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  1. Hello there fellow fountain pen friends. I'm newer to the fountain pen scene and already quite addicted. I recently became very intrigued with handmade journals after seeing some of the ones people from these forums have made. So after binge watching journal and bookbinding videos I went on a quest to buy supplies (which was harder than I thought it would be as most the local craft places didn't have what I was looking for) and so far I have been able to collect the basics I need to make my first journal other than the chipboard. (Technically the waxed thread I have is too thick and I think it's really for leather but I'll make do) I wasn't able to afford any chipboard yet though so I was wondering what Ideas or things people have had success with that I can use in place of chipboard for the cover? So far I've heard of using cereal boxes which is what I think I might try first. Also when I go to buy chipboard which thickness is good to go with? I was thinking of buying some off of eBay when I can afford some since I figure that might be the cheapest place? I would like something pretty sturdy. Also if you don't mind is there a specific thread I should buy so I can make my own waxed thread? Buying already waxed thread seems a little expensive. But I'm not sure what thread to buy to make my own, there are so many different types of thread lol. I really appreciate any info. I'm usually handy with my hands but my experience is limited to automotive work, engines, and carpentry, I've never really done much on the crafty side of things.
  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. 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.
  4. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-kArqVhs6dsE/VaMcEMD5S8I/AAAAAAAACWc/YZ6ODk7tkpM/s1600/IMG_9263_R.jpg Greetings, FPN fellows!Today I wanted to share with you two books that I made for Esther, a member of this community.They were one of the last custom orders that I made from the first 2000 sheets that I bought of Tomoe River (and I wanted to thank the community, since it was a pretty big success and I run out of paper really quickly - but I will order some again on November ). Esther asked me to make two journals for her. They were both a present from her boyfriend for her birthday. The first one was a springback journal, a sturdy and durable binding. It was approximately 21 x 15 cm (A5 or half letter size) and it had 200 pages (400 counting both sides; normally would be 400 pages or 800 counting both sides, but I didn't have enough paper left) of that white Tomoe River paper that all of us love. I used a gorgeous purple leather. I really love the shades that the color acquires once I work on it. It goes from deep, royal purple to a subtle, pale violet. It has some sort of soul and character. That's one of the things that I love from working with leather. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-E5SM-gHUkEw/VaMcSXC7BfI/AAAAAAAACXQ/bE2GRmJL5kg/s1600/IMG_9269_R.jpg She chose paste paper that I handmade for her endpapers. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-4_GIxf7C0lc/VaMcSBZHmMI/AAAAAAAACXM/UA6DUeVOhpw/s1600/IMG_9267_R.jpg The headbands were also sewn by me. I tried to make the best combination possible to match the rest of the journal, so all makes a whole. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-y0p5jph1zjU/VaMcSKUFluI/AAAAAAAACXE/zikcNeeQY3U/s1600/IMG_9271_R.jpg She wanted to have her name "Esther Steele" blind tooled on the cover of the book. As you can see, the stamp goes deep, and adds texture to the cover. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QiHg_yU98jo/VaMcNNxsipI/AAAAAAAACWo/XQb51zt9g3Q/s1600/IMG_9265_R.jpg Finally, she asked me to make a box for it. I used purple cloth for the outsides and white velvet for the inside. In this way, the journal will feel more like a present, but also will be protected so it can last a lifetime. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-fDtihXAI5V8/VaMcN9aI-QI/AAAAAAAACW0/ajH1Me3l95w/s1600/IMG_9259_R.jpg http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-eh8FcXj-JgI/VaMcN95CPJI/AAAAAAAACW4/q_W0nqJY4WM/s1600/IMG_9262_R.jpg For the second journal, she chose a Ethiopian style. It also was approximately 21 x 15 cm and had 200 pages (400 counting both sides) of cream Tomoe River paper. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/--xvg7FXW5tI/VaMe-8GMuKI/AAAAAAAACX0/Vj3Om6tN-TI/s1600/IMG_9252_R.jpg She wanted a combination of brown leather with Bomoart paper, and hold together by a brown elastic band. The Bomoart paper that she chose is one of my favorites. It has some vintage, nostalgic feel to it. I think it goes wonderful with the brown orangish leather. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-6YvDiHTlNww/VaMfAVvWXiI/AAAAAAAACYE/eoD5HgZ8U_8/s1600/IMG_9255_R.jpg Here you can see the nerves on the spine of the journal. It feels great to stroke the leather and feel the bumps. http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-MXyGhRm23cg/VaMforiOy6I/AAAAAAAACYI/IvttgX_DSt0/s1600/IMG_9257_R.jpg Since the cover was already quite full, I advised her to go for a simple endpaper. This is a Canson cardboard. http://2.bp.blogspot.com/-QqTSDBXITOY/VaMfAWbQvkI/AAAAAAAACYA/zOA-szT_h9A/s1600/IMG_9253_R.jpg She also wanted a box to keep her journal safe. This one was made with beige cloth, brown velvet for the inside and some of the same Bomoart paper for the top. Again, the combination gives a sense of unity to the box and the journal. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-sabf22faSmw/VaMe726wVdI/AAAAAAAACXo/pTbiJbgyWwo/s1600/IMG_9248_R.jpg http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ePmA8PtwuME/VaMe8cIX8cI/AAAAAAAACXs/1h5ZOyBwCHc/s1600/IMG_9250_R.jpg http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-U75UFjKB9vQ/VaMe6BpYBaI/AAAAAAAACXc/unWoXH4mgFM/s1600/IMG_9247_R.jpg Well, that was a long post, but I hope you enjoyed it. If you have any comments or questions, I will be happy to answer them. Thank you for reading. Have a nice week!! Anna
  5. I'll do a full review after I've had more time to use it but I wanted to share some of Shawn Newton's most recent work. Some of the pictures were taken by me, others by Shawn. Shawn's photos are being used with his permission. http://i.imgur.com/iwZMEoY.jpg A while back I had the idea of having Shawn make me a pen like the Hemingway except with solid 14k trim. Shawn was totally up for it and when he and his jeweler started making nibs, he asked if I wanted one. It was a risk - I was the first customer to buy one of these nibs so I had no idea how it would write. I trusted that Shawn would make sure I got nice writing pen. I wasn't disappointed. http://i.imgur.com/YkkJSi3.jpg All the metal (the nib, and all the trim) are all solid 14k gold. Writing sample http://i.imgur.com/kFL1jCV.jpg This is the coolest part: It writes just like a vintage flex nib. It even has the responsiveness of vintage flex and the tines close quickly after letting up on the pressure. Shawn Newton has an amazing thing to offer with these handmade nibs. The ink used in the writing sample is Iroshizuku Ku-jaku. I have a Romillo Essential #9 with a semi-flexible Fine nib coming in a few weeks - I'm really excited to get to compare the two handmade nibs to one another. http://i.imgur.com/rKQgZKV.jpg Here's a good look at the feed, which Shawn cut by hand out of ebonite. http://i.imgur.com/jYuCmf8.jpg Handmade Newton nib compared to a Bock nib on an Eboya Kyouka, medium-size. Comparison with other pens http://i.imgur.com/RZuiRej.jpg From top: Romillo Eo #9, Edison Pearl with Karanuri urushi, Shawn Newton custom, Eboya Kyouka - medium-size. http://i.imgur.com/tDIDOfq.jpg It's a true piston-filler. Shawn makes the piston-filling mechanisms in-house. Here you can see the blind cap unscrewed.
