Chinese Pens -- Too Many Look Like Counterfeits!

[Komitadjie]

Honestly, the only thing that particularly bugs me about it (aside from my general Harley-owner gripe about lack of innovation and just trying to knock off existing successful designs) is that it makes scrolling through the flea-bay listings rather annoying. I'll be glancing at the big wads of pens people show as bulk lots, and I have to go through the ad carefully and hope like hell they know what they're talking about to see if it's actually the real thing, or a cheap Chinese knock-off, because they're so damn close in appearance that the pictures are hard to tell.

 

I guess the whole thing with just knocking off someone else's design strikes me as slightly offensive. Not entirely sure why, as an engineer I'm ALWAYS looking to someone else's designs to find solid, proven technology and layouts to make my design with, but still... I mean, cripes, at least TRY to have your own look! Call me crazy, I guess. Can't fault 'em for selling to a market that's obviously there, anyway... Still just bugs me.

Edited May 27, 2014 by Komitadjie

[TSherbs]

Only an observation.

Many exquisite vineyards in France are bought by foreign capitalists, the whole production is exported. As a result I can't taste these wines anymore. They became capitalists by selling me cheap alternatives .

Therefore I will never buy cheap mass production.

Interesting. What computer did you type this on?

[KBeezie]

Honestly, the only thing that particularly bugs me about it (aside from my general Harley-owner gripe about lack of innovation and just trying to knock off existing successful designs) is that it makes scrolling through the flea-bay listings rather annoying. I'll be glancing at the big wads of pens people show as bulk lots, and I have to go through the ad carefully and hope like hell they know what they're talking about to see if it's actually the real thing, or a cheap Chinese knock-off, because they're so damn close in appearance that the pictures are hard to tell.

 

I guess the whole thing with just knocking off someone else's design strikes me as slightly offensive. Not entirely sure why, as an engineer I'm ALWAYS looking to someone else's designs to find solid, proven technology and layouts to make my design with, but still... I mean, cripes, at least TRY to have your own look! Call me crazy, I guess. Can't fault 'em for selling to a market that's obviously there, anyway... Still just bugs me.

 

For me I can easily just click the little radio button for "North America only" or in my search terms I can actually add -Jinhao -Hero -Wingsung -Baoer -Duke

 

since you can use minuses to exclude words from a search term.

[TSherbs]

I have not had one Chinese pen dud in the last two years, and they are all clones. Can't say that about my "originals" from other manufacturers.

[maus930]

The Jinhao 159 is one of my favorites and i have bought a number of them for gifts-- and I don't expect it to measure up to my MB 149

[Komitadjie]

 

For me I can easily just click the little radio button for "North America only" or in my search terms I can actually add -Jinhao -Hero -Wingsung -Baoer -Duke

 

since you can use minuses to exclude words from a search term.

 

I do that quite often, and if the person knows what they're selling, that'll do a darn good job of weeding them out. But the REAL awesome deals, from the dude that is selling off that whole pile of old pens from his grandpa, and doesn't have a CLUE what they are... Is that a really nice Parker? Or a Chinese cheap-o? He doesn't know, and the photo could be either...

 

That's more what annoys me. I can filter out the new results and stuff easy enough, people tend to be honest enough selling them, as long as they know what they are, anyway.

[KBeezie]

 

I do that quite often, and if the person knows what they're selling, that'll do a darn good job of weeding them out. But the REAL awesome deals, from the dude that is selling off that whole pile of old pens from his grandpa, and doesn't have a CLUE what they are... Is that a really nice Parker? Or a Chinese cheap-o? He doesn't know, and the photo could be either...

 

That's more what annoys me. I can filter out the new results and stuff easy enough, people tend to be honest enough selling them, as long as they know what they are, anyway.

 

What annoys me more than a cheap chinese pen showing in the listings, are all the ballpoint pens listed as fountain pens.

[Thier.]

The Jinhao 159 is one of my favorites and i have bought a number of them for gifts-- and I don't expect it to measure up to my MB 149

Sure that for less than 6 $ P&P included on Ebay, you can hardly get an american, german or italian pen ... As an everyday tool for my 8 years old little girl, it does a fantastic job. When she looses it, no problem, I always have another 159 ready for her ....

