The Nakaya Craze

[jdboucher]

I've been hearing so many people talk about Nakaya pens. I tried some out at the NY/NJ Pen Show. They're nice, but I don't see what the big deal is. They use a converter....so its not like its a fancy piston-filler. From what I can tell, I might as well buy a Pelikan M800 and buy a ton of ink But I'm curious since the wisdom of FPN has yet to be wrong.

 

So what makes Nakayas so appealing?

[playpen]

I wish I knew too. I just know that I want one! :ltcapd:

[Phthalo]

I appreciate that they are handcrafted, that the nib is built for my writing style. I want more from a pen than just ink capacity, and I have moved on from pens for the masses.

 

Many are pieces of art. They are lovely to use, they are made to be enjoyed, and enjoy them I do.

[playpen]

Wow! what great reasons Laura! Now I feel so much better about myself! LOL!

[Phthalo]

Wow! what great reasons Laura! Now I feel so much better about myself! LOL!

 

[QM2]

I would say that people are most commonly attracted to Nakaya for two reasons:

1. The handcrafted, personalised artistry of the urushi-coated ebonite barrels with customised makie-e; and

2. The nibs, which some people believe to be superior to all others

 

For me, the first reason holds 90% true (I would say 100%, but I find some of the custom work overpriced), and the second reason holds 75% true (I like the nibs very much but they are not my absolute favourites).

 

The CC issue seems to be a common complaint lately, but you can't really install a piston filler into these pens without disturbing the flow of the body and thereby ruining part of the pens' beauty. With urushi and maki-e pens, there are really only two good choices of filling systems: CC or eyedropper. I am guessing Nakaya decided that CC is more practical for most of their fans and went with that one.

Edited September 25, 2008 by QM2

[Sharkle]

I've been hearing so many people talk about Nakaya pens. I tried some out at the NY/NJ Pen Show. They're nice, but I don't see what the big deal is. They use a converter....so its not like its a fancy piston-filler. From what I can tell, I might as well buy a Pelikan M800 and buy a ton of ink But I'm curious since the wisdom of FPN has yet to be wrong.

 

So what makes Nakayas so appealing?

 

If you tried them out and don't see the appeal, you might consider yourself $lucky$. For me, they're beautiful, the finish feels exquisite to hold, and the nibs are large, precise and wonderful. Like Phthalo, ink capacity is not my main concern when buying a pen. I like to change colors often, so a decent converter is fine for me. I do like the piston fillers I have, though.

[Jersey Diabolo]

I've been hearing so many people talk about Nakaya pens. I tried some out at the NY/NJ Pen Show. They're nice, but I don't see what the big deal is. They use a converter....so its not like its a fancy piston-filler...

 

So what makes Nakayas so appealing?

 

I thought exactly the same thing when I got to see and touch one at the Dallas Pen Show.

 

No offense to Nakaya (or their pens' owners), they make a nice product, but the, "I gotta get me one of THESE!" response never kicked in for me. I can afford one, and it would be nice to have a pen made-to-order by true artisans, but the pen itself left me cold.

 

Go figure.

Edited September 25, 2008 by Jersey Diabolo

[winedoc]

We all buy pens for different resasons, some for ink capacity, some for the art, some for the nibs.... and some just plain lust. So, if a pen does not appeal to you, then no amount of hype should influence you. Look at the bright side, at least you get to see them in person, try them out before plunk down lots of money and have buyer's remorse later. We can't all like the same thing, so buy what you like and appeal to you.... personally for the same price, I can't imagine myself choosing "precious" or "vegetal" resin over urushi... not to mention machine made vs. man made.

 

Kevin

[Opus104]

It is that strange conjunction of function and art. I find the simplicity of the Piccolo enticing. Other Nakayas - not so much. My Piccolo is due in town Monday by the way. At a few bucks more than my Conway Stewart it is my most expensive pen.

[Blade Runner]

If you chip or gouge the finish, can it be repaired so that it's like new? Is there a standard cost and turnaround time for such a repair?

Edited September 25, 2008 by jeen

[Blade Runner]

When folks speak of "art" in describing these pens, does for example one black urushi pen have unique characteristics to distinguish it from another?

 

[QM2]

If you chip or gouge the finish, can it be repaired so that it's like new? Is there a standard cost and turnaround time for such a repair?

 

People are instinctively worried about that, but the urushi finish is actually supposed to be more durable than resin or metal. I am curious whether anybody has ever had that happen to their Nakaya?.. I am pretty rough with my pens due to my hectic lifestyle, and my Piccolo looks brand new after over a year of use (including posting it).

 

QM2

Edited September 25, 2008 by QM2

[Titivillus]

I've been hearing so many people talk about Nakaya pens. I tried some out at the NY/NJ Pen Show. They're nice, but I don't see what the big deal is. They use a converter....so its not like its a fancy piston-filler. From what I can tell, I might as well buy a Pelikan M800 and buy a ton of ink But I'm curious since the wisdom of FPN has yet to be wrong.

 

So what makes Nakayas so appealing?

 

For me I like large pens and have ordered a Tame with bright orange red beneath so I am interested in watching the color change over time. I tried to jazz it up abit but couldn't stomach the adder. So it is another pen to me.

 

I use to be against converters trying as hard as I could to not purchase one but then over time I realized that any ink holder works about as well as another. I can not say that a pelikan piston is better than a Delta converter. And with a Delta if there is a problem with the converter I can easily replace it while a piston filler needs to go back to the factory! The benefit for a piston ( or other) being I guess a 'pen snob' appeal of the integrated ink holder.