  6. http://i.imgur.com/XsHnfDL.jpg I got a new pen today! A Romillo Essential #9. It's made of solid blue ebonite, in a really deep shade of blue. The gold roll stop is a customization I asked for. This is my second Romillo and I'm still blown away by all the documents and the whole package. Alvaro did an amazing job on the pen. The roll stopper and disc are set perfectly, the threads are perfectly cut, the nib is massive and gorgeous. I like to support the artisans that the fountain pen community has and we are very lucky to have a lot fantastic ones. Alvaro offers a great product, with great customer service, and craftsmanship that borders on artistry with his nibs. I've only written with the pen a little bit so I can't do a full review yet, but here are some initial impressions. http://i.imgur.com/03xNMJe.jpg Paperwork that came with the pen, along with a writing sample of the nib by Alvaro Romillo. http://i.imgur.com/J6WwXWf.jpg Alvaro's writing sample http://i.imgur.com/goew0bt.jpg Included was a gold and black 5-pen wrap, a bottle of Romillo Sepia ink, and a wooden box with a sliding panel opening. Inside the wooden box was the eyedropper, which is outside of the box in the photo, and a felt pen wrap with the pen inside. http://i.imgur.com/cpR5QZu.jpg Romillo Sepia ink. Romillo ink comes in Black, Blue, and Sepia I believe. It's not available commercially but is included with pen orders. http://i.imgur.com/B3OG5mQ.jpg Instructions for the Essential #9 eyedropper http://i.imgur.com/RwelHX6.jpg Comparison with some other pens that happened to be close by. From top: Nakaya Piccolo, Edison Pearl, Eboya Kyouka (medium-size), Romillo Essential #9, Lamy Safari, and Pilot Vanishing Point. Essential #9 and Eo #9 http://i.imgur.com/v0EzLj6.jpg My first Romillo, an Eo #9 in terracotta ebonite, is a bit heavier and thicker than the Eo #9. The roll stop placement is different too. Very similar in length though. Cabochon in the barrel end. http://i.imgur.com/2rhCX6g.jpg Along with the gold roll stop, I also asked for a solid gold cabochon to be added to the pen. It's a disc made of 18k gold engraved with the Romillo logo. It's a really lovely touch, I think. http://i.imgur.com/j2PbsQH.jpg Romillo #9 nib compared to an Edison/JoWo #6 nib. http://i.imgur.com/4TPp3Xy.jpg I tried to get a close up of the nib engraving. This is the best I could do (sorry!) It has to be one of the most elegant nib engravings there is. The fact that it's done by hand is just incredible. I've inked up the pen with Romillo Sepia ink and it's been lovely. Smooth, with some pleasant feedback, and perfect ink flow.
  7. This is my first pen review so forgive any mistakes on my part. This pen was bought as part of the group buy in fpn for model 5. When i decided to buy this pen I wanted a big fountain pen.But what came to my hands was an absolute giant. The dimensions given were right but I expected something as big as say a gama Brahmaputra what I got dwarfs it by miles. APPEARANCE AND CONSTRUCTION(9/10) This pen is made out of matt black Ebonite.Despite having an understated appearancee it has an imposing presence. The cap is flush with the barrel so no seam lines and no clip as nothing will fit this! The Ebonite is nice to touch and has a distinct fell unlike acrylic. The material does has some pits outside but overall finish is very good. BALANCE AND FILING SYSTEM(9/10) The pen is light enough for its size but still has a certain heft. It has a wonderful balance. Even relatively smaller hands can handle its weight with ease. The only little problem can be the thickness of the grip section which should be thinner for smaller hands. The pen is not recommended to be posted for obvious reasons (SIZE). The filling system is eyedropper. Simple and holds about 4-5ml of ink which is a lot. Due to the thick material used the balance is not disturbed when full.(weight of ink won't significantly change overall weight) NIB AND PERFORMANCE (5/10(Earlier)) (8/10(presently)) The nib is ambitious 35mm nib it wrote well out the box and no problems of skipping etc then why the low score? It would dry after a page or so then after some agitation start writing again then the same after few more pages. I tried everything on my side. Following advice from Mr Hari317 I did some adjusting after which it wrote again but only upto 5 pages then dried out again. Dejected with the experience I asked Mr Kandan what to do. He suggested to do a cc conversion. He responded very promptly but as a last resort I tried one thing. I took a Swiss knife and opened the small section hole in the back of the section. Then following Mr watch-art's advice I washed it with a cleaning solution. The pen wrote well but.....it was dripping ink like crazy. The I realised the feed was not set deep enough into the section after setting it deeper and heat setting the feed I inked it up and VOILA the problem is gone!! My pen now writes a wonderful fine wet line with ample smoothness and hasn't burped yet. The flow is also very good. CONCLUSION (9/10) This is a well built pen. Despite its muted appearance it is a conversation starter and has a imposing place on my desk. Even if the initial experience was a bit sour now it is every bit worth the money. I recommend it to everyone but if you want a completely hassle free experience go for the 3 in 1 filler version as it can offer more flexibility of use. As of me I am very much happy with this muted giant.
