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Dear FPN'ers, This Offer is for RANGA Sugarcane Model Pen in TWO different sizes. 1.Regular Sugarcane , 2.Giant Sugarcane in Various Ebionites & Acrylic Colors This Pen caps and uncaps in just one turn . Capping and Uncapping would be very easier. It resembles Natural Sugarcane . It is Clipless Model Pen. The top and bottom edge of the Pens are beautifully Carved to make it unique. The Sugarcane Nodes are Precisely crafted. It takes lot of Artisan's time to make a single pen. This is one of the Ranga Flagship Model. This offer is Valid till 02-September -2024 1.Regular Sugarcane - Capped length 6.5 inches approximately. Dia - 14.5mm and 16.8 at nodes. Section 11.2mm at maximum part and 10.2mm at center. 2.Giant Sugarcane - Capped length 7 inches approximately. Dia - 16.5mm and 18.75 at nodes. Section 11.5mm at maximum part and 10.8mm at center. In Order to Purchase "RANGA SUGARCANE MODEL IN REGULAR / GIANT SIZE " Pen, Kindly fill the google form. All details & Pictures are included in the form RANGA HANDMADE PENS- SUGARCANE (REGULAR & GIANT)  MODEL -OFFER SALE IN VARIOUS EBONITES & ACRYLICS Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

Dear fellow FP users Here is Sweet News for FPN'ers . We have launched Sugarcane Model before 2-3 years which has created great interest among our Customer's . So we decided to do Group buy for this Sugarcane Model in two different sizes 1. Giant Sugarcane 2.Regular Sugarcane . The specialty of this Group Buy is 1. Less than 1 turn to Cap/ Uncap the pen. So Capping / Uncapping would be easier . We have put lot of efforts to do it. 2. Lot of Ebonite colours (Beautiful 39 colours) and unlimited Nib Choices (Bock/Jowo/Schmidt/Indian nib) than ever before 3. We have worked very hard for last few weeks to make pens in all Specs for this Group Buy and take pictures for our customer's . Therefore it gives good visualization of all Specs. 1.Regular Sugarcane - Capped length 6.5 inches approximately. Cap and Barrel Dia - 14.5mm and 16.8 at nodes. Section 11.2mm at maximum part and 10.2mm at center. 2.Giant Sugarcane - Capped length 7 inches approximately. Cap and Barrel Dia - 16.5mm and 18.75 at nodes. Section 11.5mm at maximum part and 10.8mm at center. Ranga Sugarcane Model is beautifully handcrafted So that the pen resembles natural Sugarcane . It takes more time to make a pen. Nodes are crafted perfectly. The top and bottom of the pen are carved beautifully to make it unique. This is a piece of Art . Section is hour glass section. All our pens are completely handmade. This Group Buy is Valid till 15th Aug-18 In order to participate in the group buy just fill the Google Form (Link Below) and Reply in the thread with "Form Submitted or just repost the choices in thread https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxoghUmtGvpvIi-SgZs3LK3NXoUvKK_g0XoZZYOxGPV-NfyA/viewform?c=0&w=1 Please find reviews of Ranga Sugarcane Model by fellow FPN'ers https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/306789-ranga-sugarcane-review/ Available Colours are as follows: A. Special & Regular Ebonite Colours (SE Series) - Few colours are available for Regular Sugarcane .Few Colours are available for Giant Sugarcane Solid Forest Green (S1)Forest Green - Black Ripple(S2)Forest Green - Khaki Ripple(S4)Forest Green - Mustard Yellow Ripple(S5)Forest Green - Teal Blue Ripple(S6)Teal Blue - Black Ripple(S7)Mustard Yellow - Black Ripple(S9)Solid Maroon(S11)Rose Red - Black Ripple(S12)Rose Red - Forest Green Ripple(S15)Rose Red -Bottle Green Ripple (S16)Rose Red - Mustard Yellow Ripple(S17)Brick Red - Black Ripple(S19)Teal Blue - Orange Ripple(S20)Solid Blue with Black Specs (S21)Solid Olive Green (S23)Green - Blue Ripple (S25) B. Regular Colours (RE Series) Brown Ripple (R1)Green Ripple(R2) Olive Ripple (R3)Solid Black(R4)Mottled Brown(R5)Mottled Green(R6)Mottled