Search the Community

Hello! I l've already posted this on the Far East section but I figured this is a better place to post this. I need help identifying these Pilot pens as I've searched everywhere with no luck. Also, sorry that the pictires are too lowres and have a watermark, couldn't do anything about that

I don't know if this question has been asked before, it might have, but I'm just curious about how much do you guys spend on pens, ink, paper in a year, related to your yearly income? I personaly have a rule that I must not spend more than a month's salary, and last year I actually managed to do that, it is also my first year since having this rule. I have a journal where I keep track of what I buy and sell and at the end of the year I draw the line. Do you spend more, less? Do you keep a similar record of your spendings? P.s. If I sell a pen, the budget will also increase with the same amount of money, and If I exceed the budget, I sell other pens to get even.

So here are some thoughts on my two Kanwrite Heritage pens - One in Green marbled pattern and the other in Blue marbled. One with a Fine nib (currently the blue, but it changes), and one with a medium. I will also talk a bit about writing with the KW Fine Flex nib which had brought separately for another pen (this is I think the same nib as the Noodler's flax pens). TLRD: the pens are great value for a price of under $30; the nibs (and feeds) and ergonomics are the real stars. Filling mechanism is dependable. The body is pleasing to the eye albeit without feeling premium (but acceptable quality for this price). Review: Intro and Choices available. The Kanwrite Heritage is a largish piston filler pen from Kanwrite or Kanpur Writers, a pen nib manufacturer based out of Kanpur, India. The pens come into a huge variety of colors, solids, translucents and certain marbled patterns. I find the marbled patterns the most pleasing to the eye, and out of a shortlist which also included the excellent looking red marbled variant, I chose the green and blue marbled versions (mainly because I have an OCD of matching inks to pens, and I have (and write with) a lot more of greens and blues than red. Another combination that I personally would wish to see would be one with a black cap and burnt-orange body - I think it would look great on this pen. I haven't seen one around, but if you wish, the there are black pens and burnt-orange pens readily available for a cap-swap (if you are willing to be stuck with another pen with the reverse combination...). Kanwrite makes their own nibs, and as I will talk in detail below, they are generally very good. They have a huge variety of nibs, not only the usual F,M and B, but unusually for the sub INR 2000/USD 30 market, they also offer EF, BB, Fine flex, and an extra-fine flex also. All choices, however, may not be available with all retailers. They also have a 14K gold nib which looks very similar to an Aurora 88 and is excellent (however, I find the gold nib an overkill for a pen in this range - I would get it for a custom hand turned pen (as I have), for which there are lot of good options in India. To make matters easier, Kanwrite will send you the nib, on your request, pre-fitted into a Bock or JoWo housing. Appearance & Design (1-10) – 8 The pens come in marbled plastic bodies with gold accents. there is a thick cap ring, a clip supported by a visible clip ring and a ring between the barrel and the cap protecting the piston knob. Uncapping the pens, one finds an ink window (very useful since its an opaque body piston filler) rimmed by two more gold rings, cap threads and a girthy and reasonably long section that slopes down gently and flares slightly, but abruptly near the nib. Both the marbled patterns are quite attractive, to say the least. These are injection moulded CAB plastic though, not PMMA/ acrylic, let alone hand turned, so lacks the visual depth and chatoyance of marbled resin. The marbling is on the surface itself and does not glow from within like the latter material. That said, I find it very pleasing to the eye on its own right. The marbled patterns are multi-colored (not just white, but veins of other colors too) and this creates various points of interest while looking at the pen. From a design perspective, whether consciously or otherwise, there are some similarities wit the Aurora Optima family of pens; especially the shape of the clip and clip ring, the cap band and bands on both sides of ink window and above the piston knob, and, the size and placement of ink window itself. These are not unique design concepts however, and the pen retains enough individuality to stand apart as a unique design. For one, it is more than a full centimeter (about half an inch) larger than the Aurora (coming in at 140cm closed to the Aurora's 127) - a much nicer size for my preference. Also the piston knob cap and top finial have the same color as the rest of the body. But the most 'interesting' departure is the shape of the top of the cap - instead of a regular softly squared off design, Kanwrite has gone for a slightly weird reverse cone top sitting rather awkwardly over the clip ring - I am not sure it works as a design choice - it seems stuck on as an afterthought. Nevertheless this is a substantial looking, attractive pen. Apart from that off-putting cap-top, everything comes together very well. the choice of gold accents work well with the marbled colors. the nib is perfectly proportional to the body. the proportions of the various segments and the angles and slopes are spot on from any angle. Interchanging the caps makes for a fun look too! 2. Construction & Quality (1-10) – 8.5 Coming back to the CAB plastic material, it doesn't feel as dense and premium as resin, but it is indeed sturdy and durable. At this price point, you are not likely to get premium materials - though some stuff out of China can feel as though they are)The same can be said of the metal trims - well if they are metal at all - apart from the clip, I am not sure. But the plating seems well done and likely to last. The pen looks like it can take rough use and that is the most important thing at this price range. None of the components or the pens as a whole, feel 'cheap' (though you probably couldn't fool anyone its high end either - unlike the case with some Moonman/PenBBS pens in the same range. opening the cap reveals a plastic knob to activate the piston. The knob and the piston itself are clear(ish) plastic - again nothing fancy, but feels solid and up to the task. Weight Dimensions & Ergonomics (1-10) – 9 This is a largish pen without stepping into the oversize