fountain pen Archives - Page 7 of 10

OMAS Paragon Fountain Pen Review

June 22, 2014 by Blake

This pen is troublemaker. I have had it for a good number of years and as I reflect on it now, I am not exactly sure why.

I figure that my first OMAS review should be one that I would consider to be a great first OMAS. Don’t take that to mean that the Paragon is the bottom of the line pen, it’s not, it is in fact the top of line oversized model but used, in black resin, it is quite affordable and a good place to start with the brand if you are willing to roll the dice a bit.

A little background:

For those that do not know, OMAS stands for “Officina Meccanica Armondo Simoni” and they continue to make some of the world’s most beautiful fountain pens. OMAS is famous for their Arte Italiana line that features wonderful faceted pens. The Paragon is the largest model (and consequently the most desirable) in the Arte Italiana line.

OMAS Paragon — Barrel Imprints can help identify the approximate age of a Paragon.

The Paragon I am reviewing today is from the early 1990s. It differs in a few ways from the current Arte Italiana Paragon which confusingly now has two distinct styles “Vintage” and “Icon”. The “Vintage” style is more or less the same pen they have been making for decades and most closely resembles my 1990s Paragon.

Appearance

The body is made out of black resin and has 12 facets with 18kt gold furniture including Greek key bands on the cap and on the section just above the threading. The pen terminates at each end with short points. The large nib is a classic OMAS arrow design that I have seen on OMAS pens as old as the 1930s. It is one of the best looking nib designs out there.

No ifs, ands, or buts about it, this pen is beautiful. I have had the pleasure of owning a few celluloid versions and those really gave my Nakaya a run for its money in the awe department.

Score: 4/5

Build Quality

OMAS pens are turned from a single block of resin or celluloid and just about everything on this pen is done by hand. OMAS made the nib in house and it’s beautiful. Even the hand cut ebonite feed is beautiful. There are no seams and nothing on this pen looks poorly executed BUT there are some functional problems.

The piston knob is hard to turn (something I have experienced with all my OMAS pens from the 1980s-2000s purchased new and used). I don’t know if OMAS is trying to cut down on costs by saving on lubricators or what but it seems odd that such an expensive brand would have a hard and rough mechanism.

My biggest gripe about this pen is that I get ink all over my fingers when I use it. I believe ink comes out from the nib sleeve and onto the collar of the section. I have sent this pen in for repair where the entire pen was disassembled (piston mechanism lubricated…still hard to twist) and the problem wasn’t solved.

This is a beautifully made pen but unfortunately, it just doesn’t work all that well.

Score: 2.5/5

Size & Weight

The Paragon measures 5.6” capped, 5.25” uncapped and a whopping 7.15” posted. My partially full Paragon weighs in at 19.6 grams, which is very comfortable, and lightweight for a pen of this size. I find that the Paragon is comfortable to write with unposted as well as posted, despite its long length.

For me the combination of its large size and lightweight make it almost perfect. I am buying more and more old OMAS pens from the 40s and 50s and I always try to opt for the largest size in a series.

I did not realize until after I took the picture that the OMAS pictured beside the Montblanc 149 isn't the 1990s Paragon in all the other pictures...its an older 1960s celluloid version. The size is identical though. — I did not realize until after I took the picture that the OMAS pictured beside the Montblanc 149 isn’t the 1990s Paragon in all the other pictures…its an older 1960s celluloid version. The size is identical though.

Founder Armondo Simoni, believed that writing should be an enjoyable experience and as such pens needed to be lightweight. You wont see any overweight OMAS pens until after he passed in 1958.

Interestingly, the Paragon size (also know by the number 557) has changed throughout the years. In the late 40s to early 50s the 557 was over 5.6” and then in the late 50s it dropped to under 5.5” which would have been the senior size (aka the 556) in the late 40s early 50s. Today the Paragon is back to its original extra large size.

Score: 4/5

Performance

Up until the mid 1990s OMAS manufactured their own nibs in house before switching over to highly modified Bock nibs. It is clear to me now having owned a several modern OMAS pens with both Bock and OMAS nibs that the change was really quite minor in terms of performance and feel. They both have the same hand cut ebonite feed and the design is mostly the same. In the 1960s and prior the OMAS made some of the best “semi-flex” (like the 14kt Extra Lucens pictured below) and flex nibs that I have ever used. Below are three different nibs from Paragon-sized OMAS pens.

