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  1. Recently I was going through the youtube there I saw a fountain pen never heard off....the name is Parker Folio Fountain Pen. Any update regarding this pen?
  2. Aditkamath26

    Deccan Advocate (revisited)

    I have talked about the Deccan Advocate before. I’ve also talked about how great of an experience I had buying my first Deccan Advocate. Here’s a much more critical review, having bought 2 more Advocates since my first. The brown one was bought in 2017, olive in 2018, and the teal in 2020. Design and Appearance: The Brown and Olive rippled ebonite Advocates are pretty much the same. Slight variations have crept in, but that’s understandable since they’re hand turned, likely without any calipers. The olive one also has a cap band, which was later scraped in the next editions. But the teal ebonite one has been redesigned. Why, I don’t know. Maybe a new penmaker? Anyway, this one is slightly bigger, and without most of the subtle curves that make up the previous Advocate. They’ve also moved the section flare up by a few millimeters, and that does bother my grip. I consider the previous Advocate one of the best Indian pen designs, but the new one is trash, in my opinion. It’s lost its almost perfect design. YMMV. Quality and Construction: No complaints here, all three pens feel solid. The teal one does feel more substantial because of the larger and girthier size. Quality of the materials used is decent. Indian ebonite feels solid, but it definitely lacks the refinement of Nikko and SEM ebonite. You can see random pits, discolorations and flecks of other colors. Some like this sort of inorganic trait. To me, its okay. You get what you pay for, is the best way I can put it. Finishing: Ah, here’s where things go for a ride. The brown one was decently finished, had a few lathe marks and unpolished spots. The olive was beautifully finished. I’ve sanded and polished both these pens, so the finish you see in the photos isn’t what you’re likely gonna get. The teal one was horrible though. Heavy lathe marks, irregular finishing, and just terrible overall. To get it to a smooth polished finish would be too time consuming, considering I have to sand these by hand without any power tools and my buffing wheels are back in India. So I just gave it a brushed finish. So this is something you’ve got to keep in mind if you’re considering getting an Advocate now. Writing and Writing Comfort: All three of my Advocates have Kanwrite nibs paired with Indian ebonite feeds. Kudos to Kanwrite, these nibs are stellar. I’ve faced some inconsistency issues with Kanwrite nibs before, but the ones on these pens are great. All three are decently smooth with some tactile feedback. They also have good flow. I’ve inked the brown Advocate (M) with Daytone Extra Fine Scarlet, olive Advocate (EF) with Camlin Blue old batch, and the teal with Dayton EF Bottle Green. All three pens are eyedropper only. Takeaways: The price one pays for these pens is acceptable. The old ones were really inexpensive. The ones sold now are almost twice the price, but the design change is a bummer for me. But what’s total BS is you never really know if you could get these pens. Unless you visit their store in person, or get someone in Hyderabad to get one for you (there’s still no guarantee you’d get the pen you wanted), there’s really no way you would get one like you’d get a Ranga, ASA or Lotus. They don’t take commissioned pieces (not that I know off) and have a non-existent online presence. Would I buy any more of these? The old ones, yes. They’re well balanced for me, kind of the perfect girth and proportions for a pen with a #6 nib. The new ones, no. But they’ve got a few made in this woodgrain ebonite that isn’t in production anymore, so I’m eyeing one of those, though it’s the redesigned version.
