Nakaya Ao-Tamenuri Decapod Twist - It's Here!

[Earthdawn]

Love it...

 

Colors are just awesome

 

Congrats!

[2ichigo2]

Beautiful pen

[quinden]

Thanks everybody! I had to sell quite a few pens to afford this one - it was worth it!

[de_pen_dent]

I am planning on another Nakaya, and really, it is so hard to make a decision with all the beauties out there - including yours! What a lovely pen.

[quinden]

Thanks, de_pen_dent!

[Susan3141]

I now know what I'm asking for for my birthday/Christmas present!

[Christopher Godfrey]

While I understand the excitement at receiving a new fountain pen and while I <also> understand that Nakaya pens are <beautiful>, please will someone tell me why they are so desirable as writing instruments? So far, I have seen nothing above about what these pens feel like to write with: is there any flexibility to Nakaya nibs, for instance?

 

Thank you for any input, all!

[quinden]

Christopher, it will depend on the nib you choose; the soft fine or soft medium nibs would probably be classified as semi-flex (but I am no vintage expert, so the definition might be different). This rhodium-plated nib is less flexible than the two soft fine nibs I have on other Nakayas, but I can still get line variation, and the 'bounce' I get while writing is delightful. This is the first Nakaya I have purchased directly from Japan, and I am happy to report that the nib writes like a dream - not glassy smooth, but not scratchy at all, and I can write with it for pages and pages.

 

I think, though, that for me, I am paying for a mix of:

 

A) A fine writing instrument and

An art object.

 

You can find other pens for cheaper that will probably write just as well, especially if you purchase them from a nibmeister; heck, you can get Nakayas (Briarwoods) for roughly $350 from John Mottishaw. But the aesthetics of this pen make it worth every penny.

 

[Ghost Plane]

I was fortunate enough to experience someone else's pen for an extended time period and they are awesome pens with exquisite workmanship. Unfortunately for me, most sizes available are too short and/or narrow for my taste. The BB nib was luscious, but I'm just as happy with my MB, CS, Visconti or Delta nibs of similar sizes. I'm just as content wit my bespoke CS Churchill's performance (IB nib) and the amethyst is gorgeous. But the hand crafted bodies of these are awesome. If I could get this blue in a fat enough body, I'd scrape together the dosh and do it. I simply prefer 149 size and width to the 146 size and girth of most of these. Which is why I got with Henry Simpole and Salman Khattak to design my oversized Spirit of Life to get the dimensions I prefer.

 

So look carefully at the size, especially the section widths, and remember these are very light pens on average. If the size works for you, Indulge if you can afford it. They're beautiful. Art you can use.

[quinden]

Ghost Plane, I agree with what you said 100%. Lisa and someone else (David? Can't find the thread) both had very good advice on managing my expectations, and the fact that no pen will satisfy everyone - once you find what you love, go for it!

[iamchum]

that pen is so beautiful, and I have been eyeing off getting my own nakaya (I've kind of decided maki-e is a little too bombastic for everyday use, but the urushi finishing is complex, subtle, refined, and intensely beautiful). Only thing was, does anyone know if anyone has done any size comparisons against other common pens? I'm not sure how big a decapod is...

 

to christopher, part of the mystique is the urushi coating itself, unique to regions of japan (as urushi is derived from tree sap, its colour is highly determined by the environment it is in, chinese and vietnamese urushi do not dry translucent as japanese urushi does, that is why urushi is so prized), it is extremely durable, highly glossy, but also somewhat transparent. Multiple coatings are done over a period of weeks to months, and each pen is hand made. The great thing about the multiple coatings (which you notice with the highlights on quindens nakaya) is that, over time, like some metals develop a patina, urushi starts getting more translucent, so its shading matures, and you start to see the under layers more. Writing with one is as much of a joy as seeing it age. Plus depending on how the urushi is refined, there are different textured variants as well, but I for one just adore the design of nakayas, especially the decapods and dorsal fins

[sarahfar]

well said. Absolutely love them. I own 2 decapods, a naka ai and a decapod piccolo. They are incredible to write with, gorgeous to look at and excellent pens. I am surprised by the size thing. I don't think of the full sized decapods as small at all. Girth isn't huge though.

[colrehogan]

I would like one with the cats and the cat paws on it in this color, please!

[sarahfar]

Three I would love to work on 1 at a time. AO Decapod Twist writer with white BB FLOB, shiro Tamenuri decapod same. and Tsuikin Dragon BB CI, the last would take some time.

[KarloT]

Three I would love to work on 1 at a time. AO Decapod Twist writer with white BB FLOB, shiro Tamenuri decapod same. and Tsuikin Dragon BB CI, the last would take some time.

I have seen the shiro Decapods up close and they are pretty! Not very reserved in their personality but that's not a bad thing.

[quinden]

Ooooh, I bet the shiro-tame looks awesome!

 

colrehogan, that sounds like a great design

[WOBentley]

Quinden...I LOVE this pen! Enjoy it for many years, it will only get better!

[quinden]

Thanks, WOBentley

 

I had always wanted a pen with the color of the Seiryu Blue Dragon, but without the dragon motif; it's exactly what I had hoped for!

[rudyhou]

congrats on your nakaya. i have TWO decapods myself, though not the twisted kind

[quinden]

Rudy, I would love to see some pictures of your Decapods! What nibs do you have?