Great Prices On Some Sailors & Pilots And Iroshizuku At J-Subculture

[bbycrts]

I bought a Sailor Profit ST from J-Subculture on about 2/18. It shipped on 2/20, but appears to be stuck somewhere between Osaka and the US port of entry. I also purchased a Pilot Custom 74 from Bombare on ebay about 4 days later - I received that yesterday. The tracking, however, does show that the J-Subculture pen entered the mail stream, so I think it's just somewhere between here and there. At least, I hope it is...

[miatagrrl]

I placed an order on 3/11 with expedited shipping, it shipped on 3/14, and I received it today (3/18) in Seattle. They don't seem to send an order confirmation consistently -- only a shipping confirmation. Those of you in the U.S., did you notice that the U.S. prices keep going down? The weak yen/strong dollar is a serious incentive to shop from Japan lately. I'm OK with that.

[Inkysloth]

If that's a falcon I may have to bite the bullet/take the plunge. Can't open the link at work (they're a bunch of internet facists here) but I'd love to hear about it when you recieve it!

My Falcon arrived safe & sound late last week. It is indeed the metal bodied version, so a little heavy for me, but it's a nice pen despite this. (I prefer lighter pens.)

 

The nib's not a patch on the vintage flex / springy nibs I have, but I'm happier taking this out & about with me as it's more easily replaced if necessary.

[CarpetDog]

Just ordered some pens - Pilot Penmanship, Pilot Kakuno and Vortex inc delivery - for about the price I paid for one of them elsewhere. Thank you for the heads up!

[MediaVita]

I ordered my first Falcon Resin (Red) in xf. Fast shipping (less than 2 days) and it is expected to be delievered in less than a week!

 

Thanks for the information about this website!!!

[Inkysloth]

I ordered my first Falcon Resin (Red) in xf. Fast shipping (less than 2 days) and it is expected to be delievered in less than a week!

 

Thanks for the information about this website!!!

How did you find the resin Falcon?

[MediaVita]

How did you find the resin Falcon?

http://shop.j-subculture.com/items/detail/523173BB9BCFCEE

 

It's true that it's very difficult to find a product in this website. I just wrote Pilot and after many pages of products I found it...

 

Now I'm a bit nervous... Yesterday it arrived an order from Engeika and I had to pay 40€ for customs... I just hope it doesn't happen the same with this order!

[Inkysloth]

http://shop.j-subculture.com/items/detail/523173BB9BCFCEE

 

It's true that it's very difficult to find a product in this website. I just wrote Pilot and after many pages of products I found it...

 

Now I'm a bit nervous... Yesterday it arrived an order from Engeika and I had to pay 40€ for customs... I just hope it doesn't happen the same with this order!

 

Fingers crossed!

 

Thanks for the link. I prefer a lighter pen, so trying to work out if I want to sell the metal Falcon & buy a resin one. Hmmmmm...!

[PBYog1]

In doing the math with expedited shipping to the US, the pen deals are phenomenal but with each bottle of Iroshizuku, it's approximately $6 USD per bottle to ship, which is about 18.50-21 a bottle. If you have amazon prime, it's about the same cost.

[MediaVita]

NO CUSTOMS!!! Definitely, I won't order from Engeika anymore, I had to pay 40€ for customs as Taizo included the real invoice in the box. Did it happen to you?

 

J-Subculture marked it as a gift and I received it without paying taxes. And I love the Falcon (though, as expected, I'll have some problems using it as I'm a lefty...).

[eduardp]

Yes, Taizo always includes the real invoice, but for me even marking the parcel as a gift or having the low declared value, as j-subculture does, is no help. In customs if they fill that it is not the true value they ask for the invoice and there you have it - at least 24% VAT. That's why I'm trying to find European sources, but sometimes the prices from Japan are too good to pass even with taxes.

Edited March 31, 2015 by eduardp

[jeffkoch]

Also, if the shipper declares a lower-than-actual value, they will have difficulty collecting insurance from the carrier if the package should be lost.

