u/AtreidesTT

Sailor KOP Sakura Nagare original model (not modern version).

Nib - Medium, 21k, large KOP.

Pen condition A2 - amazing, like new. See video and verification

Box condition - very used and neglected.

Pouch condition - like new, don't think it has ever been used.

RE: Ink bottle. Note for buyers not from Australia - the bottle will come empty due to custom regulations.

Asking price USD $1500 + 30 shipping.

Pilot maki-e pen from 1991 with Namiki Kokkokai signature. Condition A.

Nib - 14k, #5, Fine

Sorry, cannot provide writing sample, pen is new. The nib is in superb condition, tines are aligned just fine.

Comes with in wooden box with old but not used con-70 converter, old documents (what is typically found in Pilot boxes)

USA $450 + 30 shipping. USA import duty is 10% on top.

Verification and gallery

Work done on the pen - re-polished Urushi and nib. Now it shines as it should. Deep black Urushi, gold shiny maki-e lines. Quality item!

This is continuation of my 4 parts series starting here

The next box revealed nice little Justus. All evidences suggest it is New Old Stock pen back from 1979 (the feed has no traces of ink, the inner side of the nib is also clean, which is, I think, impossible to clean unless pen disassembled). After testing how nib stiffens and softens depending on the setting, I could not resist and dipped into Namiki ink. Anyway, here is the full version of Justus with writing sample.

I've got a pack of four pens delivered today. All for "restoration", all from used pens market and I had no idea what are they until I opened those boxes. (My Japanese "ninja" agent is hunting them for me).

When I saw old Pilot box I was expecting maybe Custom 67 or 92. But this little buddy got me frozen when I opened the box! Also I was very surprised to find out that this pen has never seen any ink. That is the reason I am not providing writing sample. In fact, two of four pens ended up being NOS!

Here is a long version - Namiki NOS!

Continue work on this pen raising the motif "above the seal level". This one requires a bunch of skill! The main challenge here is sanding which turns out to be not so much of a sanding but rather sculpting.

This is not a high-end pen from Namiki. This is a pen made by an unknown Japanese artisan from the pre-war era. Given the age of the pen, it is sad to realise that the pen master has passed away, while their creation still lives on. The pen was made not so much for writing, but rather as “click bait” to be displayed in a shop and attract customers. The “bait” here is its huge size. Despite the size, it is surprisingly comfortable to hold, and it writes.

While the pen master has passed away, I put a huge effort into giving this pen a second life by restoring it to the best of my abilities. I assume you may occasionally take it out to have fun, but mostly keep it in your display cabinet as a tribute to your hobby.

I call it “The Midnight Dew”, referring to ever-wet roses with a subtle shimmer which, depending on the mood and viewing angle, sparkles either green or blue.

• Era 1930 - 1950 (my estimation)
• Body - ebonite
• Filling mechanism - eye dropper with shut-off valve (Inki-dome Shiki)
• Nib - steel (modern), naginata style broad, very broad
• Feed - ebonite (original), super wet, looking great (see writing sample video)
• Finish - deep black Urushi with occasional shimmer; two big taka-makie (raised relief) roses and several falling leaves and petals. Nothing special, nothing pretentious. I think I was working 1.5 months on the clip alone 😄
• Pen details
• Some work related post (1)
• Some work related post (2)

Verification and size comparison

Writing sample and current pen look (its in progress until surface looks properly uniform and presentable; turned into deep black mirror. It takes time, hence we will discuss the shipping date separately).

Asking price: USD $300 + $30 shipping. Importing to the USA will attract 10% duty. I am not sure about other countries.

The Inki-dome Shiki filling mechanism demands patience and a bit of skill to operate. When the valve is fully closed, the pen will write until the feed dries out. To continue writing, you need to open the valve. Depending on the ink and how patient you are, you have two options.

You may open the valve wide and allow the pen to burp a drop of ink, then carefully close the valve again. The feed is now wet and ready.

Or you may open the valve just a little and wait until the feed refills. After some time, you will develop a feel for the pen and be able to predict when to open the valve, how much to open it, and when to close it, so that ink flow remains steady. This is part of the fun, I guess. By the way, this is my favourite filling mechanism. Despite being a bit of a hassle, I like the fact that I can control the ink flow. I take my time with pens and do not rush. For quick note-taking and carrying around, there are plenty of Safaris 😄

Anyway, thanks for looking. Btw if you missed this one, I have a few more jumbos in the lineup, so watch the space!

