I Broke My Nakaya

[Susan3141]

I ordered a Nakaya Piccolo "Enjoying the Moon Cat" back in September. I placed it in a closet on a shelf until Christmas. I opened it yesterday. It's incredibly beautiful and writes like a dream.

 

I was taking pictures of it today, and it rolled off the cabinet and fell on a tile floor. The cap cracked and broke. I am so upset I haven't done a thorough check of the rest of the pen. But the cap is ruined.

 

I've already contacted nibs.com and they are contacting Nakaya to see if there's anything that can be done.

 

Has anyone else broken their Nakaya? Can something like this be fixed? I've never paid this much for a pen and I am devastated.

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8220/8311885235_f858b94b7a.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8358/8312934124_f5e7c3eb29.jpg

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8362/8311882843_01189c9509.jpg

[watch_art]

Oooouch. I really hate that for you. Hopefully they'll send you a new cap or make one - whatever it is they do.

[AltecGreen]

I feel for you. I've dropped a few Nakayas but never had any damage. I know Ether flung one of her desk pens but that survived unscathed.

 

 

 

I'm afraid it will be impossible to repair the cap to the original state. Ebonite cannot really be solvent welded or glued. Limited success have been achieved with Loctite 480 but that is still pretty experimental in the pen repair community. The maki-e would then have to be fixed. It will be easier for Nakaya to make a new cap and re-do the art to match as closely as possible. I don't see a way of shortening the cap and still have room for the nib. Sorry to be the bearer of bad news.

Edited December 27, 2012 by AltecGreen

[tandaina]

Oh no. What a beautiful pen, I'd have been in tears.

 

So hope they can work something out for you!

[Susan3141]

Oh no. What a beautiful pen, I'd have been in tears.

 

So hope they can work something out for you!

 

Believe me. I've been crying since it happened. And it doesn't sound like there's an easy fix for this.

[GardenWeasel]

What a shame! And it's the Moon Cat....my grail pen! I feel the pain!

[Soulmaker1]

I'm sorry this happened, but things like this do happen in life. Luckily the you can still enjoy the nib, and the cap appears to be able to screw back on.

 

I've always been fond of the Japanese view of Wabi-sabi.

 

 

"[Wabi-sabi] nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect."

Sabi is beauty or serenity that comes with age, when the life of the object and its impermanence are evidenced in its patina and wear, or in any visible repairs.

[Doug C]

I'm sorry this happened, but things like this do happen in life. Luckily the you can still enjoy the nib, and the cap appears to be able to screw back on.

 

I've always been fond of the Japanese view of Wabi-sabi.

 

 

"[Wabi-sabi] nurtures all that is authentic by acknowledging three simple realities: nothing lasts, nothing is finished, and nothing is perfect."

Sabi is beauty or serenity that comes with age, when the life of the object and its impermanence are evidenced in its patina and wear, or in any visible repairs.

 

 

Not being Japanese, and less spiritual than most, all I can't say is holy s****....

 

 

I would be in tears over such an incredible pen....

[watch_art]

Yes! Wabi sabi!

 

 

Like this:

 

 

 

 

I'm having a new barrel made - but will keep the cap as is - as part of the history of my pen. Wabi Sabi.

[sadiemagic]

Oh no...I am sorry to see this. I love that pen and almost ordered it except I fear it is too short.

 

What a shame. I hope something can be done...

[Dillo]

Hi,

 

Ouch!! That must have been devastating. To put this in perspective, no one died or was injured. It's a pen...Just a pen...Just a VERY SPECIAL pen...

That won't stop one from crying over it. I probably would do the same if I had a pen like that that was damaged. I hope they can repair it. Knowing them, that should be possible. Neither of my Nakaya pens have their original nibs. I nib on one of mine was changed from a two-toned nib to a single toned nib, and the other was replaced from a yellow gold nib, to a rhodium plated one, then to another rhodium plated one. It cost me lot of money because I had to pay full price for each nib, and I didn't even get to keep my old one.

 

Dillon

[watch_art]

Hi,

 

Ouch!! That must have been devastating. To put this in perspective, no one died or was injured. It's a pen...Just a pen...Just a VERY SPECIAL pen...