Left to right: 1) Bock made 18kt gold, 2) OMAS made 18kt gold, 3) OMAS made 14kt gold "Extra Lucens" from the 1960s — Left to right: 1) Bock made 18kt gold, 2) OMAS made 18kt gold, 3) OMAS made 14kt gold “Extra Lucens” from the 1960s. “OMAS” on a Bock nib has a large “O” and a bit different Greek-style lettering. You cannot see it without removing the nibs but the OMAS made nibs actually have a much longer body than the Bock ones. I don’t think there is any difference from a performance perspective but it is clear that OMAS made nibs are made with more gold.

The medium point 18kt gold nib is quite springy and with its generous flow feels quite nice on paper. The nib as long as I have had it skips. I sent it to a well-known nibmeister to be sorted out unfortunately he didn’t fix the problem, it still skips…I suspect that it needs a bit more regrinding. If the nib didn’t skip it would be one of my best nibs on a modern pen…it really feels excellent.

In the end it sort of does everything I don’t want a fountain pen to do… it skips and gets ink on my fingers.

Score: 1.5/5

Filling System

The Paragon is a piston-filler and holds a good amount of ink. If you have ever had the displeasure of twisting the piston knob on an “untested” vintage pen only to find that ink has dried inside the pen locking the mechanism then you have a pretty good idea of what it’s like to use the piston on this pen (and sadly most modern OMAS fountain pens). I might be exaggerating a bit but let’s just say it’s not that pleasant.

Score: 1.5/5

Value

A used resin OMAS Paragon in nice condition can be had for around $200-$250 and honestly it’s a ton of pen for the money IF you get one that works well. My success rate with both new and used OMAS pens from 1980-2005 has been about 60% and I have had more fountain pens from OMAS than any other manufacturer.

I know people who have had nothing but great luck with modern OMAS pens so I would encourage any potential buyer to do their own homework and come to their own conclusions.

New, you can buy a resin Paragon (or some version of it) for around $600-$700. The beautiful celluloid versions cost around $1,000.

Score: 2.5/5

Bottom Line

This Paragon’s beautiful looks are let down by poor performance.

Final Score 16/30

Here some great reviews of the OMAS Paragon:

(I have no affiliation to the sites linked below)

The Noble Savage – OMAS Paragon Blu Venezia 2003

These Beautiful Pens – Amazing Celluloid: Omas Paragon Arco

Kaweco Special Fountain Pen Quick Review

July 10, 2014June 3, 2014 by Blake

The Kaweco Special fountain pen is a very nice looking pen with a faceted aluminum body. The slender matte black body reminds me of vintage hard rubber pens. Unfortunately, like the Kaweco Allrounder I reviewed earlier, it’s not really a pen that I would recommend.

The first problem I noticed was that the coated brass grip section is tiny; it’s noticeably thiner and shorter than the section you get on a Kaweco Sport. The section is less than half an inch long before you run into the threading and is just over .25″ in diameter. This wouldn’t be the end of the world if it were not a full sized pen. It measures 5.5″ capped, 4.75″ uncapped and a massive 6.75″ posted. Because there is threading on the back of the pen (a feature I do like) the cap screws into the threading resting about .15″ in on the body. With a half full converter the Special weighs 20.5 grams which feels like a lot more when the pen is posted because it is so long.

The broad nib is the same as you get on a Kaweco Sport and the performance was pretty difficult in the beginning. There was a lot of skipping. As I used the nib more it became less of an issue but it never totally went away. I again think that the feed had trouble keeping up with the nib as was part of the problem with the double broad AC Carbon I reviewed.

It does take a Kaweco converter which is actually quite nice looking as far as converters go…if you notice in the picture the piston is about halfway down…that was because I couldn’t get the sucker to write after being stored nib up on a couple of occasions.

Throw a $118 price tag on this pen and it’s a definite no-go for me. If you want to spend $100+ on a Kaweco opt for a vintage Kaweco Sport with a gold nib and a piston filling system.

Bottom-line: Calling this pen a “Special” seems pretty generous.

Please note: this product was provided to me at no charge by Kaweco for review purposes.

Here are some great reviews of the Kaweco Special :

(I have no affiliation with any of the sites linked below)

Best Fountain Pen – Kaweco Special Aluminum Fountain Pen Review

A Fool With a Pen – Is it incredible? A review of the Kaweco Special FP

The Clicky Post – Kaweco Special Fountain Pen – F Nib

Pilot Custom 743 Falcon Fountain Pen Review

May 31, 2014May 30, 2014 by Blake

The Pilot Custom 743 is the only pen to use Pilot’s full line of #15 size nibs. In the store I tried three of the more unusual nibs: a music nib, a Waverly nib and a falcon nib. I ended up picking the falcon nib, which is a soft flexible nib.

