A Visit To Ranga Pens ( Ranga & Co. ) Tiruvallur, Chennai.

[hari317]

Hari, let me add my thanks for this post, especially that fascinating video. It's a real education to see all the delicate steps that go into making a fine ebonite pen. Kudos to Thiru Pandurangan and Kandan as well. I have to say I am enjoying my Ranga pens even more now.

 

Cheers.

Jim

Thanks Jim.

 

Very good video, hari317.

 

In my opinion it will -same as you yourself are- be a great asset to the indian pen industry.

Surely, after watching it I wasn't the only onewho felt like shopping for another ebonite pen right away.

 

All together, delightful. Thank you for sharing.

 

P.s: It's fun to see that many of the tools used (can be seen in your photos as well) also are made with ebonite handles. Also ebonite looks like a fun material to work with.

 

Thanks mike.jane. Yes, most of those tools are hand fashioned and some use rippled brown ebonite handles.

[amk]

That's a lovely video Hari. I'm very impressed by the way the pen takes form in one seamless process - there's never a moment of stopping - and also by seeing how the fit is continually being tested as the lathe runs. Long, long experience at work, and it's marvellous to see. Also fascinating to see the tools used, most of them quite different from the ones I'm used to - and as mike.jane noted, ebonite handles. If only I could have red ripple handles for all my gouges! that would be luxury indeed.

 

I think I must have a half dozen Rangas now - no, I lie, a few more than that! So it has been a delight to see how these pens are created. You must have had a very enjoyable trip.

[fountainpagan]

If only I could have red ripple handles for all my gouges! that would be luxury indeed.

 

 

You know Ranga sells a lot of ebonite rods, of different colors, on ebay, amk? You probabaly could have your handles... You are right, the gouges would be fantastic.

[hari317]

That's a lovely video Hari. I'm very impressed by the way the pen takes form in one seamless process - there's never a moment of stopping - and also by seeing how the fit is continually being tested as the lathe runs. Long, long experience at work, and it's marvellous to see. Also fascinating to see the tools used, most of them quite different from the ones I'm used to - and as mike.jane noted, ebonite handles. If only I could have red ripple handles for all my gouges! that would be luxury indeed.

 

I think I must have a half dozen Rangas now - no, I lie, a few more than that! So it has been a delight to see how these pens are created. You must have had a very enjoyable trip.

 

Thanks! Yes I had a great time. Actually since you also machine things, you might have noticed that he uses collet chucks. since the diameter of the section, barrel and cap are different, they will need a diffrent collet each to hold, thus the collets are changed thrice during the making of each pen. Frequent changing of collets is another laborious activity, I have edited those portions out. I have edited the buffing procedure also.

 

Best

Hari

[amk]

Thanks for the extra detail on the collets, Hari, I'd noticed the chuck, but hadn't thought about the changes required.

 

The buffing bit... suffice it to say there are only three machines that really scare me - planers, the largest size of bandsaw, and buffing wheels. The first two are dangerous - the last one is vicious!

[mpkandan]

I think it was sometime in mid-late 2007 that I and M.P. Kandan of Ranga came into contact with each other. We have interacted a lot over the last eight years.

 

Ranga are based in a town called Thiruvallur, a suburb some 60 kms away from Chennai. I am an annual visitor (sometimes more frequently) to Chennai, but we never got a chance to meet. This October I was again visiting Chennai and this time we decided that we must surely meet. Kandan invited me over to his place, so that I could also meet his family and specially his father, the master pen maker Thiru M.S Pandurangan who has been hand crafting pens for more than the last 45years.

 

I hired a cab from Chennai and rented it out to take me to Thiruvallur for around 5 hours. However as it happens when pen people meet, time simply flew and I ended up spending more than 7 hours at Ranga. I received a very warm welcome and was treated like a family member and I even had wonderful homemade lunch prepared by Kandan's mother. I am really grateful and touched.

 

I was able to see all the models and materials that they had made and I also got a chance to closely observe the making of a fountain pen from scratch.

 

I was humbled to see the amount of craftsmanship and manual work that Kandan's father puts into making each pen. It was wonderful and at the same time humbling to realise that perhaps Ranga is the only pen maker in India still keeping alive and employing the traditional long forgotten, skill intensive art of hand chasing the threads on the pen. No taps/dies/thread cutting lathes are used. The pens are shaped free hand. The Ranga technique of hand chasing is different from the Japanese technique. Ranga's technique involves moving/advancing the hand chaser by hand in tandem and in rhythm with the thread pitch since the pen is rotated in the turning centre. From the videos available of the Japanese technique, their chasing tool is held stationary while the pen moves back and forth in tandem with the thread pitch.

 

Ranga (Thiru. M.S Pandurangan) also make their own tools for pen making and this is the reason they can cut threads on their pens for almost any nib unit/section.

 

I was able to make a small video using my hand held camera, I hope the readers will find the video interesting and informative.

 

 

Some pics that I took during the visit:

Foot operated pen making treadle:

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/Ranga/DSC_7115_812x540.jpg

 

Special handmade tools:

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/Ranga/DSC_7118_812x540.jpg

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/Ranga/DSC_7120_812x540.jpg

 

http://i991.photobucket.com/albums/af39/hari3171/Ranga/DSC_7113_812x540.jpg

 

Thiru. M.S. Pandurangan buffing the pen, with his son M.P. Kandan facing the camera.

 

I hope you enjoyed reading about my visit to Ranga.

 

Cheers!

