Well, as promised, here's a closer look at some of the Dux models I picked up in Pakistan. First, let's see the 612.



The pen is strongly reminiscent of the Hero 329/330 line, but there are a few notable points:

1. The hood is P51 style, without a P61-style arrow.
2. The clip emulates neither the 51/61 nor the 21, but is a simple design of Dux's own.
3. There is a gold metallic tassie at each end of the pen.
4. Where the aeromatic filler meets the section, there is a wide, see-through band. Hold the pen horizontally to see immediately how full it is. Nice touch.

How does it write? Very nicely. Like the Heros, it's any nib you like as long as it's fine.



It's plated steel rather than gold, so the experience is more P21 than P51, of course. All the pens you'll see in this review write very similarly.

Here is the full range of colours:



Moving on now, my next model is the 866, not an obvious clone of any existing pen:



Externally, I suppose it's slightly reminiscent of a Sheaffer Snorkel, but that nib and feed are like nothing from the Sheaffer stable. Here is a closer look:



Based loosely on the Parker 45, perhaps? But there's a touch on this model absent from the others which I just love. Look at this cap:



The last example is Dux's 266, which on the outside looks inspired by the Parker Vector:



Inside, though, it's a different story:



Note the same nib/feed assembly as the 868, this time set in a nice ridged section. This picture also shows the aerometric filler which all these Duxes share.

Finally, a look at the 266 colour range:



Impressions and conclusion

These are very low cost pens, made for a market where fountain pens are everyday tools rather than luxury items. They are made from lightweight plastic, and I don't believe they'd stand for too mcuh rought treatment (but then what fountain pen will?)

The designs are inspired by popular pens of the past and present, but rather than just copying the designs, Dux has added touches of its own which make these pens unique and - to my mind - well worth owning.

Ray

Nice review Ray. I have always been a fan of the Hero pens( I'm a cheapskate at heart, just ask my wife ). I also have a few of the Wality pens from India. Are these going to the Marketplace soon?

Larry

Could be, Larry. I'll post here if and when they do.

Ray

Following a number of requests, I'm offering some of each of these models for sale now in the Marketplace.

Ray

Just got back from the cold and wet and did a quick scan of the pens to compare and contrast with real Parkers,



At the top is a teal blue "51" with a Rolled Silver cap and at the bottom is a Black 61 with a heirloom cap. The Dux pens are the sandwich.

I have just dipped them to try and they both write like a new pen out of the box, fine but not too fine, could do with a bit of a smooth on some brown craft paper which I will do after dinner.

I would do a scan of my handwriting, but I am TOO ashamed!

Jim

Sometimes people write "aerometric filler" when they mean converter.

Is that a converter which can be pulled out of the section, (and possibly replaced with a cartridge) ;

or is that an aerometric filler which cannot be pulled out of the section ?

It's a filler, not a converter.

Ray

My 612 arrived this morning, so just popped some ink in it and was surprised at how wet it was and the the nib was broader than those found in the Hero 329s. It's also a smoother writer than the 329.

Side by side, the 612 is slightly longer than the 329, but I would guess them to be the same diameter. The Dux 612 is a little bit heavier than the Hero 329, probably it's the same in weight as the Hero 616. The metallic end seems better finished than the plastic end of the 329 - which on my pen is very thin plastic. Yes, I know we're talking about very cheap pens here, so you don't expect the finish to be great.

Sorry, no written sample, I'm too lazy to switch on the desktop PC!

edit - wrote wrong Hero model number

[quote=Blorgy,Jan 8 2006, 03:41 PM] [/QUOTE]
Sometimes people write "aerometric filler" when they mean converter.

[/quote]
Conversely, sometimes people write "converter" when they mean aerometric filler:

http://www.hisnibs.com/'329'_series.htm

I received my Dux 612 today from Ray. Thanks a lot. I have never before seen that kind of filling system (aerometric?). All my other pens are cartridge/converter type. Trying to fill it was quite an experiment for me, and I'm not 100% sure if I did it correctly. I removed the metal shield (which is around the rubber? sac?) and then squeezed the sac several times. Little by little it sucked some ink but I never managed to get it full.

I wiped the nib, replaced the shield and the barrel and began sketching a note. The pen started absolutely smoothly. In fact, it felt much smoother than my Waterman Phileas (a recent acquisition). Other parts of the Dux may feel cheap but the nib is excellent!

Actually, the metal shield should be kept on, and you should squeeze the internal sac by pressing and releasing the part of it which moves, if you see what I mean. While the point is dipped in ink, squeeze and release 4 or 5 times.

Glad you like the pen; I'm impressed it got to Finland so quickly.

Ray

Ray, I'm a little late in commenting, but thank you for all the great photos of these little-known (well, little-known until now ) pens from Pakistan. I really didn't even know that they produced fountain pens there!

It's never too late, Maja! Thanks for your comments.

Yesterday at work I got someone using one of these who hadn't used a FP since school. She loved writing with it. Another convert.

Ray

Hi,

These are Hero by the way. (A bit disappointing, but nice pen anyway) I took mine apart, and found that it said Hero on the nib (In Chinese).

I am almost willing to bet that my Dux 266 is the only Aerometric model in existence. I calculated, then I drilled a tiny hole in the breather tube going through only one side of the breather tube.

These are really nice pens.

Dillon