Hakase Pen Purchase Help

[Dhruv_Sood]

Woah, 3 Hakase pens already. I prefer to keep less pens but good ones only. I have a Nakaya Piccolo Long in EF nib and a Platinum Izumo Yagumonuri on the way. I will not buy a Nakaya again if i buy the Hakase.

 

I can't buy the Hakase i decided on (QB10A) since it has a smaller axis (diameter i presume, as Yamamoto-san said), has a smaller nib and falls in the DX series whereas the "15/EX" series fits my needs exactly, and takes it to 150,000 yen, and if i need solid gold and not plating it will be 210,000 yen... which is, a lot. This can get really painful if i don't plan this properly.

 

I guess it will be better to take the 210,000 yen version, i am already throwing so much money at it, might has well throw some more to get solid gold furniture. It's not that as if i will be buying it again.

[Frank C]

This is an interesting topic. I have been thinking about ordering a Hakase for some time. Thanks for all the information.

[Dhruv_Sood]

I finally placed the order with Yamamoto-San and gave up on the platinum Izumo i was getting, got almost a full refund for the deposit amount from Izumo seller.

I am ordering rosewood burl Urushi coating and the model number is QB15A which is gold plated since I don't care about gold rings and and gold clip.

The gold plated ring and clip have a life of 10 years+ so I don't need 14k gold. Now I need to figure out what the difference between the ¥6,000 and ¥7,000 sepia ink is to order it.

[mongrelnomad]

I finally placed the order with Yamamoto-San and gave up on the platinum Izumo i was getting, got almost a full refund for the deposit amount from Izumo seller.

I am ordering rosewood burl Urushi coating and the model number is QB15A which is gold plated since I don't care about gold rings and and gold clip.

The gold plated ring and clip have a life of 10 years+ so I don't need 14k gold. Now I need to figure out what the difference between the ¥6,000 and ¥7,000 sepia ink is to order it.

Congrats on the order. I would advise you to stretch to the 14k though. In the first flush of youth you cannot conceive of how quickly a decade can pass.

[Dhruv_Sood]

Thank you.

Why are you always so convincing?

I read somewhere (it was somewhere on the Nakaya website) that all the nibs last ~10 years on an average before their iridium tipping is completely gone and need to be replaced. I can get the platings fixed with the nib. Any opinion on that?

[Algester]

nib masters will be there but even then considering the tippings on vintage pens they will still last you at least 3 lifetimes

[Dhruv_Sood]

Hmm, maybe you have a point there. I wonder what Nakaya was thinking when they wrote that.

I really don't care about solid gold fittings.

 

I also ordered 3 bottles of sepia ink.

Delivery will be in November 2016.

[Frank C]

Hmm, maybe you have a point there. I wonder what Nakaya was thinking when they wrote that.

I really don't care about solid gold fittings.

 

I also ordered 3 bottles of sepia ink.

Delivery will be in November 2016.

 

I believe that they were saying that if you wrote with your fountain pen all day, every day, it would take ten years to wear the iridium tipping material off. At that rate, I am not too worried about any of my pens wearing out.

[Dhruv_Sood]

Here it is: http://www.nakaya.org/en/manual/default.aspx?item=pensaki

 

It says 1,000 words a day and it will take 10 years for it to wear out. Now, don't start counting words whenever you write.

[tenney]

Please understand that in business, especially when buying bespoke or customized items, in Japan established process is key. Once you understand to follow, and not try to alter that process, everything flows smoothly.

[Dhruv_Sood]

Yes, that issue has been resolved. Read the effective vs efficient comment on page 2, that'll probably explain it better than I did.

[Dhruv_Sood]

Received the completed order form. Pens looks great.

 

http://i.minus.com/jR50QBYYNByPd.PNG

[Dhruv_Sood]

I get to specify the dimensions too.

 

http://i.minus.com/jnXioC4onnMtW.PNG

[maverink]

well expect the uber high fashion shops to be rude as that builds their premium image. i get rude behaviour at a high end car showroom here and im told thats having a positive impact on sales.

[Dhruv_Sood]

I wouldn't say that Yamamoto-San was rude. But he is very patient. I did not place the order for a month and kept mailing him for my queries and he kept on answering without insisting on me filling up the order form and ordering the pen.

That was just the PayPal issue which peeved me off a bit but when I explained to him about my credit card limit and inability to large amounts through PayPal, he agreed on sending multiple invoices which became due on different dates, hence enabling me to settle the account with the credit card company before paying him for the next invoice.

I also wanted sepia ink and he was kind enough to send me written pictures of both sepia ink which I believe he himself wrote after my request.

Do you see the measurement being striked out for new measurements? He let me did that too. But I guess that's just the part of customization.

All in all, I'd say that experience with him has been better than my experience with Nakaya. Now, I almost regret buying a Nakaya.

[Algester]

You will get the same experience with the nakaya people its only that people rarely avail the service... Because probably nibs.com gives them the instant gratification they need

I wont say a word about the same could be said in japan

Edited July 18, 2015 by Algester

[mongrelnomad]

You will get the same experience with the nakaya people its only that people rarely avail the service... Because probably nibs.com gives them the instant gratification they need

I wont say a word about the same could be said in japan

 

I've dealt with Nakaya directly and have found them to be much more reserved, less patient, and much less open to entertaining client requests than Hakase.

 

I now use CFP exclusively as there is no benefit whatsoever dealing direct...

[Dhruv_Sood]

My point exactly. I have dealt with Nakaya directly and they are far less willing to accommodate client requests than Hakase has been till now.

 

I like darker inks. I mentioned earlier that I want the sepia ink too. But the scan that Yamamoto-San sent me of the page written written with sepia ink was very light. I asked him whether the ink flow can be adjusted to put on more ink on the paper. His reply was

 

"I come to have a forceful personality.

As a result, although ink is easy to dry, a hue is light, and the line is bold and thinks that you do not like this ink.

I think the sepia to stop it."

 

First time I am seeing a manufacturer/retailer dissuading a customer from buying his products.

 

Shows that he is proud of his products and only wants the customer to buy it if he is really interested and would like it.

Edited July 19, 2015 by Dhruv_Sood

[mongrelnomad]

 

First time I am seeing a manufacturer/retailer dissuading a customer from buying his products.

 

Shows that he is proud of his products and only wants the customer to buy it if he is really interested and would like it.

Welcome to Hakase

[Dhruv_Sood]

Indeed. A totally different buying experience as compared to other pen manufacturers.

I guess I'll really become as loyal to Hakase as you have been mongrelnomad.

Btw, how did you get that Tortoise shell desk pen? Went to Tottori to collect it?