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This is my review of a new, currently produced Onoto Magna Classic Rosso fountain pen, with a broad 18K nib. First, some photos of what I'm talking about. (1) Onoto gives you a choice of box for your new pen, either a "high gloss lacquered presentation box" or a "leather pen roll with a leatherette box." I chose the former, which is pictured here: The lacquered box is quite attractive and solid and comes in the cardboard box. When one unwraps everything and opens the wood box, here is what you get (I don't show the polishing cloth, but one comes inside a glossy cardboard holder): The blue "Onoto" ribbon actually is on the outside of the black cardboard box's paper wrapping, so the effect is that of a fancy gift. Next, here are photos of the pen itself: I ordered this pen with only two extra-cost options; I got the 18K nib (in broad width), which cost $209.16, and the "extra weight" option (shown in the photo looking into the barrel; the brass insert), which cost $20.92. Other options available are: (a) nib modification to stub, italic, or other ($87) ; (b) customized engraving ($40.67) ; (c) an additional rollerball conversion kit ($87.15) ; or (d) a plunger-fill converter ($290.50), which you can't get with the extra weight option (that special converter won't fit). The base price of the pen with a bi-color steel nib in either F, M, or B is $463.63. These costs reflect the exchange rate between Pound and Dollar at the time of the order in January. According to the Onoto website page for this pen, the following are the important measurements: Length capped: 127mm = 5.0" Length posted, including nib: 166mm = 6.535" Length of cap: 67mm = 2.638" Barrel Diameter range: 11 - 13.2mm = 0.433" - 0.52" Cap Diameter range: 14 - 15.8mm = 0.55" - 0.622" Weight: 25g (standard) or 32g (with extra weight option) Cap Weight alone: 13g The cost of shipping from the U.K. to Baltimore was approximately $25 (19.99 pounds), using today's exchange rate. So, this is an expensive pen, and many of you justifiably will want to compare it's value with that of it closest competitors. I'll leave that exercise to you all. In the meantime, here are my relatively early impressions of this pen: The 18K broad nib is two-toned. It writes with a medium-to-broad stroke and is on the firmer side, but is by no means a "nail." In fact, it writes with a silky smoothness, gliding across nice paper in a satisfying way. Depending on how you write, but considering how I write, there was some subtle shading in the various strokes of the pen. I provide a writing sample a bit lower here. The cap takes about 4-5 turns to remove and relocate on the barrel. For some, that is too many turns, and I'm inclined to agree, but for me this issue is minor. The cap can be posted quite easily and sits securely on the end of the barrel. I don't generally post my caps, and on this pen I see no reason to with this pen. As this pen has the extra weight option in which a brass (or other metal) cylinder is inserted into the barrel, this pen could not be purchased with the plunger-filler converter option. I purchased the pen with the standard twist converter, as shown. I filled the pen in the typical manner, and it wrote immediately and smoothly. I have been writing with it every day for 3 weeks, and I have not had any hard starts or skips. The pen writes beautifully. The resin body and cap feel warm and solid. The color is a bright red and is quite beautiful to my eyes. The ink being used in this pen is Private Reserve Black Cherry. Here is a writing sample: I am happy that I purchased this pen. I welcome any comments or questions you may have about it.

Posted a review video for the Kanwrite Desire Marble Red (dual tone steel #6 medium nib with gold plated trims on the cap) on Youtube, available here. You may find the featured pen here: for purchasing in Indian Rupees / for purchasing in US Dollars. A special mention of the ink I use for the writing sample: Sulekha Selam 21. It is a tribute from Sulekha to commemorate the occasion of 21st February, which is observed by UNESCO as the International Mother Language Day to honour the martyrs of this day in 1952 among the student demonstrators of the University of Dacca (now University of Dhaka) who were protesting against policies imposing Urdu as the lingua franca in the Bengali-speaking majority East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). You may find the ink here.

Posted a review video for the Kanwrite Desire Marble Red (dual tone steel #6 medium nib with gold plated trims on the cap) on Youtube, available here. You may find the featured pen here: for purchasing in Indian Rupees / for purchasing in US Dollars. A special mention of the ink I use for the writing sample: Sulekha Selam 21. It is a tribute from Sulekha to commemorate the occasion of 21st February, which is observed by UNESCO as the International Mother Language Day to honour the martyrs of this day in 1952 among the student demonstrators of the University of Dacca (now University of Dhaka) who were protesting against policies imposing Urdu as the lingua franca in the Bengali-speaking majority East Pakistan (now Bangladesh). You may find the ink here.

Posted a review video for the Kanwrite Heritage Marble Swirl (dual tone steel no. 6 medium nib with gold plated trims on the cap and barrels) on Youtube, available here. You may find the featured pen here: for purchasing in Indian Rupees / for purchase in US Dollars. You may find the ink featured here. Part 2 of this video reviewing the Kanwrite Desire Marble Red I bought along with this to be out soon.

Posted a review video for the Kanwrite Heritage Marble Swirl (dual tone steel #6 medium nib with gold plated trims on the cap and barrels) on Youtube, available here. You may find the featured pen here: for purchasing in Indian Rupees / for purchase in US Dollars. You may find the ink featured here. Part 2 of this video reviewing the Kanwrite Desire Marble Red I bought along with this to be out soon.

I have recently purchased a Vazir Patriot 4 from their website. For those who are not acquainted with Vazir, it is a handmade fountain pen brand from India. As the name of the pen suggests, there have been three preceding versions of the Vazir Patriot, all of whose design elements have alluded to the Indian Tricolour flag. The Patriot 4 is no exception, but with an added point of distinction that it is a limited edition of 75 units only - commemorating 75 years of Indian independence from British colonial rule. The pen I purchased sports a Schmidt no. 5 medium gold-plated steel nib, but also comes in fine and broad nib variants. The website offers the pen at INR 3000/- (for those who would purchase it with Indian currency) / USD 42. I have recently posted a full review video of the pen on my Youtube channel, which can be viewed here. (Image credit: http://www.vazirfountainpens.com/product-page/vazir-patriot-4-0 https://www.vazirfountainpens.co.in/product-page/vazir-patriot-4)

This is not sponsored or compensated in any way, I am just very happy with the great service provided by Yasukazu Hagiwara of Tokyo Pen Shop Quill (Asahiyakami Bunguten Co. Ltd). He responded quickly to my emails about what his store carried, prices, shipping costs, and several other questions I had. He also shipped my order very quickly and it was incredibly well packed, so everything inside was in perfect condition. I have never been so impressed with any seller of anything as I have been with Tokyo Pen Shop Quill.