Appearance

Like most pens in the Custom series, the 743 is a very traditional and classic looking executive pen with a black plastic body and yellow gold furniture. The trim level is the same as you get on the Custom 823 and they look almost identical. The trim ring on the bottom of the body is closer to the end of the pen than on the 823 (the 743 has vacuum mechanism to accommodate) but otherwise they look the same.

The cap has a rounded top with a clip that starts broad and narrows ending with a ball; this is the classic Pilot/Namiki clip and I think it looks great. The gold band at the bottom of the cap reads “* * * CUSTOM 743 * * * PILOT MADE IN JAPAN”. The letters are filled in with black (paint?) just as you would see on the Custom 845 and Custom 823. The large 14ct gold #15 nib is plain, with no decoration to speak of. The cuts on the sides of the nib help to increase flexibility and in my opinion make up for the lack of decoration.

The gold trim is much more yellow in color than the 14ct gold nib. This is quite apparent with the cap posted. I would like to have seen the gold match a bit better but it’s not a big deal.

All things considered, the Custom 743 is a clean looking pen with no strangeness to its proportions. It’s not going to score any points for originality but it’s a nice looking pen nonetheless. Score: 3/5

Build Quality

The build quality like most Pilot products is quite good. The section (as on the Custom 845) has two big seams that just look cheap on a $300 pen.

Custom 845 with Custom 743. Both have the same plastic section.

Unlike the Custom 845, the 743 also suffers from seams on the body as well. They are clearly defined in the threading on the body and then they disappear about a quarter of an inch in on the glossy part of the body. You wouldn’t really notice any of this unless you are looking closely. The fit and finish is otherwise quite good and I suspect this pen will last a long time. Score: 2.5/5

Size & Weight

The Custom 743 measures about 5.9” capped and about 5.2” uncapped. At its widest point it is about 0.6” and weighs about 25.6 grams with a converter full of ink. Like the 845, the 743 is a good sized pen similar in girth to a Montblanc 146 but closer to the 149 in length. I find the 743 to be well balanced in my hand. It looks quite long posted but it remains comfortable. Score: 4/5

Performance

I think it is fair to say that this pen will not be for everyone. I was lucky enough to try it in a store in Japan before I purchased it. It would be a mistake to think you are getting a new pen that is going to write like a vintage flex pen; it does not and I haven’t seen a modern flex pen that does.

Compared to a vintage flex pen there is minimal flex when pressure is applied to the Falcon nib.

The falcon nib is a bit on the scratchy side, not unpleasantly so but there is a good amount of feedback. With little or no pressure the nib writes with a pretty fine line, definitely an extra fine by western standards.

If apply some pressure you can get the line to become broad but this will require more force than you would need on most vintage flex pens. I find that with nib flexed and writing slowly (as you should) the pen has a tendency to railroad by which I mean produce two thin parallel lines instead of one fat line. The feed seems unable to keep up with the pen.

I have been experimenting with different inks and I have found Diamine inks to work the so far. I tried Noodler’s Blue Eel as I thought that might help with the railroad situation but alas it performed the same as the Waterman and Pilot inks I tried.

The "no pressure" and "medium pressure" writing samples were written quickly at my normal pace. — The “no pressure” and “medium pressure” writing samples were written quickly at my normal pace and the “Pressure” sample was written slowly with the most pressure…notice all the railroad tracks.

In normal writing there are no real performance issues and I can get some nice (not huge) line variation with medium pressure without causing any problems but if you want to make extra extra fine lines and triple broad lines the Falcon nib isn’t going to cut it. With a careful hand (sadly not something I possess) I have seen some beautiful western writing with the 743 Falcon. Score: 2/5

Filling System

The Custom 743 uses Pilot’s top-of-the-line Con-70 converter that is considered by many to be the best converter on the market. It holds a good amount of ink and is quite easy to use.

The 743 has the standard metal Con-70 which is not quite as nice as the black one you get in the Pilot Custom 845 and most Namiki pens but the function is the same. Score: 3.5/5

Value

I bought my Custom 743 in the low $200s, which I think is a pretty reasonable price for this pen. The retail price is 30,000 Yen (approximately $295 USD) is pretty high. If the pen had no seams and the gold trim matched the nib nicely I could easily justify a $300 price tag for the 743. Score: 3/5

Bottom Line

The feed prevents the 743 Falcon from living up to its full potential as a “flex” pen.

