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When I first saw this pen on FPN, I thought it looked pretty well. Most demonstrators do when they’re filled with nice ink. The cost of the pen is rather low, so I ordered one. After using it for a while, I’m ready to share my thoughts on it. Brand It’s here that my head starts tu hurt. Probably I was just too lazy to make proper research. Maybe someone with good chinese market knowledge will drop here and explain things to us. The pen comes in a plastic “box” stamped with Hero logo but it’s called Wing Sung. To complicate things further there’s a Lucky brand name engraved on the clip, WINGS letters engraved on the ring. On Taobao the pen is sold as Lucky 698 on eBay as Wing Sung 698. I think that any marketing profesionnal would moan over this brand split personality. Pen The pen comes in plastic blister pack. Apart from Wing Sung 698 we receive a converter filled with silicone grease in the package. It’s nice accent. If the pen was made in black plastic, it wouldn’t look nice. The shape and overall design are rather generic and boring. Two things that many fountain pen users will find tempting are pen transparency and piston-filling mechanism. So far I haven’t hears about other chinese piston-filler. It’s almost out of character for a chinese fountain pen. Some people share opinion that Hero was trying to copy TWSBI fountain pen. I’m not sure. It’s different design. Wing Sung 698 is quite substantial with some flair to it (take a look at the cap). Construction is a little rough, there are mold lines on some of the plastic, and the cap top seems somewhat messily affixed, but it’s not easily noticeable unless you really, really want to prove that chinese pen must have some flaws. The cap unscrews in one turn. It’s embellished with metal end-cap. There’s also a plastic inner cap that tends to fall off from time to time. It’s not glued. The grip section is significantly narrower than the barrel. It tapers down towards the nib. There’s a plastic rim just above the nib. The grip section is long and comfortable. On the other hand, depending on your grip, plastic threads that create a significant step up from the section may become an issue. Dimensions Length uncapped – 131 mm Length capped – 141.3mm Maximum diameter – 12.5mm Weight – 23.8g. Nib (The ink used in the samples is my favorite blue-black - Kyonooto Aonibi) The nib and feed are, possibly, made with ex-Pilot tooling, and superior to the usual Chinese nibs and feeds. The nib can be swapped with Pilot 78G nibs. The one that I received performed flawlessly out of the box. While it’s not the most enjoyable nib I’ve ever tried, I’m impressed by it. Smooth, wet and reliable, it started to write out of the box and keeps on doing so. The feed is translucent so it’ll have the color of the ink you use. The nib is described as Wings Super Quality fine. So far – after a month of use I can agree it’s well made steel nib that’s a joy to use. Filling system The pen uses surprisingly smooth piston-filler. It features a special clutch mechanism to secure piston knob – it needs to be pulled out by a couple of millimetres to free it, so that the pen can be filled. After filling, the knob is pushed back in position where a clutch mechanism engages and locks the knob in position. It doesn’t feel rock solid, it feels a little wiggly and the closure is tenuous at best. On the other hand it hasn’t failed yet. Also the piston-filling mechanism works very smoothly and it holds reasonable amount of ink – around 1 ml. Summary I’m impressed. The pen is reasonably priced, works well and while it’s not perfect I don’t think that TWSBI’s are much better pens. If you consider trying piston-filler for the first time, it’s a reasonable choice.

