Wing Sung 698 Piston-Filler

[KellyMcJ]

Here we go!!!!

 

http://i.imgur.com/XRslTfa.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/2GBk4HA.jpg

 

Ignore the sick looking Wearever writing sample...it was out of ink LOL! Whoops. It actually writes a lot like the Wing Sung when it has ink.

 

This color is really hard to photograph.

 

One thing I noticed this morning is that the cap band is actually directly on top of the threads- the portion of the cap below the band actually does not touch the barrel. So the cap band is truly functional and not just decorative.

 

I'm truly impressed with the quality of this pen!

[plumo]

You seem to have gotten your pen quickly, who'd you buy from?

[KellyMcJ]

You seem to have gotten your pen quickly, who'd you buy from?

An eBay seller based in California, I don't recall the name. I had it in a few days.

[GeoffreyHautecouverture]

Hi,

I have the same pen than visvamitra with a transparent and gold color scheme. My pen is filled with the blue/black Quink from parker. I appreciate the fine nib and the volume of ink that can be contained in the pen. I planned to buy one or two others of the same model with the same colors to use a dark red and a dark green ink. The nib is quite smooth and its fine drawing is interesting to take some notes on small books.

I agree with the general look of the pen, it is boring but the transparency add a nice effect. Obviously the main aspect of the pen come from the ink used with it.

Geoffrey Hautecouverture

[mitto]

I am considering buying one with the gold nib. I heraed there was the gold nibbed version. Am I right?

Edited July 26, 2017 by mitto

[zchen]

I am considering buying one with the gold nib. I heraed there was the gold nibbed version. Am I right?

 

There is a 14K nib version. You can find it on eBay.

[GeoffreyHautecouverture]

I bough two pens today to fill with Green/black and Oxblood ink from Diamine. I found the following offers on eBay, it seems to be the cheapest offer compared to aliexpress and dhgate.

http://www.ebay.co.uk/itm/Wing-Sung-698-Transparent-Piston-Fountain-Pen-Golden-Clip-Softer-Fine-Nib-2017/152616323510?_trksid=p2054502.c100227.m3827&_trkparms=aid%3D111001%26algo%3DREC.SEED%26ao%3D1%26asc%3D20160908103841%26meid%3D68319947deed41568d91ea11a9e18dd3%26pid%3D100227%26rk%3D3%26rkt%3D15%26sd%3D162599406138

Geoffrey Hautecouverture

[KellyMcJ]

It really didn't like the super dry ink I was using so I switched to Pilot BB...and I got a little surprise! The back of the nib is also butter smooth. It's like two nibs for the price of one!

 

http://i.imgur.com/EXMM271.jpg

[Honeybadgers]

While I do think TWSBI makes a clearly superior pen in the $50-$75 range, I just got a 698 and it blows the eco out of the freaking water.

 

Sure, you don't have the out-of-box nib selection, but even still, for less than a TWSBI eco, you can have a 698 F, pick up a pilot penmanship in EF (nibs and feeds 100% interchangable) and a pilot plumix with a ~1mm stub, and have three completely different pens that all have swappable nibs.

 

Or, if you have a metro in M or F, get an EF or F 698 and switch the nibs around to your liking.

 

The 698 is basically a pen that pilot should be making and selling at $30. If this was a pilot piston pen that used their steel nibs and could be had with their standard range of EF, F, M, and B/BB stub, I'd have like 3 or 4. As it is, I have to buy 3 or 4 698's now, because these pens are AMAZING platforms since they not only write well, but are insanely comfortable in the hand (the grip section is REALLY good, think a longer platinum 3776 section, and gently tapered, unlike the weirdly ramped metro section that kind of ruins the pen for me)

 

I have two minor gripes that absolutely don't put me off the pen. When the blind cap is pushed down, it wiggles about 1/2 mm left and right . now that I'm used to it, I just find myself playing with it more than annoyed by it.

 

And I do wish that they'd figured out how to make it post. But it's long enough, I don't find it problematic.

 

I went with the color I've never seen anyone else with, demonstrator with a white cap and blind cap. I thought it might look weird, but I actually really dig it, the white contrasts the ink in the barrel really nicely (thusfar diamine brandy dazzle looks awesome in it)

[Honeybadgers]

I am considering buying one with the gold nib. I heraed there was the gold nibbed version. Am I right?

 

 

There is one. I've heard that it's very similar to the platinum PTL5000A and pilot Seremo 14k nibs, a little soft, a little line variation.

 

My question is whether or not the nib is the same design as the pilot steel and interchangable, or if it's a standard chinese #5. If it's a pilot nib, I think I have to buy one just for the nib.

