What Indian Pens Are You Using Today?

[rockydoggy]

A maroon Camlin 47 & a blue Chelpark Moti (thanks Kevin @ fountainpenrevolution). I'm really liking these cheaper Indian piston-fill pens. They strike me as a bit sturdier than the Dollar student pens that I've gotten fond of.

 

Also, a nice blue Wality Airmail 71JT (c/o Hari). As soon as I got the pen, I pulled the feed and replaced it with a more robust one from a Sheaffer school pen that I had laying around (thanks to Hari for the suggestion); I also switched out the fine nib for a medium one that I'd bought a while ago from Bear Tooth Woods on the off chance that it might come in handy someday (who knew?). Everything fits great and the pen now writes a wet, medium line. To top it off, I'm running vintage Penit blue in it--a solid if not exciting color that I keep around mostly because the textured Penit bottles remind me of when I was a kid and had several of them that I'd refill with weird--and possibly toxic--ink blends.

[Scribblesoften]

But with the performance of the Airmail nib, I am loath to mess with the pen.

 

They are extremely easy to dissemble and reassemble. With you thumb on top of the nib and your index finger under the feed, pull.

 

Thank you for the info. The pen is writing so nicely right now, that I cannot bring myself to pull the nib. Perhaps I should buy another and then pull that nib if it does not work quite so nicely. Hmmmm.

[JimB]

I think Nathan's pens hail from India. If so, I can add the Noodler's Konrad in Ebonite that is on it's way to me. If they are not imported from India, forgive my error, please.

[welch]

Camlin SD again. Flossed the nib and did some standard smoothing. It might be interesting to compare the Camlin to its cousin, the Noodler Ahab, but I have no interest in the Ahab. Camlin SD is a good pen.

 

Noted that a Japanese office-supply company has bought 51% share of Camlin. Japanese company sells paper and such; no pens. Is this the beginning of the end of Camlin in the pen business? That would be sad, because the SD is the best Indian pen I've used. If Camlin offered fine/medium./broad nibs, and tested the nibs before shipping, they would have a first-class export pen.

[majorworks]

As I noted earlier, I'm expecting a trio of Wality Airmail 71J/71JT pens. Does anyone have any experience using Baystate Blue in one of these pens? If so, how did the combination perform?

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

[kronos77]

I have a Wality that I tried as a dip pen before filling with ink. I never did put any ink in it and I have tried to sell it several times. I hate fine nibs, and the nib on the Wality could easily be used for an IV. It's a piston filler, It also has the "Wality" brand engraved in the side of the pen with a contrasting color. I do not like the pen at all, and will probably end up either giving it away or throwing it in the trash.

 

Is is scratchy or just too fine a line for you? What pen would you compare the line to?

[pelman]

As I noted earlier, I'm expecting a trio of Wality Airmail 71J/71JT pens. Does anyone have any experience using Baystate Blue in one of these pens? If so, how did the combination perform?

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

I used bsb in a model 69. I had no issues with the pen. In fact I still have the pen inked. Go for it and see the nice vivid blue come through.

[majorworks]

As I noted earlier, I'm expecting a trio of Wality Airmail 71J/71JT pens. Does anyone have any experience using Baystate Blue in one of these pens? If so, how did the combination perform?

 

Thanks in advance for any replies.

I used bsb in a model 69. I had no issues with the pen. In fact I still have the pen inked. Go for it and see the nice vivid blue come through.

 

Thanks. As inexpensive as these pens are, I was planning on trying it anyway. Nice to get some affirmation, though. I haven't inked a pen with BSB for some time. It'll be fun!

[floydee1]

I like this this thread, as its got me looking at my Indian pens.

This week I'll be using a burgundy Plato "66" aerometric pen. It embossed with "PLATO 66 1961". Inked with Aurora Black. I've had this pen for well over a year now and have never really used. It'll be it's first outing. It has a very nice fine nib. I can't remember why I've overlooked this one...

 

Too many pens, not enough time.

 

F

Edited April 29, 2012 by floydee1

[gregamckinney]

I don't have many Indian pens, but I do have a weakness for ebonite (usually black, chased, and 75+ years old, but still...)

I recently acquired a Varuna Vishal from a FPN member. The pen is turned from blue, white and red/pink ebonite, and has a steel stub nib ground by Pendleton Brown.

 

The pen arrived earlier this week, and now that work has given me a bit of spare time, I flushed and inked it with Noodler's Benevolent Badger Blue. It writes like a charm, is a good size (even unposted in my large hands,) and is a sharp looker.

 

Please excuse the horrible phone cam photo. It doesn't do the pen justice.

http://www.gergyor.com/images/varuna-vishal-camphonepic.jpg

 

This Varuna joins my black Vac Senior Max and Visconti Ti Skeleton in my pocket today. Good thing I have sturdy pockets.

 

Best Regards, greg

[lovemy51]

that's a nice looking pen, greg!

[hari317]

A "Swan" Warwick made in India.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Swan%20Warwick/IMG_1880.jpg

 

Hari

[lovemy51]

airmail 444

[miatapaul]

I just threw out a Serwex, does that count? it keeps leaking on me, and I took it to the DMV today, and it spewed Noodler's Feather X all over my paperwork. I kind of liked the way it wrote, but I had had enough. It leaked out of between the section and the body. I liked that it was a piston filler. It had a really nice extra fine point. It also sometimes would not start. So I gave up.

Edited May 3, 2012 by miatapaul

[rwilsonedn]

I just threw out this Serwex, does that count? it keeps leaking on me, and I took it to the DMV today, and it spewed Noodler's Feather X all over my paperwork. I kind of liked the way it wrote, but I had had enough. It leaked out of the section. I liked that it was a piston filler. It had a really nice extra fine point.

Maybe you could retrieve it. A little silicon grease in some threads might solve the problem permanently. If the leak is from a crack, a little superglue or similar worked into the crack might do the job. Shame to give up a pen if you like the writing and filling action.

ron

[etoyoc]

Ranga model 4 and Deccan Ambassador....

[majorworks]

I'm using two new Indian pens today: at top is an Airmail 71J loaded with Herbin 1670 Rouge Hematite and at bottom is an Airmail 71JT filled with Noodler's Baystate Blue. A second 71JT filled with the red was given to my wife.

 

http://i706.photobucket.com/albums/ww62/major_works/Airmail71Jand71JT.jpg

[tgaref]

Camlin 47 and Wality 69L. Both piston fillers, both with smooth and wet fine nibs.

[hari317]

Flexible nibbed Deccan Shorthand pen.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Deccan%20Shorthand%20Pen/IMG_1992.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Deccan%20Shorthand%20Pen/IMG_1993.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Deccan%20Shorthand%20Pen/IMG_1997.jpg

 

Hari

[jjlax10]

Flexible nibbed Deccan Shorthand pen.

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Deccan%20Shorthand%20Pen/IMG_1992.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Deccan%20Shorthand%20Pen/IMG_1993.jpg

 

http://i264.photobucket.com/albums/ii197/hari317/Deccan%20Shorthand%20Pen/IMG_1997.jpg

 

Hari

 

 

Is this pen still available or is it one of those special ones you snagged, Hari?