Belage

In 1979 Platinum released two interesting pens. The better known was the original 3776 model designed by Mr. Fountain Pen Haruo Umeda which is still on production. The second model was not so successful—the Platinum Belage.

A Platinum Belage from 1979 with a steel nib.

The Belage was intended as a popular pen. Its price range started at JPY 3000 for the basic model with steel nib. The model with a white gold nib (14 K) cost JPY 7000 5000. In contrast, the 3776 started at JPY 10000.

This second unit implements a white gold nib (14 K), and was made in 1981.

The original Belage won the Good Design Award in 1979 (award no. 790312) given by the almighty Japanese Ministry of International Trade and Industry, and it was indeed an interesting design: It is made of very simple and clean lines to create a very cylindrical pen. The tail and the section are made of plastic of a smaller diameter than the body, which allows for a perfect fit and alignment of cap and barrel both when closed and posted. In fact, the cap snaps loudly and securely on both configurations. These features, save the reassuring sounding snap, remind of the Muji fountain pen in aluminum—a simple cylindrical pen designed for a perfect adjustment both closed and posted.

Later Belage models, though, had this narrower tail removed, and, paradoxically, that created a less clean design. The clip, on its side, showed a number of variations in its size and shape, not always matching the looks of the pen. On that same year of 1979, it might be worth to note, Platinum signed an agreement with Play Boy Enterprises and the Play Boy bunny showed up on some pens, including the Belage. Finally, some other Platinum labeled as Belage used a different type of nib.

The Honest-66 cartridge, ink capacity of 1.7 ml, attached to the Belage.

In short, the Belage on display today is a cartridge-converter pen, that uses a wing-flow nib in either steel or white gold. These are very rigid, but very reliable in their writing. It is a fairly large pen, and the unusually long Honest-66 cartridge (1.7 ml of ink capacity) could fit perfectly inside the barrel. However, these cartridges were long gone by the year 1979 when this pen was initially released.

A stainless steel nib of a Belage. A wing-flow nib.

These are the dimensions of the pen:
Length closed: 138 mm
Length open: 126 mm
Length posted: 155 mm
Diameter: 11 mm
Weight (dry): 21.5 g

In summary, this is an attractive and modern looking pen, well made and very reliable. I have no information on when it was discontinued.

Sailor white pocket pen (F, 14 K) – Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Brown

Bruno Taut
Yokohama, June 12th 2013
etiquetas: Platinum, Muji

More Platinum Music

Pocket pens, also known as mini and as long-short pens, were introduced in Japan in 1963 by Sailor 1964 by Platinum, and remained in the market until the 1980s. Later on, though, Pilot released other pocket pen models—the limited edition M90 in 2008, and the entry-level Vortex, still on production.

A selection of pocket pens from six different manufacturers. Their nibs are made of steel, yellow gold of purities between 14 K and 23 K; white gold and the not-so-unique Platinum alloy.

During the twenty years or so of existence, these small pens were made in a variety of looks and styles—from formal and black to colorful and casual; for women and for men; for students and for successful professionals. And their nibs were matched with this variety: steel, gold in many different grades, white gold… And, finally, nib points were not limited to the traditional F and M. Other points were not that common, but existed.

A formal looking pocket pen--black with golden accents.

The following pen is an example of an unusual nib point. This Platinum pocket pen is equipped with a three-tined music nib. It follows the wing-flow design of nibs still on production, albeit this music nib is no longer available in current pens. Its feed has two ink channels, one per slit, and it is specific for this nib. The nib is dated on its reverse as having been made in 1973.

Previous Platinum music nibs did not implement specific feeds. Such was the case, for instance, of the unit from 1969 shown on the Chronicle entitled “Sixties Music”. That music nib, also installed in pocket pens, had a single ink-channel feed, like the rest of nibs of that design.

The feed with the double ink-channel.