Note: The Diamine Pumpkin comparison looks very similar in the poor scan, but is actually distinct from the Orange Indien. The ink is less red and more orange in reality.

This isn't my first Ranga fountain pen but it's the one I like more till now. I'm a fountain pen lover and my favourite ones are my ebonites. They are all hand crafted by artisans. The one I introduce you now is the new Ranga Markandeya. It's a bit special because it's not the typical "jumbo" sized pen (I like big pens but also medium sized ones), although it's gurthy externally (not too much). It's special because it's made with care and love by Indian craftsmen who know well their work. Appearance & Design (10) In my view, it's appearance is beautiful. The swirls between teal blu and orange brown in the ebonite are always very nice to watch, it's mesmerising if you turn the pen. The material is precious (rubber with sulfur, badly named as hard rubber); it's name comes from it's similarly with ebony. The design is very well thought-out. It is uncapped in one and a quarter turn. The clip is long and springy. The section is long and old fashioned in the best way because it's very comfortable to hold and it tappers up at the end preventing your fingers to meet the nib. I like the cap meets the body with the same width and it's gurthy enough for my liking. The Jowo nib (B in this piece) has one advantage: you can interchange with other Jowo nibs I'm sure you have and, if you haven't any, it's very easy and cheap to find one. It can be posted very securely but I do not recommend you to do it because with time you can damage the surface of the ebonite (if you like posting, do it with care). Construction & Quality (9) Ebonite is a precious material for me. The fountain pen is handcrafted (I give a high value to pens made with experienced hands more than inyected plastic, for example). This pen is made by artisans and well engineered. The quality of the threading is outstanding. It has long section threading to be well eyedroppered if you prefer that system with huge ink capacity. Why I don't give a "10"? Because of the micro scratches from the lathe (almost imperceptible but they could be completely eliminated). The polishing is good but not perfect. I remember that Da Vinci said "details make perfection and perfection is not any detail". Weight & Dimensions(10) It's weight is 24 grams capped and 15 uncapped, with perfect balance. It is a lightweight and comfortable pen. It measures 134 mm capped but the good point consists of it's long enough uncapped, 122 mm, very good, well done. The nib goes close to the end of the cap. I appreciate that because you can have a long enough uncapped fountain pen without sacrificing the total length in order to get relative restrained length. It's a gurthy pen but not too much, 16 mm in the middle. It tappers down in the cap to 13,5 mm and to 12 mm in the body. I feel that dimensions like the perfect ones. Nib & Performance (9) The nib is a standard broad Jowo stainless steel one, so it's performance is assured. But you can choose a Ranga or Bock if you want, even gold or titanium with different sizes and plating. Mine is very smooth and juicy, without being a gusher. Filling System & Maintenance (9) The filling system is possible in three ways, cartridge, converter and it also can be used with eyedropper. It comes with a standard Schmidt converter. The maintenance is very simple to realise due to the converter system. I like piston filling systems and eyedropper and vacuum systems with shut off valve to avoid burping but using that kind of systems you increase the price and the maintenance is not so easy. I know you have to store the pen with care and without light and to dry it well after washing but I prefer the feeling of ebonite when you touch it and it looks beautiful. Cost & Value (10) The quality/price ratio is outstanding. In my pen 79 $ including postage (64 without it). But the good point is it's value, it's a fountain pen made by hand, if you take only that into account only, it's real value is very high. Beside that it's made with care and love and perfectly engineered. I got the pen in a group buy directly with mr. Kandan M. P. He is so kind and professional and they send you the pen very fast although I don't mind to wait if they use Indian post because it's cheaper. He has told me they are going to use this way to offer free shipping. Conclusion (Final score, 57/60) I feel very happy with this fountain pen. It is beautiful and very well made, with love by artisans. Very well engineered and thought-out. I am also very satisfied with their customer kindness. I think we do well to support handcrafted fountain pens. I am perhaps a bit viassed because I do love ebonite. The price is more than right if you consider the artisan work. They are all craftsmen. They even give you one free fountain pen. It is a modest but functional one and I really appreciate that gift because it's a nice detail and remember Da Vinci... Best regards to everybody. Take care Miguel Ángel.

I recently splurged on the beautiful refillable notebook from Endless, with their proprietary Regalia paper. The package arrived yesterday and I have tried out a few sample inks on it to see how they behave. Firstly, the quality of the product is incredible. The leather is supple and feels really. I love the blue color that I chose... it leans slightly teal and is beautiful in touch. It came with a dot grid notebook that goes inside with their Regalia paper. I feel the notebook could have been a bit thicker.... however, once nested inside, the entire thing has sufficient heft. You also have the provision to hold upto 3 notebooks, so maybe I'll add one with a different style, do a DIY with watercolor paper for my urban sketching. Now, onto the paper. It felt slightly toothy (in a good way), very smooth and has a slight sheen from certain angles. Being 80 gsm, its thick enough that I did not see even a hint of ghosting, but that's also based on very limited trials right now,, with any old nib I had lying around. Where it shines, is the sheen!! All my inks looked incredible on it. It just makes their colors pop, and the sheen and shading stand out. Here are some quick, unprofessional pics where I tried to capture the sheening as best as I could

I inked up a pan using this ink and was very pleasantly surprised. Please see the photo for my review. The paper is Clairefontaine.

