Another Jinhao

[Charles Skinner]

I just got my first Jinhao, the X750, and I really love it! What a surprise! I was not expecting nearly such a nice pen with a very smooth nib! What would you suggest as second Jinhao?

 

C. S.

[Art]

Do you like the size of the X750? If yes, perhaps an X450 or 159 would be a nice next purchase. I personally like both but the 159 is just about my favorite pen. Caution: it is large.

[jebib]

Put a bock nib on it and you are set for life.

[phonelady61]

why do some people have such a snobbery attitude towards jinhao pens and baoer pens I love these pens I really do . do any of you jinhao owners have any idea of why some ppl hate them ?

[Art]

why do some people have such a snobbery attitude towards jinhao pens and baoer pens I love these pens I really do . do any of you jinhao owners have any idea of why some ppl hate them ?

 

I have no idea. I have a number of Jinhao pens and really like them. The quality has been terrific. I'm going to make it a goal to get one of each of their models - not in each color or design.

[Lamyrada]

because they are cheap. I love my x750. Love it! It's always on my desk.

[Jamerelbe]

I've only (mostly) had positive experiences with Jinhao pens - but they do have their (minor) drawbacks too. The inner plastic cap on the x450 and x750 modles has a propensity to crack - and when that happens, you lose the 'click-close' on your pen. Sbrebrown has a video on how to repair this, but for the one pen I've had (out of 8) that developed this problem, the pen became much more subject to dry-out. Also, the nib sizes on these models are a little variable, and sometimes need minor adjustment - and some buyers report problems with the nib assembly coming loose from the grip section. Again, an easy repair job, but it contributes to the 'negative chatter'.

 

Another factor to consider is the contribution via eBay - I suspect some sellers may be distributing factory seconds etc, so that the Quality Control of pens purchased through eBay is extremely variable. I've purchased all of my pens via a couple of reputable online sellers (US and Aus-based), which means I've paid a little more, but have been more than satisfied with the quality of the pens I received.

 

Problems asiade, I have a growing number of Jinhao (and other Chinese) pens - and so far, nib variability aside, have only had one problem pen. The 599 series I'm extremely pleased with - comfortable in the hand (as long as you don't mind the Safari tri-grip!), and writes exceptionally smoothly. So put me down as a fan, regardless!

[richardandtracy]

Why do people hate Jinhao?

 

To a certain extent it's because Jinhao is the new popular kid on the block, which inspires jealousy.

 

Then there was the quality of their initial pens. Not great & not consistent.

Jinhao do have a continuing problem with their plating. It is VERY thin, even the inexpensive chrome plating wears through quickly, making the pen look older than it should.

There is also a global dominance issue too. The pens are made in China, and it appears to me that many people from the US (not all, by a long shot, but a fairly significant minority) fear and dislike China & Chinese products simply from the fact the political system is different and that the Chinese economy is set to overtake the size of theirs in the next few years. It is an irrational attitude to take, but it seems to be behind some of the less pleasant comments we've had on FPN about products from China. What is less easy to dismiss is claims about forced labour from prisoners and starvation wages in some in some industries. I have never seen any evidence that this is being used in the pen manufacturing industry, but it's harder to ignore when 10-15 years back there were documentaries showing such things happening in other industries. It is my feeling that it's unlikely to be occurring in Jinhao, and a company that is as innovative as Jinhao is unlikely to have much state involvement - after some experiences with UK government departments, I simply refuse to believe that state involvement will do anything other than stifle innovation.

There is also the 'taste' issue. Many of the Jinhao pens are, frankly, gaudy. It is not an aesthetic that finds a lot of acceptance in the west. Yet.

 

Despite what I have said against Jinhao, I have to say that I reckon they have produced the best non Parker hooded nib pen I have come across. It's the now unavailable Jinhao 321 ( https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/141747-jinhao-321-review ), and its only defect was the fact the nib was fine & not a medium or broad.

The balance on some of the pens is not good. The Jinhao 1200 is poor and the Jinhao Century is not as good as it could have been, though the J5000 is a pleasure to use.

 

I think with a little bit more attention paid to quality, Jinhao would be as good as any current Western manufacturer. Which is where the price comes in. They are sold cheaply & cheerfully. Snobs will always loathe anything sold that way. It's not a 'Luxury' product, so must be disregarded otherwise the 'Luxury' products will be seen for what they are and be devalued.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[KyleKatarn]

Hello to you all. I have several Jinhao pens and I thoroughly like them. The only thing that displeases me is the evident fact that they put a lot of effort to copycat other well known western brands, the 599 being a classical example - it's made to look like a Lamy Safari. I would appreciate them much more if they invested in their own original designs.

 

Anyway, I have 2 X750 M nib, 1 188 M Nib, 2 599 M nib and, this is my suggestion, a red 699 hooded EF nib that I Love. I'm an M or B guy so I got that one more out of curiosity than anything else. I inked it up with red ink and I use it for making marks and comments when proofreading (in this case the EF comes handy). I really recommend it.

Edited September 10, 2014 by KyleKatarn

[katerchen]

I also have the x750, although I put a different #6 on it. Mainly because I borked up the original ... I decided to grind it into a stub. But that's the beauty of these pens : you can fail cheap and get better at nib hacking.

 

My Century in blue Acrylic is also a very good, Parker-inspired writer.

 

The sleeper surprise for me was the 699. If you like contemporary Lamy pens -- say the CP1 -- you will love it. I actually just ordered 5 more of those, so I can give them away. The only thing I'm not too keen about is the cheap feeling plastic section. But hey ... 5 bucks apiece. They write absolutely perfect and the cap clicks on just with a light, but secure and satisfying click. Also doesn't dry out and started right up after sitting idle for over a week.

 

-k