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Hi friends! Finally, I can boast of my own fully created fountain pen. Of course, I didn’t make the nib and used a standard nib unit with Germany nib, but the rest was built by me from start to end. So, welcome to viewing and discussion. Andrew Lensky “Tribute” (working title) – ebonite medium sized fountain pen w|JoWo #6 nib unit (made in Ukraine) prototype Detailed: http://lenskiy.org/2023/11/own-my-first-fully-designed-and-self-made-fountain-pen/ Compared to Pelikan M800 and MB 146|Legrand

Dear Sir / Madam, Thanks for your love and Support so far. We happily invite you, family and friends to visit our Ranga pens stall (First Time in USA) in Philly pen show. Our staff Mr. Lucas Barrett would be in the stall . Enjoy our wide range of Collections and new launches. Please treat this as personal invitation. Please forward it your friends and post this invite in your social media. We would appreciate your support as always. Date : January 16 , 17 , 18 , 2026 Timing: Friday & Saturday : 10AM to 5PM Sunday : 10AM to 2PM Venue : Sheraton Philadelphia Downtown 201 North 17th Street Philadelphia , PA 19103 USA Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

Here the last rejuvenation with this product, I think it is an optimal result, without any type of abrasive. The inscriptions follow of equal size of depth, at least, at first sight.

RATNAM TARPODA Ratnam Tarpoda Ratnam Tarpoda (Big Size) was one amongst my mass-order purchase through my dear friend Pradeep who was travelling to Rajahmundry last year. I have bought lot of pens from different manufacturers and I have varied experiences across the three brands of Rajahmundry. For those who don’t know, Rajahmundry is one of the major city of Andhra Pradesh in India. And city consists of few of the oldest fountain pen manufacturers in India like Ratnam, Ratnamson, and Guider. Ratnam Pen Works ( KV Brahmam & Brothers) is the first “Swadeshi” Fountain Pen Company of India and was established in 1932. It was started by Kosuri Venkat Ratnamand is currently being run by one of his two sons, Siva Ratnam. They also manufacture handmade gold nibs including conical shape gold nib. Most of their pens are made of ebonite, however they also make silver metal pens and also gold plated silver pens. I have yet to see acrylic pen from them. The review is about their big size ebonite pen , Ratnam Tarpoda. DESIGN : 3.5/5 Here the pen is in simple, classic shaped design with rounded finials. The pen tapers down down to rounded bottom, while the cap also tapers but just slightly to finial which is shaped like parabolic dome. It bears lot of resemblance to one of my previously reviewed pen Ratnamson 302, which is a pen from different manufacturer, though in this case the cap finials tapers more towards top. Ratnam Tarpoda – Uncapped Ratnam Tarpoda – Dome Shaped Top and Rounded Bottom The grip section is made in black ebonite unlike the body which is made in olive ripple ebonite which is famous by name of White Tiger because of the resemblance to skin of white tiger. Ratnam Tarpoda – Capped Ratnam Tarpoda – Uncapped and Unposted Ratnam Tarpoda – Uncapped and Posted The barrel is cylindrical and tapers both ways, towards the grip section and also towards the bottom end. The grip section in black ebonite gradually tapers towards the top with flared end at the top. The grip section is short and I end up gripping threads which actually are not sharp and rather they are smooth and provide good grip. The cap is adorned with dual bands and has a stiff ball end type clip. The trims used are gold and I believe they match with the ebonite. And it opens in 4 1/2 turns. Ratnam Tarpoda – Cap with Ball end Clip and Dual Centerbands The barrel is engraved with the branding which reads “RATNAM PEN, MADE IN RJY, INDIA”. And it is filled some sort of gold paint which I believe is not neatly done as their is spillage of gold paint on barrel which eventually will wear off with time. Ratnam Tarpoda – Branding Overall it is a classic, no nonsense, elegant cigar shaped design and you cant go wrong with that. Ratnam Tarpoda – Classic Cigar Design Finishing can be improved a little. And most importantly the turns to open cap must be minimized. BUILT & CONSTRUCTION : 3/5 The quality of material used is good and is sturdy. There is no discolouration of material. The built quality is just at par with like of Ranga or Deccan pens if not better, especially finishing. I think Branding on barrel can still be improved. What I really liked was the alignment of cap with the barrel when it is closed in such a way that the ripple effect of ebonite carries to the cap from barrel. Ratnam Tarpoda – Ripple Pattern Continuation from Barrel to Cap Its a handmade pen and yes there are certain anomalies like cap finial doesn't align in line with the tapered profile of the cap. But again what do you expect from such an inexpensive pen. Ratnam Tarpoda – Cap Finial not aligned with cap Ratnam Tarpoda – Cap inner View As far as the quality of band is considered they are better than what I had on Ratnamson 302. But yes they still need improvement. Ratnam Tarpoda – Cap Center Bands One thing I really did not like was provision for 2 breather holes in the pen, otherwise it is well built HANDMADE pen at this price point. BALANCE & SIZE : 5/5 The pen is vary well balanced in both the scenarios when writing with cap posted or unposted. Yes, when cap is posted at back, the rear becomes heavy and will suit the one with large hands but it doesn’t becomes unbalanced at all. The cap posts securely and it post deep. Below are the 2 images showing the length till which the cap posts, outer limit shown by thumb. Ratnam Tarpoda – Cap Posts Deep Ratnam Tarpoda – Thumb shows the length till which the cap posts Below are the two images showing the length of pen when writing with cap posted and unposted. Ratnam Tarpoda – Writing Unposted Ratnam Tarpoda – Writing Posted Being ebonite it is light weigh and no metal is used here. Ratnam Tarpoda – Weight in gms including cap Ratnam Tarpoda – Weight in gms excluding cap Few Specifications are : Length of pen (closed) – 150 mmLength of pen (open and unposted) – 125 mm (including nib)Length of pen (open and posted) – 165 mm (including nib)Length of Grip Section – 15 mmMaximum Dia of Cap – 16 mmMaximum Dia of Barrel – 14 mmMaximum Dia of Grip Section – 12 mmMinimum Dia of Grip Section – 10 mmWeight of Pen with Cap – 28.24 gms (inked)Weight of Pen without Cap – 17.82 gms (inked) Below are the few images showing the comparison of pen with others: Ratnam Tarpoda vs Lamy Safari vs Pilot MR vs Jinhao X750 – Capped Ratnam Tarpoda vs Lamy Safari vs Pilot MR vs Jinhao X750 – Uncapped ans Posted Clearly it is not that much a big pen and hence it is comfortable for most of the users. NIB : 2.5/5 Nib used is #5 friction fit with ebonite feed. Nib is Dual tone and is well articulated with certain engraving which reads ” GENIUS IRIDIUM GERMANY”. The nib on this was better than what the Guider puts on their pens but yes not to my liking and thus I ended up grinding the nib to medium Italic and it was nib which got grind easily unlike Wality nibs. Ratnam Tarpoda – Nib unit View – Top Ratnam Tarpoda – Nib unit View – Side Ratnam Tarpoda – Nib unit View – Underside The problem is that the nib is available only in fine and no other choices. INK FILLING MECHANISM : 4/5 The ink filling mechanism is via an Eyedropper, well you can use syringe also. Ink capacity is around 3.5 ml which is substantial. Ratnam Tarpoda – Pen taken apart Ratnam Tarpoda – Eyedropper Filling Since its an ED pen, there is a noticeable increase in the inflow when the ink level goes below 3/4th and that is when you will have to refill otherwise it will burp. Its like it will gives you warning before it burps. This pen though has not burped on me at all and yeah I ensure when the ink level goes below I refill it. Below are the images of my handwritten review and the writing samples: Ratnam Tarpoda – Handwritten Review – Page 1 Ratnam Tarpoda – Handwritten Review – Page 2 Ratnam Tarpoda – Handwritten Review – Page 3 Ratnam Tarpoda – Handwritten Review – Page 4 CONCLUSION : 18/25 I recommend this pen to every collector. Its an handmade pen from first pen manufacturer of India. Also will recommend to the likes who love fiddling around with their pen and know how to live around and ED pen. I bought this pen for Rs. 1000 (approx US $16 ) which included shipping last year and I believe the price might have gone up. What I Like: Classic Cigar Design Handmade Very Good Quality Ebonite Good Balance and Size Good Ink Capacity A piece of History Value for MoneyWhat I don’t Like: Eyedropper only Only one nib option Branding HOW TO BUY: They can be easily approached via WhatsApp ( Mob No. +91 98489 18904). They will send you pics and prices and you can select whatever you like. Pay via bank transfer and they ship once the payment is received. You can also check out his Facebook page : https://www.facebook.com/Ratnam-pens-314421885386511/?fref=ts The review is simultaneously posted at my blog. For more reviews check my blog here : LINK

