Scrikss 419 piston filler – Turkish delight!

Scrikss Fountain pens – try them, they do incorporate the best of the East and the West.

The search for a fountain pen that writes well, is pleasing to the eye and does not call for the breaking of banks has been, and continues to be, an everlasting one. Yes, I do admit that we, the lovers of fountain pens are never content, and the acquisition of one, is but an excuse to pine for the next. But then again, there are pens that come in from time to time that are capable of holding our fleeting attention for just that bit longer, to induce us to ink them up and partake of the sheer pleasure of writing with them.

The Scrikss 419 piston filler is one such pen. Its light in weight, has simple lines incorporating the most basic accoutrements, is fitted with a nib that writes exceedingly well and is priced reasonably. What more, can one possibly want from a pen? The Lifetime Warranty (for 99 years, no less) is thus an added, welcome extra. And any likeliness to the fabled Pelikans is purely coincidental.

Okay, Scrikss is not really a household name among the fountain pen lovers in general and those  particularly in India, so I guess a little introduction is in order.

This Istanbul, Turkey based company traces its history back to 1963 when it was founded as an entity to primarily deal in stationery items. Yes that was the year that Martin Luther King Jr. made the “I have a dream” speech. The first Scrikss fountain pens, however, were made only in 1966. Except for the nibs, everything else was locally made and it was from this first pen (code named 17) that Scrikss has been so obsessed with quality – so much that a full one-year warranty had been offered initially, which was extended to envelop all Scrikss products, for lifetime, in 1982. The warranty covers all mechanical malfunctions irrespective of age.

In its long and illustrious career Scrikss has been associated in various capacities with world dominating names like Waterman, Pelikan and Cross and it goes without saying that much of the positive attributes of these brands have rubbed off to Scrikss products, which are generally of extremely good quality, apart from being very pleasing to the eye, not to mention the pleasures they behold for the user. The fact that the Scrikss motto is to provide instruments that facilitate “writing without effort”, is self-explanatory.

I have long heard about and wanted to use Scrikss products, especially the piston fillers that many say carry the DNA of the Pelikan. Finally, when I was successful in establishing contact with the company, I was utterly surprised to learn that the Classic 419 is not only being reproduced in limited quantities but that they also have an Indian representative – Tejura Overseas in Mumbai, who, I found again to my sheer delight, are not only extremely cooperative but are also equally efficient to match. The payment went like a breeze and the pens arrived, securely packed, in near record time. Considering the imported nature of the products, the price too was very reasonable, almost invitational, if one may add. What was remarkable about dealing with Tejura Overseas and certainly warrants a mention, is the personal interest they displayed, caringly keeping me informed about the status of the shipment and enquiring about the safe delivery. May their tribe increase!  

I had ordered a black and a burgundy pen. Both come with transparent ink windows with nibs, clips and the centre band in gold, with the Scrikss name etched in the nib and the band. The piston mechanism works without a glitch, and everything, from the pens themselves, to the boxes they were packaged in, has an air of unstated elegance in them. Refined, as opposed to ostentatious. And after extensively using the pens, I am tempted to change that to efficiency as opposed to bluster.

It is a real pity that the pens, outstanding performers as they are, are not as popular as they should be among the fountain pen lovers – they have already written their way to a special corner of my heart. The weight is extremely friendly to the grip, which is accentuated by their relatively sleek styling (the barrel and cap are made of acrylic that is scratch resistant to boot). The flow of ink is just perfect – on the high ground between wet and dry – and they write (with, as the company literature points out, “sensitive fine core nib” that is gold plated and iridium tipped),with neither feedback nor scratchiness, “smooth as silk”, if one is permitted to use the term. Such pens are a delight to carry in the pocket and for heavy writers, who carry a pen for the purpose they were intended to (as opposed top those who look at them as accessories) the pens are just perfect. For, even with long periods of writing, the pens do not lead the writer to fatigue, nor do they cause any other irritation, their grip section being just the right ergonomic size as they are.

For More information:

www.scrikss.com.tr