Final Score 18/30

Montblanc Meisterstuck 90 Years Permanent Grey Fountain Pen Ink Review

May 28, 2014 by Blake

To celebrate the 90th anniversary of the Meisterstück, Montblanc has released a limited edition Meisterstück 149 fountain pen and a permanent grey ink. The ink comes in a retro bottle that reads: “This ink fulfils all the demands made on it by durable, good-working, Fountain Pen”.

I have never been a fan of grey inks in the past but when I saw the bottle in the store I had to try it. The salesman was kind enough to let me dip the new 90th Years 149 fountain pen into a bottle of the Permanent Grey. The ink looked great so I bought a bottle.

The 90 Years Permanent Grey is a beautifully saturated almost black ink. The flow is excellent, especially for a permanent ink. Good saturation and shading. The big downside I see to this ink is the dry time…it’s long….very long. In my tests on Rhodia 80gsm paper it took approximately 75 seconds to fully dry.

(click the picture to enlarge)

To test the ink’s permanence I let the ink dry over night and with a few drops of water the ink remained well intact. I believe most of Montblanc’s permanent inks have an ISO certification but I don’t see any mention of that on the packaging of the 90 Years Permanent Grey.

If you like grey inks, this one is a must have. The price is on the expensive side at $20 for 35ml but I think it’s worth it.

Jac Zagoory Atlas Pen Holder Review

May 22, 2014 by Blake

I love desk accessories and my Atlas pen holder by Jac Zagoory is one of my favorites. Jac Zagoory Designs is famous for its whimsical pewter desk accessories that are all made in the USA. Jac Zagoory is an avid pen (and watch) collector and he has even written a great little book on the subject called: Pen Passion a Cylindrical Obsession.

The Atlas pen holder is one of his most popular designs and comes in a gold plate finish and a black finish in addition to the bare pewter finish. The pen goes in his hands where the globe normally would be.

The holder measures 5″ wide x 3″ high x 5″ deep. The shortest distance between his hands is just over 4.5″.

There is also a mini version of the Atlas which I have not seen in person but I suspect would be much better at holding smaller pens.

The detailing on the Atlas holder is decent but not as detailed as some of his other designs. The standard pewter model that I have retails for $130 (street price closer to $100) and the black finish and gold plate models retail for $199 and $280, respectively. They aren’t cheap but I do believe you are getting what you pay for with Jac Zagoory products.

Jac Zagoory Atlas Pen Holder — felt bottom and imprint

Overall, I really like the Atlas pen holder it is a real conversation starter and a nice place to rest your pen.

Pilot Custom 845 Urushi Fountain Pen Review

May 28, 2014May 17, 2014 by Blake

The Custom 845 is Pilot’s top of the line fountain pen (limited editions and Namiki branded pens not included). The 845 retails for an eye-watering 500,000 YEN (approximately $495 USD) and has received some mixed reviews. People have questioned whether it should command a price near an entry-level Nakaya.

What do you get for $500?

You get Pilot’s largest (Pilot branded) #15 nib in two tone 18kt gold with a large “gem” carved ebonite body and urushi lacquer finish. You also get a black painted Con-70 converter and an upgraded box.

While in Japan I was able to play with a number of Pilot/Namiki pens and I ended up loving the Custom 845. Now that I have had a few weeks to put it through its paces let’s see how it stacks up.

Appearance

The Custom 845 is a classic looking executive pen with a black body and yellow gold furniture. The cap has a flat top with a clip that starts broad and narrows ending with a ball.

The gold band at the bottom of the cap reads “* * * CUSTOM 845 * * * PILOT MADE IN JAPAN”. The letters are filled in with black (paint?) so they look nice and crisp. The back of the cap has “URUSHI” in gold letters.

The large two-tone #15 nib looks great and features some nice scrollwork on the silver center. I really like that Pilot puts a date stamp on these nibs. The left bottom corner of the nib is stamped “813” which translates to August 2013.

It’s hard to look at a pen like this and not think about Montblanc. The 845 with its flat top clearly isn’t a Meisterstück but it clearly is a Japanese take on a German style pen and that is definitely not a bad thing.

Score: 4/5

Build Quality

Many people, including myself, rave about Pilot’s build quality. I hadn’t spent much time with the Custom line before these last three weeks and while I still maintain that Pilot builds exceptional quality pens I do have some issues with the Custom 845 and the Custom 743 (review to come later).

