About Fountain Pens: From Platinum Pens*
Fountain Pen Mechanisms
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Mechanism
The logic behind being able to write with a fountain pen is due to its capillarity mechanism.
When the pen tip is applied to the paper, the capillarity mechanism allows the ink to be drawn to the dent the tip creates. When doing so, the same amount of air is drawn to the ink tube as the amount of ink transferring onto the paper.
The pen tip is designed so that when excessive ink is drawn out, it catches the ink to prevent it from dripping onto the paper. The same capillarity mechanism is applied for the pen tip.
NOTE: The capillarity mechanism: Also known as capillary phenomenon is the ability of a liquid to flow in narrow spaces and when creating a tube or pipes, it creates a difference in the liquid level inside and outside. In this case, the fiber of the paper acts as the ‘tube’.
Structure and manufacturing method
A commonly used fountain pen consists of six parts: a pen, the core, the neck, a shaft, a cap, and a cartridge ink.
The pen is manufactured by applying 58.5% pure 14k gold along with silver, copper and nickel to form its shape of the fountain pen.
Gold alloys are often used in pens due to its resistance to the acid of the ink and have the desired stiffness for writing.
Also, the pen has a special function called the pen point made from a hard alloy that can withstand the friction of the paper. The powder consisting iridium and osmium is instantaneously heated allowing to create the ideal rounded shape for the pen point. This is then welded to the tip after creating the dents that the ink will run and later sharpened to create the smooth touch for all writers.
Another significant part of the fountain pen is its core. In this part, there is a specific dent where it controls the amount of ink running and a ‘dam’ where excess ink is stored. To this day, its stable performance is maintained due to its injection molding mechanism and the core is specifically made for the ink to adapt to the entire function.
On the other hand, the shaft and the cap is made of metal and resin, but acrylic resins are now more favored with excellent gloss and touch, of which it also implements the injection molding mechanism. At the same time, it embeds nuts and bolts to ensure its quality.
Easy and convenient, the clip also functions as the grip to stop rolling off the desk and is stamped and formed from metal with a spring by press working and finished with a touch of gold plating.
All of these parts are manufactured separately and hand-sharpened one by one before it gets assembled and then later gets shipped after ‘creating’ the pen.
Fountain Pen Mechanisms
Design and Material
Makie
Makie is a type of lacquer art that decorates with lacquer. Makie, as the name in Japanese Kanji implies, is the process of sowing gold powder after undercoating, painting, coloring, etc. to create a three-dimensional appearance and a luxurious image. In addition, the undercoating before these processes and the overcoating afterwards have a great influence on the overall performance, and the sharpening (sharpening the surface by polishing the surface) process after the overcoating is the most crucial process of the final work. Moreover, Hyomon technique uses foil and plate-like gold pieces thicker than foil other than gold powder as decoration. Also, rankaku (small pieces of bird’s egg or a quail’s egg) are used along with luminous shellfish designs. These are also categorized as the characteristics of Makie. It is also distinguished by carving the powder or to embed foil onto the surface of the final work.
Take-ami
Bamboo craft has a long history and has been closely related to the Japanese culture. The technique gradually increased its value as a craft, and traditional craftsmen have inherited the technique to the present day. The manufacturing process of our bamboo fountain pen begins with "oil draining" by boiling the harvested bamboo to strengthen the material, followed by "arabiki", "habatori", "senhiki" to fabricate bamboo straws in order to create the pen’s core. It uses 36 bamboo straws of approximately 2mm wide and 0.2 mm thick. 2 types of ‘goza mats’ are dyed and rust-lacquered, but Yokoamishiro and tiger-like stripes are finished with lacquer. The bamboo weave pattern creates a beautiful and antique look, making it a familiar fountain pen for your hand.
Higozogan
The solid and elegant "Higozogan" is a delicate masterpiece that has a generous amount of expertly crafted craftsmanship, as well as the beautiful black of ground iron made from red rust, and finely decorated with pure gold. The Japanese Kanji "zo" implies to shape, and the "gan" means to fit. In English, the ‘zogan’ is called Damascene, which comes from the origin of this technology, Damascus (8th century, Syria), which is transmitted to the far eastern Japan via the Silk Road. The The Higozogan which has a long tradition, has been applied to fountain pens and composite writing instruments.
