Luxe

Pen review. Platinum Silver Cap pocket pen.


1. General impression. Introduction. (8/10)
This is a pocket pen. Its short barrel and long cap says so, but it also seems a long pocket pen as well. It is also a luxury pen—the cap is made of silver, and the nib, of white 18 K gold.

This pen, I guess, dates back to the 1970s, the heyday of pocket pens. A time when the three major pen companies in Japan made luxury products in small containers.


2. Appearance. (7/10)
Silver and black are the colors of this pen. And despite the silver cap, it does not look ostentatious. Might it be because of the natural patina of silver, in my opinion, this pen is more “shibui” than “hade”.

Barrel and section are made of plastic, but the overall impression is of good quality. The clip, in black plastic, seems to be the less attractive detail on this pen. Cheap is the word for the clip.


3. Design, size, weight. (6.5/10)
As it was already mentioned, this is a pocket pen. The main feature of this particular one is the sterling silver cap that makes it heavier than most of its size. For instance, a Platinum pocket pen of similar dimensions weights only 11 grams versus the 18 grams of this one with silver cap.

But this silver cap accounts for more than 60% of the total weight of the pen. This alone would make this pen quite unbalanced when posted for writing. However, this unbalance is far from extreme. The cap reaching relatively low on the pen, close to the nib, distributes the cap weight more evenly than in a regular sized pen.

These are the physical dimensions:
Diameter: 12 mm.
Length capped: 126 mm.
Length uncapped: 106 mm.
Length posted: 149 mm.
Weight: 18 g.

In comparison, a smaller Platinum pocket pen is just 116 mm long when capped and weights only 11 g.

The adjustment between cap and body —capped or posted— is excellent with no sign of becoming loose, or of wear despite its age.


4. Nib and writing performance. (7.5/10)
The nib is an 18 K white gold medium. Barely flexible. Very smooth. Excellent constant ink flow. This is a nib for those who favor smoothness and reliability over line variation and expressivity and character.



5. Filling system. (8/10)
Platinum used to manufacture short converters for their pocket pens, but that is not the case anymore. Therefore, Platinum pocket pen owners are bound to use Platinum proprietary cartridges.

Nonetheless, there exist the possibility of modifying the current converter to use it in these short pens.

There are also adapters to use international cartridges. I have no experience, but I understand they become very firmly attached to the pen, transforming it into an "international cartridge" pen to all effect. And there are aerometric converters that fit inside of these Platinum pocket pens in combination with this adapter.


6. Cost and value. (7.5/10)
Pocket pens are not expensive in the Japanese second hand market, and this pen is a good value given the nice appearance and the nib performance.


7. Conclusion. (44/60 = 74/100)
Nice looking pen although not the best pocket pen in the market. Scores high on looks and performance. Balance and size take points away.

(Platinum Silver Cap pocket pen – Platinum brown, cartridge)

Bruno Taut
(Inagi, June 30 2010)
[labels: Japón, Platinum]

More Pocket Pens

The recent release of the Pilot Elite 95 has raised some brows among those less familiar with the idea of pocket fountain pen, Japan style. This is not the first time pocket pens are revived—five years ago, Pilot replicated the all-steel Myu-701 with some minor differences as the limited edition Pilot M90. The original Myu, let us note, was a very original pen: nib and section are just the same thing, and the reissued M90 could not be mixed up with any other pocket pen. Or, in other words, the new version M90 had one and only one original precedent.

Now, with the Elite 95, the situation is different. The original Elite pocket pen was far less original and unique. All three big pen manufacturers in Japan made formal-looking pocket pens and the curiosity raised by the new Elite 95 actually points out at all of those. Sailor even created some models with quasi-inlaid nibs very much alike to those re-made by Pilot.

Two Sailor pocket pens with (quasi-)inlaid nibs.

The white gold nib of the stripped pen, in detail. It is not perfectly aligned with the section.

I know of two such models by Sailor: a black pen with a 14 K gold nib, and a black-stripped unit made of steel with an 18 K white gold nib. On both cases, the pen body is metallic. These pens can be equipped with current Sailor converters if shortened. The drawback is a reduction in the already small ink capacity of those. As usual, refilling ink cartridges is a perfectly sensible option.

