I would love to see a comparison between this model and the TWSBI Vac 700 with all 3 nibs represented. Thanks as well for your advice on the pen shows. Went to my first one and got a spectacular deal on a new Monteverde with the omniflex nib I was wanting to try. Missed out on a MB Nobliise this time but looking forward to next year. Met many great people from the penmakers and nib tuners to seasoned attendees and collectors. Can't wait for next year's show.
There is something about silver colored metal trim on a clear demonstrator that makes me want to buy everyone I see. Brushed,satin, shiny doesn’t matter.
Thanks for the review. I already ordered the V200 about 2 hours ago, an now I can hardly wait for it to arrive. I did buy an Osprey Pens broad architect nib in a Bock compatible nib unit and was able to just screw out the nib unit (an Asvine nib) from an Asvine P50, and screw in Bock comoatible nib unit. It works great. While I enjoy the Asvine nibs, I have been wanting to try an architect nib, so now I have one. Asvine just seem to keep improving, maybe ine the future the will offer a long blade or a Naginata Togi style of nibs in their own brand.
It’s an older video but I’ve been looking at this one for a while, huge Asvine fan…no vac fills pens yet so it is probably my next purchase. Appreciate it!
Hi DB! Thanks for keeping us up to date on the Asvine products! My V-126 is writing like a champ and they are very nice pens for the money. The boxes are quite nice, too.
@doodlebud - I bought this pen off this vid/your recommendation. I have not been disappointed. Nice weight, grip section not slippery, and a tremendous value for the money. I did smooth nib/tune to my liking - but already wrote very well. Will be ordering other Asvine pens now. Very well made, in my opinion. Thank you very much!
I’ve been using my Asvine P36, with an Asvine F nib for a couple of weeks and haven’t found the grooves to be too sharp, or really anything to complain about. I too am very impressed with the progress of Asvine and the fit and finish rivaling that of far more expensive pens. I am hoping that the overall effect of brands from China and India improving their quality, may impact the street price of some Japanese and European brands. There are times that I blindly reach for a pen and after writing for a while look down and realize it isn’t one of my “grail” pens, but a sub $50 USD pen. Sometimes it seems like we have a silly hobby.
Great review - Superbly done video - Thank you. I would get one of these, except that I already have a Pilot 823 with it's excellent nib. These are incredible value.
I think the back cap should be full titanium (It Should not be having plastic inserted threads inside). This way metal on metal threads will not have the issue. I have the v126 and i confirm this flaw.
I just checked your channel and saw that you're from India too, Ravi ji. How did you purchase your Asvine V126? I'm a student and am looking for that pen because of its ink capacity, but I cannot find the pen on Amazon India.
They really need to stop making caps that turn the back knob, even if this is a vac filler and will not accidentally spill ink. It just diminishes the value of the design in my opinion. Also, those o-rings seem a bit finicky. Nice looking pen overall though.
Nice pen. I have a Conid Regular and the V200 seems almost a copy of that pen except for the filling system. And of course it's less then 1/10th of the price of the Conid :). I guess this was to be expected as their P36 was very close to the Conid Kingsize demonstrator.
Sorry, I just keep hearing "Doodle Bug"... but at least I recognize the logo instantly. 😁 This Asvine demonstrator looks great with the metal parts. One more for the wishlist! ❤️👍
Beautiful pen, but I bought the Goldspot Kaweco last night. Maybe next month! Tip for you from a chemist: always put your caps on your desk upside down. No mess on your desk, and the ink that's in the cap doesn't run down the threads and make a mess of the bottle neck
I find the Asvine have similar quality to my penbbs pens. But, the Asvines have smoother nibs. My P20 was my best nib for smoothness until I purchased a gold nib. My P20 hasn’t left my ink rotation. So, looks like I am ordering a v200
nice review and very nice pen but I'll wait until is sold inside EU, over the import taxes and the major inconvenience and delays when an item is held in customs in Portugal. I actually never post pens, don't like it and keep away from those which need to. I've gotten used to keep the cap on my left hand while writing and I like pens like this one
Noticed the same chewing of the vac cap threads on my V126, added silicone grease to it and it seems to be better, but not sure if that is because of the greasing, or because what was going to get chewed up has already been chewed up
Yeah, the grease only makes it feel better LOL, it won't stop the carnage. There might be a certain amount that gets chewed up and thats it, which is what Im hoping for. I would like to see a little more detail go into this part of the pen to avoid this
Could anyone comment on the rear cap thread wear that Doodlebud noted now that we're 6 months or so after the release? I'm thinking of getting this pen for heavy everyday - would really help to know if it chews-up to a point like Doodlebud hoped, or if it really just wears away. Cheers!
Been in the hobby a decade or so, you are my favorite reviewer by far! Would give ya a firm handshake and big thank you if I ever saw ya! Thanks for all the reviews, I've been considering putting a FPR ultra flex with the bock ebonite feed into a V200(bock), the reviews AND comments are nothing but good from a ~$50 pen, hard to find many other pens at that price get such rave reviews, in our weird hobby. Edit: Green Ink suggestion if you haven't tried it. Monteverde Forest Green is my personal favorite of the greens I've seen/tried.
I have the Asvine P50 and P36 that I got with the Asvine nib and was able to put a standard Bock nib unit in both. I had to put the black o-ring from the Asvine nib unit that's around the cartridge post onto the Bock unit, but they do screw in no problem. I have heard that if you get the pen from Asvine with the Bock nib, the nib unit doesn't come out, so my advice is to get the Asvine nib version and buy a loose Bock nib if you'd like to swap it out.
@@sbornot2b I unscrewed the Asvine nib unit and just screwed in a standard Bock unit, the threading is the same. Don't swap the nib and feed, swap the whole unit out. You can see in the video when he has the Asvine nib unit out it's the same overall shape as a standard Bock unit.
You can fix the nib orientation easily. I received this pen with a Medium nib. Since i wanted the fine, i ordered the 3 piece set. I put on the F nib and the orientation of the nib and clip was close to aligned. I unscrewed the nib unit a tiny bit and now they line up straight. I put the M nib back on taking care to not overtighten and it was dead on straight. This may help those of us with OCD alignment issues. Just unscrew the nib unit a tiny bit it doesn't affect the seal. I left it for a week and no issues
Another vote for this. I bought this with the bock M nib. I have two twsbi 700r and two pilot 823. I like the v200 more than the 700Rs but not quite as much as the 823s. I hope Asvine do a variation, maybe in rose gold metal, or if not, some different transparent barrel colours.
