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Long time observer first time poster. After getting inspired reading about deccan advocate and woodex #4, finally ordered one. Really nice wirter with ebonite feed and #6 Kanwrite fine nib. Was planning to switch with a fine flex nib but seems difficult to remove. Wirtes wet with a pencil lime feedback. This is kind of an oversized pen and having big hands felt perfect for me. Also i own other fountain pens such as jinhao, click, guider etc. This felt like one of the better built pens. Other users of this pen kindly give in your thoughts. Overall good first impressions for me will update over long term. Thanks for reading.

I have recently become somewhat of a vintage flex addict, and in particular, ebonite is my kryptonite. In this process, I acquired a Waterman 55, which is by far my favorite pen due to its versatility and smooth nib. It's usable as an everyday pen, but still has the flex when I want it. But my pen had a somewhat dark chocolatey brown color, quite noticable compared to my rich black Conklin 2 next to it. I didn't realize how brown it was until I got the Conklin pen. I've tried soaking it in oxi-clean, soaking it in ammonia, soaking it with mineral oil, and lightly polishing it. I don't want to polish it too hard, because it does still have some chasing left, and I like the Waterman imprint. I keep reading on here of dyes for ebonite, but I can't find any actual examples of such dyes. What are people using to dye old ebonite? I know dying is controversial, so if there's any other way to make my Waterman 55 the nice rich color like my Conklin 2, please share. I'm somewhat new to vintage pens.

After getting into fountain pens recently (I always appreciated good fountain pens, just not as a hobby), I quickly re-ignited my flair for eyedroppers', simply because they hold a lot of ink. After searching for quality eyedroppers, and generally pen mechanisms that can hold lot of ink, I heard about Ranga Pens, a small operation based in India. The prices seemed right, so I ended up ordering Model 3C (cigar/rounded top). This review is of the maker as much as it is of the fountain pen. Right from the start, they were very communicative, prompt, and provided accurate timelines. Within 3-4 weeks, I had Model 3C, and I was blown by its beauty (and smell -- I love ebonite smell)! Strikingly handsome, the pen also hit the sweet spot for my preferred grip thickness, and writes well. The machining is impeccable, the threads are smooth, and overall the pen's worth is way more than the modest price. After enjoying the 3C for a couple of months, I added Model 3 in matt black. The stock nibs are KanWrite #6, made by Kanpur Writers, and are steel with a good feedback. Of course, no pen is without quirks, and I disliked the feed base sticking out from the grip -- pushing it in hard and it was set fine. Maybe it should come that way, but it wasn't a big issue. Ranga also provides options for Bock, JoWo and Schmidt #6 nibs, the prices are higher due to the additional threads and the nib units. Considering the overall quality and writing pleasure, I can certainly say these won't be my last Ranga pens. Please enjoy a few pictures (I had to click pictures in sunlight to capture the beauty). Here is a comparison shot with several other pens (from L to R: Noodler's Ahab, Karas Kustoms INK, Ranga 3C, Ranga 3, Kaweco Sport, and Opus 88 Koloro)

Hey guys, I have recently purchased a Ranga model 9B eyedropper ebonite pen in matte finish. However, there is a problem with it that I noticed as soon as I inked it up. The ink starts to climb from the feed into the step down where the the grip section ends and the feed starts. Then it climbs the grip section and, as time goes by, climbs higher and higher. As you can see from the photos (which are 3/4 days after inking the pen), the ink has been absorbed by most of the grip section and has created mold... How can I stop the ink from climbing the grip section? I imagine polished ebonite eydroppers don't have this problem as I am unable to find this issue anywhere. Any and all tips are appreciated! Thank you! P.S. I also wanted to share this experience for all who might be wondering about purchasing an ebonite eyedropper in matte finish to know about this problem and choose carefully.

