PDA

View Full Version : Edison/Hakumin Pearl in Aka-Ishime no Kuro Tamenuri



drgoretex
April 24th, 2013, 07:57 PM
Well, this has got to be about the most awesome FP purchase ever (for me). Came across this up for sale from the original owner. Wasn't for him, so it went into the classifieds, and I saw it and *BOOM*.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/IMG_7771_zps814b7871.jpg

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/IMG_7769_zps210781e3.jpg

These pens were one of the collaborations between Brian Gray of Edison Pens and Ernest Shin of Hakumin Urushi Kobo, and truth be told, I have been eyeing up this pen for a while now on the Hakumin site. When opportunity arose, I could not turn it down. Which of course, is one of the reasons I have to keep working all the time, but that's another story...

This beautiful style of urushi finish, so perfectly done by Ernest Shin, comprises a textured layer of red on a black base - which is what is described by 'Aka-ishime no kuro tamenuri'. It is miles more complex than I just inexpertly described, and takes an incredibly long time to apply - months, in fact. But the result is a breathtakingly gorgeous finish that feels amazing in the hand. The pics, as is so often said, do not do it justice.

Now, coming to the Pearl itself. This is my first Edison pen. Not sure why - I have long admired Brian's work, but never got around to ordering one. I have to say, shape, proportions, and component fit are all perfect. The threading is clean, crisp, and secure. As a pen maker, believe me - this is high praise. Very impressive work.

http://i221.photobucket.com/albums/dd231/kcavers/IMG_7778_zpse2f73c73.jpg
Writing sample in my lousy doctor's handwriting. Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue, my usual write-test ink.

The nib is a medium 14K which was stubbed for the original owner. He had noted a bit of scratchiness, and while I found the same thing initially, a couple of minutes to adjust and smooth, and I got a wonderfully smooth medium stub with cool, subtle line variation, and a hint of flex. LOVE IT!

All in all, this is easily the best, most beautiful pen I have - even comparing against a very nice Nakaya Naka-Ai I recently got!

First impression 10/10
Fit and quality 10/10
Overall aesthetics 10/10
Filling system 10/10 (converter. I like converter fill, so my score is biased here)
Nib 9/10 initially (one mark off for not being smooth out of the box. One might argue to take more off, but it's now a 10/10 nib, so I am very happy)

I have to give both Brian Gray and Ernest Shin two thumbs up on some of the most excellent work I have seen!

I just checked Hakumin and there are still some Edison/Hakumin collaborations left, including one of these.

Thanks for reading!

Cheers

writingrav
April 24th, 2013, 08:23 PM
That is one beautiful pen!

fountainpenkid
April 25th, 2013, 04:46 AM
That is one beautiful pen!

Agreed!

reprieve
April 25th, 2013, 07:04 AM
Your pen is very pretty! Congratulations!

I love the feel of the ishime finishes--they have such a nice tactility! The bonus is that they don't collect dust or scratches like the smooth, shiny urushi finishes.

KrazyIvan
April 25th, 2013, 10:13 AM
Oh man, that is an awesome looking pen!

Bogon07
April 27th, 2013, 02:49 AM
A singular looking pen, I like the way the finish is on either side of the screw thread on the barrel. It looks like an alien artefact. I recall seeing some special effect metallic spray paint that was supposed to produce finish similar to that but obviously not to this standard. Thanks for sharing these pictures, I've looked at the Ernest Shin of Hakumin Urushi Kobo site and was intrigued by his work. You would be kicked out of the AMA here, your writing is too legible.

jde
May 3rd, 2013, 10:36 AM
Now you've done it, Ken! You've combined Edison and urushi into your collection! Excellent. Urushi over ebonite by itself is quite a tactile experience. The ishime treatment must really enhance that tactile quality.

I have a Hakumin Mina customized per my own desires. The quality and detail of the pen are top-notch.

The 'collaboration' is an ongoing relationship. While Ernest / Hakumin will work with almost any pen, he does have that pipeline to Edison pens for his canvas. Ernest is a great artist.

Enjoy...
--Julie