A Dip Pen With A Difference

[prasadvenkat]

Hello everyone,

This is my first review on here. I wanted to talk about a dip pen that was made for me by Ranga Pen Company. There have been quite a few posts on their pens and I found out about them on here. This is a review in part about the pen and in part on the company and the people there.

 

It has been said many times in this forum and I would like to re-state it. Mr. Kandan of Ranga Pens is a true pleasure to deal with. I have never had to wait more than a couple of hours for a reply to my mails, ever. He is always ready to try out any kind of customisation.

 

I sent him a dip pen nib. (Nikko G nib) and asked if he could make me an ebonite pen holder with a feed to take this nib. It took him 2 hours to give a positive reply and another 8 days in which to make it and send it to me.

 

I have included some pictures of the pen and a writing sample too. Please excuse the writing quality as I have started self-learning calligraphy about 3 weeks ago.

 

The Holder is Ebonite and hand turned. The colour is a Rippled Olive. It comes with an ebonite feed and it easily accommodates a G nib. I have used a Tachikawa, Nikko and Zebra G nib on it.

 

The holder is about 16cm long and the grip section is 10mm in Dia.

 

http://i.imgur.com/1Fsv37J.jpg

The full pen

 

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/RHDDPsq.jpg

 

Fit with a Nikko G nib

 

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/7kihQ5q.jpg

The ebonite feed

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/Gtdzu7E.jpg

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/mboi8eT.jpg

 

Just looking at the Holder makes me want to write more and hopefully that will improve my writing.

 

Sadly, I have not had any time to try out his normal fountain pens yet. But there are enough reviews about that on here already.

 

I would highly recommend Ranga pens (no affiliation at all, just an extremely happy and satisfied customer) and interacting with Mr. Kandan is truly a real pleasure.

 

 

 

 

[marie9999]

Thanks! Lovely review - I am concerning a dip pen just for testing ink samples.

[a_m]

nice dip pen and beautiful writing !

[mpkandan]

Dear Mr. Prasadvenkat Sir,

 

Thanks for your words. You were pleasure to deal with.

Your Handwriting is awesome.

 

Regards,

Kandan.M.P

Ranga Pen Company

[Scribblesoften]

This is a great idea and wonderful execution by the Ranga Pen Company. I remember seeing film footage of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt signing documents and dipping his pen. It appeared to be a desk pen with a feed similar in concept to yours. The idea of using a regularly available nib like the Nikko G is brilliant. I have tried to make my own feeds out of beeswax with limited success. I might have to buy a pen too. Thanks for posting this.

[drvishal]

Nice pen and and handwriting

[mhphoto]

I love it!

[prasadvenkat]

Thanks! Lovely review - I am concerning a dip pen just for testing ink samples.

 

This is a wonderful option for ink sample testing. If you are not too concerned about flex writing then Ranga have the same dip pen with a standard nib on it as well.

The Ebonite looks wonderful as a nib holder on the desk too.

[prasadvenkat]

This is a great idea and wonderful execution by the Ranga Pen Company. I remember seeing film footage of U.S. President Franklin Roosevelt signing documents and dipping his pen. It appeared to be a desk pen with a feed similar in concept to yours. The idea of using a regularly available nib like the Nikko G is brilliant. I have tried to make my own feeds out of beeswax with limited success. I might have to buy a pen too. Thanks for posting this.

 

You should write to Mr. Kandan. I am sure he will manage something. I got it made for the G nib as those nibs are more sturdy than the Gillot 404 or the Gillot 303. I am just learning this art so I need a more forgiving nib.

[prasadvenkat]

nice dip pen and beautiful writing !

 

 

Nice pen and and handwriting

 

Thanks Vishal and A_M

[disillusion]

Great looking pen and very interesting. Does the feed help regulate ink flow or is it just there to hold more ink? I am trying to learn copperplate with a Gillot 303 and am always getting these blobs of ink at the slightest increase of pressure. Having to dip every word isn't helping either

[prasadvenkat]

Great looking pen and very interesting. Does the feed help regulate ink flow or is it just there to hold more ink? I am trying to learn copperplate with a Gillot 303 and am always getting these blobs of ink at the slightest increase of pressure. Having to dip every word isn't helping either

When I used a normal straight or oblique holder, I used calligraphy ink like Higgins eternal. Same problem with the 303, I have just started learning and have not yet got used to the pressure variation. I found that adding some Gum Arabic to the ink gave me a little more control.

 

I have only used regular fountain pen inks in the Ranga dip. The feed does regulate the flow nicely. It's his regular fountain pen feed. I have not tried it with a Gillot nib as the feed was made to take a G nib. But there is a definite flow control with the feed and no ink blobs. On an A4 sheet, I can get about 4 lines at least with each dip. That helps a LOT during practice as I can focus on forming the shapes instead of worrying about dipping over and over.

