Platinum Preppy | Fine Nib Starter Fountain Pen

The pen that convinces people fountain pens aren't fussy.

The Platinum Preppy is the one we hand to anyone curious about writing with ink but not ready to spend real money finding out whether they'll like it. It's also the one plenty of us keep using long after we've bought fancier pens.

The 0.3 mm stainless steel fine nib lays down a crisp, controlled line that suits small handwriting, margin notes, and paper that isn't precious about feathering. Platinum's Slip & Seal cap clicks shut against an inner seal, so the pen you tossed in a drawer in March still writes in June without coaxing.

Light in the hand, honest about what it is, and available in seven translucent barrels that show you exactly how much ink you have left. Start here.

• 0.3 mm fine stainless steel nib — crisp, controlled line for small handwriting and everyday notes
• Slip & Seal cap — keeps ink wet through long stretches between uses
• Translucent barrel — shows your ink level at a glance
• Seven colors — Purple, Blue, Green, Pink, Red, Black, Clear
• Ready to write — ships with one Platinum ink cartridge
• Cartridge or bottle — takes Platinum cartridges, or a Platinum converter (sold separately) for bottled ink
• Lightweight resin body — comfortable posted or unposted
• A favorite for eyedropper conversion — with an o-ring and a little silicone grease on the threads, the whole barrel becomes the ink tank

How to fill your Preppy

1. Unscrew the barrel from the grip section.
2. Push a fresh Platinum cartridge, narrow end first, straight onto the post inside the section. Press firmly until you feel a small click: that's the seal opening.
3. Screw the barrel back on and hold the pen nib-down for a minute, or give it a couple of gentle shakes. The steel ball in the cartridge moves the ink down to the feed.
4. Scribble on scrap paper until the line runs solid. A new cartridge usually starts within a few lines.

Prefer bottled ink? Swap the cartridge for a Platinum converter (sold separately), dip the nib in the bottle, and twist the converter's knob to draw ink up. Any non-carbon fountain pen ink works, including Mintvalley Daily Ink.

How to clean your Preppy

1. Clean the pen when you change ink colors, when the line starts to fade or skip, or every couple of months.
2. Unscrew the barrel and pull out the cartridge. If it still has ink, stand it upright so it doesn't drip.
3. Hold the grip section under cool running water, or dunk it in a cup of cool water, until the water runs clear. A bulb syringe or an empty converter speeds this up.
4. Shake out the water, wrap the nib in a paper towel, and let the section dry nib-down overnight before you put in a new cartridge.
5. Cool water only. Hot water, alcohol, and solvents will craze the resin and can warp the feed.