I thought it would be interesting to write up a little comparison between six pens. To wit: the Lamy 2000, the Waterman Carene, the Parker 51, the Wing Sung 601, the Parker 75, and the Pilot VP. Why these six particularly? Well, it seems a frequent question many ask is “What is the best daily writer?” We could ask this question as well with a slant toward office tasks, notes in lectures, etc. I also think many of us fantasize about having one trusty “daily carry” fountain pen that can do pretty much everything, from filling out forms, writing letters, or penning the next great work of literature. There are thousands of different models of fountain pens from dozens of manufacturers to choose from, and many of us enjoy more than one. That being said, it’s an undeniable reality that with the pace of modern life (or, we might say, the pace demanded of us all thanks to our ballpoint-wielding brethren) many of the pens we love are perhaps a bit too fussy for daily writing tasks. Maybe they’re too delicate, or too expensive, or too slow to deploy when you need to get that idea or contact info down NOW, or just prone to drama, either in the form of hard starting, drying out, skipping and railroading, burping ink, or not having the most practical filling system. Therefore when someone says “I love fountain pens and I want to use one on an everyday basis, actually outside my own four walls,” there are a few pens commonly recommended for the job. The Lamy 2000 and Parker 51 probably are recommended most frequently, as being classic/timeless, business-appropriate, designs which are known for their workhorse prowess. The Pilot Vanishing Point is also frequently recommended due to its innovative retractable system, making it very fast to use. The Carene is a bit of a dark horse, but has been called with some justification a “French Lamy 2000,” the Wing Sung is often suggested as a product-improved Parker 51 clone, and the Parker 75, while not often thrown into these discussions, probably should be because it’s a great pen with a lot of the same virtues. There are certainly other common recommendations too, or pens I have left off. I know that at least one person will tell me their antique Duofold or Waterman 52 has never skipped a beat, or they would never dream of leaving their front door without their Visconti Homo Sapiens. Pelikans and Montblancs are popular choices but I find both lacking in one way or another as pens to carry around and write spontaneously with. I’ll expand on this a bit: most of us probably want the feel of a quality writing instrument. A platinum preppy may get the job done but it’s not really going to scratch the itch, at least for me. But I also hesitate to take a resin pen out that cost hundreds, because this pen WILL be used a bit harder than a desk pen, and scratches and scuffs might make us sad. For that matter, ANY pen that costs “a lot” is one to think twice about before tossing in a backpack to face the vicissitudes of daily abuse. The price comfort level will be different for everyone but I think most of us could agree that there’s a lot of great options under about $300, and over that point we might think twice about if we really want to risk dropping, theft, ham-handed colleagues, etc. I personally quite like the Pelikan line, and I like their screw caps -which are pretty quick to deploy because they usually thread on in less than one full rotation, but that unscrewing virtue is also a vice, and the internet abounds with tales of lost or broken pens, and ruined clothes. A good desk pen if you like them, but I can’t say it’s the perfect workhorse. As for Montblanc? Very similar. A good pen, and tailor-made to ride in your suit jacket’s breast pocket and sign a document every so often, but mine dries out easily if I’m using it while conducting an interview, so I can’t say they’re the best design for this particular task. It’s very annoying to write a sentence, and in a couple of minutes go to write something else and the pen requires effort, a scribble, or extra pressure to make it write again, with the alternative to be constantly capping and uncapping. The pens chosen for this roundup are therefore mostly hooded nibs, and all have snap caps or some other quick-deploy feature instead of threads. They come from the U.S., Germany, Japan, France, and China. Another factor to keep in mind with an everyday pen is the filling system. Every single type has pluses and minuses, but I don’t worry overmuch about that dreaded question of “what do I do if I run out of ink?” If I’ve got one pen on me I can easily have two. I can even have one that’s full for no other purpose than as a spare for some hypothetical gargantuan writing session. I keep a bottle of ink and a box of Kleenexes on my desk at work, and at home there is no shortage. In an absolute worst case scenario I can snag the cheap ballpoint someone left on the table… so I don’t feel a daily writer needs Japanese eyedropper-level capacity. But some capacity or versatility is good because, again, we’re talking use under sometimes less than perfect circumstances, not the pen spa in the home office. I’d advise everyone to actually get to know a pen before they start carrying it so they have an idea of its ink capacity and how often they may need to refill. I myself do like Extra Fine pens too, which means my pens will write a lot longer than the same pen fitted with a broad nib. Relevant information because if you like broad nibs you may prioritize capacity much more than I do. Ok on to the pens. The Parker 51. Some say this is the best pen ever made. It writes the first time, every time. It does not dry out when left uncapped for a time, and is a timeless, classic, understated design, which has a bit of retro-futuristic post-deco flair. The cap feels like a quality affair and posts well, while not impacting the pen’s excellent balance and versatile size. If I can sum this pen up in a nutshell, it’s a wonderful workhorse pen that does have a real vintage feel -because this is a vintage pen. The lucite body is unusually tough and not prone to cracking, chipping, or serious scratching, but it feels …like a plastic pen. Combine that with light weight and a nib that’s almost invisible, and you get a pen that while ticking almost all the boxes on paper, is frankly kinda boring. On the other hand, they do write sweetly. It’s the kind of thing you only notice after trying a lot of other pens. If this is your first or, especially, second fountain pen, you would be forgiven for finding this pen terminally uninteresting. Additionally, the filling system is a blessing and a curse. This pen is available with two systems. The later and more common aerometric filler is easy to fill, and the pli-glass sacs are pretty much bulletproof, making this the one vintage pen you can count on to write well with minimal restoration. The older vacumatic pens will probably require a trip to the repairman to get them running. They’re prone to drying out if left unused for days or weeks, and also difficult to flush and change inks, difficult to tell how much ink you got when filling, and difficult to see how much ink you have left. That said, there’s a reason that they took the pen world by storm in the 1940s and continue to be a recommended choice today. This is an “advanced” choice. Probably not a good starter pen but in a few years you’ll probably have one and enjoy it. Not a good choice if you like to change inks and colors either. Buy a bottle of some staid and businesslike blue, black, blue-black, or similar, and dedicate it to your pen. The Wing Sung 601 is a similar pen, with the advantage of having a more interesting vacuum filling system, having an ink window to give you an idea when you’ll be pushing empty, and being available new, for slightly under $20. The downside is that the plastic is said to be prone to cracking, but there’s a steel version available too. My Parker 51s are as a whole more pleasant to write with (nib feel on paper) because the Wing Sungs aren’t totally consistent. I have one that’s sublime, one that’s pretty nice, and a few that are average; overall the Wing Sungs aren’t bad. Mine in extra fine produce some of the prettiest writing of any of my pens. (I can’t argue with the results!)The cap clips are cheap and easily bent, which is annoying on a pen of any price, but overall this pen is hard to argue with. I’d suggest trying one as a prelude to see if you like the feel, before stepping up to the vintage ‘51. I will say that one of my Wing Sungs managed to fill its cap with ink 20 minutes before an extremely important meeting once, which did not endear it to me that day. I’ve heard that my lack of finesse with the filling might have caused this so it’s possible it’s operator error, but it’s hard to completely trust the pen after an incident like that. On the other hand I’ve had one inked up for months untouched (I have several of these) and I just tried it. It wrote perfectly. The next pen in our list is the Parker 75. I don’t often see this pen recommended but took the liberty of throwing it in because it’s got a similar cap to the venerable Parker 51, making it a very easy choice if you need a pen to write something quickly. It’s got the Parker 51’s love-or-hate aerometric filling system, along with the option to take a cartridge, and I think piston and slide converters are around too, which does add some extra versatility. My Parker 75 writes a wet medium, and has never displayed any hard-starting shenanigans. I did leave it uncapped for 10 minutes to test it and there was only a slight hesitancy which made the first stroke of my first capital a bit faint. The nib also has a much more interesting feel to me than the glassier nibs of the Parker 51 and Wing Sung, inviting me to grab this one instead if I want to enjoy my daily writing even more. Because the nib is open and not hooded, there’s more potential to easily tune it to your preferences, and nib units are available if you want to go down that route. The triangular section (slight but it’s there) is pleasant for me -but maybe not for you- and is also a bit on the smaller side, and I also enjoy this pen’s ability to rotate the nib so the writing experience can be further tuned to your preferences. And let’s not forget the iconic styling, most frequently seen in a solid sterling silver body with a crosshatch pattern. This pen is available used at non-exorbitant prices and isn’t a bad option. The real question is if your hand gets along with the section. If so, a very decent and underrated pen for daily use. It feels luxurious and high quality, but only you know if your fingers will like it. The Pilot VP is an odd duck. Actually designed (at least in terms of the mechanism) contemporaneously with the Parker 75, this pen looks and feels like a fancy ballpoint, complete with a big clicky button on the back. Click the button (which does have a nice feeling if you like such things… I’m indifferent personally) and a tiny nib emerges from an ingenious trapdoor hidden in the nose. This pen is bulbous, has a weird clip coming down the pen from the nosecap (so you can clip it to your shirt and still keep the nib safely vertical) and has a brass body, which makes the pen weightier than you might expect. It’s a recipe for either love or hatred. I personally love it. I’m one of those lucky ones who can grab this pen and write with no ergonomic issues whatsoever, and in fact I find the pen utterly comfortable for pages and pages. (This might actually be the most comfortable pen I own. Seriously.) The nib on this one is also a delight, and has a great feel (for me.) I own around 50 pens and this nib, to me, is in the top 5. Highly subjective I know, but it’s great. The downside of this pen is it’s limited capacity. It can take a cartridge or use Pilot’s small piston converter, or pilot’s larger aerometric converter. I usually opt for the aerometric one, myself. My pen is finished in black carbonesque paint, which is an interesting finish. This pen mostly lives a pampered existence but I have to assume that it might chip if the pen were carried a lot outside of a case. This is a pen I might seriously consider buying in an upgraded finish -a bonus is that it’s one of a very few Japanese pens with interchangeable nib units, so you can replace the body, nib, or both, or