Fountain Pen Revolution In India

[Alex2014]

 

 

Fair point. Except Jowo nibs are nails from my limited experience. Unfortunate.

 

My JoWo is an F #6 but I could not say it is stiff. Well, it is a SS nib and I cannot compare with a #6 18k Bock nib (on Danitrio). It writes very smooth. But as in the case of #6 Bock nibs, even being an F, the stroke width is thicker than I'd like to be, rather like a medium one.

[a_m]

Very interesting, thanks a lot. My interest for Indian FP's was stirred by Varuna/Ranja hand-made ebonite pens. I bought a Varuna Gajendra and I could say I liked it.

I posted a photo here.

 

The market of hand-made pens could be more interesting for an European. Of course, there are still some thighs to improves (the finishing is not of the same quality as the Japanese FP's), but the prices are unbeatable. Gajendra is a huge pen and with a JoWo nib it could be used as ED, CC or with cartridges. The stainless JoWo nibs are very smooth and pleasant, you are right. I don't know anything about Indian nibs, but I suppose that the German ones are a good solution for rising the quality of the Indian FP's.

Thanks for reading. Yes the JoWo nibs are definitely better than Indian nibs. Beside they come in different nib grades. I found the Broad and Medium to be super smooth.

 

The Fine nib did have some initial feedback - but that feedback has now vanished in these few days of writing.

 

Maybe in few weeks when stub becomes available, i would like to use a stub

[Scribblesoften]

This is a very nice review. Thank you for writing it. I am very happy with my Gama pens and I am glad that ASA Pens has expanded the options to make them more desirable for more people.

[a_m]

This is a very nice review. Thank you for writing it. I am very happy with my Gama pens and I am glad that ASA Pens has expanded the options to make them more desirable for more people.

Thanks for reading & appreciation.

 

& I understand, even you desired to have such FPs.

Edited July 1, 2014 by a_m

[WaskiSquirrel]

Very interesting. I actually know very little about Indian fountain pens except that the US brand Noodler's is made in India, and I like them a lot. The nib and feed are made elsewhere.

 

I don't think I've ever seen Indian fountain pens for sale, so thank you for the website link.

[a_m]

Very interesting. I actually know very little about Indian fountain pens except that the US brand Noodler's is made in India, and I like them a lot. The nib and feed are made elsewhere.

 

I don't think I've ever seen Indian fountain pens for sale, so thank you for the website link.

 

Get one handmade Indian ebonite (preferably the Revolution, to start with) You'll love it.

[Scribblesoften]

Thanks for reading & appreciation.

& I understand, even you desired to have such FPs.

I do desire one. There are many potential buyers who, through their unfamiliarity perhaps, avoid eye drop filler pens. Having these filler and nib options should make the pens appeal to not only regular purchasers, like myself, but new customers as well. Now, that I think about it, I actually desire several. My budget restricts my pen purchasing but perhaps soon.

[van]

Just placed an order for a Gama Eyas and a Brahmaputra. Seems like a heck of a deal and I'm looking forward to my introduction to Indian FPs. Thanks to both a_m and hari317 for the heads up on the pens and the seller!

[a_m]

Just placed an order for a Gama Eyas and a Brahmaputra. Seems like a heck of a deal and I'm looking forward to my introduction to Indian FPs

Thanks if i could persuade you on merits of Indian FP. You would enjoy using these FPs.

 

And anyway FPs like Brahmaputra are quite new to India - and ASA is doing a good job in making them available at a reasonable prices to everyone.

[Anne-Sophie]

Thank you so much for such a comprehensive history of the rich tradition of Indian fountain pen.

 

I do agree with Parnesh: " The Himalaya needs a #8 or #9 (is there such a thing?) nib. The #6 is just too small..."

 

Thank you for the wonderful pictures!

[a_m]

Thank you so much for such a comprehensive history of the rich tradition of Indian fountain pen.

...

 

Thank you for the wonderful pictures!

 

Thank You :-)

[mtnbiker62]

My experience with Indian pens has been somewhat different. The ones I have used have been of poor quality, and required an excessive amount of work and nib replacement to make them usable. If what you want is an inexpensive project pen to learn how to change nibs and heat set feeds, then the Indian pens are right up your alley. If you want an inexpensive pen that writes well with a minimum of fuss, you'll have to go somewhere else.

