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DaniTrio Densho vs M1000, an EF user-based review


skipwilliams

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(Cross posted from PenTrace)

 

OK, the raw ebonite DaniTrio Densho ED arrive yesterday, and I must say that I'm very impressed. The think holds a ton of ink, probably 6 or 7 ml! The Pelikan M1000 is closer to 3ml filled with a syringe.

 

These two pens are very similar in size. And I've got Extra Fine nibs fitted on both of them, so there's a lot of direct comparisons today. The Pelikan is filled with Private Reserve Lake Placid Blue and the DaniTrio with Parker Quink Blue.

 

Handling: (Caveat, I only use unposted pens except for metal bodies like a 51/61/45, etc.) The huge nib on the M1000 makes a significant difference in how you have to hold the pens, The M1000 has to be held at a shallower angle. Weight will a full load of ink is very, very close. The Dani has a un-flared section, vs. the Pelikan's flare, so they are held a bit differently too. But you have to hold the Pelikan so far back to manaage the big nib that it makes little difference. ==> slight advantage to the Dani

 

Nib and Flow: The Pelikan puts out much more ink than most any other pen I've ever used. That's why I went to an EF, I couldn't manage the heavy flow with a F. The springiness of the nib allows some line variation, but it's not much. I like this type of modern nib much more than a rigid EF, as it makes writing more fluid and comfortable. But it's not a flexible nib by any stretch. Perhaps John Mottishaw's service could inprove that? It's not cheap though.

 

DaniTrio - The Flexible-EF is a wonderful nib, very similar to the Nakaya soft fine that I've got. The flexibility is good enough that you can get some line variation, but it's minimal vs. vintage flex. Think of it as something that imparts a little flare to your writing. The fine writing is much better controlled than the Pelikan, which is only enhanced by the ED's ability to alter flow. After using it for a day, I think that this is a wonderful way to match up ink, nib, and paper combinations to get my desired results. It's much better than tweaking nibs. And this puppy is super smooth, as good as any nib that I've got.

 

==> Clear advantage - Dani

 

So I'm definitely keeping the Pelikan, but I've decided not to invest in custom bindes for it right now. I'll save my pennies and get something neater in the Densho size. Maybe with a custom ground flexible Fine?

 

Skip

Skip Williams

www.skipwilliams.com/blog

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Thanks for that head-to-head comparison! Well done.

"But God demonstrates His own love toward us, in that while we were still sinners, Christ died for us." (Rom. 5:8, NKJV)
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  • 4 months later...
No comparison on the price? Please mention the price of both.

The DaniTrio is $145 plus s&h. Don't know what the price is on the M1000, but I expect it's more.

 

I have the flexy fine nib on my DaniTrio Densho (etc.) and enjoy it greatly -- it's another of the pens I use when I'm going to be writing all day. This is a large pen, though, so if you don't have pretty big mitts, you might not like it as much. (Come to think of it, the M1000 is probably a monster, too.)

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Can anyone reccomend a dealer for the DaniTrio pens? I'd like to take a look at them, and price one out. There has been so much good buzz on them here!

 

J. Haney

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Can anyone reccomend a dealer for the DaniTrio pens? I'd like to take a look at them, and price one out. There has been so much good buzz on them here!

 

J. Haney

SFAIK, winedoc is the only vendor selling the DD-RE-ED. See The Noble Savage's outstanding review here. Unless you live in the Bay area and can drop by Kevin's place, I think that's as good as you're going to be able to do.

 

You may find that not everyone (gasp!) loves the Dani. I delayed my purchase of the pen by six months or more because of bad (and, I found, totally WRONG) advice about the nib on another fountain pen forum which I will not name. (They all told me I would have to put a different nib on the pen in order to use it, since they said the DaniTrio nib would not write reliably -- utter b.s.) If you follow winedoc's instructions, especially about soaking the nib and feed the first time you fill the pen, use a good ink (I am currently using Levinger Cobalt Blue in my DaniTrio), and are patient in learning to adjust the stop valve, you will have no trouble with the pen.

