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Jinhao 992 Informal Review


truthpil

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Well folks, it's been quite some time since I first got this pen and a lot has happened since then. My time spent with the 992 has taught me a lot about what not to do with inexpensive fountain pens.....

 

By contrast, I only changed the nib on my 991 a couple times and it still writes ok, but is still drier than I'd like. By yet another contrast, I have completely left alone the nib on my second 992 and it's just as amazing a writer as when I got it. I'm starting to see a pattern here.

 

The moral of the story is, these pens were probably not meant to be messed with.

 

Sorry for your troubles, but thanks for sharing the advice. I will follow it.

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I always feel that a lot of people follow the following mantra:

 

'If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.'

 

I do try to avoid fiddling with things that work. Sorry about your pens being wrecked, but better to learn on a cheap pen than an expensive one.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

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I always feel that a lot of people follow the following mantra:

 

'If it ain't broke, fix it until it is.'

 

Ha. I resemble that remark.

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I'm still enjoying mine because they do write well, but even more important: they don't evaporate the ink. We're just finishing up the hottest November in our recorded history and none of my 992s have faltered.

 

So many of my pens have already dried out, been cleaned out and put away for the summer, including, but not limited to, several Lamy Safari, Jinhao (599, 886 and x750) and Pilot (Kakuno, Prera and Metropolitan).

 

One of my 992's has been inked four months ago and no ink evaporated. Many other pens in my rotation (Parker Sonnet, Parker Frontier, Parker 45, Parker Jotter fp, Inoxcrom Wall Street and Pilot Vortex) did dry out. Where I live, it isn't even summer yet.

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One of my 992's has been inked four months ago and no ink evaporated. Many other pens in my rotation (Parker Sonnet, Parker Frontier, Parker 45, Parker Jotter fp, Inoxcrom Wall Street and Pilot Vortex) did dry out. Where I live, it isn't even summer yet.

 

After seeing your comment I pulled mine out of their pen cup to update - all five still have plenty of ink and started first go. Two are inked with the Blackstone scented inks which would show nib crud growing moss-like and sculptural if the there were any air leak at all - none at all. It is summer here, dry heat with most days getting to 100° or more.

Edited by AmandaW

Will work for pens... :unsure:

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After seeing your comment I pulled mine out of their pen cup to update - all five still have plenty of ink and started first go. Two are inked with the Blackstone scented inks which would show nib crud growing moss-like and sculptural if the there were any air leak at all - none at all. It is summer here, dry heat with most days getting to 100° or more.

 

 

just got mine:

 

the nib is excellent for a 2 dollar pen

the body and plastic definitely feel like a 2 dollar pen and nothing more, but the shape is comfortable though small

 

These are great inexpensive pens, the nibs especially. Did either of you notice any cracks in the barrel or cap?

I hope they fixed the brittle material problem by now!

fpn_1451608922__truthpil_signature_small

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  • 2 months later...

I do not know if this has been mentioned yet. Apparently the JInhao 992 (at least the clear demonstrator) has a new design to "fix" the crack around the end plug. I just received one from a package with some other pens.

 

The new design has two ridges around the plug. I tried to take a picture but the quality is so bad. Basically I can see the attempt to strengthen that empty space around the plug.

 

The plug is very difficult to remove now. Actually I cannot remove it by using the same chopstick pushing method on the older 992's.

 

I am not sure if this will fix the crack unless they have also improve the materials for the pen. Here is the best I can describe the difference.

 

Old:

 

*

* * *

* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
New:

*

* * *

* *
* * * *
* *
* *
* *
* *
* *
Edited by loubapache
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I suspect the "brittle material" is non-negotiable but I had heard earlier that they had reduced the diameter of the plug so it was not exerting so much force on its surroundings. This sounds like they reinforced the surroundings. I wonder if the plug is hard to remove because the smaller diameter plugs were falling out so now they add a dab of glue.

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Exactly, i.e., they tried to reinforce the surroundings.

