NAKAYA ARRIVAL! Unboxing of Moonlight on Dark Water!

[tandaina]

I really like what the artist did on the section. And I'm impressed that you totally left it up to his or her discretion.

Yes, me too. I don't think I'd be able to leave it to chance with a pen so expensive, but in a way it makes it more special because it's a collaboration with the artist. I think the black really translates the moonlight on water at night; because it isn't just straight-up 'black', it's more reflective. It goes very well with the silver fish!
Congratulations on a stunning pen.

Actually I had sort of the opposite reaction. I was really afraid I'd come up with some cheesy horrible idea that wouldn't really translate well to the pen and would therefore look bad and I'd be disappointed. I'd read a number of posts where someone let the artists at either Danitrio or Nakaya do either part or ALL of their design work and every one of those pens was stunning. So I figured: leave it to the guy who has devoted his whole life to this art. :P

My husband's response when he saw it, after an oooooo, was "Wow, it is CHUNKY." And it is. This pen has the fattest section of any pen I own, that's taking some getting used to. Not uncomfortable just very different than my slender old Pelikans and Montblanc.

So I came home and got out my REAL camera, here is the pen in all its (dusty) glory. Good luck getting all the dust off these things, the macro lens reveals every bit of fuzz and dog hair. Oh well! (Sorry about the watermark, used the wrong export setting on Lightroom.)


DSC06137 by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

Here on this one you can see how some of the silver dust is right on the surface and some is really down there under the finish.

DSC06142 by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

Another close up of the threads and section

DSC06143 by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

Gin nami

DSC06145 by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

Down the barrel

DSC06147 by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

Playful fish

DSC06148 by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

Sparkles!

DSC06149 by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

Obligatory "pen porn" kimono shot.

DSC06151 by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

[Playtime]

Congrats! This is just a gorgeous pen--a wondrous thought made manifest by Nakaya! I suspect the only ink suitable for this pen is Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo

[jde]

So I figured: leave it to the guy who has devoted his whole life to this art.

Brava! I remember your posts when this pen was just an idea, and you were wondering how to get there.

Two things I think are really cool, and want to call you out on: (1) you got the full Nakaya experience in that you got yourself a customized pen, and (2) you let the artist do his thing. Doing just ONE of those things is hard for the average pen person, and you did both! I know it was hard at times:

[peterpen53]

Congratulations on a very exquisite pen! The silver dust on the section came out very well and makes it very special.

[kaisnowbird]

Congratulations! Now that's an elegant writing instrument and worthy of being an heirloom. What a treat!

A closeup of the kanji, again I wish I could read it. I will take for granted that it says something similar to what I meant and let any deviation be artistic/poetic license.

I don't speak Japanese, but I can confirm that the two characters mean exactly "silver wave" in Chinese.

By the way, does it come with the goldfish converter as well?

[tandaina]

The goldfish converter would have been extra. So I skipped it, can always order it from Classic Pens later if I cave and want it.

I am having a little trouble wtih ink sticking in the converter. The nib will run dry and tapping the converter immediately fixes the problem, this is actually why I own almost no pens that use converters. Hmm. May just try a different ink to see if it behaves better.

[reprieve]

I am having a little trouble wtih ink sticking in the converter. The nib will run dry and tapping the converter immediately fixes the problem, this is actually why I own almost no pens that use converters. Hmm. May just try a different ink to see if it behaves better.

I usually flush converters with soapy water (using Dawn dishwashing liquid) or with J.B.'s pen flush. That usually helps get rid of any oils that can cause sticky surface tension. Another alternative is to cut open one of the Platinum cartridges that came with your pen, remove the little metal ball, and insert it into the converter--that will keep the ink moving around. Speaking of, the Platinum cartridges are thoughtfully designed; I actually quite like the blue-black ink so I use the cartridges and then rinse them and save them to refill with a new ink.

[tandaina]

Thanks for that info Reprieve, I will definitely try it. Haven't used carts in years and years but I can certainly try one. :P I'm just so not a fan or blue-black or black ink. heh.

[da vinci]

Magnificent! Thank you for the pictures.

[penultress]

Congratulations on your beautiful pen and I love your photos! This was definitely worth the wait. I like the idea that the colors will fade over time.

[earthdawn]

Thanks for that info Reprieve, I will definitely try it. Haven't used carts in years and years but I can certainly try one. :P I'm just so not a fan or blue-black or black ink. heh.

You can take the converter apart. I agree to clean it out with some dish soap and a Q-tip. I show it here at 11:50 in ... this way you dont need to watch it all to find it

http://youtu.be/pGMvW9hcNmU

[tandaina]

Performed surgery on a cart, took apart the converter and dropped in the little metal ball. Easy. We'll see if it helps, seems to have solved the issue. The pen with a cart in has a little rattle from the ball.. Now the same if using the converter. Not annoying, but I suppose it could be to some, be warned.

[R i c h]

Inside which was another box! This one bamboo I believe and covered with Japanese characters. I really wish I could read them...

Untitled by JoAndRoses, on Flickr

Beautiful pen!

In regard to what the box says... the center of the box says "tokusei mannenhitsu" or "Specially-made Fountain Pen" and the writing on the lower left is the company name/tag line (nakaya mannenhitsu kinsei or loosely translated to mean "Carefully made by Nakaya Fountain Pens" or "Nakaya Fountain Pens, a quality product").

[earthdawn]

Inside which was another box! This one bamboo I believe and covered with Japanese characters. I really wish I could read them...

I missed that in the thread... When i got my first one I went looking for what it meant... and found it on the Nakaya website

"For Your Hand Only"

[R i c h]

Inside which was another box! This one bamboo I believe and covered with Japanese characters. I really wish I could read them...

I missed that in the thread... When i got my first one I went looking for what it meant... and found it on the Nakaya website

"For Your Hand Only"

I'm sorry but I have to disagree. Please see my comment above regarding the translation. On the Nakaya site the "for your hand only" tag line is written directly above the kanji for "Nakaya Fountain Pens" and is not meant to be a literal translation of the kanji below it.

[tandaina]

Thanks for the information!

[earthdawn]

No problem... My Pharmacist was the one who told me originally... and when I found it on the site I "assumed"... and when know what happens then.

Sorry for the mis-information...

[R i c h]

No problem... My Pharmacist was the one who told me originally... and when I found it on the site I "assumed"... and when know what happens then.

Sorry for the mis-information...

Translations are always a little tricky and being both a FP geek and a Japanese language geek I just had to comment.

[southpaw52]

Gorgeous looking pen WOW

[Sailor Kenshin]

Congrats! This is just a gorgeous pen--a wondrous thought made manifest by Nakaya! I suspect the only ink suitable for this pen is Iroshizuku Tsuki-yo

Sounds like a good combo.