The nibs are geometrically identical, but not so their materials--yellow 14 K (M, number 4) and white 18 K gold (F, number 2).

These are the dimensions of these pens:
Length closed: 121 mm
Length open: 104 mm
Length posted: 139 mm
Diameter: 12 mm
Weight: 14.4 g (black, empty converter), 18.3 (stripped, empty converter)
Ink capacity: 1.2 ml (cartridge), 0.5 ml (adapted converter)

Some Platinum pocket pens worth to revisit in one way or another.

In conclusion, this new Pilot Elite 95 created a renewed interest on pocket pens, but it might backfire to Pilot. Would this not be a good chance for Platinum and Sailor to release their own re-issues of pocket pens? Both brands had very interesting models to copy, and Platinum still produces some of the nibs used on them.

And the same goes for this model. The wingflow nib is still on production.

Sailor Profit Senior, Naginata Togi nib – Pilot Blue

Bruno Taut
Kawasaki, August 20th 2013
etiquetas: Platinum, Sailor, Pilot, mercado

Drunken Sailor

Pen review of a Sailor pocket pen, 14 K gold nib, from around 1970.

Now we know pocket pens were probably invented by Platinum in 1964, and that Pilot released its first pocket pen model by the end of 1968. Nothing we know, though, about the origins of those pens when made by Sailor.

The pen under review today is a Sailor pocket with a sort of old look due to a number of reasons: short length, nib flexibility and shape, original clip…


1. Appearance and design. (8.0/10)
This is an average looking pocket pen in terms of materials: plastic body, aluminum cap, steel clip, 14 K gold nib… Nothing special here. However, its very short length when capped gives this pen an additional appeal.

The clip is bended out of a single piece of steel, and resembles a paper clip. It adds an element of simplicity and functionality to the pen.


2. Construction and quality. (8.0/10)
The pen seems to have aged quite well and only some scratches can be seen on the cap. The rest is perfectly functional and shows no blemishes. The cap fits tightly on both the section –to close the pen— and the barrel —to post and to write with it.


3. Weight and dimensions. (9.0/10)

Small pen of average to low weight. It is so short that the option of writing with it unposted is almost out of the question unless the user’s hands were indeed small. But posted it is well balanced and comfortable to use.

Dimensions:
Diameter: 11 mm.
Length capped: 105 mm.
Length uncapped: 92 mm.
Length posted: 141 mm.
Total weight: 14.2 g (full)
Weight uncapped: 7.4 g (full)
(For dry weights, deduct 1 g from those values).


4. Nib and writing performance. (6.5/10)

The nib is made of 14 K gold. It has no point indication but it is likely to be a fine (F). The more surprising detail is its flexibility. Contrary to the very stiff modern nibs by Sailor, this one is definitely springy, almost a semi-flex. And this soft feeling is especially pleasant to write.


The feed, on its side, is not always up to the challenge. For usual writing and note taking, it works perfectly; but a little extra push to explore the full flexibility of the nib breaks the ink drop and the nib railroads. This is not a flexible nib —the feed seems to say—and we should be content with its pleasant springy effect. But it is certainly frustrating—the nib promises but the drunken sailor’s feed fails to deliver.

The bottom line is that this is a nice writer within its limits of ink flow.


5. Filling system and maintenance. (6.0/10)

Records say that Sailor used to market small converters for its pocket pens. But I have never seen any of those and neither can I say whether they would fit in these very short pens.

In any event, this one is now a cartridge-only pen, and only those manufactured by Sailor. This might not be a problem in Japan, but it is in other markets where the distribution of Sailor products is very unreliable. The options, then, are refilling the cartridges and using it as an eyedropper. The connecting piece between section and barrel is made of steel and some people might be afraid of corrosion due to the ink.

Maintenance-wise, this pen is quite easy. Nib and feed can easily be extracted by unscrewing the nipple and pushing them up the section.


6. Cost and value. (9.5/10)
Pocket pens are easily available in the second hand market and as NOS (New Old Stock). Save a couple of examples, they are cheap and make good writers.