  8. Dear FPN'ers, We are introducing our RANGA MODEL 5 (VARUNA GAJENDRA) with German JOWO/SCHMIDT Screw in Nib and Converter in Premium Ebonite in 10 Beautiful colours.We also introduce these Models in Eyedropper Models too.These can be used as (3 IN 1 FILLING MECHANISM). It is 18.75MM DIA thickness with seamless Cap and Body.The length of the capped pen is 7 Inches. The Pens are really huge and Giant in Size and Performance.It is Clipless beautiful Cigar shaped Pen. THE COLOURS ARE VERY UNIQUE AND RARE. These would be treat to Fountain pen lovers and Collectors. It is also a visual stunner.The available colours are 1.SOLID BLUE 2. YELLOW/BLACK, 3. BLUE/PINK, 4. SOLID GREEN,5. WHITE/BLUE, 6.RED OR PINK/ BLACK, 7. GREEN/ YELLOW 8. SOLID PINK,9. BLUE /GREEN /ORANGE, 10. SOLID ORANGE, All the pens are avaialble in Mirror finish or Bakul finish. All the Ranga Pens are completely handmade. We don't even use Lathes to make pens.This is in practice only in Japan now. NIB Options:------------------Jowo Nibs:---------------Gold Colour - Fine , Medium , Broad PointsTwo tone Colour - Extra Fine, Fine , Medium , Broad, Calligraphy PointsWhite Colour -Fine , Medium , Broad Points Schmidt Nibs:-----------------Gold Colour -Fine , Medium , Broad PointsWhite colour- -Fine , Medium , Broad Points Converter: ----------------Schmidt K5 Converter Price- 108$ 2. EYEDROPPER MODELS: We are introducing MODEL 5 (VARUNA GAJENDRA) in Eyedropper Models also.These pens comes with 35mm Ambitious Gold coloured Fine Mdeium nib.The nibs can be upgraded to 35mm White Bock in Medium /Broad nib with 9$ extra.PRICE : 70$ Thanks all for your continuous support. 1. RANGA MODEL 5 (VARUNA GAJENDRA)- Premium ebonite with German JOWO/SCHMIDT Screw in Nib and Converter Pen pictures. http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04753-1_zpsmxs9svz4.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04804-1_zps34n2beyd.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04801-1_zpsf5on8507.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04805-1_zps65yaek67.jpg http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04755-1_zpslkp14ruy.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04785-1_zpss8bn7xja.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04786-1_zpsf7werarc.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04787-1_zpsddgsymfo.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04788-1_zpsrivietab.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04789-1_zpswenqrxun.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04791-1_zpsxdxg1iw5.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04792-1_zpsflot2weo.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04794-1_zps3odcikqr.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04795-1_zpszah73erv.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04799-1_zpsw6yvwy39.jpg2. RANGA MODEL 5 (VARUNA GAJENDRA)- PREMIUM EBONITE - EYEDROPPER MODELhttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04760-1_zpst52jz0mt.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04783-1_zpszae6e6fm.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Ebonite%20Gajendra/DSC04758-1_zpspbtamxf9.jpg Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company
  9. 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
  10. 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
  11. Dear All This is new group buy for the new model of ASApens named "Popsicles". Completely handmade. Popsicles is homage to classic design of Sailor King of Pens. Fitted with Schmidt #6 Nib in Chrome color. (Fine, Medium and Broad Available). Comes with Schmidt K5 Converter. This is made of premium thick acrylic and comes in following colors: Shiny Ivory Floral Rose Tangy Orange Pure White Pastel Green Sky Blue Coral Red You can pre order this pen here POPSICLES We are running a special Group Buy Offer for FPN members. The price mentioned here is the special group price of Rs.2000/- for Indian Customers and 49USD for international customers. Limited Period Offer. Normal Price is 65 USD for international shipments and 2500 for indian customers Offer expires on 31st August.
  12. There is a wise catch-phrase coined by the seminal 90s British sitcom Spaced. "Skip to the end." And so I will: This is the single best pen I have ever owned, ever held, ever used. It is so good that it has made me believe - maybe just a little bit - in the old, oft-told myth of The One Pen. There. Good. I uttered the sacrilegious words. Now that they are free and I am free too we can backtrack a bit (as I take a deep breath) and I can attempt to explain how this little cylinder of rosewood, ebonite and gold caused the furnaces of hell to freeze to ice. As some of you will remember, this is not my first Hakase. The first - a rather fetching buffalo horn torpedo - confused initially, before wrapping its tentacles firmly around my heart. This pen too came as something of a shock (no, slow down - I am getting ahead of myself), but even then there were no, even fleeting, feelings of disappointment. I had long wanted a wooden pen and after being gently guided through the options by Hakase's Mr. Ryo Yamamoto, I slowly narrowed my choices to the shape (flat-top), size (large) and wood (rosewood). I paid my deposit and began my wait. The photographs I recieved from Mr. Yamamoto in answer to my questions - 1. l-r: buffalo horn torpedo, RW15C, RW10C; 2. l-r: ebony, rosewood, cocobolo http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8245/8453562872_0895dd1ae4_c.jpg http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8374/8454014328_d5e5fd7e28_c.jpg The pen arrived with little fanfare as all Hakases do: a small wooden box wrapped in the company's steel-grey wrapping paper. Open the paper, pull the lid off the perfectly-fitting box and there was the pen. It was, and is, absolutely gorgeous. http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5332/9291677875_14717ca64c_c.jpg http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3742/9294461724_e30aaa18ab_c.jpg http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5451/9291690423_71cb73d81f_c.jpg The shape is highly unusual but deceptively simple - a large cap worked to a slightly conical summit allied to a voluptuous barrel that narrows to an abrupt end (where the signature Hakase production date is carved into the wood). This allows the cap to post comfortably and securely. The pen, though large, is light and comfortable, and is is perfectly balance whether the cap is posted or not. Only the gold roll-stopper breaks the clean, unadorned lines. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3669/9294417512_51ffeb0247_c.jpg Although the pen is exactly what I expected, some details still manage to surprised. Google translate being what it is, I intended to ask Mr. Yamamoto how one could possibly fill, empty, clean and care for a pen constructed entirely from wood but could not reduce the question to sufficiently simple syntax. Not that it would have been necessary, for the apparently wooden section turned out to be the most glorious, warm, sensual ebonite, polished to a lustre that would make even the old vintage gods of yore weep. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7322/9294426386_d224a96b57_c.jpg The wood itself as I wished: it smells deep and sweet and organic and is pockmarked with veins and crevices and seams. It feels as I expected the buffalo horn to feel: rough and intimate; perfectly flawed as only a once-living, experiencing thing can be. It has been masterfully worked, from the hand-carved threads that screw on and off with the faint rubbing sound of rope being fed through an old loom, to the nearly imperceptible join where the cap's hollow section and rounded top meet. http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2831/9291638983_01167814e7_c.jpg The furniture is as to be expected of Hakase: solid, hand-beaten 14k gold. I understand from Mr. Yamamoto that white gold and sterling silver are now options but I cannot think of a single Hakase model that would benefit from a more monochromatic palette. As my buffalo pen had a circular nipple roll-stopper, I chose a pyramid for variety, and I am glad I did for it seems to catch the light and gleam in a more three-dimensional, more dramatic, way. Hugged lovingly within its trough, the band is neither loose nor tight and I find myself absentmindedly rotating it around the barrel as one would a wedding-ring on a fleshy finger: smooth as olive oil and hypnotically satisfying. Reassuring even. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3686/9291648137_16a2a0c5f8_c.jpg Nib, converter, feed: all Pilot. Off-the-shelf, yes, but of the highest quality nonetheless and perfectly integrated. For this pen I requested a fine nib and once again Hakase delivered. It is without a shadow of a doubt the single best nib for me and my illegibly cramped style of writing that I have ever used. Even by Japanese standards its line is fine, but it is so consistent and predictable, so smooth and forgiving of angle and pressure, that I have not been able to put it down. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7351/9291640201_2457222466_c.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7309/9291637557_c24549a04a_c.jpg http://farm3.staticflickr.com/2840/9299899748_67982fbe0e_c.jpg I have an obsessive methodology that governs my writing. Ever since I began work on the second first draft of Unpublished Novel #1 ™ I have changed both pen and ink every day. This was not only an excuse to amass and horde, it had at its root a practical purpose. Not all writing days are created equal, and altering the visible signature simplifies the thankless transcribing process months later. General rule: if a colour (day) begins eloquently, it will most likely remain eloquent. If not, skip ahead to the next colour (day) and fill in the blanks later. This simple regimen has remained unbroken for nearly five years, through two and a half novels and countless edits and rewrites. Until now. Since I received this pen, held it in my hands and first filled it with Iroshizuku Shin Kai, I have used no other. This is not out of necessity - I am not currently travelling (even then I carry between three and seven pens) and I have over a hundred pens and probably a good deal more inks easily to hand. No. I have, quite simply, not wished to use another pen. Size comparison - MB149, RW15C, Buffalo Horn Torpedo http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7382/9294428972_69eaea5cae_c.jpg To add insult to injury, the price is also shockingly resonable. No, you're right - calling a pen that retails for ¥162,000 (~$1,600) good value is a sure sign of insanity, but stay with me. First, because of the lack of embellishments (read: gold), this pen is several magnitudes cheaper than most of Hakase's creations. Then, when we remove immediate family from the contest and look at alternatives based upon price, all are big brand variations on a mass produced theme. And so the question becomes: would you rather pay for a fancy finish (raden on an M1000 for instance), elaborate gratuitous embellishments (MB POA 4810s, themselves 30%+ more expensive), or a unique, handmade product of singular skill and obsession where your fingers can sense the love and attention in every touch? Before we reach the foregone conclusion, allow me a brief addendum, for I bought a Hakase case with my pen and must include at least a mention in this review. Outsourced to these people, it is constructed of the most beautiful fragrant leather and is crafted as immaculately (and with the same methods, last and all) as hand-made shoes. Although I ordered it as a separate entity, it has been custom-made (without me asking) to fit this pen and this pen only. There is no strip for a clip (visible on the website here), and a little hole has been cut at exactly the height of the roll-stopper. It holds my pen, and my pen only, perfectly and it is impossible to appropriately describe how lovely it feels to have the pyramid slide into place and to see it poking out through its rabbit-hole into the light. http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3767/9294445330_4ee178e111_c.jpg http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5460/9291636735_d11edc8c2c_c.jpg But forgive my brief digression, for now we've returned full-circle back to where we began. This is the single best pen I have ever owned, held or used. It is so good that it has made me believe, maybe just a little bit, in the old myth of The One Pen. Perhaps now you will understand why.
  13. Well me and the girl friend just finished up for the night on our handmade hardback journal. It utilizes coptic binding so that no matter what page you are writing on it lays flat, which has always bugged me about most journals and books I have purchased in the past. I have had a blast making this and look forward to making many more! *thanks to the tutorial in the DYI section!* So with out further adieu, The book block with 12 signatures and caramel colored flyleafs coming out to 192 pages http://i.imgur.com/RWYsEShh.jpg Here is the cover getting worked on http://i.imgur.com/Ffwjarwh.jpg The front cover http://i.imgur.com/fCTy6LGh.jpg The back cover http://i.imgur.com/fkjtBXFh.jpg Finally, the book open with matching bookmark ribbon http://i.imgur.com/2QmpE15h.jpg Still have to finish the spine up with black leather and black leather corners, then attach the book block to the cover and all done. For one night I think its looking pretty good!