Dear FPN'ers , We are introducing RANGA RADIANT MODEL for first time. RANGA RADIANT is Fresh, Unique, Unconventional, Stylish and appealing in design. It is well balanced Pen. The Cap and barrel are reverse tapered to look more elegant and Classic. Section is tapered straight for comfortable writing. Both the ends of the pens are Flat Shape. It comes with Immense craftmanship.This Pen caps and uncaps in just two to three turn. It is excellent every day carry pen for all Pen users. It is must Present Pen for every Fountain Pen Collector's . It is also very ideal for Gifting . It is Pocket size pen. Capped length of the Pen is 137mm (5.4 Inches) . The dia of Cap at its thickest point is 17.5,mm and barrel at its thickest point is 16mm . Section Dia : 11.5 mm at thickness point and 11mm at thinnest point. We are running Launch Offer Price now for Ranga Radiant Model. All details including Pictures are included in the form. Please fill the form to purchase Ranga Radiant Model RANGA RADIANT MODEL PUCHASE FORM Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

Dear FPN'ers, We are doing group buy for RANGA Model 8 Pen. We are doing group buy for this Model for first time in last 6 years. Ranga Model 8 is the Classic, Perfect Slender Size and Elegant model Pen. It is Torpedo Shape Pen. It comes with Immense craftsmanship. This Pen caps and uncaps in just one turn. It is excellent every day carry pen for all Pen users. It is handmade Pen by Artisan having 50 years experience. It would be perfect balance for continuous writing and comfort. It is also very ideal for Gifting and Pen Collectors. Ebonite Feed option is available for Ranga Nib units. Enjoy the writing experience with our Ebonite Feeds. Pen is 6 inches in length when Capped. The dia of Cap is 14 mm and Barrel dia is 12.5 mm. Section Dia : 11mm at thickness part , 10mm at thinnest part. This offer is Valid till 11- August-2025. Customer's can fill the below form for booking this pen .All details and pictures are included in the form RANGA MODEL 8 PEN GROUP BUY FORM Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

Hello all! I've heard a lot about this place, and have finally been pushed to actually sign up. And the challenge I have is in trying to identify the model of a beautiful, but very well-used Onoto plunger fill, which I picked up cheaply off a market in its home town, when I was visiting a friend in the Big Smoke! The model number is poorly imprinted, and given the wear, it seems to change depending on what I have for breakfast. Online research, suggests this is a 5000 series/streamline version from the early 1920's - so a real antique. However, when I was looking to buy the parts to fix it up, the numbers don't match. The model ID from Custom Pen Parts (https://www.custompenparts.co.uk/gb/content/7-onoto-model-identification). On my pen, the diameter matches the medium slim, however, the barrel length matches the short. So I appear to have a 'medium slim short', which doesn't appear on the list! As it was, I managed to pick up another Onoto 5601, with a wrecked nib, which helped me with proper disassembly, and the internals were the same, so both pens take a 7.65 mm seal, though this one has a shorter rod. The imprint. From what I can see, the first digit has something that could be the end of the top part of a '2', and I suspect the second digit is a 3. The final two digits are either 0/6/8 - but that's dependent on the font. Honestly, I could be seeing scratches and dings, this pen has had a hard life, and I suspect the imprint was never good. Whatever the pen model is, it's far from my typical pens I like, but I've fallen for this hard. The nib is a beautiful smallish italic, with reasonable flex. I can't fault it, and I'm certainly sold on vintage Onoto's now! The ink is Diamine Ancient Copper, and don't worry about the nibless 5601 - I had a spare TDLR nib from a later pen, I was fixing up for a friend, which I found had a cracked nib. It was a special pen she was given by her dad, back in the 50's for her "plus 9's" exams, and she has so few things to remember her father with, she didn't want the nib swapped, so I sadly had to hand it back to her still not working, but did mount it in a frame for her to still enjoy. Yeah, so the 5601 is just waiting to be inked up.

