Tuduriya “Moonlit” Fountain Pen Review

(The is a guest post by Andrew Coon. You can find more of Andrew’s fountain pen favorites on Instagram.)

I am always on the lookout for new makers. New shapes, new nibs, new materials, I get excited for all of these. Thus, when I saw a Kickstarter announced by Tuduriya (Instagram), I reached out to thank the maker for bringing this pen to market. The artist behind the brand is Takayuki Suzuki, and what caught my attention as I looked at the Kickstarter he had put together was the number of iterations that had gone into this final product. It is impressive to see how this model has developed. The subtle changes have added up to one very impressive pen.

The base model pen comes in 7 different materials (full details can be found on the Kickstarter page) for the section - all ebonite and all matched to a black ebonite cap and a black ebonite body. Further options include sections that are ishime, burl wood, layered urushi, and a pen that is entirely made of Calabrian briar wood. The two pens that I have for this review are the base model, with two different types of ebonite. The beige and black swirl is nice, but the red and black swirl really grabs my attention. The red and black are classic colors for ebonite, and polished to a mirror gleam.

Comparison vs. Sailor 1911L (top) and Pilot Metropolitan.

This pen appears to be longer than it is, as it measures 14.9 mm uncapped, 15.2 mm capped. In comparison to other pens, it is about the same length as a Conid Kingsize, or a Pro Gear King of Pen. It is not much longer than a Pilot Metropolitan. There is a subtle narrowing of the barrel, as it goes from 12.6 mm to 12.2 mm at the end of the pen. This is hard to tell with the naked eye. The section is a very subtly pinched shape, which is 12.3 mm at the thinnest. A Parker 51 has a section that is 9 to 10 mm (depending on where you hold it). So in addition to not being as long as it looks, it isn’t as thin as it looks, either. Not being a fan of vintage pens due to their slender sections, I was worried whether this pen would work out for me. I was wrong to worry, and am very glad to have been wrong. Overall, the shape is very comfortable for me. I like big pens, and this isn’t too thin for my taste, nor is it too long to carry in a pen sleeve as an EDC.

The polish is immaculate, the threading is well done. Being able to hold two of them, I can tell that there is a consistency in production of these pens. The way the edges are crisp and smooth, this is a well-made writing instrument. The name of the brand, Tuduriya, is engraved into the ebonite along the top of the cap, and is both well done and very tasteful. This is the right amount of branding – enough to be clear without getting in the way of the overall design. I applaud the maker’s restraint in this.

This is a Cartridge/Converter pen, and works well as such. I did use a touch of silicone and eyedroppered one of the pens, and set up like that it holds 5 ml of ink. I love a pen that uncaps quickly, and this uncaps in one turn. The nib that is underneath? A Bock steel 250 in a gold finish. It is just like any other Bock. But you can swap in something more interesting, which is what I did. I swapped in a stacked nib into the pen that was eyedroppered, and it has been a sweet combination.

If you would like, the maker can do a nib upgrade for you. A gold Bock is available, but the really interesting option is the ability to go with a nib from a well known Asian pen maker. Let me say that I am very excited to have a Pilot PO (aka Posting) nib in a pen that is both comfortable and more visually interesting than what that nib usually comes in.

What is there to critique? When filling from a bottle, the threads will be in the ink which could bother people. I make sure to wipe them off, so it doesn’t bother me. One of the two Bock nibs needed to be tuned out of the box. This is not a surprise for a Bock nib. If is sounds like I am reaching, I am. This is a great pen.

The base model runs approximately $225, depending on exchange rate, which makes this a great value. This is about as low as a hand made pen can cost. With the upgraded nib, this pen is a unique option. And as an ebonite pen without a clip, this is a prime candidate for urushi work.

I am excited for people to be able to enjoy these pens, and look forward to what this brand does next.

(The pens in this review were provided by Tuduriya at no charge for purposes of this review.)

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When One Nib is not Enough

(The is a guest post by Andrew Coon. You can find more of Andrew’s fountain pen favorites on Instagram. This post contains affiliate links.)

