Platinum Izumo #28 Akatame

[hari317]

The Izumo is perhaps the only Urushi coated ebonite offered presently by the Platinum pen company, Japan. The Izumo ebonite is offered in three Urushi colors: Black, Red and Green. there is also the Izumo made from iron wood with a Urethane coating. The pen under review is the Red Urushi version.

 

The packaging is typical as found on the Japanese maki-e/urushi offerings, hand made paper outer cover:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6849.jpg

 

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6851.jpg

 

The pen is housed in a Paulownia wood box:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6852.jpg

 

The box contents:, the top cover is lined with white silk, the bottom is covered with green velvet:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6854.jpg

 

Some closeups of the various papers that came with the pen:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6855.jpg

 

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6856.jpg

 

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6857.jpg

 

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6858.jpg

 

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6859.jpg

 

It is not recommended to post the pen, we will see in the review that posting is really not necessary:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6860.jpg

 

The roll of paper that came with the pen, It is very smooth and nice, but I don't know if this is writing paper or for the purpose of gift wrapping the box:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6861.jpg

 

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6862.jpg

Unfortunately i have no knowledge of Japanese, I think the back of the roll of paper tells the story behind the evolutiuon of the Izumo line. I found some similar looking text on the Platinum Japanese website:

 

古くから出雲国は和紙の生産地であり、書く事に対して非常に造詣の深い土地柄です。

弊社創業者 中田俊一がこの地、出雲国のあった島根に誕生した事を弊社の起源とし島根県出雲市の協力を得て、新ブランド名を「出雲」に命名。

更なる長寿企業の仲間入りに向け、「出雲」という名の由来にあやかり天に湧き上がる雲の勢いを製品に込めてプラチナ萬年筆の新ブランドを立ち上げます。

 

Which Translated to the following using google:

 

Izumo is a place of production of paper from ancient times, is a land pattern for writing very deep knowledge.

With the cooperation of Izumo, Shimane Prefecture, and the origin of our company that was born in Shimane was this land, the country our founder, Izumo S. Nakata, naming the "Izumo" the new brand name. Further towards the ranks of the company longevity, and launch the new brand of brush platinum Yorozu years put into the product momentum of the cloud raged in heaven I started from brief introduction to the origin of the name "Izumo".

 

EDIT: Mchenart has kindly provided the following translation of the writing on the paper scroll:

...from the Kanji (which I can read) printed on the back of the roll of paper, the text tells the story of the tradition of Izumo paper, how it is made up of vegetable fibres into a smooth writing surface suitable for fountain pen use. The paper has a special lustre that makes handwriting stand out. In a gist, that is. So the roll of paper is included in the packaging to highlight the cultural aspects of Izumo and give the pen more weight, so to speak. I am sure the paper can be used for whatever purpose the owner deems desirable.

 

Onto the pen now, with the green pen kimono in the background:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6863.jpg

 

I love the shape of the pen, in one word: Elegant:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6864.jpg

 

Loaded with a Platinum Black Cartridge:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6865.jpg

 

Nib is the same nib that is found on the Platinum President pens:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6866.jpg

 

The superb clip, very shapely and of a one of a kind design:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6869.jpg

 

The Izumo is a huge pen of jumbo proportions, shown here alongside the MB149 and a YOL Grand Victorian:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6871.jpg

 

A writing sample made immediately after popping in a cartridge:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6872.jpg

 

The flow is neither dry nor wet.

 

Some concern has been expressed regarding the brass thread ring on the section coming in the way of the grip, I think the results will vary from user to user. I find them a non issue, I tried three grips that i have tried to show below:

 

The tripod comes naturally on this pen due to its girth, this is for long writing sessions, the tapered barrel sits nicely against the web between the thumb and forefinger:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6873.jpg

 

This is the position that I would prefer for a short jot or note:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6874.jpg

 

The forefinger up is really not comfortable here due to the thickness of the barrel:

http://i307.photobucket.com/albums/nn307/hari-b/Izumo/IMG_6875.jpg

 

I hope you find this review useful.

 

Cheers!

Hari

Edited March 24, 2012 by hari317

[pelman]

Hari - yup just simply elegant. Beautiful pen. Thanks for putting a pic of the three grips as well. As always great photographs.

