I recently paid a visit to Daytone industries, Indore. I wanted to visit the manufacturing facility. However, the owner informed me that he wasn’t available for a walkthrough. So, we reserved it for a later date. However, I could not stop myself from buying their assorted collection of the ‘Extra Fine’ inks for fountain pens. Since I had reserved myself a visit, I also got a nice discount from them.
Even for the asking price of roughly 900 INR, a pack of fifteen colors of inks is a deal. However, you can get yourself the inks at much lesser prices on websites like Amazon and Flipkart.
The owner informed me that he was happy to see a steady increase in demand. And, within the last 5-10 years, he has seen a trend shifting in favor of using and soliciting the use of ink (or fountain) pens.
Here, in this post, I have sampled all fifteen inks for you. Some I really liked. Some I reserved for later use.
Crimson VioletDark StormSapphire BlueCerulean BlueBottle GreenLeaf GreenYellowOrangeCoralRubyScarletMagentaPurpleChocolateJet Black
Most of the colors are matt finish and do not shade or sheen. However, some shading naturally occurs because of a single or double pass of ink.
I especially like that, at the price point those inks are sold, you can play around with different colors. I am using Chocolate, for instance in my Pilot Custom 823. It is a relatively cheap ink for a pricey pen—a rather unlikely combination. However, in the little time I used the combination, I changed the ink. So, I didn’t, purposely, let the ink dry within the pen. I’m really not sure how will the ink behave if the pen is left unused for a long time. But I’d prefer experimenting by using a pocket-friendly pen.
Sapphire Blue and OrangeMy Pilot Custom 823 in Amber inked with Chocolate
In daily use, I have found the inks to be pen friendly. The inks may not always be paper friendly, insomuch as they will require a fountain pen-friendly paper. You can view more writing samples on my Instagram feed:
Fountain pens may be a fetish in 2021. In stark contrast, the era of the 1990s wasn’t kind to either fountain pens or their makers. And unlike most of the manufacturers who faded into the books of our long-forgotten history, a few not just survived but flourished and sailed through the turbulent tides of time. One such story of the might of the fountain pens and the determination of their makers is of the Gagwani family, the owners of Click Pens. They couldn’t be happier sharing their experience with me. Harsh welcomed me to meet him at his workshop — an offer I was not going to reject. Amidst the prevailing circumstances of COVID-19, I couldn’t have expected any warmer welcome.
The Timeline
The first-generation of Gagwanis, Shri Gokuldas Gagwani, came to Indore, Madhya Pradesh and set up a manufacturing unit that acted as OEM for local, national brands. His brush with the renowned Wilson Pens made it relatively easier for him to look into the whole process with a keen and observant eye. For a considerable part of the then-growing business, Click Pens continued to bring industry-first innovations, like India’s first Matt-finish writing instrument and were amongst first in India to introduce aeromatic ink-filling mechanisms. All that while the demand for fountain pens continued to plunge into the seemingly never-ending gorges.
With an undying spirit, the Gagwanis chose to continue to invest in the no-longer flourishing business units. They bought, for example, Blue Nile in 2009 and Serwex in 2015 to expand their portfolio up to over 80 models. And if this wasn’t enough, they introduced their very own — conceived, designed, and manufactured — product from Click Pens, the Aristocrat series. This, as the youngest Gagwani likes to call, the “no-nonsense pen.” He demonstrated how despite him shaking the pen, the ink didn’t spill through onto the section. But — unlike the ink — that’s not the only instance where the quality seeps through; more on it in a bit.
Click Pens also works as an OEM for some well-known fountain pen brands in the United States of America. Even though I am bound by the condition to not reveal the names, I deduce two things: one, that workmanship and consistency are top-priority for Click Pens, and two, even if I happen to buy a pen from ‘that’ brand, the Swadeshi in me will still be getting a high-quality India-made pen.
The Quality that Speaks for Itself
Through my professional experience, I realize that I can sell a product only once. That is, if the product is outstanding, it will continue to sell by itself. Aristocrat isn’t any exception; the product sells itself. Given its asking price, the construction quality is top-notch. The pen neither squeaks nor spills. It doesn’t burp. In fact, you can choose from an assortment of colors and nib choices. And, because there isn’t any harm in asking for more, the pen — entering 2021, that is — comes with a replaceable nib unit. So, you can swap any nib unit of your choice from the Falcon or Renaissance series.
All pens come with a multi-threaded design. This means, even if the threads are noticeable, they are neither obtrusive nor any pain in the opening-and-closing operations. You can pick any pen from Click. I repeat. Any pen. And it opens and closes in less than two-and-a-half turns. I have, for the comparison, a Guider Medium Ebonite. It has an equal number of threads, and it takes me about four turns, at the very least, to open or close it.
The Work and the Workshop
The workshop spans a structured, well-laid-out area where production and assembly are carried out. The storage area is well-secured and contains all parts for all current and previous models, including some old, discontinued pens made using cellulose acetate butyrate (CAB) plastic.
There is a dedicated aisle for injection molding. Aside from some industry-specific machines that I could not take a picture of, the remaining workshop area is divided equally amongst the molding, tapering-and-turning, and polishing-and-buffing sections. A part of the workshop is also reserved for the final assembly and quality-check processes.
The Target
Success isn’t a day’s affair. You have to continue to invest yourself in it. Harsh invested himself into this business when he turned 16. And, he hasn’t had to look back since then. First Aristocrat, then Falcon, and now Renaissance. With each iteration and every model that Click Pens has introduced since they have continued to build better products. Harsh is also working on a few innovations, a couple of which, if he is satisfied with the quality (I like how he continues to focus on it), will see the light of the day “very, very soon.”
I remain one fountain pen enthusiast who will wait for more products from Click Pens more frequently. I am, at least, relieved that my purchase proposition will be a “no-nonsense” product of good quality. And — because I am speaking of quality — I will say that with sufficient references to the stories and learning from the history of Click Pens, I will know when it clicks. 🙂
One more thing! I also had a chance to buy (and try) a few pens from them. I the upcoming reviews, I will share my thoughts on and experiences with those pens.
The Wordsmith 
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