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Hello everyone. ASA pens from Chennai is making all the right noises these days, with their beautiful and unique Nauka and Trans-nauka making the rounds and getting praise from everyone. Today I am going to review the first ebonite pen that I bought from ASA, the ‘Writer’, which gets somewhat less attention than their other offerings. My concern before buying any pens from ASA was the size of their pens, most of which are pretty large for my preference. And so one fine day I messaged Mr. Subramanium and he suggested either ‘Writer’ or ‘Genius’ and I settled for the former. I chose ‘Writer’ because this pen has the cap flushed with the body of the pen. This particular design feature seemed appealing to me. The ASA Writer, note the cap flushed with the body and the name inscription lining with ASA branding I didn’t have any idea about ebonite pens before buying this pen and Mr. Subramanium helped a lot in deciding the particulars like the nib, the finish, filling system and the site of inscription. I bought a matte/bakul finish of black ebonite with a German made medium nib-feed unit branded as ‘Versace’. I was very impressed with the pen after I received it and since then it has been one of my most reliable writers. 1. Appearance & Design (9/10): ASA Writer is a beautiful traditional cigar shaped pen with gentle tapering towards the lower end of body. The section also tapers in a smooth fashion. The cap is flushed with the body. The clip is a standard ASA ball end clip with good fit and springiness. The design feature I don’t like is the cap taking almost three turns to open. For a person who continually caps and uncaps his pen, this pen requires much effort in this respect. I have my name inscribed on the cap and that name inscription is in line with the branding just at the top end of the body. That’s a nice little bit of detailing. There is a small ring like protrusion at the top of section, just beneath the nib which probably seals the section to the cap when closed. This doesn’t pose problem while gripping. The matte/bakul finish is very attractive over the body and cap. The section is glossy ebonite. I have been using this pen for long, but the glossy section has not got many scratches. This is a light weight and well balanced pen. No pungent smell from the pen. The Writer, note the glossy section and the ring like structure near the top end of section 2. Construction & Quality (9/10): The ebonite is of good quality. The nib and ebonite feed also feels very well built. I ordered the pen with a schmidt converter which again looks solid. The cap looks thin at the border, and there is no end ring to support it. But it seems very unlikely that the cap will break with regular usage. One negative point is that the threads over section is bound to accumulate some dirt over use. I don't know foe sure, but this may have to do with static electricity formed on ebonite. 3. Weight & Dimensions (7/10): It’s a light weight pen. The dimensions are as follows Pen Length Capped 145 mm Pen Length Uncapped 130 cm. Pen Length Posted 150 mm Average Barrel diameter 14 mm at the section base & 12 mm at taper end Average Section diameter 12 mm at Base and 11mm near Lip Average Cap diameter 15 mm This pen feels very comfortable and well balanced unposted, while it becomes too large and awkward after posting. I never use any of my pen posted except the miniature pens like Pilot petit mini, so that is not an issue for me. it slips easily into hand and writes right away. From left : Sheaffer No nonsense, Waterman Hemisphere deluxe, Waterman Harley Davidson free wheels, ASA writer (all capped) From left : Sheaffer No nonsense, Waterman Hemisphere deluxe, Waterman Harley Davidson free wheels, ASA writer (all posted) 4. Nib & Performance (9/10): The #5 versace nib-feed combo that came with this pen is amazing. It is smooth with very generous flow and good line consistency. I was so impressed with this nib that I ordered my ASA Rainbow Acrylic pen with the same nib and once again I was bowled over by its performance. Later I swapped the nib with a JoWo 1.1 stub nib bought from ASA. This JoWo nib is a beautiful writer as well with perfect smoothness and flow. No feathering or blotting or burping, ink and paper remaining the same as other pens. Both nibs have very little flex. Line variations with 1.1 nib is good. There is no edginess or catching the paper at turns while writing with this stub, even at a high speed. 5. Filling System & Maintenance (10/10): This pen is 3-in-1, which means one can use it as either eyedropper, with a schmidt converter or with standard international cartridges. I have always used this pen with converter as it offers quick hassle free filling and keeps the barrel clean. No burping or any leakage noted when I tried it as an eyedropper. As mentioned earlier, the converter is of very good quality, can be disassembled and cleaned easily and fits perfectly with the body. The cap and clip 6. Cost & Value (9/10): This pen is valued at INR 1500 (38$ ). It’s a pretty impressive considering the beautiful features and 3-in-1 filling system. This has the potential to become one of the daily workhorse of any fountain pen user with little maintenance. Conclusion (Final score, 53/60): I ordered this pen as my first ebonite pen and it turned out pretty good. This pen from ASA has got little recognition, when by all standards it is one of the best pens they have to offer. You can order this pen from their website. Be sure to discuss any doubts with Mr. Subramanium before placing an order. Writing sample Have a nice day. Good bye.