  14. Dear All, We are introducing these Handmade Beautiful THIN and THICK Colour Acrylic Dip Pens in 26 colours. The designs are very unique and very rare to find. No two designs are same. Each pen will be unique. The colour pattern will differ from pen to pen. 1. THIN ACRYLIC DIP PENS (Price: 19$): Length: 6.5 inches Thickness: App 11mm Nib: Fine Feeder: Ebonite Colours Available: 1. Yellow With thin Red Swirl2. Saffron Orange with black3. Yellow with Multi Colour Rings4. Red with Dark Blue5. Blue with Pink Swirl6. Green with Green Swirl7. Sea Blue with Dark blue Swirl8. Red/Yellow/White9. Light Green with green Swirl10. Sea Blue with Red11. Yellow With Green Swirl12. Red with Pink swirl13. Purple with Dark Blue14. Dark Blue with Pink Swirl15. Bright Green with Green Swirl16. Sea Blue with Pink Swirl17. Orange with Black Swirl18. Light Green with Blue Swirl19. White with Black20. Purple with Blue and Green Swirl21. Yellow with Dark Green22. Red with White specs23. Pink/Purple/Dark blue24. Yellow with Chocolate Swirl25. Green/Pink/Black26. Blue/Whitehttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Acrylic%20Thin%20Dip%20Pens/DSC04637-1_zpsbegwp2d2.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Acrylic%20Thin%20Dip%20Pens/DSC04617-1_zpsw5cxuzdw.jpg http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Acrylic%20Thin%20Dip%20Pens/DSC04633-1_zpsmsqdpr8d.jpg2. THICK ACRYLIC DIP PENS (Price: 29$) Length: 6.5 inches Thickness: App 13mm Nib: 2 Toned Medium nib . (Gold coloured fine nib is also available) Feeder: Ebonite Colours Available: ------------------------ 1. Orange /Red/ Dark Green2. White/Black3. Red with black Swirl4. Purple with Dark Blue5. Blue with black Swirl6. Red with Dark Blue7. Bright Green with Dark Green8. Green/Pink/Black9. Orange with Dark blue10. Yellow with Green/red Swirl11. Bright Green with Green Swirl12. Purple/White13. Orange/Dark Green14. Sea Blue/Red15. Pink with Black Swirl16. Black/ Grey17. Light gren with Blue Swirl18. Orange with black Swirl19. Pink/Purple/Dark Blue20. Yellow with Dark Green http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Acrylic%20Thick%20Dip%20Pen/DSC04666-1_zps1r6t4wyk.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Acrylic%20Thick%20Dip%20Pen/DSC04648-1_zpszcnrhhbr.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/CRod%20Acrylic%20Thick%20Dip%20Pen/DSC04654-1_zpsqj5muz18.jpg Payment & Shipping:-------------------------------Payment can be done to our paypal id mpkandan@gmail.comInternational Free shipping through Registered post (2-4 weeks for delivery) Thanks for looking and support. Regards,Kandan.M.PRanga Pen Company
  15. Dear All, We are introducing Our Model 4C and Model 3 (Duofold Model) in 10 Beautiful colours in Premium Ebonite with German Jowo/Schmidt Screw in Nib unit and Schmidt K5 converter. Colours Available: ----------------------- 1. SOLID ORANGE, 2. SOLID GREEN, 3. SOLID PINK,4. SOLID BLUE, 5. BLUE/PINK, 6. WHITE/BLUE,7. BLUE /GREEN /ORANGE, 8.YELLOW/BLACK, 9. RED OR PINK/ BLACK, 10. GREEN/ YELLOW NIB Options: ------------------ Jowo Nibs: --------------- Gold Colour - Fine , Medium , Broad Points Two tone Colour - Extra Fine, Fine , Medium , Broad, Calligraphy Points White Colour -Fine , Medium , Broad Points Schmidt Nibs: ----------------- Gold Colour -Fine , Medium , Broad Points Converter: Schmidt K5 We also introduce these Premium ebonite Model 4C pens in Eyedropper Models . All these Pens are available in Polished or Matt finish. Clipless or Clip version is available(Gold coloured Clip and White Clip) Paypal id: mpkandan@gmail.com Sharing it for FPN'ers. Comments are welcome. 1. Model 4C with German Jowo/ Schmidt Screw in Nibs: (Capped Length app 6 inches, Cap and Barrel dia :16mm) Price- 93$ http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04278-1_zps44xqeopj.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04280-1_zpsbiyyuikg.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04420-1_zpseu7awcmt.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04414-1_zpsfh6kfiky.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04419-1_zpsf6warzra.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04422-1_zpsxy4uwxiy.jpg 2. Model 4C Eyedropper: Price -55$ http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04288-1_zpscb7uprqg.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04287-1_zpskpw2kbjz.jpg 3. Model 3 (Duofold Model) with German Jowo/Schmidt Screw in Nib unit and Schmidt K5 Converter: (Capped Length : app 6 Inches, Cap Dia -16mm, Barrel Dia 14mm)- Price-88$ http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04372-1_zps76muwnbs.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04370-1_zpsjqoipfqw.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04373-1_zpsdkeyevg1.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04431-1_zpslp1zx1lt.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04424-1_zpszqhvv9nz.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04441-1_zpsttkzsa2u.jpg 4. Model 3 (Duofold ) Eyedropper: Price -50$ http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04378-1_zpspt1f9etj.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04379-1_zpsf1j1lmas.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/C%20Rod%20Pens%203C-4C-Duofold/DSC04374-1_zpskwsdylnh.jpg Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company
  16. Dear All, We are introducing Handmade Ranga Ebonite Ruler Dual Bamboo Pens with German Jowo Screw in nib and Schmidt K5 Converter. These are unique pens. This takes of lot of time to craft it. The thickness is 14mm dia. The length is 13 inches. The price is 180$ including worldwide economical shipping. My paypal id is mpkandan@gmail.com The colours available are Brown Ripple, Green Ripple,Olive Ripple ,Parrot Green Ripple,Blue Ripple,Yellow Ripple, Mottled brown, Mottled Olive. Solid Back Pens are available in Polished or Bakul finish. Thanks for looking. http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04151-1_zpsqoyu7rr2.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04153-1_zpstf4zetu4.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04159-1_zpsa32dm8nt.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04165-1_zpsyj6hhn5e.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04161-1_zpsuq7hia1c.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04166-1_zpsrqxcmfg2.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04162-1_zpsyzeaixwx.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04162-1_zpsyzeaixwx.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04158-1_zpspuvuzfwj.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04156-1_zps25ka0rvt.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/Ruler%20Bamboo/DSC04157-1_zpso3kcytyh.jpg Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company
  17. OdinsMusings

    Fountain Pen Jewelry

    Not sure if this is the best place to put this, but I got super excited about this thing I made today: Of course I could have made them without the silly faces, but that's no fun. I will probably have multiple versions of more plain (and less glittery) ink. I may even be able to write on a favorite color on the label. I worked pretty hard on the teeny nib as well: I even put ridges on the feed: (like I said, I got too excited about it and I didn't let it dry before taking pictures, so I have to paint over it again in gold) What do you guys think? I am thinking about making a charm bracelet with using a bunch of colors of droplets, or even some paper, some even resembling some well known brands like rhodia.
