Lanbitou 6051- .38mm Retractable with a Cap

[J120]

Lanbitou has returned after the instant landfill pen that was the 3088 with their next take on a capless fountain pen. I have seen 4 variations of this type of capless model on Taobao. Lanbitou attempts to try to solve the drying out issue by adding a removable cap instead of providing maintenance water. Both solutions defeat the purpose of a capless but at the same time may solve the problem at this price point. Apparently we are not at the point where an adequate seal can be manufactured for $2.03. In the case of Lanbitou,  they could not do it for $5 with the 3088, so only time will tell whether this works. 

 

Colors: Matte black, obsidian black, grand red, sapphire blue, marble white, cherry blossom powder,  Aegean blue

 

The nib is covered by a nib protection dust cover cylinder.  

 

Price: $2.03

[Licue]

Lol - this feels almost as if Lanbitou read my posts in that other thread 😆

 

As for the pen: It looks somewhat worse than the other one (in the linked thread) - the tip is kinda awkward and the cap like a last minute add-on. On the plus side tho: they've chosen silver instead of rose gold 👍

I think I'd be interested in trying this one - if it comes to Ali or Ebay and keeps the low price, maybe I'll buy one or two 🙂

 

 

[Mech-for-i]

OK so they had just take the de facto click actuated Gel Pen and replace the refill with the fountain pen part , even the tip cone is pretty much Gel pen styled , while a cap surely warranted , its too much of an after thought and defeat the purpose of the click actuation part

[J120]

Both of the other models and the twist version are already on Aliexpress.  They are not more than $3-5 so the markup is not A1 levels of crazy. Bobby has a rainbow variant but not the Lanbitou. Waiting on his response before I get them off Taobao. These models work well but the drying out and pen water mean it isn't the workhorse it would be if it had adequate sealing. If the cap solves that, it becomes the workhorse it should be. A pen you don't mind lending out, losing, or a cheap gateway pen.

 

[J120]

Mech, Lanbitou is the bare minimum pen company 😆.  After the 3088, I expect the cap either does not completely seal or some genius put a mico hole the cap somewhere.  

[Licue]

16 minutes ago, J120 said:

Both of the other models and the twist version are already on Aliexpress.  They are not more than $3-5 so the markup is not A1 levels of crazy. Bobby has a rainbow variant but not the Lanbitou.

 

Could you post links, please? 🙂

I find Aliexpress' search function not very helpful unfortunately.

 

So far I've found two capless pens previously unknown to me, one of them with a twist mechanism.

But neither seems to have an additional cap 🤔

*click* *twist*

[J120]

That model is not on Aliexpress yet. On Taobao,  I only found it while searching for Hongdian fountain pens. Strangely,  Lanbitou does not have it listed on the Taobao flagship store yet but an independent seller already has them. 

 

 

[Licue]

17 minutes ago, J120 said:

That model is not on Aliexpress yet. On Taobao,  I only found it while searching for Hongdian fountain pens. Strangely,  Lanbitou does not have it listed on the Taobao flagship store yet but an independent seller already has them. 

 

 

So of the 4 versions you mentioned, only 1 is with an additional cap? 

[J120]

The Lanbitou 6051 is the only version I have seen with a cap. I think it is safe to say they will not be the last to have a take or variant. 

[J120]

Bobby is selling these for 4.98 on Aliexpress 

[Licue]

Yep, I've stumbled upon them today.

(slightly above 5 in € tho)

[J120]

Hopefully it comes via the speedpack. Very curious if the cap solves the drying out issue 

[Dan Carmell]

On 3/19/2022 at 10:10 AM, Licue said:

Lol - this feels almost as if Lanbitou read my posts in that other thread 😆

 

As for the pen: It looks somewhat worse than the other one (in the linked thread) - the tip is kinda awkward and the cap like a last minute add-on. On the plus side tho: they've chosen silver instead of rose gold 👍

I think I'd be interested in trying this one - if it comes to Ali or Ebay and keeps the low price, maybe I'll buy one or two 🙂

 

 

That little cal looks so easy to lose!

[J120]

The package has been shipped and there will be answers soon enough.  This is Lanbitou.  They have screwed up their last two major releases so with sealing errors so expectations are zero. Even if it works, it defeats the purpose but at the same time is a nice gateway pen and workhorse.  

[jchch1950]

The cap looks like a late addition, but is more useful that a water container to fresh up the ink.

[Licue]

2 minutes ago, jchch1950 said:

The cap looks like a late addition, but is more useful that a water container to fresh up the ink.

