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DECCAN ADVOCATE The review is simultaneously at my blog here. Deccan Pens have been into existence since 1928 when they opened first outlet in Hyderabad at Abids and has been one of the oldest fountain pen manufacturing company in India. The firm was started by Sabih Akhter Siddiqui who used to sell fountain pens door to door with the help of DURO agency which used to produce fountain pens in 1920’s. Today Deccan Pens has 32 year old manufacturing unit and they only make fountain pens. The review is simultaneously at my blog here. They have now 3 stores at Secunderabad, Ameerpet, and oldest one at Abids. Deccan Pens have been covered and reviewed lot by HARI, SHRUJYA, & JAISIRI. And this particular review is about one of the largest selling pen from Deccan stable which is “DECCAN ADVOCATE". There have been lot of iterations of Deccan Advocate over many years. Deccan Advocate – In the Wild I must thank Rakshit who lives in Hyderabad and he helped me in getting this pen. He also is a fountain pen connoisseur and you can check his blog here. I got this pen almost 7-8 months back and have been using this only for past 2 months. So the review is about my experience with the pen for past 2 months. DESIGN & BUILT : 05/05 Deccan Pens are notable for impeccable built quality and this Deccan Advocate again stamps their authority of quality built pens. Advocate currently comes in two variants : Round End and Flat End. The model that I am reviewing is the Round end one in green ripple colour and I was told that it is difficult to get hold of the round end advocate and I was lucky enough to get this one. Deccan Advocate – In Broad Day Light The pen is made of high quality ebonite and is available in black, matte black , mottled brown, rippled brown and green ripple and also olive brown ripple. My pen is extremely well made though it was religiously inspected by Rakshit before he bought this one. The ebonite has no perforations its solid without any specks and perforations. The quality of rod is really great. Deccan Advocate The pen is a simple and elegant cigar shaped pen with slight tapering towards the bottom end. There are no bands or trims used on this pen. Only metal part or thing you will see on the pen is clip apart from the nib. The pen is very well executed and polished though you might see some marks just below the threads which is due to cap being capped and uncapped regularly and has not received thorough cleaning and polish from my side. The grip section is made of same ebonite material and is in concave shape. The length of grip section is 22 mm and this I beleive is quite good as it helps in good grip on the pen. Deccan Advocate – Capped Deccan Advocate – Uncapped Deccan Advocate – Round Ends The pen cap opens in 6 turns which I am not happy with but its still acceptable as most of the Indian pens take almost around 5 to 6 turns to open. The cap has chrome finish clip which gives you a look of look of something between matt and polished finish but it is not polished with some sorts of coating. Deccan Advocate – Cap Clip Deccan Advocate – Cap Clip Side View The cap clip narrows down to bottom and is quite sturdy and can easily fit in to shirt pocket firmly. Deccan Advocate – Inner View of Cap The thickness of ebonite is thinnest near the bottom of the cap or what we call as cap lip which you can see in above picture. As the cap tapers at the bottom but it is still sturdy. Below are the few images showing the comparison of pen with other pens: Deccan Advoate vs Lamy Safari vs Jinhao X750 – Capped Deccan Advoate vs Lamy Safari vs Jinhao X750 – Uncapped Deccan Advoate vs Lamy Safari vs Jinhao X750 – Capped (Lateral Side View) Overall, its a beautiful, cigar shaped elegant pen which has impeccable built quality. Its a quality finish from Hyderabad. Yeah I must tell you that there is no branding of any kind on pen anywhere be it clip or nib or even barrel. BALANCE & SIZE : 3.5/05 The pen is around 140 mm including the nib when uncapped and I don’t see any reason to post the cap at back and also I prefer to write with cap unposted. The pen is very much balanced when writing unposted but becomes bottom heavy when cap is posted at back, moreover it becomes uncomfortable at 184 mm when cap is posted at back, thus it is unbalanced. The pen length is 155 mm when it is capped. Below are the images showing the comparison when writing posted and unposted : Deccan Advocate – Writing Unposted Deccan Advocate – Writing Posted What I find most comfortable about the pen is the grip section which is at 9 mm and is in conical shape. It provides perfect grip. The length of grip section is also substantial at 22 mm. The pen weighs around 30 gm with cap and around 20 gm without cap (with ink filled). Deccan Advocate – Weight of pen with cap Deccan Advocate – Weight of pen without cap Few specifications are as follows: Length capped: 155 mmLength uncapped and posted : 184 mmLength uncapped and unposted : 140mmLength of grip section : 22 mmBarrel Dia Avg – 14 mmCap Dia – 16 mmSection Dia (Avg) : 9 mmWeight with cap : 30.4 gmWeight without cap : 20.53 gm NIB & INK FILLING MECHANISM : 04/05 Nib currently being used on this pen is 35 mm (#6) Gold Finish Steel Nib and this is a stock nib and there was no other option of the nib on this pen. The nib is famous ambitious fine nib which is friction fit and it writes very well and is paired with good wet ebonite feed. Ink flow is quite good. Deccan Advocate – Nib Unit Top View Deccan Advocate – Nib Unit Side View Deccan Advocate – Nib Unit Underside View The nib is set just a bit inside more, thus what you see is less of 35 mm nib because the grip section is bit flared up as visible from image below. Deccan Advocate – Nib set inside deep The filling mechanism is via eyedropper and it holds approx 3 ml of ink. It has not burped on me even once. Deccan Advocate – Eyedropper Fill Mechanism Below are the images of my handwritten review which shows you the writing sample: Deccan Advocate – Handwritten Review – Page 01 Deccan Advocate – Handwritten Review – Page 02 Deccan Advocate – Handwritten Review – Page 03 CONCLUSION : 12.5/15 I recommend everyone to have at least one Deccan Pen and buying ADVOCATE is the best pen to get hold of at reasonable price of otherwise expensive Deccan Pens. Well yeah i did not like the combination of chrome clip with gold finish nib. I bought this pen for Rs. 1000 (approx 16 usd) which does not include shipping as it was bought by my friend who paid for Shipping. What I Like: Classic Cigar Design Well Finished Very Good Quality Ebonite Lot of Ink CapacityWhat I don’t Like: Eyedropper only Only one nib option Combination of Silver chrome clip with Gold color nib Deccan Advocate – Close Up Comments and feedback are welcome. Regards Vaibhav Mehandiratta

