Wing Sung 601 Review

[MilanKov]

Wing Sung 601

 

This pen came after month of waiting and I am really exited to share my first thoughts and impression from it.

 

Boxing…well the box was all ways crumpled as the transport package was in just envelope with bubble foil. Meh who cares. Chinese only manual, big help when you do not know single sign of the language. Oh well no added value here, but it could be worse I suppose.

 

Packaging 3/10

 

The pen has a very pleasant heft in hand and all seems alright. The materials seem polished and have good surface no scratches or dings. I am bit worried about the cap might hold after few months time will tell. (Worst comes to worst and the cap will be falling off I will turn it into desk pen.) I had trouble to find the seam to uncover the pumping mechanism. As I unscrewed it I choose pilot irozhizuku syo-ru ink, as the colour is similar to the pens body. The pen sits very well in the hand my only complaint, as it is my first vacumatic I have no idea if I filled it fully.

 

Construction 8/10

 

The pen writes smoothly no hesitation or hard starts, at first I thought there was leakage but it turned out to be just badly wiped ink. I am seriously impressed with the pen it writes nicely in reverse and here came big surprise the line is thin just as I like much thinner then my Kaweco Al sport EF. I am impressed the nib is stiff as a board, no flex. I think it is well balanced nib for large variety of inks. Plus it is hooded nib I really dig those.

 

Nib 9/10

 

As I said it is my first vacumatic pen but I really liked it though I cant say how much ink I have loaded and I will be taking pocket bottle of the ink for emergencies I really like the system plus the plunger is metallic that by alone is a plus.

 

Filling system 8/10

 

For a price of 15USD with shipping from china to Czech Republic? I think I am in love with this pen so far. If it will keep up I think I will have to buy another one or the original Parker 51 comparison.

 

Totally 8/10

 

P.S. does anyone have American pencil company Venus hooded nib lever filler pen I saw one of fleabay and I really like it does anyone have experience with them?

 

[visvamitra]

Thanks for the review. I guess, for the price it's a bargain.

[Osmaroid]

A nice review.

It really is a bargain - I have paid over 10 times as much for some new pens that took fairly significant nib work before they would write as well as my recently acquired versions of this pen. Just a little added information - the original version of this pen was a modern version of the Parker Vacumatic with the same sort of rubber diaphragm. This was sold from the very end of 2017 until the present time. Apparently, the manufacturer had quality problems (one of mine filled perfectly the first time but then stopped working). Earlier this month, they released a new version, replacing the diaphragm with 2 O-rings. This still operates on the same vacumatic principal and should be much more robust, but unfortunately is no longer a modern version in all respects of a classic 70 year old pen. As a plus, the newer version takes far fewer strokes of the plunger to fill it. The new can be distinguished from the old by its cap jewel - the original had a steel jewel, the new version has a white jewel.

[MilanKov]

That last thing was new for me, thank you for your information, my pen has steel jewel so I guess it is the problematic version but it seems to work fine. I have filled it at first with a Lamy ink at first, before flushing it and filling it with pilot syo-ru.

[kpfeifle]

Thanks for the review. I too have one of these and enjoy it very much. Just wish I could get one with a true western medium nib. That would be great!

[thewolfgang]

I've just received an original 601 black with the ink window - with Sailor Jentile Black it's less fine that I expected and just what I wanted - guess I better try the new one :-)

 

Question: Why do some of the solids have the ink windows and others not?

[TSherbs]

....Question: Why do some of the solids have the ink windows and others not?

Yeah I don't want this without the window.