Nakaya Decapod: Kuro-tamenuri Urushi (Cigar Model)

[RoyalKooparillo]

NAKAYA DECAPOD - Kuro-tamenuri Urushi (Cigar Model)

 

With Rhodium-plated Cursive Italic Nib by John Mottishaw

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2101.jpg

 

Introduction

This is my first Nakaya, and I would like to first and foremost thank John Mottishaw and everyone at Classic Fountain Pens for their extremely kind and helpful customer service. I had been eyeing Nakayas for quite some time and trying to discover which model spoke to me the most. Eventually I chose the Decapod due to its size and shape, and because the facets showcase the Tamenuri Urushi technique so beautifully. I couldn't be happier with my decision!

 

Being the rather impatient person I am (and after hearing nothing but good experiences), I decided to get my Nakaya from John Mottishaw. This turned out to be an excellent decision for a couple of reasons. Over the telephone, I was able to get all of my questions answered quickly and easily, I was able to make specific requests regarding the finish and the nib, and I received the pen (with modified nib) exactly one week from the date I placed the order.

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2129.jpg

 

First Impressions

After a week of nearly going mad with anticipation, I received and unwrapped the package. My Decapod came in a well-made wooden box lined with crimson-colored velvet. Inside was the little blue and gold kimono containing my pen, the Maki-e goldfish converter I bought, and a package of Platinum blue-black cartridges. Sliding the pen out of the kimono for the first time was a rather exhilarating experience. I was immediately taken with the beauty of the Urushi finish. The pen, although not particularly heavy, has a great amount of presence. I unscrewed the cap, inspected the nib and section, and held it in writing position. This Decapod feels perfectly balanced, just the right length for my medium-sized hands, and its weight is just about perfect...neither too heavy nor too light. A very, very comfortable pen.

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2131.jpg

 

The Finish

Originally I had chosen the Heki-Tamenuri as the finish I liked the best, but the more I thought about it, the more I became attracted to the Kuro-tamenuri. Something about the black over red seemed so traditionally Japanese, so formal and elegant. As much as I loved the brown over green Heki-tame, I had to go with the Kuro-tame in the end. As others have noted, the finish has an incredible amount of depth to it. Just knowing how many man-hours went into it, and being a woodworker myself, really makes this special for me. When I spoke with CFP on the telephone, I requested the darkest Kuro-tame Decapod they had in stock. Because of their handmade nature, some are lighter/darker than others. I wanted my Decapod to be almost completely black, with only the red showing through at the corners of the facets. Jonella went through every one they had, and picked out one to suit my preferences. What a gorgeous, lustrous finish! And it's true, it really does warm to the hand after a short period of time.

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2125.jpg

 

The Nib

I chose a single-tone Rhodium-plated nib, and I'm very pleased with how it looks with the red and black Urushi. I wanted this pen to be an excellent daily writer, so I chose to go with a stiff .4mm cursive italic nib. It was a tough call, because I love flexy nibs, but I'm happy with the decision. I was initially unsure about whether I wanted a stub or a cursive italic, but I was assured that John's cursive italics are very smooth. I wanted to maximize line variation, keep it as smooth as possible, and have a medium flow. I also indicated that I turn my pen inward ever-so-slightly, but that I didn't want an oblique.

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2122.jpg

 

The result is truly amazing. Mr. Mottishaw is a magician with nibs! He provided everything I asked for. Nothing, however, could prepare me for how smooth this cursive italic writes! I am extremely impressed, and I wouldn't hesitate to purchase another pen from CFP, knowing that such a high level of customization can be accommodated so quickly and with such relative ease.

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2135.jpg

 

Filling System, Etc.

The filling system is a standard C/C, and it works very well. No complaints. I purchased the goldfish Maki-e converter, and it's a nice little addition. It feels a little decadent, but I don't mind. It's a decadent pen! I would really enjoy it if Nakaya would consider an eyedropper filling system at some point. There's something really nice about the capacity and simplicity of eyedroppers.

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2137.jpg

 

I had only one concern about my Decapod, which was that I couldn't get the facets to align properly. I have read that there are four sets of threads, and that a little detective work is in order with the Cigar models. Well, I still wasn't having success. After speaking with John on the telephone, I found that my Decapod will align, it just takes a little more force than I was initially willing to use. John assured me that with daily use, the amount of force necessary to get it to align would diminish as the threads wore. Hopefully this will be the case.

 

Conclusion

I spent many months admiring Nakayas on the web, and I developed very high expectations for this pen. Now that I have a Decapod in my possession, I can safely say that this pen has either met or exceeded all of my expectations. Even though I paid extra for the nib customization and the Maki-e converter, I believe my Decapod was worth every penny. It's hard to put a price on such remarkable craftsmanship, and its value to me is much more than the price I paid for it. I look forward to my next Nakaya, and I have a sneaking suspicion that a Heki-tamenuri Decapod may be in the future for me as well.

Edited April 30, 2009 by RoyalKooparillo

[MsLoathsome]

Great review and fantastic shots of your new treasure. The finish is gorgeous. I love baby panda, too. Can you show shots of the Maki-e convertor too? I'm curious.

