Kanwrite Legacy Review

[PuliMorgan]

1 minute ago, sansenri said:

Reason also that celluloid nitrate is difficult to manufacture, needs a long curing time and is expensive (besides being flammable).

Not an issue however, just curious.

 

Yea, economics could be a major factor.

 

I haven't used a celluloid or ebonite pen. Do these materials offer any specific advantage over acrylic? Just feeling curious.

[hari317]

14 hours ago, PuliMorgan said:

 

Yea, economics could be a major factor.

 

I haven't used a celluloid or ebonite pen. Do these materials offer any specific advantage over acrylic? Just feeling curious.

Cellulose nitrate or nitrocellulose or plain celluloid can be layered stacked and yield wonderful patterns with depth. It’s a very nice material. It can sometimes be unstable as its final quality depends on a lot of factors. I have celluloid pens approaching 90+ Years age which are still in brilliant condition. Celluloid was a very popular material for higher end Indian pens. I have tried to document several Indian celluloids from leader Brahmam guider Ratnamson etc. you can still buy a celluloid pen from guider. 
ebonite has great warmth, is  very comfortable to hold and use and with with nice wall thicknesses in the Indian context has a very long life. It can easily outlast a few generations of users who are careful. 

[hari317]

Since you seem to like true fine nibs abd you are aiming for a Lamy 2000, I would caution you. Lamy fines run wide which can be a problem for some. Look at Sailor platinum pilot for real fine nibs. 

[PuliMorgan]

35 minutes ago, hari317 said:

Cellulose nitrate or nitrocellulose or plain celluloid can be layered stacked and yield wonderful patterns with depth. It’s a very nice material. It can sometimes be unstable as its final quality depends on a lot of factors. I have celluloid pens approaching 90+ Years age which are still in brilliant condition. Celluloid was a very popular material for higher end Indian pens. I have tried to document several Indian celluloids from leader Brahmam guider Ratnamson etc. you can still buy a celluloid pen from guider. 
ebonite has great warmth, is  very comfortable to hold and use and with with nice wall thicknesses in the Indian context has a very long life. It can easily outlast a few generations of users who are careful. 

 

 

Thank you for the clarification. I was also looking up on this topic and saw that Calicut in my state was a big hub of celluloid pens once upon a time: Mohan's thread on Calicut Pen History I will check out if some of those pens are still be available with the remaining few shops.

 

[PuliMorgan]

50 minutes ago, hari317 said:

Since you seem to like true fine nibs abd you are aiming for a Lamy 2000, I would caution you. Lamy fines run wide which can be a problem for some. Look at Sailor platinum pilot for real fine nibs. 

 

Thank you for the tip. I have seen this feedback regarding Lamy 2000 nibs being wider in almost every review I have seen so far.

 

I need a fine nib for writing variable with subscripts and superscripts in my line of work. My Kanwrite Desire Extra-fine nib does a good job, but I think I might like something finer. Perhaps I should get a Japanese nib solely for that purpose as you have suggested. How about a metropolitan, a cheaper option, to start with?

[hari317]

50 minutes ago, PuliMorgan said:

 

Thank you for the tip. I have seen this feedback regarding Lamy 2000 nibs being wider in almost every review I have seen so far.

 

I need a fine nib for writing variable with subscripts and superscripts in my line of work. My Kanwrite Desire Extra-fine nib does a good job, but I think I might like something finer. Perhaps I should get a Japanese nib solely for that purpose as you have suggested. How about a metropolitan, a cheaper option, to start with?

Start with something like an elite 95s or pilot 74. I don’t like the build quality and step in pilot metro. 

[PuliMorgan]

 

On 6/1/2021 at 2:51 PM, hari317 said:

Start with something like an elite 95s or pilot 74. I don’t like the build quality and step in pilot metro. 

 

I didn't like Elite 95s design - I find it too flashy. Pilot 74 looks okay, but it is INR 14500 (US$198) on Amazon with no return option (only replacement). I don't want to shell out that much money without physically testing the pen. Unfortunately the local William Penn shop doesn't carry Pilot. So, may be later.

