Battle of Pens: The Pilot Custom 74 (SF) Versus The Platinum
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- čas přidán 1. 03. 2024
- In this video I compare to very popular pens, both with flexible nibs, the Pilot Custom 74 Soft Fine, and the Platinum #3776 Century Soft fine.
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Platinum Slip n’Seal Cap: I left one capped for a full year (had the date written down). Never used it in that time - it just sat in a drawer. Started right up. Never have had a hard start with a Slip n’Seal Platinum. The Pilots hold up pretty well for extended disuse, but the Platinums are simply stellar on that particular count.
Thank for the slip and seal endorsement. I mostly use waterproof inks, so I would never leave a pen filled for more than a few weeks, but it's good to know the mechanism truly works.
@@mkompan I use a platinum century UEF and SF. I use carbon ink or DA Artist ink... both lightfast and permanent. Never had a hard start :), never clean the pens, and sometimes leave them unused for long periods of time. The slip 'n seal really works great!
@@ckmoore so far it’s doing pretty well with the waterproof ink, but this can also be dependent on climate. Good to know that you haven’t experienced problems.
@@mkompan I live in arizona, so it's extremely dry here. Never had an issue with starting. However, you are right in your video that it has a hard time keeping up to fast sketching. I use my century 3776 for writing instead, and leave my other pens for drawing. I've had other platinum pens with great flow and great sketching - such as the curidas (to my surprise) and the platinum desk pen.
@@ckmoore Arizona is the ultimate test I think. The desk pen is terrific. I've had it permanently inked with Carbon ink for years, and it hasn't had a single problem.
I really like these battles!
Thanks! They’re more fun to do than regular pen reviews.
Thank you for this comparison. I have often thought of getting one of these for sketching. You always provide a very in depth testing for sketchers. This really helped me a lot. Thank you! Excellent video!
My pleasure. Thanks for watching!
Hello, Marc! Thx for video. I am a long time fountain pen fan too, and westside L.A. native (Miracle Mile) having attended SMC and CSULA over the years. I came here from your video, YT "Book Recommendations for the Beginning Artist."
I am obsessed with pens beginning with the $1 Schaeffer cartridge pens used in grammar school to learn cursive writing to the Schaeffer gold nib tip business pens I used in the 1960's to today my art use of various mixed media and pen & ink applications. Pilot, Lamey, Jhinhao, an undomesticated, so to speak, Chinese brand to a glass dipping pen for all medium use (acrylic alcohol inks, Calligraphy inks, watercolors).
I want a pen that can cover all uses, and that just doesn't exist. So, I have a small collection of under $20 pens with various F and EF nibs that I play with in sketchbook doodling and zentangle or neographic fun break time from atelier-type self-styled online and textbook curriculum prompted also by the Pandemic.
I really liked learning from your video what features to look at when buying a pen, and how to use them. Thx.
BTW: Looking forward to your upcoming? video on the Masters, Goya, Klee, Hale?, & Zorn
Thanks of the note! I taught as CSULA for a few semesters, and am going on my 20th year at SMC, both great schools.
And thank you for finding my channel. It's been great to watch it grow and develop a small audience of like minded people. Since the book recommendations video, I've made several more "learning for the masters" videos, including one on Zorn and Goya. And more coming soon! These are not my best viewed videos, but the ones I enjoy making the most.
Very interesting video- thank you! I have been thinking of sketching with pen and ink, so this was particularly useful.
I have the Platinum SF and EF 3776s. I find the Pilot range a difficult type of pen to use - partly for their maddening converters... That said, they make the wonderful Iroshizuku inks, so that is a redeeming feature.
I write a lot and use the Platinum SF to edit text when I need a very fine point to make corrections in a manuscript. The EF was a recent impulse buy and I find myself writing with it for general use as it combines a beautifully precise line with some wetness.
I also think the steel EF nibs used by Leonardo Officina Italiana 'Momento Zero' or 'Momento Magico' pens are worth using- they are particularly nice with an 'elastico' nib. Recently, I indulged in a Twsbi ECO with an EF nib (steel) and find it very good indeed, especially as it can be used with most types of paper (unlike the Platinums which respond best to good quality surfaces).
