Acrylic vs Resin question

[tommym]

Ranga Pens now offers a line of Epoxy Resin pens. Can anyone provide any insights into acrylic vs. epoxy resin?  Feel, Durability, Fading, etc.

 

Thanks,

 

Tommy

[Harish N V]

Sorry Tommy. Never used resins. Kandan of Ranga will be able to provide the correct response to this.

 

Resins are new to me. 

[tommym]

Hi,

 

I contacted Mr. Kandan regarding the two materials, and it seems that the new epoxy resin is more fragile than acrylic and, apparently, ebonite. He said the epoxy resin is OK with something like the 3C but recommended against it with the slimmer 4CS pen, my favorite Ranga model. He didn't flat-out say no to an epoxy resin 4CS version, but I'll stick with his recommendation and stick with ebonite and acrylic for the 4CS.

 

Tommy  

[deuter]

What is so special about these Ranga Pens, atleast from the pictures on the website the finish quality doesn't seem that clean.

[Harish N V]

8 hours ago, tommym said:

Hi,

 

I contacted Mr. Kandan regarding the two materials, and it seems that the new epoxy resin is more fragile than acrylic and, apparently, ebonite. He said the epoxy resin is OK with something like the 3C but recommended against it with the slimmer 4CS pen, my favorite Ranga model. He didn't flat-out say no to an epoxy resin 4CS version, but I'll stick with his recommendation and stick with ebonite and acrylic for the 4CS.

 

Tommy 

Thanks for the information. I saw some samurai pens in resin at a pen show and couldn't really register any subtle differences in materials. Mr Kandan also says a flat out no to acrylics in 4cs. Something with cracking I guess. The section of the 4cs just about holds the nib unit. 

 

8 hours ago, deuter said:

What is so special about these Ranga Pens, atleast from the pictures on the website the finish quality doesn't seem that clean.

I can only answer from my experience. I can extend Ranga and other handturned pen makers in India. Firstly I love the ebonite material compared to resins, acrylics etc. In that context, Ranga offers a huge range of colours and finishes.

 

There has not been a single Ranga pen that has not worked or functioned. So attention to detail is given 

 

Thirdly I respect the skill required in making a handturned pen. From what I saw on a YouTube video, it needed a lot of skill and patience to make one. 

 

With respect to finishing quality, I find Ranga to be one of the best out there. Actually Ranga is shifting more towards premium ebonites. The Indian ebonite is prone to black dots, pits etc. So they are encouraging customers towards premium ebonites. So in short Ranga is very particular about the quality aspects. 

 

 

 

[Harish N V]

Btw. I have over 15 Ranga pens.

[tommym]

2 hours ago, Harish N V said:

Thanks for the information. I saw some samurai pens in resin at a pen show and couldn't really register any subtle differences in materials. Mr Kandan also says a flat out no to acrylics in 4cs. Something with cracking I guess. The section of the 4cs just about holds the nib unit. 

 

I hope they are not slowly phasing out the 4S and 4CS pens altogether and will keep offering the ebonite models. BTW, one of the guys in my local pen group has a nice collection of Ranga Acrylic 4S and 4CS. But they all have an odd-looking Sheaffer section which he loves, loves, loves! That resolves the section issue. But I hate, hate, hate the looks of that Sheaffer section! It makes me sad. 

 

I tried to buy a few of his dedicated eyedropper 4CS, but he is not letting go of those either. 

 

 

Tommy

[tommym]

Here is an image of a Ranga 4CS acrylic pen with a Sheaffer section. Maybe if I stare at it long enough, it might grow on me. 

 

Tommy

 

[tommym]

12 hours ago, deuter said:

What is so special about these Ranga Pens, atleast from the pictures on the website the finish quality doesn't seem that clean.

 

I grew up on Montblancs, and my Limited Editions continue to be the most expensive fountain pens in my collection. However, I have no issues with my Rangas regarding fit and finish.

