Hongdian Black Forest Metal Fountain Pen

[Plutosson]

Does anyone know if the Hongdian Black Forest will ever be offered in different nib sizes and types?

[Plutosson]

Does anyone know if the Hongdian Black Forest will ever be offered in different nib sizes and types?

“The proper definition of a man is an animal that writes letters.”

― Lewis Carroll

[A Smug Dill]

... in different nib sizes and types?

 

 

What specifically do you mean by that?

 

I can't see HongDian, or any fountain pen manufacturer for that matter, changing the design of a pen model to use nibs of different physical dimensions, but 'allow' the new variants to keep exactly the same name style-wise. Will the HongDian Black Forest ever be offered with a nib in a colour/coating/finish other than black? I doubt it, since that would undermine the whole 'Black'/'stealth' aesthetic. Will it model ever be offered with ruthenium-plated (or some other black-coloured finish) gold nib? I doubt it; it isn't a >$50 model and most likely won't sell if the asking price went up tenfold or more to cover the cost of a gold nib. Will the model be offered with a #6 nib? I don't think it'd fit physically inside the cap of the current design.

 

On the other hand, it's already being offered with three different nib widths and types. Few buyers in HongDian's most likely target market will want a nib broader than "Chinese fine".

[MadAsAHatter]

Currently it's being offered in EF, F and Bent nibs all black in color. If your looking for a different color of these they're offered in silver and blue color (can be purchased separately from the pen). If your looking for the pen in a different color than black there's the Blue Forest variant (Blue w/ blue nib) and Birch Forest (Eggshell w/ sliver color nib).

 

Outside of these options from HongDian the Nib appears to be a standard #5 nib. So if your looking for something like a stub you can get a Goulet (or other vendor) #5 nib and see if it will fit.

 

If you are wanting some special you can always send the nib off to be reground.

 

To actually answer your original question, I don't think HongDian will offer nibs other than what they currently have.

[basterma]

Keep in mind that there is little money in it for a vendor whose primary market is China. Foreigners are less than 0.3% of the population and a small percentage of that are looking for fountain pens. The Chinese who are looking for pens won't ask for broader pens as they can't write Mandarin with them. Unless another Western company asks HongDian to make their nibs as an OEM, I don't think there will be any money in it for them. If you want pens that allow you to get Schmidt nibs, look at KACO, as they use Schmidt nibs and you may be able to exchange the EF nib for a broader one.

Edited July 30, 2020 by basterma