Dani Trio Densho - Raw Ebonite

[AndyHayes]

First Impressions

Tara had sent the pen well packaged. The outer packaging is a black cardboard box with the Dani logo in gold near one corner. Inside is a plain wooden box probably designed for a smaller pen. This is the first time I have bought a pen that came in a wooden box! Open the box and you instantly gasp at the girth of this pen. Ooh, it’s a monster, that’ll never fit! Next to it in the box is the eye dropper.

 

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb177/shetlink/DaniTrioDensho1.jpg

 

Appearance

Did I mention this pen is thick? It makes a Pelikan 805 look positively emaciated. Pelikan 200 owners will run away and weep when they realise their pen's insignificance. I am of course joking! I only wish that I had a Pelikan 1000 to compare it against. I had expected a matte black pen, but this has a gloss to it. My preference is for black pens with silver furniture so this fits in well with the general theme.

 

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb177/shetlink/DaniTrioDensho2.jpg

 

Design/Size/Weight

A very appealing design, rounded at both ends and about as simple as you can get. It has a wonderful tactile feel about it. A very large pen indeed, but there are many bigger such as the Mikado, also by Dani Trio. This one is roughly 150mm in length capped, 135mm uncapped and 175mm posted. It’s my pen and I will post it if I want! It has a reasonable heft to it though, but not as much as you would expect for a pen of these dimensions. It will only get heavier when I pour in the first bucket of ink. The clip is very tight. I can’t imagine clipping this onto anything because of this. The pen seems to be a perfect fit for me and not tiring to use due to its balance and medium weight.

 

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb177/shetlink/DaniTrioDensho3.jpg

 

Nib

The nib is two-tone and broad. Since parting with the Sailor Sapporo I was convinced that I would never find a nib as good. This one isn’t as good, but it is the best in the stable so far for smoothness. It is really smooth and a wet writer. The wetness will change once I get used to controlling this ED pen. I have previously never used this sort of system before.

 

Filling System

Eye dropper. A first for me, but should be simple enough. There was a little green ink still in the pen, which rather caught me out on delivery. Noodlers Hunter Green perhaps, judging by its adhesion to my fingers and thumb! The piston mechanism is controlled in the same way as other piston toting pens, by a knob at the other end to the nib. It is very difficult to see the join. Three half turns seem to work for me at the moment. Further testing will confirm whether I need to shut the valve off a little further.

 

Cost and Value

At not a great deal under the full selling price it may not represent a bargain to the uninitiated, but to those who use one, they know that it is a bargain. A pen to take the place of others and one that will shove every other pen back a place in my "Pen System of Love"!

 

Conclusion

A very impressive pen which may well rank number one in my collection above my Pelikan 805. Only time will tell. This pen has the capacious ink chamber, a lovely nib and solid good looks about it and should stand up well to daily use. Now if only I could afford a Mikado!!

 

Since writing the review I have decided that I should definitely add either a Mikado or a Genkai to my collection. I love the thought of owning a Genkai the most. A beast of a pen.

Edited September 14, 2007 by AndyHayes

[Quicksilver]

This pen is on my list of must-haves. I have missed a couple on the marketplace, but am poised to strike.

[Shelley]

I have a feeling that the nibs are bocks, not 100% sure though, hence the nib should be as smooth as your pels...

[skippymchaggis]

Thank you for the nice review! I've been meaning to add some comments somewhere, so I think I'll do it here, if you don't mind. Consider yourself inspiring!

 

I consider myself lucky. I have both the matte finish and the polished finish in a Densho. I can't decide which one I like better. The matte was my first and the reason for the second, but the second...he's the flashy younger brother...

 

I should be careful about the "flashy" descriptor though. Although they're the biggest pens I own, with fairly large, attractive two-toned nibs, the Densho is about as streamlined and pure of function as it gets. Most people who don't know pens would probably glance right past it. The more discerning eye however, definitely has plenty to look at.

