Nebotek (III) - 10 Years

While preparing the previous post, I had to revisit an old piece I wrote in 2013. It ended with this sentence:

“Nebotek pens are indeed good and interesting products, but their poor marketing makes them almost unknown. And anonymous.”

Nebotek catalog from 2012.

That was the pen I was introducing: a very well-made pen with no obvious brand, a beautiful business card without a name on it.

Four Eboya/Nebotek pens from different moments in their evolution.

But much has changed since that pen was released—no later than 2013. In 2014, the brand changed its name, and the pens began to carry it engraved on the barrel: “Eboya — MADE IN TOKYO.”

Eboya catalog in 2019.

Then, in 2016, came the bigger transformation. Nikko Ebonite, the parent company, replaced the traditional rokuro with a couple of digital lathes. Pen production was simplified—only one filling system remained—and expanded. At the same time, the brand’s presence in international markets grew through a number of retailers: Nibs.com and Anderson Pens in the United States in 2015, and Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery and Inktraveler in Europe in 2016 and 2017, respectively. (Since then, other retailers began carrying Eboya, even as Anderson Pens ceased operations at the end of 2024—its founders later returning as Cardinal Pens & Paper, though without Eboya in their catalogue—and Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery dropped Eboya from its portfolio).

So, in ten years, Nebotek became Eboya. It went from being a collection of essentially anonymous pens to becoming a point of reference in Japan’s fountain-pen scene.

Nebotek Hôga, medium size – Sailor Tomikei Blue

Bruno Taut
October 12th, 2026
etiquetas: Nebotek, Eboya, mercado

Nebotek (II)

Before Eboya, there was Nebotek.

Nebotek was the pen brand that Nikko Ebonite created in 2009 to market pens made from its own ebonite, following a sharp decline in sales of the raw material.

Nebotek catalog in 2012-13.

The operation was led by lathe master Kanesaki Noritoshi, who had learned his trade from Momose Yasuaki and Kubo Kohei. Production was based on the use of the traditional Japanese lathe, or rokuro, to shape the company's in-house ebonite. The nibs and feeds were supplied by Bock.

One of the rokuro at Nikko Ebonite (2016).

Between 2009 and 2014, the pens were branded as Nebotek, while the online shop selling ebonite products was called Eboya. In essence, however, the pens were anonymous: the only identifying mark was the Bock logo on the nib, which pointed to Germany rather than to their Japanese maker.

This changed in January 2014, when Nikko Ebonite discontinued the Nebotek name and adopted Eboya for its pens. The company also began engraving the brand name on the barrel, together with the motto “MADE IN TOKYO.”

The pen on display today is, in fact, an anonymous Nebotek: a model Hôga in size M, fitted with a 14-karat gold Bock nib and an ebonite feed. Its filling system is the traditional Japanese eyedropper, a design invented by Onoto.

Nebotek Hôga M, Japanese eyedropper.

This detail adds to the pen’s charm. Under Mr. Kanesaki’s direction, three filling systems were available for Nebotek and Eboya pens: cartridge-converter, button filler, and Japanese eyedropper (inki-dome shiki in Japanese). This changed after he left Nikko Ebonite, following the company’s decision to introduce computerized lathes into pen production in 2016. As a result, only the efficient, clean and boring cartridge-converter system survived in Eboya’s fountain-pen lineup.

All these details make this pen —this inki-dome Nebotek— particularly special.

Its dimensions are as follows:
Length closed: 144 mm
Length, open: 136 mm
Length, posted: 175 mm
Diameter: 15.0 mm
Weight, dry: 21.1 g
Ink deposit: 3.0 ml

Ohashido Kagero – Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo

Bruno Taut
September 25th, 2026
etiquetas: Nebotek, Bock, Kanesaki Noritoshi, Eboya

Digital Capless

Meanwhile (::1::, ::2::), what is Pilot doing besides raising prices at a spectacular pace?

The basic Pilot Capless introduced in 1998—that is, the FC model—used to cost JPY 10,000 (plus tax) and came with a steel nib, available only in F or M, with no other options. Its distribution outside Japan was also very limited.

So, how has this model changed?

Rehashing the basic Capless--JPY 16000, black trim, steel nib.