AHBIMANYU GRAND – [this is the summary of the first review I will publish on the channel I am building for YouTube – “Ach Pens”] Since elementary school I have been interested in fountain pens (how they are designed, how their filling systems work, how they write and their history). And my interest led me, a few years ago, to the Indian Pens Ranga. The meeting took place before they were internationally recognized, by a large number of specialists and pen stores, as excellent writing instruments with unbelievable cost-effectiveness. My Ranga collection incorporates, at this moment, 26 pens and is always growing. I prefer the Ranga Ebonite pens (noble material, made of vulcanized rubber, also used in mouthpieces for saxophones and clarinets). But I also have a few Rangas made of acrylic material, very beautiful. I say that I have a collection because I have Rangas made according to all the models available from the Ranga factory and I ended up buying Rangas that duplicate pens that I already have, just because they are in beautiful different colors… Please note that I write with all my pens (as my friend Alan Machado advises); one at a time (of course), in turns….! The Ranga pen that I chose to talk about today is the "Abhimanyu Grand", which is the giant version of the Ranga Abhimanyu model. And yes, it's a big pen... There are other Ranga models that I like as much as the Abhimanyu. However, as I said before, I write with all my pens, and the Grand couldn't escape that rule. And I'm glad that I didn't put it aside for another opportunity – what a pen! Let me tell you that all Rangas are handcrafted on lathes by experienced craftsmen with a long pen-making history — and you can feel the art as soon as you get hold, and start handling and using any of them. To me that is something of extra value and beauty! Back to the Grand. I believed that a big fat pen like that would be uncomfortable in my average-sized hands. I was wrong! The pen LOOKS big and fat, but it's perfect in the hand. And it writes beautifully thanks precisely to its excellent ergonomics! At the end of the writing exercise, I didn't want to say “see you later”, as the Grand is an example of a perfect marriage between beauty and function. Filling, cleaning and maintaining the Grand is a breeze. Its parts (cap, section and body) fit together perfectly well. Complementing the ebonite boby of the pen, I chose to equip it with a fine-tipped Jowo #6 steel nib and a filling system via a cartridge or international converter. The pen can also be filled by using a dropper, allowing the tighten body to carry a much larger amount of ink. But now comes the most important question in an appraisal: how was the performance? Well, as the saying goes, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”, and let me say that the Ranga Abhimanyu Grand “tastes” beautifully and it is now one of my few Holly Grails. The weight of the pen, the comfort of the section (that part that give support to the fingers), and the shape of the body are perfect and help one to write with the Grand for a long time, without getting tired. In fact, I'm going to anticipate the pen's place in the shift queue because I can't wait for it to be your turn again to write my daily lines… Fit&Finish, Design&Ergonomics are all TENS. This pen is a gem! But wait! There's more: Ranga pens come packaged in a beautiful case, which is in turn wrapped in a hand-sewn cloth. And the recipient's name and address are handwritten on the wrapping cloth. What a charming greeting! To find out more about Rangas and their prices, one may contact the website [https://rangapens.com/] or write directly to Mr. Kandan M. P. [mpkandan@yahoo.co.in] In conclusion, I really don't know how quality, mass-produced, pens can compete with Ranga pens. It's almost a miracle that Ranga Pens can make and deliver such a superior product for such a reasonable price (in most cases, around $90.00). And at Ranga Pens they work fast: customers are always surprised to receive their pens sooner than expected!

I received a pen from Birmingham Pen Company today. It is the "Ironsides" Model-C with a "Raven" clip. The clip has the black ceramic coating used on their "Raven" model. I ordered mine with a Nemosine 0.6 stub. Ordering: It took about three weeks to receive the pen from the time of order. Birmingham Pens is a small family-owned and operated company. They make their pens in small batches to fulfill orders as they come in. Receiving: The pen came with a certificate of authenticity and serial number. The pen arrived securely packed in an attractive box a postcard, the certificate, and a note from Nick. Fit and Finish: The pen is hefty. It has a satin finish that suits the material. It is cigar-shaped and has simple, clean lines. The black clip contrasts nicely with the silver gray finish. The photos of this pen on the Birmingham website look like there is a greenish color cast. The pen is more like silver-gray color in real life. There is the option of "Raven" or satin steel for the clip material, and it is possible to change the clip after purchase, so it is not a big commitment. The pen feels like a precision instrument. The threaded components almost spin together or apart once loosened for assembly or disassembly. The cap does not post securely (I did not press it hard on the pen), but I don't post my pens. The size and weight of the pen un-posted made it feel comfortable in my hand. Writing Experience: It is a weighty pen. If you like lightweight pens, this is not the one for you. So far, I have written on Leuchturm 1917 and cheap computer paper (in the photos). The Nemosine 0.6 stub is the perfect thickness for my writing. The nib had a lot of feedback on the Leuchturm with an audible sound but has not caught on paper. It felt more like a cursive italic nib, but that's alright. Hopefully, it will smooth out a bit with use. I am using Platinum Cassis Black in the photos. Nemosine 0.6 stub with Platinum Cassis Black on printer paper Conclusion: I am happy with this pen and think it is a good value. It just feels like a high-quality, precision machined pen. I like supporting small companies that make great products. I have not tried their ink yet, but have some on order, and I am looking forward to giving it a go and doing more business with https://www.birminghampens.com/

I recently purchased on Ebay for USD$150 a gold-plated Waterford Powerscourt fountain pen with a fine 18K/750 nib and have used it for a week, writing with it at least twice each day. Here are photos, to be followed by my impressions at this relatively early stage. The pen is very attractive and feels nice in the hand. It has a solid feel and nice weight; the pen is of average length and weighs 41 grams. It fills easily with its included converter. I used Noodlers Green ink. It took awhile for the pen to write consistently; at first, it skipped a bit. The fine nib writes with a relatively dry line. The nib is on the firm side and makes an easily audible sound when writing on decent quality paper. My "gut" feeling is that the Powerscourt is an attractive pen that feels nice in the hand but writes in an uninspiring manner. I gather that for my tastes, a medium or broad nib (which I generally prefer) would feel better. However, my guess is that the Waterford line is more about looks than about the writing experience. What are the experiences and impressions of others who have written with this pen or other Waterford pens? Am I being unfair to this pen and brand?

