Hakase

[bluesea]

Good choices on the change order, imo its very elegant w/o the roll stop.

Never seen squid ink but lots of octopus ink, which tends to run deep black with purple/brown tints as it disperses. This out of the water of course, because you can't correctly judge color under the surface.

[rpsyed]

*I apologize for the poor quality iPhone photos taken in my poorly-lit apartment -- I'll borrow a dSLR to get some decent ones before I do a full review.

After 13 months my Hakase is finally here! Since I ordered it last December, I've been anxiously awaiting this little ebonite barrel with a cocobolo shell. My model is called CW15C, which stands for cocobolo wood, large size nib, flat-top and solid 14kt pyramid barrel stopper band (no plating here!)

For those unfamiliar with Hakase, I'd highly recommend watching the Masters of Fountain Pen series video on Harumi Tanaka. The current craftsman of Hakase is Ryo Yamamoto but he builds pens using the same techniques as Harumi Tanaka, who retired 6 or 7 years ago.

Since I ordered it last December, I've been anxiously awaiting this little ebonite barrel with a cocobolo shell. I was so excited to receive it when I checked the tracking to find it was out for delivery yesterday but I wasn't home to sign for it. Today, in between appointments, I rushed to the post office, where I almost had to leave before getting my package so I wouldn't be late to class. Not entirely relevant, but I think some FP-users might appreciate this: On Tuesdays, the novelist Salman Rushdie is my professor and I think he's an FP user! Today, he was holding on to what looked like a vintage vest pen. I didn't see him uncap it but I'm fairly certain it was a vintage FP. I'm going to have to ask him about it next week, if he brings the same pen.



Arrived in the pretty wrapping paper.



The nibs on the large size Hakase pens are #15 size Pilot nibs, with the Hakase double-nib logo embossed on it. Similar to the nib on the Custom 823, Custom 845 and several other pens. The smaller Hakase pens use either a #10 Pilot nib or a Sailor nib.



Box is just like the pawlonia wood boxes used for Nakaya and Danitrio pens. The calligraphy on the box is supposedly done by Ryo's mother.



The pen came with a Con-70 converter and was wrapped in very delicate tissue paper.



Not sure how many leads the cap has but at least one of them causes the grain to line up when capped. I know Hakase does the same pattern matching on their clipped pens, so the finial of the wood or ebonite matches that of the main part of the cap.

The wood has an oil/wax finish and feels wonderful to the touch.



Nib is about equal to a #6 size nib. From top: Danitrio Mikado, Edison Pearl, Hakase CW15C, Hooligan kingwood/titanium pen.



From top: Danitrio Mikado, Eboya Kyouka (medium-size), Hakase CW15C, Hooligan kingwood/titanium pen, Edison Pearl.


Now to ink this up ....

[penwash]

Lovely pen. Looking forward to the full review.

Photo tip: No need for a DSLR, bring the pen near your most bright window in the morning, if the sky is overcast, you can take pictures with your iPhone and it'll look very good. If the sunlight is harsh and directly on the pen, cover a portion of the window with wax paper, and put the pen in the "shadow" of the paper, which will have the same effect as an overcast sky, then take the pictures.

[earthdawn]

AWESOME pen!

I remember when you ordered it and wow what a long wait. They were pretty accurate in the delivery time too.

Beautiful and well worth the wait to get it. That #15 nib must look amazing in person.

BIG congrats!

And the roll-stop is

[Jon Szanto]

As I mentioned "over there", you've made excellent choices and this latest pen is no exception. The best part is you seem very pleased after the long wait!

It appears that the Edison has been given an urushi treatment - by Ernest Shin, perhaps?

[rpsyed]

AWESOME pen!

I remember when you ordered it and wow what a long wait. They were pretty accurate in the delivery time too.

Beautiful and well worth the wait to get it. That #15 nib must look amazing in person.

BIG congrats!

And the roll-stop is

Thank you! Yeah, Ryo was very accurate, right on the money of when he said he'd deliver the pen. On the website it says Hakase limits themselves to making 10 pens a month. I think that gives them enough time to make each one. I've inked it with Yama-Dori and it's a beautiful writer. I ordered a plain round medium nib, slightly on the fine side of what would be a "Western" medium; probably similar to a Pelikan fine. It's absolutely glassy smooth. Ryo really knows how to tune a nib.

As I mentioned "over there", you've made excellent choices and this latest pen is no exception. The best part is you seem very pleased after the long wait!

It appears that the Edison has been given an urushi treatment - by Ernest Shin, perhaps?

Thank you! Ryo did such a great job on the pen. Everything feels so solid and well-made. I especially like the little band; it can spin around the pen if you rotate it but it doesn't wobble or turn unless consciously rotated.

The Edison did get an urushi treatment from Ernest Shin! It's similar to the LE Brian and Ernest did years back for the Pearl. Not exactly the same but a similar Kara-nuri technique.

[Spoonage]

Congrats! I looking forward to the review. I would like a Hakase some day.