The story of stacked nibs begins with Mr. Nagahara Sr., one of the nib specialists at Sailor, grinding a nib that mimics how a brush writes. With this grind, instead of different amounts of pressure being applied leading to a variety in line width, changing the angle of the pen to the paper leads to variation in the line created. This would eventually be called the Naginata-togi nib grind, and is still produced today by Sailor.

Mr. Nagahara then imagined, designed, and created ways to put two or more nibs on top of each other to create variations of this effect. With a larger canvas of metal to grind once two or three nibs were welded together, Mr. Nagahara created what we now know as the Sailor Specialty line of nibs. Nibs designed for Asian calligraphy, these nibs were far different from anything being created in other markets or by other fountain pen manufacturers.

What is immediately obvious upon using one of these nibs is how much ink they can put down on the paper, and how tall the lines created are. Below is a comparison between a Jowo Broad Architect, ground by Mark Bacas, and a Sailor Cross Point, the most vanilla of the stacked nibs. As you can see, the most extreme of architects overlaps with the most tame of the stacked nibs when it comes to width of line. But look at the ink itself, how it shows on the paper.

Image notes: All paper is Dot Grid TR from a Hippo Noto, all ink is Monteverde California Teal unless otherwise noted. All writing samples were at a normal writing angle, and if the nib is a Concord style, the thin lines are when writing with the normal orientation of nib.

These nibs have become a bit of a fascination for me, but it is not because I am attempting to imitate a brush stroke when I am writing. I cannot tell if my writing with these does have a my brush like form or not. For me, and I suspect for many people outside of Asian contexts, it is the way that ink behaves when used in such a nib. As you can see from the picture about, you can get a wide line out of a single layer nib. If you buy a Sailor Fude, or have a nibmeister create a concord nib for you, you can get a line width that is equal to most two layer nibs. But ink flow, that will be the difference. Two layers of nib create a controlled ink flow that is far greater than is possible with a single layer nib. Yes, you can put that much ink on the paper using a single layer nib, but the modifications to the feed and nib that would make it possible would lead to a nib that throws ink into the cap whenever it is jostled. It would be a wet mess, and not in a good way.

With two or more layers of nibs, there is more three dimensional space that is filled with ink, as the entirety of the length of all of the nib slits are delivering ink down to the tipping. The result is a line that will show off every aspect of the ink used - sheen and shading will be amazing. An ink that is slightly undersaturated, and has some slight sheen, will be markedly different in a stacked nib. The color will pop, and the sheen will be obvious.

The other reason to use a stacked nib is the surprising practicality of it. With a regular orientation, holding the pen in the normal fashion leads to the broadest line, there is a surprising amount of line variation that can be produced by varying the angle at which the pen is held. In a nib welded in a concord orientation, a very serviceable fine or extra fine line is created when holding the pen normally, and a broad line is created when the nib is flipped over. Either type of stacked nib allows for enough line variation, that using a pen with a stacked nib helps immensely when taking notes.

I assume this would be useful in art as well, though as you can tell by now, I am no artist.

And now, on to the pens. All observations offered are based on the rather small data set of the pens that I have been able to obtain, and so if your experience is different, please let me know.

There used to be 5 types of stacked nibs created by Sailor - Cross, Cross Music, Cross Concord, King Eagle, and Cobra, along with their overfeed/emperor tab variants. See here for the details of what was once made. After the retirement of Mr. Nagahara Jr., the responsibility for creating specialty nibs has been passed down to a group of hand trained successors. When this occurred, the number of options decreased. And if you are wondering, no, Mr. Nagahara is not making any more stacked nibs, nor do I ever expect to see Sailor make the King Eagle or Cobra nibs again.

Below are the three representative options - the Sailor Cross (this nib was originally reviewed on the Pen Addict, but has been placed in a custom body after it came my way), Sailor Cross Music, and Sailor Cross Concord.

