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Two Jinhao X450's


Renzhe

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My gold X450, unfortunately, seems to have been crafted from pure refined suckulon - it takes forever to get it writing and then it'll stop if you leave it for a couple minutes, even capped. Considering I paid less than $5, I'm willing to give it another shot, though - pretty sure I just got a dud.

 

My Jinhao Long March, in contrast, has never been anything but great.

Hi there as I have said many times on this forum if the pen wont write easily try washing out the convertor with either some soapy water or a dilution of amonia, if that doesnt fix it then I cant help you, by the way I have some 37 or so Jinhaos which I rotate regularly and have not had any problems with any of them. Bryan

 

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  • 4 years later...
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I'm waiting for my Jinhao X450 to arrive in the mail in the next week or two. Even before I get it, I already know I can't complain about it. Since it only cost me 99 CENTS on Ebay! ;)

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Update. Long ago I requested info to get one of these. I purchased a white swirl X450 in I think 2007. I still have it, and for a long time it was a daily carry. I have shifted it out, but put it back in rotation occasionally. It has shown no problems since I got it, and it is one of three M nib pens I use. I purchased some for resale, and at the Dallas Pen Show a couple of years ago, I sold one to the vendor behind me, for $20. He makes pens and sells them, at a much higher price point. He told me I should raise the price on the pen, because if he buys some, even at what I sold to him for, he can easily sell them for $70 at the shows where he sells. The key is letting someone write with it. It writes like a a dream.

All that is necessary for the triumph of evil is that good men do nothing.
Edmund Burke (1729 - 1797)

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Jinhao x450 is a nice FP. The only problem i have encountered is - if i insert a long international cartridge, the cartridge gets stuck in the barrel !

I put my savings to test

Lamy & Pilot FPs the Best

No more I even think of the rest

(Preference Fine and Extra Fine Nibs)

Pen is meant for writing - not for looking :-)

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As an avid collector of Jinhao and Baoer both made by the same company, over the years I have written many comments on all of these pens,I have in my collection at any one time between 35-40 all of which have never given me any trouble other than ink flow which seems to be the only problem you will have.I always flush out using a drop of amonia and dishwashing liquid three or four times and that usually fixes the problem,I regard the nibs on any of their pens as being the best nibs dollar for dollar on ebay,I advise anyone to have a collection of these pens as they are made from Brass most of the time and will never let you down as a daily user.I think my whole collection only cost me about$170-00 all up, they look quite good as a collection as they are nice to look at,one of my favourites is the Abalone squares which comes in a special presentation box and cost about 35-40 dollars.Oneill

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  • 1 month later...

You can buy these anywhere on ebay for $1.I dont know how they make them at this price but there you are.Shipping is normally $4.99.

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Does anyone know how to fix or replace the plastic sleeve that is in the cap? Would you believe I dropped my Jinhao on CARPET and the cap shot off, cracking the plastic sleeve inside the cap. Now it will BARELY click on. Tried to see if I could disassemble it by unscrewing the top of the cap, but the sleeve didn't come out. Tried to smear a little super glue on the crack to see if I could fix it. It helped just a little, but it still doesn't have the satisfying "snap" the pen cap originally had. :(

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Does anyone know how to fix or replace the plastic sleeve that is in the cap? Would you believe I dropped my Jinhao on CARPET and the cap shot off, cracking the plastic sleeve inside the cap. Now it will BARELY click on. Tried to see if I could disassemble it by unscrewing the top of the cap, but the sleeve didn't come out. Tried to smear a little super glue on the crack to see if I could fix it. It helped just a little, but it still doesn't have the satisfying "snap" the pen cap originally had. :(

 

I had this happen with both an x450 and an x750. This seems to be their weak area. The inner cap is just glued in there and some of the seal well and some do not. The ones that do not have a worse time with drying out over a little time. I have found them to be versatile enough for the money to just buy an extra for spare parts.

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  • 11 months later...

It's quite incredible that the postage is 5x more than the Pen. Today..$2.0 Australian for the pen and $10 Australian for Postage!

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Tried mine last night and as I was in a hurry, inked it up with no flushing. Wrote perfectly straight away.

I got the ivory white with gold trim and very impressed with the build and finish. Looks like a £70-£100 pen to me and others.

