Ordering My First Hakase Pen

[shuuemura]

I'm thinking of placing an order with Hakase (the final frontier for me...!) and wanted to get feedback on my custom design from the friendly folks here as I hammer out the order details.

 

My original goal was to get them to reproduce the pen as shown on this blog (traditional clip and trim ring on cap with unadorned pen barrel, all in rosewood) in buffalo horn, but Hakase said they removed the trim ring on the cap because it often broke (their exact words in the email: "Because the ring which the cap of a wanting model has is often broken, I do not attach it now."). The replacement model has the trim ring placed on the section instead.

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2359/13178471405_be706d8539_b.jpg

Model WB15D (http://fp-hakase.com/products/buffalo/37185.html)

 

However, I feel the gold band on the section will trap ink and make cleaning more troublesome because the front part of the section is occasionally dipped into ink during filling, similar to how the gold trim on the section of Pelikan/Parker/Cross pens act as ink traps.

 

At the same time, I love the hammered gold band stopper on their pen barrels, but I'm not a fan of the minimalist teardrop clip.

 

http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2779/13178587133_7cf142365b_b.jpg

Model WB15E (http://fp-hakase.com/products/buffalo/37185.html)

 

 

So this is my custom design combining the best parts of these two models.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7438/13178360825_3086570845.jpg

Capped.

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7418/13178360905_e79b1faf8b.jpg

Uncapped and posted.

 

What do you guys think?

 

(All photos taken from Hakase's website)

Edited March 16, 2014 by shuuemura

[watch_art]

Looks great! Building a custom pen is fun isn't it?

[Sblakers]

Looks gorgeous!

[shuuemura]

Alright, I pulled the trigger on the pen! The second payment is due in September, so maybe the waiting time is only 6-7 months now?

 

Anyway, after some interesting email exchanges with Hakase (diagrams transcend any language boundaries), I gleaned that these will be the dimensions of my ordered pen. The section will be made from Germany-imported ebonite. I thought about getting the two-tone 80th anniversary nib but ultimately decided that the rhodium plating would clash with the otherwise monochromatic 14K gold trim on this pen. The anniversary nib is also reminiscent of the Custom 845 nib design - perhaps Hakase should have gotten an original design instead?

 

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7189/13184340574_c0279c99a8_b.jpg

Edited March 16, 2014 by shuuemura

[Ghost Plane]

Lovely! Looking forward to pics when you get it.

[watch_art]

Will look great - but I wonder why they are using SEM ebonite and not Nikko...

[Lunaray]

Gorgeous! Just curious: are the internals (nib, c/c) made by Pilot?

[shuuemura]

Gorgeous! Just curious: are the internals (nib, c/c) made by Pilot?

 

Yes, the nib on my model will be a #15 Pilot nib and the converter is the CON-70.

[mongrelnomad]

Congratulations, and a wonderful amalgam of two existing designs.

 

I have the inlaid ring and the plain section (on my desk pen and torpedo respectively), and feel that you made the right decision. It doesn't trap ink, but it does seem like an unnecessary embellishment that detracts from, rather than elevates, the velvety smoothness of the ebonite.

 

IMO Hakase make the best pens in the world. You're in for a treat...

[shuuemura]

Congratulations, and a wonderful amalgam of two existing designs.

 

I have the inlaid ring and the plain section (on my desk pen and torpedo respectively), and feel that you made the right decision. It doesn't trap ink, but it does seem like an unnecessary embellishment that detracts from, rather than elevates, the velvety smoothness of the ebonite.

 

IMO Hakase make the best pens in the world. You're in for a treat...

 

Thanks for endorsing my custom design! Yours and rhk's reviews pushed me over the edge to order a Hakase for myself.

 

Actually I had a question for you. When I compare the quoted dimensions of the Hakase design above to several of my favourite pens (e.g. Namiki Yukari Royale, Montblanc 149, Pelikan M1000 etc.), however, it seems that my Hakase pen will be on the larger side of what I'm used to. Do you find your Hakase to be bigger than normal? Would you mind telling me the dimensions of your Hakase?

Edited March 18, 2014 by shuuemura

[mongrelnomad]

 

Thanks for endorsing my custom design! Yours and rhk's reviews pushed me over the edge to order a Hakase for myself.

 

Actually I had a question for you. When I compare the quoted dimensions of the Hakase design above to several of my favourite pens (e.g. Namiki Yukari Royale, Montblanc 149, Pelikan M1000 etc.), however, it seems that my Hakase pen will be on the larger side of what I'm used to. Do you find your Hakase to be bigger than normal? Would you mind telling me the dimensions of your Hakase?

Sorry I didn't get back to you. One of those to-dos that fell by the wayside; a victim of life.

 

It's a big pen, but I find it to be much more comfortable than the 149. That might be due to the narrower section, and it is very well balanced.

 

The measurements (taken with a not-very-accurate tape-measure) are:

 

Length: 15.3cm

Section: 1.3cm

Barrel: 1.6cm

 

Hope that helps...

[shuuemura]

Sorry I didn't get back to you. One of those to-dos that fell by the wayside; a victim of life.

 

It's a big pen, but I find it to be much more comfortable than the 149. That might be due to the narrower section, and it is very well balanced.

 

The measurements (taken with a not-very-accurate tape-measure) are:

 

Length: 15.3cm

Section: 1.3cm

Barrel: 1.6cm

 

Hope that helps...

 

Thanks so much! To assuage any concerns I had about the section diameter of the Hakase (widest = 13.5 mm) being too big for me, I bought a pair of digital callipers to measure the section diameters of several of my pens. All of these diameters are measured just before the threads, where I usually hold my pen.

 

Montblanc 149 (13.47 mm)

Pelikan M1000 (12.47 mm)

Pelikan M800 (11.47 mm)

OMAS Paragon New Style (13.47 mm)

Delta Stanfuffo (Piston filler) (13.73 mm)

Sailor King of Pen (13.32 mm)

Namiki Yukari Royale (13.2 mm)

Pilot Custom 845 (11.59 mm)

Nakaya Portable Writer (11.73 mm)

Sailor Professional Gear (11.72 mm)

Pilot G2 Regular edition (10.72 mm)

[shuuemura]

Just received this lovely hand-drawn picture of my pen on the order form when I decided to add the section gold ring to my upcoming Hakase yesterday. Exciting! My pen is slated to ship end of October this year, so only a seven month wait!

 

[Algester]

Hakase originally had 3 section types Sailor, Platinum,and Pilot but now I'm not sure what happened by they are now only using Pilot nibs heck the feed is the same but most of heir pens fit the CON-70 unless you really ordered to make a dwarf pen

[AReadyWriter]

Best of luck on the new pen. I read your posts on the Namiki Royale and now I have two. No need for Hakase for me, and I'm putting the rest of my pens in the classifieds.

[Hooligan]

I also recently ordered a Hakase in that famous green celluloid they are known for

 

I love the way the pens are made and I also love the tradition

 

I have spent night after night watching videos of the great Harumi Tanaka make one of a kind pieces of art

 

I can't wait to see what Mr Ryo creates. I am in line to get mine in February of 2015 and maybe I'll order another in cocobolo

[shuuemura]

My Hakase just came in today! Some quick shots with my phone camera of the unboxing. I'll wait till tonight to test it out.

 

 

 

 

[mongrelnomad]

Congratulations... Beautiful. Absolutely.

 

First impressions?

[Ghost Plane]

Much more intrigued by the shape of the cap than I thought I would be. Pretty!

[rutherfordr]

Stunning! What a beautiful pen!