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Japanese Steel!


haywoody

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Mmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm!

 

post-8178-1205702763_thumb.jpg

 

This isn't just an excuse to post an artsy picture. I wanted to start a thread about my favorite material for pens, stainless steel. I love everything about stainless steel and I think it makes the perfect material for a pen body... durable, relatively low cost (maybe not any longer) and beautiful. It can take a wide range of textures and finishing processes from a simple as-formed smooth surface, to brushed, to satin, and then into the more exotic... etched and plated, etched and lacquered, striped, patterned...

 

I would really like to see one of the big three Japanese manufacturers put some effort into designing some modern stainless steel pens. There are so many cool finishing options available now that weren't possible or feasible in the 60's-70's when the material was more common. Physical vapor deposition (PVD) and electro-deposited (ED) dye coatings can add an extremely durable and colorful finish to the material while still maintaining the surface texture, grain structure, and feel of the metal.

 

So let's see your Japanese stainless steel pens! I would love to see or hear about some pens that haven't caught my attention yet.

 

/Woody

 

p.s. No pens were scratched or otherwise harmed during the making of the picture. It was like a high-stakes game of pickup sticks.

 

 

 

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:drool: What's the horizontal pen at the top?

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:drool: What's the horizontal pen at the top?

 

If you mean the patterned one, it's a 70's Platinum. I don't know the model but I have seem them called something like "kurakursa" and "tang pattern." There was also a black version made, lacquered I guess, and maybe some other colors. They pop up on eBay once in a while and I think I remember Stan offering them before.

 

The nicest thing about it is the nib, which you can find on the cheaper non-patterned pens too. It is an 18kt white gold and one of the smoothest fine nibs I own (writes like an XF-XXF). I would love to find one of these nibs in an XF size.

 

/Woody

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That's outstanding, Woody! Love that picture!

 

How 'bout separating out the Caplii for a shot? I don't know if I've ever seen your capless collection.

 

Thanks Ryan. I will try to separate the Caplii out sometime, but I am no Carmen Riveria. I have no intention of going for every Capless out there, only the designs I like.

 

I think we should have a separate vintage Capless thread.

 

/Woody

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Woody,

 

this is a fantastic photo! Very creative. I will try to get one of my steel Japanese pens but i don't have as many as you do...perhaps a better idea is to try wtih sterling silver

 

Nikolaos

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Nice photo! I'm sure you stacked the pens carefully rather than dumping them all out like that!

 

Question on stainless steel pens - I am afflicted with humid, sweaty hands, and I've been avoiding steel pens because I'm afraid of the condensation. Does that happen with anyone else?

 

- Yumbo

Gustatus similis pullus!

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Thanks for all the comments and compliments everybody.

 

churl, I shot it with a Canon 100mm macro inside a small light tent with a 250 tungsten bulb coming from each side. The tent and lights are the cheapest kit B&H offers.

 

Nikolaos, I would love to see some of your sterling pens. Seems like a good opportunity to get a separate thread going.

 

Yumbo, I am not sure about your condensation question. Do you mean heating the pen up and causing condensation on the inside or just getting the outside damp when you use it? In any case I have used steel pens in how/sweaty environments many times and have not had any problems.

 

Jorge, your best bet is to sign up for Stan's mailing list. Other than that, eBay is a good source if you don't mind paying a bit more or waiting for the right deal.

 

Anybody have any pens to share? I will see if I can get it going with one of my favorites. I think this series is called WG for white gold and I have seen three pens but there are probably more. What I like about it them is they are basically all metal. Most steel pens seem to have a plastic section, probably to make it easier to form the features required to mount the nib and feed. Sailor found a way to do it on these with a minimum amount of metal. This one has a nice looking and grippy hairline finish.

 

 

 

/Woody

 

 

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Very nice collection, Woody. And I like your composite shot. :)

 

I also agree, that stainless steel makes for a great material. In larger or more concentrated applications, it can be cumbersome, like with a watch casing. Steel in its solid glory can be quite heavy. But with Pilot pens, the steel was definitely used conservatively... just enough to attain decent strength without unduly pulling on the seams of the shirt pocket. I love carrying these pens around. For me, it's the striped ones... bold and masculine, yet sleek and stylish. I almost always have a striped Pilot pen on me. And thankfully, Pilot made great nibs on these pens. Sure, they're far from flexible, but they write smoothly and the feeds deliver dependably consistent ink flow.

