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Hi, This review has been posted in my blog at https://inkpensblog.wordpress.com/2017/05/12/asa-tangerine-nauka-review/ . Please check it for my other reviews. I was casually browsing ASA Pens’ catalogue at asapens.in one day and I noticed a new listing for a Nauka in tangerine acrylic. It was a bright orange version of translucent Nauka (TransNauka). It was a limited edition (only 250 pens) according to the listing and so I made an order the next day itself. I already had one in ebonite and and one in translucent clear acrylic. I loved those pens and thought it would be a nice addition to that set. Even though the website said it would take four weeks for delivery , the pen reached me in a week’s time (Subbu of ASApens told me the reason later). It came in a nice looking ASA branded wooden box as opposed to the regular bubble wrap. It was a gorgeous pen. The acrylic was bright orange and the body of the pen had a brushed finish. The golden coloured clip augmented the beauty of the pen very well. It came with a golden coloured medium Jowo nib. Okay. The pen is beautiful. But, what about writing performance ? It is one of the best nibs I have used. It is tuned very well and wrote very smoothly. It came a close second to my Lamy 2000 in the smoothness contest. The best Jowo nib I have written with. Hats of to Subbu sir if he has done some magic to this nib. I tried a few inks in this pen. J. Herbin 1670 Rouge Hermatite and Private Reverse Orange Crush were the first two I tried. But, I settled with Diamine Sunset. That ink matched the pen in colour and in character. ASA Nauka has been made in various materials and has been reviewed a number of times in FPN. So, I am not going to the details of the design, filling mechanism etc. ( These are the Nauka reviews in FPN that I have seen. Sagarb's review , s_t_e_v_e's review, Pen_andy's first impressions, bobje's review of ebonite nauka, bobje's review of dartmoor nauka, mehandiratta's review of TransNauka, amk's review and the latest touzeen's review of "Dolce" Nauka) The cap finial is a big bulbus part which almost glows. I wonder how it would have looked if it was polished well instead of the brushed finish. Like a Mont Blanc Starwalker kind of finish !!! who knows.. The Tangerine Nauka is slightly bigger than the ebonite Nauka in girth and length. Actually, it is slightly longer than the clear transnauka as well. I don't know if it is by design or it is just this pen's peculiarity as all of them are handmade. Below are some comparison photos. Out of this, the ebonite Nauka continues to be the most comfortable pen to write for long sessions due to its slightly slimmer grip section. But, that does not in any way mean that the Translucent brothers are not comfortable. They are also very nice to hold and have very good balance. I have one gripe with the transNaukas. The cap threads are at the end of the section and they get exposed to ink when filling up and it gets stuck there. The ink can spread to the cap threads as well. It take a bit of effort to clean up those threads. You can see blue ink in the clear transNauka's pen threads and cap threads. When I thanked Subbu for this beautiful pen, he gave me another pleasant surprise. My Tangerine Nauka is the first one in the limited release set. So, it is 1/250. I wish if the serial number was stamped in the pen as well. That was the reason for the fast delivery as well. Overall, it is a very nice pen in all aspects and I carry it everyday along with my other Naukas in my backpack.

Here's what happened- It was 12:30 am, on Saturday night. I was browsing fountain pens online, and drooling over them as I have been for a while. I come across this kerala based website that sells vintage pens online. So I eagerly looked through their contents and was quite impressed with what they carried (Parker 21,51,45, vintage shaeffers, etc.) and also the prices. So I decided to order something. I was eyeing the Parkers, but the good colours were out of stock, and also, I wanted to check their legitimacy before putting too much money on the line, (I am a student living in a budget afterall). So I started looking at the cheaper options. I contacted their customer service WhatsApp number and asked if they delivered to my location. I came across a Indian made Pilot, with their #2 nib for a very reasonable price (it was teal in colour, really liked that). I decided to place the order. I received an email with their UPI id and payment information. I made the payment. However, I checked my order page on their website, and it said that my payment hasn't been confirmed and the order is on hold. Concerned, I reached out again to their '24 hour customer service' number, as mentioned and raised my issue. He blatantly refused to answer my question, and informed me that sales questions are not answered weekends, and told me to contact them on monday-saturday after 10 am. I chose to put my faith in him and waited. Today however, seeing that my order was still ' on hold' I reached out to the number again, this time it was Monday, and it was around 3:45 PM. An interesting thing happened. He lashed out and texted, and I quote "Give me your upi ID - You placed an order on weekend, that too in mid night , and keep bugging us - We are on a vacation since it's a holiday in Kerala for two days - So get the payment back to your upi or paytm -I will cancel order form my end" He had never informed me about any holidays, or their office being closed, or anything of that sort. More over they advertise their customer service to be '24 hours'. I had no problem in being patient, I would've totally understood if they were in a vacation or had some other issues even, but without information, how am I supposed to know whats going on? Was this kind of service given to me because I ordered a relatively inexpensive pen? Or is the customer service supposed to treat the customers as a nuisance? Honestly, I just wanted to buy some nice vintage pens from this new source I found. But for the first time in my fountain pen journey, I've experienced such an attitude. I would still recommend them to others, maybe if you order something expensive, they'd treat you well. But I'll surely warn them about how 'antikcart.com' treats their customers like pest. As for me, I'm never ordering anything from there. This was by far, the worst experience I've had involving fountain pens. Regards, AnuragTukan 15/4/19

Hi ... I am looking for reliable Indian websites that are selling FPs and Inks internationally ....I tried penhouse.in to buy inks but unfortunately they declined my visa card as it was international and not an Indian visa card although I used an Indian shipping address ... I hope to get some good thoughts from you Mustafa

Hey everyone, So im new here as a member, but I've been browsing the forums as a guest for quite a while, and one thing ive noticed is lacking is a single thread talking about Indian pens that are excellent deals, and ones that aren't worth even the cheap price. Recently ive stumbled across a wonderful website called fountainpenrevolition.com which im sure many of you have heard of, where they sell many many many kinds of Indian fountain pens, most of which are very inexpensive. This intrigued me, because id never seen much on Indian fountain pens. So in short: I think it would be nice to use this thread as kind of a compiled list of all known knowledge on these Indian pens. In your experience are there Indian pens that were cheap yet are beautiful writers and part of your daily use? Or are these seemingly low prices really too good to be true? Which pens do you suggest? Which do you suggest not getting?

Hi FPNers, I have been a member here a for a long time. My passion to fountain pens took me to launch a new website, which sells Indian pens (mainly KIM ACR Handmade Ebonite Fountain Pens). Please visit http://www.kiwipens.com and get the website launch offer (up to 15% off). Thanks -saji

As this is my first post, let me introduce myself. A sailor in my past life, I rekindled my passion for fountain pens about two years back. I saw myself collecting big branded western pens and Chinese ones for fun... And then I discovered a fun WhatsApp group of like-minded individuals and with them several Indian manufacturers. From what I understood reading the reviews, Ranga and Gama seemed to be the hot shots, and ASA the young turk bringing web based marketing and end user inputs to pen design. Due to my career as an engineer and machinist, I became attracted to pens with unique designs... With sweeping curves (ASA Nauka) and near- perfect symmetry( Ranga Bamboo). When Vaibhav Mehendiratta announced a group buy of the Bamboo, I took the plunge. But sadly , I was informed by the manufacturer that my desired specs ( viz. with clip) is not included in the group buy but can be processed as a special order with a negligible premium in pricing. Nib: Bock fine. Zero feedback or line variation. Not too wet... as all my pens are for pocket carry and I use them to write on a myriad quality of (usually (bleep)) papers, this suits me just fine. Body: Near perfect machining...turning marks visible but after extreme scrutiny . Finally the pen is able to perform even with difficult and temperamental inks like Krishna After Dark. Pen comes with a Schmidt converter...but the tight Ebonite threads just scream for use as an eyedropper. Can be posted but the pen becomes too long. On the plus side, the cap comes off the barrel with a very satisfying *POP*.(you know the sound) The pen cost me $67, but I can vouch that the manufacturer has put in every cent of effort in the process. If anything, buying this pen has made me richer. Cheers.

