Tianbo Airborne Soldier (Full Size F Nib .5mm Retractable/Capless))

[J120]

Tianbo has arrived. 

Aesthetically it was worth the wait. It will take a few days and nights to determine whether it seals properly. 

 

Full sized nib. Curious if the nib is pullable so I can put a 5.5 FPR stub in it. If it seals that will be the next experiment.  

[Dan Carmell]

18 hours ago, J120 said:

Tianbo has arrived. 

Aesthetically it was worth the wait. It will take a few days and nights to determine whether it seals properly. 

 

Full sized nib. Curious if the nib is pullable so I can put a 5.5 FPR stub in it. If it seals that will be the next experiment.  

 

Mine is half way here, perhaps another week away from delivery. Your photos show that the pen is as good looking as the manufacturer’s photos. I like that they chose a rather industrial type design. 
 

I’ve seen several references to FPR stubs but I am not familiar with FPR—is this something that’s findable on AliExpress?

[J120]

FPR= Fountain Pen Revolution 

 

Update on sealing: Immediately started after sitting overnight. No hard starts throughout a day of use. No leaking. 

The clip is unusable but sealing is the priority 

[essayfaire]

1 minute ago, J120 said:

The clip is unusable but sealing is the priority 

How come? Any chance you could take a pic of how this sits in your hand? Pretty please?

[J120]

The clip does not move. No flex at all

[J120]

Forgot the wrench tool. 

No need to use it yet. 

 

[essayfaire]

Were you able to do what needed to be done without the wrench?  Or is the wrench lousy?  I am always confused when tools are offered separately!

[J120]

I have not tested it yet. I inked both pens up to test the sealing and so far, so good. Once it is time for a refill,  I will l see how it works. I also could not use any of the 3.4 or 2.6 catridges I have in this model. Short cartridges also did not work. I will figure that out at some point. 

[zacca113]

curious to see if the feed would keep up with a #5.5 FPR Ultraflex nib

[J120]

Once the ink runs out on one I will sacrifice one to see if the nib can be pulled. 

[A Smug Dill]

On 5/15/2022 at 5:04 PM, J120 said:

I also could not use any of the 3.4 or 2.6 catridges I have in this model. Short cartridges also did not work.

 

Have you tried a Pilot converter or cartridge?

[TitoThePencilPimp]

On 4/23/2022 at 11:30 AM, essayfaire said:

@gerigo If one of the two of you bites, I would love to have notes back.  The last time I bought a cheap retractable it was a piece of junk, not even salvageable for parts. Trashed it.  

 

I am trying to not buy any pens that won't be usable, though I would love to find retractable models that were less expensive than the VPs.  I'm not going near the Curidas, either! I can now tell it won't work for me.

Curidas is actually nice at a good discount. I purchased an EF, mainly due to owning two VP, and its main use would be to finalize my notes. Had it for any two weeks now, so cannot comment on durability, but the nib is nice.

[essayfaire]

31 minutes ago, TitoThePencilPimp said:

Had it for any two weeks now, so cannot comment on durability, but the nib is nice.

I had bought a cheap knockoff retractable (in a landfill now) mostly to get a feel for the size and shape of the pen.  Even if I imagine all its failings were replaced with solid Platinum quality, it just isn't the right fit for me.  

[J120]

 

@ASmuggDill,

 

I have not but I will now that you mention it. 

 

The sealing is still holding up on both models. The quality of adhesive and QC is where this model starts having issues. The section of one pen just came undone and now needs to be reglued.  The other pens seal came out of the section somehow and now I need to get back inside the pen. Add that to the clip being entirely nonfunctional and just a rollstop. If you fix the QC issues it is a great pen. It write well and the full sized nib is nice. 

 

This is not is the same class as the Majohn A1. I have yet to have a A1 fail and I started putting Pilot broads and stubs in them. 

 

Luoshi makes the best capped retractable.  

 

I wanted to love this pen but it is a fail due to QC issues. It seals but two models coming apart is unacceptable.  

[Dan Carmell]

I received mine yesterday and was surprised and impressed. Surprised because it’s bigger and lighter than I had imagined it would be. Also surprised because the publicity photos gave me the impression that the clip had a contrasting texture to the body—it does not. 
 

The overall look of the pen is a little kludgy or nerdy. I don’t say this as a criticism; I think it’s rather endearing and those qualities may make people like it all the more. 
 

The fit and finish seems very good to me, although J120’s remarks about both pens coming apart make me apprehensive. The clip on my pen does have a little play, enough so I could clip the pen to a t-shirt. I clipped it to a broadcloth button-down shirt pocket and it clips securely and sits deep enough to be safe. 
 

I am a little apprehensive about seeing the delicate springs that trigger the nib trap door opening. On the Vanishing Point, they are entirely inside the door. I imagine it was easier to build it this way—and it’s possible with the mechanism on the outside, excess ink is less likely to interfere with or corrode the tiny parts. I am also guessing that the small slot on the underside of the section allows easier access to the mechanism. It doesn’t distract from the design IMO.

 

What better ink for a new pen than some 50+ year old Sheaffer Skrip? It wrote well, started without problems, and gave consistent ink flow, neither wet or dry. A day later, it was hard to start, although I had fiddled with the pen and converter several times since I inked it, so that may be my fault. 
 

The nib does give some slight line variation with a bit of pressure, not terribly noticeable except in flourishes. It’s a small,  smooth, unexceptional steel nib, marked ‘Mostar.’ Is this a known Chinese nib maker?
 

Due to the girth of this pen, the knurled section, and of course the normal clip placement, this could be the retractable pen for those who don’t like writing with a VP. 

 

This is a nice pen at a very reasonable price point. If a large number of these pens have the QC problems J120 found, it’s doomed, so I hope they get that under control. What’s pleasant and hopeful is the quality and innovation this pen represents. 
 

If this pen makes some headway in the market, I’m curious what English speakers will call it. Simply ‘Airborne’ perhaps?

Edited June 4, 2022 by Dan Carmell
Typos

[J120]

@Dan Carmell I hope it's a case of me getting lemons from a bad qc run. The pens seal which was biggest concern. 

[mhguda]

I too bought this pen, and generally like it. But I'm wondering: what is the wrench supposed to be used for? And how do you work it? I could not find any instructions...