 

Another Pilot MYU black stripe just passed across the FleaBay horizon in the last few days. One of the famous Pilot steel pen trawlers of FleaBay (Westallen) managed to snag it on the low side (I think he has 3 of them now). And Stan has one up for sale in the marketplace for around the same price. Still no sign of white striped ones, though.

 

Incidentally, speaking of tough stainless steel, has anyone here seen a badly damaged Pilot steel pen, like a Custom or MYU? I have to believe that if you were to uncap one, you could crush the cap with a fair amount of force from the solid heel of a shoe. Of course, no one would ever want to test that... but I do wonder if a crushed cap example has been spotted around anywhere? Or are these pens more crush resistant than I'm thinking?

 

~Gary

Edited by MYU

[MYU's Pen Review Corner] | "The Common Ground" -- Jeffrey Small

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Hi,

 

On the side note, Stan is a good seller, and he often has nice stuff for sale that you might like. :)

 

Nice pens!

 

Dillon

Stolen: Aurora Optima Demonstrator Red ends Medium nib. Serial number 1216 and Aurora 98 Cartridge/Converter Black bark finish (Archivi Storici) with gold cap. Reward if found. Please contact me if you have seen these pens.

Please send vial orders and other messages to fpninkvials funny-round-mark-thing gmail strange-mark-thing com. My shop is open once again if you need help with your pen.

Will someone with the name of "Jay" who emailed me through the email system provide me an email address? There was no email address provided, so I can't write back.

Dillon

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Hi guys,

 

here is my contribution to Woody's steel Japanese pens thread. My photo is not as nice as yours Woody, and i don't have many steel pens but it is a start.

From the bottom up:

 

Pilot Custom dragon etched in steel. This was made in the Pilot factory in Korea

Pilot Murex FP & BP set

Rotax (This is made by Pilot for Rotax, a stationary firm in Taiwan. It is the same pen as the Red Murex, but instead of Pilot it reads Rotax)

Pilot Custom black stripes

Platinum long-short black stripes with a nice 18k XF nib

Pilot MYU black stripes with a beautiful medium nib

 

Thank you

Nikolaos

post-1010-1205828499_thumb.jpg

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I really like that Platinum.

 

I also owe Woody quite a bit, as far as stainless steel Japanese pens are concerned. He started my collection last Monday with a NOS Volex that I've absolutely fallen in love with. :)

 

I've since then found a crosshatched Elite, and it should be on its way toward my mailbox as well. I wouldn't mind finding a nice MYU, because I'd be interested in comparing/contrasting the integral nib with the non-integral. Alas, with prices the way they are, the only way I'll end up with a MYU is if one falls out of the sky and hits me in the forehead.

 

(Which, as long as I was prepared for it, I'd be okay with that. Walking around with a football helmet on my squash might draw some stares, though.)

http://farm2.static.flickr.com/1118/726404937_328386ddc6_o.jpg

Brassing Adds Character: Available by clicking on my signature.

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Stan? :hmm1:

 

Yes?

 

stan

stan

Formerly Ryojusen Pens
The oldest and largest buyer and seller of vintage Japanese pens in America.


Member: Pen Collectors of America & Fuente, THE Japanese Pen Collectors Club

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Hi guys,

 

here is my contribution to Woody's steel Japanese pens thread. My photo is not as nice as yours Woody, and i don't have many steel pens but it is a start.

From the bottom up:

 

Pilot Custom dragon etched in steel. This was made in the Pilot factory in Korea

Pilot Murex FP & BP set

Rotax (This is made by Pilot for Rotax, a stationary firm in Taiwan. It is the same pen as the Red Murex, but instead of Pilot it reads Rotax)

Pilot Custom black stripes

Platinum long-short black stripes with a nice 18k XF nib

Pilot MYU black stripes with a beautiful medium nib

 

Thank you

Nikolaos

 

Very nice shot and a cool group of pens. What are the pens sitting on?

 

rroossinck and I were talking about the quest for a vintage metal Platinum with an EF nib in another thread... you've got that with the added bonus of stripes. Very nice.

 

/Woody

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