territory. To get the numbers out of the way, these are: Length capped = 140-141 mm (5.5") Length uncapped = 129-130mm (5.1") Length Posted = 161 cms (6.3") Ink window = 5mm (0.2") diameter at section = 11-12mm (0.4 - 0.5") weight capped/posted = 21gms weight uncapped = 15 gms Here is a comparison of the pens posted and unposted: I like pens which I can comfortably use unposted, and this usually means a sweet sweet between (capped/ uncapped) 125/135mm and 150/160mm - so this is right in the sweet spot for me. Here is a comparison with some other pens of this price range range that I find very comfortable to hold (well, probably a stretch including the TWSBI in this price range, but what the hell!) the pens are also very light and the caps do not add much to the weight if you are fond of posting. Ergonomics is one area, where, at least for me, the pens really excel. They just has that right combination of length and light-weight to act as an EDC. The pens balance well in the hand, whether un-posted or posted (which they do securely) and the section shape and girth are comfortable for me also. Well to nitpick, I'd have have preferred a more gentle upward curve to the rim (nib-side) instead of the slightly abrupt ridge; but this is relevant only for those, like me, who hold the gen very low. Even then, its not uncomfortable as such (since the ridge is not sharp), but you know its there. Nib & Performance (1-10) – 9.25 The nibs are broad shouldered understatedly attractive Indian #35 (#6 type) nib and is perfectly swappable into Bock or JoWo housings (and vice versa, I would assume). In fact the same KW nibs are offered pre-fitted in Bock or JoWo housing by Kanwrite. Since there are two nibs on review, I will discuss them in turn: The fine is about a half a size finer than a typical Jowo or Bock fine (though some Bock fines I have used are similar) - its similar to a sailor MF. It has a pleasant sort of feedback but is not scratchy or unpleasantly toothy. with very dry inks (like my Krishna Ghat Green), the sense of toothiness may increase so better to use with well lubricated inks. I really do like this KW fine very much - with a Pilot Iroshizuku or Sailor Shikiori inks, it really shines. the nib has is quite hard, though it has slightly more spring than a jowo - about same as a bock. the feedback this nib gives is excellent for a controlled handwriting. The medium is closer to a JoWo medium but probably a hair finer; hence a more typical medium line width. It is smooth and tuned very well right out of the box. There is nothing to dislike about the medium nib Between the two, I personally prefer the fine by a hair's width, but that is just down to writing preference. Many will prefer the medium. Both nibs wrote well out of the box. Both pens were tuned very well for optimum wetness. The feeds are thick ebonite ones which seems to regulate flow quite well; though there are very occasional overly wet starts when the pen has been moving around int he bag (this is common and not a problem) Nibs are easy to change out as the whole housing disengages by unscrewing it from the section. Kanwrite nibs, where available, are quite affordable. As a case in point - I had also (earlier) separately procured a KW 'Fine Flex nib'. It is probably the same as used in Noodler's flex nibs. I wouldn't use it for these pens as it steel colored (though these are also available in two tone) while these pens have gold trims. I am currently using it in a Moonman T1 where it performs very well (though only after I adjusted the Moonman feed to supply the extra flow required). In hindsight say the extra-fine flex would have been preferable for exploring the full breadth of line variations possible... Filling System & Maintenance (1-10) - 8.75 It is a piston filler; which while (thanks to the Chinese) is not exactly unheard at this price point these days, is nice to have. The piston works smoothly. I get about about 2ml ink into it per fill (give or take) which I think is quite optimal - more than that is probably not ideal for someone like me who has more than one, couple of, quite a few pens inked at one time! Cleaning thoroughly is possible as disassembly is quite easy. the plastic knobs feels a little flimsy but its protected, and not something would need heavy handling. Cost & Value (1-10) – 8.5 In India, the KW Heritage is likely to cost around INR 1700-1800 (about USD 25); but expect to pay about $5-10 more if buying outside India, which is understandable because of customs, logistics and shifting exchange rates etc. While at this price, it is most certainly a 'good' value, the exact score is a little tricky, because, frankly, getting a great value pen at around $30 is no longer unheard of (as it was a few years ago) due to the introduction was several great models at this (or even lower) price points by the likes of PenBBS, Moonman and Wing Sung (among others). For example: 1) Moonman T1 is a piston filler made of attractive anodized aluminium which feels more premium in build but is cheaper 2) The materials in PenBBS piston, vac fillers and other special-filler pens (especially the quality of acrylics used; and also metal pistons, vacuum plungers etc) such as the 309, 456, 355 and 500 feel more premium and 'high-end' So, as a value proposition, it would not be fair to say that the KW Heritage is miles ahead of the competition. However, and this is a big point, at least for me, I feel that the nibs in these pens are at a different class from all the Moonman & PenBBSnibs I've tried. I've had to change the nib on every, but one, of my PenBBS+Moonman pens into JoWos/ Bocks (or in the case of the T1 - the KW Fine flex!) . I found those pens to generally have dry and less than satisfactory feeds as well - no comparison to the one the one on the KW (ebonite or otherwise) in terms of flow regulation. Some may like these pens out of the box, but for those opting for a nib change, that's an added cost to be factored for these Chinese pens. Another thing is that Kanwrite provides various nib options from EF to BB as well as F and EF in flex. Most Chinese pens at this range come only in a couple of widths (F and one of EF or M). So, overall, considering the writing quality and nib options, this is still an extremely good value. Conclusion (Final score, xx/6) - 8.55 I find these pens to be good looking, sturdy and comfortable to write with. They are dependable and affordable. They write very well every time. So overall, I would recommend these pens heartily as an EDC or for your collection. Some writing samples showing the line widths of the various nib sizes I have are below:

Hi, I am justin and I am from a small town called leesburg Texas, I have formed a pen club for individuals from around the area. Called the East Texas Pen Club if anyone is interested, we would love to have several new members. We meet on the first Saturday of every month in Longview, although this one is being rescheduled due to the severe weather we had. You can message me or you can find us on Facebook if you would like some more information. As I said we are new and have only had one meeting so far. https://www.facebook.com/groups/1073648183520263/?ref=share_group_link

This is my first Santini fountain pen and 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 Santini Libra Voyager with the superflexy nib. It's a bit special because it's made with care and love by Italian craftsmen who know well their work. These are my first impressions more than a review. Appearance & Design (10) In my view, it's appearance is beautiful. The swirls among blue, turquoise, green, magenta and black 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 but is very tight (too much). The section is long and very comfortable to hold and it tappers up at the end a bit preventing your fingers to meet the nib. It's gurthy enough for my liking. The Santini 18 kt gold nib (superflexy in this piece) has one advantage: you can interchange with other Santini nibs. 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). The pen is exquisitely beautiful and the workmanship is top notch. The ebonite warms to my hand and the pen is a comfortable writer. Construction & Quality (9) Outstanding construction and quality. The pen is beautifully made. 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 very comfortable long section. Perfect and beautiful cap band. The clip is very tight, it's a pity. It's the only bad detail and that's the reason to have a 9 instead of a 10. The polishing is very good and the pen is full of well made details. I remember that Da Vinci said "details make perfection and perfection is not any detail". Weight & Dimensions(10) Weight: 31g Length: 145mm. 135mm uncapped Cap length: 68mm Cap diameter: 17mm Body diameter: 15mm (max) It has a perfect balance. It is a not very lightweight nor heavy and comfortable pen. It's a gurthy pen but not too much, I feel that dimensions like the perfect ones. The grip is 11.4mm at its narrowest and is very comfortable between your fingers. It's slightly hour-glass shaped and flares out closest to the nib so your fingers won't slip. Nib & Performance (10) The nib is a Santini 18kt gold extra fine and flexy (they call it superflexy but it's really a nice and very good semi flex), so it's performance is assured. It does not require a lot of pressure to flex but it doesn't open like a wet noodle. It writes beautifully and with very good and nice line variation if you want and very good snap back. You can choose among plenty of different nibs with different sizes (it's one of the best companies if not the best in the world about offering diferent nib options) and plating. Mine has a bit of feedback (I prefer that characteristic better tgan the glassy nibs) and it's juicy, without being a gusher. The nib comes with an ebonite feeder to keep a well flow. Santini makes their nibs and I really appreciate that. I think in Italy only Aurora and Santini make their own nibs. Filling System (10) I like piston filling systems. The pen encapsulates a Schmidt piston component with a ratcheting sound that alerts you when you've filled the pen completely. It has a ink capacity around 1.1~1.2 ml. Schmidt is a well-known German quality brand and their piston component is reliable and as sturdy as a classic piston filling system. If you have any problem, Santini has a repair service that if it is like their fabulous customer support and service, I wouldn't think about that. 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 very good. 369 € including shipping is a fair price. But the good point is it's value, it's a fountain pen made by hand, if you take only that into account, it's real value is very high. Beside that it's made with care and love and perfectly engineered. Katrina (customer service) is so kind and professional. The way she supports and deals with you is outstanding and they send you the pen very fast. Conclusion (Score, 59/60) 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 also package the fountain pen beautifully. Santini does not appear to invest in marketing and I think they sell most of their products directly to the end customer. I think that their pens are of perhaps superior material and quality than the better known Italian brands. This pen will remain one of my best. I have become a fan of Santini. I would like to give my congrats to all Santini team, they are great. Best regards to everybody. Take care Miguel Ángel.

Waterman is launching soon a new collection "Embleme", not to similar to the old Emblem!

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.

Picked this PILOT fountain pen with PILOT 9007 converter from a flea market. Could not able to find the model of it. Any information would be appreciated.

