Platinum Curidas Urban Green Fountain Pen Review
Вставка
- Опубліковано 4 кві 2021
- This pen was kindly lent to me by www.appelboom.com - see my website for a 10% discount code.
Check out my website: www.sbrebrown.com
Support my work: / sbrebrown
Befriend me on facebook: www.facebook.nl/stephenbrebrown
Follow me on twitter: / sbrebrown
Add me on google+: Stephen B.R.E. Brown
Follow me on Instagram: / sbrebrown
Talk to me on FPN: StephenBrown
Talk to me on fpgeeks.com: StephenBrown - Навчання та стиль
I have had my Curidas for just about a year. I got it for the original price of $65, which was more than worth it. I don't know that I would have paid close to twice that price for it. (I would have gotten a Pilot, instead.) I use mine often, and it has held up very well. I guess it could crack, though I don't usually have it laying around in pieces, and, when it is together, it has a lot more integrity--probably true of most of us. My use case is one I am surprised Stephen didn't mention, but possibly in his field of studies resources are more online than mine: I use it to annotate the books I am reading. The ability to open the pen quickly to make a small annotation and then close it again is great. I am often doing that many times each hour. I could use a ballpoint, but what's the fun in that? I could use a ballpoint for everything I do, but we are not animals, are we? If I didn't have this pen, I would get another capless pen that I could easily operate with one hand. But I would also only ever have one of them. It is utterly functional and useful for that one use case for me.
I use a VP as my only pen at work as a retail pharmacist. I have done so for just over a year now. I originally tried doing so with a metropolitan, but the 2-handed uncapping and having to keep track of the cap, plus the occasional spilling of ink onto the feed, made this a no-go. Point being, there absolutely WAS and IS a need to solve the capping problem with fountain pens, so I am glad there IS a solution :p
02:18 As a combat veteran who fought in Helmand, Afghanistan, I just got to say. That is a totally real scenario you just made there. Totally real.
Really? you used a fountain pen in the field? Fascinating (unless you were an O6 or above).
@@dwhip49 No not really.... Sarcasm.
@@JohDan6969 OHRLY
I like using the VP during shopping, steering the shopping cart with one hand, having the shopping list in the other crossing things off my list as I put them in the cart.
With a "normal" pen you have to unscrew the pen, take care not to let the cap drop anywhere (being crushed under someone elses foot) and fumble it all back together every few minutes. And that's where the Dialog 3 defies the whole purpose of a capless pen as you still need two hands to get the nib out.
I love my VP because I can simply take it out even in very crowded situations (you still remember crowds? More than 3 people within a square meter) take some notes and put it safely back again without having to fear about losing the cap.
Of course I could use a ballpoint but then again if I liked ballpoints I would not use fountain pens.
This.
Spot on review!!
I've finally fallen for the hype and the price point for the Platinum Curidas and bought one. I received the pen 2 days ago. The pen I purchased has a fine nib.
The unboxing Steven describes is exactly what I experienced including the "extra stuff" to maintain the pen -- very nice touch on the part of Platinum.
Using the video from another source, I learned how to insert a cartridge. I recycled an empty Platinum cartridge filled with PR Blue Suede for the inauguaral inking of this pen. I then set it aside overnight with the nib/feed down - this is the MOST patient I've ever been with a new pen. Early morning (after sunrise) - clicked it on - the pen wrote immediately! Sweet!
The flow is great, I've used it on Levenger Freeleaf paper as well as Rhodia dot and Clairfontaine lined. It feels scratchy on the Levenger (but still acceptable considering that every other of my pens feels scratchy on Freeleaf) and smooth as a baby's (you know what) on the Rhodia and Clairefontaine.
Weirdly enough - don't know why - whenever I pick this pen up to use it, I find myself trying to remove the cap to start writing (duh). I need to reflect upon this behavior - what is it about the design that makes me do this?
And now for the stuff I'm not thrilled with.....
(1) The goiter just below the nib. Steven called this the sight. It's purpose is to serve as the storage area for the "lid" of the nib garage to keep the nib from drying out when the nib is retracted. It is so in my way as I write that I've got to adopt a grip much choser to the nib than for any other pen - giving me an uneasy feeling. I can do it, but it will take some time to get accustomed to using a new grip just for one pen.
(2) This pen is super LONG. It just barely fits in my Lihit Lab Smart Fit Pen Case. It's longer than my Hi-Tec Coleto 5 multipen!