Olive Brown(R7)C. Premium Ebonite Colours (PE Series) Solid Blue(P1)Black Yellow Swirl (P2)Blue Pink Swirl(P3)Solid Pale Green(P4)Blue White Swirl (P5)Pale Pink/ Red Black Swirl (P6)Green Yellow Swirl (P7)Solid Pink(P8)Blue Green Orange Swirl(P9)Solid Orange(P10)Green/Pale Pink(P13)Blue/ Pink/Pale Yellow Swirl (P14)Prices are as follows: RANGA RAGULAR SUGARCANE (ED Version)REGULAR or SPECIAL EBONITE: US $49 (Regular Price : 63$)PREMIUM EBONITE: US $64 (Regular Price : 78$)RANGA RAGULAR SUGARCANE (CC Mechanism)REGULAR or SPECIAL EBONITE: US $79 (Regular Price : 101$)PREMIUM EBONITE: US $94 (Regular Price : 116$)RANGA GIANT SUGARCANE (ED Version)REGULAR or SPECIAL EBONITE: US $59 (Regular Price : 70$)PREMIUM EBONITE: US $79 (Regular Price : 90$)RANGA GIANT SUGARCANE (CC Mechanism)REGULAR or SPECIAL EBONITE: US $89 (Regular Price : 108$)PREMIUM EBONITE: US $109 (Regular Price : 128$)Finish - Polished or Matte (Bakul)Clip Option - Clipless onlyNib Option: For Eyedropper Kanwrite 35 mm Fine Nib - Gold Tone or Chrome Tone or Dual ToneKanwrite 35 mm Medium Nib - Gold Tone or Chrome Tone or Dual ToneKanwrite 35 mm Broad Nib - Gold Tone or Chrome Tone or Dual ToneKanwrite Nib 35 mm Flex - Chrome Tone Nib Option: For C/C mechanism (with Schmidt K5 Converter) #6 Nib Options (included in price)Bock Extra Fine Nib - Gold Tone or Dual Tone or Black Tone (7$ Extra)Bock Fine Nib- Dual Tone Bock Broad Nib- Chrome Tone or Dual Tone Bock Calligraphy 1.5 Nib- Gold Tone or Chrome Tone Bock 18K Broad Nib (185$ Extra)JoWo Extra Fine Nib -Dual Tone or Black ToneJoWo Fine Nib - Gold Tone or Chrome Tone or Dual Tone or Black Tone JoWo Medium Nib - Chrome Tone or Dual Tone or Black ToneJoWo Broad Nib - Chrome Tone or Dual Tone or Black ToneJoWo 1.1 Calligraphy Nib - Dual Tone or Black ToneJoWo 1.5 Calligraphy Nib - Dual Tone Or Black toneSchmidt Broad Nib - Gold Tone or Chrome ToneSchmidt Medium Nib - Gold Tone or Chrome Tone Schmidt Fine Nib - Gold Tone or Chrome ToneNo Nib - Threaded for Bock #6 (less USD -12)No Nib - Threaded for JoWo #6 (less USD -12)No Nib - Threaded for Schmidt #6 (less USD -12)Shipping: Via Registered Post which is included in Price and takes 2 -4 Weeks.Making Time: 3-4 Weeks after paymentPayment: Paypal id- mpkandan@gmail.comIn order to participate in the group buy just fill the Google Form (Link Below) and Reply in the thread with "Form Submitted or just repost the choices in thread https://docs.google.com/forms/d/e/1FAIpQLScxoghUmtGvpvIi-SgZs3LK3NXoUvKK_g0XoZZYOxGPV-NfyA/viewform?c=0&w=1 Regards, Kandan.M.P Ranga Pen Company

Introduction I had always wanted a Bamboo/Sugarcane shaped pen and had stocked up on materials that represent the colour of green and ripened sugarcane material. When fellow FPNer Sanjay Ramaswamy (@Sanjay13leo) got to know of my desire, he proactively reached out to Mr.Kandan of Ranga Pens to commission two pens – one for each of us. I had never dealt with Mr. Kandan before while Sanjay already had their standard bamboo pen. A big thank you to him for having made this pen possible. Design The design of the pen is supposed to mimic a small section of the sugarcane stem. Sugarcane belongs to the grass family Poaceae that also includes bamboo in its lineage. Like Bamboo, sugarcane grows as long, then stems with nodes at regular intervals. The inter-nodal regions of the stem are slightly convex with smooth undulations. In real life, these are stout jointed fibrous stalks that are rich in the sugar sucrose, which accumulates in the stalk internodes. The body of the pen is around 145mm long and mimics two nodes and the stalk area between and around them. One of the nodes is near the top of the cap representing the end finial and the other one in the barrel. The two end finials are characterized by two small holes shaped like simple annular cylinders that represent the hollow stalk between the nodes. All in all, the shape is