[Uncle Red]

Wow, that is a stunning pen. I love the sexy curves of the barrel. The clip is quite distictive but what shirt or jacket has pockets big enough?

[SCPaul]

It's a gorgeous pen. I just don't know if I could live with the threads though.

[ajoe]

Great review Hari.

I agree about the threads; a non-issue here. But maybe I hold it wrong.

[hari317]

Thanks for all the kind comments. Actually this is Ajoe's pen, that he very kindly agreed to trade with me. I am very happy with it, thanks Ajoe!

[geoduc]

Nice review and a lovely pen, Hari. The photos and discussion on the thread placement are very helpful.

[Pen2009]

Great review. Now you gotta get a Platinum converter for this baby.

[jandrese]

I've seen these in person, and they are quite attractive. Did not like the grip section though. Thanks for the nice review. Maybe I should get one anyway...

[IWantThat]

I keep looking at these, particularly the green, but haven't bought one yet. Thanks for the review

[ggggggh]

Wow, this is stunning. The green one is more appealing to me though...

[terminal]

I'm surprised there wasn't more variation in the nib... or is that just how the writing sample looks to me?

[hari317]

Thanks for all the kind comments. The pen came with the standard golden converter, I prefer to use cartridges, holds more ink...

 

I love the green color too(Soratame), but the chance came up to own this beautiful pen and I could not pass it up.

 

There is not much line variation, It is a nearly monoline nib with the line width similar to a western medium. The Platinum Music Nib exhibits some line variation, however the president nibs (the nibs fitted to these pens) do not have the Music option so the fattest nib you get here is the Coarse C, you can have a nib tech grind it to an Italic.

 

Best

Hari

Edited March 24, 2012 by hari317

[Pen2009]

I keep looking at these, particularly the green, but haven't bought one yet. Thanks for the review

This pen could be additive. Black, Red and Green. 3 hard choices to make if not willing to get all of them.

 

There is another Izumo model, Tagayasan.

http://www.platinum-pen.co.jp/fountain_img/PIZ-50000/PIZ-50000matpen_500.jpg

[hari317]

There is another Izumo model, Tagayasan.

 

It appears that the Tagyasan(Bombay Black wood a type of Ironwood) is not Urushi covered, rather synthetic Urethane lacquer is used...

[Wideguy]

I wish you well to use her in good health Hari !She seems a lovely pen indeed, yet I had no idea how large she is !!As i love the larger pens, I would possibly buying one myself after I receive the NakayaA wonderful pen Hari !!

[hari317]

I wish you well to use her in good health Hari !She seems a lovely pen indeed, yet I had no idea how large she is !!As i love the larger pens, I would possibly buying one myself after I receive the NakayaA wonderful pen Hari !!

 

Dear Adam, I also was was pleasantly surprised by the size of the Izumo. You are right, I never got the idea of the size even from the wonderful Izumo page at nibs.com

 

Which color did you like the most? go for green so we can compare colors when you come down...

 

Best

Hari

[terminal]

There is not much line variation, It is a nearly monoline nib with the line width similar to a western medium. The Platinum Music Nib exhibits some line variation, however the president nibs (the nibs fitted to these pens) do not have the Music option so the fattest nib you get here is the Coarse C, you can have a nib tech grind it to an Italic.

 

Got it, thanks!

[markiv]

Great review - thank you.

At first glance I thought it to be a regular cigar shaped pen but wanted to see the other colors. I was pleasantly surprised by the subtle contour on the barrel, very organic.

[mchenart]

An excellent review for those who are considering getting this pen.

 

It just happened that I had a chance to hold one in my hand today at TY Lee's store in Taipei, so the memory is still fresh. The pen is everything you said, Hari. In addition, I found the Izumo urushi pens a bit heavier than, say, Nakaya's Portable Writer. So for someone who finds the Nakaya's too light, this might be a consideration.

 

This should really be pointed out by Japanese members of FPN, but from the Kanji (which I can read) printed on the back of the roll of paper, the text tells the story of the tradition of Izumo paper, how it is made up of vegetable fibres into a smooth writing surface suitable for fountain pen use. The paper has a special lustre that makes handwriting stand out. In a gist, that is. So the roll of paper is included in the packaging to highlight the cultural aspects of Izumo and give the pen more weight, so to speak. I am sure the paper can be used for whatever purpose the owner deems desirable.