Sailor's Full Ink Lines Including Shop Exclusives Compiled In A Post?

[white_lotus]

Well that may be, but I can get inks like this for much less from the standard ink sources. The Jellyfish and Crustacean inks I recently purchased were perfectly nice inks, and the colors were fine, but there was nothing really special about them. I might as well just buy Noodler's, J. Herbin, Akkerman, Diamine, KWZI, etc, etc. I know they're not coming out with a new store-exclusive inks every few months, but still, there's a lot new that I haven't ever tried.

[haruka337]

Sailor has definitely fallen astray.

I don't think so.

 

We have to keep in mind that shop owners give Sailor's Ink Master an idea of the ink hues they want. After that, they are sent between two to three ink interpretations of each color in sample form. Shop owners pick a color or send further input for the end product.

 

The shop owners have an idea as to what local ink and pen enthusiasts prefer and request. I may not always like it, but I respect it.

 

At any rate, Sailor is not to blame.

[Tinjapan]

In support of Haruka's asessment and Sailor, most of these shop exclusive inks were never invisioned for the international nor even the domestic market as a whole. In KN's case, they had only fifty bottles of each color made. 50 bottles can not be thought to supply the entire nation of Japan, so why would it be thought to be able to supply the whole world.

 

These shop exclusives or made for and marketed to a small niche market in Japan. The fact that they advertise only in Japanese and will not ship outside Japan should indicate that they are not thinking of "us" when they make these inks.

 

We are not their market.

[migo984]

In support of Haruka's asessment and Sailor, most of these shop exclusive inks were never invisioned for the international nor even the domestic market as a whole. In KN's case, they had only fifty bottles of each color made. 50 bottles can not be thought to supply the entire nation of Japan, so why would it be thought to be able to supply the whole world.

These shop exclusives or made for and marketed to a small niche market in Japan. The fact that they advertise only in Japanese and will not ship outside Japan should indicate that they are not thinking of "us" when they make these inks.

We are not their market.

The point is well-made & is absolutely right. This has always been my argument when people complain about availability etc.

[conib]

And Sailor hasn't been set up to meet such increased demand, either. The kinds of issues Sailor must be facing in "tooling up" to provide larger quantities of custom inks to meet demand are necessarily expensive to resolve, and frankly it's pretty much expected that, in addition to having to place limits on how much any one store can commission, they will be passing along those "tooling up" costs as well.

And then in turn the stores must pass along those costs and limits to the end-users (us).

If I were to guess the outcome of all this, by following the usual pattern of this sort of thing (where expensive custom products fund the NRE that in turn fuels an increased diversity in the standard product line): we'll eventually see a larger line of "standard" Sailor Jentle branded inks at more standard Sailor Jentle prices.

Edited September 2, 2016 by conib

[Tinjapan]

Personally, I so not think they are tooling up to meet greater demand. If so, I think we would have seen supplies of established lines become stable. Maruzen had their own ink since before I got interested four years ago. Until the Sailor ink craze, these were readily available in several of the stores. Now, only the two main stores carry them and I haven't found them there either for quite some time. I think that if Sailor was tooling up, Maruzen inks would be available again by now.

 

I do not know what is behind BB's price increase but several possibilities come to mind. All shops are now competeing with each other for ink from Sailor. Perhaps she has decided to pay more to help ensure a better supply. BB is one of very few, the only one to my knowledge, that market their inks overseas, so this must also be a factor. Or, perhaps she is trying to lower demand. And of course, supply and demand decides price.

 

I think it would be very dangerous for Sailor to expand production. Shop exclusive ink is not their main area of business. As expensive as they are FPs most likely bring in far less than their other stationery products, ball point pens for example. I bet there are more people burning through Sailor ball point pens in Japan alone than there are FP users world wide. No stats, just a gut feeling. Regardless, it would be risky to expand their ink making facilities for what may be just a fad and then be stuck with too much ink and production capability after the fad fades.

[Tinjapan]

Imagine the following scenerio.

