Nakaya Nightmare - At A Loss

[Betweenthelines]

Hi guys, not sure what I hope to get out of this topic but I need to share my experience - here's the email I sent John (nibs.com) about my Naka-ai:

 

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Hi there,

 

I'm sure you guys are sick of hearing from me, but honestly this Naka-ai has been nothing but a headache when it comes to its flow problems. It is infuriating to me that every other pen I've owned can have consistent and wet flow, but for some reason this $600 pen, my most expensive by far, can not.

 

I've sent it into you guys twice, and then Mike Masuyama twice, and still after 4 service trips the flow on this pen downright stinks. It's dry, inconsistent (often going dark to light or light to dark), and while it rarely fully sputters out anymore thanks to the last trip to you guys, it still does once in a while (did so again today - stopped flowing and required copious tapping and shaking to get it going).

 

Both times I sent it to you guys and asked about it after I was told there was 'ink residue' as part of the problem. This seems absurd to me, as I have many other pens, vintage and modern, that can be left for months and will still write with perfect flow. And yet this $600 pen can't be left alone for a couple weeks without clogging up? Unless I am misinterpreting what I was told.

 

I have tried multiple inks and only the very very wettest work well in it. I have also tried both converter and now cartridge, thinking that the agitator ball in the cartridge would help. The nib tines have been opened plenty. All I can assume is that Nakaya's feeds are just plain awful, or at least mine is.

 

I'm sorry to vent but I have thrown so much money into this pen, both in the purchase and service trips, that I am at my wit's end. I adore the pen's aesthetic and the divine nib John ground for me, but the flow kills the experience and makes me not want to write with it. And now I'm dreading my Long Cigar that's supposed to be finished any day now.

 

Is there any solution to this? Could I just have a defective feed? Can you guys just replace the whole feed if so? I so want to love this pen

 

Thank you for hearing me out,

 

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So, John sent me a nice personal message, stating he would replace the feed and keep the pen on him for a while to fully test it and ensure that it's writing at a consistent 8/10 flow. They paid for shipping and I got it back.

 

Well, after it's 5th trip to a nibmesiter and 3rd trip to John, I can officially say the problem still persists. If I prime the feed it will write close to 8/10, then slowly fades to about 4/10, maybe 3/10. Ink is tsuki-yo, a wet, reliable Japanese ink.

 

I am at a loss. Apparently this pen is an anomaly and stumps the best nibmeisters in the world. I'm tempted to sell it. I don't even want to go through the headache of sending it out again. This has been ongoing for over a year. It sucks not wanting to use this pen.

[EdeIstein88]

Omg.. that is my holy grail pen.. I'm planning to buy 1, but after saw this case, make me think twice..

[Algester]

the only fix for this is to get a feed replacement or hack the feed the latter one might be more helpful

curious do you own other platinum pens which you like the flow then you will need to use that feed instead provided the Nakaya you have actually uses the new feed that is used on their 3776 line up

provided it is indeed a feed issue and if that works out then you will need to someway somehow buy a new feed from Platinum/Nakaya

 

or someway somehow attend a pen clinic hosted by Nakaya to get it fixed

Edited November 20, 2016 by Algester

[Mastiff]

I don't know what to say... Could it be the converter?

[gerigo]

The people at Itoya once showed me this trick. He would take a piece of paper and would touch it against the area where the feed and the nib come in contact with each other, just behind the tip of the nib. He would touch this area 5 times. If the spots of ink are exact and consistent, the feed is good. If the spots are inconsistent, it shows that the feed is not adequately feeding ink to the nib.

 

Since you have already sent it to probably the best people in the world who can deal with the problem, I would not even hesitate to guess what the problem would be. I have at least 6 Nakayas, and about 8 Platinums and they are among my top favorite pens. Don't be discouraged. They are amazing pens!

[jar]

Tell us more.

 

Are you using a converter?

 

Does the same thing happen if you switch to a cartridge?

 

What inks are you using?

[Betweenthelines]

This is with cartridge and converter, primarily Tsuki-yo.

[Ghost Plane]

That should not be a problem ink. I'm surprised Mike couldn't solve it. He's my go-to guy for feed issues and my huge nibs need wet hoses. He's worked miracles on dry/skipping stubs/IBs.

 

You mentioned pens sitting. Can you clarify? Are we talking caps off during a lengthy session with long passes between note jotting? Or nibs drying out with caps on? Or is it the nibs running dry during lengthy writing sessions with ink remaining?

[Bluey]

Buy a cheap Platinum 3776 and swap the nib/feed out (but with difficulty I'm afraid). The nib is exactly the same anyway. All the extra that you're paying for with the Nakaya is the barrel being hand made.

Edited November 20, 2016 by Bluey

[jar]

This is with cartridge and converter, primarily Tsuki-yo.

If it works for days when John is testing it but for you it has to be something in how you are using it or a difference that can be identified.

 

Have you tried a Platinum cartridge?

 

How long does it sit between uses?

 

How is it stored between uses?

 

Have you tried an ink like Waterman blue?

 

When it starts to get pale have you gently opened the pen to see if there is an air bubble in the cartridge that is blocking the flow?

[Betweenthelines]

That should not be a problem ink. I'm surprised Mike couldn't solve it. He's my go-to guy for feed issues and my huge nibs need wet hoses. He's worked miracles on dry/skipping stubs/IBs.