(3) I wish I'd ordered something other than the "crystal" clear pen. This is NOT a demonstrator of the INK. White it does display the inner workings of the pen, I'm currently at a loss as to where I can see the ink level. Not a deal breaker, but....
All - in - all, I'm on the fence about this pen. I'm putting it in my case for use on a semi-regular basis in partnership with my FIVE special alloy Pilot VP fountain pens. The special alloy pens are stainless steel nibs, so they are (much) less expensive than the gold nib VP pens mostly available in the US.
If y'all are interested, I'll add more onto this review after a month or so of use!!
I received my Curidas about a week ago. I had a new Platinum converter on hand, so I used that. I was not happy that, on reassembling the pen, the nib no longer aligned with the clip, which makes the grip even more awkward for me. And yes, you can remove the clip, but you still have the “ sight” in the way, as well as another bump on the top that holds the clip in place. The pen wrote beautifully, at first, but I didn’t use it for two days. On return, it needed to be held under running water before ink would flow, and even then, it skipped. It’s very attractive, and when the ink flows, it’s very smooth and wet. I’m on the fence about it because the grip is uncomfortable and I’m not sure it’s sealing properly.
Very thorough review as usual. I bought one when they first came out and love mine. It writes every time I use it and have had no problems with mine at all. I carry it every day.
My wife really likes her Curidas, and picked it over other options precisely because of the combination of nib and transparency. IMO, I think Platinum deserves a little more credit for this one than they are often getting. Yes, there have been some issues with the roll out and such, but I think the issues about durability and "complexity" are a little overblown, as the system is relatively stable and provided that you aren't abusing the pen, it is sufficiently durable, as well as being significantly cheaper (at least it was when we purchased it) than the VP or Dialog 3. The one-handed operation works well even with small handed individuals and the long throw; you simply learn to use a slightly different technique, but without really giving up convenience. Overall, I really think it is a good addition to the capless space, and the design and the like is something that is appealing and not like the other capless pens out there, which is a good thing.
For my part, it's not a deal-breaker. I mean, if you want something to fidget with during a boring meeting, more parts is good. :p
Best review of the Curidas I've seen so far, thanks! I actually like mine, I was pleasantly surprised after the initial feedback, it doesn't feel cheap in the hand at all.
Nice review! I must say, for those who operate the pen with one hand due to physical disabilities, it may have been nicer to have maintenance possible with one hand as well. You are right in that it is over-engineered.
I just tried it. I can disassemble my Pilot VP single handedly at least to the point where I can clean it, refill it and put it back together again. There's only one condition: Don't use that dreadful Con-40 converter (you need two hands to fill that thing) but either a cartridge or a Con-20/Con-B aerometric converter.
Decimo Extra Fine is all I need....
Also for that price they should include a convertor
Great review. I have one and agree with your sentiments about the pen. My favourite part of the video was your response to writing “Pilot” instead of “Platinum” blue. That gave me a good laugh. I’m always amazed how naturally you speak and it was particularly evident in this video.
Thanks for the review. It's so in-depth and comprehensive. It re-kindles my love for curidas.
recently picked up the Vanishing Point and just fell in love with the feel and performance. I think it is a fantastic note taking pen in meetings. I was curious about the Curidas.
Thanks Stephen, helpful review.
Stephen, great and well balanced review.
This is a pen that "confuses" me, in that some of the parts are done with, what I think, unnecessary complexity. I will have to borrow one to see if I really want to take the plunge.
Great informative video again Stephen.
very helpful and very respectful review, thank you
Your vids are always great. Thank you.
The sealed nib cover reminds me of older Bond movies, or submarine sealable doors.
Because it’s all fun and games until someone loses an eye...
I have a Curidas for a few months and the barrel cracked. However it didn`t affect the writing experience.
Honesty is ALWAYS useful!
People joke about the need for a retractable pen but that's exactly what I would need for my job. I'm in the field (i.e. not in the office) much of the time and I hold a tool and clipboard in one hand, and a pen in the other. I can only use one hand for writing so I need a retractable pen. If I want to use a fountain pen, it has to be retractable. I'm a new pen enthusiast and I'm exploring using fountain pens at work so I'm very interested in this type of pen!
I loved your review so much that I bought myself a Curidas - I've always been curious when it comes to the Capless Pilot fountain pens but could never quite convince myself to take the leap. The Curidas was just the right price. Sadly, it appears that Platinum stopped sending out the Silicon Oil with the Curidas so I'm not sure how to properly maintain this pen - would you happen to know whether the little maintenance/cleaning kit is something that Platinum sells anywhere?