try different widths. There’s no cap to worry about, and if the feel in hand works for you, this pen is a wonder. It is prone to dry out if left untouched for weeks which means this pen needs to be used like it was designed for. Another bonus here is that you can get functionally identical copies from Majohn and Jinhao for $20-30, making it easy to see if the design works with your fingers. The Waterman Carene is a bit of a departure from the previous pens. It’s a much more modern design, cartridge converter (standard piston type) and has a gorgeous inlaid nib. This pen is a looker, and with its fancy lacquer finishes, striking nib, svelte shape, and extra touches like the spring loaded clip, this pen definitely adds an element of extra refinement to your writing. It’s a very pretty pen, and writes …ok. For me, this pen in M is so utterly smooth on paper, that it’s numb, or kind of “dead” feeling. The F version, on the other hand has not just a little but substantial feedback, making it a chore to write with for paragraphs. I also find I have to consciously grip the pen just a little higher than I normally might instinctively do, and my medium nib still feels a bit clunky. It will do the job, and the cap pulls off and pops on with a strong click, bordering on a snap, but overall writing with this pen just feels like work to me. Added to this feeling is the fact that while the cap will post, others have said that you probably don’t want to do this because the pen body can be scratched. Now I have to find somewhere to set that delicate cap before I write. The cartridge/converter filling system is unusually finicky too. The feed holds a ton of ink which is great for capacity and general performance, but getting a fill can be tricky, and some people have trouble with inky fingers, either from filling or from fingers sliding down onto the nib when writing. Finally, newer Waterman converters don’t last, most other converters don’t fit… leaving you potentially sourcing “vintage” converters for a pen that’s still sold new! This is a pen I want to like but just haven’t warmed up to. It sounds good on paper but it’s fussy. Last we come to the Lamy 2000. If the last pen was a polished Frenchman, this is a direct and to-the-point German. Or, put another way, if Grand Moff Tarkin from Star Wars were shopping for a fountain pen, this is the one he would choose. I wanted to dislike this pen, because my personal aesthetic preferences are far closer to 18th century Baroque than they are to 20th century Bauhaus design. I avoided trying, let alone buying one for years on principle. But let me tell you, this pen is amazing. It’s probably the most practical, well-designed and functional pen out there. For everyday purposes, it has a few virtues that specifically commend it. Every time I uncap this pen, it writes, and its cap is easy to pull off, easy to snap on (with a nice click, too) and readily posts. The spring loaded clip will hold to just about anything, and the makrolon body and texture make for a durable, grippable pen that is robust, doesn’t readily show scratches, and feels very nice. This pen is a piston filler with a very generous ink capacity. Frankly the pen is also a bargain compared to others of its class (gold nib piston fillers), and though its looks are polarizing (they’re growing on me) the overall vibe is subdued and businesslike, which means this pen doesn’t scream “look at me guys, I’m using a fountain pen!” which can sometimes be a desirable trait in professional settings. It’s got a subtle window allowing you to check the ink level, too. Downsides, in addition to the polarizing looks, are the smooth, tapered section and its two tiny “wings” for securing the cap, which protrude in a very low-key but readily feel-able way, meaning some complain that their fingers slide toward the nib and others complain that they feel the cap wings as they grip the pen. Personally, I don’t mind either feature and even appreciate the wings to help me grip and index the pen in my fingers, but this is definitely personal preference. Also, this pen writes very well for me, BUT it’s an “EF” that’s actually a M, maybe even a B, so depending on your preferences finding a nib size that suits you might be difficult. Now, how do these writing instruments compare? For quick access the Pilot VP wins. That button makes the pen instantly available. The Parker 51, Parker 75, Wing Sung 601, and Lamy 2000 tie for a close second, and the Waterman Carene is in third -its cap requires more force. These caps pull off easily enough, and can be retained in the off hand, set on the table, or posted. For subtlety of deployment… I think the Parker 51, 75, Wing Sung and Lamy 2000 all tie for first, the Pilot VP takes second, and the Carene, again, brings up third. The Carene cap makes a louder sound, doesn’t want to stay on when posted (which is maybe questionable anyway) making you deal with the cap in some way… The Pilot is clicky and loud. Nobody will notice the first or second time but in a meeting it can get a little annoying for some of your neighbors. The other caps are silent or subdued and can be equally silently posted if you wish. Visually it’s all about your personal preference. The Carene looks very luxurious with its mottled lacquer (or solid color and contrasting silver cap.) The Lamy is subdued but a piece of modern art. The VP is subdued (but a little wacky when you really look at it.) The Parker 75 exudes class and refinement. The Parker 51 is vintage (with an aura of authenticity if you or your neighbor examines the pen. They’re 50+ years old and don’t seem like copies.) The Wing Sung seems vintage and the details are a little bit cheap. But it looks classy and businesslike nevertheless. Personally I’m going to say the Parker 75 is the clear winner here, but this category is entirely up to you. Writing prowess is tough too because it is so important but can be subjective, boiling down to nib and grip preferences, weight preferences, etc. For me, the pens rank: Parker 51, VP, Lamy, Wing Sung, Parker 75, Carene. But it may be completely different for you. Capacity and filling: I’m going to give the Lamy top marks here for its cavernous piston filler and ink window. The Wing Sung scores second: the modernized vacumatic mechanism is fun and holds a lot of ink, and there’s a window to check it. The Parker 51 is third. The Aerometric units are easy, seem to hold a decent amount of ink. The vacumatic units are fun and also hold a decent amount. Next is the Parker 75. It uses slightly less readily available Parker converters and cartridges but works well and this does make switching inks easier (not a huge priority for me for an everyday workhorse pen.) The VP is easy but capacity is limited and this is a pen that readily dries out if neglected, and the filling system can get cruddy too. Finally the Carene comes in last, because the converters are proprietary-ish, difficult to find, and the section is so cavernous that it holds nearly a cartridge worth of ink on its own, making filling fiddly. Reliability, ie does the pen always write and does it do so in a predictable way, is very important when out and about. The Wing Sung 601 and Lamy 2000 get top marks here. These pens have never failed to work for me. The Wing Sung and Lamy have been inked for months and write every time, even when untouched for a long while. They put down the same amount of ink and it never looks oxidized or discolored. The Parker 51 gets 2nd place. It is very reliable but may dry out if left inked and not touched for months. The Parker 75 comes in third. My medium can be a bit inconsistent… writing wetter as the pen warms up. My accountant nib (xxf) is incredibly consistent though. I’ve had hard starting from the VP depending on my ink choice, and woe betide thee if its been a little while since you used the pen. It probably will work… but it may not, or may require a line of doodling, reverse writing, pressing a bit, wiping the nib with a towelette, or other tricks to coax the nib into life. My Carene has been known to skip, and dry out a bit, and although mine have never given me any ink trouble, they have a reputation for inky fingers, and my friend’s Carene routinely floods its cap. Durability is last mentioned here but may be the most important consideration. I’m going to give top marks to the Parker 51. The lucite plastic is still tough and vibrant, if you get a scratch (you probably won’t) it will just blend in with the pen’s existing patina. Nothing generally goes wrong with these pens. The Wing Sung is in 2nd. Plastic is softer and the clips are easily bent. But the pen is pretty tough and if you should have a tragic accident, you’re out $20…. Which is a very liberating thing. The Lamy 2000 gets 3rd place. It’s got a textured finish which obscures normal scratches and marks, and the makrolon material is fairly durable in its own right and feels solid. Anecdotally though, these pens can break in two at the area where the section and ink window join the body. Not incredibly likely but maybe if you sit on the pen in your back pocket or dump a few textbooks on top of it in your bag, it could happen. It’s said to be more likely if you’re in the habit of completely disassembling the pen for cleaning. The Parker 75 gets 4th. Still a durable pen but dropping one can put unsightly dings in the top or bottom tassies, the open nib is also pretty thin and would not be at all resilient to a drop of any sort, and the plastic threads holding the section to the barrel can apparently sometimes strip out. But the prevailing cisele finish is robust and not easily dented, and a mark would probably add character. The VP and Carene come in last. These pens have painted brass bodies, and they can and do scratch or chip. I treat my pens carefully and haven’t had issues, but this isn’t a desirable trait in a pen that’s getting carried around from room to room in a workplace or school. The VP is at least one piece, but the Carene’s posting issues make it very likely that regular daily use will see scratches develop. Also, metal pens tend to hit harder when they take a tumble onto a tile floor. Maybe that’s not true in terms of physics strictly speaking, but my experience is, heavy metal pens will dent themselves not infrequently, while the plastic one will probably be unscathed or maybe a mild scratch. We all prize different things in a pen. I went into this comparison thinking to myself that the Waterman might well win, at least for me, because on paper it seems like a prettier Lamy 2000. My conclusion after spending about 6 months getting to know, and using all the pens mentioned in this review, is that the Lamy is a way better pen than I thought (but I just don’t use it much due to a nib that’s more broad than I typically need.) And I don’t have to fret about whether I should get the nib ground (spoiler, I did and it’s still too broad) or cultivate a taste for Modernist design to appreciate the Lamy, because…. on a daily, real world basis, the Parker 51 is just as good, actually a bit better. (For my fingers, the Lamy section is nice for a page, the Parker, many pages.) And I have one with a nib that is superlative. The pen cost me $10 (and another $65 to have the Vacumatic system restored.) Any one of these pens could be a good fit for you depending on your particular needs and environment. I’d particularly recommend the Parker 51 (main annoyance is no ink window but my solution is a second pen inked in same color), Lamy 2000 (main annoyance is nib width…. And looks.) Beyond those two, pick up a Wing Sung 601 and a Majohn A1 or Jinhao 10 because, for the price, you owe it to yourself to try them, you won’t cry too much if they’re lost, either. Frankly, my Majohn writes nearly identically to my VP (and nib units are interchangeable) so I’d rather scratch up the $20 pen than the $200 one. The Parker 75 is a good pen and has some hidden virtues. I’d be hesitant to recommend it as a daily pen without trying it out first though. But if you find it comfortable and it’s got a nib you like, it could be a very good daily pen. And the Carene? Well, I wanted to like it but for me this pen is very overrated. It’s not a bad fountain pen in itself, if I didn’t have at least 20 in my collection that are better, including all the other ones in this review.

