Owners' Thoughts On Nakaya

[DaveyWonder]

Greetings and Happy New Year to you all!

 

I've been very intrigued by Nakaya pens for quite some time now, but somewhat nervous about stepping into the brand - mainly due to price. I'll have to downsize my current collection in order to keep my total investment in pens to a minimum (and still stay married, lol). However, I am afraid of buyer's (and seller's) remorse.

 

I have several pens now, and all have European nibs... MB 149 M, MB 146 OBB, Pelikan M1000 F, Visconti HS Dark Age F, Edison Collier 1.1mm stub, minty British P51 M, Lamy 2000 M, to name my top pens. Admittedly most were purchased pre-owned so my total investment isn't as high as some who buy only new pens. However, the pre-owned market for Nakaya is pretty small and only a few, if any, ever pop up in the classified listings are are sold within a few hours.

 

This brings me to my point: Is it worth selling some of my flock in order to purchase a Nakaya? I'm most interested in a Dorsal Fin, most likely from nibs.com, but looking at ~$1500 which would mean selling off at least half of my collection to afford one. My thinking is that I can only write with one pen at a time, so why have so many pens? Laughable thought for some reading this I know, but practicality, and marital pressure are hard to fight with.

 

Any thoughts on this are more than welcome. Thanks for reading and for any advice you may give.

 

David

[mbankirer]

I have 2 Nakayas...I do love them but don't generally have them among my daily users....

[alwayssunnyalwaysreal]

Personally I don't think selling half of what you listed here is worth it, for a Nakaya Dorsal Fin.

 

While I appreciate the handwork put into making the Nakaya pen, I can't appreciate the price of the pen when I hold one in hand. I have tried several Nakaya in person, and I still don't appreciate urushi or ebonite. To me it feels too lightweight, fragile and cheap. And I consider myself fairly experienced with fountain pens, and no longer associate pens' values with weight. And I do have pens in similar price range as the Nakaya Dorsal Fin. With limited budget, I will stay with what I have over the Nakaya.

Edited January 8, 2018 by alwayssunnyalwaysreal

[empliau]

I spent years dithering on whether to get a Nakaya, and in fact missed out on a couple models that, it turns out, would have been among my very first choices. I am still glad I waited until I could see and handle them at a pen show. You are right that they are a significant financial expense, and in my experience you need to love the lacquer and the feel to justify it (if you don't have unspent thousands clogging your bank accounts, and it sounds as if you don't). Is there any way you could go to a store with Nakaya? I think La Couronne du Comte has them, as well as someplace in Switzerland and Mora Stylos in Paris.

 

Having said all that, I really love my Nakaya.

[Drawing61]

I have a Dorsal Fin version 2 in Kuro-tamenuri. I love writing with it and looking at it. The shape brings to mind the scabbard of a samurai sword. The finish and nib are flawless.

 

That said, you shouldn't buy it if spending that much money makes you uncomfortable or threatens your domestic peace.

[zaddick]

As a first step I would suggest buying a Platinum 3776 Century used in the $60 to $80 range in the nib width you want. The nibs are very similar to Nakaya nibs. You may hear how the Nakaya nibs are all hand finished, and it will make a difference, but to get you a similar writing experience the Platinum is a good approximation. After all if you use the pen, the nib is what touches the paper.

 

Also, if you are patient, diligent, quick, and not super picky you can get some used Nakaya pens for a reasonable price. It is even possible to buy a used one and try it with little to no risk as they resell quickly as long as you are not greedy.

 

I have owned 4 or 5 over the years and prefer those with customized nibs from Classic Pens. Still I have sold all but one as I shifted to other areas of focus in my use. I prefer the softness of Danitrio nibs and the larger pen sizes to Nakaya.

 

Dorsal fin pens are pretty neat and fairly uncommon so I might still buy one of those eventually, but it is not high on my list.

[gerigo]

Zaddick's recommendation is sound. Understand what you're buying and don't be taken in by the hype. I know because I have at least 10 of them. I do love them, and I also want to be dead honest about them.

