Japanese Ebonite Fountain Pens?

[MomoShinChan]

After taking a look at Wancher Dream Pen Project, I became fascinated with Japanese Ebonite Fountain Pens. While the Urushi pens are undoubtedly beautiful and worth buying, I am more interested in the Ebonite pen. I think Ebonite can be great as a material to replace both plastics and celluloid. However, there does not seem to be many manufacturers who only product pure Ebonite ( no Urushi, etc ) fountain pens.

The only I have been to found that product at a rather large (not sure) scale is Nikko Ebnonite Eboya shop. This is their website if you want to look: https://eboya.net/.

 

My question here is that why don't manufacturers makes more ebonite fountain pens? It can certainly occupy another slot in any brand current product line-up. If you have other opinions on Ebonite fountain pens, feel free to chime in also.

[Bobby Check]

There are several.

The Nakaya pens:

https://www.nibs.com/catalog/pens/brand/nakaya-13

The Sailor King of Pens

https://www.nibs.com/node/376

Hakase

https://fp-hakase.com/en/material/red-black-ebonite

 

To name a few.

 

Good luck

 

Bobby

[penwash]

Shawn Newton (newtonpens.com) also recently start making custom pens out of Japanese Ebonite.

[Newton Pens]

I've been using Nikko ebonite for a few years now. Really great stuff.

Actually my favorite ebonite to work with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

[jar]

Niko is the only ebonite maker in Japan and one of the few remaining ebonite makers anywhere.

 

http://www.fototime.com/57F24B900215B8E/large.jpg

 

IIRC Danitrio also had some plain ebonite pens as well.

 

But yuhgottaadmit, urushi over ebonite is not bad.

 

http://www.fototime.com/286DB25CF1DCEF3/large.jpg

http://www.fototime.com/405D64928CED22C/large.jpg

[rokurinpapa]

Ebonite is difficult to　process and replaced by various resin.The market

becomes limited. But the

situation is different in

India,I hear.

rokurinpapa

[Tinjapan]

Ohashido also makes ebonite pens. They told me that ebonite is difficult to work with. I have ebonite and many hard rubber pens from long ago. They are not color fast. Just one day in the bright sun and their color changes. My ebonite and hard rubber pens are by “Dracula” pens. I only use them at night or in room with no windows or very good blinds.

 

Lest some think this is extreme, I have had a vintage black hard rubber pen of which the several who saw it all remarked at its unusually dark and shiny color turn an ugly olive drab in my hands. Never again. I still use and even buy them, but do not use them in even indirect sunlight.

 

This material’s fading is what lead what is now Pilot to coat theirs with urushi.

[Tinjapan]

I've been using Nikko ebonite for a few years now. Really great stuff.

Actually my favorite ebonite to work with.

 

 

 

 

 

 

Great looking pens!

[sansenri]

Besides the Indian makers, Bexley US has made several ebonite pens in its range in the course of time.

Japanese ebonite does look more refined and precious, and I would also be interested in trying one out, however pricing looks rather expensive compared to other ebonite offers.

[sansenri]

Owner's Club 2016

I am not sure where the ebonite is sourced but it does look nice.

[Newton Pens]

I pay less for Japanese ebonite than German ebonite, but then Bexley might be getting better prices if ordering in bulk. One rod at a time doesn't get me any discounts.

[sansenri]

Hello Shawn

 

Is Bexley using Japanese ebonite too?

I did not know of German ebonite, who is producing it?

 

Btw I'm still considering one of your Orville, if I can put aside the funds...

[Newton Pens]

I don't think Howard has used any Japanese ebonite. I know he's used SEM

 

SEM in Germany-

https://shop.ew-deutschland.com/epages/20142968.sf/de_DE/?ObjectPath=/Shops/20142968/Categories

 

And New York Hamburger-

http://www.nyhag.de/en/products/hard-rubber/

https://vermontfreehand.com/rods/cumberland/

 

Although I don't get why he calls all the mottled/rippled rods cumberland. Cumberland is SEMs name for the orange they make.

[sansenri]

Thank you

Interesting to know all the insider stuff...

 

I'm attracted by your ebonite Orvilles

this one here is lovely (and we are not OT, I assume this is Nikko?)

 

BTW is this a medium size?

Edited August 10, 2018 by sansenri

[Newton Pens]

That's SEM night blue. I can't remember which.

Yes medium size. You can read all about my sizes here- https://newtonpens.com/sizes/

 

Thank you

Interesting to know all the insider stuff...

 

I'm attracted by your ebonite Orvilles

this one here is lovely (and we are not OT, I assume this is Nikko?)

 

BTW is this a medium size?

 

 

This one is from Nikko-

https://newtonpens.com/shinobi-blue-ripple-solid-yellow-and-black-ebonite-small/

 

https://newtonpens.com/majestic-blue-ripple-ebonite-small-standard/

 

[sansenri]

nice colours both of them! but I like the Orville shape best, I prefer no step down barrel/section.

 

What is your experience with discolouration? What are the real precautions needed?

I use my ebonite pens in the daytime... , but do tend not to leave them out lying around on my desk for days, I prefer to store them when not in use.

 

I do have a Bexley 10th Anniversary which has suffered discolouration, although it was like that when I bought it, probably the previous owner had kept it in a show case (still a very nice pen to use though) .

[Newton Pens]

Honestly I'm not 100% sure how the Japanese ebonite will fade with time. So far nobody has come to me with problems or fading and I've been using Nikko for a few years.

 

Personally - and I'm probably strange in this regard - I like seeing the change over time (if it does happen to fade). I like to see things age and change and fade, for plating to wear thin or off, for a textured surface to be worn smooth over decades. I don't mind scratches or dings in my pens.

[Tinjapan]

Eboya is reportedly working on a light fast ebonite. Ohashido shows a rod of ebonight left in the sun for just one day...not pretty. One side jet black, the other a sickly light olive drab.

 

A while back, a FPNer reported that he kept his India ebonite pen in a pen cup on his desk and that in a very short time the portion sticking out of the cup was not the same color as that part kept within the cup.

 

I have some vintage BHR pens that have somehow weathered evenly. Looks kinda nice, like a patina. But those that have faded on one side only or one end only, it’s not a look for me.

[SpecTP]

curious that the raw ebonite materials don't include excited-state quenchers or peroxide decomposers to minimize photo-oxidative degradation.

[Tinjapan]

Maybe that’s what Nikko Ebonite/Eboya are looking into doing.