When I was a schoolkid, from the late 1980s to mid-1990s, Chinese Wing Sung fountain pens were ubiquitous – found in every household, office, school, college, and court. The hooded Wing Sung (model no. 612) was the darling of all. From student to professional, every person had at least one Wing Sung hooded nib pen in their possession. You would expect to be gifted at least one Wing Sung on your birthday at that time frame. These pens were very reliable. And it was a very practical writing instrument. I received quite a few Wing Sung FPs as a gift during my school days. I preserved them very well. I have only inked the others up two or three times. However, I have consistently used one black Wing Sung 612 from 1997 to the present day. The remaining pens are stored safely. Please refer to the attached photos for a clearer understanding. Thank you all!

Maybe someone can provide some clarity here. A seller (Eleconline) from China on eBay is selling what is referred to as "Wing Sung 601A, Brushed Resin Fountain Pen, EF/F/M, 18k Gold Nib Writing," for $159.79, but a bit less per pen if one purchases more than one. Below are two photos from that pen's eBay page. It is offered in 5 different colors. Yesterday, I messaged the seller to reconfirm that the nibs really are "solid 18k gold, rather than 18k gold-plated," and I requested a close-up photo of the nib that would show that it is a solid 18k gold nib, but I have not yet received a response. I already own the Wing Sung 601A in a variety of colors, and that model is known for having an integrated "Sheaffer-like" inlaid nib made of stainless steel. From what I can find on a search, Eleconline is the only current eBay seller offering this particular version. Is anyone else familiar with this particular model pen, whatever it may be? My gut tells me it's not a 601A or a regular 601 (the Parker 51-like model). I'm also skeptical that it has a solid gold nib, although the pricing, for a China-based pen, is consistent with the pen having such a nib. Any guidance would be appreciated. In the meantime, I'm not ordering this model.