The price has increased by 60%, to JPY 16,000, which is actually not that bad compared with many other models in the Pilot lineup. Pilot has also refreshed its appearance and given it an additional name: "Digital Tech–Simple and Smart." A digital fountain pen? Ah, the genius of marketing strikes again...

These analog "digital techies" now feature black trim and matte finishes. They are available in four colors—copper, green, ash blue, and silver—plus a limited edition in purple.

The five "digital" Capless.

The mismatch between the trim and the nib, however, remains. For the first time in the history of the Capless, the steel nib is no longer gold-colored. Yet instead of making it black to match the trim, Pilot simply left it silver. In Japan, in fact, black Capless nibs are rare and generally reserved for special editions. This leaves an obvious question: which nib color would actually best complement the black trim?

More importantly, however, there are other questions:
– Is the new styling enough to justify a 60% price increase?
– Can this pen still compete with the Chinese copies of the Capless?

The market will have the final say.

Sailor “Gold from the Swiss Bank”, burgundy – Sailor Red

Bruno Taut
July 4th, 2026
etiquetas: Pilot, Capless, mercado

The Spanish Ôhashidô

Now that the story is over, it might be time to tell a few stories.

In December 2024, Mr. Yûichi Uehara brought to an end the activities of Ôhashidô, the company founded in 1965 by his father, Eichi Uehara. Yûichi had taken over the business in 2010, and his marketing strategy was, in essence, that of the travelling salesman. He attended all kinds of fairs and sales events, often in department stores and large stationery shops, where he sold his pens directly to the final customer.

Mr. Uehara at Mitsukoshi Nihombashi in 2017.

There were a couple of exceptions to this direct-sales model. The first involved a limited number of leftover pens from the editions presented at Maruzen's “Fountain Pens of the World” event each spring. These were small batches—ten or fifteen units—to be sold during the event, and any unsold pens remained on display at Maruzen afterwards.

The second case is far more relevant.

Inktraveler is a small online retailer that has been selling Japanese stationery from Spain since 2012.

In its search for products that would distinguish it from other retailers, it began a collaboration with Eboya in 2017 and with Ôhashidô in 2018. Eboya can be found overseas through a handful of shops, but the case of Ôhashidô was entirely different: Inktraveler was the only retailer to establish a commercial relationship with Mr. Uehara. For about six years, Ôhashidô pens were present both on Inktraveler's website and at the European pen shows the company attended.

Ôhashidô pens at Mitsukoshi Nihombashi in 2016.

Ôhashidô pens at Maruzen Nihombashi in 2022.

Then came December 2024, and Ôhashidô ceased operations. Inktraveler, however, still had a number of pens in stock. That situation did not last long, but this small Spanish retailer ended up selling some of the last new Ôhashidô pens available anywhere.

The very last one is the pen with which I am writing these lines: the Ôhashidô Kagero from the Four Seasons series, produced in collaboration with Mr. Tadeo Sato in 2023.

Mr. Uehara's traveling rokuro at Mitsukoshi Departement Store Nihombashi in 2012.

Ôhashidô is no more, and many of us miss Mr. Uehara and his travelling rokuro. Inktraveler, however, remains active and continues its search for lesser-known pen brands and other stationery products in Japan.

One never knows where the last pen of a discontinued brand will turn up. Sometimes, apparently, it is in Spain.

Ôhashidô Kagero – Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo

Bruno Taut
July 1st, 2026
labels: Ôhashidô, Inktraveler, España, Japón

Jinhao 20

We have seen several Chinese manufacturers release capless fountain pens in recent years. Moonman (Majohn) introduced the A1, A2, and A3, modelled after the Pilot Capless FC (1998), the Capless FCN (1984), and the Capless LS (2019) (::1::, ::2::), respectively. Jinhao followed with its model 10, also based on the Capless FC. Lanbitou, meanwhile, produced its model 3088, a copy of the Platinum Curidas.

One model missing from this list was the Pilot Capless Décimo (model FCT, 2005). Jinhao has now filled that gap with the model 20.

Pilot Capless Décimo (top), and Jinhao 20.

At first glance, the two pens appear different. The Jinhao 20 is made largely of plastic, whereas the Décimo incorporates more metal. Their dimensions and weights, however, show how closely they correspond.