I believe this is the first(and currently only) piston filler in Gama's lineup. The cap, barrel, section and the blind cap are made of ebonite and are well done. The piston mechanism is similar to that of the Click president. The nib is a standard Gama no.35 (i went with the 0.65mm tip for general writing, as that's what I'll be using it for) the piston mechanism isn't the smoothest in my collection, it does get stuck in between and requires a little persuasion for it to go all the way up, and I wished they'd have put some grease on the mechanism. Hopefully it'll get smoother after the break in period, but it works and holds approx. 1.75ml of ink. Overall, for around 3500 rupees (which is what they're asking on their website), I'd say skip this and buy some of their eyedropper pens instead. The Gama Eagle in Olive ebontie The pen has a black cap section and blind cap made of ebonite and a transparent acrylic window. It's actually a normal sized pen, here it is with a Beena Lincoln, airmail 71JT and a Kanwrite Desire Writing sample. The feathering was because the pen was freshly inked and was a tad too wet. Plus the ink used is a bit on the thinner side. Hope this helps.

A few weeks ago, a friend on mine Mr. @Binu Raj wanted to gift me a pen. At first, I declined his offer, but after a lot of back and forth, I finally caved in and accepted his offer. A couple of weeks later, the pen arrived and I was surprised, it was an ebonite pen, more specifically, an Athlete. Earlier I was discussing with him about buying an ebonite pen after my M.Tech allotments finish, But this came as an early surprise. I've now been using it for a few weeks, and here's my opinion on the pen. If you can stay till the end, I'll answer a question that in my experience, Literally, No One has asked for. But for those pinched for time, here's a TL;DR: " For the asking price of 1500 rupees, I find this an impressively well built and excellent pen with a great nib. If you can deal with the pros and cons of an eyedropper, then you won't be disappointed. ". Now that half of the readers have left, Let's get moving... Design and Build I have seen some ASA pens on youtube and the forum, and I had one of their models on my bucket list. And this pen definitely lets me cross that wish from my list. Design wise, it’s a classic flattop design. Capped, the pen starts from a flat top, then goes straight, onto the barrel with a smooth transition, and starts to taper around 2/3rd of the way until the end which is also flat. There is no transition noticeable by feel, and I think if you have one of the solid colour ebonite models, it’ll just feel like a single rod stock. The finish on the barrel is excellent and like an athlete it is supremely well built. Just below the cap, on the barrel, the model’s name is engraved. I prefer this subtle engraving over the big logo like I’ve seen on some gama pens. But to each their own, I guess. My only gripe with this pen is the cap. Not because it’s flimsy or anything, the cap is adequately thick with a generic but functional clip, but the cap takes 6 turns to uncap. Yup… 6 turns. As a man who’s experienced with the 2 or 3 turns it takes to uncap most of my pens, this feels a bit too much. A multi start thread would’ve been nice. The grip is lengthy and tapered with a small flare close to the end. I like this design. Below the grip are the threads and a small step up to the barrel. The step is noticeable, but not sharp. It’s supremely comfortable to hold, and the pen is light enough that it makes as a great long writer of a pen. And with a nib