Hi All, I have 2 vintage Wing Sung fountain pens in my collection (photos attached). They are a smooth writer and in excellent shape. But there is no model number engraved on the cap lips. I know one of these models is the Wing Sung 612 (the golden cap, teal blue barrel pen), but in my pen the '612' is not engraved. The other pen is a full golden one. Both pens are hooded, and their filling mechanism is identical. In fact, both the caps are identical and interchangeable. Can anybody help me identify these two pens? Thank you.

A thousand words and all that…

My favorite vendor alerted me to a new pen offered today, the 632. It’s an ebonite piston-filler with a #8 18K nib. Offered in gold or white-plated trim, the white-plated pens sport an 18K nib, also plated in a white precious metal, a first for this series. Nibs are offered in EF, F, M, and B, with multiple long knife sizes as before. Interestingly, while Heartbeat nibs, plain or long knife, are on offer, the photos show ‘1947’ Wing Sung nibs that are tipped as long knives—I believe the previous long knife nibs were all Jun Lai heartbeat nibs. $260 for the regular nibs; $300 for the long knife nibs. The vendor is 365Days Stationary Store. I’ve ordered it in red, gold trim, EF heartbeat nib.

Pen: 3003 Make: Wing Sung Cost: $3.50 Nib: EF Packaging & Accessories: 3/10 The pen came in a bubble mailer and was wrapped in bubble wrap. No box. It does come with a converter. Appearance & Design (7/10) It is designed after the Plot Prera. It's comes in demonstrator models with multiple accent colors available. The trim comes in both gold and silver. On top of the cap there is the Wing Sung logo and mine is not centered. One interesting difference between the 3003 and the Prera is that the 3003 has a transparent feed and the Prera has a black feed. Construction & Quality (7/10) I've had the green version of this pen for about 4-5 years and it's been a trooper. It feels very sturdy and has the "Prera click" even after years of use. The plastic doesn't feel brittle and overall it feels like a well built pen. Weight & Dimensions: (8/10) The pen is light and comfortable to write with. The 3003 is larger than the Prera. The Pilot Prera is 4.8 inches long when closed and 5.3 inches long when posted. The Wing Sung is a little over 5.25 inches long when closed and about 6 inches long when posted. I personally like that the 3003 is larger. Nib & Performance: (8/10) The pen came with an EF Wing Sung nib. It writes smoothly with wetter inks and has a little feedback with drier inks. For the price it's a good nib. The pen performs well, I have not had any issues with leaking. The cap seal is good too. I left it capped on its side for about 4 days and it wrote right away without any priming. Filling System & Maintenance: (7/10) The pen comes with an international converter and takes international cartridges. The nib and feed pull out and the ridged ring at the end of the grip section by the nib unscrews and can be cleaned (occasionally ink gets in the threads there). The cap does not come apart as far as I can tell. Cost & Value: (10/10) This pen can be bought for around $3.50 for a single or $10.50 for 5. I would recommend this pen to anyone buying a Chinese demonstrator. Especially when you get 5 at about $2.10 each. For that price you really can't do much better. Conclusion: (50/70 – 71%) I've owned a lot of Chinese pens over the years and this is by far my favorite. It has lasted, performed well and has never exploded ink everywhere or had an issue with nib creep. When my pen finally goes the way of the dodo I will definitely buy another. Highly recommend.

Hello, I have been a long-time follower here, but this is going to be my first post. So, I would appreciate your comments and suggestions. Recently Wing Sung came up with 3013, a new vacuum filler pen. I purchased mine from Bobby’s store on AliExpress. First, I want to thank Bobby for his good quality packaging and service. When I got the pen I briefly cleaned it using dish soap (and probably removed the silicone grease) and inked it with Monteverde Horizon Blue. Here is my review: Appearance & Design (8/10) Contrary to some comments I have seen about the pen, I liked the bulbous design around the belly. I got mine in purple, which kind of imitates the Pelikan M205 Amethyst in color. Sadly, I don’t have it to post comparison pictures. There are two things I don’t like very much. First, the cap and the filler knob have diamond faceted designs. I think it does not suit the round shape and the belly of the pen. I would really prefer a classic design in these two areas. The other thing which may bother some, but does not affect me is the step from the barrel to the feed. It is quite sharp. As I said it does not bother me but might affect you more based on your grip. The material does not feel great but I believe it feels much better than the 3008. I like the plain design on the nib of my 698 better but the nib design of my medium nib is also not bad. Construction & Quality (6/10) The pen has medium quality. As I said the material does not feel great but it is acceptable. The bigger problem for me is the construction quality. When I wanted to operate the filler, I accidently disassembled the whole mechanism. It allowed me to clean the pen but it really was not my intention. It works better now but you could see the shady quality especially on the threads. I don’t expect to pass this pen to my grand children so you should just beware. My 3008 has some stains from my limited use. I think I filled it three times and I can see each color in separate parts of the pen. The color of the 3013 will at least not show any staining if it happens. The barrel has an o-ring and it feels very solid when capping or uncapping the pen. I like it much better than Wing Sung 3008 or 698. Weight & Dimensions (8/10) The pen is hefty. It feels big in hand and has some weight. It has the size of a Lamy Safari when capped or uncapped so it is not a huge pen but the diameter and the weight make it feel quite big. For me it was a nice change as I do not have such pens in my small collection. The cap does not post but I prefer to use my pens unposted, so no issues there. Nib & Performance (8/10) I chose the M nib from Bobby’s store. I also have a 698 in Fine. The fine nib is smooth for its size but it also feels a bit scratchy and writes like a nail, especially if I do not use pressure. The medium nib was a nice change. I like the smoothness of it. I did not have to adjust the nib. This is a great relief as I don’t know how to do it. I am definitely happy with my choice here. I should say that the Fine nib on my 3008 feels smoother than the Medium on my 3013 but I don’t have big complaints. I had a drying issue when I first started using it. I left the pen with the nib facing down and went to have a coffee. It was writing well when I got back. The issue may be a result of insufficient cleaning. I had the same problem a couple of times. I think it might be related to cleaning but we are going to see. If it happens frequently than I would give the performance a 6. The problem that I have is that the ink pools at the two ends of the feed (as in the picture). I think there is a problem with the flow, may be due to production debris. Filling System & Maintenance (10/10) – As many people will do, I purchased this pen because it is a vacuum filler. I should say that I probably would have bought one if it was a piston filler because I really liked the color. I might even consider to purchase a Paili in Pelikan Aquamarine. It was my first experience with a vacuum filler. I am happy with the ink capacity and ease of use (Except for the little problem I had with disassembling the whole mechanism). I used some paper towel to clean the inside of the barrel, probably I will continue to do so because it will dry much faster this way. The ink does not go all the way to the top. There is a 2 cm gap on top of the barrel, but this capacity is enough for me. I usually do not fill my piston fillers all the way to the top. Cost & Value (8/10) I purchased the pen from Bobby’s store on AliExpress. It is now available with lower prices but I am happy with the service an especially the Medium nib option, except for the looks where I prefer the plain nibs on my 698. The good quality nib and the vacuum filling makes this pen worthwhile. I am happy with my purchase even though I have no idea about how long it will last me Conclusion (Final score, 49/60) I really liked the pen and the novelty of the vacuum filling. The color is nice, it feels better than its price. I would recommend it to someone who wants to try vacuum filling. For serious people it might be better to wait for Wing Sung 699.