 

Loaded for bear with a full barrel of ink, they do pick up some weight, but the hand scale of memory says full, it's somewhere around the weight of a Visconti Van Gogh Maxi, unposted. I don't write with the Densho or the Van Gogh posted. I don't write with any of my pens posted, actually. It definitely has the "warmth" in the hand that others have mentioned. The Van Gogh's acrylic barrel and metal section are quite cold in comparison.

 

Both of my pens are firm fine nibs. I tried the flexi extra-fine after I got the first firm fine, but wasn't able to get used to it. I blame myself, but I had repeated problems with dry downstrokes. I'm not abounding in...finesse or beauty in my handwriting, so I find the firm nibs work better for me. That said, both pens have slightly different characters. The matte pen is a very fine, dryish writer that will probably never ever run out of ink. The polished pen has only been with me a short time (due to switching nibs around and such, which Kevin, aka winedoc was wonderful about) but it's holding up it's flashier end of the bargain by writing a bit wetter and adding some great shading to my scrawl.

 

As for the ED mechanism, I recently got a Pelikan M605 and while that beats the pants off of a converter to fill, it doesn't get much simpler than an ED. Heck, with a funnel, I could just pour the ink in. And boy, does the Densho hold ink. I did a lot of reading here before I ponied up for my first one and I'll steal someone's comment: I have NEVER filled a pen and seen a noticeable change in the level on the ink bottle...until this one. WOW! I think it actually helped convince my wife that it's ok to have a lot of ink around...see, Honey, it gets used!

 

The Densho was and is the most expensive pen I own. My wife's Sheaffer Valor cost a little bit more, and I managed to get my Van Gogh at the D.C. Supershow for a super price. Either way though, if one of the Denshos was lost or stolen, I'd get another one ASAP. While used on the Marketplace is great, (albeit with a fifteen minute lifespan, they're hard to scoop up) the retail on them new from Kevin is not that bad. If it cost less, I'd have many more, but as it stands, after I get a Sailor of some variety, I'll most likely be back for another. Or maybe my ship will come in and I'll be able to get something with Urushi on it...

 

All in all, the Densho is a great, yet subtle, pen. It sits in a price range that's got quite a bit of competition (Sailors, Pelikans, and Pilots are what come to mind), but it stands apart with size and capacity. And understatement. And durability. Did I mention durability? The matte finish especially seems like it will be nigh impervious to daily life.

 

Another advantage, if you are thinking about an Urushi'ed pen, is this is a great test platform for functionality. Plus, when you get an Urushi'ed masterpiece, you'll have the Densho to carry around while the Urushi pen sits in it's stand awaiting your return to your writing desk.

Edited September 10, 2007 by skippymchaggis

[skippymchaggis]

It is a Bock nib.

[winedoc]

Glad you like the pen. Please allow me to post a pic for comparason. The top is MB149, then Takumi, then Densho and 2 Mikado:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v392/winedoc/Urushi/tn_DSC06535.jpg

 

Some have asked me what's the difference between ebonite pen by Sailor (KOP) and Danitrio's raw ebonite: So here are what I can think of:

 

Sailor KOP:

available in color or polish black

The ebonite is very polished

Specialty nibs available

c/c filler

MSRP $900? Street price?

size of MB 149

 

Danitrio:

Polish and matte finish

size from Hanryo to Genkai

ebonite not as polished as Sailors

ED filler, cc filler.

Flexy nibs available (not vintage flex)

more affordable than Sailor

 

If ED is not your thing, the series also comes in Takumi c/c filler as seen in pic above.

 

Enjoy the pen in good health.

 

Kevin

 

[adair]

Is there any leaking with the ED filler? Or does the valve prevent that? My only experience with an ED was a Wality, and that was a disaster. I know that Dani Trio is on a much higher level, but still, I'd like to know if anyone had problems with leaking.

