Has Your Platinum #3776 Century Broken?

[Brian C]

Oh, also, I have about a dozen 3776's right now and have probably had well over a hundred pass through my collection, so I am biased.

[jar]

I can only speak from personal experience but for what it's worth, here is mine.

 

I've only been exposed to Japanese fountain pens for a little over a quarter century now. I think my first exposure was a Pilot/Namaki VP in the late 80s or early 90s. Since then I have acquired a few Japanese fountain pens from Pilot/Namaki, Nakaya, Sailor and Platinum. The pens range from somewhat entry level to a few higher level models. I must point out that my experience and sample size is relatively small, I have far more American and European pens than Japanese but the sample is not tiny.

 

What I have noticed is that in general the QC from the Big Three Japanese companies is fairly high, certainly on a par with many of the better American and European makes but not quite at the level of the pens from Sheaffer Ft Madison, Parker Janesville, Caran d'Ache Geneve, ST Dupont Paris, Ferrari da Varese, Yard-o-Led Birmingham or Graf von Faber Castell Stein.

 

Of the Big Three I have found the nibs from Platinum to be the most consistent, then those from Sailor and the Pilot/Namaki products the least consistent. I'd rate the nibs on my Platinum pens right up there with those from American and European companies listed above. I would say Sailor nibs compare favorably with those from Omas, Delta, Montegrappa or Waterman and that the Pilot/Namiki nibs were comparable in quality and consistency with what I have found from companies like Pelikan and Montblanc.

 

In pen bodies I have found very little to separate the three beyond the very obvious difference that those made from ebonite will feel different than those with metal or plastic bodies. The celluloids feel much like Sheaffer or Parker celluloids. The ebonite feel much like Sheaffer or Parker ebonite. The metal pens feel much like Sheaffer or Parker metal pens. The plastics feel very much like other plastic pens.

 

None of my Japanese pens have just broken. But that's also true of most of my American and European pens with a few exceptions like some Eversharp Skylines.

 

Folk will of course have personal preferences but objectively my Platinum #3776 pens, whether new or older, have been every bit as impressive as any I own from Sailor or Pilot/Namiki.

[Bluey]

Unfortunately, yes. It's a common complaint with the Platinums but the converter gave way after a few weeks. and became more and more stiff.

The pen itself is ok, even if it's scratchy and hard. The pen is beautiul if cheap in feel.

 

I've heard that some people think Platinum nibs are supposed to be good quality although my experience so far doesn't seem to back this up. Maybe I could try a different nib width.

 

I've tried 2 different Pilot's but they're even worse - the Elite skips and the Custom 74 was dry and has a loose cap.

 

I know Japanese quality control is meant to be hit and miss so hoping for an improvement one day

Edited January 10, 2016 by Bluey

[JonSzanto]

Unfortunately, yes. It's a common complaint with the Platinums but the converter gave way after a few weeks. and became more and more stiff.

The pen itself is ok, even if it's scratchy and hard. The pen is beautiul if cheap in feel.

 

I've heard that some people think Platinum nibs are supposed to be good quality although my experience so far doesn't seem to back this up. Maybe I could try a different nib width.

 

I've tried 2 different Pilot's but they're even worse - the Elite skips and the Custom 74 was dry and has a loose cap.

 

I know Japanese quality control is meant to be hit and miss so hoping for an improvement one day

 

What a great post for your First Post!! We will all take a moment now to note that your experience seems to be in the small minority, and especially weak when sitting next to observations of those who have had many of these, and similar, pens.

 

Stick around, though.

[Brian C]

Unfortunately, yes. It's a common complaint with the Platinums but the converter gave way after a few weeks. and became more and more stiff.

The pen itself is ok, even if it's scratchy and hard. The pen is beautiul if cheap in feel.

 

I've heard that some people think Platinum nibs are supposed to be good quality although my experience so far doesn't seem to back this up. Maybe I could try a different nib width.

 

I've tried 2 different Pilot's but they're even worse - the Elite skips and the Custom 74 was dry and has a loose cap.

 

I know Japanese quality control is meant to be hit and miss so hoping for an improvement one day

Curious, where did you buy the pen from? What ink do you use in it?

[Bluey]

 

What a great post for your First Post!! We will all take a moment now to note that your experience seems to be in the small minority, and especially weak when sitting next to observations of those who have had many of these, and similar, pens.

 

Stick around, though.

Settle down, I only found fault with a pen. Don't take it so personally. As for my experience being weak maybe it isn't

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/300337-platinum-converter-malfunctions/

Edited January 10, 2016 by Bluey

[Bluey]

Curious, where did you buy the pen from? What ink do you use in it?

From a Japanese seller on Amazon. Ink has been various by Noodlers, J Herbin or Diamine.

[Shaggy]

 

What a great post for your First Post!! We will all take a moment now to note that your experience seems to be in the small minority, and especially weak when sitting next to observations of those who have had many of these, and similar, pens.

 

Stick around, though.

I am not seeing how it is relevant that this is the person's first post. And what a gracious welcome.

[JonSzanto]

Settle down, I only found fault with a pen. Don't take it so personally. As for my experience being weak maybe it isn't

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/300337-platinum-converter-malfunctions/

 

A couple of people that had problems with a converter. The thread is about broken 3776s. Still weak. I have yet to see anything that resembles even a small sampling of anecdotal evidence to suggest these pens are suspect and susceptible to failure.

 

As far as settling down, I was just responding to the tone of your post. The attitude/info ratio was skewed pretty roughly.