 

These are hand made pens, that basically use the very simple innards of the Platinum pens. Not even the president or the Izumo, it's just the regular 3776s but albeit with a different nib stamping. The quality of the workmanship, although high, does not even approach the standards of either the Sailor pens or the Pilot pens that are similarly finished. That's because Pilot and Sailor pens are machined made and then hand finished. I have Nakaya pens that have sloppy workmanship that you would never see in a Pilot, such as dripping lacquer, inconsistent coating of the urushi, and even bubbling of the surface of the urushi. I guess you can call it traditional hand craftsmanship, but I just call it a lower standard. The finish on Pilot and Sailor pens, especially their urushi and makie are truly flawless, almost inhumanly machine like. If you're really into urushi, and the quality it brings to the object, then this is the pen for you. But if your thing is about precision and machine made aesthetics, you have to look elsewhere.

[Mech-for-i]

well though I like Nakaya, i had to answer in the nay .. no I do not think its worth selling at least half of the collection just to get a new Nakaya. save up and get yourself a next X'mas present may be ..

[jar]

I do like and use my Nakayas often but tastes are individual.

 

What I like about urushi pens visually is the depth of the surface, it's like looking into a pond. I like how urushi pens do not feel slippery or tacky but just very natural.

 

Most Nakaya pens are urushi over ebonite and ebonite itself has many of the tactile characteristics without the depth and without some of he protection.

 

There is one company still making ebonite in Japan and they also make a few fountain pens. Those pens offer the same tactile traits yet do cost less than Nakaya. They use a generic Bock nib but the ones I have from them have been superbly tuned so that the pen has been near perfect from the moment I took it out of the box.

 

The brand name is Eboya and usually there has been a wait while the pen is made.

 

What Eboya might offer you is a superb writing instrument that behaves like general European fountain pens but with the attention to detail and aesthetics of Japan.

 

My Nakayas

http://www.fototime.com/405D64928CED22C/medium800.jpg

Some of my Eboyas

http://www.fototime.com/CA8B84C52AA174F/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/CE6566D759BDD2C/medium800.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/A0AEBF5D00147C2/medium800.jpg

And a size reference with Sailor King of Pen

http://www.fototime.com/E5C55BBB4D02DDB/medium800.jpg

Another brand mentioned above is Danitrio and like Eboya Dani uses European nibs; currently an OEM'd Bock nib. I prefer the slightly smaller Dani's than zaddick but do also recommend them very highly. Generally if you want plain urushi I tend towards Nakaya; if you want maki-e then Danitrio.

 

Danitrio Takumi size with other pens for size:

From the top Platinum Izumo; Sailor KoP; Nakaya Portable Writer; Danitrio Takumi; Pilot 743

http://www.fototime.com/3C65A9D236DCDD8/medium800.jpg

[nekomuffchu]

Nakayas are beautiful, though I wouldn't sell half your collection for just one pen! My favorite Nakaya is the Piccolo Long from Tay @ Pensinasia. It just feels right and disappears into the hand. It's finished in Kurotamenuri urushi with a broad stub ground by Nakaya. If you are after a specific grind then maybe CFP is the only way to go, if you do just specify the nib is ground by John.

Edited January 10, 2018 by nekomuffchu

[DaveyWonder]

Thank you all for your comments, and especially to jar for those beautiful pictures!

 

To be clear: I don't mind selling off some of my pens if I were sure I'd be getting something truly special in return. I'm asking how Nakaya owners value their pen versus some of the others in their collection. I know I'm running the risk of asking "Should I buy a BMW or a Mercedes?" in a BMW forum, but I'm very pleased with the honest feedback I've received so far. (Thanks again!!)

 

Also, I'm not considering the typical Urushi finish, rather the Ishime-Kanshitsu Midori finish. To me it is stunning and a sharp departure from the conservativeness of my current collection.

 

Any thoughts on the Ishime-Kanshitsu Midori finish or the Nakaya BB in cursive italic ground by John?

Edited January 9, 2018 by DaveyWonder

[gerigo]

Daveywonder

 

I also have the Ishime-Kanshisu Midori in the dorsal fin 1 with a rhodium music nib. If anything I'd say it's a great choice among the large catalog of Nakaya pens, at least in my eye. That's because there is no other pen that other makers have in their catalog that comes close to the uniqueness of design, and finish.

