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About Namiki

Ryosuke Namiki, founder of Pilot, realized during his tenure as a professor at the Tokyo Merchant Marine College that drawing pens needed improvement. After making a prototype fountain pen, he started manufacturing and selling fountain pens with a colleague in 1918. The company was known as The Namiki Manufacturing Company, was renamed The Pilot Pen Co. Ltd in 1938, and renamed again in 1989 as Pilot Corporation. Since Namiki was Pilot's former corporate name, it was a natural name to use for its high end line of beautiful writing instruments. Today Namiki's unique features and designs are their trademarks. The Vanishing Point-still the only click-retractable fountain pen in the business, was introduced in 1964 and has been pleasing pen enthusiasts for over 30 years. Namiki's use of the Japanese art of Maki-e, which incorporates lacquer and powdered gold onto writing instruments for beautiful effects, is among the best in the business. Find out why collectors and pen lovers alike find Namiki to be the ultimate writing tool for every creative endeavor.

Fountain Pen Guide

The Nib

The nib of the fountain pen is the business end, and is the most important feature of the pen. Nibs are commonly made of gold, steel or even platinum, and each material can make a difference in the finished product. Many people prefer a gold nib because it is softer and does not tend to scrape the page. However, platinum is becoming very popular, and other materials are also coming into vogue. Steel is by far the cheapest kind of nib, but many complain that it scratches the writing surface and does not have a good “feel” like a gold nib does.

Why Gold Nibs?

Gold is used in nib manufacturing because, although expensive and easily abraded, it resists corrosion caused by ink, which is so acidic that is will literally begin to dissolve steel. For pen nibs, it is generally thought that an alloy of 14 karat fineness gives the best compromise between hardness, workability and corrosion resistance. Gold is also the key ingredient in making a nib more flexible.

The Weight and Size

Fountain pens typically come in three different weights; light, medium and heavy. If you are not used to writing with a fountain pen, try to look for a model that is light weight to avoid straining your hand. As you become used to writing with this type of pen, you can graduate to a heftier model. A heavy fountain pen may be beautiful, but it can literally become a drag after a few pages. If you have your heart set on a specific fountain pen, but it is too heavy for regular use, you still may be able to use it for infrequent needs, such as signing special documents.

The width of the barrel of the fountain pen is also important. People with smaller hands typically feel more comfortable with a narrow pen. However, a medium to large width fountain pen may actually reduce hand strain. Try to experiment with a few models before you decide, to find out which one feels right to the touch.

Consumables

Unlike pens you throw away, a fountain pen allows you continuous use through refills. These refills come in two styles, cartridges or actual ink. Cartridges are by far the easiest way to refill a fountain pen, but the old way of refilling with liquid ink is still used. If you plan to use liquid ink, purchase a fountain pen that comes with a converter. This will allow you to use cartridges when you are short of time, and still be able to use liquid ink when you wish. It is a good idea to find an ink that is water based, since it is very easy to end up “inky” by the time you are done refilling your fountain pen.

Cleaning

Never use anything but cool/warm water to clean any of the Namiki fountain pens. Chemicals and solvents can damage gold nibs as well as the Maki-e lacquering. Depending on frequency of use, a pen should be cleaned at least once per month.

Care

• Always use fresh ink. If the ink is over a year old, buy a new bottle.
• Your fountain pen will function better if cleaned every two months. Never clean a pen in hot water or alcohol. Use cool/warm water only. If the pen is really dirty, use a solution of two-thirds cold water and one-third non-sudsing household ammonia. Shake out any excess water and dry nib with a soft cloth.
• If you will not be using your pen for awhile, clean it by flushing with cold water.
• Cap the pen properly. Hold the pen upright and place the cap on top of it. DO NOT drop the pen into the cap, or you may end up with ink in the cap.
• If you are traveling by plane, either fill your pen all the way, or leave it empty. Remember to always uncap the pen with the tip pointed upward. A sudden change in cabin pressure may cause any fountain pen to leak if you don't follow this rule.
• Always try to use a leather case for carrying your pen(s). This will protect the finish from scratches or nicks.
• If you write or draw with too much pressure, or on some very porous papers, some ink may leak out from between the tines.  In the majority of cases, this is not a defect in the pen, it is a technique issue.  If this happens, simply lighten up your pressure on the pen or try it with different types of papers.  This pen was originally designed for writing, not drawing, so it may behave differently under these conditions. 
• If you are experiencing any difficulties with the pen leaking, first rinse it out and allow it to dry completely.  Then, gently but firmly install a new cartridge and test the pen again to see if the problem persists.