Metal Body
Silverware in Japan has a record that dates back to the Nara period. In the early Edo period, specialized silver craftsmen called shirogane appeared and have been familiar with silverware since ancient times. Silverware was designated as a traditional craft by the Ministry of International Trade and Industry (now the Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry) in 1979 and the Tokyo Metropolitan Government in 1982. Silverware production has three divisions: forging, engraving, and cutting. Each is given the title of a traditional craftsman. Silver with elegant shine and moist taste. The forging technique brings out the goodness of silver to the utmost using advanced and diverse techniques. A silver vase, incense burner, teapot, etc. are produced by hitting silver on an anvil and squeezing with a metal hammer to form a container. Every time the difference between the hammered eyes (pinch) that has been painstakingly driven by hand is illuminated, it emits a fantastic shine. Kanazawa Leaf craftworks are the culmination of brilliant skills which have been handed down from one generation to the next of leaf craftsmen, who carefully finish each and every piece of leaf craft products by hand, supported by a diverse supply of Kanazawa leaf including gold and silver leafs, with the wealth of tradition and culture of this ancient city Kanazawa. In addition, we have developed technology to ensure durability that can also be used to decorate cylindrical foils, so that they can be used for a long time.
In the past, most were made from celluloid. This was because it was easy to mold and cut. Also colors and patterns are abundant and can be matched to taste. However, it is a difficult material if the shaft is not dried for more than 6 months, because the shaft becomes thin, deformed, and twisted. The platinum fountain pen has revived celluloid and is gaining in popularity.
Yakusugi
Yakusugi is a cedar that is blessed with a subtropical climate of Yakushima and a heavy rainfall of 10,000 mm per year, and is usually located on the main street of typhoons, and has grown up to withstand the wind and snow for over 1000 years. Recently, it is designated as a natural monument, and its harvesting is strictly prohibited. However, stumps cut down in the Edo period and/or trees that have fallen down in a typhoon are used as materials for crafts of Yakusugi cedar. Because it grew up in a long and harsh nature, its beautiful annual tree rings and its robust, detailed and beautiful color are now prized in the world as a long-lived precious wood. This material, which can be said to be the essence of the art of nature, a 3,000-year-old tree is carefully selected to be used for the main material of this product. We have completed a fountain pen that takes advantage of the greatness and due to regulations such as the Nature Conservation Law, the scarcity value is expected to increase further.
kawamaki
Since its first introduction to the fountain pen “Platinum Sheep” with genuine leather on a writing instrument in 1966, we have accumulated the technology of winding genuine leather on a curved pen shaft. Special processing of the shaft and the manufacturing method that minimizes the seams of the leather is implemented to create the long-lasting treasure pen. In addition, this product of multifunctional writing instrument is developed around the “nume leather”, which refers to cowhide leather. Tannin tanning is a tanning of raw materials extracted from plants, which is also called astringent tanning and plant tanning. It is known that this method results in vivid wrinkles and it may change the color and even its texture depending on the care, which is an aspect you can be surprised. We use only the most delicate part of leather in our pens, but because of its natural features, each item is slightly different and this is also another aspect where you can enjoy. Because it is a natural material, sometimes you may see white powder before use or after storing it but this is due to its natural material. It can be removed by soaking a cotton cloth with water and simply wiping it off.
Brier
Brier is a deciduous shrub of the heather family Erica Arboria, native to the Mediterranean region. Because it is used for the handle of pipes and walking sticks, it has the characteristics of being strong against heat and is very stiff. The fountain pen uses the burl of a stock of 25 to 100 years. The beauty of wood texture is its popularity, and the more you use it, the more it becomes shiny and your in favor. In a platinum fountain pen, this material is thinly molded, and the entire shaft is a brier (excluding the cover). If you take a closer look, we have made a stroke (curved surface) process on the small part of the cap and at times, other engineers of the manufacturer wonder about the manufacturing method.
Ebonite
Ebonite was very popular at one time, but has some drawbacks such as difficulty in processing and fragility due to aging. However, there are many lovers because of their elasticity, and they are still used habitually.
Curvature
The elasticity is harder as the curvature is deeper, and softer as the curvature is shallower. Also, square diaphragms such as triangle diaphragm and pentagon diaphragm are slightly harder than curved diaphragms.
Design and Material
Types of Pen Points
Types of pen points
18K
It has very high acid resistance and can withstand years of use without rusting or corroding even with acidic ink.
Flexibility is high in comparison to the ones with same nib shape.
14K
It has very high acid resistance and can withstand years of use without rusting or corroding even with acidic ink.
It has an appropriate flexibility that is optimal for the strong and weak brushstroke of Japanese characters.
Stainless steel (SUS316)
It has high acid resistance and can withstand years of use without rusting or corroding even with acid ink. The pen's elasticity has increased, but its flexibility has reduced. The price of the material is minimised, which makes it more affordable for all users.
Types of Pen Points
Ink Type
Ink Type
①Blue black ink (water-based dye ink)
Blue black ink is not affected due to sunlight or humidity, and it has high water resistance, which makes it ideal for permanent records.
Initially, it had a unique feature and was initially released as an ink for long-term storage for official documents, but has been discontinued by major manufacturers. The origin of this ink dates back to the 2nd century, and its widespread use was in the 12th century. Initially, it was made from nuts and sap, and in the 16th and 17th centuries it was used in wine and beer as a fungicide.