[KellyMcJ]

I noticed my blind cap wiggled a bit... then one day the whole piston started to unscrew in my purse! No leaks, so I tightened the piston mechanism (it unscrew below the gold ring) back down. The blind cap no longer wiggles. Something to check.

[Theroc]

I, now, own four 698s, one of them with the 14kt gold nib. Not one of them ever gave me any grief.

They are good fountain pens.

When you consider, however, that they are piston fillers, and that they sell for under $20 dollars, the word 'good' does not do them justice.

Wait it gets better... I have been using mine daily for the last 6 months, they still look, write and function like on day one. Granted, I'm easy on my fountain pens; still... like new.

The nibs are remarkably smooth. I also own a TWSBI 580AL, an ECO and a Custom Heritage 92. Only the 92 writes smoother than the 698s.

While the 580AL is still a better pen than the 698, the 698 handily beats the ECO in every way. One way, for example, the 698 is much easier to disassemble for cleaning and maintenance.

 

BTW if anyone is interested in the 14kt gold nib in the hope that it will be an even better writer, don't bother. If I'm completely honest with myself I would have to admit that all of the three steel nibs I have are a tad bit smoother. The 14kt nib is fine, just don't expect it to be better.

[IndigoBOB]

I just ordered my 698 today. I like my Eco's and their durable plastic, but prefer the ergonomics and dimensions of the 698. I'm kind of unhappy with the ergonomics of the TWSBI's TBH, but they work I guess.

 

I really like that you can interchange pilot nibs. That raises the value for me instead of them being like twsbi where replacement nibs cost 20 some odd dollars instead of buying a plumix or metropolitan for 10$ and getting another pen with it.

 

I have much nicer pens, but to have something that writes well, has a piston, and I'm not afraid to lose and pocket it with me is quite a nice prospect.

[bobje]

These are modified Fine nibs that came with the Wing Sung 698 and 659. The Fine nib in the piston-filler Wing Sung 698 has been modified with an enlarged breather hole. The Fine nib on the cartridge-converter Wing Sung 659 has been modified with angel wings. They perform about the same. There is additional cushion and spring in the writing experience, making it more enjoyable. A little more splay in the tines results in marginally more line variation, but not a lot. The angel wing modification may perform just a little better on line variation.

 

The modification makes the pen a little more fun to write with, if you're so inclined. But the stock Fine nibs in both pens are nice writers to begin with, and the stock Extra Fine nib that also accompanied the Wing Sung 659 performs so smoothly on poor paper that I'm not going to modify it.

 

 

Wing Sung 698, Fine, enlarged breather hole modification, Monteverde red velvet ink, Mead 70-page composition book, Made in Vietnam, from Target

 

 

 

 

 

 

Wing Sung 659, Fine, angel wing modification, Monteverde red velvet ink, Mead 70-page composition book, Made in Vietnam, from Target

 

 

[KellyMcJ]

Beautiful results Bobje! I'm not so inclined but it's awesome to know what's possible.

[DanielleE]

 

Can someone elaborate on posting with the 698? Can the cap be posted?

 

After having an unposted Pelikan roll of a desk once and break where the section meets the body, I am very uncomfortable when it comes to using pens unposted.

[woleizihan]

Can someone elaborate on posting with the 698? Can the cap be posted?After having an unposted Pelikan roll of a desk once and break where the section meets the body, I am very uncomfortable when it comes to using pens unposted.

It can be posted securely but not very deep so the pen will become very long. The cap has a solid metal finial at the top of the cap so it's also very back heavy. Definitely not balanced IMO, unless you have a monster size hand.

[inkeverywhere]

A fine review of a fine pen!

 

I own two now, a fine and extra fine, and neither have been out of rotation since I inked them, I find them a joy to write with.

 

 

Greg

[chadden42]

If I prefer a Pilot Metropolian Medium Nib, shoulf I get the 698 in the .5 or the smaller nib?

Thanks

[WJM]

Can someone elaborate on posting with the 698? Can the cap be posted?

 

After having an unposted Pelikan roll of a desk once and break where the section meets the body, I am very uncomfortable when it comes to using pens unposted.

 

Hardly. It can be sort of posted if you force shove the cap on the back of the barrel by but it's not very stable and clearly not designed for that. Unfortunately this is a case with many of Chinese fountain pens and personally I consider those unpostable, out of worry that this kind of forcing the post could damage the cap.

 

 

If I prefer a Pilot Metropolian Medium Nib, shoulf I get the 698 in the .5 or the smaller nib?

Thanks

 

What do you mean "the smaller nib"? Wing Sung 698 has a Pilot standard nib (F or EF) and the nib from Metropolitan, 78G, Plumix etc. should fit it.

Edited November 5, 2017 by WJM