--- title: "Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2: Finned Urushi Pen, 17 mm, 30 g" canonical: "https://stationerytimes.com/guides/nakaya-dorsal-fin-2-fountain-pen/" description: "Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2 explained: fins on cap and barrel that stop it rolling, 150 mm, 17 mm across, 30 g per Nakaya, urushi over ebonite, 14K nib, nine finishes." category: "Pens" type: "Fountain pen" published: 2026-11-02 updated: 2026-11-02 author: "Ellis Penhale" publisher: "Stationery Times" sources: 10 products: - name: "Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2 Fountain Pen" brand: "Nakaya" brand_origin: "Japan" made_in: "Japan" material: "Ebonite barrel finished in urushi lacquer, 14K gold nib made by Platinum Pen" price_band: "$$$$ (over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count), typical US retail, October 2026)" manufacturer: "Nakaya Fountain Pen Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan)" model: "Dorsal Fin 2; product numbers such as 1090DF2-11-00 (Kuro-tame) and 3047DF2-73-00 (Suzu Ishime)" url: "https://www.nakaya.org/en/products/info/37442/" --- # Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2: Finned Urushi Pen, 17 mm, 30 g > The Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2 is a fountain pen with a raised fin on the cap and another on the barrel, so the whole pen acts as a roll stopper. Nakaya lists it at 150 mm, 17 mm across and 30 g, in urushi over ebonite, but it was not taking orders on November 2, 2026. Our band: $$$$. - URL: https://stationerytimes.com/guides/nakaya-dorsal-fin-2-fountain-pen/ - Category: Pens - Author: Ellis Penhale - Published: 2026-11-02 - Updated: 2026-11-02 ![Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2 fountain pen in black urushi, capped and uncapped, with a fin on the cap and on the barrel, 150 mm long and 17 mm across, plus an enlarged gold nib](https://stationerytimes.com/images/raster/nakaya-dorsal-fin-2-fountain-pen-illustration-16x9.png?v=8c0b100c) *The Dorsal Fin 2 in Kuro-tame, capped and uncapped, at the 150 mm and 17 mm Nakaya lists; fin shapes, section and nib are drawn by eye.* Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times. Original drawing (SVG): . Drawings © 2026 Stationery Times, reusable with credit under CC BY 4.0 (https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by/4.0/). ## Product facts | Product | Brand | Brand origin | Made in | Material | Released | Price range (typical US retail, October 2026) | |---|---|---|---|---|---|---| | Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2 Fountain Pen | Nakaya (by Nakaya Fountain Pen Co., Ltd. (Tokyo, Japan)) | Japan | Japan | Ebonite barrel finished in urushi lacquer, 14K gold nib made by Platinum Pen | – | $$$$: over $75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count) | - Made in (Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2 Fountain Pen): Japan. Nakaya's English site is titled "Japanese handmade fountain pens" and its pages describe urushi craftsmen working in Japan, but its product pages carry no separate country-of-origin line. Source: https://www.nakaya.org/en/about/origin/ - Good for: Office and signing. Skip it if you want a clip or a Music nib, which the fins rule out, or if you need to order now: Nakaya's pages said it wasn't accepting orders on November 2, 2026. ### Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2 Fountain Pen colors - Body colors (9 standard, 0 special edition): Kuro-tame (tame-nuri, Black over a shu base; red shows at the edges in Nakaya's photo); Aka-tame (tame-nuri); Heki-tame (tame-nuri, Nakaya calls the color Heki-iro, between blue and green; in its photo the pen reads dark); Toki-tame (tame-nuri, Pinkish base color, translucent amber look); Midori Ishime (Ishime kanshitsu, Nakaya compares it to turquoise); Kuro-tame Ishime (Ishime kanshitsu); Heki-tame Ishime (Ishime kanshitsu); Kikyo Ishime (Ishime kanshitsu, Nakaya compares it to lapis lazuli); Suzu Ishime (Silver) (Ishime with roasted tin powder, Black lacquer base; Nakaya compares it to fumigated silver and hematite). - Per Nakaya (English) (https://www.nakaya.org/en/products/), checked 2026-11-02. Nakaya's Dorsal Fin 2 pages list these nine finishes. Tints are representative, sampled by eye from Nakaya's product photos; Nakaya says natural urushi varies a little from pen to pen, and the Ishime finishes are textured, so their color changes with the light. Shops stock different colors; check the listing. ## Key takeaways - Nakaya