Thanks for the video. One question: give that there are so many different pens being produced by all these: Jinhao, Moonman, Wing-Sung, Asvine: if you had to choose top 3 best among all those that we have available, what would those be? It’s not easy to keep track, and after some time, all the names start soundinh like alphanumeric codes: V126, P20, P36, P30, V169, X750, 9019. May be that can be a topic for a separate video by itself. Once again , thanks for all the work and effort.
Well, watched this and went to the link below and got the V200. I prefer non-threaded caps and slimmer pens. Measurements don't make it much bigger than the Pilot Kakuno, but the Kakuno feels substantially thinner. I like the weight and balance of the V200 better (though it is 5-6x more expensive than the good and exceedingly affordable Kakunos), having much more heft and refined body, and is a little smoother. The Extra Fine nib on the V200 is about the same size as the Fine nib on the Kakuno. My EF Kakuno arrives tomorrow, so I'll see how it stacks up. Overall, I like it. And being an engineer, I specially like the design and construction of it. I'll keep an eye out and see if they have something in a similar artistic style to the V200, but a little thinner and press cap. Only downside is the nib on mine is a little wobbly. Looks like the nib holder/body/sleeve/blackplasticthing is loose... I'll see if my mad engineering skills can't tighten it up.
Had an eye on a P36 due to my love for titanium items. There are a lot of negative reviews on Amazon about scratchy nibs and skipping lines. Even the "Bock" nibs seem to be of a doubtful quality. Just lost my apetite for their pens. They're gorgeous but...
Thanks for the early review. Very interesting pen. I have the P36 and I love it and this is new one looks very attractive to me as well. Usually Bock nibs in Bock feeds and assemblies can be exchanged with a wide variety of other #6 nibs (Jowo ond many Chinese options). I guess this means that the Asvine option is not wiedly compatible with other nib options. Is this a fair assumption?
Thank you for the review. Avine is making very good pens. However, there seems to be a design issue that it would be great you discuss in your channel. I own the P20, the V126, and the V200. I took the three of them in a flight. The P20 did just fine, like most fountain pens. The V126 and the V200, however, leaked between the barrel and the section. The other issue is that the ink flow seems to be uneven on the V126 and V200. When you unscrew the back to allow ink to go into the smaller reservoir, there are times when the ink simply doesn't flow. This is not an issue on other vacuum filler pen (say, Visconti power filler). It would be great if you discuss both issues in your channel. Thanks again for the fantastic reviews and your attention to detail.
I had a problem with filling the V126. I couldn't get more than a half fill. I like that you can get a full fill. Thanks for the demonstration. I also like the pen is a smaller pen than the P36. Certainly a pen worth getting.
Turn the pen upside down and, very carefully, extend the filling rod and then push it forward until small ink drops start to form on the feed (again, be very gentle and careful). The ink now occupies all the space it can in front of the rod sealing end. Now, while applying a gentle constant force on the filling rod in order not to let it extend itself (make sure not to spill ink everywhere), submerge the nib and feed in ink and complete the filling procedure by pushing the rod all the way forward. This will provide you with a complete fill (sometimes it's even too full for my taste). You can watch a tutorial here on YT, it's easier done than explained.
@@bradwavemb I may have done it incorrectly but I did try that method and got no more than just pumping it. So, I will try again. Perhaps I did not get enough air out of it.
@@paulmchugh1430 You need to be a bit brave and push all the air out. If it really doesn't work, there might be a small air leakage in the seal. I also have a V126 and it worked perfectly (it was even too full for my taste and I emptied it).
Yup just do like I showed in the video and you'll get a full fill. The first time you'll be all worried about making a mess, but after you see its simple its no big deal
My frivolous mind has started to wonder if it would be feasible to replace the black o-rings on the back knob of the pen with different colored ones. Matching the ink color would be fun.
Man-o-man! I bought one with Asvine M and love it! Thanks for your video DB. I was walking from my coffee pot back to desk and saw a little black ring on the carpeted floor! Yep, it was one of the posting o-rings. So question for you; do you think a tiny (very tiny as in less than a microliter) drop of cyanacrylate glue might fix them to the SS knob?
There are three major things I don't like about the pen, from what I saw. One is the o-rings in the back, they're too easy to lose. #2 is the threads, as you pointed out. #3 is the fact that they used titanium, an expensive metal that increases the cost of the pen and does not make much sense when combined with acrylic. The titanium might be super strong, but the acrylic can break when disassembling the pen.
Got my V200 with Bock nib. Price was same as Asvine nibs when I ordered. I also have the P36 and think the Asvine nib is better & cheaper. Love both these pens.
Video idea: make a comparison between all your vac-fillers and rate them. We all know Custom 823 will come on top, but how does the rest compare? How close do they get to it? A video in the same manner as you compared the vac700r to the 823 would be a dream, Bud.
I believe Asvine is the parent company of Asvine - someone should correct me if this is wrong - but the two brands are related. I group them together, and they are my favorite too.
@@Doodlebud : (Oops - I meant to write “Asvine is the parent company of HongDian.”) Under either name, and even more under both, they have reason to be very proud of what they have created, especially in the last few years. And they’re showing no signs of slowing down. Thank you for your reviews and also for giving them your suggestions for improvements. It looks like they’re listening, and that benefits all of us who want excellent pens at an affordable price.
Do you know what asvine nib units fit the asvine nib v200? That's so funny. I got mine earlier today and put green ink in it. It's also funny that you say ass instead of as. When the rear filler cap is loosened, does it jiggle on the rod?. Mine does. I'd love a drop of glue on it. Also asvine nibs are beating out the bock nibs. Also, filling system could use a bit of lube, but very happy so far
Nice review. When the pen is posted and the vacuum nob is open, does the cap spin with the nob? That's an annoyance of the V126 which otherwise is a great pen.
Comment & a question. I travel a lot for work and find myself turning to vac fillers. Not only do they resist pressure changes in flight ... the large ink capacity means no need to take travel inkwells. Question: any chance the v200 fits the Twsbi vac filler ink bottles?
