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  1. Here is a brief handwritten review of the ASA Galactic, a handmade acrylic eyedropper fountain pen, from ASA Pens, Chennai. Bottomline: this is a great pen, with a smooth German nib, can store a lot of ink, looks galactic, and is an example of the excellent South Indian pen workmanship. [A copy of this review on my fountain pens blog: https://fpensnme.wordpress.com/2016/02/14/tha-asa-galactic/]
  2. ASA – Galactic Jumbo Demonstrator ASA – Galactic was my first demonstrator. I never liked the demonstrators but i decided to go ahead with the purchase and amazingly I was the first one to buy this. Following is my review of the pen. Design & Build: My first demonstrator is a jumbo sized pen which has a fogged finish. The pen looks like what it is named “Galactic” The real beauty comes out when you ink up this pen. Aaaaah so beautiful. I have suddenly started liking the demonstrators. The pen is beautifully engraved with company logo on the barrel and also my name is engraved on the cap (Special thanks to Mr. Subramaniam). Made out of acrylic the barrel is in fog finish with crystal clear bottom and screw in crystal top at the cap. Filled with ink. Uncapped Pen with my Name engraved on Cap The grip section is again made of acrylic resin and i love the way the it shows ink spread out unevenly. It has a big nib which complements the pen perfectly. Clear Crystal Top and Bottom Built wise i believe it needs certain care as this is a acrylic pen. For further details and handwritten samples and review please click ASA GALACTIC
  3. Hello fellow fountain pen lovers This is an update to the Group Buy that we created for custom hooded nib pen made in acrylic or ebonite at fountain pen network. Group Buy Link : FPN GROUP BUY Link for Buying Pen : ASA SNIPER The new images are as below. Also there is a new blue color. Enjoy. Products will start shipping on 28th March.
  4. Dear All This is a dedicated thread for group buys of ASA pens. Currently we are pitching in for the ASA hooded pen prototype. Would request all to submit their names who all are in here for the customized hooded ASA pen either in acrylic or ebonite..
  5. This is a question for the veteran Indian ebonite pen users. I've only used Gama and ASA ebonite pens so far. I have a few models and really like them. However, there are a number of other manufacturers such as Guider, Deccan, Ranga etc. Am I missing anything better in the ebonite pen world by only using Gama and ASA? Should I diversify? Comments welcome.
  6. Prithwijit

    Asa Macaw Review

    Introduction “A lot can happen over coffee” screams the tagline of Café Coffee Day which is a renowned café chain in India. While I may not know much about what else can happen over coffee, I am about the narrate the story of a pen that came into being thanks to a little chit-chat over the brew. It all happened when I had a business trip to Chennai which necessitated a stay over on Friday night. I opted for a late morning flight back home on Saturday and called up Mr. Subramaniam of ASA pens to set up a meeting in the early morning. The gentleman that he is, he couldn’t refuse my intrusion into his serene morning and we caught up over delicious strong filter coffee at his place. We discussed a lot of pens and I showed him the picture of a few orange coloured pens with the suggestion that he consider them for production using the orange acrylic blank that he had recently procured. Unknown to me, his mind was already on the job and a week after the meeting he surprised everyone in the “Fountain Pen Pals India” WhatsApp/Telegram group with a picture of a new prototype pen using a combination of orange and deep navy blue coloured acrylic material. Needless to say the pen looked beautiful and all of us wanted him to ensure that the pen goes into production. There was one small hitch though. The deep navy blue acrylic material used was from some vintage material stock he had and he had exhausted all of them. Only bits and pieces were left and it was not possible to make more than ten pens of that design. A mad scramble ensued and within thirty minutes all ten were booked. Since this colour combination was unlikely to be ever repeated, we decided to brand it as a Limited Edition (LE) and number code each pen. A lottery was conducted and I was lucky to get pen number 01. A number of suggestions were made for naming the pen. Fellow FPNer Kapil Apshankar (@springrainbow) shared the picture of a tropical paradise with an extremely attractive model at the beach with a Macaw on her shoulders. The picture must have been really good since I have no recollection of noticing the Macaw. Other group members who had better control over their hormones noticed how closely the colour of the pen matched that of the Macaw and voted to name the pen after the bird. Design The Macaw has a classic design in terms of simple straight lines with only a slight tapering of the barrel and the cap towards the end filial. The top of the cap and the bottom of the barrel are flat and polished. The body of the barrel and the cap are polished smooth and shiny. The section design is a homage to the traditional sections made by Indian hand-made pen makers – a simple straight section tapering slightly towards the nib and ending with a small ridge where it ends. It’s not my favourite