Kim ACR Jumbo - A Pen So Great, I Bought Eight

[K Singh]

I've been in this fountain pen hobby for a while now, and just like many others I, too, have tried to find and get my grail pen.

 

I don't know using what parameters others decide about their grail pen - whether it's rarity, price, the materials used, or whatever. For myself, I kept it simple. I just tried to find the perfect pen made for me.

 

I already loved my Indian ebonite pens and I kept buying and trying several pens. But I couldn't find one that seemed perfect to me. Either the pen was bigger, smaller, girthier, slimmer, too heavy, too light, improperly balanced, or something or the other seemed off about it.

 

It was about 3 years ago that while doing such experiments to find my grail pen that I came across my first Kim Jumbo pen. And as soon as I uncapped the pen and held it in my hand, I knew it was the perfect pen for me, the grail pen that I had been seeking all along. No pen before it, or after it, has made me feel the same.

 

And the fact that it ticked all the remaining boxes for me was just a bonus. Ebonite body ✅. Eyedropper ✅. No ink burps ✅. Built like a tank to easily last ones lifetime ✅.

 

And this also made me realize two other things, which not everyone in this hobby might agree with. First, your grail pen doesn't have to be an expensive one. And second, once you do find your grail pen, you want to have more of it in other colors/materials/etc.

 

Earlier, I never understood why people buy or collect more of the same pen model. Don't they want to keep experimenting forever. Isn't that's how this hobby is supposed to be. But it was after I found this perfect pen for me I realized why they did so. If you like a particular pen a lot - doesn't have to be a grail pen - it just makes you happy to have more of it in different colors/materials, to keep using them in rotation, or just to collect and feel happy that you have enough of your favorite pen.

 

So I, too, started collecting these Kim Jumbo pens. These pens come in few different sizes, and with flat-top designs too. While I never miss an opportunity to buy them as well, it's this Round-top variant of Kim Jumbo that I try to collect. And it's the only pen that I'm trying to collect since 3 years now, and which I'll continue to collect moving ahead as well.

 

I've been very lucky to get all these eight pens even after the production stopped for these few years ago. All of these are very special to me, and I want to thank all the Enthusiasts/Collectors/Sellers who helped me in getting them.

 

I intended to make this post sometime in future once I obtained more of them, but I think eight is a good number as well, given that how hard/rare it is to come across these pens.

 

So here they are, all my beautiful Kim Jumbos. These pens were sold by more than one pen seller here in India, and I'm lucky to have some from each of them. Here are Kim Jumbos from Kim & Co (Calicut), Krishna Pens(Calicut), Krishna Pens(Palakkad, by Dr.Sreekumar), and Kiwi Pens(Mr.Saji). I love them all, and all of them have that one common factor binding them, and that is, all these were made by Master Craftsman A.C.Ramchandranji (the ACR in Kim ACR pens). Without him, none of these pens would exist, and I would still be looking for my grail pen. I owe a huge huge thanks to ACRji for this. I don't care what anyone thinks of this pen. For me, it's the best fountain pen ever made. And nothing is going to change that.

 

Thanks for reading this. And if you read this far, please let me know about your grail pen too. Which one is it? What makes it a grail pen for you? And have you found it yet?

Would love to hear it.

 

Kim ACR Jumbo (left to right): Black, Matte Black, Prussian Blue, Chocolaty Brown, Crimson Red, Parrot Green, Green & Mustard Yellow, Dark Green & Black.

 

[metalhead]

Thanks for sharing this. Really happy you found something that is just perfect for you. A perfect pen for one need not cost a kidney, as you say. Your passion for Kim ACR pens is infectious! Especially like the red and the dark blue ones. Wish I had the wisdom to get them before ACR sir stopped making them. Hope to write with one some day. Once again, thanks for sharing.

[arun.upb]

Wonderful write up and great pens. Can you please add some pics uncapped as well, thanks!

[Harish N V]

Thanks for this post. I haven't found my grail pen yet. However some of them esp. Woodex 39 is the closest to a grail pen i have ventured. I also really love my asa crystal very much. My guider jumbo clip less is also close. 

[Harish N V]

I love kim clips very much. Something unique i guess. I love the matte finish on the black. What nibs do they have?

[K Singh]

45 minutes ago, metalhead said:

Thanks for sharing this. Really happy you found something that is just perfect for you. A perfect pen for one need not cost a kidney, as you say. Your passion for Kim ACR pens is infectious! Especially like the red and the dark blue ones. Wish I had the wisdom to get them before ACR sir stopped making them. Hope to write with one some day. Once again, thanks for sharing.

Thank you so much. I wish I had that wisdom too. I started collecting these pens after they went out of production. And still keep looking for them. Hope you find one soon 👍

[K Singh]

46 minutes ago, arun.upb said:

Wonderful write up and great pens. Can you please add some pics uncapped as well, thanks!

Thanks. Please check my earlier posts. Have shared some of them already. Also, if you want to see detailed pics you can check them at kiwipens.com . It's a great source to know various Kim models along with detailed specs.

[K Singh]

33 minutes ago, Harish N V said:

Thanks for this post. I haven't found my grail pen yet. However some of them esp. Woodex 39 is the closest to a grail pen i have ventured. I also really love my asa crystal very much. My guider jumbo clip less is also close. 

Thank you. Love all those 3 pens that you mentioned 👍 Hope you find your Grail soon.

 

33 minutes ago, Harish N V said:

I love kim clips very much. Something unique i guess. I love the matte finish on the black. What nibs do they have?

You already know them I guess. Same Kanwrite, Ambitious, and Generic iridium nibs. All are stock ones only.

[arun.upb]

1 hour ago, K Singh said:

Thanks. Please check my earlier posts. Have shared some of them already. Also, if you want to see detailed pics you can check them at kiwipens.com . It's a great source to know various Kim models along with detailed specs.

Thanks!

[hari317]

Congrats on finding your grail. A Wality 69T for me in many ways is the perfect pen. But I love a large variety of pens. Do try a Namiki no 20 at a pen show or meet. Yuu might meet a new grail. 

[K Singh]

40 minutes ago, hari317 said:

Congrats on finding your grail. A Wality 69T for me in many ways is the perfect pen. But I love a large variety of pens. Do try a Namiki no 20 at a pen show or meet. Yuu might meet a new grail. 

Thank you Sir. 69T is a great starter pen. I too liked it once and found it very comfortable. Have moved on to bigger pens now.

 

Will keep in mind Sir. Though I do feel the no 20 is on the smaller side for me. Hope to try the namiki urushi #50 some day. But I'll be honest Sir. I am almost content with what I have. Even now I keep looking for these Indian pens only, and I am perfectly happy with it. Maybe my standards are low, or I am content with less. If I save up enough for those Emperors some day, great. And even if I don't, it's still great 🙂

[Harish N V]

Hi. @K Singh. Can you post dimensions if possible 

[K Singh]

15 minutes ago, Harish N V said:

Hi. @K Singh. Can you post dimensions if possible 

Hi. For the exact dimensions I'll recommend kiwipens.com. They have all the details on many of the Kim models, including the Jumbo, and even those other models that I don't have. 

 

Even within these 8 pens, there are minor differences in dimensions across some of the pens.

[Sarosh]

Can you buy Kim from Kim directly vs a 3rd party outlet?