Editing The Pen Addict 88/transcript (section)

== Nakaya Pens ==


'''Brad Dowdy:''' All right. So my wish list. Now, this was fun to put together because I'd been thinking about this anyway. But I'd never put it down on paper. And I've already scratched one off. And we're early in the year, Myke. The Rotring Lava 600 fountain pen. That was on the wish list regardless. And, you know, we're still in single digits in January. And I've got one scratched off the list. So I'm happy about that. So I'm well on my way up my wish list. Now, the rest of the list is going to be a challenge. There's two pens that I really want to buy this year. One of them, I think, is probably coming sooner than later. The other one is going to take some... Gosh, what's the words I'm looking for? Coming to terms mentally. And that's with the Nakaya.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' For years, or at least since I've been into fountain pens for the past couple years, I've always just been fascinated with the Nakaya brand. The style of the pen. The history of the pen. The quality of the pen. They're just the most beautiful pens I've ever seen. And I think I'm getting to that phase where I want to add one in my collection. Like previously, you know, like when I was getting started with fountain pens, I always looked at them and drooled over them and thought, not now or, you know, it's not my time for one. Because they're very expensive. I mean, it's going to be $600 or $700 just to even consider one. And, you know, that'll be two or three times more than the most expensive pen I own as of right now. So that's one challenge behind it. And two, the second challenge is back to kind of how I was talking about the vintage pens. I don't want to spend that kind of money and not use the pen. Right? So there's like this pull, like this back and forth kind of, you know, do you spend this kind of money to let the pen sit there and look pretty? And it's like, that's not something I want to do, right? If I'm going to spend that kind of money on a pen, I still want to use it. And I want to use it every day. And actually, I want to be, you know, carry it with me at all times because I've committed so much money to it. And so that's kind of the biggest hangup I have on the Nakaya. I'm not opposed to paying the money. I'm more nervous about paying the money and not using the product because I'm scared of breaking or damaging it or something like that. So that's something I have to get over mentally. I don't think that's not a pen. You just go to the website and add it to your shopping cart and hit purchase. So there's going to be a lot more thought put into this purchase. And if I do make it, I imagine it will be towards, you know, the middle or second half of the year. I'm not ready to pull the trigger yet. I'm sure I'll wake up one day and say, okay, today's the day that we're going to buy the Nakaya. Except I, you know, need to give myself two or three months lead time if I want something special on it. Because if you don't buy one from someone in stock like at nibs.com, they do take a while to manufacture. So we'll see. We'll see if I cross that one off the list this year. It's a maybe. It's a definitely maybe. I've got some more brain cells to wrap around the whole Nakaya thing. But I will eventually own one. It's just going to take some thinking to actually pull that trigger.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I think that might be a little bit out of my price range right now.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. Yeah. And I mean, I can definitely understand that. The other problem is it's, you know, the Lay's potato chip problem. No one can eat just one. You know, once I get the first one, then I'm really sunk. You know, because there's always there's going to be a second one. And then that's when you start running into into issues. And that's a that's an expensive habit there. So, well, there's some more thinking to be done. It's on my wish list. It's permanent. It's got a permanent home on my wish list. And we'll see if I scratch it off sometime this year. I'm thinking yes, but I'm thinking not soon, if that makes sense. One I am thinking soon, though, is Edison Menlo. Um, that's the like the the pump filler that Brian Gray made for Edison pens last year. It's not it's a very expensive pen, too. It's like it's 350, I think, to just get in the base model one. But I'm more I don't know. For some reason, I've used several Edison pens. I love how they're made. I love how they fit my hand. The quality is top notch. And I'm not afraid to use those for some reason. And I guess it's because I've got experience with them. Unlike the Nakaya, where I treat like a museum piece, you know, the Edison, I'm which is equally as museum quality. Um, I'm just, you know, put them in my pocket and go to town. And I love using them. So I want to get this, uh, this pump filler that Brian has made. And, um, I think that one will probably be a sooner rather than later pen. Um, it's not immediate. It's not forthcoming since I've just spent, um, I've just spent a lot on this pilot custom heritage and roturing lava here in the first week of the month of the year. Um, but I bet, I don't know, probably in a couple months I'll get that pen. Cause that's a really cool pen. And, um, it's just some, ever since he announced it, it's been on my shopping list. And I think this is the year I break down and get that one. Um, another pen, which would kind of surprise me that I wanted. And I don't know. I, do I need it? No, but I kind of want it is I want another vanishing point. Um, they've come out with some cool ones here in the past year. There's a gun metal in gray one that, uh, Ed Jelly keeps posting. And he did, he did just a picture post. I think it was just like directed at me just to taunt me because now I want that pen. Um, and then they, that's the one they came out with last year. Then this year they're coming out with a white and black one that I think looks pretty sexy. Um, I've got the link in the show notes. Cult Pens has that one already.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I have a feeling I'll, I use my vanishing point. Vanishing points, what I keep in my, um, Hobonichi planner. That's what I use, um, in there constantly. So it's a pen I use all day, every day. Um, it's a perfect pen for that. And I kind of, I don't know. I've just kind of, kind of got the hankering for another one. So that's on the list. Um, a couple other smaller items is the Sailor Pro Gear. I keep, that's been on the wish list since last year. And I've never come through and got one. Um, it's very similar to the Pilot Custom Heritage 912s that I enjoy so much. So I want to get, I want to pick up a Pro Gear this year. Um, it's just a nice solid workhorse type pen. You know, it's probably cost me in the $150, $200 range. Um, the Sailor nibs are some of the best in the world. And I want to add more to my collection. I also want to get another Franklin Kristoff Model 40 Pocket. Um, the pen that I love so much. And it's probably my current favorite pen. Um, the Smoke and Ice Franklin Kristoff. I want to get a solid barrel color one. Like they have a dark green one that looks pretty neat. And I want to get it with a needle tip instead of the, uh, um, cursive italic nib.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' And lastly, I'm putting a call out to the listeners.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I stumbled across an ink that I missed that came out in a limited edition two years ago. It's the Roaring Klingner Blau Schwartz. It was a limited edition blue black. They made a thousand bottles of it. So one of my goals this year is to somehow manage a bottle of that ink. So I need the listeners to come through on that one. So if anyone has any bottles, partial bottles, samples they want to sell, get in touch. Because I want to, I missed out on this and, uh, being the blue black ink fan that I am, I want to add this to the collection of my blue black ink. So, um, that's, that's going to be a tough one to fulfill. So, uh, that's why we're going to, we're going to put a call out to the listeners on that one.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Do you have any, you can, you can sell me, Myke?