Yes, the Cross Music and Cross Concord are the newer generation of Sailor Speciality nib, and thus don’t have the scrollwork of the older versions. See the excellent work of CY, at Tokyo Station Pens, for the full history, and this website has close up pictures of the different approaches to hooking the tipping to each other though requires Google Translate.

The fountain pen community continues to owe a great debt of gratitude to Ralph Reyes as being the person who looked at the Sailor nibs and said "I can do that." And he did. There are more of his stacked nibs out in the world than anyone else who has made them, other than those nibs made by Sailor. Most of his nibs have been made in steel, though I know of at least one gold stacked nib he has made. When I use his later nibs, the best comparison I can make is to the Naginata nib which I have, ground by Mr. Nagahara Sr.

Ralph is not currently creating nibs. I hope that changes, and will suggest that the best way to find out if that ever changes is to follow him on Instagram.

Jim Crawford, Pen Sloth on IG is creating some of the most off the wall and interesting nib designs that have ever been imagined. He does this, in addition to his experiments with Urushi and re-tipping. If it is wild, and can be done with a nib, Jim has probably done it. His nib creations are all steel.

Jeremiah Hackett, who runs Monty Winnfield, brings to his nibs clean lines and welds that are impressive. His background in jewelry clearly shows. He has developed a wide variety of models that are worth looking into. All his nibs thus far have been steel.

Gena Salorino, Custom Nib Studio, has also begun playing in this field. Having been trained at Nibs.com, working with high end Asian nibs is something they excel at. Their grinds are flawless - they do this for a living and it shows. They can work with steel and gold nibs.

CY, of Tokyo Station Pens on Instagram has also jumped in to this field. His focus has been on creating grinds that are in line with the Naginata grinds that started all of this madness. He is working with gold Platinum 3776 nibs currently, which present some interesting differences from Jowo nibs that most other people are using. The 3776 C nib, as well as the Sailor Zoom nib - which I believe is what Sailor uses for its stacks - has more tipping material than the Jowo B, so greater line variation can be achieved. This also, obviously, greatly increases his material costs and thus the cost of the final product. In my opinion, it is worth the premium.

CY has begun grinding his Concord style nibs so that side of the nib that is on the paper when the pen is held conventionally can be an oblique, a stub, or another type of grind. I know that Gena can also do this as requested.

CY is also experimenting with other stacking options, as you can see with his five tined stacked nib which is in the middle. The bottom nib is a music nib, which he calls a Pyramid.

Every stacked nib thus far has been created by welding two pieces of metal together. There is someone who is taking another approach - Jose Munuera over in Ireland is using epoxy to hold the nibs together. I am not fully versed on the chemistry of the various glues that can be used, but am fairly certain that epoxy would be the glue to use if creating these nibs. He is offering nibs at a lower cost than anyone else, and as you can see below, is using a wide selection of types of nibs. The three layer made with 1.5mm Fulin nibs is the wettest, craziest nib that I own.

You will notice on some stacked nibs a strip of metal that runs on top of the nib. These are called overfeeds, and the theory is that by adding a place near the tipping where another piece of metal touches the nib slit creates an additional volume of ink that will be held suspended near the tip. This additional ink will serve as a buffer, making sure that the nib does not run out of ink. In theory, the physics of this make sense. In practice, I have never met anyone who thought they made a significant difference. I have one nib with an overfeed, a two layer by Ralph, and I cannot tell that it matters. If your experience is different, please let me know.

Purchasing one of these nibs is not simple, unfortunately.

Sailor stacked nibs are not listed online at the stores in America which stock them. So in person is the way to go, if you are close to Dromgooles, Anderson Pens, or Pen Boutique. Those are the three that I know of in the States. They do show up used on eBay or on the other various pen forums, but it is not common.

Otherwise, the best approach is to follow the individual makers on Instagram. When and if they have something for sale, that is where we will find out.

If you do have the opportunity to buy one, be warned that they will be costly. A lot of time goes in to creating one of these, and the people who are making these deserve the be reimbursed for this time.