I request all fellow users to show off the Ebonite only pens here.... Show us your ebonite beauties here .... Would really love to know what all we have....

Dear FPN'ers, Greetings. After the success of our Virtual Pen Show Success in 2024, We are hosting Ranga Virtual Pen show . Pens are sold in First come First Serve Basis. Customers have Convenience to pick the Same Pen of their choice with Plenty of nib Choices along with 20 Percent discount on Website Prices. It would be shipped in 1-3 days. We are presenting great array of Pens in different Models and colours. Every Fountain Pen lover will definitely have atleast few pens to match their preference. It is very ideal time for gifting Ranga Pens to your beloved person. Every Pen is associated with its id and description. It is sold As Is basis .Clip colours can be changed to Customer's preference. We have included large inventory so that customers can choose any number of pens. It would give the feeling of seeing Ranga Pens almost live in a Pen Show. Inventory is updated on every Day. Grab your Favorite Ranga Pens now before it is sold out !!! If you need multiple pens and don't want to fill the form, Please send the pen details that you want to purchase to our mail id mpkandan@yahoo.co.in. We will ship it together Ranga Virtual Pen Show ends on 27-JULY-25 You can upgrade it to plenty of nib choices with extra charge To Participate in Ranga Virtual Pen show -2025. Please fill the form .All Pen details are included in the form RANGA PENS VIRTUAL PEN SHOW 2025 Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

I have been very happy with the several Sailor pens I have. They have classic shapes and write very well. The Sailor 21 Kt Zoom and Music nibs are splendid starting points for cusive italic grinds, which are my preferred nibs for everyday italic handwriting. I have admired and been fascinated with the Sailor Ebonite Sculpture pens for some time, but the nib options have been limited to F. M and B. So, when PacificPenWorks offered a Sailor Ebonite Sculpture pen with any of the Sailor 21 Kt nibs, I just couldn't resist. I ordered one with a Music (MS) nib, and Michael Masuyama ground it to my preferred crisp cursive italic. I couldn't be happier with it. Here are some photos: This is really an oversized pen, but it is very comfortable to write with. For comparison, here is the Sailor Ebonite Sculpture pen alongside a Pelikan M800 and a Sailor King of Pen: David

Dear FPN'ers, We, RANGA Handmade Pens Introducing "Little Abimanyu " Model in Classic Ebonites and Premium Acrylics. Ebonite's are highly beautiful and classic. Premium Acrylics are glossy, attractive and Visually stunning. This is Slender version of our popular Model Ranga Abhimanyu. Ebonite Feed option is available for Ranga Nib units. Enjoy the writing experience with our Ebonite Feeds. This is beautiful Clipless slender pen in relatively shorter length. It is cute and sturdy . It caps in less than 1 turn. The section is classic vintage style design. This Model is perfect for Every day use, Gifting and Collector's. You can upgrade it to plenty of nib choices with extra charge. This offer is Valid till 06-October-2024 Capped Length - Approximately 132mm Capped length, Cap Dia - 14.3mm, Barrel Dia - 14.3mm, Section Dia - 11mm at Thickest part and 9.8 mm at lowest part. In Order to Purchase "RANGA LITTLE ABHIMANYU " Pen, Kindly fill the google form. All details & Pictures are included in the form RANGA LITTLE ABHIMANYU PURCHASE LINK Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

Dear FPN'ers, This Offer is for RANGA Sugarcane Model Pen in TWO different sizes. 1.Regular Sugarcane , 2.Giant Sugarcane in Various Ebionites & Acrylic Colors This Pen caps and uncaps in just one turn . Capping and Uncapping would be very easier. It resembles Natural Sugarcane . It is Clipless Model Pen. The top and bottom edge of the Pens are beautifully Carved to make it unique. The Sugarcane Nodes are Precisely crafted. It takes lot of Artisan's time to make a single pen. This is one of the Ranga Flagship Model. This offer is Valid till 02-September -2024 1.Regular Sugarcane - Capped length 6.5 inches approximately. Dia - 14.5mm and 16.8 at nodes. Section 11.2mm at maximum part and 10.2mm at center. 2.Giant Sugarcane - Capped length 7 inches approximately. Dia - 16.5mm and 18.75 at nodes. Section 11.5mm at maximum part and 10.8mm at center. In Order to Purchase "RANGA SUGARCANE MODEL IN REGULAR / GIANT SIZE " Pen, Kindly fill the google form. All details & Pictures are included in the form RANGA HANDMADE PENS- SUGARCANE (REGULAR & GIANT)  MODEL -OFFER SALE IN VARIOUS EBONITES & ACRYLICS Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

Dear FPN'ers, Greetings !!! We are very happy to introduce our Ranga Metal Series Pens for first time. Here, we introduce Ranga Abhimanyu Brass Pen. Abhimanyu is our most successful Model. Brass is superb Metal to hold for writing with Antique Value. This is very gorgeous pen. Weight: Capped Pen -122 grams ,Uncapped Pen -72grams Engraving Personalization option is available. This makes the pen special for its owners. In Order to Purchase "RANGA ABHIMANYU BRASS " Pen, Kindly fill the google form. All details are included in the form including the pen pictures RANGA ABHIMANYU BRASS PEN PURCHASE LINK You can contact us in our mail id mpkandan@yahoo.co.in for queries Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