[CharlieB]

About a year ago, MicheleB posted a photo of a Danitrio pen raw ebonite pen that she modified by mounting a military rank insignia to the clip. It was quite an impressive looking pen. I can't remember if it was the Densho or the Mikado size. I saw the original at the DC Pen Club, and it's even more impressive than the photo. If she's reading this, perhaps she'll re-post the photo.

[BillTheEditor]

Is there any leaking with the ED filler? Or does the valve prevent that? My only experience with an ED was a Wality, and that was a disaster. I know that Dani Trio is on a much higher level, but still, I'd like to know if anyone had problems with leaking.

No problems at all, leaking or otherwise. You can leave the valve open and the pen horizontal, and have no leaks. I would not leave any ED nib down, unless it was a Danitrio and the valve was closed.

[winedoc]

About a year ago, MicheleB posted a photo of a Danitrio pen raw ebonite pen that she modified by mounting a military rank insignia to the clip. It was quite an impressive looking pen. I can't remember if it was the Densho or the Mikado size. I saw the original at the DC Pen Club, and it's even more impressive than the photo. If she's reading this, perhaps she'll re-post the photo.

 

 

It was the Densho model.

 

Kev

[AndyHayes]

Pics added

[John Cullen]

Hmmm, these pens all appear rather too small for me.

 

Way too small and too thin. I don't know how all of you can handle these tiny little pens.

 

 

Of course, I am writing with my DT Genkai today. JC

[PelikanPenman]

Andy - very nice review and nice pics. Thanks for posting the review.

 

Cheers.

[andyk]

Hi,

 

Good review nice pictures, I also like classic black, but can live with gold fittings if that whats on offer, really like the look of this, but unfortunately probably not something to pick up at a bargain price. Still another pen to go hunting for.

 

Andy

Edited September 15, 2007 by andyk

[Escribiente]

Thank you for the review. The Densho is becoming a modern classic; and we should thank Kevin for that. I just got the Densho Tamenuri from him, and I will post a review as soon as I get around to ink it and write for a while.

Question: What is your experience with the ink flow adjustment?

[Makar]

First Impressions

Tara had sent the pen well packaged. The outer packaging is a black cardboard box with the Dani logo in gold near one corner. Inside is a plain wooden box probably designed for a smaller pen. This is the first time I have bought a pen that came in a wooden box! Open the box and you instantly gasp at the girth of this pen. Ooh, it’s a monster, that’ll never fit! Next to it in the box is the eye dropper.

 

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb177/shetlink/DaniTrioDensho1.jpg

 

Appearance

Did I mention this pen is thick? It makes a Pelikan 805 look positively emaciated. Pelikan 200 owners will run away and weep when they realise their pen's insignificance. I am of course joking! I only wish that I had a Pelikan 1000 to compare it against. I had expected a matte black pen, but this has a gloss to it. My preference is for black pens with silver furniture so this fits in well with the general theme.

 

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb177/shetlink/DaniTrioDensho2.jpg

 

Design/Size/Weight

A very appealing design, rounded at both ends and about as simple as you can get. It has a wonderful tactile feel about it. A very large pen indeed, but there are many bigger such as the Mikado, also by Dani Trio. This one is roughly 150mm in length capped, 135mm uncapped and 175mm posted. It’s my pen and I will post it if I want! It has a reasonable heft to it though, but not as much as you would expect for a pen of these dimensions. It will only get heavier when I pour in the first bucket of ink. The clip is very tight. I can’t imagine clipping this onto anything because of this. The pen seems to be a perfect fit for me and not tiring to use due to its balance and medium weight.

 

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb177/shetlink/DaniTrioDensho3.jpg

 

Nib

The nib is two-tone and broad. Since parting with the Sailor Sapporo I was convinced that I would never find a nib as good. This one isn’t as good, but it is the best in the stable so far for smoothness. It is really smooth and a wet writer. The wetness will change once I get used to controlling this ED pen. I have previously never used this sort of system before.