New pen arrived today =] http://i.imgur.com/WPlVzh6.jpg Just got my Romillo Sil #9 in terracotta ebonite! http://i.imgur.com/A4lfSns.jpg It's a slip cap pen similar to the vintage Waterman 12 or other pens in the Waterman 1X series. Really elegant pen, I think. The roll-stopper on the cap is a customization I asked for. You can also order the pen plain or with a clip. http://i.imgur.com/FCr8Nhm.jpg I had asked for the cabochon on my Essential #9 and thought it was a really good touch, so I asked for it again. It's a solid gold emblem embedded into the barrel and has the Romillo logo in deep relief. http://i.imgur.com/crb9RAu.jpg Romillo Sil #9 compared to a Scriptorium Aeterna. The Romillo is ebonite, Scriptorium is celluloid. http://i.imgur.com/2EEbtbW.jpg?1 The pen's certificate. Each Romillo pen comes with this document, which states the pen's number -- my Eo is 379, my Essential is 422, and my Sil is 444. At the bottom is a writing sample with the nib. I ordered a Medium-Fine. http://i.imgur.com/yCQtZER.jpg?1 Instructions for the Sil #9 eyedropper. Alvaro found that the converter can't keep up with the #9 nib and huge ebonite feed so all #9 nib pens are eyedropper-fillers. The #7 nib pens come in both eyedropper and cartridge/converter filling systems. http://i.imgur.com/R291ntx.jpg Huge, gorgeous ebonite feed! Provides a really reliable, wet flow. http://i.imgur.com/ayYKFzp.jpg Sil #9, Essential #9, and Eo #9. http://i.imgur.com/Sg20YqM.jpg Romillo Sil with a Platinum 3776 Century. http://i.imgur.com/iTLI8L6.jpg http://i.imgur.com/GpD9BWZ.jpg Romillo #9 nib and Platinum 3776 Century nib. I actually swapped the Platinum nib with my Nakaya so the Platinum has a Nakaya nib in it right now but they are the same size, shape etc. http://i.imgur.com/P7ebS9v.jpg Romillo #9 nib and JoWo #6 nib in a Scriptorium Aeterna. http://i.imgur.com/sv1uilm.jpg The Romillo nib design, with the wings reaching towards the tip is one of the most attractive I've ever seen. http://i.imgur.com/cFUvarp.jpg Isn't is a lovely shape? Now to decide what to ink it up with ...

Kim and Co. hand-make fountain pens in Calicut in God’s Own Country, the South Indian state of Kerala. This is a brief review of a stunner from their stables. [A copy here: https://fpensnme.wordpress.com/2016/02/21/a-handmade-fp-from-gods-own-country/]

Hello everyone! I came across a listing on eBay for a waterman 14 eyedropper. one thing that was strange to me was the clip shape. I've never seen a waterman eyedropper clip without the ball at the end of it. it doesn't look like the ball broke off either, since the length seems to be right. could anyone help out? Here is the link: http://www.ebay.ca/itm/381528360505?_trksid=p2060353.m2748.l2649&ssPageName=STRK%3AMEBIDX%3AIT

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/]

Hi, As I see that some people are afraid to use the Dolcevita Oversize as an eyedropper, here is my experience in that case. I've always used my Dolcevita Oversize as an eyedropper. Infact, I've got it for that reason mainly. I've never had a problem using it like that. I must recognise that the barrel has become a bit darker, as you can see in the image, but for me that's alright. The second image was taken when the pen was just inked for the first time; the first image has been taken today, so you can see the difference. As I've said, it doesn't matter to me at all.

I was delighted to purchase these two Mabie Todd swan pens on eBay. Doing so, I understood that they were not whole. At the very least I would get another gold over feed out of this. But I am wondering if there is a way to restore/repair these to working condition? Ok. So let's start with the longer/full sized pen. It came with the forward part of the section which seems to have been broken off of the barrel, the cap, and barrel with most of the ebonite interior within. With the section was the nib, which I was surprised to find was 18karat, a very small feed (which I'm assuming was longer, but broke with the section; though I've not seen a swan feed that looks like this before), and a gold over feed. I was most excited about this pen, because it is what I've been seeking for some time. (As seen in an advertisement around Christmas of 1911 I think?) my only indication as to what model it is was pressed into the section. "Swan" 2 C. Luckily I have an inksight swan which is also a 2 C. The cap uses the accepts those threads without feeling incorrect and is very securely screwed on. And the barrel seems to be the correct length when side by side and capped. The section shapes are also identical, though it should be noted that the nib,feed, and over feed from the partial section that came with this pen does not fit within the section of the inksight swan. As for the smaller pen, it is just a tad shorter than my Swan B2. The threads don't seem to line up well either, and the section of the B2 is too long and the gold cap does not have a chance to engage the threads with it in place. The small pen was purchased as only a cap and barrel, though there is still the ebonite interior of the barrel. (And I'm assuming the inner caps of both the long and short pen are still intact). What I hope is that there is a hope that these two will be useable pens again. (Hopefully with not too much money spent in the process). The first thing that comes to mind is to somehow remove the ebonite within the gold (let's just focus on the long pen for now) and then either have a new insert made or cannibalize a 2 C which has a broken cap or is sold as parts/missing a cap. If the second route (cannibalizing) is taken, to heat the barrel and try to slip the filigree/overlay back onto it (as to how to keep it in place securely once this is accomplished, I have no idea). Any advice/help/opinions/comments would be most appreciated. Thank you for your time

I'm sure this has been addressed previously, but after a search I was unable to locate a thread. My question is about nib assemblies in eyedropper (ED) pens. Just considering ED pens, is the friction-fitted nib and feed assembly in any way superior to (or inferior to) the cartridge/converter screw-in nib and feed unit? Is one inherently better than the other? Thanks.

Someone at Ranga Pens must be using common core math, because I ordered ONE Ranga Doufold eyedropper, but these showed up together, with a spare nib and feed! How cool that they are hand turned on a foot treadle lathe using some stunning ebonite. What a pen for the price! I love the green & black rippled ebonite! The Ranga Duofold is a large pen but feels very comfortable in my hand. Great crafstmanship for a pen in that price range.

I have a few Indian eyedroppers that I have yet to use. I would like to ink one up this weekend, but I'm not sure how to clean/rinse/flush an eyedropper without disassembling the feed and nib from the section. With a convertor or sac, it's quite easy to rinse the pen, but how do you rinse/flush an eyedropper without removing the feed and nib? Thanks in advance.

