Platignum Voyager

[mayapan]

Hi,

 

I decided to use fountain pens again after years but there is not much alternatives in the local shops.And I do not want to use internet delivery. Apart from the Parker vector and Parker 15, I found a platignum voyager in a lovely pink color. I really liked the balance and design and I want to try this pen. However, I couldn't find much info about it in the internet. Is there anyone out there who used this pen before?

 

I need any comments but I also have some specific questions:

 

-There is no indication as Fair or Medium for the nib but there are numbers (7 and 13 in the ones I looked at) pronted on the plastic part of the nibs. Is number 7 standing for a fair nib?

-It is not taking parker cartridges etc. and the salesperson does not know anything about fountainpens. Do you have any suggestions for converters?

-Have you experienced problems (such as leaking) with this model or with platignum in general?

 

Thanks in advance

 

[The Blue Knight]

I own the Platignum studio which I think has the same nib.

 

Answer's to you questions;

 

I'm pretty sure they only make medium nibs and the medium nib is on the fine/medium range.

 

It takes Standard international cartridges. Faber- Castell converter works a dream.

 

No problem's with leaks (I have not had a leak once with any of the 10 pens in my collection modern Fountain pens don't really leak) treat it like the writing instrument that it is and you maybe able to use a fountain pen for a life time with out any problems.

 

The Platignum is a nice pen however personally I would start off with a vector as it is cheap and very reliable so you can gauge weather you will stick with fountain pens and maybe in a few months buy a Voyager.

[Geordielass]

I have a Platignum No.5/Studio and I think it's a great pen, however, Platignum themselves and their various stockists all list the pens as taking Platignum cartridges only, and they don't make a compatible converter. I know a lot of people using this site have had success fitting international standard converters (the most common sized converter) and the one that most frequently comes up as fitting Platignums is the Monteverde branded one. However, a couple of months back, I tried fitting (well, "pushing quite hard" might be the closer to the mark, since it wouldn't go) an international standard cartridge to my pen when I ran out of Platignum cartridges. Not only would it not fit, but I seem to have cracked the nipple at the end of the feed as the next time I tried to do anything with it, it just fell off, rendering the pen useless until I bought a replacement (which I did, the pen is that good). If you are buying this pen I'd stick to the cartridges, (I do, now) - they can be difficult to find, though and if it's only the pen you are chary about buying online, you could still get the Voyager in the shop and then buy your cartridges online, through a specialist pen site (if you let us know which country you are in someone on FPN will be able to help you on where to get cartridges online without paying massive delivery charges).

 

To answer your specific questions, they only come in a medium nib, but that is slightly on the finer than average (if it's the same nib as mine).

As I said, Platignum are manufactured to take Platignum-only cartridges and they don't do a converter.

I've had no problems (apart from the one I caused myself) with my No.5 Studio, but I don't have a Voyager.

 

Honestly, they are great pens, but probably not a good option for someone who isn't keen on using the internet for buying things. As top pen said, of the three you mentioned I'd probably opt for the Vector - it's tough, reliable, a very smooth writer and you can easily get both cartridges and converters just about anywhere. If you can (and you haven't got your heart set on pink), I'd get one of the all-metal ones; they're great value for money and nearly indestructible, in my experience. The 15/Jotter uses the same nib as the Vector (I'm surprised it's sold as a 15, I thought they were renamed Jotter back in the 1990s) and is even cheaper if you are just wanting to try out a fountain pen, but it's also even smaller, which means that unless you have really tiny hands it probably isn't a good option (I own both a Vector and a Jotter and, in my opinion, the Vector is better than the Jotter, but neither are bad pens).

 

I don't want to throw cold water about the idea of getting a Platignum, they are great pens and excellent value for money, except for the proprietary-cartridge-only thing. I really think Platignum are doing themselves a big disservice. I'm still trying to find out if there is a 100% reliable way around this without breaking another pen, but I haven't got a definitive answer yet.

[mayapan]

Thanks for the replies. As long as I understood, I have to be careful about pushing non-platignum brands.

 

I already found a jotter at home. Its small size was really comfortable for me but I didn't liked the nib that much. The shop I found the Voyager was also selling Vector but I couldn't liked its feeling and balance in my hand.

 

I am in Cyprus and there are not much shops around here. One of my friends is going to the UK and I hope he can find some cartridges there (It is platignums home country after all

 

That lovely pink fp is around £12 so I think I will give it a chance. The thing is I recently finished a degree and my student years ended after 2 and a half decades. I was dreaming to go to a shop and buy a fp as a present for myself (that's the primary reason for not wanting to buy from the internet. But I can try it in the future.)

[Geordielass]

Thanks for the replies. As long as I understood, I have to be careful about pushing non-platignum brands.

 

I already found a jotter at home. Its small size was really comfortable for me but I didn't liked the nib that much. The shop I found the Voyager was also selling Vector but I couldn't liked its feeling and balance in my hand.

 

I am in Cyprus and there are not much shops around here. One of my friends is going to the UK and I hope he can find some cartridges there (It is platignums home country after all

 

That lovely pink fp is around £12 so I think I will give it a chance. The thing is I recently finished a degree and my student years ended after 2 and a half decades. I was dreaming to go to a shop and buy a fp as a present for myself (that's the primary reason for not wanting to buy from the internet. But I can try it in the future.)

I suspect you'll find it a nice pen (if it's anything like the cheaper model), I'd go for it - especially if you don't like the Jotter's nib (which surprises me, I've always found those nibs smooth and good to use), the Vector has the same nib, you see.

 

Do let us know how you find it.

 

You might be better chancing a converter if you can't get those cartridges in Cyprus, though. Most people seem to find it works OK, perhaps it was me, not the pen! Platignum's cartridges aren't nearly as easy to find as Parker's, even in the UK, I order mine online.

 

£12 is a really good deal, by the way, I'd have to pay £17-18 here for one.

Edited October 11, 2013 by Geordielass

[rwilsonedn]

Since you like the appearance and feel of the pen, I would agree with Geordielass: buy it! And get some Platignum cartridges with it if you can. And get your friend in the UK to bring you more cartridges if possible. Once you have some, you can reuse them by getting a syringe with a dispensing tip (or a needle, but it's best to file the point off for safety). You can usually buy them at the chemist's. Use the syringe to flush the used cartridge with water to clean it out, and then just refill it with the fountain-pen ink of your choice. (Never India ink!) As long as you are gentle, the cartridges will last almost for ever, and they often hold more ink than a converter would.

And then, let us know how you like your new pen.

ron

[basterma]

I have a number five and it takes International cartridges just fine. I haven't tried a converter. I think older Platignum pens use proprietary cartridges, but the modern pens are made for International cartridges.

[mayapan]

I bought the pen and liked it it is smooth and reliable for the price. May skip occasionally mainly because it dries fast uncapped. Good everyday pen. And about the cartridges. I couldn't find platignum cartridges and the international ones did not worked. But... good news.... waterman cartridges fit perfectly (and better news; they are easy to find)

[hbdk]

I have 2 of those. The first had really bad skipping on downstrokes. Cultpens posted a new one to me free of charge together with an other order (now that is service for you) and the new one writes perfectly. None of the standard converts, that I have, fit the very tiny diameter of the pen, but Waterman cartridges fit, as mentioned, perfectly and can be used as eyedroppers, if you want to use other inks. It is a very smooth writer and feels much more expensive than it is.