Namiki Yukari - Where’S This Amazing Writing Experience?

[cpmcnamara]

I recently got a Namiki yukari royale. The plus - it felt perfect in my hand. The weight, the size, the urushi - its a true extension.

 

But then onto the writing - I am a bit unimpressed. I own king of pens, pilot custom urushis, m1000s - each have a uniquely brilliant writing experience. The yukari feels like writing with any penbbs- except in its current form, a bit worse as this nib seems dry.

 

Am I missing something? This seems to be a highly overrated nib. In any event, if I can tune it up where it writes well Ill still enjoy the pen just because of the build. But still...

[hari317]

Can happen. Do you have the option to seek a replacement or refund? do that before attempting a DIY tuneup.

[whichwatch]

If replacement is not an option, take it to a pen show where a nibmeister can tune it to your satisfaction at very reasonable cost. A good nibmeister can make it write like a dream for you. Some of the upcoming shows are:

 

January - Philadelphia

February - LA

March - Baltimore

April - Atlanta

May - Chicago

[bizhe]

Try pilot ink if you havent yet.

[gerigo]

Many pens require the right ink to work in concert with the nib. What was the ink you were using? I love my Yukari Royale and rank it up there with my very best writers like the KOP. However having said that, please realize Pilot nibs write very differently than Sailors or Platinums. They feel the most “western” in feel compared to other Japanese pens. Most smooth with very little feedback.

[JunkyardSam]

EDIT: This is a lengthy explanation explaining the "why" behind what you are likely experiencing with your nib, and "what" you will need a nibmeister to tune in order to get it to your satisfaction.

 

Assuming a feed is working correctly, flow is determined primarily by the tip of the tines. Is there a gap? How wide? Are the tines touching at the tip? How tight are they touching? A wider gap will produce a smoother and wetter flow... to a point. The tines must taper toward one another nearing the tip. If they are straight, you'll likely have interrupted flow, and if they splay outward then a pen won't write at all.

 

If the tines are touching, flow is generally inhibited. With a soft nib, some pressure will open the tines and ink will flow. This results in a very controlled flow with quite a bit of feedback... and upstrokes can be dry or nonexistent depending on how tight the tines are touching.

 

People who want a wet, luxurious writing experience will want a gap at the tip of the tines. Here's a photo of a #5 Pilot nib which was unusably dry when I got it. The gap it has now results in a smooth, wet flow: https://imgur.com/fpngallery/owGN5mZ

 

After years now of adjusting the wetness of nibs -- I personally prefer gold nibs with the tines just barely touching ever so gently.

 

The test for this is to drag your pen by its tail. Does it produce a line of ink? A pen that is too dry will produce no ink under its own weight. A wet writer will produce a full line.

 

What I believe to be Pilot's intention is for a nib to produce a subtle line in this state, such that you get a full flow with the slightest writing pressure. This controlled flow makes the pen more friendly to bad paper. A wet writer requires paper that can handle so much ink.

 

That said, Pilot's nibs have a range of wetness when you get them out of the box. It's not terribly uncommon for them to be so dry they are unpleasant to write with.

 

So all of this is a lengthy explanation to explain the kind of work your nib probably needs. I do this work myself, but your nib is not one to practice on, obviously... Consult a nibmeister. This type of tuning isn't very expensive.

 

Doing it at a pen show, as others suggested, is ideal because you can be there and let the nibmeister know how you like it in person. You can even bring the Pilots you like and say, "Make it feel more like this!"