Such a shame that Asvine haven't improved on that design of plastic screwing onto metal threads for the back cap. I almost pulled the trigger on a V126, and that design held me back. Same with this one - i'd spend time worrying about the longevity of the threads :)
@Doodlebud great review. maybe a dumb question but I've never had a vac filler: does the piston seal off the nib when fully seated like the twisbi? Thanks!
If its 100% closed the lower section will run out of ink so you have two options. 1) Write with it open to allow ink to flow from the main reservoir to the lower 2) Write with it closed and from time to time open the knob, allow the ink to replenish in the lower section, then close the knob and carry on. Its all personal preference
Don't know if one is better than the other. Comes down to personal preference. They are very similar, both work great, so just depends on what you like
I am selling my Pilot 823, i believe it's an overpriced rip off until such pens coming around. And the Pilot gold nib, just flex and just so so, it doesn't justify its price any longer.
Nope, but fasteners are a major part in design and assembly. I had make the BOMs (Bill of materials) with projects as well, so getting the exact specified fasteners was very important. Also threads were very crucial in some components as I worked on precision measurement systems. Tiny details on threads can make a HUGE different when you are working in the micron range. Parts had to be inspected under magnification and some things were even done with an SEM.
Seems like a decent pen, but I have a lot of comments on the design inspiration they took from the Conid Regular and Slimline; not because it bothers me, but because I think they left out some of the good stuff and they copied some of the bad stuff. The P36 looks much nicer and more coherent, in my opinion. I think they could easily charge $100 with a Bock nib for this if they changed some details. For starters, the V200 has really bare and minimalist design language and then suddenly you have two flimsy black rings on the piston knob. If you look at the Conids, there are lots of matte black Delrin accents: a plastic ring above the clip, the grip(visible through the cap of course), the ring from the filling mechanism sticking out of the back of the barrel, and the O-rings on the piston knob create another black ring. Either lose the O-rings, or put in more accents to balance things out. Secondly, they seem to have missed the point of the double O-rings. On the Conid, both of them sit together in one groove, which makes them roll-lock against each other when you slide the cap over them. As you saw, when you seat them in separate grooves, they just roll out of their grooves instead of binding and allowing the cap to slide over top of them. Then there is the posting itself and the thing I've always hated about the Conid Regular: the hideous barrel step-down, turned into a knob step-down on the V200. It allows the cap to post more deeply on the Conid, and you did point out how the V200 certainly doesn't post very deeply. If you're not going to make it post deeply anyway, why even have step-downs in the barrel or the knob? It would look much better if the knob were flush with the barrel and the thing just didn't post. That would be a massive reason to buy this over a Conid for me; apart from the price of course. As for the positives, the removal of the ink window was a good decision to my eye; it's a clear pen, who needs an ink window? The little circular groove on the cap finial is a nice touch(maybe replicate it on the filling knob?). The chamfer on the clip is sweet too, that adds much more style to the look than it has any right to. It also needs to be said they did a great job of lining up the various screw threads to optimise the size of the clear area, which is something a lot of far more experienced manufacturers could learn from. With a bulkfiller mechanism or a piston it would look even cleaner, because the line from the internal vacuum step-down wouldn't be there. All in all, it's already good, but I think it has the potential to be the best pen of the year if they work on it a bit more. Oh, and Robert Oster does have some lovely low and medium saturation greens! It seems to be one of their specialties.
How are the threads on the filler collar where the blind cap screws on? I have a V126 and the burrs on the filler collar is grinding the plastic threads on the blind cap slightly. Still trying to find out what the thread size is so I can find a thread die to chase the threads on my v126 and original plus.
@@Doodlebudplease share the thread size/die spec if you do find out! So far I’ve used some 1500 grit sandpaper to ever so slightly remove the burrs and the end cap does screw on a bit better/smoother.
Question... I have a narwhal... nahvalur... it's a vac fill, but I don't rm to get much suction, I'm not sure why? I love the pen, but I am upset with how it doesn't work to fill, and I ended up using a syringe to fill it... any suggestions? (I also live in the lower mainland if you want to get in contact and use it for a video?) Thanks!
@Doodlebud just to clarify.... I don't seem to be getting much... or any suction... so I can't really do a super fill... or even a fill... something else seems to be going on with it. (It also didn't come with a wrench, and the narwhal piston fill pen I have that included a wrench does not fit the vac fill...)
@@missk2876 Sounds like a bad plunger gasket. If it doesn't have good seal it won't be able to create a vaccum and won't suck up ink. If it's a new pen I would reach out to the retailer
@Doodlebud thank you. I'll reach out and see what I get back :) I have just been cleaning out a bunch of pens... I often have a few too many inked up at the same time...
on they're amazon listing it says "vac filling, works with non carbon inks" does this mean that I wont be able to use platinum carbon black with the asvine v200. Thanks for the help.
The reason they say this is because pigmented inks are slightly abrasive, which causes silicone grease to be stripped from the inside of the barrel rather quickly compared to a dye-based ink. The pigment also gets stuck in the silicone grease, so it's difficult to clean without removing the grease entirely. If you just lube the barrel of your vacuumfillers every time you switch inks or after every five fills, whichever comes first, there's no issue. Pilot also says this in the little pamphlet that comes with their pigmented Tsuwairo ink. They warn specifically not to use it with their Custom 823; "P-type fillers" as they call them. Of course, Pilot doesn't want you opening up the 823, so that makes it rather hard to lubricate; no such problem with the Asvine vacuumfillers of course.
@@osirisgolad Thanks a lot for the help! I was wondering if you have any tips on how to actually lube the barrel. Online Ive seen 2 options one with a tooth pick and another with a cotton bud. To me the cotton bud doesnt seem like a good ideas as theres a possibility for fibers to get stuck inside the pen.
@@badclientmaker If you just sort of spin the cotton bud around between your fingers before twirling it around on top of the grease, that knocks off the fibres that are truly loose and then the grease will stick everything together; I've not had any problems over the past fifteen years. As for vacuum fillers specifically, I find it works best to lubricate the walls of the barrel a couple of times, because the vacuum seal is quite tight and it will at first try to wipe off the grease you apply. Pull the rod back all the way and rub grease along the entire length of the barrel, but try not to touch the smaller of the two rubber seals on the rod, because that one presses against the back of the grip section and grease could get into your feed if you're unlucky. Then you just work the rod back and forth a couple of times and apply some more grease. When things feel well lubricated, use the grease-free end of your cotton bud to wipe off any excess from the forward part of the barrel where it's wider than the rest of the barrel, so there aren't any blobs that could work their way free. Less is more when it comes to silicone grease, but vacuum fillers do well with a slightly heavier application. It shouldn't be too difficult with the V200, because you can unscrew the grip section and even remove the filling mechanism if need be.