  18. I finally succumbed and bought one for myself. A nice email exchange with Mr. Kandan (on behalf of his father), made it easy for me to order the Thin Bamboo pen in Bakul finish from Ranga Pens. Given that I am only beginning to use fountain pens again, he was really helpful in helping me understand the options available and the best option for me. Based on suggestions from members here and his own email I decided to have the standard Wality medium steel nib in the pen. So far, the nib has been smooth and works without any skipping. The pen itself is an eyedropper style pen with a large ink capacity. It is a light pen and I have been using the pen unposted. There seems to be silicon grease or some form of stopping material near the ink-tank and the section of the pen to help avoid ink spills. The nib itself seemed to have been misaligned a little from the feed, some gentle pressure helped sort it out. Call me a sucker, but I love the quaint packaging that it comes in. It has been a long time since I got any mail with a cloth package and wax seals. Here are a few pictures of the pen, http://blog.bharathpalavalli.com/images/100x180xSeals.jpg.pagespeed.ic.ioMH6-R8qx.jpg http://blog.bharathpalavalli.com/images/180x150xboxed.jpg.pagespeed.ic.gshuBGHIhp.jpg http://blog.bharathpalavalli.com/images/200x120xunboxed.jpg.pagespeed.ic.1j5B7bwpOf.jpg http://blog.bharathpalavalli.com/images/200x80xpenhorizontal.jpg.pagespeed.ic.Pd5gDr5pah.jpg http://blog.bharathpalavalli.com/images/100x180xpencontop.jpg.pagespeed.ic.63gb7im9N1.jpg http://blog.bharathpalavalli.com/images/200x125xlengthcomparison.jpg.pagespeed.ic.up9MSgxlNV.jpg http://blog.bharathpalavalli.com/images/150x125xuncapped.jpg.pagespeed.ic.2JaZ2T1-84.jpg http://blog.bharathpalavalli.com/images/150x100xfeeder.jpg.pagespeed.ic.wCt4HC4JY8.jpg http://blog.bharathpalavalli.com/images/200x110xrealigned.jpg.pagespeed.ic.0qBoRAlSq0.jpg Cross-posted on my blog. PS: This is not a review!
  19. Spear is an Ebonite fountain pen by a Chennai(India) based company ASApens. I purchased it from their website.Like my two previous purchases of the same brand I am quite pleased with it. This is a review and not an eulogy, but all things said and done I really liked the pen. What I am going to do here is to review the pen and also compare it with Athlete side by side.Please pardon for the poor photographs. It is a German twin of Athlete, better educated, better trained and better skilled with almost the same height and personality. Hand crafted with Ebonite, the pen, like Athlete is a pleasure to hold with almost perfect balance, practical average sized section and nice length. The cap of both the pens flush in the Barrel and it is difficult to see the line where the cap and the barrel touch. The clip of both the pens is supported by top cap screwing in. The finger stopper is present on section in both pens. In looks they differ in two things. First the ASA engraving on the barrel is far more pronounced in Spear. Truly speaking it is visible but not aesthetically as pleasing as was in case of Athlete.Secondly in spear the pen takes a larger number of turns to come out. Which is something that I don't like. But it is a minor issue with an otherwise wonderful pen. You will pay 25$ for an Athlete and 35$ for the Spear. For this difference of 10$ you will get a qualitatively different nib and feed system. Athlete has simple IPG marked, Iridium tipped monotone steel nib. This nib was apparently made in Taiwan or somewhere near I guess.It has a fairly simple ebonite feed and an eyedropper filling system. A few FPN members had issues with the nib. Though most of them reported that the issues were easily resolved. Personally, I loved the nib and it has been my favorite for the sheer simplicity, efficiency and elegance. But, the Spear offers 10 breather hole German Jowo nib and a Jowo feed and Three in one filling system. The nib looks more like a space gadget with 10 holes than a spear. The nib attracts the attention of bloody everyone around. No one has seen such a thing. It looks sci fi. I don't know why Jowo thought it proper to use 10 holes and not our old favorite one hole but I am glad that they thought something like it. Man, it looks cool!!! Holding a fountain pen sometimes, in this age of Rollers and ballpoints looks antediluvian, having a pen with 10 breather holes always help. I have used this pen with the converter and as an Eyedropper. So the filling system pretty much works. Now, I will discuss the most important part. The writing experience. The Jowo nib is shorter to Athlete #6 nib. So you will have to hold the pen a little higher depending upon the hand stance you use. The nib is sturdy and has been very securely fit. It can not be removed with normal force. I hate using abnormal force. So I have not yet been able to disassemble the pen.The tines, like all Jowos have been so properly placed that the chances of their alignment getting disturbed are pretty low. Athlete has always proved to be a wonderful writer for me though the nib needed a little tweaking every now and then. Spear has its own advantages. It is smoother. Typical Jowo smoothness. The nib is M but with Pilot blue I use, it wrote more of a Lamy F and less thicker than Schmidt M. However what I found was, surprisingly, that the Athlete is a lot wetter than Spear. Thus if you try to draw a very fast straight line you will find no skipping in Athlete but in Spear you may find some skipping. Having said that, I conclude that the nib is superb. I loved writing with the pen given its great balance and superb smoothness. Would you prefer Spear or Athlete, the choice is yours to make. Personally, I liked the spear a lot, I mean for say 1200/-INR I got a lot. I have paid more and have been lesser satisfied. But, for me, its a personal opinion, the pen does not threaten to push the Athlete in oblivion. Perhaps someday I will fit a Bock/ Jowo Friction fit with my Athlete and it will become my dream pen. But till that day comes, Athlete is,for me, as precious as the Spear. Edited to add some better pics.
