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First Fountain Pen: Jinhao Vs Lamy


overlander

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For my first fountain pen, I am debating between a lamy vista (F/EF) or a Jinhao X450/X750 with a Goulet #6 (F or EF) nib. I like the looks of both pens, so it is a matter of performance. I will be using this pen mainly for school notes. How do the two pens compare in terms of performance, comfort, etc.? Also, how does the stock jinhao nib compare to the goulet nib?

-Thanks :D

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To some extent, this is comparing apples to oranges. I have both pens and love them dearly, but for quite different reasons. The Jinhao is a heavy pen with a nib that is adequate. Both pen and nib are finished but the quality control is acceptable only because the pen is inexpensive. Like, can be had for less than $10.00. The Goulet nib is a step up and provides a JoWo (I think) German nib that is much smoother and comes from a factory that has greater quality control. With the Goulet nib, the cost rises to about $25.00. For a few dollars more, the Lamy Vista is a far more versatile pen that is reliable. The nibs are on a par with the Goulet nib, IMHO. The only caveat on the Lamy is the tripod grip. May or may not be comfortable for you.

 

So, there's your choices -- pays your money and takes your chances.

 

Best of luck,

Yours,
Randal

From a person's actions, we may infer attitudes, beliefs, --- and values. We do not know these characteristics outright. The human dichotomies of trust and distrust, honor and duplicity, love and hate --- all depend on internal states we cannot directly experience. Isn't this what adds zest to our life?

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The Jinhao nibs have some QC issues, as I understand it. I lucked out with mine and ended up with a pretty good one, but Goulet's nibs are much nicer. Plus, the Jinhao stock nib is equivalent to a western M nib, so it would probably be much too thick for what you're looking for.

 

The Jinhao pens are pretty heavy. That might be something you like or something you hate about them. Your hand could get tired if you write with it for long periods. On the other hand, a lot of people aren't crazy about Lamy's triangular grip section. It has never really bothered me, but I can see how it would be annoying.

 

Personally, I think the build quality of the Lamys is much nicer than the Jinhaos. You do get a decent pen for a very low price with the Jinhaos, but I would probably go for the Lamy.

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I don't like the three-sided section of the Vista. However, the x450 is better than the x750. Neither can hold

a candle to the LAMY reliability, which is absolutely first concern in lecture note taking.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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Thanks so much for the fast replies!

 

I don't like the three-sided section of the Vista. However, the x450 is better than the x750. Neither can hold

a candle to the LAMY reliability, which is absolutely first concern in lecture note taking.

What makes the 450 better than the 750? thanks

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The Jinhao nibs have some QC issues, as I understand it. I lucked out with mine and ended up with a pretty good one, but Goulet's nibs are much nicer. Plus, the Jinhao stock nib is equivalent to a western M nib, so it would probably be much too thick for what you're looking for.

 

The Jinhao pens are pretty heavy. That might be something you like or something you hate about them. Your hand could get tired if you write with it for long periods. On the other hand, a lot of people aren't crazy about Lamy's triangular grip section. It has never really bothered me, but I can see how it would be annoying.

 

Personally, I think the build quality of the Lamys is much nicer than the Jinhaos. You do get a decent pen for a very low price with the Jinhaos, but I would probably go for the Lamy.

 

A lot of people seem to be lucking out in terms of Jinhao QC... least everyone I know that has one.

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Both pens would be equally good as beginner pen, but if you have the money a Safari will probably be a bit more reliable.

 

As for QC... in my experience Lamy has worse QC than Jinhao. It still amazes me how many Lamy nibs get sold misaligned, wrtiing too wide for their size (I swear they just make one size and randomly stamp letters on them), etc.

Edited by discopig
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Thanks so much for the fast replies!

 

What makes the 450 better than the 750? thanks

 

For me it's the other way around, they're both bout the same weight.

 

X750 cap is easier to remove than the X450

X750 cap can be easily posted on the back (X450, the cap keeps slipping off for me)

X750's section is smooth all the way around, not 3 areas of ridged

 

Bout the only thing I like bout the X450 is that it has a 2-tone nib and comes in some colors you can't find on the X750.

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My only Jinhao experience is with the 159 which is a monster and very heavy (50 grams!) Let's put it this way- it doesn't get used much. I just don't like the way it writes. Which is the point after all.

 

My Lamy Al Star, I have had for about 15 years and is a wonderful writer regardless of the nib I have in it. At varying times, I have had Medium, Fine and 1.1 mm italic. All have been good writers. I think the Al Star (aluminum), Safari, and Vista pens are a good choices.

Brad

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" - Rudyard Kipling
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." - Mark Twain

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My only Jinhao experience is with the 159 which is a monster and very heavy (50 grams!) Let's put it this way- it doesn't get used much. I just don't like the way it writes. Which is the point after all.

