What kind of Wing Sung is it?

November 2, 2005

I wonder what type of Wing Sung this is; it looks like a Sheaffer look alike nib. Has anyone any experience with this pen? How does it write? How is the quality?

November 2, 2005

I have one of those! I got mine from Yi Cheng Trading online. They have the penny specials every now and then where all you have to pay is shipping to receive the featured pen. The pen is basically a Chinese copy of a Parker 75 Cisele body, gold plated, with a Sheaffer Triumphe-style. nib. The advertised name of my pen is the "Hero Sheaffer Imperial". The one I have writes very well. The pen is very light weight and puts down a smooth, fine line with decent flow. Quality is better than the price would suggest, at least on my example. Nice pen to carry, looks great, writes well, and if you loose it, you aren't out a lot of money.

Larry

November 2, 2005

thanks, you helped a lot!

November 2, 2005

Glad to be of service.

Larry

November 3, 2005

I have this one too and would like to make couple more comments.

I love many chinese pens mainly because they make fine/extrafine nibs and they give predictable thin line, no tendency to FAT writing. Most of them are made under umbrella of Hero and Wing Sung is subdivision (luxury as I read somewhere) of Hero.

I have similar (to one in duscussion) pen--Wing Sung 233 (if memory does serve me right), which I got many years (~15) ago. It has the same nib, but the rest is like Hero 616 (check Isellpens.com for picture). It is very simple utilitarian design, pretty light, but surprisengly good writer, good starter after time of inactivity and very balanced pen. Unfortunaltely it got clogged and I can not unclog it, so decided to find similar one. It was almost impossible. I bought this pen under discussion just like Larry. I was not so excited with this pen though. Larry I do not want to offence you in any way, but would like to share my experience.

My feeling is similar to Larry's, but couple issues. Mine is little bit dry and not always good starter. Another thing about cap and barrel matherial. It is made of plain aluminium (very soft) painted to look like gold. And that gives it very flimsy feel. I think if they would make it of simple plastic something like Hero 329 it would be better. The Wing Sung pretends to be gold, but aluminium just turns me off. Otherwise it is practical pen which writes fine-extrafine line and rather smooth for such thin tip.

Other very good pens I like from Hero are Hero 50, 329, 616 and WingSung 612.

Hero 50 is like Parker 75 and all other like Parker 51.

--Yuri

November 3, 2005

Yuri, no offense taken. I have twelve Hero pens, and even though all are pretty good writers, there is quite a bit of variation in quality control. I also agree that the Hero 50 is a better pen. I have some of the gold nibbed Heros (model 100 and 200). These are substantially better pens with much better quality control.

Larry

November 3, 2005

Larry,

I got like ten or fifteen Heros too. Several of them I would like to throw out, but just my hands can not do it. Though most of them are great writers, especially if you like very fine (thin) lines and not looking for peace of jewelry. I do not know why some people consider them as a junk a priory just because they are chinese made. Sure there are such pens which I consider wosrt ever made, but some of them are at quality of writing not worse that say Rotring Core, Lamy Safary, Pelican Future etc. at a cost 1.5-2 times less.

As for Hero 100. I still do not have one, but consider to buy. Early 100s had a cap clip like Parker's--arrow clip. What is available now for sale have different clip design. I want old design, but can not find one for sale.

Larry could you comment on Hero 100, is it wet writer like Parker 51s or it is like majority of heros, which are on dry or just normal side?

November 3, 2005

Yuri, I have three Hero 100's (black, red, and flighter). None of them are wet writers. I would say they are on the dry side of normal. My flighter has the best flow of the bunch. I have two Parker 51's, both with fine nibs, and both are very wet writers. The only Hero pen I have had a problem with is a 330. The cap split after I had used it awhile. The bad part is, it probably had the best nib I've seen on a Hero pen.

Larry

November 5, 2005

I've got one of these too! A PT Greenboard purchase (ten bux all-in IIRC... )

The cap band on mine reads:

<chinese char><chinese char> 235

So, I guess it's a WingSung 235...

It's a nice fine writer. Scores high on the price / performance scale in my book. YMMV however due to Hero (& WS?) hit or miss quality control. I've got a dozen or so of these inexpensive oriental knock-off type pens. Some are great and some are scratchier than a... umm... a really scratchy thing...

Your fellow cheap pen collector

Tom