When it comes to people’s choice of writing utensil I guess it is all down to personal preference. I have written before that fountain pens have never been my first choice on the pen front. After reading about Rob who thinks that the Platinum Preppy is the best fountain pen in the world I was intrigued and decided to try out the Platinum Preppy fountain pen for myself.t. I also thought I’d get some help from an FP fanatic to write this review.
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Preppy is a disposable fountain pen, available in 0.3 or medium 0.5 stainless steel, I am trying a medium nib using violet ink. Although classed as disposable, it is possible to refill using standard platinum cartridges. On the other hand, you may like to ring the changes with one of the other colors on offer, namely black, blue, red, pink, yellow or green.
Made from transparent polycarbonate, the barrel is light in weight at 13g, but still gives the impression it is strong. I like the fact that you can monitor the ink level, & that the cap fits tightly, eliminating the chance of ink evaporating. When capped the pen measures 138mm in length & has a diameter of 13mm. The ink color & nib size is indicated on the top of the cap, the nibs are also color-coded. I found the nib color a better guide than that of the cap.
Here is a novice’s take on the Platinum Preppy’s performance
After my initial difficulties getting any ink through to the nib, I even removed the cartridge to check it was in place correctly! Once the ink flowed I found this pen was comfortable to hold. I always go for a medium nib on my pens & this one didn’t disappoint, my hand glided across the page with ease & although my experience of FP’s is limited the Preppy didn’t provide any of the reminders I would expect, such as wet ink that I’d have to try hard not to smudge or a scratchy line that looked like it had skipped a letter or two.
And now for the opinion of a Fountain Pen addict
The first thing that struck me was the color of the ink, this suggests that as the initial writing experience didn’t provide any immediate negatives. I should probably add here that for me it’s a fountain pen or nothing, I don’t feel I can write with anything else. There is one exception – crossword puzzles.
To make a comparison, I turned to my trusted Waterman, the pen I currently use every day. When it comes to pens I admit I’m a bit of a snob, I used a Mont Blanc for years, it was an antique by the time I finally laid it to rest. I still prefer the Waterman to the Preppy, probably unfair as of course, I realize this is not a comparison on a level playing field! However, as far as the print on the page goes, this disposable fountain pen performed well.
I find it a shame that in general people no longer use fountain pens, they find it too much bother. IMO handwriting does improve using them & there is nothing better than receiving a letter penned in “real” ink.
So that’s about it, a view from both sides of the fence, so to speak.
I have read that the Preppy Fountain Pen would be a good choice for beginners to gain some experience with and the Platinum Preppy is now available worldwide.
The Platinum Preppy Fountain Pen is featured as one of The 10 Best Fountain Pens Under £20.00.
Kim says
Thanks for all your comments, I have seen the Preppy referred to as disposable by others, although I take the point that “disposable” usually means throw away, & therefore can’t be called such in the true sense of the word.
Maja says
Thanks for the review of the Platinum Preppy—I own several of them (in both nib widths 0.3mm and 0.5mm) and find that the wider of the two nibs has some italic/stub-like qualities…which was a nice surprise. One note of caution with these pens, though—although the plastic is thick and fairly scratch-resistant, it can be cracked if one over-tightens the barrel when screwing it back on.
One big quibble with your article—the Preppy was referred to as a “disposable” fountain pen by both reviewers, and yet it comes with a detachable ink cartridge that can be replaced with a new one, or refilled with a syringe—-ie. it is like every other cartridge-filling pen out there.
It is *not* a disposable pen, unlike its counterpart the Pilot V-Pen (a/k/a Pilot Varsity), which is considered disposable/non-refillable.
Fayre says
The preppy is a cheap pen, but it isn’t “disposable” as such. Provided it doesn’t break you can change cartridges until the cows come home – to me a disposable pen is one you can not refill and have no choice but to dispose of.
My view of the Preppy is that it is an OK pen, I’m a fountain pen or nothing person and I tend to look for a level of quality that will withstand time – I’d love to bash the Preppy, but it does seem to be doing OK – I have a few, mostly converted to eyedropper fill (where you put the ink in the barrel directly and ensure it doesn’t leak by using a rubber “O” ring and silicone grease) and I keep my limited use colours in them – e.g. bright red ink for my marking pen. The nib is excellent for the price, I’ve never had a scratchy nib and ink flow has always been smooth and consistent. The nib and feed can even be removed for cleaning if a simple flush through isn’t enough.
I know a few people who have found the plastic of the barrel or cap has cracked – not happened to me yet!
This pen might be a good starter pen for an adult beginner, but I think for a child a pen with a grip guide is a better bet – if the Preppy persuades more adults to try a fountain pen for the first time in years I think will be doing a great job.
The Pen Warrior says
Hi Kim
I really enjoyed reading the thouights of you and your friend on the Preppy. One thing I should point out that you are probably not aware of is that the Platinum Preppy’s supplied by Tiger Pens are pre fitted with with an adapter and with one international standard short cartridge. To use a platinum cartridge the adapter has to be removed from the pen.