Kanwrite - The Emperor is here

The Kanwrite Emperor is here
The moment I saw the pen listed in the Kanwrite website, I had to buy it. And I must say that the initial experience was an excellent one. Placing the order was hassle free and the pen arrived exactly two days after the order was placed and the money transferred. Kudos Kanwrite.
The box that the pen arrived in is pretty impressive too. Neat, clean, with a magnetic closure, good printed branding with contact details and the two ml ink carrying cartridge that has been provided with the pen, me thinks, is an excellent add-on.
But first more about the pen. The Emperor (mine is a Black Matt with silver trims, other options are also available) is a metal pen that has been machined inhouse, achieving a level of competence that, shall we simply say, is surprising by Indian standards of fountain pen manufacture. It comes fitted with an international #6 nib, and mine is a Broad, as I thought that it will go well with the overall, fat boy, cigar shaped getup of the pen (it weighs a hefty 38 grams without the inks and with the cap - 28 grams if you remove the cap, which will be the weight I will have to carry when I write, as I normally do not post my caps). The fixed piston-type filling system (converter) with a twist mechanism that can accommodate 1 ml ink, too has clear signs of well thought out and competently executed craftsmanship. Near Full Marks to Kanwrite. Kanwrite also scores on the fact that it has provided in the box a separate ink carrying contraption which is a very thoughtful inclusion as it automatically increases the firepower of the writer without having to carry an often-inconvenient bottle of ink. Like I was saying, near full marks to Kanwrite.
The nib is silk smooth - soft, on the paper: just a shade too muted, effeminate if I may use the term, a kind of a mismatch with the overall getup of the pen and its ambitiously christened name. I would personally have preferred just a hint of a feedback, or even a stiff, macho nib to complement the looks, but that is my personal preference. As an independent reviewer, I must say that the nib is as smooth as it gets and 9 out of 10 users are going to love the feel of its wet, almost resistance free countenance on the paper.
It will not be out of place to mention here that Kanwrite is not only India’s biggest and the most celebrated nib maker, it is also one that has, by the dint of consistent adherence to strict quality norms, curved out a distinct niche in the global markets. Kanpur Writers is a name that is not only known, but revered in the world of fountain pen manufacturers globally and I am too insignificant to be commenting on their quality, recognized as they are.
The grip is perhaps a shade too cold and smooth on the hand, but admittedly that is again a personal observation, for which the maker cannot really be blamed.
Now a very important question: What happens when a hugely successful component manufacturer integrates forward to make the complete product, of which it was earlier making only a small part, albeit the most important one? The answer is excitement, for end-users cannot wait to see just how the offering has turned out to be. But more importantly, it opens up a Pandora’s Box of questions. Will the end justify the means? Will excellence in component manufacturing, translate into a superior product that will push the end product a few notches up, expanding the market segment in the process? Or, will it end up being another case of an entity going beyond its brief - biting off more than it can chew, if you may - and falling flat on its face? Manufacturing expertise, like reputation is not easily transferable, and excellence in component manufacture cannot guarantee the achievement of an equal level of excellence in an upstream product. And yes, the existing reputation often creates expectations of a level that is hard to achieve, even live up to.
It is a tad bit premature to pass judgement with this pen. All I can say now is that Kanpur Writers is well on the way.

[@howardcunix4421]

Kanwrite and The Emperor...supreme ruler of the fountain pen empire! Thank You, Sandeep Awasthi and Chawm Ganguly!

[@inkedhappiness]

it is a nice pen, but i would rather not compare it with a Pilot :)

[@avinashprasad2535]

Kanwrite makes neat pens, but the raison d'etere for buying their pens, imo, is the sheer customisability (specially when ordering via email)... From extra fine to double broad nibs and then further grinds like stub, architect, oblique alongwith ebonite feeds if you want so ! I like all their models --- Except their flagship model - the 'legacy' ... For a pen costing ₹3.5K... its just not upto the mark and general consensus is that it is just 'meh' . A flagship product should never be 'meh' ! With the launch of the Jinhao x159, the FP community is abuzz about #8 nibs. I think the time is just right for Kanwrite to relaunch this model with a #8 sized nib... As the #6 nib looks way too small on that big pen, ruining the aesthetics ! A #8 nib will differentiate the legacy model from heritage/desire models and make it worthy of actually being a flagship product. Perhaps with some better scroll art as well - Kanwrite nibs write well, but if you're gonna make a ₹4k flagship pen, might as well give it's nib some better aesthetics ! Even steel nibs from Japanese manufacturers like Sailor and Pilot often are just as nice to look at as they are to write with ! Eg the sailor procolor series or pilot lucina etc

[@howardcunix4421]

Hello Avinash! My Kanwrite Legacy is a top performer--I write with it frequently. And yes, it would be a desirable, future project to see an 8mm-size Kanwrite nib being launched!