The Gama Forever is an ebonite, eye-dropper filled, Indian fountain pen. It features a flat ended shape, a girthy profile, a ball-pointed clip, and twin rings around the bottom of the cap: design cues that overtly gesture to the Parker Duofold and Sheaffer Flat Top and to their aesthetic offspring from the Pilot Lucina to the Newton Orville. This one came to me from Asa Pens and cost about $25. I should mention I found Asa’s service and delivery time quite reasonable. Included at no extra cost was a small red gift bag for the pen and an eye-dropper. The styling of the pen is simple all around, not elevating over its basic design language in materials or ornamentation. The ebonite is plain black (though ripple patterns are available), the cap and body are devoid of any text or logos, and the metal furniture (while gold in tone) lack luster. The nib is large and writes with a line I’d call Western medium-fine — mileage varying by ink, paper, and nib/feed fit. On my pen, I’ve brought the nib and feed further out of the section by about 4mm to better match (to my eye) the proportions of the pen. The engraving on the nib is fairly shallow and sparse. It features two diagonal layers of light scrawling, arching over a circle and the inscription “iridium point.” The nib won’t win any beauty contests, but the whole pen was pretty inexpensive. The clip is a bit disproportionate to the pen, I feel. I’d prefer it to be 3-4mm longer, but that only ever occurs to me when I’ve been looking at it for a long time with a critical attitude. In day to day life it never crosses my mind. Despite all the luke-warm things I’ve said here, I’m happy with the styling of the pen, largely on account of its throwback design and its minimal decoration (which feels right for the pen). Fit is commendable, and finish acceptable. The pen feels quite solid and all its functional bits are fitted with great precision. The cap unscrews smoothly with several turns (4.5, by my count). The section unscrews rather stiffly (I’d say, securely) from the body with many turns (the pen is very full right now and I’m not risking the count) and came pre-greased from Asa. I’ve had no burping or leaks since I received the pen about two weeks ago. The nib and feed need to be knocked out to be removed, as they are quite firmly set within the section. Two quibbles with the finish deserve mention. First, the metal furniture on the cap is off center — very slightly in the case of the double rings, and a bit more noticeably in the case of the setting for the clip. Second, the small space beneath the final threat on the pen body doesn’t appear to have been polished, so it’s grayish and rough compared to the rest of the pen. The pen works perfectly, and most of the time, as I noted about the clip length, these things never cross my mind. While Asa lists this pen as regular sized, I don’t believe that’s the case outside of the Indian fountain pen world. This pen is Safari-like in length and thick enough that the section diameter comes in around 14mm. Let’s call it oversized. That’s what I wanted when I bought the pen, and I’m happy with it. Having finally used a pen this size I’ve found my preference to be south of the 14mm (more likely about 11mm). When I write with the pen for extended periods it begins to feel cumbersome, but for short letters or notes it’s great. Others have found the pen to be their perfect size, and I don’t doubt that I’ll better adapt to it myself over time. The nib is listed on Asa as a number 10. At times the nib feels a bit toothy, though through a 10x loop I can’t clearly see the reason for that. I plan on trying to smooth it a bit soon, but I believe that a good amount of the feedback is a result of the nib’s design and materials. Two western fines, Nemosine and Goulet (JoWo), from my collection, smoothed in the same manner with the same materials, have never produced even approximately the same feel. While they are both smooth, the Nemosine has always transmitted more of the texture of the paper. The Gama seems further along that continuum. The nib provides no notable line variation. It lays down a nice wet line of ink that’s beautiful to watch settle onto the paper. In my overarching opinion the Gama Forever is a decent fountain pen, but not a daily driver, nothing to lust after, but something worth owning if you’re curious about oversized pens or enjoy the aesthetic. When I pick up this pen, I do so because I want to pay a special kind of attention to what I’m doing. I want to feel the paper and watch the ink pool. It’s the kind of pen I plan on leaving on the desk to sign cards and address letters and hardly ever need a refill. I’ll grab it for the fun of using the big pen. It's a novelty: fun, palate cleansing and, because it’s relatively cheap, guilt free.

The Ranga Pen Model 4C Spurred by the excellent reviews that FPN member Vaibhav Mehandiratta has provided of various handmade Ranga pens, Empty of Clouds took the decision to acquire at least one Indian ebonite pen, and it turned out to be a model 4C. Here is a far poorer quality review by a man with no talent for either words or photography. Please forgive. The 4C is a big pen by the standards of early to mid 20th century pens, and is a classic cigar shape. Measurements (approx.) Capped length – 15 cm Nib tip to barrel end – 13.5 cm Maximum diameter – 16 mm Most of the pens EoC has owned up until this point have been vintage, so to give a comparison an Esterbrook J is around 12.6 cm long (capped), 11.2 cm uncapped and 12 mm at the widest barrel point. The Esterbrook is unusable by EoC when uncapped. The Ranga 4C however is not! Here is an ugly picture of an ageing hand holding the Ranga. For those interested in numbers, EoC’s hand measures 21.5 cm from tip of 2nd finger to fold of wrist – so, quite a big hand really, and yet the pen is quite comfortably supported. Build Quality As many know the Ranga pens are handmade from ebonite turned on a lathe. The premium orange ebonite used for this pen, while finished well, still retains several inconsistencies in the material. Most notably these show up as dark flecks or a kind of very faint patterning. Whether this is tool artefact or a property of the material itself is hard to determine. This may be of concern to those whose experience thus far has been restricted to flawless expanses of resin or acrylic. Despite this issue on the finish the pen feels super smooth in the hand. It is light but by no means insubstantial. The threading throughout is tight and smooth. The cap takes just over 2.5 turns to remove, while the section requires just shy of 10 turns! There is a step between the barrel and the threads for the cap, but it is small enough to have not presented EoC any issues with use or comfort. The Nib Not really much to say here. This pen came fitted – by request – with a 1.5 mm Jowo #6 stub, which simply screws into the section. This is the same standard nib unit used by many of the custom pen makers (Franklin Christoph and Scriptorium spring to mind), so those who have pens from those sources can swap their nibs around with the Ranga should they so wish. The nib is very smooth, and far crisper than expected for a stub. It has thus far proven to be a joy to use. Here is EoC’s very first outing with the nib. Paper is Rhodia, Ink is Diamine Delamere Green. Fill ‘er Up! As with many Ranga models that employ the Jowo nib units, this pen comes fitted with a Schmidt converter. Fairly standard, well known to many, and so far reliable. For those going for the real Indian pen experience, the converter can be left out and the pen can be used as an eyedropper. EoC has not tried this yet, but when he spoke into the open end of the barrel there was an echo! So expect it to take a goodly amount of your favourite writing fluids. Speaking of eyedroppers, the section threads came pre-greased and those 10 turns mentioned earlier should give reassurance that leaks are probably unlikely to occur around the section threads. Value for Money and Communication As with many things in life value has a very personal aspect to it. This pen is not in the cheaper range for Ranga pens, or indeed any other Indian maker’s pens. However, it is a significantly better price than some of the established Western makers. EDIT: There was an ordering problem that has since been resolved. Concluding thoughts. This is a big pen, and a good one too. So far it has proven to be exceptionally comfortable to use. Although EoC is very partial to pointed dip pens, he has found the 1.5 mm stub on the Ranga 4C to be a joy to use in an everyday setting. The imperfections in the material, considering the way it is made, add a certain degree of character perhaps, but it is not the glossy perfect finish that others may have alluded to. The only downside was the final cost, coming in at US $100. It is early days for EoC and the Big Orange Pen, but it's looking very promising right now! The above represents an honest review. EoC has tried to fairly represent what was liked and what could have been better.

