I've commented on mine elsewhere here, and I've seen passing comments on this pen and its sibling models, so here's my review (considering Maja's request, and yes, Dillon, I relaxed a while before starting this ).

I bought mine this month from www.isellpens.com (in Arizona, USA) for about $5 USD. The whole order (more pens and three bottles of ink) was over $100, which made shipping free. Service, including several quick answers by Todd Nussbaum to my e-mails, was excellent. This replaces a pen almost exactly like it which I got, used and lost in China in the late 1980's. It made writing Chinese easier, and I saw people everywhere using it. I was disappointed to find out recently that ballpoint and gel rollerball pens took over in China in the 1990's.

The Hero 329 is an imitation of the Parker 51 or 21 designs (the clip's shape isn't like an arrow; thanks, Johan, for the distinction). The barrel and section are streamlined and all in one color, the section cover also being a hood over almost all of the nib. The barrel and section cover are plastic (green on mine). The cap is uncolored metal, streamlined like the rest of the pen, fitting snugly with neither threading nor snap. The clip can grip any reasonable thickness of fabric, including coat fabric. The brand name is engraved on it in Chinese, along with "329." The cap also says "FINE LINE," in English and Chinese, in black lettering.

This pen is comfortable to hold whether the cap is posted or not. The cap posts securely on the end of the barrel.

The nib is steel, fine and firm.

The permanent reservoir (bottled ink only, yeah!) is a true "aerometric" squeeze-fill design with a tube partway up the middle of the sac. The sac is clear, functioning as an ink level window. The reservoir continues downstream from the sac, in clear plastic which functions as a second ink level window and as the thread support for the barrel; loosening the barrel a few turns from the section uncovers that window.

I filled this pen with Levenger Gemstone Green ink. I've used it to write on lined pad paper, lightweight cotton paper stationery, inkjet paper and laserjet paper. Like any good fountain pen, the Hero 329 needs almost no pressure on the paper for writing. Although writing with it makes scratching sounds, the feeling is only slightly scratchy, and the nib has not snagged up any fibers. The line width and amount of ink deposited are easy to control.

The nib, like any fine nib, might be too fine for children who are just learning how to write.
Other than that, this is a great pen for anyone else I can think of, and the price is right. Enjoy!

Edited 12/14/2005: added a forgotten word and modified a detail.

GREAT review!

I owned a Wing Sung 329, which is the same as the Hero 329. I gave it as a gift to Tom (Oldgriz) when he bought two pens from me.

The nib is very fine, but I liked the design and quality.

The main drawback is that the point tends to dry out very quick.

btw; it is often called a copy of the Parker 51, but because of the non-arrow clip, I like to consider it as a copy of the Parker 21.

Hi,

Nice!

Dillon

If you like the Hero 329, then you must get the Hero 100, a higher quality imation to the Parker 51. You definitely feel a difference in the quality. I have both. The Hero 100 seems to have a slightly thicker line than the 329, but it is still very thin.

Thanks for the kind comments.

Betty, I'll put the Hero 100 on my future list. I'm giving a Hero 629 to my lawyer (slightly wider body than the 329, with a narrow, always-visible ink window between the section and barrel, a slightly broader nib, and an arrow-shaped clip).

could we see a writing sample, particularly in chinese?
that'd be cool

Hi Dave,

Sorry, I don't have a scanner, and my only digital camera is on my cell phone (not enough pixels). Hmmm. So many gadgets, so little time....

I did find one of my lecture notebooks from that year. I used that pen less and less, switching gradually to the stash of black and blue PaperMate Write Bros. ballpoint sticks I had packed in my suitcase before leaving the USA. Now, I can see why: the easily available bottled ink there and then was the old standard washable light blue that dried to a fainter shade, whereas the BP ink was easy to read quickly a month later.

I was younger and had hardly used computer mice at all yet, so my right wrist didn't mind the extra ballpoint work.