 

Also, in India the normal inks are extremely cheap (30 cents for 50ml) . So I don't have to worry about wasting ink during practice.

 

The feed is ebonite, so it could be heat set to fit other nibs too. The dia of the feed is 5mm, which is about the same as the Gillot 303 and 404. (I used a standard ruler to measure) I have not yet tried this.

 

Hope this helps

[disillusion]

Thanks a lot! You have been very helpful.

I will try out your suggestions soon. I have a spare Serwex 101 eyedropper with ebonite feed that seems to take the Gillot 303 so I can use it as a temporary nib holder.

And my ink could have been a problem too as I use some really cheap Hero ink (around 60 cents for 60 ml) for practice. Is the Gum Arabic you are using in powder form? I can get it in either pellet or power form.

 

Also, is your pen a customized version of this one? I will look into getting one if the experiment works. The acrylic one looks really nice.

Edited May 4, 2014 by disillusion

[prasadvenkat]

Thanks a lot! You have been very helpful.

I will try out your suggestions soon. I have a spare Serwex 101 eyedropper with ebonite feed that seems to take the Gillot 303 so I can use it as a temporary nib holder.

And my ink could have been a problem too as I use some really cheap Hero ink (around 60 cents for 60 ml) for practice. Is the Gum Arabic you are using in powder form? I can get it in either pellet or power form.

 

Also, is your pen a customized version of this one? I will look into getting one if the experiment works. The acrylic one looks really nice.

 

Pleasure. The serwex will work, as a dip option. I tried using it as a fountain pen with a Gillot nib and did not get the flow.

If you are using a feed with the nib, don't use gum arabic. The feed controls the cheap ink very well.

 

I got Gum Arabic in a liquid form, but the powder will also work. just add a little water to make it like a paste and add it to the ink and stir it up. LOT's of people in the forum have said DO NOT Shake, stir an ink mixture.

 

I saw that version of the pen and I am not very sure if it is customised as such. But to be certain, I sent him a G nib and asked him to ensure it fits. He may have done some minor sanding or adjusting.

 

Compared to the Serwex, ( I have the pink one which came free with some purchases I made) The Ranga feed is longer, but the dia is about the same.

 

http://i.imgur.com/m6HOmtc.jpg

 

The Longer one is the Ranga feed

 

http://i.imgur.com/i6snglL.jpg

[hari317]

The pen has come out beautifully! Kudos to Kandan and congrats to you!

[Zookie]

The pen is stunning, and your writing very nice. I like to use dip pens and am trying to teaching myself copperplate as well.

The ink I use most often is Pelikan Fount India, it's nice and black

My most used pen is an old Dixon with an Eagle E40 bank style nib.Do you suppose that Ranga Pen could make a pen for me with a nib like that?

[prasadvenkat]

The ink I use most often is Pelikan Fount India, it's nice and black

 

My most used pen is an old Dixon with an Eagle E40 bank style nib.Do you suppose that Ranga Pen could make a pen for me with a nib like that?

I got a feed attached so that i can use normal FP ink. I am pretty sure that font India will clog up the feed.

The safest option is to send your nib to Mr. Kandan ro ensure a fit. I am not familiar with the E40 but it looks like its about 5mm across the shoulder.

The feed on the holder accommodates a no.5 nib.

I am on my phone, will put up some pictures of what nibs work on the pen later.

If you have a FP with a no5 nib, you could try fitting out the E40 to it. Also, the Ranga feed is ebonite. So a little heat setting is possible.

Edited May 5, 2014 by prasadvenkat

[prasadvenkat]

The pen has come out beautifully! Kudos to Kandan and congrats to you!

Thanks Hari.

Reading all the posts on here, it seems Kandan always comes through. :-)

I really am very impressed with his positive responses and efficiency.

[prasadvenkat]

The pen has come out beautifully! Kudos to Kandan and congrats to you!

Thanks Hari.

Reading all the posts on here, it seems Kandan always comes through. :-)

I really am very impressed with his positive responses and efficiency.

[prasadvenkat]

HI,

Just a follow up to Zookie's question. I tried to fit the Gillot 303 and the 404 nibs to the pen. They fit just fine. Both nibs are a little thinner than the Nikko G nib so it needs just one layer of sticky tape wound on the bottom to make it sit tight.

I had a basic Wality No.5 nib also that I fit into the pen and worked just fine. The flexing with a 303 gave a max width of about 1.3 mm.

 

http://i.imgur.com/wZ9KATq.jpg

 

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/xACnZK4.jpg

Gillot 303 nib

 

 

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/8jCw8A1.jpg

Wality Fine nib