 

On a Monday morning, right after you open your store, a tour bus pulls up and a horde of people speaking a language you can not understand storms through the door and into your shop. They are loud. Laughing, talking, shouting. They are grabbing everything they can reach and begin fighting over the last bottle, others rush to the sales counter shouting and thrusting fistfulls of cash in your face. One person emerges from the press of bodies and tries to speak above the din. They speak English and inform you that they have been hired by a group of whiskey enthusists as their guide for their whiskey tour of New England.

 

Caught completely off guard, you sell out of everything before even one third of the group has made it unto the shop. Fights break out as those who purchased multiple bottles try to make their way throw those who missed out to get back to the bus. They are loud, angry and MANY.

The guide asks if you take orders. Even if not someting you usually do, you say "Yes, of course." hoping it will defuse an explosive situation.

 

You feel elated that your product has become so popular and you accept large cash deposits on the huge orders they give you.

 

Before noon on Monday, they leave you with a huge wad of cash, perhaps a broken bottle or two to clean up, a store completely devoid of anything to offer your regular loyal customers and a ledger full of orders.

 

ORDERS! How many DID you take? The first twinge of panic makes itself known. You need a drink and ask your assistant to pour you one. "We haven't a drop in the store." is their reply. You ask about the open bottle for samples. "They offered $$$$$$$$$ for it, wouldn't take no for an answer.". A new worry.

 

After a few moments you ask, "What about the bottle under the counter that I set aside for Captain Smith (USMC)? His father's retirement (35 years in the Marine Corps) is tonight, you didn't sell it did you.?"

 

"No."

 

"Where is it?"

 

"Uhhhh.....Ummmmm......Errrrr...... I....I.... saw you sell it."

 

"WHAT!!!"

 

You have to think fast and can not have any interuptions. You instuct your employee to close up shop and go home early, you have nothing to sell for the rest of the day anyway.

 

"Nor for the rest of the week." you catch from beneath your employees breath.

 

Panic is no longer just a twinge.

 

You decide to call your distributors to see if you can buy back some stock and hopefully a bottle of the whisky you and Capt. Smith discussed over several visits before he decided upon your whisky.

 

Panic grows to super hurricane force as each of you distributors report that they too have been hit buy bus loads of foreign buyers that cleaned them out of your products AND left orders fir much more. Even with out sitting down to figure out the exact amount, it is clear that orders for more than five times the amount you sold in you best year have been accepted.

 

In full blown panic, you call your suppliers to start gearing up the supply chain to meet this wholly unexpected spike in demand. For most ingredients, increasing your order is no problem, others it is. But your bottke supplier has more bad news. The company that produced the bottles that set your product apart has filed for bankruptcy. Other bottles cane be had, but they are different sizes, shapes, colors and more expensive. Your iconic bottle is no more.

 

Spent, you call it a day. On the way out to your car, Capt. Smith approaches with an expectant smile.....

 

After getting home you check you social media and find it filled with negative comments.

 

"I stopped by such and such today, as I do every Monday, to pick up a bottle and they looked like they've gone out of business. The store was closed and the shelves are empty. I had to buy drinks for my weekly bridge party at a different store."

 

"Me, too, so I went to xdxdxd whcu also carries ( or is it 'carried'?) their whiskey and they had none either."

 

"They didn't seem like a fly by night operation. Wonder what happened? Death in the family?"

 

"Most likely liked their product too much, ha ha."

 

A year later, while still trying to rebuild your name and reputation and those of the shops that carried your product, you work with your loyal store and come up with flavors that suit the clients of each store.

 

Responses to all you efforts on an international blog on microdistilled whiskey include statements that indicate that you should privide high quality, handcrafted whiskey in the same quantities and for the same price as the massive international distilleries do and that your company has really fallen.

 

I do not mean this to be critical. I really believe that few have any idea what is going on here in Japan in regards to ink. However, I know many of the people who are being maligned by these comments. Before the craze, whenever I walked into Maruzen, the sales staff beamed with pleasure, a pleasure those who have not worked in similar pursuits can not understand, the genuine pleasure of the opportunity to please a repeat customer. The smiles remain but the light of pleasure is gone. First sadness and now shame that once again, they must tell me that my ink order has not come in or that it can only be partially filled, again.

