Platinum Fountain Pen, Preppy, Fine Nib, Black (1716012.0)

This is a quality pen with light weight, sized for comfort in the hand, writes well and quickly with a fine point, a has an overall design typical of most pens - not as pretty or visually dramatic as some pens, but far less likely to be stolen because it just looks like a plastic pen, with a similar likelihood of enduring the rigors that all pens are prone to. The cap has an inner seal over the nib, which I think will help to extend the life of it and also help provide extra protection for clothing and such from potential leakage, though mine has not leaked whatsoever. All this for roughly 5 bucks, plus it comes with a cartridge of ink. Enjoy!

This is a pleasure to write with and feels very durable and thoughtfully made. The writing experience makes this pen feel like it's a lot more expensive than it really is. The pen is very smooth and makes dark lines. The only clue one gets that it's cheap is the clear plastic barrel, but I like this design because you can always see how much ink is left.If this is your first fountain pen, you need to know this: fountain pen ink is different from ballpoint pen ink. Ballpoint pen ink is oil based, so it doesn't bleed through paper and it dries instantly. Fountain pen ink is water based, so through some paper, it bleeds, and it takes a few seconds to dry, so don't smear it! Overall I would say, despite ink being cheaper in bulk and the pen's reusability, you shouldn't consider fountain pens more "practical" or cost effective than ballpoint pens. But they are fun to write with, built to last, and make your writing look great. I also noticed that fountain pen ink can be much darker than ballpoint pen ink, so even with a fine tip, your writing is much more legible.Unlike in ballpoint pens, the ink reservoirs in fountain pens have air trapped in them. When you fly on an airplane or change altitude with a fountain pen, don't use the pen during takeoff, and keep the pen pointy side up so that when the pressure outside the pen drops, the air inside gets pushed out and not the ink.Let's talk about ink. The included ink is very nice, but it won't last as long as a disposable pen will, so you need to refill more often. You have three ways to refill. You can get Platinum cartridges, you can modify the barrel to be filled with an eyedropper, or you can get a fountain pen converter, which is a cartridge that can draw ink up from a bottle through the tip. For most people, I recommend cartridges because they are easy to install and they don't make a mess. Plus if you only own one fountain pen, you're unlikely to save much money buying the ink in bulk. Having said that, bottled ink gives you many more options than cartridges, so if you want to experiment, go ahead and have fun!The Platinum Preppy is a lot less expensive than other options, but it's still a quality pen in my opinion, so for a first fountain pen, I recommend it highly.

So happy with this pen. It Worked as expected and writes so smoothly. The point is correct fine point and works great for my regular job to take notes. Pen came with one black cartridge but I am going to order more. Nib is strong and it looks like pen will last longI will order one more pen soon for my son

Bought it for my Kid, the fountain pen was really good and very smooth, but for some reason the ink leaks.you have to wash it once in a while.Good pen for a beginner on a budget

Let me preface this by saying I haven't yet bought any truly pricey fountain pens, so my experience has been with budget pens only, but these blow all others I've tried out of the water. They write SO smoothly and comfortably. The ink flow is incredibly consistent. I can leave them in a drawer for days and they won't dry out (so long as the cap is on, of course). They're lightweight, which helps prevent hand fatigue for me. I've handwritten 20,000 words in the past two weeks, much of them with my Preppy, which is something I never could have done with a pencil or normal pen.I didn't want to have to purchase more cartridges, so after all of the ink was gone, I simply rinsed the cartridge and pen, let them dry, and then refilled the cartridge with Waterman ink using an ink syringe and put it back in the pen. Super quick and easy, cheap, and works perfectly!

It’s the cheapest fountain pen. It’s very nice for writing and you can even refill it. I hate how it looks but hey it’s like 5 dollars. This would be a good fountain pen to use on the go. I have a nicer one that I use at my desk and don’t Cary around with me.

This is a fantastic fountain pen for anyone on a budget, but I can't say I fully recommend it. I purchased this pen 3 months ago as of this review and I've had a few issues.First, the picture attached shows the cracking on the cap. It started happening shortly after purchase and the cracks only grow. Today I am no longer able to snap the cap back on, it's too loose due to the cracks.Second, the pen is a bit scratchy and extremely inconsistent. When it's working, it's great! But occasionally the ink will stop flowing and it prevents me from writing. I use this pen at work, and when someone is dictating to me, it really puts me in an uncomfortable position. I've taken to keeping an emergency ball point pen close by for these moments.It is really easy to refill the ink. I've gone through 3 or 4 refills already. It feels like a lot, but I do use this for work so I understand I'm likely writing more than the average user.All in all, if you need a fountain pen but don't have more than$10, this is great! If to can afford to spend a bit more, I highly recommend finding a more reliable option. I'll be using this pen until I run out of the replacement ink and I'll be looking into another fountain pen option.

Incredible performance at this price point. The ink flows perfectly. I’d recommend getting a converter for it, and some noodlers ink. This pen writes better than some of my $100+ pens. 🖋️