lists the Dorsal Fin 2 at 150 mm (5.9 in) long, 17 mm (0.67 in) across and 30 g (1.1 oz), 10 g heavier than its Cigar Portable. - Every Dorsal Fin 2 page said on November 2, 2026 that Nakaya was not accepting orders for it, without a reason or a date. - List prices on that date ran from ¥200,000 (about US$1,266) to ¥320,000 (about US$2,025) depending on the finish technique, with a 7-month lead time. - The barrel fin rules out a clip, Nakaya says a roll stopper pin isn't available, and the Music nib (0.9 to 1.0 mm) can't be chosen. - Because the cap has a four-start thread, you turn it to one of four start positions to line the cap fin up with the barrel fin. ## What is the Nakaya Dorsal Fin 2? **It is a cigar-length urushi pen whose cap and barrel each carry a raised fin, which together act as a roll stopper.** Nakaya says it designed the model with the image of a katana; its list describes a knife and a Japanese sword for the two Dorsal Fin versions. Nakaya Fountain Pen is a Tokyo maker of urushi-lacquered pens that traces its name to the 1924 firm behind Platinum (see [Platinum's history](https://stationerytimes.com/stories/platinum-pen-history/)). We read its English pages on November 2, 2026. ## What are the Dorsal Fin 2's specs? **Nakaya lists 150 mm, 17 mm across and 30 g, in ebonite with an urushi finish.** It doesn't say whether the length is capped or posted. | Spec | Value (Nakaya) | |---|---| | Length | 150 mm (5.9 in) | | Diameter | 17 mm (0.67 in) | | Weight | 30 g (1.1 oz) | | Barrel | Ebonite, urushi finish | | Nib | 14K gold by Platinum, every size except Music | | Clip | Can't be mounted (fin on the barrel) | | Roll stopper pin | Not available | | Lead time | 7 months | | Order status | Not accepting orders on November 2, 2026 | ## How is the Dorsal Fin 2 different from the Dorsal Fin 1? **The first version has a fin on the cap only; the second adds one on the barrel.** Both list 150 mm, 17 mm across and 30 g, and both were closed to orders on November 2, 2026. | | Dorsal Fin 1 | Dorsal Fin 2 | |---|---|---| | Fin | Cap only | Cap and barrel | | Design image | Knife | Katana | | Tame-nuri price | ¥140,000 (about US$886) | ¥200,000 (about US$1,266) | ![Nakaya Dorsal Fin 1 with a fin on the cap only above Dorsal Fin 2 with fins on cap and barrel, both 150 mm long](https://stationerytimes.com/images/nakaya-dorsal-fin-2-fountain-pen-fins.svg?v=948bbf9d) *The two Dorsal Fin profiles at 1 mm = 5.8 px; the fin shapes are by eye, the 150 mm and 17 mm are Nakaya's. Original illustration made for this guide. © Stationery Times.* ## Which finishes does the Dorsal Fin 2 come in? **Nine, in three techniques.** Tame-nuri gives Kuro-tame, Aka-tame, Heki-tame and Toki-tame. Ishime, which Nakaya makes by sprinkling dry lacquer powder on wet lacquer, layering and polishing it into a cobblestone texture, gives Midori Ishime, Kuro-tame Ishime, Heki-tame Ishime and Kikyo Ishime; a fifth Ishime uses roasted tin powder over black lacquer for a silver look. | Technique | List price (November 2, 2026) | |---|---| | Tame-nuri | ¥200,000 (about US$1,266) | | Ishime with lacquer powder | ¥250,000 (about US$1,582) to ¥260,000 (about US$1,646) | | Ishime with tin powder | ¥320,000 (about US$2,025) | ## Who is the Dorsal Fin 2 for? **It suits someone who wants a heavy pen with a built-in roll stopper and is ready to ask Nakaya about availability.** - **Office and signing:** Nakaya lists the Dorsal Fin 2 at 30 g in ebonite and offers nib sizes up to Extra Broad, which it calls suited to signatures. Skip it if you want a clip or a Music nib, which the fins rule out, or if you need to order now: Nakaya's pages said it wasn't accepting orders on November 2, 2026. ## Why don't the fins always line up? **Nakaya fits a four-start thread, so the cap can close in four positions.** Its FAQ says that if the Dorsal Fin 2's fins don't match, you rotate the pen to a different starting position until they do, and that the pen works either way. The same four-start thread lets a cap close in fewer turns on Nakaya's other pens, such as the [Cigar Portable](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/nakaya-cigar-portable-fountain-pen/). ## What can't you add to a Dorsal Fin 2? **A clip, a roll stopper pin and a Music nib.