 

Kingdom Note, ditto. Bung Box is too far from home to visit but I have met Kaoru at least three times at events in Tokyo. On one occasion, she even made the effort of tell my taxi driver the directions to the venue.

 

Mr. Ishimaru, Sailor's master ink blender, took time out of his short lunch break to blend bespoke ink for me.

 

It is with no small amount of discomfort that I read disparaging remarks about these people and the organizations they represent. It pains me especially when some of the commenters are people with whom I have had personal correspondence and owe a debt of gratitude to.

 

I really believe that most posting negative comments have little notion of the realities these companies are currently facing. Hopefully my humble efforts here may help to fill the gap in understanding.

[migo984]

Well said, Tinjapan.

 

The adjective "exclusive" says it all - these small shops in Japan, which represent exemplary personal customer service, want their loyal customers to have something special. They don't seek, court, or desire overseas sales.

 

Some people complain endlessly about shop exclusives availability, not seeming to acknowledge that these inks, and the market they are sold in, are just not comparable with multi, international producers.

 

It must be very difficult for them to manage a limited supply - and that's one reason, if I do buy these inks, that I don't buy multiples. There are some very greedy and selfish people who seemingly have to hoard, so the "one bottle per customer" limit introduced by some shops is a sensible step.

[white_lotus]

I fully understand the idea of the bespoke inks. And when this thread started those inks were sitting in the shelves. When Mr. Ishimaru made 50 bottles of a color for a store I'm sure he thought he'd made a lifetime supply for them. And there's nothing wrong with that.

 

I've always only bought only one bottle of an ink, I've never bought multiples. I'm not a reseller. My estate will get to sell them assuming we have an ebay or a civilization in that future time whenever that may be. I'm not complaining about availability. I was recently at the Joyful-2 Honda Rakuten store and they had the majority of their earlier bespoke inks available. I actually passed as I have many similar colors and decided I didn't need more ink at all.

 

I'm not mad at Sailor or anything. I know sometimes the little squiggle of Japanese writing done as a sample doesn't reflect how the ink will show using Western nibs. But if I don't like a color, I'm sorry I don't like the color.

 

I recently bought three of Kingdom Note's Jellyfish series of inks (ones that were available). I know here they were poo-poo'ed when they came out. And I find them to be perfectly fine, though one is a near double of KN Entoloma virescens and a bit dry.

 

I'm not knocking any person. But if I don't like the look of an ink, I don't know what you want. Look at the number of "ewwww" responses to my review of the Sailor KN Thysanostoma thysanura. And the negativity over the Noodler's American Aristocracy ink because it comes in three very similar but different shades.

 

If the new style inks are very popular with the in-store, regular customers that's wonderful. If Chinese ink speculators still want to buy them for reselling on the Chinese version of ebay, that's wonderful too. But for me, if the inks are similar as those I can get here in the US, much cheaper, then I guess there's no reason for me to buy them.

 

I'm very much looking forward to the re-issue of some of the Four Seasons inks here in the US (worldwide?). There's a few I know I'll get, but there's some colors that don't look so interesting at least in the promotional literature. So we'll see about those.

 

Anyone remember the Sailor Storia inks?

[Tinjapan]

white_lotus

 

Of course, if a color doesn't suit, it doesn't suit. I see no problem with knocking a color or series. The 'Sailor has fallen stray' remark seemed to me to be knocking not the colors but the company.

 

And, although I used your business as an example, it was not only your remarks that I was referring to. Your business seemed to make a good example that I thought everyone would get.

 

Since the craze began a year or so ago, there have been comments by multiple posters about poor business models or how they were not meeting customer expectations or how can they raise their prices so much and why are they rationing their products. I and others have tried to direct attitudes away from these false impressions, without much success. Your post was just the one the inspired me to make an analogy at a point in my schedule when I had time to do so.

