GAMA EAGLE

[Aravind_A_2310]

I believe this is the first(and currently only) piston filler in Gama's lineup. The cap, barrel, section and the blind cap are made of ebonite and are well done. The piston mechanism is similar to that of the Click president. The nib is a standard Gama no.35 (i went with the 0.65mm tip for general writing, as that's what I'll be using it for) the piston mechanism isn't the smoothest in my collection, it does get stuck in between and requires a little persuasion for it to go all the way up, and I wished they'd have put some grease on the mechanism. Hopefully it'll get smoother after the break in period, but it works and holds approx. 1.75ml of ink.
Overall, for around 3500 rupees (which is what they're asking on their website), I'd say skip this and buy some of their eyedropper pens instead.

 

 

The Gama Eagle in Olive ebontie

 

   

 

The pen has a black cap section and blind cap made of ebonite and a transparent acrylic window.

 

 

It's actually a normal sized pen, here it is with a Beena Lincoln, airmail 71JT and a Kanwrite Desire

 

 

Writing sample. The feathering was because the pen was freshly inked and was a tad too wet. Plus the ink used is a bit on the thinner side.

 

Hope this helps.

 

[cvk]

I think Gama's strength is in their eyedropper models. They can take it to a totally another level by offering a deeply finned ebonite feed and a one way shut off valve. (if they can do a piston, they can do a shutoff rod).  

[K Singh]

Every pen purchase is a new learning experience 👍 The pricing is hard to digest, more so because people have got used to seeing them as a value-for-money brand. They can't just change the brand perception overnight. It will take time. As long as it writes well, enjoy the pen.

 

3 hours ago, cvk said:

I think Gama's strength is in their eyedropper models. They can take it to a totally another level by offering a deeply finned ebonite feed and a one way shut off valve. (if they can do a piston, they can do a shutoff rod).  

I feel that in this declining Fountain pen market, the eyedropper pens are further declining. I love eyedroppers, but I know most people shy away from it.

Apart from Kim and Co, no one has bothered to use a deeply finned feeder. That feed is unlikely to make a comeback unless someone like Kanwrite does something about it.  

A shutoff valve is a great idea 👍 And I am sure there is a demand as well as a market for such pens if the shutoff mechanism is executed well.

[Aravind_A_2310]

55 minutes ago, K Singh said:

Every pen purchase is a new learning experience 👍 The pricing is hard to digest, more so because people have got used to seeing them as a value-for-money brand. They can't just change the brand perception overnight. It will take time. As long as it writes well, enjoy the pen.

 

I feel that in this declining Fountain pen market, the eyedropper pens are further declining. I love eyedroppers, but I know most people shy away from it.

Apart from Kim and Co, no one has bothered to use a deeply finned feeder. That feed is unlikely to make a comeback unless someone like Kanwrite does something about it.  

A shutoff valve is a great idea 👍 And I am sure there is a demand as well as a market for such pens if the shutoff mechanism is executed well.

I really do believe that someone like Kanwrite can make a machined ebonite feed that works well... There's a thread which I started about No Nonsense feeds, and that quickly turned into how a Kanwrite feed with the channels deepened with a coping saw can eliminate or to a great extent reduce burps... Think about it. If an idiot like me with a saw can hack a feed to eliminate burping in eyedroppers, what's stopping them from doing so? I'll happily pay double the price of the normal feed for a more intricately machined one that works well.

 

As for shutoff valves, the moonman/majohn C4 is an eyedropper with a shutoff valve(or Japanese eyedropper) and as far as I can tell, they've just repurposed a vac filler mechanism for the shutoff valve. I think only fosfor pens make a Japanese style eyedropper in india. But I don't know if they still make those...

[K Singh]

2 hours ago, Aravind_A_2310 said:

I really do believe that someone like Kanwrite can make a machined ebonite feed that works well... There's a thread which I started about No Nonsense feeds, and that quickly turned into how a Kanwrite feed with the channels deepened with a coping saw can eliminate or to a great extent reduce burps... Think about it. If an idiot like me with a saw can hack a feed to eliminate burping in eyedroppers, what's stopping them from doing so? I'll happily pay double the price of the normal feed for a more intricately machined one that works well.

 

As for shutoff valves, the moonman/majohn C4 is an eyedropper with a shutoff valve(or Japanese eyedropper) and as far as I can tell, they've just repurposed a vac filler mechanism for the shutoff valve. I think only fosfor pens make a Japanese style eyedropper in india. But I don't know if they still make those...

I am sure Fosfor will still make it, but the problem is their 3 year waiting time. 

 

Yes many enthusiasts like us will be more than happy to pay a higher price for a well-finned ebonite feeder. But unlike plastic feeds the ebonite ones require a lot of work. So maybe the companies don't find it worth the effort to make such feeds 🤷

[cvk]

On 5/26/2023 at 6:49 PM, K Singh said:

Every pen purchase is a new learning experience 👍 The pricing is hard to digest, more so because people have got used to seeing them as a value-for-money brand. They can't just change the brand perception overnight. It will take time. As long as it writes well, enjoy the pen.

 

I feel that in this declining Fountain pen market, the eyedropper pens are further declining. I love eyedroppers, but I know most people shy away from it.

Apart from Kim and Co, no one has bothered to use a deeply finned feeder. That feed is unlikely to make a comeback unless someone like Kanwrite does something about it.  

A shutoff valve is a great idea 👍 And I am sure there is a demand as well as a market for such pens if the shutoff mechanism is executed well.

I am not sure that people shy away from ED pens. I feel that ED is usually (rightly) seen as a more complex system with far more intricate tolerances and commanding a higher price. This is why Opus88, Higher end Namiki pens like Emperor, etc and even Majohn are all going for ED models. In fact, even plastic pens like Kaweco sport or Preppy are valued for their ED conversion capabilities. I feel it is far easier to build a plastic/metal case for the nib-unit converter combination which is why there are far more Cartridge/converter pens like Lamy Safari etc. Reliable eyedroppers will always be valued and I hope that India does not lose its edge in this art. I hope there does not come a time when we need to import a Gama Eyas clone from outside