as good as the ASA nib this has, I could write page after page after page, without any fatigue. The pen is plenty long to be used uncapped. Or if you prefer writing with a cricket stump rather than a pen, you can post this pen, it’ll post securely, but not deeply. But this makes it super long, but the cap weighs nothing, and it’s as comfortable to write posted as is unposted. This is not an oversized pen, that being said, it’s not a small pen either. For size comparison, from left to right, 1. Pilot 55C2 2. Click 71 Jumbo 3. Airmail 69T 4. ASA Athlete Nib, Filling and Writing The nib that the athlete comes with is a No.35/No.6 ASA branded nib. From the looks of it, it seems to be a kanwrite nib on top of an ebonite feed friction fit on the section. To @subbucal sir’s credit, the nib and feed was friction fit very tightly around the section. I needed to use a knockout jig to get the nib and the feed off for cleaning. More on the snug fit later. The pen is a traditional eyedropper (or, Tank Filler as I like to call it) and takes a very good 2.75-2.85ml of ink. Even with the ink, the pen weighs just 16 grams. That’s not considering the 6.3 grams of the cap. Coming to the writing sample, Here’s a sample of the writing with the supposedly medium nib. The pen is one of the most comfortable pen I’ve used till date, almost matching the feel of my daily carry Airmail 71JT. The pen is very comfortable to write on long sessions and the flow is very wet. The ebonite feed sure keeps up with very fast writing and the pen hasn’t dried out on me, capped or uncapped. A very reliable pen indeed. The nib feels like writing with a soft lead pencil, smooth with a touch of feedback, that goes away as you empty the barrel, since the flow goes wetter the more ink you use up. I haven’t emptied the barrel yet, but at the time of writing that writing sample, the barrel is about 1/4th now, and it hasn’t burped. The flow has become noticeably wetter since the barrel was full. I guess the tight fit does serve it’s purpose of regulating the air ink interchange. The ebonite does feel noticeably more comfortable than my airmails, it feels like it’s conforming to my grip for some reason, and for sweaty handers like me, there is no slippage, even if your hand sweats more than a man running at midday on the Chennai sun. Overall, as my first ebonite pen, I’m very much satisfied, and I don’t regret on accepting the pen from Binuraj Sir. For the asking price, It’s a damn good value. On a side note, if you don’t like flattop pens, the writer is the same pen as the athlete but with round ends. And if you prefer the convenience of a cartridge converter, but like this shape, go with the ASA spear. That comes with a jowo nib unit at bit more cost. Now, the question literally, No one asked. Say, you have a Shaeffer No Nonsense, or School pen, or the award, and you’ve damaged the nib, would an Airmail nib fit🤔🤔🤔??? The answer is… YES… any Indian No.8 nib fits, and it writes surprisingly well. Well, that’s all. Here’s a 🥇 for your patience. Till next time… see ya🙋‍♂️ P.S : A quick Update A quick update, The ink was about 1/5th of the barrel, and it finally burped. I noticed the flow getting wetter and wetter by the week, and the tightly fit feed finally got overwhelmed in the cold rains in kerala. well, guess its time to refill or change the feed... I do have some NN feeds lying around and I'll probably swap that in... So, will it burp??? Absolutely... But it'll take a fair time before that happens, just refill if the pen starts to flow like a firehose, then you'll be alright.👍

