HERO 156

[pmsalty]

I've checked the forum and I haven't found any reviews for this pen. I am fairly new to the fountain pen hobby. I have always been attracted to fountain pens but being left handed I was always steered off of them by family and friends.

I recently ran across a old Parker 21 that I had picked up when my Grandfather passed away over thirty years ago. It had been in a box of memorabilia that I recently went though. That story will be for a nother time

Well with the internet I started gathering information concerning FP's and finnaly sent away for one. I'll discuss that sale some other time. My second online purchase consisted of two Chinese pens that I got from isellpens.com. I have been looking at pens for a while and I had some idea of what I wanted. I purchased a Duke Esteem Black partly based on a review here on this froum and I purchased a Hero 156 flighter based only on its looks. The Hero is the pen I am reviewing today.

http://www.forumsigs.com/users/pmsalty//HERO156Flightera.jpg

First Impressions[/u]

The pen is beautiful. the pictures on Todd's website do not do this pen justice! This pen is much more striking in person. It has a beautiflul brushed steel finish. Very impressive right out of the box!

Appearance and Finish

The pen is stainless steel with black plastic holding the nib. The first impression of the finish is that the pen body is substantial and well constructed. The body is smooth, the plastic has no signs of any imperfections and the pen close withan audible click. The cap posts also with an audible click. It has a gold plated clip and bezels with black plastic at both ends of the pen. The nib is partialy hooded.

Design/Size/Weight

The pen as most Here's do resembles a Parker. The 156 resembles a Parker 75 flighter. Very pleaseing to look at. It is a slim pen. The pen seems to be about the same weight as my Parker 21, maybe slightly lighter.

Nib Design and Performance

The 156 houses a fp 14k semi hooded nib that writes closer to a medium. It lays a wet line. It seems to have the smallest sweet spot of any of my pens. It writes without any hesitation and smoothly if I have it at the correct angle. It took me several hours to learn how towrite eith this pen. It writes different from my others. It is not my favorite pen to write with. Nib is stiff, but smooth.

http://www.forumsigs.com/users/pmsalty//HERO156Flighterb.jpg

Filler Style

As the photo above shows the 156 has a pump sac filler simillar to the Parker aerometric system.

Cost/Value

This has been so far the most I have spent for a pen. It cost $19.99 plus shiping from Tod at isellpens.com. For its looks alone I'd say it was a good value. It is a pleasent writer and has a good feel to it. It feels good in my hand. I got speedy and efficient service from Todd at isellpens.com. I will definitely buy from him again.

Overall Opinion/Conclusion

Beautiful pen, writes well, I have some concern with the plastic insert in the cap, it seems the pen is secured almost too snug. This pen feathers more than the others I own, it lays down the wettest line. This has occured with both of the inks I have used with it. Noodler's Polar Blue and Swisher's Midnight Black. I'm not sure I would buy this pen several years down the road with more experience under my belt with fountain pens. But for now it will be a pen I use several days a week.

 

 

 

 

 

[SallyLyn]

Thank you for the review.

 

I'd never noticed this pen. Will consider it the next time I buy a batch of pens.

 

I do have the Hero 800, they might ?? be similar. The nib on the 800 writes as a Med. Many of these Hero, Wing Sung are nice, inexpensive writers. Actually think there are a ton of pens like this, just haven't tried all the brands.

 

For not many dollars you can have a bunch of pens to match your mood and/or outfit!

 

[michael_s]

Design/Size/Weight

The pen as most Here's do resembles a Parker. The 156 resembles a Parker 75 flighter. Very pleaseing to look at. It is a slim pen. The pen seems to be about the same weight as my Parker 21, maybe slightly lighter.

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for taking the time to write a review! Did you perhaps mean to type 45 instead of 75? The Parker 45 has a hooded nib, whereas AFAIK the 75 has a fully exposed nib.

 

-Mike

[pmsalty]

Design/Size/Weight

The pen as most Here's do resembles a Parker. The 156 resembles a Parker 75 flighter. Very pleaseing to look at. It is a slim pen. The pen seems to be about the same weight as my Parker 21, maybe slightly lighter.

 

Hi,

 

Thanks for taking the time to write a review! Did you perhaps mean to type 45 instead of 75? The Parker 45 has a hooded nib, whereas AFAIK the 75 has a fully exposed nib.

 

-Mike

 

You are correct. A Parker 45 is what I met!

Thanks for the correction.

Pat

[ximhot]

Hero 156 is an upgrade of Hero's Parker 45 homage series. The basic is 800, which features a 12K nib. For the price, I think it is a wonderful pen.

[Renzhe]

the pictures on Todd's website do not do this pen justice!

 

I emailed Todd a while ago, and suggested that he hire a professional photographer, as it's the pictures more than anything that sell pens. I've also suggested that he hire a professional web designer as, sorry to say, his website sucks. If he did those, I wouldn't be surprised if his sales doubled. It doesn't look like he's done anything yet. Perhaps if more people said the same thing to him...

[deepocean]

Thank you for the review. I am also looking into Asian Pens. Is there currently one best performers in the Hero series? How about wing sun pens?

 

 

By the way upgrading website and pictures is not as inexpensive as you think.

[mr T.]

Thanks for the review. This pen looks like value for money. What I don't like about this Hero pen is that it is just another cheap copy of a famous Parker product (the 45). Of course this product is also 'made in China' (synonymus nowadays for cheap made copied and likely dangerous products). Why not go for the original? It looks to me as if Chinese manufacturers can only produce cheap bad quality pens or very average cheap copies from western pens.

[donwinn]

Thanks for the review. This pen looks like value for money. What I don't like about this Hero pen is that it is just another cheap copy of a famous Parker product (the 45). Of course this product is also 'made in China' (synonymus nowadays for cheap made copied and likely dangerous products). Why not go for the original? It looks to me as if Chinese manufacturers can only produce cheap bad quality pens or very average cheap copies from western pens.

Actually, I have three Duke pens (made in China) which are not copies of any western pen with which I am familiar. While inexpensive, I would not call the pens cheap. There is a major difference. All three Duke pens I own are great writers, and very well made. I would love to get a couple more, specifically the Duke Shark and the Duke D2 "Silver Rings" but SWMBO put me in NAM (non acquisition mode) for the time being. If anyone has one of either you would like to trade, send me a PM and we can compare collections and see what can be done for postage only.

Donnie

[pmsalty]

I have a Parker 45. Yes the Hero is similar but not the same. I also have a Duke Esteem. It's not like anything else I know of and it's a great writer, one of my favorites.

PMS