Thanks in advance!
I remember wanting to go to a brick and mortar just to try one since it's more than $20. And imagining opening the mechanism by pressing the button on a hard surface or my shoulder to keep it one-handed.
At this point I'm waiting for a cheaper twist style retractable fountain pen, hopefully lighter, too.
I was bashing this pen before trying it because there were unconvincing stuff about his overall design concept to me. I changed my mind when I got one and it has now become my daily carry. It is very practical, no issues with the Platinum Carbon ink inside and in these days of pandemic it has been a very practical pen to use for quickly signing stuff and documents. Usually people look at you pissed off when they see you take your time to uncap a fountain pen to write with, while with this clicky one they tend to overlook. Very weird.
Great review. It was helpful. Going to just stick with my VP.
The cracking issue was to do with the feed not the barrel. The way the nib is pinched on to it puts too much pressure on the plastic resulting in a ark shaped crack around one of metal tabs. Everyone I know who bought one within the first three months suffered from this - including myself, however most of us found the pen carried on writing with no issues regardless and I know most of us still have them and they still work fine. Not sure if Platinum ever got the feed cracking issue sorted out.
Was that a bit of a Gregorian chant in the beginning?
This is not for me. The Pilot Vanishing Point gave me fits and I have stopped using it. I liked my Mont Blanc "La Boheme" retractable nib pen but it broke. Is it worth getting it repaired, do you think?
I really like your videos . Please suggest me a best fountain pen under 10 dollors.
I'm a big Platinum fan, but I can't pull the trigger on this one. Ultimately, the "sights" are what bother me the most. FYI, one UA-cam reviewer removed them with a dremel tool, so I guess the pen can function without them.
Thanks for a thorough review of a much-discussed pen. I didn't buy one because it is so girthy and large in the hand. The mechanics are over-complicated and the protruding "sights" underneath would also irritate while writing. For a small sum extra, the Pilot vanishing point pen is easily superior and easier to use. I bought my VP many years ago and it is still a frequently used pen. I don't see the Curidas replacing the VP, but others may have feel differently.
I regret mine for those reasons.
Doesn't Vanishing Point have all metal body and gold nib? Why would I buy this?
I am trying to conjure up an image of Arnie unloading his Uzi while struggling to write a leaving card for the poor sap he is blowing away. Upon failing to open the pen he probably says, "I will be back" and goes off to get a ballpoint pen.
I wasn’t irritated by internal ink splashes but the “sites” - the nubby element near the nib made using the pen really annoying, to the extent that I gave it away. It also felt cheap.
"problem you didn't know you had"...."pen condom"..."your millage may vary"....Brilliant stuff. I am a fountain pen backslider that is returning to the fold,...really appreciate your subtle honesty. As a side note, first time I saw the retractable fountain pen nib my knee jerk reaction was "whats the point? if you want a ball point get a ball point." But marketing is marketing. Caveat is its absolutely good news for the traumatic injury folks.
I agree about this pen except-
The nib on my Curidas has been very prickly and aggravating. Hard to tune. This is one pen that I should have returned rather than attempting to adjust. I like everything about the pen except that mine will not write consistently.
The seemingly inexplicable metal cap over the cartridge is designed so that you can refill a converter without taking that cap off, so you don't have to disassemble the entire nib unit each time. That said, there are far too many damageable/loseable parts in this pen - it seems more like an experiment than a finished product. Twisting that spring can make the pen unusable. My hand size and grip don't cause me to touch the little Vandyke under the nib, so it doesn't bother me, but I do think it could be very annoying if you did make contact with it. I think the current price is far too high, as well. THAT said, I really enjoy writing with mine, far more than I expected. I'm quite fond of the thing. I have an EF nib which is smooth and writes beautifully. Like most Platinum pens, it also doesn't dry out easily - its single advantage over the VP.
Dude is that your bathroom in the backroom? Tacky. Got the Curidas, but can't for the life of me revive the ink-flow. Looking for tips on how to restore ink flow.
The clicking button is so long do people with smaller hands find it hard for their thumb to reach one handed?
Yes but if you're a soldier in a poorly paid army that can't afford Vanishing Points, now there's an affordable solution. Brilliant! I bought a demonstrator so I could see all the working parts, work. If you are in a poorer soldier, there is the Noodlers Boston Safety Pen. It has a cap which you can unscrew with your teeth.. You would have to cradle your rifle to operate the retractable nib.. It has less working parts. It can be assembled, disassembled with your thumb and forefinger.