 

In the meantime, I find the extra-fine nib of Kanwrite Desire perfect for writing the math notes with lots of equations carrying variables with subscripts and superscripts. I also dip tested the spare extra-fine nib I got with Legacy and it is also okay, albeit on a little dry side.

 

So I think I will just replace the nib of my legacy when I become confident enough to dismantle the pen without damaging it. 

 

The gold nib can wait even though the unrealised gains from my stock portfolio meant for Lamy 2000 surpassed its price yesterday, thanks to the crazy bull rally of the Indian stock market. I need to first convince myself that I am ready for the big jump.

 

 

 

[hari317]

12 hours ago, PuliMorgan said:

 

 

I didn't like Elite 95s design - I find it too flashy. Pilot 74 looks okay, but it is INR 14500 (US$198) on Amazon with no return option (only replacement). I don't want to shell out that much money without physically testing the pen. Unfortunately the local William Penn shop doesn't carry Pilot. So, may be later.

 

In the meantime, I find the extra-fine nib of Kanwrite Desire perfect for writing the math notes with lots of equations carrying variables with subscripts and superscripts. I also dip tested the spare extra-fine nib I got with Legacy and it is also okay, albeit on a little dry side.

 

So I think I will just replace the nib of my legacy when I become confident enough to dismantle the pen without damaging it. 

 

The gold nib can wait even though the unrealised gains from my stock portfolio meant for Lamy 2000 surpassed its price yesterday, thanks to the crazy bull rally of the Indian stock market. I need to first convince myself that I am ready for the big jump.

 

 

 

Pilot 74 that expensive ? Actually my suggestion was based on international prices. Always a good idea to try before you buy. William penn Carry a range of sailor pens which are renowned for their fine points. You can try and buy. 

[PuliMorgan]

12 hours ago, hari317 said:

Pilot 74 that expensive ? Actually my suggestion was based on international prices. Always a good idea to try before you buy. William penn Carry a range of sailor pens which are renowned for their fine points. You can try and buy. 

 

Fountain pens are really expensive in India. High import duties and 18% tax.

[hari317]

13 hours ago, PuliMorgan said:

 

Fountain pens are really expensive in India. High import duties and 18% tax.

Unfortunately duties have  only  gone up. Earlier I used to pay 30-35% now it’s 11% and 28% gst on top of it making it nearly 42.08% on the assessed value. Sometimes on Case-case basis  it’s still cheaper to buy overseas despite this duty. Local suppliers in mumbai give me excellent service so I prefer them but they don’t have access to every model that one might be  looking for. So you have to evaluate case by case.
 

Enjoy this journey.

 

There are so many brands and models to discover and experience. Good luck. 

 

Edited June 4, 2021 by hari317

[PuliMorgan]

On 5/29/2021 at 9:21 PM, PuliMorgan said:

Just be aware that it is a wet writer and that the fine nib writes more like a medium.

 

Today I happened to see another Legacy with a friend. It also had a fine nib, but it wrote a bit finer than my fine nib. So there could be some line thickness variation between the nibs. It is only a marginal variation and the nib is still smooth. I had seen a similar line thickness variation between medium nibs of different Lamy Safaris while testing them in a shop. Could be within the manufacturing tolerances, but l thought I would mention this in the context of the above statement in my review.

 

(Also, my friend uses a different ink, so that also could have made a difference).

 

Here is the pic of my friend's brown swirl Legacy with gold plated trims.

 

[hari317]

Not only line width but feel of the nib  on the paper also varies from piece to piece of the same model. That’s why I used to spend a great deal of time at pen shops dry testing pens and then finally selecting a piece that I liked the most. Then dip test and fill test before you leave the shop. 
 

thanks for the update reg your friends pen. 

[PuliMorgan]

3 hours ago, hari317 said:

thanks for the update reg your friends pen. 

 

I am glad to see that this pen is selling. It is a good pen.

 

Also @hari317: I am seriously considering a Pilot Custom 92 over a Lamy 2000, thanks to your suggestion. I have ordered a Platinum Preppy to test out my first Japanese nib.

 

I see that you had written a review of Camlin Kokuyo Elegante a few years ago. I own two of them. Does that pen qualify as a Japanese fine nib since I think the tools and technology might be from Kokuyo even thougg they are made in India? I assume this because Kokuyo Japan holds 51% of stake in Camlin.