The current ink was established in the 19th century. The manufacturing method uses an oxidizing effect that ferrous ions turn into ferric ions to form the color black. Thus, it is not an ink that mixes blue and black inks, and a dye or acid is added. Hence, the blue black ink is not “bluish black” or “blackish blue”, but it is blue at the beginning of writing, but the blue color of the dye over time changes into black due to its scientific function to maintain long-term records. Only the black part of the iron that has been mixed remains on the paper’s surface and becomes black because it has become dim.
Simply put, it turns blue at first and then turns black over the years. It can be said that the deep dark blue color is obtained with this ink.
②Color Inc(red, black etc.)
It is more alkaline than the acidity of blue black ink. It decolorizes with water and turns brown with sunlight. However, it offers beautiful colors that can't be found in other types of inks, and a variable number of colors. It dries quickly and does not precipitate due to oxidation by air.
③Carbon Black
It is made from the pigment carbon black. It does not turn brown due to sunlight, moisture. It is perfect for permanent storage of records. However, since it is not aqueous, it will not discolor once dried, so be careful when using it.
④Classic ink (water-based dye ink)
The fountain pen ink made by traditional manufacturing method has been changed over the years to an ink that mixes dye, because the manufacturing method is special and it is not time efficient. We are the only company in the country that continues to manufacture blue-black ink using traditional methods. The ink has a vivid dye color at the beginning of writing, but it has the characteristics of this ink that its handwriting turns black over time and has water resistance and long-term storage.
Focusing on this characteristic, "the handwriting changes to black over time”, we have produced a "CLASSIC INK" as a fountain pen ink that amuses in the process of changing color. It also emphasizes the shading of the handwriting, so that the characters written with a fountain pen can be made more interesting. It is an ink that expands the enjoyment of writing with a fountain pen.
⑤Mixable ink (water-based dye ink)
"Mixable ink," is a fountain pen ink that allows you to mix and customize your favorite colors. It is a water-based dye ink that is easy to create colors as imagined because each color is composed of a small amount of pigment.
The fountain pen ink, recommending to mix different colors is a new proposal product that can create subtle adjustments like paintings. There are many ready-made inks on the market, but when you can’t find the color you wanted, customers raised their voice and mentioned "I want to make my own color”. This was the beginning of this product development.
"Mixable ink" is based on mixing two colors of inks, and can be made closer to your ideal color with a dedicated diluent sold separately. Products that can meet the needs of creating your original color, writing seasonal letters and expressing your feelings with colors, you can share the indulgence of “unlimited color ink” at any occasion.
Ink Type
For long use
A fountain pen loves to bathe.
The pen tip and its core is made very neatly thus it’s essential to always keep it clean. It hates dirts of any sorts. It is recommended to fill up a bowl with lukewarm water and bathe the tip for a day to cleanse.
A. Bathe the pen tip for a day: Pour lukewarm water into a small bowl.
B. Finish off by washing with water: Gently wash until the color of the ink runs out and only clean water flowing through.
C. Gently wipe: Finally, use a dry cloth and gently wipe.
Bathe the pen tip once a month. To maintain a healthy fountain pen, bathe for when in below cases:
① When changing the color of ink. For example, when changing from blue black ink to black ink.
② When the ink does not smoothly run. Do not shake the pen vigorously. It is wiser bathe and cleanse.
③ When using a fountain pen that has not been used for a while. The pen core and tip will be very dry. In such case, remove the cartridge ink from the core and put the bathe the pen tip.
④ Please use new spare ink after cleanse.
⑤ Sometimes severe dirt may not be removed. When in such case, it is necessary to ship it to the manufacturer to be disassemble and cleaned.
Please handle the fountain pen with care.
・ Don't drop it on a hard surface or use it unreasonably.
・ When wiping the fountain pen, wipe it with a soft dry cloth (never use wet cloth, metal polish or any chemicals.)
・ Please cleanse once a month.
Please use the "ink cleaner kit" for fountain pen maintenance.
Things to prepare:
・A cup (180-200ml)
・A soft cloth that may be dirtied (Please see image)
Remove the fountain pen's core and ink cartridge remaining with the pen tip, neck its core.
Attach the cleaning dropper to the pen tip, neck and core to be cleaned.
Inhale and exhale the water from the cup and cleanse all parts.
Prepare 100ml clean or lukewarm water (about half of a 180ml cup).
Dissolve 1 pack (10 ml) of washing solution in 100ml water.
Immerse the pen tip, neck and core in the cleaning solution water for a day to remove excess dirt. (If the stain is light, the dirt can be removed in 2 to 3 hours)
Rinse the cleaning solution off the pen tip, neck and core with running water and dry with a cloth. (A soft cloth that may be dirtied)
When in the case of a Platinum fountain pen, attach the washing dropper to the pen tip, neck and core and pour clean water again into the cup. Inhale and exhale app. 10 times to wash off excess dirt for a better result.
For Long Use