  3. Maybe a year ago, I embarked on a journey to learn various finishing techniques for fountain pens owing to the fact that many of the Indian pens I own, weren't that well finished. Lathe marks, inconsistent polishing etc. Fast forward to now, I have worked on many of my pens and also on many friends's pens. I can now take a poorly finished pen to a mirror like polished pen and this is extremely satisfying on an ebonite pen. Over time, I also learnt how to do a baakul (rough tree like) brushed finish found on many black ebonite pens from India. Today, I present one of those pens on which I've done 'Baakulization' 😁 This is a Wality 71JT, that originally had a polished barrel. I don't have before photos unfortunately. Do let me know how you like it
  4. Lotus is a new brand to the Indian handmade pens scenario. It has carved a niche for itself, crafting high quality pens from high quality materials. They are priced well for what they offer. I got one after great thought and I'm happy to say its worth all the hype it has been getting. Design and Material I knew I had to get a Lotus. I knew I had to get a Lotus in the Honey Dew Celluloid. But what I did not know was which model to get. Finally, I decided on a design based on the Churchill, and I couldn't be happier. I am a huge admirer of the Churchill by Conway Stewart but since that pen isn't affordable for me, I got one made based on it. This design for some reason shows off the Honey Dew material much better than any other design (in my opinion). It is a flat shaped pen with a small taper towards the end on the barrel. The top finial has ridges on it which I love. The first trim ring appears just below it and then comes the clip. Then there's a wider trim ring above the cap lip. Right where the taper begins on the barrel, is another trim ring. And then the last one is at the section threads. I asked for all brass trim but some of it was gold plated but it wasn't hard for me to sand it down and polish it so that now all's just brass. The clip originally had a pseudo diamond like end which I shaped into a sharper diamond shape. The Honey Dew celluloid is a beast in itself. It's a deep black with flame like orange and red flecks. It looks like a flame caged in the belly of a pen. The only branding is done on the clip and on the nib (the branding on the clip got sanded off while I was removing the gold plating). In sunlight, the pen looks like it's gonna ignite. I love the way this pen looks. Construction and Quality The Lotus Churchill is the best made Indian pen I have in my collection but I still feel it can be improved. The polishing is great but the finishing is where things go a bit off track. There are a few lathe marks here and there and the section has a poor polish. I'm pretty sure this isn't captured in my pictures though. But not all's bad. I would rate their making miles above many makers in India (with due respect to all). The quality of materials seem pretty good and only time can tell how it'll all hold up. The trim rings are all nice and thick. One thing I would say is that the nib unit was screwed in too tight and that caused the feed to crack inside the unit while I tried to unscrew it for cleaning. I couldn't take screw out the unit since there was nothing protruding that would let me unscrew it. Lotus was prompt to offer a new section but I managed somehow managed (with tips from some of my friends) to screw the cracked unit out by using a knockout block to first get the broken feed out and then use a screwdriver to remove the collar. This deemed the unit useless but the nib was unharmed. I just took a new unit and slathered a ton of silicone grease and now it screws and unscrews just fine. Filling Mechanism It's a good old CC. Uses any international converter. Mine came with the Schmidt K5. It is a convenient mechanism and works well. I also put in an agitator ball from a cartridge just so that I won't end up with any air gaps inside. You can see a hint of the metal part o the converter in the following photo. Comfort This is no small pen. It borders on the oversize and that's exactly what appeals to me. Its tall enough to be used unposted and the balance is pretty much perfect. I would prefer a tiny bit more heft. Maybe a metal threads insert at the section might help. The section first has a taper towards the nib and then a small flare up. It is gently curved and is very comfortable to hold. Writing Ah, the most important part of a pen. I'm have to say that this was the most disappointing part for me. Lotus offers stock grinds with their pens and I had asked for a #6 JoWo gold tone CI with the intention of making it a two tone nib and was very excited for it. What I received was a flimsy stub that had a triangle shape and a TON of scratch. Under the loop, I could make out the tines being off alignment and once I had aligned them, it wrote okay. It was still feedback. I had to then grind the nib to make it write the way I liked. I couldn't make a cursive italic out of it due to the shape but managed an uber smooth stub. I was much happier but for some reason, the nib doesn't seem to connect with the pen. I'll be getting a regular broad at some point and use that in this pen. The #6 nib is a good match but it does deserve a bigger nib, but I don't really have the funds for that so I'll live with this. (The stub I ground) (Writing sample) Wrapping Up Its a pen that I love. I would highly recommend it to anyone looking for a good quality celluloid pen. It does have a few flaws here and there, but nothing that couldn't be fixed. Edit 1: I forgot to mention that the material is see through at the orange flecked parts.
  5. Got another inexpensive masterpiece with very smooth writing and moderate wetness. honourably sized. These pens are acting as catalyst to keep my interest growing in fountain pens. Tried to write few things and a big shout to fellow FPN users to their encouragement. Presenting Oliver Tulip with Fine nib, Piston mechanism filled with Blue Black Sheaffer ink. Size Comparison with Pilot Metropolitan Writing Sample:::::
  6. It was yesterday that I received my Lotus Churchill in Honey Dew, a material I've admired and longed for since its incorporation in Lotus pens. Because this pen is so beautiful, I'm curious to see what others have come up with, for their Lotus pens. Share your Lotus Pen pics here, and let us all give a virtual toast to this relatively newcomer brand of Indian made pens. P.S. I'll share mine in a few days. Something's off with the place where I usually take my pics.