 

Used it at work all day today. Even after being left uncapped for 15 mins at a time, I had no dry starts or skipping (using Mont Blanc midnight blue ink). I also liked the grip section, it automatically places your fingers for you - felt very comfortable.

 

As per my X750, I've already ordered another. Very pleased indeed.

I already prefer the 450 and 750 over my TWSBI and Waterman expert.

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  • 2 months later...

After reading the nice things said about these pens, I went on both Amazon and eBay. I have since bought several, including a couple of 250's, an X450 and an X750. They are all very smooth writers, and the nibs looked great under a glass. I have had almost no problem with skipping or inkflow. I use a couple of colors of Diamine, and a bottle of Waterman Serenity Blue, and all work well, and look great. I paid, on average, about $3.00US with free shipping, mostly from China. I only had one small issue, with a wrong pen delivered, but it is being replaced by the dealer. All told, I'm very happy with the ones received. I also plan to keep looking for new models of the Jinhoa brand

 

I also tried a couple of Hero pens, a 7022 and a 901. They are also large and heavy pens, which fit my tastes. I also found these to be fine, smooth writers, with the same inks. I also found the Int. cartridges did not fit well in the Hero's, but I'd rather use bottled ink, anyway. I've used converters on all the pens, which basically look like the same manufacture. They are inexpensive, and work OK.

 

The JinHao's are illustrated below... top 2 are 250's, followed by an X450 and an X750.

 

post-122262-0-05234100-1431041584_thumb.jpg

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Summary: I review these two Jinhao X450's. One of them has Superscript-style bent nib and a black lacquered finish with blotches of red powder; the other has a normal fine nib and a solid black matte finish. They are heavier than usual, but look good and function well for their price.

 

 

http://i13.tinypic.com/67i8r2b.png

 

 

 

About the One in Black Lacquer and Red Powder

 

 

Body Appearance

This pen follows a classic cigar-shaped design. I suspect it appeals to the widest audience, and I'm okay with that, but if I really could choose, I'd prefer a more cylindrical shape, like Pelikan's Souverän series.

The lacquer on this pen is probably only one layer, definitely no more than two. Embedded in the lacquer are some blotches of metallic red powder, which is reflective, but not shimmery. From a distance, this pen would look solid black; at about 10 feet away, one would notice the red blotches. Below is a close-up of one of the blotches, made from a scanner.

http://i10.tinypic.com/4y8k3tu.png

It would appear that there is only red powder at the blotches. Actually, every inch of this pen is covered with the red metallic powder, but one can only see the red powder (besides the powder that forms the blotches) from less than a foot away.

There are two gold-plated steel bands on the cap: one where the clip attaches to the cap, and a thick band at the cap opening. "Jinhao" and "X450" are engraved on this band, with "Jinhao" centered next to the clip and "X450" opposite the clip.

http://i9.tinypic.com/6fj1p2p.pnghttp://i13.tinypic.com/641s17b.png

The clip itself is a two-tone, selectively gold-plated folded steel sheet. The plating quality is pretty good. There is only about a half millimeter of overflow on one corner of the steel-colored portion. Upon uncapping, one sees that there are two more gold bands, on both sides of the section.

 

Ergonomics

This pen is the same size as a Montblanc 146, but due to the brass body, it is very heavy. At 1.6 ounces total, and 1 ounce without the cap, it weighs twice as much as a 146, and more than triple a Lamy Safari. Some might have problems with this. I myself am not bothered by weight.

The section has three patches of ridges: one under the pen for the middle finger, and two on top for the index finger and thumb. These patches or ridges do not create any sharp corners on the section, so if one doesn't use a grip suggested by these patches, the section doesn't become uncomfortable (unlike the Lamy Safari, where one is forced to grip according to the section's shape).

This pen cannot be posted. The pen is long enough that most people would not need to.

 

Filling system

This uses a cartridge or convertor. A convertor is included with the pen.

 

Nib

The nib on this pen is selectively gold-plated steel, with gold inside and outside, leaving some exposed steel between the gold. The plating quality is inaccurate; it seems that the plating was shifted down and left a little. However, the plating eccentricity is only noticeable from close up. There are some ornate engravings on the nib along the exposed steel area. In the center, "Jinhao" and "18KGP" is engraved. (Like I care what the gold content of the plating is.)