exactly like a small piece of susutake. As the images will stand testament to, Ranga has managed to deliver exactly what was being sought. This is especially commendable given the blank we had used for getting the ripe sugarcane colour is especially difficult to work on since it is not meant for kitless pens. Ranga however had persevered and despite much pain, managed to deliver a work of art that accurately represents the design brief. http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g346/prithwijitchakiPrithwijit/Fountain%20Pen%20Reviews/Ranga%20Sugarcane%20Review/IMGP2034_zpsgfzm31ct.jpg http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g346/prithwijitchakiPrithwijit/Fountain%20Pen%20Reviews/Ranga%20Sugarcane%20Review/IMGP2036_zpskl7hzttt.jpg http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g346/prithwijitchakiPrithwijit/Fountain%20Pen%20Reviews/Ranga%20Sugarcane%20Review/IMGP2035_zpsec3iuj4n.jpg http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g346/prithwijitchakiPrithwijit/Fountain%20Pen%20Reviews/Ranga%20Sugarcane%20Review/IMGP2045_zpsvcqejbms.jpg Size and Balance At 144.5mm capped, this is a regular sized pen. Had it not been for the absence of a clip, it would have fit in squarely into the definition of an EDC (Every Day Carry) pen. There is no metal used anywhere except for the nib and that makes this an incredibly light and comfortable pen to use for extended periods. The weight distribution, the slim section design and the light weight of the polyester briar material all contribute to the comfort. I was initially concerned that the faux node design on the barrel may impact the writing experience, but in real life usage such apprehensions have been soundly negated because the diameter of the barrel even at the thickest point in the node is only 14mm and the smooth undulations don’t even let you feel its presence. Nib Based on my request, Ranga got the pen ready to accept WIN/Jowo #6 nib units. I decided to put on a Dual Tone EF nib unit from WIN/Jowo paired with a Schmidt K5 convertor. The nib was sourced from Mr. Subramaniam of ASApens.in . http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g346/prithwijitchakiPrithwijit/Fountain%20Pen%20Reviews/Ranga%20Sugarcane%20Review/IMGP2052_zpsn8mgtwur.jpg http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g346/prithwijitchakiPrithwijit/Fountain%20Pen%20Reviews/Ranga%20Sugarcane%20Review/IMGP2054_zpsv9eq8qky.jpg Filling Mechanism It’s a plain vanilla cartridge-convertor system that accepts standard international cartridges and compatible convertors. While it may be vanilla, it remains my favourite flavour for providing the best proposition around value, system longevity, convenience and widespread compatibility. Build Quality To summarize, this pen has impeccable build quality all around with one major flaw or oversight. The seams are well aligned, the threads are smooth and the finish is superlative. The polish on this pen is astounding and beats all expectations. The attention to detail all around is impressive except for the two cylindrical holes at the two ends which have not been polished properly. They still show lathe marks and are an eyesore in an otherwise fabulously finished pen. http://i1097.photobucket.com/albums/g346/prithwijitchakiPrithwijit/Fountain%20Pen%20Reviews/Ranga%20Sugarcane%20Review/IMGP2046_zpsg6nbpu0p.jpg Writing Experience I am normally not an EF nib user. I prefer Medium nibs for the smoothness and larger sweet spot they typically offer. So I may not be the best person to judge an EF nib. I did however find the nib on this pen rather smooth and comfortable to use so long as you use it within its sweet spot. I did in fact like it better than the Hero 100 fine nib or Schmidt fine nib. For the inaugural use, I had loaded the pen with Sheaffer brown ink. Though it doesn’t have the reputation of being a wet ink or a shading