Power!

[watch_art]

Got this sweet little vintage Japanese eyedropper from an FPNer and I couldn't be happier. Has to be one of the best pens of all time!!!!

 

Written on CHEAP jankity jank Mead journal paper that I bought for the hard cover and yellowish paper. Oh well.

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5210/5222280707_28d7210a4e_b.jpg

power1 by watch_art, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5169/5222280905_be19000f94_b.jpg

power2 by watch_art, on Flickr

 

Edit: I almost forgot the photos...

 

as always, click them for bigger images (especially of that drop dead sexy nib!!)

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5044/5222315981_87d7a79caf.jpg

002 by watch_art, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5166/5222316101_0fde98a72b.jpg

006 by watch_art, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5162/5222912564_b5c37700f6.jpg

007 by watch_art, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5009/5222912702_f687d6a626.jpg

009 by watch_art, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5209/5222912898_c7a96d0a25.jpg

012 by watch_art, on Flickr

Edited December 1, 2010 by watch_art

[ttakacs]

Sweet!

[Ted H]

I'm glad you got that one. Nice vibe/attitude to it.

[Verbose]

Very nice, how much did you have to clean it out?

[watch_art]

Didn't have to clean anything.

[ethernautrix]

Your illustrated, hand-written reviews are most cool.

[watch_art]

THANKS!

[rcarlisle]

Thank you for your review. You are a great illustrator! What a talent. Though I am sure it took a lot of hard work to develop it to this level.

[rwilsonedn]

Great review on a pen I seriously looked at when it came up. Glad someone here landed it!

ron

[ToasterPastry]

I have one of these 1930s Japanese Safety-fillers, made by Well. As Ethernautrix, and even her brother, can attest, it's an amazing pen. Watch Art's review did include writing samples, but he didn't push the pen to its limits of flexibility. Like other Japanese pens of this era, the nib can write with fine detail as well as lots of springy flex. Unlike other flexible nibs of either USA or British manufacture, it has lots of backbone without compromising its flexibility.

 

The main flaw in this design is that the "blind cap" (actually, turning nob) end of the pen has a cork seal that prevents ink from leaking out through the stem-hole. When the cork gets old it decomposes, causing the pen to leak badly out the back end. This can be repaired. However, it took me seven months, and several restoration 'specialists' (some very well known to most members here) to figure out how to do it.

 

I had difficulty understanding what purpose the Japanese had in shutting off ink to the nib when simply placing the pen in the pocket could cause the pen to leak.

[Lloyd]

Is this a Shiro nib?

To quote Leigh Reyes's blog:

Japanese wartime pens have Shiro (steel) nibs, which are usually flexy, but have a higher risk of not springing back after being flexed.

[significantpass]

POWAAAAHHHHH!!!!!!

[watch_art]

Hmm. Learning lots! Don't know about the cork, when I run it out I'll clean it and look. If it ever goes bad, to the point it's leaking, I think I"ll just cut off the rod and close the turning knob permanently. It's such a great little pen.

 

I don't know WHY they use that shut off rod. I think it's kind of odd.

 

And I wouldn't be surprised if it's a steel nib, but I dunno. I also don't think I'm gonna push it more than I already have. I don't wanna wreck it.

[kathleen]

Your illustrated, hand-written reviews are most cool.

 

+1

Edited December 2, 2010 by kathleen

[watch_art]

thanks so much!! i really appreciate it!

[ToasterPastry]

While it was not my intention to answer my own question, the answer actually occurred to me by an "inverse solution," i.e. starting backwards and working out. In the early 20th century, feed systems on pens were very primitive. It was common to have ink spontaneously blort out of the pen when you write. Ideally this doesn't happen. But, unfortunately, it does. Over the years, many individuals came up with clever designs to allow ink to flow smoothly from the pen, e.g. Parker's Lucky Curve feed. Modern feeds are far superior than one's from 1905. As much as I love vintage nibs, I usually give up with an old pen for daily use for this reason. Japanese companies came up with a Safety-system that allowed the user to deliver a specific quantity of ink to the nib. Watch what happens when you open the valve up all the way and start writing with it. I recommend that you stand over the sink when you do this. This is why you can't just pull out the rod and seal over the turning nob. What I don't understand is why 'all' the Japanese companies did this. I could leave this question to Ron Dutcher.

[freewheelingvagabond]

Is this nib a flex or a semi-flex? Looks like one. Like your reviews.

 

Regards,

Anindya.

[watch_art]

I don't know how old it is, and no clue about the feed as I haven't pulled it apart yet, but I'm sure it is as simple as you say it is. But I haven't had any blorps yet and I ALWAYS start off by opening the knob, tapping it on the cap to get ink into the feed, taking the cap off and going to town. And I've NEVER had a blorp of ink. Hmmm.... I think the channel for the ink to travel down is so restrictive (maybe designed that way??) that it prevents this... I'm not sure...

 

Anindya:

THANKS! And I'm not sure what it's technically called, but it is semi flexible to my hands. Not soft by any means, stiff and firm, but still springy...