Your Grail Pen Sucks

[jdwhitak]

After eye-balling a Namiki Emperor for years and watching every YouTube video I could find, I finally got one this week. And meh!!!

Nothing wrong with it per se, but the writing experience is totally not what I was expecting. In talks with the retailer to see if I can return it, but I might be stuck with it.

Anyone one else finally get their hands on their grail pen only to be disappointed?

[amk]

Fortunately not, though I have bought a couple of disappointing pens they weren't grails.

One of the great things about belonging to a pen club (Paris) is that I get the chance to see and try other people's pens. I now know that some of the pens I might have put on my list, like Montblanc 1490 or most Viscontis and Leonardos, are way too heavy for me, and that I don't like Sailor's nibs.

Is it the nib, though, or the pen as a whole? If it's just the nib, it's worth getting a nibmeister to accommodate it more to your taste. I've done this with a couple of pens which went from 'meh' to all-stars, and compared to the cost of a Namiki Emperor, the bill for a nibmeister will be tiny.

[FredRydr]

This happened often enough when I first started pen "collecting" and bought modern pens that were shipped to me. The lesson I learned is try before you buy when it comes to fountain pens.

If you bought the Namiki new and you try to sell it now, your loss will be considerable. amk's suggestion is a good one. If it's just a matter of the nib, try asking the retailer or manufacturer for a nib exchange or turn to a nibmeister if a regrind will achieve your grail goal.

[dneal]

Good topic, and sorry to hear about your disappointment. I file this sort of thing under the “don’t meet your heroes” idea, and I could list a lot "grail" things that turned out not to be.

We get big hits of dopamine during anticipation, creating expectations where our created idea of something is often impossible for it to meet. The dopamine drop is huge (below baseline). I think we've all been there. On a guitar forum, it's littered with "I bought this guitar (or strings, or tuner, or capo, or...) everyone said was going to be wonderful but I don't like it".

Fred's advice is sound, although a lot of times trying before you buy is difficult. That's the good thing about pen shows! But most of it is about managing expectations, which is not an easy thing to do. Reviews are often made during a honeymoon period. Maybe we ought to do an "old pens, revisited" sort of thing in the review section. I've grown to appreciate some pens that I didn't originally care for.

[jdwhitak]

Unfortunately, I bought the Emperor new. The two things I don't like about it is the size. I like a larger pen, but this crosses the threshold for me. On the nib, I would prefer it to be a little smoother. I know I can get the nib worked, but nothing can be done about the size. Who knows maybe I'll get used to it. I felt the same way about my 149 at first, now its one of my favorites.

I normally like to try before I buy, but the closest pen shops to me are in Chicago. I had intended to go to the Ohio pen show last month to look at pens on my list in person (the Emperor being one of them), but I didn't make it this year. I guess caveat emptor.

I did take a gamble on a Sailor Ebonite Sculpture last month and I now consider it my best pen.

[Chuck Naill]

Get a Wing Sung 601 and report back. $20 !

[Sandy]

After eye-balling a Namiki Emperor for years and watching every YouTube video I could find, I finally got one this week. And meh!!!

Nothing wrong with it per se, but the writing experience is totally not what I was expecting. In talks with the retailer to see if I can return it, but I might be stuck with it.

Anyone one else finally get their hands on their grail pen only to be disappointed?

Try writing with it for a few weeks - make it your daily writer. You may find out that after a couple of weeks use, you have a completely different pen. The ink flow may improve and your hand will adjust to the pen.

I've had this with a couple of pens. They went from dry writers to gushers.

Also, changing the paper might help. My Japanese nibs work better on Japanese paper. Apicia is a favourite.

[Motomachi10]

If you can not get used to the size of the pen maybe you can sell it and buy a Yukari size that is not as big and has a good weight.

[blopplop]

If you can not get used to the size of the pen maybe you can sell it and buy a Yukari size that is not as big and has a good weight.

I'm really sorry about your misfortune (OP). I had a similar experience with my first Danitrio... a Mikado. Man, what a monster size pen. Too big for me. So I downsized to the Densho. Perfect!

[Chrissy]

@jdwhitak I'm interested to learn if you've kept the pen or successfully returned it to the retailer. I hope you're not "stuck with" an expensive pen that you really don't like. Please let us know what happened.

[jdwhitak]

@jdwhitak I'm interested to learn if you've kept the pen or successfully returned it to the retailer. I hope you're not "stuck with" an expensive pen that you really don't like. Please let us know what happened.

Unfortunately the retailer would not let me return the pen. I've made it my daily writer to try to get use to it. The writing performance has improved, but I can't use the pen for long periods of time without my hand starting to cramp.

[Chrissy]

@jdwhitak I'm interested to learn if you've kept the pen or successfully returned it to the retailer. I hope you're not "stuck with" an expensive pen that you really don't like. Please let us know what happened.

Unfortunately the retailer would not let me return the pen. I've made it my daily writer to try to get use to it. The writing performance has improved, but I can't use the pen for long periods of time without my hand starting to cramp.

Aw that's a real shame. Maybe you could sell it for a good price?

[carlos.q]

The writing performance has improved, but I can't use the pen for long periods of time without my hand starting to cramp.

Perhaps you could try loosening your grip a bit? A tripod grip and a light hand will surely help you prevent cramps.

[kazoolaw]

@jdwhitak I'm interested to learn if you've kept the pen or successfully returned it to the retailer. I hope you're not "stuck with" an expensive pen that you really don't like. Please let us know what happened.

Unfortunately the retailer would not let me return the pen. I've made it my daily writer to try to get use to it. The writing performance has improved, but I can't use the pen for long periods of time without my hand starting to cramp.

Have you checked your grip? Are you clenching the pen or, as my dear departed teacher demonstrated, could someone easily pull the pen out of your grasp if they came up behind you? There's a reason I had a BIG writer's callous on my middle finger. Which is another thing my grandchildren don't know about.

[jdwhitak]

The writing performance has improved, but I can't use the pen for long periods of time without my hand starting to cramp.

Perhaps you could try loosening your grip a bit? A tripod grip and a light hand will surely help you prevent cramps.

Not sure what you mean by a tripod grip. I usually have my index finger on the top and my middle and thumb on opposing sides of the grip. My grip is pretty light also.

I've looked at resell prices of these on eBay and I would have to take upwards of an $800 loss. I'm just going to hold on to it and make the best of it. I do know I'm not buying pens without trying them out first.