Edited July 18, 2014 by mtnbiker62

[a_m]

My experience with Indian pens has been somewhat different. The one I have used have been of poor quality, and required an excessive amount of work and nib replacement to make them usable. If what you want is an inexpensive project pen to learn how to change nibs and heat set feeds, then the Indian pens are right up your alley. If you want an inexpensive pen that writes well with a minimum of fuss, you'll have to go somewhere else.

I think your exposure to Indian FPs have been extremely limited to call for a sweeping judgement of outright rejection. Even Steve Brown (on youtube) is unhappy with his MontBlanc.

 

"one i have used" - perhaps you should use a few others. Get a Brahmaputra with M or B nib - and you will be delighted for lifetime.

[mtnbiker62]

There was no sweeping judgment; simply a statement of my experience. "One" was a typing error. I have used several, and haven't cared for them. I don't care for Medium or Broad nibs, so I know those wouldn't "delight" me. As I said, this was meant to be a statement of my experience only, not a sweeping judgment.

[subbucal]

If you make a sweeping, generalised, statement, without any specifics of pens used and what you experienced , it will be deemed biased and judgemental.

[subbucal]

If you make a sweeping, generalised, statement, without any specifics of pens used and what you experienced , it will be deemed biased and judgemental.

[a_m]

There was no sweeping judgment; simply a statement of my experience. "One" was a typing error. I have used several, and haven't cared for them. I don't care for Medium or Broad nibs, so I know those wouldn't "delight" me. As I said, this was meant to be a statement of my experience only, not a sweeping judgment.

I have the feeling that you have not read the initial post.

 

If you read through the text of the initial post of this thread, then you will understand why i gave the title of Fountain Pen Revolution in India.

 

One should be open to improvements and changes happening & not just be guided by past experience. Experiences are good guidepost in a situation where conditions remain same. But where changes are happening for better - to deny those is not a good idea.

 

You speak of bad experience with cheap pens from india. In one of my blog post

 

http://indiapoint.net/archives/2013/10/21/camlin-sd-fountain-pen-review-an-overhyped-fountain-pen/

 

I have written about my bad experience with an Indian FP that is considered high end !

 

But if changes are happening for better, then those positive changes and improvements should be acknowledged.

 

Thank you.

Edited July 18, 2014 by a_m

[terminal]

Interesting, I think all the pens with JoWo nibs on asapens are sold out at this second.

 

Great write up -- thanks for taking the time!

 

I have not seen the JoWo nibs mentioned here, but from the pictures it looks like they all say "Iridium Point Germany" on them. I was looking for a way to easily distinguish the JoWo ones from others.

[a_m]

Interesting, I think all the pens with JoWo nibs on asapens are sold out at this second.

 

Great write up -- thanks for taking the time!

 

I have not seen the JoWo nibs mentioned here, but from the pictures it looks like they all say "Iridium Point Germany" on them. I was looking for a way to easily distinguish the JoWo ones from others.

JoWo nibs come in following varieties-

 

1. Nothing written ie. Blank with only nib grade ie. F / M etc written

 

2. Written "Iridium Point Germany" with nib grade

 

3. Custom engraved (like those on Goulet & Newton etc). I understand that ASApens is also in the process of getting custom engraved nibs.

 

The phrase "Iridium Point Germany" is a general phrase that can be used by any nib manufacturer in any part of world. It only means that the tip point balls are from Germany. So in such cases you will have to trust the seller. As such ASApens are India representative of JoWo.

 

& thanks that you liked the write up :-)

Edited July 19, 2014 by a_m

[Fuellerfuehrerschein]

Like other fountain pen manufacturers Gama selected German made nibs and feeds to evolve their traditional eyedropper pens. Did this revolution or evolution discard the ebonite feeds? I like the ebonite feed in my traditional Gama Supreme eyedropper since it can be easily cleaned and custom fitted to a particular nib by heat setting the ebonite feed. Have I changed the OEM nib? No, but I am considering it. The nib Gama installed in my Supreme writes well, but it is a German #6 nib which is about 35 mm long. A longer nib would probably be more ergonomic for me, since the pen feels more comfortable for me with its OEM nib inverted.

Edited July 20, 2014 by Fuellerfuehrerschein