What Is The Best Jinhao Pen?

[KBeezie]

Once upon a time, when nibs had iridium points, the Germans stamped their nibs "Iridium point Germany". The Chinese thought they'd like piece of the action so stamped all theirs the same, because they are prolific, cheap copyist, and very good at muscling in on everyone else's ideas and products. Consequently, the Germans promptly stopped stamping theirs that way

 

I you see a modern nib stamped Iridium Point Germany (generically known as IPG nibs in the industry) it is a 99.99% guarantee that the point is not iridium, nor even anything close to precious, and that the nib, including the point, was made no closer to Germany than Shanghai.

 

Yep, figured if they ever still used it elsewhere in the world it's probably like 2% iridium in the alloy, but someone did some research to find it was like none in most cases (as we have other super hard alloys to use, that are not as rare or naturally occuring as iridium).

 

But I guess in the end, we just take that a Chinese company is deceptive as a natural thing that just happens.

Edited October 26, 2018 by KBeezie

[sansenri]

The x750 is no doubt one of the best Jinhao. It's slightly heavy but in many other terms, it's a well balanced pen and reasonably comfortable to use.

 

Not as well known, but the x500 is also interesting to check out, reasonably well made, reasonably balanced and comfortable.

It's probably slighly less practical and modern than a Wing Sung 3008, but it does look "more classic".

 

[Honeybadgers]

I honestly don't think they make a great pen anymore. Compared to wing sung, PenBBS, moonman, delike, lingmo, some Hero pens, all blow everything jinhao has made for the last few years away. Jinhao was good for the price a few years ago, but the chinese competition has gotten absolutely fierce and they just haven't innovated.

 

I like Jinhao's finishes on their barrels. Nice lacquer work. But the hardware and feeds and durability are all sub-par.

 

Shame, too. the 992 was so, so close to perfection. Perfect size, weight, dimensions, nibs are great and reliable, inexpensive, comfortable, but the plastic is nightmarishly bad and as far as I know they still just crack.

Edited October 27, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[WJM]

I honestly don't think they make a great pen anymore. Compared to wing sung, PenBBS, moonman, delike, lingmo, some Hero pens, all blow everything jinhao has made for the last few years away. Jinhao was good for the price a few years ago, but the chinese competition has gotten absolutely fierce and they just haven't innovated.

Very true.

 

For the price of less than $3 Jinhao still offers some really good value, but having a choice between $15 Wing Sung 601 and $1.5 Jinhao 911 the Jinhao just doesn't have much appeal.

 

Although, for the price, it's a very good deal.

Edited October 27, 2018 by WJM

[sansenri]

@Honeybadgers

 

I think you are right, I was pointing out that a X500, like a X750, which are pens designed several years ago, and that can still be found for sub $4 prices, among the Jinhao offer (as the question is what is the best Jinhao) are the most recommended Jinhao buys.

 

These pens still have all the drawbacks of Chinese design and manufacture of the earlier period, bad threading, heavy brass, sharp edges, uncomfortable step down barrel/section, faulty converters, bad plastic, bad plating, etc. In these two models at least balance is not bad, and step down is not unbearable.

 

Certainly today's new models from Wing Sung, Pen BBS and few others are upping the standard. I would like to see that in next Jinhao offers.

[Arkanabar]

I have experience with only three Jinhao pens.

My Bulow X750 --nice writer, almost too heavy for writing, a little too heavy for breast pocket wear, and definitely not to be written with while posted. Various aftermarket #6 nibs also fit. Absolutely no regrets.

Jinhao 599: This is a dirt cheap homage to the Lamy Safari; the main differences are the conventional nib and the flat sheet-metal spring steel clip. I don't like the safari grip, so this was the one I lent to coworkers in hopes of getting them addicted to FPs. It started leaking and I threw it away.

Jinhao 992: a $2 and under pen that has generated over 28 pages of commentary on this site, apparently also sold as the Monteverde Monza for over 10x the price. On mine, the barrel cracked around the end plug, but it was a nice writer, if a tad slim. I gave it away, along with my bottle of Waterman Purple, to a speech language therapist who had trouble writing with ballpoints.

As far as I know, the feeds are plastic and injection-molded. Thus, it would not surprise me to learn that the numbers on the feeds are the numbers of the respective mold cavities from which they were made. That they are apparently randomly numbered between 1 and 8 makes me suspect this even more, because eight is a fairly common number of cavities to put into an injection mold. The numbers make it easy to spot which cavity in the mold is producing defective work.

[TSherbs]

The x750 is no doubt one of the best Jinhao. It's slightly heavy but in many other terms, it's a well balanced pen and reasonably comfortable to use.

 

Not as well known, but the x500 is also interesting to check out, reasonably well made, reasonably balanced and comfortable.

It's probably slighly less practical and modern than a Wing Sung 3008, but it does look "more classic".

 

 

That photograph makes it look quite nice.

[Holon]

Try the 51A. It comes hooded and not hooded, in opaque and clear plastics, wood and some nice acryls.

But I agree with honeybadger, there are better chinese pens now. But they are more expensive, although still quite affordable.

[Precise]

I have Bock #6 nibs (from Beaufort Inks) in my JInhao 159s and x750s and they fit fine.

What's your procedure for removing the nib from these pens?

 

Thank you,

 

Alan

[katerchen]

What's your procedure for removing the nib from these pens?