'''Myke Hurley:''' Um, not hidden away. Okay. I'll check the vault.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Okay. Just checking. Just checking. I wasn't sure.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I really struggled putting together a wishlist. Um, because a lot of the stuff that I've had on my wishlist for a while, I've actually been able to knock off recently. And there wasn't really too much that jumped out at me. I mean, this is, these first two, they were on my wishlist when we spoke about the gift guide. Yeah. Um, so the Frank, Franklin Christophe model 40 fire and ice, I really want one. And the only reason that I haven't bought one yet is because if I get one, I want to do it the way that you did it with the silicon grease and stuff. But I'm kind of a bit apprehensive of doing that.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. Don't be. I actually had someone on Twitter ask me about that. I was totally apprehensive of that, Myke. I mean, like really freaked out by that. It's, it's, it's been one of the simplest, easiest things that I've ever done. And it works flawlessly. Okay. It's, it's seriously, it's a non consideration. Okay. That's how easy it is.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Okay. Um, and I also want a Kaweco art sport. My understanding is they're getting even harder to get hold of.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yes. So you need to, uh, get on that one sooner.

'''Myke Hurley:''' I want it, but I can let this one go though. Yeah. Because I own Kawecos. I mean, it's just another one that looks nice. I don't have a Kaweco that I love so much that I would use it every day. And that's kind of becoming a thing for me now, Brad. I'm trying to buy pens that I think I would use every day because I have truly excellent pens now. Right. In the TWSBI Mini, the TWSBI 540, the Pelican M215, the, um, Rottering Lava 600 and the Retro 51, right?

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Mm-hmm.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Those, I think there's five there. Yeah. They are like, they're as good as it gets.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Yeah. That's a great lineup.

'''Myke Hurley:''' Like, I really think that those pens are just, for me, they're, they're like, they're so great. Why would I want to buy something that is just going to sit in a pen cup now? Right. Um, I really am trying to try and buy pens that I think could be amazing. So I know that what that means is I will be spending more money on pens when I do buy them. Mm-hmm. Because in theory, those pens, those really, truly excellent pens are going to be more expensive. With the exception of the Retro 51, but I don't actually consider that in the same class as the other four. Mm-hmm. It's just because it's just such a good pen for the value of money. Um, so, you know, for me, it's like, yeah, that makes sense to do that. Yep. To get that. But, um, the others, they're just, for me, they're kind of as good as it gets.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' Right. Yeah, I can understand that completely. Exactly.

'''Myke Hurley:''' So when I'm thinking about buying something like this now, I'm kind of like, well, is it going to be? Is it going to be that good?

'''Myke Hurley:''' And then I start to think, well, maybe not. But then you look at some of the stuff that's on the list that, like, might. So that's why, like, the Kaweco, I'm willing to let it go because I don't actually think that it's going to be any different to the other Kawecos. And I have Kawecos and they're not on that list. Yeah. But something like the Franklin Kristoff could well be because you really seem to love that pen. Yeah. I don't trust you. So I want a new Twisby. Originally, they said the classic, but I'm not really that excited by that pen. I would have bought one by now. Right. So I want another Twisby. I'm hoping they'll have something else this year. And this is the other bit. This is the bit that I think is quite bold, a prediction. And I don't know if you've read it before now, if you've not read it now. And I wonder what you think of this. But in 2014, I want a pen that we have never heard of before at all to blow my mind. Yeah. I want to buy a pen that we have never come across. Ideally, a pen that is new, brand new, not like the Twisby, blah, blah, blah. Right. Like, I want it to be something that comes out of nowhere, like a Franklin Kristoff, for me and you at least. Sure. It's brand new to us. We've never heard of it before. And it becomes an instant favorite of mine.

'''Brad Dowdy:''' I like that a lot.