Hello Bud!. I want to get a good pen since i have some time using fountain pens and i know i like them and im commited to the various things that come with using one, having said that there's not many sites or even phisical stores where i live (im from mexico btw) so i was browsing 65days stationary store on aliexpress since you have some experience with them i wanted to ask if you have had bought something from that store or they just send you pens only for review. i'm a bit conserned about the pens being legit because mostly all branded merchandise is counterfit and i found a pen i want from their store but i have some doubts about investing in a higher end pen from an aliexpress store, ill be gratefull if you or any person that have experience with that store can give some comment or advice, thanks. Ps. thanks for the review, now i want one of this pens more than the p20
They've sent me stuff and I have also bought from their store and I've had zero issues. I also recently did a video on a Pilot Elite from their store. Sometimes it can be tough to trust stuff on Aliexpress since some places do push counterfeit pens. 365 carries all sorts of brands and some of the larger brands like Pilot and they are legit. ua-cam.com/video/P5XDNnG_Los/v-deo.html
Thank you! it's quite hard to get good stuff from another country sent here that shipping isn't half the cost of the item. I did watch the Pilot ELite video earlier and that's the reason i started looking for that particular store. It's not my grail pen but i really like the Platinum 3776 century in laurel green, have a good day! @@Doodlebud
It's a different plastic. This is a machined acrylic vs injection molded. The machined always feels more "solid" since it will usually have a greater wall thickness
The ink has to go behind the plunger, its part of the design. You push out all the air behind the seal, once the seal breaks when it passes the sidewall feature, the ink rushes in behind the seal to fill the void.
These are nice looking pens, but I really, really hate these Chinese pens that are clear copies of other manufacturers' pens. These two with the titanium parts are pretty clear imitations of the Conid pens for the Netherlands, but without their unique filler mechanism. There also appeared to be a knock-off of an Omas pen in the video. They might not be bad pens, and the prices are certainly good (should we ask how they manage that?), but why don't they use original designs instead of look-alikes?
I would love to see a comparison between this model and the TWSBI Vac 700 with all 3 nibs represented. Thanks as well for your advice on the pen shows. Went to my first one and got a spectacular deal on a new Monteverde with the omniflex nib I was wanting to try. Missed out on a MB Nobliise this time but looking forward to next year. Met many great people from the penmakers and nib tuners to seasoned attendees and collectors. Can't wait for next year's show.
I very much appreciate it when you dismantle a brand new pen. Thanks for all that you do to inform us, I am very grateful. 🖖
My pleasure
There is something about silver colored metal trim on a clear demonstrator that makes me want to buy everyone I see. Brushed,satin, shiny doesn’t matter.
Thanks for the review. I already ordered the V200 about 2 hours ago, an now I can hardly wait for it to arrive. I did buy an Osprey Pens broad architect nib in a Bock compatible nib unit and was able to just screw out the nib unit (an Asvine nib) from an Asvine P50, and screw in Bock comoatible nib unit. It works great. While I enjoy the Asvine nibs, I have been wanting to try an architect nib, so now I have one. Asvine just seem to keep improving, maybe ine the future the will offer a long blade or a Naginata Togi style of nibs in their own brand.
I love your intro, Dooooooooooooooodlbud blended with that zooming action is fantastic. Good job sir, good job.
Did it like that one day and just stuck to it 😆
Got this pen based on your enthusiastic review. I’m extremely pleased with this pen!
Appreciate your attention to detail- great review! Pen looks sweet!
I got one of these after watching your videos... your review is spot on and I'm really enjoying the pen. Thanks DB, appreciate your work
Good to hear you're enjoying it
It’s an older video but I’ve been looking at this one for a while, huge Asvine fan…no vac fills pens yet so it is probably my next purchase. Appreciate it!
Asvine is making some great pens IMO.
Great price/quality....I love my Asvine pens and prefer their in house nibs!!!
Ciao Dood!🤙
Hi DB! Thanks for keeping us up to date on the Asvine products! My V-126 is writing like a champ and they are very nice pens for the money. The boxes are quite nice, too.
@doodlebud - I bought this pen off this vid/your recommendation. I have not been disappointed. Nice weight, grip section not slippery, and a tremendous value for the money. I did smooth nib/tune to my liking - but already wrote very well. Will be ordering other Asvine pens now. Very well made, in my opinion. Thank you very much!
Good to hear its working out for you
Whoa. I love it, I had to get one. Dang it Doodlebud!
I’ve been using my Asvine P36, with an Asvine F nib for a couple of weeks and haven’t found the grooves to be too sharp, or really anything to complain about. I too am very impressed with the progress of Asvine and the fit and finish rivaling that of far more expensive pens. I am hoping that the overall effect of brands from China and India improving their quality, may impact the street price of some Japanese and European brands. There are times that I blindly reach for a pen and after writing for a while look down and realize it isn’t one of my “grail” pens, but a sub $50 USD pen. Sometimes it seems like we have a silly hobby.
Great review - Superbly done video - Thank you.
I would get one of these, except that I already have a Pilot 823 with it's excellent nib. These are incredible value.
Thanks for the review!! I love my Asvine V126(s)!! Now I think I need one of these!
A green I like: Montblanc's Irish green
Thats a great ink
I think the back cap should be full titanium (It Should not be having plastic inserted threads inside). This way metal on metal threads will not have the issue.
I have the v126 and i confirm this flaw.
I just checked your channel and saw that you're from India too, Ravi ji. How did you purchase your Asvine V126? I'm a student and am looking for that pen because of its ink capacity, but I cannot find the pen on Amazon India.
@@fancyyahoo from etsy...they will charge for shipping and the pen was delivered in a month
Thanks for the review! I love my Asvine V126(s)!!
Definitely tempted by this one.
Gonna get one of these - I love the clear body pens!
They really need to stop making caps that turn the back knob, even if this is a vac filler and will not accidentally spill ink. It just diminishes the value of the design in my opinion.
Also, those o-rings seem a bit finicky.