Dear FPN'ers , Greetings. We are doing offer price for Ranga Model 9B Pen in P41. Ice Green, P42. Green/Black/Brown Cracked Ice , P43. Mountain BlueBird , P44. Hanami . It is fantastic addition for any Pen lovers. We offer it in 100+ great colors. In Order to Purchase "RANGA MODEL 9B " Pen, Kindly fill the google form. All details are included in the form https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLSdJAqWxj_1Eb90tZGUiRg9tpkOF0kW0WOibFAXgNCENEpKEvw/viewform?vc=0&c=0&w=1&flr=0 Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

I won't recommend you do this, but for what it's worth, I managed to shoehorn in a Kanwrite no.8 nib on my Woodex Model 33. The pen came with a Kanwrite 5.5 nib unit threaded for JoWo, but the no.8 Kanwrite nib got in without much hassle, I don't notice any cracks in the housing, and IMO, this looks more proportioned to the grip. The pen writes flawlessly with a wet fine line, as you can see from the writings on the notebook on the backdrop. The ink for those wondering is Skylark coffee brown...👍 Have a nice day🙏

First of all: My passion for fountain pens has been with me for more than 25 years now and has therefore changed many times: from classics from Germany to the pretty colorful divas from Italy to the noble Japanese fountain pens and back again and back again. In the meantime, a small core collection has emerged, but there have been no constants throughout this time - with one exception: No matter in which collecting phase I was and where my preferred collecting area was, different models of the Kaweco Sport have been added again and again over the years. It started when I first saw such a fountain pen at Manufactum in Hamburg a good 20 years ago (black in checkerboard pattern or diagonally striped). Since then, this concept of a pocket fountain pen has not let me go and I personally still feel the Kaweco Sport as one of the greats in this segment - literally, because unlike the vast majority of other real pocket fountain pens, the mini-converter fits inside and that is simply ingeniously solved for me. Since I first came into contact with vintage fountain pens in Vienna in 2007, the desire for a Kaweco Sport in ebonite has been germinating, which I have also included here in some reviews from time to time over the years. And now suddenly - to my really big surprise - it is actually so far. When I came across the topic of Sport Ebonit the other day at in Münster while talking shop with Mr. Hille and Mr. Thoben, and there was actually news on the topic, I was very happy. And to let you share in my joy in this regard, I have made you below quite a few pictures J Actual Review: Packaging: The 140th company anniversary set comes in a cardboard box with gold embossing of the company logo and name. Wrapped in black wrapping paper, it contains the usual booklet with care instructions, a sticker, a booklet with the company history, a 10 cardboard box with cartridges in all current Kaweco ink colors, the actual fountain pen and separately the gold logo clip (personally I would have wished for an additional converter and a leather pouch). Body: This lovely piece is light... very light... my scale reads 9 grams. For comparison, the plastic version is also 9 grams, the aluminum version is 19 grams, and the brass version is 45 grams.... The other dimensions are identical to those of the other Kaweco Sports, though subjectively I have the impression that the Ebonite feels narrower in the hand and even lighter than the plastic Sport; my calipers and scales prove me wrong in this regard, though: identical weight, identical dimensions.... Material: Eboniiiiite! Wonderful! I like the material very much - generally ebonite, but also specifically this (brownish)red-black version. (I'm always tempted to say 'red ripple', but it's not a 'ripple' pattern at all, rather simply striped). It feels wonderfully warm in the hand, is excellently polished and yet not slippery, not even at 30° outside temperatures with sweaty fingers, which is why it was used for so long especially for sections (and is still sorely missed by me there today). By the way, a polite inquiry to Mr. Wunschel (Head of Marketing at Kaweco) brought to light a small overview of the material history of ebonite at Kaweco: The last Kaweco made entirely of ebonite was the Colleg #603 in 1937-45, and the Sport still had an ebonite cap in 1952-58 (the barrel was celluloid at the time ). Possibly more importantly, however, the first Kaweco Sport was also made of ebonite - in this color scheme. By the way, both the material and the production of the fountain pen are based in Germany. They are old stocks that senior boss Michael Gutberlet had stored for a suitable opportunity. In February of this year, the opportunity then apparently seemed appropriate, because there the idea of an Ebonit Sport for the 140th anniversary was born (- at this point my thanks for the effort of research to Mr. Wunschel) Nib & Feed: Standard gold plated Kaweco steel nib unit. Opinions will differ here. Those who don't like the rather dry ink flow and the comparatively small nib per se will also be bothered by this. Others would certainly have liked a gold nib for this version. Personally, I find the gold nibs from Kaweco in no way superior to the steel nibs in their writing characteristics and am therefore rather pleased with the steel version, especially since there are various hand-ground stubs here that are easily replaceable and fit the fountain pen well. I actually wouldn't have liked the surcharge for a gold nib here. In addition, the company remains pleasantly true to itself in this regard: the other special editions, such as the recent Bronze, also have the steel nib ex works. Fit & Finish: Impeccable. There's really nothing to complain about: Threads perfect, polish flawless, company and series names pin sharp, cap logo picobello. The cap - in contrast to my Sport brass - does not have an internal ring that ensures that the shaft is centered in the cap, yet the shaft has symmetrically the same amount of distance to the cap all around when the cap is screwed on. And don't worry, nothing will dry out: an inner cap to seal the nib at the top of the cap is also available in ebonite. The areas around the internal thread of the grip to the body are not polished, which provides a little more grip when screwing. I can't say if it's suitable as an eyedropper like the plastic Sport models, but if you want to try it out: be careful with Vaseline! If I remember correctly, petrolatum is not compatible with ebonite. But overall, this eyedropper thing at Kaweco is fun, especially with the transparent plastic versions, because you can keep an eye on the fill level. Price: Prices vary greatly on the web: among European suppliers, everything between roughly 280€ and 350€ is in there. As with all other fountain pens from all other manufacturers, the same applies here: One can argue about it. If I look at the current models in ebonite from other manufacturers, we are usually similar in price or above. In this respect, everyone can form their own opinion. Overall impression: I said at the beginning that I was very excited about the announcement. And the overall package fully lives up to my expectations. I especially like the details: I like the simple, contemporary and environmentally friendly paper packaging. I like that it doesn't have one blue cartridge in it, but a whole package. I especially like that it's a test pack with all the colors. I find it extremely convenient to be able to easily test through the ink assortment within the scope of delivery, without having to buy a pack of cartridges each time, only to find out that the color on the paper is quite different than the pack suggests. I like the enclosed clip, and that it's not pre-attached because it would involve scratching, which some would probably want to avoid. And most of all, I like the fountain pen: this classic and pleasant material just fits this classic fountain pen design perfectly. I would actually like to see more Ebonite special editions in the future; for example, a black version with the diagonal stripes that have still been available at Manufactum for over 20 years – but now in ebonite. Anyway, I'm looking forward to the new materials in the next few years with the Kaweco Sport series, which hasn't gotten boring for me one bit since its introduction. And now for the long-awaited pictures: (No affiliation - just a happy customer)

