New Pens On Asapens

[mhguda]

Oh. Yes, I saw the banner too, and was interested - it looks very stylish.

[a_m]

Chk it at

 

http://asapens.in/eshop/asa-first

[mhguda]

Thanks.

There seems to be a pretty large difference in diameter between the cap and the pen body - section and barrel, making the cap look fairly chunky. Is that your impression, too?

[a_m]

Thanks.

There seems to be a pretty large difference in diameter between the cap and the pen body - section and barrel, making the cap look fairly chunky. Is that your impression, too?

I think, that the excess slim shiny part visible when pen is capped is giving it that fat cap appearance. As such, the cap definitely looks rotund.

[deepak23]

Brief update on the ASA Athlete

Got the pen today. Beautiful to look at and hold. The dimensions are near perfect, but tops badly. The nib (had asked for the finest available) is quite stiff and is a wet writer with an approx 0.5mm line.

A more detailed review coming up shortly (in a few days...),.

[a_m]

Brief update on the ASA Athlete

Got the pen today. Beautiful to look at and hold. The dimensions are near perfect, but tops badly. The nib (had asked for the finest available) is quite stiff and is a wet writer with an approx 0.5mm line.

A more detailed review coming up shortly (in a few days...),.

Plz tell us what's "tops badly" ?

[Scribblesoften]

Might be posts.

[a_m]

Got the two Athlete today. Excellent FPs. Posts well. The nib + feed fixed very firmly. The tines may need some adjustment.

 

Maintains its length ratio with Lamy Safari posted & unposted.

 

Without considering nibs - unposted diff 4 mm

Without considering nibs - posted diff 9 mm

[a_m]

Writing Sample (pic taken with mobile)

 

(not really happy with stock nib - though the pen is gorgeous)

 

ASA Athlete Writing Sample by anup@indiapoint, on Flickr

Edited October 18, 2014 by a_m

[Scribblesoften]

Wow, it looks good. The section looks long in your photo. Do your fingers fall on the step and cap threads? Are they a distraction when you write? I also like your torquoise/blue ink.

Edited October 18, 2014 by Scribblesoften

[a_m]

Wow, it looks good. The section looks long in your photo. Do your fingers fall on the step and cap threads? Are they a distraction when you write? I also like your torquoise/blue ink.

The pen size is perfect & section diameter is excellent. There is no issue with holding the FP. The step is way up the grip.

 

The pen is actually awesome to say the least.

 

The ink is custom mix of diamine turquoise & pilot blue

Edited October 18, 2014 by a_m

[Sudhir]

I got the ASA Athlete in shiny black and like someone said, it screams "Indian FP" to me at least.

 

Here are few pictures and one odd thing I noticed - the back of the clip actually says "Noodler's Ink" - see the last picture with a close-up of the cap. Is it only the piece I have or has anyone else also noticed this?

 

Anyway, here are the pictures.

 

 

 

[a_m]

Mine doesn't have any noodler ink marking. Infact the clip is bit smaller & cute.

 

The nibs in my pen is polished steel & not dual tone

[mhguda]

I think you revealed a Noodler's trade secret! He has his pens made in India - by Asapens? Or did Asapens just buy up a random lot of clips for the Athlete? However the case may be, that pen sure is handsome, and I'm glad I ordered mine... Hopefully will have it in hand soon. It looks like an instant favorite to me!

[Sudhir]

I think you revealed a Noodler's trade secret! He has his pens made in India - by Asapens? Or did Asapens just buy up a random lot of clips for the Athlete? However the case may be, that pen sure is handsome, and I'm glad I ordered mine... Hopefully will have it in hand soon. It looks like an instant favorite to me!

 

Yes, I agree it is either the clip supplier or the pen supplier who is the same. Either way, I suspect mine may have been a prototype or just the odd one that escaped quality control.

 

But I just love the pen - it is awesome. I am planning to swap out the stock nib and then let's see...

 

Cheers

Sudhir

[mhguda]

Do let us know - I'm already wondering what will make it even better than it looks right now...

[a_m]

The design of the pen bears lot of similarity with Noodlers Konrad !

 

http://www.gouletpens.com/Noodlers_Pens_s/809.htm

[mhguda]

I disagree. Only the clip is the same, or similar. (but the Athlete's clip is bent so that the Noodler's logo is on the inside, not the outside. And the ball at the end of the clip seems to be a real ball, not a folded-over make-believe ball?) The Konrad is not so tapered in the barrel, and the grip section is much shorter. It does not have the section collar, and the cap is not a straight cylinder as this one seems to be. Plus, the Konrad is a piston filler.

As you can see, I just took a good look at my Konrad. A nice pen, but nothing compared to this one. Of course, mine is acrylic - not ebonite...

[Scribblesoften]

Thank you for sharing the pictures. It raises the anticipation level for my own Athlete which was mailed but not yet showing up in tracking .

[a_m]

I disagree. Only the clip is the same, or similar. (but the Athlete's clip is bent so that the Noodler's logo is on the inside, not the outside. And the ball at the end of the clip seems to be a real ball, not a folded-over make-believe ball?) The Konrad is not so tapered in the barrel, and the grip section is much shorter. It does not have the section collar, and the cap is not a straight cylinder as this one seems to be. Plus, the Konrad is a piston filler.

As you can see, I just took a good look at my Konrad. A nice pen, but nothing compared to this one. Of course, mine is acrylic - not ebonite...

 

 

I only meant the seemingly external shape. Its an open secret that ALL Noodler's pens are Made in India.

 

Besides, w.r.t. Athlete, that Noodler thing in my opinion is a QC oversight on part of ASA. And that ball of clip is not "real" and definitely seems "hollow"

 

Surely Noodler's are piston filler.

 

Regarding Athlete, I can pretty well say that it can take a hell lot of ink in its tank. And good part is that compared to many other EDs where even slight jerk brings out ink throwing it all around - in both my Athlete, it needed lots of jerks to bring out a very little tiny ink out. There was no sign of nib drying when capped (and I kept one for nearly 10 hours like that)

 

Though I have swapped out the stock nib, the Athlete has become an instant favourite. Very well built and for the first time I have an ebonite FP that gets posted and doesn't feel like as if I am holding a foot of rod ! Compared to many other "jumbo" FPs which are quite popular among FPN members (and for some time, even got me hooked), but frankly I realise now - that the best FP is one with which one is really comfortable, and can use in the "usual mode".

 

I like using the FP posted. And Athlete, I find has perfect dimensions for that. Besides, the most important thing, the Grip is very pleasant. The only odd thing, in my opinion is the #6 nib (which again many FPN members are obsessed with). But in my opinion, for this FP, the #6 nib is not the right choice. Big nibs are not always beautiful - that I have realised gradually. Frankly I dont use my pens for show off - but for actual use. And this FP fits perfectly in my scheme of things.