Posted 30 December 2015 - 01:41

Quick pre-amble: I can't seem to post the pictures from my camera through BBCode that well, so here's a link to an imgur album.

These don't seem to come up often, but on the off occasion, they do show themselves on Japanese auctions site.







Build Quality



From what little sources there are on the internet, the pen's golden trims are gold-filled. While light, the pen feels very sturdy, with no play or wiggle from any of its components. The pen is slightly heavier than a Nakaya Long Cigar - the only pen I have that's fairly known (I have some obscure pens) and is the only valid reference pen I have for other people.



The toad leather finish is quite exquisite, and while it doesn't shout, it does exude - quietly - a sense of style and quality. The grain of the leather shows through really well, with subtle highlights of red in between the larger black bumps of the toad leather. One downside I've found, however, is that the leather is quite fragile. Posting the pen runs the risk of scratching the leather, since the interior of the cap is lined with a metal frame.



The section is not leather-lined, and is instead plastic. However, Platinum has opted for a zogan inlay, which I think is gold-filled. This gives the section less of a plain look.



Plus points to Platinum: the finials are rimmed with gold-filled metal but the centers are lined with the same leather as the body of the pen. This is wonderful attention to detail, in my opinion.



The Nib



The nib that the pen comes with is not the common shape of Western nibs but, instead, is something very common among Japanese fountain pen. Instead of being club/diamond shaped, the nib is a very angled triangle. In other words, it doesn't have a shoulder.



The nib, however, has wonderful performance. While I think the pen I received is a little worn and toothier than it should be, it's still a great writer. The nib comes with very manageable semi-flex allowing for some line variation when needed. I also experience very little railroading unless I'm moving too fast or making very long strokes.



Personal Thoughts



The pen is a wonderful daily write. Due to its smaller size and weight, the pen is very portable and makes for a great breast-pocket pen. The section is sized well enough that it isn't awkward to hold.



My only qualm with the pen is that it's a little worn with age and the nib could use a little refurbishing.

Edited by margheriti, 30 December 2015 - 01:56.