Hey guys, I have recently purchased a Ranga model 9B eyedropper ebonite pen in matte finish. However, there is a problem with it that I noticed as soon as I inked it up. The ink starts to climb from the feed into the step down where the the grip section ends and the feed starts. Then it climbs the grip section and, as time goes by, climbs higher and higher. As you can see from the photos (which are 3/4 days after inking the pen), the ink has been absorbed by most of the grip section and has created mold... How can I stop the ink from climbing the grip section? I imagine polished ebonite eydroppers don't have this problem as I am unable to find this issue anywhere. Any and all tips are appreciated! Thank you! P.S. I also wanted to share this experience for all who might be wondering about purchasing an ebonite eyedropper in matte finish to know about this problem and choose carefully.

Hello FPNers, I recently bought an ebonite flattop Duofold Senior (see attached photo). The blind cap is a bit darker than the rest of the pen, indicating that it probably isn't the one that originally came with the pen. Is it possible that the blind cap is made of Permanite rather than ebonite? How can I tell the difference? If it is made of ebonite, what's the best way to make it fade so that it matches the rest of the pen? I look forward to your feedback. Thanks. Best, John

This is a mini-review of a recent Ranga pen (don't expect a fully fledged pro review as I will mostly attempt to give you a few facts and some of my personal impressions on this pen. Thanks). The Ranga Abhimanyu is one of the latest pen model offered by Ranga pens India. As some of you may have noticed, I'm sort of addicted to Ranga fountain pens, for two main reasons, first of all because I like the craftsmanship behind them and the typical originality of a hand made pen, where each pen is practically unique, secondly because I really like ebonite as a material. The characteristics of ebonite are well known, it's a light, but resistant material, which also feels rather warm in the hand, somewhat similar to wood, and which has been used traditionally for fountain pens since a long time. India is one of those places where this material is still rather popular in the production of fountain pens among the small local manufacturers. If you do appreciated the characteristics of ebonite in a fountain pen, you will also probably know that through Ranga you have access to a very wide choice of ebonite qualities and colours (whenever I have bought a Ranga the most difficult part has practically always been choosing the colour! despite Ranga offers several other choices such as type of nibs, clip or no clip, eyedropper or converter, polished or bakul finish). It must however be said, that recently Ranga has expanded offer to several types of acrylic plastic, some of them, particularly the premium quality are really nice too. With this new pen, breaking a sort of current rule in Ranga's nomenclature for its pen models, the pen's name is not a number. Abhimanyu, from whom this pen takes its name, is the tragic hero of the ancient Indian epic poem Mahabharata, who dies at war when only 16. This inspiring name therefore symbolizes fearless heroic braveness. The Ranga Abhimanyu does seem to incarnate braveness but also ancient tradition. Just look at it. Don't you agree that these unusual (brave) but sensual curves are intimately and traditionally Indian? With the ebonite versions, the colours and patterns further add to such strong impression. In a way, I was in fact somewhat afraid that such a brave shape might not be comfortable (I know, I'm a bore on this, the step down, etc.). I was proven wrong, for which I'm glad! The length of the section and the carefully smoothed out step makes this short pen very comfortable to hold! It's length uncapped is comparable to a Pelikan M600, but the barrel is wider, the section slightly wider. It also vaguely reminds me of a Montegrappa Miya, although the section is much longer, and the bulge is moved further back. It can be posted, but I don't feel the need at all. Despite sort of being a portable pen, by Ranga's standards, on it's own it's not a small pen at all. The cap unscrew in 3/4 turn! and this is a welcome novelty for Ranga. The ebonite version shown here is an elegant premium ebonite in grey-cream, with a Bock nib and Schmidt converter. I find it very convenient to swap the nib with any other Bock nib, and I tend to prefer Bock nibs over Jowo (the other German nib option available at Ranga, besides also Indian sourced nibs) due to the slightly more bouncy behaviour of these nibs. Admittedly I was also attracted by one of the acrylic version, particularly this nice cracked mix of red, gold and dark blue, which shows some really nice reflections. Vs ebonite it's a more modern material but fascinating. Here also a close up of this nice resin. This version is Jowo threaded for a change. When buying from Ranga, since they offer this choice, I always ask them to test the nib for me, and it's not unlikely that this may have saved me from some disappointments with Bock nibs (which I have viceversa encountered when buying the stock nibs alone elsewhere...). All in all, I find this new Ranga model, which was recently also offered here in a group buy (in a really wide range of materials, and some particularly beautiful premium ebonite colours - my pink grey cream version comes from there), interestingly different from their 3, 4, 5 models range, a very well done, precise execution (even more notable in the acrylic version), a perfectly working tool out of the box, which gives pleasure in use and an extremely fascinating and good looking result. I've already reached three and I am tempted to get a 4th in ED (which was not offered so far).