Purchased the Ebonite Ranga Duofold eyedropper pen which is beautiful to look at and feels amazing. After thoroughly cleaning it (the ebonite feed was filled with some waxy substance) I want to upgrade the nib. I tried the extra Wality nib that comes with the pen. That needed a lot of adjustment. It barely made a line on the page it was so dry. The tines needed to be flossed; the tip needed several go arounds on mesh but after all that , the nib writes beaufifully.. Here's my dilemma. I really, really like this pen and I'd still like to upgrade the nib to something better. Does anyone know if the full Edison or Jowo #5 nib/feed assemblies fit the Ebonite Ranga Duofold eyedropper? Or can I find a #5 nib that will fit the existing ebonite feed?

Dear All, We are offering Famous Oliver F27 Model Colour Acrylic Models in 20 Classic colours and Pilot Eyedropper Pens (Made in Japan) for this Christmas and New year'16 at very good prices. I have attached the details and pictures. Thanks for your support. 1. Oliver F-27 Pens: -------------------------- Material: Colour Acrylics Dimension: 137mm Length when capped. Cap Dia : 15mm . Barrel Dia 13mm Nib: Ambitious White Fine Medium nib. It is friction fir nib. German White Bock (Medium or Broad) Nibs are available at 9$ Extra. Feed: Acrylic Feed Filling Mechanism- It comes with Catridge. It also accepts converters. Schmidt K5 Converters costs 4$ extra Clip& Hardwares: White colour Colour: 1. Yellow/Pink/Red 2. Pink/ Dark blue 3. Black/Blue 4. Red Cracked Ice 5.Green/Pink/Black 6. Red/Dark blue 7.Orange/Dark Blue 8.Chocolate Cracked Ice 9.Purple /Dark Blue 10. Bright Green with Dark Green 11. Sea Blue with Red 12. Chocolate with Dark Blue Swirl 13. Yellow with Chocolate Cracked Ice 14. Yellow with Chocolate Swirls 15. Green With Black 16. White/Red 17. Rose with Black 18. Yellow with Green 19. Orange with Black Cracked Ice 20. Yellow /Blue/Saffron Orange. Price: 1 Pen- 29USD 2 Pens -54USD 3 Pens -75USD 4 Pens- 90USD Payment: Payment can be sent to my paypal id mpkandan@gmail.com Shipping: Free Worldwide registered shipping. It takes 2-4 weeks for delivery.Expedited EMS shipping is available at extra price 2. PILOT EYEDROPPER PEN (MADE IN JAPAN): ------------------------------------------------------------------- Material: Brass cap and Plastic Barrel Dimension: 133mm Length when capped. Cap Dia : 11mm Nib: Gold Coloured Fine and Medium nibs. Feed: Plastic Feed Filling Mechanism- Eyedropper Colour: Black , Blue, Red, Green Price: 1 Pen- 19USD 2 Pens -35USD Payment: Payment can be sent to my paypal id mpkandan@gmail.com Shipping: Free Worldwide registered shipping . It takes 2-4 weeks for delivery. Expedited EMS shipping is available at extra price Oliver F-27 Pen Pictures ------------------------------------ http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05158-1_zpspludcdmv.jpg http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05166-1_zpsxbwqnmpq.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05168-1_zpsv9gibjy3.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05164-1_zpsy0gmuh7g.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05224-1_zpsi6ovgzit.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05220-1_zpsf64u4gb6.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05221-1_zpsk5z6xrcl.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05171-1_zpslgwfhldz.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05174-1_zpsotf2rqvg.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05178-1_zpsntkfbkkj.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Oliver%20F27%20%20Color%20Acrylic/DSC05183-1_zps30dh9rqt.jpg PILOT EYEDROPPER PEN PICTURES:----------------------------------------------------- http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/pilot%20pen/DSC05139-1_zps5d8ywhcc.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/pilot%20pen/DSC05140-1_zpshntzvuqn.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/pilot%20pen/DSC05142-1_zpspwdjyz3k.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/pilot%20pen/DSC05146-1_zpssm7gus1w.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/pilot%20pen/DSC05154-1_zpsjnojmd0d.jpg Thanks,Kandan.M.PRanga Pen Company

