Wing Sung 601 - Review

[WJM]

 

What is the name of the only Chinese fountain pen manufacturer nowadays who does not make any Parker 51 copies?

Parker.

 

Ironic, isn't it?

 

I have two aereometric Parker 51s, also once had one vacumatic which I sold - probably for parts, after it got damaged in an unfortunate and unsuccessful service attempt. And I have several Chinese 51 clones, most of them for less than $5 each. Hero 616 is not a great fountain pen, you can feel cheapness of the construction and the material compared to the original 51... but still I say for its price it's a good value. It does what it's supposed to, it writes.

 

There is a good reason there are so many clones of Parker 51 out there. Whether you like the design or not, there's no denying that 51 is a remarkably practical writing tool. It's comfortable, it's easy to use at any time, with a solid slip on cap which posts perfectly, it has a quite large ink capacity and it just writes really well.

 

The reason I do, what was supposed to be a review of Wing Sung 601, by praising the Parker 51, is because Wing Sung 601 owes to 51 much of its appeal. It's not just a copy of the 51, it's an amazingly good copy of the 51, and in use it feels very close to the original. It's a fantastic fountain pen because the 51 was. As several reviewers before me have noted, Wing Sung 601 is likely the closest thing to an actual Parker 51 which is produced nowadays. Parker can only be ashamed that they are not the ones making it (or any hooded nib pens at all - which is sad when you think about it, it's kinda like if Pelikan stopped making green striped piston fillers or Montblanc pens stopped being expensive). Then again, it's better for us, I suppose - it would probably cost at least ten times as much if they did.

 

I've had the Wing Sung 601 it for about four months now and it's been one of my EDCs constantly all this time. It's very reliable and comfortable to use.

 

Undeniably when the model was released the biggest news was the filling mechanism. Wing Sung recreated vacumatic with a diaphragm, a filling mechanism now practically extinct. It was however quickly replaced with an improved version. It's still can be described as vacumatic filling mechanism I think, as it works on the same base principle, but the diaphragm was replaced with a spring loaded piston. This is the version I have and so far I had no problems whatsoever with the mechanism. Mind you due to the huge ink capacity and low ink use with extra fine nib - the filling mechanism isn't used very often.

 

Another thing widely commented around the 601s release was the addition of an ink window, which many, myself included, considered an improvement over the original Parker 51 design. It always annoyed me in 51 Vac it that there was no way to tell how much ink is inside the barrel. Without dismantling the pen, which required a special tool, it wasn't even possible to tell whether the mechanism worked properly (so then I got the tool and broke the pen... that's how this story ended). Ironically, and contrary to my expectations, the 601 I received... has no ink window. Such version is also available but judging from the photos on eBay I was sure the offer was for one with the ink window, so I suppose it could be a mistake. Deciding that it's not worth the cost of sending it back and waiting another two months for a replacement, I accepted what I got and I don't really complain so far... but again there's absolutely no way to tell how much ink is inside the barrel.

 

Disassembly of the 601 is, on the other hand, very easy. Unlike the unusually threaded parts of the 51, which required a special tool, the 601s mechanism can be easily accessed and removed simply by unscrewing a hexagonal screw found at the bottom of the plunger. There is a tool for it which I got delivered together with the pen and I believe can be also bought separately, however I have no problem operating it with just fingers. The hood also could be unscrewed without any difficulties.

 

The nib was, unfortunately, the one major dose of bitterness in all of this. My Wing Sung 601 did not write well out of the box. It was horribly dry and while I strongly suspect opening the nib's tines would solve the problem, I never bothered to do it. Instead I reached for my broken pen box and swapped in a gold colored nib from a cracked Wing Sung 618. It was much faster and easier solution than trying to adjust this tiny nib. Solved the problem instantly. The 618s replacement is very good, and for a fine bordering on extra fine, quite wet. So the problem was easy to fix, but a little distaste remains, that the pen, as bought, required modification to work properly. And I'd call nib replacement a quite substantial modification, even though spare Wing Sung 601/613/618 nibs are easily available and cheap.

 

Still, the Wing Sung 601 is a great fountain pen and a really good bargain. This pen remains in my constant rotation since I got it and I can't see it leaving my side any time soon. That is, until I get another color which I'm seriously considering for some time now.

 

 

The "army green" color is best represented on these two photos below - it comes out a bit too dark on the other ones:

 

Edited December 2, 2018 by WJM

[Honeybadgers]

There are models with no ink window. You had to make sure you selected the version that had it. Every pen gets some duds, but you can also swap in some upgrade nibs available online, everything from an architect style to a full on fude nib.

Edited December 2, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[Dolganoff]

I tried but was unable to remove the 601's nib from its collector...

I've the same grief with mine: it's too dry, and I also have a nice gold-colored nib from a cracked 618 But cannot swap them!