7. Conclusion. (47.5/60=79/100)
There are a number of features that make this pen special: its very compact dimensions, the springy nib, the original clip. On the negative side, this is a cartridge-only pen, and the frustrating feed. But it is indeed a nice writer.

(Sailor pocket pen, 14 K gold nib – Sailor black)

Bruno Taut
July 22, 2011
[labels: Sailor]

Pocket Yotsubishi

Yet another pocket pen?

Pocket pens were not necessarily inexpensive pens despite its reduce size. In fact, as we have seen, these pens sported some unusual and exotic nibs, like those made of high purity gold in the early 1970s.

Ishi Shoten (or Ishi & Company, or Ishii Seisakusho, or Ishi Shoten Yotsubishi) was founded in 1925 by Yoshinosuke Ishii. From very early on, this company aimed at the market of maki-e and urushi-e decorated pens. After the War, this company made some of the most delicate decorated pens made in Japan. Ishi Shoten pens are usually labeled with the brand Yotsubishi (Yotubishi in an alternative transliteration).

The Ishi Shoten pen I am showing today is a pocket pen decorated with the urushi-e technique of “kanshitsu-ishime”. This is no ordinary pocket pen. As is often the case on maki-e and urushi-e pens, the decoration becomes its primary argument.

As a pen, this is a typical pocket pen. However, the decoration –the think layer of urushi— keeps it from posting fully; that is, with the cap reaching the central ring (this problem is not shown on the pictures).

A Yotsubishi pocket pen.

The dimensions are as follows:
Length closed: 119 mm
Length open: 101 mm
Length posted: 148 mm
Diameter: 13 mm
Weight: 12.3 g

The pen, in the basic disassembled state. An unusual feature of this pen is that the bottom end of the section, together with the nib and the feed, can be unscrewed from the rest. This can be useful for a thorough cleaning of the pen.

This pen uses Platinum cartridges.

The nib is made of 18 K gold and it is engraved with the four-diamond logo of Yotsubishi. This style of nib was present in other pens of the brand in the early 1960s. However, the first pocket pens, made by Sailor, were marketed in 1963.

The engraving on the nib simply says "18 K" together with the company logo on both sides.

Yotsubishi pens are hard to find and and very valued by the connoisseur. And expensive.


My thanks to Mr. Furuya.

Pilot Grandee, Sterling silver – Pilot Light Green cartridge

Bruno Taut
Nakano, November 12th 2020
etiquetas: Yotsubishi, urushi-e

Elite

The Pilot Elite 95s is already on the street in Japan, and in other markets, as fellow blog author KMPN has recently reported. This pen is a remake of a pocket pen, so popular in the 1960s and 1970s in Japan, and implements an inlaid nib made of 14 K gold, available in EF, F, and M points. Two finishes are available—all black with golden accents, and burgundy with silver-colored cap. The latter, thought for the female customer, seems to be a lot more popular than the former. It might be worth to note that the number 95 indicates this pen was released on 95th year in the history of the company. The same applied to the model Justus 95.

The new Elite 95s. Picture taken from the Pilot's press relase on the pen.

But originally the Pilot Elite was a whole family of pens in a number of different styles. So many of them, actually, that it is hard to ignore the impression of Elite being a catchy word that was attached to any pen with a serious and formal look in the sixties and seventies. Or even not that formal!

A small selection of old Pilot Elite.

It is not easy to determine the chronological order in which the following pens appeared in the market. The lot, as well, is far from being an exhaustive and complete catalog of all Elite pen Pilot released.

--The balance model. This is an easy to find pen. More often than not it is a cartridge-converter pen, but some models (1968) were equipped with an accordion sac (bellows) as the filling system Very often, but not always, their nibs were inlaid, and were imprinted with the word “CUSTOM”.

There existed balance-shaped Elite made of silver (1968) with inlaid nibs. These were the precursors of the Art Silvern series of pens still on production nowadays with some minor differences.

Three balance models, but only the two on bottom are labeled as Elite.

--The flat top Elite. Not a usual find. A cartridge-converter. Nail-type nib.

A flat top Elite. Nail-type nib in 18 K gold.

