Asa Mist

[Arijit]

Okay, so about 6 months or so back, two new pen concepts were brainstormed in a WhatsApp forum on the next ASA model. And after quite a few delays on the way, here we are, with the newest model of ASA. ASA Mist is not going to be its next flagship model, but it is a nice budget pen that might be the gateway for many into Indian ebonite pens. It's inspired by FC model 40, but differs from its inspiration quite a lot.

I got this pen in a launching offer-cum-group buy organized about two months back.

 

A. First look.

This pen arrived in its own cute pen pouch. It's made of cotton and some synthetic fabric, and is sourced locally, as far as I know. Personally, I prefer that to a wooden or cardboard box I can't use daily without mutilating the thing. Other than that, it was a simple affair- bubble wrapped inside an envelope.

Okay, the pen looks gorgeous. I had taken the clear version, but all of them look gorgeous (Well, actually I have also ordered another in Tangerine, but that's off to get a nib fitted). Not too gaudy, but not understated. The clear acrylic has a cool matte finish, with black acrylic section and finial. The clip is silvery. Overall, the combination is great.

 

First look- A solid 8/10, I think.

 

B. Construction and quality.

The pen does lose some points here. It's a demonstrator, so any flaw pops up awfully. However, it's built quite solidly, and feels quite nice in the hand.

First, the cap. It looks nice. The clip is silvery, and is not the standard ASA clip. It's quite firm. It lacks a breather hole, something I personally prefer. But somehow, there's always ink inside the cap. I have it for less than 6 hours, and there's already ink in the cap.

The section is black acrylic, It's a little thicker than Conklin Duragraph, or Platinum 3776, but is still comfortable, especially for people with bigger paws, like mine. It's kinda hourglass shaped, and is quite comfy.

The barrel is, well, kinda barrel shaped. It's gently curved, but ends in a flat surface. There are quite a few machining marks inside, but it's not too bad anyway.

 

Overall construction- 5.5/10

 

C. Weight and dimensions.

 

 

Apologies, I don't have a weighing scale. But the pen is not hefty. It's quite a bit lighter than Platinum 3776, and almost the same as a Lamy Safari. It's well balanced. It's not a long barrel, and it can be posted. But it becomes a bit top heavy if posted. Lengthwise, it's the slightly bigger bro of the Platinum 3776, I think. Not too big, just right for someone with a bigger paw.

 

Weight and dimensions- 7/10

 

D. Nibs

 

Welp, run your imagination amok here. You can get a standard Indian no. 35 (approx. European no. 6) nib for free, or pay approx. 4$ (depending on the nib) for a Kanwrite #6 nib. Or spend about 10$ for a JoWo#6. If you want to use your own nib, then please contact Subramaniam ji.

Attached is a writing sample. It's s very responsive nib, flexible but can be used without flexing if you have a soft hand. The feed can't keep up with repeated flexing, though.

 

 

Overall- 6.5/10

 

E. Filling system

 

By default, the pen is an eyedropper. However, if a KW or JoWo nib housing is used, the pen takes standard international cartridges and converters, and becomes a 3-in-1 filler. Presently, I'm using a standard international converter. Eyedropper conversion is a breeze, and requires nothing fancy. Subbu ji has sent over some silicone grease for me, too, so that is helpful, but not compulsory.

It's easily disassembled, no nonsense, easy to clean. It doesn't have any fancy bells and whistles, but it does its work well.

 

Filling system- 8/10

 

F. Cost and value.

 

The pen is retailed at Rs.1650 for thr base model, and Rs.3060 for the JoWo nib- Schmidt K5 converter model. I got it for Rs.1100 (around 15$) and I supplied my own Kanwrite nib I had lying around.

In this price range, especially with the introductory offer, I do think it's VFM. It looks great, feels great and appears sturdy enough. It's not the most lavishly decorated pen, but its clean, stark, even minimalist look is something I admire a lot. It's a great introductory pen for anyone who wants to try Indian acrylic, and a workhorse pen that is great for rough-and-tumble everyday use.

 

Value for money - 7.5/10

 

 

Parting thoughts

 

I do think it's a nice gateway pen for people interested in getting into Indian handmade pens. Well made, well built, it may not attract the veteran Indian FP enthusiast, but is a great pen for people wanting to experiment with Indian pens, and students who want something lighter and bigger than Pilot Metropolitan and don't like the Lamy Safaris.

Total- 42.5/60

[dinkaz]

Such a lovely pen. I really want this model 😍