 

 

I was not at KN when the crustaceons series was released but from what I heard, it was much like the situation in my scenerio above. And I have seen bus loads of Chinese shoppers disembark and flood a store. Many here are not happy about hordes of shoppers from China buying up everything, which to me is funny considering 25 years ago it was bus loads of Japanese wiping out the entire stock of a store in their shopping sprees.

 

I blame not the stores and their staff nor the companies, nor even the shoppers.

[Ghost Plane]

Me, I'm a user. When my bottle is empty, it's an opportunity to try other brands and colors. I come in here to get ideas for those times when I luck into availability and have to make a snap decision whether to buy.

[Algester]

And let's be honest the only time when we finally see the sudden surge of ink market disturbance was when I finally opened this thread personally I didnt use Fps again until 2013 so people who are more acquianted with the Sailor ink exclusives (long time users) would have known how the market has flowed from KN's easily acquirable inks to suddenly becoming hard to get inks partly as we droningly discuss each inks as they come out the more scare they become maybe again I'm at fault for even chucking down sources as I find them for ease of purchase but again that may have led to the threads pointlessness either way I think its a double edge sword while of course there are other ink manufacturers you can support, after all Sailor isnt the only one who makes exclusive inks out there, that choice is your own volition I'm not forcing anyone here to buy Sailor, more like my original intenton was to remove the language gap for the readers of this thread to purchase these inks, as well document what couldnt be documented because of that initial language gap to begin with.

But take my rants with grains of salt

[white_lotus]

tinjapan, sorry if you took my comment as being about the company. That wasn't my intent, but I can see how anyone would interpret it that way.

 

It's an interesting world we have now with global consumerism through online ordering, using Google translate or the assistance of friends/associates, directly or through aggregators like Rakuten or assistants like WRE.

 

I would not be surprised if a tour bus pulled up in front of a Brooklyn distillery and a busload of thirsty Chinese tourists disembarked, buying up all or nearly all of the product. I'm sure the locals would be upset, but the business owners might not mind. Now if we can get busloads of Chinese tourists to visit the Western Catskills of New York...

[migo984]

And let's be honest the only time when we finally see the sudden surge of ink market disturbance was when I finally opened this thread personally I didnt use Fps again until 2013 so people who are more acquianted with the Sailor ink exclusives (long time users) would have known how the market has flowed from KN's easily acquirable inks to suddenly becoming hard to get inks partly as we droningly discuss each inks as they come out the more scare they become maybe again I'm at fault for even chucking down sources as I find them for ease of purchase but again that may have led to the threads pointlessness either way I think its a double edge sword while of course there are other ink manufacturers you can support, after all Sailor isnt the only one who makes exclusive inks out there, that choice is your own volition I'm not forcing anyone here to buy Sailor, more like my original intenton was to remove the language gap for the readers of this thread to purchase these inks, as well document what couldnt be documented because of that initial language gap to begin with.

But take my rants with grains of salt

To be honest I think this thread has had only a very minor impact on Sailor ink sales.

[Pensei]

Tinjapan, thanks very much for making the effort to write that parable/allegory. It is a helpful reminder that there are aspects of Japanese culture that are long in the making, precious, and fragile. As it happens, I got my first, and probably last, bottle of KN ink in the mail just a few minutes ago. I am excited and thankful to have something that is, to me, rare and exotic, and, if only in my imagination, has characteristics of the craftsmanship of an earlier time. It terrifies me to think that my acquisition of this ink in any way contributed to any sort of disrespect, disruption, or, to use the phrase du jour, inappropriate cultural appropriation. I suspect it did not, as the vendor I used has so few products, but I still wonder.

 

Just as a matter of opinion and observation, because I am no expert, I agree strongly with you that it makes perfect sense that Sailor would not make radical and rapid changes in their business model. This "craze" will surely fade; the question is to what degree. If it falls off the chart like Beanie Babies, then everyone happily goes back to what was working fine before all the "invaders" arrived. If, on the other hand, the new demand remains strong, the company can respond in an evolutionary fashion. I think there may already be somewhat of a "correction" taking place in response to the effects of the Demand Curve, which is usually as reliable as the law of gravity. As evidence of that, I would note that the good people at Vanness have over 25 BB inks for sale right now for no greater effort than giving them your credit card. (Side note: there seems to be at least one bottle of the unicorn, SPP, available right now.) If I understand correctly, BB and KN are different situations, but my point is that not long ago the opportunity to get a bottle of L'Amant or SPP simply by visiting an American website would have seemed fantastic. At over $40, there are plenty of buyers, but perhaps not an unlimited number.