[Mechayoshi]

Funny, my older 601 with an ink window is perfect but came with no tools. I just got another today, demonstrator with tools and the nib was scratchy and dry. Clearly the inclusion of tools affect overall quality! /s

[Tasmith]

Excellent review! Thank you!

[KellyMcJ]

I have several iterations of the 601. One (the original with the diaphragm) wouldn't fill, but had a good nib. One of the C/C versions was OK, the other leaked (and the 3rd, oddly enough, I haven't tried.)

The latest version, with the piston in place of a diaphragm, is a clear winner in my book! Some of the others are spare parts, lol. They're good little pens, when you get a good one. Good enough that it's worth buying a few to get said good one.

[WJM]

I have several iterations of the 601. One (the original with the diaphragm) wouldn't fill, but had a good nib. One of the C/C versions was OK, the other leaked (and the 3rd, oddly enough, I haven't tried.)

.

 

C/C versions? Don't you mean Wing Sung 613?

Edited December 4, 2018 by WJM

[KellyMcJ]

 

C/C versions? Don't you mean Wing Sung 613?

 

Could be. There are a whole bunch of Wing Sung 51 lookalikes...they only differ under the hood. I think even the caps are interchangeable.

[WJM]

Yes, but there's a quite substantial difference between 613 and 601. 613 is much cheaper and it's not hard to see why. It's much lighter and the material is closer in feel to Hero 616, although possibly better constructed. The nib is the same, I think.

[KellyMcJ]

Yes, but there's a quite substantial difference between 613 and 601. 613 is much cheaper and it's not hard to see why. It's much lighter and the material is closer in feel to Hero 616, although possibly better constructed. The nib is the same, I think.

Nib is the same, feed is the same, I'm pretty sure everything but the filling system is the same. The 601's filling system adds weight.

[Honeybadgers]

I tried but was unable to remove the 601's nib from its collector...

I've the same grief with mine: it's too dry, and I also have a nice gold-colored nib from a cracked 618 But cannot swap them!

You can. you just press the feed out first from behind.

[wangjianwei]

I like my Wing Sung 601.

Mine is the demonstrator version cause I like to see the ink levels.

 

Quite surprised by how good the nib is for a low cost pen.

Writes quite wet and smooth as well.

[Dolganoff]

You can. you just press the feed out first from behind.

No, cannot remove the breathing tube either, because of that cannot push from behind

[Honeybadgers]

No, cannot remove the breathing tube either, because of that cannot push from behind

 

Send me a picture, I will double check to make sure I didn't just tell you to do it the opposite way. I've replaced the nibs on three 601's and have had no problems pulling the feeds.

[Captspiff]

There are models with no ink window. You had to make sure you selected the version that had it. Every pen gets some duds, but you can also swap in some upgrade nibs available online, everything from an architect style to a full on fude nib.

 

Do you have any suggestions of which nib is smooth and wet, I use it for work and notes. I like generally a asian medium and wet. My 601 nib was super scratchy, I have been working it but can't get it right. Any suggestions would be greatly appreciated.

[Honeybadgers]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-nib-for-wing-sung-612-wing-sung-618-wing-sung-601/233000656197?hash=item363febdd45:m:mO427hjGOALZEQyHsSiaotQ:rk:6:pf:0

 

the 0.5-0.8 bent nib is a mild architect nib. I find mine quite smooth.

[KellyMcJ]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-nib-for-wing-sung-612-wing-sung-618-wing-sung-601/233000656197?hash=item363febdd45:m:mO427hjGOALZEQyHsSiaotQ:rk:6:pf:0

 

the 0.5-0.8 bent nib is a mild architect nib. I find mine quite smooth.

 

I haven't tried this version of a "bent nib" but I'm also a big fan of the one "fine fude nib" or "bent nib" (similar to that) that I have. There should be more of these on the market, they really are awesome.

[newkid12]

My experience with a Wing Sung 601 was less than satisfactory. Although it looked good and the filling system worked well, the nib was a poor writer. It was rough and inconsistent. Smoothing the nib with micromesh and realigning the tines did little to improve its' performance. I would not purchase another.

[Captspiff]

https://www.ebay.com/itm/1pc-nib-for-wing-sung-612-wing-sung-618-wing-sung-601/233000656197?hash=item363febdd45:m:mO427hjGOALZEQyHsSiaotQ:rk:6:pf:0

 

the 0.5-0.8 bent nib is a mild architect nib. I find mine quite smooth.

 

Thanks I will give it a try, appreciate the recommendation.

[Captspiff]

My experience with a Wing Sung 601 was less than satisfactory. Although it looked good and the filling system worked well, the nib was a poor writer. It was rough and inconsistent. Smoothing the nib with micromesh and realigning the tines did little to improve its' performance. I would not purchase another.

 

I am with you on the performance as well. I have tinkered with mine quite a bit I am at about 75% of where I would like it to be in terms of nib performance. But I am pretty sure that is just my lack of skill. I like them so I am ok working on making them better.