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Danitrio Densho


AndyHayes

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First Impressions

The seller had sent the pen well packaged. The outer packaging is a black cardboard box with the Dani logo in gold near one corner. Inside is a plain wooden box probably designed for a smaller pen as the lid doesn’t close with the pen in it! I already have a Densho so I was expecting this pen to be almost exactly the same. I was to be wrong. Not all Denshos are born equal.

 

Appearance

I hadn’t expected a matte black pen, but it was either going to be gloss or matte. I have to say that it doesn’t look as good as the gloss one.

 

Design/Size/Weight

Its is about as plain and simple as you can get. Rounded ends with a barely tapered body. This would rate as a large pen in most people’s collections. Collectors of vintage pens would mistake for a policeman’s truncheon! It weighs 28 grammes with some ink in it. What I would describe as a moderate weight pen.

 

Nib

The nib is two-tone and flexy fine. It’s very smooth and works well with the Waterman Havana it is currently using. The nib is large and in fitting with the pen. It has a nice bit of flex to it. The nib was the main reason for me buying this pen. I still see a Urushi Densho in my future, but needed to know how this nib wrote compared to the stub in my other Densho. There is no comparison really. They are very different beasts.

 

Filling System

It’s an eye dropper filler that holds a capacious amount of ink, keeping even me happy. It was the devil’s job getting the ink to flow the first time. I shook the pen and a blob would flick out of the hole in the nib, but refused to flow to the nib tip. I pulled the nib and feed and couldn’t see anything wrong, but gave them a rinse and dry. Re-assembling the nib and feed and trying again saw the ink flowing a treat. Danitrios, in my experience run wet, but this is much more mean with its ink. Not a bad thing at all.

 

Cost and Value

I have seen these go for $200 on FPN in feeding frenzies. They are a superb pen usually, hold a load of ink and are reliable. With the valve shut off system they are safe to carry on an aircraft without worrying that you will end up with an inky squirt filling your shirt pocket.

 

Conclusion

I feel a little disappointed with this one as it is not up to the usual Danitrio standard. I can live with the matte finish. It instantly distinguishes the pens, but this one has a rolled (from flat) pen clip, whereas the other has a solid clip. The real failing of this one is that there seems to be something wrong with the thread, although I can’t see what it is. The cap only screws on half a turn and a bit, whereas my original one is two turns. The ink doesn’t dry out in the nib, or at least not in the relatively short time that I have owned it. I am probably being overly picky though and I am sure that if I put this back up on the Marketplace it would go quickly.

Skype: andyhayes

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Thanks for taking the time to do this review.

 

Yes, the pen is very plain and Zen-like. That simple look is part of why I love mine. I have the matte finish, too, and I like that look combined with the Zen design. My new Mikado has the polished finish, and I like that the two pens have different apearences.

 

I am concerned about the ink flow issue. Did you open the flow valve at the end of the barrel? Maybe there was some dried ink in the ink feed?

 

Anyway, I hope the pen grows on you.

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I have one of these and like it, though I don't use it much because of its size (too big for me). But FrankB is right, you do have to open the valve on the end a bit. I've been known to forget to do that.

 

IIRC, you can polish it to a gloss. I would guess using Renaissance Wax, but I'd check first if you want to look into doing that.

"He was born with the gift of laughter and a sense that the world was mad." - Scaramouche by Rafael Sabatini

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hi,

Can you post a scan of writing samples with the two nibs? I am currently trying to decide what kind of nib to get on a Dani, and it would help a lot to see what they're like (I'm considering a stub or an EF, but I'd like to see the fine too--)

 

thanks,

Kay

Danitrio Fellowship

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