Three Nice Pens Or One Nakaya

[Buzz_130]

I have the M200, Lamy 2k, and Sailor 1911 on your list... And i use my single Nakaya more than those three put together (and probably an order of magnitude higher). But i also love my 4 Platinums, so the Nakaya nib is right in my ballpark.

 

With the Nakaya, you get a beautiful pen with hand-crafted work that heralds back to another time. The pens have an exceptional warmth, fantastic balance, perfect touch under the fingers, and are lightweight. If I could start over again, my only modern pens would be a Nakaya (giving up Onoto, Sailor, Pilot, Platinum, Pelikan, Visconti, and a few others).

 

If you have the money, go for the Nakaya.

 

Buzz

[Lamyrada]

If you had $700ish, assuming you don't currently have a Nakaya, Would you rather buy a few nice $150-$200 pens (i.e. Lamy 2000, custom 74, sailor 1911, M200) or one custom ground Nakaya?

 

With those pens you would enjoy a variety of smoothness and designs you will not have with only one expensive pen that is nice to look at and show off. Not the reason why I buy pens and totally agree with the review of SBrown I would be constantly anxious about scratching or dropping it, whereas all other 3 would give me different experiecces. My M200 or 400NN would be smoother than the Nakaya that Brown showed on his video. I was once in the same position and I am glad I never ordered the expensie one that would soon loose its novelty and be used rarely.

[sidthecat]

I have a certain inner caution about spending a large amount of money on a pen, because I collect ringtops and also wear them, which means I have to accept the risk of losing them.

 

And, to be fair, I'm a cheapskate.

Edited May 22, 2016 by sidthecat

[Barkingpig]

I see the beauty of the Nakaya finishes BUT the NIB on a Romillo appeals MORE to me than the Nakaya finish.

[Mulrich]

One thing I like about Nakaya's (and fountain pens in general) is they are very nice pens but unless you're interacting with pen people nobody will know. I like having sneaky nice things that I can enjoy without people questioning why I spent so much money on a pen(s). The only brand that most people recognize is MB.

 

If this is your first (or early) foray into fountain pens I would suggest buying a few cheaper pens, just to give you exposure to a wider variety of manufacturers and nibs. Figure out the type (gold, steel, etc) and size of nib you like. Figure out the type of filling system you like. Figure out the size of pen you like. Once you have those determined you can get a Nakaya that's best suited for you long term.

[dapprman]

As I previously said, you're paying for the Urushi varnish/finish, that's where the real cost is contained.

 

To segue slightly. I first encountered urushi at the Japanese porcelain/crockery shop at Oriental City (formerly Yaohan Plaza) in the Colindale area of London (it was the largest Oriental shopping centre in Europe). I was surprised to see a bento box at close to £100 when there were others for about £15-20. The reason was the former was wood with urushi lacquer, the latter was just modern plastics. Feel wise there was little difference, looks wise, I couldn’t understand the large difference. These days, some 15-20 years later, I understand what is special about urushi lacquer and why the was such a large cost difference.

 

It’s the same with Nakaya pens.

[ethernautrix]

TL;DR: If you know you want variety and many pens, buy the three. If you know you would be satisifed with only a few pens, get the Nakaya.

 

 

I belong in the less-is-more category and so prefer a few great pens to a vast array of good pens. BUT I had to go through a couple of hundred pens before I realized that I really felt happier having and using fewer.

 

Therefore, while I would suggest getting the Nakaya, I also understand that I'm saying this because of my many years of experience of buying pens -- and then whittling down the accumulation to the number I felt most comfortable.

 

I still have around 40 pens, about half of them I use, about half of them mementoes that I rarely use. Amongst the pens I use is a variety of inexpensive and expensive pens.

 

As for the question of durability, I have been pleasantly surprised to learn, through clumsiness, how well Nakayas can take a hit. Falling a couple of feet onto a hardwood floor or the sidewalk left no marks. Once, a Piccolo fell out of my pocket to the sidewalk, and I stepped on the pen before I could react, and there was one minuscule mark, a dot, that I still have to search to find. I've dropped non-urushi pens, for instance, a modern Sheaffer Crest Laque fell from my hand as I walked across a street, and the top of the cap was irreparably and very noticeably damaged.

 

I'm not saying that impacts won't damage the finish, but my experience shows that the urushi survives accidents better.

 

I haven't dropped any Nakayas on their nibs, although one time, I inadvertently flung the uncapped Desk Pen several feet across the room, a flight that gave me enough time to register the horror before the pen clattered to the floor. I would not have been surprised if the pen had broken into pieces or the nib had been bent horribly. I would have been devastated but not surprised. I was lucky. The nib didn't hit the floor, and there was not even a mark on the urushi. I didn't use a loupe to check for damage, but then I don't scrutinize any of my pens with a loupe, especially while I'm writing with the pen.

 

 

 

 

Note: If you buy the Nakaya and decide you don't like it so much, you could easily sell it at a very small loss, what I consider the "rental" price of trying a pen.

Edited May 22, 2016 by ethernautrix

[ethernautrix]

Wanted to add that urushi won't always look brand new. My Nakayas all have those unnoticeable to the naked eye micro marks from being used, and when I look close enough to see them, I feel an inner "yay!" I put those marks on the pens through use. That makes me happy.

[TheRealMikeDr]

I love his reviews, but sbre brown likes big heavy pens because his hands are huge and he has a baroque sensibility that is delightful but that I don't share. His personality comes across in his reviews and his selection of pens. That is why I enjoy his reviews. Even his lack of interest in the Nakaya tells me how much I will love them.

 

The Nakayas are the opposite of both baroque and heavy. My three have a quiet beauty that I like very much. I can write with them without being distracted. They feel almost like ceramic.

