What Chinese Pens Are You Using Today?

[Abhyudaya]

Yesterday I did the brown-paper bag smoothing routine with one of my Hero 329's, with a green body. Today I loaded it with Diamine Emerald, and it's performing like a champ ! Wrote a Thank You note to my Doctor (the note started with Pay To The Order Of_____________). I doubt if he'll be impressed, tho'.

 

What is "brown-paper bag smoothing routine"?

 

It's a very gentle way of polishing the nib of your pen - less abrasive than micro-mesh, or other techniques.

 

Take care,

J.R.

 

 

Oh I see!

Thanks for the information my friend!

 

Take care,

Abhyudaya.

Edited January 21, 2013 by Abhyudaya

[UK Mike]

 

Thanks for that Mike....well I think I have got my Imperial Purple mixed up with something else Diamine sent me....what I thought was Imperial Purple started life as a proper 'violet' type purple....and turned into something close to Diamine Damson...

 

I do find that some of the Diamine inks look completely different under artificial lighting. I think Imperial Purple might be one of them, and certainly Sapphire Blue loses its vibrance under artificial lighting and looks darker.

 

Today I have inked a Jinhao X450 to sign a few job applications. At least my signature will look important! :ltcapd:

[suexilin]

Today I cleaned these pens, and I will be using them this week. The ones on the left are interesting, Ta Tung pens, with a piston filler and clear mid section, nibs seem ok, the others look promising too. The silver Hero seems obviously higher quality than the rest, and the strange other silver pen is mysterious. The bamboo looking pen is metal and not half-bad, and the black giant pen is very light and quite comfortable. The pink pen and the two-way fp and rollerball are gifts from two sellers. To be frank, I went and bought lots of cheap pens with the purpose of trying and grinding a stub, or at least a stubby nib on my own... If i succeed I will post the results.

edit: I just got all of them today! It was a combination of a smoggy few days, cold and mild boredom, and taobao.com... dangerous combination.

 

 

Edited January 21, 2013 by suexilin

[richardandtracy]

Today's pen is my Kaigelu 316. Such a pleasure to carry with me.

 

Richard.

[KrazyIvan]

I posted this in another thread but this definitely goes here too.

 

http://distilleryimage2.instagram.com/b8378d34657811e2bc2222000a1f98f9_7.jpg

[51ISH]

Today I've used the last of my cart in my Baoer 79 ....another one to be taken out of rotation to give the other 'guys in the band a chance' .....I'll soon have my most used Chinese pens out of rotation....how long will I last before they start to creap back in...???

 

Today I'm using my Kaigelu 356...and the Beijing Jinxing A28....lovely and smooth.....

[P.A.R.]

Today's pen is my Kaigelu 316. Such a pleasure to carry with me.

 

Richard.

 

Indeed. My amber/gray is now filled with Noodler's Lexington Gray. I think this combo will be one of the two pens that I always have on me, as it fills the requirements of both writing comfort and aesthetics quite well. The Noodler's Ahab with a Knox K35 nib still takes the cake for me in terms of writing comfort and practicality, however.

[richardandtracy]

I just wish that Kaigelu replaced the brass finial on the 316 with a self coloured plastic one. It could be moulded to the right size directly, so no machining would be necessary and there'd be no paint to apply or wear off. It could end up as a cost saving and improvement all in one.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Today I cleaned these pens, and I will be using them this week. The ones on the left are interesting, Ta Tung pens, with a piston filler and clear mid section, nibs seem ok, the others look promising too. The silver Hero seems obviously higher quality than the rest, and the strange other silver pen is mysterious. The bamboo looking pen is metal and not half-bad, and the black giant pen is very light and quite comfortable. The pink pen and the two-way fp and rollerball are gifts from two sellers. To be frank, I went and bought lots of cheap pens with the purpose of trying and grinding a stub, or at least a stubby nib on my own... If i succeed I will post the results.

edit: I just got all of them today! It was a combination of a smoggy few days, cold and mild boredom, and taobao.com... dangerous combination.

 

 

 

You always show the coolest pens! How does the two-way pink pen work? A tip on each end?

 

Today I might use my new Sheaffer VFM. Hey, it WAS made in China...

 

Naaah. I'll just go with the usual Hero 616 and Waterman Green ink.

[TMac]

Just received my Jinhao Century, after reading so many positive comments on this thread.

 

It is inked with FPN Starry Night. My first impressions are very positive. Nice weight, well balanced. A consistent line.

 

This looks like a winner!