With the recent Stipula Etruria thread that was posted in this sub, I thought it was high time we had a dedicated photo thread for the Montegrappa Extra. This can include the earlier Classica and Historia models, along with the more modern variants including the Extra, Extra 1930 and Extra Otto. The key here is to share what you have no matter the size of your collections or your photography skills, so that we may appreciate, discuss and enjoy the variety of trims, nibs and colours these exquisite pens are available in. My hope is that this will breathe a little more passion into this model and to see our own interpretations of how we use them in the 'real world'. This will also provide a valuable resource for those looking to research the model and perhaps make their own decision to one day acquire an Extra or two. Let me kick us off with two of my favourite Extra's in my collection; an Extra Otto in Lapis Blue with a Fine nib, and an Extra is midnight blue celluloid with the older style barrel imprint and a Medium nib. I am soon to add another one when it arrives from Italy, will post a group shot then. I hope that others will follow with their shots

In March, I attended the BWI Pen Show at the BWI Marriott Hotel in Linthicum, Maryland, USA. I purchased several fountain pens during the three-day show. One of them was by an Indian brand, Magna Carta. I saw its offerings and purchased the Elements model in all-black with a Broad Nib. Here are photos I took at home after I returned home. Here are some approximate objective measurements: Length capped: 14.8 cm (5.8 in) Length posted: 17.5 cm (6.9 in) Weight empty: 34-35 grams Weight after filling with water: 36 grams Based on my viewing of the website, MagnaCartaPen.com, it appears that this black Elements model is not yet for sale on the site. There appear to be two Elements models for sale there -- the blue-green "Sky" and the red "Earth." It is clear to me that the black model I purchased is an Elements model, based on its shape. Based on the information provided on the other two Elements models, the following can be stated about this pen: Outer material: "Precious resin" Cap: threaded (screw on-and-off) Filling Type: Pneumatic Finish-Trim: PVD 24K gold-plated Nib Material: Gold-plated stainless steel (available in EF, F, M, B, and BB). At the show, I paid $160, which turns out to be the retail price on the website (oh, well), but at least there were no sales tax or shipping costs. The pneumatic filling system works easily. Screw off the end-cap, pull out the pneumatic tube, place a finger over the breather hole (shown clearly in the last photo), push in the tube into the ink, take your finger off the breather hole, wait a few seconds, and screw the end-cap back on. About 1-2 grams of ink enter the pen in the process. I filled the pen with Noodler's Squeteague ink, a dark teal color, and used the pen for a few weeks. I was impressed with its performance and feel. This is a thick pen in my hand. The outer material feels warm and pleasant to the touch. The nib was responsive -- firm with very slight give -- and quite smooth. I'm sure it helped that the nib was a Broad. I favor nibs that are at least Medium. I found myself daily looking forward to writing some notes and practicing my signature with this pen. It is an attractive pen and reminds me somewhat, at least in spirit, of some of the larger Conway Stewart models that I've seen on the internet. I feel that the $160 price is fair in this day-and-age for this kind of high quality pen with a steel nib. I wonder if others have any experiences, good or bad, with the Elements model or with other Magna Carta fountain pens. I would look forward to your comments.

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?