I received this pen earlier this week and really like it, although I haven’t inked it yet. But there’s good and bad news about the cap. The good news is that’s it’s quite beautiful. The engraving is very good and the gp clip lines up properly with the pattern, which is one of my favorite patterns. All together with the blind cap jewel, it’s a great looking cap. However, the inner clutch ring of the cap is scratching up the barrel badly when capping/uncapping. With a light, I can see that the design of the sterling cap’s clutch ring is different. I looked at my 601 and 2 flighter 601A caps and all three have the same clutch ring; the sterling cap has a different one. Whether that is the problem or the problem is unique to my cap/clutch, I can’t say. The seller gave me a decent discount and I’ve ordered a replacement barrel, so I have time to think about how to fix the clutch device. Here’s a quick snapshot of the 601A next to a sterling capped Parker 51. Wing Sung’s photos of the cap are superb, so don’t judge it by my mediocre photo. But think, for well under $200, you get an 18K nib, a sterling cap, an integral filling system, and a timeless design. It’s a bargain, a beautiful bargain.

Included here are Hero, Sailor, Sheaffer and standard international cartridges. Note that Hero carts are meant to be re-useable and re-sealable! They also fit other pens such as Monami Olika, some Parkers, and Moonman. Also: A JHerbin rollerball (takes standard ink carts), Hero 616s and 330s, a Wing Sung 601-A, a Parker Frontier, some 'project' Sheaffer school pens with great nibs, a little gold NoNami, ink vials, pipettes, and more. CONUS Only. It would be great if you could offer to pay for a flat rate box. I will leave this up for a while. Single winner will be chosen by the highly scientific Eeny Meeny Method. Thanks.

I dropped my Metro and bent the nib. I have heard I could replace it with a Wing Sung 698 nib and should use an F. There appear to be soft and hard. Will either work? I don’t like the idea of buying another pen just to use for parts if I can just replace the parts.

I realized today that I have a decent collection of Wing Sung piston fillers (698 gold, medium, fine, 3008 fine and 618 fine) and decided to compare them side by side and in writing. A few observations: the gold nib 698 is quite scratchy compare to the steel nibbed 698s. The rest of the nibs were similar, with the fines being very fine. The gold fine was a bit springy and a bit jucier than the steel nibs. None of the 698s post, I just stuck the caps on the end to keep them from rolling around while taking pictures, but the 3008 and 618 do nicely. The 618 isn't shorter, but the cap fits on further. Next, all the knobs except the 3008 (old style) have "locks" to keep them from turning. The 698s are the easiest to clean just flushing with the piston. The 3008 really needs disassembly to clean. I think overall, the medium would be my preference, it is a nice feeling pen and I prefer a slightly bolder line. All in all a fantastic value. Last, I have terrible taste and ordered a green glitter 618. No one will mistake that for anything vintage! From left to right: Gold nib 698, Medium 698, Fine 698, 3008 fine, 618 fine Ink: J. Herbin Perle Noir, Paper Clairefontaine

During a recent browsing on aliexpress I accidentally found (https://www.aliexpress.com/item/32970462644.html) what looks to be a Wing Sung's version of Lamy Safari clone. This is not a Wing Sung 6359 (which is Al-Star's clone), but a completely plastic pen with a metal clip, and it has some interesting colors. Actually, seller's description of the pen doesn't mention that this is Wing Sung, and none of the store's pictures of the pen show any branding, but some of the users' pictures in the review section show that 'Wingsung' is engraved on the barrel. I couldn't find any reviews or information about this pen. Did you encounter this pen and have some info about it? I would like to at least find out it's full name (probably Wing Sung <some number>).

I've been into the hobby for 3 or so years and have amassed a moderate collection of pens. Yet, a single issue continues to bother me and I can't tell if this is just symptomatic of fountain pens in general or if I've simple been buying duds. Without fail, it seems that my pens' ink flow will weaken the more I write in a sitting, to the point that some of them even completely dry up and I have to push more ink into the feed to get it writing again. This would not be an issue if it was just one of my pens, but it seems all of my pens have this issue to some extent with the exception of a Pilot Custom 74 with an EF nib which, I assume, is simply because the air exchange works well on a pen with such a fine nib, as well as a similar Pilot Metropolitan (maybe Pilots are just exceptionally good pens). I have tried inks famed specifically for their wet-flowing properties (Private Reserve Tanzanite comes to mind) as well as adjusting adjusting feeds and nibs but the issue persists. It seems the moment I sit down for a long writing session the feed will eventually dry up and require some fiddling to get running again. This is not even an issue exclusive to my modern, plastic-feed based pens, as I had the same issues (leading to skipping rather than total drying out) in a Parker 51 with an ebonite feed and an Indian pen with an ebonite feed. Alongside this, I have had issues in both very fine pens that demand light ink flows and extremely wet, wide nibs. Similarly, I have had issues in both eyedropper and converter-filled pens, even after thoroughly washing them and even placing a ball inside to break up surface tension. It seems, regardless of what I do with my pens, air is simply either not exchanged fast enough for a constant flow or not exchanged at all. This is especially frustrating because it fills my writing sessions with dread as I simply have to anticipate and watch as the flow weakens, and it defeats the purpose of using high-capacity pens since I have to waste time fiddling with them anyways. Is there some issue with my writing style (I tend to write relatively fast, but nothing insane) or is this an issue inherent to fountain pens? Do people not write multiple pages in one sitting, as I see this issue very infrequently discussed as well?