I look forward to seeing more of your instructive videos!
My pleasure!
Thanks for your comments. I really do wish Pilot had better converters. The con-70 has decent ink capacity, but is awkward to fill and difficult to clean.
I have a both pens and I agree that the Platinum is a diva. I've found that by taking the nib out, (Yes it was pretty tight but it came out with some force) and hacking the feed slightly it will create better flow. I created a very small channel directly underneath the nib like most feeds have which the platinum does not.I just used a razor blade. Just a few swipes. It works great with most inks I've tried so far. Not too wet either! It has trouble keeping up with long flexed lines but for fast hatching it doesn't skip at all. Thanks for the video Marc!
That’s a great hack that I’ve used many times. I find that it’s particularly useful with Kaweco pens, which are often very dry writing.
@@mkompanright now it's my fav pen. I was looking for something that would give me small tapered lines that would simulate small brush feathering. The 3776 sf is the closest I've found so far.
I really enjoy your videos, Marc - this was delightful.
The Platinum was my first gold nib, and the fussiest of my collection. As of my last inking, it refused to work with any that wasn’t Rohrer & Klingner Verdigris (exhibiting skipping, hard starts, etc) but with that particular ink, it’s flawless. It just now occurs to me that I recently purchased one of R&K’s sketch inks (Lilly), which is very wet - I may see if the Platinum finds that acceptable.
(While leaving this comment, I’ll also note that your mid-century video encouraged me to purchase a vintage Pelikan 400. I’m a lefty overwriter, so the flex is a bit wasted on me while writing, but I’m really enjoying it for drawing. :)
Fussy is a great way to describe it. I actually tried it with a number of inks and it skipped like crazy, perhaps because of the meagre ink flow. Glad to have my experience confirmed!
Great review.
This video is an example why I follow your channel. While acknowledging the Platinum's skipping issues and changing the ink is normal to see how it performs, but to complete the face diagram with the new ink is something wonderful and shows your strong commitment to the viewers.
Looks like I have to get both pens now 😊😊
Well, thank you! I do feel a strong responsibility to the viewers, but also to the pens that I review. It would have been unfair to the 3776 to not try it with a different ink and I’m glad I did, because it turned out to be a wonderful pen.
Marc, do you have any Pelikan with steel nib? The M200 looks nice and ia grabbing my atention. I wonder if the EF or the F would do for drawing, but 99% of reviews are useless or just for writing. Your tests are spot on.
No, I don’t have a Pelikan w/ a steel nib in my collection. I’ve been contemplating buying one, however, so perhaps a review is in the cards.
Greetings from Kharkiv. So I've got platinum, I've been rooting for it in this battle. Thanks for this review, as always interesting. I'll be waiting for the next video.
Thank you! Both pens are fantastic so no need to take sides.
great review, i like you are only few places i can look for fountain pen reviews for drawing(in traditional sense), can u someday review another fleet of entry level pens , like pilot kakuno ef and platinums offerings
Thank you! Yes, I’ll be doing more videos on inexpensive pens soon.
Very interesting comparison between the two, i recently decided to get a pilot ch92 after debating between it and a 3776 fine, i think the platinum feedback might be too much for me if not using smooth paper.
I would also love to see a Fine and or EF nib comparison between the big three japanese brands including sailor!
Thanks. A comparison of regular f and ef nibs would be interesting.
Appreciate your review from a different perspective. I've been into FP's for decades (as a writer) and have both of these but far prefer the Pilot. The Platinum is feedback-y bordering on scratchy, ink flow is miserly and it feels as if I'm always tweaking it for improvements until I get frustrated enough to put it back in my "sell" box. Pilot is wonderfully a much nicer writer. I alternate between the 74 and it's piston-fill brother, the 92. I just starting getting into sketching about 18 months ago so maybe I'll try the Platinum on more time with an Iroshizuku ink.
For general drawing purposes the custom 74 is a far better pen. The Platinum is a pen I would reach for under very specific circumstances, when I want a thin, dry line for small, detailed work. Its pickiness with inks should make people think twice before purchasing, but with the right ink, no pen I can think of (out of the box) can do what the 3776 can.