Fountain Pen Revolution Tanoshii – Welcome to (or from) Japan?? In August 2020, the folks at Fountain Pen Revolution began “teasing” a new pen design that they were getting ready to release. The FPR Tanoshii, and the Tanoshii Junior were (as far as I can recall) the first pens in their range to be designed and made outside of India. Kevin’s partners are based in Japan – though an online search pens themselves might be made in Taiwan? I liked the look of these pens, but not quite enough to be ready to shell out for one. That perspective changed, though, when FPR started selling a “Urushi Art” version (or rather, versions) of the larger pen, with attractive and vivid designs on the barrel of the pen. A, *ahem*, fairly significant birthday was coming up, so I placed an order… Kevin kindly included a Junior version as well, so I could compare and contrast (and, if I wished, publish a review!) – I mention that up-front because, as hard as I try to be impartial in my reviews, I prefer to be up-front about anything that could (unwittingly) skew influence my perspective. The Tanoshii line of pens are the most expensive in Kevin’s range – but the moment you get them in hand you’ll see why. They’re clearly manufactured to a high standard. I’m not going to ‘score’ the pen for the different categories listed below – but will try to give a clear indication of where they land. One last thing to mention up-front: this review will focus primarily on the Urushi Art version of the full-sized pen – but will make frequent comparisons to the Tanoshii Junior. ______________________________________________________________________ Appearance & Design For the most part, the FPR Tanoshii and Tanoshii Junior counterpart conform to a fairly standard (and elegant) pen design. The cap screws snugly over the grip section, with only a slight step-down between cap and barrel. The pen is at its girthiest around the cap-band, and tapers slightly the top of the cap and the bottom of the barrel. The full-sized Tanoshii sports gold-plated trim (clip, bands and nib), while the Junior has chrome-coloured trim – I’d like to see both options available for both sizes of pen, but don’t know whether that’s in the works. The clip is one of the more distinctive features of the Tanoshii pens – it swoops down from near the top of the pen to terminate on a ball-shaped attachment, which can be made to roll as it glides over the fabric of a pocket or pen case. I find the clip holds the pen quite firmly in place in my pocket – which is doubly important when you’re carrying a piece of art around! The other distinctive feature is the ornamental pattern inscribed onto the cap band – I wasn’t really attracted to this at first, especially on the chrome band of the Tanoshii Junior (I’m not normally a fan of ‘flashy’ pens). I have to say though it’s grown on me over time. Size Comparison (top to bottom): TWSBI Diamond Mini, FPR Tanoshii Junior, FPR Tanoshii full-size (urushi), Lamy Safari, TWSBI Diamond 580 AL I really like the materials Kevin chose for the manufacture of these pens: The cracked-ice style acrylics are brightly coloured with moderate translucency (you can select from blue and orange barrels paired with solid black grip section, cap and finial; or a ruby barrel paired with white grip section, cap and finial). If you prefer a more understated option, you can purchase an all-black version – which I believe forms the base for the Urushi Art versions of the pen. FPR Tanoshii Junior - Ruby/White version Here, obviously, is where things really got interesting for me. The Urushi Art versions of the pen are brightly coloured, and absolutely gorgeous. The artwork on the two ‘plainer’ versions of the pen (Green Genji and Golden Cloud) are made up purely, as far as I can tell, of layers of urushi lacquer and gold metallic powders; while the other four pens boast an elaborate artwork / decal (Red Phoenix, Blue Dragon, Red Dragon, and Black Dragon). I was keen to buy one of the plainer pens, but Kevin urged me to go for one of the more decorative pens… so I opted for the Red Phoenix. [I’m still really tempted by the Green Genji, but… my wallet keeps telling me no!] FPR Tanoshii Urushi Art - Red Phoenix According to FPR’s website, “Each FPR Tanoshii Urushi Art pen is its own masterpiece. They feature the original Tanoshii design and filling system but turned into a work of art by skilled craftsmen using Japanese Urushi art.” Rather than try to describe the urushi technique, I’ll also include here a word from the manufacturer, as Kevin from FPR passed it on to me: “Urushi arts in the pens are done by applying different colors of Urushi, gold and silver metallic powders, decorative ultra-thin golden/ colorful paper for different themes. Then applied transparent layers of Urushi called “Ki-narinuri” over and over and one by one. After each layers of Urushi, Urushi needs to be dried and polished for smooth feelings.” If I’m reading that correctly, it means the Red Phoenix on my pen is some kind of paper artwork that’s been carefully adhered around the surface of the pen, and lovingly lacquered into place. Not as impressive a feat as an individually painted design, to be sure – but it’s amazing to look at nonetheless, and for someone (like me) who can’t justify spending hundreds or thousands of dollars on a pen… this is a great alternative. It also creates a kind of ‘three-dimensional’ appearance, with the design sitting slightly proud of the pen barrel – you can also ‘feel’ the design elements under the lacquer of the pen. … Construction & Quality As I mentioned in my introduction, this is the highest production quality pen that FPR have produced to date – and (almost) everything about it screams ‘quality’. The acrylic pen parts are expertly machined; the cap threads are smooth, and produce an excellent airtight seal; inner threads of the grip section are made of metal (stainless steel), and thread smoothly and firmly into the barrel. I was gifted a Pilot Custom Heritage 91 last year (thanks to a YouTube giveaway by Alesa of the Inky Rocks channel!) – and I’d say the production quality of the Tanoshii is pretty comparable, though minus the gold nib! The Urushi Art seems quite robust, and won’t easily wear off the pen – but obviously will benefit from gentle handling. This isn’t a pen I carry with me everywhere – though of course you can if you want to! … Weight & Dimensions The FPR Tanoshii and Tanoshii Junior are both very light – 21.7g vs 17.6g respectively – with roughly 1/3 of the weight residing in the cap. The full-sized Tanoshii is 135mm long capped, and 124mm uncapped – you can post the pen if you wish, but it’s not recommended for the Urushi Art version (in case it mars the pen). The Junior version is 11.4cm capped, and 9.7cm uncapped – which in my hands is just a little too short for comfortable extended use. Posted, it extends to 12.9cm, which works much better for me. I do wish it posted just a *little* bit more securely onto the back of the barrel, but that’s only a very minor nitpick on my part. The diameter of the pen at its widest (cap band) is 14mm – this tapers to 10mm towards the bottom of the barrel, while the grip section tapers from 11cm (near the threads) down to 10mm (near the nib). That’s pretty much in the ‘sweet-spot’ for me. … Nib & Performance When the Tanoshii was first released, it was only available with JoWo nibs in F and M – it’s designed to take standard #6 JoWo screw-in units, so you can easily swap in replacements if you wish. The advantage (for me) of waiting a while to purchase is that Kevin managed to source some nib units that are compatible with the JoWo threading, but can accommodate FPR nibs – so I ordered mine with a two-tone FPR Ultraflex nib (for an extra US$21). The Junior pen takes a screw-in nib unit with FPR’s standard #5.5 nib – Kevin kindly included an ultraflex nib in this pen too. The nib units in both pens come with plastic feeds – but they seem to keep up well with the flow. FPR #6 Ultraflex nib (two-tone) FPR #5.5 Ultraflex nib (chrome) I’m a real fan of FPR’s ultraflex nibs – though they can be an acquired taste for some! – and I’ve loved writing with these ones. The larger #6 nib can flex a little further than the #5.5 with less downward pressure on the tines and in my experience is a little wetter. Both pens are prone to railroad if you try to flex too far – but don’t require a lot of coaxing to get them back up and running again. If you’re not keen on flex nibs, you can order a range of other options in both pens – EF, F and M options are included in the price of the pen; B, stub and standard flex nibs cost a little extra (US$4 at the time of writing); while the ultraflex adds a further US$14 to the cost. I have yet to try the gold flex nibs – the USA to AUS exchange rate puts that a bit out of my budget for the time being! In my opinion FPR’s steel nibs are great value for money – though I’ve sometimes found the stub nibs needed some ‘tweaking’ in the past. Aesthetically, the larger nib goes will with the bigger pen, and likewise the smaller nib with the smaller pen – I probably prefer the writing experience with the full-sized pen, but they’re both very pleasant writers. … Filling System & Maintenance The full-sized Tanoshii pen comes with a screw-type standard international converter, though it can also take standard international cartridges. The Tanoshii Junior comes supplied with a Kaweco-style (push-pull) mini-converter, which doesn’t hold a whole lot of ink – that’s probably the only real down-side to the smaller pen! I wouldn’t recommend eyedropper filling these pens, as I don’t know how long the metal threads would last without starting to corrode. The pens can be completely disassembled and reassembled for cleaning. The nib units are friction fit, so can be pulled apart to swap in replacement nibs – I don’t believe FPR sell replacement nib units for the smaller pen, though as mentioned above, the larger pen will accommodate any standard #6 JoWo nib unit. … Cost & Value At US$70 (plus postage) for the ‘regular’ pen or $65 for the Junior, the Tanoshii is not cheap – but it’s definitely in the ballpark for an American/Japanese collaboration pen, especially given the high quality workmanship. I can’t praise highly enough the artwork on the Urushi Art version – it nearly doubles the cost of the pen, but given the amount of work involved in their production, I’d say that’s money well spent. I’m a repeat customer at FPR, and have to say that, much as I love my Himalayas and Jaipurs (especially the V2s), this is the best pen I’ve bought from them thus far. … Conclusion The Tanoshii, Tanoshii Junior and Tanoshii Urushi Art are great pens to look at, great pens to write with, and in my opinion are great value for money. Happy to answer any and all questions below – but thoroughly recommend these pens to anyone who’s interested. …

