Gama Hawk Review. The Giant Ebonite.

[Finalist]

The Gama Hawk is an Indian, hand turned, all ebonite eyedropper. It uses a two tone number 6 "Iridium Point Germany" nib that draws a very smooth western fine line. The Nib's performance is fantastic. The Gama Hawk is smoother than my TWSBI ef, seems to never skip, but it can dry after a lengthy pause of many minutes of non use - a couple taps and it starts back up. A pause of a couple minutes and it will start right away. Overall the nib performs very smoothly with a hair of feedback, but not much - just enough to know it is working. However, the nib does look like it was stamped from VERY thin steel and the designs are a hair off from the slit.

 

Eyedropper performance:

If you fill the barrel completely the pen works very well. However, I did not know this the first few days and I only partially filled the barrel. On a very hot day the air inside the barrel expanded and pushed some ink into the cap which then got on the barrel when I posted it. ...Inky fingers. Once I learned about the expanding air and the need to keep it full I have not noticed any ink leaking from the point where the section and feed meet. I have had ZERO ink leaking form the point where the section screws into the barrel. There is a huge amount of threads on the barrel/section area and coupled with some silicon grease It's hard imagine anything escaping... I'm serious... there are a LOT of threads! Good for an eyedropper.

 

The clip is just folded metal, but I love the design. Simple contours that look good. The ebonite cap does have one small breather hole, and the feed is also ebonite.

 

I paid about $40 including shipping. I think it was a good deal. I enjoy the warm ebonite feel, the nib performance, the giant smooth shape and the clean design. I would like to see a better looking nib as I think the two tone distracts from the overall cleaner theme.

 

 

 

[hari317]

You have some nice pens, thanks for the review.

[a_m]

Very nice review !

[Scribblesoften]

Good review of the Hawk.

[Albinoni]

Wow nice pen for $40 can't go wrong there

 

Some questions

 

1. What ink are you using, its nice

 

2. Who sells this pen.

 

I think a single colour tone nib like silver would be nice

[Pelikan Vera]

I like these Hawk reviews and these seem very nice and good collection of pens.

I have no Indian pens this far, but I am interested in a version of this pen at M800 size. Does it exist and what is its name?

[hari317]

 

I have no Indian pens this far, but I am interested in a version of this pen at M800 size. Does it exist and what is its name?

The Gama Raja / Padpad is a 800 sized pen. The Saral and the Eyas are the same size as the Raja.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/GamaSaral/IMG_9886.jpg

Edited May 21, 2014 by hari317

[a_m]

Comparative image here

 

http://asapens.in/eshop/gama-custom-made-matte-black-fountain-pen-chennai

 

Capped end to end length of Hawk is like Kuyil (i guess)

 

The Gama Raja is a bit bigger than 800 (capped). Uncapped they are similar. The pic is at

 

http://asapens.in/eshop/gama-raja-matt-black-ebonite-eyedropper-fountain-pen

 

I purchased my Hawk from

 

http://asapens.in/eshop/gama-hawk-shiny-black-ebonite-fountain-pen

Edited May 22, 2014 by a_m

[Finalist]

The Gama Raja / Padpad is a 800 sized pen. The Saral and the Eyas are the same size as the Raja.

 

http://i1269.photobucket.com/albums/jj582/hari-317/GamaSaral/IMG_9886.jpg

 

 

I want the GIANT Kambar MKII pictured above with a stub single tone nib! Satin and clipless would be perfect.

 

I don't see the MKii on the website for order?

[Finalist]

I have to add (again) how nice my Hawk writes. It's a finer point that starts up with no skipping. My Jinhao 159 is a hair smoother only because it is a fatter, wetter tipping on the nib, but the Jinhao also can be a hard starter requiring a tap to get going and it can skip on occasion. The Hawk is far more consistent. The Hawk's line is barely wider than the TWSBI EF, but the HAWK feels and smoother.

[hari317]

 

 

I want the GIANT Kambar MKII pictured above with a stub single tone nib! Satin and clipless would be perfect.

 

I don't see the MKii on the website for order?

heh.

 

you will also have not seen the mk-I listed.

 

These are custom made pens for me, made to my specifications.

 

However feel free to make special enquiries with ASA, who knows, they may be able to provide you with just what you want.