The tip of the nib is bent up like a Sailor Superscript nib, and the tipping material is flattened. The vendor calls this a "calligraphy nib."

http://i12.tinypic.com/62r2k2e.png

At a normal writing angle, it writes like a normal fine point. As the angle of the pen is lowered, the stroke gets thicker. At the normal writing angle, I wouldn't call this a smooth nib. At lower writing angles, it feels too awkward to be practical. Below are writing samples. Both are made with Pelikan Brilliant Black. The first one demonstrates the increasing line thickness as the angle is lowered. The second one is my attempt to get fei bai out of this.

http://i9.tinypic.com/6h4rnug.png

http://i9.tinypic.com/62ne2gw.png

The ability to make fine and broad strokes from the same nib might be convenient, but I see no use for it. It doesn't emulate a brush very well either. There is no fei bai from this, unless it skips. This nib has a special place somewhere, but not with me.

 

 

About the One in Black Matte

 

 

Most of what applies to the lacquered X450 also applies to the matte one. Unlike the lacquered X450, the matte one has a textured surface, which repels fingerprints to an extent. The nib on this one is a normal fine nib, and the gold plating is much better, although not perfect.

http://i9.tinypic.com/4unx43p.png

The tip is as smooth as a post-Chartpak Pelikan, and I think that's smooth enough for most people. At first I found this to be a little too dry. All it took was some spreading of the tines, and it was perfect. Also, it took a little time for me to adjust to the long distance between the section and the tip; the nib is about an inch long. Below is a writing sample, made with Private Reserve American Blue.

http://i17.tinypic.com/5y2mt6a.png

 

 

 

 

About Both

 

 

These nibs are, of course, interchangeable. I'll probably never use the Superscript-style nib, but I can switch the other one between the bodies depending on how I feel.

 

Value

I found these two as a set on eBay for $23 plus shipping. Mmmmmthat's nice.

 

Conclusion

For the price, I have no complaints; except that the weight might bother some. There are aesthetic imperfections, such as the inaccurate plating, but those are only noticeable if one looks for them.

My vast collection now consists of 5 pens! (These two, Pelikan M620 Stockholm, Lamy Safari, Reform Skywalker) Either one of these Jinhao X450's nicely serves as an all-purpose pen (if I put the normal nib on it); I can take it anywhere without worrying about losing or damaging it. It wouldn't look out of place on a tuxedo either. This was the gap I wished to fill when I bought these. It is now nicely filled.

 

 

 

 

http://i15.tinypic.com/5yt8p6g.jpg

 

Great review! Great pens! Great pictures!

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  • 1 year later...

Recieved mine today. I bought it to house a Goulet nib, but I likely won't use it. This pen is thick, heavy, and awkward in my hand. Not my preferred shape and weight. The weight is not so much an issue, but it feels unbalanced. I write with cap on. It is a very smooth writer. Not great line variation but some. Pilot black ink flowed wonderfully. Hoping the x750 on the way is thinner and lighter.

​$2.50 with free shipping on eBay.

Edited by PowerWriter

Thoughtcrime does not entail death: thoughtcrime IS death. -- George Orwell

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  • 1 month later...

I have ordered the x450, this is my 1st cheap fp purchase but very much looking forward to using it and to see how it handles. Judging by the comments here, it's a good and reliable pen.

The pen I ordered (for £7.50) is the Blue Twist and comes with a converter, happy days! However, I can't decide if I should put Green Wood or Lavender Diamine ink into it!?

flying-letter-postcard-exc.png

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  • 8 months later...

The call it a "calligraphy nib". I don't like it, but I LOVE the x450. Please do not stop with two of these pens. They occasionally may be had for about $1.00 , with free shipping. Get another from time to time. A fistful of Jihnao x450 fountain pens, in storage, can be useful. (I have about 8.)

 

Write with joy.

Auf freiem Grund mit freiem Volke stehn.
Zum Augenblicke dürft ich sagen:
Verweile doch, du bist so schön !

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  • 1 year later...

Here's my writing beauty- a jin Hao X450. it writes smoothly and is pretty wet. Although it doesn't post well, the smoothness more than makes up for it. http://i68.tinypic.com/29f8g9z.jpg

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