design but does the job nicely. The pen comes with a plated beak shaped clip which is only fitting for a pen called Macaw. The highlight of the design is obviously the colour combination of the material used and how the colours have been used. To the best of my knowledge there are not too many pens with Orange and Blue colour combinations out there. The Macaw has attempted to use this unique combination and in my opinion has come out brilliantly successful. Essentially, the pen has a solid orange body and a solid blue cap. The monotony is broken by the usage of contrasting colours in the end filial of both the body and the cap. The colours complement each other and harmonizes the design. Whether posted or unposted, the interplay of the colours comes out very nicely yet subtly. . . . Size and Balance There is no beating around the bush that it is a large pen at 151mm capped. The shape of the pen also seems to accentuate the feeling of heft. But once you take it in hand and start writing you realise just how comfortable the pen is. Maybe because the material used is so light, that despite the length and the diameter of the barrel, the pen hasn’t really been penalized in terms of weight or balance. Needless to say, the pen is well balanced and provides comfortable writing for extended periods. Nib The pen comes fitted with a #6 Schmidt steel nib with paired Schmidt feed and sleeve (Model FH 452). There was a choice to go for either polished steel or gold plated model and I chose the latter and opted for a medium tip. I must mention here that this is a design that I believe would have greatly benefitted from a larger #8 nib. There is enough clearance in the cap to accommodate such a nib and the relatively larger diameter of the pen and the section would have matched nicely with a large and wide nib. Unfortunately going for Bock or Jowo #8 in gold would have made the pen prohibitively expensive and using the Ambitious 40mm nib would have meant that the pen becomes an eyedropper. So in hindsight, I believe going with the #6 nib was the right choice although I wish that in the marketspace there were options for economical but good #8 sized steel nibs as triple systems with standard international cartridge and convertor support. . Filling Mechanism I prefer pens that accept standard international cartridges and compatible convertors. I find them to provide the best proposition around value, system longevity, convenience and widespread compatibility. The ASA Macaw has the aforesaid filling mechanism and comes with a Schmidt K5 convertor out of the box. . Build Quality This is definitely one of the better handmade pens I have received from ASA. The fit and finish and the tolerances are fine for a handmade pen. If you look closely where the end filial meet the barrel and the cap you can hardly make out that there is a joint there. Only the contrasting Orange-Blue colour gives it away. That’s a testament to the quality of finishing and the amount of time spent in polishing and buffing. This is one handmade pen where you can risk calling it an injection moulded pen based on exterior finishing as it appears to the naked eye. Only the design and shape gives an indication that it’s something different and has not come off an assembly line. . Writing Experience Schmidt FH 452 is a very well known, popular and renowned nib and its merits are well known. Out of the box it is a very smooth writer laying down a nice wet line. I won’t call this nib as soft or flexible however and it is a simple honest nail. This was my first Schmidt medium nib and compared to the many Jowo and Lamy medium nibs that I have, the line width on this one seems to be a tad bit thinner. That does not however take anything away from the quality of the pen but is just a characteristic of the nib design. Should you need a nice wet line like a good Jowo medium, I suggest you consider a Schmidt broad instead. Price and Value The ASA Macaw was sold to us for a price that is comparable to the prices of recently launched pens of the ASA Stellar collection. In my opinion that is amazing value since we are getting a quasi-custom pen offered at a price that is at the value spectrum of handmade pens. Specifications I will put in my usual disclaimers here. I don’t have access to precision measurement instruments such as Vernier calliper and you would have to settle for the approximate measurements I made using a normal ruler and my eyes which means there might be a little bit of deviation due to parallax effect. However, given these pens are handmade and there are small piece to piece variations anyway, the measurements I am providing should give you a clear indication of what to expect from the pen. Length (capped) – 151 mm Length (uncapped) – 137 mm Length (cap) – 69 mm Length (section) – 19 mm Maximum width – 16 mm Minimum width – 11 mm Maximum section width – 12.5 mm Minimum section width – 11 mm Conclusion I am extremely happy with this pen. It started as a coffee table discussion and ended as a limited edition. Everybody who has this pen have been extremely impressed with its balance, comfort and writing experience. I would request Mr. Subramaniam to consider launching the pen as a regular model with other colour combinations with an option of having an Ambitious 40mm nib in eyedropper combination or with a #6 nib in cartridge-convertor version.