https://sailor.co.jp/topics/kinproebo_naginata/ https://sailor.co.jp/product/10-1585/ Slated for June 5 in Japan and available in NMF, NM, and NB. Again, a bit surprised for the (more or less?) standard release given all the fun people have been experiencing when trying to get their hands on the flames and waves versions of the ebonite naginata.... But when you consider the price you got to pay for one of this baby - a critical blow of 165,000 yen, it's not gonna be a easy choice.

Can any one suggest me some Indian handmade ebonite piston-filler pens? I know of Noodler's Konrad Ebonite and Narwhal Schyulkill Eobnite 365, but I want an Indian handmade one. Does anyone in India make such pens?

Brand: Ranga - Model 9B in red/black swirl premium ebonite (design P6 as per their catlog) Ranga pens is an Indian maker of hand turned fountain pens of great quality. As many regulars are aware, the brand was founded by the eponymous Mr. Pandurangan, who has been making fountain pens for half a century and the business is now managed by his son, Mr. Kandan. They are pretty well known for their ebonite and acrylic hand-made models, both in India and the international market. ______________________________________________________________________ Appearance & Design (1-10) - 9.5 I already knew I will like the looks of this pen when I ordered it. But even with such high expectation, the actual item was a very pleasant surprise. The pen is really a looker - simple timeless cigar design - smooth uninterrupted curves, and the subtle lustre of premium ebonite. The cap and barrel have a seamless continuity when capped. Uncapped,there is a step into the long and much slimmer section but it looks very aesthetic (and is very comfortable despite the step down as discussed later). the swirly red patterns continue from the barrel seamless into the section. Surprisingly, when the cap is posted most of the swirly patterns seem to continue into the cap as well. I do not know how that is possible, so hats off to them for this (they warned me over email that this continuity is not guaranteed as ebonite behavior is not perfectly predictable when turned, but pulled it off anyway!) This way, the pens look homogenous and seamless when both uncapped and capped. I may have preferred a more substantial clip than the one provided but that is a very minor nitpick. Construction & Quality (1-10) - 9 Nothing to fault. At all. if being very difficult, then I would say only that I wish it uncapped faster than the 3 whole turns it takes. Otherwise the ebonite has been finsihed beautifully. There is no blemish of the pen body and everything just feels solidly and thoughtfully executed. the soft-polish finishing of the ebonite surface is expertly done. When capped, the line between cap and barrel is well nigh invisible as the design intended. This is a luxury item at a non-luxury. A perfect item to gift oneself or someone else who loves well made things in general or pens in particular. Weight & Dimensions (1-10) - 10 Length - 155-156mm capped and 136mm uncapped (about) Weight - 31 gms capped; 20 gms uncapped This is LARGE pen. Currently the largest pen I won (given the wow factor of this one, I wonder how massive the giant variant would look! - a proper 'power pen'). Below is a picture with some of the other pens I won. It is slightly taller and much beefier in girth than other larger sized pens in the ~ 150mm length like the pilot Justus and the penBBS 380/ 456. But, for its size, its incredible light, on account of being made of ebonite and having no metal parts except that small clip. At 31 gms (20 gms uncapped) the weight is very comfortable and would cause no fatigue for long writing sessions. I am been using it continuously since receipt and it has never caused me discomfort. In fact, the girth of the barrel makes it rest very comfortably on the web between my thumb and forefinger (for the same reason, I never found very slender pens too comfortable). 10/10 - I wanted a large impressive pen without the off-putting weight and that's what I got. Nib & Performance (1-10) - 9.5\ ​The supplied nib was, as per my request, a chrome coloured JoWo #6 steel nib. This nib wrote brilliantly out opf the box - like a typical Jowo M, it was a stiff nib, about a 0.7 mm line and very juicy. No problems there. Then I realized I have a spare 21K Sailor rhodium plated Broad (H- nib from an old Pro-Gear pen whose barrel had cracked at the threads a few years back. This nib had been converted to use in Fountain pens accepting Jowo #6 housing by means of a converter-housing from flexiblenibs.com. So I thought I will make my own Ebonite KOP variant! Out went the supplied JoWo nib and housing and in went the Sailor nib in Jowo-compatible housing. My goodness, how smooth this is. I remember this nib was a mighty fine one, but I don't remember if it wrote SO wet and SO smooth in the old sailor pen. It was the smoothest writing experience I ever had - not smooth in the off-putting glassy sense - but in the sense that you fell that you gliding on roller skates over the paper. Maybe the line is a bit too broad and bit too wet for some uses (fast writing, annotations etc.) but I have many mediums and fines and only this and another Japanese broad - so I don't mind. Though I have a feeling part of the extra wetness is basically I had rinsed the nib and feed in photo-flo solution before using (to be investigated further). Filling System & Maintenance (1-10) - 8.5 Nothing fancy here - it came with a cartridge converter and is ebonite with ebonite section threads, hence eyedroppable. I tried the converter. It worked. end of. However, because the Sailor -JoWo compatible adapter housing does not accept CC, I have to use it solely as an eyedroppable pen. There was no o-ring but I had one handy that fit over the section threads and applied some TWSBI silicon grease to the threads as well. It works well with no leak. Cost & Value (1-10) - 10 It is easily worth its asking price and then some. As I remarked earlier - this piece screams bespoke luxury at a very affordable (for a hand made item) price. Conclusion (Final score : 9.4) -An unmitigated masterpiece. This pen can be appreciated both by fountain pen afficianados and even others who just appreciate something made well with care. This was a hit among my colleagues most of whom couldn't care about writing instruments beyond getting the job done. I am already plotting my next order from Ranga!