 

Of the many Nakayas that I have, I would put this pen as one of the top three. The other 2 are the Decapod in Shiro tamenuri and the titanium Piccolo. These three pens have unique designs, unique finishes coupled with unique writing nibs to make amazing experiences.

Edited January 9, 2018 by gerigo

[Mew]

To be honest, I much prefer Pilot or sailor Urushi work over Nakaya. I have owned a couple of Nakaya's, and have passed them on. I bought mine because I thought I would get something custom made that would fit my hand perfectly, and would be flawless or at least somewhat close to perfection.

I was told that I can get a pen which would be either 150mm capped, or 173mm capped. I prefer something in between which a custom made pen should be able to cater to. Rejected.

I asked for a separate nib+section so that I can enjoy writing with 2 nibs and can switch them whenever I feel like without owning an entirely new pen. Rejected.

There were some flaws in the ebonite rod used and the Urushi wasn't properly applied. There was some unevenness.

 

They shouldn't use "For your hands only". It's misleading with so much inflexibility. Even if I consider them company policies (which doesn't make it right anyway), Urushi imperfections are inexcusable.

None of my Pilots/Namiki's have these issues. Lacquer is hand applied, but it's still perfect.

[rutherfordr]

To be clear: I don't mind selling off some of my pens if I were sure I'd be getting something truly special in return.

 

 

Personally, I owned a decapod twist for a while, but I sold it because I was disappointed in its performance. The craftsmanship alone wasn't enough for me, but your tastes will probably be different.

 

IMO it's "truly special" if you appreciate and enjoy the pen as an objet d'art as well as a pen.

If it speaks to you, then it's worth it, but there are other urushi pens that work much better as pens.

Edited January 9, 2018 by rutherfordr

[zaddick]

I like broad+ nibs, so a BB CI or a Music are the only two I would keep. I had a BB CI on a 17 MM Portable Ascending Dragon in Heki and it was a stunning (to my taste) pen and a great writer. The only Nakaya I have left has a Music nib that is unmodified as I felt it was enough variation, but you could also have it ground for more variation/crispness.

 

If you are going to order a pen, then a unique finish like the ishimi is a good option because it will feel different than other pens as well as look different.

[nekomuffchu]

With the urushi finishes, it would be better if you could try them out. I have both regular urushi (naka-ai, piccolo long and long writer), and ishime kanshitsu (neo standard) and I prefer the regular urushi. The regular finish feels more direct and tactile as your skin is in direct contact with the urushi. The ishime kanshitsu urushi is raised with a pebbled finish, so less skin is in contact and while writing it feels less grippy to the regular finish. When I slide the pen between my thumb and fingers with light pressure, the regular urushi is definitely more grippy than the ishime kanshitsu urushi finish. Hope this helps.

Edited January 9, 2018 by nekomuffchu

[dapprman]

If you do decide to go ahead - no point in going via nibs.com - it'll cost you the same or more than going direct to Nakaya, plus you don't want the expertly tuned nib fiddling with before trying the pen.

In Europe we malready have a number of suppliers - I got mine from Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery in Belgium, but you can also get from La Couronne du Comte or Iguana Sells.

 

The nibs, as others have said, are effectively Platinum 3776 ones, but expertly hand tuned. Compared to some pens the nibs can feel stiff (normal for the 3776). If you order direct from Nakaya you can also get them tol grind the nib to your requirements, whether this is just angle or to can include cursive italic grinds I do not know.

[hellokloh]

I would handle one before buying to see if you really love it. Personally, I love my nakayas (I bought six last year... so...) but I don't think I would have sold half of all my other pens for one.

 

Also, I've found that waiting for used ones is worth it (three of mine were purchased used, one was an impulse buy at a physical retailer, one was ordered online when in stock, one was a preorder that showed up ten months later) especially for finishes that have a lot of variance (heki-tamenuri!) or shapes that sometimes have issues (decapod facets often don't line up) so you can see what you're getting.

 

Used ones also seem to come in waves -- between a couple friends and I, I think we bought six used Nakaya in September or October versus I've only seen one listed in the last month.