Nice ink from Kerala, India. https://krishnainks.com/ Apologies for the poor handwriting, and wrong name in the review.

Lovely, well-behaved ink from Kerala, India. https://krishnainks.com/ Apologies for the chicken (blood) scratch 😞

This is a review and comparison of competing brands of essentially the same fountain pen -- the Platinum Curidas and the Lanbitou 3088. After Platinum began selling its relatively recent Curidas model in 5 transparent colors, the Chinese pen maker, Lanbitou, came out with it's version of the Curidas, which Lanbitou designated the "3088." In virtually all respects, except the badging, the two brands offer identical pens. The biggest difference is the retail pricing; the Curidas sports an SRP of $90, but the 3088 can be purchased within a range, in USD, of around $9 and a bit more. The question is whether the Curidas is 10-times better than the 3088. It is not. In fact, in my estimation, the two pens are so comparable in appearance, build quality, and performance that the 3088 is the much better value. However, the 3088's resale value, if you try to sell one, will be much less than that of the Curidas, primarily because the Curidas is a Platinum product. I recently purchased all 12 color options of the 3088, but will compare its transparent teal version with the transparent teal version of the Curidas. Notwithstanding the color variation in the first two photos, in fact the color of each pen is virtually the same, and I would describe it as a greenish-blue or teal. Held to the light, it appears that the Curidas' color is a bit more saturated than that of the 3088. The third photo of the middle-inside of each pen is provided to show one (surprising?) difference between the pens. Notice that the Curidas has a plastic sleeve over its converter, while the less-expensive 3088 has a metal (brass? copper?) sleeve in the same location. Perhaps the metal on the 3088 accounts for the 1 g weight difference. Other than that difference, the pens work exactly the same inside in terms of filling by converter. Here are some objective comparisons: Weight empty: Curidas 24 g ; 3088 25 g. Weight after filling, expelling air and filling twice: Curidas 28 g ; 3088 26 g ; did the 3088's converter not work as well as the Curidas'? Length: exactly the same -- approximately 5 7/8 inches. (Sorry to mix metric and English systems) After filling each pen, each with a fine nib, each wrote immediately. The Curidas writes a bit wetter-thicker than the 3088. There is no question in my mind that the Curidas' fine stainless steel nib has more give (albeit limited) and feels better than that of the 3088, the nib of which is extremely firm and perhaps nail-like. When clicking the button to hide the nib, the Curidas manifested some hesitation (even after I removed and returned its spring), but did close, whereas the 3088 clicked closed immediately. If price is no object, I prefer the Curidas for its slightly more saturated color, its better-feeling nib, and its higher market value. However, for those not concerned with market value and slight color saturation difference, the 3088 is a superior value by far. As I mentioned earlier, I purchased one of each of the 12 colors of the 3088. In addition to the four transparent colors (whereas the Curidas offers five transparent colors, also including a true blue), the 3088 offers 8 solid colors (not offered at all in the Curidas line). The Curidas transparent colors offered are: clear, grey, red, teal, and blue. The 3088 transparent colors offered are: clear, grey, red, and teal (why not blue?). The 3088 solid colors offered are: black, grey, white, blue, red, pink, cocoa, and light green. I purchased my twelve 3088s on Ebay from a seller who shipped for free. When I checked today on Ebay about pricing, it appeared that the price of the 3088s increased, but that impression may have been mistaken. I noticed that just about every Ebay seller of the 3088s from China "advertised" a lower price than actually is charged when one "selects" the color and nib (either EF or F), which is disturbing; one cannot actually find the pen with the advertised price. On the other hand, the real price was so inexpensive for what I got that I didn't quibble.

Dear FPN'ers, We are happy to share the Video review by Mr. Douglas from Inkquiring minds channel for Ranga Model 3C Pen https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zksTx23RPLw Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

