Namiki Bamboo

[spilled ink]

I am considering the Namiki Bamboo in black as well as rhodium finish.I am curious to see what people think about the comfort level of this obviously thick pen?Is it uncomfortable although by all accounts the nib is supposed to be tremendous?Also what are opinions out there concerning the looks of the black resin versus the shiny rhodium finish?

[lecorbusier]

I have the pen in rhodium finish with a B nib. The prevailing consensus on this pen in the 'penworld' criticizes the stepped design between the barrel and grip section. Beyond this, the pen is quite faultless. For me, I find the pen comfortable and given the physical design, it is actually very unique and well-sculpted. I am personally inclined towards the rhodium finish because of the soft white, matt and silky finish of the barrel. The black is very classy too but one CAN have too many black resin pens. All said, the resin is probably lighter than the rhodium version given the weight of an all metal pen.

 

The nib while smooth is not particularly striking given my experience with other pens with what I deem as better nibs. For example, this namiki nib is better than a MB nib. But compared to the one on a 1911, or to my best exemplar the smoothest yet tinged with tactility one on the Omas Paragon, the nib is slightly plainer.

 

Beware of using the rhodium version in sunlight: this thing glows all white as you might expect from holding a bar of finished rhodium metal...

 

[dappledawndrawn]

It's my favourite pen. And it is not in fact thick -- because of the step, the actual grip section of the pen is a very manageable size. Maybe it depends on your own grip -- I hold the pen "hook" style (gripped between second joints of index and middle fingers), and the step actually makes it sit firmer in my hand. But I can understand if people who hold pens "tripod" style (between the tips of thumb, index and middle fingers) find it a little less comfortable.

[helius]

It looks and feels great, and the nib is smooth and wet. However the big "step" made it a very uncomfortable to write with... at least for me. It rubbed against the webbing between my thumb and index finger.

 

 

 

 

[greencobra]

As I'm screaming to the heavens about my love for Italian pens, there are two non Italian pens in my box I plan to hold on to. One is the Bamboo. I think it is one attractive pen, all lines are in harmony including the nib. The thickest part of the pen sits in the hollow of the hand while the part between the fingers and the part of the body resting on the web of the hand are smaller in diameter and without a measuring device handy, look to be the same in diameter. This is a well thought out and excecuteted design. When you hold it you'll know what I mean. It writes superb with the medium nib it has. Anyone who reads my meager posts knows I prefer fine nibs. This medium suits me. Mine is on the border of fine/med and on the dryer side. The step down at the section doesn't bother me. During prolonged sessions I've never even thought about it although it looks more severe than it actually is. This is a quality pen. As you might know, all threaded parts are metal with a metal sleeve in the cap. This sleeve is a concern if you post the pen as it might scratch the body.

OK we know I like the Bamboo, I feel it's a great value for a quality piece.

[domino]

As I'm screaming to the heavens about my love for Italian pens, there are two non Italian pens in my box I plan to hold on to. One is the Bamboo. I think it is one attractive pen, all lines are in harmony including the nib. The thickest part of the pen sits in the hollow of the hand while the part between the fingers and the part of the body resting on the web of the hand are smaller in diameter and without a measuring device handy, look to be the same in diameter. This is a well thought out and excecuteted design. When you hold it you'll know what I mean. It writes superb with the medium nib it has. Anyone who reads my meager posts knows I prefer fine nibs. This medium suits me. Mine is on the border of fine/med and on the dryer side. The step down at the section doesn't bother me. During prolonged sessions I've never even thought about it although it looks more severe than it actually is. This is a quality pen. As you might know, all threaded parts are metal with a metal sleeve in the cap. This sleeve is a concern if you post the pen as it might scratch the body.

OK we know I like the Bamboo, I feel it's a great value for a quality piece.

This pen comes in every color as long as it it black. <_<

Even though it is made by a Japanese maker, its design hails from France.

Needless to say it is a large beautiful instrument that folks around here like.

I wish I had one

[spilled ink]

I have seen the pen on line in black,dark blue,and burgundy as well as rhodium.

[greencobra]

I have seen the pen on line in black,dark blue,and burgundy as well as rhodium.

My humble opinion...this pen only works in black resin.

[seikoguy]

This pen comes in every color as long as it it black. <_<

Err, not exactly, while I really enjoy the black Bamboo that I own, if I had to do it again, I would have gotten it in Burgundy.

http://ujuku.jpn.ph/KAIMONO/pen/img10502261601.jpg

 

Or maybe Dark Blue.

http://ujuku.jpn.ph/KAIMONO/pen/image.jpg

 

Nah, I'll just stick to the one that I already own.

http://www.fototime.com/0D2CDB0662BFB56/orig.jpg

 

[Richard]

One of our clients described to me what he thought he'd like in a pen, and I suggested the Bamboo. He bought the pen, and after it arrived he sent an email saying he didn't like it. I said that the Bamboo is a very organic design, and it may take some getting used to, but I was certain he'd like it if he'd give it a chance. A week later, I got an effusive email -- he's in love with the pen. I am, too, but the Managing Partner says I don't need any more pens. (I didn't tell her about the World War II-era Sheaffer Crest I'd won on the 'Bay until it got here...)