[PandP]

Let me add my 2c to the conversation. Only a few months ago when I posted on this forum asking a similar question i got plenty of replies singing high praises to Nakaya. I am truly truly surprised (gobsmacked is the word we use) to read the comments here most of which are luke warm. But that's the world of online forums for you I suppose.

 

I went ahead and ordered a Nakaya Portable Writer (aka tamenuri) with metal threads. The reason for the metal threads was because you only have to wait a month and a half whereas for the ebonite threads the waiting time was 9 months . Which suffice to say I wasnt prepared to wait that long. Not sure if the situation has changed now. I also had my name properly translated to Japanese and written on the pen in Kanji.

 

The pen looks gorgeous and I havent seen any blemishes on it. It writes very smooth. I should have ordered it in fine nib instead of the medium nib but that's fine. Prior to using this pen I was using mainly TWSBI 580 with F steel nib.

 

I took the chances ordering directly from Japan and I knew that I would be likely stung with custom's fees (£124). But that's fine because in the end I paid pretty much the same price that the resellers are charging and I had the pen customised rather than buying what the resellers had in stock.

 

Are they worth it? Each to their own I suppose. Personally I love the pen and use it on a daily basis. At work, at home, everywhere. I am a firm believer that a pen is made for writing and I would rather have a few pens that I use all the time than a full army of them that dont get used often. I will probably end up buying one or two more pens in my lifetime and that will do me fine. I might get a more expensive Nakaya (quite like the Fox with The Harvest Moon) when/if the Sterling strengthens to what it used to be against the dollar.

[philhygra]

These five pens I have owned but sold or traded:

Namiki Yukari King Cobra

Danitrio Chinkin Fireflies on Densho with Clip

Danitrio Chinkin Yamano Tori on Takumi with Silver Clip

Danitrio Urushi Irokeshi-dame on Mikado Flat Top Yellow

Danitrio Kara – Nuri in Wine Tsugaru – Nuri

 

These four pens I expect to keep for a long time:

 

Danitrio Maki-e Urushi Hyotan on Hanryo, M

Nakaya Piccolo Cigar Negoro Araishu, EF

Platinum Maki-e “A nightingale with plums”, classic image, 1930´s, F

Platinum Urushi Maki-e Sansui, M

 

The Namiki Yukari was splendid in many ways, but I did not like the fact that it was so heavy. Writing was a pleasure, but I have much cheaper Pilot/Sailor/Platinum pens that are just as good. The artwork was technically excellent, but I grew tired of the image quickly. Not for me.

 

The four sold Danitrios I really liked as beautiful things, but as pens they were far too big for my hand. This was immediately clear after the purchase and I never even inked them. The smaller Danitrio, Hanryo, is my favourite M nib pen. A modest thing to be one of Omote's works, but just right for me. Writes beautifully and weighs exactly as it should. Not light, not heavy, great balance

 

The Nakaya Piccolo is my favourite EF pen. I bought it via La Couronne du Comte in Netherlands. The production took 8 months. It came exactly as I ordered, a true EF requiring no pressure at all. Fabulous for miniature text, numbers and notes.

 

The Platinum Sansui is in my opinion just as good a pen as the Namiki King Cobra. Writes great and is really well made. The soothing imagery I much prefer to the fierce snake...

 

People have talked about the technical side of the urushi. The 1930s Platinum I have is certainly inferior in that respect to modern pens, but to me its imperfections just add to the charm. It writes beautifully even though someone in the past switched the original 14K nib to a plated steel one. Nevertheless, I would upgrade it if an original nib could be obtained.

Whenever I look at this pen, I want to handle it and I want to write with it.

 

I have several of the cheaper Pilot/Sailor/Platinum pens and in my view they are all well made and good writers. As to the expensive ones, I have not observed quality issues in any of the pens here mentioned.

Someone suggested Eboyas as well. I have two and they are really nice pens and relatively speaking cheap as well.

I would not buy Nakayas or Danitrios for "suggested resale price", but they can be obtained much cheaper if one is prepared to hunt for used ones or ONS. Cheap used maki-e Namikis appear to be rarer.