  7. Hi All, Recently, we did an India Exclusive Group Buy, for ASA Azaadi. A model which was designed after Conway Stewart Churchill model. Here I am producing a Group Picture of the pens made with Conway Stewart, Omas and Cocktail Blanks, for some of our customers. Thanks for looking. Subramaniam
  8. Quick Review - Wality 71JT Wality 71JT is a gorgeous pen with a solid build, the pen is a bit top heavy but the balance improves once the pen is inked. The only major flaw that I see, is the nib; Don't get me wrong, it's not a particularly unpleasant nib, the nib is rather smooth with little (audible) feedback HOWEVER the nib is extremely rigid and "resists" movement, I would have perhaps liked this nib on a small Camlin pen BUT the 71JT is no small pen, the girthy section and a (relatively) heavy body, together make this nib a major flaw, this is one of the few nibs that make my terrible handwriting look even more horrendous because of the extra effort I need to consciously put while writing; before I denounce the Wality nibs altogether, I need to ink my second 71JT. This might just be a bad nib !! If you're buying this pen online, particularly from Asapens, I would recommend contacting Mr. Subramaniam Lakshminarayanan for a nib upgrade. I repeat, the nib is not necessarily bad; some might even like it in it's current state, (IMHO) it's just not suited for a large, heavy pen such as the 71JT. Hope this was helpful - Aashish
  9. Dip n Scratch

    Eyedropper Pen Filling

    For those who have a eyedropper type fountain pen: How do you fill the barrel with ink from the bottle? I have just received an Indian Ebonite Eyedropper pen and I am wondering what devices you use.
  10. For me Fountain Pen is a stamp of one's personality. It speaks of one's moods, character, choices, style and his inner self. Like eyes, it is a sort of window to one's intellectual soul. That is why I love using them. It sets me apart in an age of mass production. It is my attempt to keep my individuality intact. So,when I hear that a pen, especially a good one, will no longer be produced, I feel a personal loss. I feel as if a part of my past will no longer be available for me to access and touch. A minority complex pervades my world and I feel all more alone in a world which no longer understands me. I am holding this Oliver F 27 and feeling this nostalgia and a kind of gloom. I liked this pen. But they say that the company has stopped producing them. The only place one can get them is on ASApens and they will never get restocked. They are the last of their kind. On the site, this pen is the most reviewed pen. One reviewer Anup ji went to the extent of claiming this pen to be the 'perfect pen'. Their claim is not without a reason. It was one of the premium pen produced by the Oliver company. It is made of best acrylic available and contains a Schmidt Medium nib. Nowadays, it is impossible to get a pen holding this nib made of such quality in Rs. 750/- I paid. The nib alone costs 400-450/- Rs(8 $ approx.) The pen is beauty to behold. It is made of such glittering, flamboyant( but not gaudy) colors that one can fall in love with it.The marbled acrylics reflect and refract light like a crystal. It instantaneously catches the attention of those around. It is not a normal looking formal feeling fountain pen. It exuberates joy and life. The fluorescent green I ordered looks even more pretty and classy than in pictures. The clip, the nib and the rings are all made of steel and they add to looks of this pen. Needless to say that a lot of thought and hard work has gone in its design which makes its demise all the more unfortunate. The pen is balanced. I found it more pleasurable to write with the cap unposted. It uses standard international cartridge and converter. The only thing I didn't like was the nib. In fact it is a superb nib. It is extremely smooth and never skips or gives any trouble. Problem is that I am not a big fan of Medium nibs. They write on the broader side of medium and the line is too wet. On normal JK paper we use, there are chances that the impression of the words may show on back. So I talked to Mr. Subramanium of ASApens . He advised me to use a thicker ink and that solved the problem!!! I used Lamy since I did not have Pelikan ink. Now, as the writing sample would show the line variation is visible and the wetness of the line has lessened. The service of the sellers was excellent. Complete support before and after purchase. I received this pen within 4 days of order. This is quite fast when we understand that the pen was shipped from Chennai all the way to Faridabad. Overall, a pen that they should continue to produce. Its lively, impressive and colourful. A balanced and smooth writer.A high quality writing instrument. A prized possession. Flamboyance par excellence.