[Knight]

I've tempted to try buy Hakase pen when I watch their video on youtube a couple back year ago.. don't know why I never order their pen.. last time I check their website very plain and not interesting like nakaya website.. imho

[rpsyed]

I've tempted to try buy Hakase pen when I watch their video on youtube a couple back year ago.. don't know why I never order their pen.. last time I check their website very plain and not interesting like nakaya website.. imho

They're online catalog is pretty small. But their options can be broken down pretty easily. First pick your size, whether a medium-size pen or large-size pen, then pick your material (ebonite, celluloid, several different kinds of wood, buffalo horn). After that, pick whether you want a flat-top or torpedo shaped pen, and any clips or roll stops you want. They have one clip option that is gold-plated and included in the base price, the other clips and all the roll stops are solid gold. Ryo will ask you if you post and he will adjust the barrel to allow that if you want (I actually don't post but I thought the barrel looked better in the tapered shape allowing posting rather than the straight barrel. There are standard lengths for Hakase but you can adjust those, if you prefer an extra long pen, for example.

It sounds like a lot but it's honestly a pretty simple process!

[myu]

^ Not only that, but their backlog means a very slow build time. You order a pen and you get it 6~12 months later! At least that's what I was finding when I inquired about 2 years ago. Have they improved since?

[da vinci]

^ Not only that, but their backlog means a very slow build time. You order a pen and you get it 6~12 months later! At least that's what I was finding when I inquired about 2 years ago. Have they improved since?

No!

[myu]

Worth waiting for?

Let me guess...


Yes!

[da vinci]

D

Worth waiting for?

Let me guess...


Yes!

I am certainly hoping so...

My wait is nearly at an end...

[Adit]

I know people have different opinions. Am I the only one who doesn't feel the hype about Hakases?

[sugna]

Congratulations! It seems like such a long wait, but when your pen finally arrives it is a great feeling. Mine has been a daily carry since I got it, hope yours brings you many years of joy!

[rpsyed]

I am certainly hoping so...

My wait is nearly at an end...

Not sure if you're Hakase is here yet or not but looking forward to hearing your thoughts on it when it arrives!

I know people have different opinions. Am I the only one who doesn't feel the hype about Hakases?

No, that's a totally reasonable opinion. At the end of the day, it's a Pilot #15 nib, tuned very well, in an expensive package. You could get a pen that writes similarly well from Mottishaw or another nibmeister for much less. I personally admire the craftsmanship that it must have taken to learn how to turn pens on a foot-powered lathe, cut threads by hand, and hammer and forge the gold into shape for the furniture. It's certainly not the most efficient way to make a pen but it's art and a good artisan's labor should have some value, I think.

Congratulations! It seems like such a long wait, but when your pen finally arrives it is a great feeling. Mine has been a daily carry since I got it, hope yours brings you many years of joy!

Thank you very much! Agreed. The wait is agonizing but that joyous feel when a new pen arrives and blows your expectations away is really something special.

[Jon Szanto]

No, that's a totally reasonable opinion. At the end of the day, it's a Pilot #15 nib, tuned very well, in an expensive package. You could get a pen that writes similarly well from Mottishaw or another nibmeister for much less. I personally admire the craftsmanship that it must have taken to learn how to turn pens on a foot-powered lathe, cut threads by hand, and hammer and forge the gold into shape for the furniture. It's certainly not the most efficient way to make a pen but it's art and a good artisan's labor should have some value, I think.

I just wanted to say that the above is about the best statement I've seen about the concept of a truly bespoke pen. People can get awfully hung up on the functionality and give very short shrift to the hours of work done by hand to create a very personal object. There is nothing wrong - in fact, everything right - in appreciating and valuing that work. Well said.

[dms]

Hi, Razi.

You said, "No, that's a totally reasonable opinion. At the end of the day, it's a Pilot #15 nib, tuned very well, in an expensive package. You could get a pen that writes similarly well from Mottishaw or another nibmeister for much less. I personally admire the craftsmanship that it must have taken to learn how to turn pens on a foot-powered lathe, cut threads by hand, and hammer and forge the gold into shape for the furniture. It's certainly not the most efficient way to make a pen but it's art and a good artisan's labor should have some value, I think. "

I totally endorse Jon's comments about your statement. I would just note that one of the nicest things (among many nice things) about the San Francisco Pen Show last weekend was the number of artisanal pen makers there. In fact, I bought 4 pens at the show, three of which were from those small-volume artisans who hand-turn their pens. Buying at the show, as opposed to online, one has the very significant additional benefit of meeting with the person who made your pen and learning more about it, his thoughts about design decisions and so forth.

Be sure to let us know when you will be in town. Your home pen posse members all acquired nice stuff at the SF show.

David

[rpsyed]

Hi, Razi.

You said, "No, that's a totally reasonable opinion. At the end of the day, it's a Pilot #15 nib, tuned very well, in an expensive package. You could get a pen that writes similarly well from Mottishaw or another nibmeister for much less. I personally admire the craftsmanship that it must have taken to learn how to turn pens on a foot-powered lathe, cut threads by hand, and hammer and forge the gold into shape for the furniture. It's certainly not the most efficient way to make a pen but it's art and a good artisan's labor should have some value, I think. "

I totally endorse Jon's comments about your statement. I would just note that one of the nicest things (among many nice things) about the San Francisco Pen Show last weekend was the number of artisanal pen makers there. In fact, I bought 4 pens at the show, three of which were from those small-volume artisans who hand-turn their pens. Buying at the show, as opposed to online, one has the very significant additional benefit of meeting with the person who made your pen and learning more about it, his thoughts about design decisions and so forth.

Be sure to let us know when you will be in town. Your home pen posse members all acquired nice stuff at the SF show.

David

Will do! Looking forward to seeing everyone again. It'll likely be around Thanksgiving. I should have a few new pens to share at that time too ... A new Scriptorium Aeterna in Omas celluloid, and likely a couple other pens.