Hello everyone, Last time I reviewed the Gama Kuyil in detail, which is in the mid-price range for Gama products. Today I'll review one of their entry level fountain pens, the Gama Forever, which cost about half of Gama Kuyil, but functionally have similar usefulness and appeal. The history of Gem and Co., the producer of Gama brand of fountain pens is discussed in the review of Kuyil. The Forever is a smaller model from Gama, with minimal design elements. Why I like this pen- It’s a small but effective pen for everyday use. The price is very much affordable, even for a student. The built quality is very good and it will last long with proper care. Cons- It's an eye-dropper pen, so many things can go wrong. Eye-droppers are always for advanced users, as there might be occasional leakage, burping and other messy issues during initial handling and in some of the copies. The nib is a standard dual tone nib of Indian fine category, so limited nib choice. The ebonite looks good, but minute impurities and defects might be there. Also as these are hand turned pens, there might be some asymmetry in shape. 1. Appearance & Design: It's a Parker Duofold like pen, though much simpler in design. Parker Duofold was a very successful pen for the company. Basically Duofold was designed with the idea of changing the mundane black rubber design of fountain pens prevalent during that period, thus having a pen body of red rubber and making the section, clip screw and barrel end with standard black rubber. This contrast of red and black colour, coupled with a useful size, great ergonomics and balance, were instrumental to the success of Duofold design. Later more colours and material were introduced; other sizes and permutation-combination of different trims and design aspects were marketed as well. Interestingly the particular red rubber used to make Parker Duofold was termed "Pompeiian Brown" by the company. The success of Duofold in the 1920s inspired almost all major manufacturers like Waterman, Conklin, Sheaffer etc. to launch their own orange/ red / brown version of flat topped dual coloured 'Duofold' copies/inspired models. So it’s not surprising that even to this day, manufacturers don't look beyond this design when they want a relatively small, useful but attractive fountain pen. Gama Forever is no different in this respect. The Gama Forever It’s a flat topped cigar shaped medium sized pen with slight tapering towards both ends. The top of the cap is a bit thicker than the bottom of the body. I bought the light brown/yellow coloured ebonite with red ripples. As expected, both the ends have black coloured polished finial of about 7mm thickness and the section is black as well. The black portion at the bottom of the pen is flushed with body and there is no gap between them. The top black finial is acting as a screw to hold the clip ring,there is a minute gap between the top finial and the body of cap. Personally I like Kuyil like flushed finial which conceal the cap ring. The pen has gold coloured trims. The pen sports a simple ball end clip, made of brass. It's Gem's old stock, these clips are not made today and they'll be used till the stock lasts. There are two rings at the lip of the cap, each about 1mm. thick and separated by a distance of about 3 mm. The section gently tapers towards the nib, just before ending it has a flaring part for finger rest, which is a typical design feature among Gama pens. The body has Gama written on it, the letters have crisp margin. The nib is dual tones Indian fine nib with only ‘Iridium tipped’ and Germany imprinted on it along with some basic designs. It appears to be the same nib which have been branded ‘Gama’ in their latest models. Construction & Quality: The Gama forever is a well-made pen. The ebonite wall is quite thick, which is a common attribute of Gama pens. The polish of ebonite is good and the ripples look beautiful. On minute inspections, the ebonite has many impurities or small spots, but this being a low priced pen this is expected and these are not causing any problem with the overall look. There is no defect or rough area on the ebonite. The clip is sturdy and functional, but the gold colour fades with some usage. The trim is made of vintage brass material from their old stocks. The rings at the lip of the cap occasionally become loose and may require some effort to realign and re-position them, when these get dislodged. There is no leak from the junction of section and body. The cap easily sits with the body with about two and half rotations. The section screws on the body relatively easily without much tightness. Overall the construction is very good for the price; this pen will last long if proper care is taken. 3. Weight & Dimensions: It’s a lightweight medium sized pen. The dimensions are as follows Length of the pen: 145 mm Length of uncapped pen: 135 mm Posted length: Diameter of section: 11.5 mm Due to flaring up at the end of the section, the diameter at the end surface is 13 mm, but the area where fingers will grip the pen is 11.5 mm. Maximum Barrel diameter: 14-15 mm Section length: 18 mm Nib length: 25 mm. Ink capacity- about 3-3.5 ml I use the pen without posting. These pens typically don’t post deep, so the length increases disproportionately when posted. The balance is very good and long writing sessions with the pen is very comfortable. It’s basically an EDC pen for rough usage with some good looks of a hand turned Indian ebonite pen. From right to left: Pilot Metropolitan, Lamy Safari, Gama Forever and Gama Kuyil, all capped Lamy Safari and Gama Forever, uncapped 4. Nib & Performance: The nib is very good performer. Its Indian fine grade, meaning line width between Japanese fine and European fine, though I don’t think there is any strict criteria followed while making these nibs. It’s a smooth wet writer with some feedback. Burping issues might be there in some copies or in case of sudden temperature or pressure changes such as in flight. I didn’t face any issues as such till now. I would like to see them providing different nib grades with this pen. One can contact Mr. Subramanium of ASA pens or Mr. Pratap of Gem and Co. for customization. 5. Filling System & Maintenance: This pen is an eyedropper. Probably makers can modify to allow other filling systems, but for a cheap entry level pen, such efforts are not much fruitful. There are other much glamorous Gama models to go for customization. 6. Cost & Value: This pen is valued at INR 675 ($23, £18) in ASA website. It’s an affordable workhorse pen with great value on the long run. The build is solid, nib is a great performer in its default variety and ink capacity is good. 7. Conclusion: I would love to recommend this entry level ebonite pens to advanced fountain pen users for its looks, feel and usefulness. It’s a pen that would feel very comfortable in hand, appear as a quality product and would be a reliable everyday use pen. For those users who entered the fountain pen world recently with limited experience of eye droppers or hand turned ebonite pens, this might be a good first buy to experiment with an Indian ebonite pen. ASA website ASA Whatsapp no of Mr. Subramaniam - +91 9176607660 ASA email- asapens.in@gmail.com, unik.services@hotmail.com No of Mr. Pratap- +91 9884209055 my other reviews (In no particular order): 1. ASA Swan 2. ASA Writer 3. Ranga Thin Bamboo 4. Krishna Butterline Stub nib pen 5. Guider Egg- acrylic and ebonite 6. Kanwrite Desire 7. Kanwrite Heritage 8. Franklin Covey Lexincton Black 9. Gama Kuyil

Hi, It is a small fountain pen from an old Indian brand named Flair. The aerometric filled pen has gold plated fittings - Clip, Cap Finial , Barrel End and a wide Barrel Ring. It has a gold plated tipped nib, engraved with "Flair Duranium". Though the section length is 25 mm long, part (8 mm) of the section is hooded under the gold plated barrel ring. The pen writes smooth with little bit feedback. Compared with Jinhao 159 Specifications: Weight - Capped : 13.00 gm Weight - Uncapped : 8.00 gm Length – Capped : 108.75 mm Length – Uncapped : 98.00 mm Length – Posted : 127.00 mm Length – Barrel & Section : 8.50 mm Length – Section : 25.00/17.00 mm Length – Cap : 45.75 mm Diameter – Cap : 8.30 mm Diameter – Barrel : 8.30 mm Diameter – Section : 7.60 mm Filling System : Aerometric/Proprietary Ink Capacity : 0.75 ml Nib : # 5 GP Stainless Steel "Duranium" Tipped Feeder : 5 mm Ebonite Thanks for reading, -saji