	Pilot _Décimo_	_Jinhao_ 20
Length closed (mm)	140.2	139.1
Length open (mm)	137.3	138.4
Diameter (mm)	11.9	12.2
Weight (1) (g)	20.6	19.3

(1) Dry weight with an empty cartridge.

What, then, separates these two pens, and how do they perform?

Price is the obvious starting point. After a series of increases, the Pilot Décimo now retails in Japan for JPY 28,000 before tax. For that price, one gets a metal-bodied pen fitted with a 18-karat gold nib, available in EF, F, and M according to the Japanese catalogue, although other nib grades appear from time to time. Standard models are available in several colours with silver trim, while gold trim show up on special editions.

Assorted Pilot Capless Décimo, plus a Sesenta model on the left.

The Jinhao 20, by contrast, costs about JPY 2,000. It is fitted with a steel nib, usually available in EF or F, although some reports mention an M option as well. The nib units are copies of Pilot's and can be exchanged without difficulty. They also accept Pilot cartridges. The pen is offered in a variety of colours with silver, gold, or black trim.

Jinhao 20.

Despite the difference in price, the Jinhao 20 performs well. The nib writes consistently, starts reliably, and resists drying in regular use. It may not match the Décimo in finish, but it fulfils the same role: a retractable fountain pen that works as intended.

That said, some users have reported ink collecting inside the barrel and leaking through the joint between the metal nose cone and the plastic body. This may also explain the opposite complaint: nibs drying out after storage.

Three brands with a single design. From top to bottom, Pilot, Jinhao, Moonman.

So, is the Jinhao 20 a viable alternative to the Pilot Capless Décimo?

At roughly JPY 2,000, the Jinhao 20 delivers most of what makes the Décimo appealing at less than a tenth of the price. It writes well, uses Pilot-compatible nib units and cartridges, and copies the dimensions of the original very closely.

The remaining difference, then, may be less about writing and more about uncertainty. Pilot charges JPY 28,000 for a pen; Jinhao charges JPY 2,000 and invites you to participate in a small quality-control experiment. Whether that experiment is worth conducting depends on how much you value your money, your patience, and occasionally your laundry.


My thanks to “El placer de la escritura”.

Jinhao 20 – Pilot Black

Bruno Taut
June 23rd, 2026
etiquetas: Pilot, Jinhao, capless, mercado.

A3

Things always come in threes—or so they say—and after the Moonman capless A1 and A2, the A3 was bound to appear.

As was described on previous Chronicles, the A1 is essentially a copy of the regular Pilot Capless FC first introduced in 1998, while the A2 recreated the style of the faceted Pilot Capless FCN from 1984.

From top to bottom, Moonman A1 with clip, clipless A1, and A2.

This time, the model being copied—or, if one prefers, used as inspiration—is the Pilot Capless LS from 2019. As with the previous models, the nib unit is fully compatible across the different Moonman models and with those made by Pilot. In this regard, Moonman is creating a parallel ecosystem of capless pens with interchangeable nib units across brands.

But is the A3 third time’s the charm? How does it compare with the original LS?

Moonman A3.

Visually, the A3 and LS are very similar. Needless to say, they share the same dual mechanism for extending and retracting the nib: push to extend, rotate to retract. Moonman’s version, however, feels rougher and more abrupt in the rotational action, making it less refined than the Japanese original. Still, it works.

The most striking feature of the Moonman is its peculiar clip. Positioned halfway along the body, it is difficult to imagine anyone actually clipping it to a pocket. In practice, it seems to function mainly as an oversized roll stopper. Fortunately, it can be removed by sliding it out through the nose of the pen.

As for nibs, Moonman offers only two options—EF and F—both in steel. In use, they proved correct and reliable. Whether that range is sufficient is another matter.

Dimensions:

	Moonman A3	Pilot _Capless LS_
Length closed (mm)	146	146
Length open (mm)	141	139
Diameter (mm)	13.5	13.5
Weight (1) (g)	43.3 / 40.7 (2)	40.3

(1) Dry weight with an empty cartridge. (2) Weight of the A3 without clip.

In summary, the A3 is a functional copy of the Pilot Capless LS at roughly one tenth of the price. It is less refined and offers only two nib options. Whether that is enough, the market will decide.

Moonman A3 without clip, and Pilot Capless LS.