If you've been around fountain pens for a while, chances are you know about Kanwrite. At the risk of repeating myself... Again, let me repeat the intro that I said about my review of the Kanwrite PC. "Kanwrite or Kanpur Writers is one of the most popular pen companies in India and outside (If you've used a Noodler's pen, Chances are high that it may be made by Kanwrite...). Though their Desire and heritage have stolen the show for most of us, there are a few hidden gems in the brand..." One of which is the Relik, which is the only hooded nib pen in Kanwrite's lineup. And for about ₹350/- INR when bought directly from Kanwrite, just like other Kanwrite budget pens, it's a solid knock-around everyday carry pen. So without any further ado, Let's crack on... Design and Build Design wise, it's a classic design which harks back to the old reform piston filler pens of the 60's and 70's, and almost identical to the PC. Honestly, if I place a PC and a Relik side-by-side capped, and ask you to tell which one is which without touching them, you'd be hard pressed to notice any difference between them. It's when you open the difference becomes apparent. The hood over the nib is the main differentiator between the PC and the Relik, You can swap the parts like the converter, Body and the cap between the two and they'll fit perfectly. But design wise, It's a handsome fella. (Note: the standard relik comes with a gold plated nib however I dropped it nib down and bent the tines. since then I replaced it with a non plated nib, so some of the photos will contain the a silver nib on a gold trimmed pen... My bad) As far as the build, the cap is made of metal and has a slight texture to it, the body is made of plastic which is very durable. Easily able to handle drops without issues, and surprisingly scratch resistant. It does smell. But not a lot and you'll barely notice it after a week or so. The pen comes with a hooded nib which looks similar to pens like the Camlin 47 and the Airmail/Wality 77. It uses a No.00 nib and an ebonite feed housed in a plastic sleeve which is then slid inside the grip section. reassembly can be fiddly, as the sleeve is like a gear with a million billion teeth and to get the assembly just right takes some trial and error. Also a thing to note while cleaning the pen, the sleeve is fairly fragile so be careful when reassembling the feed. Don't just jam it in there with all the frustration of your last breakup or else the sleeve will be the next thing you'll break up (Poor joke... I know...). Because of the hooded design, you can leave the pen for more than an hour, and it won't dry up. So that's the reliability box ticked for the Relik. The pen accepts a converter which is a screw in type and it smells... like more than I expected... Luckily, the barrel has enough threads that makes it a perfect candidate for eyedropper conversion, but air-tight enough that it seals the smell off... As for the size comparisons, from top to bottom: 1. Kanwrite Relik 2. Beena Lincoln 3. Parker Vector CT Standard 4. Jinhao X450 One thing though, and it happened to my PC and the Relik, the plastic of the converter becomes yellowed when using Bril black ink, tough it does not seem an issue with the other inks that I use, which includes other Bril inks. It does not affect writing though. Speaking of which... Ergonomics, Writing and Final Verdict The ergonomics are fairly good. If you use a Gel or Ballpoint before, you'll feel right at home, plus the hooded nib design means you can hold it very close to the nib, if you're an imbecile like me and hold the pen according to the mood I'm in, this is a very good pen to write. Plus because of it's light weight, it's comfortable to use for long writing sessions. Posting it gives it that little bit more heft that in my opinion, adds to the overall writing experience. As for the writing, It's a typical Kanwrite fine nib. Smooth for the most part with a hint of feedback that is noticeable but not unpleasant. You really feel you're writing something, which I prefer over a nib that writes like writing on glass, as my hand tends to go out of control faster than when a fish slips out of the hand the moment you catch it out of the water. Wetness and flow is more than adequate enough, but not so much that it makes the ink feather and make the writing a bunch of squiggly lines on cheap copier paper. Flow keeps up with even the fastest of writing that I can manage and over long writings, the pen doesn't break a sweat. Overall, as a final verdict, This is a solid option if you are considering a hooded knock around EDC pen that is both durable and good to write with. Honestly these Kanwrite offerings doesn't leave me with anything to say that I haven't said before. For the price that you buy from Kanwrite directly, it's a great value and an excellent beginner pen. PS: Note that the min. order value for ordering from Kanwrite directly is ₹500/- INR (you can order by contacting them via Whatsapp). So I'd suggest you buy and Apex (Review of which you can see by clicking here) and some spare No.00 nibs as well just in case. Trust me, you won't regret it. That's all from me, and I'll catch you all next time

If you're into fountain pens, chances are you know who Kanwrite is. They're the largest nib manufacturer in India and their models like the desire and heritage have garnered critical acclaim all over the world. They also (allegedly) make some of Noodler's pens as well. But that's not all the models they make. They make some pretty good inexpensive pens as well... some of which are a good choice for students and beginners who would like to start their fountain pen journey. Today I'm going to look at Kanwrite's cheapest offering, the Apex. A simple eyedropper pen that can be found at about ₹60 - 100/- INR(less than $1-2 USD) in India. And for the TL;DR of it, it's a pen that, if you want a good beginner pen or you want to venture into the world of eyedropper pens, this is a good place to start. So, let's crack on... Design and Build This is the cheapest pen that Kanwrite offers, and you can tell... not necessarily on the build quality, but you can tell why they chose to go with an eyedropper for this, you're basically paying for the nib, feed and a plastic housing. But beauty lies in simplicity... right? For the minimal amount of materials used the pen looks and feels solid. Even though it's at the bottom of the barrel compared to other Kanwrites, ink it up and it has the same amount of character and appeal as other fountain pens. They have various tints for the plastic, but I went for the demonstrator look because, well... I'm a sucker for those. The pen is made of the same plastic that is called a "celluloid derivative" by Mr.Nathan Tardif himself, and yes... it has the smell, but not that much compared to other pens that I have that's made of the same material(lookin' at you... Kanwrite PC converter). and yes... it can handle drops like a ballpoint... I accidentally dropped it back side down about 3ft from the ground, and aside from a temporary ink fountain that covered my floor with purple ink, the pen wrote as soon as I picked it up and put It on paper(probably because the fall helped prime the feed even more). The cap is a simple screw in cap that takes around 2 turns to open/close. and the clip is sufficiently tight yet easy to clip into even thick fabrics. it also has Kanwrite stamped on it, alongside the heat embossed Kanwrite logo in the barrel. Overall for a ₹60/- pen, it looks distinctive, and that's good in my books. The only issue is that the pen has minor flashing marks on the inside of the section, probably due to not properly trimming the injection molded parts, but other than that, a solid pen that is well built. As for size, well... it's a small pen... From left to right: Kanwrite Relik Jinhao X450 Airmail/Wality 71JB(cartridge converter system) Kanwrite Desire Kanwrite Apex Nib, Feed and Writing Experience Kanwrite is a company Known for their nibs, so it shouldn't be a surprise that this one will also be a good nib, right? Well, we'll get to that in a bit. Let's first take a look at the nib, shall we? The nib is a Kanwrite No.00 stell nib in fine. The same nib that is used in the Relik and perhaps even the same size as in the Airmail 77 and Camlin 47. It's a tiny fella, and couple that with an ebonite feed that is sufficiently finned, and you can rest assure that reliability will be a strong suit of this pen... and it is. I have never run into any dry out issues even when left uncapped for the better part of an hour. So suffice to say, it's a reliable writer. Talking about how it feels while writing, well, the pen is a small guy. But even for me, a guy with a hand the shape of a kayak(slim and long...) writing it unposted was fine, but I'd still recommend posting it as then it's in my opinion a perfect size for writing with. Talking about writing, and well... It writes just like a Kanwrite. Very smooth for the most part with a hint of a feedback. It's less than you get while writing with a pencil but you feel that you are writing. This is with TNPL 70gsm copier paper though. Move on to a better paper like a Classmate or Rhodia, and the nib just glides... honestly, as much as the Airmail 69T that I shoehorned a Kanwrite No.35 nib into(Check that one out here). And I'm baffled that you can get this writing experience out of a pen that costs around the same as a ghee roast in a restaurant. Now the pen is an eyedropper and does take around 2ml of ink. And like most eyedroppers it does burp, but when the barrel is so low that you are not refilling the pen out of pure ignorance and laziness. So, refill it when the ink gets to about 1/8th mark, which'll last you more than 2-3 ballpoints. Plus, everything is friction fit, so it is easy to clean. Before getting into the conclusion here's a writing sample of this pen. Conclusion and Final verdict Honestly, there isn't much to say about it, if you have a Kanwrite PC, Saloon, Relik or any of the lower end ones, the experience is somewhat similar. and for just 60 rupees, you can't go wrong. Like I said in the beginning it's a pen that, if you want a good beginner pen or you want to venture into the world of eyedropper pens, this is a good place to start. It is a cheap and effective gateway drug into the world of fountain pen. couple this with a ₹25/- bottle of bril blue, and you're pretty much set for at least half a year, or more. Thanks for reading my write up and I'll see you around...

