Asvine P20- Cue the Leonardo Moral Outrage

[J120]

Asvine seemed to take some inspiration from the Momento Magico, Zero, and Officina. Or the made in China but assembled elsewhere theory has more weight than some in this niche want to acknowledge. For me, waiting on the silver versions. $29-32 on Ebay amd Etsy.  22.20 on Taobao. 

[manolo]

oustanding colors!!! (but would prefer silver trim)

[jchch1950]

Leonardo pens are well design and made with beautiful resins. They feel and look that they will stand the test of time and hard use. It is not a surprise that other pen companies are or will be inspire by the Leonardo pens.

[garyc]

The ink window (assume it is that, the renders make it hard to distinguish from a silver band) looks a bit odd as it coincides with the step down to the thread. Will probably wait until they appear in real life photos/video reviews, the 2 blue versions look too close in colour to decide which to choose from. I’d also prefer silver trimmed versions.

 

(edit) ChrisRap now has a review up on YouTube of the green version. The wide gold cap band is a bit too bling and the colour is a bit too luminous for my taste. The nib unit is compatible with a Moonman unit it appears. He rates it very highly though.

 

[VillersCotterets]

Thanks @garyc.  I had to watch his review despite my aversion to his unbearable drivel and mouth noise. Although the dimensions he measured are identical in every way to the Moonman M800 and the nib unit is 100% compatible with it, he unfortunately didn't dare to make a direct, side-by-side comparison. This would have been interesting because, from what we see in this video, it is easy to believe that Asvine is selling an upgraded M800 under its brand name, with a piston, an ink window and perhaps a superior resin.  The shape and contours seem to be excellent, as expected since, after all, it is a reinterpretation of the Momento Zero design.

 

On 10/10/2022 at 12:16 PM, garyc said:

The wide gold cap band is a bit too bling and the colour is a bit too luminous for my taste.

I wouldn't rely too much on the garish colours on the screen and its appraisal by this Youtuber as he is known for his bad lighting and glowing reviews. Soon, more accurate photographs will appear online and we will know where we stand. I ordered the purple variant because, by slightly toning down the brilliance of the retouched promotional photos to be more realistic, this resin looked quite nice. My main concern is whether the bad threads of the M800 are finally corrected with this new model.

 

[garyc]

On 10/12/2022 at 1:49 PM, VillersCotterets said:

 I ordered the purple variant because, by slightly toning down the brilliance of the retouched promotional photos to be more realistic, this resin looked quite nice. My main concern is whether the bad threads of the M800 are finally corrected with this new model.

 

The purple version would be my choice of the 4 too. Just waiting to see if other reviewers pick it up.

[VillersCotterets]

I received mine. I'll post a review after I've used it a bit but I can already tell you that it's better made than the Moonman M800. The acrylic is beautiful, a deep purple with elegant silver flecks and hints of terracotta, right up there with the Nahvalur Schuykill. The piston works smoothly. However, it does not travel far, just shy of the ink window. The ink window is perfectly transparent. 

Overall, my first impression is very positive. The promotional images (CGI) do not do justice to this beautiful resin.

[txomsy]

Please, do post a review, and if possible, try to measure the ink capacity.

[tomhoats]

Just got mine. The P20 feels slightly heavier than my Leonardo Momento Zero, giving the feeling it is more durable. The P20 EF nib is great, very smooth. The P20 written line is identical to the Leonardo MZ written line, to my eye. The P20 ink window is an upgrade over the LMZ, as is the piston filler. The only area where the LMZ is better is the subtle coloring in the resin. I am really happy with my P20 purchase.

[encremental]

Mine came today. The build quality on this pen is truly fantastic, and the nib (providing of course that you like EF nibs) is wonderful - fully the equal of my ST Dupont Ligne D EF, except of course not gold, but you wouldn't know it.  My only disappointment is that the wide greek key gold band looks a little tacky. Italian pens manage that better.

 

John

[VillersCotterets]

The obvious comparison is either with the Leonardo Momento Zero or with the Moonman M800, however, due to its construction and resin, I think it is more accurate to think of the Asvine P20 as a Schuylkill if Nahvalur had ventured to copy the lines of Momento Zero. Someone who has all three might share his appreciation of their relative quality. I will however still compare the P20 to the M800 as I don't have a Nahvalur on hand. 

The first thing that jumps out is the vividness and elegance of the acrylic. I don't know if the other, more flamboyant colours make as good an impression but the purple one is superb.