Hello FPNers, I recently bought an ebonite flattop Duofold Senior (see attached photo). The blind cap is a bit darker than the rest of the pen, indicating that it probably isn't the one that originally came with the pen. Is it possible that the blind cap is made of Permanite rather than ebonite? How can I tell the difference? If it is made of ebonite, what's the best way to make it fade so that it matches the rest of the pen? I look forward to your feedback. Thanks. Best, John

I've used fountain pens for years now but didn't get "the bug" until the beginning of this year when I found this dangerous-for-my-wallet site. I started exploring and lurking heavily and discovered the world of custom pens. I read about the pens Shawn Newton was making, found about his scholarships and all those other factors that made him the right person to attempt to produce the idea I had at the time. There's a few things that I wanted in a pen: One was no clip, my pens always travel in a case and I never clip them or carry them in my pocket. Because the pen didn't have a clip I decided on the flat so the the pen wouldn't roll off the table when resting. The second one was that as a norm I find the traditional cigar shape boring. Don't get me wrong most of my pens have that shape and they're ok but I wanted something completely different to that standard. The third was that I thoroughly enjoyed the matte look of ebonite after I saw a Ken Cavers bamboo pen. The fourth thing I decided was that the pen wouldn't post. I prefer long pens that don't require posting because I've usually found that the balance changes for the worse when posting. So with those specs in mind I started drawing what I wanted in Illlustrator. The first idea I sent Shawn to see if it was even possible was this: http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n200/Inguz72/PenDiagrams-01.png Shawn seemed amenable to the challenge, he said that he had never done a straight cylinder and he would have to figure out a way to make the flat facet which he had never done before either. He quoted me a price and told me there was time to make revisions to the pen before placing the order. I thought about other materials for the end caps, other colors of acrylic, etc. But the more I looked at it the more I wanted to something even stealthier. So I revised it to this: http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n200/Inguz72/PenDiagrams-02.png I called it the Shinobi, which is the japanese word for Ninja because it's stealthy but it ends in a bloody surprise. I also elongated the body and the proportions so it would fit well in hand. I placed the order in February but Shawn is highly in demand. By the time my number came up he had received a new metal lathe and this was one of the first pens that came out of that lathe. His communications at this point got very detailed which was awesome because I could see progress and make slight adjustments. His first attempt had a more translucent red acrylic and although it wasn't ideal I was ok with it but then his threads for that one were a bit tight and in fixing them he ruined the cap so he asked me if there was anything I would like different so I chose a more vibrant "ferrari" red acrylic and after a week for the acrylic to arrive he started on a second pen which was almost done but the dremel ate through the pen on the flat. D'oh! Third time was the charm and he let me know the pen was done and sent me photos to show me. So here goes: Pen closed: http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n200/Inguz72/_MG_2181Closed.jpg This is exactly what I had in mind so obviously I can't complain, it's after all the exact shape and size I asked for when I first designed the pen. The pen came well wrapped in a large USPS box. He included a lovely grey and black wrap his wife made for it that works beautifully with the pen. If you want to see the wrap he has a photo of them here. The bonus was that he sent me one of the destroyed models and his working sheet with dimensions, little sketches, measurements and details. It gave me an idea of the process and made me feel a part of it. The pen is a cylinder with a flat bottom in matte ebonite. It's extremely understated except for the thin red line where the cap meets the body. Very stealthy and smooth. Matte ebonite has a distinct, very organic and warm feel in the hand. New ebonite smells of brimstone and eggs, the smell will dissipate in a couple of week I'm told but phew! The cap takes two and a quarter turns to unscrew, quad threads would have been incredibly difficult in this pen to make the cap and the body match the facet which this one does perfectly. If it wasn't for the red line I have feeling the two parts would blend into each other seamlessly. That's the kind of precision with which he manufactured the pen. So kudos for Shawn for that as well as for the sharpness of the ends and the facet. They're all very precise and all the surfaces on the pen are smooth. The pen uncaps to a vibrant red section. http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n200/Inguz72/_MG_2238Open.jpg The flat rests on the web between my index and thumb finger and holding it by the section or the threads are both comfortable since the pen is long enough for either. It's a light pen since there are no metal parts except for the nib. Shawn uses the same nib units that Edison, Franklin Christop and others use. This one is vested with a steel nib in fine with the letters "NP" on it. It is perfectly dependable with no skipping or flow issues, it produces a fine smooth western line. I have a few other units including a gold medium from FC and changing the nibs units is very easy so I have multiple grades to choose from now on. Detail of flat and section: http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n200/Inguz72/_MG_2262Detail.jpg Size comparison: http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n200/Inguz72/_MG_2275SizeClosed.jpg http://i112.photobucket.com/albums/n200/Inguz72/_MG_2277SizeOpen.jpg From left to right MB149, Lamy 2000, Omas and Shinobi. As you can see it's a very large pen with a hefty circumference. Perfect for my hand. I hope you enjoyed my unorthodox review for an unorthodox pen. If you've ever considered having a custom pen done I recommend Shawn, he was very easy to work with and his craftsmanship is excellent. I would also recommend that you get bold with your designs the worse a pen turner can say is no.