To start let’s talk about the body of the 845. Above I said this pen has a lacquered ebonite body and it does….mostly, except for the section, the end of the body and the ends of the cap, which are plastic, or “resin” if that sounds more appetizing.

The plastic parts are not painted with urushi lacquer but nonetheless they do blend together well. The section has two visible seams and this to me is just wrong on a $500 pen.

To be fair these “issues” aren’t actual build quality problems but more an indication that this pen was built to a price. If you could build this pen without plastic and paint the entire pen in lacquer why wouldn’t you?

Other than the seams the fit and finish are flawless. The pen is sturdy and does not have the delicate feeling that a Nakaya has. With the 845, Pilot took a very practical design and really brought it to the next level by adding multiple coats of urushi lacquer. It is a wonderful pen to touch.

I compared the 845 to my Montblanc 149 and based on superficial fit and finish alone the Montblanc wins. The engraving on the ring of the 149 to me looks nicer and the Montblanc has no seams on its body despite being made entirely out of plastic.

I suspect that in the long-term the Pilot will hold up better than a 149 as the lacquer is much more scratch resistant than plastic and I have seen real problems with Montblanc quality. I have had plating issues with Montblancs as well as nib issues on brand new Montblanc pens; both things I have yet to see with any Pilot.

Score: 2.5/5

Size & Weight

The Custom 845 measures 5.7” capped and about 5.2” uncapped. At its widest point it is about 0.6” and weighs about 28.8 grams. The 845 is a good sized pen similar in girth to a 146 but closer to the 149 in length.

Pilot Custom 845 Urushi Fountain Pen — Montblanc 149 with the Custom 845

The 845 posts well and does have a good balance posted but for long writing sessions I prefer the 845 unposted. I believe most people would find the 845 to be a comfortable pen.

Score: 4/5

Performance

I sampled the fine, medium and broad nibs and found that the medium to be my favorite. Being Japanese, the medium is closer to a western fine. The Pilot-made # 15 18kt gold nib writes beautifully. I haven’t had any issues with skipping, hard starting or poor flow. The nib is somewhat soft for a standard nib and it is ultra smooth and responsive. It writes like a $500 pen should. The feel is phenomenal; in fact I believe it’s the best writing stock round tipped nib I have come across on a modern pen.

Score: 5/5

Filling System

Pilot Custom 845 Urushi Fountain Pen

The Custom 845 uses Pilot’s famous Con-70 converter which is considered by many to be the best converter money can buy; despite this, the 845’s cartridge/converter filling system tends to receive some criticism as many people feel that the $200 cheaper Custom 823 offers more value with it’s vacuum filling system.

Pilot Custom 845 Urushi Fountain Pen

It is true that the vacuum filing system holds more ink and it is likely a more expensive mechanism but as a cartridge/converter lover the black Con-70 is pretty much perfect. The Con-70 holds more ink than most converters and has a unique push button mechanism that you push four times to fill.

Score: 4/5

Value

The problem here is what do you compare the 845 to? At $550 a Nakaya is a great value and I know that because there are a lot of similar pens to compare it to.

The 845 is different, it’s more usable, it’s more solid feeling than a Nakaya, to me it’s an urushi Montblanc sans the status and for someone who wants that there aren’t many alternatives in this price range. I think $495 is about right for this pen. You will be hard pressed to find another high quality urushi fountain pen for less money and while it’s hard to call the 845 a steal it’s also hard to call it overpriced.

My ratings for this pen have been pretty harsh but I would like to mention that when I bought this pen I tired a TON of pens at the store including much more expensive Namiki pens with #20 and #50 nibs as well as a number of Sailors and Platinum pens. I liked the feel of the 845’s nib the best and I think I would pick the 845 again given the chance.

Score: 3/5

Bottom Line

If a Montblanc and a Nakaya had a baby it would be the Pilot Custom 845.

Final Score 22.5/30

Calepino No 2 Pocket Notebooks Review

May 10, 2014 by Blake

Calepino appears to be the French equivalent of Field Notes. Calepino focuses on small pocket notebooks with a simple core line of 100% French-made notebooks numbered one through four. No 1 features a red striped cover with ruled paper, No 2, the version I purchased, has green stripes and grid paper, No 3 has blue stripes and blank paper and No 4 has grey stripes and a dot grid.