This pocket pen is on the big size, and has a very formal look: black with golden accents. These are its dimensions:
Length closed: 125 mm
Length open: 109 mm
Length posted: 149 mm
Diameter: 13 mm
Weight (full ink cartridge): 18.3 g

The filling system is by cartridge. The current Platinum converter does not fit inside the barrel, although a small adaptation would make it fit at the expense of reducing the already small capacity of the ink converter (0.53 ml if untouched). Therefore, the ink cartridge, new or refilled, remains a sensible option (ink capacity, 1.2 ml).

All in all, this pen shows that a small container can be matched with an exciting nib. However, its size, and the policy of Platinum on the matter, limited the options for the filling system.

Pilot Vpen, F nib – Sailor Jentle Yama-dori

Bruno Taut
Yokohama, June 7th, 2013
etiquetas: Platinum, plumín, plumín musical

Fora (II). Changes

I think I should start by apologizing before all those who read these texts and who do not care much about fountain pen fora, and for whom their recent crises is totally alien. My excuse is easy—I also live in the Internet space, I generate contents and I enjoy and suffer the changes in this environment. And I have learned a lot from those fora. Next Chronicle, I promise, will be about pens.


So, what is the problem right now? Fountain Pen Network (FPN), the biggest pen forum in the Internet, has recently changed its rules (Terms of Use) to restrict the possibility to link other websites from any particular post, including links to personal blogs written by the very same author as the post author. And it goes even further—to be allowed such a link to your own blog, you should purchase a premium FPN account. Other changes enforced the idea that the content of the post should be original and unique, and should not be available in other websites.

Well, this seems a perfect example of the idea of “give us contents, provide us with traffic, and let us cash the benefits”. As private entities, fora can very well set these and other rules, but these very restrictive Terms of Use (retrieved on June 7th, 2013) might be a very stupid way of shooting themselves on the foot.

In a forum, any forum, there are two types of traffic. The most evident is the internal traffic—forum members browsing around and, eventually, commenting on already published entries and writing new ones. This traffic might be big, but it is also limited as there are only that many forum members. It is entertaining, but it also generates a lot of noise—we all know, enjoy and suffer those messages simply stating “great pen!”, “I like it” or “another one on my list”.

The second type of traffic is the external traffic. Non-members might land on the forum searching for some information. This traffic might be small, but it is new. These visitors are, in fact, attracted with quality contents. They look for the signal, and some might even become new forum members.

Quality work, I content, increases the traffic and adds value to the forum. Quality content, therefore, should be encouraged and promoted. But why would anyone give his work for free to a forum that will take over its property? Promoting this quality might go through inviting knowledgeable authors to participate in fora. And even paid for their work. Their contributions would certainly improve the forum also in economic terms.

One final note: I am not such an knowledgeable expert, and I am not demanding any compensation for participating in any forum. But when someone changes the rules the arguments can go in either direction, for and against. Rules, let us remember, are to be challenged all the time.

I am not asking to be paid, but I will not pay either.

Pilot L, pocket pen – Pilot Blue

Bruno Taut
Shinjuku, May 28th, 2013
etiquetas: metabitácora, fora

Wingflow by Platinum

I finished the previous Chronicle with the picture of a recently purchased music nib by Platinum. That pen truly calls for a detailed presentation, but its nib is interesting on its own merits—long lasting merits. For this nib design is still in the market, forty years (at least) after it was initially released.

The Platinum music nib I mentioned on the previous Chronicle.

In fact, that music nib might very well be one of the first examples of this design together, of course, with more standard points. That was around 1973. Since then, that nib has been implemented in a number of pens, including some early Nakaya (2001), and has been cast in many different materials: steel, 14 K and 18 K (yellow) gold, and 14 K and 18 K white gold.

Three examples of this nib design made in three different materials. From top to bottom: 14 K yellow gold, 14 K white gold, and steel.

The same nib, now in 18 K gold, was implemented in this "exotic skin" series of Platinum pens from the late 1970s. This particular unit was produced in August of 1978.