Hi, I posted this review on my blog. https://inkpensblog.wordpress.com/2016/10/03/fosfor-tikona-in-blue-green-acrylic/ Fosfor pens is a reputed custom pen maker in India. Manoj Deshmukh (Mr. fosfor) has built up a reputation as a master craftsman and high quality pen maker. I had put my name in his order book for an Islander and a Tikona in March. After waiting for six months to get to the top of the waiting list, the pens (I added one more pen to the bunch in between) arrived at my desk recently. My unboxing pictures are here Among them was the beautiful and uniquely shaped Fosfor Tikona in Dark Blue-Green Acrylic which Mr. Manoj himself cast. I chose to order the Tikona due to its unique shape. The name "Tikona" means triangle and it is a triangular pen. Similar to Visconti's circled square or squared circle pens, it is a circled triangle kind of pen. The shape is the main thing that drew me to it and of course, Fosfor's reputation in FPN as well. The ordering process was very smooth. I filled up the enquiry form in Fosfor's website and Mr. Manoj responded the very next day. After a couple of emails and a phone call later, I put in a request for a Tikona in dark blue translucent acrylic. The material was created by artist himself as I mentioned earlier. So, he had the complete freedom to tune the colour. The first cast turned out to be too dark and the pen was opaque. So, a different colour combination was tried and I loved the colour and subtle translucency. I loved the frequent updates on twitter and email during the progress of the making. It is a rather girthy pen. The barrel was thicker than I expected. The section of the pen is of normal diameter and the barrel has thickness of about 18mm. The cap threads on to the end of nib section and there is a significant step from the barrel to the section. The polyester cast seems to be really dense as the pen is a bit heavy for an acrylic pen. I needed some help to carry the pen as shown below :-) Even though, I was a bit taken aback by the unexpected girth, I fell in love with it as I wrote a few pages with it. It was very comfortable to write with. Moreover, the pens looked awesome. The material was semi translucent exactly as I wanted it to be. It is not transparent enough to see the converter inside. But, I can see the different shades of the colour on the thicker and thinner parts of the pen. This was what I wanted and I loved it. But, I need to mention some problems as well. The barrel and section have some pits and dark dots/spots. I assume that they are there because of the casting process rather than the turning process as the other Fosfor pens were actually flawless. But, that is the charm of a custom pen from a custom cast acrylic. It came with a standard international cartridge and a silver colour #6 fine Schmidt nib. It had a silver coloured clip to match the nib. I went with the clip thinking that I would carry the pen in my pocket. But, this will live and travel in my pen case due to its size and weight. So, I should have gone with a clipless option in retrospect. The triangular shape would have prevented rolling anyway. Now, comes to the writing experience. The nib wrote very smoothly and the ink flow was very nice. It was one of the smoothest Schmidt nibs that I have used (actually, the Islander's nib was smoother. But, it was a medium nib) . I suspect that Mr. Manoj has done some tuning. It had good ink flow. The ink that I chose for this pen was Noodler's 54th Massachusetts which is a wet ink in my experience ( I had to stop using it in my Pilot VP due to heavy flow). This ink matched the colour of the pen very well as it is blue-green or dark teal when written with a fine nib. (It is almost black with broader nibs) The pen is back heavy due to the heavy barrel. But, I did not feel any fatigue or discomfort when writing down this review. It was almost five A4 pages. I was worried a bit about the deep step on the barrel. One of the corner's of the triangle rested against the webbing between the thumb and the index finger and my normal hold was well below the step. The step touched my thumb sometimes when I tried to hold it higher for faster writing, but it did not bother me. The threads on the section were also very smooth and did not cause any problem. One more peculiarity that I should mention is that the alignment of the corners on the barrel and pen. It requires some tweaking to get the correct alignment after re-inking. As the cap threads are on the section, the section has to positioned/tightened correctly to the barrel so as to keep the cap aligned to the section when it is closed tightly. There is an O' ring between the section and the barrel so that there is some leeway when tightening the section. It takes two or three attempts to adjust the section and correctly align the cap and barrel. The O' ring will help to keep the seal if it needs to be converted to an eyedropper fill pen. In total, it is a wonderful pen. I loved it. I expect it to be an attention grabber due its shape, colour and size. I will be using it very regularly, even though I will not be carrying it around in my pocket, as the nib is very smooth and the pen is very comfortable to hold. I am happy with the finish of the pen and surely will be going back to Fosfor for future purchases. It was actually an awesome experience and privilege to work with a master craftsman on creating this pen or should I say work of art. thanks, Dinuraj

Serwex 1362 Red, FPR 1.0mm Stub nib The Serwex 1362 is a cheap ($6), Indian made pen sold by Fountain Pen Revolution. This pen is actually a pretty nice writer. I am always looking for new pens to review!

One of the newest models of fountain pens released by ASAPens is the Asa Genius 2015 Fountain pen. ASAPens generally makes ebonite ED fountain pens at reasonable prices which is of great value to pen connoiseurs in India and abroad. This Asa Genius is a mini variant of the Asa I can pen already reviewed by mehandiratta (https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/284421-asa-i-can-beyond-bang-for-a-buck/?p=3266558) DESIGN The ASA Genius pen is an Indian ED pen. The design is very minimalistic and no embellishments are added. The base model comes with a generic IPG nib. But, one can add a JoWo #6 Friction fit Nib in F, M and B variants. You can also convert it into a 3-1 pen by buying threaded Jowo unit with a converter attached. All this can be done by ASAPens. The pen has a fairly big grip section and is very comfortable to use. One of the problems of the Asa I can pen is the inability to put it into a shirt pocket. The relatively short barrel of the Genius alleviates that. One can also see the Pelikanesque clip on the cap. NIB AND SECTION The pen is fitted with a JoWo #6 F nib. This is a steel nib which is smooth with a hint of feedback. The pen comes with an ebonite feed which is traditional in Indian ED pens which suits the theme of the pen. The relatively long section should prevent burping of ink. The pen is availbale in 5 finishes- Shiny Black, Matte Black, Light and Dark Brown Mottled and Green mottled. The pen wrote immediately after filling it with ink. No adjustments were needed. CONCLUSION If one is in the market for affordable ebonite EDs, this is your best bet. ASAPens have done an excellent job in crafting an EDC pen which can be put in your shirt pocket. Also, the option to convert it into a 3-1 pen is also very good. They have priced it very reasonably. My only gripe is if it had an ink window, it would have been very nice but that is just nitpicking. Since this is my 1st review, comments are welcome

Hello Every body Greetings from Kolkata. Just a couple of days back I received a parcel from Tiruvanthapuram, India containing 03 vintage Indian fountain pens of Polite Brand. The gentleman who sent the pens told me that he had received the lot from some body who had got these pens from a shop in Tamilnadu, which has closed down at least 40 years back. I have checked the net but got no clue about Polite Brand of pens. I am posting a few pics of the same Regards Somnath