Hi I got this pen at a car boot sale and want to know what it is but honestly have no idea and says nothing on it except made in France and iridium point that doesn't help much

Conklin Duragraph Fountain Pen, Amber - 1.1 MM Steel Stub Nib Hello, I recently purchased this pen recently for $32 on Amazon. I'd love to know what my options are for swapping between the screw-out nib units for this pen. I obviously know that I can get the Conklin replacements. I'm wondering if it uses a standard size that can be swapped out for those of different manufacturers. I tried my Franklin Christoph nib - no joy there. It the FC unit just spun in place. Also, I looked for this information before hitting you guys up. I'm also interested in how to find this out for myself next time. Where can I find what nib units are swappable. Thanks.

CALICUT CITY- SOME UNTOLD STORIES I don’t how many could believe that Calicut, a city of Kerala, have such a rich heritage in fountain pens- so that it may be called as the pen city of Kerala. Probably as the only man in FPN from Calicut, I take the responsibility to present our city in this forum. The pen productions have started in early 1950s. By 1955-1960, there are four major firms of pen making. Don’t think that these are big companies producing pens and marketing in wide areas. Actually these are four pen shops, and each shop produced pens for their own shops only. And because of this poor marketing strategy, they are almost unknown to the outside world. As the healthy competition continued, many beauties have born. The pen history can be roughly be divided into 6 phases. 1950 - 1955 PEN PRODUCTION begins . 1955 - 1960 CONSOLIDATION PHASE – By this period all the 4 pen shops came into existence and production started at full swing. 1960 - 1970 THE GOLDEN ERA. This period have witnessed these shops running in full glory, churning out the maximum number and variety of pens. 1970 - 1980 THE DECLINE STARTS 1980 - 1990 THE BIG DECLINE 1990 - PRESENT. All the things happened right here- in the SM Street. The most busy street of Calicut. SM stands for Sweet Meat. Wondering what’s sweet meat ? . It’s nothing like meat. A hard rubbery confectionary -or Calicut Halwa- as known outside Calicut. You can see a lot of shops selling this here. They are available in a variety of colours and flavors—atleast twenty I think- more that what colours you are getting for a Sheaffer Skrip or Waterman range of inks! ABOUT CALICUT For those who don’t know, Calicut ( or KOZHIKODE) is a city situated in the coastal Malabar area of Kerala, India. It’s the only place in Kerala where fountain pens are made. Calicut is also known as the Biriyani capital of Kerala. Wonder why .. all pen cities are famous for their biriyanis also ..!? the Malabari biriyani is made in process were all the rice, meat and the spices are cooked in a closed container where the soft aromas and infused to rice in a slow process of around 5-6 hrs. Now, coming to the story part - The whole credit of fountain pens of Calicut goes to one and only person- Mr. M. Haneefa Rawthar- for without him the story would not have happened. People called him Haneefa Saheeb. He came from somewhere in Tamil Nadu in around or before 1950. At that time ( and now also) many people comes from other states to Calicut as merchants. His first visit was somewhere around 1950. He came with a huge collection of fountain pens- used and new, along with a lot of spare parts. Usually persons coming to Calicut are attracted by the hospitality and friendliness of natives and most of the merchants and traders later decided to settle here. Haneefa Saheeb was no different. Don’t think that there was no pens at all before Haneefa Saheeb. Imported pens like Waterman, Black bird, Swan were there. These were costly and not afforded by all. Apart from regular pens, dip pens were also popular. Ink tablets were also popular at that time. For making ink, you have to dissolve tablet in water! For dip pens, thicker inks were made with tablets dissolved in lesser water. Also they were available at very cheap rate compared to an ink bottle. Any ink manufacturer reading this? Coming back to Haneefa Sahib, a man with no formal education, but lot of experience from worldwide travelling and visiting so many countries, now at his fifties or sixties, toying with the idea of starting a pen shop at Calicut. FIRST PEN SHOP OF CALICUT The first pen shop of Calicut opens in SM street in 1950. As expected the shop flourished very quickly. This shop later became Kim and Co pens, as known today. As he sold new and old pens, he provided them with good service, as he had a huge collection of spares. Kim and Co shop at Calicut.( at present)

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?

