Lamy Vs. Jinhao

[Sailor Kenshin]

There's no point sending them back because it's going to flake off again (you only have to google about it to know it's a common problem with the studio).

All Lamy nibs above medium have a babys bottom and you need to press on them otherwise they write much finer than they are. The F and the M have no difference whatsoever and where the narrow sweet spot is especially felt, and the EF is the most painfully uncomfortable and scratchy nib to write with.

 

I will never buy another Lamy product again.

Well, that's odd...my many Safari nibs from XF-1.5 italic DO show a difference, and the B writes fat and wet.

[WateryFlow]

and the B writes fat and wet.

Wish mine did cos i LOVE B nibs. I even got a 2nd one to replace the first (just in case), but sadly that was just the same as the first. It and the stubs don't feel like they're making proper contact with the paper, unfortunately

 

When I drag the pen across the page the M nib makes a line whereas the B and stubs don't except at the beginning (after about 2 inches they just 'dry up'). That's not good.

 

Just did this for you to show you - tons of skipping, dry ink flow, BB syndrome, etc. And this is with a wet ink (aka Diamine Syrah)

http://imgur.com/efzntIE.jpg

Edited February 3, 2015 by WateryFlow

[Sailor Kenshin]

Oh, I don't discount your experience...just that mine is different. Thanks for the picture.

 

My first Safari was a scratchy, stingy lemon that almost made me give up on the model. FPN made me give them another try. Plus there's the fun of collecting the LE colors, even if they are all neon.

[WateryFlow]

Oh, I don't discount your experience...just that mine is different. Thanks for the picture.

 

My first Safari was a scratchy, stingy lemon that almost made me give up on the model. FPN made me give them another try. Plus there's the fun of collecting the LE colors, even if they are all neon.

Oh there's some fun colours indeed. I may buy one when they release their glow in the dark safari

[Sailor Kenshin]

Yesss! Glow-In-The-Dark!

 

Just wanted to ask whether you are left-handed. I find it hard to make the italic nibs behave with my overwriting style..

Edited February 4, 2015 by Sailor Kenshin

[WateryFlow]

Yesss! Glow-In-The-Dark!

 

Just wanted to ask whether you are left-handed. I find it hard to make the italic nibs behave with my overwriting styke.

Very much right handed, thankfully.

If it's any consolation so do I, but then again I find it tough to get any nib to behave with my handwriting

Edited February 4, 2015 by WateryFlow

[inkstainedruth]

Interesting thread. I was recently gifted with a Jinhao 599, one of the metal bodied ones. I like it fairly well, but don't like how unbalanced it is when posted.

I had been avoiding Lamy Safaris because I didn't think I would be able to get used to the triangular grip (I tried one someone had a couple of years ago). But the grip on the Jinhao wasn't too bad. So I'll toss out the question to those folks who have both a Safari and a 599 -- how similar are the grips? Because I"m starting to rethink the whole "not liking the grip" thing.... I had considered getting one of the pink Safaris a couple of summers ago and then decided not to, because of my experience holding a Safari. But the Jinhao's grip isn't that bad.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Jamerelbe]

I have several Jinhaos - in plastic and in metal - and I think they're great pens, especially for the price. My main issue with them is that the quality of the nibs (and bodies) is a little variable - and I'd say the materials that the (plastic) pen bodies are made of are a little less durable. I suspect, too, that the rubber seal at the bottom of the grip section on the Safari makes a more consistently airtight seal - which may explain why some (but not all) of my plastic 599s are a little prone to drying out.

 

I have a marginal preference for the Safaris, mainly because of the quality issues - that, and the fact that there's a far wider range of nib options.

 

To answer @inkstainedruth's question: the grip of the Jinhao is pretty much a straight copy from the Safari - if you like the one, you should like the other also, IME.

[parnesh]

I have a dozen of the plastic 599s coming my way to give out to colleagues and friends. Hopefully the nibs aren't too bad.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Very much right handed, thankfully.