[Chris Chalmers]

Another beautiful Nakaya - Congratulations - your taste is impeccable!!! Great photography. This place brings out the very best in people.

[superbleu]

Great review M-

The pen looks fantastic, and your photography shows the pen off beautifully.

Love the nib shot with the panda in the background.

Hope you get many great years of use out of this work of art.

 

Could you provide a written sample with the CI nib?

[Escribiente]

Thank you for a great review. I've been eyeing the Decapod, but I would need to raise the funds first. John Mottishaw and Nakaya are a wonderful combination for the pen world. I ordered from CFP my Picolo (black urushi) with an Extra Fine nib (Japanese Fine), and I requested the flow to be adjusted according to their scale. The pen wrote smoothly and with perfect flow right out the box. CFP provides wonderful service.

[MYU]

Splendid review, and your first one at that. It's going to be hard to top it! I really like your photo compositions too. The Panda in the background of your nib close-up is a great choice. The nib looks beautiful... I like the Rhodium plating in contrast to the Kuro Tame-nuri. When you get a chance, post some writing samples of your 0.4mm CI nib. I'm curious to see how it looks. You specifically selected a firm nib. Any particular reason? Have you used nibs with some flexibility before?

Edited April 29, 2009 by MYU

[RoyalKooparillo]

Thanks for the kind words! I'll be sure to post a writing sample and a picture of the converter shortly.

 

You specifically selected a firm nib. Any particular reason? Have you used nibs with some flexibility before?

 

I chose the stiff nib for a couple of reasons. I wanted it for everyday/business/note-taking use, and I really wanted to try a stub or CI from John Mottishaw. I have tried flexible nibs before, and I LOVE them. So it was a particularly tough choice. To be honest, I'm not adept enough with flexy nibs to write as quickly and easily as I can with stiff nibs, and still achieve excellent results. So it was a triumph of practicality and curiosity for me. I considered asking for a flexible stub, but in the end I'm glad I simply went with a stiff CI.

[RoyalKooparillo]

As requested, here is a writing sample from the .4mm CI nib, with Sailor's Kiwaguro Carbon Black ink. I don't have a scanner, so I apologize for the less-than-stellar quality.

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2142.jpg

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2147.jpg

 

I'm in love with the Kiwaguro, it lubricates SO well! It allows the nib to just glide over the paper, no effort at all. Plus, I love how when the ink dries, it has a strangely matte-yet-reflective finish. And it's waterproof!!!

 

A couple of pictures of the Makie-e converter as well:

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2114.jpg

 

http://i146.photobucket.com/albums/r246/mikey_G_07/CIMG2141.jpg

 

[JFT]

Wow Congratulation on a superbe pen. Thank you for providing writing sample (You have a nice handwriting by the way!)

[djpyle]

I think your nib upgrade was money well spent. If I ever come up with the money for my Heki-tamenuri writer, I'll definitely be going with the rhodium nib and clip.

 

Excellent review. If you ever do get the Heki-tamenuri decapod, I'd love to hear your take on it.

[dannyboy]

This is such a marvelous review and captures the feelings we all have in waiting to receive a pen we've longed for for many months! With such positive reviews as this one, Nakaya won't have to do much advertising at all--just look at the attitudes and responses of all the satisfied customers! And, yes, John Mottishaw is a supreme artist with shaping a nib and his staff brings customer service to the level of SUPERB! Thanks for this review--I'm astounded that this is your first one: I certainly look forward to many more.

[rubyeyespenlover]

Excellent review and thank you very much for the great photos and words.

[RoyalKooparillo]

Thanks again to everyone for the kind sentiments!

 

A brief update: after using the CI for a while now, I am still very pleased with how it writes. It took me a little while to get used to the vast amount of line variation, but now that I've gotten the hang of it I really enjoy it. For my handwriting, the nib is more suited to printing than cursive (it makes my angled-cursive look a little choppy). I wish the flow was slightly heavier, but other than that I have no complaints.

 

I'm absolutely in love with the body of the Decapod. I can confirm that the facets do become easier to align with time...even in the short time I have had the pen it has become substantially easier.

 

I think your nib upgrade was money well spent. If I ever come up with the money for my Heki-tamenuri writer, I'll definitely be going with the rhodium nib and clip.

 

Excellent review. If you ever do get the Heki-tamenuri decapod, I'd love to hear your take on it.

 

Thanks! It'll probably be some time before I pick up a Heki-tame, but I'll be sure to post a review when I do! I'm thinking flexible XXF for that one...

Edited May 4, 2009 by RoyalKooparillo

[dandelion]

A truly lovely pen! I have a crush on that colour and like your choice to have a pen where the beautiful red only shows at the corners. What craftmanship! Thanks for the provided writing samples - very nice handwriting. It makes me want that kind of CI aswell.

[Doug C]

Beautiful pen.

 

I have a Decapod in the Ake-Tamenuri finish with a rhodium clip (heresy to some), and that is the only way I have found to routinely align the facets.

 

I align the clip with the top of the nib, and it will sync up every time.

 

I love the rhodium nib. I wish I had ordered one to match my clip.