Jump to content

Platinum Century 3776 Cap and Other differences


PotbellyPig

Recommended Posts

I was looking at the UEF Platinum Century 3776 fountain pens and read that not all are created equal.  There seem to be some models that have a different way to secure the cap to the pen.  Can someone point me to the models with a better mechanism?  Are the cheap semi see through models sold on Amazon and the like, the older mechanism?  The ones that I say are semi see through are like the Bourgogne color.  Thanks!

 

Edit: The newer mechanism is called Slip and Seal.

Edit 2: The Amazon description states it has slip and seal.  But is there a probability of getting an older model?  I think the see through colors didn’t change.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

  • Replies 26
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • PotbellyPig

    10

  • Peter_H

    9

  • A Smug Dill

    4

  • awa54

    3

I have just ordered a “French Series” Bourgogne 3776 Century EF.  It is my clear understanding that all the Century pens are a refreshed version of the original 3776, which did not have this feature.  The only peculiarity I found reported with the red semi-transparent model is that the cartridge converter sometimes bangs against the barrel when in use.  It’s not clear if this is a design or a QC issue, so we’ll see.

 

Hope to have the pen by Tuesday - my first gold nib since 1972!  Incidentally, UEF would be a push, even for my tiny writing.  Do you need it for Kanji?  Looking at samples, there seems to be little to choose between UEF and EF in terms of size, but EF looks a better bet for reliability across a range of paper grades.

 

Any Platinum specialists out there?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I was looking at that color as well.  It’s a nice red.  All the descriptions say Slip & Seal so I guess it should be new stock.  I do use it for kanji.  A Sailor EF seems okay for my purposes but I want to see what an even finer line would look like.  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Peter_H said:

Yes I know about the nib nook.  But it’s hard to tell the differences for some reason with those examples.  From what I’ve seen in watching various videos, a Sailor EF draws a line of about 0.3mm.  I should ask Goulet Pens what ink they used in the pen sample for Sailor.  And the line width for a Platinum UEF is 0.2mm or less.  But it seems to be really dependent on the ink.  Some samples I’ve seen are darker than others.    I saw a video from Yoseka stationary that stated a Platinum UEF matched a Copic marker’s 0.05mm line.  But Most state it is closer to 0.2mm.

 

Edit:The nib nook used Noodler’s black ink.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

I’ve seen UEF nib line widths quoted as low as 0.1mm but, as you say, it depends on the ink, the paper and the writer.  Trust you will get the pen that works well for you.  (I’m also hoping that for myself)

 

I mainly use Diamine inks, but even they vary from colour to colour.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

35 minutes ago, Peter_H said:

I’ve seen UEF nib line widths quoted as low as 0.1mm but, as you say, it depends on the ink, the paper and the writer.  Trust you will get the pen that works well for you.  (I’m also hoping that for myself)

 

I mainly use Diamine inks, but even they vary from colour to colour.

Yes the line width quotes are all over the place.  Like you said, it’s the ink and the pressure with which you write.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

For my Sailor EF, I’m going to try the pigmented Kiwa-guro cartridge because I think the regular water based ink cartridge causes line spread from what I’m seeing and everyone is writing.  The Kiwa-Guro is supposed to be good at keeping the fine lines fine.  My question is if I get a Platinum fountain pen with a UEF nib, should I get the Platinum Carbon pigment ink cartridges and forgo the water based ones like I’m doing with my Sailor?  Or is the UEF nib too tiny to handle the platinum carbon ink with decent ink flow?  Thanks!

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 hours ago, PotbellyPig said:

Edit: The newer mechanism is called Slip and Seal.

 

The Slip and Seal feature was introduced into (some models in) the #3776 product line back in 2011. (See https://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/100th_3/e-history.html.)

 

11 hours ago, PotbellyPig said:

There seem to be some models that have a different way to secure the cap to the pen.

 

Yes. In the current production #3776 (now all uniformly branded #3776 Century, thus making the ‘Century’ part lose its meaning in the designation) models, there are three types of caps: screw-caps with Slip and Seal, screw-caps without Slip and Seal, and snap-caps without Slip and Seal.

 

11 hours ago, PotbellyPig said:

Can someone point me to the models with a better mechanism?

 

The lowest-priced ones (and several others).

 

As you've already noted, the mechanism you're after is Slip and Seal, so look for that in the product pages (or the product catalogue, when it comes back after getting revised for the recent re-numbering and price increase of the entry-level #3776 Century models).

 

large.1802220287_ExampleofPlatinumSlipandSeallogoonproductpages.jpg.2be00584e09d0bd817371ae6947d01b8.jpg

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

7 minutes ago, PotbellyPig said:

My question is if I get a Platinum fountain pen with a UEF nib, should I get the Platinum Carbon pigment ink cartridges and forgo the water based ones like I’m doing with my Sailor?