  11. Well we have an interesting review today. It is a review of a pen brand unheard of by me at least. But before beginning, i would like to mention that I Have Uploaded a VIDEO REVIEW for the same pen, on YouTube. And as it is usually, Videos are always better! So CLICK for the video review HERE. http://youtu.be/jp8LG1BUhd0 P.S: It is also more detailed. Okay so that out of the way. Lets start with the review here. K-Nine is a new Indian company which, it claims, specializes in manufacturing of high precision writing instruments. Their product range includes Ball points, Roller Balls, Fountain pens and Mechanical pencils. And i must say, i am very impressed by the brand! The quality of the fountain pen i got is really really great! So, lets get started The pen comes in a beautiful tin box with a shimmering gold colour! Upon opening. It contains the usual stuff. 1 Year warranty, filling instructions and product range. The pen itself rests firmly in a velvety plastic holder. The box itself, screams quality quality quality! The pen is made up fully of steel and the gold accents are REAL GOLD PLATED. The overall construction of the pen is superb as well. Although it is relatively slim, the pen feels solid in hand and has a decent amount of weight to it. The section has Gold Plating on it as well! And what i really like about the design is that the grip area is roughened to just the right amount and it doe not impinge in your fingers while providing excellent grip! The nib performs nicely. Not exactly butter smooth but far from scratchy. The Filling mechanism is just a "standard international long" type, which is practical and easy to use and holds decent amount of ink. CONCLUSION: Well, this company, K-Nine has really impressed me! The built quality the packaging, everything is up to the mark and value for money! So i say that if you can lend your hands on one of these! Just buy it! You will not be disappointed!!!
  12. Hello fellow FPNers, So it was a lazy Sunday afternoon and i was in front of my laptop with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Beside my laptop was lying the Oliver Karma demonstrator. I had bought it quite a while ago and used it quite a lot. As a result. The clear acrylic barrel had developed scratches that scratched the eyes of the viewer. Also, it had not been factory polished from inside the barrel when i had bought it. It had the marks of lathe machine in it. As i sipped my coffee, an idea struck me like a bolt. Perhaps the result of my strong brew! I thought, why not try and give it the "frosted" finish that has recently gained quite some popularity. And off i went to convert my thought into action. The pen itself is an eyedropper as evident. Nothing complicated. Just unscrew the Barrel (Huge 20 turns to open it up!) and ink it up and you are good to go. Initially it burped sometimes. I found out it was due to loose fitting nib and feed. Fixed it up by tightening the nib and feed into the section. The issue was resolved. The nib is okay in writing. Nothing to write home about but not bad either. Just average. Then again, its a 150 Rs pen. Quite decent for the price seeing that you get a hand turned clear acrylic barrel. The original finish. This how it came out after i used a bit of varied degree of sandpapering. The writing sample. My Instagram post (chintan_pandya)
  13. http://asapens.in/eshop/image/cache/data/Athlete/Athlete-20-500x500.jpgASA Athlete: The pen with a character This review is my first and is intended for a laymen. There is usually no best. No best book, no best car and no best movie. Same goes with fountain pens. However, recently I found or discovered a pen which comes very near to being the best in my present collection. This pen was bought from ASApens.in and was named Athlete. I quite enjoyed writing with it. I call it the pen with a character . As you can perhaps see, the pen is made of ebonite i.e.a hard rubber but feels and looks like wood. How many of us can boast of using an writing instrument made of ebonite. Not many, I guess. Believe me when I say it, the feel of ebonite surpasses plastic, acrylic or even metal. You won't feel the weight. You will not experience the pressure and pain on the tips of your finger while writing for long hours. Your hands will not sweat as much. Moreover, the balance of the pen is very significant when it comes to writing for long durations. This pen has perfect balance. at least for me, posted(putting the cap on the end) or unposted. Despite being of such a large size, I never felt its size or weight even once. Pardon the cliche, but the pen is literally light as a feather. The wooden ebonite body has been polished to give it a matt black finish. It adds to the aesthetics of this pen. The pen looks classy and visually appealing. It catches the attention of those around you, provided they care about pens. The 'Athlete' has got a personality of its own. Its exterior speaks of its being a no nonsense , efficient and durable pen. When you keep it with other pens, it dominates them with its presence. Athlete is an eyedropper. For a layman, this means that its barrel is filled with ink, unlike say Parker vector or Hero 360. Usually in an eyedropper, the air bubble inside gets warmed up with the heat of the body and expands. This results in burping which means that your page can get ruined and you may end up with a big and sizable blot on your paper. But, thankfully, this is not the case with this pen. I ended up a complete tank and I found no burping. The wooden body apparently acts as an insulator much better than plastic. The ink flow increased when the ink levels dropped but there was no burping. Another problems which eyedropper pens face is leakage. None here though. The cap fits securely and the barrel is securely attached to the nib and feed section. It was a new experience for me. An Eyedropper fountain pen that doesn't leak.!!! The best part is nib. These nibs are apparently made in Germany. The engraving says that they are Iridium tipped. You can feel their superior