[@apurbamazumdar968]

Excellent review of Kanwrite Emperor. I was about to buy this pen, and the review helped me a lot.

[@chawmganguly9621]

glad to be of help :)

[@Rvc546]

How is your experience with the pen ?

[@chawmganguly9621]

@@Rvc546 good

[@Rvc546]

@@chawmganguly9621 i am confused between this and Pilot MR... It's an Indian brand and has a ton of nib options plus it's quite cheap in comparison to pilot MR... But that pen also has a reputation...

[@kaka_kaka28]

I have ordered a Kanwrite Emperor with BBB non-flex nib.

[@gurunathprakash1881]

Kanwrite is awesome. Have tons of them too

[@thepenhover8500]

Which brand pen is better , click or Kanwrite? Please reply which brand you like better click or Kanwrite?

[@inkedhappiness]

Click specializes in Pens, while Kanwrite is primarily into nibs, though they also make pens. the two are strictly not comparable. but if you ask me to give an honest, straight answer, then Click is better, way better.

[@sumitnath6881]

The Emperor pen is overall good. But Sir it has a dripping problem. Thanks for your review

[@AndrewWertheimer]

This is the kind of thing I want to know about in reviews.

[@gamerboy4566]

I have only recently bought the Kanwrite Desire fountain pen. Right after you fill the pen with ink, it will drip a drop or two. But after that it is perfect. No dripping, smooth writing (even with my extra fine nib) and very good ink flow (at least in mine). Can't comment about the Emperor's dripping problem though. I am also interested in purchasing this pen, and would like to know more.

[@lakshyagupta508]

Sir, have you used kanwrite 14k gold nib?, I am considering to buy gold nib housing for my heritage, any opinions?

[@vijay.g.s]

Apologies for intruding and hope Chawm Ganguly ji doesn’t mind, it’s one of the best 14K gold nibs in the market. Even the regular ones are soft, flexible and coupled with the Kanwrite feed gives a wet lush flow. The only drawback I felt was the housing which is kinda lax and let’s the nib move a tad sideways during long write up sessions. It doesn’t have any impact on the writing experience but nags me subconsciously.

[@chawmganguly9621]

kanwrite nibs are world class. about the compatibility, please seek awasthiji's advice before buying :)

[@MrSunando]

Dada, Subho Bijaya. Again a very nice video you have given. My request is to make a video of Moonman.

[@chawmganguly9621]

noted sir, will certainly do one for you :)

[@drnimish333]

Good video. Thanks for sharing sir. I definitely would love to check it out.

[@sathishrao7926]

I liked the Teakwood variant and I placed an order.. I guess this is a great value for money at Rs 1000 !

[@gurunathprakash1881]

Yay I have been aging Sulekha inks

[@vijay.g.s]

A great review sir. I hope you permit a few add ons from my personal use of the emperor. I was fortunate enough to buy the exact same Matt black model from Kanwrite few months back when it was launched by placing the order through Mr. Sandeep Awasthi ji. The pen I felt was aptly weighed and designed for a common user at the right price point. The in-house filling system by Kanwrite is par excellence to the others available in the market. A robust built pen with a satisfying thud on closing the cap, which happens to be one of my favourite features other than the flawless writing experience this pen provides. One of the best release from Kanwrite team. Loved the Whiskey parallel on the description of the ink. Keep rocking sir 👍

[@inkedhappiness]

thank you sirji :)

[@yadlashreyas]

The writing sample to be shown dada

[@chawmganguly9621]

chief there was a problem with the footage of the writing sample. apologies. will certainly be more careful in the future.

[@AndrewWertheimer]

Aloha Chawm. Thank you for another review Since you kindly asked for suggestions, let me share a few: you shouldn’t need to get a BB nib you might not use for the video, but need to set up a camera / tripod that can show the writing if you will include a sample. Please don’t use bad paper for the test as it is rather meaningless as a ‘test’ then. It makes me suspicious of the pen and/ or ink. When the reviewer still praises them it makes me question the trustworthiness of the reviewer, which would be sad since I know you are so passionate about Indian FPs. In my opinion, I will be honest and say that I’m not a fan of most unboxing episodes. I rarely save the packaging (not eco-friendly), but most enjoy when I can learn a bit about the company. Tell me when it was established and if they have some cool designer or how they make nibs and pens or something to give me an image or story about what makes a pen or firm unique. This is especially the case for me as a foreigner wondering about Indian FPs. Maybe most of your viewers already know it all, since Kanwrite seems like such a major player. Still, from the outside I wonder if you would buy these online or from your local stationery shop or what kind of nibs they have,etc. Thank you for considering my comments from a fan. I would much rather have one really good history or tight interview than 100 unboxing shows. In the end the latter just becomes formulaic and unrewarding for creator or audience. On the other hand I imagine the former takes time to research and produce and that this is basically a labor of love, so please take my comments with a grain of salt. You are the professional after all. Enjoy writing and your inks and whiskey 🥂🖋️🌈🇮🇳☮️✍️