Hello folks, One of my pleasures in using old pens, is that I can do so without calling on modern industrial activity that is making Earth inhabitable. Second-hand pen, second-hand ink, and I can write without having given a cent of encouragement or means for modern companies to produce more wares at the cost of planet hospitality. And so it would annoy me to have to buy silicone grease for my fpens. I’ve been so far relying on a single gram of the product given to me years ago, to grease my pens, but my “stock” is running out. I am looking for an alternative, ideally a non-industrial one, for the pens I own and will own, which I am resolute for them all to be retractable pens entirely made of ebonite (the why of this is another subject.) I draw your attention on the fact that I am looking for a lubricant/fluid sealant for ebonite only. I know that the generality of lubricating products are harmful to some plastics and celluloid. But what is harmful to those, is not necessarily so to ebonite. Also, I will be only greasing threads that should not be in contact with ink (the cap thread, and the barrel one.) Therefore, the interaction between the alternative lube and plastics, celluloids, sacs, or inks, is not a concern. (It might be if I want to treat the cork seal with it, but I'll think about that later.) I also point out that the point is to lubricate threads, not ensure waterthightness. I think of beef and mutton tallow, pork lard, and beeswax. Tallow is the fat extracted by melting from the fat tissues of oxen or sheep; lard, that from swine. I obtain tallow by buying fat bits of meat from a butcher, dicing these, putting them in a pot in the oven to melt (in the oven, to prevent the bottom from burning, at it happens on stovetops,) letting it melt for a while, then dumping the load in a sieve. Pure fat flows from the sieve, and then, cooling, solidifies. Tallow is preconised on the original labels of callipers for greasing those, and I use it for all rubbing (not spinning) metal parts: threads, articulations, etc. Iron-based metallic materials are not affected by contact with it, while it keeps them from corrosion; and it never stiffens (contrarily to neatsfoot oil, which I used for a while for bearings, until I discovered that that oil, by contact with metal, eventually turned to a honey-coloured and honey-textured mess.) On copper allows though, tallow seems to encourage carbonatation and the formation of greenish stuff. As for beeswax, I suppose everyone is familiar enough with it to spare discoursing on it. I use it to lubricate the sole of my hand-driven wood planes. It too helps carbonatation of copper, it seems. Member Pen Nut suggests it might be a solution. How about on ebonite? Can someone tell me, from experience, if beef or mutton or pork fat, or beeswax, are safe on ebonite, or what it does to it—before I experiment by myself and deliver here the answer which I hoped to find? And, by the way, what did they use, in the olden days, to grease ebonite threads and moving parts (which were not only present in fountain pens, I assume, but sometimes in machinery,) before they had silicone grease?

I recently spent a few hours working on my good ole' ebonite Noodlers Konrad. I hadn't used this pen for quite a while and wanted to spice things up a bit. The changes I made (and highly recommend) are as follows: 1) the "easy my flex" mod, were you grind a portion off the sides of the nib as seen in the picture. 2) I doubled the depth/width of the feed channel, which managed to eliminate almost all railroading except on very aggressive downstrokes. and 3) I reground the tip to an XXXF needlepoint. I don't know how to measure the actual degree of fineness I achieved with this grind, but ill tell you it is so sharp that I may just use it to sew some new underpants. I don't by any means consider myself an experienced nib-alter-er-er, but it wasn't too difficult to shave the sides and smooth the tip with 8000, 12000 and 16000 grit polishing sandpaper. Anyways, here are some pictures of my work (and first attempt calligraphy); please comment if you have any questions, suggestions or have tried the same thing during your nib-related adventures. Enjoy.

Review: Modified Ranga 8b This review is about my experience with a Ranga 8b fountain pen that has been my primary daily writer for about a year. I will discuss my thoughts on the pen, the experience of ordering from Ranga, and the modifications that I made to it to fit my writing needs. I won’t be assigning scores to various categories of performance; while that approach is certainly popular and useful in some contexts, I think a general discussion of my experience might be more valuable for the reader. Additionally, I won’t be discussing the stock version of the pen very much. So, if you need information on size and other specifics, one of the many other reviews of this pen is probably a better source of information. The Ranga 8b is an artisan made pen, manufactured in Thiruvallur, near Chennai / Madras India; like many high-quality pens from the region, it has been hand turned from an ebonite rod. I ordered my pen in a brushed mat black finish. I truly appreciate handmade, high-quality writing instruments that small makers like Ranga produce. Ranga is not attempting to sell a brand name nor do they really have a marketing department. They only have the promise of making well-made pen that truly fits your needs. I ordered the pen directly from their website at https://rangapens.com/ I found Ranga to be particularly responsive in their communication. After placing my order, I was contacted by the company to confirm my preferences and to give me updates about when it was being made and shipped. It took roughly a week for my pen to be manufactured, shipped and delivered to my home in California. General Thoughts on the Ranga 8b Much has been written about the Ranga 8b pen model, so my experience is not unique and probably confirms most of its positive accolades. The pen itself is beautiful and is very well finished. Most users enjoy the long, hourglass shaped section, and indeed I can confirm that it is my most comfortable pen to write with, in part because of this feature. The shape and balance of the pen in stock form is amazing, especially if you use it unposted. The pen simply feels luxurious, and when I received it, I knew that I would not have to search out a high priced “grail pen” to get what I was looking for in terms of a writing experience. My Pen and the Modifications I Made I opted to get the eyedropper model, because it gives me a lot of control in setting up the pen. I write on thick paper (Clairefontaine notebooks and HP32 inkjet paper) and I prefer pens with a generous ink flow. I also find that I much prefer ebonite feeds – they seem to be more consistent in delivering a wet line. And as a material for the pen body and section, I enjoy ebonite because it does not get slick if my hands get sweaty, and because I can make small alterations to the shape of the pen if needed. The pen came with a high quality Kanwrite nib with Ranga engraving, and a simple ebonite feed; the nib and the feed are friction fit into the section. I ordered a medium, which I use most of the time. However, I also have another Kanwrite nib that can fit this pen, which I ground down to a stubbish left oblique (the red cursive in one of the photos was written with this nib, though in another pen at the time). The first change I made to the pen was to replace the feed. The stock feed was reliable, but it was not quite providing a generous enough ink flow. After adjusting it a few times, I opted to replace it with a high quality Kanwrite 6.3mm ebonite feed from Fountain Pen Revolution. At the same time, I also opted to recess the nib, because I wanted it to be slightly shorter. I pushed the nib and feed into the section a bit further than normal, and heat set the section to this nib and feed using boiling water. In other words, I submerged the section in hot water and shaped it around the nib and feed to ensure proper fit – yet another advantage of ebonite. Afterward, I submerged just the nib and feed to heat set them to ensure proper ink flow. Thus, the nib on the pen is set further within than stock, and after heat setting (section and nib/feed), I have no issues with ink leakage. The second major change I made to the pen was to create an added taper toward the back of the pen body. In some ways, it resembles a less dramatic mid-body taper of the kind found on the Franklin Christoph Model 2 Intrinsic. The stock pen posted securely, but not deeply; it was a bit long for me. And while I enjoyed it, even while posted, I wanted to improve the balance of the pen. I used a very sharp knife to shave off material starting at about two thirds of the way towards to end of the pen. Next, I used a sanding sponge, 80 grit, to remove the marks from this process, so that the finish matched the original brushed, mat ebonite. In hindsight, I probably should have used only the sanding sponge. It was probably sufficient for the job and by using a knife I introduced flaws into the pen that you can see if you look closely. That said, this modification worked wonderfully. My pen now posts fully and deeply, and its balance is perfect for my hand. This modification meant that instead of using the pen periodically, it has become my main pen for everyday work; I barely put it down. Final Thoughts The pen is my ideal writing instrument, and certainly the most comfortable I have ever used. The only time I do not use it is when I need to write in direct sunlight, or to use thin, cheap paper, such as when I grade student work (I am a history teacher). For these tasks I use a cartridge converter pen instead of an eyedropper. Much is sometimes made of using an eyedropper pen for everyday use, and I am not sure I have much to add on the subject. I have for years used an eyedropper every day, with few if any problems, as do thousands of other people. Doing so takes some knowledge and patience, so as they say, your mileage may vary. I will be ordering another Ranga 8b pen, even if it is just to have one in reserve. This pen is by a large measure is my favorite. That said, since I prefer to post this pen, I will ask for my next one to be made with a slight taper towards the end to facilitate deep posting. I think that this ability to customize an order, combined with receiving a very high-quality product for a reasonable price, is one of the major advantages of ordering from a small artisan like Ranga. Needless to say, I am a very satisfied customer, who is just trying to spread the word. If I were to order this pen again for the first time, I would probably purchase the stock version, to see if I would prefer to use it posted or unposted. I obviously liked it enough to take the time to modify it, rather than simply buying a new pen, which I think speaks to its appeal.

