Jinhao's 599, Now Even More Lamy-Like

[TSherbs]

So the 599 pens that look like this are painted metal? But they have a Lamy type flat looking nib/feed.

 

And then the link in the first post is plastic but the nib/feed looks conventional?

My orange one is plastic, all the way

[Dickkooty2]

So the 599 pens that look like this are painted metal? But they have a Lamy type flat looking nib/feed.

 

I looked at the barrel at the site above and don't see the ink view.

 

Plastic one has it.

Edited April 5, 2014 by Dickkooty2

[mrcharlie]

So the 599 pens that look like this are painted metal?

 

Rather than just rely on the link, I guess I am asking about the ones that have no ink window, but do have a "flat" looking nib that holds on to the feed with side "wings" folded around, visually looking like a Pilot Varsity nib or a BIC disposable nib, but also somewhat like a Lamy nib. If I'm reading this item right those pens' barrels are not plastic? What about the cap or the section?

 

It is clear that the ones with the ink view are plastic from the comments here. All the pictures of those that I've seen have a "conventional" curved shaped nib that doesn't look Lamy-like at all.

[TSherbs]

 

Rather than just rely on the link, I guess I am asking about the ones that have no ink window, but do have a "flat" looking nib that holds on to the feed with side "wings" folded around, visually looking like a Pilot Varsity nib or a BIC disposable nib, but also somewhat like a Lamy nib. If I'm reading this item right those pens' barrels are not plastic? What about the cap or the section?

 

It is clear that the ones with the ink view are plastic from the comments here. All the pictures of those that I've seen have a "conventional" curved shaped nib that doesn't look Lamy-like at all.

You might have to be the one to buy one and tell us!

[grahamtillotson]

So the 599 pens that look like this are painted metal? But they have a Lamy type flat looking nib/feed.

 

And then the link in the first post is plastic but the nib/feed looks conventional?

 

Just looked at the link and it seems that yes the solid color fountain pens are painted metal. I got the RB, not the FP, but in the photo you can see the metal for the FP inside the cap and on the flat edge of the body. The demonstrator ones are plastic obviously, but I only have the RB and it is definitely metal.

 

Graham

[grahamtillotson]

Oh for the love. Now I'm finding the solid color ones for the FPs that are plastic. The RB I got was metal. So we now have the following (as best I can tell):

 

• Solid color plastic fountain pens (regular nib)
• Demonstrator plastic fountain pens (regular nib)
• Metal/painted rollerballs (section is plastic but cap/body are painted metal)
• Metal/painted fountain pens (folded tab nib?)

 

Anyone know the production history in all this? Did the solid color ones start in plastic then go to metal? The other way around? Both in production?

 

Graham

Edited April 6, 2014 by grahamtillotson

[Kansas Pen]

Oh for the love. Now I'm finding the solid color ones for the FPs that are plastic. The RB I got was metal. So we now have the following (as best I can tell):

 

• Solid color plastic fountain pens (regular nib)
• Demonstrator plastic fountain pens (regular nib)
• Metal/painted rollerballs (section is plastic but cap/body are painted metal)
• Metal/painted fountain pens (folded tab nib?)

 

Anyone know the production history in all this? Did the solid color ones start in plastic then go to metal? The other way around? Both in production?

 

Graham

 

Tune in soon for another mystery of ............ "A Pen on the Orient Express".

 

A drama created by k3eax.

Screenplay by Graham Tillotson.

A production of Where's my pen now?

Edited April 6, 2014 by Kansas Pen

[TSherbs]

 

Tune in soon for another mystery of ............ "A Pen on the Orient Express".

 

A drama created by k3eax.

Screenplay by Graham Tillotson.

A production of Where's my pen now?

haha

[grahamtillotson]

 

Tune in soon for another mystery of ............ "A Pen on the Orient Express".

 

A drama created by k3eax.

Screenplay by Graham Tillotson.

A production of Where's my pen now?

 

Ha! Awesome. See -- this is what I get for watching "Game of Thrones."

 

Needless to say I bought a few of the plastic 599s once I saw they had the regular (not tabbed) nibs. I'll give a shot at swapping the plastic RB sections into the FP bodies and see if I can have interchangeable all-plastic pens. Then maybe I'll have a chance at the Iron Throne! Uh, with plastic I guess and no metal.

 

Graham

[79spitfire]

I hate temptation, I just ordered an orange and a light blue demonstrator!

 

At $5 US each shipped, it's tough to go very wrong.

[Kansas Pen]

My two Jinhao 599's came in last week. Both are plastic body. The Green/Lime is solid color, has the witness window.

The 2nd is a Black Transparent (really can see thru it for the most part). It also has the witness window.

Both pens are very smooth. I am getting very confidant of the Jinhao pens. My recent jinhao buys: 950, 159, and these two pens all have nice good flowing and smooth nibs. I am impressed for such low prices.