Nice looking pen overall though.
My gripe is the cylinder barrel design. More of a torpedo/ cigarette shape person. Ah well.
Good point. Anything that can interfere with ink integrity is something that should be avoided!
@@unknowncrash1 they have another model, I believe its like V126, classic cigar shape!
Nice pen. I have a Conid Regular and the V200 seems almost a copy of that pen except for the filling system. And of course it's less then 1/10th of the price of the Conid :).
I guess this was to be expected as their P36 was very close to the Conid Kingsize demonstrator.
Sorry, I just keep hearing "Doodle Bug"... but at least I recognize the logo instantly. 😁 This Asvine demonstrator looks great with the metal parts. One more for the wishlist! ❤️👍
Beautiful pen, but I bought the Goldspot Kaweco last night. Maybe next month!
Tip for you from a chemist: always put your caps on your desk upside down. No mess on your desk, and the ink that's in the cap doesn't run down the threads and make a mess of the bottle neck
Great review. I like then pen because it has exactly the same appearence with the conid bulkfiller regular.
Great review!
Thank you very much!
I am definitely buying this one!
I find the Asvine have similar quality to my penbbs pens. But, the Asvines have smoother nibs. My P20 was my best nib for smoothness until I purchased a gold nib. My P20 hasn’t left my ink rotation. So, looks like I am ordering a v200
Would love to see a comparison between this and a TWSBI.
+1. just got a twsbi vac mini and id like to know if i made a mistake 😛😛😛
nice review and very nice pen but I'll wait until is sold inside EU, over the import taxes and the major inconvenience and delays when an item is held in customs in Portugal.
I actually never post pens, don't like it and keep away from those which need to. I've gotten used to keep the cap on my left hand while writing and I like pens like this one
I think this is going on my shopping list
I got my P36 and I gotta say, if they keep improving like this, they will be the TWSBI killer!
Noticed the same chewing of the vac cap threads on my V126, added silicone grease to it and it seems to be better, but not sure if that is because of the greasing, or because what was going to get chewed up has already been chewed up
Yeah, the grease only makes it feel better LOL, it won't stop the carnage. There might be a certain amount that gets chewed up and thats it, which is what Im hoping for. I would like to see a little more detail go into this part of the pen to avoid this
Especially on a vac where you HAVE to constantly thread it up and down
Could anyone comment on the rear cap thread wear that Doodlebud noted now that we're 6 months or so after the release?
I'm thinking of getting this pen for heavy everyday - would really help to know if it chews-up to a point like Doodlebud hoped, or if it really just wears away.
Cheers!
Been in the hobby a decade or so, you are my favorite reviewer by far! Would give ya a firm handshake and big thank you if I ever saw ya! Thanks for all the reviews, I've been considering putting a FPR ultra flex with the bock ebonite feed into a V200(bock), the reviews AND comments are nothing but good from a ~$50 pen, hard to find many other pens at that price get such rave reviews, in our weird hobby.
Edit: Green Ink suggestion if you haven't tried it. Monteverde Forest Green is my personal favorite of the greens I've seen/tried.
Thanks for the kind words
@@Doodlebud I totally got that ink name wrong. Monteverde has a great green called CALIFORNIA TEAL, it’s an awesome dark green with great shading.
@@DirkJ. I'm very familiar with that ink. I even used it in this test
ua-cam.com/video/Z9JNgeZT_fk/v-deo.htmlsi=YZGrw6Z5LYrYd7MX
What I love about these pens is the large amount of ink they hold - really handy for sketching.
I have the Asvine P50 and P36 that I got with the Asvine nib and was able to put a standard Bock nib unit in both. I had to put the black o-ring from the Asvine nib unit that's around the cartridge post onto the Bock unit, but they do screw in no problem. I have heard that if you get the pen from Asvine with the Bock nib, the nib unit doesn't come out, so my advice is to get the Asvine nib version and buy a loose Bock nib if you'd like to swap it out.
How did you put the Bock nib in the Asvine unit?
@@sbornot2b I unscrewed the Asvine nib unit and just screwed in a standard Bock unit, the threading is the same. Don't swap the nib and feed, swap the whole unit out. You can see in the video when he has the Asvine nib unit out it's the same overall shape as a standard Bock unit.
Hmm, maybe I'll try that with a Bock unit that screws out on a different pen. Thanks for sharing
You can fix the nib orientation easily. I received this pen with a Medium nib. Since i wanted the fine, i ordered the 3 piece set. I put on the F nib and the orientation of the nib and clip was close to aligned. I unscrewed the nib unit a tiny bit and now they line up straight. I put the M nib back on taking care to not overtighten and it was dead on straight. This may help those of us with OCD alignment issues. Just unscrew the nib unit a tiny bit it doesn't affect the seal. I left it for a week and no issues
Doooodlebud!
You’re going to anodize this, right?
I'll have to see. I have a few Ti anodizing ideas I'm planning to work on soon
Got mine with a Bock nib broad- SMOOTH like buttah on hot glass!
Another vote for this. I bought this with the bock M nib. I have two twsbi 700r and two pilot 823. I like the v200 more than the 700Rs but not quite as much as the 823s. I hope Asvine do a variation, maybe in rose gold metal, or if not, some different transparent barrel colours.
Anything free is my favorite too.
Thanks for the video. One question: give that there are so many different pens being produced by all these: Jinhao, Moonman, Wing-Sung, Asvine: if you had to choose top 3 best among all those that we have available, what would those be? It’s not easy to keep track, and after some time, all the names start soundinh like alphanumeric codes: V126, P20, P36, P30, V169, X750, 9019.
May be that can be a topic for a separate video by itself. Once again , thanks for all the work and effort.
This video might help:
ua-cam.com/video/mLFRB3R98TU/v-deo.html
Well, watched this and went to the link below and got the V200. I prefer non-threaded caps and slimmer pens. Measurements don't make it much bigger than the Pilot Kakuno, but the Kakuno feels substantially thinner. I like the weight and balance of the V200 better (though it is 5-6x more expensive than the good and exceedingly affordable Kakunos), having much more heft and refined body, and is a little smoother. The Extra Fine nib on the V200 is about the same size as the Fine nib on the Kakuno. My EF Kakuno arrives tomorrow, so I'll see how it stacks up.