 

[hari317]

32 minutes ago, PuliMorgan said:

 

I am glad to see that this pen is selling. It is a good pen.

 

Also @hari317: I am seriously considering a Pilot Custom 92 over a Lamy 2000, thanks to your suggestion. I have ordered a Platinum Preppy to test out my first Japanese nib.

 

I see that you had written a review of Camlin Kokuyo Elegante a few years ago. I own two of them. Does that pen qualify as a Japanese fine nib since I think the tools and technology might be from Kokuyo even thougg they are made in India? I assume this because Kokuyo Japan holds 51% of stake in Camlin.

 

The elegante nib will be roughly pilots fm. It’s fully Indian. I think there is no kokuyo tech inputs in the entire  camlin FP lineup. Pilot ch92 is good. I did a disassembly post when it came out. It will be buried in the Japanese pens forum. Another good Indian true fine nib option might be a NOS Chennai made Pilot FP. Several models were made. With steel as well as 14ct nibs. 

[prameya]

4 hours ago, PuliMorgan said:

 

Today I happened to see another Legacy with a friend. It also had a fine nib, but it wrote a bit finer than my fine nib. So there could be some line thickness variation between the nibs. It is only a marginal variation and the nib is still smooth. I had seen a similar line thickness variation between medium nibs of different Lamy Safaris while testing them in a shop. Could be within the manufacturing tolerances, but l thought I would mention this in the context of the above statement in my review.

 

(Also, my friend uses a different ink, so that also could have made a difference).

 

Here is the pic of my friend's brown swirl Legacy with gold plated trims.

 

Ordered this one one a week ago. Been eagerly waiting, but with wait the excitement is dropping a bit. How much time did they take to ship your order?

[PuliMorgan]

6 hours ago, prameya said:

Ordered this one one a week ago. Been eagerly waiting, but with wait the excitement is dropping a bit. How much time did they take to ship your order?

 

I had ordered on 9th May, they had dispatched from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh by Blue Dart Couriers on 12th May and I had received it in Kochi, Kerala on 15th May, despite a COVID lockdown in my state.

 

During one of the conversations I had with Kanwrite to get answers to the questions posted on this forum, they had mentioned that the pen was selling faster than their initial projections. That could be one reason for the delay.

Also, Uttar Pradesh was one of the worst COVID affected places and was under a severe  lockdown.

 

You can just drop an email to them and they should get you the exact status.

[prameya]

7 hours ago, PuliMorgan said:

 

I had ordered on 9th May, they had dispatched from Kanpur, Uttar Pradesh by Blue Dart Couriers on 12th May and I had received it in Kochi, Kerala on 15th May, despite a COVID lockdown in my state.

 

During one of the conversations I had with Kanwrite to get answers to the questions posted on this forum, they had mentioned that the pen was selling faster than their initial projections. That could be one reason for the delay.

Also, Uttar Pradesh was one of the worst COVID affected places and was under a severe  lockdown.

 

You can just drop an email to them and they should get you the exact status.

 

It arrived just now. Looks good. The two tone nib looks specially attractive. Ordered broad nib, got a fine nib along with. I was confused between black and this, but now I am thinking your blue one might be the best looking of all colors. 

 

This would be me going back to a fountain pen after 15 years. Any recommendations on ink?

[PuliMorgan]

2 hours ago, prameya said:

 

It arrived just now. Looks good. The two tone nib looks specially attractive. Ordered broad nib, got a fine nib along with. I was confused between black and this, but now I am thinking your blue one might be the best looking of all colors. 

 

This would be me going back to a fountain pen after 15 years. Any recommendations on ink?

 

Guess you forgot to attach the photograph.

 

I am using Lamy Black ink in Legacy and I really love the combination.

 

[prameya]

1 hour ago, PuliMorgan said:

 

Guess you forgot to attach the photograph.

 

I am using Lamy Black ink in Legacy and I really love the combination.

 

It's just been a busy day. Will post photos by tonight. I am liking it more with each passing hour as I look at it on my desk. And this is just for the look and feel. I am yet to start writing with it.

[prameya]

Here are some pics: 

 

Edited June 10, 2021 by prameya