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What are the differences between ebonite made in Japan and elsewhere? I learned that a pen using Indian ebonite I was planning to purchase will soon be available in Japanese ebonite for about $10 extra. I'm guessing the Japanese ebonite has less imperfections/impurities in the ebonite -- correct me if I'm wrong -- but I'm wondering if it's merely aesthetic or if the Japanese ebonite is otherwise superior; for example, less likely to discolor, more durable, less prone to cracking over time, etc. I read on the Eboya (=Nikko Ebonite) site that they are the only ones in Japan still producing ebonite (with only 2 other factories in Germany and I'm assuming a few in India outside of Japan), so I'm guessing the ebonite will be sourced from them. I have hitherto only purchased resin and celluloid pens and still have much to learn when it comes to ebonite. Any info or links to threads which discuss this would be greatly appreciated!

It took almost 18 months but they finaly reached our shop : the Eboya Japan fountain pens ! An "Eboya" has everything you expect from a Japanese fountain pen. It is zen, pure, rich, sober and masterful. We are more than happy to present you these beautiful pens ! https://www.sakurafountainpengallery.com/en/boutique/eboya-japan-japanse-pennen If you happen to be in Diest, you are more than welcome ! Catherine

I would like to know if European customers would like an eye-dropper system for the Eboya's. I have the Eboya pens in my boutique but ordered them only with cartridge/convertors. Eye-droppers are not common in Europe. When I mention in general the possibility of eye-dropper system customers tend to respond in a negative way. It seems to me that in the US eye-droppers are more accepted and appreciated. I would appreciate your comments.

Dear Pen Lovers, "2016" will be a year of new balances, challenges and ... gorgeous fountain pens. From now on Eboya pens are avaiable in the SFPG ! It took 4 months to receive these pens but they are worth it. We start humble with 10 pens ( actualy 9 because a customer already fell in love with one of the Kyouka's ) but it is our goal to increase our stock considerably. I wish you a lot of fun discovering these perfect writing instruments. Enjoy ! Happy New Year, Catherine http://www.sakurafountainpengallery.com/en/boutique/new-eboya-japan-schrijfwaren

