Wing Sung 380 Fast Review

[rochester21]

Hello, everyone. I`il try my best to do a fast, but complete review of a wing sung 380 which i received just 41 days after placing the order. I wouldn`t be in such a hurry if i didn`t have a tough test tomorrow

 

1. Appearance and design 4/5. This pen has a peculiar design, i would say that overall it looks like a pimped-up chinese version of a parker 45 fligher. Don`t get me wrong, i like the fact that the guys at wing sung came up with an interesting gunmetal finish, with parallel grooves which give the pen an interesting, slightly sharp texture.

The ends and clip are goldish, and the clip has a shape which reminds of the arrow shaped parker clip.

I wouldn`t call it beautiful, but it`s not ugly either. It`s just interesting.

http://i48.tinypic.com/hsthzr.jpg

 

2. Build quality and size 3.5/5. The 380 is definitely a sturdy pen, with a metal construction and a well-made snap-on cap mechanism, which is secure and makes a pleasant "click" when capping the pen. The clip is rigid, but usable.

I gave only 3.5/5 points here because the finish is not very accurate, the gunmetal finish has small chips and doesn`t appear to be very long lasting. But for the price paid, it really isn`t a big deal- it`s decent.

It has about 13.3 cm closed and 1 cm in diameter. The weight is medium, about 26 gr, and even if the cap is somewhat heavy, it posts securely and the balance is quite alright, i usually post and feel comfortable with this pen posted.

http://i48.tinypic.com/124ycrd.jpg

 

3. Nib and writing experience 3.5/5. The nib is a replica of a sheaffer triumph nib. I like the shape of it, although the twin-tone effect and the "made in china" inscribing on it doesn`t make it very attractive. But the american-inspired design gives it and original look. The nib draws a fine line, about 0.5-0.7 mm.

I`m finding it difficult to rate this nib as a moderately smooth or less smooth one, and i`m sure there will be people who will have distinct views on this. I never tried a triumph nib, but i`m positive that it is much more smoother than the wing sung`s.

But the wing sung nib has it`s own character, you definitely feel the paper underneath the nib. It puts a moderate amount of resistance, and the ink flow is good. Doesn`t skip or dry out and it is quite forgiving when it comes the the sweet spot- very stiff as well. Has a bit of tooth.

All-in-all, a decent writer. The nib is not very smooth, but i have seen worse.

http://i48.tinypic.com/xgcu47.jpg

 

4. Filling mechanism 3.5/5. Tipical aerometric filler, not much to say here. It doesn`t work as well as the system fitted on a parker 51(for example) or a converter from parker, because you can feel that the suction is weaker on the wing sung, but this applies to basically all chinese pens fitted with this sistem.

The good part is that it does it`s job, although it doesn`t retain that much ink inside.

 

5. Price and final considerations. I paid 8 usd shipping included for this pen, and i don`t regret this purchase. Actually, after i got it i ordered 10 more, at 4 dollars a piece.

The only real weakness is the nib, which is not that great- but this aspect can depend from pen to pen. Other than that, great design and good overall build quality, given the price paid.

http://i49.tinypic.com/29n8odk.jpg

Edited December 14, 2012 by rochester21

[Uncle Red]

I've got a Wing Sung which is a good writer too. I think mines a bit smoother than yours. I've got a Sheaffer Triumph nibbed pen too and you do feel every bump in the paper. It's like riding in an off road vehicle, you feel the surface a lot.

[lovemy51]

i like the look of the WS. i might have to pick one up! thx for the review!

[cedargirl]

Hello, everyone. I`il try my best to do a fast, but complete review of a wing sung 380 which i received just 41 days after placing the order. I wouldn`t be in such a hurry if i didn`t have a tough test tomorrow

 

1. Appearance and design 4/5. This pen has a peculiar design, i would say that overall it looks like a pimped-up chinese version of a parker 45 fligher. Don`t get me wrong, i like the fact that the guys at wing sung came up with an interesting gunmetal finish, with parallel grooves which give the pen an interesting, slightly sharp texture.

The ends and clip are goldish, and the clip has a shape which reminds of the arrow shaped parker clip.

