Posts filed under Fountain Pens

Nakaya Long Cigar in Aka-Tamenuri with Kanji and a Gold Zogan: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

I’ve come to the conclusion that my all-time favorite fountain pens are Nakayas. I simply adore them. I love their simple aesthetic, balance in the hand, incredible nibs, and the way they sing when I write with them.

I found this Nakaya on the nibs.com “pre-owned” page and snapped it up. I don’t have a long cigar in my collection, nor do I have any Nakayas with Kanji or gold zogans.

Nakayas are packaged in a softwood box (Paulownia wood) with a red velveteen insert. Included are a kimono (not pictured) and a box of Nakaya cartridges. The pen comes with a Nakaya converter as well.

The Long Cigar is just that: long. It measures 165mm capped and 145mm uncapped. Nakayas aren’t really meant to be posted. Even so, it is not a heavy pen at all, weighing only 27 grams capped and 20 grams uncapped (with converter inked). The pen is perfectly balanced in the hand.

This Nakaya has the Aka-Tamenuri finish, which is a red urushi. You can best see the subtleties of the color when you look at the cap edges and the grip section (pictured below).

In addition, this Nakaya has two extra special touches: Kanji and a gold zogan. The kanji, ikemori means something like “guardian of the pond.” A friend on Instagram explained that it refers to a person in charge of irrigation ponds in medieval Japan. Since this is a pre-owned pen, I don’t know what the Kanji symbolized to the original owner, but I decided to think of the pond as my poetry and this pen as a guardian, since I write out my poetry long hand first.

The gold zogan inlay is a diamond shape, hand painted in 24k yellow gold. It adds an extra touch of zen-like beauty to the pen.

This is my second Nakaya with an elastic nib. I reviewed my first here. An elastic nib is a soft nib that has been modified with cutouts.

This makes the nib separate from the feed in such a way that it feels like you’re writing with a paintbrush. The elastic modification does not provide flex, so you won’t see much line variation with this nib. But, the elastic nib is my favorite nib to write with. It is bouncy, soft, and forces you to maintain a consistent, flowing rhythm as you write.

*The ink used here is* *Kyo-no-oto Adzuki-iro*

I realize that Nakaya pens aren’t for everyone. They are quite expensive, especially when you add features like Kanji, a zogan inlay, and a specialty nib. But, these pens speak to me like no others. The urushi warms to your hand and the smooth lines and earthy colors evoke peace.

(I purchased this Nakaya with my own funds.)

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Posted on August 2, 2019 by Susan Pigott and filed under Nakaya, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

TWSBI GO Clear Fountain Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter. And check out her first novel, The Bone Weaver’s Orchard, now available where books are sold!)

The TWSBI GO sprung onto the scene recently and turned all our collective pen addict heads. Its spring-loaded button-fill system is certainly not new tech, but it's the first time I've seen such a thing in a pen that costs less than a trip to the grocery store, and that's a category that can never have too many cool pens. This is a cool pen.

This clear demonstrator edition shows off all the inner workings of this small marvel. It isn't pretty, bless its little springy heart, but it does look interesting. It has more than once been mistaken for a medical device, but has also several times been a conversation-starter about pens. Sometimes those conversations end with the tell-tale twinkle in the eye of a person who is about to go off and purchase their first fountain pen.

This is a great starter fountain pen for someone who is ink-motivated. If you want sheen and shimmer and endless colors, you need bottled ink, and this pen is a great way to get started with that. The button plunger is intuitive and easy to use. If you are, however, more drawn to 'fine writing instruments' and the elegance of a nice pen, this is not the place to start.

Every piece of this pen except for the spring and the nib is plastic. Well, 'acrylic', but not acrylic in the way that Sailors or Viscontis are acrylic--acrylic in the way that fake nails are acrylic. It feels cheap, almost disposable, in the hand. But it also IS cheap, so that's not really a flaw, it's a feature.

