Iguana Sell, one of my kind sponsors, recently lent me a set of their Nakaya nib testers. These are the pens Iguana Sell has in store - when you visit their boutique, you can try out these Nakaya nibs. They are raw black ebonite bodies with the nib grade engraved on them. They're actually quite interesting, but that's not the focus.
The nibs here are: elastic fine (modified), medium, soft medium, broad, and music stub. The elastic fine is the only nib that has to be modified by Nakaya, with the wing cut outs in the shoulders of the nib. The others are available from Nakaya without modification.
ELASTIC FLEXIBLE FINE
Nakaya describes the elastic flexible fine as the same line size as the soft fine (0.28 - 0.34 mm), but with more flexibility, and slightly more line variation. It has a very elastic sensation to it, and it takes less pressure to achieve line variation than with the soft nibs (or regular nibs). A light hand will not produce any line variation, but mild pressure will give a bit of flex. It bounces back pretty quickly.
MEDIUM
Nakaya describes the medium nib as a smooth writer, suitable for general writing. It is a firm nib, with a line of around 0.34 - 0.44 mm. It's on the firmer side, but it's not very, very rigid. It is a lovely nib, and is indeed suitable for general use.
MEDIUM SOFT
Nakaya describes the medium soft nib as a smooth writer, like the medium, suitable for general writing, but with a touch more variation. It is a slightly soft nib, with a line of around 0.4 - 0.5 mm. If you don't want an elastic nib for a more bouncy writing experience, the soft nib is nice because it feels a little cushioned.
BROAD
Nakaya describes the broad nib suitable for manuscript and address writing, with a line of 0.44 - 0.54 mm. I like this nib as it is smooth and wet, and for my style, is still perfectly usable for daily writing. It is not super rigid, but it's not all that soft either.
MUSIC STUB
Nakaya describes the music nib as one with two slits, so you can write with a stub without a scratchy sensation. It produces a line of around 0.9 - 1.0 mm, and I must admit, it's a lovely, magical nib. I have a hard time deciding between this one and the elastic flexible modifications. It is smooth and wet, and an absolute pleasure to use. It's on the firm side, though, unlike flexible vintage music nibs.
ELASTIC FLEXIBLE FINE VS. SOFT MEDIUM
What do you think? Which might be one that interests you? I love the two tone nibs. I think they look so classy!
Reference: Nakaya Nib Information Page These nibs were lent to me so I could review them and share them with you here! I was not compensated monetarily or in any other way for this review.
The Madrid Pen Show took place from November 18 - 20, 2016 at the NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding Hotel. Stephen and I were very lucky to be sponsored to attend the show by one of my own sponsors, Iguana Sell! We also had an opportunity to visit their amazing boutique (post to come on that). A big thank you to the team over at Iguana Sell for being such warm, welcoming hosts, and for making this happen! Stephen's recap can be seen here, and my own here! Please do visit Iguana Sell as well - lots of goodies to be had there, including Nakaya, Aurora, and much more!
I didn't want to overload you with pictures from the show in the last recap, but here are some close ups of neat, pretty, unique, or just downright amazing pens! This is part of the fun of a pen show - you see pens you've been looking for, pens you didn't even know existed, and others that you can't stop thinking about - enjoy!
The Madrid Pen Show took place from November 18 - 20, 2016 at the NH Collection Madrid Eurobuilding Hotel. Stephen and I were very lucky to be sponsored to attend the show by one of my own sponsors, Iguana Sell! We also had an opportunity to visit their amazing boutique (post to come on that). A big thank you to the team over at Iguana Sell for being such warm, welcoming hosts, and for making this happen! Stephen's recap can be seen here.
This was a great show, simple as that. Obviously, I could ramble about all the beautiful pens and inks and paper and all the wonderful people, but first, a few interesting things:
What makes a show a lot of fun is not only a great location with lots of good food, but also great people. I met quite a few wonderful pen friends who I had interacted with online, and others who I had never spoken with before. I felt so honored to have my picture taken with other pen lovers, and to meet some of the greats in the pen world. It was a warm, welcoming atmosphere that made me feel like I was part of a community. The amount of knowledge swirling around is astounding. I was in awe many times, listening to vendors talk to other pen lovers and collectors, and vice versa.
Three days, long hours. That means plenty of time to browse, explore, interact, and no stress to buy anything immediately because you only have a five hour window before the show is over (hello, Tilburg). Three days is exhausting for the vendors, but I hope it was fruitful. It was so nice to be able to browse leisurely, and not feel rushed. I could try pens, look at all sorts of pens I didn't even know existed, and chat with so many people.
The entry was fee was affordable: € 3,00 per day or a three day pass: € 5,00. Better yet, you could bring in an invitation and entry was free. They even provided a fan (useful because it was quite warm) and an eraser! If you're thinking about attending, I give it two thumbs up. There's plenty to enjoy, even if you don't want to buy anything!
Enjoy a few pictures:
Enough blabber. I have another post with some more close ups of pens I found interesting, or beautiful. You can check the Fountain Pens section for more pen show recaps and other Field Trips.
Don't judge. Not all are mine.
Samples and contact information!
KWZI samples, and some Midori goodies.
Top to bottom: Omas Magnum 360, Montblanc 244G Tiger Stripe, Waterman English, Mabie Todd Swan SF1, Omas Paragon, Waterman 7 Red, Omas CS, Leroy Fairchild Gold x Abalone Dip Nib, Classic Pens LM1, Stipula Etruria Magnifica.
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