quality. If the best fountain pen you have is a Parker Vector, you would be blown away by the smoothness of the nib. The nib does not have a glossy smooth feel which many a chinese fountain pens have. That is being too smooth to like. There is a little feedback, which I love, because I can feel myself writing and I can feel the nib gliding on the paper. The nib is a dual tone nib. Which means that it has two parts, one golden and another shiny silver colored. The nib is a size #6. For a lay man this can be translated as fairly large nib. Not the largest, but quite large. Having a large nib means that if you have large hands like mine and many of other adult men, you wont be forced to write too close to paper and while writing you can maintain a comfortable hand stance.I got the nib with tines separated. I thought that it would be an issue. But it was not. There was no rail roading. Writing samples of the pen and the comparison with Pilot 'Tank', Pilot MR and Lamy are included. The ink used is commonly available Chelpark and the paper is a JK A4 size paper. The service was excellent. When I bought the pen I used the option of getting the fountain pen checked which is not available on any other indian site. The sellers are professionals. One can any time mail them or call them in respect of any queries related to fountain pens. I called them and they didn't disappoint me. Now, let me answer the most difficult question about this pen. What I didn't like about it? Well, I liked everything. But I should add a caveat that this is an eyedropper pen which needs a little maintenance just like a samurai sword does . And the cap if left posted may leave a round mark on the matt finish. However, the pen is available in many colors on ASApens. Lastly if you feel the ink flow increasing it would be wiser to refill the barrel pen instead of waiting for the ink to be over. Overall, I recommend this pen. It's a great value for money and a daily writer. One can use it daily without impunity. One can show it off or keep it entirely to himself. It is a work horse, a no nonsense pen and most importantly a pen with a character. It is one macho of a pen, that dominates other pens and the paper.
  14. I feel a certain pleasure and pride in introducing and reviewing Click Pure Crystal. For quite some time I have been searching for affordable "made in India" fountain pens, I could recommend to anyone. I guess I have found one more such pen. I have been using this pen for three days and without a glitch. As you can notice, the pen is fully transparent. The gold-colored clip and cap ring give the pen a classy appeal. Perhaps its me, but the design of the clip is coolest thing about this pen. The clip reminds me of Egypt, Pharaohs and Pyramids. The golden aura of the pen matches with the dual tone nib. Inner rings of the piston look like whirlpools and threads give me a feel of sporadic clouds in an otherwise clear sky. It is a pen I wouldn't be ashamed of carrying. The pen weighs around 14 grams. Which is fairly light. The body is made of transparent resin. The great thing is that there wasn't any of that obnoxious odor of resin, unless the pen was smelled from very close quarters. I feel that the pen can be fully disassembled, though I couldn't dare to try it. I don't want a blot on this beauty. Close inspection of section also reveals that the pen boasts of a threaded nib unit. Nib is a dual tone one marked with sagacious words,'Iridium Point Germany'. Section ends with a gold ring and immediately the nib starts. The finish of the pen is really good for its price. What startled me is the fact that apparently a good amount of brainstorming has gone in designing this pen. Take for example the fact that the pen comes out in merely two turns. Or the fact that the cap posts very securely. Or the good news that they have made the section substantially thicker than Pilot 78G or the Chelpark Sona or Click Majestic Crystal. Thicker section ensures a comfortable grip and the fact that the pen allows secure posting further permits the pen to be used by hands of every size. The pen writes an Indian fine. It lays down a smooth and wet line. There is a little drag but my experience suggests that it will go away. The thicker section and smooth transition from body to the section with light weight makes this pen a delight to hold and write with. The piston filler mechanism means that the pen can hold a decent amount of ink that will last far more pages than a cartridge. I was happy to see a plastic finned feed rather than an Ebonite feed. It means that the feed will offer good buffer and there won't be problems of burping and leaking. I used this pen with Click Majestic Crystal which has an ebonite feed. At the end of the day where the Majestic's cap was smeared with ink, the Pure Crystal's cap was as clean as glass. Moreover, I didn't see any cap hole. No drying! That's good! Overall for a pen that costs less than say 5$ it is a really good value for money. It is in same league with Camlin Elegante and Chelpark Sona and better than many other costlier mass-produced fountain pens. If you want a fine piece of Indian Fountain Penmanship with very little strain on your pocket then gooooooooooo for it!!! You can find this review and more such reviews on my blog. Good day!!
  15. Hello fellow FPNers, So it was a lazy Sunday afternoon and i was in front of my laptop with a cup of freshly brewed coffee. Beside my laptop was lying the Oliver Karma demonstrator. I had bought it quite a while ago and used it quite a lot. As a result. The clear acrylic barrel had developed scratches that scratched the eyes of the viewer. Also, it had not been factory polished from inside the barrel when i had bought it. It had the marks of lathe machine in it. As i sipped my coffee, an idea struck me like a bolt. Perhaps the result of my strong brew! I thought, why not try and give it the "frosted" finish that has recently gained quite some popularity. And off i went to convert my thought into action. Here is the result... The original finish.
