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Advice For Chinese Pens


mns68

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Hi ..I am planning to buy few decent Chinese FP with different nib sizes mainly for ink trials and daily office use

I didn't use any Chinese brand before so I hope to get your advice

N.B: Price not more than 15$ for a pen

Thanks

 

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I ordered a 7-pack of Jinhao 699 in M for my daughter and ended up stealing one of them for myself.

 

Got them from Amazon, and I believe they're M, but with unmarked Chinese pens, I have no idea of what they really are.

 

Very nice pens.

 

Alex

---------------------------------------------------------

We use our phones more than our pens.....

and the world is a worse place for it. - markh

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I ordered a 7-pack of Jinhao 699 in M for my daughter and ended up stealing one of them for myself.

 

Got them from Amazon, and I believe they're M, but with unmarked Chinese pens, I have no idea of what they really are.

 

Very nice pens.

 

Alex

it looks like Lamy .... Is Jinhao is a reliable brand I found tens of them with different numbers on ebay and I like 159 and 1200 !!

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Many users of Chinese pens have advised to be sure to flush the pen and convertor thorouhly before using-it seems there are fewer flow/starting issues with them if flushed.

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it looks like Lamy .... Is Jinhao is a reliable brand I found tens of them with different numbers on ebay and I like 159 and 1200 !!

 

If I remember correctly, one of Jinhao's models is a Lamy Safari knock-off. The ones I got are rather thin pens. I'll post a picture tomorrow, when I get home.

 

alex

---------------------------------------------------------

We use our phones more than our pens.....

and the world is a worse place for it. - markh

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well &15.00 for a pen can get you some real decent ones and I must say the - for office work - part really can be anything, you might want to elaborate on that. Typically Chinese fountain pen come with a standard Fine nib ( you just have to figure a daily use in writing the Chinese language and you will understand why ), and usually had options for EF and Calligraphy ( aka fude nib for most here ). Some particular models or brands favor a wider grind like FM / M ( most Jinhao ) these days, and several Mfr in some of their pens offer options that are typically not the typical ones ( ex. Delike's miniature fude / PenBBS standard tuned up Fine, Hero's always there hooded nib ) ...

 

If you are thinking about ink trials, the Chinese Calligraphy nib aka fude nib is perhaps the best option as it will allow from F to BB lay down, as for office use the standard Chinese F / FM I think work good enough. Jinhao is a brand typically tailored for OEM and export market, while they are economically priced I find them lacking in character. But they do the job & do it fine. For a taste of genuine Chinese fountain pen with their virtue ( and sometime quirkiness ) you should check the multitude of models from the big name like Hero , Wing Sung , etc ... for office work I highly recommend the mid range Hero models , they are usually less glamorous, more conservatively styled, build like a tank ( how about all metal construction ) and come in variety of size, profile, and nib options.

 

if you like a relatively thin pen , try the Hero 1506 ( one with a nice FM nib ) and the Hero 1031 / 1051 also, if you want vintage styled and understated , try a Wing Sung 601 , and if you are privy to a flashy display the PenBBS 308. Moonman and Delike both offer pens that can be had with that miniature Fude nib which write very smooth FM to M ( depend on how you write ) and was also good for the ink trial need and variety of styled ones too, The wood material on the Moonman M series is nice to have. M&G had a collection of MUJI / Bauhaus styled aluminum bodied. One thing that will limit your choice is your choice of retail channel ... check

 

And you can browse many of the other threads on this forum subsection where we discuss all of them good or bad or the ugly ...

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Hero 616 Doctor

 

Moonman 45

 

Moonman M2

 

Wing Sung 618

 

Wing Subg 698

 

Delike Alpha (resin)

 

Wing Sung 601

 

Anything PenBBS

 

Keep in mind there is a festivity in China right now, many seller might not ship. Festivity ends 8/10 (day 8 of October)

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Do you have any preferences for filling systems (piston-filler, cartridge/converter, eyedropper, etc.)?

fpn_1451608922__truthpil_signature_small

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well &15.00 for a pen can get you some real decent ones and I must say the - for office work - part really can be anything, you might want to elaborate on that. Typically Chinese fountain pen come with a standard Fine nib ( you just have to figure a daily use in writing the Chinese language and you will understand why ), and usually had options for EF and Calligraphy ( aka fude nib for most here ). Some particular models or brands favor a wider grind like FM / M ( most Jinhao ) these days, and several Mfr in some of their pens offer options that are typically not the typical ones ( ex. Delike's miniature fude / PenBBS standard tuned up Fine, Hero's always there hooded nib ) ...

 

If you are thinking about ink trials, the Chinese Calligraphy nib aka fude nib is perhaps the best option as it will allow from F to BB lay down, as for office use the standard Chinese F / FM I think work good enough. Jinhao is a brand typically tailored for OEM and export market, while they are economically priced I find them lacking in character. But they do the job & do it fine. For a taste of genuine Chinese fountain pen with their virtue ( and sometime quirkiness ) you should check the multitude of models from the big name like Hero , Wing Sung , etc ... for office work I highly recommend the mid range Hero models , they are usually less glamorous, more conservatively styled, build like a tank ( how about all metal construction ) and come in variety of size, profile, and nib options.

