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Priced at under 4 euros, the Platinum Preppy might just be the best pen in the world. I love mine. Here's why. I don't have that many pens, althought some people around me think I'm nuts for even having the number that I do have (about 20). The most-heard comments are: "Oooh, that one looks nice!" "Pens? Really?" (This is a polite version of "Dude, seek help") "That must be expensive!" "Which one is your favourite?" "Which pen is the best pen?" These last two questions, those are tough. It's not so easy to pick a favourite pen, at least not for me. Nor to pick the best pen. I can think of several possible criteria to select a favourite/best pen: A aesthetics, design, beauty, materials used B collector's item (rarity) C practical every-day use (size, sturdiness, reliability) D the writing sensation E the neatness of your handwriting with a particular pen F emotional bonding with a pen for no apparent practical reason (you know you love it) G price/performance ratio For me, a different pen wins out for each possible criterium although some score high in multiple criteria. Anyway, at some point I bought a Platinum Preppy and promptly gave it away to a colleague who fancied it. Then I bought two more and those also disappeared like snow before the sun. By now I must have given away ten or more Preppy's (I try not to write Preppies), mostly to lefties, and they adore them. Initially I dismissed the pens as cheapo throwaway stuff, but my colleagues do everything to them that you should not do to a fountain pen and so far none of the pens has been damaged in any way. So gradually I started using Preppies myself more and more. I use the 0.3 mm nibs and the more I use them, the more fun they become. Preppy's have a *huge* feed and the trick is to have about 50% of the fins covered in ink. It takes a while for a brand new one to reach that, but it can be sped up. Once half the feed is saturated, the pen writes fantastically well with a nice, wet line that nevertheless dries quickly. There's a slight stubbiness to the smooth, pleasant nibs that really appeals to me. Also I definitely prefer the feel of the Preppy's plastic over the Plaisir's rather flimsy aluminium. I'll always love my Sailors etc, but my two Preppy's grew on me. They're usually on or near me and they never disappoint. (Inevitably people will claim that their Montblanc 149, Visconti Homo Sapiens or Pilot Custom 823 are infinitely better pens. I'm not disputing that - I love my own higher-end pens as much as anyone. But priced at about 450 street, the Homo Sapiens is about 110x more expensive. Does it perform 110x better? Or even 10x better? The Preppy is an incredible feat of engineering at this price point.)

Hello from the "Live Free or Die" state (New Hampshire), Older professional guy who is a fountain pen user. Interested in pens that write immediately and smoothly. So far, Kaweco and platinum preppy, ( yes, I mean it), fit the bill. Am wondering if anyone has tried the Visconti Homo Sapiens Magma fountain pen , to which I am very attracted? Am willing to be convinced the pen is worth the seemingly high price. Am also wondering if anyone has written with both Noodler's legal blue and Noodler's legal lapis inks, and, whether and why one is preferred over the other Any thoughts you may have would be greatly appreciated. Thank you. Kind regards, Henry

If So Which Nib Size Should I Get? My Action Is Like A Cross Between A Hook And A Sidewriter. Do you suggest the preppy or should I go with a Parker??

I really like the ink that came with my violet Preppy. It writes so smooth with zero feathering even on the cheapest paper and dries pretty quick. Honestly, it behaves almost like I'd expect a gel pen to. I was wondering exactly what ink it is so I could try it in my TWSBI Eco and Noodler's Konrad. Fairly certain that this is the same as what came with my preppy: https://www.jetpens.com/Platinum-Violet-Ink-For-Fountain-Pen-and-Marker-2-Cartridges/pd/1519#index=0 Which is dye-based. So would any dye-based Platinum ink perform the same? i.e. Is the above cartridge the same ink that comes in this bottle: https://www.jetpens.com/Platinum-Mixable-Silky-Purple-Ink-60-ml-Bottle/pd/7449#index=0 and would the following perform similarly: https://www.jetpens.com/Platinum-Blue-Black-Ink-60-ml-Bottle/pd/11986 Anyone know if Platinum's iron-gall https://www.jetpens.com/Platinum-Classic-Lavender-Black-Ink-60-ml-Bottle/pd/20235#index=0 Or pigment-based https://www.jetpens.com/Platinum-Carbon-Ink-Black-60-ml-Bottle/pd/3461#index=0 Handle the same?

