Informal Review - Kaigelu 316

[sanyalsoumitra]

A handwritten review and some photos. welcome comments.

Warm regards

Soumitra

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[richardandtracy]

Not an everyday pen?!? What a shame.

I have an amber-grey like yours and a daily use charcoal. The charcoal is a daily use pen, and I seem to be using it interchangeably with my Pearl & Black Duofold. It was made more comfortable by changing the brass barrel finial for an acrylic one, and it feels really lovely after that modification.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[erpe]

This is certainly an everyday pen for me. It has recently even begun to push my trusted KaWeCo AL-sport aside for everyday use as diary-pen. With the right ink (Pelikan 4001 blueblack) is is even the widest Moleskine compatible pen I currently use.

[Funkmon]

I have this one on my list. I have no desire for an actual Duofold, but considering some people like then a lot, I was planning on picking this one up to see if it doesn't suck.

[richardandtracy]

If you can, fit a lighter finial, the pen is absolutely transformed.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[zdeveric]

Waiting for my Kaigelu 316 Amber to come to my mail box. I am exited.

[Albinoni]

Won this pen off Ebay (coming from Singapore) in white swirl and a 0.7mm cursive italic nib beautiful looking pen and can't wait to use it

 

But one question here why can't I post the cap?

[erpe]

But one question here why can't I post the cap?

You can but you should not. The metal ring in the top can damage the threads in the cap. Also the cap is rather heavy.

[richardandtracy]

It doesn't post very securely. I have had the cap fall off while writing. The thread diameter on the K316 is a little smaller than the Duofold, so the cap sits a bit higher up the finial when posted, and there isn't a lot of engagement between the two, consequently it's not very secure.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[Albinoni]

Is there any way that this can be fixed where the cap can be posted

[richardandtracy]

I don't think so without causing problems for the pen. There are four ways it could be done, all of which have disadvantages that, in my opinion, outweigh the benefits:

1. Make the taper of the finial steeper from the finial ring. This would look odd as the taper on the barrel would remain at 2.5 degrees and you'd have to take the finial taper up to about 4 degrees. This all sounds pretty small, and I bet you hadn't even seen the taper at the end of the barrel. However it's there, & the pen looks wrong without it. If the finial taper doesn't match, it looks wrong.
2. Make a finial with a smaller diameter. I did this, accidentally, with my first K316 barrel finial. The cap posts, but the shape of the top of the pen is ruined by the step just above the barrel finial ring.
3. Extend the finial taper further down the pen. This is possible, but requires the finial ring to be machined. Taking the taper down further & having a narrower tip to the finial changes the character of the pen and having made a custom pen with this longer taper on the top, I'm not convinced I like it - see the cap of the pen in the logo pen at the top of the page on my Chestnut Pens web site.
4. Taper the tips of the threads in the cap. This is possible, and would have the same effect without being visible externally, but I for one wouldn't like to take the risk of turning away parts of the cap to barrel threads on my pen, letalone anyone else's.

Regards,

 

Richard.

[zdeveric]

I had a situation with this pen. Crown of the cup fall down when I put it on the shirt. I solve this by glueing.

[penmanila]

has anyone checked if a duofold section/feed/nib assembly can be swapped with the 316's? international or centennial? i'm thinking of retrofitting a 316 that's coming my way (i really like the tortoise finish) with duofold parts, thanks!

[richardandtracy]

Won't work easily, unfortunately. The Barrel-section threads are different on the Centennial compared to the K316. If you were to fill the barrel threads with clear resin & then tap to the centennial thread, then I'm sure that would fit.

 

As for the other parts.. Well. It's possible, but remember that Kaigelu re-engineered the pen to suit them. Threads, diameters and other little things are slightly different. They are all different enough to make fitting the bits on the other pen a bit of a job and a fair bit of fitting will be needed.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[islandink]

Not an everyday pen?!? What a shame.

I have an amber-grey like yours and a daily use charcoal. The charcoal is a daily use pen, and I seem to be using it interchangeably with my Pearl & Black Duofold. It was made more comfortable by changing the brass barrel finial for an acrylic one, and it feels really lovely after that modification.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

Just found this thread--where did you find an acrylic finial to exchange with? thanks

[richardandtracy]

I looked at my lathe and an hour later, one had miraculously appeared...

 

I made (and sold) enough to get really bored making them, so I stopped. However I have been trying - with little success as life has been interfering - to mould some more.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[kidde]

I'd suggest you give Richard your name and ask him to consider you IF he makes more. I have three of his and they absolutely transform the pen. If I hadn't I would consider it an OK pen. The change in balance makes it a great pen! It is heavy in a shirt pocket still, so I carry mine in a case.

 

Paul

 

BTW Hey Richard, it's been a bit so thank you again. I would never have thought that small acrylic piece could so thoroughly improve a pen.

[richardandtracy]

..Hey Richard, it's been a bit so thank you again. I would never have thought that small acrylic piece could so thoroughly improve a pen.

Paul,

 

I'm glad it's still having the effect it was meant to. Really transforms the pen from 'Nice' to 'Wow!'

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[rafapa]

Could you please have a look at your lathe from time to time to see if there is another one or two? A molded one will also do. I have two pens waiting in the drawer.

Best wishes

[islandink]

The white veined Kaigelu 316 arrived today and despite having read all the positive reviews, I was still quite stunned by the quality of this pen. The nib is lovely...and if that lathe is ever put back into production, please do let me know. I can see why it might not be the most interesting pastime though. I wonder if someone who is a dealer for Kaigelu might send the company one of your barrels and suggest that they start producing them ?