Fans of Kevin Thiemann from Fountain Pen Revolution will know that he’s been selling Indian-made pens for several years now – initially sourcing and selling pen from established manufacturers, before branching out to commission and produce fountain pens, nibs and inks under his own brand name. I can no longer remember when I bought my first pen from his website – it’s lost in the mists of time! – but I can tell you that I now have a sizeable collection. It’s hard to pick a favourite from among the pens, but I do have a soft spot for his more premium quality ebonite and acrylic pens – especially the Himlaya and the Triveni. Until recently, these pens both came with the ‘traditional’ #5.5 sized FPR nib – but as of January, the Triveni is has been redesigned to incorporate the larger #6 sized nibs. And it’s one of these newer pens I want to review today – the redesigned FPR Triveni Junior, in 'Dark Blue ebonite'. If you’ve followed FPR as closely as I have, you’ll know the Triveni line has undergone a number of changes over time – the first version was designed to house a plastic “Serwex MB” grip section, and typically came with a #5 flex nib. Kevin later introduced the shorter Junior version, and both were redesigned to come with their own integrated grip section in matching material… Then, more recently again, the Triveni line was redesigned to accommodate a #6 nib. Here’s a picture of four representative grip sections (with nibs) from ‘down through the ages’: [Correction: top left pen is FPR Himalaya; top right is original Triveni with Serwex grip section; bottom right = Triveni 'version 2', and bottom left = the latest iteration with #6 nib.] ______________________________________________________________________ Appearance & Design What I’ve always appreciated about the FPR Trivenis is their no-fuss, fairly straight lines. The cap of the pen posts over the top of the barrel, so the cap is slightly larger in diameter, and both cap and body taper slightly towards the ends – but it’s not a very pronounced taper. The grip section is comparatively short, but the threads for the cap are not sharp, so gripping the pen higher up is no problem. I like the aesthetic of the Triveni Junior better than for the full-length pen – the latter I find looks a little long and thin. Then again, to be honest, I like the look of the Himalaya even more (the more tapered cap I find more aesthetically pleasing) – but these are good looking pens. I really enjoy the materials, too – the acrylic Trivenis are wonderfully colourful, while the swirled ebonite pens look sturdy and serious. I *really* like the dark blue-green accents of this model – the “deep blue” version, which to my eyes is more of a teal-black swirl. … Construction & Quality The Triveni is solidly constructed and well-made. I can see some scratching on the surface of the pen, probably the product of the machining process, but they’re faint enough to not bother me. Overall the Triveni is of higher quality than the cheaper pens in the Triveni line. The threads on the barrel, and between barrel and grip section, are smooth and easy to turn; the fit and finish is of good quality. … Weight & Dimensions My new FPR Triveni is a fairly light pen, weighing in at 18.7g (with a converter full of ink) – the cap’s contribution to that is 6.8g. The pen cap’s diameter is 15mm at its thickest, and the barrel 13mm, while the grip section tapers down from 11mm to roughly 10.5mm – a very comfortable size (for me) for extended writing sessions. The capped length of the pen is 130mm, and uncapped 122mm. For my hands, the pen is long enough to write with unposted, but the posted length (~160mm) will be better for some – and given the light weight of the materials, it writes comfortably either way. … Nib & Performance I’ve always liked FPR’s #5.5 nibs, but have been impressed with the performance of the #6’s I’ve purchased more recently (I have a few Darjeelings, which use the same nib and feed) – and this pen was no exception. The EF nib lays down a fine, wet line, and writes very smoothly. The feed in these pens is plastic (unlike the Jaipur and Himalaya, which rely on an ebonite feed) – and may have a little more trouble keeping up with a flex nib. Nib and feed are friction fit into the grip section, but come out relatively easily. An advantage of the Triveni over most of the other pens made by FPR (apart from the Darjeeling) is its capacity to take a #6 nib. Though the FPR nib is a little wider at the base than a #6 JoWo nib, the latter will fit very comfortably in the pen if you want to swap one in. Here's a comparison of the new Triveni Junior to the old Triveni Jr (red swirl) and a Himalay (green swirl): And a writing sample: … Filling System & Maintenance The Triveni can be used as an eyedropper pen, and can take a standard international cartridge or converter. I haven’t tried this pen in eyedropper mode – but the converter that came with the pen works well. … Cost & Value The Triveni (and the Triveni Junior) is available from $39 in ebonite material, and from $45 in acrylic. That’s a little more expense than the (slightly more stylish) Himalaya – the most expensive in the FPR range, but still a pretty good price for the materials and the quality of the workmanship – and it now comes with the added advantage of a #6 nib. … Conclusion I’ve always like the FPR Triveni, and over the past 5 years I’ve accumulated 7 (mostly when they were on special!). The latest iteration is my favourite, though – and it travels with me almost everywhere. It's a great pen, a great writer, and well worth the expense! …

What are the differences between ebonite made in Japan and elsewhere? I learned that a pen using Indian ebonite I was planning to purchase will soon be available in Japanese ebonite for about $10 extra. I'm guessing the Japanese ebonite has less imperfections/impurities in the ebonite -- correct me if I'm wrong -- but I'm wondering if it's merely aesthetic or if the Japanese ebonite is otherwise superior; for example, less likely to discolor, more durable, less prone to cracking over time, etc. I read on the Eboya (=Nikko Ebonite) site that they are the only ones in Japan still producing ebonite (with only 2 other factories in Germany and I'm assuming a few in India outside of Japan), so I'm guessing the ebonite will be sourced from them. I have hitherto only purchased resin and celluloid pens and still have much to learn when it comes to ebonite. Any info or links to threads which discuss this would be greatly appreciated!

This morning I had a very pleasant conversation with Mr Rao of Guider Pen works on WhatsApp. I've always loved his pens and wanted to get a few for Christmas. He sent me lots of pictures of his current pens and I would like to share it with the wider community.

Hello Everyone, ASA Swan is one of the less advertised models in their website, so its a relatively obscure product from ASA. i found it while browsing their complete catalogue. It is a simple acrylic pen, devoid of any extra appendages. I chose the ASA Swan because of its plain and simple design, lacking any extra ornamentation or glitter. I liked its pristine look and de-glamorized appearance. As if the shiny body itself is speaking of the inherent quality. It’s a very personal choice to keep at least one pen with simplest of features. It was intended to provide the eyes some relief from the pressure of viewing all those too self-conscious gaudy Chinese pens for days on end. But I agree that the same featureless look that caught my attention may not appear attractive to many fountain pen lovers, as was evident from the flak I received from a few of my colleagues when I took it to work. Still I like this pen. Today I am not allotting marks separately as this pen is more of a subjective choice. ASA Swan 1. Appearance & Design: This is a rod shaped pen. The acrylic comes in different colours like white, light blue, green. Contrary to the common features of acrylic pens, these pens have a single coloured body with no ripples, swirls or patterns. That keeps things simpler. There are two kinds of designs, flat ended and round ended. The body tapers gently towards the section and the section has a notch like portion at the distal end, beneath the nib for easy gripping. The cap is a simple cap with ball end clip. Design-wise it may not attract all fountain pen users. It’s a light weight pen. The body and cap 2. Construction & Quality : As usual the construction and material is very good from ASA. The acrylic is of good quality, smooth and the pen feels a quality product in hand. The clip is of good quality with springiness and it doesn’t catch rust even after rough use for sometimes. I bought it for everyday usage, although someone might feel tempted to use it more aesthetically, flashing it as a part of their sophistication and aristocracy. The cap fits on the section with three turns, which is a bit frustrating, but as I am accustomed to ASA products by now, that doesn’t pose many problems. There may be some minute imperfections or asymmetry in shape, but again that’s expected for such products. The threads are well crafted, so there is no tightness or problem while closing and opening the cap. The cap lip doesn’t have any rim, but it shouldn’t crack with normal usage. 3. Weight & Dimensions: The dimensions are as follows Pen Length (Capped) 133 mm Pen Length (Un-capped- with Nib) 120 mm Pen Length (Un-capped- without nib) 101 mm Section Length 25 mm Cap Length 65 mm Cap Dia 15 mm Barrel Dia 14 mm Section Dia 11.5 mm This is a small fountain pen with slightly thicker feel. The balance is good, both in un-posted and posted state. But it’s a bit too much long for my hands while posted. No problem felt with long writing sessions. The Schimdt medium nib....also notice the notch like area for easy grip The Schimdt converter 4. Nib & Performance: It came with a Schimdt monotone medium nib unit, which was smooth but pretty dry. I had to correct it to suite my taste. The nib is a threaded one. One can choose from other no 5 nibs. There is no breather hole. No flex at all. As Schimdt nibs feature regularly in various higher end ebonite and acrylic pens, I presume that many of the users will be perfectly happy with that. If you wish for another nib, that could be arranged by ASA. 5. Filling System & Maintenance: This pen is 3-in-1 filling system. I use it with a schimdt converter as this helps me to keep the pen clean. As eyedropper the pen will hold a generous amount if ink. 6. Cost & Value (9/10): This pen is valued at INR 1250 (31 USD ). Its an affordable pen with great value on the long run. The availability is a bit of a problem as this is not one of their flagship models. I advise others to directly contact ASA for more information. 7. Conclusion: This is a nice little plain monochrome acrylic pen with a good default nib unit. Have a nice day. The whatsapp no of ASA is 9176607660 Email id: asapens.in@gmail.com, unik.services@hotmail.com. Web site: http://asapens.in/eshop/

