Frequently Asked Questions

The "urushi" in urushi pen characterizes the type of lacquer that is applied on the pen, typically a fountain pen. This particular lacquer is extracted from the Toxicodendron Vernicifluum tree, which is commonly found in eastern Asia in countries including: Japan, China, Korea. These trees can sometimes be terms simply by the geographic location that they are found: Japanese lacquer tree, Chinese lacquer tree, etc. The lacquer itself is made up of the sap in Toxicodendron Vernicifluum tree; the "urushi" name is derived from the oily compound urushiol. After the urushi is painted on with a brush, the lacquer on the pen cured (solidified) by placing it in an environment with heat and moisture.

Urushi lacquer is extremely stable upon its curing (solidification) over the pen. It can withstand temperatures over 300°C and is extremely resilient to alkali, acid, and alcohol.

In addition to its highly desired properties of its lacquer, urushi pens require significant level of patience and craftsmanship to produce the masterpiece. Some urushi pen even have intricate Asian artwork that are finely painted on to the pen; these can resemble art such as dragons, animals, historical figures, etc. Coating of urushi lacquer is applied layer by layer, each layer requiring days to cure before the next layer can be applied; some of the artwork can take over a year to complete.

The sap used for urushi is collected by tapping the trunk of the Toxicodendron Vernicifluum tree. It is then conditioned through filtration and heat treating before it is mixed with colorants.

Urushi is only hazardous in its raw liquid form. Its oil compound urushiol is also what's found in poison ivy which when contacted can be a skin irritant, resulting in rashes and other adverse reactions.

However, once the urushi has cured (solidified) over the pen, it is no longer dangerous to handle. Despite this, it is still important to take special care when handling the pen if one is susceptible to having allergic reactions.

Yes, an UrushiPen.com representative will reach out to a customer following the order to confirm nib tip size. We are offering the following sizes: Fine, Medium, Broad, and Stub. Customers also can put in their nib tip size request prior to placing the order.

You've come to the right place. You can find Danitrio pens for sale here at UrushiPen.com. We are an online authorized Danitrio retailer offering an unrivaled collection of Danitrio fountain pens.

Our team can help! Contact us via our contact form or email us as info@urushipen.com and let us know what you are looking for. If we don't have it in stock, we will work with Danitrio to source the pen if they have inventory of it.

We understand our products are at the luxury end of fountain pens. However, we have passion for urushi and strive to make it accessible to everyone to appreciate and love. UrushiPen.com offers a secure no-interest installment program where a customer can place an order on a pen with a downpayment of minimum 10% and split the remainder of payments in monthly installments for up to a period of 6 months (customer can customize length of period). UrushiPen.com will hold the goods until the order has been paid in full. Learn more about our Payment Relief Plan here.