Platinum President

[Tsujigiri]

Sailor and Platinum nibs are not interchangeable. They're not removeable on the full-sized models, either. I've heard the Very Presidential name, too, but it does seem to be the same thing. When my father went over to Japan and I asked him to pick this pen up for me, he asked for a "Very Presidential," and the salesgirl corrected him and brought up this pen.

[MYU]

Nice pen, rather Sailor King Of Pen in design. I didn't realize they had a red version... nice coloration. Thanks for the review!

[yutokicker]

I just received my black one with F nib. This beast is absolutely gorgeous.

[terim]

According to the ad, the Very Presidential had an 18k nib and the regular President had a 14k nib. I think they are the same size. The "Very" has double cap band rings. We just acquired one of the "Very" pens in purple.

[ENewton]

According to the ad, the Very Presidential had an 18k nib and the regular President had a 14k nib. I think they are the same size. The "Very" has double cap band rings. We just acquired one of the "Very" pens in purple.

 

 

Photo?

Edited August 3, 2019 by ENewton

[terim]

 

 

Photo?

There's a good photo in the Sailor ad, linked to above. I'm basing everything on that photo! I think they were both considered "President" pens, they just said presidential in the ad.

[toymachine]

Does the platinum president have a slip and seal cap like the 3776 century? some people say it does and other say it does not.

[Uncial]

I have a maroon one and it has a slip and seal inside the cap. Not sure if it's the spring loaded one but there is a sealing liner there. Sits on my desk, sometimes might be unused for a while but always starts up without a problem and the ink doesn't appear to dry in the converter.

[A Smug Dill]

Does the platinum president have a slip and seal cap like the 3776 century?

The manufacturer does not make that claim on either the Japanese product page or English product page for the Platinum President fountain pen. Given how 'proud' Platinum Pen is of its patented Slip and Seal mechanism, and is not shy about listing it as a key selling point for the pen models (both on the cheap end or the premium end) that feature it, I don't see any reason to assume the current Platinum President models has it.

 

some people say it does and other say it does not.

OK, so have you asked/challenged those people to clarify or prove their claims?

 

I have a maroon one and it has a slip and seal inside the cap. Not sure if it's the spring loaded one but there is a sealing liner there.

The Platinum Balance pens also have inner caps (as can be easily seen in the 'crystal' or 'Cool' variants), but they aren't spring-loaded and therefore not the Slip and Seal mechanism, and the product pages for them do not list it as a feature. Ditto the Platinum President.

 

In my experience, all three of my Platinum Balance pens will allow a full converter fill to evaporate and dry out in three or four months, whereas the (cheaper, and also fitted with slip caps instead of screw caps) Plaisir — which is advertised as having the Slip and Seal feature — will not. Of course, that doesn't mean pens that are not advertised with the feature will definitely dry out sooner; my Platinum Izumo (bought some five years ago) is still on the same fill of Pilot Iroshizuku yama-budo ink from last December.

Edited September 15, 2019 by A Smug Dill

[sandy101]

I have the Izumo, which came with a broad 18k President nib.

 

It is a nice nib, and is smoother than Platinum's medium nibs, the extra thickness makes a difference. You don't get the same feedback (and I'm not saying the feedback on the M nibs is bad). You get a 0.7mm line, rather than the 0.5mm line of Platinum's medium.

 

The nib is thicker than the 18K nibs on the Platinum modern make-i, so you do not get the same springy effect.

[Nyanzilla]

The President dosn't have the slip & seal cap, but The cap seals quite well, so I never had issues with drying nibs.

But I recently noticed that the golden ring at the end of the grip section has began to corrode. This is quite annoying as I didn't use this pen much. I wrote maybe 2-3 converter fillings so far, and I never used corrosive inks like iron gall ink.

[BaronWulfraed]

It is a nice nib, and is smoother than Platinum's medium nibs, the extra thickness makes a difference. You don't get the same feedback (and I'm not saying the feedback on the M nibs is bad). You get a 0.7mm line, rather than the 0.5mm line of Platinum's medium.

 

Be Happy!

 

This is my result (I seem to post this link in lots of threads):

 

 

Visually a B and M nib -- and both put down virtually the same line thickness. (The original image at 100% in Photoshop shows the middle upright from the B is about 0.5 crossing the metric scale, the left upright of the M is 0.4)

[Honeybadgers]

I have a maroon one and it has a slip and seal inside the cap. Not sure if it's the spring loaded one but there is a sealing liner there. Sits on my desk, sometimes might be unused for a while but always starts up without a problem and the ink doesn't appear to dry in the converter.

 

The slip n seal system is sprung, otherwise it's just an inner cap like any other.

 

Mine just has a normal cap lining. But mine is also very very resistant against drying out.

 

I love the design of the nib, but found the fit and finish on the pen lacking, particularly since it doesn't even have the slip n seal. I can feel a physical ridge along the tail cap that's not pleasant to run your fingers over, the feel is just a little cheaper than I was hoping for the premium model in the line, and the nib is a stellar writer if uninspired. Quite firm for an 18k nib. If it was a soft fine, I'd probably have nicer things to say.

 

It also does not feel nice to cap. It doesn't crossthread, but it REALLY tries to, and rolls over into the threads in a a way that definitely isn't hurting anything but also feels awful. the tooling on the mold for the cap threads is pretty awful, the cap has tons of wobble as you unthread it, and that just makes the capping/uncapping feel cheap.

 

Overall, it just feels kinda dated. The nib also looks a little out of place, kind of stubby when compared to the much more dramatic design of the 3776. If I had to choose, money no object, the 3776 is a better pen.

 

 

The nib is easily removed, but doesn't swap with the 3776 nib.