Notebook numbers 1-4 come in packs of 3 for $13 compared with Field Notes’ 3 for $10. The No 2 measures 3.5″ x 5.5″, though up against a Field Notes, the No 2 is a hair shorter and a hair wider. The page count is the same 48 pages. So are they better than Field Notes? Let’s find out!

The Calepino notebooks come in very nicely branded box that features the same design and same cardboard as the notebook covers. The inside of the box lists all the specs of notebooks much like on the back inside cover of a Field Notes.

The cardboard cover is much rougher than a standard Field Notes cover and is noticeably thicker. The cardboard is made by a company in the Creuse area of France that has been making cardboard since 1927. The design is quite nice but I definitely prefer the simplicity of the Field Notes covers. The Calepino has three fonts on the cover where Field Notes only has one.

Inside the cover is a place for your personal information and a place for the start and finish date.

The pages are made of a bright white recycled paper with a green grid. The 5 x 5 mm grid is a bit larger than the 4.7 mm x 4.7mm grid found on a standard Field Notes. I prefer the smaller grid and the light brown ink the Field Notes uses.

Field Notes on the left and Calepino on the right.

In my testing I found that the Calepino’s paper handled relatively well for a recycled paper. It does bleed and feather a bit but overall it holds ink better than the standard Field Notes paper. To my touch the Calepino paper is a bit rougher and it provides a bit more feedback when writing which I like.

Calepino No 2 Pocket Notebook The Calepino is bound with two staples vs Field Notes’ three. The back cover has a little blurb about the company (I hope you speak French) and a metric ruler.

I have been carrying around a Calepino for about a week now and I definitely like the notebook but I don’t like it better than Field Notes. I fold my covers over when I am writing on a page and the Calepino is noticeably less pliable than a Field Notes notebook. I can fold the cover over but its more difficult and the two staple binding does not do as nice a job of holding the pages in place.

The Calepino offers better paper and better packaging than Field Notes but in the end I prefer the softer cover and overall look and feel of Field Notes.

The Calepino limited editions are quite interesting and I hope to get my hands on a set. The Limited editions feature collaborations with artists and famous design houses. What I particularly like is that the limited editions I have seen come in sets that include other limited edition items like pencils, pens, buttons and bookmarks.

Here are links to some great reviews of Calepino notebooks:

(I have no affiliation to the sites linked below)

Notebook Stories – Review: Calepino Notebook

Pens! Paper! Pencils! – Calepino notebooks review

LIFE Noble Memo Pad and Cover B7 Review

May 9, 2014 by Blake

In recent years LIFE has become one of the most coveted brands of Japanese paper. It is generally more difficult to track down than my favorites Midori and Maruman. The prices of LIFE products in the US seem to be uncontrolled as they vary quite a bit and tend to be overpriced.

The product I will be reviewing is the B7 size LIFE Noble Memo Section pad and leatherette cover that I picked up on my recent trip to Japan.

The Memo pad features 100 cream colored sheets with a faint 5mm graph. The graph is printed on one side only; the back of the page is blank. The orange cover has a great vintage look to it with the black scrollwork boarder and raised gold and black “LIFE” letters.

LIFE Noble Memo Pad

This memo pad oozes quality. Everything on it is tight and the taped binding is one of the best I have seen. You can open up to the middle of the book and it will lay flat and then you can close it and you would have no idea that this book as ever been open.

The cream colored pages are very high quality. If you look at the blank side of the paper you will see that is ribbed. I tested the paper against Rhodia’s 80 GSM paper and found the dry time to be about equal. The LIFE paper is a bit thicker and is more resistant to bleeding. It took multiple strokes with my fat music nib to see any bleed. The grid lines seem to resist ink and while that doesn’t bother me it may bother some.

LIFE Noble Memo Pad — No bleed to speak of and minimal ghosting. If you look closely you can see the ribbing.

The cover is a brown leatherette that looks sorta like leather but definitely doesn’t feel like leather, that is to say anyone who touches it wont likely be fooled.

Pressed into the leatherette is “LIFE” and the same scroll work we saw on the paper cover. The fit and finish like the notepad is immaculate with beautifully aligned stitching. I have found that in addition to protecting the notepad the cover also helps keep the pad open when you are at the beginning of the pad. I really wish they did this thing in leather.

So what about the price? The notepad with notebook cover retails for 1,000 YEN which is just under $10 USD. In the US, unfortunately, the prices are considerably higher. I found the cover (no pad included) for $20 and I found the pad for $8. To me even with the unusual high quality, $28 is too much money for a little notepad with a leatherette cover. At $10 it’s still expensive but much easier to justify.

