Which Hero 51/61 Clone?

[Garageboy]

Feeling Nostalgic- a Hero 51/61 Aero clone (small size) got me through High School, which are the preferred models? 616 Doctors?

[Sasha Royale]

The Hero 616 resembles the P51. Actually, I think it resembles a P21, with a cheap arrow clip.

As with lower end Chinese pens, quality control is hit and miss. I suggest buying ten 616's.

Chances are that you will have three disappointments, two trash, and five good writers. 15 bucks.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Hero-616-Fountain-Pens-Hooded-Fine-Nib-Arrow-Clip-Silver-Trim-/251569978887?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a92bd3e07

[Seele]

The retailer ten-packs tend to be from the Lishui works - and even counterfeits. I'd recommend the Hero-Doctor (colloquially "THe Jumbo") in single-unit blister packs, as they're from the Shanghai works.

[WirsPlm]

You really shouldn't bother with eBay (high chance of problem pens or fakes) go to isellpens.com (he's a seller in the US and has good quality Chinese pens), I prefer the 616 over the 329 (329 is slimmer, but it's also sturdier and obviously better built so you could easily prefer it), the 616 seems to be about the same size and shape as the Parker pens but can definitely have more problems than the 329.

[cakibler]

Why bother with a Chinese clone and just get the original. There are many good original Parker 51 aerometric fillers out there for sale at a decent price of less than $100 and they'll last longer and give you more writing pleasure than a cheap clone. I have tried a Hero clone 51 and it broke with in a year. I am back using my father's Parker 51 special and it is 60 years old and still going strong..

[WirsPlm]

Why bother with a Chinese clone and just get the original. There are many good original Parker 51 aerometric fillers out there for sale at a decent price of less than $100 and they'll last longer and give you more writing pleasure than a cheap clone. I have tried a Hero clone 51 and it broke with in a year. I am back using my father's Parker 51 special and it is 60 years old and still going strong..

 

Since it seems you didn't bother to read the OP, let me quote it for you, "Feeling Nostalgic- a Hero 51/61 Aero clone (small size) got me through High School, which are the preferred models? 616 Doctors?"

[Sailor Kenshin]

The Hero 616 resembles the P51. Actually, I think it resembles a P21, with a cheap arrow clip.

As with lower end Chinese pens, quality control is hit and miss. I suggest buying ten 616's.

Chances are that you will have three disappointments, two trash, and five good writers. 15 bucks.

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/10-Hero-616-Fountain-Pens-Hooded-Fine-Nib-Arrow-Clip-Silver-Trim-/251569978887?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item3a92bd3e07

I bought mine years ago, from two trusted sources. Not a bad one in the bunch, but quality may have gone down since then.

 

Right now, three of them are filled, and one of these I turned into a fude!

[dcwaites]

I would recommend either an old-style 329 (with the arrow on the hood) or a 100. The former will be about $5, and the latter about $40, but is well worth the extra money.

 

I have 3 different models of 100, one of each model of 329, and I have had a couple of 616 Jumbos, and been really disappointed at the quality of the 616s.

However, the 616 Jumbo is the only one that is the same dimensions as an original P51, even to being able to swap caps.

 

There is a new Hero hooded pen on the market called a 9601, costing about $8.which is a much more robust pen than those above, but is also somewhat heavier (30~40 g against 15~20 g).