Emperor Tips

[dftr]

I was fortunate to purchase my grail pen, the Namiki Emperor, last year.  It is definitely worth the price I paid.

 

I read somewhere that EDs  like combustible car engines work best when filled 50+ %.  When there's a lot of air, our hands can heat it up while writing producing leaks or pressure.  

I can't say I've noticed anything and my habit is to write till I just about reach the last drop?  So far I've only changed it twice, the two inks I've used are JHerbin Poisseur de Plume and Sailor 123.  

 

I have a broad nib; I am tempted to use some of the Diamine inkvent inks b/c it'd be so easy to clean it out (a lot of them are shimmer inks)

 

What inks do you run in your Emperors?  

Also I can only fill in 4ml of ink; I thought I saw in some reviews people are getting 5-6cc ink?  

 

So far, I've been using it a home as a desk pen.  At some point if I take it out, I may need a case/preferably something w/ ribbon I can put around my neck.  Any suggestions on how  you're taking itout?

[jandrese]

I am not super particular with the ink I use in my Emperors although I think Pilot Black and Blue work just fine. The Iroshizuku line also mates nicely. Personally, I would not use shimmer inks. The section and feed of the Emperor is huge leaving much room and space for those nasty particles to settle perhaps permanently. I also not interested in dismantling my emperor nibs from the section to clean out shimmer inks. Namiki sets them perfectly and I can only screw it up. Generally, after 25 years I know my pen doctoring but I am not Namiki good. That, and the chance for damaging the huge nibs and or the urushi is too high for me to chance handling the parts more than I need to. But, your mileage may vary and it’s your pen, so do whatever makes you happy. 

 

I have many Japanese style eye dropper pens. Most will leak at some point when the ink is low and the air is high. I’ve had much less of an issue with Emperors than say, Danitrio, but still can’t defeat physics all the time. With the shutoff valve there is little hazard carrying them around or flying but beware when you open it up again if the ink is low. I don’t worry about ink levels much with the Emperors; the section and feed seem very well designed to contain the ink. 

 

I carry mine around in the case Namiki makes for them specifically. It’s essentially a leather wrapped tube. Very few pen cases come anywhere close to fitting an Emperor. The case is a bit pricey, but the pens aren’t exactly free. It does work better with vest style Emperors than with the models that have clips. 

 

 

[dftr]

21 hours ago, jandrese said:

21 hours ago, jandrese said:

I am not super particular with the ink I use in my Emperors although I think Pilot Black and Blue work just fine. The Iroshizuku line also mates nicely. Personally, I would not use shimmer inks. The section and feed of the Emperor is huge leaving much room and space for those nasty particles to settle perhaps permanently. I also not interested in dismantling my emperor nibs from the section to clean out shimmer inks. Namiki sets them perfectly and I can only screw it up. Generally, after 25 years I know my pen doctoring but I am not Namiki good. That, and the chance for damaging the huge nibs and or the urushi is too high for me to chance handling the parts more than I need to. But, your mileage may vary and it’s your pen, so do whatever makes you happy. 

 

I have many Japanese style eye dropper pens. Most will leak at some point when the ink is low and the air is high. I’ve had much less of an issue with Emperors than say, Danitrio, but still can’t defeat physics all the time. With the shutoff valve there is little hazard carrying them around or flying but beware when you open it up again if the ink is low. I don’t worry about ink levels much with the Emperors; the section and feed seem very well designed to contain the ink. 

 

I carry mine around in the case Namiki makes for them specifically. It’s essentially a leather wrapped tube. Very few pen cases come anywhere close to fitting an Emperor. The case is a bit pricey, but the pens aren’t exactly free. It does work better with vest style Emperors than with the models that have clips. 

 

 

Ah thanks for the advice.  I had thought the larger emperor would allow the particles to pass through easier but I'll skip on the Shimmer particles.  

So far, no issues w/ leakage though I only have a few days left.  I'll probably change to Iroshizuki Tsukushi w/ the new year.  It looks like the namiki cases are backordered   I will eventually need one but for now I'm happy to use it at home.  I fill my Emperor w/ a syringe + blunted tip; how many CC are you able to get into it?  Does opening the valve  more allow for more ink to be stored?  

 

[jandrese]

4 hours ago, dftr said:

Ah thanks for the advice.  I had thought the larger emperor would allow the particles to pass through easier but I'll skip on the Shimmer particles.  

So far, no issues w/ leakage though I only have a few days left.  I'll probably change to Iroshizuki Tsukushi w/ the new year.  It looks like the namiki cases are backordered   I will eventually need one but for now I'm happy to use it at home.  I fill my Emperor w/ a syringe + blunted tip; how many CC are you able to get into it?  Does opening the valve  more allow for more ink to be stored?  

Chatterley has Namiki cases. https://chatterleyluxuries.com/product/namiki-rigid-1-pen-emperor-black-leather-case/

 

I fill with plastic disposable Pasteur pipettes that have graduations but I've never carefully measured the amount going in. I'd estimate about 5 ml fwiw. I don't see why opening the valve more would let more ink to fill unless you are not really getting past the stopper.

[dftr]

Thanks!  I was able to order a case for the day I go out w/ the Emperor.  

[Namo]

I don't have an emperor, but my favorite pen is Danitrio Densho, a pen that is also a ED filler with a shutting valve (actually, I am the happy owner of two raw ebonite models). 