Overall, I like it. And being an engineer, I specially like the design and construction of it. I'll keep an eye out and see if they have something in a similar artistic style to the V200, but a little thinner and press cap. Only downside is the nib on mine is a little wobbly. Looks like the nib holder/body/sleeve/blackplasticthing is loose... I'll see if my mad engineering skills can't tighten it up.
Had an eye on a P36 due to my love for titanium items. There are a lot of negative reviews on Amazon about scratchy nibs and skipping lines. Even the "Bock" nibs seem to be of a doubtful quality. Just lost my apetite for their pens. They're gorgeous but...
Thanks for the early review. Very interesting pen. I have the P36 and I love it and this is new one looks very attractive to me as well.
Usually Bock nibs in Bock feeds and assemblies can be exchanged with a wide variety of other #6 nibs (Jowo ond many Chinese options). I guess this means that the Asvine option is not wiedly compatible with other nib options. Is this a fair assumption?
Thank you for the review. Avine is making very good pens. However, there seems to be a design issue that it would be great you discuss in your channel. I own the P20, the V126, and the V200. I took the three of them in a flight. The P20 did just fine, like most fountain pens. The V126 and the V200, however, leaked between the barrel and the section. The other issue is that the ink flow seems to be uneven on the V126 and V200. When you unscrew the back to allow ink to go into the smaller reservoir, there are times when the ink simply doesn't flow. This is not an issue on other vacuum filler pen (say, Visconti power filler). It would be great if you discuss both issues in your channel. Thanks again for the fantastic reviews and your attention to detail.
I had a problem with filling the V126. I couldn't get more than a half fill. I like that you can get a full fill. Thanks for the demonstration. I also like the pen is a smaller pen than the P36. Certainly a pen worth getting.
Turn the pen upside down and, very carefully, extend the filling rod and then push it forward until small ink drops start to form on the feed (again, be very gentle and careful). The ink now occupies all the space it can in front of the rod sealing end. Now, while applying a gentle constant force on the filling rod in order not to let it extend itself (make sure not to spill ink everywhere), submerge the nib and feed in ink and complete the filling procedure by pushing the rod all the way forward. This will provide you with a complete fill (sometimes it's even too full for my taste).
You can watch a tutorial here on YT, it's easier done than explained.
@@bradwavemb I may have done it incorrectly but I did try that method and got no more than just pumping it. So, I will try again. Perhaps I did not get enough air out of it.
@@paulmchugh1430 You need to be a bit brave and push all the air out. If it really doesn't work, there might be a small air leakage in the seal.
I also have a V126 and it worked perfectly (it was even too full for my taste and I emptied it).
Yup just do like I showed in the video and you'll get a full fill. The first time you'll be all worried about making a mess, but after you see its simple its no big deal
They should make an ink well like TWSBI does for their vac pens. Complete fill every time, no mess.
Ordered mine🎉
Great video DB. Looks like a great pen for the money. Kind of wonder how good the pen would be with a Ti nib. I guess a size 5 nib? Thank you
Its a #6 size nib. I haven't been too big into Ti nibs. Although the Ti flex nib from the Good Blue has been enjoyable
My frivolous mind has started to wonder if it would be feasible to replace the black o-rings on the back knob of the pen with different colored ones. Matching the ink color would be fun.
Haha…great minds think alike. I loaded mine up with a green ink too!
TWSBI has similar tapered "top hat style" end in their ECO, Precision, pens and to a lesser amount in the 580 and Mini pens.
Man-o-man! I bought one with Asvine M and love it! Thanks for your video DB.
I was walking from my coffee pot back to desk and saw a little black ring on the carpeted floor! Yep, it was one of the posting o-rings. So question for you; do you think a tiny (very tiny as in less than a microliter) drop of cyanacrylate glue might fix them to the SS knob?
Hm, I really like the P36, so I guess I'll have to get this one, too. All of my Asvine pens have been great values for the money so far.
There are three major things I don't like about the pen, from what I saw. One is the o-rings in the back, they're too easy to lose. #2 is the threads, as you pointed out. #3 is the fact that they used titanium, an expensive metal that increases the cost of the pen and does not make much sense when combined with acrylic. The titanium might be super strong, but the acrylic can break when disassembling the pen.
Got my V200 with Bock nib. Price was same as Asvine nibs when I ordered. I also have the P36 and think the Asvine nib is better & cheaper. Love both these pens.
So far its been the Asvine nibs that I have preferred over the Bock
Video idea: make a comparison between all your vac-fillers and rate them. We all know Custom 823 will come on top, but how does the rest compare? How close do they get to it? A video in the same manner as you compared the vac700r to the 823 would be a dream, Bud.
I would like to see that too.
I have that video idea in the works, but with a fun twist 😉. The first few seconds will definitely catch peoples attention lets just say
What is the experience of a bock titanium nib? I am really curious on trying one, however they are quite expensive for a trial.
I have a few. I actually seem to like the #5 Ti nib over the #6 Ti nib. I also have a Ti flex nib from The Good Blue which works very well
After Hongdian, my favourite brand.
I believe Asvine is the parent company of Asvine - someone should correct me if this is wrong - but the two brands are related. I group them together, and they are my favorite too.
Yeah they seem to be related. The Asvine store on Amazon is full of Hongdian pens as well
@@Doodlebud : (Oops - I meant to write “Asvine is the parent company of HongDian.”) Under either name, and even more under both, they have reason to be very proud of what they have created, especially in the last few years. And they’re showing no signs of slowing down. Thank you for your reviews and also for giving them your suggestions for improvements. It looks like they’re listening, and that benefits all of us who want excellent pens at an affordable price.
Do you know what asvine nib units fit the asvine nib v200?
That's so funny. I got mine earlier today and put green ink in it.
It's also funny that you say ass instead of as.
When the rear filler cap is loosened, does it jiggle on the rod?. Mine does. I'd love a drop of glue on it. Also asvine nibs are beating out the bock nibs.
Also, filling system could use a bit of lube, but very happy so far
Nice review. When the pen is posted and the vacuum nob is open, does the cap spin with the nob? That's an annoyance of the V126 which otherwise is a great pen.
Yes it will spin in that scenario
Pretty cool, although I'm wary of exposed o rings, after owning a Moonman N1 and an Ohto Tasche. And they seem completely unnecessary here.
