V126 Matte Black

This is my first vacuum filler pen, and so far, I love it. :) It's nice to see a vacuum filler that won't break the bank. Before this, I've preferred to eyedropper my pens, when I could, but vacuum filling is more convenient and far less likely to be messy. Its form is very similar to the Pilot Custom 823, but at a fraction of the price. The nib isn't scratch, but it has just enough bite to let you know you're using a fountain pen instead of a ballpoint or rollerball. I would say the feedback is a little lighter than a well-used pencil. The writing experience itself has been flawless so far. I've had it about a week, and it's never had a false start. As soon as you put pen to paper, it's ready to go, smooth as silk. Right now I'm using blue Iroshizuku ink. The pen seems to like it just fine. It's well-balanced, and doesn't feel heavy in the hand, but it's heavy enough to feel substantial. It's apparently possible to eyedropper the V126, but it involves using O-rings and silicone grease, so I haven't done it. The ink capacity of this pen is such that I wouldn't really feel a need. There's only one thing I can really ding it for: I would've liked a metal clip that was either gold or silver colored. The other colors for this pen have clips that are a bit more elegant than the matte black of this one. That's not enough of an issue that I'd take a point off for it, though.

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.

Came in today. The color of the pen is stunning. Incredibly smooth nib, nice weight, feels "premium", filling is simple. No dry starts. Now I wish I got the 1.1 stub! It was this or Pilot 823, I'm happy with my choice and pocket! UPDATE: I am taking one star away. I went back and purchased another V126 with a 1.1 stub. THAT PEN IS EVERYTHING! I am upset because Asvine is not selling the 1.1 stub nib replacment, just EF/F/M/B. Why not STUB!?!?!?! Please help!

I’ve been looking for a better way to do the lettering on my cartoon work. Though dip pens produce reasonable lettering quality, they are a bit slow and result in varying letter thickness, as ink typically runs faster immediately after dipping the pen. I hoped that a fountain pen could be the solution to these difficulties, so that’s why I bought this particular pen. Sadly, you can’t run India ink through fountain pens, something I didn’t know prior to buying this pen; however, I discovered a reasonable substitute involving the use of Platinum Carbon Ink (black). Though this ink doesn’t stand up to erasing the way a good India ink would, if you are careful in your application of pencil that needs to be erased, the lettering ink work does not get significantly compromised. Finally, about this pen in particular, it puts down the ink in a wonderfully consistent manner. The ink flow is smooth and reliable. Its medium nib provides an excellent line weight, something that I especially need since my cartooning ends up getting photo-reduced prior to printing. What I truly appreciate about writing with this fountain pen is how it allows me to use my natural handwriting style, something that the nib pen simply can’t match because of the angle that you need to maintain in relationship to the paper surface. Several concluding remarks: it is nice to be able to fill the pen from a 60 mL bottle of ink rather than having to constantly purchase and dispose of cartridges, the pen body is solid and fits my hand well, and the weight of the pen is perfect for natural writing motions – not too heavy…not too light…just right (or should I say “just write”? Ha!).

The quality of materials and craftsmanship were greater than expected and the nib was smooth and surprisingly soft. The pen writes, looks, and functions better than pens 10 times the price. Obviously the nib is gold plated so it won't last like the $300 pen it's a clone of, but value for the money it's totally worth it. I bought a second one (the Grey one) because it writes so well. Having said that, it is a Vacuum Filler and in general Vacuum Fillers have some quirks that make them not flow well if you don't unscrew the back so ink can move into the section for longer writing sessions. But they are safer to travel with as the ink reservoir is sealed when the back screw the back closed so it is less likely to leak on planes and going up in elevation while driving. For context, I refurbish vintage flex fountain pens as a hobby and my collection includes Pelican, Mont Blanc, Pilot, Monte Verde, Conklin, Maybe Todd, Parker, Waterman, Lamy, as well as Pen BBS, Wing Sun, etc. So, I am not new to the fountain pen world.

Edit: Oof - one of the caps shattered. I don't even know how... never taken apart the finale on the cap. Only had it for a few months and i have never dropped it. Disappointing. I have one in every single color. They are extremely well made, easy to modify because both the bluedew and flexible nib factory zebra g nib units work in them. Easy to clean because they can be disassembled without any fuss. Huge capacity. The weight and balance is perfect. I'm not a big fan of the original nib. It's smooth and all of them work well enough, but they are also hard as a nail. The hardness just fatigues my hand very quickly. The asvine stock nibs can also be rather inconsistent - some write nice and fine, others are too wet. My fav nib is the zebra G nib so I was super happy to find out that the moonman #6 housing from the flexible nib factory is a perfect fit. The nibs from bluedew also work, but is a tighter fit and because there is no o ring at the bottom, ink will leak into the section. I don't really mind it. I use flex nibs as my daily writer (and I do a lot of long hand writing) and this set up is just perfect for me. The modifications cost me an extra 20 - 40 bucks per pen but still way cheaper and better flex than the other vintage and modern flex options out there. FPR has great flex but it writes too wet for me and I don't get nice hairlines. Vintage pens are too expensive or a bit of a crapshoot. Haven't tried the pilot falcon, but honestly don't feel the need to after I found this set up. Writing with flex nibs is also very ink intensive, so the huge capacity here is amazing. I hardly ever use the vacuum filling mechanism to be honest, because I don't find it very effective and I prefer to just syringe fill it since the section can be easily unscrewed. Much cleaner and easier process. Just wanted to share in case it helps someone else looking for a flexible nib set up and is frustrated with the options out there.

The Asvine V126 is a well-built piston-filling fountain pen that offers a smooth and consistent writing experience. Its transparent body looks elegant and makes checking ink levels easy, while the large ink capacity is perfect for daily use. The nib glides nicely across paper, though the grip can feel a little slippery during long sessions. Overall, it’s a sturdy, reliable pen that offers great value for both beginners and experienced fountain pen users.