 

What is true for my pens: 

1) both need wet inks; using Iroshizuku line, Tysuky yo and Take sumi most of the time. But this might not be related to the ED system, but to the fact I frankensteined both of them (one with a vintage Pleikan B nib, the other with a Platinum B nib)

 

2) They do behave differently according to ink level. When I fill them to the top (or to the bottom?), the ink flow is more likely to be less than adequate, esp with the Pelikan B nib (being larger and wetter than the Platinum). 

 

3) I don't know if this has any objective explanation, but I do notice a different ink flow depending of the piston rod position. I am not sure why, so maybe I am willing to convince myself.

 

4) I've no burping problem with any of them even with a very low ink level.

 

Enjoy your pen! 

[dftr]

Thank you for your insight Namo.  I would love to have a Dani Trio ED in my collection if they ever go back into production and become available in the U.S.  

My ED is actually the wettest broad I have which was a pleasant surprise as it seems like a western broad nib.  I tried your advice and put in Chiku-Rin, an ink I've

never cared for, but in this pen the ink actually looks good and is dark enough to be readable.  

[jandrese]

9 hours ago, dftr said:

Thank you for your insight Namo.  I would love to have a Dani Trio ED in my collection if they ever go back into production and become available in the U.S.  

My ED is actually the wettest broad I have which was a pleasant surprise as it seems like a western broad nib.  I tried your advice and put in Chiku-Rin, an ink I've

never cared for, but in this pen the ink actually looks good and is dark enough to be readable.  

Danitrio are still made. Sold at urushipen.com only.

[gerigo]

No one, absolutely no one makes pens to the tolerance of Pilot, especially their higher end Namiki product like. I have both Danitrios and Emperors.

 

The Emperors are pretty much trouble free. I have used them to dangerously low ink levels with no ink burping, although because if the generous ink capacity, I have never truly run down an Emperor until is has absolutely no ink, even in it's giant feed. I find that when the Emperor gets low, you can hear the ink sloshing around in the barrel in a very quiet room.

[Sblakers]

On 1/9/2022 at 8:19 PM, gerigo said:

No one, absolutely no one makes pens to the tolerance of Pilot, especially their higher end Namiki product like. I have both Danitrios and Emperors.

 

The Emperors are pretty much trouble free. I have used them to dangerously low ink levels with no ink burping, although because if the generous ink capacity, I have never truly run down an Emperor until is has absolutely no ink, even in it's giant feed. I find that when the Emperor gets low, you can hear the ink sloshing around in the barrel in a very quiet room.

I would argue that Tohma pens surpasses the build quality of namiki.  If you’re into big pens you really have to check one out.  Bigger nib than an emperor and made better imo. 

[dftr]

Sblakers and jandrese are dangerous…  but thanks for the information 

[whichwatch]

I have to respectfully disagree with Sblakers.  I have a Tohma and an Emperor.  The Tohma will be on my table at Baltimore and thereafter looking for a new home to join, while the Emperor will remain with me for a long time.  I find the Tohma a bit finicky in balancing the flow through it's BB nib by finding just the right degree of opening for the valve.  And despite a shorter slit in the nib, I still find the extra long tines awfully soft.   The Emperor just performs super well almost regardless of what I do. I also think the fit and finish of the Emperor is superior to my Tohma.   Different strokes, so to speak.

 

[Sblakers]

Hey whichwatch. Interesting. Which tohma do you have? I have the hightaka 55 urushi and the fit and finish on mine is unbelievable. The urushi on the feed is flawless which in my experience isn’t usually the case. I have a medium nib and the flow has been spot on  I agree the nib is softer but I quite enjoy it.   Don’t get me wrong, I love the emperors but for me the tohma hightaka is a nicer pen.   Just my 2 cents obviously.  My main gripe with the emperor is the rubber o ring that seals the section. This has failed me on a plane flight a few times.  I haven’t flown with the hightaka yet so it will be interesting to see how it does.  

[jandrese]

4 hours ago, Sblakers said:

Hey whichwatch. Interesting. Which tohma do you have? I have the hightaka 55 urushi and the fit and finish on mine is unbelievable. The urushi on the feed is flawless which in my experience isn’t usually the case. I have a medium nib and the flow has been spot on  I agree the nib is softer but I quite enjoy it.   Don’t get me wrong, I love the emperors but for me the tohma hightaka is a nicer pen.   Just my 2 cents obviously.  My main gripe with the emperor is the rubber o ring that seals the section. This has failed me on a plane flight a few times.  I haven’t flown with the hightaka yet so it will be interesting to see how it does.  

First I've heard of Emperors leaking, but physics so... bummer anyway. What does the Tohma use as seal? Does the Tohma use ebonite for the feed? Off gassing from the ebonite on the feed causes the bumps in the urushi on the Emperors. Wonder in Namiki uses better seasoned ebonite for the pen bodies or seals those parts with something before urushi/maki-e.

[whichwatch]

My Tohma is a Hachikuma in the Conway Stewart Azure material.  I understand that Tohma has very recently discontinued this model.  The picture below shows it next to my Emperor.  Note the second breather hole and short slit on the Tohma, which I understand was an attempt to compensate for the extreme softness of the long tines.  

 

It is certainly a fine pen, and I don't want to send the wrong message.  I guess the extra care/attention required of eyedroppers doesn't suit my style perfectly, and I find the Tohma a bit more sensitive than my "pick it up and write" style prefers.  So I concluded it will likely be happier in someone else's hands, and a pen as special as the Tohma deserves that life rather than sitting in my pen case.