Copied from Conid, where it works perfectly... 😃
Comment & a question. I travel a lot for work and find myself turning to vac fillers. Not only do they resist pressure changes in flight ... the large ink capacity means no need to take travel inkwells. Question: any chance the v200 fits the Twsbi vac filler ink bottles?
Beautiful pen. I am waiting for a price reduction before buying. I love the look of this pen.
you could use green green ink to draw kermit the frog.
Such a shame that Asvine haven't improved on that design of plastic screwing onto metal threads for the back cap. I almost pulled the trigger on a V126, and that design held me back. Same with this one - i'd spend time worrying about the longevity of the threads :)
A better thread setup would be more gooder 👍
How do Asvine nibs compare in size to Jovo, in TWSBI 580 M size by example?
Very nice review as always 👌
@Doodlebud great review. maybe a dumb question but I've never had a vac filler: does the piston seal off the nib when fully seated like the twisbi? Thanks!
1. What ink did you use? 2. Any plans to anodize the pen?
Not sure if I will anodize. I used 2 different inks in the pen during the review and gave all the details if you give it a watch
The Asvine p36 looks much better. However, Asvine should start to pay attention to how their pens post
Hello
Whats your recomendation, v200 or p36 ? Any chance you can make a compairson vídeo
Thanks
How does it compare to the Hongdian pens, something like the N7 or the Asvine P20?
Do you write with the vac filler knob closed all the way? Or is it a good idea to leave the nob slightly opened?
If its 100% closed the lower section will run out of ink so you have two options.
1) Write with it open to allow ink to flow from the main reservoir to the lower
2) Write with it closed and from time to time open the knob, allow the ink to replenish in the lower section, then close the knob and carry on.
Its all personal preference
Can you make a video about how to increase ink flow of pens having small nibs which can not be removed from feed? Eg. Pilot VP, Moonman A1 or A2
I just did a video on that with a Pilot Elite
Is it worth paying extra for the Bock nib?
Hi, if I have the Bock nib version, will a 14kt gold Bock nib fit this? Sorry I'm very new to fountain pens.
Yup the steel & gold nibs can be swapped
@@Doodlebud do you know which Bock nib in 14kt gold extra fine will work? I see there are a few variations? Not sure about the width?
So between the Asvine V200 and the TWSBI VAC700R, which better?
Don't know if one is better than the other. Comes down to personal preference. They are very similar, both work great, so just depends on what you like
Great review!
Is there a link to an aliexpress listing? i cant find the v200 on the search there
Not yet, thst will be coming soon. I'll update the description as soon as they're available on Aliexpress
How does this compare with the Gravitas Ultimate Vac in acrylic or ultem, with respect Gravitas seems to be far superior.
I don't have one so I can't compare. The two are very different price points so I would expect the Gravitas to be a better pen for sure
U DIDN'T METION THE NIB SIZE, WHICH ONE IS IT? TELL ME IT'S A #6 PLEASE !
I WILL ALSO REPLY IN ALL CAPS. ITS AN ASVINE #6 SIZED NIB. A LITTLE DIFFERNT FROM THE BOCK & JOWO #6, BUT STILL A #6
@@DoodlebudHAHAHA THANK U DOODLEBUD :)
I am selling my Pilot 823, i believe it's an overpriced rip off until such pens coming around. And the Pilot gold nib, just flex and just so so, it doesn't justify its price any longer.
Nice review! Are you a fastener engineer? Seems like you are very familiar with thread designs.
Nope, but fasteners are a major part in design and assembly. I had make the BOMs (Bill of materials) with projects as well, so getting the exact specified fasteners was very important. Also threads were very crucial in some components as I worked on precision measurement systems. Tiny details on threads can make a HUGE different when you are working in the micron range. Parts had to be inspected under magnification and some things were even done with an SEM.
@@Doodlebud very cool, I work in automotive engineering and can appreciate the attention to detail 🍻
Seems like a decent pen, but I have a lot of comments on the design inspiration they took from the Conid Regular and Slimline; not because it bothers me, but because I think they left out some of the good stuff and they copied some of the bad stuff. The P36 looks much nicer and more coherent, in my opinion. I think they could easily charge $100 with a Bock nib for this if they changed some details.
For starters, the V200 has really bare and minimalist design language and then suddenly you have two flimsy black rings on the piston knob. If you look at the Conids, there are lots of matte black Delrin accents: a plastic ring above the clip, the grip(visible through the cap of course), the ring from the filling mechanism sticking out of the back of the barrel, and the O-rings on the piston knob create another black ring. Either lose the O-rings, or put in more accents to balance things out.
Secondly, they seem to have missed the point of the double O-rings. On the Conid, both of them sit together in one groove, which makes them roll-lock against each other when you slide the cap over them. As you saw, when you seat them in separate grooves, they just roll out of their grooves instead of binding and allowing the cap to slide over top of them.
Then there is the posting itself and the thing I've always hated about the Conid Regular: the hideous barrel step-down, turned into a knob step-down on the V200. It allows the cap to post more deeply on the Conid, and you did point out how the V200 certainly doesn't post very deeply. If you're not going to make it post deeply anyway, why even have step-downs in the barrel or the knob? It would look much better if the knob were flush with the barrel and the thing just didn't post. That would be a massive reason to buy this over a Conid for me; apart from the price of course.
As for the positives, the removal of the ink window was a good decision to my eye; it's a clear pen, who needs an ink window? The little circular groove on the cap finial is a nice touch(maybe replicate it on the filling knob?). The chamfer on the clip is sweet too, that adds much more style to the look than it has any right to. It also needs to be said they did a great job of lining up the various screw threads to optimise the size of the clear area, which is something a lot of far more experienced manufacturers could learn from. With a bulkfiller mechanism or a piston it would look even cleaner, because the line from the internal vacuum step-down wouldn't be there.
All in all, it's already good, but I think it has the potential to be the best pen of the year if they work on it a bit more. Oh, and Robert Oster does have some lovely low and medium saturation greens! It seems to be one of their specialties.
How are the threads on the filler collar where the blind cap screws on? I have a V126 and the burrs on the filler collar is grinding the plastic threads on the blind cap slightly. Still trying to find out what the thread size is so I can find a thread die to chase the threads on my v126 and original plus.
I can see about giving it a look to find the thread size. I might even have a die to fit it
@@Doodlebudplease share the thread size/die spec if you do find out! So far I’ve used some 1500 grit sandpaper to ever so slightly remove the burrs and the end cap does screw on a bit better/smoother.
