Gravitas Ultemvac with Platinum Broad nib Part 2

 

Putting the Platinum broad nib on

        

The Platinum 3776 Century broad nib is all its glory

        In this part two, I will continue where I left off where I finally just put that Platinum 3776 Century broad nib into this Gravitas Vac Ultem, thanks to this Jowo-threaded custom housing I got from Flexible Nib Factory.

        But regarding the default Gravitas medium nib, I mentioned I tried opening the tines a little and most of all, swapped the ink from Waterman Serenity Blue to Pilot Iroshizuko Asa-Gao. To my surprise, and while mild confusion, the nib is wetter and that alone improved the performance of the nib. If it really is the change of ink, then this Asa-Gao might actually be wetter and more lubricating than Waterman ink.

        Unfortunately, I lost interest in it because the custom housing for my Platinum nib finally arrived, and I wasted no time to already friction-fit the nib and feed into the housing and then screw the entire unit into the Vac Ultem.

        The Platinum broad nib was a slightly dry yet smooth nib that has this minor yet pleasure pencil-like feedback, that seems to be a common characteristic of Platinum’s nibs. I have it in broad tip size, but remember that Japanese nibs generally write a size smaller than Western nib sizes. So this broad nib has the line width of a typical Western medium nib.

        Honestly, I do like it that way. I am not all that big on Western broad nibs due to the weird ball-like writing experience, and in addition, my most prefer tip size is at most a Western medium. Thus, this broad Platinum nib fits my preferences nicely.

        Something I find worth noting, based on personal experience, this tip sure does look a little stub-like. Writing with the nib since I got it almost two years ago, I think it has a stub-like feel whenever it put the nib tip to paper and write. The feel of the downstrokes like a wide surface area of the tip, and vice versa, with horizontal strokes feeling like having a thinner surface area being in contact with the paper.

        Do note, I have yet to fully experience an actual stub nib, like the 1.1mm or 1.5mm nibs from Jowo. But when writing with this Platinum nib, I sometimes confidently question whether I should call it, a stubby nib.

        Now I put the nib is in this custom housing, and already, I say this looks good. Most importantly, the pen, and the nib, writes still wonderfully. The first thing to notice, it seems to become much wetter somehow, and thus smoother. That Platinum feedback also became a little more subtle here.  I am not for sure if it has to do with the custom housing or that the nib is now in a vacuum filling body.

   

A writing sample.

        I would say I would prefer it kept that feedback it normally had. But yet again, this is still an amazing writing experience. Additionally, the larger ink reservoir, a more interesting filling system and a larger grip section for comfort are great for any small trade-offs. So far, at least compared to the Platinum nib being in its original pen body.

        Just a quick note; when I tried putting the Platinum nib and feed into the custom housing, it is, of course, friction fitted. But it was also a tight fit. I almost became hesitant for fear of potentially damage the housing or the feed. Luckily it all came together nicely, and I suspect over time as I take them out a bit more, it will become a little easier.

 

Final Score and Conclusion

        While I am already curious about what other pens I can fit this Platinum nib into, I think I will let it stay inside this Vac Ultem for now. Despite the downsides I mentioned in the Part 1, there are some aspects of this pen I do like, and they do compliment this gold Platinum nib, mainly the vacuum filling system and more comfortable grip section. If I had given the overall pen, a 5 out of 10, now with that Japanese broad nib, it becomes a 7 for me.