 

It really is a fascinating phenomenon to observe, as the arcane art of ink making meets a cultural mania, in the context of twenty first century international capitalism and the internet. (Please correct me if I have made any tactless or incorrect inferences from your post or about the subject in general.)

 

Now, if you will excuse me, I need to go learn how to spell and pronounce Thysanostoma thysanura.

[Cyber6]

I was around before this thread started... and before the issues with bottles and availability started..

 

It was quite easy to order from bungbox. Just an email with the list of bottles (and quantities) needed.

 

I organized approx 3 Bung Box group buys for the Toronto posse. Approx 20-30 bottles each. The last one was done, just days before Bungbox closed international shipping and soon after they raise the price.

 

With the other stores.. Ishida Bungu, Maruzen, Pen & Message... etc.. I was lucky to have friends to travel to Japan, and they were able to pick me up all the colors I needed, having local friends also helps when stores do not ship internationally. I remember getting one of the last bottles of Maruzen Akane... and that was almost a year after it went on sale. Availability was not a problem at that time. Nowadays, Maruzen LE colors are sold out in less than 2 hrs.

 

 

I just feel sorry for the people new to the hobby.. they are having a hard time to secure bottles of lovely japanese inks. I wish everyone could experience the magic that some of these inks bring..

[haruka337]

Imagine the following scenerio.

On a Monday morning, right after you open your store, a tour bus pulls up and a horde of people speaking a language you can not understand storms through the door and into your shop. They are loud. Laughing, talking, shouting. They are grabbing everything they can reach and begin fighting over the last bottle, others rush to the sales counter shouting and thrusting fistfulls of cash in your face. One person emerges from the press of bodies and tries to speak above the din. They speak English and inform you that they have been hired by a group of whiskey enthusists as their guide for their whiskey tour of New England.

Caught completely off guard, you sell out of everything before even one third of the group has made it unto the shop. Fights break out as those who purchased multiple bottles try to make their way throw those who missed out to get back to the bus. They are loud, angry and MANY.

The guide asks if you take orders. Even if not someting you usually do, you say "Yes, of course." hoping it will defuse an explosive situation.

You feel elated that your product has become so popular and you accept large cash deposits on the huge orders they give you.

Before noon on Monday, they leave you with a huge wad of cash, perhaps a broken bottle or two to clean up, a store completely devoid of anything to offer your regular loyal customers and a ledger full of orders.

ORDERS! How many DID you take? The first twinge of panic makes itself known. You need a drink and ask your assistant to pour you one. "We haven't a drop in the store." is their reply. You ask about the open bottle for samples. "They offered $$$$$$$$$ for it, wouldn't take no for an answer.". A new worry.

After a few moments you ask, "What about the bottle under the counter that I set aside for Captain Smith (USMC)? His father's retirement (35 years in the Marine Corps) is tonight, you didn't sell it did you.?"

"No."

"Where is it?"

"Uhhhh.....Ummmmm......Errrrr...... I....I.... saw you sell it."

"WHAT!!!"

You have to think fast and can not have any interuptions. You instuct your employee to close up shop and go home early, you have nothing to sell for the rest of the day anyway.

"Nor for the rest of the week." you catch from beneath your employees breath.

Panic is no longer just a twinge.

You decide to call your distributors to see if you can buy back some stock and hopefully a bottle of the whisky you and Capt. Smith discussed over several visits before he decided upon your whisky.

Panic grows to super hurricane force as each of you distributors report that they too have been hit buy bus loads of foreign buyers that cleaned them out of your products AND left orders fir much more. Even with out sitting down to figure out the exact amount, it is clear that orders for more than five times the amount you sold in you best year have been accepted.