  20. Hi everyone, this is my first review. I'm doing it because I have purchased a pen that has a history and also has emotional significance for me because of where the material used to make it came from. Name: York Minster 13th Century Firewood Oak handmade fountain pen Price: £49.99 from www.yorkandbeyond.com (no affiliation) who also have an ebay store. The pen is also available from www.yorkminster.org Overall performance: quite smooth (fine nib) Video of my review at: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=03Nf0kFbO48 The pen is made by a Yorkshire craftsman using 800 year old wood from York Minster that was reclaimed after the fire there in 1984. York and the Minster mean something to me and so that is what motivated my purchase. The pen came in a large white cardboard box embossed with the seal of the Archbishop of York. Inside the box was a book (and I mean book) about the Minster and the fire as well as a certificate of authenticity from the Dean of York Minster. The pen came with a standard international cartridge and a standard international converter, a velvet pen-slip and a spare nib (so I have a fine and a medium gold-plate iridium-point german nib for this pen). The pen is capped and posted via a screw mechanism (the capping process was a little stiff). There is a large polished black, pointed finial (stone or metal?) on the cap which also has a large cap ring with a thin piece of the same black material embossed on it (it may be 2 thinner cap rings separated by a thin piece of the black material. The section is gold-plate to match the rest of the trims (which are also available in chrome and gunmetal finishes) and is a lot thinner than the barrel and cap (but not as thin as on my Waterman Hemisphere 10 which I find to be too thin). I have compared the fine and medium nibs supplied with the pen. Both are fairly smooth. The fine nib offers a bit of feedback which I find helpful but felt a bit on the dry side when using Waterman Florida Blue. The medium nib is considerably smoother, wetter and a joy to use. It feels a privilege to be touching history every time I use this pen and it was purchased for its history and to pass on when I'm not here. The fact it is so pleasant to use is an added bonus. Friendly and fast service when buying this pen and which helped make a contribution to the ongoing restoration and upkeep of one of the UK's finest cathedrals (no affiliation). Best wishes James
  21. Below is my attempt at reviewing together the four pens made by the Ranga Handmade company that I own. [i will also put up a copy of this review on my blog fpensnme.blogspot.in]
  22. Dear FPN'ers, We are happy to announce our new line of Ranga Pens which has German JOWO Screw in nib units and German Schmidt K5 converters. This is our High End Model Pens. The nibs available are Fine, Medium and Broad Points (Gold Coloured Medium Point, Gold Coloured Broad Point nibs,Two Tone Fine Point, Two Tone Medium Point, Two Tone Broad Point, White Polished Fine Point, White Polished Broad Point nibs). The JOWO nib and Schmidt K5 converter model is available for all of our Models ( MODEL 3 (DUOFOLD), 4B (BAMBOO MODEL), MODEL 4 ,3C, 4C, 5 ,8,4A,3A,5A,5AA,4AA,4CS, RANGA HANDCARVED SPL PRECIOUS EBONITE RIPPLE DESIGNER FOUNTAIN PENS)and all Ebonite colours (1. Blue Ripple 2. Pink Ripple 3. Red Ripple 4. Yellow Ripple 5. Brown Ripple 6. Green Ripple 7. Olive Ripple 8. Solid Black 9. Parrot (Bright) Green Ripple 10. Light Brown Ripple 11.Olive with Pink Ripple 12. Green-Yellow-Black Ripple 13. Mottled Brown 14. Mottled Green 15. Mottled Olive Brown 16. Solid Orange17. Solid Blue 18 Solid Pink 19. Blue/Pink 20. Blue/Green/Orange 21. Blue/Pink/Pale Yellow) All Pens are available in Polished or Bakul Finish. Clip or Clipless version is available for all Models. Thanks, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company https://www.flickr.com/photos/126373317@N08/sets/72157647294100872/ http://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03249-1_zps3f2f938f.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03244-1_zps7571ad48.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03251-1_zpsb7e43639.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03254-1_zps83915988.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03316-1_zps6bd21d8e.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03313-1_zps9c8a27a3.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03266-1_zpsfc6e4b7d.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03271-1_zps8ce8875b.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03273-1_zps370aa476.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03282-1_zpsa5c73fc3.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03285-1_zps93b0c07a.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03290-1_zpsc97a3bf7.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03304-1_zps09b57036.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03297-1_zps0f82d565.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03305-1_zps6b50f1fa.jpghttp://i1189.photobucket.com/albums/z437/mpkandan/German%20Jowo%20Nib%20Pens/DSC03308-1_zps928c3e5c.jpg Thanks, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company
  23. Most pen brands can boast a rich history that covers more than a hundred years. “Manu Propria” is a remarkable new brand at the gate of a new era. Only one man, Martin Pauli, is responsible for crafting each single pen. His motto is: 'Handmade from scratch.' Pens with a powerful shape, handcrafted in ebonite, with exquisite urushi lacquer work and 18kt gold nibs. You will be the first to discover them in the Sakura Fountain Pen Gallery. Please welcome, admire and collect your own Manu Propria pens !