[PingleiHe]

really helpful info.

[Chrissy]

Some Japanese sellers tell you they must declare the full price and can't declare it as a 'gift.'

[quercusile]

NO CUSTOMS!!! Definitely, I won't order from Engeika anymore, I had to pay 40€ for customs as Taizo included the real invoice in the box. Did it happen to you?

 

J-Subculture marked it as a gift and I received it without paying taxes. And I love the Falcon (though, as expected, I'll have some problems using it as I'm a lefty...).

I have been animated for your post and your succesfully order. Therefore, I have just ordered a black Pilot Ceremony (FCM-500R), with a medium 14k gold nib. It will be my first "more than 25 euros" fountain pen, although the price from J-Subculture is great (less than 42 euros shipped, and a true 14k gold nib ... superb!).

 

I am also with my fingers crossed, hoping than customs will not appear. @MediaVita , which type of shipping method did you choose, please?.

 

And many thanks to the forum, for this online shop discovering.

[Inkysloth]

Some Japanese sellers tell you they must declare the full price and can't declare it as a 'gift.'

Which is fair enough, given declaring a lower price / value in order to avoid customs charges is a form of fraud!

[quercusile]

I placed the order on sunday "japanese time". I have today the order shipping confirmation. Now, just keep waiting!

[MediaVita]

I have been animated for your post and your succesfully order. Therefore, I have just ordered a black Pilot Ceremony (FCM-500R), with a medium 14k gold nib. It will be my first "more than 25 euros" fountain pen, although the price from J-Subculture is great (less than 42 euros shipped, and a true 14k gold nib ... superb!).

 

I am also with my fingers crossed, hoping than customs will not appear. @MediaVita , which type of shipping method did you choose, please?.

 

And many thanks to the forum, for this online shop discovering.

I chose the expedited (the most expensive and fastest). You can track the parcel and it takes one week to arrive to Spain. My Pilot stayed for a weekend in Spanish customs. I was terrified, but they couldn't do anything as it was considered a gift and the price was far lower than the real one. Anyway, for the price you pay for your fp, you shouldn't pay taxes and if you have to, it won't be much more than 20€.

 

I didn't know the Pilot Ceremony (also known as Celemo). It looks awesome! If you got the red one you'll love it. I love my Falcon in red (I was undecided between the red or the black Falcon...).

 

Maybe it's a form of fraud, as somebody told above, but here in Spain, we are all tired of paying taxes and politicians steal much more money than just a few Euros for customs. Anyway, I understand when a seller denies to mark it as gift when it isn't.

Edited April 7, 2015 by MediaVita

[MediaVita]

Oh! I forgot to say that all the Pilot fps have disappear from Engeika. After doing some research, I've read in another thread that this happened once before and Taizo said that it was "maintenance". Maybe he's updating his website with new products.

 

It's a pity, because I considered his website to be the most reliable to check materials, colours, nibs, sizes, weight...

[quercusile]

I chose the expedited (the most expensive and fastest). You can track the parcel and it takes one week to arrive to Spain. My Pilot stayed for a weekend in Spanish customs. I was terrified, but they couldn't do anything as it was considered a gift and the price was far lower than the real one. Anyway, for the price you pay for your fp, you shouldn't pay taxes and if you have to, it won't be much more than 20€.

 

I didn't know the Pilot Ceremony (also known as Celemo). It looks awesome! If you got the red one you'll love it. I love my Falcon in red (I was undecided between the red or the black Falcon...).

 

Maybe it's a form of fraud, as somebody told above, but here in Spain, we are all tired of paying taxes and politicians steal much more money than just a few Euros for customs. Anyway, I understand when a seller denies to mark it as gift when it isn't.

Thanks a lot, MediaVita.

I have choosen the "standard shipping" (the intermediate one). We will maintain informed about the shipping process and the fp quality.

Finally, I ordered the black one instead of the red one. I was in doubt with both ... but some days ago I bought a Pilot 78G in red and now I want to change a little.