Review Of The Ranga Emperor In Olive Green Ebonite

[bobje]

 

A new pen Ive been using recently reminds me of a concept in psychologist Daniel Kahnemans book, Thinking, Fast and Slow. The book starts with the idea that we have two ways of thinking. System 1, the fast way, is instinctual, prone to snap judgments (which are often valuable and sometimes not), and kind of lazy. System 2, the slow way, is methodical, detail-oriented, analytical, and focused.

 

The Ranga Emperor is a System 2 pen.

 

The Emperor is capable, understated, elegant, and precise. The lines, proportions and materials stake the pen at the polar opposite of flash and exhibition. The Emperor is for people who need a pen to write with reliability and integrity, without calling attention to itself. If accountants, investment analysts, and aircraft engineers still used fountain pens, this would suit them.

 

I bought the Emperor in solid olive green ebonite in a recent group buy organized by the architect Vaibhav Mehandiratta, a moderator on Fountain Pen Network, and MP Kandan of the Ranga pen company in Chennai. It was created to the specifications I requested, which included flat ends and a no. 6 Bock 1.5 mm italic nib. The pen is about 145 mm long, 139 mm uncapped, with a barrel diameter of 14 mm and a section diameter ranging between 11 and 12.5 mm. Its fairly large.

 

This is the first Bock italic nib Ive used. Its smooth, the feed supplies ink reliably, and its backed up by a Schmidt converter.

 

Precise machine work and threads are some of the pens most remarkable qualities. I can see the joints between the olive ebonite and the black ends, but theyre almost imperceptible to the touch. The immaculate tolerances in the junction between the chrome clip and the ebonite cap are worthy of a watch from Switzerland or Japan.

 

The only complaint I can muster is with the chrome rings that reinforce the cap. Theyre not flush with the lines of the cap, and not consistent with the quality of the rest of the pen. But theyre robust, and it takes a macro lens or an awfully studious eye to spot the imperfection. On these photographs, a macro lens also picked up my fingerprints.

 

This is my third ebonite pen from Ranga. The others are a Model 5 and 8, and all three are consistent and reliable performers.

 

The Ranga Emperor is a pen for someone who wants an unusual combination of qualities in a tool made by a human being, with the imperfections that carries, but executed with competence and integrity. It would be perfect for a psychologist who studies flawed behavior in people and economic markets.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[TheDutchGuy]

Thanks, a good read, Nice writing, too.

[Barkingpig]

Thank you for a nice introduction to a very handsome pen.

 

I love the color of the ebonite & applaud your choice of design for the pen; I think it's quiet looks are a great part of it's appeal to me. I am happy to know you had the choice of the Bock 1.5 stub nib & are enjoying it. I just had my first experience with that nib when a pen from Papier Plume was fitted with same. I find it as pleasant as the Jowo stub & was glad to know I had another stub choice.

 

I would love to have a pen like yours; I can only imagine how much fun I would have with a pen to match one of my favorite ink colors!

[bobje]

Thank you Pigster and DutchGuy. I think this ink is Sailor tokiwa matsu, but I could be wrong. This olive ebonite is not one that I would have selected three years ago, but its so distinctive and elegant. The Bock italic nib performs well. The New Orleans pen with the Bock 1.5 mm nib which one is that?

[Barkingpig]

It was actually a Fred Faggionato acrylic pen I discovered on his site, Stylos Plume, one of the discontinued acrylics, "Carnival." I inquired about it's availability & he suggested I could purchase it from his US Distributor, Papier Plume. The owner actually was going to be in France & brought the pen back to PP, where they fitted the Bock nib & sent it to me. I appreciated the consideration of PP to help make possible my purchase & also the integrity of Mr. Faggionato to defer the sale to his Distributor, when he could have easily accommodated the sale from his website.

 

It was an exciting adventure for me to try my first French "artist made" pen & especially nice to have the nice folks @ Papier Plume assist. It is filled with the new Graf von Faber Castell, Olive Green ink. Both pen & ink arrived near the same time & I wanted to try them both; because of the varied colors in the acrylic body, it is a great vehicle for a myriad of ink choices.

[mpkandan]

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A new pen Ive been using recently reminds me of a concept in psychologist Daniel Kahnemans book, Thinking, Fast and Slow. The book starts with the idea that we have two ways of thinking. System 1, the fast way, is instinctual, prone to snap judgments (which are often valuable and sometimes not), and kind of lazy. System 2, the slow way, is methodical, detail-oriented, analytical, and focused.

 

The Ranga Emperor is a System 2 pen.

 

The Emperor is capable, understated, elegant, and precise. The lines, proportions and materials stake the pen at the polar opposite of flash and exhibition. The Emperor is for people who need a pen to write with reliability and integrity, without calling attention to itself. If accountants, investment analysts, and aircraft engineers still used fountain pens, this would suit them.

 

I bought the Emperor in solid olive green ebonite in a recent group buy organized by the architect Vaibhav Mehandiratta, a moderator on Fountain Pen Network, and MP Kandan of the Ranga pen company in Chennai. It was created to the specifications I requested, which included flat ends and a no. 6 Bock 1.5 mm italic nib. The pen is about 145 mm long, 139 mm uncapped, with a barrel diameter of 14 mm and a section diameter ranging between 11 and 12.5 mm. Its fairly large.

 

This is the first Bock italic nib Ive used. Its smooth, the feed supplies ink reliably, and its backed up by a Schmidt converter.

 

Precise machine work and threads are some of the pens most remarkable qualities. I can see the joints between the olive ebonite and the black ends, but theyre almost imperceptible to the touch. The immaculate tolerances in the junction between the chrome clip and the ebonite cap are worthy of a watch from Switzerland or Japan.

 

The only complaint I can muster is with the chrome rings that reinforce the cap. Theyre not flush with the lines of the cap, and not consistent with the quality of the rest of the pen. But theyre robust, and it takes a macro lens or an awfully studious eye to spot the imperfection. On these photographs, a macro lens also picked up my fingerprints.

 

This is my third ebonite pen from Ranga. The others are a Model 5 and 8, and all three are consistent and reliable performers.

 

The Ranga Emperor is a pen for someone who wants an unusual combination of qualities in a tool made by a human being, with the imperfections that carries, but executed with competence and integrity. It would be perfect for a psychologist who studies flawed behavior in people and economic markets.

 

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Dear Mr. Bobje Sir,

 

Thanks a lot for your great review and pictures. It is very motivating for a craftsmen like us.

You have also defined the target user's for us:)

 

 

Regards,

Kandan.M.P

[Aditkamath26]

Mr Bob, I always love your reviews. The pen looks really good and I admire your amazing handwriting.

[bobje]

Thank you, Adit. What are your favorite pens?

[Aditkamath26]

Thank you, Adit. What are your favorite pens?

 

I don't really have many. Just 4 in my collection, I sold many to fund some new pens in the future. As of now, I have:

 

1)Platinum 3776 Century in Chartres Blue with a medium nib

2)ASA Nauka Tangerine with a Jinhao stub nib that I ground

3)TWSBI Eco white in a medium nib

4)Deccan Advocate flat top in brown ebonite with a medium JOWO nib

 

I use these pens for different purposes but I usually reach out for the Platinum as that nib is perfect for me. I would really love to add some more ASAs and Rangas in my collection.

[Sagarb]

Very interesting review, Bob...really enjoyed it..