Your videos are such a fabulous resource. I've learned so much from them, and from your two workshops since I first started working with pen and ink two months ago. Quick question for a newbie: I'm thinking of getting the Platinum 3776 for its very fine line. Is having to slow down the lines (so the feed keeps up) a good thing or a bad thing for pen and ink rookies? Thank you!
Thank you! Ideally a pen should keep up at any speed, and you shouldn't worrying about it railroading. When drawing there are many reasons to speed up or slow down your strokes, but the pen should not be one of those factors.
Did you find the Platinum feed able to keep up ok while copying the Goya? You mention in the video to remember to slow down. Is that about the pen not being able to keep up? or about working out compositions in advance? I think your sketch is terrific by the way!
@@sharonkatz4093 thank you! As mentioned in the video this one can be a bit temperamental when it comes to inks, but with the right ink the feed keeps up perfectly. Usually railroading problems only occur with very flexible nibs that require a lot of ink flow. With soft and emi flex nibs such as this, such problems tend not to happen.
I love mediaval arms and armor, and on top of that i love fountain pens. two great things in one video
Thanks! I love medieval history, so this drawing was fun to do.
Hello Marc,
thank you for your content. I always enjoy your Videos! These two pens are available in my country, where I live, for selection. I'm also interested in other pens like the Pilot Custom 743 or Falcon, but they are only available through import and at an inflated price. That's why your video is currently helping me. I'm impressed. If you have the opportunity to test a Pelikan M200, I would also appreciate your opinion on it. The M200 is in the same price range as the Custom 74 or 3776. Some prefer the M200 for drawing. Maybe you'd enjoy it too. Best regards.
My pleasure! I’ve considered getting a Pelikan m200 for some time, but am not sure about it. These are pens with steel nibs that here in the US are well over 100. For that price there are quite a few Japanese options with gold nibs. I love vintage Pelikans however (I have a 140 and 400nn).
Thanks for your feedback! I saw your video about vintage fountain pens and the preferences you mentioned. Since then, I've been really interested in the Montblanc Monte Rosa, but it's unfortunately not very common. So maybe i'll see the other one.
@@Paul-me6gp I suppose they’re more common in certain parts of the world. They’re not so common in the U.S., and I usually see them sold by German and Eastern European buyers.
Falcon vs metropolitan pop. Very underrated pen
I'll be doing more pen comparisons like this one, and that might be an interesting match up.
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genuinely made me cackle that the soldiers are labeled.
They have to represent their teams, don’t they?
1. Of these two, I would go Platinum, as I need all the precision I can get.
2. I recently acquired an old Sailor 1911s with a Soft Fine nib. As best I can tell, Sailor no longer makes this nib. It's on the test list, as I'm not sure yet how it suits me.
1. Most artists have too many “generalist” pens. It’s good to have tools for specific tasks.
2. Vintage Japanese pens in general are a mostly unexplored resource. I bought a Platinum pocket pen a while ago, similar to the Pilot Elite, for 20 dollars
..this fast singing reading from teleprompter makes me ( english is a foreign language for me) shiver.....😕 i tried to look the fifth vid from you, always stopped after 1 min....
Shiver, that’s a strange response that might require medical attention. At any rate, sorry to make suffer. 🤷♂️
you know it is eaasy to play a video at slower speed?
sorry but the Platinum 3776 it's deffinteliy the better pen for artist...and!! extremely better looking...the nip its larger but more precise. Its mechanism don't try out for long time! and! its perfekt to use with the best waterproof ink Platinum Carbon ink....
Your opinion is welcome, but I still think these pens are good for different things, and it depends on what kind of drawing you do. The 3776 is better for precision, the Custom 74 is better for expression.
@@mkompan Hello Marc, Idont want to give critical for you, I love your videos ..
I'm only draw also with fountain pens ..
I will found for me the right in precise I love the Platinum SF 3776 and beside I have noe in use the Pilote Falcon but inM Nib beside the Duke 209 dude and indigrapgh with flex pen ...Now im happy in all..
@@bobby28257 No offense taken!Your opinion is always welcome, and I’m sure many of the viewers here will find it useful.