  7. I recently broke 'the insides' of my ASA Sniper. Now, surely I could get replacement parts for it from ASA, but I'd rather not. Instead I now have a clear acrylic body and cap to give away to one of you. - The item is without structural defects, - Clip is good - No personalisation of any kind, - Very minor signs of use, - Some ink residue in the inner threads. You can probably still soak that out. - Free and open for/to anyone. - Will choose a winner randomly, let's say on Tuesday morning, Nov.3rd. - Due to international shipping it will take 1-2 weeks to reach you though. Best wishes mike
  8. crazyaboutpens

    Asa Rainbow Review.

    asapens recently launched a new pen, called the rainbow. This pen is available in a bunch of colours and is made of acrylic. These pens are c/c and eyedropper convertible and have Schmidt nib units. It is available in fine, medium and broad. I ordered their 'flaming orange' (quite a fancy name if you ask me!) version with broad nib and rounded ends. I must say that the pen sure does look stunning and writes equally well! BODY The pen's body is made of acrylic and looks quite nice. The quality of the acrylic is pretty good. The pen is completely hand-made. The surface has a bit of imperfections but since it is hand made, I have no problems. The acrylic has a lot of 'depth' which I could not capture well in the picture. The ASA logo is not clearly visible and one has to squint a bit to see it clearly. The cap is screw on type and takes 1 1/3 turns to fully unscrew. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-AknkfXg_Qnw/VjNIUa8Z4zI/AAAAAAAAAG0/PwoUO4PcLLw/s640/DSC_0006.JPG http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ynzKza8U4Qw/VjNIPlR-33I/AAAAAAAAAGo/SqtgmwBwkjE/s640/DSC_0005.JPGNIB The nib is a Schmidt Broad which writes more like a medium. It is quite smooth and has a bit of flex but it is almost negligible. It is a stainless steel nib. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-inIaxNypaNw/VjNIQFONgNI/AAAAAAAAAGs/V2cfyPRSyHo/s640/DSC_0007.JPG This is actually a whole unit with a schmidt converter (optional). SECTIONThe section is shaped like the section of the ASA I can. It is extremely comfortable to hold and is well suited for long writing sessions. It too is made of the same Acrylic as the rest of the pen. The section can be seen in the above pic. MEASUREMENTS I compared the measurements with those on the ASA site and they seem pretty much the same. Pen Length (Capped)135mmPen Length (Un-capped)100 mm (Excl Nib)Pen Length (Un-capped)120 mm (Incl Nib)Section Length25 mmCap Length65 mmCap Dia16 mmBarrel Dia14 mmSection Dia12 mm avg. WRITING SAMPLEThe pen writes quite wet. I would rate the wetness to be 8/10. It is pretty smooth as well. In terms of smoothness, it will easily score 9/10. The ink used in this sample is parker quink blue and the paper was 70gsm century A4 sheet.http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-xchZpwmK6jk/VjNHk3AOZII/AAAAAAAAAGc/-X1FSTQ9B7A/s640/DSC_0004.JPG SUMMARYI am quite pleased with the pen. The finish is quite nice and it writes pretty well also. I have no complains with this pen and it is currently my favorite! (They are not paying me to say all this, all the opinions are my own.)http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-OQFuRaYTYmk/VjNHhgyDSHI/AAAAAAAAAGU/GQwDGiAe7Ok/s640/DSC_0003.JPG http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-CeRVxFvznMQ/VjNJP_0ejbI/AAAAAAAAAHU/uNh3XbV09vk/s640/DSC_0011.JPG http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-R9zCckjuQ64/VjNJC9syrKI/AAAAAAAAAHM/Un36nrVVPZg/s640/DSC_0010.JPG
  9. ASA – Galactic Jumbo Demonstrator ASA – Galactic was my first demonstrator. I never liked the demonstrators but i decided to go ahead with the purchase and amazingly I was the first one to buy this. Following is my review of the pen. Design & Build: My first demonstrator is a jumbo sized pen which has a fogged finish. The pen looks like what it is named “Galactic” The real beauty comes out when you ink up this pen. Aaaaah so beautiful. I have suddenly started liking the demonstrators. The pen is beautifully engraved with company logo on the barrel and also my name is engraved on the cap (Special thanks to Mr. Subramaniam). Made out of acrylic the barrel is in fog finish with crystal clear bottom and screw in crystal top at the cap. Filled with ink. Uncapped Pen with my Name engraved on Cap The grip section is again made of acrylic resin and i love the way the it shows ink spread out unevenly. It has a big nib which complements the pen perfectly. Clear Crystal Top and Bottom Built wise i believe it needs certain care as this is a acrylic pen. For further details and handwritten samples and review please click ASA GALACTIC
  10. rkpai

    Asa Rainbow