 

if you like a relatively thin pen , try the Hero 1506 ( one with a nice FM nib ) and the Hero 1031 / 1051 also, if you want vintage styled and understated , try a Wing Sung 601 , and if you are privy to a flashy display the PenBBS 308. Moonman and Delike both offer pens that can be had with that miniature Fude nib which write very smooth FM to M ( depend on how you write ) and was also good for the ink trial need and variety of styled ones too, The wood material on the Moonman M series is nice to have. M&G had a collection of MUJI / Bauhaus styled aluminum bodied. One thing that will limit your choice is your choice of retail channel ... check

 

And you can browse many of the other threads on this forum subsection where we discuss all of them good or bad or the ugly ...

Thank you very much indeed for this comprehensive reply it is very informative and I will follow certainly your guide

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Piston is great if available

 

Then I'd recommend the Wing Sung 698 or 3008 (cheaper price and construction) or the Caliarts Ego 2. All three are piston fillers.

The 698 and Caliarts take Pilot nibs and some Wing Sung nibs so you have the option of any nib from EF to the 1.0mm italic nib from a Pilot Plumix.

On the other hand the 3008 takes Lamy nibs (as well as a different model of Wing Sung nibs), so your options range from EF to 1.9mm stub.

 

I only have the Wing Sung 3009 (the all clear version of the 3008) and it is fantastic. The EF nib it came with writes nice and wet, but I also enjoy changing to any Lamy nib when I need a broader line. You might want to start with a Wing Sung 3008 or 3009 because they are the cheapest. That would be the least expensive way to see if you like Chinese piston fillers, then you can always branch out to things like the 698 with 14k gold nib. :)

fpn_1451608922__truthpil_signature_small

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Then I'd recommend the Wing Sung 698 or 3008 (cheaper price and construction) or the Caliarts Ego 2. All three are piston fillers.

The 698 and Caliarts take Pilot nibs and some Wing Sung nibs so you have the option of any nib from EF to the 1.0mm italic nib from a Pilot Plumix.

On the other hand the 3008 takes Lamy nibs (as well as a different model of Wing Sung nibs), so your options range from EF to 1.9mm stub.

 

I only have the Wing Sung 3009 (the all clear version of the 3008) and it is fantastic. The EF nib it came with writes nice and wet, but I also enjoy changing to any Lamy nib when I need a broader line. You might want to start with a Wing Sung 3008 or 3009 because they are the cheapest. That would be the least expensive way to see if you like Chinese piston fillers, then you can always branch out to things like the 698 with 14k gold nib. :)

I truly appreciate your valuable information ...thanks a lot

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Many users of Chinese pens have advised to be sure to flush the pen and convertor thorouhly before using-it seems there are fewer flow/starting issues with them if flushed.

Certainly I will do thanks for the practical advice
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Hero 616 Doctor

 

Moonman 45

 

Moonman M2

 

Wing Sung 618

 

Wing Subg 698

 

Delike Alpha (resin)

 

Wing Sung 601

 

Anything PenBBS

 

Keep in mind there is a festivity in China right now, many seller might not ship. Festivity ends 8/10 (day 8 of October)

Thanks you for the note
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Hi ..I am planning to buy few decent Chinese FP with different nib sizes mainly for ink trials and daily office use

I didn't use any Chinese brand before so I hope to get your advice

N.B: Price not more than 15$ for a pen

Thanks

 

I used many Chinese fountain pens, so I share my ideas to you.

If you like big pen, the Jinhao 159,750 and 450 are very good choice.

If you like tiny pen, the Jinhao 163, 165 or Baoer 388 are very good choice.

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Many users of Chinese pens have advised to be sure to flush the pen and convertor thorouhly before using-it seems there are fewer flow/starting issues with them if flushed.

Yes, it necessary to clean that before you use Chinese fountain pen.

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I used many Chinese fountain pens, so I share my ideas to you.

If you like big pen, the Jinhao 159,750 and 450 are very good choice.

If you like tiny pen, the Jinhao 163, 165 or Baoer 388 are very good choice.

In fact during my search I found Manny of them and honestly I liked the 159 and 1200

 

Thanks for your input

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Be warned that the Jinhao 159 is HUGE and mostly metal so it's also heavy. I bought one early in my fountain pen days and it made my hand hurt so much that it has been stored away in a box ever since. I have small hands, so it's definitely not suitable for me, but if you have big hands it might feel great.

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Be warned that the Jinhao 159 is HUGE and mostly metal so it's also heavy. I bought one early in my fountain pen days and it made my hand hurt so much that it has been stored away in a box ever since. I have small hands, so it's definitely not suitable for me, but if you have big hands it might feel great.

Me too I am having small hands ... but is it writer of good quality ?
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Jinhao 159, Baoer 388, Hero 329, Hero 336, Hero 616 Jumbo, Wing Sung 3008, Wing Sung 235.

 

For everyday use, a Baoer 388 in stainless cannot be beaten. It is a very high-quality Parker Sonnet clone. The rest are fun, but maybe not ideal for daily usage. Keep in mind that depending on luck, some of these pens might need a bit of tweaking before writing properly(a flush with soapy water etc).

Edited by rochester21
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