  16. Many of us own many Made in India fountain pens. I wonder, which can be called the best, or at least first among equals. Kindly share your views. Pen should be made in India, though the nib or feed or converter may be from anywhere. It can be made of any material or have any filling mechanism. In my case, as of now, it is Crystal LE. It may change, I am waiting for a few pens in the mail.
  17. I originally posted this in First Stop. It was my first post. I subsequently realised that the reviews are meant to be posted here. http://asapens.in/eshop/image/cache/data/Athlete/Athlete-20-500x500.jpgASA Athlete: The pen with a character This review is my first and is intended for a layman. There is usually no best. No best book, no best car and no best movie. Same goes with fountain pens. However, recently I found or discovered a pen which comes very near to being the best in my present collection. This pen was bought from ASApens.in and was named Athlete. I quite enjoyed writing with it. I call it the pen with a character . As you can perhaps see, the pen is made of ebonite i.e.a hard rubber but feels and looks like wood. How many of us can boast of using an writing instrument made of ebonite. Not many, I guess. Believe me when I say it, the feel of ebonite surpasses plastic, acrylic or even metal. You won't feel the weight. You will not experience the pressure and pain on the tips of your finger while writing for long hours. Your hands will not sweat as much. Moreover, the balance of the pen is very significant when it comes to writing for long durations. This pen has perfect balance. at least for me, posted(putting the cap on the end) or unposted. Despite being of such a large size, I never felt its size or weight even once. Pardon the cliche, but the pen is literally light as a feather. The wooden ebonite body has been polished to give it a matt black finish. It adds to the aesthetics of this pen. The pen looks classy and visually appealing. It catches the attention of those around you, provided they care about pens. The 'Athlete' has got a personality of its own. Its exterior speaks of its being a no nonsense , efficient and durable pen. When you keep it with other pens, it dominates them with its presence. Athlete is an eyedropper. For a layman, this means that its barrel is filled with ink, unlike say Parker vector or Hero 360. Usually in an eyedropper, the air bubble inside gets warmed up with the heat of the body and expands. This results in burping which means that your page can get ruined and you may end up with a big and sizable blot on your paper. But, thankfully, this is not the case with this pen. I ended up a complete tank and I found no burping. The wooden body apparently acts as an insulator much better than plastic. The ink flow increased when the ink levels dropped but there was no burping. Another problems which eyedropper pens face is leakage. None here though. The cap fits securely and the barrel is securely attached to the nib and feed section. It was a new experience for me. An Eyedropper fountain pen that doesn't leak.!!! The best part is nib. These nibs are apparently made in Germany. The engraving says that they are Iridium tipped. You can feel their superior quality. If the best fountain pen you have is a Parker Vector, you would be blown away by the smoothness of the nib. The nib does not have a glossy smooth feel which many a chinese fountain pens have. That is being too smooth to like. There is a very little feedback, which I love, because I can feel myself writing and I can feel the nib gliding on the paper. The nib is a dual tone size #6. For a lay man this can be translated as fairly large nib. Not the largest, but quite large. Having a large nib means that if you have large hands like mine and many of other adult men, you wont be forced to write too close to paper and while writing you can maintain a comfortable hand stance.Moreover the grip section was long and smooth. I got the nib with tines separated. I thought that it would be an issue. But it was not. There was no rail roading. No issues with writing at all. I found the nib and the pen to be made for each other. The feed was a pretty simple ebonite one. It had deep channels. Which is perhaps the reason behind the wet writing. Writing samples of the pen and the comparison with Pilot 'Tank', Pilot MR and Lamy are included. The ink used is commonly available Chelpark and the paper is a JK A4 size paper. The service of ASApens.in was excellent. When I bought the pen I used the option of getting the fountain pen checked which is not available on any other indian site. The sellers are professionals. One can any time mail them or call them in respect of any queries related to fountain pens. I called them and they didn't disappoint me. Now, let me answer the most difficult question about this pen. What I didn't like about it? Well, I liked everything. But I should add a caveat that this is an eyedropper pen which needs a little maintenance just like a samurai sword does . And the cap if left posted may leave a round mark on the matt finish. However, the pen is available in many colors on ASApens. Lastly if you feel the ink flow increasing it would be wiser to refill the barrel pen instead of waiting for the ink to be over. Overall, I recommend this pen. It's a great value for money and a daily writer. One can use it daily without impunity. One can show it off or keep it entirely to himself. It is a work horse, a no nonsense pen. It is one macho of a pen, that dominates other pens and the paper. The pen with a 'Character'. The review is also available on my blog. Hope it was helpful. I am soon going to write a review of Doctor Deluxe. A under 3$ pen that quite surprised me with its performance. I call that the reliable housemaid.
