Tariff Trial Pens

[Dan Carmell]

This will be my first pen ordered under the new tariff regime and without the de minimus exception, so I’m curious how it affects shipping and how they will handle the tariff billing. Will be interesting. I’ll report back in 3-4 weeks but I’m sure others will be filling us in long before then. 
 

Anyway, this is the Moonman Ti200 with a 14K nib. It’s modeled on the Hero 100, which was my first Chinese pen many years ago, of which I have a few of the steel flighter versions as well. This one has been customized with anodized color and a hammered effect on the titanium cap and barrel. Also available in hammered original titanium or pink, and smooth pink or blue. 

 

The clip on the Hero 100 is very well made and I think it’s a nicely minimalistic accent to the pen. Same clip on the Ti200, of course. Same clip on the $3 Jinhao 911 or Hero 334 or…, you get the idea. Funny that the clip of this flagship pen is so widely distributed across so many brands and models, not unlike the ubiquitous arrow clip and its million variations. 
 

I also bought the new Admok 28 because the coupons and sale made it cheap enough. SDK says the ink sac is 3cm long. The pressure bar sure doesn’t look new/old stock so somewhere in a workshop people are making pressure bars for the first time in China since those early button fillers were pushed out, probably by aerometric fillers. (Or maybe not, where were the pressure bars Fountain Pen Hospital and others sold all these years made? Probably China, so maybe they never stopped making them.)
 

I have the Hero 856, the Gold Star 28’s successor and as SKD says, it’s a neat pen, big but light and with a full size nib. Strong vintage look to it. 

[OCArt]

That's a great looking pen, Dan. I like the contrast of the polished silver clip against the hammered blue. I bet it will fee good in the hand too. I have an old Hero 100 that I put a custom barrel on, you reminded me to dig it out someday.

[Shanghai Knife Dude]

1. This is a MOD/aftermarket from Majohn Ti200. Each time pulling off the cap, some scratch would inevitably be left to the grip covered with non scratch proof 0.03mm thick of oxidation layer. 

2. I wish you luck and get a 4cm or longer sac in Admok 28. You could DIY replace a lengthy sac fully utilised the luxury parking space back in the barrel. I simply just don't understand new player Admok strategy on saving extra 3-4cm sac. 

3. Admok 28 in China is unpopular, due to its price tag around RMB200. RMB200 can get you majority of the premium lines from other brands. HD piston snake at 180, MJ P139 #8 at 220, MJ M800, etc. 

4. A used condition Jinxing 28 at RMB1000, with a 14k or something. 

5. Hero 856 ($3) in M is awesome, 2ml, #5 0.7mm, as smooth/line width as the Pilot 74 B ($200, with pitty 0.9ml on its premium but unserviceable Con70n). 

[Theroc]

I recently bought the Junlai 900 Ebonite during the spring sale (yeah, I caved). Shipping was free, it cleared customs with no issue, and was delivered in under 10 days.
Make no mistake, the $800 package exemption is being targeted as part of the new tariff regime, but from what I gather, customs simply does not have the capacity to enforce it... yet.

[Dan Carmell]

7 hours ago, Theroc said:

I recently bought the Junlai 900 Ebonite during the spring sale (yeah, I caved). Shipping was free, it cleared customs with no issue, and was delivered in under 10 days.
Make no mistake, the $800 package exemption is being targeted as part of the new tariff regime, but from what I gather, customs simply does not have the capacity to enforce it... yet.

Congratulations on the 900, I’d love to see the colorway you chose! I’ve liked Jun Lai’s ebonite pens quite a lot, they seem to be very well made and nicely designed. 
 

My first items for AliExpress, though not the blue Moonman, have arrived at my local post office. The predicted arrival date is two days away while it’s 5 minutes down the road, so I’m wondering if there’s some type of attempt to tariff it at its end destination. It  doesn’t sound very likely, but a lot of abnormal things are happening lately so who knows. 

[Theroc]

This is the colorway I went with. I usually tend to go for marbled blue ebonite or rosewood ebonite, but I wanted something different. I took some risk here, because the effect I was looking for was high contrast, which is by no means guaranteed. Thankfully my pen did not turn out to be a muddled mess.

[Dan Carmell]

4 minutes ago, Theroc said:

This is the colorway I went with. I usually tend to go for marbled blue ebonite or rosewood ebonite, but I wanted something different. I took some risk here, because the effect I was looking for was high contrast, which is by no means guaranteed. Thankfully my pen did not turn out to be a muddled mess.

 Very nice, I like how the gold trim compliments this colorway. Thanks for sharing it!