    A few weeks ago ASA's Mr. Subramaniam [NAYY] sent me and few other FPN members a picture of a pen that was made of acrylic. Upon seeing those pictures, a land grab style blood bath ensued with fellow fountain pen lovers trying to get their ink stained fingers on as many pens as possible. I came away with 4 pieces which I want to share with you today. I got these a few days ago and so I am still in the process of reviewing them, I will be updating this review in the coming weeks. Every fountain pen user has that one pen that he/she wants, that one pen which is their 'grail'. An acrylic of this type was on my list but I had given up any hopes of acquiring it given their prices. Finally ASA has come up with these beautiful models which were affordable. The pens are a joy to hold. I haven't inked them up yet as I've been busy admiring their looks. Watching them glisten in sunlight. The acrylic is of the highest quality and has very beautiful swirls!!! I wanted to bust out the callipers and come with detailed measurements and other nerdy details... but heck!!! look at these pictures, this is by far the most beautiful fountain pen I've ever laid my eyes on. The pen fits snuggly in my large hands, is very nicely balanced. The nib is Ambitious 35mm chrome. There were couple other colors I couldn't get my hands on - yellow and red. These were grabbed by other FPN members.
  11. I'm interested in buying many ASA pens, but am hesitant because I've seen photos where the logo and inscriptions on the barrel for some pens take a large amount of visible real estate. It's not a small engraving, like on my vintage Sheaffer. Sometimes the logo takes up a whole side of the pen, like on the Spear, for example. From my perspective, it cheapens the look of a pen. If you look at other famous pen brands, none put such a large logo onto the barrel. Yes, perhaps a logo on the clip. Yes, perhaps an etching on the clutch or cap ring. None as big as on the ASA barrels. I don't want my fountain pens to have the aesthetic of a pharmacy-bought Bic ballpoint, with branding marks all over. On some level, ASA must be aware of this, as the pen photos on the site often hide the etched logo and inscription on the barrel. For ASA owners, do the large logo engravings bother you? Can you request that it not be as prominent? I'm curious, as I otherwise like the look and feel of many of the pens. I've ordered one. Hope that when I get it the logo will not be too visible every time I pick it up.
  12. A recent arrival for me is a matte black ASA Spear. It's not my first fountain pen from India. I have a Ranga ebonite made to fit a Sheaffer Imperial nib as my prior touchstone, along with an eye-dropper, also from Ranga, and a few value piston-filler pens from FPR. I first heard of ASA through FPN and had a chance to handle a white ASA Porus owned by another fountain pen enthusiast. Impressed by the reviews and on seeing an actual ASA pen for myself, I decided to try one out as my next pen from India. I chose the Spear because its sleek design called to me. Especially in matte black, with a coarse finish to the barrel and cap, it brings to mind the color of a classic Lamy 2000 and the contours of an old flat-top Parker duofold. In hand, the feel of this pen is excellent. There's something about ebonite, especially, that makes a pen feel warm on your fingers. In this unsmoothened finish, I'm reminded of the texture of wood and charcoal. It's up there, in my 50+ pen collection, in terms of how much I like the feel and grip. Size-wise, it's comes to about 148 mm, capped, which is perfect for me. With a mostly full converter inside, it weighs about 22 grams. I mostly despise heavy pens, which I feel are not made for people who actually write for extended periods, so the lighter weight of the Spear is perfect. Earlier, in a different thread, I'd discussed my apprehensions about the size of the ASA logo on the barrel. I contacted Mr. Subramaniam and, with the kind of personal service that cannot be expected of a larger fountain pen company, he was able to customize mine with a smaller logo. This excellent customer service will likely keep me coming back. The smaller logo works better for me. I definitely notice it less than I would have with the original size. With my Western tastes, I believe that the more discrete, the better. Otherwise, the branding distracts from the beauty of the pen. I would love it if one day ASA could only be seen engraved on the clip (Having "Pens" also there would be redundant). Or that ASA would find a well designed, simple, wordless mark (it's very own version of a MB "snowflake" or Parker "arrow" that would exist quietly on top of the cap). It's the way many of my famous pens do it, and I much prefer that kind of elegant branding. One thing I did modify, being the tinkerer that I am, was to change the finish for the section. The plastic section was very shiny and black. I often prefer a more unified look, the way Stephen Brown does, with a section that doesn't stand too far apart from the barrel, appearance-wise. So I used 300- and 600-grit sandpaper to create a more "brushed" look that ties with the rest of the pen. That's looks, on to the pen's performance. The fact that the ASA Spear accommodates a converter (and came with one) was also a feature that I looked for. I've tried eyedropper pens and experienced a bit of ink dripping, the kind expected of those pens