Which stacked nib to buy, from which maker? I recommend getting any one you can. While there are subtle differences between all of the nibs I have shared here, and the approaches of each of the makers, they are all making good nibs. I am excited for what each of them is doing, and look forward to seeing what they, and others, create next.

Practical considerations

Most two layer nibs will fit in most caps. Three or more layers, and you will want to check with the person creating the nib. A custom pen may be needed to enjoy some of the more extreme creations.

The grind of these nibs is as important as it is on any other pen. Some makers are focusing on imitating the Naginata style grind, such as CY, and seeking to give maximal line variation based on angle of the pen. Others are grinding more of an architect style, so that the line is a consistent width no matter what angle is used. Some people are doing both, so be sure to specify which approach you want, if and when you are able to order a nib.

In addition to being the most compatible with stock pens, a two-layer nib gets you most of the performance of the multi-layered nibs. The failure rate of making three layer welded nibs is higher, and getting the flow dialed in is a challenge for the maker. Two layers, made with nibs that are initially rather broad, seems to be the sweet spot for stacked nibs.

These are durable and usable nibs. These are all steel welded to steel, or gold welded to gold - these are not going to fall apart. I carry a stacked nib in my pocket every day.

These nibs do not flex. At all. Layers of metal welded together do not flex, as a general rule. I can tell no difference between using a steel stacked nib vs a gold stacked nib. Gold is easier to weld, but with steel nibs being so much cheaper those tend to be what makers use.

Further, paper choice matters even more than with single layer fountain pens. Any paper used has to be able to handle a lot of ink, and dry times may be long. I use a Musubi with Tomoe River for writing in the morning, and use a piece of blotter paper.

Other than avoiding shimmer inks, which would be nigh on impossible to clean out of a stacked nib, I use any ink I want. Dry ink, wet inks, they all work. When using such a firehose of a nib, the difference between a dry and a wet ink is not significant.

What filling system works best to get ink to one of these nibs? An eyedropper, piston, or something where the entire back of the feed is in contact with the ink. Some of these nibs have the ability to be used with a cartridge or converter, however, it seems to be an inferior experience to do so. Nailing down the flow, so that all the layers of the nib receive ink yet the overall nib is not too wet, seems to be the greatest challenge of creating these. In my experience, a Japanese eyedropper, with its ability to control flow of ink to the back of the nib, is the ideal pen when using a stacked nib that doesn’t have the flow dialed in. Thus, my favorite vehicle for these are my Opus 88's - they are an affordable Japanese eyedropper that can be had in both Jowo and Bock compatible models. (A Conid can do the same thing, if you have a feed that will allow this.)

Flexible Nib Factory creates a two-channel and a three-channel Jowo feed. A stock Jowo feed seems to keep up with a two layer stacked nib, though switching over to a FNF two channel Jowo feed is fun. These nibs can be pulled, and treated like any other nib, but I confess that I prefer not to unless I have no other choice. The three channel seems to be best used with a three layered nib, or a full flex nib. To put a three channel feed on a single or double layer nib may be....messy.

Interested? Unless you are lucky enough to live near one of the brick and mortar stores that sells Sailor specialty nibs, I would suggest trying one of the Sailor Fude nibs. Once you have played around with it, ask yourself if you want to be able to write in that fashion, but with a better ink flow and the ability to write at a normal speed. If so, follow the makers listed above on Instagram, look around who might get to a brick and mortar store, set some saved searches on eBay, and I hope you find one. What you see above has taken me years to put together, but I have found the hunt to be worth it.

Which is my favorite? As of right now, it is this one … a three layer prototype that Ralph made, filled up with my favorite ink. But that is just for now, it might change soon.

(Yes, that is Emerald of Chivor, and yes, I just broke my own advice on using shimmer in a stacked nib. Cleaning it will be a nightmare, but it is worth it.)

If you ever see me at a pen show, and want to try a stacked nib, just ask. I always have one on me.

And if you want to try creating your own, then let me recommend starting with Jinhao nibs, and let me know how it goes. I am always interested in new makers in the pen community. I would love to do a follow-up to this, with an entirely different set of stacked nib makers.