If it's any consolation so do I, but then again I find it tough to get any nib to behave with my handwriting

I imagine you flushed those pens well? You can tell the ink is wet and flows in some spots...wonder if there's dried ink caught somewhere. Or if you write too fast for the feed to keep up. Or you have lemons. Because Lamy nibs really aren't supposed to do that. Just hoping we can help you get them right.

 

To address the original subject, the Jinhao 599 is a decent, three-dollar pen. I bought a few of them and they're now in my Science Experiments box (see Glitter Ink thread). The converters are several steps below Lamy cons. One leaked. The ink flow seems reluctant at times.

 

For writing enjoyment, I do prefer the Safari. Even Hero's Safari-like model seems more robust than Jinhao's, and I keep refilling those. I might fill one with Blue Nose Bear for InCo.

[Jamerelbe]

I have a dozen of the plastic 599s coming my way to give out to colleagues and friends. Hopefully the nibs aren't too bad.

I've consistently found the nibs to be smooth - I just wish you could choose the width (EF, F, M, B etc). Here's hoping your experience is similar!

[WateryFlow]

I imagine you flushed those pens well? You can tell the ink is wet and flows in some spots...wonder if there's dried ink caught somewhere. Or if you write too fast for the feed to keep up. Or you have lemons. Because Lamy nibs really aren't supposed to do that. Just hoping we can help you get them right.

 

 

Spot on! Flushing is the very first thing I do with each and every pen. I was writing quickly but my other pens which are inked up - Jinhao 650 and Boaer388 - don't have that same problem.

 

Don't worry, I'll just throw it out or give it away eventually and put it down to a lesson learned

Edited February 4, 2015 by WateryFlow

[Sailor Kenshin]

Spot on! Flushing is the very first thing I do with each and every pen. I was writing quickly but my other pens which are inked up - Jinhao 650 and Boaer388 - don't have that same problem.

 

Don't worry, I'll just throw it out or give it away eventually and put it down to a lesson learned

Pay it forward to someone who likes tinkering! I feel like I could have 'saved' my first Safari if I knew then what I know now.

[inkstainedruth]

To answer @inkstainedruth's question: the grip of the Jinhao is pretty much a straight copy from the Safari - if you like the one, you should like the other also, IME.

Thanks. I will keep that in mind. A pink Safari may not be in the *immediate* future (given that I just won an Ebay auction for a Parker 45, for a little under the same price) but it's no longer being completely given short shrift.

What's the weight and balance between the two pens (given that I'm likely *not* to get an Al-Star) -- the main issue I have with the (metal) Jinhao is that it's moderately heavy, compared to many of my other pens -- and posting makes it very top-heavy: it really screws up the balance in my hand (but I hate not being able to post).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[4lex]

I just bought Lamy Safari on ebay from what appears to be a genuine UK based seller. The pen had uncomfortably sharp plastic edge and the tines needed some alignment. The B nib is very smooth now. Still, although a cheap pen it is IMO overpriced considering poor quality control. My Jinhao 599 had better finish on the plastic although of the three Jinhaos I bought two nibs were poor and one was very nice, but I don't mind that since I paid 99p per pen. Lamy on the other hand… disappointing!

[Sailor Kenshin]

There are Safari fakes. Beware.

[Jamerelbe]

Thanks. I will keep that in mind. A pink Safari may not be in the *immediate* future (given that I just won an Ebay auction for a Parker 45, for a little under the same price) but it's no longer being completely given short shrift.

What's the weight and balance between the two pens (given that I'm likely *not* to get an Al-Star) -- the main issue I have with the (metal) Jinhao is that it's moderately heavy, compared to many of my other pens -- and posting makes it very top-heavy: it really screws up the balance in my hand (but I hate not being able to post).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

The metal Jinhao 599 weighs 26g on my scales; my Safari (with half-full cartridge) weighed 16.7g; a white plastic Jinhao 599 (with hooded nib) weighed 15.3g. You can definitely write with them posted - but as with every other pen that will shift the balance of the pen, and you'll have to feel it in the hand to determine whether it's comfortable for you. I prefer to use these pens unposted - but I've gotten that way with a lot of my pens, as a fair few of them are not designed to post...