Wing Sung 220 (With Dragons!)

[celesul]

Review of Wing Sung 220

 

 

Introduction:

I got this pen because it has dragons on it. I actually am not a huge fan of the way it looks.

 

Appearance & Design:

This pen has dragons on it! Unfortunately, despite this, it manages to look fairly utilitarian. I'm not sure if it is that the nib is a different color than the body, or the shape of the nib, or something else. It seems very much like a school pen.

 

Construction & Quality:

This pen feels solid. I stuff it in my pocket and chuck it in my purse without thinking twice. On the other hand, the cap doesn't align perfectly with the body. Also, the clip is absolutely perfect, and the cap clicks securely. I haven't had any trouble with it drying out.

 

Weight & Dimension:

This is a small pen. It is not mini, but it is still quite slim. I find the weight perfectly comfortable. It's not my ideal size, but it's not bad.

 

 

Nib & Performance:

This is an area where this pen really shines. The nib seems pretty fine, and as is standard with Chinese pens, there aren't choices. This is a fine, rather wet writer, with a fairly smooth nib. Also, it is comfortable to hold, and starts up as soon as it touches paper, every time, even after being ignored for a while.

 

Filling System & Maintenance:

This pen uses a squeeze filling system, which seems to work okay. I've got some better ones in this area (like the Hero M616, which noticeably lowers the level in the bottle by quite a bit), but it lasts a while. It isn't wonderfully high capacity though.

 

Cost & Value:

This pen cost $2.88. I have a lovely writer for under $3. That's an insanely good value. I bought this from isellpens.

 

Conclusion:

I wish I had had this pen as a dragon-obsessed middle schooler. While I certainly appreciate the nib, I'm not a huge fan of the look, although it's okay. I like the dragon, but something about it just seems very utilitarian. I use it a lot, and wouldn't want to part with it. I think this is the perfect pen for many middle schoolers, and certainly nice for everyone elso too, because it is a good writer. So far, my Wing Sungs (220 & 233) are my most used and dependable pens.

 

 

Demonstrating the usability of the clip.

 

 

 

Comparison with the Hero M616.

[kodemodo_dragon]

Thanks for the lovely review. It seems like a great writer and $3 is a hell of a price for a performer like that - kind of puts the Japanese disposable fountain pens to shame.

 

I purchased a Bamboo Duke rollerball from isellpens.com before they halved the price. It looks and feels like luxury but the writing is not so impressive for the $32 I paid for it. I'm bummed that I didn't get the pen for the $16 it's going for now, but I am still pleased with the service. Perhaps I will give them a second look and pick up a nice Chinese piece as a 'disposable', in case the QC isn't as up to par with yours.

 

[rbadger332]

I love that these Chinese pens are starting to catch on. The more I read of them that more I want them. A good writer for $2.88? Whoa. Good review!

[richardandtracy]

Could you give dimensions? It looks like a Parker 75, and it would be good to be able to do an objective size comparison, particularly on diameter.

 

From one of the current E-Bay sales it's quoted as weighing 16g, which is fairly light.

 

Otherwise, it looks like an interesting pen, thanks for the review.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[bob_hayden]

"Better late than never"-) It's almost exactly 0.40 inches at the waist closed. At least that's what mine measures, but it has a painted exterior in marbled red and black. The nib looks like a smaller version of the nib used in the WS500 and writes the same, which is to say rather rough out of the box but can be made merely toothy with Micro Mesh. I like it. Mine would pass for a more expensive pen if the cap and body were a better color match, and the exterior trim did not look like parts from the hardware store.