The two minute guys have posted a review video of yet another Indian flex pen, once again made by Kanwrite, which is called the Kanwrite Standard Flex Fountain Pen. First things first, here is the review: Now, like last time, i don't know if this pen is sold by Noodlers (under its brand name) in USA or not. But it looks like a great flex pen.. I have done some research on the pen - it was manufactured by Kanwrite in 2009 and is the companies most compact fountain pen. And its very cheap for a flex pen, and the guy claims it is as good as Noodlers Ahab. Even if it is not, i think it is going to be a great introduction to the world of flex pens. Does anyone own this pen? Is it good? Please share your experience here. I am getting it from the seller and hoping to get a discount on the price and great review by the guy, btw. Kudos to him

Howdy folks! I am looking for a bottle of Indian Royal Blue ink which will not fade with time. I am not interested in iron gall based ink(s). I will use it primarily for taking down notes. Thanks in advance

I came home today to my latest pen haul from ASA pens. I ordered these pens in early June and Mr Subbu made them to my personal specifications. Some of these pens have already been reviewed by other, so I'll only review the novel ones when I get to using them. Packaging In wrappers Unwrapped Japanese-styled ebonite My Indian fountain pen collection (even the case is made in India) Collection right side Collection left side

Hello everyone. This time my review is for Ranga Thin Bamboo ebonite pen. Ranga pen is one of the most well-known brands in fountain pen world, they have ardent followers both in India and abroad. They are manufacturing ebonite and acrylic fountain, ball point and roller ball pens for more than 50 years. I was quite late in buying from them considering my fascination for ebonite pens, just because their ebay site doesnt have any option for paying in Indian currency. The price list is entirely in USD, so I contacted them over email and whatsapp. Mr. Pandurangan was generous to respond within a short time, and he did help me a lot. ASA pens and Ranga pens are two of the most customer oriented fountain pen companies that I have encountered. I chose the thin bamboo model as it was a bit on the smaller side for ebonite pens, I do have problems with jumbo pens. Also, I have many pens from ASA which are similar in design to some other Ranga models. Bamboo model has a unique design which is still available exclusively with Ranga pens in Indian market. I asked for a clipless cap as in my opinion the clip was hindering the complete display of its beauty. I am satisfied with the pen. 1.Appearance & Design (9/10): First of all, I must admit, Its a gorgeous ebonite pen. This is a rod shaped pen with bamboo-like slightly swollen nodes on the body. Each node has a groove running through it. There are five nodes altogether. Both the ends look similar and have large grooves for the clip and presumably for posting, which as I would explain is not a feasible option. As I ordered for a clipless design, my pen looks symmetrical. I dont know the exact origin of this bamboo design, but as a fountain pen this design is unique. There is no logo or branding, which is a wise decision as it would have hampered the actual aesthetics of the design. The cap is a bit shorter than the body, and the distance between individual nodes is smaller on the cap than the body. But unless you compare them side by side (as I have already alerted your mind) its difficult to notice at first glance. I chose the yellow-black swirled one and the colour is great. Its not the highest quality of ebonite on offer from them, but still its better than most other Indian ebonite pens. That will give a fair idea about the quality of these pens. The thin Bamboo The cap and body- side by side 2. Construction & Quality (9/10): I dont find any fault with the design or construction of this pen. The finish is absolutely flawless. The ebonite is top class, with almost no extra inclusion or impurities visible. No lathe mark, scratch mark or inconsistencies found. The material is of good quality. The body is well polished and sturdy. Its a light weight pen. The cap secures on the body with three and quarter turn, which in my opinion is excess, but the threads are well crafted, so there is no tightness or problem while closing and opening the cap. The section is also made of ebonite with gentle tapering towards nib. The grooves at the nodal regions are consistent in width and well made. The cap creates a small gap with the body looking similar to the grooves above and below it. 3. Weight & Dimensions (9/10): The dimensions are as follows Pen Length Capped 14o mm Pen Length Uncapped 130 mm. Pen Length Posted 195 mm (so one have to use it without posting, unless one has hands like a giant). Average section diameter : 10-11 mm. This pen feels very comfortable and well balanced (unposted). No problem with long writing sessions. As evident from the measurements, its not a very big pen, but not a small pen either. Its a bit smaller and thinner than most standard ebonite pens, but has a decent length to it. from left to right: The Pilot Metropolitan, Ranga thin bamboo, Jinhao x750 and ASA Daily 4. Nib & Performance (6/10): The stock nib is a bit disappointing. If you are a user of Indian fountain pens, by now you must have been introduced to Wality nibs. The stock nib is a Wality monotone nib, smooth with lots of feedback. It writes Indian fine line. These are cheap nibs without much character to the writing. I hope to change this nib for a better one. The flow is generous. There is much feathering on cheap papers. The nib has very little flex. I would suggest them to use Kanwrite nibs which are cheap Indian nibs but much smoother. Wality monotone stock nib (Indian fine) 5. Filling System & Maintenance (6/10): This pen is eyedropper pen. There is no provision for a cartridge or converter in this model. There are costlier versions with German JoWo and Schimdt nibs and converters. 6. Cost & Value (9/10): This pen is valued at INR 2300 (45 USD ). I find the price quite appropriate. There will always be comparison of Ranga pens with ASA, the other major Indian ebonite pen makers. I find these comparisons a bit futile, thats because each product is priced for its buyers. If the buyer is happy with the finished product, I dont see why it would not be priced at the current value. ASA pens are a bit on the cheaper side, almost all pens have cartridge converter system, the finishes are comparable (with Ranga having a slight edge), the material from Ranga looks better, and if ASA were to launch a bamboo design of their own (I have no idea whether this design is copyrighted to Ranga pens) it would come at a lower price. This doesnt mean that if that becomes a reality (ASA launching bamboo design), this pen will lose its value. Ranga pens are one of the most internationally successful fountain pen makers and they stood the test of time. The communication is well maintained from their end and there are some little things, like getting a link in email about to how these pens are made - these small things build a relationship with the seller. So the buying experience get enriched beyond the product value. 7. Conclusion (Final score, 48/60): This pen is a must have for every fountain pen and ebonite pen enthusiast. I would suggest, if budget is not a constraint, one must go for the cartridge convertor German nib variety, plus one may look into the premium ebonite models. The whatsapp no is 9444357967 Email id: mpkandan@yahoo.co.in Ebay site: Ranga pens