As a newly active member in this forum, I have learnt so much from you all that I wanted give back with my first review. As I haven’t used a wide variety of fountain pens, I am not familiar with 100% of the terms used to describe the behaviour of the nibs. Instead, I will use analogies where appropriate, even if you find them terrible! To compensate for my lack of knowledge, I am reviewing not one, but 2 of these pens (well 2 different design variants). [TL:DR] If you don’t have time to read everything, the TL:DR version is in the highlights section at the bottom, along with the links to all of the photos. I created a separate photo album in Flickr for each pen so that you can focus on what you prefer. If you don’t want to scroll to the bottom, here are both photo albums: 1. S100 (M-Blue/Chrome) - https://flic.kr/s/aHsmW84Npb 2. S100 Ferrari (M-Black) - https://flic.kr/s/aHsmW84Rxv [Quick back story] As I mentioned in my intro message a few weeks ago, I joined this forum in 2009 after buying my first Fountain Pen, the Pilot Prera, while I was on holiday in Tokyo that same year. The pen was so good that I never bothered to log into FPN ever again! As I’ve been stuck in lockdowns in 20/21, I’ve been writing a lot more and needed a change as I finally got bored with it. It’s still a fantastic pen, but it needed a new home, so I sold it on eBay. The hunt for a new pen began in May 2021 along with my 2nd ever login to FPN after 12 years. Miraculously, the username and password still worked! [The 1st purchase: May ‘21] Once again, I got lucky. I walked into a jewellers shop in Bristol near where my parents live which has a tiny little cabinet in a corner containing the smallest selection of pens I had ever seen. It was clearly set up by someone who thought “I suppose we better have some pens just so that we can tick the box”. When I saw the Shaeffer 100 in Blue and Chrome, I asked if I could test it out because it looked so nice with the blue lacquer and chrome cap. It was a delight to use right from the start. As soon as I began writing, I knew I had to buy it. The (M) nib was buttery smooth. Overall, the pen felt even better than when I first tried the Prera all those years ago. I asked the price and he said it was £35. I couldn’t believe it. It felt like it cost at least £50 - £70. I just smiled and handed over the money immediately. Then let’s fast forward a few weeks into Jun ’21. As I always need a black and blue pen, I wanted to buy the pen in black too so that I could fill it with the matching ink colour. The shop didn’t have any, so I had a look online (I single handily reduced their fountain pen inventory by a third a few weeks earlier!). I found the Ferrari version of this pen at The Hamilton Pen Company, also at £35. The pen had a discrete Ferrari logo at the top. The yellow colour in the logo was a perfect complement to the all-black body and cap. I didn’t hesitate to order it because of my positive experience in the store with the original blue/chrome version. Hamilton’s customer service was excellent. The pen arrived the day after I ordered it. [Build Quality: 10/10] The metal body and grip section make the pen feel much more expensive than the price. It feels like you are writing with a luxury pen. It has a decent “premium” weight (Body: 21g, Total: 32g) and the quality of manufacturing is 10/10. No flaws anywhere on the body or grip. The nib is top notch as well. The pattern on the nib also makes it look really expensive. If you are thinking of buying this as a gift for someone, you should not hesitate. [Design: 9/10] 1. Size - This is a what I would call a regular sized pen, the kind which you would be used to buying in a stationary store. I’ve seen others call this a slim or small pen. It all depends on what you personally define as small or large. The S100 is similar in width and size to a Pentel Energel as you can see from my pictures. 2. Material – I love all metal pens, but I don’t like brushed metal which I find too slippery. I personally find this pen is rock solid when I hold it. I’m not a fan of mixed plastic and metal. I personally prefer either all metal or all plastic/resin like the Prera. Mixing the materials in a pen feels to me like buying a Rolls-Royce and then fitting tyres from a Ford Escort. Don’t do it. As George Bush would say: “you’re either with us, or against us”. 3. Colour and Finish – the lacquer and colour on both pens looks and feels premium and expensive. As I said earlier, these pens feel a lot more expensive than £35 each. 4. Clip – This is the only downside of this pen and why I didn’t give this section a 10/10. The clip is so stiff that you cannot pull it out enough to put inside a pocket. I don’t understand why Sheaffer have made it so stiff. The only reason I didn’t give a lower rating for this negative aspect of the pen is because I don’t put pens in a shirt or suit pocket. If I did, I would probably give the design score a 7/10 or 8/10 rating. [Nib: 10/10] - The (M) nibs that I got with both pens are extremely smooth and buttery when writing. However, as I will discuss later, the line width varies slightly depending on which ink I use. - The (M) nib is perfect if you are a newbie and want your pen to work immediately whether you use it every day, or every few days. I have not had any problems with hard starts or ink not flowing after a few days of not using them. - The decoration of the nib is beautiful and once again, is something I would expect from much more expensive pens. [Filling and Ink] When I first opened the pen and saw the way that the converter and attachment were designed, I wondered if I could simply draw up the ink from the end of the converter, and just wait for it to flow through to the feed. I decided to live life on the edge and break the rules of nib refilling. I can be a crazy b**ch sometimes. Thankfully, filling the converter directly worked fine. It was so much cleaner and tidier. The mess that I used to make with the Prera refilling via the nib made my desk look like a crime scene every time I had finished refilling. (I will add the photos of the attachment and pin when I next refill, you will be able to see the updates in both photo albums). I took this opportunity to try 2 new inks, one for each pen. With my old Prera, the only bottled ink I had ever used was Pilot Iroshizuku Asa-Gao. That’s because it came with the pen in a gift box. I didn’t know it was anything special at the time! After a bit of research on Cult Pens, I decided to go for the Pelikan 4001 blue/black ink to match my blue pen and waited a day for it to arrive. Their service was top notch as it arrived on time the next day. For the black ink, I learnt from the FPN forum (and many YouTube ink reviews) that so many black inks actually come out grey. I did NOT want that at all. I learnt that Diamine Onyx Black was really black on paper. I ordered it from The Pen Company and it arrived within 2 days. [S100 with Pelikan 4001 Blue/Black Ink] I was very happy with the Pelikan 4001 Blue/Black Ink because it had exactly the kind of shade I was looking for. The ink is extremely high quality and has nice variation in different parts of my writing. It dries quickly so that was an added bonus. I also thought it was super smooth until… [S100 with Diamine Onyx Black] This ink blew me away. The smoothness far exceeded the Pelikan 4001 ink which I thought was excellent anyway. I’d say it feels 100% smoother than the Pelikan ink. [Sheaffer Cartridges: 0/10] While I was waiting for the Diamine Onyx Black to arrive in the post, I thought I would give the black Sheaffer ink cartridge a go. The Ferrari version of the pen came with one black and one blue cartridge. That was a mistake. The Sheaffer ink cartridge was terrible. The ink feathered a lot and ghosted heavily in my Moleskine diary. It also made blotches out of the eye of the nib too. AVOID using these cartridges at all costs. I assume the Sheaffer bottled ink is the same so I will not be buying that in future. [Writing Samples] (See examples in both photo albums). I have been using Claire Fontaine A5 ‘Age Bag’ notebooks for a decade because the paper is top quality and silky smooth. I found that using both pens in the Claire Fontaine notebook behaved in a way that I believe you would call scratchy. In other words, there was a tiny bit of resistance now and again. Not too much to be a problem at all, but this was the first time I used both pens in anything other than my diary and I was surprised! The S100 pens never skipped a beat when writing in my Moleskine A5 diary (which is thinner and lower quality paper than the Claire Fontaine). I also found that using the Diamine ink in my Moleskine diary makes the line a little thinner. The Pelikan ink in my blue pen appeared just the same thickness when using both types of paper. The Diamine ink ghosts more than the Pelikan ink in my Moleskine diary (in fact, the Pelikan hardly ghosts at all). The Pelikan ink is superior in this respect. There are no feathering issues at all with both inks. With the Claire Fontaine paper, ghosting and feathering is not a problem at all for either ink. [Summary] I hope you found this review to be useful. If it doesn’t include all of the details you would expect, I’d be happy to answer any other questions below. In summary, I’d say that the Sheffer 100 Fountain pen is perfect for both newbies and long-time Fountain Pen users who want a bullet-proof pen which works with a 100% guarantee each time. It would also make a perfect gift for use at work, or for students who value high quality items. I have really enjoyed using both pens (and both inks) and I’m looking forward to exploring more types of Fountain pens and inks in future. [TL:DR - Highlights] Photo albums (flickr): a. S100 (M-Blue/Chrome) - https://flic.kr/s/aHsmW84Npb b. S100 Ferrari (M-Black) - https://flic.kr/s/aHsmW84Rxv 1. [Build Quality: 10/10] – Solid pen, fantastic materials, top workmanship 2. [Design: 9/10] – The stiff clip is the only let down. If you’re the kind of person that puts a pen inside your shirt or suit jacket pocket, don’t buy this pen. 3. [Nib: 10/10] – Super smooth and beautifully designed 4. [Sheaffer cartridges: 0/10] – Sheaffer cartridges absolutely suck. Throw them away > pour jet fuel onto them > light match > end sequence.