I’ll start with a disclaimer that this isn’t a review. There are a plenty of reviews of the Ranga Model 3 and when they say that it’s amazing, it’s always true. In fact, one doesn’t need a review of any Ranga pen as they are known to deliver the best a writing instrument has to offer. What this is, is an appreciation letter, a pouring out one’s heart, if you will. From the first time that I held an ebonite pen, I knew it spelled trouble. It does feel warm to touch! (Word of advice is to not say this to any of your pen-muggle friends, as they’ll cast you as a someone who’s compensating for lack of human touch.) Indians my age are unlucky to have grown up with cheap plastic fountain pens, dare I say Chinese, OR heavy metal pens which feel premium only in terms of its weight; and never have experienced an ebonite pen. How lucky would I have to be, to be able to easily get my hands on spectacular ebonite pens turned by extremely skilled artisans, when there are only handful of such artisans in existence in the world today. By ease, I mean accessibility and affordability. Someone who hasn’t bought a Ranga might feel that it is expensive or not easily accessible. I also once had the same misconception. As an introvert, I avoid talking like the plague. But your fears will be allayed once you interact with Mr. M P Kandan; he’ll resolve all your doubts and you’ll soon realise that this aspect is vital for the entire operation. I tried to dip my toe in the pool of many unique designs Ranga pens had to offer by purchasing their Model 4CS. It took the detailed and compelling video from Doug Rathbun (InkquiringMinds) whose persuasion provided me with the threshold encouragement to contact Mr. Kandan on WhatsApp. I was thoroughly impressed by the pen, its feel in my hand, its finish, the detailing of the threads which are crisp and I’ll elaborate on its importance later. Anyway I was so smitten by my 4CS that when Ranga came out with a group buy for Model 4C, I immediately pounced on the opportunity and purchased that one too, this time with Jowo nib. I found ordering on the Google doc form easier and convenient. Both 4CS and 4C have a seamless rounded cylindrical design which is interesting, unique and attractive. It is futuristic and I’ve caught myself admiring them for hours. Like any one getting onboard the ebonite wagon, I too started with ASA, Gama and Click before reaching Ranga. For those on the wagon, the rubber like smell of ebonite is almost a fragrance compared to the horrific odour of the Indian plastic. Don’t get me wrong they are all excellent pens, and it may be just me, but I feel a marked difference when I hold a Ranga. All my other pens dry out or have some issue with the threading, not the Ranga despite it’s one turn execution. So anyway several pens later, I found myself awaiting a Model 3 group buy mainly for a Ranga reminiscent of a classic Duofold design. Alas all my pens had a lip of some sort at the grip section. This December 2022 when Mr. Kandan came out with a group buy for Model 3, I requested him for a grip section without a lip at the end. Mind you, I’d have purchased the Model 3 either way. But Mr. Kandan wrote back to me saying that he’ll make me a custom Model 3 with an hour glass section. This wouldn’t have been possible without a cordial two way communication and interaction between us and believe me I haven’t had such experience with any other pen manufacturer / retailer. Oh boy was I thrilled. I was exhilarated by the time I got the pen in my hand. It fits perfectly in my hands. Fountain pen enthusiasts are always looking out for a grail pen, but I think that they are looking for that ONE PEN to rule them all. And this is it folks, what people mean by Goldilocks fit, at least for me. The pictures don’t do justice to it - polished black looks very premium, but perhaps my camera isn’t able to capture its complete majesty. Please support Mr. Kandan and share my experience on other social media platforms, since I’m not on any. Hope everyone has a happy and colourful year. PS: I got a Ranga nib this time around and was pleasantly surprised that it has standard threading of a Jowo #6 nib unit. I didn’t know of it beforehand. So for anyone who’s baffled by the choices offered, this may be of some help.