 

Platinum Carbon Black ink has a reputation for making lines ‘spread’ and present as broader.

 

7 minutes ago, PotbellyPig said:

Or is the UEF nib too tiny to handle the platinum carbon ink with decent ink flow?

 

No.

 

But do you really want to be writing with an UEF nib?

 

8 hours ago, PotbellyPig said:

A Sailor EF seems okay for my purposes but I want to see what an even finer line would look like.

 

In my experience, the Platinum #3776 Century's 14K gold UEF nib and President's 18K gold UEF nib do not put down narrower lines than the Sailor 14K gold EF nibs; but then I've only tested one of each against one another head to head.

 

6 hours ago, PotbellyPig said:

Yes the line width quotes are all over the place.

 

 

Edited by A Smug Dill

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

4 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

Platinum Carbon Black ink has a reputation for making lines ‘spread’ and present as broader.

 

 

No.

 

But do you really want to be writing with an UEF nib?

Oh okay.  So if I get a UEF nib, I should stick with the standard Platinum cartridges then?  I wanted to try the nib.  Do you have one in your collection?  

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

Platinum Carbon Black ink has a reputation for making lines ‘spread’ and present as broader.

 

 

No.

 

But do you really want to be writing with an UEF nib?

 

 

In my experience, the Platinum #3776 Century's 14K gold UEF nib and President's 18K gold UEF nib do not put down narrower lines than the Sailor 14K gold EF nibs; but then I've only tested one of each against one another head to head.

 

 

 

Thanks for all the info.  I am going to change to Kuwa-guro ink from the water based one in my Sailor EF to see if that helps thing out.  Even with that, theoretically a UEF nib should be thinner according to that size chart (I think a Sailor EF is closer to 0.3mm) but maybe that doesn’t pan out in reality.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

44 minutes ago, PotbellyPig said:

Do you have one in your collection?

 

Yes.

 

30 minutes ago, PotbellyPig said:

Even with that, theoretically a UEF nib should be thinner according to that size chart (I think a Sailor EF is closer to 0.3mm) but maybe that doesn’t pan out in reality.

 

It's a matter of the Sailor EF putting down much finer than 0.3mm-wide lines for me on Rhodia DotPad 80g/m² paper, which is my ‘standard’ paper for testing stuff (for now) because it's kinda universally available even though not the cheapest.

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

13 minutes ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

Yes.

 

 

It's a matter of the Sailor EF putting down much finer than 0.3mm-wide lines for me on Rhodia DotPad 80g/m² paper, which is my ‘standard’ paper for testing stuff (for now) because it's kinda universally available even though not the cheapest.

Are you using Sailor’s nano inks like the Kiwa-Goru or Souboku?  Or have you in the past?  I’m hoping if I use them, I will get similar results.  I have a Rhodia notepads as well.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

11 minutes ago, PotbellyPig said:

Are you using Sailor’s nano inks like the Kiwa-Goru or Souboku?

 

I use those inks, but not in my Sailor pens.

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.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

17 hours ago, A Smug Dill said:

 

Yes, I “missed the boat” there, but then I only got back into pens a few weeks ago!  Ordered my Century through the Internet, from Cult Pens UK.   They are a main UK dealer for Platinum, with sensible pricing (compared to Amazon UK), previously excellent service and easy return/rethink if things go pear-shaped.  Never owned a Japanese fountain pen before, but my expectations are high - most of their manufactured goods are awesome…

Edited by Peter_H
Removed B&M reference for Cult Pens
Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Peter_H said:

B&M store (Cult Pens in the UK)

 

Hmmm.  I'm a frayed knot.

 

From the About page: We've been here since 2005, when we were the first online retailer.....

Hope the pen works well for you.

Add lightness and simplicate.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Oops, I see now that the address they use is actually on a business park, so my error!  ☹️  They seem to be very good, though.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

My 3776 is now here, already inked with Diamine Raw Sienna.  A joy to use, straight from the box.  The EF was the right choice for me - whew!  Thanks, Cult Pens. 👍🙂

Link to comment
Share on other sites

1 hour ago, Peter_H said:

My 3776 is now here, already inked with Diamine Raw Sienna.  A joy to use, straight from the box.  The EF was the right choice for me - whew!  Thanks, Cult Pens. 👍🙂

Congrats!  Is that a wetter ink or a dryer ink?  I know nothing about inks.  I’m still contemplating whether to get a UEF to complement my Sailor EF.  Some people have stated that it is only a little more fine than the Sailor EF but others have quoted a big difference.  It may have more to do with ink, the amount of pressure you use and the like.

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now


  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33494
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26624
    5. jar
      jar
      26101
  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o
  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More
  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...