Eboya Kyouka, medium-size, Ink-stop filling mechanism So I’ve had my Eboya Kyouka for about a month now and figured it was time for a review. http://i.imgur.com/G9TUbRj.jpg http://i.imgur.com/D5PtVBn.jpg I first learned about Eboya fountain pens earlier this year, when it was announced that John Mottishaw would be carrying them on his site. Though Eboya has been making pens for several years now, up until this point, they have only sold pen in Japan, outside of the occasional foreign pen show. http://i.imgur.com/BmQsYSr.jpg The logo machine-engraved into the barrel. The first thing that struck me about Eboya was the unique designs they have. Their designs, like the Kyouka and bamboo-like Ricchiku, aren’t found often in modern pen companies. My own pen tastes lean towards the simple: clipless, minimal or nonexistent trim, flat-tops, monochromatic nibs. The Kyouka immediately grabbed my interest. http://i.imgur.com/mSTlCPC.jpg Comparison with other pens. From top: Lamy Safari, Lamy 2000, Eboya Kyouka (medium-size), Pilot Vanishing Point. http://i.imgur.com/St1cu50.jpg The ink-stop mechanism's sealing rod is visible when the barrel is unscrewed. After a few weeks of trying to find more information about Eboya and review of their pens and largely not succeeding, I decided to pull the trigger on a Kyouka from Nibs.com. Since my specific choice wasn’t in stock with them, it had to be a special-order. I was told it’d be 4-6 months but could be longer. It took 7 months. The ordering process was smooth, and Nibs.com packaged it perfectly. http://i.imgur.com/Zu1soqW.jpg Ebonite feed. Aside from the unique designs Eboya has available, the other interesting aspect of their fountain pens is the range of filling-systems they offer. In addition to the typical cartridge-converter, you can order your pen as a button-filler or a Japanese eyedropper (eyedropper with shut-off valve). I chose the Japanese eyedropper for my pen. http://i.imgur.com/i1gLp8w.jpg Comparison with other pens. From top: Nakaya Piccolo, Romillo Eo #9, Shawn Newton Orville (medium-size), Eboya (medium-size), Edison Pearl, Danitrio Flat-Top Mikado. http://i.imgur.com/8ZCs9a4.jpg Blind cap unscrewed. Japanese eyedroppers are presently made only by three companies Danitrio, Namiki, and Eboya. Eboya offers the filling system at a much lower price than the other two manufacturers. The system has an internal reservoir, with a sealing rod running through it. When the blind cap is screwed on, the sealing rod prevents ink from going to the feed. When the blind cap is unscrewed slightly, ink can flow properly. In my experience owning two Japanese eyedropper pens (a Danitrio Mikado and this Eboya Kyouka), it’s a wonderful system with a huge ink capacity and virtually leak-proof. I’m definitely a fan. Diagram of Eboya Japanese eyedropper system. http://imgur.com/Dlcu3sR In the top, the blind cap is unscrewed, allowing ink to flow to the feed. In the pen under that, the blind cap is screwed on, resulting the in sealing rod cutting off ink flow. http://i.imgur.com/dgaNBe9.jpg Ink-stop mechanism. Kanesaki handcrafts all Eboya pens out of ebonite. Eboya is a subsidiary of Nikko-Ebonite, the only ebonite manufacturer in Japan that supplies most of the major Japanese pen companies with ebonite as well as custom penmakers around the world. The pens are available in numerous mottled ebonites and a couple rippled ebonite patterns. http://i.imgur.com/LqgPGyE.jpg Ink-stop mechanism and inside of the section. My pen is in a red/black mottled ebonite in the Kyouka model. It’s a somewhat softened flat-top at both ends with part of the blind cap narrowing to facilitate posting. While the pen does post very securely, and the ebonite cap is light enough to not make the pen back-heavy, it felt overly long to me when posted. I always used the pen the the unposted position, which is my prefered way to write. http://i.imgur.com/nNdTe2a.jpg Sealing rod which has just had silicone grease applied to it. The Kyouka model’s design is based off a classic pen: Onoto The Pen. The design was hugely influential on vintage Japanese pen companies. Onoto the Pen http://i.imgur.com/k7hvvWv.jpg Does the design look familiar? http://i.imgur.com/IykN4S8.jpg Eboya nib next to Lamy Safari nib. Each pen comes in 2 or 3 different sizes, each with a nib whose physical size corresponds to the pen. My pen is a medium-size Kyouka with a 14kt Bock 220 nib (a little smaller than a typical #6, which is included on the large-size pens). It’s really great that Eboya offers pens across the size range and offers the filling systems they do. For those interested in a small- or medium-size pen with a Japanese eyedropper filling system, Eboya is the only modern option as the Danitrio and Namiki eyedropper pens are MB 149-size at their smallest. http://i.imgur.com/9jVK8lT.jpg Eboya and Danitrio Flat-Top Mikado: two Japanese eyedroppers with their blind caps unscrewed. In the hand, the pen is lightweight and very comfortable. Nibs.com lists the weight of the complete pen as 22 grams. With its ebonite construction and absence of heavy parts, one can write with it for hours without tiring. http://i.imgur.com/MZCdnMd.jpg Comparison with other pens: Romillo Eo #9, Edison Pearl, Shawn Newton custom, Eboya Kyouka (medium-size). All Eboya pens come with 14kt gold nibs made by Bock. The nib writes wonderfully — wet, smooth with a touch of feedback — but aesthetically it would look nicer to have Eboya engraved on the nib rather than the Bock logo. They have done an awesome job machine-engraving the barrel of the pen; it seems it wouldn’t have been too difficult to engrave the nib too. In any case, it’s not a deal breaker for me, by any means, but I do hope that in the future they’ll switch to blank nibs that they engrave themselves. Eboya nib http://i.imgur.com/050bqAQ.jpg The books in the background, by the way, are I Lost My Love in Baghdad by Michael Hastings and War by Sebastian Junger. The feed is made of ebonite. It is very attractive and works perfectly. I don’t think they could have done a better job on that. Being 14kt, the nib is slightly springy but giving it a little pressure increases ink flow more than it spreads the tines. I expect the large-size pens to be more springy due to the larger nibs. Writing sample http://i.imgur.com/PrRbOmY.jpg I’ve been very pleased with my Eboya. I absolutely plan to get another one in the future (probably a large-size Hakobune with a special-order #8-size nib), and highly recommend Eboya to anyone interested in their designs or a more moderately-priced and/or moderately-sized Japanese eyedropper.

Please help me identify this Waterman's Ideal. The silver hallmark carries the alphabets F.DW and a P other than the image symbols. And what is the stone on the top of the cap? ]

Hello, just sharing a little trick I just used to effectively clean stained silicone grease from the threads of my demonstrator eyedropper pen. I have a Franklin-Christoph Stabilis 65, which is clear acrylic throughout.. except for the threads, which were a beautiful shade of Tsuki-yo blue! Cleaning these of silicone grease was really difficult - an old toothbrush couldn't access them very well, whilst a soggy cotton bud just smeared it all around. Then inspiration struck! (or perhaps it was wind..) Anyway, I rummaged around in my bathroom drawers for an old mascara tube, and scrubbed the wand under running water until perfectly clean. The soft wand bristles are firm enough to poke into the threads but not stiff enough to scratch, and they did a marvellous job of clearing all the old silicone out in just a minute or two! Hey presto: clean demonstrator. *beams smugly*