 

Bamboos come in black, blue, burgundy, and rhodium -- but only black and rhodium are available to us retailers in the U.S.A. I've asked Pilot USA about several pens that aren't available here, and the answer was that their contract with Pilot (a separate corporation) doesn't include the colored Bamboos, the décimo, the Fermo, the Custom 823, and others that I dearly would like to be able to offer. Queries to Pilot Europe, which has some of these pens, have gone unanswererd.

Edited April 29, 2007 by Richard

[Djehuty]

CURSE YOU, PILOT EUROPE!!

 

Or words to that effect.

 

Normally, if you give me a chance to buy something in blue, I'll take that over any other color choice. But for the Bamboo, black strikes me as a more fitting color. And I don't think I'd ever fill it with anything other than black ink. I'm not sure precisely why, but no other color would feel right. Not even an absolutely realistic bambooish look.

 

[lecorbusier]

The Namiki Bamboo is one of the few pens out there that when capped, the cap visually looks longer than the barrel due to the assymetrical positioning of the threading.

 

Since the rhodium version was not represented, here's one picture. It looks much whiter in person.

[spilled ink]

Richard ,

Since you are one of the most respected nibmeisters and vendors out there who has handled both the Bamboo resin and rhodium,which do you prefer in this pen when considering shape,size,weight,and the intangibles?

[seikoguy]

When my black resin Pilot Bamboo first arrived, I immediately noticed it's heft. It was not, by any account, a pen that one can call a "lightweight." There is extensive use of metal in its construction. I did some research online and found the following data:

 

Pelikan M800 : 28.7 grams

MB 146 : 25.4 grams

MB 149 : 32.0 grams

Resin Bamboo : 35.0 grams

 

 

[lecorbusier]

Given weight differences in grams--believe it or not--psychological gestalt plays a role too. I have handled a 149 before and it definitely FEELS much lighter than the Bamboo. But a fully loaded 149 with ink might approach the weight of a bamboo as quoted since the converter the Bamboo uses is smaller in capacity.

 

Indeed, the resin bamboo has a strange construction. It looks like resin is bonded to a core metal barrel. Nevertheless, the craftsmanship is very tight on these pens. Even my Arco Paragon has relatively lackluster threading when compard to this well-machined piece of art! I guess it is handicraft versus machine-craft.

 

 

 

[spilled ink]

Not to beat the topic of the Bamboo to death but I have one last question remaining regarding this issue.Some vendors in the US sell the Bamboo with "Pilot" on the barrel and others with "Namiki".Views of the Bamboo from oriental pen shops demonstrate "Pilot" on the barrel.Why the difference?Does it matter ?Does it hold any potential resale relevance?

[Richard]

Some vendors in the US sell the Bamboo with "Pilot" on the barrel and others with "Namiki".Views of the Bamboo from oriental pen shops demonstrate "Pilot" on the barrel.Why the difference?

U.S. dealers selling Pilot Bamboo pens are dealing in the gray market. Pilot is a Japanese corporation that has a contract with a separate U.S.-based corporation called Pilot USA, and Bamboos imported and distributed by Pilot USA are marked Namiki.

 

http://www.richardspens.com/images/sales/namiki/zoomed/bamboo.jpg

 

Gray-market pens are not broken or seconds or inferior in any other way to officially imported pens; but because Pilot USA did not import them, it does not handle warranty coverage for them. If you have a warranty issue with a gray-market pen, you will have to send the pen out of the country unless you want to pay Pilot USA to repair it.

[Richard]

Richard ,

Since you are one of the most respected nibmeisters and vendors out there who has handled both the Bamboo resin and rhodium,which do you prefer in this pen when considering shape,size,weight,and the intangibles?

I prefer the resin model because, in general, I'm not all that fond of using metal pens. It's a purely personal thing.

[MYU]

Gray-market pens are not broken or seconds or inferior in any other way to officially imported pens; but because Pilot USA did not import them, it does not handle warranty coverage for them. If you have a warranty issue with a gray-market pen, you will have to send the pen out of the country unless you want to pay Pilot USA to repair it.

Weird... I always thought of this kind of issue with machines and electrical items like cars, stereos, etc. Unless the pen was actually made with special parts not available in the USA, it seems unfair to me that they wouldn't service the pen. There's also the issue of someone buying the pen while in Japan, then returning to the USA. They can't get service then, even if the exact same pen is sold in the USA but with a different name on it?

[seikoguy]

Not to beat the topic of the Bamboo to death but I have one last question remaining regarding this issue......

Now that all of your questions have been asked and answered, which one did you order?