So far, Pilot may have been shielded from a flood of copies by the lack of a distribution network capable of making these Chinese pens widely available. However, the repeated price increases—with yet another announced for this coming July—may make it easier for these pens to find their way into a stationery shop near you.

Sailor “Gold from the Swiss Bank” – Montblanc “Around the World in 80 Days”

Bruno Taut
May 15th, 2026
etiquetas: Pilot, Moonman, capless, mercado

Confessions of a Spanish Pen Addict. III.

The third and last article of the Confessions of a Spanish Pen Addict appeared in issue 77 (nominally April 2026) of Shumi-no Bungubako (趣味の文具箱). I say final because I have decided to discontinue this collaboration due to the strict internal censorship that forms part of the magazine's editorial policy.

The ostensibly subversive subject of these particular Confessions is the story of the Presidente pens marketed in Spain around 1960. The original text reads as follows:


A Very Spanish Pen (Made in Japan)

In Madrid, every Sunday an immense and ever-growing flea market takes place along Ribera de Curtidores street. And, as in most street markets, what someone else might discard is for you to buy. There, at one stall, I saw an array of unused fountain pens, neatly arranged. They were claimed to be Presidente, a minor Spanish brand legally registered by a certain Doroteo Pérez y Pérez, whose business was located at number 8, Calle del Príncipe Pío, Madrid, in 1959.

The luxury Presidente. Photo by Tommy Lanceley

In actual fact, however, those pens proved to be Platinum pens.

Further research in Spain showed that there appear to be only three models of Presidente pens, albeit with some color variations―black, grey, red, and blue. All three feature the Platinum globe logo with the letters S and N (after Shun-ichi Nakata, 中田俊一, founder of Platinum) engraved on the cap and on the nib. One of them even carries the name Platinum engraved on the nib, whereas the other two are imprinted with the brand name “PRESIDENTE” above the Platinum logo. In any event, the Spanish brand is always prominently engraved on the barrel: “PRESIDENTE / Registrada.” Inside, the filling system also bears the Spanish brand, together with instructions on how to fill the pen, written in imperfect Spanish.

Presidente and Platinum logo.

All of them are aerometric fillers―bladder type with an internal compensation tube― with nail-shaped steel nibs, very similar to the Honest models made by Platinum in the early 1950s. Those models evolved into the Honest 60 in 1956–57, when Platinum decided to say “farewell to ink bottles” and marketed the first ink cartridges in Japan, thus abandoning self-filling mechanisms.

In 2013, at the now-discontinued Mitsukoshi Stationery Festa, the seasoned Platinum craftsman Mr. Masayoshi Nakanishi (中西正好) examined my Presidente pens. He immediately recognized them as Platinum products:

“Oh, that was the luxury model! Be careful with the clip, as it is a bit fragile.”

At the same time, however, he explained that there were no company records of contacts or transactions dating so far back. Consequently, Platinum as a company could not say much―if anything―about these somehow Spanish Platinum pens: pens bearing engravings and instructions in Spanish, sometimes incorrect Spanish.

Publishing this information online prompted several fellow aficionados from around the world to share their own knowledge. We then found out that there had been other cases of foreign-branded Platinum pens besides the Spanish one. In South Africa, the brand Hifra marketed similar models dating from the 1950s, as well as more modern Platinum “pocket pens” later in the 1960s. In Greece, the brand Joker also used a couple of Platinum models in its operations. In this latter case, the pen box carried two brand names―Joker and Platinum.

Honest models by Joker (top), Hifra (middle), and Presidente (bottom).

Joker AND Platinum.

Were there more operations like these? In the absence of written records in Platinum’s archives, it is not possible to decide one way or the other. We do know, however, that such operations existed and that they had a very loose connection to Platinum in Japan.

Once again, the pen community proved to be essential in providing information beyond what official records might reveal. There is always something hidden in plain view at flea markets around the world.

I am merely the writer of this story, populated by a number of characters. Eduardo Alcalde, Miguel Huineman, Salvador Maturana, Toshiaki Sugimoto (杉本寿明), Kostas Kouvaris, Alberto Linares, and Masa Sunami (すなみまさみち) contributed by offering information and expertise.

RomilloPens Wi Toledo – Pilot (Thai) Black

Bruno Taut
January 2026 and March 17th 2026
etiquetas: Platinum, Presidente, Joker, Hifra, publicaciones