ASA Sniper Review
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I received my ASA Sniper in matte black Saturday, and here is my initial review. Just one pic (above), and it's not a very good one, but I'll try to take some better ones and post them below.
Information on material and the pen's precise dimensions can be found here: http://asapens.in/es...e?search=sniper (No affiliation, other than that of a satisfied customer)
What made me decide to order one was the appearance in the photos from the ASA website, and the initial appearance when I opened the envelope and dug through the multiple layers of packing and protection was very favorable. The ebonite finish is very regular and just rough enough to provide a good grip on the section; no slippage at all. Clear demonstrators are also available. The barrel has the name "Sniper" engraved on it, and below that, "ASA Pens India 2015." The Jowo #5 nib in enclosed in a hooded section that screws into the barrel, and there are a lot of threads between the ink inside and the outside world. The cap screws on and posts securely. The clip is firmly attached, and there is no filial.
Make no mistake, this is a big pen. The capped length is almost identical with that of a Jinhao 159, and both posted and unposted, it is about 10 mm longer than a 159. However, it is not a heavy pen. The barrel and section diameters are slightly less than those of the 159. I have large paws, and I don't like really skinny writing tools (like the classic Cross chrome BP and mechanical pencil), but beyond that, I'm pretty easy to please; the pens in my arsenal have a fairly wide range of diameters, weights, and balances (I can write just fine with the TWSBI 580 posted, for example). Besides that, I have an unusual grip, with the pen resting between my index and middle fingers. The Sniper slots into my hand like it belongs there. I just got done writing a two-page letter with no hint of fatigue.
The Jowo nibs are a known quantity on these forums. I went for the fine-point; medium, bold, and 1.1-mm are also available. It writes with a thicker line than the Japanese fine-point nibs, about the same as the medium nib on my old Sailor 21 pocket pen, but I knew about this, and I'm not at all disappointed with the line that it lays down. The pen is a 3-in-1 filler, taking either a Schmidt K5 converter, or a cartridge (presumably standard international size, but the company website does not specify), or a shot of ink directly into the barrel. I happen to like the simplicity of eyedropper filling, so I shot a dropper-full of Black Cashmere into the barrel, greased the section threads, screwed the section back on, and after a few seconds of light scribbling, the ink was flowing, and it was ready to write. The procedure is the same when the pen has been stored point-up; the ink drains away, and it takes a few (but only a few) seconds for the ink to get back to the point of the nib. Once the ink is flowing, the pen writes very well -- no runs, no skips, no drips. I know for sure that the barrel is nowhere full (in other words, there's a lot of air in there), but there has been no hint of burping. I haven't tested it for how long it can stay uncapped without drying out, but when I was writing my letter, there were uncapped pauses, and when I picked it up again, it was immediately ready to write.
In summary, this is a very good-looking pen that is very pleasant to use. At $55, including shipping from Chennai to the U.S., this one is a keeper.
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Originally Posted by TerraNoir
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