Getting Inky in October

(This is a guest post by Brian Draghi. You can find more of Brian’s work on Instagram @Sketchscape)

I wanted to describe my process for my March of Robots and the current Name-Your-Own-tober for this post. I am not a professional artist, but this process works for me and what I use for my hobby. I like to use many references to what I draw, whether it's online research or my book collection the I've collected over many years. Some people may have an issue with artists using reference photos, but it's suitable for a couple of reasons. Most artists aren't good at using memory sources, especially if you are doing any photo-realistic illustration. Two- it's always ideal to use source material from actual environments or as real sources as possible. The more practice you have from real life, the faster your work becomes, and the experience helps with future sketches.

Tools of the Trade

Prismacolor Col-erase pencils, blue or red

Kuru Toga Advance mechanical pencil

Pilot Color Eno mechanical pencil

Electric sharpener

Tombow Mono click eraser

Pentel Kerry mechanical pencil

Copic Multiliner

ShinHan Touch markers

White Prismacolor pencil

White Verthin pencil

White Faber Castell Pitt Artist Pen brush

Prismacolor Toned Tan paper squares

Nock Co. Brasstown case

Nock Co Chimneytop case

Lihit Labs Smart fit case

The Prismacolor Col-erase pencils are my go-to pencil of choice for laying down the beginning sketch before ink. I like these pencils for two reasons. They don't smear as regular graphite lead does, and they erase quite well without much effort. I tend to have a heavy hand, so these leads are more forgiving than traditional graphite.

My favorite mechanical pencil in my Uni Kuru Toga advance for two reasons. The lead rotation mechanism continually rotates the lead while sketching, allowing the same consistent line without variation. The Kuru Toga also features the ability to retract the guide pipe for the lead to protect it from getting bent or poking a hole in my case.

I'm particular about the pencils I use for the highlights, and some provide a brighter look for the more intensive highlights. I favor the Prismacolor white pencils using both the Verithin version, a more rigid type of lead, and the colored pencil version with a softer lead. The Verithin creates cleaner edge lines and outlines, and the white-colored pencil has a more soft waxy core used for more blending. I tend to favor the Faber Castell brand and the German Edding brand of white markers. These tend to be more of a pigmented water-based ink, with some brands being more opaque than others.

The markers of choice are the cool greys of the ShinHan Touch marker. These are cheaper markers than the popular yet more expensive Copic markers that professionals use, but they work well and blend well on the page. Many marker brands available react differently to certain paper types and having different shades for each color. As the digital format has become more accessible to more artists, these traditional mediums can be overlooked. I still prefer the tactile feel of using conventional tools on actual paper rather than a digital screen.

The paper choice is the Prismacolor Toned Tan squares, which provides a nice manageable size to create sketches promptly. The toned paper works well with white pencils and allows you to create highlights that you wouldn't achieve with regular sketch paper.

Most of my sketching supplies are stored in my trusty Nock Co. Brasstown case. The Brasstown is from the original Nock Co. Kickstarter I backed in 2013 and still use it today. It is my favorite case because it stores everything in a nice protected rolled out tongue. Everything is presented organized in a row without having to do a search and rescue for my supplies. The Brasstown also makes it convenient to carry my supplies on long trips or to go on vacation.

Let's get into the step by step process I used to create my March of Robots illustrations back in March and the process I will use this month. My March of Robots covered the Droids of Star Wars theme, and I'll be showing a few examples of my sketches and the processes used to create these fun droids.

Step one: Reference, Reference, and more Reference

I look at as much visual information as I can to figure out the look of what I’m sketching. Photos are ideal, but real-life examples are even better. Many artists may frown upon using too much reference, but I’m just not the type that remembers every detail from memory. I need as much reference to influence my sketches without having to take into account any guesswork.