[@AndrewWertheimer]

I forgot to add but I quite like how reviewers in North America are usually quite open about if they received the pen as a gift or sample for a review or borrowed it or bought it themselves. Knowing that it was bought or borrowed gives me more confidence that the review will be objective and include good and not so good points.

[@chawmganguly9621]

all extremely valid comments sir! will certainly incorporate them in the future. please give me some time to work out the logistics and tweak things to move towards the ideal presentation. let me tell you this - you have given me a new perspective into the whole thing and i am well and truly grateful. dont know how to thank you for the really valuable suggestions. hope i am able to live up to your expectations!

[@AndrewWertheimer]

@@chawmganguly9621 Thanks for considering the comments. These are only my thoughts, and I am not paying anything to watch or perhaps even in your target audience, so as I said please feel free to take my comments with as much of as little value as you like. I realize that we teachers are sometimes too generous with our "advice." I have a few Kanwrites (from Fountain Pen Revolution), so I was interested in your thoughts. Thank you and best wishes.

[@chawmganguly9621]

@@AndrewWertheimer sir, a teacher's guidance is always welcome, not everyone is lucky enough to be blessed with it. i am blessed to have you show the way and am grateful for your advice :) please feel free to lead me :)

[@AndrewWertheimer]

@@chawmganguly9621 and please lead me on the history, present, and future of fountain pens in India. I am enjoying learning from your most enjoyable talks.

[@Sapta_Chakra]

ভারী সুন্দর আপনার বাচনভঙ্গি আর উপস্থাপনা। অনেক ধন্যবাদ ইংরেজিতে করার জন্য। বহু বিদেশী মানুষ আছেন যাঁরা ভারতীয় কলমে উৎসাহী। তাঁরা আপনার চ্যানেল থেকে অনেক তথ্য বিস্তারিত পাবেন।

[@Roal36]

Wish you would have shown us the writing and the ink.

[@satwikkk]

Sir , how would u compare kanwrite pens with click aristocrat ??? Please guide ...want to buy one ..confused b/w the two ...I currently write with 0.7 / 0.5 rollerball pen

[@inkedhappiness]

since you will be making the switch i suggest that you go for the Click Aristocrat :)

[@indranilbhattacharjee5486]

Hi Chawm Sir. Great unboxing video.. love it. Sir, I have one request, Can you share any information on the upcoming pen shows in Kolkata or other parts of India. of course preference being for the Kolkata events.:)

[@chawmganguly9621]

there is one slated to be held in November / December in Pune. Haven't heard anything concrete about Kolkata though. Will keep you posted :)

[@indranilbhattacharjee5486]

@@chawmganguly9621 Thank you sir :)

[@chawmganguly9621]

@@indranilbhattacharjee5486 the pleasure is all mine chief :)

[@chitrambanerjee]

Really inspiring video. So I went ahead and bought one. I have a question, since the converter is pretty wide, I could not get my ink (lapis bard) sucked to fill the converter. Is that a normal issue ? or I am doing something wrong? Thanks in advance.

[@inkedhappiness]

dont really understand the question - why will the converter fail to draw ink? any ink for that matter?

[@bharatc.sampat6406]

Very good update

[@prateekkackar]

Fab job

[@saikatghosh8472]

is it available over the counter?

[@gurunathprakash1881]

Online I think.

[@chawmganguly9621]

i bought it online. honestly dont know about any counter. however kanpur writers normally participates in the pen shows where i believe the pens can be sourced directly. theres one in pune in november / december :)

[@pronilmanna4633]

Sir please review kanwrite Heritage medium nib

[@siddharthadas4992]

Show Writing Moment In Paper Pad Not Only Through Talk But Practically .That Part Is Creative Enough .My Humble Request .

[@inkedhappiness]

can you be a little more specific, please? what exactly do you want? will certainly do what you want :)

[@ambarlahiri]

I like it.

[@siddharthadas4992]

UNBOXING IS NOT SOLVED ANY THING IT IS JUST ZERO VALUE .

[@inkedhappiness]

ok. will try to avoid unboxing videos