Asvine V126 Vacuum Filling Fountain Pen Medium Nib, Frosted Transparent Clear Acrylic, Large-Capacity with Gift Case

So we own various pens that might be considered, depending on your specific criteria, competitors - PenBBS 355, various Opus 88 models like the mini and demonstrator, basic Nahvalurs , Jaipur V2, Kanwrite Heritage, Conklin, etc. And at this point these are my preferred pocket pen. (Note that I don't consider many of the previous pocket pens: pretty much anything that doesn't allow for closure of the ink chamber like Opus 88 models, the 355, and this pen do, doesn't really count as a proper pocket pen in my view, and even then some pens are too big for the pocket.) That said, of the above pens what I find is that the Kanwrite Heritage is an excellent host for desk usage involving nib unit changes or flex nibs, while Asvine 126 pens are great for daily pocket usage.These are good nib hosts. I have a Franklin Christoph SIG Fine nib on the stock Asvine feed + unit. I've not had this particular nib behave well in the Opus or PenBBS despite trying different feeds and units. it's been prone to random blotting and other inkflow issues. For the 355 I also had to sand down the finial thread for fit. On this pen, it just writes, with reasonable and safe ink flow.I do regard the factory "extra fine" as more of a fine-plus than an extra fine, but that's pretty much the case on most stock extra fine nibs in my view - they're often barely different than factory fine, and often mean factory fine is closer to medium. It's fine for writing with so long as you don't prefer writing extremely small. It write perfectly well, and perhaps slightly on the wetter side of things.I have noticed that once in a while the feed will stop for a moment for no clear reason (NOT skipping) - I think this happens when I forget to open the main chamber until after I've written extensively with it closed or have pocketed it cap-up without closing the main chamber. I assume that means both behaviors somehow lead to an occasional air pocket interacting with the feed. That said, it's not a frequent issue *at all* and solves itself in a couple seconds most of the time. A blip because I forgot to open or close the main chamber is much preferable to blotting or variable ink flow, so I don't mind this at all.I hate fountain pens that use ink cartridges - ink cartridges always leak, break, dry out, or otherwise cause problems, so IMO this is far and away preferable to anything that uses cartridges. I also tend to view regular piston fill pens as too prone to leaking for pocket use. Which makes this easily the best pen for regular everyday use under $100 IMO.It does post, though a bit loosely. I find the size to be slightly shorter than I care for unposted, and slightly taller than I care for posted, but that's not bad by any means - it's a more comfortable size than the Opus pens all round, though I think the length of the 355 unposted is slightly preferable compared to the Asvine V126.Have two of these and may get one more just to have another nib available for pocket use. Do wish they cam in more colors, especially more non-gold metal finishes.

I love this pen and use it everyday. It is a vacuum filler, so if you don't know what that is you should do a little research before purchasing as they are a little different to use. Also, you must use bottled fountain pen ink with this pen, in cartridges will not work. I find that this Asvine pen is well constructed of sturdy plastic. The frosted black looks great and allows you to see how much ink you have left at a glance. The vacuum filling mechanism works well and I achieve a 3/4 fill every time. But, the best part of this pen is the nib. My steel medium Asvine nib is very smooth, exhibits the right wetness, and writes consistently every time for me. I find this pen a joy to use and I do use it everyday, which is saying something with the number of pens in my collection! Bottom line; this is a great vacuum filler fountain pen for the price.

- My pen was shipped in a timely fashion and arrived on time and was packaged well and arrived without damage.- The pen's vac filler works very well and can half+ fill on a single plunge of the piston.- The nib's tines were perfectly aligned and the nib was well centered and seated with the feed.- I filled the pen with Pilot Blue Black, a rather wet and well lubricated ink, and the pen writes a tight, well formed line consistent with European extra fine nibs.- After a few days of use for long form journaling I can report that I have never once experienced a hard start nor any ink starvation at all.- So why then am I not giving this really lovely pen 5 stars? The reason is that the piston cap is very loose and wobbles when the piston in not securely screwed down, such as when you would leave it slightly open to allow a steady flow of ink to the feed, and feels rather flimsy. It makes the pen feel something less than a finely crafted writing instrument. Had this not been the case I would certainly have given this pen a full 5 stars.

I LOVE this fountain pen. It is super smooth and I love the asthetic of it. The clear barrel lets you see exactly how much ink you have left and I like that you can put any color ink you want into it. It writes bold and fine depending on which way you hold it. It is nice and light so it doesn't tire your hand. I hope it lasts a really long time.

These pens are fantastic. I bought the swirl brown and the translucent green. They are so beautiful in person, pics don’t do them justice. I am relatively new to fountain pens, so definitely not an expert, but these write so smoothly and just feel great in hand. If you’re new and looking for a great, inexpensive starter pen, give these a try. I do want to note that the Asvine nibs run a little big. Extra fine is more like a fine in other brands.

It’s a great writing and looking pen. From the day I received it and loaded it with ink, I have had nothing but leak problems. I hope I just got a bad one, but I don’t even fill it anymore. It is my first vacuum fill so I was excited for that. Mine leaks from both ends. I know if I grab this pen, I’ll have ink on my hands. Mine is far outside the return window, so nothing I can do. There are no sharp edges and it is a very comfortable pen.