 

In the same last receipt was a Baoer 507 Brass Eight Horses. This is made by a Jinhao subsidiary and it matches the smoothness of the Jinhao's mentioned above. I am using Diamine Ancient Copper in it, and am VERY impressed with the flow. Part due to the pen, and the other to the Diamine ink. I will be buying more as soon as the 80ml bottles are in stock again, I had to settle for a 30ml on my order. Seems everyone is selling out in Ancient Copper. I really like this color. Very dramatic, very clear to read.

[rezwrrd]

I just got a black/smoke transparent 599 on Monday, and I'm not disappointed in the least. There's a bit of a burr around the cap lip, but that's the only thing I could find to grumble about. A bit of fine sandpaper will soon take care of that complaint. While the 599 was on it way I decided to give my x450 another chance, and found that what I'd previously considered a fat, heavy, ostentatious pen is actually a decent size and weight, even if it could use a smaller nib. (Good thing I didn't try a 159!)

 

I've definitely caught the Jinhao bug, especially after this new arrival. I'm thinking my next pen might be a checkerboard 500, or possibly an x750.

[EdT]

Oh for the love. Now I'm finding the solid color ones for the FPs that are plastic. The RB I got was metal. So we now have the following (as best I can tell):

 

• Solid color plastic fountain pens (regular nib)
• Demonstrator plastic fountain pens (regular nib)
• Metal/painted rollerballs (section is plastic but cap/body are painted metal)
• Metal/painted fountain pens (folded tab nib?)

 

Anyone know the production history in all this? Did the solid color ones start in plastic then go to metal? The other way around? Both in production?

 

Graham

 

 

The metal ones came out first to test the market before they invested in making molds for the plastic version. A smart progressive move on their manufacturing/marketing behalf.

 

You can easily tell which is the plastic version. The Jinhao logo is not painted and is molded into the body.

[Dickkooty2]

Investment molding may produce an entirely new approach for Chinese pen development and marketing to the Gwilo markets.

[EdT]

Investment molding may produce an entirely new approach for Chinese pen development and marketing to the Gwilo markets.

 

I come from a manufacturing engineering background with emphasis in injection molding and die-casting and want to clear up some terminology.

Investment molding is a one time use molding process hence the term "Investment" or lack of and is realtively inexpensive.

 

In the case with the Jinhao 599 it is an "injection molding" process which requires a substantial investment in producing the mold(s) which may cost up to $60,000usd per mold and would require multiple molds if it needs to be run on multple production lines. How much time and how many pens will Jinhao need to sell before tooling cost is recovered and start making a profit before the cycle starts all over again with new tooling for newer models ?

Edited April 17, 2014 by EdT

[Kansas Pen]

 

How much time and how many pens will Jinhao need to sell before tooling cost is recovered and start making a profit before the cycle starts all over again with new tooling for newer models ?

Judging by the number of people interested in them, it may not take long.

[disillusion]

There is now a hooded nib (extra fine) version. http://www.ebay.com/itm/JINHAO-2014-NEW-PRODUCT-FOUNTAIN-PEN-599-NIB-Extra-fine-RED-/221429360582?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item338e37e7c6

It seems that they are selling a lot of these pens.

[Kansas Pen]

EDIT: disillusion

I'm sorry I missed the whole point of your title. I did not look carefully enough. That is a different nib indeed!

I apologize!

 

>> Previous

Same generic photo (Red 599) and same seller.

Unfortunately I am having a real problem getting mine to write. Been working with it for several days.

 

We all say it is "hit and miss". My other two Jinhao 599's are ok. I did have to open the tines on one of them to get it too write.

 

This one has me stumped as I can't get the tines to spread. They are so close together I can't get anything in to spread it. I'm going to have to get some of the copper sheeting. It will be hard even with that. Can't even get any 35mm film pieces into the groove.

 

But they are kind of fun pens. Even with the problem with this last one, they are smooth writers. Amazing.

 

I was the only bidder on the first two and got them for 2.99 each shipped. Hard to beat.

 

They (and we) will have to watch their quality control though.

Edited April 30, 2014 by Kansas Pen

[Sailor Kenshin]

I'm kind of tempted by the entire strange Frankenpen aspect of the hooded 599. Maybe. The orange non-hooded one I got writes fine out of the box, no flushing, nothing.

 

Some of the $2-$5 pens I have owned in the past were dreadful: flimsy, leakers, skippers, and worse. It's a little nostalgic.

[mrcharlie]

I see that now some of the eBay sellers are listing the solid color plastic barrel 599 version as 599B, and the translucent plastic versions as 599C. I guess that makes the first not-all-plastic versions 599A, but if you search for "jinhao fountain 599a" on eBay you see all three types in the results.

 

I have finally purchased one for $3.75 shipped; solid yellow with ink window picture in the listing (so hopefully all-plastic) medium nib. I'll let you know how happy/unhappy I am with it in a month or so when it arrives.