Review of Ranga model 8

[Harish N V]

This time I have gone into a smaller Ranga after a series of giant pens from them namely the giant 9B, giant bamboo, two model 5s, a splendour to name them. 

 

I been wondering about getting the model 8 for quite sometime now and i recently felt like getting a more compact pen that can be carried in my pocket. I also wanted to use it for teaching purposes where i will be using them to workout problems in physics and math in my student's notebook. 

 

I asked Mr. Kandan about possible suggestions and he also came up with model 4s and 4cs as suggestions as they are slender like the 8. 

 

But the torpedo shaped pens from Ranga have always won my heart and they offer very good balance and hence i ordered a model 8 with an extra fine point to cope up with low grade paper. I ordered it in Black Regular Ebonite with a matte finish, gold clip and gold nib. 

 

 

 

COMMUNICATION AND DELIVERY: 

 

This process is prompt and perfect as always. Ranga pen company is really perfect in communication and doing the delivery on time. All my pens from Ranga have arrived well within time and Ranga is very organized on the areas of communication, pen making, packing and delivering. 

 

The package is well stitched and is wrapped securely in a newspaper and there is very minimal plastic involved in the whole process. 

 

   The box has a nice velvety feel on top and the package included an oliver exam fountain pen and an eyedropper. The box closes securely and can be easily taken when travelling. 

 

THE DESIGN AND APPEARANCE

 

This pen is a really compact and slim pen. It has a very different clip from the 8b and other Ranga mid sized pens which have an elephant trunk like apperance. This clip is broad and has the name " RANGA" etched on the clip. I like this clip design. The clip is a very functional clip. It is neither too tight not too loose. 

 

This pen opens in about 2 turns and the threads unlike my previous Ranga pens are single start threads. The threads are cut very precisely i guess this pen is somewhat more difficult to machine ( Owing to its size and girth) and hence the single start threads. The matte finish is very nice and neat. The feel of the pen is delightful and is very light. But i like the lightness of this ebonite which feels light without feeling unbalanced. The top and bottom of the pen are very neatly made and the torpedo shape is being made very symmetrically. The pen posts very securely and deeply. Very neat and good looking pen!

 

THE CRAFTSMANSHIP

 

This is a part which i write for every Ranga pen. These are handmade with a lathe using very simple tools and are also polished by hand. So there is a certain feel that comes added with the Ranga and other handmade pens which is very unique. First of all, they are not montonous like the factory machined pens. No two pens look and feel exactly the same. They have their own unique signatures and also retain the overall Ranga signature.  

 

This pen has carries the first trademark of Ranga. There is attention to detail. I have really come to appreciate the attention that goes into every pen. The polish is so nicely made, the grip section is so neatly machined and the nib screws sit very precisely into the body of the pen. The tooling marks are very minimal and the top and bottom torpedo shapes meet precisely at the centre. This pen reflects a high grade of workmanship. Ranga never dissappoints on this front and have showcased continuous expertise in the craft in my experience with them. 

 

 

FEEL IN THE HAND

 

The pen feels very nice in the hand. The hour glass shape and the matte finish add a good feel in the hand and is a joy to hold. The posting is also very secure and there is no backweighting from the posting. 

 

SIZE COMPARISON
 

The following pictures show the size comparison. They don't have the weight of the metal pens alongside them and at the same time, have a unique lightness of ebonite attached to it. I was quite surprised that this is not significantly shorter than the giant 9B. But the girth of the 9B is much much more. 

 

 

 

FILLING MECHANISM:

 

The pen is very versatile on this front. It comes with a Schmidt converter that holds a reasonable amount of ink and is very functional. Of course there is Silicone Grease applied on the threads and hence can be used as an eyedropper also. A cartridge can also be used. The eyedropper fills in a large quantity of ink and hence can be used for long writing sessions. The eye dropper mechanism also enhances the flow of the nib. Hence wet and saturated writing can be achieved. But if you prefer drier writing or of you are travelling with the pen, converter might be the better option. 

 

THE NIB AND WRITING

 

This is my first ever EF nib and this nib from Ranga is a gem. The logo is really nice and the pen lays down a wet and smooth EF line. This is the very opposite of what I had expected. I had always expected the EF nibs to be very scratcy. But this nib proved me wrong. This wrote out of the box and needed no tuning. I also ordered a M spare nib which wrote as good as this one. Currently I have three stock nibs from Ranga (EF, F,M ) and i find them as satisfying as a JOWO or a BOCK. The stock nib also has flex options and the point sizes vary from EF to BB. I find these nibs very reliable and having a very good balance of smoothness and feedback. It suits me very well and I will be going only for the stock nibs in future. These nibs comes with a plastic feed. However iam saying this only for EF,F and M. I don't know about the feeds used for flex nibs and broader points. 

  

 

CONCLUSION

 

This pen has all going for it. It is priced at INR 3000 with a regular ebonite and stock nib option. This is a slim and beautiful pen that comes crafted very nicely with an eye for detail and care. For the price point, they offer, I find the Ranga pens topping the list. Also the communication and delivery are very organized and each pen is unique and is made to order with high skill and care. This pen is a highly recommended everyday carry!!! 

[Jamerelbe]

Thanks for the review and the photos - I agree, Ranga pens are fantastic, and Mr MP Kandan is very straightforward to deal with.

[Harish N V]

Absolutely

[Matthew TWP]

Thanks for the review! I just got my first Ranga pen and am consequently considering all of their other offerings, now. This is great information.

[Harish N V]

Welcome. Nice that you are considering ranga pens. I personally think they are great. Which pen did you get from ranga? What models are you considering in future?