I wouldn`t call it beautiful, but it`s not ugly either. It`s just interesting.

http://i48.tinypic.com/hsthzr.jpg

 

2. Build quality and size 3.5/5. The 380 is definitely a sturdy pen, with a metal construction and a well-made snap-on cap mechanism, which is secure and makes a pleasant "click" when capping the pen. The clip is rigid, but usable.

I gave only 3.5/5 points here because the finish is not very accurate, the gunmetal finish has small chips and doesn`t appear to be very long lasting. But for the price paid, it really isn`t a big deal- it`s decent.

It has about 13.3 cm closed and 1 cm in diameter. The weight is medium, about 26 gr, and even if the cap is somewhat heavy, it posts securely and the balance is quite alright, i usually post and feel comfortable with this pen posted.

http://i48.tinypic.com/124ycrd.jpg

 

3. Nib and writing experience 3.5/5. The nib is a replica of a sheaffer triumph nib. I like the shape of it, although the twin-tone effect and the "made in china" inscribing on it doesn`t make it very attractive. But the american-inspired design gives it and original look. The nib draws a fine line, about 0.5-0.7 mm.

I`m finding it difficult to rate this nib as a moderately smooth or less smooth one, and i`m sure there will be people who will have distinct views on this. I never tried a triumph nib, but i`m positive that it is much more smoother than the wing sung`s.

But the wing sung nib has it`s own character, you definitely feel the paper underneath the nib. It puts a moderate amount of resistance, and the ink flow is good. Doesn`t skip or dry out and it is quite forgiving when it comes the the sweet spot- very stiff as well. Has a bit of tooth.

All-in-all, a decent writer. The nib is not very smooth, but i have seen worse.

http://i48.tinypic.com/xgcu47.jpg

 

4. Filling mechanism 3.5/5. Tipical aerometric filler, not much to say here. It doesn`t work as well as the system fitted on a parker 51(for example) or a converter from parker, because you can feel that the suction is weaker on the wing sung, but this applies to basically all chinese pens fitted with this sistem.

The good part is that it does it`s job, although it doesn`t retain that much ink inside.

 

5. Price and final considerations. I paid 8 usd shipping included for this pen, and i don`t regret this purchase. Actually, after i got it i ordered 10 more, at 4 dollars a piece.

The only real weakness is the nib, which is not that great- but this aspect can depend from pen to pen. Other than that, great design and good overall build quality, given the price paid.

http://i49.tinypic.com/29n8odk.jpg

 

Thanks for the review Rochester. I must have missed it before Christmas.

 

I bought one of these pens last October (as part of a pack of six triumph style nibbed Winsungs for $20 delivered internarionally). The nib on my 380 is very smooth. With Diamine ink in it, it's just gliding over the paper. I just inked it up this morning and I had forgotten how smooth it was.

 

But I think I did run it over some micromesh when I first got it. I do recommend anyone buying Chinese pens get a pack of micromesh abrasives. If you go about it sensibly, smoothing the nibs on pens is quite easy. And its good to practice on these low cost pens. I always start on one of the higher grit pads and only go down in grit, it the finer grit isn't working. Very gently does it; no pressure, just writing loops and twisting and angling the pen around; with frequent testing. (I just ink up the pen and don't empty it to smooth the nib. The ink serves to lubricate the abrasive.)

 

Give it a go, you might be pleasantly surprised.

[rochester21]

Thank you for your reply, cedargirl. I just received a box with 10 pens- 3 of them were smoother than the rest, but none comes near a pilot 78G, for example.

Using micromesh on this pen should be a good idea(if you know what you`re doing), haven`t managed to get my hands on some until now(costs a little more than i want to pay for it+ i`m afraid of the possibility of ruining some nibs)

Edited January 28, 2013 by rochester21

[WebDebSpider]

Rochester21,

 

I have to say, your pen must not have been a very good one. I recently purchased a 6 piece pen set of Wing Sung pens and my 380 works great. I had no chips or disfigurements of any sort to my finish, in fact it was pristine, the nib I was able to dis-assemble and it was not a one piece with two-tone finish.

