What Japanese pens do you own in 2021 & onward?

[stevekolt]

I also have a Platinum 3776 Chartre Blue/Gold inbound with a music nib... 

[maclink]

2 hours ago, stevekolt said:

I also have a Platinum 3776 Chartre Blue/Gold inbound with a music nib... 

I was seriously thinking of getting me one of those, but I already have four 3776's.  Couldn't pull the trigger.  However, I will eventually get one of those music nibs.  Do Pilot and Sailor offer music nibs as well?

[dms525]

2 hours ago, maclink said:

I was seriously thinking of getting me one of those, but I already have four 3776's.  Couldn't pull the trigger.  However, I will eventually get one of those music nibs.  Do Pilot and Sailor offer music nibs as well?

 

Yes.  Platinum and Pilot's music nibs have 3 tines. Sailor's music nib has just 2 tines. It is a wet, broad stub, in essence. However, the Sailor music nib is a great base for a custom italic grind. There was a good review a few years ago comparing these three music nibs. Out of the box, the reviewer felt the Platinum music nib was the best, as I recall. 

 

Hmmm ... What's the upper limit of "a few?" The referenced review was posted in 2009. Here's the link: 

 

 

David

[maclink]

Thanks. Platinum it is. 

[bluemagister]

I have about 7 each of the various steel-tipped pens from Sailor and Pilot and maybe one or two desk pens from Platinum. 

 

In the 14K, 18K, and 21K range....well, I need to organize my collection for sure.  I have roughly 20 to 25 pens each from Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum.  Here in Japan, we could usually find great deals on quality used pens right up until corona hit.

 

The pens I use all the time are 2 Platinum #3776s in black/gold that I picked up used for about USD$40 each and fixed, a Sailor Pro Gear, and a Pilot Custom 74 that I had tuned up with a wet EF that I use for sketching.  

 

I love Japanese pens!  

[samasry]

 

13 minutes ago, bluemagister said:

I love Japanese pens!  

 

Same here  

[PenningtonBear]

Most of my pens are Japanese. Here is a small list of them that I bought in order

 

Platinum 3776 (red) medium

Pilot Custom 823 (amber) medium

Sailor Cross-Concord

Sailor 1911 (S) Tale of Genji medium

 

I started buying pens when I encountered Matt's channel on YouTube called The Pen Habit and I based off my first two purchases from his reviews while taking in my budget into consideration. 

 

I felt the Platinum 3776 didn't disappoint with its performance but the pen felt and looked cheap to me and I just wasn't content having a single fountain pen. And before I knew it my curiosity and desire to own more beautiful pens took over. Now, I'm aiming for a Nakaya Long cigar and perhaps one of their Maki-e or Chinkin works. They are simply too beautiful to let pass in this lifetime. I'm sure if we all had more money we would be buying more pens from Nakaya. My only concern right now is my order could potentially be intercepted by customs which is a huge hassle. 

 

 

Edited July 4, 2021 by PenningtonBear

[Frank C]

9 hours ago, PenningtonBear said:

Most of my pens are Japanese. Here is a small list of them that I bought in order

 

Platinum 3776 (red) medium

Pilot Custom 823 (amber) medium

Sailor Cross-Concord

Sailor 1911 (S) Tale of Genji medium

 

 

You have a very nice collection. Japanese pens are among my favorites and the Pilot Custom 823, along with a Custom 74, are my everyday work work pens—with Pilot Blue-Black ink. 

 

I'm not sure where you're located, but in the USA, Classic Fountain Pens, Nibs.com, is my go-to place for Nakaya pens. John Mottishaw, a well-established nibmeister, traveled to Nakata, the parent company to see how they like things done. Pre-Covid-19, they had a good selection of Nakaya pens in stock, fewer now. They can order any pen you want, it seems to take a couple of months to get them. An added bonus for buying from Nib.com is that John will tune your nib as part of the price. If it requires further work, you have a limited time to get it retuned. I have purchased all of my Nakaya pens from John. If I see him at a pen show, he gives them a little check without any charge. Of course, I always have a handful of pens that I didn't buy from him that need some help; I pay for those—and it is money well-spent. 

[aimi]

I own five right now with two to be sold:

Pilot Kakuno

Pilot CH 912

Sailor Pro Gear Night Sakura/Yozakura

2x Sailor Pro Gear Realos (both Pentonote shop exclusives)

 

I intend to have about 7 pens total (including the Kakuno) so some of these will sadly have to find new homes. Absolutely love Japanese pens, however. 

[como]

On 6/22/2021 at 7:20 AM, TheDutchGuy said:

...

Pilot...

-Falcon SEF, haven’t decided on ink ..

