My Fountain Pen Education: Nakaya Naka-Ai Writer Ao-Tamenuri

WARNING: Do not read this post unless you want your wallet to be emptied.

No post I do about Nakaya is going to do this brand justice. I have been reading and researching these pens for about a year now and still feel like I am a complete novice concerning this historic brand. Luckily, I was able to spend some time with one a few months ago. To say I came away impressed is an understatement.

Before ever getting this Nakaya Naka-Ai Writer Ao-Tamenuri from the venerable Thomas I was in awe of everything Nakaya. The pictures I saw and the reviews I read only solidified the fact that this was my holy grail pen. The designs alone are exactly what speaks to me as a pen owner, not to mention the amazing finishes and world-class nibs.

What makes a Nakaya so special? Each pen is a handcrafted work of art, taking from 3 to 6 months to make depending on the requirements and finish. The barrels begin as hand-turned ebonite and then are finished with many layers of Urushi lacquer to provide a depth in color that is unparalleled. If you have an hour or two to kill (and a drool bib), browse through the Nakaya product catalog. Only then will you begin to understand why these pens are so loved and respected.

The naming conventions may be confusing, but once you are familiar with Nakaya's style they are easy to break down. Let's take this model apart to understand what the name means:

Nakaya - The manufacturer

Naka-Ai - The barrel shape

Writer - With clip

Ao-Tamenuri - The finish, in this case blue-green underneath black

The Ao-Tamenuri is one of the newest finishes available, and is a Nibs.com exclusive (Correction: The Naka-Ai model is the Nibs.com exclusive, not the Ao-Tamenuri finish. Thanks Thomas!). I know Thomas had been waiting a while for this one and I can see why. There is a depth to the finish that is impossible to capture in pictures.

When I finally got the nerve to ink up and use this pen I understood why Nakaya's are so revered. As soon as I picked it up I could feel the warmth in the barrel and the perfect balance. The nib provided a writing experience unlike I had felt before (this one has a stock EF nib). It is dead smooth and only takes a feather-light touch to write a solid line, but you can hear the nib moving across the page as you write. It is very hard to explain, other than it sounded like music to my ears.

So why don't I have one of these pens in my arsenal yet? Well, the model I reviewed runs about $700, with entry-level Nakaya's starting around $550. The price isn't necessarily a deterrent. I could save up for one in a few months if I wanted to. The problem is I know I won't be able to stop at one, and I'm not sure how Mrs. Pen Addict would feel about that.

This small review does not do a pen like this justice. At all. Here are several links where you can read and learn more about Nakaya fountain pens:

-- A Bit About Platinum and Nakaya

-- The most gorgeous red - Nakaya Dorsal Fin

-- The Nakaya Urushi Wajima-nuri -Tamenuri

-- A Snooping around the Nakaya Fountain Pen Company

-- Hands-on with the Nakaya Piccolo Writer Heki-tamenuri Fountain Pen

-- 2012 Top Ten Pens

Be safe out there. And hide your wallets.

Pilot Razor Point Review

When I was a younger pen addict back in the late 70's and early 80's one of the highlights of my summer was when my grandfather would take me to the LSU campus bookstore. I already had a strong affinity for quality pens at a young age, and the campus bookstore was my candy store. In retrospect, I owe a huge debt of gratitude to the LSU engineering department (your jokes will be accepted in the comments section) for stocking all of the cool writing instruments and paper that a kid like me could hope for.

There were two primary pens I was after when setting foot in the bookstore: The Pilot Precise (bonus points if you remember the ivory and baby blue barrels) and the Pilot Razor Point. The best thing about the bookstore carrying those pens? They came in all the colors! Black and blue were obvious, but I always managed to come home with green, red, and purple too.

The Razor Point was my favorite, and the genesis of my love for fine tipped drawing pens. At the time it couldn't be beat. I could draw my little towns and spaceships and anything else my brain could spew onto the page. It was the best.

To Pilot's credit, they have left the Razor Point unchanged since I first started buying it decades ago. It provides a sharp, fine, black line and consistent performance. The tip is prone to breaking down though, despite the metal collar under the plastic tip. This is why I used to buy them by the dozen. The ink also bleeds more than today's pens with updated technology, like the Sakura Pigma Micron or Sharpie Pen.

Despite those flaws, the Razor Point is a classic and brings back wonderful memories. Nothing beats seeing that little yellow circle popping out of the top of my pen cup.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Pentel EnerGel Tradio Gel Ink Pen Review

The Pentel EnerGel plays third wheel to the much more popular Pilot G2 and Uni-ball Signo 207. I'm partial to the 207 myself, but why isn't the EnerGel more loved? I wish I had a good answer. Marketing dollars maybe?

Regardless, this is a great pen and users of the G-2 should take notice. Every EnerGel I have used is smoother and lays down a cleaner, faster drying line. They almost never skip, and are designed better than nearly every comparable gel ink pen on the shelf.

My favorite EnerGel model is the Euro Needle for the 0.35 mm tip size and needle-tip design but the new Tradio model is an excellent option for those who like a wider line.

Pentel first experimented with the EnerGel refill in a Tradio barrel in the Combo model, a pen which I really enjoyed. The new stand-alone model comes in at nearly a third of the cost while keeping the same general design. The main difference is a thinner, more standard sized barrel in this new model. It looks tailor-made for a 4-pack on the store shelf.

As should be expected, the EnerGel Tradio writes wonderfully. I've never had a bad experience with any EnerGel pen so that is to be expected. My only knock is the grip is slick and could use more tackiness. That is a small complaint for such and excellent writer.

My wife has already stolen this one if that tells you anything.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)