Platinum Fountain Pen, Plaisir Fine Nib, Frosty Blue

This is hands down the first pen I recommend (or let borrow) when someone is curious about FPs. First and foremost, THE WRITING. I’m typically a M nib guy who prefers a flowy pen that lets me write fast in cursive. But the 03 (F) here is even better—smooth, easy flow without getting heavy handed, and just enough feedback against the paper to balance it out. Seriously, it outperforms other “fancy” pens at many times the price. I have an 02 (EF) as well, which is great for detail work, but definitely more scritchy/feedbacky. If you decide you don’t like one nib, you can spend $5-7 on a Preppy and easily swap out as they are identical (though get a Preppy in the same color).The pens themselves come in a lovely sort of frosted color palette that have never faded or chipped after years of use. A nicely machined metal (aluminum) body instantly elevates it above any plastic pen at anywhere close to the price…and feels way nicer/less tiring to write with than the clunky metal Jinhaos and other cheap AliExpress pens with spotty quality control.The cap closes with a satisfying click, and Platinum’s famous “slip & seal” mechanism works beautifully—I have literally never had a single dry or fussy start in the years I’ve owned my 2 Plaisirs.It’s a comfortable medium size and nice balance with the cap posted. Fits both my large hands and my gf’s smaller ones equally well.Yes, you’ll need Platinum’s proprietary sized ink converter or cartridges. But it’s a small inconvenience for a pen that I still find myself picking up almost every day.

Body:Both have a metallic body with a plastic core. However, the metropolitan has a more sturdy feel and slimmer body than the Plaisir.(Metro 1 - Plaisir 0)Weight:The metropolitan is heavier, especially the cap, therefore when posting (i.e. placing the cap on the end of the pen) the metropolitan feel very off balance. The Plaisir is lighter, therefore easy to grip and write with posted, or unposted.(Metro 1 - Plaisir 1)Clip:I don't care for clips, but the metropolitan clip is stiffer than the Plaisir clip.(Metro 1.1 - Plaisir 1)Nib:Both are Japanese stainless steel nib, however, the metropolitan fine is actually finer than the Plaisir fine. Why? I don't know. Therefore, I can't definitively say one write smoother than the other because of the size difference.The nib on metropolitan is slightly longer and wider than the Plaisir.The Plaisir writes wetter than the metropolitan, which helps with smooth writing experience.(Metro 1.6 - Plaisir 1.5)Feed:Plaisir writes wetter than the metropolitan without a doubt. (Read the aesthetic section for more detail)(Metro 1.6 - Plaisir 2.5)Converter:Yes, the metropolitan does come with a cartridge and a converter, the CON - 20... that you should immediately trash.The metropolitan is compatible with the CON - 40 (which replaced the better CON - 50) and can hold 0.6 mL of ink at about ~$7.The Plaisir is compatible with the PLAT - 500 (a.k.a Platinum converter) and can hold 0.6 mL of ink at about $8.The PLAT - 500 is a lot more reliable than the CON - 40, in term of suction and maintenance.(Metro 1.6 - Plaisir 3.5)Aesthetic:PLAISIR. Why are you still reading this?I prefer the simple, yet elegant, design of the Plaisir a lot more than the metropolitan. A lot of the patterns and color choices for the metropolitan seems awkward. The only two I like are the all black or the silver version of the metropolitan, while I like all of the Plaisir color choices.Furthermore, the transparent feed in the PLAISIR, absolutely gorgeous. I really like being about to see the ink flow inside the feed, unlike most fountain pen with an opaque feed, however, the transparent feed area will not be fully filled with a cartridge.The area will only be fully filled when using a converter to fill the pen. (Keep this in mind)(Metro 1.6 - Plaisir 4.5)Review of Other's Reviews:I didn't have a problem with the pen so I read some of the "one star" reviews to see what was the complaint was about. Here's my review of their whinings:"Poor Inkflow" by Laura Morrison (February 12, 2018)-If you used the cartridge, did you turn the pen upside down and allow time for the ink to flow into the feed and nib? This isn't a problem with the fountain pen. It's a problem with all fountain pens using cartridges."skips and does not write smoothly compared to Pilot Metropolitan" by Paion (April 9, 2017)-Dude, it's not a flex nib pen. Applying pressure to the nib will only deform it. You shouldn't be applying any force when using a non-flex nib fountain pen. A good fountain pen can write under its own weight. In fact, it sounds like you applied so much force, you're the reason why the pen is not working properly and malfunction."Very disappointing!" by Evereddieon (February 11, 2017)-It's a $10 fountain pen... It's one of the cheapest fountain pens on the market. What were you expecting? High-quality control?"Does not write very good. Skips and feels very light" by Richard Timmermanon (December 17, 2014)-Honestly, this sounds like your first fountain pen. Fountain pens only write at a certain angle. You just held the pen wrong."Meh" byTonyon (May 29, 2014)-Tonyon, you sound like someone who held the pen wrong and knows nothing about fountain pen. Learn to hold it better and understand what Japanese fine nib is BEFORE placing a review."One Star" by Amazon Customeron (February 17, 2016)-Seriously..? You gave a one-star review because the pen function exactly how it designed, but you simply didn't understand it. OH, COME ON!Overall:If you haven't guessed, I love the pen.It's lightweight, well-balanced, writes wet, and beautifully designed.

Writes nicely, smooth nib, hard to believe it is in such a cheap pen. The reason I did not give this pen 5 stars is because the metal, while beautiful, it is sooooo hard to grip that my hand would hurt in just a few minutes.The pen always felt like it was going to slip out of my hand because it is too smoth. If you want a inexpensive fountain pen try the Platinum Preppy instead, it uses the same nibs but is easy to hold onto and a pleasure to write with. I have bought many much more expensive fountain pens but still really enjoy writing with my Preppys. They are such a great price I bought a bunch of them so I could have an array of different pens inked up with different colors. The caps fit so well on all Platinum pens that they don't dry out quickly (if at all) so you can keep lots of pens going a once.

I really like this pen, but it does feel a little cheap for the price. I have Hongdian and Jinhao pens that have a nice weight to them and are made of thicker brass and steel that cost around the same price if not less. Another thing I didn't like about the pen was it didn't include the converter like many other pens. With these major pen companies, I see this more and more. Buy the pen, and then have to pay 5-10 dollars to buy the converter. At these prices, the converter should be included. However, it does write very well. I am happy with my purchase.