am assuming a Pilot cartridge might be made to work if it can be punctured by the nipple. Pen might leak from the poor fit. Why not insert a Pilot cartridge or fill the one you have and see.

 

The prior owner may have attempted use of a Pilot cartridge in lieu of not having one by Platinum. Could have sold the pen in frustration in using proprietary cartridges.

 

Use the Platinum cartridges and you'll do okay.

 

A Platinum cartridge does not work with this pen. Sorry to have to repeat myself. I tried a Platinum cartridge and it absolutely, definitely will not fit. The cartridge's mouth (the hole) is too narrow for the collector tube/feeder tube or whatever the tube is called that the cartridge mouth fits around. For clarity, I've circled it in red in the picture below.

 

Moreover, as I also wrote previously, a Pilot cartridge fits like a glove - it's the one in the picture you asked me to post of a Pilot cartridge inserted in the section. As hari317 noted, it doesn't seem like the valve (or whatever it's called) inside a Pilot cartridge can be displaced. I currently only have previously used Pilot cartridges so I can't test to see if it will 'break' the cartridge's valve thingy but have a box of new ones on order that I will try with it.

(I previously wrote that the outer diameter of a Platinum cartridge is too wide to fit into the section. I was wrong - the outer diameter of a Platinum cartridge is fine for the section of this pen.)

[stan]

(I previously wrote that the outer diameter of a Platinum cartridge is too wide to fit into the section. I was wrong - the outer diameter of a Platinum cartridge is fine for the section of this pen.)

 

If the cartridge will fit in the metal tube it should work. The interior portion looks exactly like that for a Platinum. I assume the cartridge fits.

[PithyProlix]

17 hours ago, stan said:

(I previously wrote that the outer diameter of a Platinum cartridge is too wide to fit into the section. I was wrong - the outer diameter of a Platinum cartridge is fine for the section of this pen.)

 

If the cartridge will fit in the metal tube it should work. The interior portion looks exactly like that for a Platinum. I assume the cartridge fits.

I appreciate your trying to help but I do not understand why you are telling me the Platinum cartridge fits when it does not. I confirmed yet again: it does not fit. Period. End of story.