Hello all, hope you and yours are doing well during these odd times. I am reevaluating my ‘desirables’ list of pricier fountain pens and attempting to narrow down my choices a good deal. For example, I’ve recently removed the Montblanc l’Aubrac after finally getting a chance to try one and being disappointed by the slippery metal section. (Why, Montblanc? Also, why do I trick myself into thinking I won’t mind it, every time?) The basis for my pruning of the list is that I want a pen I can use. I write a lot, usually for several hours everyday. I’d told myself that this ought to limit my quiver of pens to only the most utilitarian models. Nakaya is out, on account of their tiny ink capacity. Sailor—whose nibs are my absolute favourites—is also out, unless I put their nibs in a Conid. However, the Con-70 is a fair capacity converter, and much easier to clean than an eye dropper, so the Yukari Royale remains on the table. Why can’t I have a pen that’s gorgeous and practical? As I try to inject some majesty back into my rotation of pens (all delrin Conids and ‘precious’ plastic Montblanc) I see myself drifting further towards the Yukari Royale. It is beautifully lacquered, yet tastefully subtle, black with reserved furniture. It is unassuming, which for me is a huge plus. The last thing I want is someone to ask me about my pens. I have to work hard to hide the Montblanc snow cap if ever I leave the house with one of them. I’m counting on the uninitiated not recognizing the Namiki clip, as no one ever makes a fuss about the Conid final. The review on this forum have been wonderful, by the way. There are some effective reviewers and spectacular photographers in this community. For that, I owe you all my thanks. So, all told I am simply looking for opinions on the viability of the Namiki Yukari Royale as a moderate to heavy use daily writing pen. It’s hefty, but only seven grams more so than my Conid inked and uncapped. It’s lacquered, but urushi’s withstood more abuse over the centuries than I ever intend to throw at it. Does anyone actually use this pen to get some decent chunks of writing done? Any insight, advice, or words of caution would be greatly appreciated. Stay healthy, stay happy, folks.

I am right now in the market for a Nakaya pen. Specifically the portable writer and I want to get some more information about the finish of the pen before I feel comfortable buying it. The main question I have is really about how the finish looks in person compared to some photos I've seen of it. In some photos it looks really wonderful and black with bright red accents. However sometimes it looks like more of a reddish brown throughout. I was wondering what exactly everyone thought about this finish and how it looks. Pictures would really be helpful. The second thing I want to know is how exactly this ages over time. It says the Kuro Tamenuri finish changes and becomes more colorful over time where the black is worn away and the red becomes more prominent. How much does it change exactly and is it going to wear more where my hands touch? Will I get a strange finger shaped red circles on the grip where I touch it? Again thanks for any and all information!

Hello my name is Clay and I'm a complete noob to pens in general (especially fountain pens.) The reason I'm "new" to pens is I was born with cerebral palsy and due to that I've used computers to write everything but my name and a couple sentences. I used to hate using pens and pencils to physically write things due to how hard it was physically and also I do not have good handwriting at all. I have come to realize here recently I enjoy writing with pens when the pen "glides" over the paper. Keep in mind the pens I used were not even true Ball point either. So I started to do research and discovered fountain pens. I know that it is a learning curve when it comes writing with fountain pens but I feel up to the challenge. I want to start enjoying putting ink on paper cause the way I see it, the words you write in ink gives the paper soul. I'm looking for a durable beginner fountain pen around $10 (prefer non-disposable) and to give you an idea I've tried the Pilot Varsity. I enjoyed the experience that the Pilot Varsity gave me, but I'm just not fond of disposable pens! Any advice would be greatly appreciated and thank you in advance, Clay

Hello, I started using fountain pen a couple month ago and i'm loving every use of it. My first pen is a pilot Metro and My Second pen is a Pelikan 120. I'm thinking of adding another pen to my usage, so I thought maybe a montblanc would fulfil that spot. I don't have a lot of money so i'm thinking of buying a vintage or secondhand pen. I would like to buy a montarosa, or a montblanc 24, because i like a design and hoping it to have a semi-flex nib. I want to use the pen as a daily writer and I will use it for heavy lecture notes. so i want to know if a vintage montblanc could be use as a daily writer? does a vintage montblanc/ Montblanc 24 durable enough to withstand daily uses? does a vintage montblanc monterosa needs special maintanace or care ? Please tell me your experience with a vintage montblanc, Tell me the pain, the sorrow, the joy, and the happy moment of using a vintage montblanc! Thank you for anyone who replies and told their story, AIS PS. Hope to join the montblanc family soon. PPS. I'm mainly interested to buy a used 24 or monterosa. but if their any other recomendation for other vintage montblanc that maybe a good place for my uses. please tell me! Thank you

Hi All, Can You guide me about finding a cap for my Dostoiévski MB ? The cap was droped and is in shambles. Thanks, rusty

Salutations ~ New to FP Network but not new to FPs. When I worked for the DC Metro, down the street from Fahrney's, I had a bad habit - every payday I would visit their store and pick out a new gem from Fahrney's vast and delicious assortment. Amassed a nice enough collection of MBs, ltd editions, and at least one each from most of the big names.... time marched on, one mortgage morphed into two and I could no longer afford my $500 a pp habit. Well, I've been retired and living at the beach now for 10 years nearly, and I find that FPs no longer have to cost a car payment to write flawlessly and feel and look stunning on a nice chunk of stationery. So now I get to discover a new generation of FPs and inks, with newcomers (to me at least) like TWSBI, Noodler, Edison, Lamy, etc. Life is Good, and it truly does get better! Mare

Behold my 15 minutes of fame. http://quovadisblog.com/2015/03/featured-reader-beth-treadway/

Hi all, I'd like to introduce to you the newest addition to my collection... http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/cainey77/2V5A8195-Edit_zpsa0b88101.jpg http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/cainey77/2V5A8199-Edit_zpsb866057c.jpg http://i35.photobucket.com/albums/d191/cainey77/2V5A8214_zps27a1c845.jpg