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?

Pros- Beautiful Finish Perfectly Balanced Amazing Nib (both steel & gold nibs are amazing). Snap Cap Very Solid Pen, Almost Indestructible Comfortable grith Great Packing Cons- Price is very higher for steel nib variant , you will get too many gold nibs in this price segment. Clip is tight. Diplomat don’t has good Customer Service, incase your pen turns out to be faulty. It’s a Heavy Pen, And people with small hands won’t like this pen. Some things you need to know – Body Material – Lacquered Metal Cap Type- Snap Cap Filling Mechanism- Cartridge, Converter Grip Material- Resin Nib Size – Extra Fine, Fine, Medium Postable – Yes Trim – Silver Diameter Body – 13.1mm (0.52in) Diameter Cap – 14.4mm (0.57in) Grip Diameter- 10.2mm (0.40in) Length (Body) -128.5mm (5.06in) Length (Cap) – 62.9mm (2.48in) Length(Nib) – 22.4mm (0.88in) Length Overall – 138.5mm (5.45in) Weight (body) – 28.0g (0.99oz) Weight (cap) – 18.0g (0.63oz) Weight Overall – 46.0g (1.62oz) Capacity of convertor- 1.17 ml Other Aspects – Packing- Great! you will like the presentation. It contains pen resting on Diplomat Satin Pillow, converter,cartridge & service guide. Design – The pen is perfectly balanced,with a very simple minimalistic branding. It’s aesthetically pleasing. There is a small stepdown from the body to the grip section.You won’t have any issue with grip section.It is not smooth & even people with large hands will love this. Nib Performance- It has amazing steel nib, one of the best steel nibs I have ever used (my favorite still is OPUS 88 nib). It is very smooth & on par with many gold nibs. It also comes with gold nib , you have to pay extra $130 for it. I have it too, it is equally nice. It writes very well too. But price goes too high with gold nib, their are many amazing pens available in that category. For anyone looking for heavy pen with a good nib, I will recommend it. Note – I have three of these, one with steel nib & other with gold nib. Two were purchased by me from Goulet Pens & third one from a local store. Full Review Link- https://inkpenlover.wordpress.com/2021/05/15/diplomat-excellence-a2-skyline-review-a-pen-you-can-consider-in-sub-250-category/