Hello folks. I am new to this site and wanted to post a review of a couple of Franklin-Christoph pens that I purchased just because I think F-C is so blooming fantastic. To avoid boring everyone to death, I’ll do separate posts for the different pens. This post is going to be about the Pocket 40. First off, I had to use fountain pens in high school, so I knew the very basics, but not much more. I purchased my first post-high school fountain pen, a Sheaffer Prelude in shimmery pink for around $60. I rarely used it because it was very heavy (IMHO), the cap kept falling off and it felt too short and unbalanced if unposted. Ridiculously, I waited ten years before looking for a replacement. I purchased two Lamy Al-Stars on Amazon. Although the nibs were good, I got cramp from squeezing the triangulated grip section. So I researched online about pens made in the U.S. Many thanks to this site, Gourmet Pens, Penaddict, The Pen Habit and Gentleman Stationer for putting F-C on my radar (links at bottom). I drooled (rather obsessively) over the F-C site before ordering two Pocket 40s, one with a Masuyama medium cursive italic nib and the other with a 1.1 cursive nib. I have no photographs because I eventually swapped them out for Stabilis 65s. Here is the link to see what they look like: http://www.franklin-christoph.com/pocket-40.html The P40 colours were Emerald and Cinamaroon. I purchased the ice versions because I knew I wanted to convert them to eyedroppers (much easier than one imagines and really the whole point of buying any of the ice pens). Even with ordinary Parker Red swirling about inside, the Cinamaroon was simply lovely to look at. The pens are light, which I like, and I never had a problem with ink leaking after using the silicone grease. The nibs were both lovely, although I realize that my handwriting is probably too small to suit a cursive italic for writing at speed. The P40 is, obviously, very easy to carry in the pocket, so if you are looking for a genuine pocket pen, it completely meets expectations. I have nothing bad to say about the P40s from F-C. So why did I swap them for the F-C Stabilis 65? Purely because I realized that I rarely needed to be able to carry a pen in my pocket for my work and so I probably should have chosen a larger pen in the first place. (I have petite hands and initially thought the non-pocket F-C pens might be too large.) The Stabilis 65, which I will review separately, was simply better suited for writing done other than on the hop. Another reason I love F-C, even after only a short period of engaging with them, is that they do not carry too many designs as to be overwhelmed by where to start. Also, their designs are timeless and gender-neutral. Sounds silly perhaps, but the vast majority of the “classic” pens in the >$120 - < $600 range that I saw online are either very masculine or the other extreme. Maybe I'm just not good at searching and no offense intended to anyone, just my personal perception and experience. Lastly on this topic, the service at F-C is nothing short of outstanding. That alone is a reason to choose F-C over another brand, all other things being equal. I wish every company had this level of service. Scott and Jim bent over backwards to help me when I wanted to swap out pens. They answered the ‘phone and emails themselves and you genuinely feel like they value your custom. Jim sent me a tub of silicone grease with the second order without me even asking for it. Unless there is some major service (bleep)-up in the future with F-C in, which I cannot imagine would ever happen, they have a customer for life in me. FYI, I did not receive any compensation from F-C for this review, just saying my piece! Sorry for the long and winding road and hope this has helped someone! http://www.gourmetpens.com/2014/07/review-franklin-christoph-model-40p.html#.VjYI_-gqPGD http://www.penaddict.com/blog/2015/5/29/franklin-christoph-model-65-stabilis-review?rq=franklin http://penhabit.com/2014/08/14/pen-review-franklin-christoph-02-intrinsic/ http://www.gentlemanstationer.com/blog/2015/5/30/franklin-christoph-eydropper-mania

Dear FPN'ers, We are introducing our RANGA Acrylic Model 4CS Pens in 20 Beautiful colours. These are Eyedropper Pens. These pens are completely handmade and Visual mesmerizers. Please see our handmade Pen making Video Which is very unique in the world and needs Extensive skills https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=08pUuLREZR4&feature=youtu.be (Thanks to Hari) The length of the capped pen is 5.75 inches. The thickness is 13.5mm Dia app. Flat shape (Both ends), Rounded shapes(Both ends) are available. Nib: Wality Fine nib. Medium nib is also available. 35mm White Bock Broad or Medium nib is also available at 9$ extra Feeder: Ebonite Clip: Both Thin clip and Broad clips are available in Gold colour and White colour. Clipless Option is also available. The colours are 1. Grey/ White 2. Purple/Pink/Dark blue 3. Yellow/ Orange /Dark Green 4. Purple with Black 5. Bright Green With Thin Green Swirl 6. Orange With Black Swirl 7. White with Black 8. Pink With Black Swirl 9. Sea Blue With Red 10. Red with Black Swirl 11. Orange With Dark Blue 12. Blue with Black Swirl 13. Yellow with Dark Green/Red/Black 14. Pink With Dark Blue 15. Yellow with Dark Green 16. Purple with Dark Blue 17. Light Green with Blue Swirl 18. Orange With Blackish Green 19. Bright Green with Green Swirl 20. Pink/Green/Black Price: 40$ Shipping: Free worldwide Registered Post shipping Payment can be done to my paypal id mpkandan@gmail.com http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04750-1_zps0i2di68w.jpg http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04675-1_zpsjpgvehqv.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04714-1_zpszfqpp6nq.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04672-1_zpsaitglvsv.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04676-1_zpshq567geg.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04713-1_zpss4kmqc1r.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04716-1_zpsffb8mf31.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04726-1_zpsjpa2imaq.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04728-1_zps7t8axosm.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04722-1_zpssusq85z1.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04688-1_zpss0n0tk05.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04678-1_zpsjfnrxwe6.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04700-1_zpso2g8wwhd.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04697-1_zpskedbs25c.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04695-1_zpswkiiby0c.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04691-1_zpsopgvliv7.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04706-1_zpsto03rjxz.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04703-1_zps9gbisnao.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04710-1_zpsp7du5rp9.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04701-1_zpshx2gtrmp.jpg http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04734-1_zpswalmke41.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04737-1_zpsyta9qnr6.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04738-1_zpsfxis0uj2.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04740-1_zpsqt4mhmxs.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04729-1_zpsk8jd3nri.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04698-1_zpsw4ecmpww.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04742-1_zpsowrpaane.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04741-1_zpsybkmdyti.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/C%20Rod%20Acrylic%20Model%204CS/DSC04744-1_zps5caksjwo.jpgThanks for viewing and support Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

The Eboya arrived today! Here's some quick pictures; I'll do a full review after a few weeks of use. Eboya Kyouka with some popular pens http://i.imgur.com/4snnu6i.jpg Eboya medium-size nib and Lamy Safari nib http://i.imgur.com/xbMFKnB.jpg Eboya logo machine engraved into the barrel http://i.imgur.com/cdxEGwJ.jpg Eboya ebonite feed, which I assume is made in-house. It looks really cool! http://i.imgur.com/GbeW1qE.jpg Eboya nib/section and ink-stop mechanism. http://i.imgur.com/St1cu50.jpg I've filled it up with Sailor Miruai. It takes over 3ml of ink. Nibs.com lists 4ml as being the capacity, which is probably right. I didn't fill it all the way. I ordered it with a medium nib, and asked Mottishaw to tune it for generous ink flow. It's very smooth! Really light pen, too, and comfortable in the hand. For those looking for a Japanese eyedropper that isn't the size of a Mikado/Genkai or Namiki Emperor, I think Eboya is a great option.

