Namiki - Maki - E Tropical Fish Review

August 10, 2013

August 10, 2013

Review for Namiki Maki – e Tropical Fish

Background

I had been looking for a nice Japanese Maki – e pen for a while but it’s hard for me to pull the trigger because of its price. I wanted something that is special, something that can be both useful and beautiful to look at. Personally I don’t have that many Japanese fountain pens. The three Sailors that I had I sold them many years ago because I just don’t find them that special. Yes I agree with many people that they do have one of the best nibs on the market and its one of those pens that will write flawless right out of the box without any kind of adjustment. But something is missing; I am not sure what it is…

Presentation: 9/10

Very well build wooden box with Namiki logo on it. Once you open the outer box you will find the warranty booklet, a letter of guarantee for the Maki – e work and a letter of authentication. The inner box has red velvet lining and comes with a bottle of Namiki blue ink.

The Nib: 9.5/10

The pen has an M nib but it writes between an Extra Fine and Fine compare to my other pens. Its one of the best nibs I own and here is why. Many people who had exposure to other pen brands knows that finer nib tend to be more scratcher than border nibs and lay down less juicer lines. To solve that problem one can find a nibster to adjust the flow but the balance is hard to achieve unless you are getting your pen adjusted right in front of the nibster. This nib has that balance. It lays down nice line without being too wet and yet it’s not scratching at all.

Filling System: 8/10

It's an convertor filled system. Personally I like piston filled system but this pen come with Namiki's con 70 convertor and it holds good amount of inks compare to other convertors.

The Body: 9/10

It’s a heavy pen because the Maki-e was done on solid brass rather than resin. The Maki – e art was overlay by clear lacquer therefore it’s smooth unlike the Sailor Maki – e where you can feel the Maki - e artwork.

Capped: 5 6/8 inches

Uncapped: 5 1/8 inches

Posted: 6 ½ inches

Diameter: almost ½ inch

For comparison it’s slightly larger than the 145 but slightly smaller than the 146. Personally I prefer larger pens (149, M1000 etc…) but the weight and the length makes it easy for me to use.

Overall: 9.5/10

The writing experience with this pen is so good that I am falling in love with Japanese pen all over again. The construction of this pen was extremely solid due to its solid brass body and cap. Nothing in this pen feels flimsy or loose. Is it worth its price tag of MSRP $2800? I would say yes and no. For $2800 you can get many nice high-end pens but if you are in my shoes that is looking for something different and special than it’s worth it. Overall this pen is both a tool pen and a jewelry.