• Special Note on the Namiki Falcon: If you should have any difficulty with the Falcon from the time you purchase it until the 3 year warranty is expired, you will need to send it in to Namki to have them look at it and, make any repairs necessary.  They are very good about this, with no questions asked generally.   Defective pens should not be returned to us; We are not qualified to diagnose problems nor make repairs to the pen should it need any. 

Cost

A fountain pen from a well-known manufacturer will typically cost between $100 and $5000. With this price, you are typically getting a warranty and the knowledge that you are using a pen from a company with a proven track record. Part of the joy of using a fountain pen is knowing that you are holding onto a piece of history and the brand can be very important. For example, Mark Twain used a Conklin pen for many of his stories, while Mont Blanc pens are considered the most prestigious.

You can find a fountain pen that is priced under $50, but you may end up sacrificing on the quality of the pen. If you are on a budget, try discount stores or keep an eye out for your favorite pen on Ebay. Writing with a fountain pen is an experience and one that hopefully will not be lost to history.
 

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Then I found my grandfather's 60-year-old Esterbrook fountain pen a year ago, and my perspective on writing longhand changed. When I went to get it checked out and cleaned at Watch & Pen in Richmond, since it had been pretty well gummed-up by an unnamed 10-year-old quite a few years ago (ahem), they were having a sale. So, a few days later when I picked up the Esterbrook, I had a nice shiny Libelle fountain pen to go along with it. Why the Libelle? The shop guy recommended it as a good pen for the money, the price certainly seemed reasonable compared to the other pens they had, and it felt good when I tried it out - much smoother than I expected.

Note that last thing: I tried it out, along with some others, and decided I liked how it wrote on paper. Not everyone is close to a pen store, but I highly recommend trying a couple of pens to see how they feel, if at all possible. A more expensive pen isn't always better suited to the way you write. The weight of a pen can also vary a good bit, depending on what it's made of; resin and acrylic pens are fairly light, and pens with brass or stainless bodies can be a bit heavier. A pen can be fairly small and slender, or much larger and relatively plump, so it's important to see what feels best to your hand. Remember -- unless you're buying it as an investment, it needs to be something you can use comfortably.

Fountain pens have some basic parts: the nib, or tip, which is how the ink gets to the paper; the reservoir, which can be a cartridge, converter, or bladder; and the barrel and cap of the pen, which comprise the pen's body. Nibs are made of metal, usually steel or gold, and are most often found in fine, medium, and broad widths (Japanese pens tend to be more fine in all three widths).

When writing with a fountain pen, it's not necessary to press hard onto the paper, like you would with a ball-point. All that's required is a light contact with the paper, and ink is drawn through the nib by capillary action. Pressing too hard can damage the nib! A fountain pen's nib wears very slightly with use, so that it begins to conform to the style of the person writing with it, a process that takes quite a long time (so, go ahead an let a friend write a letter with yours). When I use my grandfather's pen, I can tell by how it feels when I have my hand in roughly the same position he used fifty years ago, when this pen was what he used every day.

Recommendations

In my year or so of using fountain pens, I've discovered a few things that work for me. Your experience may not be the same as mine, but perhaps these things could suggest a good starting point for exploration. Please note that I have no affiliation with these companies, just an appreciation for their products. There are lifetimes of innovation, creativity, and passion out there in the world of pens, a world I'm just beginning to understand.

Pens

Fountain pens are not designed to be disposable; with care, a good pen can last beyond the lifetime of the original purchaser, and individual components can often be replaced or repaired as they break or wear out. A single fountain pen can be less expensive in the long run than ballpoints or rollerball pens, since the ink supply is effectively limitless. You don't need to buy a new pen for every ink color, or for every purpose, but once you begin to write with them it's hard to resist getting another every now and again. Something to remember: fountain pens let ink flow out, and air flow in, without being messy in nearly all circumstances, but they should be carried and stored point upward (and never carried in a pants pocket) - significant changes in air pressure, as in an aircraft flight, or ascending or descending a mountain, can cause ink to seep out into the cap.

Namiki Knight - a close friend and frequent correspondent purchased a Knight a few months ago and absolutely loves it. Reasonable price, stainless steel nib, very good quality for the money, about US$45 or so. This is a great introductory pen.

Old pens - it's easy to find older pens that have been rehabilitated at dealers such as Pendemonium. You can also look for bargains at local antique stores. Many pen shops either service older pens, or have someone who does it for them. Esterbrook, Parker, Waterman, Pelikan, and many other pens can have long lives if taken care of, and are not terribly expensive to rehabilitate. For the price of a decent new pen, I have a connection to my grandfather that will last for decades more.

