Wing Sung 601 - Review

[Honeybadgers]

Getting a bum nib on a $10 pen is uncommon enough with this model that I would encourage you to spend a couple bucks on a replacement nib.

[MuddyWaters]

The 601 was a nice surprise as it is built really solidly. I really like the filling mechanism and the whole thing's more solid than the 698 imo.

 

However the nib is a bit scratchy and I find the shape of the pen hard to hold. I prefer to write with the small hero 329 (which unfortunately easily falls apart) or the thick hero 565.

Edited December 8, 2018 by MuddyWaters

[WJM]

I recently tried to use the original 601 nib in Wing Sung 613. After opening the tines it turned into a wet writer, but has a really unpleasant feedback, bordering on downright scratchiness.

 

The consolation is that these nibs are cheap and available, so even if one gets a dud, it can be easily replaced.

[WJM]

 

Here's my newest - third one - Wing Sung 601. Solid black, double jeweled. First one in which I actually use the stock nib that came with the pen. It's OK on this one. There's a lot of feedback, but writes well enough. For now I'm leaving it as it is.

 

My second 601 caps very tightly, which unfortunately sometimes causes leakage while uncapping. This black one is much less tight so I hope there won't be such problem.

 

Recently Wing Sung 601A was released in a version with golden caps with nice looking patterns. I regret the standard 601 is not available with these caps because that would just be perfect.

Edited September 28, 2019 by WJM

[WJM]

I recently made an experimental caps and trims swapping between golden trimmed Wing Sung 601A and my black Wing Sung 601. It required some minor tinkering with caps (described here), but the results are pretty satisfyng. Double jeweled, black, hooded nib, golden trims and golden "Diamond" patterned cap, looks very classy, mimicking early 51s (goes without saying).

 

 

An addition to my 601's collection is the "Flighter" version - which is very impressive. The stock nib on this one is the best one so far I've had on a 601.

 

  

[OCArt]

Very nice. I like the new cap.

[Estycollector]

Just a follow up on an old thread, I’ve carried the Flighter 601 for several months and the nib has evolved positively. 
 

Also, I maintain it as I do the early Parker 51’s by refilling on a set day of the week. This provides a consistent result over letting them run dry.

[Paganini]

A followup to a followup! The 12k nib in my all-steel flighter has also evolved (I like this expression!) positively. Even the sweet spot doesn't seem quite as fussy as it did at first (but maybe I've just gotten used to the nib). I write with it daily, and refill it on no particular schedule, but it has had the same ink in it since day 1 - Platinum Classic Forest Black. 

 

I was out of town for about a week earlier this month, and I left a couple of 601s sitting on my office table. I didn't use them for a few days before I left, and it was a few days before I got back to them after I returned, so they sat inked and capped for close enough to two weeks. None of them had any trouble starting up.

[Estycollector]

21 hours ago, Paganini said:

A followup to a followup! The 12k nib in my all-steel flighter has also evolved (I like this expression!) positively. Even the sweet spot doesn't seem quite as fussy as it did at first (but maybe I've just gotten used to the nib). I write with it daily, and refill it on no particular schedule, but it has had the same ink in it since day 1 - Platinum Classic Forest Black. 

 

I was out of town for about a week earlier this month, and I left a couple of 601s sitting on my office table. I didn't use them for a few days before I left, and it was a few days before I got back to them after I returned, so they sat inked and capped for close enough to two weeks. None of them had any trouble starting up.

It is good to hear such a good report and that you also are getting some evolution of the 601 gold nib. 

[WJM]

Yet another Wing Sung 601 for me. 

Bought this one on AliExpress, and I found the color somewhat interesting because I think I found only 1 or 2 sellers who had it. Even though it's nothing particularily special, an understaded dark blue. Similiar to Parker's Midnight Blue or Cedar Bue I guess. Classic teal for comparision

 

[Estycollector]

11 hours ago, WJM said:

Yet another Wing Sung 601 for me. 

Bought this one on AliExpress, and I found the color somewhat interesting because I think I found only 1 or 2 sellers who had it. Even though it's nothing particularily special, an understaded dark blue. Similiar to Parker's Midnight Blue or Cedar Bue I guess. Classic teal for comparision

 

Those are beautiful pens. I've had 3 and retain one. The others I gave to friends and family. I happen to be using the Fligher model this week. It is such a nice pen in all respects. 

[tim77]

12 hours ago, WJM said:

Yet another Wing Sung 601 for me. [...] an understaded dark blue. Similiar to Parker's Midnight Blue or Cedar Bue I guess. [...]
 

 

 

That's a good colour.  The 601 is my favourite pen for hazardous areas (hazardous to pens), so I hope this blue becomes more widely available.

 

[Dan Carmell]

On 5/12/2025 at 2:39 PM, tim77 said:

 

 

That's a good colour.  The 601 is my favourite pen for hazardous areas (hazardous to pens), so I hope this blue becomes more widely available.

 

I hate reading about new colors with these tariffs on!

[Estycollector]

1 hour ago, Dan Carmell said:

I hate reading about new colors with these tariffs on!

I know, right? 

[WJM]

My collection of 601s. Army Green, Burgundy, Black, Flighter, Teal (or "dark green"), Dark Blue (Midnight Blue) and the last one which looks black on the photos is in fact dark brown-purple (bought it as "Purple") and I assume it's supposed to mimic Parker's "Plum".

 

[Estycollector]

9 minutes ago, WJM said:

My collection of 601s. Army Green, Burgundy, Black, Flighter, Teal (or "dark green"), Dark Blue (Midnight Blue) and the last one which looks black on the photos is in fact dark brown-purple (bought it as "Purple") and I assume it's supposed to mimic Parker's "Plum".

 

I didn't realize there was a gold cap version. 

[WJM]

There isn't as far as I know.

 

The black one has a cap taken from 601A (Triumph-like nib) which was once available in gold cap version. Described here: 

 

For the last one (Purple) I just bought golden cap separately from an AliExpress seller offering spare parts.

 

Interestingly, I expected it to be 601A cap, since you can't buy 601 with golden cap. But to my suprise this cap is marked "601" not "601A" meaning they make golden caps for 601, they just don't offer them with pens included. 

 

The golden clip on the Blue one was also bought separately.  

 

 

[jchch1950]

A great collection. Are they very different in the writing, or do they show uniform performance?

[WJM]

1 minute ago, jchch1950 said:

A great collection. Are they very different in the writing, or do they show uniform performance?

 

The only bad nib was on the first one (as described in the review in the OP). All the rest wrote well enought from the box, although the experience vary a bit. The Green/Teal one has a lot of feedback, the "Purple" is butterly smooth, and the Flighter is somewhere in the middle. 

 

 

[jchch1950]

Thanks for the answer.Maybe you have to buy two or more 601 pens to find the right nib.