 

Regarding your interpretation of Mr. Browns review - I agree 100%. If you look at his "Greatest of All-Time" pen lists over the past few years he definitely leans toward big heavy pens. The Nakaya is a light-ish pen as he references. He also leans towards non-japanese pens, perhaps because they tend to be lighter and more subdued in design. I enjoy watching his videos quite a bit and he's very schooled on fountain pens - but that doesn't translate 100% to what you or I will like as a pen.

 

Regarding the original question - buying the three nice pens is certainly the best value proposition here. The Lamy 2k and Pilot 74 are superb pens (never tried an M200) in my opinion and are superb values. The Nakaya isn't a "value pen" as the esteemed Mr. Brown states. You buy it for several reasons - the mystique of a handcrafted pen made by retired pen master craftsmen, you buy it for something unique - no two Nakaya's will be exactly alike, you buy for the subtle beauty of the pen. So the question comes down to following your head (buy the three pens = better value) or following your heart (Buy the "work of art" pen).

 

I have never had a moment of buyers remorse from my Nakaya and suggest you follow your heart on this one!

 

[katanankes]

A lot of good advice! No need to repeat.

 

Just wondering what Mr Brown would think of the now discontinued Dorsal Fin.

[ISW_Kaputnik]

I have considered the "cheapest" Nakaya, the briarwood model costing $350, with a bit extra to get a custom grind on the nib. For reasons of my own, I've decided that it's not something that I really want at that price.

 

But it's possible that in the long run you will spend enough on pens to have gotten a $700 (or more) Nakaya and three to five pens in the $100 to $200 range. Or you might prefer never to go much above $200, regardless of the total. I've set my own ceiling at around $250, and with the quality of writing instruments I have, I haven't regretted it. But I can't claim to have spent my money more sensibly than people who have bought fewer pens for the same amount.

 

If I do have any advice, it would be to buy one or two pens like the Pilot Custom 74, Pilot Custom Heritage 91 or 92, or Lamy 2000 first, and save a little longer to see if you still want the Nakaya. But if you're certain you do want it, then you'll probably get it sooner or later anyway.

Edited May 22, 2016 by ISW_Kaputnik

[flipper_gv]

 

Regarding your interpretation of Mr. Browns review - I agree 100%. If you look at his "Greatest of All-Time" pen lists over the past few years he definitely leans toward big heavy pens. The Nakaya is a light-ish pen as he references. He also leans towards non-japanese pens, perhaps because they tend to be lighter and more subdued in design. I enjoy watching his videos quite a bit and he's very schooled on fountain pens - but that doesn't translate 100% to what you or I will like as a pen.

 

I always think that trying to be objective on reviews was an error since there is no justifiable reason to buy a luxury fountain pen. All there is is personal preference. So, when someone doesn't hide his bias, the message is actually clearer.

[pajaro]

I like light pens of modest size. The Nakaya was beautiful, but I moved it on. I just like the MB 144 better, possibly because it was the first pen I bought over $100. I think I wanted a bit more bling than the Nakaya. A lot of money, raised expectations, and no pen satisfies everybody. I suppose everyone's praises led me to expect too much. This wasn't the only pen that I felt this way about. Still, I think having one great pen that does resonate with you is a good thing. Try the Nakaya, and if you don't like it trade it or sell it. There will be willing buyers for a pen most people like.

[Uncial]

If you can afford it now then buy it now. You may not be able to afford it later, whereas the other pens will likely be affordable later.

[Pensei]

I face a particular challenge with Nakaya: the one I like best is $8000.

http://nakaya.org/en/review.aspx?id=29&type=body

[inkstainedruth]

I'm probably in the minority. But I'd rather have the three pens. Urushi for me is "look but don't touch". And at the price I'd be terrified to take it out of the house for fear of losing it. I've lost or misplaced pens a lot less expensive and I was just sick to my stomach. Heck I was sick to my stomach when I thought I'd lost a $9 US Parker Vector....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Joe in Seattle]

I wanted an orange pen like a Delta Dolce Vita. Bought a Kaweco ice in orange, a Levenger orange, and finally bought the Dolce Vita I wanted all along. Go big, it's cheaper in the long run.

[DustyR]

http://i67.photobucket.com/albums/h286/bakuma/nakayaamairo_zpsdizcvs6x.jpg

Edited May 23, 2016 by DustyR

[IrishEyes]

When you're my age (mid 50s), you don't tend to "settle" for second best if you can afford the best on your wish list. At least, ime. And while I don't find anything particularly appealing in the pen brand you dream about owning, I DO have the same feelings about Yard O Led sterling silver pens, so I can understand. When I finally got my YOL Viceroy Grand Victorian last week, the universe seemed to align, and all became well with my world :-). I have tons of wonderful pens--the most expensive of which was half the price of the Grand--but, OH, the joy of writing with that grail pen any chance I get is beyond satisfying--it's a complete joy! I'd go for your grail pen, if you know that's what you dream of and are likely to use the most--perhaps to the exclusion of most others. It'll probably save you a few hundred (or more) dollars over the long haul, by not buying a bunch of other pens in hopes of finding a less expensive version of your "grail" pen :-).

 

Then again, if you're just looking for a "trophy" pen as a work of art to look at but not touch, I'd probably go for the ones you're most likely to actually USE. After all, what good is a fountain pen if it's too "precious" to actually use for its intended purpose? It's kind of like "trailer queen" cars that never get driven, they just get trailered around from one car show to another--I just don't see the point :-).

[pensuponpens]

Do you want a work of art? Buy the Nakaya. Do you want several pens to rotate in use? Get the three. The Nakaya is unique, it will be beautiful, but that beauty comes at a price.