  18. Hello FPN members and guests! Today i will be reviewing the pen(Wality/Airmail 70AM) that i received just today through asapens.in. But before i start the review i would like to give a "thumbs up!" to ASA pens and Mr. L.Subramaniam! It was my 1st purchase from their site and i must say i am quite pleased with their service and the quality of the product and also the FP collection that they have. Okay, so that aside lets start with the pen itself. Airmail Pen Company was established in 1951 by Late Shri. Mohan L. Mirchandani and is one of the oldest of its kind in India. It produces two brands of Writing Instruments, Wality and Airmail. The pen, along with the usual packaging and bubble wrap came in a transparent and sturdy Zip-lock pen pouch. The pouch also contained a little eyedropper as it is an eyedropper pen. The pen itself has this beautiful Pinkish orange and purple acrylic body which shimmers in light and is very pleasing to the eye. The material also displays quite a depth to it. The cap is all metal with a beautiful texture, a dome shaped pointed top and an acrylic bottom that matches the pen body quite nicely. I also like the short clip, which has enough tension to it that it can secure the pen firmly in the pocket. Upon unscrewing the cap, you find a matching coloured semi-transparent grip section with a gold coloured airmail nib. The nib that i received was Fine-Medium in writing width and Very Very Wet! And i mean a GUSHER! It wrote quite pleasantly with some feedback. Also, it has some spring to it which offers a marginal line variation. WRITING SAMPLE: Conclusion: It is a simple no-nonsense beautiful looking pen which performs quite nicely. I am looking forward to writing with it regularly and enjoying the shimmery acrylic which is sure to be an eye candy in bright sunlight! If you are looking for a beautiful economical everyday pen this one might add a feather to your collection!
  19. There are some dresses you would like to wear to a party, others to a friends marriage, but will you wear those dresses in your apartment. I guess not! In your home, you would perhaps seek something comfortable, something that you could wear for a longer time and still feel at ease. It may perhaps not look too savvy but it should be comfortable, easily washable, and quite durable to withstand routine wear and tear. This pen serves the same function in your pen collection as your jockeys and T-shirts in your wardrobe. It doesn't look awesome. It has its manufacturing and design cons. It's an eyedropper which may start to burp if you let the ink levels fall too low. But, and its a capital BUT, this pen is so comfortable to write with that you could use it for hours and hours without fatigue. It is, for me, one of those rare fountain pens which can be used for daily writing purposes. Mind it, it is that sort of pen which you would always want to keep inked. A pen, which you would like to keep in your pen stand and use it once you are tired of showing off your Pelikans and Montblancs. A pen which is so competitively priced that it can be used for experimenting, changing nibs, fiddling with the slit, if you are into that sort of thing, though I think you would never need to do so. Part 1: The Built & Looks :- This pens boasts of a clear demonstrator barrel. A silver-colored clip is attached to the cap marble, cap marble can be screwed in the cap and in this way supports the clip. Cap also uses a cap ring at the bottom. Cap is built of plastic. As the photographs show, there are some serious aesthetic issues with the quality and built of the cap and the clip. The color of the cap is not too fancy and the nib which says 'DOCTOR' is also not exactly eye catching. But, hey , we don't expect a lot from an under 3 dollar pen. I got the pen with the smell of the plastic. The barrel is clear, so when I put some red or other attractive colored ink in it, it looks nice. But when you see it without ink, you would find that the barrel is not as 'clear' as you would expect. However, the pen appears strong and sturdy. It won't crack upon falling. It is built to withstand normal use and accidents. Thus considering it's price, I am inclined to give it 2.5/5 for its built and looks. Part 2: The Balance:- The pen is light weight. Its a large pen and for normal male hands and large female hands it should provide good grip width. I have large hands and I personally found balance and the grip amazingly good. I was amazed because I have often paid a lot and found this balance lacking. It is a fairly large size pen and fitted perfectly in my large hands. The pen was a pleasure to write with, whether the cap was posted or unposted. I felt as if I could fill page after page with this pen. Very good weight , balance and ergonomics. For the price I paid, I should give it 5 out of 5 in this respect. Part 3: The nib and the feed:-The nib and the feed are the soul of the pen. Imagine a pen where every thing is par excellence but having no nib or feed. The pen uses a Doctor brand gold-plated iridium tipped nib. The feed material is apparently ebonite. Its a typical non finned, two channelled old style feed. The pen is, as already said, an eyedropper. The well laid channels on the feed ensure plenty of ink supply and the carefully designed nib gives a very smooth fine writing experience. Since, the pen is an eyedropper, its ink capacity is somewhere like 2-3 ml. I am not sure about that, but