 

You mentioned pens sitting. Can you clarify? Are we talking caps off during a lengthy session with long passes between note jotting? Or nibs drying out with caps on? Or is it the nibs running dry during lengthy writing sessions with ink remaining?

Sitting as in sitting in my pen case with my other pens. But not for a significant amount of time, certainly not long enough for ink to dry.. my other pens are fine.

[Betweenthelines]

If it works for days when John is testing it but for you it has to be something in how you are using it or a difference that can be identified.

 

Have you tried a Platinum cartridge?

 

How long does it sit between uses?

 

How is it stored between uses?

 

Have you tried an ink like Waterman blue?

 

When it starts to get pale have you gently opened the pen to see if there is an air bubble in the cartridge that is blocking the flow?

Yes, same issue with platinum cartridges. Even tried filling cartridge with wetter inks.

 

Maybe a few days, a week at most between uses.

 

Stored in my pen case on my desk next to my other pens.

 

Don't own Waterman blue.

 

Yes, I will unscrew, tap, shake, remove and reinsert. Trust me I've been thorough. It only flows well when I prime the feed by twisting the converter and pushing ink into the feed then gradually lightens and dries out.

 

Bottom line none of my other pens have had this issue. A $600 pen should not need to be coddled in order to work. That just makes it a (bleep) pen.

[jar]

Yes, same issue with platinum cartridges. Even tried filling cartridge with wetter inks.

 

Maybe a few days, a week at most between uses.

 

Stored in my pen case on my desk next to my other pens.

 

Don't own Waterman blue.

 

Yes, I will unscrew, tap, shake, remove and reinsert. Trust me I've been thorough. It only flows well when I prime the feed by twisting the converter and pushing ink into the feed then gradually lightens and dries out.

 

Bottom line none of my other pens have had this issue. A $600 pen should not need to be coddled in order to work. That just makes it a (bleep) pen.

Okay, if you have to tap or shake the converter it is most likely a surface tension issue. That is very often ink and pen and converter specific.

 

Try this.

 

before you fill your Nakaya with your favored ink fill the converter outside the pen with water. Take a wood toothpick and quickly dip it in some dishwashing detergent then wipe it off. Stick the tooth pick into the water in the converter, count to ten and remove the toothpick. Empty the converter, put it back in the pen and fill it with your inl as normal. See if the problem has gone away.

[Lam1]

I can't offer any advice. But I'm so sorry that you are experiencing so many problems with this pen (and spending so much to try get it to work). A pen at this price point should work well. Period. A little problem here and there is understandable, but after 5 trips to service... wow!

I really hope you get it working to your liking. Best of luck.

Edited November 20, 2016 by Lam1

[Betweenthelines]

Okay, if you have to tap or shake the converter it is most likely a surface tension issue. That is very often ink and pen and converter specific.

 

Try this.

 

before you fill your Nakaya with your favored ink fill the converter outside the pen with water. Take a wood toothpick and quickly dip it in some dishwashing detergent then wipe it off. Stick the tooth pick into the water in the converter, count to ten and remove the toothpick. Empty the converter, put it back in the pen and fill it with your inl as normal. See if the problem has gone away.

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give it a try. But as I noted even with the cartridge and agitator ball, and copious shaking and tapping the flow didn't improve. I honestly think it's a feed issue. But I'll try it.

[jar]

Thanks for the suggestion, I'll give it a try. But as I noted even with the cartridge and agitator ball, and copious shaking and tapping the flow didn't improve. I honestly think it's a feed issue. But I'll try it.

It may be a feed issue but you said John used the pen and did not have the problem. That indicates that the issue is related to some factor that is different between when you use it and when he used it. The feed is one part that would not have changed.

[GardenWeasel]

I'm curious. Does it write smoothly? Can you post a pic showing the feed and nib please? I wonder if nib and feed are well seated....

[bitterwonder]

I bought a Bexley from Richard Binder that would not write. Binder told me to look at his website to read how to use a stub nib. I wrote to Bexley and they told me I was a difficult customer. Neither would admit this was a defective pen. Masayuma got it to work briefly, then the whole pen fell apart.

 

I have used and owned fountain pens for over fifty years and know a detective pen when I have one.

Sorry you had this problem.

Btw, Platinum pens have always been wonderful for me, but never had a Nakaya.

[nekomuffchu]

If Jar's suggestion doesn't work, then send directly to Nakaya or have the feed and nib changed. I'm sure Nakaya would like to know from a quality control perspective why the pen isn't working.

[jde]

Wow, this is a tough one! I had this happen once twice, not with a Japanese nib, but with a JoWo—the nib going back & forth to known experts & never flowing correctly. (And once with a vintage Visconti nib.) Clearly it was "my" problem. I finally just replaced the nib unit entirely & the problem was resolved, but that's much easier to do that kind of JoWo nib swap than it is with your Nakaya. (My Visconti problem was solved by Masuyama.)

 

John replaced the feed but not the nib? Am I remembering correctly from past posts that you got a CI of some kind? I wonder if he replaced the nib with an unmodified one, if the problem would go away. I'd go back to John once more; talk to him directly. He does wants you to be happy.

 

Hope you get this resolved so that you don't have to write it off as worst pen experience ever.

Edited November 21, 2016 by jde