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Asa - I Can - Fountain Pen Review

rkpai

By rkpai
in India & Subcontinent (Asia)

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rkpai Near Mint

rkpai

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ASA Pens, India’s newest fountain pen company, has been hard at work designing and developing fountain pens for the past several months. The ‘I Can' is their latest model.

I got one a few weeks ago and have been using it almost exclusively since then.

post-105472-0-79402300-1421565090_thumb.jpg

Construction:

The pen is made of ebonite. I chose the shiny black model.

The top of the cap and the bottom of the barrel are flat.

The section has been contoured as to make it very comfortable to grip. After using it for long hours of writing it does feel very comfortable.

post-105472-0-94855100-1421565098_thumb.jpg

The barrel has been engraved with the text “ASA I Can India 2015” in cursive. The ASA Crystal LE had the text ASA engraved in upper case which gives it a good sharp look and I feel the same should have been done for the I Can.

Nib:

The stock model comes with a monotone F nib. As with my previous purchase, I chose to get it with the German made Bock ‘M’ nib.

post-105472-0-07379900-1421565097_thumb.jpg

The nib as I’ve reviewed before is a smooth and wet writer. It lays down wet medium thick lines without having to exert any pressure on the pen.

Filling system:

The pen is an eye dropper. The barrel can hold up to 3.0 ml of ink. Since the Bock M nib lays down quite a wet line, the ink lasts for up to 3 days of writing.

The pen design is quite similar to another popular Indian fountain pen, the Deccan Advocate, which is manufactured in my home city of Hyderabad.

post-105472-0-98802700-1421565092_thumb.jpg

The I Can’s fit and finish is comparable with that of the Deccan Advocate which is to say that it is perfect as a daily writer. I have had the I Can in my shirt pocket during my daily work commute and have never faced any issues like leakages.

post-105472-0-17182300-1421565095_thumb.jpg
The pen writes as soon as it is uncapped and will write even when uncapped for several minutes.
post-105472-0-87701800-1421565100_thumb.jpg
As with their previous releases, the care and quality put in by ASA Pens into this model comes through every aspect of the pen.
Note: Cross posted this review on my blog

[NAYY]

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rkpai Near Mint

rkpai

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@musicman123 Except for the design of the clip and the I Can slightly more pronounced slope up towards the nib-end of the section, they look very much alike.

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Amit37 Near Mint

Amit37

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Great comparison and review! The similarities are evident between the Advocate and I Can. However, the I Can appeals much more to me. I have a Green mottled I Can currently en route to my location :)

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rkpai Near Mint

rkpai

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Great comparison and review! The similarities are evident between the Advocate and I Can. However, the I Can appeals much more to me. I have a Green mottled I Can currently en route to my location :)

 

Thanks :) . Did you get one with a Bock nib or did you go with the stock option? The pen is simple looking and writes really well.

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mrmohitmishra Rare

mrmohitmishra

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Thanks for a really nice review and comparison. I have also ordered one I can. It was great to hear that the same can be carried in a shirt's pocket. So far as the engraving goes, the engraving used ASA on crystal and Galactic looks best.

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Amit37 Near Mint

Amit37

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Thanks :) . Did you get one with a Bock nib or did you go with the stock option? The pen is simple looking and writes really well.

 

I went with the Bock M nib because I have had very positive experiences with Conklin nibs on other pens.

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mehandiratta Donor Pen

mehandiratta

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ASA Pens, India’s newest fountain pen company, has been hard at work designing and developing fountain pens for the past several months. The ‘I Can' is their latest model.

I got one a few weeks ago and have been using it almost exclusively since then.

attachicon.gif1.jpg

Construction:

The pen is made of ebonite. I chose the shiny black model.

The top of the cap and the bottom of the barrel are flat.

The section has been contoured as to make it very comfortable to grip. After using it for long hours of writing it does feel very comfortable.

attachicon.gif5.jpg

The barrel has been engraved with the text “ASA I Can India 2015” in cursive. The ASA Crystal LE had the text ASA engraved in upper case which gives it a good sharp look and I feel the same should have been done for the I Can.

Nib:

The stock model comes with a monotone F nib. As with my previous purchase, I chose to get it with the German made Bock ‘M’ nib.

The nib as I’ve reviewed before is a smooth and wet writer. It lays down wet medium thick lines without having to exert any pressure on the pen.