Indoors, under artificial light, it's a dark purple shade with a midnight blue tint. A silver dust gives it a sidereal depth. And with the terracotta stripes, you feel as if you're looking into coastal eddies on a full moon evening as red earth is washed up by the waves. This dramatic mix of dark and pearlescent materials is reminiscent of PenBBS's "galaxy" blue, but more sophisticated, as it is more colourful and nuanced. I think the closest comparable are the recent Nahvalur Schuylkill resins. I wouldn't be surprised if Asvine were to buy them from the same supplier.



In very strong sunlight, you reach the limit of what less money can buy. As can be seen on the photos above, the terracotta swirls and lighter purple parts do not have as luxurious a shine as more expensive resins, such as those of the much more expensive Leonardo.

From a tactile point of view, the resins of the M800, PenBBS Galaxy and the P20 are all equal. The cap ring and the piston mechanism contribute to making the P20 more substantial in the hand. The feeling of quality is also enhanced by the better thread. They don't cross thread like on the M800's. The pen sounds less hollow when you screw on the cap. I'm not in the habit of "posting" the cap, but it is possible to do so, not as deeply as on the M800 but sufficiently securely. The clip on the P20 is less rounded, thinner than the M800. Its roller has sharp edges. From a functional point of view, there is nothing to complain about. Aesthetically, both have their advantages. I prefer the top of the P20's clip but the bottom of the M800's clip. On the other hand, the clip fixed more at the end of the P20 improves the proportions of the finial and allows the pen to protrude less from pockets. The ring with the ancient Greek pattern is stylistically a bit of a departure. It lacks finesse. The knob is a few millimetres longer for a better grip, as the pen has a built-in piston. It slides effortlessly inside the barrel. It stops shy of the ink window, perfectly transparent. Again, the similarities with the Schuylkill make me believe that this is more than just a coincidence.  Maybe they come from the same factory, who knows?


 

The nib, with full gold plating, has a clean filigree, and, on mine, a graceful M as I chose a medium size nib (Chinese standard i.e. producing approximativement a 0.7 millimetre stroke). The glide is excellent, above average, but the round strokes are nothing special. It's a good, stiff nib, mounted on a generic feed, like there are millions of them on Chinese pens. I didn't have to make any adjustments. The nib as is does the trick. I may replace it with a more expressive number 6 later, but right now I enjoy it as is.
 

I ordered the fountain pen with its box to make sure it would not be damaged in transit. It was worth paying for the extra packaging. In the end, I feel it was a good purchase. Nahvalur has a lot to worry about and Moonman was taught a lesson in quality. Leonardo has nothing to worry about, both in terms of aesthetics and quality. In any case, this is my first opinion of the product, after a few days.

 

[garyc]

A review of the 'Ocean Blue' version on Youtube: 

 

[VillersCotterets]

Another review, by Inkquiring Minds this time.
 

 

[garyc]

8 hours ago, VillersCotterets said:

Another review, by Inkquiring Minds this time.
 

comprehensive review by Doug. It does seem that the pen has more in common with the Schuylkill than the Momento Zero or the Moonman/Majohn M800, in particular regarding the resin and length.

[VillersCotterets]

On 10/22/2022 at 3:34 PM, VillersCotterets said:

I think the closest comparable are the recent Nahvalur Schuylkill resins. I wouldn't be surprised if Asvine were to buy them from the same supplier.

On 10/22/2022 at 3:34 PM, VillersCotterets said:

The knob is a few millimetres longer for a better grip, as the pen has a built-in piston.

[manolo]

great video by Doug.

[VillersCotterets]

On 10/22/2022 at 3:34 PM, VillersCotterets said:

Again, the similarities with the Schuylkill make me believe that this is more than just a coincidence.  Maybe they come from the same factory, who knows?

About the similitudes with the Nahvalur Schuylkill I've noted :

As a bonus, there are even compatibilities with the TWSBI Eco.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Very tempted.  Maybe the green.

[amberleadavis]

On 10/21/2022 at 12:46 PM, encremental said:

Mine came today. The build quality on this pen is truly fantastic, and the nib (providing of course that you like EF nibs) is wonderful - fully the equal of my ST Dupont Ligne D EF, except of course not gold, but you wouldn't know it.  My only disappointment is that the wide greek key gold band looks a little tacky. Italian pens manage that better.

 

John

 

Can you put in a different nib?

[A Smug Dill]

28 minutes ago, amberleadavis said:

Can you put in a different nib?

 

Yes. The Asvine P20's nib unit can be substituted with a regular Moonman/Majohn no.35 nib unit (as opposed to the ones specifically designed for the P136 model); and a Moonman/Majohn no.35 nib, as in the naked piece of metal, can be substituted with a range of other no.35 nibs, including a Kaigelu NMF (aka ‘long knife‘) nib.