You're not the first person to describe a clicky top fountain pen as a solution in search of a problem, but I'm still utterly confused any time someone says it. Are ballpoint clicky top pens a gimmick also? People use them because they're convenient and quick to deploy. The fact that it's one handed is just a bonus, and not even a worthless one. It means that you can hold whatever you're writing on in one hand and deploy the pen itself with your other. More than that, fountain pen nibs dry out in a way that a ballpoint never will, which makes the retractable nib even more worthwhile in a fountain pen than a ballpoint. In a writing situation with infrequent intermittent notes (like in the meetings that I sit through several times a week) a retractable nib is far superior to a pen that has to be recapped constantly, and unscrewed several times before it's deployed.
I really don't know why they didn't put the 'sights' on the top. Then they would be in one line with the clip, give the pen a cleaner look from all sides and this little nubsi thing wouldn't get in the way.
Great 😂! I always love to get problems solved, I don’t have!
Pilot may still have patents on some aspects of their mechanism? That would limit their design options and maybe lead to “over engineering”. Might actually be “around engineering”? Don’t know.
Your sarcasm is legendary. This pen is unappealing in every facet.
Some designer at Platinum was trying to get fired.
I have three of these with all different nibs and love them all. They do the job. They are work pens for me. I don’t enjoy these for journaling or letter writing, but I love them for my Japanese planners with those tiny grids and line widths. Great pens but they are a pain in the ass to refill.
As a person who writes mostly Chinese characters and writes quickly and rather firmly, vanishing point's gold nib is really not my thing. i tried it three times and ended up selling all three VP in the end, i just can't handle how it wiggles. I really love curidas's nib and its mechanism. I bought one right after its launch and reached for it constantly, unfortunately, it broke after three months' heavy use. The nib no longer withdrew fully into the barrel, therefore, it dried up really fast. I sold it at a very cheap price. The buyer was able to fix it very quickly (me crying inside). I really hope I can find another pen with curidas nib but not its mechanism.
btw, i just found its price has come down a lot. It regularly sells for 330 yuan, roughly 48 dollars in China now. So I just bought myself a new one. I love curidas nib too much for me to not giving it another try considering its current price.
Even if the Curidas didn't suffer from the problems described by other commenters, to me it seems like another iteration of the Preppy, and although I love my Preppies, I'm not willing to spend 70€ for a retractable one.
I had that exact same thought, and it applies to almost all the fountain pen models below #3776 Century...
Is it worth buying curidas?Can we use kaweco cartridges in the platinum?
You need Platinum cartridges, others won’t work.
There are adaptors for standard international cartridges for Platinum pens, but I don't know if they fit the Curidas due to nib unit.
How does a person with one hand refill this mechanism, given this scenario?!
Frankly Stephen, I would you’d be cool with all the parts. Where is that geek spirit? This is one of the best reviews I’ve seen you do, with lots of wonderful closeups. I don’t own a retractable fp, so I’m confused about the complaints over price point. With the need to poke a nib through a trap door that keeps the nib from drying out when clicked back in, is that supposed to be inexpensive? Of course you don’t expect it to crack, but maybe it’s not REALLY an on-the-go kind of pen like you’d think and therefore leads more so to cracking. The only thing that I personally did not like is when you said it was girth’y. When Stephen Brown says a pen is girth’y (clearly not in a positive way this time), that’s a “don’t buy”. Again Stephen, this was REALLY a great review. One day maybe you could request comments from folks around their tactile enjoyment of these kinds of pens. Even those of us who don’t yet own one, realize there must be something about that part of it.
Why does my Curidas dry out,, over one night?
The most probable scenario with 1 hand would be if you had the cell phone in one hand and a single hand to note down things
After waiting for almost a year for this pen to arrive, I got bored, canceled the order and got me a ballpoint Parker 51. Yes, I know, but I lost interest. Besides, my gunshot wound was healed by then :)
11:15
Pilot…I meant Platinum and then the casual sigh after!
That is pen lovers comedy gold! 💛
Great video like always and thank you for everything you do for the community.
Great review and nice pen however, I can see every shirt in my closet with ink stains in my pocket when I forget to retract the nib on the pen. The reason why "clickable" pens are not ideal for me whether they are either ball point or fountian pens... Thanks and good job!!
The point regarding a person with one hand wishing to use a fountain pen is reasonably valid. The flaw in the argument, as regards this particular pen, is the requirement that the one handed person has a pet octopus trained in how to change the refill. Sorry Platinum, there is a drawing board that awaits your visit.
Where it is available? What is the price?