@TheDutchGuy Is this Spencerian grind? If it is, may I ask how does it compare to vintage semi flex pls? I don’t love the look of Pilot Falcon but I am quite curious how good the Spencerian grind is. Thanks!

[PenningtonBear]

4 hours ago, Frank C said:

You have a very nice collection. Japanese pens are among my favorites and the Pilot Custom 823, along with a Custom 74, are my everyday work work pens—with Pilot Blue-Black ink. 

 

I'm not sure where you're located, but in the USA, Classic Fountain Pens, Nibs.com, is my go-to place for Nakaya pens. John Mottishaw, a well-established nibmeister, traveled to Nakata, the parent company to see how they like things done. Pre-Covid-19, they had a good selection of Nakaya pens in stock, fewer now. They can order any pen you want, it seems to take a couple of months to get them. An added bonus for buying from Nib.com is that John will tune your nib as part of the price. If it requires further work, you have a limited time to get it retuned. I have purchased all of my Nakaya pens from John. If I see him at a pen show, he gives them a little check without any charge. Of course, I always have a handful of pens that I didn't buy from him that need some help; I pay for those—and it is money well-spent. 

Thank you. I live in the Philippines and will be ordering from Nakaya directly. I have a good feeling the pens I will buy from them will be perfect right out of the box given they take into account the client's specifications in a nib. Still, I somehow envy the presence and availability of nibmeisters there in the US. 

[PenningtonBear]

On 6/24/2021 at 6:30 AM, bluemagister said:

I have about 7 each of the various steel-tipped pens from Sailor and Pilot and maybe one or two desk pens from Platinum. 

 

In the 14K, 18K, and 21K range....well, I need to organize my collection for sure.  I have roughly 20 to 25 pens each from Pilot, Sailor, and Platinum.  Here in Japan, we could usually find great deals on quality used pens right up until corona hit.

 

The pens I use all the time are 2 Platinum #3776s in black/gold that I picked up used for about USD$40 each and fixed, a Sailor Pro Gear, and a Pilot Custom 74 that I had tuned up with a wet EF that I use for sketching.  

 

I love Japanese pens!  

I plan to visit Japan when travelling becomes more permissible. I'd love to get me some pens there as I'm all for the cigar shaped type. Do you have a few good places to recommend? Thanks lots!

[kenrapoza]

Not too many actually:

 

- Pilot Metropolitan

- Pilot Elite (95S)

- Pilot Custom 823

- Sailor Compass 1911

 

I'm thinking there may be a Platinum in my future...

[Namiki50]

Only 2

Namiki emperor urushi

Namiki Chinkin Owl

[lianali007]

Only 2 here, one Pilot Falcon Resin SEF, and one vintage Pilot E (I think. It uses an unobtanium cartridge.) with a soft fine nib that I'm going to try and adapt a sailor cartridge to use with the pen. 

[adasdad]

Only one at this moment. A Namiki Emperor No.50 in Lacquered Vermillion Urushi. Although I am fascinated by Namiki’s Maki-e fountain pens too.

Edited August 7, 2021 by adasdad

[HonMeng]

Not many in my collection, I have:

 

Pilot Capless - Grey GT - Medium

Pilot Custom 74 - Transparent Teal Rhodium Trim - Broad

Pilot Explorer - Lime Green - Medium

Sailor 1911L - Black Rhodium Trim - Zoom

Sailor 1911 Promenade - Black Rhodium trim - Medium

Sailor 1911 Profit Casual - Black GT - Broad

 

Used to own Pilot Metropolitan matte black. I gave it to my friend as farewell gift.

[Hermina Haller]

I got into Japanese pens only recently, but I've gotten addicted pretty quickly, so here is my list:

 

Sailor

 

Professional Gear Mojito F

Wancher Sparkling Emerald M

Professional Gear Slim Red Supernova F

Professional Gear Slim Blue Green Nebula M

 

Platinum

 

3776 Kumpoo SM

3776 Shiun F

 

Pilot

 

Capless Yellow F

Capless Silver F

 

Of those listed, my absolute favorites are the Capless Pilots. The Shiun's F nib is also gorgeous. As for Kumpoo's SM nib, I'm not a fan, but the pen's body is so gorgeous that it doesn't matter.

[IlikeInksandIcannotlie]

Here's my collection:

Sailor:

Red Sailor Hoscal Fine, the wettest pen I own and very smooth.

Pilot: 

Black Pilot Deluxe F, with Pilot feedback, somewhat soft.

Pilot Metropolitan F.

[Ambien]

Currently:

Vtg Platinum Century #3776 Tortoise 

Pilot Custom Kaede Maple 

Pilot Myu m90 

Nakaya Decapod 

 

Wish List: 

Platinum Century #3776 Stone/Calico

Pilot CH 743 with FA nib