ink, I did notice some element of shading in my writings with this nib. So that tells me that it is a fairly wet nib for an EF and that makes me a happy camper. While I won’t become an EF user because of this one time experience, I would not mind using and recommending this nib to others who prefer F / EF nibs. Price and Value The Sugarcane is not yet a standard model for Ranga and there is no standard price for it. The pen was made by Mr. Kandan as a one off special request from Sanjay and myself. The remuneration they took is modest and equivalent to the cost of any of their standard pens. Nib and blanks were sourced by me on my own and costs for these were obviously extra. Overall, I find this great value because not many pen makers sell custom pens at regular pen prices. Specifications Please find below the measurements of the pen made using non precision instruments and approach. Given that these are handmade pens and there are small piece to piece variations anyway, the measurements should give you a fair enough indication of what to expect from the pen. Length (capped) – 144.5 mm Length (uncapped) – 137 mm Length (cap) – 61.5 mm Length (section) – 20 mm Maximum width (Cap) – 14 mm Minimum width (Barrel) – 11.5 mm Maximum section width – 9 mm Minimum section width – 7.5 mm Conclusion To draw a conclusion with regards to this pen is a bit tricky. If I were to look at the pen dispassionately and judge it by its merits and aesthetics alone, the pen looks superb and a definite buy. Ranga has clearly delivered and has created a masterpiece. However, I cannot help but acknowledge the fact that the design is not very different from Ken Carver’s Bamboo design. Once you realise that, then it makes more sense to opt for the original rather than go through the pains of making a custom pen which is not very different from a pre-existing model. There is one final point I wanted to make before I sign off. The material used for this pen is is a new type of poly-resin called Polyester Briar. This was a fairly new type of material for Ranga who did indeed find this a tad tricky material to use especially when using their traditional tools and methods. This was validated by two other independent pen-makers as well. Given these challenges, it’s doubly commendable on behalf of Ranga to have produced such a stunningly beautiful instrument with such a material. I do applaud them for that.

The case of Staples Sustainable Earth Copy Paper arrived today, so I thought I'd do a brief review. (Shipment took 3 days, over a weekend.) Weight: 20 lbs. Brightness: 92 Sheet size: 8.5"x11" Fiber: 95% sugarcane -- acid-free (the Staples online product Q&A says the other 5% is FTC certified pine) Package size: 500 sheets Case: contains 10 reams (or 5000 sheets) Origin: Argentina Where to buy: Staples Web-Only (only available by the case. Retails @ $59.99/case; currently on sale @ $36.99 per case) For unlined sugarcane (bagasse) papers, I also have OfficeMax's Sugarmade and CVS's Caliber 100% Tree-Free Multipurpose Paper to compare it to. I find they all behave similarly with fountain pen inks (i.e. excellent) and inkjet cartridges (also excellent), with no feathering or bleed-through. The differences between these papers are tone and texture. The Staples' one is the brightest cool-tone white and is the smoothest of the three. The Sugarmade one has a warm white tone and more tooth to it. The Caliber has a grayish white tone and is the roughest. These differences are only noticable when the three papers are placed side by side. My preference leans towards the Staples paper for its brightness, though I'm apt to go with which ever one is on sale. The Staples paper is produced in Argentina, while the Sugarmade and Caliber papers are made in China. Now, if Staples (and OfficeMax with its Sugarmade) would just make these papers available by the ream in-store! The Caliber one is available by the ream, but seems to only appear during back-to-school sales. http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7433/9404100966_6fc81c35bb_b.jpg Back Side of Package: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3822/9401339475_8da2cbae70_b.jpg Writing Samples with Mostly Homemade Iron Gall Inks: http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7301/9401187671_e364cee2fd_b.jpg

