The Gama "Kuyil"

[hari317]

Chennai is the capital of the state of TamilNadu in south India. Chennai has its share of traditional fountain pen shops. The most prominent among these is a famous shop called Gem and Co, which has been serving the needs of pen users for more than 80 years now. They are an exclusive writing instruments and ink shop. They have a house brand and it is called Gama. A variety of models under the Gama brand exist, most of which I have documented on the FPN.

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...ras-pen-shops/

Google Cache of above.

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...903-gama-pens/

Google cache of above

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...-gama-supreme/

Google Cache of above.


I take this chance to document on FP geeks their new model called the Kuyil. Kuyil is the Tamil term for the Indian cuckoo bird. You will see shortly why Gem named the pen so.

The pen is made out of matte black black hard rubber (ebonite) and is an ED filled pen.



Kuyil compared to the famous ebonite Advocate pen made by the Deccan pen stores in Hyderabad(another famous pen store chain in the capital city of Hyderabad in the state of Andhra Pradesh in India).



You can read more about the Advocate here:

http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...-the-advocate/

Cached

Opened, the differences are plainly visible:



The Kuyil is a traditional ED filled pen. The pen purchased by me came fitted with an IPG nib of acceptable quality. I am personally very happy with the impeccable fit and finish of the Kuyil, the cap threads on very smoothly, The threads have flat tops thus the threads feel very smooth in hand, the well made inner cap stops the cap closed very firmly, the clip is good too. The pen writes an acceptable line.

Here are the measurements of my example, I think there might be some piece to piece variation being fully hand made, I just have one example to measure.

capped: 150mm
open(nib tip to barrel's end):137mm
section length:18mm
section diameter:12mm to 14mm taper
posted:172mm
cap diameter:17mm
barrel diameter at the widest point:16mm
3 1/2 turns to uncap the pen.

The cost is quite less as compared to the prices by Deccan for a similar quality. Deccan pioneered the brushed BHR Indian pen, but Gem have done a very superb subtle job with the pen.

The pens were manufactured by Gem and Co. on the concept, design and close supervision provided by my pen purveyor in Chennai called ASAPENs. I could buy the pens directly from Gem through one of my several relatives in Chennai but I have been very impressed by the service provided by ASA so far. I have bought from them in the past and will continue to buy based on past experience. NAYY.
I believe now ASA, in response to inquiries, also caters to foreign buyers.

Usually when I review my Indian pens, I have no answer to how someone could buy them outside of India other than perhaps buy and resell them myself. Now I am glad that someone has taken up the effort to make the stuff available easily to the global audience.

Here is their website in case anyone wants to check it out:

http://asapens.in/eshop/index.php?route=common/home

http://asapens.in/eshop/gama-custom-...in-pen-chennai

Cheers!
Hari