 

Re: learning to adjust the stop valve. When you start using the pen the first time for the day, open the valve a little wider than you normally would have it during writing. Wait one minute. Start writing. As you write, you will find that you need to close the valve down a little, as the flow picks up after the feed is fully loaded. When you stop writing for a short period, just put the cap on the pen and lay it down horizontally. No need to close the valve, the ink won't leak out. I usually don't close it until I am done for the day and leaving the office for the evening. I believe the instructions that come with the pen say to open the valve about 1/16 of an inch while writing, but each pen must be a little different: mine must be open about 3/32 to 1/8 inch, other than for starting up, when I usually crack it open about 3/16.

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Can anyone reccomend a dealer for the DaniTrio pens? I'd like to take a look at them, and price one out. There has been so much good buzz on them here!

 

J. Haney

SFAIK, winedoc is the only vendor selling the DD-RE-ED. See The Noble Savage's outstanding review here. Unless you live in the Bay area and can drop by Kevin's place, I think that's as good as you're going to be able to do.

 

You may find that not everyone (gasp!) loves the Dani. I delayed my purchase of the pen by six months or more because of bad (and, I found, totally WRONG) advice about the nib on another fountain pen forum which I will not name. (They all told me I would have to put a different nib on the pen in order to use it, since they said the DaniTrio nib would not write reliably -- utter b.s.) If you follow winedoc's instructions, especially about soaking the nib and feed the first time you fill the pen, use a good ink (I am currently using Levinger Cobalt Blue in my DaniTrio), and are patient in learning to adjust the stop valve, you will have no trouble with the pen.

 

Re: learning to adjust the stop valve. When you start using the pen the first time for the day, open the valve a little wider than you normally would have it during writing. Wait one minute. Start writing. As you write, you will find that you need to close the valve down a little, as the flow picks up after the feed is fully loaded. When you stop writing for a short period, just put the cap on the pen and lay it down horizontally. No need to close the valve, the ink won't leak out. I usually don't close it until I am done for the day and leaving the office for the evening. I believe the instructions that come with the pen say to open the valve about 1/16 of an inch while writing, but each pen must be a little different: mine must be open about 3/32 to 1/8 inch, other than for starting up, when I usually crack it open about 3/16.

The Densho is still a first year model and like most first year model there were issues needs to be corrected. The fact that these issues were addressed and dealt with quickly account for why these are so successful. Danitrio is a company that listen to customers. When customers want old fashion Japanese EDs, they responded. When customers wants softer nibs, they responded. Of course, you can always find softer nibs in vintage nibs, but these are still some of the most flexy nibs among modern pens. That said, is it for everyone? of course not. There are folks rather not deal with EDs and flexy nibs does not fit everyone's writing style or taste. Another reason why one has nib choices from flexy to stiff nibs. Despite negative posts by some on other board, I can hardly keep these in stock. Over the course of less than a year, I must have sold over 150+ of these.

 

I think the Densho is still cheaper than M1000. Perhaps we should have a "dropping contest" I bet the Densho will beat the M1000 everythime when you accidentally drop the pen. :lol: Glad you love the pen Bill.

 

Kev

To Cross The Rubicon

 

Internet Pens

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Perhaps we should have a "dropping contest" I bet the Densho will beat the M1000 everythime when you accidentally drop the pen.

Tell you what -- I'll let you drop your Densho. :P Ain't gonna happen with mine. I'm sure it's relatively indestructible, but I don't think my heart could take watching it fall to the floor.

 

As I think I told you in an email after I got the pen, if I had bought the Densho sooner, I'd have felt a whole lot less need to buy other pens! If I were starting over and knew what I know now, I'd have a Sonnet with a stub nib, a 45 with a medium, a Hero 100, and the DD-RE-ED with the flexi fine nib. Wouldn't need much more than that.

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As I think I told you in an email after I got the pen, if I had bought the Densho sooner, I'd have felt a whole lot less need to buy other pens! If I were starting over and knew what I know now, I'd have a Sonnet with a stub nib, a 45 with a medium, a Hero 100, and the DD-RE-ED with the flexi fine nib. Wouldn't need much more than that.

You would sure miss a lot of fun that way.