after the air volume has expanded inside them. As someone who travels far from his desk, converters or piston fillers (sometimes cartridges, as back up) are my preferred filling systems. The Spear came with a good, functioning converter, as expected. The Spear's nib is certainly more interesting. It's a Jowo with ten breather holes, most of which I believe are there for decorative reasons. The default nib size for the Spear is medium, and I've found that it writes a line comparable to that of Pelikan's medium. After a few days of use, I discovered that it's relatively a slow starter. It writes well--quite wet, actually--when in continuous use, but say, if I have the pen rested upright in a shirt pocket or in my carrying bag, it usually needs a few strokes before the nib writes again. Since the nib and feed can be easily pulled out, I reset them to better effect. I'll likely tinker with this over time, perhaps widening the feed channel or separating the tines a bit more. I also adjusted the nib a little more to fit my own particular angles in writing. In my first week of use, I can say so far that this is a pen that will often make it into my rotation. I'll definitely be keeping my eye out for future offerings from ASA.
  13. soum

    Asa Daily

    ASA Pens has launched ASA Daily and it looks like a really good buy! It's available in interesting ebonite colors - forest green (a lighter, brighter, green), yellow tiger. The size too looks just right for an EDC. With the Schmidt unit, it would be a reliable writer. Some pics from the ASA Pens website, while I wait for my own ASA Daily to arrive by mail:
  14. Introduction and History. When it comes to handmade pens, there is always a "human vibe" attached to them that i cherish. There is so much history behind each pen you purchase. History; Because anything handmade requires art, requires skills and an eye for detail to be consistent in each product that is put out in the market. And those qualities do not come overnight. It requires years of experience. The companies that manufacture hand-crafted items are usually small-scale and the people who are involved in running such companies have to go through many ups and downs contantly to keep the company functioning. The struggle to survive in a world of speed and mass production is ever lasting for these small scale manufacturers. So, when you buy a pen or any hand-made product for that matter, not only do you support these small companies, but also, you give an ode to the skills and craftsmanship (which are usually passed down through generations in a family) of the makers of such products. The Gama "Forever" pen is one such product. Here is the description of the Gama brand I took from the ASApens website.http://asapens.in/eshop/fountain-pen/gama-ebonite-pens "Gama is the inhouse brand of Gem & Co, pen specialists since 1920's. Gem & Co is part and parcel of pen manufacturing heritage of Chennai, India. Started by Mr. M.C. Cunnan and Mr.Venkatrangam, the present owner Mr.Pratap Kumar is the 3rd generation in the family business house. Five decades, back they were sole importers of pen spares from Great Britain. Independent India saw the birth of brand Gama, Over years Gem & Co has remained true to their core business, i.e. Pen Specialists." Pen Review. I purchased the pen about a week ago from http://asapens.in/eshop and recieved it this morning. I usually buy my fountain pens from them. And no, they do not give me any commission or additional service to say that. It's just that the customer service of Mr. Subaramaniam (The owner of the e-shop) is impeccable. Usually the whole process of purchase is smooth, but if there is any problem, you can be sure that he will take care of it. Now, if you are still here and reading, and not bored to a yawn, let's start the pen review! The Gama "Forever" Fountain Pen. The review is divided into following sections. 1.) The packaging / presentation 2.) The material and finish. 3.) The Nib and the Section. 4.) The Filling Mechanism. 5.) Measurements and size comparision. 6.) Writing Sample 7.) CONCLUSION Note: This is a full ebonite bodied, medium sized hand-made fountain pen with a classic square design profile. I chose the "Shiny Black" finish, but it comes in 3 other finishes at the time of this review.(As listed on the ASApens site.) 1. Green-Black mottled. 