Nakaya Urushi - Cigar Piccolo

[Escribiente]

Laura, wonderful review. It not only shows the quality of Nakaya pens, and the unparalleled beauty of urushi (I have the cigar witer's version), but also the kind of love and respect that a writing instrument which is, at the same time, a work of art commands.

 

Would you mind posting a writing sample?

[Maja]

It was late afternoon, and my office was full of warm summer light which made that spectacular lacquer finish just glow.

When I first read this, I thought "Summer... in December??"

....but then I remembered you're in Australia!

 

Fabulous review, Laura...oh, and the pen is wonderful, too

[london]

Stunning pen

Stunning photographs

Stunning review

 

I guess, following your lead, I just need to buy another 20 pens or so to make it to 60 and then I'm allowed to buy one :-)

 

Thank you

 

- Mark

[ami]

super review and photography, i was thinking about buying a nakaya pen in a few months. i guess i'll now get one in january!

i wonder what the urushi pen smells like out of the box?

 

anyways

 

thanks!

[Phthalo]

london: Please don't learn from my mistakes.

 

ami: Out of the box my Nakaya had no smell - it was completely smell-less! Being the weird and eccentric person that I am, I enjoy sniffing my Omas pens because I really love their camphor smell. I hoped the Nakaya would have some sort of interesting scent, but alas no.

 

Can't have everything I guess.

[sonia_simone]

I love the goldfish converter. I suppose probably most people who get them have the demonstrator, but I would get it just to have a little fishy secret.

[helius]

That goldfish thing is just plain cool. It's over at Nakaya's site if you've never seen it.

[Phthalo]

Oh no! I think my husband is onto me.

 

I had my Nakaya wrapped in its little pouch and was yammering on to him about how cute the pouch was, when he began to really look at the pen and started to understand the quality, then he said "Exactly how much did that pen cost?"

 

He's never asked me the price of any of my pens before, so I had a bit of a panic, mumbled something at him and quickly fled the room!

[HyperCamper]

Just wondering

 

This review is about the Piccolo Cigar model. That model doesn't have a clip and it looks great!

 

Hope you guys don't mind, but I have some questions... Does the Piccolo Writer model come with or without a clip? It's color looks reddish-black? Have you ever seen the other colors in action? How would a Pel M200 F-nib, which suits me fine, compare to the nibs available on these pens?

 

... this review has made this pen a strong contender for the position of pen next to buy ... ^_^

[umenohana]

I love the goldfish converter. I suppose probably most people who get them have the demonstrator, but I would get it just to have a little fishy secret.

Exactly, Sonia! I love the idea of having secret little goldfish in my pen!

 

-Hana

[Shabubu]

I fell in love with japanese pens after getting a Myu, and with the articles Russ Stutler wrote about Nakaya I got very interested. I have a long writer model on order, the wife is getting it me for my graduation with a Maki-e painted name Have to wait until late january for it to arrive though, and she'll lock it up in a safe until june

[sonia_simone]

Laura, what a catastrophe! I think fleeing was the only sensible recourse.

[Dan Carmell]

Great review, lovely photos, Laura--thank you!

 

You wrote: "I find the stout shape with gently-conical ends very pleasing to my eyes" and that is exactly my reaction to this Nakaya model!

 

I was around for the original frenzy over Nakaya, back in 2002 or 2003, and was sorely tempted, but none of the model shapes really appealed to me. This one does and the price puts it in my range, so...someday!

 

Thanks again, Dan

[Phthalo]

Hope you guys don't mind, but I have some questions... Does the Piccolo Writer model come with or without a clip? It's color looks reddish-black? Have you ever seen the other colors in action? How would a Pel M200 F-nib, which suits me fine, compare to the nibs available on these pens?

 

The Writer (rounded ends) comes with a clip by default and can be made the Piccolo length by custom order.

 

The Cigar (conical ends) is clipless by default, but the Piccolo size is available Nakaya-direct with a clip as an option.

 

Not really sure what you mean about colours, but the Cigar is available in three finishes: Black, Blackish-Red or Reddish-Red urushi. The Writer comes in more colours.

 

Pels run wide and tend to be wet, so a Nakaya M would be your starting point.

[Phthalo]

Btw, I'm really glad people are enjoying the review so much! :D

[london]

Oh no! I think my husband is onto me.

 

I had my Nakaya wrapped in its little pouch and was yammering on to him about how cute the pouch was, when he began to really look at the pen and started to understand the quality, then he said "Exactly how much did that pen cost?"

 

He's never asked me the price of any of my pens before, so I had a bit of a panic, mumbled something at him and quickly fled the room!

 

This is the only reason I didn't buy one straight after reading your review. Being so newly married I have been told that any money that I have must now be spent on diamonds (even though she has had about 45 off me already) and travel. Can you imagine how hard it is to sleep when your wife is sat reading Conde Naste traveller in bed saying 'oooh, and I'd like to go there too' and (spotting advert) 'ooh, look at the new ring Tiffanys have got'.

 

I must work out a way to drop a huge hint about this pen. Maybe I need to print out your review and leaving it lying on the dining table or something. Though it could backfire - 'Ooh, that's pretty' my beloved says....again.

 

Oh, and Helius, thanks for pointing our the accessory page - I'd missed that bit. That goldfish convertor is fantastic!! I like the simplicity of the pen pillow too. In fact, they have some beautiful accessories there.

 

- Mark

[johnr55]

I'm sorry to be the dissenting voice, but I can't work up enthusiasm for Japanese pens. I lost a number of relatives in the war after we were attacked, and I can't forget the Rape of Nanking or what was done to your countrymen, and mine. The veneer of civilization is sometimes as thin as the laquer on your pen. However, it certainly is attractive.

[Escribiente]

We are talking about pens here. Because if we were to talk about civilization, I do know what country, or culture, would be free of charge. From the Greeks, on to the Romans, the French, the British, the Germans, the Italians, all the way to the Americans, we have seen inhuman acts committed almost at every stage of the so-called "civilization."

[helius]

I'm sorry to be the dissenting voice, but I can't work up enthusiasm for Japanese pens. I lost a number of relatives in the war after we were attacked, and I can't forget the Rape of Nanking or what was done to your countrymen, and mine. The veneer of civilization is sometimes as thin as the laquer on your pen. However, it certainly is attractive.

Why stop there? Why not include all of the Axis powers?

[umenohana]

I'm sorry to be the dissenting voice, but I can't work up enthusiasm for Japanese pens. I lost a number of relatives in the war after we were attacked, and I can't forget the Rape of Nanking or what was done to your countrymen, and mine. The veneer of civilization is sometimes as thin as the laquer on your pen. However, it certainly is attractive.

I doubt the people who make the pens were involved in war crimes. It is very sad when the offsprings must suffer the consequences of the actions of their fathers. Besides, most Japanese were not involved in the atrocities you describe. A very few were, I know; and I am very sorry, but the masses have nothing to do with it-- we were actually kept in the dark about it, like the German citizens during WWII.

 

I hope you can see past my being Japanese and be friends with me.

 

-Hana