Hello and welcome to the Quick Review of the Staples Sustainable Earth Sugarcane Paper Notebooks. As you know, Staples Sugarcane (Bagasse) paper is well known amongst fountain-pen users as an economical alternative to more pricier notebooks and papers such as Rhodia. Although by no means superior, it fulfills every criteria for general-purpose writing. Note: These notebooks were purchased from a Staples store as of April 14, 2014. http://i.imgur.com/xkfTHaj.jpg http://i.imgur.com/r45preH.jpg http://i.imgur.com/P9WEWW4.jpg http://i.imgur.com/jajrKyc.jpg http://i.imgur.com/xuCyOZ9.jpg For the up close scans of the sample page: Obverse: http://i.imgur.com/IgV0Pl7.jpg Reverse: http://i.imgur.com/3Z29fsE.jpg Covers are made of heavy weight kraft paper. Paper content is 80% sugarcane fiber, unsure of the remaining percentage. Unsure if acid-free and lignin-free. Paper is as thin as tracing paper, but not nearly as fragile and easily torn. The pages are lined (7 mm apart, College Ruled) and perforated with a 22 mm margin on the top. The big blobs you see on the page is the result of me doing a police siren impression while holding a loaded TWSBI Diamond 580. When writing there is little feedback (in fact with a Pilot Prera it was pretty glassy). Absolutely no feathering and no bleedthrough when writing at a normal speed (don't keep the nib on paper if you're pausing). Writing on the back is feasible if you don't mind the slight show of the other page. For both the 9.5 in. x 6 in. and 11 in. x 8.5 in. notebook, there are 100 sheets (200 pages). Both come with a page of pockets in the front (also kraft paper), one pocket on each side (2 pockets) for inserting torn-out pages or pages from somewhere else. At the time of purchase the 9.5 in. 6 in. notebook costs $3.99 and the 11 in. x 8.5 in. $4.99 excld. tax. That's it for this review, hope you enjoyed and if you have any questions or comments feel free to ask! Good Morning, Good Afternoon, Evening and Night!

A Quick & Dirty Report Dropped into a Staples today to pickup a few of the Made in Bazil composition notebooks, but none left. Last year I bought a stack of them, and I only needed a couple more. Guess the students got them all. There was a pitiful excuse for a composition notebook (one) with a plastic cover, cleverly designed to slip and slide on whatever surface you choose to write upon - and made in Egypt. I looked at everything on the shelves and picked up a Staples Sustainable Earth Sugarcane-based Notebook (wire-bound). The small size - 9 1/2 X 6 inches. What attracted me to them is that they have HARD thick covers and an insert with a pocket on each side. I can write on this in uncomfortable positions sitting in a meeting with no table, standing. Much stiffer cover than the composition notebooks. And equally sturdy wire binding. The printed material does not even mention it, but the pages have fine perforations - also sturdy, so they do not tear unless you tell them to tear. And the paper worked well with PR Midnight Blues in a TWSB Eco (f): no feathering, spread or bleeding. Show through? Yes, but not so much that I expect it to prevent me from using both sides. Negatives? Cost - $3.95 US. Wire binding makes it not as easy to put side by side on a shelf, if that is important to you. Eco-y kraft paper-looking cover, if that would bother you. I think it will grow on me. Anyone else have these notebooks in this or the larger size? How do you like them after using them for a while?