  24. So, after individually reviewing two of my three Hakases (buffalo horn and rosewood), my Romillo Nervión and my custom Nakaya, I feel it is time to draw together some disparate threads. For many, the prospect of a fully custom pen is both alluring and daunting. With so many options the process seems fraught with danger, and the reassurance of an off-the-peg alternative, liberally reviewed and photographed here on the forum, turns the 'maybe' into an eternal 'maybe next time'. So here I will attempt to remove the mystery from the process, to shine a light on these three well-known if enigmatic makers, and to give a holistic and subjective overview of the process and the final pens. Maybe then I will help push a few of you over the edge into the abyss. Romillo Nervión, custom Nakaya, Hakase Rosewood, Hakase Buffalo Horn Communication: A friendly and knowledgeable contact is crucial, both in easing anxiety and assuring that there are no misunderstandings along the (sometimes long) way. Yet, oddly, it is the experience with the most scope for error that has proven to be the most rewarding, and then by a large margin. Hakase is a tiny company located in Tottori, a middling city in the north of Honshu, Japan's main island. If I say that its locale is known only for its pears and a sand dune, perhaps you will understand how remote Hakase is. Mr. Ryo Yamamoto is the proprietor and, now that his father and patron has retired, also the maker of Hakase's pens. From what I understand, he speaks little-to-no English, and yet... My three experiences with Hakase have been absolutely without flaw. Mr. Yamamoto's infinite patience, his pride in his products, and his devotion to his customers, has shone through in every interaction, no matter how minor. Questions were answered almost instantaneously (via Google Translate but, miraculously, still comprehensible), often including comparative photos of great skill, as well as personal guidance and impressions of the options under consideration. The little questionnaire (filled out once and then kept on file for future reference) asked for certain writing specifics and preferences, as well as a writing sample, and was always mailed back anew upon receipt of an order with an exact to-scale picture of the expected pen. Ryo even allowed my second pen to jump the queue to ensure it arrived in time for my birthday... Aftercare has also been sublime: a new nib was ground for me to match my pen (as each pen is constructed entirely by hand, it was necessary to send it back in its entirety to ensure a clean marriage between section and barrel); turnaround from Israel to Japan and back again was barely three weeks. I have had less contact with Álvaro Romillo at Romillo, but so far the signs have been good. eMails were usually promptly serviced (with a few lapses), and answers have been friendly, open and comprehensive, though they lack the overwhelming thoroughness of Mr. Yamamoto at Hakase. So where does this leave Nakaya? Not very high, unfortunately. I have had several experiences with Nakaya, both personally and through Classic Fountain Pens in California. Whereas Hakase exemplifies that friendlier nature of the Japanese national personality, Nakaya inhabits the realms of the introverted side. Even as a repeat customer, several exploratory communications with the company in Tokyo were politely rebuffed; a request for more details about the urushi craftsmen in Wajima (a town I was to visit as my latest pen was being produced) was ignored. It is no coincidence, therefore, that upon undertaking a custom design, I chose CFP to act as middle-man. Romillo size 9, Nakaya ruthenium plated F, Hakase F, Hakase F Scope for Customisation: I suppose this is the most important issue, for what is the definition of a 'custom' pen? Of the three, only Romillo is entirely made by hand, the other two relying on certain parts sourced from other manufacturers. Needless to say, this limits their creative scope somewhat. On considering a Romillo, I asked Álvaro what existed within the realms of possibility. His answer: the daunting "anything". I am not sure this was meant literally (I doubt I could order a telescoping piston without footing the bill for the necessary R&D upfront), but in dimensions and furniture, it seems that anything goes. He was even open to custom end-buttons, clips and nib engravings too, although strangely not to any material bar ebonite. A celluloid model has just been added to Romillo's website, so perhaps that is about to change... Nib, feed and filling aside, Hakase have been more than willing to alter their signature pens. Mix-and-match details from their plethora of designs, as well as a (new) choice of 14k golds or sterling silver, all to create your pen, then have Mr. Yamamoto tailor the dimensions and details to suit your taste. Materials are limited to those traditionally utilised by Hakase, but the canvas proves vast: celluloid, ebonite, various exotic woods, buffalo horn and even turtle-shell for those more adventurous, and possessed of deep pockets. With Nakaya, alterations are limited to the surface: the garnish rather than the meat. One must first choose a basic design from those already offered by Nakaya (or, as in my case, allow them to suggest one), and then work from there. Even then, there are seemingly arbitrary limitations: a request to include western text on the pen was quietly refused, as was a second nib and section. Pedantic and pointless, especially when undertaking such a project at such an expense. 'Specialness': You can find my thoughts elsewhere, but it goes without saying that one orders a custom pen for something more than brand image. More, even, than objective attributes. A handmade pen should sing in an ineffable manner alien to an object spat out by machine. It should not necessarily be without flaw, but those flaws must be evidence of the divine fallibility of man rather than lax quality control or the inadequacy of design. It is here that the Nakaya absolutely fails. It is a beautiful pen, a fantastic pen even and, imbued with so much personal resonance, I love it dearly. But it is a (relatively) mass-produced product with very beautiful embellishments. I do not pick it up and feel it was made for me, that it embodies some indelible connection between the craftsman and I. I do with the other two. Even the nib: yes, it is a good nib. Great even. But it is the work of John Mottishaw and is comparable to any of the other Nakayas or Platinums that I own, all on off-the-shelf pens and no poorer for it. The Romillo is the complete antithesis. It would not exist were it not for me, and everything about it screams 'anachronism' in the manner of an heirloom film camera or a car with a manual transmission. It is the very definition of what a custom pen should be - not a single part outsourced or produced by robot, and that nib is quite simply a marvel of character and grace. How a cottage manufacturer on Europe's periphery can do what the big boys cannot is beyond me, and for many that nib and that nib alone will pronounce the Nervión the absolute and uncontested winner here. I would not argue with that conclusion... But it is not mine. In my humble eyes, Hakase is the master of the custom pen. Everything, from the communication to the ordering to the blissful agony of the wait is exactly what I want the experience to be. The choice of materials and styles is comprehensive, and the skill exhibited in the manufacture (the threads are cut by hand!) is peerless. Yes, for some Hakases will forever be hobbled by the Pilot nib, feed and filler, yet the proof is in the writing and Ryo Yamamoto has still succeeded in translating my desires into nib form (three times on three separate pens) better than any nibmeister, let alone manufacturer. Yes, other Pilots in my collection may share the 'same' size 15 nib, but none dream to compare upon the page. I am happy to own all three and would consider none a mistake. But were I to only have one, there would be absolutely no doubt: Mr Yamamoto and Hakase would be the one to receive my only order.
  25. Just finished this one up yesterday. Made from Snakewood. Really happy with how it turned out overall. Just wanted to share.





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