My Chinese characters written at note-taking speed did look more legible from the fountain pen than from the ballpoint pens -- at the same writing speed, fountain pens enable more neatness with less strain than ballpoint pens enable.

It did help that I was taking a class which was the introductory course to my major (linguistics), and which I had already taken in English two years earlier. The vocabulary was limited, technical and repeated, so it was easy to remember how to write those characters. The course material for intro to linguistics is the same everywhere in the world, so it was easy to catch onto and follow the lectures. I wasn't Superman; I used English in my notes, too.

My Chinese handwriting has reverted to elementary adult foreigner's hand, so if I posted a sample it would have to be from my notes from that year.

Here is a picture with writing sample of the Wing Sung 329 I got from Johan...
A very nice pen....

I'll try to remember to do some chinese handwriting samples with the 329 tonight for those interested.

What to write about? I'm not that good at some words.

Hi Betty,

(My attempt to input Chinese text worked on my Macintosh, but this website turned it into a bunch of question marks.)
Whatever you write would definitely be more interesting than my linguistics class notes!

And, Betty, I finally remembered my manners :doh: Thank you for contributing what I cannot. :bunny1:

Hi Steve (Goodwhiskers),

Thanks for the super review! I love those reviews where the pen is described so well that you don't need a photo to know what it looks like

Now, would it be too much to ask for a review of your *other* favourite (or at least it was, when you posted your intro on FPN ), the Duke 'Complete Esteem' fountain pen, please?

He he...not so fast. I didn't have time to do it yesterday as I was busy with other stuff...

Hi ,Steve.What a nice review! I've ever had a 329 ,loaded with "Ostrich" ink.It was a smooth writer.Though I seldom use our domestic FPs nowadays,I should say it's a nice pen with a great quality/price ratio.
BTW,the average price of 329 in mainland China is about 10 RMB now!
祝君万事顺利!
刘大夫 9

Only 10 RMB? That's like US$1.50. Guess importers have to make their money somewhere.....he he... So how much do the Hero 100's retail for in China?

Betty, no hurry, of course

Thanks for the nice wish, Dr. Liu!
Translation: "Zhu junfang shi shunli ! " is a highly polite, yet heartfelt, wish for all things to go well for the addressee.
BTW, how do you get Chinese characters to come out on this website?

Hi Steve, I 'm using the Windows XP (Chinese version),maybe that 's why Chinese characters could come out here. BTW ,I think the most suitable foreign FP for writing in Chinese is Waterman's solid nib.Please visit this website in Chinese ----www.penbbs.com

And Betty ,the retail price for Hero 100 is about 150 RMB.I have ever bought one for a gentleman on this forum from Beijing Department Store .But the postage was so terrible ,nearly 70 RMB.
Regards!

I am using Windows XP English version and I can still see the chinese.

Let me type something corny (using NJStar)

大家好﹗

Told you my chinese language mastery level was pretty basic.

anyone know what the difference between the $5 329s on isellpens.com and the $15 329s on hisnibs.com is?

Thanks.

Hisnibs offers the older version, which is said to be better. It (older version) looks better in my opinion. But it will be hard to get it cheaper than at Isellpens!

thanks. i like the look of the older version too. emailed hisnibs and we'll see what happens.

i love cheap pens/impulse buys

A

That is great !!!

I used to use Hero Pens when I first start (good writer ; but I am not much of a fan of hooded nibs)

But for $5 - that is amazing - it fits all budgets !

Great Review, Thank you

Just placed a rather more modest order, but I'm still getting like a half-dozen pens for waaay under a hundred bucks. You know me, cheap and cute's the rule.

i like the 329 older version with the star-trek symbol a lot better. it's one of my favorite writers!!!

329 is a common but comfortable pen for writing.I love it very much.616 is more popular than 329 ,especially the yellow cap .this is my handwriting and 616. of course, 100 is one of the most popular one between Chinese .