I just aquired an old pen. Changed the sac and filled it up. A nice ex fine flex nib. The pen has the inscription "registered Fascio pen" and "R14K Fascio". I tried to find some information about it on the net, but in vain. Anyone here who knows anythong about this pen?

The PenGraver Man When I was a kid, a few people engraved on Fountain pen. They were available at the train station and often traveled in compartments from one station to another. They carried a small briefcase in which they stored engraving tools. If someone among the passengers had a fountain pen, they asked for engraving the owners' name. The engraving charge was a few cents only for English and Bengali languages. I forgot the local name of their profession. The engravers also went to our schools wearing white pants and a shirt, the small briefcase in hand. Most of them had great skill in cursive handwriting font. I can only remember the small chisel, hammer, and the thuk-thuk-thuk sounds! The last time I saw them was in 1994 at Ishardi Railway Station in Bangladesh. I have lost the few pens I had engraved my name, but a few years back, I have found a White Feather fountain pen in a salvage yard with a name curving on it. I'll post the photo later. Can anyone tell me if the pen engraver had a particular word for their professions' name? Please let me know. Thank you all in advance. Leo amahadleo@gmail.com https://www.facebook.com/groups/fountainpenculture

I might be retiring from teaching at the end of this year, and I am thinking that I might get myself an all-wood pen (section is wooden, also) to celebrate. I might even do a special order. I won't be able to spend more than 500USD. Any recommendations for a maker or brand? I really know nothing about this kind of thing, but I am very intrigued. I've already looked at Ryan Krusac's website.... Thanks.

I would like to introduce you my last Leonardo fountain pen: The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande Golden Rule. This a collaboration with J.Brooks, who made this beatiful resin, where bronze and red are mixed to create a fusion of warm colors. Limited edition to only 70 pieces worldwide. The first time I saw this pen I fall in love due to the red parts among the bronze style resin. After seeing the feed, made out of red ebonite... that was the end of my piggy bank. I got it at "Fontana Penna" in Spain. Now that it has arrived to me, I have been deeply impressed by it and I could not be more happier. That cap, with so much red on it, makes this pen unique to my eyes. I have to admit it was definitely a great purchase. Thanks to Leonardo & Carolina pen company for making this beautiful fountain pen.

This is a review of “Kaco Master”. It’s the best Chinese Fountain pen I have come across till now.Kaco is a young company which makes some great products. Kaco since its inception in 2011 have launched many pens & accessories . This “Kaco Master” is among their most premium offerings .This has German Made Gold Nib , it doesn’t feel like it’s made by Jowo or Bock. It feels a bit different from those both. I think they are made by special order or made by some other company ! Pros- – Great 14k Gold Nib – Well Tuned Out Of The Box – Soft & Springy Nib – Minimalistic Design – Top Notch Construction – Great Price – Great Packing & Presentation – Hourglass Shaped Section – Have Premium Look – Suitable For Long Writing Sessions Cons- – Only comes in one colour i.e. Black for gold nib. Although the steel nib version comes in many colors. – Don’t post securely. – I can’t expect anything more at this price !!! Packing- Great, The pen comes with a great grey metallic case, which comes in a black box over which “Kaco” is engraved. The metallic oval case has a foam insert in it where the pen can rest. This foam ensures that the pen doesn’t get scratched with the sides of the metal case. Specifications- – Nib Size -Fine Nib 0.5mm – Filling Mechanism: standard cartridges and converter – Capped Pen length: 154mm – Section Length: 25mm – Section Diameter: 12.5 mm – Uncapped Pen Length : 133mm – Diameter: 16.5 mm – Pen weight: 27.5g Appearance & Design- Good, The pen has a classic design. It’s made of great quality black resin which has been highly polished. The clip is of gold color & fit into a clip-shaped recess in the cap & almost aligns with the cap of the pen .The clip is strong & is very functional. It is unique & looks good in my pocket. The clip has a small logo of “Kaco” over it .The pen size is around 133 mm uncapped & 154 mm capped. It doesn’t cap securely.This pen is made in very nice black resin, it is super shiny & feels premium in hand . I wish they had other colors too. It has an hourglass-shaped section & a number #6 14k nib in Fine with “Kaco” logo engraved over. It has a plastic feed. The section is long & threads of the cap are precise. This nib looks good & is similar to JOWO nib but it’s not JOWO. The nib suits the pen size & looks good. This pen is very comfortable for long writing sessions too. Construction- Very Well Made, The construction of this pen is top notch.The pen has been polished well & has been given a mirror like finish on both clip as well as body. It looks pleasing to the eyes , but as a result it attracts dust & micro scratches may be noticeable. The pen is elegant & is a perfect minimalistic office pen. Filling System- This is a simple C/C pen. The converter is interchangeable with a Schmidt K5 converter. It has metal reinforcements in the mouth & it is perfectly functional. You can use standard international cartridges too Nib Performance- Amazing , Kaco Master has #6 nib which is very springy and relatively soft.It is surely better than JOWO/BOCK nibs. This nib has a slight forward curve which makes a different writing angle which is different from others, I think it’s some unique Chinese grind. This is very smooth & gives a distinctive feel while writing. The nib is similar to European Fine Nibs.On the box, it’s written the nib is made in Germany but nib doesn’t look like common nibs i.e. JOWO or BOCK . Conclusion- True Master, This is the best Chinese pen I have ever used & one of the best pens available at this price. I bought it for around $120. The pen is very well made & has a great 14 k gold nib. It has a minimalistic look,which is amazing. The glossy black color looks good but I feel there should be more color options in this pen. I really can’t expect anything more at this price. It is true value for money given the quality, ergonomics and writing experience. It’s a masterpiece about which most people don’t know about !