I know its probably not worth it since its such a cheap pen haha, however I live in the UK and it can take weeks for another one to arrive of amazon. I was wondering if is anything I can do about the cap being broken so much that the pen might as well not have a cap, so that I can still use it for a few weeks as its a pen I bring and use everywhere?

I recently purchased several Platinum Preppys to convert to eye droppers, highlighters, and fiber markers for use at work. I want to be more eco-friendly by replacing my highlighters and sharpies with instruments that I can refill and give me a wider selection of colors. I know Preppys have a reputation of cracking. Does anyone have any suggestions to increase the durability of the barrels as I plan to carry these on my person at work and anticipate dropping them and using them as daily workhorses. I am toying with the idea of wrapping the outside of the threaded end with a strip of electrical tape to cushion any impacts and minimize cracks. Any suggestions or ideas would be greatly appreciated. Thanks

I am new to the fountain pen world. I am fond of brown inks and so I bought a Waterman Absolute Brown. But it is not going well with my Platinum Preppys. I have one fine and one medium nib. Both of them are having terrible flows with the Waterman brown ink. Can anyone suggest some other relatively inexpensive fountain pens that will go well with Waterman Absolute Brown??? Thank you in advance. P.S.: Previously I had a Pelikan brown ink. But its performance was terrible in every pen. Later I came to know that it is one of the most dry inks available. Then I bought the Waterman. So I really want it to work. Thanks in advance once again.

The Jetpens Chibi 2 is the second iteration of the pen marketplace’s homegrown fountain pen. It features a steel nib, a colorless demonstrator body, and a cartridge convertor filling system. The Chibi 2 retails for $2.99, and is available only at Jetpens. ​A view of the nib of Chibi.​​ First Impressions (6/10) I bought this pen to push me over the free shipping limit on my Jetpens order, and I actually forgot that I had ordered it until it arrived. It is an unassuming pen, pretty much the definition of a “pocket pen”, and I set it aside for later. The pen came with a black ink cartridge in the barrel, which is always nice. The capped Chibi​​Appearance (7/10) The demonstrator pen is decently attractive for what it is, but it couldn’t compete with the likes of a TWISBI or a Pelikan demonstrator. The pen has a clear feed, so you can see the ink flow into it. The nib is small and steel, marked with “Iridium Point Germany.” The pen has a rounded, clear plastic clip with “Jetpens” written on it. The Chibi Posted Design/Size/Weight (10/10) Jetpens really nailed this in my opinion. In the second iteration of the Chibi, they were able to pin down exactly what a “pocket pen” should be. The pen is small, (3 7/8 inches uncapped, 4 1/2 inches capped, 5 3/8 inches posted) but easily usable when posted, and is so light you don’t even notice that you have something in your pocket. It is cheap enough to take anywhere, and feels sturdy enough to be taken anywhere. The barrel and section of the Chibi, separated. Nib (8/10) The nib is a fairly standard steel nib. The nib is marketed as Fine by Jetpens, but I found mine to be a little bit on the wide side, a barely noticeable amount wider than my Pilot Vanishing Point M Nib. The nib is a teensy bit dry, but there is still ample ink flow, and the pen does not skip at all when writing quickly. The nib is mostly smooth, but you can feel some feedback now and then. It’s a nail, so don’t expect anything in the flex department. Filling System (N/A) It’s a cartridge. It works. You can’t fit any convertor I tried into it. Not much else to say here. Cost and Value (10/10) This pen is a great value at $2.99, especially if you need to reach that free shipping line like I did. It compares favorably to pens like the Pilot Petit and the Platinum Preppy, its two main competitors, and unlike them accepts international cartridges. If you need a pocket pen, or a cheap pen to keep in your glove compartment, this one fits the bill nicely. Conclusion (8/10) The pen is a great value, but it has some flaws. It isn’t going to turn any heads when you pull it out, for instance, and it won’t accept a convertor. Despite this, it’s a neat little pen that’s well worth the price, and I would recommend trying it out. If you hate it, you could always give it away to a newcomer to the Fountain Pen world, it’ll still be many times better than the best ball-point. (In my opinion, obviously not a fact, don’t mean to insult any ball-point fans out there). ​

Hello everyone. This is my first post. I am having a problem with my platinum preppy fountain pen. After using its stock cartridge, I washed and refilled the cartridge with Pelikan 4001 ink. But the writing is not that bright and bold but rather quite pale. Is there anything that can be done to make the writing more saturated???

