The Eboya Kyouka

[Kampo]

The Eboya Kyouka combines a few of my favorite elements of pen design. It use the material ebonite which looks as classy today as it first did back when people were looking for cheaper alternatives to ebony wood back in the 1900s. The knurling on this pen is something you won't see other modern pen makers do (as far as I know, only the talented Tom Westerich can do something like this with the specialized vintage tools he owns. I believe there is also a French company who specialises in chasing but only on very premium pens). It also doesn't hurt that the pen is a chunky boy overall without having a section that's unwieldy (that's the reason why it's impossible for me to own an MB 149, Pelikan M100 or Delta Dolce Vita OS who have very large sections. My hands are just too small for them). Only the Churchill and this Eboya are my modern oversized pens because of how their sections remain fairly slender without ruining their oversized proportions overall. They've installed a stock 14 ct Bock nib on this which is reliable but for. Personally, I think it'd be worth their time investing on an Eboya branded nib! Well, in the meantime, I reached out to Chinyi of Tokyo Station Pens who installed a Platinum nib with an architect grind on mine. Now, it's perfect.

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Eboya makes half a dozen pens that are Japanese in aesthetic either because of their simplicity (such as the Hakobune and Houga) or by they clear inspiration from nature (such as the Ricchiku which takes the form of bamboo). My tastes are draw towards early 20th century styles which is why when I saw the Kyouka, I felt that I simply had to get it. I wouldn't fault most modern eyes to think its design peculiar (one of SBRE Brown's viewers even said it looked like a toiler roll pin on the video review!) but if you're into vintage pens you see how this is simply a modern adaptation of an Onoto design which Eboya mentions on their website or one of the other stilograph designs many many years ago. By that I mean the design is nothing to be offended by considering you could call it a classic. I am very happy that someone chose to make this design and amend it to a slightly more modern size. The good news for you if you want it in something smaller is that there is a small and medium version of it too!

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They really nailed the design on this pen. I just don't have a picture on hand but those vintage Onotos looked almost exactly like this. They didn't just have the knurling but also that subtle ring where the cap closes with the barrel which is another refined detail I like. This one is worth getting folks!

If you're looking for a vintage design reminiscent of old eyedroppers in a variety of ebonite colors with details you won't see on most other modern pens then this is something for you.

Photo with my other ebonite pens

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