School Shopping: Pilot Prera Or Platinum Cool?

[Giordana]

I like my Vanishing Points, but they tend to feel heavy! So, for taking notes (and doodles when I'm not writing) I want an extra fine nib that will not feather on cheap paper, and on a pen that feels light and has good balance. So far, my contenders are the Pilot Prera (the solid colored ones) and the new Platinum Cool (aka Balance), both with fine nibs.

 

Argh, I just can't decide!! This is what I'm not liking from each of the pens:

 

Pilot Prera:

-Too small (I guess even for my petite girl hands)

-I worry that posting the pen will scratch the plastic, and that with the cap's clip, posting will add weight & may not be balanced

 

Platinum Cool:

-Don't like that they're demonstrators and have limited colors to choose

-Doesn't have interchangeable nibs like the cheaper Pilot pens

 

 

Like I said about the Prera, I worry about how the pen will feel when posted. I used to own the TWSBI Mini, and I disliked posting because I felt that the clip made it a tad heavier and it felt unbalanced to me, especially as I'm an overwriter and tend to write from different angles.

I love the design of the Prera, but I'm hating how similar it is to the TWSBI Mini size-wise (using the Goulet's Pen Plaza tool). If I saw either the Prera or Platinum Cool offered used at a lesser price, I wouldn't mind buying one of them for the sake of trying them out, but no such luck. I'll have to pay the full price, and that's what scares me too, since I'm looking for an inexpensive pen to take to the university (and possibly hospital rounds)

 

By the way, I used to have the Noodler's Ahab (another cheap pen with nice nib), and I didn't like it, despite the size and clever filling system. The reason why I mention the Ahab is because it's an expensive pen of a good size and has a fine nib, but not as fine as I'd like it to be. I'm contemplating the brands Pilot and Platinum, since they offer good converters and cartridges (the type with a ball inside; these are awesome for refilling if I need more capacity).

 

I've exhausted my Google-ing powers. Can you help alleviate my doubts and give me ideas, my FPN friends?

 

EDITED: for reading purposes

Edited August 12, 2013 by Giordana

[Plume145]

so wait, about posting: you DON'T want to post? Or you do, but you think it won't be good for the pen (meaning the prera)?

 

As for the platinum, I tried to find a platinum cool but I couldn't - what am I missing?

Also, you say

 

I love the design of the Prera, but I'm hating how similar they are size wise (using the Pen Plaza tool)

 

 

 

similar to what? can you explain?

 

As for the noodler's ahab, aren't all of these flexible nibs? I don't know much about flexi nibs, but from what I've heard they're not generally people's first choice for note-taking pens, because the flexible nibs slow you down.

[Giordana]

so wait, about posting: you DON'T want to post? Or you do, but you think it won't be good for the pen (meaning the prera)?

 

As for the platinum, I tried to find a platinum cool but I couldn't - what am I missing?

Also, you say

 

 

similar to what? can you explain?

 

As for the noodler's ahab, aren't all of these flexible nibs? I don't know much about flexi nibs, but from what I've heard they're not generally people's first choice for note-taking pens, because the flexible nibs slow you down.

 

Sorry for the confusion! If I must post the pen, I will for the sake of not having an uncomfortably short pen. I was using the Pen Plaza tool to compare the sizes of the Pilot Prera and the TWSBI Mini.

 

As for flex nibs, they're alright. I've got a light hand. In my experience, to flex the Ahab you must put a LOT of pressure on it. The flexible properties of the Ahab compare nothing to vintage flex! Like I said, I've got a light hand, so using a springy nib like the Ahab's does not inhibit the speed of writing.

 

So far, the best places to purchase the Platinum Cool (or Balance) in the US are Goulet Pens and Jetpens. Brian's video review of the pen helped me consider it as a choice!

 

I don't think many people will own the Platinum Cool at the moment, but it would be helpful to know how the Prera feels posted and if the plastic scratches easily.

[Plume145]

aaah, I see now :-) Unfortunately, I'm really not the best person to tell you more about any of this, because my requirements are nothing like yours - my hands are pretty big (long fingers mostly), I get twitchy if I can't post a pen, and while I own a prera I've barely inked it, just wasn't crazy about it. I also don't have a super light hand, in part because I like shading so not having a very light hand is rewarded hehe.

 

I hope someone can help you out though! FWIW, I can see why you like both; I'm not crazy about demonstrators either but if I got one I'd definitely consider the Platinum cool, and the Prera is a cute pen that looks way fancier than the cost would suggest

[Mesu]

How about Pilot 78G?

 

I am not comfortable with heavy pens or any big pens with the exception being a large ebonite pen i recently acquired. I don't like posting however small the pen may be.

 

Pilot 78G fits all my requirements to the T.

[Giordana]

Thank you for the suggestion, I will do some research on the Pilot 78g. It shares the Prera nib at a price you can't beat!