Titanium really does look nice with green ink.. It makes me think of some futuristic tech, or some movies with antidotes to some virus 😅
Imagine some glow in the dark pigments mixed in.
This is going to be a TWSBI killer.
Question... I have a narwhal... nahvalur... it's a vac fill, but I don't rm to get much suction, I'm not sure why? I love the pen, but I am upset with how it doesn't work to fill, and I ended up using a syringe to fill it... any suggestions? (I also live in the lower mainland if you want to get in contact and use it for a video?) Thanks!
Just do what I did in this video to get the super fill. Push put the extra air to get in more ink
@Doodlebud just to clarify.... I don't seem to be getting much... or any suction... so I can't really do a super fill... or even a fill... something else seems to be going on with it. (It also didn't come with a wrench, and the narwhal piston fill pen I have that included a wrench does not fit the vac fill...)
@@missk2876 Sounds like a bad plunger gasket. If it doesn't have good seal it won't be able to create a vaccum and won't suck up ink. If it's a new pen I would reach out to the retailer
@Doodlebud thank you. I'll reach out and see what I get back :) I have just been cleaning out a bunch of pens... I often have a few too many inked up at the same time...
I can't find the model on AliExpress nor eBay, but i know a few that will order one...
It will be available from other places in the coming week or two. I will update the video description with a link when I find them available.
Any idea what size o-rings I need to replace mine? Less than one week in and I’ve already lost one!!!
on they're amazon listing it says "vac filling, works with non carbon inks" does this mean that I wont be able to use platinum carbon black with the asvine v200. Thanks for the help.
Pretty sure you can use carbon black. Its a FP friendly ink
The reason they say this is because pigmented inks are slightly abrasive, which causes silicone grease to be stripped from the inside of the barrel rather quickly compared to a dye-based ink. The pigment also gets stuck in the silicone grease, so it's difficult to clean without removing the grease entirely. If you just lube the barrel of your vacuumfillers every time you switch inks or after every five fills, whichever comes first, there's no issue.
Pilot also says this in the little pamphlet that comes with their pigmented Tsuwairo ink. They warn specifically not to use it with their Custom 823; "P-type fillers" as they call them. Of course, Pilot doesn't want you opening up the 823, so that makes it rather hard to lubricate; no such problem with the Asvine vacuumfillers of course.
@@osirisgolad Thanks a lot for the help! I was wondering if you have any tips on how to actually lube the barrel. Online Ive seen 2 options one with a tooth pick and another with a cotton bud. To me the cotton bud doesnt seem like a good ideas as theres a possibility for fibers to get stuck inside the pen.
@@badclientmaker If you just sort of spin the cotton bud around between your fingers before twirling it around on top of the grease, that knocks off the fibres that are truly loose and then the grease will stick everything together; I've not had any problems over the past fifteen years.
As for vacuum fillers specifically, I find it works best to lubricate the walls of the barrel a couple of times, because the vacuum seal is quite tight and it will at first try to wipe off the grease you apply. Pull the rod back all the way and rub grease along the entire length of the barrel, but try not to touch the smaller of the two rubber seals on the rod, because that one presses against the back of the grip section and grease could get into your feed if you're unlucky. Then you just work the rod back and forth a couple of times and apply some more grease. When things feel well lubricated, use the grease-free end of your cotton bud to wipe off any excess from the forward part of the barrel where it's wider than the rest of the barrel, so there aren't any blobs that could work their way free. Less is more when it comes to silicone grease, but vacuum fillers do well with a slightly heavier application. It shouldn't be too difficult with the V200, because you can unscrew the grip section and even remove the filling mechanism if need be.
More laser engraving.... Maybe a laser engraved nib?
They put in all that titanium on the body and nib is steel?
Yes. You can always swap out to a Bock Ti nib if you like
What is that blue ink in the V126 pen seen at 7:26?
Hello Bud!. I want to get a good pen since i have some time using fountain pens and i know i like them and im commited to the various things that come with using one, having said that there's not many sites or even phisical stores where i live (im from mexico btw) so i was browsing 65days stationary store on aliexpress since you have some experience with them i wanted to ask if you have had bought something from that store or they just send you pens only for review. i'm a bit conserned about the pens being legit because mostly all branded merchandise is counterfit and i found a pen i want from their store but i have some doubts about investing in a higher end pen from an aliexpress store, ill be gratefull if you or any person that have experience with that store can give some comment or advice, thanks. Ps. thanks for the review, now i want one of this pens more than the p20
They've sent me stuff and I have also bought from their store and I've had zero issues. I also recently did a video on a Pilot Elite from their store. Sometimes it can be tough to trust stuff on Aliexpress since some places do push counterfeit pens. 365 carries all sorts of brands and some of the larger brands like Pilot and they are legit.
ua-cam.com/video/P5XDNnG_Los/v-deo.html
Thank you! it's quite hard to get good stuff from another country sent here that shipping isn't half the cost of the item. I did watch the Pilot ELite video earlier and that's the reason i started looking for that particular store. It's not my grail pen but i really like the Platinum 3776 century in laurel green, have a good day! @@Doodlebud
Is the ink bottle holder publicly available?
Probably not, he may have 3D printed it himself.
Yeah its just something I quickly drew up then 3D printed
Does it have metal on plastic threads?
Is the plastics feels like twisbi ? Quality wise
It's a different plastic. This is a machined acrylic vs injection molded. The machined always feels more "solid" since it will usually have a greater wall thickness
@@Doodlebud sorry which one is which
@@atbossgrim twsbi is injection molded this pen (V200) is machined
@@Doodlebud thank you.
It looks like quite a bit of ink behind the plunger when filling. Is that normal for vac. fillers?
The ink has to go behind the plunger, its part of the design. You push out all the air behind the seal, once the seal breaks when it passes the sidewall feature, the ink rushes in behind the seal to fill the void.
These are nice looking pens, but I really, really hate these Chinese pens that are clear copies of other manufacturers' pens. These two with the titanium parts are pretty clear imitations of the Conid pens for the Netherlands, but without their unique filler mechanism. There also appeared to be a knock-off of an Omas pen in the video.
They might not be bad pens, and the prices are certainly good (should we ask how they manage that?), but why don't they use original designs instead of look-alikes?