 

Thank you,

 

Alan

 

They are friction fit. Pretty easy to pull out. You may need a rubber grip though when they are stuck. I use a small ribbon I'd cut from an inner tube a while back.

 

Make sure you are pulling the feed&nib straight out. Do *not* try to loosen them by twisting left and right : that's a pretty decent way to misalign the tines. Soak overnight in water if needed.

[bass1193]

One of their new offerings, the 51a is a solid contender. The advantages of hooded nibs as established by the Parker 51 that it's based on are well known. This 51 copycat has the added benefit of actually using a proper clutch mechanism like the marks 1 and 2 of its progenitor, at the cap rim and actuating on the clutch ring at the shell's base rather than the shell itself.

 

If you go for a 51a, I'd recommend the wood variety in the ~$3 variant as well as the ~$8 acrylic variant because they both use a proper (P51 appropriate!) metal connector that makes for a nicely nib-heavy lightweight pen. The plastic version of the ~$3 variant has a plastic connector which, while the pen as a whole is a looker, makes for a writing experiance that might as well be a Bic ballpoint.

Edited October 31, 2018 by bass1193

[bass1193]

Also, the 51a is bold in that its clip is proudly Jinhao and nothing like the myriad Parker arrow clip knockoffs.

Edited October 31, 2018 by bass1193

[Mongoosey]

The x750 is a staple for me when swapped with a Jowo. The x450 is OK, but the grip and weight deviate too far from my comfort zone and preference.

 

The 599 is pretty solid for the price. It's clip is unfortunate IMO, the capping is a little tight, but I can live with that, but recent models use a #5 nib I think you can swap in something better with. I had a 599, but tossed it before I realized it may swap in a Jowo #5, so now I have another on the way. I also tossed it because I expected to like the lamy safari more than I eventually did due to it's dryness (and I didn't like the nibs). So if you can swap a #5 Jowo into the 599, use a standard international converter, and you like that grip shape of the section, I'd say it's a contender.

 

The 51a's intrigue me. I have a few on the way, haven't received them yet, but I'm very curious, especially with regards to the unhooded 0.5 Fine versions, which appear to either have the same nib as the 992, which I was impressed by, or the #5 on the 599, and I'm curious about nib swapping with them, especially with a Jowo if I can.

 

I like that they stayed true to the Parker 51 shape and size, since that pen's not even made anymore.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Mongoosey

[Holon]

 

The 51a's intrigue me. I have a few on the way, haven't received them yet, but I'm very curious, especially with regards to the unhooded 0.5 Fine versions, which appear to either have the same nib as the 992, which I was impressed by, ...

 

It is indeed the same nib as in the 992, they are interchangeable.

[Mongoosey]

 

It is indeed the same nib as in the 992, they are interchangeable.

Thank you : )

 

I was hoping. I like that nib and am in less of a hurry to swap it out than other jinhao and chinese nibs.

 

But it is interchangeable with a TWSBI Eco Jowo nib, so that's an added bonus for potential upgrading.

 

I've been using x750's for a while, but after recently shifting to a Pilot Prera (soon to try the Pilot Explorer) and Ranga Ebonite pen, I now much prefer lighter pens and have even grown to dislike the heaviness of the metal x750's.

Edited October 31, 2018 by Mongoosey

[Emver]

This is an old thread but worth reviving because nobody seems to have mentioned my personal favourite Jinhao model.

 

The X450 and X750 are great value, as is the X159 but that's a bit big and clunky for me.

I've not yet found a Parker 51 clone which I like, and I can't see the point when original Parker 51s are still quite plentiful and affordable.

 

But the model I really like is the Jinhao 100.  They're nicely built, nicely styled and all of mine write beautifully (smooth and wet).  I've owned 4 Parker Centennials, which of course are also clones of the classic Parker Duofold, and I can honestly say that the Jinhao 100 is just as good. In fact my pen collection has now grown to well over 100 pens including lots of Parkers and other classics, the most expensive being a Montblanc 146.  A lot of people on here won't like to admit that a £15 Chinese pen writes just as nicely as their £500 Meisterstuck or whatever, but sadly that's my experience.

 

PS. There are other Duofold clones which I've found to be equally good, especially the Kaigelu 316.  The Moonman M600S is also nicely built but a little more expensive, but mine doesn't write as nicely as my Jinhaos.

 

 

 

[Arkanabar]

While working in nursing, I like to keep an inexpensive Parker "51" clone with the leaf springs/ clutch ring cap closure clipped to the outside of my scrub top, nearly always in the collar, though sometimes to the outside of my breast pocket.  I can pull it free from the cap, jot something down, and re-cap it, all one-handed.  I've never had one just drop out of the cap.

 

My first pen for this purpose was a Hero 616, and I've had 11.  Of them at least three were bad writers.  I've had six XF 51As and one (wood-barrel) F 51A with the metal clutch ring.  So far not one has been a bad writer (there are some that have yet to see use).  And the piston converter makes them easier to prime than the aero Hero 616.  Should all the XF 51As fall prey to the rigors of nursing, I would be willing to use the wooden F 51A while waiting for replacements to arrive.  It writes just as fine.

[spiritwane]

I like the sharks!

[TSherbs]

I now say the 100 (Centennial).

 

But the new x159 and the new 82 are also very good!

[Aether]

put down the cash for a x159 recently in red with a fine nib.   writes brilliant!