The best prices I have seen for LIFE products in the US are at:

Nanami Paper

I have no affiliation and no purchase experience with this store but their prices seem to be more in line with Japanese retail.

Nakaya Naka-ai Negoro Shiro-tamenuri Fountain Pen Review

May 3, 2014 by Blake

A Nakaya has been on my buy list for a few years now but because my taste in fountain pens has been moving towards vintage European pens it has taken a long time for my first Nakaya purchase to materialize.

Nakaya gets a lot of attention on pen forums and blogs and while the pens are clearly beautiful there is more to it than that; there is an x-factor to these pens. Much like a handmade car, one has to use it in order to understand its real value.

I spent a lot of time on pen forums and on nibs.com (no affiliation) before selecting a Naka-ai Cigar Negoro Shiro-tamenuri.

Let’s attempt to explain the name: Nakaya is the brand which was the original name of the Platinum Company. “Naka-ai” is the model name, which means “middle” in Japanese. The Naka-ai is the result of a collaboration between Nakaya and John Mottishaw of Classic Fountain Pens Inc. (nibs.com). “Cigar” refers to the pen’s cigar shape and lack of a clip; the version with the clip is called the “Writer”. “Negoro” (couldn’t find the Japanese translation) refers to the weathered/cracked treatment applied to the pen. “Shiro-tamenuri” refers to the color and the clear urushi lacquer applied to the pen.

Appearance

The Naka-ai is really a work of art. The many layers of Urushi lacquer give the golden brown color a lot of depth. The “cracks” are hand engraved into the barrel and look beautifully weathered. It takes over six months to make a Negoro model and it shows. The lighter golden brown shows through near the edges of the cap and barrel as well as on the cracks and threading. The long tapered shape of the Nakai-ai is beautiful and being a Cigar model it has no clip which offers a more uniquely Asian look than the more practical Writer model.

Under the cap is a big shapely 14k gold nib that features the Nakaya globe logo and some scrollwork.

The converter features Maki-e painted goldfish which not only makes the converter look like an aquarium full of ink but also really sets it apart from the cheap plain converters I am so accustomed to seeing.

The Naka-ai is easily the most exotic-looking and most beautiful pen in my collection. I am not usually one for embellishments but the non-ostentatious look of the Negoro is fantastic.

Score: 5/5

Build Quality

The Naka-ai is clearly of a high quality but it has a very different feel to it than the high-end European pens I am used to handling. To me it feels much more delicate.

It’s hard to explain; if it were a car it would be a handmade Bentley Mulsanne compared to a Montblanc 146 which would be more like a Mercedes S-Class, that is to say everything on the Naka-ai is gorgeous, but not made with the laser precision of the much less gorgeous Montblanc.

The feel of urushi lacquer is special…it almost has a moist or wet quality to it. It’s wonderful to touch. I believe that urushi lacquer is the same or at least very similar to the Chinese lacquer S.T. Dupont used to put on their pens. I haven’t seen anyone test the flame resistant qualities of urushi though, so that special characteristic may only apply to Chinese lacquer.

The Naka-ai is designed to accommodate decoration on its body and as a result there is a lot of threading so that the design will always line up when capped. In practice though, I have found it to be difficult to properly line up the large crack (decoration) that spreads from the body to the cap. When I use the Naka-ai regularly I can get the design to line up without too much thought but admittedly when I pick up the pen, not having used it for a week or two I find that it can take me 2-4 tries to get it correct. I suppose this isn’t really a quality issue but it’s worth pointing out.

Everything on the Naka-ai fits tightly and there is no indication that this is anything less than an heirloom quality pen.

Score: 4/5

Size & Weight

The Naka-ai measures a little over 6” capped and about 5.5” uncapped. At its widest point it is about 0.7” and weighs about 27.5 grams. It is definitely a large pen but not so big as to be uncomfortable for regular use. Because of its excellent balance I can write with this pen for long periods of time. The grip section is on the smaller side but I find it to be quite comfortable. By comparison, the similarly sized Montblanc 149 section is too fat to be comfortable; I can jot down some quick notes but I wouldn’t write a letter with a 149.

Naka-ai and Montblanc 149 nib and section.

It should be noted that the Naka-ai is not designed to be posted. If you get a cigar (clipless) model you will need a place for the cap so that it doesn’t roll off the table. I started with a Nakaya 3 pen pillow but ended up opting for a Nakaya Desk Pen stand for my uncapped Nakaya. I leave the cap in the kimono case that comes with the pen.