 

Tommy

[a.m]

2 hours ago, tommym said:

Maybe if I stare at it long enough, it might grow on me. 

😄

[Harish N V]

22 hours ago, tommym said:

Here is an image of a Ranga 4CS acrylic pen with a Sheaffer section. Maybe if I stare at it long enough, it might grow on me. 

 

Tommy

 

Yes. I have seen this one. IAM too not a great fan of the Sheaffer section. I love 4c and 4cs precisely due to the long tapering grip

[tommym]

52 minutes ago, Harish N V said:

Yes. I have seen this one. IAM too not a great fan of the Sheaffer section. I love 4c and 4cs precisely due to the long tapering grip

 

Yes, the 4CS's thin, long tapering grip, combined with a #6 nib, gives it very elegant proportions. Possibly Ranga's most elegant pen. I may even order a few without a clip to accentuate these elegant proportions further. I recently started researching roll stops. One of my more recent 4CS acquisitions is shown in the image below.

 

Tommy

 

[terim]

The new epoxy resins are really gorgeous and Ranga is able to give them a shinier finish than other materials.  We are carrying the Abhimanyu, 4NC and Grand Abhimanyu in these resins.

 

 

 

[tommym]

1 hour ago, terim said:

The new epoxy resins are really gorgeous and Ranga is able to give them a shinier finish than other materials.  We are carrying the Abhimanyu, 4NC and Grand Abhimanyu in these resins.

 

 

 

 

Thanks Teri,

 

Were those Acrylic/Sheaffer pens exclusive to Payton Street Pens?

 

I noticed your site has a large selection of Roll Stops, too. I might pick up a few later.

 

Tommy

[Harish N V]

On 5/1/2024 at 9:25 PM, tommym said:

 

Yes, the 4CS's thin, long tapering grip, combined with a #6 nib, gives it very elegant proportions. Possibly Ranga's most elegant pen. I may even order a few without a clip to accentuate these elegant proportions further. I recently started researching roll stops. One of my more recent 4CS acquisitions is shown in the image below.

 

Tommy

 

That's gorgeous. Lovely ebonite

[K Singh]

On 5/2/2024 at 3:49 AM, tommym said:

Were those Acrylic/Sheaffer pens exclusive to Payton Street Pens?

No. A senior collector friend also has similar pens with Sheaffer section in Ranga body. His are very old pens and he told me he was the first to get those pens made from Ranga, and which Ranga later started offering to others as well. 

[tommym]

7 hours ago, Harish N V said:

That's gorgeous. Lovely ebonite

 

It's Ranga's P12 Orange/Black Premium Ebonite. 

 

Tommy

[tommym]

5 hours ago, K Singh said:

No. A senior collector friend also has similar pens with Sheaffer section in Ranga body. His are very old pens and he told me he was the first to get those pens made from Ranga, and which Ranga later started offering to others as well. 

 

Thanks for the additional insights.

 

Tommy

[tommym]

On 4/30/2024 at 2:18 AM, Harish N V said:

Mr Kandan also says a flat out no to acrylics in 4cs. Something with cracking I guess. The section of the 4cs just about holds the nib unit. 

 

I followed up on this with Mr. Kandan, and you are correct: NO to an Acrylic 4CS. However, you can still get the Acrylic "Imperial" version of the 4CS via Payton Street Pens. 

 

Ranga - Model 4CS Imperial - Peyton Street Pens

 

Tommy

 

[terim]

5 hours ago, tommym said:

 

I followed up on this with Mr. Kandan, and you are correct: NO to an Acrylic 4CS. However, you can still get the Acrylic "Imperial" version of the 4CS via Payton Street Pens. 

 

Ranga - Model 4CS Imperial - Peyton Street Pens

 

Tommy

 

Yes, the section is the problem. The acrylic can't be made thin and still be strong enough for a regular #6 nib unit. In the case of our pens, they use the Sheaffer screw in section which screws straight into the barrel.