Edited August 12, 2013 by Giordana

[hot cocoa]

The Prera is almost a feather weight-wise compared to the TWSBI mini. You shouldn't have any issues posting it and feeling as if it were imbalanced in any way. It's size and design beg for the cap to be posted. If TWSBI mini is your basis of comparison, and the mini was too heavy, then you should find the overwhelming lightness of the Prera more suitable.

 

The Prera's nib is very fine, smooth, and really no complaints.

 

I can't speak to the Cool, though it looks...cool! I'd get one for sure if it had a flat top design like the Prera.

[DanF]

Another pen you might consider is a Pilot Lucina, a little larger than the Prera, but you would have to get it from Japan, either via Ebay or a dealer such as Menet Rakuten: PILOT( pilot )Lucina( ルシーナ) blue FL-5SR-L- Shopping Japanese products from Japan Shipping of pens feom Japan has run about $13, not sure about Menet's shipping though.

 

I have never used one, but it is said that they use the same nib as the discontinued Cross Solo, of which I have several, and those are very nice nibs. There are a couple of reviews in the review section.

 

Something else to consider is the Platinum Plaisir, which is available in the US through the usual suspects. It has a substantial girth, but is quite light, sells for just over $20.00

 

Dan

Edited August 12, 2013 by DanF

[tomkeb]

The Prera is not plastic, it is made from some resin which is quite durable. There are no signs of wear from posting on my Prera which I also use for school heavily.

 

I would suggest an alternative to Prera: Metropolitan (MR) with an <F> nib – the nib is the same, it is slightly larger and the body is made of brass.

 

In this case I wouldn't go for the 78G – that IS the cheap plastic that will get scratched all over.

[swanjun]

I'd also suggest the Pilot Metropolitan. Looking at the Goulet Pen Plaza, it does seem to be somewhat larger than the Prera. The ones under the "Metropolitan" name have an M nib (or western F), but they're also sold with more colors under the Cocoon name, and you can sometimes find those with F (or western XF) nibs.

[NedC]

Comparing the TWSBI mini to the Prera: The mini's cap is a gram heavier and when posted it is a bit longer than the Prera when it's posted as the Prera post more deeply so I'd say the Prera feels better balanced. I also wouldn't worry about any scratching from posting the Prera, it is of course plastic, I'd hazard a guess that it's made of AS resin as is the Platinum but it could be an acrylic, but when posting there is no hard plastic to hard plastic or metal contact, the Prera has a soft plastic inner cap or either polyethylene or polypropylene that makes contact with the end of the barrel and makes for a scratch free and quite secure post - it also does a good job of preventing nib dry out.

 

I'd also suggest looking at the Lucina if you plan on ordering through a Japanese seller, it is a really wonderful pen, in a whole other league from the Prera.

[At Midnight]

Why dont you try the PILOT NEW HUMAN ENGINEERING FOUNTAIN PEN it uses the same nib as the Perna it is delightfully light and a pleasure to write with

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/PILOT-NEW-HUMAN-ENGINEERING-FOUNTAIN-PEN-/360453777178?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item53ecb8271a

 

I assume it will be available at other locations as well

Edited August 12, 2013 by At Midnight

[tomkeb]

I'd also suggest the Pilot Metropolitan. Looking at the Goulet Pen Plaza, it does seem to be somewhat larger than the Prera. The ones under the "Metropolitan" name have an M nib (or western F), but they're also sold with more colors under the Cocoon name, and you can sometimes find those with F (or western XF) nibs.

 

It can found with true <F> (if you wish to say 'western EF') nib under the name MR, as I suggested, for example on ebay or Stationery art for less than $25, there is no need to pay much more for the Cocoon version just to get the fine nib.

[CAG_1787]

To be honest, my Prera is probably the only pen that I regret buying. It is a very small pen, almost a pocket pen in my eyes, which I did not fully appreciate when I bought it. I have small hands (for a guy) despite years of piano, but the Prera was almost unworkable unposted, and I'm generally one of those people that does not post at all.

 

The nib is fine, though nothing glamorous, and is the same as can be found on the Metropolitan or 78G for a fraction of the price. If the Prera or Platinum Cool just trips your trigger visually, go for it. Otherwise, I'd recommend getting the Metropolitan (if you like heavy pens) or a 78G (if you don't), or maybe both (for still less than the Prera) and then have nib options to swap between the pens.

[Giordana]

Thanks for the replies regarding the Prera! I didn't consider the Metropolitan because of its weight and the step on the grip section. Although the Plumix is light and has the nib, the ergonomic grip feel uncomfortable for me. I'd prefer to buy these pens in the US, since I know both Goulets & Jetpens are very reliable, plus I can add a little something in the cart that I may need with the pen.

 

Now that I think of it, I admire that for almost same price of the solid colored Preras, you can get the Cool with converter included. That's a nice deal, considering the price of the converter by itself, and it feels more substantial than the CON-20 of the Prera.