That won't stop one from crying over it. I probably would do the same if I had a pen like that that was damaged. I hope they can repair it. Knowing them, that should be possible. Neither of my Nakaya pens have their original nibs. I nib on one of mine was changed from a two-toned nib to a single toned nib, and the other was replaced from a yellow gold nib, to a rhodium plated one, then to another rhodium plated one. It cost me lot of money because I had to pay full price for each nib, and I didn't even get to keep my old one.

 

Dillon

 

Then why bother? Wouldn't it have only been a little more expensive to get the entire pen?

[mhosea]

I was taking pictures of it today, and it rolled off the cabinet and fell on a tile floor. The cap cracked and broke. I am so upset I haven't done a thorough check of the rest of the pen. But the cap is ruined.

 

I'm so sorry. I've not done this to a Nakaya (have not bought one), but I have felt what you are no doubt feeling on a few occasions. It does look like the cap will still work in a utilitarian way because the break came after the threads. I hope you can get a replacement, restoring the pen to its former perfection. If not, I hope the rest of the pen is fine and that you will enjoy it freely and without worry in a way that might not have been possible before.

[hari317]

Really unfortunate.i hope nakaya are able to help.

 

I have several very cheap ebonite pens and they have managed to survive severe drops. I understand that new ebonite is quite a resilent material, so this breaking is quite surprising to me.

[ethernautrix]

Oh my gosh! I am shocked, Susan! I feel so bad for you! I dropped my Desk Pen a few times -- as Ricky said, once accidentally flung it through the air and it landed on a hardwood floor, plus it kept slipping out of its kimono (which is why I use a small safety pin to keep the top flaps closed, a hack that I didn't even think to mention until now) - and one time a Piccolo fell out of my pocket as I was walking in San Francisco, and it hit the sidewalk. There are two tiny, tiny marks. But these Nakayas, except for those two tiny marks on the Piccolo, showed no damage. I can't even imagine... my goodness, I never would have thought this could happen. I believed that urushi was very robust, especially after my experience.

 

I hope there's a good outcome to this terrible disappointment. You'd mentioned how good you were to leave the package alone until Christmas. So terrible!

[JLS1]

Sorry to hear about your cap, but there's 2 ways to look at this:

- Oh NO!!! It's going to be costly, difficult and lengthy to fix the cap and the pen will never be as it was!

- Yay! Once it's fixed, not only I will have a completely unique Nakaya (which are unique enough pens), but I'll have a story to tell AND I can really begin to enjoy the pen because there's almost nothing I can do to it that will be as bad as when I cracked the cap!

 

While the above is meant to be a bit tongue-in-cheek, it's how you see a situation that defines whether it's a problem or an opportunity. I'm also a firm believer in the idea of wabi-sabi (even tho' (or maybe because) it goes against every perfectionist bone in my body), so I see what happened to your pen as a good thing that will free you from worrying about what may happen to it in the future. With that said, I'd still be disappointed as this pen is one of my Nakaya favourites too!

[mallymal1]

I feel for you.

[mhguda]

Hi,

 

I hope talking about it here has helped you a little with the pain and disappointment that you felt, and maybe get some ideas about what you will do.

At least you still have the pen, and if I understand correctly you can still use it, even the cap, albeit that you have to be careful. But take heart. Many friends from all over the world have shared your pain, and that should count for something.

And I for one would really want to know how the story continues. Do let us know.

[Susan3141]

Thanks for all the kind words. You guys are the best!

 

I realize that Moon Cat is "just a pen," but it's also not "just a pen." This is a grail pen for me. And part of the wonder of it is the beautiful, pure lines and aesthetic. A big chunk out of the cap pretty much ruins that.

 

Yes, I think it's still usable after looking at it more closely this morning. I thought, maybe, that the chunk out of the cap might leave a small opening that would dry out the nib. I need to check it under better light before re-inking it.

 

I'm also unsure how a drop of just a few feet could break a cap of a $1000 pen so easily. Surely ebonite isn't that delicate. And if it is, no more $1000 pens for me. Actually, that's probably true regardless.

 

Still, I will just have to wait and see what the gentle people of Nakaya say. I hope they will replace the cap.

 

I will, of course, let you know what happens.

[AlejoPlay]

I really hope Nakaya will replace the cap. I think given the situation (you had it ONE day), they should be understanding.

 

A Nakaya is my grail pen too and I would be devastated if I had it for one day and it broke like that.