RANGA ABHIMANYU GRAND

[RICARDO MORAES]

AHBIMANYU GRAND – [this is the summary of the first review I will publish on the channel I am building for YouTube – “Ach Pens”]

 

Since elementary school I have been interested in fountain pens (how they are designed, how their filling systems work, how they write and their history). And my interest led me, a few years ago, to the Indian Pens Ranga. The meeting took place before they were internationally recognized, by a large number of specialists and pen stores, as excellent writing instruments with unbelievable cost-effectiveness.

 

My Ranga collection incorporates, at this moment, 26 pens and is always growing. I prefer the Ranga Ebonite pens (noble material, made of vulcanized rubber, also used in mouthpieces for saxophones and clarinets). But I also have a few Rangas made of acrylic material, very beautiful. I say that I have a collection because I have Rangas made according to all the models available from the Ranga factory and I ended up buying Rangas that duplicate pens that I already have, just because they are in beautiful different colors… Please note that I write with all my pens (as my friend Alan Machado advises); one at a time (of course), in turns….!

 

The Ranga pen that I chose to talk about today is the "Abhimanyu Grand", which is the giant version of the Ranga Abhimanyu model. And yes, it's a big pen... There are other Ranga models that I like as much as the Abhimanyu. However, as I said before, I write with all my pens, and the Grand couldn't escape that rule. And I'm glad that I didn't put it aside for another opportunity – what a pen!

 

Let me tell you that all Rangas are handcrafted on lathes by experienced craftsmen with a long pen-making history — and you can feel the art as soon as you get hold, and start handling and using any of them. To me that is something of extra value and beauty!

 

Back to the Grand. I believed that a big fat pen like that would be uncomfortable in my average-sized hands. I was wrong! The pen LOOKS big and fat, but it's perfect in the hand. And it writes beautifully thanks precisely to its excellent ergonomics! At the end of the writing exercise, I didn't want to say “see you later”, as the Grand is an example of a perfect marriage between beauty and function.

 

Filling, cleaning and maintaining the Grand is a breeze. Its parts (cap, section and body) fit together perfectly well. Complementing the ebonite boby of the pen, I chose to equip it with a fine-tipped Jowo #6 steel nib and a filling system via a cartridge or international converter. The pen can also be filled by using a dropper, allowing the tighten body to carry a much larger amount of ink.

 

But now comes the most important question in an appraisal: how was the performance? Well, as the saying goes, “the proof of the pudding is in the eating”, and let me say that the Ranga Abhimanyu Grand “tastes” beautifully and it is now one of my few Holly Grails. The weight of the pen, the comfort of the section (that part that give support to the fingers), and the shape of the body are perfect and help one to write with the Grand for a long time, without getting tired. In fact, I'm going to anticipate the pen's place in the shift queue because I can't wait for it to be your turn again to write my daily lines…
Fit&Finish, Design&Ergonomics are all TENS. This pen is a gem!

 

But wait! There's more: Ranga pens come packaged in a beautiful case, which is in turn wrapped in a hand-sewn cloth. And the recipient's name and address are handwritten on the wrapping cloth. What a charming greeting!

 

To find out more about Rangas and their prices, one may contact the website [https://rangapens.com/] or write directly to Mr. Kandan M. P. [mpkandan@yahoo.co.in]

In conclusion, I really don't know how quality, mass-produced, pens can compete with Ranga pens. It's almost a miracle that Ranga Pens can make and deliver such a superior product for such a reasonable price (in most cases, around $90.00). And at Ranga Pens they work fast: customers are always surprised to receive their pens sooner than expected!

[Jamerelbe]

Hi Ricardo, thanks for the review - would love to see pictures of the pen!  I have a couple of regular-size Abhimanyus, in acrylic (plus 7 or 8 other Rangas, in different styles and materials), and agree they're very attractive pens.  I'd love to buy a few more, but am trying to self-controlled - so I'll have to settle for congratulating you on your recent purchase.  Ranga pens really are great value for money, especially considering the fact that they're hand-turned!