The cap snaps in place with a solid click, and contains an inner cap designed to keep the nib from drying out. Mine has been very effective. The pen doesn't dry out, even after a few days without use. The cap has no clip, but has a very small lanyard loop that also serves as a roll-stop. I put a bit of cotton cord on mine, so I could wear it around my neck when I'm at work. I could only stand to do that for a few days, though, because it's just too odd-looking. I'd prefer a clip. The rim of the cap is not reinforced in any way, so I do worry about cracking. Even my sturdier TWSBIs have cracked, and this one is distinctly more lightweight. I have knocked it about a fair bit, though, in pockets, purses, around my neck, closed up in notebooks--and it doesn't look any worse for the wear. The cap does post securely, and it's light enough that posting doesn't add any extra weight, but I worry about the stress posting puts on the cap rim.

The grip section is a different plastic from the body. It's a bit softer and not as clear, but still shows the feed and ink. The grip is molded, and forces that classic triangular hold that plenty of people hate. It's a bit more pronounced on this pen than on the Eco, I feel. So, if you dislike molded grips, steer clear. It is very comfortable for me, personally, but it's definitely a deal breaker for a lot of folks.

The nib on mine is excellent, but I do see a whole spectrum of complaints about the nib performance people are experiencing. It appears there may be some quality control issues going on. I'd encourage you to try your pen in person, if possible, or order from someone who will check it for you. My nib writes very smoothly and wet, which makes the extra fine look more like a fine or medium. I've owned a lot of TWSBIs, and so far all of mine have been wet writers.

This pen has its flaws, but on a flaws to dollars ratio, it's still coming up as a great value. I reach for it often and I've recommended it to a number of people. I'm recommending it to you, too, right now, with the disclaimer that it is certainly not for everyone.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on August 1, 2019 by Sarah Read and filed under TWSBI, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Kaweco Steel Sport Fountain Pen Review

I can’t think of a maker that owns a sub-market as thoroughly as Kaweco owns the pocket fountain pen market. It is a Nakaya/urushi level of dominance in my mind.

Sure, there are other amazing pocket pens available - Schon DSGN and Fisher immediately come to mind - but Kaweco does it the best across the board. Entry level, mid-range, high end, plastic, metal, special editions, fountain, ballpoint, pencil - all of it. Who else owns a niche within a niche as thoroughly as they do?

Over the years, I moved from the plastic-bodied Sport models, to the aluminum AL Sport, to the Fireblue Lilliput, to my new favorite model: The Kaweco Steel Sport Fountain Pen. It’s the best of all worlds for what I need in a pocket carry pen.

The Steel Sport features a - wait for it - stainless steel barrel. What is it about stainless steel that I love so much in pens? It tends to land in a barrel weight sweet spot that is heavier than aluminum, and lighter than copper and brass. (Note: There is a ton of brand variance here. Primarily, how much they choose to core out of the barrel to shed weight.) The price point also falls in the middle, usually around the same upgrade price as titanium.

Stainless steel has a density and warmth that I enjoy in a pen barrel. It is also practically indestructible, which is what I want in a pocket pen. Not that I make a habit of running over it with my car, but I know if I toss it in a backpack, or in a pocket with keys, it is going to come out looking the same way as it did when it went into one of those locations.

And it is going to work immediately when I uncap it. That is what Kaweco has perfected. Style on its own is fine, but without performance you don’t have a product. I never have to worry about any Kaweco fountain pen giving me an issue when I uncap it and want to write.

As you may have noticed in the pictures, I swapped out the stock Kaweco Steel nib for a modified 14k gold Kaweco nib. It started life as a B nib, but now lives as a stub, and it is glorious. For all of the Kaweco fountain pens I own, I have two or three nibs I swap out between them. This started years ago when their nib quality control was subpar, but they have righted the ship on that front. The stock steel EF nibs I have received in the past year have been perfect right out of the box, so don’t hesitate to go with your preferred nib size if and when you buy one.

This setup is me. That’s what I look for in a writing experience. Maybe the stock offering is a perfect match - which happens frequently - but if I can upgrade the barrel, swap out the nib, and toss in a fun ink color (in this case, Graf von Faber-Castell Deep Sea Green,) then I am living my best analog life.

Kaweco pens are not for everybody. They require a different mindset than a traditional fountain pen. If you are interested, I suggest starting with one of the Classic or Sport models to see if the size and shape works for you. Those are some of my most used Kaweco pens, in fact. If that works well, then beware the rabbit hole of Kaweco goodness that awaits.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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