 

I also thought about glue but could see any sign of it unless they applies so cleanly. The plug is still clearly there.

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It's coming up to a year I've had the coffee/cola 992, and inspecting with a 10x loupe no cracks have developed. I reckon if you reduce the stresses at the barrel plug and cap finial upon first receipt, it ought to last well enough.

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

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The new design has two ridges around the plug. I tried to take a picture but the quality is so bad. Basically I can see the attempt to strengthen that empty space around the plug.

I bought this "new design" then. Summer 2017 until now, I see three big cracks around the plug of the 992 that I kept (the others I have given to family members).

I've never fiddled with the plug since I ink my 992 with short standard international cartridges.

fpn_1502425191__letter-mini.png

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I bought this "new design" then. Summer 2017 until now, I see three big cracks around the plug of the 992 that I kept (the others I have given to family members).

I've never fiddled with the plug since I ink my 992 with short standard international cartridges.

There goes the "new" design. I was thinking about picking up a few more, now I won't.

 

Thanks for the info.

 

They should put some metal barrel and cap for this pen.

Edited by loubapache
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There goes the "new" design. I was thinking about picking up a few more, now I won't.

Thanks for the info.

They should put some metal barrel and cap for this pen.

Yeah I've taken pictures of the cracks, I'll share later.

fpn_1524679362__jinhao_992_cracks_01.png

Noo, no metal barrel and cap, they're heavy and then my fingers hurt at the end of the day.

I think the 992 is alright the way it is. It's a bit narrow but it's light, its nib doesn't dry out, its converter works fine, its feed should keep up better but it's not awful, and the nib is a decent, stubbish, Western medium.

Just know that it's better not to eyedropper it and you're good to go!

Edited by RoyalBlueNotebooks

fpn_1502425191__letter-mini.png

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They could just forget the plug entirely and just have a normal one-piece barrel. That would probably be cheaper, too.

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They could just forget the plug entirely and just have a normal one-piece barrel. That would probably be cheaper, too.

 

They're copying a Japanese pen (don't remember which... some Sailor I think).

 

Sometimes I wonder if this sort of design 'feature' is a conscious effort to hinder copycats. It demands proper tolerances.

 

Similarly, I recently bought a clone of the ETA 2824 watch movement; the keyless works cover has an integrated yoke spring instead of a separate piece, and it simply didn't have enough strength to act against the yoke nub. A genuine keyless works cover worked properly; the steel used had much springier properties. Tricky to copy cheaply!!

Latest pen related post @ flounders-mindthots.blogspot.com : vintage Pilot Elite Pocket Pen review

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They're copying a Japanese pen (don't remember which... some Sailor I think).

Sometimes I wonder if this sort of design 'feature' is a conscious effort to hinder copycats. It demands proper tolerances.

 

I agree.

Also the original design should be either the Sailor Profit Junior or the Sailor Procolor. The Profit Junior has a slimmer cap-band, but both models share the plugged barrel.

fpn_1502425191__letter-mini.png

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I know it's a tribute pen but those are usually not exact copies. The Jinhao 599, for example, is inspired by the Lamy Safari but uses a different clip and nib. So why couldn't the 992 dispense with the bump, or mold it in? Especially after what appears to have been two failed fixes.

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So why couldn't the 992 dispense with the bump, or mold it in? Especially after what appears to have been two failed fixes.

I can't agree more.

But then I think, what if the manufacturer has bought second-hand production machines and cannot modify the initial design but is using lesser materials and is speeding up the process so that the molded plastic doesn't have time to cool properly and is prone to cracking around risky areas. This is my assumption.

fpn_1502425191__letter-mini.png

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I can't agree more.

But then I think, what if the manufacturer has bought second-hand production machines and cannot modify the initial design but is using lesser materials and is speeding up the process so that the molded plastic doesn't have time to cool properly and is prone to cracking around risky areas. This is my assumption.

 

I have those cracks, but I don't really care. I don't eyedropper. The pen works great. <shrug>

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