[Komitadjie]

 

What annoys me more than a cheap chinese pen showing in the listings, are all the ballpoint pens listed as fountain pens.

 

Cripes, ain't THAT the truth! Or my personal gripe, when they list every brand name known to man, just to get into your search.

[TSherbs]

 

Cripes, ain't THAT the truth! Or my personal gripe, when they list every brand name known to man, just to get into your search.

+1

[aawhite]

I have not had one Chinese pen dud in the last two years, and they are all clones. Can't say that about my "originals" from other manufacturers.

 

Why bother having the "originals" then?

[richardandtracy]

 

Why bother having the "originals" then?

Beginning to wonder mesself too.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[Sailor Kenshin]

Why bother having the "originals" then?

The colors, lol.

[Komitadjie]

 

Why bother having the "originals" then?

 

Because if I just wanted a tool to make marks on paper, I'd go down to Staples and get a rollerball for a tenth cost of even a Chinese knockoff fountain pen. This is done for more than mere utility.

[rochester21]

 

Because if I just wanted a tool to make marks on paper, I'd go down to Staples and get a rollerball for a tenth cost of even a Chinese knockoff fountain pen. This is done for more than mere utility.

 

So you can a get a decent rollerball for one dollar or less? Wow. And i though all those cheap rollerballs and ballpoints are rubbish. And after the refill gets empty, what next, buy another? And another.....and another.

 

From my experience, an original refill for parker, pelikan or waterman costs as much or more than a entry level chinese fountain pen. And you don`t have to discard the fountain pen once the ink gets consumed.

 

Also, i do admit being a fountain pen snob myself, but even i wouldn`t use them if i didn`t think they were, overall, the best tools for writing. Ballpoints/rollerballs are useful when writing on cardboard, plastic, wet paper or on outer space, but in normal conditions, they`re just subpar.

Edited May 28, 2014 by rochester21

[TSherbs]

 

Why bother having the "originals" then?

Sometimes the product doesn't live up to the hype and the advertising, ya know?

[TSherbs]

 

Because if I just wanted a tool to make marks on paper, I'd go down to Staples and get a rollerball for a tenth cost of even a Chinese knockoff fountain pen. This is done for more than mere utility.

Not all the originals even make good "marks" on paper; that was my point. I don't have much use for more expensive pens that write poorly.

[Sailor Kenshin]

So you can a get a decent rollerball for one dollar or less? Wow. And i though all those cheap rollerballs and ballpoints are rubbish. And after the refill gets empty, what next, buy another? And another.....and another.

 

From my experience, an original refill for parker, pelikan or waterman costs as much or more than a entry level chinese fountain pen. And you don`t have to discard the fountain pen once the ink gets consumed.

 

Also, i do admit being a fountain pen snob myself, but even i wouldn`t use them if i didn`t think they were, overall, the best tools for writing. Ballpoints/rollerballs are useful when writing on cardboard, plastic, wet paper or on outer space, but in normal conditions, they`re just subpar.

 

I've been using colorful Papermate ballpoints that I keep all over the house....they're pretty good for jotting on Real Paper of all qualities.

[Komitadjie]

If I had to point to one, I'd suggest the UniBall Vision Elite rollerballs I've been using at work for a couple years now fairly often. They're about ~$1.25 a piece, depending on where you get them, and have an absurdly long life. They also write quite well on the barely-refined toilet paper we use in the printers here. Better, in fact, in terms of feathering, etc, than all but my nicest FP/ink combinations.

 

I write with a FP because I enjoy the mechanics of it, the design, the feeling of a bit of uniqueness, and the fun of bringing a ~50-yr-old item back into daily working service. Plus, my reds and blues are brighter than anyone else's here, and my blacks are blacker and more permanent!

 

I guess I consider it sort of in the same way I would a classic motorcycle. It's less about the absolute performance, and more about having something COOL. And that, of course, is defined by the individual involved. If you like the Chinese ones, by all means buy 'em! More classics for me!

Edited May 28, 2014 by Komitadjie

[aawhite]

Sometimes the product doesn't live up to the hype and the advertising, ya know?

 

I agree.