Namiki Falcon Ii

[JAPeN]

I think the older version has an elegance completely missing from the newer more utilitarian version.... Colour isn't everything......

 

Someone has a fine eye ...its very understated and very Japanese, the clip in profile is something only the owners would have noticed.

 

I find the remarks of 'plastic' amusing when one can purchase 'celluloid' for twice the amount.

 

[Deirdre]

http://img251.imageshack.us/img251/1646/sk2y3k6l2falcon5.jpg

 

This would have been snazzy. Bound to come at some point. But I do find the new one in black as it is pictured posted ok looking. Not liking the metal cone end, or the colored versions, something with the smooth cap ring combined with the metallic colors.

I prefer the thinner rules on the old style; don't really care about the resin cap vs. the metal cap.

[Sailor Kenshin]

So is the original Falcon still available? I was thinking of buying that very pen.

 

Yes, Richard Binder still has the old style, at the old price.

 

I have one from him and the pen is marvelous! Oh, the nib....

 

Erick

 

Sadly, I did NOT like this pen at all. I ordered one from Levenger's (their return policy can't be beat)but the nib felt chalky and rubbery and the pen itself, even cheaper and lighter than the 78G.

 

At around $140, it should not have been that way. I made a side-by-side comparison between the Falcon and my new black Phileas. The $60 pen looked better, wrote better and felt better than the Falcon.

 

And does anyone know the dif between the con 50 and 100 carts? Because they look identical to me.

 

Of all the Pilots I have, I like the Prera best.

[mrphyig]

Hoy, folks. I too dig the metal body and colours, and was planning to pick up one of the new Falcons as my first non-nail pen. In case I'm not the first one to take the plunge, would anyone be willing to confirm that the nibs are the same as those on the original Falcons (in that they're the same semi-flex, even though they're rhodium-plated)? The richest information I can find is here, but on the namiki.com page and the store page I've looked into, nothing is said about the "soft-x" nibs on the new falcons, and the description of its writing characteristics is "The Namiki Falcon fountain pen delivers ink in a smooth and controlled manner guaranteeing a pleasurable writing experience with every stroke," instead of the original's "The Namiki Falcon’s most extraordinary feature is its flexible, “hooded” nib that gently yields to the user’s writing angle. The nib was designed by our engineers with input from the association of pen shop owners in Japan who recommended a soft, flexible writing feel."

 

If anyone's in a position to clarify, I'd be all kinds of thankful.

Edited November 25, 2009 by mrphyig

[kmpn]

the new falcon II comes with the CON-70.

Edited November 25, 2009 by kmpn

[mrphyig]

the new falcon II comes with the CON-70.

Hi, kmpn. Thanks very much. I found the post on your blog answered my question about the nib (the close-up comparison shows that both have the <SF> designation).

[RLTodd]

I'm just seeing ads for the new Namiki Falcon II. No, it's not a piston fill, and from the pics it doesn't look all that appealing to me, especially for $240. Looks kinda Knight-like. Anyway, here's a link to the Falcon II.

 

Doug

 

Ditto.

 

Looks like another "winner" cooked up by the Sales Department.

[mudcrutch]

Use a Falcon everyday, great nib. The looks of the Falcon 2 I like. And for almost any fountain pen, price is a small concern. My VPs ( I have 3) have lasted for over 6 years. So if you add up the cost of throw away pens it is worth the money for the pen and ink. The quality and pleasure are very affordable.

[MVice78]

I ordered the new falcon and should be in sometime friday! I've been told they look better in person than they do in the pictures. I can't wait to get it!

[mrphyig]

It's been whispered that one is coming my way in March. I promise an interview. I'm looking forward to the extra weight of the metal body.

[Ernest]

I also had my misgivings about the the look and the Rhodium plating. Gold has that soft and warm appeal.

The Falcon nibs on the Custom 743/2 are more flexible.

But, I bought one anyway.

Don't know about the previous Resin Falcon , but I wanted a nib that is extrafine and flexy .

I bought mine with the new EXTRAFINE nib.

Couldn't be happier.

Don't like the price though. It is overpriced!

 

Ernest

[buffalowings]

personally, I can't understand why anybody would want to buy a falcon II if it uses the same nib (except it is plated with rhodium)as the falcon

[LostInThought]

The new colours are nice, but the old Falcon appeals to me more.

[MVice78]

I recieved my new Falcon today and couldn't be happier! The fine nib suits me well though the Sailor fine is thinner. I do admit that this does not give as much line variation as the M100 nibs, but these everday writing. I purposely took my paperwork from work home just to see how this pen and nib worked for me. The metal body gives it some extra weight that I like. Being just a bit taller than the M600 and shorter than the M800 it's a very comfortable pen to hold. Now, I wish I had the Resin Falcon to compare this one against. For me the Rhodium trim, Red body, and black section make this pen work for me and I would buy it again.

 

Mike

 

P.S. An added bonus would be to watch either MB bordeaux or Visconti burgundy flow form the nib. Either would be perfect with the red body!

Edited January 30, 2010 by MVice78

[rollerboy]

Pilot took a nice light weight user pen and doubled the weight and doubled the price. In my book, that makes it 1/4th as appealing as the original.

[significantpass]

Pilot took a nice light weight user pen and doubled the weight and doubled the price. In my book, that makes it 1/4th as appealing as the original.

Haha nothing brats good ol' mathematic reasoning!

[mrphyig]

For those of you who have the new Falcons, would you consider taking some pictures of the barrel and cap? (The nib-shot you did is beautiful, Ernest.)

[Caneta]

just got my PILOT Falcon ELABO in light blue with SM nib.I bought it as I liked the look and was intrigued by the nib design.It looks better in life than in the pics,very elegant and obviously of high quality as with most Pilots (I have VP,823 and bamboo and Falcon feels in place with these rather than 78 or prera). Performance is excellent, the nib glides effortlessly,closest pen I have for comparison would be a 51, great flow and definitely shows line variation.At the moment my favorite pen and I think it will continue to be so, well worth the £140 ($230) ...+tax!

[sotto2]

Today I snagged one of these metal Pilot red lacquer Falcons with the SF 14K rhodium-plated nibs. I really really like this pen. It has some very nice flex and writes a lot like my 1910+ era Ries Safety fountain pen made in my old hometown of Iowa City, IA. This pen feels wonderfully substantial in the hand because of the metal body, but it is not heavy. It writes well even just using the pen weight itself. A little pressure and you get some very nice old-fashioned line variation. The red color lacquer looks better than the ads, and the finish has a very pleasing metalflake iridescence. The cap screws on and off in about 360 degrees. I also have a black metal Falcon with a medium nib, and I like the SF nib quite a bit better, although both are very nice indeed. The feel of the SF nib is very FP-esque, with a nice amount of feedback and nice sound on Clairefontaine paper. I have to say, this pen meets pretty much all my requirements for a perfect FP. It is also very rugged and sturdily made, features I value highly. I wish I had gotten this pen instead of some others I have purchased in the past year or so. I believe I will carry and use this pen in preference to almost any others that I have. The clip is attached very near the end of the cap, and the bulk of the pen disappears (except for the clip of course) behind my t-shirt collar (where I clip it) and is very comfortable there. I'm just using one of the Pilot black ink cartridges for starters, but I think I'll syringe it full of some kind of burgundy ink when the black is used up.

 

http://i48.tinypic.com/macthh.jpg

 

http://i46.tinypic.com/2v10k7q.jpg

Edited June 20, 2010 by sotto2