[Brianm_14]

 

I beg to differ... If you take the barrel of a Platinum 3776C alone and compare it with the barrel of a pen that is made of lathe-turned high quality acrylic, you will immediately understand the difference.

 

The Platinum's barrel is thin injection-molded plastic. The higher-quality barrel is thick and made of a material that is typically more dense. Extend the quality difference to the whole pen and that's where the Platinum's reputation for "cheap plastic" comes from.

 

Platinum would help itself if it at-least molded the parts so they are thicker. Pilot does this with its high-end pens, and you can feel the difference.

 

The Platinum 3776 Century is a good pen, and it is (arguably) worth the $75-$85 they're asking for it if you buy it from Japan-direct. But it's not a great pen, and that's mostly due to the relatively small size and the materials used. I would never pay the outrageously marked-up price they're asking for the 3776C in the U.S.

 

And I must,p respectfully differ in return.

 

But does ithe pen break? Or work, and just feel "cheap" to you? I am not arguing about your right to your opinion, but asking if this perceived cheapness in materials translates into performance issues. As the poll shows, no.

 

No-one should judge these pens by what the idiotic, greedy distributors ask for it in the USA. (Why there is not deeper resentment of an apparent desire to rip off -gouge- USA buyers, beats me.) I would never pay those prices! These Centuries are $80 pens and unarguably, worth the price if the purpose of a pen is to write, and always write both reliably and well.

[Brianm_14]

How about a poll on breakage rates for other pens, for comparison. For instance, TWBSI anyone?

 

Don't a lot of people commonly complain about converters of many or all brands?

Edited January 11, 2016 by Brianm_14

[Miles R.]

I have a question about the 3776 Century, not about breakage, but I hope I can get an answer from other users here. I own one in Burgogne. I got it with an F nib in the expectation that it would be EF by my standards, and indeed it is. I use it for writing in my check register and other things that require a sparing use of ink (because of the quality of the paper). Now I am thinking of getting one of the celluloid ones as an everyday writer, but I would want a broader nib--not a broad nib, but a medium by Western standards. But in the 3776, I don't know whether the M or the B would be what I am looking for. I would rather have a nib that is a little on the fine side of medium than on the broad side, but I don't want a veritable fine point. Can anyone give me an idea of how the 3776 M compares with other nib points?

 

Edited to add: A user tells me that the Platinum M nib is finer than a Pilot M nib. I suspect that means that it would be too fine for my tastes.

Edited January 18, 2016 by Miles R.

[jar]

I have a question about the 3776 Century, not about breakage, but I hope I can get an answer from other users here. I own one in Burgogne. I got it with an F nib in the expectation that it would be EF by my standards, and indeed it is. I use it for writing in my check register and other things that require a sparing use of ink (because of the quality of the paper). Now I am thinking of getting one of the celluloid ones as an everyday writer, but I would want a broader nib--not a broad nib, but a medium by Western standards. But in the 3776, I don't know whether the M or the B would be what I am looking for. I would rather have a nib that is a little on the fine side of medium than on the broad side, but I don't want a veritable fine point. Can anyone give me an idea of how the 3776 M compares with other nib points?

 

Edited to add: A user tells me that the Platinum M nib is finer than a Pilot M nib. I suspect that means that it would be too fine for my tastes.

Some writing examples.

 

http://www.fototime.com/422F061F748FCEE/xlarge.jpg

 

http://www.fototime.com/4B615A9291C6F23/large.jpg

[Drone]

Can anyone give me an idea of how the 3776 M compares with other nib points?

 

Go here:

 

http://www.gouletpens.com/nib-nook

 

You can compare how any of the 3776C's nib sizes compare with dozens of different pens and their respective nib sizes. You can also compare all the 377C nib sizes against each other

Edited January 19, 2016 by Drone

[Drone]

 

Go here:

 

http://www.gouletpens.com/nib-nook

 

You can compare how any of the 3776C's nib sizes compare with dozens of different pens and their respective nib sizes. You can also compare all the 377C nib sizes against each other

[sansenri]

The OP's question might have been somewhat naif, however not necessarily stupid.

I've heard of more than one 3776 developing cracks on the section, including my own Chartles blue.

check here

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/348842-3776-section-starting-to-crack-and-weep-ink-anyone-else-seen-this/?do=findComment&comment=4241615

In 2015 this poll might have sounded silly. Today my vote would have to be yes.

The small crack causes some ink leak in the cap, which is already a nuisance, but I am concerned it will worsen.

[maclink]

I have 3 Platinum 3776's and all are fine. I also have 2x Sailor 1911L, a 1911S and a ProGear.

 

I can't say that I prefer either since I would not wish to part with either the 3776's or the 1911's. I love the nibs on both though I tend to lean towards those on the Sailor's overall.

 

I've not found any of them to be unreliable writers and the same for my Pilot Custom 823.

 

I highly recommend them all and am a fan of my Japanese pens.

[writebyhand]

I bought a Platinum #3776 Slip & Seal Century Bourgogne from eBay seller Pisuke2005 in October, 2014. The price, shipped from Japan to the U.S., was $ 101.

The pen was defective upon arrival. I put a cartridge in, and within half an hour the entire contents of the cartridge had leaked straight out through the nib.

 

Pisuke2005 offered me a refund or replacement, and I chose a replacement.

 

The replacement has been working flawlessly continuing through the present time. And I've bought two more #3776s over time, and all three work flawlessly.

 

It's really a great value. It's a very high-end pen with a 14k gold nib. It's general production quality is very high. It looks good. It writes great.

Edited April 16, 2020 by writebyhand