 

 

That pretty much sums it up: it's only another pen and people are talking about it now. Pretty soon another pen will be the most talked about it just happens.

 

 

Kurt

 

 

[DovR]

Do any of you feel they're over-rated for the price. Basically a fancy platinum.

The CS and ASS viz cust svce and after sales service pretty bad (been threads about it

on the other board) maybe with mottishaw the new US repair guy (maybe agent as well)

there'll be a much needed improvement.

 

 

[zenshrink]

I don't know if they are worth it. How do you assess worth? They are, however, exquisite. The nibs are OK. Having it adjusted by John Mottishaw really makes it custom.

[Doug C]

If you are used to buying $150 pens, then you are probably right, and you can make a case for ANY pen over that amount not being worth it. That is about the low end for purchasing a gold nibbed pen that fulfills most people's requirements.

 

Most people on this forum don't fit into that category, and routinely buy pens in the $500-$600 range that are made out of ordinary materials like resin. They may have a fancy 'limited edition' number stamped on the body, but the reality is that they are not substantially different from the other models a given company might have in their model line up.

 

I think the reason that Nakayas (and Danitrios) have struck a chord with most people is that for not much more money, you can get something that is made out of materials (ebonite, urushi, maki-e), that are just a little more special. And, as you move up the price range, they are truly are works of art-I'm talking about the maki-e models. Even the plain urushi models seem to have a simple beauty that you either are attracted to, or not.

 

In the mechancial watch world, you can make the same case. With the exception of just a few companies that are true manufactures that craft every aspect of the watch, most use off the shelf calibers, and other components, but they can still command prices in the 5 and 6 digit range.

 

If Nakaya's don't work for you, don't agonize over it, and don't try to talk yourself into it-and if the filling system needs to be a little more unique, you can always buy a Danitrio.

[Titivillus]

Do any of you feel they're over-rated for the price.

 

I think this can be said about pretty much every pen out there :roflmho: :roflmho: :roflmho: they are worth what you are willing to pay

 

Is a MB worth as much as they charge, or Delta or any LE or SE or.... :ltcapd: :ltcapd:

 

 

 

 

Kurt

 

[stan]

After several years of viewing Nakaya as a high-end clone of Platinum, I came over about two years ago.

 

It began at the LA Show when Mr. Nakata invited me to his hotel room to see the spread of pens he brought with him, as well as some images of recent custom models and works in progress. Needless to say I was impressed. And, to my surprise I discovered Nakaya has a long-standing relationship with some close acquaintances in Japan. In a sense, I felt obligated to try one out.

 

Fortunately, they had Piccolos for sale at a discount at the Chicago show later that spring. I was hesitant to jump in at a high price and was not impressed by the pen. Perhaps it was the nib. Mr. Yoshida worked with me for over an hour at their table to develop the perfect one for me. Trashing one nib and almost another, and with no 'perfect' nib in sight, he indicated he had to move on to other customers and said he would work on my pen over night.

 

The very next morning he presented me the pen with a new, different, and more flexible nib. With a few strokes on paper, I knew the nib was perfect. If I buy another Nakaya all I need to do is show them this pen and they will match the nib. I use this pen regularly.

 

Since Nakaya no longer does shows in America, I question whether I can get this same attention from their current dealer or will it need to be sent to Japan. Should I buy another Nakaya, will I be able to get the same nib? I also question the time frame required for an off-the-shelf pen to get to me. I like the opportunity to try one out before I buy it.

 

Some go on about the changes in color of the urushi. Mine is brownish red and it has changed; it is appreciably lighter at the ends of the barrel and cap. One can see the urushi oxidizing as the coating is slightly thinner at these locations. Overall, it is not a bad look. In fact, it's pretty darn good.

 

Another attraction is the lack of clip. Over time I've moved more towards a Zen-like aesthetic and, besides never using a clip, it bothers me to see an accessory not required for my use. Perhaps for this reason I've not been a fan of Vanishing Points.

 

I do not want to dissuade anyone from buying a Danitrio. At the LA Show earlier this year Kevin sold me a large prototype(?) with the most phenomenal MEDIUM nib I ever had. It seems more like a BROAD and it is pretty flexible. I use the pen for special occasions. My wife and I have three Danitrio. She does not use hers as she already has a zillion of mine to choose from. She bought it for the artwork.

 

The writing experience from either maker is comparable, yet different. It will depend on the nib you get. Beyond that, it is all aesthetics and feel of the pen. The Piccolo is a small pen for me but, it fits nicely in my hand. Some bigger Nakaya decidedly did not feel comfortable to use. It is the same for the Danitrio. Some bigger models fit my hand perfectly. Others do not. Very subtle changes in shape or weight do make a difference. Both makers attract me for different reasons. When I buy another Danitrio it will be a simple model with a similar, perhaps MEDIUM size, nib. Kevin: Get rid of the clips!

 

I strongly suggest, if possible, you try out any pen that might be considered a significant investment. Go to shows and see and feel the goodies. Take your time. Compare. This pen will be with you for some time. Get it right.

 

How do I use my pens? I use several and tend to use each for a specific purpose. There is no so-called rotation. They stay used until a better pen comes along. Some might find their way to the desert island tray. Others might be sold or work their way back into use, or discover a pen oblivion.

 

Good luck.

[excarnate]

Wow! what great reasons Laura! Now I feel so much better about myself! LOL!

Really all she needed to do is post a link to her post about her Nakaya Cigar Piccolo. The one my wife and I read last night. The same story we'll read anytime we want to 'get into the mood'.