Platinum 3776 Century Fountain Pen Re-Review

There are some pens that you just tend to collect. Maybe you don’t mean to. They just accumulate over
time and, before you know it, you end up with seven or ten of them. That’s the Platinum 3776 for me. I
never really meant to end up with a collection of them, but I like the pen and that’s what happened. My
first 3776 was a gift. A very kind person sent me a Bourgogne 3776 with a music nib on it, and that is still
my favorite music nib. It’s a pen that is almost always un use.

Somehow, I have only made one video directly about this line of pens. That was back in 2018 and it was the Oshino edition that Goldspot sent me for review. At that time, I had at least four 3776 pens in my collection. Sometimes, when you’re in the stationery review game, it’s easy to forget to talk about the things you like the most. Maybe it’s because they become ubiquitous. They are in your reviews because you are always using them for testing inks, but they don’t get their own videos because you are so used to them being part of your desk’s landscape. Bottom line? It’s time to look at this pen again.

How did I like the Platinum 3776 Century back in 2018?

I was a big fan. The Oshino is a crystal clear 3776 with a set of facets around the middle of the barrel for
visual interest. They’re on the inside of the pen, so the outside of the pen feels smooth. It wasn’t my
first pen of that model, and I talked about the genius of the slip and seal cap liner. It’s designed to keep
the nib from drying out over long periods of time without being used. I thought it felt great in the hand,
and that it posts nicely for those who like a longer pen. The broad nib was pleasant to use, and there are
lots of variations of the pens available.

I did point out that the Platinum price structure is a bit annoying. Platinum pens are available at
different price points in different locales, and that can make it difficult to decide if you’re getting a good
deal on the secondary market. It also makes it difficult for authorized dealers to sell the pens online
when there are so many different price points out there.

Do I still feel the same way?

Yep. Totally. I’m still a fan of this pen. If anything, my appreciation for them has grown. The Oshino is still beautiful to me every time I use it. The nibs are still among my favorites to use as stock nibs and they make a great platform for getting custom nib grinds. That first music nib is still my favorite music nib, and it’s my go-to nib for pale inks, light inks, and any shimmer than I think might pose a problem for other nibs. The 3776 is a modern classic.

Has the Platinum 3776 Century held up? Does it need any service?

The bodies haven’t shown any wear at all. They’re tough pens, and designed to be an everyday user, so
I’m not surprised that they haven’t had any problems.

There was one nib that needed a bit of adjustment. It was one of the “soft” nibs, and it was just a little
out of whack. My wife (a nib grinder of some note) was able to fix it quickly, and it has been great ever
since then. Every other nib I’ve had from Platinum has been excellent.

Platinum 3776 Century Tips & Tricks

I’ve found that I like the broader nibs in the Platinum 3776. The common wisdom is that Japanese nibs tend to run about a size smaller than their European counterparts, and that holds true with Platinum pens. The medium is more like a European fine line, and the broad is a bit more like a medium. The fines are a bit too fine for most of the writing I do, and the Ultra Extra Fine (UEF) nib is just way too pointy for me. Mediums and above, though, are excellent and they’re almost always what I buy for myself. The music nib was my first Platinum nib, and it is still one of my very favorite nibs. It runs wide and wet, and it’s perfect for inks that need more flow to show off their colors and for those shimmer inks that might
be able to clog a more standard nib.

 

They also offer a feel that is completely different to the other Japanese makers. Narrower, stiffer, and
drier than a Pilot nib. Just as stiff as a Sailor nib, but smoother to my hand. You’ll always find at least one Platinum 3776 inked up in my collection.

If you'd like to see a side-by-side comparison of Platinum's most common nib sizes, check out the Platinum nib size video by Goldspot below.

Issues with the Platinum 3776 Century discovered over the years

The 3776 doesn’t have many issues to speak of. Only two common complaints come to mind. Some folks will say that the 3776 feels “cheap” compared to other pens in the category. I think that’s a matter of weight, and it is not an opinion that I share. They are generally light weight pens, but those who are using them for long periods of time will generally appreciate the effortless writing experience.

The other thing to be aware of is that the feeds can be damaged if you are taking the pens apart for cleaning or nib-swapping. They are a long feed, and I’ve heard tales of people snapping them in half while attempting to remove or reinstall them. I have not experienced this, but it is something to be aware of if you are going to do deep maintenance on your pens.

How I use and don't use the Platinum 3776 Cenutry

The Platinum 3776 offers a nib for ever occasion. A friend uses the UEF nib in her artwork to create very fine lines and tiny details that wouldn’t be possible with any other stock nib. The fine nibs appeal to those who have small handwriting or those of us who need to write in the margins of books and papers. Medium and broad nibs are great everyday drivers and play nicely with almost every ink I’ve used with them. The specialty nibs like the coarse, music, and soft nibs each have their charms.

The cap’s patnented "Slip & Seal" mechanism works as advertised and it will keep your nib ready to write even if you put the pen in a drawer for a month or two. This is especially nice for those of us who keep fifty pens inked and in use at a time, but it can also help with those inks that want to form a crust on the nib or those sheeny inks that will stop writing if you ignore them.

Does the Platinum 3776 Century live up to the hype?

Absolutely. The Platinum 3776 is one of the pens that is always on the list of “next level” pens for people
moving towards and above the $100 mark. The nibs are excellent, the size is right for many hands, and
there is a style or color for everyone.


About the Author

Mike Matteson is an educator, gardener, and video game player when he isn’t creating stationery content on YouTube, Twitch, or his blog.

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