Score: 3/5

Performance

A little background on the nib: I purchased my Nakaya from Classic Fountain Pens Inc (nibs.com) with a soft medium nib that I had modified to match the softness of the nib on my Montblanc 146 from the early 1950s (which was coincidently already at CFP for repairs). I spoke with John Mottishaw on the phone and we decided that in addition to softening up the nib we would add a left foot oblique modification.

The 14kt gold nib writes beautifully. It is soft and makes my writing look more distinctive. I have had no issues with hard starting or skipping. I have had my Nakaya for 5 months now and the performance has been excellent.

The softer nib makes for a little bit wetter writing experience; if you like a drier nib I wouldn’t recommend adding any flex. Also, it should be pointed out that the modifications listed above make the nib less beginner friendly. Being a Japanese medium the line is more equivalent to a western fine and when you add the oblique modification you have a more defined sweet spot than a regular ball-pointed nib or a wider oblique.

Score: 5/5

Filling System

As I have stated many times before, I am a big fan of converters and while they may not be as elaborate or as expensive to make as other types of fillers they are the easiest to use and keep clean. Nakaya uses a very nice quality Platinum converter that holds a decent amount of ink. I have both the standard Platinum converter and the special Nakaya goldfish Maki-e painted converter; both offer the exact same function but the painted one is a bit more special.

The Naka-ai will also take Platinum ink cartridges and can be fitted with an adapter that will allow you to use international short ink cartridges.

Score: 4/5

Value

Nakaya’s pricing has been going up over the last few years but comparable Urushi lacquer pens are (in most cases) at least $100 more expensive. From the other Urushi lacquer pens I have seen in person (Danitrio, Platinum, Sailor, and Namiki) I truly believe that Nakaya gives you the most for your money without compromising on any important detail.

The Negoro version is an extra $350 over the standard Naka-ai (in standard colors) and with my modifications and the Maki-e converter my pen was over $1,000, which is a lot of money for a pen, but to me this pen is a real work of art and priced quite fairly.

Naka-ai next to my Platinum 3776 Century Chartres Blue

I should point out that Nakaya uses Platinum nibs and it is possible to get the same nib on a much more affordable pen. I have a Platinum 3776 Century with the same big 14kt gold nib (sans the modifications) and it performs superbly.

Score: 4/5

Bottom Line

The Nakaya Naka-ai is a beautiful work of art that lives up to the hype.

Final Score 26/30

Midori World Meister’s Note Vol. 3 “Grain” Memo Book Review

April 23, 2014 by Blake

World Meister’s Note is a collection from Midori that involves fusion of Japanese craft with other countries craft. I have previously reviewed Vol. 1 “Dainel” and I liked it quite a bit.

I skipped Vol. 2 for the time being as it has been hard to locate one from a US seller. Hopefully when I go to Japan later this week I will be able to pick one up.

Vol. 3 is called Grain and “employs recycled leather meticulously manufactured by workshops in Valencia, Spain.” The memo book measures 5″ x 3″ x .5″ not including the spiral which adds a quarter inch in length and depth.

The memo book features 50 sheets (100 pages) white lined MD paper and 50 sheets of cream blank MD paper. There is also a double elastic band that keeps the book shut.

It’s a beautiful little book. The black leather looks great with the brown elastic and the copper colored double spirals.

The black recycled leather cover is stiff like a regular plastic memo book color but it has a nice leather grain and smell.

As I have mentioned in previous posts Midori’s MD paper is one of my favorites. It holds fountain pen ink very well. The lined pages have a brown dotted rule were every fifth line is solid. Also the front of each sheet of lined paper has the “MIDORI” printed at the bottom.

I had to abuse the paper to make it bleed. Almost no ghosting.

More apparent ghosting on the cream colored paper but no bleed even with abuse.

The Grain memo book is too large and bulky for my pants pocket. It will fit but it’s not comfortable. 100 sheets of paper make the memo book quite fat and inflexible.

$7.75 is high for a little memo book but the leather cover and 100 sheets of MD make the entry price worth while. The Grain is a great looking, beautifully made memo book. If it was a bit less bulky it would be my new memo book of choice but for now I am sticking with the Maruman Mnemosyne memo book (N193).

Here is a great review of the Midori “Grain” Memo Book:

(I have no affiliation with the site linked below)

Vertical Paper – Midori World Meister Vol. 3 Grain Memo Notepad — Review