--Elite pocket pens come in many styles. All of them are cartridge-converter.

a. The all-black with golden accents and inlaid nib. Some people call this pen as “Socrates”. Nail-type nibs were also implemented and are easy to find. This pen style –black and gold— in pocket pens was popular among all pen makers in Japan, and some examples (::1::, ::2::) have been covered on these Chronicles.

A black pocket Elite with a 22 K gold nib.

b. The cross-hatched decorative pattern. Inlaid nib made gold, usually rhodiated, although some white gold units might also exist. This pen was also called “Isaac Newton”. Cheaper versions had black plastic barrel and nail-type gold nib. These are late models, made in the late 1980s.

The sought-after cross-hatched Elite, also known as "Isaac Newton". It has an 18 K inlaid nib, rhodiated.

c. Silver pens. As in the previous case, either cap and barrel or just the cap were made of silver. Inlaid and nail-type nibs were available.

An Elite with a silver cap. The nib is made of 18 K gold, nail style.

d. Colorful Elite. Already by the 1969, the first Pilot pocket pen was released in the last trimester of 1968, colorful pocket Elite were marketed as S-KaraKara. Their target were students, and there was nothing formal on them. There even existed a demonstrator version of those. Their nibs were made of gold-plated steel.

As I said in the beginning, this is far from being complete. The drawback is that nobody should be surprised if more styles and shapes and colors were found.

The newly released Pilot Elite 95s costs JPY 10000, plus taxes. Second hand pocket Elite in black can easily be found, in good condition, for less than JPY 5000.

Pilot Capless FC-15SR (1989 model), stub nib by Shimizu Seisakusho – Pilot Blue

Bruno Taut
Shinjuku, July 6th, 2013
etiquetas: Pilot, mercado

Formal

Pen review. Platinum black pocket pen with soft fine nib.


1. General impression. Introduction. (6/10)
This is a formal pocket pen, black with gold accents. Very typical in he conservative attitude of the Japanese white collar worker –the sarariman (salary-man). The big three Japanese pen companies made similar pens in the seventies—small, black, formal.


2. Design. (8/10)
This is a handy and convenient pocket pen—short and compact when capped, and regular size and comfortable when posted for writing. Pens like this need to be posted to write comfortably unless the user’s hands were very small.


Clip and central rings are made in plastic, painted in gold color. The quality, however, seems good. The adjustment between cap and section and between cap and barrel is perfect despite its age. The V-mark engraved in the barrel has lost its color and is barely visible.


3. Size, weight. (8.5/10)
This is a regular sized pocket pen. It is light and well balanced.

These are the physical dimensions:
Diameter: 12 mm.
Length capped: 118 mm.
Length uncapped: 100 mm.
Length posted: 147 mm.
Weight: 11 g.


4. Nib writing and performance. (8/10)
The nib is a nominally soft fine in 18 K gold. Not really flexible, but it shows some nice springiness. But in actual terms, there is barely any line variation when pressing down. Springy, maybe; flexible this is not.


I rather very smooth nibs, but the feedback –some might call it toothiness— this pens shows is perfectly bearable. The flux in this very thin writer is perfect—it never misses a bite and it does not become dry easily. This is, in my opinion, the great virtue of Platinum pens—perfect flow.


5. Filling system. (7.5/10)
All I said about the Silver Cap Platinum filling system applies here.

Platinum stopped producing the pocket pen converters long ago and we are bound to use Platinum cartridges or to modify the current converters. A third option is to use the international cartridge adapter with those cartridges or with a short aerometric converter.

At the end, what used to be a problem has become a virtue by means of the inventiveness and resources of the users of these pens. But this is not the merit of the manufacturer.


6. Cost and value. (8.5/10)
Cheap pen in the second hand market in Japan. Great writer. Excellent value.


7. Conclusion. (46.5/60 = 77.5/100)
Boring looking pen, at least for those who are used to pocket pens. But inside there is a very reliable and pleasant writer.

This pen scores high in the design, nib and value departments. Looks took points away

(Platinum Black Pocket Pen – Platinum blue black)

Bruno Taut
(Inagi, July 06 2010)
[labels: Platinum, Japón]

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

Black

Pen review of the Sailor 21 black pocket pen.