Main challenges here were to drive my brush, charcoal and stone around rings as well as to make custom raised urushi ring on the body. I used kijiro for the ring with finest raden dust. That dust part isnt as easy as I thought. Had to lay it down in many thin layers to preserve transparency. Well, I hope as kijiro ages the floating raden dust will sparkle more and more!

Parcel from Japan arrived while I was having my morning coffee.

I had been waiting for it with mixed feelings: anticipation, because I would finally get my hands on a grail pen, and fear, because there was a chance it might not write at all.

Not so long ago, I did a silly thing and placed a bid on a used and abused Namiki Emperor. I was not the only one interested; the price skyrocketed to over $1,000. So I knew the warning that the pen had not been tested could mean I was in serious trouble.

On the other hand, there have been many cases in the past where “used” really meant “just dipped.” Anyway, I thought this was my chance to get close and personal with an Emperor.

Well, the pen came with no original box and no original papers. It was dirty, dusty, and in a dreadful state. The purchase of a grail pen had turned into a “show off your restoration skills” project.

• Scratched Urushi on pen surface, requiring re-coating or deep polish
• Aged Urushi on the feed, requiring removal and re-coating
• Dreadfully dirty nib
• Surprisingly healthy clip, almost no scratches
• All threads are working
• Zero ink flow

Actions:

• First and foremost, review the nib tipping. Surprisingly, the loupe revealed healthy tipping and perfectly aligned tines.
• Then check the nib age. OMG!!! Production year: 2007. I am holding a 19-year-old Namiki Emperor. It kind of makes sense that it arrived a “bit tired” of living...
• Next, unscrew the grip section with the nib and soak it.
• Fill the barrel with water and watch for leaks. Unbelievably, the sealing mechanism works just fine, and the gasket is not leaking.
• Wash all parts with soap and dry them with a towel.
• Fish out the soaking section and pull the nib and feed out. Surprisingly, the nib and feed separated from the section as easily as in any other Pilot pen.

Here where video beings. (Btw, sorry for sometimes shaky screen, its my horse, no cat, yes horse was jumping on the shelf where camera is attached...)

Final notes:

• Very impressive feed. Huge, with three channels. Feed does not have special saddle for the nib. The hole in the grip section has no groves for nib "home". Simple friction fit, much like Ban-Ei pens.
• I had never had a chance to write with an Emperor before. If I had to describe the experience in a single phrase, it would be "effortless writing". Let the pen write under its own weight, and the line sits somewhere between fine and medium-fine, with the lower letter hook coming out fairly wet. Add a little pressure, and the nib becomes wet medium. Add more pressure, and it opens up into a wet, very wet broad. Amazing.
• Weight of the pen and balance - no complaints, however, as video shows it, hand must adapt to big nib. My lettering looked awful at first.
• Price to condition ration. Not in a world. The only thing saved my *ss is that I am doing Urushi myself, and this patient is going into Urushi lab for elite Raden treatment. Once Randen treatment is complete then price to condition ratio is good.
• Now that I tried medium nib, I'd never buy #50 broad or fine. Medium does it all, you just control pressure. Like F1.
• And finally a few philosophical questions:
  • would I ever buy it new for the full price?
  • is it any better than Yukari or Ban-Ei?
  • do I prefer #50 fuji nib or #30 fuji nib?
  • was it ultimate pen or there is one more left? (spoiler - 80th anniversary Shijin with Zogan technique)

Posting just for fun while bored waiting in the car. Found in my gallery three clasic colours of Urushi

- two variants of vermilion - raw and tamenuri

- dark blood tamenuri

- roiro black mirror (spiced)

Its a hard call for pen collector to pick one. Each brings something unique and collection doesn't feel complete until trio is assembled.

What's your choice?

This morning marked the quiet close of my Sailor project, a journey that has carried on for nearly five months.

Now, with the work complete and the pen finally assembled back into one piece, I paused for a moment to reflect and preserve it in memory.

Soon, this Sailor will set sail for its new home, and I will not get the chance to see it anymore. It feels like letting a grown-up child go out to explore the world.