This post is a bit picture heavy, but I am going to try and keep most of the writing in the beginning and then group the pictures together at the end so that if you just want to read you don’t have to scroll forever… The notebook I want to look at today is made by Roaring Spring Paper Products and it’s called “Environotes.” From that kind of name you know it’s going to be “green,” even though that can mean a multitude of things nowadays. According to the back of that front flap, this notebook is made from the waste products that come from processing sugarcane. Their claim is that “Producing sugarcane paper conserves over 60,000 acres of forestland every year!” I mean, who can argue with that? I certainly can if the paper inside the notebook is absolute garbage. Luckily, it is not. :-) In case you aren’t interested in reading too much farther, here’s quick list of the things I like and dislike about this notebook: Positives smooth, bright papergood line spacing (college rule, 7 mm)handles most writing instruments with easestiff covers for knee writingnot too expensive (I think this cost me ~$3 for an 80 page notebook)convenient size (9.5” x 6”)fairly sturdy spiral Negatives not perforatedthe paper is pretty thin and can get hung up in the spiral when turning pages Overall, I think that the positives far outweigh the negatives for this notebook. I could definitely see using this as a notebook for class or in the lab or for personal uses. I think that if you get the chance to pick up one of these notebooks you should definitely give it a chance because it’s not like it’s a huge expense and I’m sure anyone could find a use for it. Alright, if you’ve stuck with me this far, you’ve made it to the nitty gritty details… As you can see, the paper held up pretty well against the fountain pens and gel pens that I tried on it, as well as markers. There is a decent amount of show-through because the paper is pretty thin, but I did not have any problems with feathering or bleeding except for that little bit with the markers where I got too excited… The paper also works wonderfully with pencils and colored pencils for sketching: Pencils erase pretty cleanly, which is a good thing for me since I make lots of mistakes! And a final comparison between the color of this paper and the bright white inkjet paper that I use for all of my ink reviews: As you can see, the paper in this notebook is pretty white, bordering on the bluer side of things than cream. Though, part of that could be because of the blue lines throwing things off a bit. Again, I think this notebook is a great deal for the money and I’m glad I gave it a try. Not sure what this notebook will wind up getting used for, but I’m certainly having fun sketching and playing around in it for now. This notebook was purchased with my own money and I am not being compensated for this review in any way. All opinions expressed above are my own and you are free to disagree with them if you like.

A week or two ago I bought a ream of Staples' sugarcane copy paper (20 lb./75 gsm). I tested it out with some letters to pen pals and it performed excellently. No feathering, no bleed through, and show through was minimal. I was able to write on both sides of the paper using a flex pen with Noodler's Navajo Turquoise (which usually gives me a lot more show through than it did on this paper!). I'm very happy with this purchase. Please let me know if you'd like me to upload any photos. At $8.49 for a ream of 500 sheets, it's the best, most affordable blank paper I've found yet. (Which is good for me, as I am a prolific note taker at work, and go through notebooks rather quickly.) http://www.staples.com/Sustainable-Earth-by-Staples-Copy-Paper-8-1-2-inch-x-11/product_398457

I was just browsing the Office Depot website and noticed they had several sugarcane notebooks and notepads (even a canary-colored paper notepad-- that's something I haven't seen in sugarcane papers). They seem to be available in-store and online. The notebooks are rather pricey. Since Staples seems to be phasing out their sugarcane notebooks in-store (at least I haven't seen them in NC), here's another possible alternative. I don't have any experience with the Office Depot paper yet, but I just thought I'd give a heads-up. Has anyone had any experience with this paper and their fountain pens? I'm assuming the performance is good. I haven't met a bad sugarcane paper yet.

I got excited when I saw that Office Depot is starting to carry bagasse papers, too. I found a few different types of sugarcane notebooks and notepads listed on the website; and while the website stated that these items were available in-store at my nearest Office Depot, in actuality, I only found one of the items in the store. Fountain pen ink is crisp on this paper, without feathering. But the sheets are very thin and have far more show-through on the back side than the competition's (i.e. Staples Sustainable Earth), which was disappointing. (See the writing samples below.) The paper is fine for ballpoint pens, but fountain pen users might want to pass on this paper (even my extra-fine Platinum Carbon fountain pen with Platinum Black Carbon ink showed through). I'm glad Office Depot is stepping up to the plate and making sugarcane paper available. I hope they will come up with something that is a little more fountain pen-friendly, howver. Weight: 16 lbs. Item #: 692394 Notebook size: 9"x11" Fiber: 80% sugarcane and 20% recycled content (10% postconsumer recycled content) Acid-Free: Yes Package size: 100 sheets Line Color: Green Ruling: College Ruled Other details: Vinyl covers; contains a contact sheet and inner double-sided pocket page Origin: Egypt Where to buy: Office Depot (online and in-store) Price: $4.79 in-store ($4.39 online) http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3720/9552180570_513949053c_b.jpg http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7367/9552178908_5f9234befd_b.jpg Writing Samples: http://farm4.staticflickr.com/3736/9549389213_985626ef36_b.jpg Writing Samples (back side) http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7317/9552177640_bc496fab32_b.jpg