[Finalist]

Wow nice pen for $40 can't go wrong there

 

Some questions

 

1. What ink are you using, its nice

 

2. Who sells this pen.

 

I think a single colour tone nib like silver would be nice

 

Thanks,

 

The ink is Diamine Marine on Fabriano paper. I really like Fabriano paper. It's not the smoothest around, but it allows for really thin lines when using flex pens while I've found other high grade papers tend to make thin lines a hair fatter.

 

I've found one seller, ASA. Google Gama Hawk and the shop will pop up.

[Finalist]

UPDATE:

 

I changed the nib to a Goulet 1.5 #6 stub italic. This is my first stub and the results are great. The stub worked well, but had some hard starting issues that required a few taps to get ink flow going as the tines spread just a hair at the tip once installed into the section causing the ink flow to dry. I did a little reading and found that bending the tines/tips down towards the feed just a hair brought the tip back together which keeps the nib from drying out when not in use. Now it starts up each time.

 

This nib is smoooooooth. It glides better than the FPs that I thought were smooth, and this one just showed me a whole new level of smooth. Drawing curves has the feeling of racing around corners like the FP is on autopilot.

 

 

I just replied to an email poll from ASA who sells Gama pens and they asked for feedback and suggestions on nibs types. I'm guessing they may add more nib choices in the future.

 

 

[Scribblesoften]

That is a very nice pen. The new nib looks great. I believe that the feed is ebonite and can be heat set as well.

[Finalist]

That is a very nice pen. The new nib looks great. I believe that the feed is ebonite and can be heat set as well.

 

 

thanks,

Yes the feed is ebonite. Setting the feed was my next step if a slight tweak to the tip didn't work. I've been using the FP all day an have had zero starting issues.

It is amazing how little I had to bend the nib's tip downward to get it just perfect.

 

Even though this nib and the original nib look to be the same number 6 size, I think the problem with the Goulet Stub came from the diameter of the section squeezing the nib just a hair (literally the width of a piece of paper) which caused the tines to open at the tip just the slightest amount to allow drying.

[Scribblesoften]

Did you knock the feed out from the backside or was it loose enough to pull out? I have a Raja with a Sheaffer nib. I have been meaning to put a Jowo nib in my Eyas. I like the Gama pens a lot.

[a_m]

In my Hawk I finally put in a Kaigelu nib & the Kangaroo gives it a special charm



As such the jinhao nibs on offer on ASA site are also very good dual tone with image of chariot etched on it.

Regarding the nib survey, i understand it is being undertaken because ASA is coming out with batch of FPs with Jowo nibs on its FPs - the same nibs used in Edison pens & sold on Goulet website


The below is the Airmail ebonite with Jinhao dual tone chariot nib



Infact the nib fitting betrays the fact that Jinhao nib is 35 mm and Kaigelu nib is 31 mm !!

Edited May 31, 2014 by a_m

[Finalist]

Did you knock the feed out from the backside or was it loose enough to pull out? I have a Raja with a Sheaffer nib. I have been meaning to put a Jowo nib in my Eyas. I like the Gama pens a lot.

I just pulled it out with a little twist action to get it started.

[Finalist]

I'm tempted to buy a clipless Hawk and try an at home lacquer project.

 

Here's what I'm thinking (all tips/comments welcome). A blue nail polish lacquer is painted on, allowed to dry and then a black coat of nail polish is applied. Once all is dry some fine grit sand paper polishing is applied to specific areas/edges until the first layer of blue shows a little.

 

Is that even worth duscussing, or am I way off in thinking the Nakaya Ao-tamenuri transitioning of colors can be done on some level.

Edited June 8, 2014 by Finalist

[a_m]

I'm tempted to buy a clipless Hawk and try an at home lacquer project.

 

Here's what I'm thinking (all tips/comments welcome). A blue nail polish lacquer is painted on, allowed to dry and then a black coat of nail polish is applied. Once all is dry some fine grit sand paper polishing is applied to specific areas/edges until the first layer of blue shows a little.

 

Is that even worth duscussing, or am I way off in thinking the Nakaya Ao-tamenuri transitioning of colors can be done on some level.

 

That seems to be pretty good - depending how long is the staying power of nail paint laquer with regular use. A pre brushed surface like the matt clipless hawk would be a perfect candidate for such experiment.