Posts filed under Platinum

Platinum Pigment Brun Sepia Ink Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her first novel, The Bone Weaver’s Orchard, now available where books are sold!)

Have you ever lost some important writing to a tea spill? Or a water bottle leak? It happens, and it's the worst. I've had a few instances where I needed a truly waterproof ink for a task, but I've always been a bit wary of putting them in my pens. So many carry warnings of stains, clogs, or even pen damage. But I have heard good things about the Platinum Pigment inks, so I gave this lovely Brun Sepia a try.

I filled my Pelikan M205 and started scribbling. I noticed that the ink in the bottle is opaque and doesn't have the transparent quality of non-pigment inks. The bottle is nice. Blown glass in a sturdy shape that's practical for filling pens. It comes with its own internal inkwell that is designed to make the pen easier to fill when the ink level gets low. It's like a wee plastic wine glass that sits in the bottle. When you flip the bottle upside down (with the lid on, of course), then right it, the small cup will fill with ink, and you can fill your pen from the smaller cup. It's a nice feature.

The ink flows well when writing, though it is a bit inconsistent. Sometimes it feels like it's dry, with a fainter line, then it gushes a bit and makes darker patches. It looks pretty--like extra shading--but it feels like a behavior issue. And despite the fact that it sometimes feels dry, it's not. In fact, this is one of the longest dry times I've counted out for any ink. It was a full 40 seconds before it was mostly dry, and even then it smudged.

However, once it is dry, it is completely water resistant. I did a drip test, and you'll just have to take my word for it that I did drip water on the ink grid, because not a bit of it moved. I also couldn't really do any kind of chromatography, because I just got a wet line of ink. If this ink's number one job is to be impervious to water--it wins.

The ink's color is also nice, though nothing amazing. It's a cozy brown, simple enough to be professional, but fun enough to not be boring. I love the old-timey feel of brown inks, and this one doesn't disappoint. It also isn't very similar to anything else in my collection of browns. The closest relative is Montblanc Toffee Brown, but while their swabs look similar, they are completely different in writing. This brown is almost rosy. It's actually the exact color of a Chilean Rose Tarantula…which may not be an endearing comparison for most folks, but it helps to highlight my point that it is a subtly interesting color.

Overall, I like this ink, and it does its job well. It has a few faults, namely the dry time, but I feel that's a fair trade for the qualities you do get. It's certainly not going to be an everyday ink for me, but it's the perfect tool for when you need it. Going on a writing hike? Camping? On a deadline with your notebook surrounded by half-forgotten cups of coffee perched precariously close to your work? Definitely time for permanent ink.

Also: My pen has not suffered any ill effects at all. I'll update if it does over a longer period of time, but so far I have zero concerns.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on April 25, 2019 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Platinum, Ink Reviews.

Platinum 3776 Kumpoo Fountain Pen: A Review

*The Platinum Kumpoo pictured with a replica of the Tyndale New Testament*

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Lately I have been on a turquoise fountain-pen-buying binge. One of my purchases was the Platinum 3776 Kumpoo fountain pen with a soft medium nib.

The pen comes in a turquoise outer cardboard box and white, clamshell inner box. Included are a Platinum pamphlet, a warranty card, a blotting card with a description of the pen, and one cartridge.

“Kumpoo” is a Japanese word that means “balmy breeze.” The Platinum 3776 Kumpoo fountain pen is designed to evoke the breezes that blow around Mt. Fuji in Japan. Thus, the pen’s surface is carved with waves that represent those balmy breezes and the color of the pen reflects the beautiful skies surrounding Mt. Fuji.

Even the metal piece in the finial is a tribute to Mt. Fuji.

Each pen cap is engraved with a limited edition number. Mine is 1551 out of 2500.

The cap has a smooth silver clip and a ring engraved with “Platinum 3776 Century Made in Japan.”

The pen is medium-sized at 5.5 inches/139.7mm capped, 4.7 inches/119.8mm uncapped, and 6 inches/152.4 posted. It weighs only 24.3 grams.

The pen fills via cartridge or the included converter. Platinum converters only hold 0.5ml of ink, so expect to refill it often if you write lengthy tomes. One thing I like about Platinum converters is, if the converter gets sticky over time, you can disassemble it and use silicone grease to get it working properly again.

I chose a medium-soft 14k nib. Platinum nibs are much more narrow than Western nibs, so a medium is really like a Western fine. I have several Platinum 3776 pens, and my favorite size nib is the medium. The soft-medium is especially nice. It gives the nib some spring while you write, but it is not meant to be a flex nib, so there’s little line variation.