"Dark am I, yet lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon." Song of Solomon(1:5) Black like the last night of the "Nightfall" of Issac Asimov and dark like coal tar with a clip flowing like milky way from the infinite darkness of the infinite space, this is an extremely gorgeous and attractive pen. This pen reminds me of the black coat of a lawyer, which means nothing but business. This classic Cigar shaped design with a continuous flow from barrel to section, the uniformity of the design and the monotone steel coloured nib and the steel clip, speaks of nothing but business. It is a pen with Executive looks. It is a design full of gravity and wisdom. The more I think about it the more I find that it is a very well thought of design for a hand-made pen. What we find is not mere art, not mere uniformity of and seductiveness of curves. Rather we discover efficiency. The Revolution is a regular size pen. The cap comes out is exactly 2 and a half turns. The clip is quite tight but due to its unique curved design it gets in a shirt pocket effortlessly but firmly and comes out equally easily.Word Gama is engraved with a cursive italic font at around middle of the barrel. Usually one would not even notice it. When one does, it just adds to the beauty of the pen. Where the cap comes out in just few turns, the section takes a lot many turns to come out. This has been done apparently to avoid any leak when the pen is being used as an eyedropper. The pen is almost as heavy as Pilot MR. However, in case of ebonite, the weight is more uniformly distributed. Therefore the centre of gravity lies at almost middle. Ebonite pens usually feel better than pens of other materials. Same goes with this pen. What I also notices is that the construction is sturdy. The walls of the section and barrel are really thick.The nib is large. Only a tad smaller in size than the section. Moreover, there is no step from section to barrel. The uniformity of the transition and the size of the nib makes it possible to hold the pen from almost any place. The section is thick enough to be held comfortably and not too thick to hold. The pen feels substantial but not humongous.The pen posts firmly and securely. Not using the pen even up to 24 hours I didn't notice any drying. I chose a fine nib. I like fine nib more than medium or broad nibs. This nib is good. It is a JoWo nib. It looks classy and is outright beautiful. It does not skip even while writing fast. It does not fail. It doesn't dry easily. On scale of nightmare;scratchy;correctable;smooth;super smooth; and ooolalalaaaa!!!, I would call it smooth. The nib is smooth and fine. But less smooth than say a Schmidt fine and a Lamy fine or a Pilot medium. What you feel is not feedback. It feels as if the pen has some affinity with paper. However, going by reports of some of my fellow FPN members the report of M nib is excellent. You may preferably go for medium if you want a nib that writes super smooth. However, even if you go for fine I won't say that you got a bad deal. I have been using this pen for three weeks now and I have had no issues with it. In fact the pen is being used ever since I bought it. While writing you would surely enjoy it. That is the best part. The pen feels like 'The Pen'. Good balance and good grip. Posted or unposted the pen feels just right and looks seriously beautiful. Good pen for long duration of writing. The pen offers little flex. My fellow member Anup Ji had to once use pliers on the nib!! Yes! It's that hard. Thankfully that also means that you can't damage the nib by normal wear and tear. Which is a good thing. Being a triple filler, the pen offers a lots of variation in filling. The pen takes standard converter, standard international converter and comes loaded with a Schmidt K-5 converter. The pen can also be used as an Eye Dropper. I have used this pen with all these options and they all work as they should be. At present the pen is being used as an Eyedropper.Because of advanced threaded nib, I never faced problem of burping or leakage in this pen. Which is a very good thing. For around Rs. 2000/- I got a very attractive ,prim and proper , executive looking pen which is very strong, sturdy and durable. I also got a three in one filling system and a nice Jowo nib. I got a pen that can be used as an Eye Dropper and will not face burping issues. I got a schmidt converter. I think the deal is really a great value for money. Here comes the score board. Looks:- 4.5/5 Build:- 5/5 Engineering:-4.5/5 Nib and Writing:- 3.5/5 Balance:- 5/5 Value for Money:- 4.5/5 Conclusion:- This is a really nice pen. I purchased it from ASApens.in(NAYY). The customer service was excellent. I got this pen with my son's name engraved. I am very sure that he will use it. The pen has the potential of lasting for a very long time. I am a happy and satisfied user.

Hello Everyone Its an intimidating task to write something about the famed Gem & Co. from Chennai, the creator and seller of some truly world class Indian fountain pens since 1920s. That's enough time for the world to spin a lot around its axis, witnessing rise and fall of different eras and trends, embracing changes with open hands but at the same time discarding some sweet little memories and moments to the endless flow of time. In another kind of world, Mr. M.C. Cunnan, and his business partner S. Venkat Rangam Chetty, started one store for writing instruments in the bustling Parry’s Corner area in Chennai. At that time India was under British rule, Chennai was Madras, and it was the capital of the whole Madras Presidency. Fountain pens were the means of writing, and business flourished. Gem and Company gradually became one of the largest pen stores in southern parts of India and were dealers in most of the famous brands of that time like Parker, Sheaffer and Pilot. They also carried out repair work on these pens. After a few years into the business, they decided to start designing and producing their own brand of high quality fountain pens. And thus the brand "Gama" was born. The 'Great' Gama Pahelwan was the stage-name of Indian wrestler Ghulam Muhammad. He defeated most of the big wrestlers from all around the world during the first three decades of the twentieth century. Gem and company decided to name their own pens in reverence of this amazing strongman, signifying both the strength and the performance of these pens. It was around 1940s that these pens were introduced in the Indian market. Initially these pens were made in England. Made of good ebonite material and having quality gold nibs, Gama brand quickly gained popularity among Indian fountain pen users and gradually became a big name for our fountain pen Industry. Long gone are those golden days, with advent of Ball point pens, fountain pen industry declined steadily. After Mr. Cunnan, his son Mr. M. Prabhat Kumar became the owner, followed by his son, the third generation in the family, Mr. Pratap Kumar. The shop stands at the same location witnessing the rise and fall of fountain pens, the workshop for repair and production stands a few blocks away. The number of skilled repairmen and shop workers going through steady decline, the number of people interested in fountain pens dwindling by the day. Mr. Pratap is a through gentleman, responding to queries and greetings heartily. Many models are not produced anymore, steel nibs has taken the place of golden ones, still Gem and company remains creator of some of the best fountain pen models from India. Presently GAMA pens are available online through ASA pens website, and either Mr. Subramaniam or Mr. Pratap can be contacted for customization. Today I am going to review GAMA Kuyil. The word 'Kuyil' in Tamil means Cuckoo bird. Most probably the name of this elegantly designed pen drew inspiration from the beautiful singing of the bird. This is a large, strong, beautiful looking eyedropper ebonite pen in matte black finish, with a reasonably smooth 'Indian' fine nib. 1. Appearance & Design: The pen came in a black velvet pouch with Gama written at the lower end. This pen looks very impressive. It is a flat topped rod shaped pen with slight tapering towards both ends. The top of the cap is a bit larger than the bottom of the pen. The cap has a chrome clip with the top finial flushed with the body, thus concealing the ring of the clip. There is no end ring at the base of the cap, but that actually matches the overall design of the pen. The clip is a flat sturdy clip with good springiness. The cap takes about two and half turns to screw on the body and there is no tightness.The section is glossy black finish and it compliments the brushed body. The section gently tapers towards the nibs and ends in a chrome coloured monotone no 6 nib. Just before the end, the section has a small flaring ring like finger rest for easy support of fingers. The section is quite thick in comparison to other ebonite pens. Branding in the form of the word 'Gama' is written on the barrel in italic script, and the quality of this engraving is very good. The words are put down with crisp margins. To compliment the brushed body, both the top and bottom of the pen is of glossy black surface. The Cap ends in a beveled edge which is again polished. The Gama Kuyil 2. Construction & Quality : The first thing I noticed with most Gama pens is the thickness of the ebonite. The walls of both the body and section is very thick. This makes the pens quite heavy in comparison to other ebonite pens, but at the same time the feel is amazing. It does the name Gama full justice as the pens appear very strong and tough. The brawny pens looks premium in hand. The brushed finish is very well executed and the feeling is great to the fingers. I didn't find any lathe marks or impurities in the ebonite, which is a common complaints with Indian ebonite pens. The cap has one minute breather hole, which is in line with the Gama branding on the barrel. The monotone nib has some simple designs and Gama written beneath that. No nib grade is written. The feed is a simple ebonite feed. The section screws on the body by about 4 turns, there is some tightness initially while turning and there is no leak if some silica gel is used carefully. Overall this pen will last a lifetime if used with due care and the brushed look would prevent scratches and marks appearing on body or cap on extensive use. 3. Weight & Dimensions: This is a jumbo sized pen. I think this is meant to be used un-posted, as the length gets ridiculous for proper gripping when posted, unless, obviously one has a giant palm. Its a bit heavy pen, but the balance is perfect. The section is very thick due to thick ebonite wall, but this doesn't feel uncomfortable while long writing sessions. I personally prefer pens with a section thickness of around 11.5 mm, but still didn't have much problem while using it for the last few weeks. From Left to Right: Pilot Metropolitan, Lamy Safari, Gama Kuyil Length capped: 152 mm Length of uncapped pen: 138 mm Posted length: 180 mm (!!!!) Nib length: 24 mm Diameter of section: 16 mm- 13 mm Cap length: 70 mm Ink capacity- 3.5 ml 4. Nib & Performance: The pen comes with a friction fit Monotone #35 steel nib with Indian fine grade by default, which is between European medium and Japanese fine. Its a smooth nib with a hint of feedback which helps good control during writing. The nib had a bit of scratchiness out of the box, but these feeds take some time to get primed as well, so after using it for three days, it became very smooth and pleasant. One thing I stress here, Indian fountain pen makers can accommodate any International nib as per customer's choice these days, if requested at the time of order. So, one can get this pen made with other nib grades as well. Personally, I am a big fan of Indian smooth fine nibs and thus have many of the pens in their default states. There is no flex in the nib. I don't know whether golden nibs are still available with Gama, but they might have some left with them. 5. Filling System & Maintenance: This is an eye-dropper pen with huge ink capacity. I encountered no burping issues, but as a precaution I keep the ink level more than one third of the barrel. Even then, the ink capacity is very helpful for long writing sessions. There is occasional burping if there is large fluctuations in outside temperatures all of a sudden. Custom fitted Schimdt nib and feed can prevent these occurrences. I think the maker can accommodate other filling systems as well on request, though I personally haven't asked for any such changes in my Gama pens. 6. Cost & Value: The pen is priced at around INR 1200-1500 ( around US $38 ) according to customization. Its a fairly cheap pen with simple design but great appearance and strong built. One can use this cheap pen as a daily writer without compromising on the quality side. The Cons: The big size, thick section and weighty feel may not appeal to some users, particularly fans of slim pens. Eyedroppers are meant for advanced users as there is every chance of some leaking or burping, which may vary from particular copy to another copy. Only 'fine' nib grade by default is a problem that may require customization. 7. Conclusion : The hallmark of 'Gama' brand is the quality in materials and performance, in this respect the Kuyil is a great value for money pen. This one is a must have pen for every Indian fountain pen lover. One can contact ASA pens and Gem and company to check for availability and customization for nib and filling mechanism. Mr. Subramaniam from ASA pens have one particularly helpful option of 'fountain pen testing', under which he tests the nibs of particular pens before dispatch. So, if one is not sure about the Gama nibs, they can opt for the testing option I have six Gama pens at present and hardly faced any problems regarding Gama nibs. ASA website ASA Whatsapp no of Mr. Subramaniam - +91 9176607660 ASA email- asapens.in@gmail.com, unik.services@hotmail.com No of Mr. Pratap- +91 9884209055