Pros- Strong Aluminum Body Nice Nib which has slight flex to it Very Light Weight yet sturdy Good For Long Writing Sessions Unique Design Cons- Cap Spins!!!! – hexagonal pen’s sides don’t always line up between the cap and body. It spins also while posted Converter Not Included Overpriced – Better pens are available at lesser price. Section can work itself loose from the body through writing One pen of mine had a baby bottom, so poor QC. Bad Customer Service. Specs & Things you should know- Material- Aluminium Snap On Cap Clip Material – Metal Clippable- Yes Converter – Not Included Diameter – Grip 7.7 mm Diameter – Max 13.1 mm ED Convertible- No Grip Material – Plastic Length Capped – 14.1 cm / 5.6 inches Length Uncapped- 12.3 cm / 4.8 inches Weight with Barrel (Empty)- 0.34 oz / 10 grams Weight with Cap – 0.27 oz / 8 grams Weight of Whole Pen (Empty)-0.62 oz / 17 gramsgrams Other Key Things – Packaging – Nice, but you should remember it doesn’t comes with converter. Design- Okay!! the pen has Faceted hexagonal body which looks nice but spinning cap is deal breaker for sure. It becomes too long when used posted. Some guys may not like this Slim Grip! Nib Performance – Nib is smooth & flexes a bit when pressure is applied on it. Overall- Unique design but many major drawbacks. And when compared to other pens in this price range it’s total disappointment. Note – I have 3 of these, I purchased these pens from GouletPens , JetPens & Fahrney’s pen. It retails from $55-65. Full Review Link - https://inkpenlover.wordpress.com/2021/05/13/caran-dache-849-fountain-pen-review-great-hexagonal-design-but-it-is-overpriced-has-major-flaws-too/

Lamy 2000 is probably the only pen which has maintained it’s popularity since it’s launch in 1966.It’s an iconic design & is nearly a perfect pen with just some minor flaws for a normal user with normal requirements. It is & it has always been a popular choice for people looking for good quality, durable and a starter gold nib pen. This particular model of Lamy has never got out fashion & still is a very popular due to it’s simple design & easy availability everywhere. Pros- Timeless Design Nice Piston With Great Ink Capacity Pen Reliability Easy Availability Durability Great Pricing (You can still find it around $99 on sales) Comes with a legacy True Workhorse which is good for long writing sessions Post-able Well Balanced Snap on cap Nice 14k gold nib which is usually wet out of the box (but it may require basic tuning in some cases) Nib Units are available separately with some retailers Cons- Poor Quality Control Some very small parts can easily lost while cleaning or disassembling Cap nubs could be annoying for few guys Only 1 black color. Poor Packaging Retail prices are just too much & still Lamy is constantly increasing them Some people don’t like hooded nibs Specifications- Capped Length: 5.5 in.(139.7mm) Posted Length: 6.188 in.(157.2mm) Length of Body: 4.9 in.(124.5mm) Length of Cap: 2.6 in.(66.0mm) Diameter of Body: 0.5 in.(12.7mm) Diameter of Cap: 0.6 in.(15.2mm) Weight: 0.8 oz.(22.68g) Body Material: Makrolon Section Material: Metal Nib Material: Gold Fill Mechanism: Piston Cartridge Type: Bottled Ink Ink Capacity: 1.35ml Cap Type: Snap On(Magnetic) Postable: Yes Demonstrator: No Clip Style: Spring Lever Lamy 2000 Makrolon no doubt is a classic fountain pen & is most common pen that most enthusiasts have or will like to get. It’s could recommend it to someone who is looking a simple looking fountain pen with a good nib which you can take anywhere you want & is reliable writer. Makrolon itself feels quite pleasant in hand – slightly textured. The matte finish of pen looks simple but is quite unique. I don’t recall other pen apart from Kaco Edge which has such feel & texture (which is called a Lamy 2000 clone by some people but I feel they are different designs). https://inkpenlover.wordpress....ince-1966-too-have-some-flaws/ Nib- The hooded medium nib is made from 14K gold ,it has a some amount of springiness but don’t expect any wonders. The flow is vey good and starts immediately after some days too. The nib is extremely smooth with just a little bit of feedback. You will like the nib for sure , but yeah Lamy is inconsistent with nibs , And their is sweet spot issue in some cases too. Performance- It is a piston filler with an ink capacity of approximately of 1.35 ml. It is a nice filling mechanism overall & work flawlessly. The pen has ink window too; although it is not that great. But yeah it is helpful. This is a great workhorse pen & you won’t have any troubles. It’s a slip cap, so a slight pull is all that is needed to uncap the pen and get writing. Removing the cap really reveals what all the fuss is about. There are no steps between elements or weird changes of angle, just a simple and continuous curve from where the nib emerges from the section to the end of the barrel.The body is round with blunt, flat ends & is comfortable to hold . There is a short brushed metal section which leads the eye down to a small, partially hooded 14K rhodium-plated gold nib. The only departure from curved lines comes with the underside of the section, which angles up more sharply towards the underside of the feed. Breather hole is hidden so it prevents pen from drying out .Some may not like this short brushed metal section. Overall- This is a great starter gold nib pen, its a simple design but its elegant . Nib is nice & flow is very good. It is a durable pen ,it will last you for years. It’s a nice pen if you get it for between $100-150 but keep the flaws in mind before buying. It’s not worth the current MRP. You can get Safari with gold nib too,I enjoy writing with it more- it's personal preference ! Full review link - https://inkpenlover.wordpress.com/2021/04/28/lamy-2000-makrolon-review-masterpiece-since-1966-too-have-some-flaws/[InkPenLover](https://inkpenlover.wordpress.com/2021/04/28/lamy-2000-makrolon-review-masterpiece-since-1966-too-have-some-flaws/)