Splurge pen - Namiki Falcon. Yes, this rises into the ranks of 'expensive', barely, but has one of the best nibs on the market, regardless of price. It is semi-flexible, which means that it's possible to vary the line width as I write. It's also a humbling pen to use, since it does nothing to hide the many flaws in my penmanship. Recommended highly, but be patient with yourself as you and the pen get used to each other. They're a little over US$120 new, a good bit more at full retail. Also, Pelikan, Pilot (the same company as Namiki), and Sailor are companies that make fantastic pens for less than a couple hundred dollars.

Remember, cost is not always a good measure of quality, though it may indicate collectability. Beyond a certain point, the individual components aren't dramatically improved, but may represent a higher degree of craft in the finish or metalwork, or a limited production run of that particular model. Some pens are unique and take a great deal of time and specialized skill to make, and the higher price can often reflect the artistry and precision that goes into them. In the articles I've read, the Namiki Falcon is considered one of the best nibs on the market today, regardless of price, as is the Sailor 1911 model. Lamy, Pilot, Shaffer, and many others make great entry-level pens for less than US$20.

Paper

I use two types of paper most of the time. First, I seem to have at least one Moleskine in every bag I carry. The paper is lovely, smooth, and takes most inks very well. However, a very wet pen can be a problem, since it's a smooth and dense paper, and the ink won't dry immediately. Swisher Pens has some inks that are designed for just that purpose, though. Second, for notes, letters, and general correspondence, I've found that Crane's papers are simply great. They take ink well, without feathering, and dry in a reasonable amount of time. Not the most affordable stuff, but it's often the most appropriate.

There are a great many varieties of fine paper on the market now, bound in books, loose sheets, or bundled into notepads. Some paper notepads, such as the affordable Ampad Evidence Recycled, do very well with fountain pens, while some others don't. Greeting cards may or may not handle the line of a fountain pen well, depending on the humidity and the type of paper. Very rough, handmade, or glossy papers all can present difficulty with fountain pens, so be wary but willing to experiment.

Inky bits

One of the coolest aspects of a fountain pen, aside from the sheer pleasure in writing with one, is the mind-rending array of ink colors you can write with! Most larger manufacturers produce, or at least sell, inks with their own label, but there are far more colors and intensities out there for the adventurous. Some inks are designed to be completely permanent and unalterable, being highly resistant to all solvents or detergents once they've bonded to the paper, and are great choices for check-writing, legal documents, or anything that needs to be highly fraud-resistant.

Ink is stored inside a pen in a variety of ways, depending on when a pen was made. Cartridges, common for nearly all modern pens, are pre-filled ink tubes that are neat, easy to use, and available in a range of colors, usually available from the company that makes your pen. Some companies, like Private Reserve or J. Herbin, offer much more than just blue, black, or red. The convenient part is that you just snap a new one in place when the old one runs out, a handy thing when you're traveling and don't want to carry an ink bottle with you. Converters are similar in size to a cartridge, but are filled from an ink bottle by using either a plunger or squeeze-action mechanism to draw ink into the pen. Yes, you stick the nib into a bottle of ink, and draw ink into the converter after it's installed in the pen. Some older pens, like the Esterbrook I use, have a lever and a compressible rubber bladder to hold the ink (think about the squirty ink pens in old cartoons).

The refilling process isn't inherently messy, though taking a pen apart for cleaning can be, since you're washing ink from the nib and other internal components. It's important to clean your pen regularly to prevent clogging the nib or ink feeding mechanism, as recommended by your pen's manufacturer. I've been known to have blue fingertips after changing ink colors, but that seems to have diminished with practice - just loaded a holiday red ink into one of my pens, and didn't smear a single drop!

*Important Note* Not all inks are good for fountain pens, and may clog them or even cause damage. India inks, metallic inks, and other specialty colors can create a great deal of grief, and could possibly necessitate an expensive repair. Please be sure whether the ink you choose is designed for use in fountain pens.

Writing with a fountain pen is a different experience than using a ballpoint, gel, or anything else I've tried. There's a smoothness to the process when pen, ink, and paper all match well, and a sense of joy, at least for me, when a page of carefully-written words hold a beauty beyond the intention of the language. I've found that using a fountain pen has helped me write more clearly, closer to what I intended to say, than typing up an e-mail or a document in a word processor, perhaps by slowing everything down a bit. Digital words are relatively cheap, after all, whereas a pen on paper forces a certain craft, a refinement, of what's being committed to the page, one letter at a time.

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