After having written a review on a black Platinum pocket pen, speaking about its Sailor counterpart is only natural—and boring. But this is my daily pen these days.


1. Appearance and design. (6/10)
Again, a formal black pen for shirt pocket. The accents are more silvery than golden. The nib, however, is golden in color and material.

As mentioned for already reviewed pens (I, II), this is a Japanese product of the 1970s. And, I add now, on the more formal style. But at the same time, it is a handy and convenient design.

2. Construction and quality. (7/10)
This pen had been used when I got it in my hands. It shows some tear and wear on the cap, mostly. The adjustment between cap and barrel and cap and section is perfect despite the years of use. And that is especially important for the writing comfort in a pocket pen.


3. Weight and dimensions. (8.5/10)
Standard size for a pocket pen. Well balanced.

Dimensions:
Diameter: 11.0 mm.
Length capped: 118 mm.
Length uncapped: 99 mm.
Length posted: 146 mm.
Weight: 12 g.


4. Nib and writing performance. (8.5/10)
Very smooth fine nib in 21 K gold. There is no indication of the actual point. The nib engraving only says “Sailor, 21 K, -2-“.


The ink flow is just perfect for this nib. The demands are easy to meet as the nib is very rigid.


5. Filling system and maintenance. (5/10)
A Sailor pocket pen does not give you many options—you must use, or re-use, Sailor-proprietary cartridges of 1.1 ml in capacity. This is, nonetheless, quite enough for a fine nib.

There existed converters for these pens, but they are long out of production.

The adaptation of the current converters to these old pens presents a problem in the bore of the section—it is too narrow for the metallic part of the converter to fit in. There are exceptions to this general rule, but that is not the case of this particular pen.

Regarding maintenance, there is nothing complicated on this pen, as is the case on most cartridge only pens.


6. Cost and value. (8.5/10)
Cheap pen, good writer. Therefore, good value.


7. Conclusion. (43.5/60=72.5/100)
Good pen for daily use. Boring looks and proprietary cartridges with no possibility of converter take many points away. The nib scores very high.

(Sailor 21 black pocket pen – Sailor Brown)

Bruno Taut
(Inagi, July 10, 2010)
[labels: Japón, Sailor]

Out of Production (II)

When speaking about the problems to find proprietary cartridges to ink a Morison pocket pen, I ended the text with a negative conclusion—those pens, that Morison for instance, lose a lot of value in the second hand market, those pens have become almost useless.

The Morison pocket pen whose cartridges are almost impossible to find.

But there is also a positive conclusion—some brands still provide support for their old products. That is the case of the three big Japanese pen manufacturers with regard to the very popular idea of pocket pens. Current ink cartridges by Pilot, Platinum and Sailor can be used in those pocket pens from the 1960s and 1970s. In fact, cartridges are the only way to ink some of those pens, mostly Platinums and Sailors, as the old converters went out of production. Pilot is particularly exemplary on this—the CON-20 converter fits perfectly on those pocket pens and is a good alternative to cartridges. And Pilot, as well, still produces the CON-W to be used on those old pens (1960s) that needed the long gone double spare cartridges.

The original Pilot Myu-701 and its reissue, M90, can use the CON-20 converter.

The Pilot Capless from 1965 can still be used todays, in absence of double spare cartridges, by using the CON-W converter.

Some could say that the only difference between Morison and the big three is that Morison is out of business. And that is true, but true as well is the fact that some still-active companies did abandon some of their old products. Case in point, the beautiful Waterman C/F pen uses a specific type of cartridge and converter now out of production. And this makes us value a lot more those other companies.

The Waterman C/F, equipped with its converter, now almost as valuable as the pen itself.

For those unfortunate cases we have two options. The obvious is to look for those old cartridges and converters in second hand shops, flea markets and online auctions. The other is to adapt other ink deposits. That is what I did with my pocket Morison. Now it is inked with an adapted Pilot cartridge.

But the bottom line might be that self filling pens and eyedroppers do not have this problem.

Pilot Ladypearl – Diamine Graphite

Bruno Taut
Shinjuku, February 24th, 2013
etiquetas: Morison, Sailor, Platinum, Pilot, Waterman, soluciones técnicas, conversor