HI, I'm new to the network having a revived interest in fountain pens over lockdown, resurrecting some old pens and adding a few (too many!) new ones... lots of fun!! I have some pretty dry inks and some F and EF nibs, and after research I'm wondering if getting some White Lightning Ink Additive might help the pens write a bit wetter. However, I cant seem to find a UK retailer that stocks the product and paying almost $40 for shipping seems a bit OTT... Does anyone know of a retailer that stocks it in the UK or Europe? Thanks, Joe

Pros- Huge Ink Capacity Shut-Off-Valve prevent leaks & burps. Unique Ice-Effect Design Well Balanced Good Quality Material used – Scratch Resistant The Jowo nib on my Opus 88 writes flawlessly. Nice Packaging Comfortable even when used capped Fits perfectly even in people with small hands. Affordable Price Tag Good EDC Pen Cons- It takes many turns to uncap – 3 turns!!!! You need to open valve for long writing sessions Some Other Specs You Should Know – Nib Material – Steel Body Material – Resin Fill Mechanism- Eye Dropper Ink capacity -2ml Cap Type- Threaded Postable-Yes Demonstrator- Yes Clip Style- Spring Metal Nib width- Extra Fine, Fine, Medium, Broad & Stub. Closing System- Screw cap Material- Resin Trim Colour – Silver Length Closed – 142 mm Length Barrel – 125mm Length posted-160mm Diameter- 14mm Diameter – Grip10.7 mm Weight-Barrel (Empty)- 0.46 oz / 13 grams Weight(Cap)-0.39 oz / 11 grams Weight – Whole Pen (Empty)-0.84 oz / 24 grams Packaging – Very Nice 👍, this pen comes in a light blue box over which both OPUS88 & Lennon Tool Bar Branding. It looks very very nice with a beautiful white box inside where pen sits comfortably. Their is a very nice eye dropper adjacent to pen. You never get this kind of premium packing at this price point. You will surely like the unboxing experience. Design- Very Nice, The body of the pen is made of very nice resin,it feels good in hand & material is almost scratch proof. The Lennon Tool Bar logo has been engraved on top of The cap. It has OPUS88 written too on back of clip. It looks nice IMO. The overall shape is a hybrid of both the classic flat-top classic cigar shape designs. The pen gradually gets wider as you move towards the middle of the pen and reaches its widest part on the cap.The clip is very sturdy & is reliable. The pen comes with #5 size nib,but I think size #6 nib would have been better. The finials have a mostly flat end, but there is a slight rounding to them which in my opinion looks very good. Their is an O ring at the bottom, which suits the overall appearance of the pen. Their is slight step down on section. The pen takes too many turns to uncap, around 3 which some people won’t like. Filling Mechanism- Good 👍,OPUS 88 has been making great Eyedroppers since many years now, this pen is too a no nonsense eye dropper with a shut off valve.As, you don’t need to apply silicon grease on threads unlike other ED Pens which is a very nice thing .It a simple mechanism & works perfectly. The ink capacity is around 2ml which is on higher side. The shut off valve has some impact on ink flow, but not much.I am personally fan of shut off valve filling mechanism rather than normal Eye dropper. Nib Performance – Good 👍, This pen comes with #5 steel nib. It is made by JOWO but tuned by OPUS88. It is smooth & writes very well out of the box & has very less feedback. The nib has brand name & nib size printed on it . The pen wrote very well out of the box. Overall- Very Nice 👍, This is made by OPUS88 in collaboration with Lennon Toolbar Inks, Both are young companies but they have done really great job with this pen, improving the earlier shortcomings. The pen is very nicely built & a quality product. It’s MRP will be around $90 in USA which makes it strong competitor to other pens available in this price segment. If someone is looking for a clean eye dropper pen around $100 range it’s the best. PS- I purchased this pen from Taiwan through a friend who pre-booked & then shipped to me here. And images shared have been taken by HC LEE, My images couldn’t have done justice with beauty of the pen. My blog link - https://inkpenlover.wordpress.com/2021/06/07/opus88-lennon-toolbar-collaboration-halo-pen-review-and-its-absolute-stellar/?preview=true