 

That's why I got my 159 with a Goulet 2-tone Medium Nib (but this of course bumps the price up $15). Also it's about the same weight as the X450 and X750, since it appears to be a mix of resin and brass, where as the smaller X750/450 pens are mostly painted brass. So size wise it just doesn't come off as heavy as the other two I owned. I think it would drive me more nuts if It had the original Jinhao Medium nib.

 

So the question is, have you tried other nibs?

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Guest Ray Cornett

I have yet to have any issue whatsoever with my X750 with the stock nib. The tines were even spot on upon arrival. I love my 159 as well.

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I have yet to have any issue whatsoever with my X750 with the stock nib. The tines were even spot on upon arrival. I love my 159 as well.

 

Most the time the nib just needs a re-seating, and a good cleaning before you use it.

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Can't find myself supporting the Chinese pen makers, they seem just to be making cheap knock offs of western (and sometimes Japanese) pens.

 

I would without a question go for the LAMY !

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Most the time the nib just needs a re-seating, and a good cleaning before you use it.

 

I agree totally on cleaning. Good idea for any pen.

How do the Lamy and Jinhao compare? They don't. Lamy is light PVC, Jinhao is heavy brass. Your Lamy $ goes to QC and office staff. While I've been pleased with my three Jinhaos I'm unsure if they have much of either. In many cases the extra money shows up in QC and CS. An example? TWSBI. They have had some problems to the point of firing and replacing a major supplier, yet they thrive. Why? Firstly, amazing customer service. Then stepped up their QC. Those pens are sold at a price that becomes acceptable due to CS. If Hero made an identical pen the price would have to be much lower, because few have faith in them after the sale.

May I ask why just two pens? For about $15 you could get a Metropolitan and not swap a nib. Same price gets a Nemosine Singularity, mine works great after a GOOD cleaning. And my EF really is EF.

I know how tough deciding can be, but it is way easier than regretting and much cheaper in the end.

 

Paul

"Nothing is impossible, even the word says 'I'm Possible!'" Audrey Hepburn

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May I ask why just two pens? For about $15 you could get a Metropolitan and not swap a nib. Same price gets a Nemosine Singularity, mine works great after a GOOD cleaning. And my EF really is EF.

I know how tough deciding can be, but it is way easier than regretting and much cheaper in the end.

 

Paul

I had already looked at many other pens, and I ruled out the metro because i don't like the threads, and i heard many issues about cracking on the caps of the singularity.

Thanks for the input, I really appreciate it.

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I have had 9 or 10 Jinhaos. The one I bought from tyler Dahl that he ground to an arabic nib is the only one without flow issues. They all write smooth and wet until the collector emties and then quit. I have to turn the converter to get them going again. Most annoying.Cannot recommend them at any price. All of my Heroes have been fine.

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I agree totally on cleaning. Good idea for any pen.

How do the Lamy and Jinhao compare? They don't. Lamy is light PVC, Jinhao is heavy brass. Your Lamy $ goes to QC and office staff. While I've been pleased with my three Jinhaos I'm unsure if they have much of either. In many cases the extra money shows up in QC and CS. An example? TWSBI. They have had some problems to the point of firing and replacing a major supplier, yet they thrive. Why? Firstly, amazing customer service. Then stepped up their QC. Those pens are sold at a price that becomes acceptable due to CS. If Hero made an identical pen the price would have to be much lower, because few have faith in them after the sale.

May I ask why just two pens? For about $15 you could get a Metropolitan and not swap a nib. Same price gets a Nemosine Singularity, mine works great after a GOOD cleaning. And my EF really is EF.

I know how tough deciding can be, but it is way easier than regretting and much cheaper in the end.

 

Paul

 

Only some Jinhao are Brass (usually the big ones), there are plenty of plastic/PVC ones like the 599, etc.

 

This for example is a Red 599

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA1MFgxNDAw/z/fu0AAMXQ74JTQnQp/$_57.JPG

 

There are plenty like that in a plastic molding as well as some that are just simply Aluminum (611 Thin, etc).

Edited by KBeezie
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Only some Jinhao are Brass (usually the big ones), there are plenty of plastic/PVC ones like the 599, etc.

 

This for example is a Red 599

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/00/s/MTA1MFgxNDAw/z/fu0AAMXQ74JTQnQp/$_57.JPG

 

There are plenty like that in a plastic molding as well as some that are just simply Aluminum (611 Thin, etc).

 

Case and point !

How can one support this behaviour !

Hero has a similar Safari knock-off...

 

Then again, they say imitation is the best form of flattery...

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I have had 9 or 10 Jinhaos. The one I bought from tyler Dahl that he ground to an arabic nib is the only one without flow issues. They all write smooth and wet until the collector emties and then quit. I have to turn the converter to get them going again. Most annoying.Cannot recommend them at any price. All of my Heroes have been fine.

Wow. I've only had three, and they each wrote nicely. Never had to mess with them, until they ran out of ink. Wonder what was different?

--

Lou Erickson - Handwritten Blog Posts

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