one thing that I am sure of is that the capacity is at least 4 times a standard international cartridge. When ink reaches 1/3rd mark, the chances of burping increase. Though the design of the nib and the feed is simple, but it is efficient and job oriented. They have been designed to write for long hours. The barrel acts as a large reservoir, the feed ensures consistent supply and the nib smoothly puts the ink on the paper with a style. For its price, I would give the nib and the feed a 4 out of 5. Part 4: The writing:- This pen delivers where it is most important to do so. Where writing is concerned, the pen hits a home run. It writes a fine line. Nib is very smooth and the there is no skipping, rail-roading, difficult starts etc. Rather, I found the writing is pleasurable and non tiring. Nib is stiff but one can definitely see some line variations. The nib is a joy to write with. It kind of made my hand writing look good. Its a note taking pen, one can carry to his college. I felt as it I could write faster with this pen, than with many other fountain pens in my collection. Writing experience was akin to that of a good ball pen minus the pressure. Loved it. Since the balance and the weight are optimal, the pen delivers a superb writing experience. For its price, the writing experience deserve a 9 out of 10. I have allotted 10 marks to the writing because I consider it at least twice as important. That's what pens are made for, aren't they? I got it from ASApens with a combo set. They have another pen on their site with the same name. I am not very sure if its the same pen.This pen looks different from that one. Though the nib and the feed of the pen I got and the pen they have on their site looks same. I was informed that the pen I got was even cheaper. However since the nib and the feed are the same, most of what I have said about the writing experience of this pen should hold good for that. pen too. I think that pen is basically this pen - quality issues Conclusion. A reliable pen made for daily use. One of those under 3 $ pens you would want in your collection. A smooth and fine writer and comfortable grip and balance. (Score 20.5 / 25).Great value for money. I recommend it..
  20. I have already posted a written review for the pen here:https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/267666-pierre-cardin-masterpiece-fp-review-with-pictures-a-mont-blanc-for-the-starters/ But now as i have also done a video review which i think is better, I thought of sharing it! Do share your views and comments and also like it if you find it useful or fun! Here is the link: http://youtu.be/OJ7gQu2Ogps
  21. Review of Gama Hawk - the new Gama ebonite fountain pen being released through ASApens.in I am so excited that I could not stop myself from sharing this on FPN. Usually I write my pen reviews on my website, but this one is different. I already have some of the Gama ebonite fountain pens which I find to be extremely good fountain pen. I have reviewed one of the Gama Supreme on my site also. The Gama Supreme has also been reviewed in detail on FPN by fellow FPN members. Currently I have the following Gama ebonites in my collection. Some days back ASApens released the Gama Kuyil which is a black ebonite fountain pen with matt finish. On my request ASApens also sent me a few closeups of the image. However matt finish is not my turf. Though I found it tempting, I resisted it. Instead I put on a request with ASApens - can you make available a shiny black ebonite FP that does not have matt finish and that the two ends of such FP is rounded and not have flat ends ! Between different exchanges on email and whatsapp there was also an additional request - can there also be engraving of my name on such FP? As previously observed that ASApens goes an extra mile in customer satisfaction, the reply was affirmative. Some days back ASApens sent me the image of the pen as it was made. The pen looked stupendously beautiful! I was told that only five of such pieces have been created. Its a full black ebonite eyedropper with beautiful shape and shine. And there was more in surprise - the head of the cap was glass ! Oh I was concerned - is that glass top big? No it was not big but blends with the cap. So it seemed a good innovation that added to its looks. I was also sent a few "better" images of the newly created fountain pen The fountain pen size compared with its other contemporaries Kuyil and Supreme. Today finally I received the image of the Gama Hawk with my name engraved. Isn't that beautiful? (yes its engraved, not printed as it initially looks!) Obviously I currently dont have the pen on my hands. But I already know the nib quality because of the gama ebonites previously bought, and its pretty good to write really well out of box. So nib is no concern. The shiny black FP (named Gama Hawk) has come out to be even better than what I had thought. Of course the credit for design goes to ASApens and the penturners. And the size and looks of the pen looked absolutely fabulous. Also, ASApens shared with me image of another unnamed fountain pen that would also be released soon I have been told that the Gama Hawk and the new varieties would soon also be listed on their website asapens.in The images privy between me and ASApens have been used here with permission of ASApens. Cant wait for the Gama Hawk to arrive !





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