I have Wing Sung 590 and I accidentally broken the feed. I glued it and it looked ok, then I filled my pen but get a lot of skipping. So I thought that I blocked channels with glue and I deepen the channel with scalpel, then tried to write. The result was even worse. Then I thought that may be I made a channel too deep so I placed a piece of thread at the end of the feed. And it worked! Now the question is: how to reduce depth of the feed? Thanks for any suggestions. P.S. Sorry for bad English.

Don't know if you guys have noticed this. Posted on Bobby which is arguably our favorite Chinese based fountain pen seller: https://www.instagram.com/p/BxymyYNj_hV/?utm_source=ig_web_options_share_sheet Specs are still unknown, probably a standard #5 nib, available with the shut-off valves etc. What caught my eyes is the caption which if true, then the price will be less than $10. Hopefully at that price I'm not getting a limp acrylic.

Hello All, I need some help from some of our Oriental pen manufacturer gurus. I recently acquired a NOS fountain pen from one of my contacts in China. Unfortunately, sometimes the language barrier gets in the way. I bought a beautiful aerometric fountain pen circa 1997. Its a Chinese/Hong Kong event pen. I can find no Stamps other than 9771, two Chinese characters on the central band, and a very small almost undecipherable logo on the pocket clip. Both Wing Sung and Hero used the Chinese characters sometimes instead of their logos. So what do you all think? Is it Wing Sung, Hero, or another brand? Thanks in advance for your help. 😊 Uther

I like Frank Underwater's name for this filling mechanism so that's what I'm using. This has been my go-to pen for about a month now. The Wing Sung 601 is a high-quality writing instrument. I recommend it highly. Having said that, my first impressions were less favorable. This is a pen that's grown on me. It's short on bling. From Wing Sung, that goes to the 618 which I find miles more fun to look at.It's not particularly big or chunky, so no check there.It’s not unique like the Moonman M1 Wood and Brass or the PenBBS 308. Let alone anything from TWSBI.The design is clearly a throwback to the Parker 51 via the Hero 616. I have more than one 616 in pen storage.It’s another hooded nib pen. That puts it on the tame side of the street. For me, hooded nib pens don’t invite tinkering the way regular nibs do. I’m always concerned I won’t be able to get them back together again correctly.It's the filling mechanism. Wing Sung has taken it upon themselves to resurrect the Vacumatic filling mechanism. And they’ve improved the design. And they sell the pen for under US$10 on taobao . I like the idea that Wing Sung actually made two generations of this filling mechanism. The first used a rubber diaphragm which, while close to the original Parker design, was less efficient and potentially less durable. The revised design uses a piston which performs better and should last longer à la Edison's Draw Filler. Wing Sung moves beyond the Edison design by included a spring in the mechanism, making it possible to fill the pen with one hand. (Two hands if you keep one on the bottle of ink.) The pen is very similar in length to the Wing Sung 618 but a bit slimmer because the cap isn't threaded. Left to Right: Wing Sung 601, Hero 616 Jumbo, Wing Sung 618, Hero 338, Hero 565 Length: 138mmUncapped: 128mmPosted: 152mmSection diameter: 11.2mmWeight inked: 20g capped / 12.9 uncappedUpon closer inspection, it looks as if the 601 may share the same section as the Wing Sung 618. The two pens already share common nib and feed. Perhaps the collector assembly is also shared. It would make sense. Wing Sung 618 Left/Black - Wing Sung 601 Right/Gray My writing experience with this pen has been outstanding. The pen is reliable and fits well in the hand. I prefer writing with the pen unposted, but the cap is light enough and posts deeply so that writing with the cap posted is certainly doable. The 601 is comfortable for quick notes or extended writing. It’s not particular about writing angle and offers a solid sweet spot with just a bit of feedback. The nib is hard so there’s no line variation to speak of, but that’s to be expected. It does reverse writing pretty well. The nib and feed write moderately wet and put down a fine line. The nib feels finer that than the nib on my Wing Sung 618 but that is likely the ink. Or just me. I’d expect the 618 to write more boldly than the 601 just on looks alone. At the end of the day, the pen is on the conservative side of the spectrum. One might even say boring. Maybe I didn’t help things by getting it in gray. But I love that it is very good at its intended purpose and advances the art in ways that aficionados can appreciate but regular users just find useful. More pictures and comments here.