As of today, in 2013, this design, made in steel, can be found in some (relatively) inexpensive Platinum models: Balance/Cool, Affection, and steel-nib Standard. On more upscale models –Sheep, gold-nib Standard, and some low end maki-e pens— we can see it made of 14 K and 18 K gold. However, on all these models only two nib points are available: F (細) and M (中).

The Platinum Cool uses a steel version on this nib. On the picture, with a fine (細) point.

Forty years in the market make a good argument. But how do these nibs perform? They are very rigid with just a hint of bending under pressure, but they are unbelievable reliable. They do write on contact, and are never shy to speak out.

On this design the nib edges wrap around the feed and fix their relative positions. This geometry was not new or unique. It could be seen as early as in 1935 in the Chilton Wingflow pens. The claims of this manufacturer were that this shape of the nib ensured “perpetual factory precision adjustment of point and ink feed”, while “it creates a reserve pocket for ink”. However, many argue that the main point of this design was to reduce the amount of gold in the nib. But Chilton closed down in 1941, and Platinum and is still here producing wing-flow nibs for over forty years. In fact, for longer than that, albeit with different designs now no longer available.

Two units of this wing-flow design by Platinum.

Page of the 1937 catalog of Chilton with the description of the Wingflow nib and its advantages. This image was taken from the website http://www.chiltonpens.com/.

Now, the question is, once again, whether we needed gold nibs or, given the stiffness of these nibs, much cheaper steel nibs would suffice.

My thanks to Mr. Furuya.

External links:
On the Platinum Balance-Cool:
http://penaddict.com/blog/2013/5/9/platinum-balance-fountain-pen-f-nib
On Chilton:
http://www.chiltonpens.com/
http://www.chiltonpens.net/

Platinum Belage (1979) – Platinum Pigmented Blue

Bruno Taut
Yokohama, June 3rd 2013
etiquetas: Platinum, plumín musical, plumín, Chilton

Transitional

Some weeks ago, I wrote about a Platinum pen from the 1960s that sported a beautiful music nib. Following a couple of indicators I guessed that it had been made by the mid 1960s. One of those was the old globe logo of Platinum engraved on the nib and on the cap. This old globe, let us remember, had been officially replaced in 1968 by the current logo showing a P.

The P-300 Platinum.

The nib in detail--the old Platinum logo together with the manufacturing date--544, May 1969.

A more careful inspection of nib revealed the imprint of a date—544, or May of Showa year 44, corresponding to 1969. And that on the same side of the nib stamped with the pre-1968 logo.

A newer Platinum music nib with the post-1968 logo--save transitional units. This newer nib was cast in 1973.

This nib, thus, shows that the transition between logos took some time. “Sounds very Platinum”, a stylophile friend told me in Tokyo. “They often take decisions before having the money to implement them.”

And the Platinum P-300 I showed was manufactured later than I had assumed. The nib was stamped in 1969.

Platinum 3776 (1978) – Platinum Blue-Black

Bruno Taut
Machida, May 7th 2013
etiquetas: Platinum, plumín musical, plumín

Kokuyo Ink

Kokuyo stationery products are ubiquitous in Japan. Nothing seems to be easier than buying any of its notebooks or erasers or filing folders... However, for the fountain pen aficionado, Kokuyo did not seem to have much to offer save a collection of notebooks with very good quality paper.

But that was not the case at some point. And that makes a lot of sense as the company now named Kokuyo S&T Co. had been founded in Osaka in 1905. Along its more than 100 years of history, the fountain pen has been a primary tool for a very good part of it. So, catering that marker was only natural.

The picture shows one such example—a bottle of Kokuyo kk55 ink for fountain pen. According to the price, JPY 24.00, it should have been in the marker in the 1950s.

The Campus notebook shown together with the bottle is one of the most poular products of Kokuyo. It was first marketed in 1965 as spiral-wire bound notebooks, and in 1975 there changed to adhesive bound, as we know them today. The paper of these notebooks works very well with fountain pens, regardless of their inkflow, for a very affordable price. But very fancy they are not.