Filling system:

The pen is an eye dropper. The barrel can hold up to 3.0 ml of ink. Since the Bock M nib lays down quite a wet line, the ink lasts for up to 3 days of writing.

The pen design is quite similar to another popular Indian fountain pen, the Deccan Advocate, which is manufactured in my home city of Hyderabad.

attachicon.gif2.jpg

The I Can’s fit and finish is comparable with that of the Deccan Advocate which is to say that it is perfect as a daily writer. I have had the I Can in my shirt pocket during my daily work commute and have never faced any issues like leakages.

The pen writes as soon as it is uncapped and will write even when uncapped for several minutes.
As with their previous releases, the care and quality put in by ASA Pens into this model comes through every aspect of the pen.
Note: Cross posted this review on my blog

[NAYY]

 

good review and amazing handwriting...

vaibhav mehandiratta

architect & fountain pen connoisseur

 

blog | instagram | twitter

 

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sigma Dipped Only

sigma

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Does it bother anyone else that it looks so similar to the Deccan advocate? I don't know what it is, but it just doesn't sit right with me.

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mhguda Antique

mhguda

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It might, but then Deccan has an Advocate Junior that looks so much like a Waterman Laureat...

And Advocates are so hard to find.

Then there's the Noodler's Ahab which is almost the spitting image of the Camlin Signature Design...

a fountain pen is physics in action... Proud member of the SuperPinks

fpn_1425200643__fpn_1425160066__super_pi

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DaveBj Vintage

DaveBj

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Thanks for this review. I can see it happening that some time this year I will be dropping some $$$ on some Indian pens :D

Until you ink a pen, it is merely a pretty stick. --UK Mike

 

My arsenal, in order of acquisition: Sailor 21 Pocket Pen M, Cross Solo M, Online Calligraphy, Monteverde Invincia F, Hero 359 M, Jinhao X450 M, Levenger True Writer M, Jinhao 159 M, Platinum Balance F, TWSBI Classic 1.1 stub, Platinum Preppy 0.3 F, 7 Pilot Varsity M disposables refillables, Speedball penholder, TWSBI 580 USA EF, Pilot MR, Noodler's Ahab 1.1 stub, another Preppy 0.3, Preppy EF 0.2, ASA Sniper F, Click Majestic F, Kaweco Sport M, Pilot Prera F, Baoer 79 M (fake Starwalker), Hero 616 M (fake Parker), Jinhao X750 Shimmering Sands M . . .

31 and counting :D

 

DaveBj

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Oldane Rare

Oldane

Posted
Posted (edited)

It was great to hear that the same can be carried in a shirt's pocket.

 

As far as I can figure, the ASA Genius is basically the same pen as the I Can - same girth and overall design but shorter (1cm longer than a Pelikan M200 but about the same girth as an old "Big Red" Duofold Senior). The Genius fits nicely in a shirt pocket and is very comfortable to hold with cap posted while writing.

Edited by Oldane
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a_m Extremely Rare

a_m

Posted
Posted (edited)

 

As far as I can figure, the ASA Genius is basically the same pen as the I Can - same girth and overall design but shorter (1cm longer than a Pelikan M200 but about the same girth as an old "Big Red" Duofold Senior). The Genius fits nicely in a shirt pocket and is very comfortable to hold with cap posted while writing.

 

 

Originally ASA put out pics of Genius as "little Kuyil" (I am told the Kuyil rod width and Genius rod width is the same)

 

The I Can and Advocate, may look similar - but their sections are totally different. The Advocate hourglass section is totally uncomfortable to use.

 

In contrast (I have the Genius - similar section as I Can) is very much comfortable to hold.

Edited by anup

I put my savings to test

Lamy & Pilot FPs the Best

No more I even think of the rest

(Preference Fine and Extra Fine Nibs)

Pen is meant for writing - not for looking :-)

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rkpai Near Mint

rkpai

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Originally ASA put out pics of Genius as "little Kuyil" (I am told the Kuyil rod width and Genius rod width is the same)

 

The I Can and Advocate, may look similar - but their sections are totally different. The Advocate hourglass section is totally uncomfortable to use.

 

In contrast (I have the Genius - similar section as I Can) is very much comfortable to hold.

 

Yes, this has been my experience as well, I've been using I Can for weeks now and it is very comfortable for long writing sessions.

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