2.Light brown-black mottled 3.Dark Blue-Black Rippled. The packaging / presentation: Apart from the usual Mail packing, the pen comes in a branded velvety pen pouch which i liked. It is a relatively thin pouch but the pen was in a plastic sleeve which was bubble wrapped and the whole pouch itself was bubble wrapped too. As for the usual daily carry or storage, i think the pouch can provide a decent amount of protection from scratches from normal rubbing against other items in a bag or a drawer. However, it may not stand against sharp or pointy objects. Overall i like this minimalistic yet elegant presentation. The material and finish. As i said, the whole pen is made of hard rubber/ebonite (except the metal fittings of course. Says captain obvious) and hand-made. The ebonite on this pen really feels and appears decent in quality and is quite thick. The polish however, I think could have been a little better. It is "shiny" no doubt, and maybe i am being nit picky, but a little more bling could not hurt anyone. I really like ebonite as a pen material because it is a semi-natural material unlike acrylic or "precious resin" (which is still plastic). It feels smooth and warm to touch. It is something you really have to touch to know how exactly it feels like. It is smooth yet offers a very nice grip. It kind of "absorbs" oil/sweat off of the fingers during long writing sessions. As for the finish, I will start with the cap of the pen because it has all the accents and fittings really. The barrel is all ebonite. I will come to that later. As for the cap the finishing is quite nice overall. However, as you will observe, the finial, clip ring and the actual cap body are not flush. Although the difference is really visible only on close observation, it is still there. On the other hand, the two metal bands on the lower part of the cap are nicely set in and even. Which I really like. Gives a classic and vintage aura to the pen. The finial can be unscrewed and clip can be removed easily for those who might like that kind of configuration. The Barrel in this particular finish is turned from a single piece of black ebonite. However, the other finishes of the same model have "dual-tone" setting. Which means, they have the finial and the end cap made of black ebonite, and the cap and pen body are of whichever available finish that you choose. The Brand logo is embossed in the barrel as you can see. If you were to observe closely, you will find that the logo is not eactly centred. On uncapping the pen (which takes quite some number of turns to be honest!) you find a very symmetrical design which is pleasing to the eye. The N.o. 10 sized nib balances the bulky pen body quite nicely. The Nib and the Section. The nib on this pen came as a pleasant surprise. I did expect it to be smooth, but for a fine nib it is really very smooth and the flow is excellent. Wet and generous. Just perfect. Though some may prefer a bit drier flow, personally i love the wet flow. I can say they chose their nib well. It is an IPG nib. And, unlike what many people say, they are really not that bad. In my experience, i found IPG nibs to be good writers more often than not. Design-wise, one can find minimal scroll design on the nib. There is a circle in the centre which is devoid of any design or markings, which i think should have contained the nib grade. The section The section is elegantly tapered and decently big. It provides a nice and comfortable grip. Although, those with smaller hands may find it too big for long writing sessions. The threads are not sharp. However, the there is a slight step where the threads ends on the section. So, people with higher grip might find it a little in the way during long periods of writing. But it is not a deal breaker. The Filling Mechanism. The pen is an eyedropper filler. Personally, i really like this method of filling as it is very very easy to clean, there are no mechanical parts that if damaged, may render the pen unusable and in need of immediate service because the pen body itself acts as the reservoir of ink. And also, it has a very significant amount of ink capacity (2.5 to 2.7 ml as measured by me.) As for the common eyedropper problems that people talk about, like burping and leakage, those issues are not that frequent even when the ink is low in the barrel and i feel it is just over hyped. Measurements and size comparision. (approx.) 1.) Capped length: 140mm 2.) Uncapped: 130-132 mm 3.) Posted : 170 mm (thats huge!) 4.) Section diameter: 14 mm tapers to 12mm 5.) Barrel diameter at the widest: 15mm Here is the size comparision: The Jinhao X450 (left) Gama Forever (middle) Sheaffer 100 (right). Uncapped comparision. Uncapped it is quite bigger than the other two. Writing Sample: I inked the pen up with Parker Quink Black. Here is how it writes. CONCLUSION: I like this pen a lot. The "flaws" that i pointed out are really small and by no means a deal breaker. This is a solidly built pen made by a company over 80 years old, from ebonite, which is a material whose History stretches over more than 100 years of pen maufacturing period the world over. With the craftsmanship and experience of the pen makers of Gama, a nib that provides a writing experience worthy of this rich fountain pen culture, a simple hassel-free filling mechanism. This pen is a great buy if you like that vintage and classic look. The pen has such simple design features that there is virtually nothing that can go wrong. No complicated filling mechanism, easy to clean, easy to maintain. I think the simplicity of this pen is its strongest point. It is a classic, timeless, understated design with a powerful prescence. When you take this pen out of your pocket, it says "I am not an attention grabber, but my persona does it for me anyway. I am like The Beatles or Kishore Kumar, my era never really ends."