** Nakaya says the barrel fin leaves no room for a clip, that its roll stopper pin isn't offered for the Dorsal Fin models, and that the Music nib (0.9 to 1.0 mm) isn't available on this model. Its other sizes run from Ultra Extra Fine (0.18 to 0.24 mm) to Extra Broad (0.66 to 0.86 mm), all 14K gold from Platinum. For the 15 mm cigar range see the [Cigar Portable](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/nakaya-cigar-portable-fountain-pen/), and for another 17 mm barrel the [D-17 Portable](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/nakaya-d-17-portable-fountain-pen/). ## Can you buy one now, and what does it cost? **Nakaya's pages say it was not accepting orders on November 2, 2026, and don't say why or until when.** Its pages still show prices from ¥200,000 (about US$1,266) to ¥320,000 (about US$2,025), a 7-month lead time and the nine finishes, in our $$$$ band (over $75). Nakaya calls its pens Japanese handmade fountain pens. When orders are open, shipping to the US is ¥15,000 (about US$95) by DHL, other countries ¥8,000 (about US$51) by EMS, customs duties are the buyer's, and a made-to-order pen can't be cancelled or refunded after payment. For maki-e with an eyedropper filler, see the [Danitrio Mikado](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/danitrio-mikado-maki-e-fountain-pen/). For other lacquer pens, see [most collectible pens](https://stationerytimes.com/guides/collectible-pens/). ## Frequently asked questions ### Why does the Dorsal Fin 2 have fins? They are a built-in roll stopper. Nakaya says the model has fins on the cap and the body that stop it rolling, and that it was designed with the image of a katana, a Japanese sword. ### Can you put a clip on a Dorsal Fin 2? No. Nakaya says a clip can't be mounted because of the fin on the barrel, and its roll stopper pin option is not available for the Dorsal Fin models. ### Can you order a Dorsal Fin 2 right now? On November 2, 2026 each Dorsal Fin 2 page said Nakaya was not accepting orders for the product. It gave no reason and no date for reopening, so ask Nakaya through its contact form. ### Is the Dorsal Fin 1 the same pen without the barrel fin? Close. Nakaya's first version has a fin on the cap only and was designed with the image of a knife. It lists the same 150 mm, 17 mm and 30 g, and was also closed to orders on November 2, 2026. ### Can a Dorsal Fin 2 have a Music nib? No. Nakaya says the Music nib, 0.9 to 1.0 mm for thick vertical and fine horizontal lines, is quite unique and is not available with the Dorsal Fin 2. Every other size is listed. ### What is Ishime on a Nakaya pen? A textured urushi finish. Nakaya sprinkles dry lacquer powder on wet lacquer, lets surface tension gather it into clumps, then layers, fixes and polishes it into a cobblestone-like surface. ### What if the cap fin and barrel fin don't line up? Turn the cap to another start position. Nakaya says most of its pens use a four-start thread, and one of the four positions will line the fins up; the pen works either way. ### Is the Dorsal Fin 2 handmade in Japan? Nakaya calls its pens Japanese handmade fountain pens and describes urushi craftsmen working in Japan. Its product pages print no separate origin line. ## Sources - [Nakaya (English): Dorsal Fin 2 Aka-tame, spec table, price, lead time and order status (read November 2, 2026)](https://www.nakaya.org/en/products/info/37442/) - [Nakaya (English): Dorsal Fin 2 Heki-tame Ishime, text on the second version and why no clip fits (read November 2, 2026)](https://www.nakaya.org/en/products/info/37471/) - [Nakaya (English): Dorsal Fin 2 Kikyo Ishime, Ishime technique text (read November 2, 2026)](https://www.nakaya.org/en/products/info/37642/) - [Nakaya (English): Dorsal Fin 2 Suzu Ishime (Silver), roasted tin powder and price (read November 2, 2026)](https://www.nakaya.org/en/products/info/36817/) - [Nakaya (English): Dorsal Fin 2 Midori Ishime, price and finish text (read November 2, 2026)](https://www.nakaya.org/en/products/info/37462/) - [Nakaya (English): Dorsal Fin 1 Kuro-tame, fin on the cap only, price and order status (read November 2, 2026)](https://www.nakaya.org/en/products/info/37398/) - [Nakaya (English): Cigar Portable Kikyo, for the weight comparison (read November 2, 2026)](https://www.nakaya.org/en/products/info/36515/) - [Nakaya (English): FAQ, four-start thread and fin alignment, shipping and returns (read November 2, 2026)](https://www.nakaya.org/en/faq/) - [Nakaya (English): Roll stopper pins, not available for Dorsal Fin models; Pen Nibs, nine sizes and the Music nib (read November 2, 2026)](https://www.nakaya.org/en/stopper-pin/) - [Nakaya (English): Custom Fountain Pen Orders, the Dorsal Fin model description (read November 2, 2026)](https://www.nakaya.org/en/products/)