Nakaya Mini Decapod Cigar- Ishime-Kanshitsu Midori

[owenj]

I wrote the handwritten part of the review and took the pictures ages ago, and then forgot to upload or actually post the review

 

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/LitlJaimo/Fountain%20Pens/Mini%20Decapod%20review.jpg

Got this lovely pen a while back from the great folks at Classic Fountain Pens, Inc. (nibs.com). I was dithering between rhodium or ruthenium plating for the nib, and eventually went with ruthenium since I don't have anything in this finish. John ground the nib to a .4mm point and it's lovely. The nib is firm and smooth.

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/LitlJaimo/Fountain%20Pens/Mini%20decapod%20flash.jpg

 

The ishime-kanshitsu "stone finish" has a neat tactile feel that's different from anything else I have. The section isn't smooth like the normal urushi pens, but it doesn't have the same ishime-kanshitsu texture. Somewhere in between, I guess.

 

There's a layered depth to the color, so some parts appear more blue in the light. The midori ishime-kanshitsu isn't "green-green" in color as the normal urushi midori pens look. It's more of a marine teal color. So, if you want a grassy green, shamrock green, or evergreen colored pen, don't get the ishime-kanshitsu

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/LitlJaimo/Fountain%20Pens/Mini%20Decapod%20detail.jpg

 

About the same size as a Piccolo. I'm not a huge fan of the Platinum/Nakaya convertors, so I'm not sure another Nakaya is in my future, but I do enjoy the two that I have. Of course, I am quite taken with the ironwood Platinum urushi pens so, there's that...

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/LitlJaimo/Fountain%20Pens/Comparison.jpg

Edited February 12, 2015 by owenj

[bruhuhuhu]

beautiful nakayas!

[Michigan]

Reviews like this make me re-evaluate the pens I need to own. I see a Nakaya on my list someday and my first non-European FP.

 

Thank you for your work. An amazing looking pen.

[owenj]

beautiful nakayas!

Thanks! Urushi has a wonderful, sort of understated beauty.

 

Reviews like this make me re-evaluate the pens I need to own. I see a Nakaya on my list someday and my first non-European FP.

 

Thank you for your work. An amazing looking pen.

Thanks! Nakayas are lovely, though I admit that Pilot/Namiki make my favorite nibs. And I like their converters more

[bruhuhuhu]

Thanks! Urushi has a wonderful, sort of understated beauty.

 

Thanks! Nakayas are lovely, though I admit that Pilot/Namiki make my favorite nibs. And I like their converters more

Yes! my next pen is definitely going to be a nakaya portable writer.

[flummoxed]

Everyone always talks about the Urushi finish on the Nakayas, this is a really different take. Do you out anyone here know our own pens of other such brands?

[owenj]

Everyone always talks about the Urushi finish on the Nakayas, this is a really different take. Do you out anyone here know our own pens of other such brands?

Yep, I have two Danitrios as well that I've been meaning to do reviews on. They are, however, a bit different than the Nakayas in that their appearance isn't as understated as the heki-tamenuri. I have a Danitirio Sho-hakkaku which is similar to the Decapod in that you have a faceted pen to show the underlying color more. My Danitrio is a Takumi with a maki-e/urushi finish that I can't remember the name of off the top of my head, but it's much more colorful (some might find it "busy") than my Nakayas. The quality/craftsmanship I find to be on equal terms.

 

ETA; Here's a pic of the Danitrios

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/LitlJaimo/Fountain%20Pens/Comparison_1.jpg

Edited February 24, 2015 by owenj

[jasonchickerson]

Nakayas are out of my price range. But . . . if they offered a piston filler . . . I might reevaluate my price range.

[owenj]

Nakayas are out of my price range. But . . . if they offered a piston filler . . . I might reevaluate my price range.

My thing with piston fillers is that I have to have an ink window. My Homo Sapiens had to find a new home because my OCD couldn't get over it even though I loved that Dreamtouch nib. But, I think an ink window would sort of clash with the urushi finishes. I don't know, maybe if I saw one in person it would grow on me.

[flummoxed]

Yep, I have two Danitrios as well that I've been meaning to do reviews on. They are, however, a bit different than the Nakayas in that their appearance isn't as understated as the heki-tamenuri. I have a Danitirio Sho-hakkaku which is similar to the Decapod in that you have a faceted pen to show the underlying color more. My Danitrio is a Takumi with a maki-e/urushi finish that I can't remember the name of off the top of my head, but it's much more colorful (some might find it "busy") than my Nakayas. The quality/craftsmanship I find to be on equal terms.

 

ETA; Here's a pic of the Danitrios

http://i8.photobucket.com/albums/a50/LitlJaimo/Fountain%20Pens/Comparison_1.jpg

 

They look realy great, though I'm not a big fan of colourful pens. That makes two pens that are decapods in this finish! Also, decapods seem to be popular with FPs, I wonder if the pencils borrowed from them or vice versa.

[zzbr76]

The Danitrios are ravishing...

[mk2579]

That Danitrio Sho-hakkaku is EXACTLY the one I've been planning to get for ages. But now I'm torn between this and the midori. Descisions, decisions...

Edited October 10, 2015 by kunju123

[Mastiff]

Lovely pen. I gave this pen to my mother for her birthday a couple of years ago.