Edited September 16, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[MuddyWaters]

 

The slip n seal system is sprung, otherwise it's just an inner cap like any other.

 

Mine just has a normal cap lining. But mine is also very very resistant against drying out.

 

I love the design of the nib, but found the fit and finish on the pen lacking, particularly since it doesn't even have the slip n seal. I can feel a physical ridge along the tail cap that's not pleasant to run your fingers over, the feel is just a little cheaper than I was hoping for the premium model in the line, and the nib is a stellar writer if uninspired. Quite firm for an 18k nib. If it was a soft fine, I'd probably have nicer things to say.

 

It also does not feel nice to cap. It doesn't crossthread, but it REALLY tries to, and rolls over into the threads in a a way that definitely isn't hurting anything but also feels awful. the tooling on the mold for the cap threads is pretty awful, the cap has tons of wobble as you unthread it, and that just makes the capping/uncapping feel cheap.

 

Overall, it just feels kinda dated. The nib also looks a little out of place, kind of stubby when compared to the much more dramatic design of the 3776. If I had to choose, money no object, the 3776 is a better pen.

 

 

The nib is easily removed, but doesn't swap with the 3776 nib.

Always good to see negative reviews. I have been comparing it lately to the Sailor 1911L and the Pilot Custom 912. I have sometimes found Pilot nibs kind of boring, and the 1911L looks too small. So I'm still thinking President (not ready to go up to KoP and really didn't like the CH 823).

[A Smug Dill]

I love the design of the nib, but found the fit and finish on the pen lacking, particularly since it doesn't even have the slip n seal.

Luckily (for you?), Platinum has other pen models that use the President nibs; for example, the Izumo tamenuri (urushi-on-ebonite) pens, and if I'm not mistaken, the Izumo tagayasan as well. My two Izumo tamenuri pens do not have spring-loaded inner caps, but have nevertheless proven extremely resistant to ink evaporation when capped and unused for months on end. They're large enough so that I doubt anyone needs to post the cap when writing with them; and posting is definitely not recommended, even if it's at all possible with those pens. (I haven't tried, and am not inclined to do so.)

 

Always good to see negative reviews. I have been comparing it lately to the Sailor 1911L and the Pilot Custom 912. I have sometimes found Pilot nibs kind of boring, and the 1911L looks too small. So I'm still thinking President (not ready to go up to KoP and really didn't like the CH 823).

It's refreshing and good (even if not necessarily "always good") to see someone expressing a personal opinion that is not in favour of certain things with many vocal supporters on FPN/FPGeeks/reddit, such as the Pilot Custom Heritage 823, or the Pilot FA nib, or "butter-smooth" writing for example.

[Honeybadgers]

Luckily (for you?), Platinum has other pen models that use the President nibs; for example, the Izumo tamenuri (urushi-on-ebonite) pens, and if I'm not mistaken, the Izumo tagayasan as well. My two Izumo tamenuri pens do not have spring-loaded inner caps, but have nevertheless proven extremely resistant to ink evaporation when capped and unused for months on end. They're large enough so that I doubt anyone needs to post the cap when writing with them; and posting is definitely not recommended, even if it's at all possible with those pens. (I haven't tried, and am not inclined to do so.)

 

It's refreshing and good (even if not necessarily "always good") to see someone expressing a personal opinion that is not in favour of certain things with many vocal supporters on FPN/FPGeeks/reddit, such as the Pilot Custom Heritage 823, or the Pilot FA nib, or "butter-smooth" writing for example.

 

Seeing as the nibs are really... kinda dull and simple in performance, and a little undersized (subjective, but generally speaking, I prefer a nib to feel proportional in size to the body, or integrated in a hooded or inlaid manner), I don't personally really like them in the Izumo pens, which are ungodly expensive.

 

At least pilot and sailor increases the nib size to stay in proportion with the pen as they get bigger. Platinum shrinks it from the 3776, and reduces the nib options.

 

Not a fan. I love the 3776 and basically every model they make under it, but when we're talking izumo money... I'm just not gonna go looking for platinum over pilot or sailor, personally.

Edited January 3, 2020 by Honeybadgers

[MuddyWaters]

Yet I wonder if the Platinum President represents some kind of value in the fountain pen world, since I doubt Platinum has jacked its prices compared to the 3776. You probably wouldn't think so HB.

 

If going for the CH 912, I have been tempted by the PO nib, even if I never use EF nibs, because I like writing with a shallow angle. However, the 912 is more narrow and long and not sure it would fit in the hand in a forefinger up position.

[Ryanlim]

Does the platinum president have a slip and seal cap like the 3776 century? some people say it does and other say it does not.

I have a President in maroon with 18k B nib. Excellent juicy writer, reliable, stiff as a nail, though. It does not have the slip and seal cap like the 3776 (i have the Chartres Bleu in SF, which does not dry out, though it is a drier nib...another story altogether).

 

With my President, if i do not write with it for more than 1 week, I have to prime my nib, otherwise it does dry out. Maybe it is the choice of inks, but i have used Diamine Terracotta to Sailor Souten / Doyou (wet inks) and Akkerman inks. All need priming....

 

Despite this, I love the size, the nib and the way it writes, esp for long sessions....

[anishkapoor]

Yet I wonder if the Platinum President represents some kind of value in the fountain pen world, since I doubt Platinum has jacked its prices compared to the 3776. You probably wouldn't think so HB.

 

If going for the CH 912, I have been tempted by the PO nib, even if I never use EF nibs, because I like writing with a shallow angle. However, the 912 is more narrow and long and not sure it would fit in the hand in a forefinger up position.

the 912 is not narrow. the grip section is substantially girthier than the custom 74 and is round section so i dont think four finger grip should be a problem.

[cgreenberg19]

Nice review. I'm considering picking one up for myself.