Eboya Kyouka, medium-size, Ink-stop filling mechanism So I’ve had my Eboya Kyouka for about a month now and figured it was time for a review. http://i.imgur.com/G9TUbRj.jpg http://i.imgur.com/D5PtVBn.jpg I first learned about Eboya fountain pens earlier this year, when it was announced that John Mottishaw would be carrying them on his site. Though Eboya has been making pens for several years now, up until this point, they have only sold pen in Japan, outside of the occasional foreign pen show. http://i.imgur.com/BmQsYSr.jpg The logo machine-engraved into the barrel. The first thing that struck me about Eboya was the unique designs they have. Their designs, like the Kyouka and bamboo-like Ricchiku, aren’t found often in modern pen companies. My own pen tastes lean towards the simple: clipless, minimal or nonexistent trim, flat-tops, monochromatic nibs. The Kyouka immediately grabbed my interest. http://i.imgur.com/mSTlCPC.jpg Comparison with other pens. From top: Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000, Eboya Kyouka (medium-size), Pilot Vanishing Point. http://i.imgur.com/St1cu50.jpg The ink-stop mechanism's sealing rod is visible when the barrel is unscrewed. After a few weeks of trying to find more information about Eboya and review of their pens and largely not succeeding, I decided to pull the trigger on a Kyouka from Nibs.com. Since my specific choice wasn’t in stock with them, it had to be a special-order. I was told it’d be 4-6 months but could be longer. It took 7 months. The ordering process was smooth, and Nibs.com packaged it perfectly. http://i.imgur.com/Zu1soqW.jpg Ebonite feed. Aside from the unique designs Eboya has available, the other interesting aspect of their fountain pens is the range of filling-systems they offer. In addition to the typical cartridge-converter, you can order your pen as a button-filler or a Japanese eyedropper (eyedropper with shut-off valve). I chose the Japanese eyedropper for my pen. http://i.imgur.com/i1gLp8w.jpg Comparison with other pens. From top: Nakaya Piccolo, Romillo Eo #9, Shawn Newton Orville (medium-size), Eboya (medium-size), Edison Pearl, Danitrio Flat-Top Mikado. http://i.imgur.com/8ZCs9a4.jpg Blind cap unscrewed. Japanese eyedroppers are presently made only by three companies Danitrio, Namiki, and Eboya. Eboya offers the filling system at a much lower price than the other two manufacturers. The system has an internal reservoir, with a sealing rod running through it. When the blind cap is screwed on, the sealing rod prevents ink from going to the feed. When the blind cap is unscrewed slightly, ink can flow properly. In my experience owning two Japanese eyedropper pens (a Danitrio Mikado and this Eboya Kyouka), it’s a wonderful system with a huge ink capacity and virtually leak-proof. I’m definitely a fan. Diagram of Eboya Japanese eyedropper system. http://imgur.com/Dlcu3sR In the top, the blind cap is unscrewed, allowing ink to flow to the feed. In the pen under that, the blind cap is screwed on, resulting the in sealing rod cutting off ink flow. http://i.imgur.com/dgaNBe9.jpg Ink-stop mechanism. Kanesaki handcrafts all Eboya pens out of ebonite. Eboya is a subsidiary of Nikko-Ebonite, the only ebonite manufacturer in Japan that supplies most of the major Japanese pen companies with ebonite as well as custom penmakers around the world. The pens are available in numerous mottled ebonites and a couple rippled ebonite patterns. http://i.imgur.com/LqgPGyE.jpg Ink-stop mechanism and inside of the section. My pen is in a red/black mottled ebonite in the Kyouka model. It’s a somewhat softened flat-top at both ends with part of the blind cap narrowing to facilitate posting. While the pen does post very securely, and the ebonite cap is light enough to not make the pen back-heavy, it felt overly long to me when posted. I always used the pen the the unposted position, which is my prefered way to write. http://i.imgur.com/nNdTe2a.jpg Sealing rod which has just had silicone grease applied to it. The Kyouka model’s design is based off a classic pen: Onoto The Pen. The design was hugely influential on vintage Japanese pen companies. Onoto the Pen http://i.imgur.com/k7hvvWv.jpg Does the design look familiar? http://i.imgur.com/IykN4S8.jpg Eboya nib next to Lamy Safari nib. Each pen comes in 2 or 3 different sizes, each with a nib whose physical size corresponds to the pen. My pen is a medium-size Kyouka with a 14kt Bock 220 nib (a little smaller than a typical #6, which is included on the large-size pens). It’s really great that Eboya offers pens across the size range and offers the filling systems they do. For those interested in a small- or medium-size pen with a Japanese eyedropper filling system, Eboya is the only modern option as the Danitrio and Namiki eyedropper pens are MB 149-size at their smallest. http://i.imgur.com/9jVK8lT.jpg Eboya and Danitrio Flat-Top Mikado: two Japanese eyedroppers with their blind caps unscrewed. In the hand, the pen is lightweight and very comfortable. Nibs.com lists the weight of the complete pen as 22 grams. With its ebonite construction and absence of heavy parts, one can write with it for hours without tiring. http://i.imgur.com/MZCdnMd.jpg Comparison with other pens: Romillo Eo #9, Edison Pearl, Shawn Newton custom, Eboya Kyouka (medium-size). All Eboya pens come with 14kt gold nibs made by Bock. The nib writes wonderfully — wet, smooth with a touch of feedback — but aesthetically it would look nicer to have Eboya engraved on the nib rather than the Bock logo. They have done an awesome job machine-engraving the barrel of the pen; it seems it wouldn’t have been too difficult to engrave the nib too. In any case, it’s not a deal breaker for me, by any means, but I do hope that in the future they’ll switch to blank nibs that they engrave themselves. Eboya nib http://i.imgur.com/050bqAQ.jpg The books in the background, by the way, are I Lost My Love in Baghdad by Michael Hastings and War by Sebastian Junger. The feed is made of ebonite. It is very attractive and works perfectly. I don’t think they could have done a better job on that. Being 14kt, the nib is slightly springy but giving it a little pressure increases ink flow more than it spreads the tines. I expect the large-size pens to be more springy due to the larger nibs. Writing sample http://i.imgur.com/PrRbOmY.jpg I’ve been very pleased with my Eboya. I absolutely plan to get another one in the future (probably a large-size Hakobune with a special-order #8-size nib), and highly recommend Eboya to anyone interested in their designs or a more moderately-priced and/or moderately-sized Japanese eyedropper.

The Eboya arrived today! Here's some quick pictures; I'll do a full review after a few weeks of use. Eboya Kyouka with some popular pens http://i.imgur.com/4snnu6i.jpg Eboya medium-size nib and Lamy Safari nib http://i.imgur.com/xbMFKnB.jpg Eboya logo machine engraved into the barrel http://i.imgur.com/cdxEGwJ.jpg Eboya ebonite feed, which I assume is made in-house. It looks really cool! http://i.imgur.com/GbeW1qE.jpg Eboya nib/section and ink-stop mechanism. http://i.imgur.com/St1cu50.jpg I've filled it up with Sailor Miruai. It takes over 3ml of ink. Nibs.com lists 4ml as being the capacity, which is probably right. I didn't fill it all the way. I ordered it with a medium nib, and asked Mottishaw to tune it for generous ink flow. It's very smooth! Really light pen, too, and comfortable in the hand. For those looking for a Japanese eyedropper that isn't the size of a Mikado/Genkai or Namiki Emperor, I think Eboya is a great option.