Wing Sung 618 Vs. Wing Sung 698 - What's The Difference?

[AndWhoDisguisedAs]

Hi Fountain Penners:

 

Does anyone use - or have any information - about these two Wing Sung Piston Fountain Pens?

 

I'm looking for feedback on the two piston pens themselves, how they compare to each other, and then how they compare to a Pelikan M400 or TWSBI.

 

Thanks everyone!

[KellyMcJ]

I have and love both. I prefer the 618 for matters that really come down to personal preference. The 618 is a tiny bit broader, and wetter, although that's in large part due to the ink I am sure. Both are solid pens, attractive, and have the same piston mechanism. Functionally, they're about the same, both very smooth writers (I thought the 618 was a little smoother, but again, different ink.) It just comes down to aesthetics really.

 

I like the 618 so much I bought three more.

 

ETA: I have a TWSBI Eco also and greatly prefer the Wing Sungs, mostly because they are more comfortable for me to hold and write with. I believe this is also personal preference. Wing Sung pens aren't famous for cracking like TWSBI pens are, but then, the 618 is new to the market so it could happen yet.

 

http://i.imgur.com/pBRuw9n.jpg

Edited August 9, 2017 by KellyMcJ

[Mech-for-i]

Just as Kelly had put it, functionally ( as far as the piston mechanism goes ) they are just the same. Styling vise one is more a round off cigar type and one more a typical piston flatop. The main difference is the pen part. The 698 use very typical feed and nib ( pattered against Pilot's ), you can swap any Pilot Metro / Kakuno / Prera / Plumix nib or any nib that's compatible. The 618 use the more traditional ink collector + thin rod feed and Wing Sung's old tubular ( hooded ) nib. which mean you can get replacement fairly easily and they do come in EF, F, FM, and most importantly affordable Fude ( calligraphy ) variant. AFAIK, the 698 come in Demo and half Demo version as well as 3 solid colors in Gold or Chrome trim, and the 618 so far come only in demo form with gold or chrome trim.

 

Personally I am not much of a demonstrator fan so I would gravitate towards the 698 ( solid color ) and I am not a fan of that 618 Parker knock off clip either.

[Wolverine1]

If you posted in the sub-forum for Chinese pens, a lot of people who like and are experts about Wing Sung pens are likely to respond to your question. And you will get the info you need.

[AndWhoDisguisedAs]

Thank you. I just ordered the 618 and then saw the 698.

 

I do have the Wing Sung 659 and like it (and really like that it accepts Pilot ink cartridges).

 

I'm new to piston fillers. Just received my first Pelikan, the M400, fine nib, and in love. (Is it wrong to name your pens and say goodnight?)

 

I am going to post in the Chinese sub-forum, so that was a great tip as well.

 

Again, thank you!

[IndigoBOB]

I just gave the 618 a try and I have to say that I prefer the 698.

 

I like the section of the 698 better, and as a result, the overall feel of the pen.

 

The 698 wrote smoother OOTB, and although the nibs can be better aligned easily on the 618, I much prefer the fact that I can swap a Pilot nib into the 698 since it doesn't have an undersized section like the MetroP nor requires me to post to use like the Prera.

 

I will say that I prefer the piston knob on the 618, which feels sturdier and doesn't wiggle around, but since the locking mechanism minimalizes the looseness on the 698 it doesn't get in the way at all, but does cause hesitation with regards to the 698's durability.

 

Both do feel sturdy, and if the section of the 618 suits you, then I imagine you'll like the 618 as much as I prefer the 698.

 

And since the ergonomics of the 698 are so agreeable for me, much more so than the TWSBI Eco, the 698 hits the spot for me in terms of value right now and finding an inexpensive pen that does the job well.

 

However, I can't test the durability of the 698 since only time will tell for that, and I'll be very curious to see how it holds up over time.

[KellyMcJ]

My 698 is my daily carry and has been for a few months. I have two 618s inked at home.

 

All perform wonderfully.

 

The 698 doesn't give any trouble except for the occasional skipping at the beginning of a line when I haven't used it in a while (Carried nib up in my purse that's not entirely surprising.) There are some dings and scratches and the plating is wearing off (but I'm not careful with it- I wear a belt bag and it's constantly scraping against things so that's to be expected and one of the reasons I don't carry expensive pens). Other than that, it's held up perfectly fine.

[IndigoBOB]

My 698 is my daily carry and has been for a few months. I have two 618s inked at home.

 

All perform wonderfully.

 

The 698 doesn't give any trouble except for the occasional skipping at the beginning of a line when I haven't used it in a while (Carried nib up in my purse that's not entirely surprising.) There are some dings and scratches and the plating is wearing off (but I'm not careful with it- I wear a belt bag and it's constantly scraping against things so that's to be expected and one of the reasons I don't carry expensive pens). Other than that, it's held up perfectly fine.

 

 

That's wonderful to hear! Thank you. Makes me feel more confident about the purchase : ).

 

I got some wetter inks on the way to try it out with it.

 

I'll see if I have the same sputtering at the beginning of usages. What ink are you using?

 

I also picked up a Wing Sung 3008 4 pack arriving soon. I liked them because they'd make make it easier to prime the feed to at the beginning of being used, especially with the drier inks like Iron Galls (Scabiosa). With my TWSBI Eco, I always prime the feed before using. Plus i needed some pens that I could test mixed inks in and they seemed like good quality and were highly affordable on amazon and quick to arrive. They are also highly affordable on Ebay.

 

I like the fact that that this can be an every day carry and hold up to demands well.

[KellyMcJ]

 

 

That's wonderful to hear! Thank you. Makes me feel more confident about the purchase : ).

 

I got some wetter inks on the way to try it out with it.

 

I'll see if I have the same sputtering at the beginning of usages. What ink are you using?

 

I also picked up a Wing Sung 3008 4 pack arriving soon. I liked them because they'd make make it easier to prime the feed to at the beginning of being used, especially with the drier inks like Iron Galls (Scabiosa). With my TWSBI Eco, I always prime the feed before using. Plus i needed some pens that I could test mixed inks in and they seemed like good quality and were highly affordable on amazon and quick to arrive. They are also highly affordable on Ebay.

 

I like the fact that that this can be an every day carry and hold up to demands well.

I'm using Sailor Sei Boku which has been fantastic in all pens it's touched. I did not have this issue when I clipped it in my pocket, which stayed warmer, or when I carried it horizontally.

 

Overall I am not complaining. A pen for everyday use has to be a delicate balance of fine/ dry and reliable. It's a hard target to hit and the 698 is almost too wet (but it does as well upside down as right side up so I get two nibs for the price of one!)