Reminds me of a missile silo
I would also like to point out that Platinum recalled all the Curidas pens.
All of them? They’re still for sale at some stores
All of a sudden? They invented the retractable fountain pen in 1965 with the platinum knock.
I'm not interested in the Platinum Curidas, mainly because I find them ugly. My wife's Decimo is pretty cool but it's not a pen for me. I've got two hands, I only use fountain pens at my home writing desk, so one-handed operation is no concern (I couldn't care less that the cap of an Opus 88 Koloro takes seventeen turns to remove).
That said, the comment about gold nibs at a hundred dollar price point doesn't seem warranted. The Capless/Vanishing Point with a gold nib sells for considerably more than one hundred dollars (as does the Decimo). Edison, Franklin-Christoph, Visconti, Pineider, Leonardo Officina, et cetera all market steel nib pens that cost considerably more than the Curidas. (Has anyone checked the prices of Kanilea steel nib pens?) I heard nothing about the high cost of a steel nib pen in your review of the three hundred dollar Furore Grande (which will set one back an additional two hundred fifty dollars equipped with a gold nib).
If it is what one wants or feels they need, the Curidas seems to me to be a reasonably priced fountain pen.
9:08 🙊😂
True reason to buy this pen: as a fidget toy. click, click, click. time to cut the meeting short.
Imagine either one of Jinhao, Wing Sung, or other chinese brands make the clone out of this plastic pen. I'd be eating my popcorn watching the market competition and see how many people would just go for the Chinese counterpart.
I personally wouldn't go for the chinese counterpart, because I think this pen looks ridiculous. Retractable fountain pens can be cool.. this just looks clunky and cheap.
@@urwholefamilydied Yeah you're right the curidas looks pretty "cheapy". Not that I'll pick the curidas neither the chinese counterpart (if there's any) but I wonder if people would just go for the chinese one because of the lower price point (usually).
@@sillypinkmate Yeah, no doubt I'd go the Chinese counterpart if it came out. The Chinese are creating killer pens in the fountain pen market right now. Moonman is my newest and favorite pen. (actually my wife just gave me a vintage Esterbrook which is my newest).
@@urwholefamilydied Yepp recent Chinese pens are really good for the money. What Moonman model do you have? I only have 1 recently the M8 model but it's a beautiful, gurthy, and very comfortable pen with an Urushi-like texture when hold, it makes me wanna stick just with it for a long time (will probably explore Moonman and PenBBS more later).
And a vintage Esterbrook? Wow~~
@@sillypinkmate the mini Wancai, all clear. Very pretty with some Noodler's "Apache Sunset" in it.
Is 55 K the upper limit of fountain pen lovers?!
WTF Stephen!? A combat environment with a pen in any format? Nice April fool’s gag.
What happened to your Scottish accent? Or am I getting confused with someone else? 🤷
I had one for a bit which I bought from a Japanese store for $65. It had a terrible nib that I couldn't improve no matter what I tried. I also think that the translucent material makes it look like an inexpensive ballpoint. It's a strange design with that long clicker and the hook lock type mechanisms inside. Not a fan.
It took *months* and a lot of tinkering to get my 2 dysfunctional preppies to function. I don't want to get a pen significantly more expensive and expect a similar experience.
The build quality is an absolute joke. Are you kidding with the quality of the barrel. For $90 AUD I expect a thick acrylic barrel.
Cool pen, but overpriced for what it is... I'd rather buy the $5 "variation" :).
I own this pen used it twice benchmarked against my dialog and vanishing point it totally useless in terms of writing experience . In terms of ingenuity ie the mechanism and nib its the ideal 30 dollar pen My expectation were based on the other platinum products ie 3776 and the president that I own I advise to my friend was this is a novelty item don’t buy
People with one hand would definitely need someone else for filling the pen...
Personally these clicky fountain pens aren't for me. And this one looks too plasticky for me
The hypothetical situation joke was lame.
Over-engineered and complicated pen. Thank you for the review.
The more moving parts, the greater the possibility of failure. If the need arises for using only one hand to operate a pen buy a ballpoint!
Mine was broken right out of the box. Mess.
mine had a crack where the clip touches the body after a month of use. Platinum would not give me the warranty.
The ‘sides’ bothered me so much that I gave away Curidas to my wife after 10 minutes of writing !
I’ve a Pilot VP whose clip doesn’t bother me..
I also have Beena Magic ( Made in India retractable pen reviewed on this channel ) which I like !
This should be $65-70 at max. There's nothing special here!