  15. ASA Pens from India seem to have launched a new product, the ASA Swan! Its a smart pocket sized white acrylic pen with a 3-in-1 filler system sporting a Schmidt M Nib available in two variants, a Flat ended option and a rounded one. Seems to be based on their ASA Genius line. Available currently at a limited period introductory price of $31 for International Customers and ₹ 950/- for Indian Customers, quite a good price for a 3-in-1 system pen with a German nib, IMHO. Check out the ASA Swan at http://asapens.in/eshop/asa-swan-3-in-1-filling-fully-handmade-acylic-fountain-pen-india Eagerly awaiting mine! Will post a few pics once i receive mine.
  16. INTRODUCTION: I am a big fan of demonstrators - the ASA Galactic Stylish Acrylic Translucent Demonstrator Pen is a great addition to the collection and has immediately made its way into my daily carry rotation. Appearance & Design (10) – Demonstrator with a ground glass texture that imparts a unique texture and appearance to the cap and barrel. I love watching the ink move within the barrel (Noodler's Black in this case). Overall the pen is cigar- shaped with the barrel tapering to a crystal clear end which refracts the light in a unique way. Overall a very cool pen. Construction & Quality (10) – The pen feels substantial. The threads are buttery smooth. No obvious imperfections noted. Weight & Dimensions (10) – Large pen (see picture comparing three different ASA pens (Galactic, Crystal LE, Maven), Franklin Christoph 02, Visconti HS Bronze, and Pelikan m1000). Nicely balanced with appropriate weight for long writing sessions. Great hand feel - larger hands. Nib & Performance (7) – Upgraded to the German Nib #6 Medium ($8.00 option). Performance was acceptable. Wetness was 6/10. I chose to swap out the stock nib for a Twsbi 1.5mm stub - the feed does an excellent job keeping up with the demands of the stub and the ink capacity pairs beautifully with the stub. Filling System & Maintenance (7) - Eyedropper with huge capacity. Disassembly was simple allowing for quick and easy cleaning. Upon reassembly there are copious tight threads allowing for a tight ink-tight connection between section and barrel (silicone grease was applied for good measure). Initially experienced some leakage for ink between feed and section - this was addressed with strategically placed silicone grease without further leakage. Cost & Value (10) – Obtained from ASA website. http://asapens.in/eshop/fountain-pen/asa-pens-india/asa-galactic-jumbo-acrylic-demonstrator-fountain-pen Easy shopping experience and fast free shipping worldwide. I paid $32.00 (+$8.00 for the nib - would not have this upgrade next time). Excellent value. Of interest, I have had far more people ask questions about the this pen than most of my far more expensive pens. This would make for an excellent gift with a bottle of ink Conclusion (Final score, 9) - Overall I am very pleased with this purchase and would purchase again. I would like to see a stub nib option and tighter tolerance between the section and the feed.
  17. I'm looking for a bright and saturated medium/ royal blue. Something like Noodler's Baystate Blue or Parker Penman Sapphire. I found Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-Gao. From the pictures I've seen online, Asa-Gao is either bright and vibrant blue, light purple or light (definitely not vibrant) blue. If you have used it, what colour is it? Or what colour is it on different papers/ inks? Pictures from the internet: vibrant medium blue: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-cmHjilyUSw4/UAm8hlmA8FI/AAAAAAAACO0/3afleivbjuM/s1600/AsaGao3.JPG light blue http://www.gouletpens.com/v/vspfiles/photos/PN69203-2.jpg light purple http://static.jetpens.com/images/a/000/042/42848.jpg thanks





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