The review is about my second oversized pen ASA Viraat that i bought along with the Gama Supreme which i will be reviewing later. The detailed review is posted on my wordpress blog here : ASA Viraat This happens to be custom job that he did for me and supposedly upcoming model in growing list of ASA Pens. My other review of ASA pens are as follows: ASA Spear ASA Galactic ASA I-Can ASA Porus ASA Patriot DESIGN & BUILT: 4.5 / 5 This pen comes in two ebonite colors like black, light brown rippled, dark brown rippled. The pen in review is light brown rippled often called as White Tiger Ebonite. ASA Viraat – Top View ASA Viraat – Uncapped Built wise its a amazing, thick and the quality of the ebonite used is top notch. No qualms about it. Also there are two option of finishes available for this pen, Polished and Matte. Matte being new finish on the colored ebonite from ASA Pens. I am using the Polished version which can be seen in the image below. ASA Viraat – Polished version. Look at the shine The thickness of material is amazing. Its built like tank. Throw it here and there and forget. No damage will happen to this tank like built pen. The pen is fat and average thickness of pen is 15 mm, with maximum thickness at 16 mm around center of barrel and then barrel tapers down to bottom to 14 mm. ASA Viraat – Capped Pen View Compared to Gama Supreme it is smaller by 4 mm in length. The pen is around 160 mm in length which is quite big. The cap is @17mm dia at bottom and @16mm at cap finial. The clip is quite stiff and sturdy. Also there is a band at the edge of bottom of cap called lip band. All the trims are in silver chrome finish. I personally don't like the lip band but that doesn’t discount from the fact that it is well executed pen. Some people may like this some may not. ASA Viraat – Cap with silver trims ASA Viraat – Inner Cap View The grip section length is small though. The pen is flat top and bottom design with certain amount of tapering towards at either ends.Overall its a simple design for a pen but in big proportions. Quality is top notch. ASA Viraat – Flat Top and Bottom ASA Viraat – View of Grip Section and Cap Bottom Below are the few images showing its comparison with other pens. ASA Viraat vs Gama Popular vs Oliver F27 vs Parker Frontier ASA Viraat vs Gama Popular vs Oliver F27 vs Parker Frontier – Side View ASA Viraat vs Gama Popular – Barrel Thickness Few vitals are that the cap opens in 4 turns and the grip section is 13 mm thick. BALANCE: 4.5/5 The pen of these size are generally heavy but being ebonite its light weight. But because of its size there is just a little amount of welcome heft which make you feel that you are actually holding a big pen. The cap posts securely at back but i don’t think that is required. As mentioned earlier the grip section is small though and might be hassle for some. who hold the pen a bit higher. ASA Viraat – Writing without cap posted ASA Viraat – Writing with cap posted As you can see the pen is quite big, thus no requirement of posting the cap at back. Also you can see the grip section being small in length and my grip touching the threads which actually are not sharp and provide slip resistance. Actually this thick section takes some time getting used to. NIB AND INK FILLING MECHANISM: 05/05 Now the pen is fitted with Broad Bock nib. Oh man l love this nib. Lovely. Lays down perfect wet line that broad nib is supposed to do. ASA Viraat – Nib Unit Top View ASA Viraat – Nib Unit Side View ASA Viraat – Nib Unit Bottom View ASA Viraat – Nib Unit Angled View Pen is an eyedropper filler. And hold approx 5 ml of the ink. Feed is made of ebonite. And following nib options are available. Bock Fine Nib Bock Medium Nib Bock Broad Nib Ambitious 35 mm Medium Nib Ambitious 40 mm Medium-Broad Nib ASA Viraat – Pen taken apart ASA Viraat – Ebonite Feed Below is the handwritten review showing the writing sample and ink drying tests. Conclusion: This pen is for the serious buyers who actually are on lookout for oversized beauties. And this is one of them.

In a previous thread, the group showed a lot of evidence that my Wirt half overlay might be an Aiken Lambert with a Wirt nib and feed. https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/294666-early-paul-e-wirt-eyedropper-filler/ I just found a Wirt MHR taper cap eyedropper with Wirt two line imprint on the barrel (too hard for me to get a good pic of the imprint). It has an incorrect nib and feed. So, assuming they are a good fit, might I be better off putting he Wirt nib and feed in the barrel with the Wirt imprint, and leaving the possible Aiken Lambert to be a somewhat no name taper cap half overlay pen?