コクヨkk５５インキ. Kokuyo kk55 Ink.

In 2011, Kokuyo S&T Co. acquired 51% of the share of the Indian company Camlin, since then renamed as Kokuyo Camlin Ltd. This Indian company does produce fountain pens and fountain pen inks, under the brand name Camel.

NOTE added on May 30th, 2013: More pictures of Kokuyo ink on the blog by Kamisama-samama (aka Paper): http://ameblo.jp/kamisama-samasama/entry-11541093085.html

Sailor Ballerie pocket pen – Platinum Black

Bruno Taut
Yokohama, May 27th, 2013
etiquetas: Kokuyo, tinta, India, Camlin, papelería

Noise

I have already spoken about fora and their problems on these Chronicles. Fora, I concluded, were not free. They do belong to some people who at the end of the day must pay for a number of items: hosting the information, the bandwidth to provide a reliable connection, maintenance, … And all that money should be generated by the forum itself, or, alternatively, someone should continuously cover those expenses.

Therefore, the whole operation could be summarized as follows: we, forum users, provide both the contents and the audience, and some third party cashes the benefits—if they existed, of course. However, those cashing the money do not need to provide any content but just the infrastructure for the information to flow among forum members.


Evaluating the quality of the contents is not an easy task. Fora are not scientific journals whose publishers, well aware of the size of their business, keep track of the citations each and every article received. At the end, this citation-based system, not free from controversy, works because scientific journal authors do need to raise funds for continuing their research and to keep on publishing. Fora are different--forum participants do it for free, not receiving anything in return save an eventual ego boost when some other member praised that entry. In fact, this scheme is not very different from most blogs.

But these two forms of communication in the Internet do differ: On fora, people ask questions and answer some others. On blogs, authors provide information. Of course, blog authors can also ask questions, but the audience of a blog can hardly compete with that of a forum, even if small.

Then, the success of a blog lies on the quality and on the interest of its entries. The success of a forum, on the other hand, lies on the sheer number of participants. Blogs are about the signal; fora, about the noise.

This might be schematic and oversimplifying, but it explains an obvious fact, the big turnover on forum participants. There are always many new members, but there are also many members who silently stop participating. The first are always voiced out, welcome and encouraged to participate. The second group is ignored, save for the very few occasions when they were missed.

The result is a feedback loop that enforces the mediocrity of most fora: The same questions are repeated over and over, and it is difficult to find well-researched texts because those who had learned through all those posts became bored and stopped participating. And the economy of fora favors this—the quantity is more important than the quality. The noise over the signal.


I detect, although I might be wrong, a decadence on fountain pen fora lately. Some of them are trying to cash down the benefits after years of hiding the economic interests of the managers. Other fora, in the meantime, seem stagnated—-not collapsing as they are initially cheap to maintain, but neither growing. The fact that there are more active fora, even if the activity were small, also shows some element of failure on those previously existing. The Spanish case is a clear example—a small community with four different fora. Maybe the old English sentence of “two Spaniards, three opinions” really applied in here, and the final result would be a couple of fora per each Spanish-speaking pen aficionado.

Is this the end of pen fora? Certainly not. Fora have its always changing cohorts of followers, and those with economic incentives on them will fight hard for their survival. But the time in which that relevant piece of information was to be found on fora is probably over.

The Internet, however, is long and wide, and new forms of interaction might be found any day soon. I will be patient.


Finally, and if only to say that I am not alone on my thoughts, I wanted to add a couple of links to texts by fellow bloggers reflecting on these same issues:
Peaceable Writer: Thoughts about Pen Forums,
and Goodwriterspen's Blog: Something is Rotten in the State of Denmark.

Pilot Custom Grandee, music nib – Gary’s yellow-black (iron-gall)

Bruno Taut
April 27th , 2013
etiquetas: fora, metabitácora