This time, I wanted to compare the 02 EF nib with the 03 F nib which was available in a stylized Hanabishi Kikko Wa” Japanese pattern.

In the nib close-up photo above, its easy to see the difference in the width of the nibs. The 02 EF is very fine and perfect if you or a friend loves super fine Micron pens or other itty bitty nibs. The 03 is closer to a standard fine-tipped pen, particularly when ink spread is factored into the equation. Fountain pen ink spreads more than gel or ballpoint ink so if you’re trying a fountain pen for the first time, the narrower nibs will have less noticeable ink spread on a wider assortment of average papers.

I installed the cartridge that shipped with both pens so the ink is the same but, in writing, the ink in the 02 looks noticeably lighter. This phenomena is familiar to regular fountain pen users but may come as a surprise to new users. The finer the nib, the less ink on the paper therefore the lighter the ink color.

Thanks to the Platinum “slip and seal” snap cap, these pens will not dry out quickly so if you want to have a back-up fountain pen at the ready in your desk drawer, the Preppy will be ready and waiting.

I like to upgrade these pens with a box of Platinum Carbon Black ink cartridges ($4.50 for a box of 4). Yes, the cartridges are pricey but these fine nibs use ink so sparingly that it will take a good deal of time to use it all up. By the time you or a pal has used a whole box of cartridges, you’ll know if you want to invest in a converter and a whole bottle of ink.

The Preppy remains one of my most recommended entry-level pens. Yes, it requires proprietary cartridges and a converter that costs as much as the pen itself but for a first taste of fountain pens, it can’t be beat.

The Preppy is also quite hackable. Many people will add some silicone grease to the threads and just eyedropper the pens. They are easy to clean and the nibs are smooth for such a fine nib.

How many Preppys are in your collection? Or what pen do you gift to would-be pen fans?

DISCLAIMER: The items included in this review were provided free of charge by JetPens for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Fountain Pen Comparison: Platinum Preppy 02 vs. 03 appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.

Above (top to bottom): Strathmore 500 Series Multi Media paper sketchbook; Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black; Retro 51 Solar System; Yookers Gun Metal; Leonardo Matte Black Momento Zero; Aurora Black Mamba; Blackwing 33 1/3.

As I pulled out any items in my collection that might have black trim, a few stood out from the rest. My favorite group was this:

Above (left to right): Aurora Black Mamba; Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black; Yookers Gun Metal; Blackwing 33 1/3 on top

Another group seemed to separate itself out as well. Those with a Ruthenium or black ionized coating to the trim.

Above (left to right): Leonardo Momento Zero Matte Black; Nakaya Decograph Twist; Sailor Sweet Love Pink.

A few pens had matte black fittings but plenty of color to offset the trim that seems to suck up any light around.

Above (left to right): Retro 51 Bump in the Night; Diplomat Aero Factory; Diplomat Aero Green; Diplomat Aero Flame; Retro 51 Zodiac.

The pens from Pilot looked so nice together (even though I couldn’t balance both the model type and the color):

Above: Pilot Vanishing Point Metallic Green; Pilot Explorer Green; Pilot Vanishing Point Matte Black.

Another bonus picture with a few more black trim pens:

Top: Leonardo Momento Zero Matte Black

Middle (left to right): Retro 51 Solar System; Spoke Pens Purple; Monteverde ; Monteverde Ritma Red and Gun Metal, Retro 51 Monarchs

Bottom: Opus 88 Bela Blue

You may be a person who enjoys mixing up your colors with pen and ink combinations, but in keeping with today’s BLACK OUT theme, here are some great choices for black inks:

Above (left to right): Platinum Carbon Black (pigmented, permanent, and true black); Aurora Black (incredibly wet ink); Sailor Kiwa-Guro (pigmented, drier ink)

Above (left to right): Kyo-no-oto Nurebairo (very dry, silvery sheen); Omas Black (vintage); Kingdom Note Stag Beetle (greenish sheen); Franklin Christoph Graphite 4B (lighter, pencil-like finish)

DISCLAIMER: Some items included in this post were provided free of charge by Appleboom for the purpose of review. Please see the About page for more details.

The post Eye Candy: Solstice BLACK OUT appeared first on The Well-Appointed Desk.