Step two: Rough sketch

I block out the basic shapes and composition of my droid, making sure that the design fits on the page, and the construction is good. I try to keep everything as light as possible, especially since I tend to have a heavy hand. I want to be able to erase everything if something doesn't work, which happens regularly. I'm guaranteed never to get something quite right the first time. I either need to adjust proportions or composition within my sketch. I'll often work out some basic thumbnails on a scratch piece of paper to get the construction down for the final image. I can always transfer things from one sketch to another instead of having to start over.

Step three: Solid lines

Once I get a composition that works out, I will make my pencil lines a bit darker before heading into inking. This process allows me to see where I need to ink my lines before color. This step also allows me to include those small details like some design elements and the armor's worn look. This is what I like to call authentic battle damage, now that I have all the lines finalized for inking.

Step four: Inking time!

I usually tend to use the Copic Multiliner or the Faber-Castell Ecco Pigment since they do not bleed when you have use markers on top of the line. I use multiple different tip sizes for inking, depending on the details. Use a smaller point for tiny details and have a larger tip to show more contrast with the form closest to you. I usually use fineliners that do not bleed when you apply markers over them, so it does not mark the piece. Many artists tend to use the opposite approach and apply markers first and then inking after to give the markers a chance to dry. This approach avoids having to be more careful but does take more planning to make sure where you are placing your inking lines.

Step five: Highlights

I focus on the highlights first before I start the primary base color of my sketch. This gives me the ability to gauge where most of the main highlights are located. It's easier on the saturated sections to apply white pencil to blend in more directly to paper than using it over the marker after the fact. I sometimes tend to block the highlights first before I lay down the primary base color, so I don't overlook them when adding the overall base color.

Step six: Color

I keep a scratch piece of toned paper next to my sketch to test the markers for my chosen colors. I usually make small swatches of color thumbnails directly on the page to see if the color palette works. I pull out these markers first since they will be the primary markers I'm using during the sketch.

I test out the markers to see how they handle the paper I'm using to sketch for two reasons. First, check if the markers are still saturated and not dried out. The second is to test how the markers react to the paper material. Certain marker brands react differently to paper; some are more saturated, while others tend to bleed more.

Step seven: Shadows

Once the primary colors are down for the sketch, I'll block in the shadows of the image. I usually use my cool greyscale markers for any dark shadows. I'll blend over each marker until it's the right gradual shade. I am always more comfortable working light to dark than the opposite way; you can still make it darker. Doing the opposite tends to be more challenging to correct and lighten and adjust after lying down darker lines.

Once the shadows are complete, I work on the extra details that give a sketch a little bit more character. I'll take my fineliner to work on some weathered look of a droid. I'll make some extra scratches and distressed wear to highlight some authentic battle damage that a droid may have encountered over the years. This gives it a more realistic look and adds character to my piece.

Final step: Final touches

Once I'm happy with the render and adding details, I'll go back over my sketch, add extra highlights, and add additional inking for the outline that I missed or make the edges a bit more crisper. Using markers and adding highlights tends to wash out some of the inking lines, so I'll attend to those lines with another coat. Once the extra details are finished, I'll typically add a color box behind the image that creates a bit of contrast and distinguishes the piece from the page. The lighter the image, the darker the background, and so forth.

Sometimes it's an actual image that I'll add to the background that you instantly recognize, and other times I may suggest an image by adding a shadow on the background. Adding a shadow may be a more lazy route, but it lets the viewer use their imagination to suggest what might be happening in the background. The point is to break up the image and give your sketch more contrast and make it more attractive to the viewer without having too much detail.

Last thoughts:

My process isn't too different from other artists using various supplies and techniques. I enjoy seeing the process of other artists that highlight certain materials. It's always great to discover new products I've never heard of before or something I never considered using to create my work. That’s probably why I'm addicted to Kickstarter, but that's another story. New materials never make you a better artist, but it is always fun to try new things or create a different process that works better for you.

My art background has fueled my interest in learning about different types of materials and lead me to get into the world of fountain pens. I would have never considered using fountain pens ten years ago, but it's great to expand myself and try more things. Get your pencils, pens, and ink ready!