"Dark am I, yet lovely, daughters of Jerusalem, dark like the tents of Kedar, like the tent curtains of Solomon." Song of Solomon(1:5) Black like the last night of the "Nightfall" of Issac Asimov and dark like coal tar with a clip flowing like milky way from the infinite darkness of the infinite space, this is an extremely gorgeous and attractive pen. This pen reminds me of the black coat of a lawyer, which means nothing but business. This classic Cigar shaped design with a continuous flow from barrel to section, the uniformity of the design and the monotone steel coloured nib and the steel clip, speaks of nothing but business. It is a pen with Executive looks. It is a design full of gravity and wisdom. The more I think about it the more I find that it is a very well thought of design for a hand-made pen. What we find is not mere art, not mere uniformity of and seductiveness of curves. Rather we discover efficiency. The Revolution is a regular size pen. The cap comes out is exactly 2 and a half turns. The clip is quite tight but due to its unique curved design it gets in a shirt pocket effortlessly but firmly and comes out equally easily.Word Gama is engraved with a cursive italic font at around middle of the barrel. Usually one would not even notice it. When one does, it just adds to the beauty of the pen. Where the cap comes out in just few turns, the section takes a lot many turns to come out. This has been done apparently to avoid any leak when the pen is being used as an eyedropper. The pen is almost as heavy as Pilot MR. However, in case of ebonite, the weight is more uniformly distributed. Therefore the centre of gravity lies at almost middle. Ebonite pens usually feel better than pens of other materials. Same goes with this pen. What I also notices is that the construction is sturdy. The walls of the section and barrel are really thick.The nib is large. Only a tad smaller in size than the section. Moreover, there is no step from section to barrel. The uniformity of the transition and the size of the nib makes it possible to hold the pen from almost any place. The section is thick enough to be held comfortably and not too thick to hold. The pen feels substantial but not humongous.The pen posts firmly and securely. Not using the pen even up to 24 hours I didn't notice any drying. I chose a fine nib. I like fine nib more than medium or broad nibs. This nib is good. It is a JoWo nib. It looks classy and is outright beautiful. It does not skip even while writing fast. It does not fail. It doesn't dry easily. On scale of nightmare;scratchy;correctable;smooth;super smooth; and ooolalalaaaa!!!, I would call it smooth. The nib is smooth and fine. But less smooth than say a Schmidt fine and a Lamy fine or a Pilot medium. What you feel is not feedback. It feels as if the pen has some affinity with paper. However, going by reports of some of my fellow FPN members the report of M nib is excellent. You may preferably go for medium if you want a nib that writes super smooth. However, even if you go for fine I won't say that you got a bad deal. I have been using this pen for three weeks now and I have had no issues with it. In fact the pen is being used ever since I bought it. While writing you would surely enjoy it. That is the best part. The pen feels like 'The Pen'. Good balance and good grip. Posted or unposted the pen feels just right and looks seriously beautiful. Good pen for long duration of writing. The pen offers little flex. My fellow member Anup Ji had to once use pliers on the nib!! Yes! It's that hard. Thankfully that also means that you can't damage the nib by normal wear and tear. Which is a good thing. Being a triple filler, the pen offers a lots of variation in filling. The pen takes standard converter, standard international converter and comes loaded with a Schmidt K-5 converter. The pen can also be used as an Eye Dropper. I have used this pen with all these options and they all work as they should be. At present the pen is being used as an Eyedropper.Because of advanced threaded nib, I never faced problem of burping or leakage in this pen. Which is a very good thing. For around Rs. 2000/- I got a very attractive ,prim and proper , executive looking pen which is very strong, sturdy and durable. I also got a three in one filling system and a nice Jowo nib. I got a pen that can be used as an Eye Dropper and will not face burping issues. I got a schmidt converter. I think the deal is really a great value for money. Here comes the score board. Looks:- 4.5/5 Build:- 5/5 Engineering:-4.5/5 Nib and Writing:- 3.5/5 Balance:- 5/5 Value for Money:- 4.5/5 Conclusion:- This is a really nice pen. I purchased it from ASApens.in(NAYY). The customer service was excellent. I got this pen with my son's name engraved. I am very sure that he will use it. The pen has the potential of lasting for a very long time. I am a happy and satisfied user.

I request all fellow users to show off the Ebonite only pens here.... Show us your ebonite beauties here .... Would really love to know what all we have....

It was towards the end of last year that I first saw the FPR Triveni reviewed online, by Steve 'SBRE' Brown - and I was immediately intrigued. A sub-$50 fountain pen, with flex nib and and an ebonite body? I already had a couple of Dillis, made from plastic by the same company, with a piston feed system that was impossible to disassemble - but this looked so much more classy! So pretty much as soon as it was released, I ordered myself a pen in black ebonite... Available only from the FPR website (www.fountainpenrevolution.com), I think this is a worthwhile pen. Because I've handwritten a review, I'll let pen and ink do the talking below - plus a couple of photos.... http://i.imgur.com/P0QUck3.jpg http://i.imgur.com/b6C8gO8.jpg Now for the pen itself: http://i.imgur.com/A4vKu7b.jpg http://i.imgur.com/imbVqSx.jpg