In full blown panic, you call your suppliers to start gearing up the supply chain to meet this wholly unexpected spike in demand. For most ingredients, increasing your order is no problem, others it is. But your bottke supplier has more bad news. The company that produced the bottles that set your product apart has filed for bankruptcy. Other bottles cane be had, but they are different sizes, shapes, colors and more expensive. Your iconic bottle is no more.

Spent, you call it a day. On the way out to your car, Capt. Smith approaches with an expectant smile.....

After getting home you check you social media and find it filled with negative comments.

"I stopped by such and such today, as I do every Monday, to pick up a bottle and they looked like they've gone out of business. The store was closed and the shelves are empty. I had to buy drinks for my weekly bridge party at a different store."

"Me, too, so I went to xdxdxd whcu also carries ( or is it 'carried'?) their whiskey and they had none either."

"They didn't seem like a fly by night operation. Wonder what happened? Death in the family?"

"Most likely liked their product too much, ha ha."

A year later, while still trying to rebuild your name and reputation and those of the shops that carried your product, you work with your loyal store and come up with flavors that suit the clients of each store.

Responses to all you efforts on an international blog on microdistilled whiskey include statements that indicate that you should privide high quality, handcrafted whiskey in the same quantities and for the same price as the massive international distilleries do and that your company has really fallen.

I do not mean this to be critical. I really believe that few have any idea what is going on here in Japan in regards to ink. However, I know many of the people who are being maligned by these comments. Before the craze, whenever I walked into Maruzen, the sales staff beamed with pleasure, a pleasure those who have not worked in similar pursuits can not understand, the genuine pleasure of the opportunity to please a repeat customer. The smiles remain but the light of pleasure is gone. First sadness and now shame that once again, they must tell me that my ink order has not come in or that it can only be partially filled, again.

Kingdom Note, ditto. Bung Box is too far from home to visit but I have met Kaoru at least three times at events in Tokyo. On one occasion, she even made the effort of tell my taxi driver the directions to the venue.

Mr. Ishimaru, Sailor's master ink blender, took time out of his short lunch break to blend bespoke ink for me.

It is with no small amount of discomfort that I read disparaging remarks about these people and the organizations they represent. It pains me especially when some of the commenters are people with whom I have had personal correspondence and owe a debt of gratitude to.

I really believe that most posting negative comments have little notion of the realities these companies are currently facing. Hopefully my humble efforts here may help to fill the gap in understanding.

Word.

[ENewton]

Imagine the following scenerio.

 

On a Monday morning, right after you open your store, a tour bus pulls up and a horde of people speaking a language you can not understand storms through the door and into your shop. They are loud. Laughing, talking, shouting. They are grabbing everything they can reach and begin fighting over the last bottle, others rush to the sales counter shouting and thrusting fistfulls of cash in your face. One person emerges from the press of bodies and tries to speak above the din. They speak English and inform you that they have been hired by a group of whiskey enthusists as their guide for their whiskey tour of New England.

 

Caught completely off guard, you sell out of everything before even one third of the group has made it unto the shop. Fights break out as those who purchased multiple bottles try to make their way throw those who missed out to get back to the bus. They are loud, angry and MANY.

The guide asks if you take orders. Even if not someting you usually do, you say "Yes, of course." hoping it will defuse an explosive situation.

 

You feel elated that your product has become so popular and you accept large cash deposits on the huge orders they give you.

 

Before noon on Monday, they leave you with a huge wad of cash, perhaps a broken bottle or two to clean up, a store completely devoid of anything to offer your regular loyal customers and a ledger full of orders.

 

ORDERS! How many DID you take? The first twinge of panic makes itself known. You need a drink and ask your assistant to pour you one. "We haven't a drop in the store." is their reply. You ask about the open bottle for samples. "They offered $$$$$$$$$ for it, wouldn't take no for an answer.". A new worry.

 

After a few moments you ask, "What about the bottle under the counter that I set aside for Captain Smith (USMC)? His father's retirement (35 years in the Marine Corps) is tonight, you didn't sell it did you.?"