This review and others can also be found at my website: www.pensinksandpaper.com The Indian fountain pen market is an interesting dichotomy between cheap, largely unreliable pens, and gorgeous handmade pieces of ebonite that are a joy to write with. This pen falls firmly into the latter category. Appearance & Design (9/10) – The Ranga is absolutely gorgeous in a way no picture I could take will ever convey. There’s something about rippled ebonite that even the most experienced pen photographers (one of which I am most decidedly not) cannot convey in their work. If you have never seen a pen made from rippled ebonite in real life before, go buy one now. I promise you it will not disappoint. The size is perfect for what I was looking for, and Mr. Kandan (the pen turner who created this masterpiece) was very cooperative in making sure the design was perfectly made to my tastes. There was a slight communication error in ordering a color, but it was a happy accident; I love the color I have now more than I think I would’ve liked the other and Mr. Kandan helped to rectify the situation almost immediately with a partial refund. (Which I naturally used to help fund another Ranga… I couldn’t help myself.) The only flaw in the design of the pen is the cap posting. It does post, but not very securely, and the pen feels awkwardly long when posted. Otherwise, the design is flawless; this is a truly gorgeous pen. Construction & Quality (10/10) – You can’t beat handmade. The pen was obviously crafted with great care, and there is an undeniable beauty to having a pen made from a single piece of material with no seams or manufacturing nicks to be found. Although the 2C is the lightest and smallest Ranga available, about the length of a Lamy Safari and a bit thinner, it feels solidly made, and the ebonite of the pen is smooth and well finished. Handmade pens are always special in my opinion, and this one is no exception. They are made with special care and attention that no mass-produced pen can be, and the results are magnificent. Nib & Performance – The nib section of this review is where my experience may vary from that of others who use this pen, so I will refrain from giving a numbered score in this section. I set the stock nib aside almost as soon as I received the pen, and had replaced it before I inked it up for the first time. I did this because I use this pen for small annotations and Calculus, so I replaced the nib with an Extra Fine from JOWO of Germany. The 2C fits a number five nib perfectly as a replacement for its original nib. This is different from most Rangas, which accept number six nibs. The nib I swapped in was purchased from fpnibs.com, who also provide excellent service as well as a variety of affordable nib services. Filling System & Maintenance – The 2C is an eyedropper filler, so for a small pen it has a significant ink capacity, around 2-2.5 mL. This becomes especially significant (and useful) when you use an extra fine nib. I have not experienced any issues with burping, and the pen is relatively easy to clean. Cost & Value (10/10) – A handmade ebonite pen for $18 is unbeatable value. Mine came to a total cost of $28, including shipping, if you factor in the JOWO nib, but when you think about it that is an incredibly low price. It’s a handmade ebonite pen with a very nice German nib used in much more expensive pens smoothed by a nibmeister for the same price as a Kaweco Sport. (I have nothing against the Kaweco, it just happened to be the same price and a good comparison) At that price, the Ranga 2C represents an incredible value and I’m glad I purchased one. Conclusion (9.67/10) – The Ranga Model 2C is both a gorgeous pen and a fantastic value. Mr. Kandan is pleasant to work with, and happy to answer any questions. Should anything go wrong, he rectifies the situation almost immediately. The pen itself writes beautifully, and is both reliable and well made. It has been one of my daily writers since it arrived, and I can’t see it stopping in the near future.

