Platinum President (Real Or Fake) Help A Newbie

[Annikendong]

Hello FPN,

 

I have several Japanese Fountain Pens including 2 Sailor Realos, Pilot Custom 74, etc. So I wanted to add a Platinum President since I'm a big fan of the Preppys. I got my pen today and cleaned it thoroughly since it was preowned. When I inked it up, it felt scratchy. I know Japanese pens provide some feedbacks but this was scratchy. Also, the fine was too fine even for a Japanese Medium. I did a bit of research online and found that Presidents have a heart shape breather hole. The pen I got has a round breather hole. Everything else looks fine. The pen has a good build quality that looks too real to be a fake. So I'm posting a few pictures here and hope someone can help me determine if it's authentic. If you need closeup, please let me know. I have some micro-mesh to smooth out the scratchiness if needed but I paid a good amount and hope I didn't get a good replica.

 

 

Thanks for the help,

Ken

[stan]

Why do you conclude the pen may be a fake?

[Annikendong]

I didn't say it's a fake. That's why I wanted some expert opinions. The breather hole is different from the pictures i see from google. The President has a heart shape breather hole and this has a circle. Plus the nib feel very scratchy even for a Japanese nib not much flex for a 18k nib but it might just be a hard M.

 

Ken

[KBeezie]

By the way did you make sure the tip was aligned before attempting to smooth with micro-mesh? If you did not, and if it was misaligned, then you probably did more damage to it.

[Annikendong]

I haven't done anything yet. I've tried to pull the nib and feed out but it's won't budge. I did some research and thought it's friction fit but apparently there must be dry ink in there. Any suggestion??

 

Ken

[KBeezie]

I think older models of the Platinum (especially older 3776 before the century) are much tighter and would be what I call pressure fit, so going to take a bit to get it out (and back in), so I wouldn't risk it.

[Algester]

if the nib is rounder then you got yourself an older version of the president if it's flatter almost similar to the 3776 then you got a newer version (older version thats similar to the Nakaya 1990+ ish)

PS: there has been no documented fakes from the JP big 3 nor probably I see a reason...

chances are either on this case think that the feed is threaded I do think earlier Platinum feeds were threaded? so start the soaking process

Edited July 3, 2016 by Algester

[Willis]

The nib on the my president was definitely firm. Must be alloyed with a non- flexible metal.

[gerigo]

The President nibs all use the older feeds that need to be knocked out to get it out. I believe it cannot be pulled out by hand as an end user unless you're an expert pen repairer. Although I have not directly asked any one at Platinum, I have had chats with people who are official retailers and they have changed newer nibs Platinum and Nakaya nibs in front of me.

[EbonitePen]

I had a President at one time. Yours differ from the one I had in some details but my guess would be you've got there an older model only, not a copy.

So, the differences: the clip is different from mine - the top part especially, the breather hole was indeed heart-shaped on mine. I also had a different feed and the gold ring at the front of the section is slightly different.

I rely on my memory only here so take that into account. Hope this helps.

Edited July 6, 2016 by EbonitePen

[EbonitePen]

As for the nib, it was stiff as nail.

[dchatter]

I am confused; my Platinum President has a heart-shaped breather hole, it's pleasantly smooth (while not glassy) despite being fine, and I can't detect (judging by the pictures that you posted) any difference between the clip/cap of mine and yours. The shape of the nib is identical to mine, as are the four etched lines running across the top of the nib, but yours sports an engraving below the word "PRESIDENT" that mine doesn't. The nib on mine is just like a nail, but this particular feature lends an unyielding solidity that appeals to me very much; for a semi-flex experience I'ld rather use a SF nib from Platinum on a 3776, for instance.

 

It's difficult to get details of the President line of pens, and for some reason Platinum appears to have stopped their production. The last time I checked, Engeika doesn't seem to be selling these any more, ditto with Rakuten.

Edited July 16, 2016 by dchatter

[Algester]

President is still in production... heart shape nibs are newer incarnation they changed the nib design... and the feed to match the century...

notice how the feed looks like a 1990s Nakaya feed steel nib 3776 also had old feed designs at one point of their life

http://zakkicho2.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2009-09-05

as I was saying the link has a round breather hole on a 3776 gathered which is ssomewhat now in a mysterious condition either it's still in production or no more...

http://visconti.air-nifty.com/photos/uncategorized/2010/07/19/113_2.jpg

here's a president nib

http://entotsu.seesaa.net/upload/detail/image/DSC02158-thumbnail2.JPG.html

on this link you get to see the other nibs by Platinum if we want to know the date of your pen the nib is the answer

estifilos cronicas has articles about dating Platinum pens

http://estilofilos.blogspot.com/2013/09/datation-of-japanese-pens-iv-platinum.html

if the nib can't be plucked out then... well

Edited July 16, 2016 by Algester

[dchatter]

President is still in production... heart shape nibs are newer incarnation they changed the nib design... and the feed to match the century...

notice how the feed looks like a 1990s Nakaya feed steel nib 3776 also had old feed designs at one point of their life

http://zakkicho2.blog.so-net.ne.jp/2009-09-05

as I was saying the link has a round breather hole on a 3776 gathered which is ssomewhat now in a mysterious condition either it's still in production or no more...

http://visconti.air-nifty.com/photos/uncategorized/2010/07/19/113_2.jpg

here's a president nib

http://entotsu.seesaa.net/upload/detail/image/DSC02158-thumbnail2.JPG.html

on this link you get to see the other nibs by Platinum if we want to know the date of your pen the nib is the answer

estifilos cronicas has articles about dating Platinum pens

http://estilofilos.blogspot.com/2013/09/datation-of-japanese-pens-iv-platinum.html

if the nib can't be plucked out then... well

Thank you so much for this very informative post.