I originally posted this in First Stop. It was my first post. I subsequently realised that the reviews are meant to be posted here. http://asapens.in/eshop/image/cache/data/Athlete/Athlete-20-500x500.jpgASA Athlete: The pen with a character This review is my first and is intended for a layman. There is usually no best. No best book, no best car and no best movie. Same goes with fountain pens. However, recently I found or discovered a pen which comes very near to being the best in my present collection. This pen was bought from ASApens.in and was named Athlete. I quite enjoyed writing with it. I call it the pen with a character . As you can perhaps see, the pen is made of ebonite i.e.a hard rubber but feels and looks like wood. How many of us can boast of using an writing instrument made of ebonite. Not many, I guess. Believe me when I say it, the feel of ebonite surpasses plastic, acrylic or even metal. You won't feel the weight. You will not experience the pressure and pain on the tips of your finger while writing for long hours. Your hands will not sweat as much. Moreover, the balance of the pen is very significant when it comes to writing for long durations. This pen has perfect balance. at least for me, posted(putting the cap on the end) or unposted. Despite being of such a large size, I never felt its size or weight even once. Pardon the cliche, but the pen is literally light as a feather. The wooden ebonite body has been polished to give it a matt black finish. It adds to the aesthetics of this pen. The pen looks classy and visually appealing. It catches the attention of those around you, provided they care about pens. The 'Athlete' has got a personality of its own. Its exterior speaks of its being a no nonsense , efficient and durable pen. When you keep it with other pens, it dominates them with its presence. Athlete is an eyedropper. For a layman, this means that its barrel is filled with ink, unlike say Parker vector or Hero 360. Usually in an eyedropper, the air bubble inside gets warmed up with the heat of the body and expands. This results in burping which means that your page can get ruined and you may end up with a big and sizable blot on your paper. But, thankfully, this is not the case with this pen. I ended up a complete tank and I found no burping. The wooden body apparently acts as an insulator much better than plastic. The ink flow increased when the ink levels dropped but there was no burping. Another problems which eyedropper pens face is leakage. None here though. The cap fits securely and the barrel is securely attached to the nib and feed section. It was a new experience for me. An Eyedropper fountain pen that doesn't leak.!!! The best part is nib. These nibs are apparently made in Germany. The engraving says that they are Iridium tipped. You can feel their superior quality. If the best fountain pen you have is a Parker Vector, you would be blown away by the smoothness of the nib. The nib does not have a glossy smooth feel which many a chinese fountain pens have. That is being too smooth to like. There is a very little feedback, which I love, because I can feel myself writing and I can feel the nib gliding on the paper. The nib is a dual tone size #6. For a lay man this can be translated as fairly large nib. Not the largest, but quite large. Having a large nib means that if you have large hands like mine and many of other adult men, you wont be forced to write too close to paper and while writing you can maintain a comfortable hand stance.Moreover the grip section was long and smooth. I got the nib with tines separated. I thought that it would be an issue. But it was not. There was no rail roading. No issues with writing at all. I found the nib and the pen to be made for each other. The feed was a pretty simple ebonite one. It had deep channels. Which is perhaps the reason behind the wet writing. Writing samples of the pen and the comparison with Pilot 'Tank', Pilot MR and Lamy are included. The ink used is commonly available Chelpark and the paper is a JK A4 size paper. The service of ASApens.in was excellent. When I bought the pen I used the option of getting the fountain pen checked which is not available on any other indian site. The sellers are professionals. One can any time mail them or call them in respect of any queries related to fountain pens. I called them and they didn't disappoint me. Now, let me answer the most difficult question about this pen. What I didn't like about it? Well, I liked everything. But I should add a caveat that this is an eyedropper pen which needs a little maintenance just like a samurai sword does . And the cap if left posted may leave a round mark on the matt finish. However, the pen is available in many colors on ASApens. Lastly if you feel the ink flow increasing it would be wiser to refill the barrel pen instead of waiting for the ink to be over. Overall, I recommend this pen. It's a great value for money and a daily writer. One can use it daily without impunity. One can show it off or keep it entirely to himself. It is a work horse, a no nonsense pen. It is one macho of a pen, that dominates other pens and the paper. The pen with a 'Character'. The review is also available on my blog. Hope it was helpful. I am soon going to write a review of Doctor Deluxe. A under 3$ pen that quite surprised me with its performance. I call that the reliable housemaid.