 

Filling System

Eye dropper. A first for me, but should be simple enough. There was a little green ink still in the pen, which rather caught me out on delivery. Noodlers Hunter Green perhaps, judging by its adhesion to my fingers and thumb! The piston mechanism is controlled in the same way as other piston toting pens, by a knob at the other end to the nib. It is very difficult to see the join. Three half turns seem to work for me at the moment. Further testing will confirm whether I need to shut the valve off a little further.

 

Cost and Value

At not a great deal under the full selling price it may not represent a bargain to the uninitiated, but to those who use one, they know that it is a bargain. A pen to take the place of others and one that will shove every other pen back a place in my "Pen System of Love"!

 

Conclusion

A very impressive pen which may well rank number one in my collection above my Pelikan 805. Only time will tell. This pen has the capacious ink chamber, a lovely nib and solid good looks about it and should stand up well to daily use. Now if only I could afford a Mikado!!

 

Since writing the review I have decided that I should definitely add either a Mikado or a Genkai to my collection. I love the thought of owning a Genkai the most. A beast of a pen.

 

I have ordered one - just too many positives going around about this pen that I can't resist. Matte with a flexi fine nib. The torpedos subtleties go down a bomb - just hope it knocks me out in reality! I am trying to convince my wife that I need a few excellent writers to hand, with various ink colours, to punctuate and cohese my copious note taking. The honeymoon is almost over.

Thanks Andy - I will be citing people like you in my defence at some future hearing no doubt........ 'the superlatives were stacked up against me, your honour!'

 

[AndyHayes]

Thank you for the review. The Densho is becoming a modern classic; and we should thank Kevin for that. I just got the Densho Tamenuri from him, and I will post a review as soon as I get around to ink it and write for a while.

Question: What is your experience with the ink flow adjustment?

 

One and a half turns open seems to work for me, but the broad really is broad. I open it a further 1/4 turn to start it off. It's a lovely size, and I am really struggling at the moment to choose between the Mikado and and Genkai. The Genkai might be just a step too far!!

 

[Brian]

First Impressions

Tara had sent the pen well packaged. The outer packaging is a black cardboard box with the Dani logo in gold near one corner. Inside is a plain wooden box probably designed for a smaller pen. This is the first time I have bought a pen that came in a wooden box! Open the box and you instantly gasp at the girth of this pen. Ooh, it’s a monster, that’ll never fit! Next to it in the box is the eye dropper.

 

http://i204.photobucket.com/albums/bb177/shetlink/DaniTrioDensho1.jpg

 

Based on the numerous posts on this intriguing line of pens I will be placing an order for a Takumi and hope to be pleasantly surprised. I was a little leery of an ED so opted for the Takumi cc model. If successful I will put my request in for an ED.

 

Thanks Andy and FPN for making this kind of useful and valuable review information available.

[MicheleB]

About a year ago, MicheleB posted a photo of a Danitrio pen raw ebonite pen that she modified by mounting a military rank insignia to the clip. It was quite an impressive looking pen. I can't remember if it was the Densho or the Mikado size. I saw the original at the DC Pen Club, and it's even more impressive than the photo. If she's reading this, perhaps she'll re-post the photo.

 

Sorry no pics since desktop died and is in the hospital. What I did was I took my collar insignia (eagle) to jeweler who has a laser which can sauder metals. The jeweler mounted the eagle to the clip after taking off the pinning parts. I really love it and it commemorated my promotion that rank. It is a silver eagle so it matches. I recommend this makes a nice gift to commemorate a special occasion. Many professions have pins or cufflinks etc. that could be mounted as well. Back channel if ya want more details. - Michele

[MicheleB]

About a year ago, MicheleB posted a photo of a Danitrio pen raw ebonite pen that she modified by mounting a military rank insignia to the clip. It was quite an impressive looking pen. I can't remember if it was the Densho or the Mikado size. I saw the original at the DC Pen Club, and it's even more impressive than the photo. If she's reading this, perhaps she'll re-post the photo.

 

 

It was the Densho model.

 

Kev

 

So it was THAT memorable eh? Kev is correct. Great dealer who stands behind his stuff.