 

Andy

"Andy Hoffman" Sandy Ego, CA

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Perhaps we should have a "dropping contest"  I bet the Densho will beat the M1000 everythime when you accidentally drop the pen.

Tell you what -- I'll let you drop your Densho. :P Ain't gonna happen with mine. I'm sure it's relatively indestructible, but I don't think my heart could take watching it fall to the floor.

 

As I think I told you in an email after I got the pen, if I had bought the Densho sooner, I'd have felt a whole lot less need to buy other pens! If I were starting over and knew what I know now, I'd have a Sonnet with a stub nib, a 45 with a medium, a Hero 100, and the DD-RE-ED with the flexi fine nib. Wouldn't need much more than that.

Argghh, did drop my Raw Mikado once :doh: Other than couple of scratches on the cap the pen is fine :lol: Though not a Densho, but same material. I have a Densho in my rotation all the time. I don't sell pens I won't use personally. :lol:

 

Kev

To Cross The Rubicon

 

Internet Pens

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No real comparison on the price between these two pens, is there? If you found the M-1000 at $300, you'd think it was a good price, while the Densho is $145, just less than half the price.

 

I picked up mine (matte finish) from Kevin at our last club meeting. I have the rigid fine (I see the nib is marked RF now, to distinguish it from the soft fine) and the pen is in the matte finish. An elegant, understated pen, in a honking big size! It's a very reliable writer and great in the hand. And while there are other DT dealers, Kevin is the one to buy from--he will take find a way to get you what you want and stand behind his pens.

 

best, Dan

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Well, nothing new here - I just want to add myself to this chorus.

 

I'm both a huge Danitrio fan and a huge Kevin fan! I have a RE Mikado and, as of last night, a Densho on the way. The Densho has a soft medium nib, so I'm very excited for it to arrive. Next up, will be a Hanryo for carrying around in my pocket. I just love the feel of these ebonite pens, and they write beautifully!

"I have striven not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them, nor to hate them, but to understand them."

- Baruch Spinoza

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Just a word about Kevin, great service before and after the sale.

I love Densho, which is considerably cheaper than 1000, let's just say you can have 2 Denshos for the price of 1000. Plus the feel of Hard Rubber.

Another Dani to consider is Takumi (can't wait), has more girth than Densho, but shorter. It's CC, but can be used as ED, it's great for traveling.

Kevin, if I earned enough brown points, maybe Dani will make Red Hard Rubber Densho.

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Hi everyone,

 

I am going cra...zy!!! Can't wait to get my Densho from winedoc. May be it will arrive this coming week. Um! Which bottle to open to celebrate?

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Hi everyone,

 

I am going cra...zy!!! Can't wait to get my Densho from winedoc. May be it will arrive this coming week. Um! Which bottle to open to celebrate?

Depends....which nib did you choose?

"I have striven not to laugh at human actions, not to weep at them, nor to hate them, but to understand them."

- Baruch Spinoza

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I just received a Dani with an XF Flexi nib - I think I ordered on Thursday - possibly even Friday - and I'm in the UK. Winedoc ships fast!

 

I've had time to fill the pen and write half a page (I'm at work). I chose a newly arrived bottle of PR Chocolat - the combination is a delight.

 

You can *feel* the flex - but you can't see it. I've used vintage flex nibs, but this is nothing like them - I don't find that it lends any "character" to my writing with the pen, but it does make it wonderfully comfortable to use.

 

The flow is very consistent and extremely wet - perhaps I could tune this down using the stopper knob, but I like wet nibs.

Edited by meanwhile

- Jonathan

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Interesting... I got the flexy stub, and while most of the line variation is due to the stub, it does respond to pressure and the tines open up quite a bit.

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I'm a light writer: the lack of variation could just be me. Or it might be the ink I'm using, or that I am writing with the pen adjusted to wet.

- Jonathan

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Actually, you are right. It does take some pressure to get the tines open with my flexy stub. I was kind of hoping that the EF might prove more flexible. I guess not. But like you, I find my Dani a real pleasure to write with. Good thing it holds so much ink. I've been writing about a week on my first fill :)

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