Exactly my thoughts 🙂

[J120]

The pens arrived from Bobby's Aliexpress store within two weeks. 

 

The cap is not flimsy and fits snuggly and securely. How well it seals remains to be seen but first impressions say they fixed the problem in this price category.  I think a few dollars for a working seal mechanism would be ideal but in time. 

 

The Lanbitou cap does not fit on the Shipton pen. 

I am in the process of sourcing the Luoshi capped version to compare. 

 

I will be using Noodlers Heart of Darkness,  Diamine Jet black, Diamine Emerald, Doamine Anciet Copper, and some Lanbitou and Hongdian catridges to test all 7 of the pens for sealing.  A mix of bottled ink and catridges over a 7 day period in the wild and in the suit pockets should be a fair test of sealing. 

 

I need to get a scale to properly measure these things but the 6051 is only slightly heavier than the Shipton.

[langere]

We look forward to your evaluation with bated breath -

 

Erick

[J120]

The first 24 hour review

 

The BAD first: 

1) I bought seven pens and only one model is slightly defective. The matte black pen's inner mechanism is catching on something, so I have to press the nib down to get the nib retract. It's a minor glitch that has not been an issue on the other models. 

 

2) If you do not like slim pens, any variation of this model will not be for you. Too early in the process to speak to how it will feel over longer writing sessions but it does not have the girth of the A1 or Pilot VP so be forewarned. 

 

3) The OCD crowd is going to have a field day with the fact not all of the pens nibs perfectly line up with the clip when you retract the pen. You can adjust this by adjusting the nib unit but 3/7 so far do not line up. If I bought more I am sure this would be a common occurrence. At this price point I am not expecting A1 level of perfection. Each person's mileage will vary but some will not be able to get over that imperfection, no matter the cost. 

 

4. You can unscrew the nib unit if you turn the cap clockwise while fidgeting with it while capped. On the positive side it shows how securely the cap is attached to the unit. The OCD among us may find that a bridge too far but all you need to do is turn it counterclockwise and screw it back it in place. 

5. If you lose the cap, the pen will inevitably revert to a hard starting paper weight. I do not see an option for buying cap replacements. At this price point I do not see the manufacturers going through the pains for such a minor profit. 

 

The Good. 

1. It becomes very clear from the moment you inspect the cap that it is more than secure to the nib unit. I left the pens inked  up with bottled ink and cartridges overnight. It is only a 24 hour test but they all started immediately with no hard-starting issues. Smooth buttery writing. Lanbitou finally made a pen that seals properly. (3088 and 3059 failures still not forgotten) 

2. It is a hooded nib and there is nothing new to see here. They write, they are workhorse pens, and they write on lower quality paper if you need that. 

3. No "maintenance water" necessary due to the cap.

4. This would be a great gateway pen for friends and family members. 

5. At this price point, you are not bothered by losing one at work or someone walking off with it as much as you would your A1, VP, Decimo, Dialog, Fermo, CC, Curitas, etc. 

 

Whether this is a poor man's Decimo is down to personal preferences. There is more testing to be done but Lanbitou addressed the issue the Shipton model had but at the same time created a discussion point. This is a retractable fountain pen thus having a cap defeats the intended purpose. This is the first variation, along with the newly released Luoshi, that have used a cap to address the obvious drying issues that come from not having a sealing mechanism when the pen is retracted. The  debate will be if you are capping a retractable, you just defeated the usefulness and quick draw option that retractable pens are intended for.  

 

This pen creates another tolerance issue while trying to solve a problem that only presently exists at this price point. Lanbitou could not properly replicate the sealing mechanism on the Curitas via the 3088, thus the pen was useless for between $7-15. The sub $3-5 dollar market does not offer a sealing mechanism as of yet and but for the pen water option, a cap is the first attempt to address the issue. It does work but also leaves so many questions. If I am going to cap a pen and have to deal with keeping up with the cap, why not carry a nicer pen? The only answer may be the price point and the workhorse potential. You are not worried about losing this pen and it writes on everything. Each individuals tolerances and mileage will vary. 

 

More testing to come in the wild of the greater Boston metro in the coming week. 

 

 

[langere]

@J120 - Thanks so much for such a useful review!  It might not be the long-term review (there are few of those anyway), but all the things you mention are very practical and go right to the heart of the matter of a retractable pen.

 

I do have one question: Is the pen good enough to use without the cap for a lengthy session of say, grading papers, where retracting will keep the nib from drying out for an hour or two?

 

Thanks again -

 

Erick