Introduction:

Camlin limited is a famous manufacturer of Stationery products in India. Amongst other items they also manufacture Fountain pen inks under the brandname Camel and fountain pens under the brandname Camlin. The fountain pens feature either the Eyedropper filling system or the Piston filling system. Camlin 47 is of the piston filling type, the other piston filler model is called the Camlin sleek. Camlin Product Range




Writing:

The pen features a semi hooded steel nib whose width is around a western fine. The nib is quite smooth and makes an even and wet line.

Filling System:

The ink level can be viewed with the help of four diamond shaped windows in the barrel. The follwing photos show the window when the piston is fully retracted to fully extended. The piston system is quite smooth and probably as smooth as that on my Lamy2k, but not as smooth as the Pelikan ones.






The piston removed from barrel. It has three sealing rings.


The cap is made of steel with a sturdy and easy to use clip. The pen is gripped with the help of a three finger clutch, there is a breather hole on the top side of the cap to facilitate safe capping and uncapping of the pen.


Comfort/Ergonomics:

The shape of the pen is a gently tapering one with a long section which makes for a very comfortable grip.



Serviceability:

The section can be easily unscrewed from the barrel for cleaning, servicing or nib replacement.



The nib and feed are assembled into a cylindrical carrier. This carrier can be slid out from the barrel end of the section. The carrier has longitudinal grooves to adjust the angle of the nib wrt the hood.


The Ebonite feeder removed from carrier.



Conclusion:

I first used this pen in school in 1986, it is a solid and reliable writer and holds a ton of ink, but some what lesser as compared to an ED pen. it is a good pen for office or shop floor use where you want a sober pen which does not attract any attention, moreover the cost of the pen is so small that you need not worry about losing or damaging it.

Hari,
Thanks for this review! I did not know this pen's existence before you mentioned it to me! Photos are good. You have explained it so well! I purchased one ED filler pen during my last holiday in India & was pleasantly surprised with its performance! Very fine & smooth nibs. Wet lines. No leaking.
You have emphasised correctly, prices are so low, even if you loose a pen or two, its not going to create any dent in your pocket.
Kind regards,
Abhik.

Thanks much for the review and the pics! I had no familiarity of these pens until reading your review. Very fascinating.

Doug

Hi Hari, that is a nice looking pen! And thank you for providing such excellent and detailed pictures. Great review, and add me to the list of the previously unaware of this brand. I haven't had time to explore much of the site yet, but I will be diggng around soon enough. BTW, I really like the width of your pen. Nice colors, too, and I always appreciate an ink window.

That looks remarkably like the Wality 77, also an Indian piston filler. It has very nearly the same feed & nib assembly. The ink windows are triangles instead of diamonds, and the cap is more intricately designed, but they seem to be cut from a similar mold. Anybody know if there are any connections between these two companies?

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Hi Hari:

Nice pens. I visited the Camlin web site, they produce nice products, but, How can they produce and sell fountain pens from Us$27 cents to one dollar?, It is amazing!!!

I am going to write them to see if they are willing to export some to Mexico.

Julio

Yes, these two models(Camlin 47 and Airmal 77) look very similar externally. In fact Wality sells this same 77 here with a plain steel cap which makes them look even more similar. Internally the piston and actuation mechanism have differences. The nib is different, the section ring washer thickness is much different and these two companies are in no way related.

The Camlin plastic also looks tougher IMHO.

Regards,
Hari

A good-looking pen. I sure hope I'll be getting one of these. I included Camlin and Airmail/Wality specifically when I told my father to get me some Indian pens, and I hope he can find some. Seriously though, are the prices on the website what you'll get in the stores? Seems really unbelievable, if the impression I have that they're pretty well-made is correct.

Excellent review Hari, and as always, mindblowing photos . I am not familier with this model, but I do remember Camlin 'moti' very fondly, a similar pistom filler with an big open nib and a gold washed clip.
It was a truely rugged pen, of excellent quality. I used quite a few of those in my school & sophomore years. I could not find another of those now, but if I find one I will be very happy. In 2003/4 it cost around 50 rupees. A steal for its price, I must say. Of the four or five I used, not a single one ever leaked, or sufered from cracks or failed piston(that too in the hand of a school student!!!) If you know that model is available, please let me know... It will make me remember those school days just a few (or should I say very few?) years ago which now
seem so distant past..




Yes, you should try getting a few of camlin/airmail pens. They are of truely astonishing quality,
considering their price... or you may try to procure a Rathnamsan.. I have see those (though
I am not so lucky to own one.. maybe one day I will if I ever have the money or the opportunity..
they do not sell their pens in every grocery shop around..). Those are really something for the lifetime. You should ask Hari.

Though I do not like most of the Chinese product, here chinese pens too are available cheaply.
Last month I purchased two hero and two wing sung for Rs 60/- ( 1$ = 40 (+/-1 )Rs.). Those are
very good to convert non fp people...

Really good review Hari, thank you

quite interesting pen