Writing with the Kumpoo is a pleasure. The nib is smooth and bouncy, and the pen itself is comfortable in the hand. Since Platinum nibs and Nakaya nibs are made by the same manufacturer, you can enjoy the experience of a Nakaya in a much less expensive pen.

I really love my Platinum Kumpoo. It’s a beautiful pen, especially with the added texture, which picks up light and makes it stand out from standard Platinum fountain pens. I owned an Omas Ogiva in turquoise with an extra flessibile nib. I wanted to love that pen because I paid an awful lot for it; plus it was a piston filler. But, the Omas was frustrating from the beginning--ink kept leaking into the grip section and the pen would dry out quickly. The Kumpoo is just as beautiful as the Omas, and even though it isn’t a piston-filler, the Platinum “slip and seal” mechanism in the cap means that the pen does not dry out. The soft-medium nib might not have flex, but it offers one of the best writing experiences.

Unfortunately, finding a Platinum Kumpoo may be pretty difficult now. All the dealers I checked (Goldspot, Goulet, JetPens, nibs.com, Pen Chalet, and Vanness) were out of stock. That said, Platinum is apparently producing several pens in the Fuji Shunkei series (the first was the Shungyo and the second is the Kumpoo). So, even if you can’t get this particular limited edition, hopefully new editions will be added to the series.

Pros

In my opinion this is one of the most beautiful iterations of the Platinum 3776 series because of the textured surface and the color.
I love all the symbolism the creators included in the pen.
The pen is a good size for most users and is very light.
The soft-medium nib is my favorite nib. It is smooth and bouncy and writes perfectly.

Cons

Writers who prefer pens with heft will probably think the Platinum is too light and plasticky.
The converter only holds 0.5ml of ink (though cartridges hold 1.5ml).
Unfortunately, the Kumpoo seems to be sold out or nearly sold out, so if you want one, you’ll need to keep your eye on sales at pen forums or eBay.

(I purchased my Platinum Kumpoo from Vanness Pens at a discount.)

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Posted on August 31, 2018 by Susan Pigott and filed under Platinum, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Platinum 3776 Oshino Fountain Pen Review

One of the challenges with reviewing products is keeping it fresh. I never run out of things to review, but at the same time, I often review products that are nearly identical aside from aesthetics.

The Platinum 3776 lineup is the epitome of this.

The Platinum 3776 Oshino great pen from a great brand. A brand I love, and a brand I have praised on these pages and in other forms repeatedly. Heck, I even named Platinum the 2017 brand of the year in the Pen Addict members newsletter. But we are at the point now where I am reviewing barrel colors. Luckily, their barrel colors are very cool.

Let’s get the core features out of the way. Platinum has two primary things that separate them from the competition: The nib, and the slip & seal cap mechanism.

Taking the second one first, this is a fantastic addition to any fountain pen. In the clear-barrel Oshino, you can see the mechanism in action, with an extended cap liner and spring giving the pen a tight seal when stored away. The enemy of fountain pen nibs is air, which can cause the nib to dry out and the ink to not flow without priming. Not in the 3776 lineup. The slip & seal gives the cap complete airtightness. I’ve left a 3776 inked for months without use, and upon uncapping and writing, it was like I had inked it for the first time.

As flawless as the cap seal is, the nib is even better. For my money, it is the best of the big three (Pilot, Platinum, Sailor) in this price point. I prefer both Sailor and Pilot from a design and variety standpoint, but Platinum makes a better nib. No matter the size, they are perfect out of the box every time in my experience. And, they offer a good mix of sizes for many models, such as Ultra Extra Fine, Soft Medium, and Music. Not all models have all options, but Platinum seems to be expanding their offerings.

The one con that comes up when mentioning the 3776 it is that it is lightweight. At approximately 20 grams, it is in the weight range of the Pilot 74 and Sailor Pro Gear Slim - the entry level gold nib pens for those respective brands - while being priced like next tier options, like the Pilot 912 and Sailor Pro Gear Standard. I do find the 3776 to be light, but not flimsy. It is a sturdy pen and I’ve never considered it to be fragile.

I recommend the 3776 constantly, and often over the competition depending on the context of the question. That said, is it wrong for me to want more from the brand on a personal level? Where are the updated stock colors? How about some solid, non-translucent offerings? Or maybe some alternate cap, section, or finial materials? I see a big opportunity for me to give Platinum more of my money, but they seem content with where they are at.

And who am I to argue? They are great pens.

(Goldspot Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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