I have two Platinum Cool pens, which I understand are just the demo versions of the Balance. Ever since I got them one has had no problems (with Asa Gao), the other would not start, unless I used the nib upside down first, for a few words. I got fed up again, and cleaned it with a drop of soap, for the fifth or sixth time; but this time I replaced Vert Empire with Chiku Rin... And lo, no starting problems! Luckily I (think I) managed to recover a Waterman Laureat for Vert Empire. At this point I have stopped trying to understand the physics of it all and I'm just glad something worked. The ink gods have somehow been appeased!