[richardandtracy]

That's good news TMac. Do let us know your thoughts over time.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[51ISH]

Just received my Jinhao Century, after reading so many positive comments on this thread.

 

It is inked with FPN Starry Night. My first impressions are very positive. Nice weight, well balanced. A consistent line.

 

This looks like a winner!

 

 

 

I think this is my next Chinese pen purchase..

[TSherbs]

Kaigelu 356 with Black Swans in Australian Roses -- my new ink for correcting student work.

[UK Mike]

Today was a Waterman Serenity (Florida) Blue day, using a Jinhao x450 and for smaller notes a Baoer 388 medium nib, Red marbled barrel.

I seem to remember that I did a very slight amount of smoothing on the Baoer but they are both extremely smooth writers now.

I managed a few pages of my school memories that ultimately will be passed on to my children and hopefully beyond ...... an addition to the cold symmetry of the Family Tree, filled with the stories that used to be told over Sunday afternoon tea with relatives, a pastime that sadly seems to have died away.

[richardandtracy]

We too have family stories to be handed down over the tea table, however I have found that one of the oldest stories relating to my great grandfather cannot be true.

 

One story went that he was involved in the 1898 Yukon gold rush at Dawson City and gambled all his finds away by the time he got back to San Fransisco. Unfortunately that story was impossible, as he would have had to be travelling to South America at the same time so that he could be involved in his 1899 Orinoco gold expedition that we have a diary for...

Another was that he was involved in a gold mine in Jo'burg during the Boer War. After finding the previous story to be false, I thought this one would be, but not so. We have official documents from the time, and my father has a gold nugget that my great grandfather smuggled out in his mouth when the Boers ejected the Brits from Jo'burg. The mine he was 'Captain' of was the 'Crown Mine' and his shaft is now open to visitors as a museum.

 

I had never thought of writing these stories down. That's a grand idea.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[UK Mike]

Fine story Richard - one that certainly should be committed to the page.

 

One family story of mine relates to my grandfather who worked at a foundry making steam engines for the cotton industry. He worked hard and like most working men of the time his first stop after leaving work was to the local pub to slake his thirst. It is said that he never walked past a pub!

However, on one occasion he fell down the stone steps of one of the pubs and broke his leg. Confined to a chair with his leg in a cast, he asked his wife to make him a cup of tea. She flatly refused until he pledged to give up his habit of drinking after work. He apparently lasted 2 days before reluctantly giving in, but such were his Victorian principles that he kept his word for the rest of his life.

 

On the topic of todays pens, I am using my Jinhao X450 with Waterman Florida Blue but also my faithful Baoer 508 with Diamine Ancient Copper which is used for my daily diary entry.

[richardandtracy]

Mike, I loved your story. It reminds me that that same great grandfather drank a fair bit, but his wife ran a 'temperance hotel' in Plymouth to keep the family going while he was away on his expeditions. He wasn't permitted a drop of hard stuff at home.

 

At the moment I don't have any Chinese pens with me - I'm getting to know a rather nice Onoto and shall be taking my time to do so.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[ronlakin]

What Chinese pens are you using today?

 

There have been a number of threads about other pens, but I'm surprised how many are in use. What are yours & how do you rate them?

 

In the last couple of months I have found that I'm always carrying a Chinese pen along with my more normal Parkers, and today both are Chinese:

Kaigelu 316 Amber/grey.

Kaigelu 319 Lapis cap.

 

Both are excellent - writing at least as well as a Duofold & Sonnet respectively.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

 

Kaigelu 316 (Amber finish) with Waterman South Sea Blue

[richardandtracy]

Back to doing physical work today, so I've had to put my Onoto away and break out the Charcoal K316.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[UK Mike]

 

And now for something completely different ........this arrived in the post today. Marked Pao Sti 995 - or is it Lao Sti 995? £4.00 from Amazon.

 

A smart looking pen in the typical Chinese style and weight. The nib looks very similar to a Jinhao and writes as smooth as silk, and very firm with a fine to medium line. Nib is marked 22k Gold plated. (Two tone detailing). It has the usual Chinese converter and a push on cap. The pen is almost exactly the same length as a Lamy Al Star.

 

Nicely finished, subject to the plating staying on, and a remarkably good writer. A better pen for me than the Lamy at 1/3 of the price of a Safari. It was bought as a knockabout pen to experiment with - but to be honest it is too nice for that. The Chinese really seem to have raised their game, I have had some great pens from them lately and not a dud anywhere.

Edited January 29, 2013 by UK Mike