Hey guys... Its been a long time since i have been on FPN. I felt like i needed a break from the pens world, for the moment. But just now, i saw a notification of a new video in my inbox. Its "the two minutes" guys review of the good old Platinum Preppy... Here have a look: I m so happy with the way this video has been shot. I used to adore Matt Armstrong for the way he showed the pens in his review, but this guys has taken it a step ahead. Asthetically beautiful review. And this review has made me take out my Baby Pink Platinum Preppy from my closet. I havent tried many colors of this pen, because of high price, but the purple one from the video looks kinda cool. How's yellow? Has anyone tried it? I think it is too light.

Part of my haul included my most expensive pen to date, the Monteverde Invincia Deluxe. While still considered lower-priced in the fountain pen world, I'm working my way up slowly, and this was my first purchase of a pen that sits routinely at $99+. I wanted to share this because a) I need practice I'm really happy with my new pen, and wanted to show what it does under my (un)steady hand. Scratch marks because I can't count. My pen history is as follows: 1. Lamy Al-Star (M) 2. Lamy Safari (EF) 3. Platinum Preppy (03) 4. Pilot Metropolitan (M) 5. Platinum Preppy (02) 6. Monteverde Invincia Deluxe (F) 7. (doesn't really count) Kaimei natural brush pen The only non-cartidge inks present are: Pelikan Edelstein Garnet in the Invincia, and Private Reserve Velvet Black for the Preppy (02). I started writing with fountain pens exclusively, recently. I bought the first three pens as drawing pens, after a teacher recommended it, and never gave much thought to writing (funny now that I think back about it). Paper is Maruman something-or-other. It's not that receptive to fountain pens, but it works alright. It's more expensive than it's worth, though, if we're looking at strictly bleed-through.

Hello! First, I'm a noob, so if this has already been addressed at length, and I missed it in my search, I apologize. Now onto my situation....I was given a bottle of 4.5 oz Noodler's HOD for Christmas, and of course this came with a modified eyedropper Platinum Preppy. I was excited to use the pen and bring it to work because everyone says that they really like the pens and they are cheap, so if one walks away from your desk, no biggie. Yesterday, I am writing away, and it begins to leak heavily. Huge drops came from the bottom of the base of the nib where the feed ends. Ink got everywhere. It was a huge mess. I inspected the pen, and it does not appear to be leaking at all from the closure. I checked the O-ring and ensured that the threads were lubed up with silicon grease. I ran water through the nib and feed, dried it, and inspected the parts and put it back together. It has not leaked again...yet. My questions.... (1) Why did this happen? (2) What can I do to prevent this from happening again in the future? (3) Is this a common problem with modified Preppys? If so, I will need to reconsider buying a bunch of these for my desk at work. I work in oncology clinical research, and it would be a disaster of epic proportions if my pen leaked all over a patient's chart or other source documents. I can see the look on the FDA auditors' faces now....YIKES! Any help or advise is greatly appreciated!

Yes, it's a cheapie, but a problem is a problem. This one always gave me issues. I almost turned someone away from fountain pens when I installed the cartridge because it took about twenty minutes of scribbling before any ink showed up. The person I gave it to left it alone (capped) for a few weeks, and now it barely writes. If I press down firmly on the nib to spread the tines a bit, and then relax them, it will write for the next two seconds until it goes bone dry again. I tried rinsing the nib with running water and using a paper towel to pull out the inky water through the nib. It didn't help. If I had a converter, I could flush the pen easily, but I don't have one for this brand. If I take out the cartridge and try to run water through the grip section, won't the cartridge get a dry blockage at the opening while it's not connected to anything? I don't want to throw the pen away since the cartridge has barely been used. Any ideas? Thanks.

Hi there! So... I've not done this before. I couldn't find a review for this ink and thought it would be a good ink for my first try. I apologize in advance for both my handwriting and any mistakes. P.S. I am going to get this photo facing the correct direction if it kills me O.o