First of all, I must thank Pradeep for getting me these pens from Rajahmundry. I actually got lot of pens from Ratnam, Ratnamson, and Guider who all are stationed at Rajahmundry in Andhra Pradesh state of India. So this, as in Ratnamson 302, is the first in line to be reviewed and this pen is one of the fast selling models of Ratnamson. Ratnamson 302 – Capped Ratnamson is a brand name of Ratnam Ball pen works. There is other brand by the name of Ratnam which is owned by Ratnam Pen Works. As far as I know Ratnam Pen works is an original parent company which got split into two and thus Ratnamson came into existence. And both the companies produce some good quality pens. which i will be reviewing it here one by one. Ratnamson 302 – Rose Pink Rippled and Blue Rippled Model DESIGN & BUILT : 3.5/05 Like I said earlier this pen is one of the fast selling model of Ratnamson’s and it is a very well designed and executed pen. Made of Ebonite this pen come in various regular ebonite colors like Rose Pink Ripple, Blue Ripple (Both shown in pic above), Black, Brown Ripple, Green Ripple and Dark Brown Ripple. Also mottled pattern is available but i believe that is on request. Ratnamson 302 – Beauty Shot The pen is cigar shaped design which tapers slightly just a bit towards the end to circular rounded bottom. The cap finial is also rounded similar to the barrel end. Ratnamson 302 – Capped The grip section is made of black color ebonite and their is a slight tapering towards the top of section from middle of barrel. The length of grip section is not that long. Actually it is short. But thats not a problem. Circular thread patterns do provide for grip and threads are not at all sharp. Ratnamson 302 – Uncapped View The picture below shows the rounded bottom and top of the pen. Ratnamson 302 – Rounded top and bottom The cap clip though is quite sturdy but I can see there is bit of uniformity in insertion of clip inside the cap, which is because of the reason these are all hand made. Ratnamson 302 – Cap Ratnamson 302 – Cap Top View You can see from the image above the difference of clip insert inside the cap. Nevertheless these are minor things and can be resolved easily. The cap has slim center band which seems to be a okay kind of job because i have seen many manufacturers not able to take care of bands properly. I love the pens with centre band. Though I am not happy with the centre band on the cap but the pen shape and finish is far above what i expected. Ratnamson 302 – Cap Side View Ratnamson 302 – Cap Clip View Ratnamson 302 – Cap Centerband Closeup Ratnamson 302 – Cap Internal View Like most of the Indian pens this also comes with breather hole which helps in tackling the vacuum created while opening the pen and thus preventing ink leakage. Below are the few images showing the pen comparison. Gama Kuyil vs Ratnamson 302 vs Pilot 78G vs Jinhao 886 – Capped Gama Kuyil vs Ratnamson 302 vs Pilot 78G vs Jinhao 886 – Uncapped and Posted Gama Kuyil vs Ratnamson 302 vs Pilot 78G vs Jinhao 886 – Side View The pen built quality barring just two areas with regards to centre band and clip insertion inside cap, is amazing. The material used is amazing. Handmade and overall well executed classic designed pen. Lastly one thing i wanted to mention is that cap threads are not that smooth as it should be and offer certain resistance while opening. BALANCE : 05/05 One good thing with the ebonite pens is that they are extremely well balanced weather cap is posted or not. The length of the pen is 145 mm when capped and 125 mm when uncapped including the nib. And when cap is posted it is approx 165 mm long. The cap is thickest near centre band at 14mm dia and the average barrel thickness is 13 mm and grip section thickness is 9 to 10 mm. Ratnamson 302 - Writing Unposted Ratnamson 302 - Writing Posted The pen is very well balanced with cap posted or not posted, though it becomes very long id the cap is posted. I personally prefer writing without posting cap. NIB & INK FILLING MECHANISM: 2.5/05 Well this is one area where i was not that much happy. It gives you resistance on good quality paper (which in a way is good for handwriting) but writes scratchy on not so good quality paper and picks up paper fiber even. The nib is gold color monotone iridium tipped nib and it writes fine. I actually will end up changing the nib. But lately I have realised if you keep using this nib it will grow on you. Ratnamson 302 - Nib Unit Top View Ratnamson 302 - Nib Unit Side View Ratnamson 302 - Nib Unit Bottom View Ratnamson 302 - Nib Unit Angled View The feed is made of ebonite and the pen writes actually bit wet. I had to do certain smoothing on the nib. And still I am not happy. Ratnamson 302 - Ebonite Feed The ink filling mechanism is through eyedropper and it holds good amount of ink. Good thing about the pen is that it never burped on me while writing for a complete week. Ratnamson 302 - Ink Filling Through Eyedropper Below is the Link of my handwritten review which shows sample and ink dry test for your reference.Also are certain images. LINK CONCLUSION: I will buy this pen for its design and change its nib. This pen is not that expensive and retails around for 12 to 15 USD. And thats why i will buy this pen for its classic design and long history behind brand name. Ratnamson 302 - Saying Goodbye

I got recently an early BHR Aikin-Lambert taper cap eyedropper filler (from the late 1900s) with a gold filled Chased pattern repoussé Half overlay. The fountain pen came in excellent condition, with two elegant initials engraved on the barrel indicia. For the pictures bellow, I used a vintage post envelope illustrated with the drawing of the building from Manhattan where the famous jewellers had their shop in the era.[1] The fountain pen is 141 mm (5 9/16 in) long when capped and 173 mm (6 13/16 in) when posted. It is a slender ED, with a diameter of only 8 mm, and it weighs no more than 8 gr. For sure, it is a delicate pen. The cap is 60 mm long and has four vent holes (two pairs of two antipodal holes). The overlay, like my other Aikin Lambert ED’s, is not marked. There were some jewelers in New York who produced such gold filled Chased pattern repoussé overlay, common in the era.[2] A taper cap ED with an identical pattern and indicia appears also in Baird-North Co. 1909 catalogue[3], a jewelry house moved from Massachusetts to Providence[4], Rhode Island, that produced spare parts for Waterman, Wirt, Conklin and many other pen makers. I would be glad if someone more familiar than me with the history of the fountain pens could offer details about the manufacturer of the overlay. The ED has “an uncommon but characteristically”[5] Aikin-Lambert & Co extra fine #1 nib with a round hole not connected to the slit, medium flex. The feed is a narrow keel-shaped one. Included below is a writing sample (not very calligraphic ) on Rhodia paper (80 g/m2) using Diamine Twilight: For a comparison, the following photo presents three different Aikin Lambert ED’s. From left to right: (1) straight cap ED with silver overlay (c.1895); (2) straight cap ED with gold filled overlay (c.1902); (3) taper cap ED with gold filled overlay (c.1910). All three seem to me being real works of art. [1] http://kamakurapen.com/Manhattan/ManhattanList.html/. [2] I.e. see “George W. Heath & Co.” on David Nishimura’s blog. [3] Available as an extract on the site of Pen Collectors of America here. The pen appears under the number 6723. The document was archived including the names of Wirt and A-L in the title, although I did not succeed in finding which overlays were made for Aikin-Lambert. A similar pattern was produced by Baird-North Co. for Wirt (number 6641) with a slightly different indicia. [4] About Baird-North Co., see Johnny Appleseed, “The Pens of the Baird-North Company” on www.fountainpennetwork.com. The author posted all the catalogues of the company from 1898 to 1933. [5] David Nishimura, www.vintagepens.com, August 1st, 2015.

Hi there! I received a pen today and I need your help identifying it. The nib says GENTLEMAN NO 1 18 CT MADE IN USA the barrel has only THE "GENTLEMAN" FOUNTAIN PEN as the inscription. It is an eyedropper and not a safety pen. Thank you so much.