Hello everyone. I went for Guider egg acrylic fountain pen impulsively after reading a review by fellow Indian FPN gold member Prithwijit for ASA Santulan. Interested persons might like to first read through the wonderful introduction about fountain pen shapes, which practically went well above my head. So I concentrated more on the pictures, and immediately knew I needed a pen with "pointed top and end" (well, less technically). Obviously I didn't have the Conway Stuart material, neither the ability to design pens on CAD software and implement it. So I had to look for some ready made pen showing the particular traits in shape, which to burrow Prithijit's language is '...a cigar shaped pen with a torpedo like barrel and a pyramid like cap' and I stumbled across one of the current production models from 'Guider' pens, the Guider Egg. Now one disclaimer - This pen is nothing in front of Prithwijit's ASA Santulan, period. I have the propensity to seek small little joys out of nothing when other routes might be temporarily out of reach ( here it was the CS blanks). So, his review inspired me, gave me immense joy and one day I'll make my own version, till then let me review this little beauty. Guider pen was started by Mr. G. Subbarao in 1946 in a place called Rajahmundry, by the banks of river Godavari in Andhra Pradesh. This is the same place where another patron of Indian made fountain pens, Ratnam and Brothers flourished. This small town became a place with rich tradition and impeccable artistry in making hand made fountain pens, just as India was at the threshold of becoming independent, both politically and economically. Its difficult to envision the extreme hardship, endeavor and dexterity of workers to produce completely hand made pens, without electricity, without Government support, in a shrinking market for fountain pens. There were definitely all those golden years for Indian Fountain pens post independence, with stalwarts from every walks of Indian society supporting the industry, but those were short. What followed was something akin to a dark winter, ball pens taking over the world, these facilities shrinking and getting eliminated with stiff competition from more organised and cheaper Chinese, Japanese and other European fountain pens, in whatever minuscule market that remained for these pens. Today, Subbarao's son, Mr. G. Lakhamana Rao oversees Guider's operations. I can feel his love for these pens. They are like materialized emotions, personifying love, care, sweat, joy, hope and heartbreak of Rajahmundry, a small obscure town at one end of this subcontinent, trying hard to keep at least part of its rich past traditions alive. That's enough ramblingsfor now, but this is to emphasize why I go back to these pens, why I overlook their flaws and fight for them. If loving ones own history and heritage is quirky, then using fountain pen in this age is quirkier enough. I bought Acrylic version first, in brown material with white swirls. Later I was so impressed with the feel of this pen in hand, I searched out and bought the ebonite version in matte black as well. I'll review both together. 1. Appearance & Design: Both pens look beautiful in their own way. Obviously the acrylic swirls are more captivating and feels more costly. But the ebonite matte finish is also very good, for an ebonite lover at least. the Acrylic version is smaller and thinner than the ebonite, but that's expected. The cap on acrylic pen is longer than ebonite cap. It is because the pyramid shaped finial on the acrylic cap is larger. both the pens are cigar shaped with gradual smooth tapering to pointed ends. The clips are typical golden coloured flat clips with Guider written on them, the quality of paint is not very good with some small imperfections exposing the underlying metal at some places. Though I haven't found any rusting after some intensive use at humid conditions. Both clips behaves well and secures the pen in shirt pocket without being tight. There is no other branding on body, which suits the design. The acrylic version has two golden rings at cap end, protecting the cap. Ebonite version doesn't have end rings on cap, but the end surface has been made glossy skillfully, so it looks pretty attractive even without the rings. The pyramidal finials are flushed with the cap, that's a nice feature for the design to work well. Both sections are tapered towards the nib and both have a small step just beneath the nib for easy finger rest. The sections are well designed for long writing sessions, and threads don't pose any problem while gripping. Guider Egg in Brown swirl acrylic and matte black ebonite 2. Construction & Quality : I am no authority about acrylic and ebonite quality as I don't have many world class costly pens to compare with, but they don't feel cheap. The trim quality is not very good and this is one of the big problems plaguing Indian hand made fountain pen market. The finish is very good. the acrylic pen don't show ant imperfections in the body and cap. The ebonite matte finish is smooth and warm to touch. Both the caps closes on respective bodies with about two and half turns, no tightness is felt anywhere. The section secures well in both the pens, there is no leaking problem. The acrylic section is easily screwed over its body. Ebonite section faces some stiffness while turning initially, later it screws on rather smoothly. Both the pens are lightweight and much thinner than similar pens from many other Indian makers. 3. Weight & Dimensions : I don't have exact weight, but both are light weight. The measurements are given in the following picture. It is clear the acrylic version is smaller and thinner, with a larger cap. Both have very good balance, the acrylic one is a bit thin for my choice but holds very well while writing quickly for longer periods. The balance improves further after filling both with ink. Secure posting possible in both of them and neither becomes oversize after posting. I use all my fountain pens without posting. Size measurements From left to right: Kaweco sports, Sheaffer no-nonsense, Pilot Metropolitan, Guider egg acrylic, Guider egg ebonite. 4. Nib & Performance: Guider nibs are unpredictable. I had to change the nib of Acrylic version with a #5 Kanwrite fine nib and after some adjustment, it writes in accordance with the feel of the pen. It appears like a spear in hand, and the kanwrite nib writes with just the appropriate balance of feedback and smoothness, just like a spear would behave in my hand. The nib of the ebonite version is a bit larger, but fortunately it was good. After some smoothing on a nail file, it behaved well for daily use. The nibs are one of the disadvantages of these pens, so if one is not comfortable with nib tuning or nib swapping, better not to go for these pens. Both nibs write fine with adequate flow, flow of ebonite version more than acrylic one, but not much difference. Both have friction fit nib and feed. The feeds are probably made of ebonite. 5. Filling System & Maintenance : Both are eyedropper as default design. But I think if requested Mr. Lakhamana Rao can arrange for other filling mechanisms at some extra price. The maintenance is minimum, at most amounting to periodical application of silicone grease at the threads and occasional flushing after pulling out the friction fit nib and feed. 6. Cost & Value : These are cheap pens. Each of them cost around rs 1000-1200 ( 15 $- 18 $ without customs, shipping etc). Even if one has to replace the nibs with kanwrite or Ambitious nibs (both very good quality cheap Indian nib manufacturer), still the price is quite decent for such pens, in my own idea. 7. Conclusion : I love them. I am posting pics and thorough review for others to judge. I'm no expert when it comes to fountain pens, just a plain user who allots some time from his daily routine to these small ceations. The Guider Egg pens, both acrylic and ebonite make me happy when I use them. Why there is no marks given in any segment : Let's face it, these pens are nothing in front of so called 'good' international fountain pens. Even many Indian fountain pen users are not satisfied with them when compared to the high standards set by some of the big names in this industry. So, I don't want to give the impressions that these are very high ranking pens, but at the same time I cannot belittle my own joy and the struggle of our cottage industry. I wrote candidly about them, its upto the buyer to dive into these pens. Contacts: Mr. Rao is very responsive and cooperative, give him some time and he can customise according to ones wishes. His no. for phone and whatsapp-- +91 9390163779.His website (though no direct buying link) Guider pens.

Recently I found myself to be using more pocket pens than bigger pens but I lacked any good custom pocket pen. So I went to Lakshminarayanan Subramaniam of ASA Pen who suggested me to look into ASA SWAN ,I liked the model and thought how to spice things up .. I recently acquired only 1.5 rods of the very illusive and sold out Conway Stewart Flecked Amethyst and thought to make a custom pen based on ASA SWAN out of those blanks .. The end result http://i.imgur.com/QGnOBg7.jpg THE ASA MONAL 1. Appearance & Design:- The pen is a rod shaped pen .The body and the section is made from Conway Stewart Flecked Amethyst blank. The cap is made from black glossy Indian Ebonite and te cap finial is also made from the CS blank. I opted for this custom design mainly for two reasons . Number one being there wasnt enough CS material available anywhere to make a full size cap and number two this design shows off the fusion between EAST and WEST .. http://i.imgur.com/BH5UPPj.jpg The fusion between EAST and WEST Here the gorgeous CS blank weds the Indian shiny ebonite .. I also made a smaller cap from the CS blank ( still in making process) 2. Construction & Quality : As always ASA made a fantastic job with the CS blank. The finish is world class ,devoid of any tool marks or imperfection . I cant even feel the joint where the black ebonite meets the Flecked Amethyst finial on the cap . http://i.imgur.com/LKaYidd.jpg The cap opens in very convenient one and half turns . The section is a nice and smooth hourglass transition from the barrel and the threads are perfectly smooth http://i.imgur.com/UyESpOB.jpg The smooth barrel to section transition with hourglass section 3.Comparison :- As this pen is based on the model of ASA SWAN a comparison with it only fair. Both pens are almost equal in length when capped . However the barrel of the ASA MONAL is a little bit thicker and has flat ends . http://i.imgur.com/shct06r.jpg ASA MONAL AND ASA SWAN CAPPED Opening the cap of both of pens reveals hourglass section in both , ASA MONAL has slightly thicker section diameter which I enjoy a lot .. http://i.imgur.com/DdUe9K8.jpg ASA MONAL AND ASA SWAN UNCAPPED 4. Nib & Performance: - IF you ask anyone from India the best Indian nib , I am sure they will come up with KANWRITE .. The ASA MONAL is custom fitted with KANWRITE #35 M FLEX nib unit ( same unit in noodlers ahab) The beauty of this nib unit is that not only it writes super smooth out of the box but also you can swap the nib unit with inexpensive nib units from KANWRITE with the range of EF,F,M,B,BB, RTOBLQ,LFTOBQ ,STUB in regular line and F,M,B in flex lines . This gives an amazing adaptability of the pen .. EF TO BB just in one quick screw in and out http://i.imgur.com/DVBEg2L.jpg KANWRITE #35 M FLEX AND SCHMIDT M http://i.imgur.com/KIPa9Nu.jpg ASA MONAL DISASSEMBLED WITH #35 KANWRITE NIB UNIT TO give an size comparison of the ASA MONAL with LAMY 2000 http://i.imgur.com/DHFlzt7.jpg ASA MONAL AND LAMY 2000 CAPPED http://i.imgur.com/OFxqsKh.jpg ASA MONAL AND LAMY 2000 UNCAPPED 5. CONCLUSION AND WRITING - The ASA MONAL is an example of true custom beauty ,an wonderful writer and superb craftsmanship of ASA .. I am very much delighted to possess this beauty .. http://i.imgur.com/5eMgc0s.jpg