This last year saw the arrival on the market of a number of new piston filling fountain pen from mainland China. Two of the pens have the Wing Sung name, the 698 and the 3003, and the third I am going to discuss is the Caliarts Ego. Two others that I know of are by Lanbitou and PenBBS. I now have one of each (two of the 3008) and thought I would do a compare and contrast of these three pens. The Wing Sung 3008 was the first of the three pens I bought, and the cheapest. These pens come with a Lamy Safari style nib, in F and EF. The pen holds a little over 1 ml of ink. The cap doesn’t have an inner cap, but there is an o-ring on the body at the base of the cap thread. This seals against a shelf inside the cap and stops the nib from drying out, at least over a few days. The barrel has 16 facets and is slightly tapered towards the far end. The end cap on this model doesn’t lock, and there is always a bit of slack. In practice, though, I have not had any problems with inadvertent leaks, in spite of carrying it to work in my shirt pocket for a couple of weeks. The piston assembly is retained by a ring at the top of the barrel. Undoing this ring allows the whole piston assembly to be easily removed for cleaning and lubrication. As mentioned the pen uses a Lamy Safari style slip-on nib which is interchangeable with a real Safari nib. The feed is relatively long, and has a key at the bottom so it can only be put back in one way. Apart from the loose blind cap, the only other problem this pen has is that the screw head inside the cap that holds the finial and clip on gets rusty. Overall, this is an inexpensive pen that feels good in the hand and has been a reliable and robust worker. The Caliarts Ego was the next pen to arrive. This pen comes with a Pilot 78G style nib but the feed is a little different. I had ordered mine with a Fine nib, but it came with a second, EF, nib and a spare feed. This pens holds about 2 ml of ink, and along with the Fine nib, should mean quite a lot of writing between fills. Like the 3008, there is no inner cap, but there is the cap-sealing o-ring on the barrel. The cap is a very simple affair and, I think, detracts from the pen a little. However, you can now get the Ego with coloured finial and end cap, and these look much more attractive. The finial screws into a threaded extension at the top of the cap, so there are no holes in the cap at all. The section and barrel are all one piece, as it is on the 3008. There is no metal ring on the end of the section, as there is on the 3008. I don’t like metal rings on the ends of sections, as I have had them leak (Jinhao 159, I’m looking a you, here…) The body of the pen is very sleek, with the only break from the end cap to the end of the section being the barrel threads. These are much less prominent than on the 3008. There is no lock on the end cap, but it does screw down firmly and then doesn’t move. The step from the end cap to the barrel is quite smooth, almost as smooth as on a Lamy 2000 or Parker 51 Vacumatic. The pen comes with a little wrench to unscrew the piston mechanism. However, others have said that the plastic flats inside are quite soft and easy to damage, so I haven’t disassembled mine yet. I tried both the EF and F nibs that came with the pen, and they were both excellent, very smooth, especially for their width. I did have to make some adjustments to the F nib, as it was a bit too wet for my taste. Others might like it as it is. Then, using it on hard, smooth Japanese showed up another problem – skipping due to excessive baby-bottom. This didn’t show up earlier on softer, more fibrous, Chinese paper. Using the fine surface of a nail buffing pad I removed a tiny bit of metal, then buffed on the other side. This nib is now perfect, butter smooth for a Fine, Asian nib. Note that this was only a problem because of the combination of my nib preferences and my paper. Others might find they have no problems. The Wing Sung 698 was the most recent acquisition (I have only had it for a couple of days). It is available in various colour schemes, and I got mine in transparent with gold fittings. This pen is the 3008 made properly. It has a Pilot style nib, compared to the other’s Lamy Safari style nib, and both nib and feed are interchangeable with those of a Pilot 78G. In addition, the section unscrews completely for thorough cleaning, if necessary. Unlike the overly simple cap of the Caliarts Ego, the WS 698’s cap is an impressive affair. There is a solid metal ring near the base, surrounding, and presumably reinforcing the cap threads. The finial is solid metal, held on by a large, possibly aluminium, flat-head screw. Unlike the other two pens, the 698 has an inner cap which seals against a chamfer at the end of the section. The o-ring on the body has been replaced by a metal spacer ring between the section and barrel. The body is cylindrical, with the piston assembly held in by a metal ring, as on the 3008. However the end cap has a locking mechanism, where two keys on the cap mate with two slots in the ring. The cap then clicks into place when you push it down. I bought mine with a Medium nib, which equates to a Western (i.e. Parker) Fine. You can also get it in F and EF, and spare nibs in all three sizes are available on eBay. Nibs The nibs on these pens are not up to the standard of a proper Japanese nib, and even the genuine Lamy Safari and Pilot 78G nibs are better than what comes with these pens. However, the nibs are quite reasonable, and all wrote straight out of the box, unless you are as fussy as I am about nibs. See the last paragraph in the Ego section. Dimensions Below is a table of dimensions for the three pens. As you can see, they are very similar. The weights are with the pens empty, so you would add about 1 g for the two Wing Sungs when full, and about 2 g for the Caliarts. Pictures Capped, from the top, Caliarts Ego, Wing Sung 698, Wing Sung 3008 Uncapped, from the top, Caliarts Ego, Wing Sung 698, Wing Sung 3008 In Conclusion Of the three pens, the Caliarts Ego is my favourite. The 3008 has value in being the cheapest of the pens, while being a robust and reliable pen. Its only real fault is the rusting screw head in the cap. The 698 is, as said, the 3008 made properly, and is a good-looking pen that works well. The Ego, however, is functionally flawless, is good-looking and feels good in the hand. Being able to swap nibs around, and get replacement ones, for all three pens, is a bonus.

latest variant spotting double jewel ( as last version ) but with gold plated appointment and fancy finished gold plated cap, and a new 14K nib

It seems there is no review of this new Chinese pen so I try my best. Wing Sung 6359 is one of the new pens produced by the revived Wing Sung company - its production started in 2017. It is yet another Lamy-inspired Chinese pen and the inspiration by Lamy AL-star was fairly exhaustive in this case. The major reason why I decided to try it is the nib which seems very similar to Lamy nibs. Spoiler: they are interchangeable. Appearance and Design The design is far from original, it is essentially a Lamy AL-star. The differences are minor. Probably the most visible one is the clear transparent section (section of AL-star is smoked) which is cool. The pen is available in several colours. I chose the one named coffee which is a bit tricky because it depends on the light. It is based on dark brown which leans towards purple, especially under an artificial light. So the pen colour looks a bit different in various environments. Construction and Quality Very satisfying, The manufacturing is close to perfect, everything fits, surfaces are smooth, no wiggling, no burrs. I do not own the AL-star, so let's compare the pen against Lamy Safari. As you can see, it is very close: Of course, some differences exist: My only construction-related complaint is the screw of the barrel. It is fairly course and made from different materials - the section ends by a plastic screw and the barrel contains a metallic one. I would expect some wearing here. You have to be careful when you mount the barrel. Weight and Dimensions The pen is a light one. Complete pen weights 22 g, removing cap decreases the weight to 10 g. Dimensions: Closed: 139 mm Uncapped: 129 mm Posted: 174 The pen can be posted but I can not see a reason to do it. It is long enough and by posting it becomes a very long top-heavy monster. Nib and Performance As I said, the nib is almost identical to standard Lamy Z50 nib. Its shape is a bit different but the fitting is compatible, so Lamy nibs can be used on Wing Sung 6359. This is a great thing because the pen is available solely with the extra fine nib. Hairline lovers will be disappointed - the nib seems to be subtle but it writes wider line than Lamy EF. For the comparison, I tried all four combinations of 6359 and Safari pens and nibs. Plus JoWo EF has been added. As you can see, the Wing Sung EF is visibly wider than the other two EF nibs: Wing Sung nib outperforms Lamy significantly in all other disciplines. It is very smooth (Lamy has some feedback) and a bit springy. It definitely can not be called soft or even flex nib, but there is some give. Lamy is a nail. I am not an ultra fine line aficionado. A smooth and springy nib is much more important for me than a needle. Wing Sung nib fits my preferences perfectly. Writing with it is a pleasant experience. Of course, it has the triangular section which may be repulsive for some of you. I experienced some unsteadiness in the ink flow but splashing the pen seems to fix this. Now it writes like a dream. No skips, hard starts or other problems. Filling System and Maintenance It is a converter-filled pen, the converter is included. Even the converter is seriously inspired by Lamy: Cost and Value I purchased the pen on eBay for some 4 USD which is a steal. This pen is very hard to beat it the price/performance ratio. Conclusion It is a great pen. It looks good, its manufacturing quality is very good and it writes like a dream. If the triangular section is not a problem for you I can highly recommend it.