 

Sorry to hear that you were less than satisfied with yours. But like you said the price is not bad. Hope you got free shipping with yours too.

[zdeveric]

Hello Rochester,

Can you take out converter and use cartridges or insert another converter?

[zdeveric]

Thank you for your reply, cedargirl. I just received a box with 10 pens- 3 of them were smoother than the rest, but none comes near a pilot 78G, for example.

Using micromesh on this pen should be a good idea(if you know what you`re doing), haven`t managed to get my hands on some until now(costs a little more than i want to pay for it+ i`m afraid of the possibility of ruining some nibs)

Hello Rochester,

Can you take out converter and use cartridges or insert another converter?

How do you like it now after more then 1 year? Any issues? Better marks?

Edited April 20, 2014 by zdeveric

[zdeveric]

Thank you for your reply, cedargirl. I just received a box with 10 pens- 3 of them were smoother than the rest, but none comes near a pilot 78G, for example.

Using micromesh on this pen should be a good idea(if you know what you`re doing), haven`t managed to get my hands on some until now(costs a little more than i want to pay for it+ i`m afraid of the possibility of ruining some nibs)

How do you like it now after more then 1 year? Any issues? Better marks?

[zdeveric]

This pen is excellent quality.

After two month of use there is no wear on surface. I was affraid because I had bad experience with Kaigelu 356 where the paint on the section started to peel.

 

The writing is just what I was expecting: EF nib, quite smooth and juicy.

[Manalto]

I'm reviving this thread because a couple of weeks ago, I received delivery of a five-pack of 380s ($20) and have been really enjoying this pen. My daily carry pen is a brushed-steel Targa. I've had my eye out for the Regency version, but now I'm not in so much of a hurry since this pen is an approximation of that stripe-etched design. I've only tried one of the five so far and I'm hoping the others perform as well. The Triumph-inspired nib is attractive (mine has a crisp demarcation between the two tones) and writes a beautiful wet, fine line with a definite sweet spot that seems to relax and expand with use. I usually employ the brown-paper-bag technique to smooth Chinese nibs, but this one didn't need it. Loaded with Private Reserve's lovely 'Avocado' (PR corrected the spelling!) it starts immediately, never skips and has a wee bit of flex - it even writes reliably reversed, albeit with a fair amount of scratchiness. I like the flared flange joining the nib to the section, which subtly warns your fingertip that it's wandering into inky territory.

 

We'll see how the Wing Sung 380 holds up over time, but at $4, it's already proven its value - and then some. I now carry it as a companion to my Targa. As with many Chinese pens, it's a bit too small to use unposted, but gets a little top heavy when posted. For longer writing sessions at home, I prefer a fatter resin/plastic pen with better balance, but for jotting quick notes and memos, this is a terrific work pen.

Edited March 22, 2015 by Manalto

[i4sgeorgiev]

Very nice pen, thanks for the review!

[bob_hayden]

Some years ago, when old Wing Sungs were more common on eBay, I purchased a bunch of them, including several different models with this nib. Those were not too impressive, and are long gone. More recently, I had a chance to pick up one of the Sheaffer originals. That made me want to compare it to the WS nib, so I ordered a 380. It seemed to get the best reviews of any with that nib.

 

First let me say that that any WS with a Triumph-style nib is at best NOS from roughly 25 years ago. This may account for the variations in finish. The one I just received looks very nice. In particular, it has a shiny nib, while all the others I had looked discolored. Variations in how well people like the nib may be due to paper. On the rather rough cheap loose leaf filler paper from WalMart that I normally use, the Sheaffer feels rather toothy and the WS much more so. On Rhodia, the WS is much improved while the Sheaffer is incredibly smooth. Both nibs are quite stiff, but the Sheaffer has a cushy feel to it that makes it less annoying to me than the WS nib or the nibs on Safaris. OTOH, the WS will give a bit of shading and more than double line width if you bear down, while the Sheaffer is pretty much one width with no shading.

 

I paid $5.50 postpaid to the US for the 380. A Sheaffer with the Triumph nib will probably set you back many times that. The Sheaffer is more refined and understated, but the 380 has its charms. I'd say it is more a case of the pens being different than one being "better".