Hari

Dear Hari,

 

Thanks very much for this article and the great video. In fact , we are very thrilled to see you in person .

You were so polite and so friendly. We are blessed for your event.

I personally enjoyed the video taken from your golden hands.

Thanks very much for your information on our Pen making technique with Japanese Pen making technique to the world.

We thoroughly enjoyed conversing with you. To me , you are knowledge Guru.

 

 

Regards,

Kandan.M.P

Ranga Pen Company

[Sagarb]

I am completely agree with Mr. Kandan on a matter, that..Hari is our knowledge Guru..

[mpkandan]

thanks!

 

 

Thanks! I am glad I could capture his craft on camera.

 

I am sure some of their own pens, but it was house setting and they were not carrying pens. Kandan if you are reading this, can you pls chime in?

 

BTW, Thiru is the Tamil equivalent of Mr.

 

Thank you.

 

I think around 120minutes. It would obviously depend on the design, the Bamboo might take more time than a plain flat top I think.

Dear Mr. New_Falcon Sir,

 

Yes .We write with our pens. (Fountain pens & Ball Pens)

 

Regards,

Kandan.M.P

Ranga Pen Company

[subbu68]

Thanks for sharing the wonderful video.

 

Next stop may be Gama Pens or KIM & Co?

[J_MM]

Great stuff Hari. Thanks

[hari317]

Thanks for sharing the wonderful video.

 

Next stop may be Gama Pens or KIM & Co?

Thanks! let's see...

 

Great stuff Hari. Thanks

Thanks!

[mpkandan]

Thanks so much for posting this, Hari. It makes me realize we should be doing a better job of promoting the unique process by which these great pens are made.

 

As someone who has seen probably a thousand Ranga pens, and customized dozens, I can tell you that the hand-made nature of these pens does not lessen the precision by which they are crafted. We've not had a single ebonite pen break or crack, and the threading work is always top notch .... consistently a tight seal.

 

TERI

Thank very much, Teri for your admiration.

 

Regards,

Kandan.M.P

[bmillicent]

I actually became a bit teary eyed to watch the video, realising this is the very same craftsman and technique used to create my pen from the group buy (which is in transit as I type). The idea that it will travel all the way to me here in Texas is just wonderful. The artistry has truly gone global May we never take life's good fortunes for granted!

[Oruc Gazi Kutluer]

I do struggle with the material, he is mastering there

[I.M.]

I too have a Ranga (4C), and the moment it arrived I knew I was holding a special pen. As time has progressed something I had assumed was impossible has happened; the Ranga 4C has me convinced that I have found my writing partner for life. It's similar (I can only imagine) to the certainty that some lucky couples experience when they realize they have found the partner they wish to spend the rest of their life with.

 

Ranga pens are truly special.

[pensnproses]

I watched this video the day when Hari posted it, I came back to watch it again today. I don't want to to limit the experience with words just want to thank Hari.

[fomlhaut]

Thank you very much for writing about your visit and telling us about the making process of a Ranga pen. I find it a most interesting piece of information.

 

The video is incredible and mesmerising, indeed. Very fine craftsmanship is shown on it. My sincere congratulations to the artisan who makes that wonderful and difficult work!

 

This has certainly made me decide on buying a Model 5 by joining the current group buy in another thread. So I hope that soon one of your pens will travel all the way here to Spain, where I will show it to anyone interested an tell them about your work.

[hari317]

I actually became a bit teary eyed to watch the video, realising this is the very same craftsman and technique used to create my pen from the group buy (which is in transit as I type). The idea that it will travel all the way to me here in Texas is just wonderful. The artistry has truly gone global May we never take life's good fortunes for granted!

 

I do struggle with the material, he is mastering there

 

I too have a Ranga (4C), and the moment it arrived I knew I was holding a special pen. As time has progressed something I had assumed was impossible has happened; the Ranga 4C has me convinced that I have found my writing partner for life. It's similar (I can only imagine) to the certainty that some lucky couples experience when they realize they have found the partner they wish to spend the rest of their life with.

 

Ranga pens are truly special.

 

I watched this video the day when Hari posted it, I came back to watch it again today. I don't want to to limit the experience with words just want to thank Hari.

 

Thank you very much for writing about your visit and telling us about the making process of a Ranga pen. I find it a most interesting piece of information.

 

The video is incredible and mesmerising, indeed. Very fine craftsmanship is shown on it. My sincere congratulations to the artisan who makes that wonderful and difficult work!

 

This has certainly made me decide on buying a Model 5 by joining the current group buy in another thread. So I hope that soon one of your pens will travel all the way here to Spain, where I will show it to anyone interested an tell them about your work.

Thank you all. It encourages me to post more.

[mpkandan]

I could not believe it!! What amazing intuitive skill Mr. Pandurangan has developed.

 

Another great take-away for me: Learning that M. P. Kandan is a young man. For some reason, I thought that Mr. Kandan was elderly, and that his father was quite ancient. Good to know that they'll both be around for some time to come.

Thanks very much for your blessings,Mr. Forsooth Sir

 

Regards,

Kandan.M.P

Ranga Pen Company

[mpkandan]

WOW!

This was a real treat to see a pen similar to the Ranga I purchased from Peyton Street Pens come into being! I have enjoyed using mine & it will have a different meaning of appreciation after seeing the persons responsible for the creation of my pen. Thank you for making the video & sharing it.

Thanks very much Sir.

 

Regards,

Kandan.M.P

Ranga Pen Company