Issues With Namiki #50, Including Urushi Blistering

[msum]

Zombie thread!

 

My pen has made its way to Japan via Pilot Australia in New South Wales.

 

I shall await the outcome of an inspection in Japan.

 

I paid quite a small amount to ship the pen to Pilot Australia. I am told all other travel expenses will be covered.

 

Im getting into Japanese pens (oh dear...). As if I havent already got enough pen interests.

[MartinPauli]

On my opinion, people that are so picky should avoid at all to buy hand made things. They should buy completely machine made pens like Montblanc for example.

100'000 machine made pens are all identical. Hand made pens are all individual

[msum]

It seems some feel that the potential issue identified with the thread is real. Obviously it may not be the majority of people, since were dealing with a small sample size... Im clearly biased but I think theres enough for me to go on. I did ask Pilot Australia to get the visiting representative from Japan to inspect it before going to the effort of taking it back to Japan - and I didnt hear anything before it left Australian shores, so I assume they thought it was worth scrutinising more closely, at least.

 

Sorry if this comes across as defensive, but Im hoping to present the facts accurately. i.e. it may be an actual problem and the manufacturer may consider it to be so - that is yet to be seen

[pitonyak]

On my opinion, people that are so picky should avoid at all to buy hand made things. They should buy completely machine made pens like Montblanc for example.

100'000 machine made pens are all identical. Hand made pens are all individual

 

I think that it is the people who are picky who are more likely to purchase a nicer pen. I do not know anything about the pen model in question, but, a quick google search says that it sells for more than $1000. If I spend $1000 on a pen, it had better be near perfect in every way. OK, if I spend $200 on a pen...

 

I do believe that this post started with "is this a problem or normal?"

[MartinPauli]

Who determines what is perfect and what is no?

Maybe some notes about quality, mechanical quality and optical quality.

As a watch maker for over 20 years I can tell you about standards in the industry.

 

That a watch has to work perfectly is obvious but there are many discussions about the optical quality. The official standard for optical quality in the Swiss watch industry is following:

"A trained person inspects a watch in daylight quality with naked eyes for a time period of 20 seconds. If no scratch, flow or dust is seen, the watch is considered perfect for sale.

 

The percentage of poducts or parts to be scrapped during production has an essential influence on the calculation of the product's price. On my opinion the claims in this case are somehow embarrassing. Why shall a maufacturer scrap a beautifully lacquered pen because there is a tiny flow on a thread inside the pen that doesn't at all influence the quality of the pen.

Also the feed was lacquered for a special reason to protect the ebonite material. I cannot imagin that someone except them to polish this part.

 

Product calculation on a 1000$ pen.

If you buy a pen in a store for 1000$, the retailer pays to the distributor 500$. The distributor pays the manufacturer 250$. How much do you think the manufacturer pays to their suppliers (lacquerer)?

The calculation in watch industry is between Production Cost x 12 and Production Cost x 25 depending on the brand. The better the brand's image the higher the calculation. Advertising, Lobbying, PR has to be paid by someone.

[Tseg]

I've collected watches... and watches make pens (even $1K pens) look inexpensive. Rule #1 with watches: throw away all your loupes or you will be sorely disappointed. Macro shots on a pen qualify equally, in my opinion. Unfortunately with pens a loupe is required to adjust tines perfectly, which can lead to straying eyes and disappointment.

[msum]

Thanks for the insights into the Swiss watchmaking industry. I find that quite interesting. But perhaps it is a topic for discussion in more detail at a different time.

 

I am hoping to hear from Namiki in the not too distant future as to what they think is acceptable according to their standards.

[freakman]

Hi all,

 

Hoping some of you knowledgeable folk may be able to help me out as to how to proceed here.

 

I purchased a Namiki #50 Black Urushi from a fellow FPNer.

 

On initial inspection, I noted a couple of issues which I have tried to reflect in the attached photos:

 

1) Blistering of black urushi coating on underside of feed

 

2) Small chips (probably two) affecting the blind cap thread

 

The blind cap screws down onto the barrel without any issues. The chips are toward the top of the photo, where the thread is tapering down as it spirals up to the blind cap. So theyre fortunately at the other end of the thread to that which first engages with the barrel when one screws the blind cap on.

 

The seller doesnt know anything about either of these issues and hasnt sugggested that I contact Namiki under the assumption that they are manufacturing flaws (seems a reasonable accumption). I imagine the pen would be well out of warranty (the last two digits of the nib stamp are 09 which I had thought means that the nib was made in 2009).

 

What do you all think? Are these issues out of the ordinary? Is contacting Namiki indeed the best course of action? If so, who should I contact? I have sent a message to Pilot here in Australia as I failed to find appropriate contact details on the Namiki website.

 

Many thanks.

 

Cheers,

M

 

P.S. Let me know if there are issues with the photos

 

F6A7BC55-A19A-42B4-9634-6F53BACB9BF3.jpeg

D762A569-1334-46B8-9152-FAA5797EAB8E.jpeg

The blistering is completely normal on any Namiki pens that has been inked or dipped. The water vapor inside the cap will vaporize and condense on the lacquer surface, making the temperature to rise and drop during the process. This cycle of temperature change will make the urushi surface to slightly expand and shrink. And since the urushi is applied on an acid corroded plastic feed, the contact between the urushi and the plastic is not so firm like ebonite. And some of the urushi will peel off the surface of the feed and making the surface uneven. It is also possible to happen on the section if the temperature change is large enough.

For the chips, I think it's completely normal and doesn't affect any performance of the pen. If you want perfect threads, chose metal ones.

[msum]

Hi all,

 

A long overdue update and close to this thread.

 

I got the pen back from Pilot Japan.

 

This is not verbatim but they essentially said the threads are within manufacturing tolerances. However, surprisingly, given the information provided earlier in this thread, they did replace the feed. The replacement feed also has bubbling (I think the bubbles are finer, though, to be fair). And it isnt completely centred underneath the nib (I dont think the first feed was either). Cest la vie :-).

 

So, I guess all my questions have been answered straight from the horses (manufacturers) mouth.

 

I guess it goes to show the quality of the knowledge of those who frequent this forum, since people had already told me that the feed is normal and a few people also indicated that the thread is a non-issue.

 

Thanks everyone.