 

"No."

 

"Where is it?"

 

"Uhhhh.....Ummmmm......Errrrr...... I....I.... saw you sell it."

 

"WHAT!!!"

 

You have to think fast and can not have any interuptions. You instuct your employee to close up shop and go home early, you have nothing to sell for the rest of the day anyway.

 

"Nor for the rest of the week." you catch from beneath your employees breath.

 

Panic is no longer just a twinge.

 

You decide to call your distributors to see if you can buy back some stock and hopefully a bottle of the whisky you and Capt. Smith discussed over several visits before he decided upon your whisky.

 

Panic grows to super hurricane force as each of you distributors report that they too have been hit buy bus loads of foreign buyers that cleaned them out of your products AND left orders fir much more. Even with out sitting down to figure out the exact amount, it is clear that orders for more than five times the amount you sold in you best year have been accepted.

 

In full blown panic, you call your suppliers to start gearing up the supply chain to meet this wholly unexpected spike in demand. For most ingredients, increasing your order is no problem, others it is. But your bottke supplier has more bad news. The company that produced the bottles that set your product apart has filed for bankruptcy. Other bottles cane be had, but they are different sizes, shapes, colors and more expensive. Your iconic bottle is no more.

 

Spent, you call it a day. On the way out to your car, Capt. Smith approaches with an expectant smile.....

 

After getting home you check you social media and find it filled with negative comments.

 

"I stopped by such and such today, as I do every Monday, to pick up a bottle and they looked like they've gone out of business. The store was closed and the shelves are empty. I had to buy drinks for my weekly bridge party at a different store."

 

"Me, too, so I went to xdxdxd whcu also carries ( or is it 'carried'?) their whiskey and they had none either."

 

"They didn't seem like a fly by night operation. Wonder what happened? Death in the family?"

 

"Most likely liked their product too much, ha ha."

 

A year later, while still trying to rebuild your name and reputation and those of the shops that carried your product, you work with your loyal store and come up with flavors that suit the clients of each store.

 

Responses to all you efforts on an international blog on microdistilled whiskey include statements that indicate that you should privide high quality, handcrafted whiskey in the same quantities and for the same price as the massive international distilleries do and that your company has really fallen.

 

I do not mean this to be critical. I really believe that few have any idea what is going on here in Japan in regards to ink. However, I know many of the people who are being maligned by these comments. Before the craze, whenever I walked into Maruzen, the sales staff beamed with pleasure, a pleasure those who have not worked in similar pursuits can not understand, the genuine pleasure of the opportunity to please a repeat customer. The smiles remain but the light of pleasure is gone. First sadness and now shame that once again, they must tell me that my ink order has not come in or that it can only be partially filled, again.

 

Kingdom Note, ditto. Bung Box is too far from home to visit but I have met Kaoru at least three times at events in Tokyo. On one occasion, she even made the effort of tell my taxi driver the directions to the venue.

 

Mr. Ishimaru, Sailor's master ink blender, took time out of his short lunch break to blend bespoke ink for me.

 

It is with no small amount of discomfort that I read disparaging remarks about these people and the organizations they represent. It pains me especially when some of the commenters are people with whom I have had personal correspondence and owe a debt of gratitude to.

 

I really believe that most posting negative comments have little notion of the realities these companies are currently facing. Hopefully my humble efforts here may help to fill the gap in understanding.

 

Beautifully done.

[Sinistral1]

However ink is made, regardless of color, availability or price, Sailor inks flow the best from any pen I put them in. JMHO. Thank you, Sailor, for a top notch product!

[Tinjapan]

Algester,

 

I don't think this thread has contributed to the ink crazy in a big way. It is not only Sailor inks affected nor even all Sailor inks, only exclusive or bespoke inks. I'm told that Kakimori suspended or ended their bespoke ink blending service due to unsupportable demand.

 

The regular line of Sailor ink has ot suffered the craze. Pilot inks gave not either, I belive because they are readily available.

 

People are going nuts over ink that everyone knows only a very few can get but not other great inks that are not of limited production.