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View Full Version : So What's the Story on Chinese Pens?



writingrav
April 19th, 2012, 04:38 AM
I recently purchased a Jihao X750 - the Ivory. It is a very smart looking pen and writes smoothly, feels great in my hand, I'm very happy with it. I have two other Jinhaos and two Wing Sungs (that I haven't inked yet.) The total cost for these 5 pens is ridiculously low and I'm wondering why I don't hear more about people wanting/getting/using Chinese pens? Have I been lucky so far? Will I be sorry? Is it somehow more cool to be putting out $200 rather than $35?

John the Monkey
April 19th, 2012, 07:00 AM
I'm glad you got writers, Rav.

I've had a the same Jinghao, and two Baoers (517s) that are stinkers - despite hours of attention, they only write if you squeeze the cart, or turn the convertor - and even then, only until that squeeze/turn's worth of ink is used.

Perhaps ironically, the best Chinese pens I have cost least - three Hero 616 Jumbos, that are decent writers, and incredibly reliable starters, even after being left for a week or so. I think, ultimately, it's that lack of consistency that's soured me against these inexpensive pens, personally. Whilst I got lucky with the Heros, the others have been massive disappointments.

KrazyIvan
April 19th, 2012, 09:16 AM
I buy chinese pens knowing that I am going to work on them and practice nib grinding with them. I have a lot of Chinese pens. I have found mostly good pens but there have been some dogs in the bunch. I have learned that a good pen will depend on where you get your pens. Ebay is my main source for Chinese pens but I also get them from isellpens.com (no affiliation). I hear hisnibs.com also has a good selection.

If you want Hero pens, get them from eBay user yespens or the retailers already mentioned. Others out there may be factory rejects or fakes, as ironic as that sounds. The best quality Chinese pens so far have been my Kaigelu pens. I purchased one of mine from eBay user jewelrymathematics pmstylus (sorry wrong ID, they sell Kaigelus out of California) and I figured out they are the supplier or somehow affiliated to isellpens.com. If you see some pen photos on isellpens.com (http://www.isellpens.com/specials.htm) and then look at jewelrymathematics ebay listings (http://www.ebay.com/sch/jewelrymathematics/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686), you will understand. It is faster to get the pens through isellpens but I live about a 6 hour drive from his base of operations. ;)

I like Jinhao pens. All of the Jinhaos I bought from ebay user Member id gotoschool888 have been good. Seller comeonXXXX (x= some numbers I don't remember right now) has been good too but takes longer to ship.

The two Huashilais I have purchased required major work to get them to write. This included feed modification. I have a feeling they were factory rejects because my Schrade tactical pen has the exact same feed and nib and it writes perfectly with cartridges. The ink channel seems more defined in the Schrade than the Huashilais. Those have been my only problem childs. gotoschool helped me with my first Chinese fountain pen that did not work, again a Huashilai. They told me to put the pen in very hot water for a few minutes then transfer immediately to cold water. I don't know if that helped clear out any machine oils but it worked and the pen has been fine since. I don't recommend using the hot water trick on other pens, you may damge the finish or feed on some pens.

I make it a point to flush the pens with amonia water before the first use and that seems to take care of a lot of problems. I do see some people taking the breather tube out of their Jinhaos for better flow. I have not had to do that though I do adjust the nib for more flow. I hope this has helped some.

Bogon07
April 19th, 2012, 07:31 PM
I recently purchased a Jihao X750 - the Ivory. It is a very smart looking pen and writes smoothly, feels great in my hand, I'm very happy with it. I have two other Jinhaos and two Wing Sungs (that I haven't inked yet.) The total cost for these 5 pens is ridiculously low and I'm wondering why I don't hear more about people wanting/getting/using Chinese pens? Have I been lucky so far? Will I be sorry? Is it somehow more cool to be putting out $200 rather than $35?

I've wondered why there isn't a forum for Chinese pens like the Italian one too ?

There seems to be a range of interesting and affordable pens coming from there. However I'm sure over time there will be some more exclusive and expensive fountain pens from China in the near future.

Maybe there isn't enough of a tradition built up yet ?
Or perhaps the brand pronounciations have people stumped.

manoeuver
April 20th, 2012, 10:31 AM
There's something of a stigma on many Chinese manufactured goods. It's very easy to dismiss anything made there as a FEPOS. The iffy quality of a lot of Chinese goods is a major contributor obviously.

That's good news for people who enjoy good writers at cheap prices- to me and many others, pen in hand is more important than bragging rights on the fora.

I got a swarm of Bulow x750s last year as a present. I kept one for use (it's a good pen) and have given the others away to people I like, all of whom were thrilled.

jor412
April 20th, 2012, 07:26 PM
I've only tried about 10 Chinese pens, but so far, I've had good luck with them. After practicing some nib smoothing, I gave most of them away. I plan on going downtown next week and getting some more to practice with. These aren't the fancier looking Chinese pens so they're even more cheap than cheap.

KrazyIvan
April 20th, 2012, 07:48 PM
I got a swarm of Bulow x750s last year as a present. I kept one for use (it's a good pen) and have given the others away to people I like, all of whom were thrilled.

Those are the Jinhao 159 (Big Black German cigar shaped pen look-a-likes) correct?

fountainpenkid
April 20th, 2012, 08:35 PM
I went to isellpens hero pages, and i saw a couple with gold nibs for under $50....are the gold nibs worth it--will you be less likely to get a lemon?

Will

KrazyIvan
April 20th, 2012, 08:47 PM
They are plated. Don't put to much stock in them as far as keeping the finish. I have a Jinhao X450 that the plating rubbed off while I was grinding the nib down and wiping it with a paper towel. Not too bad but it surprised me at how easy it came off.

manoeuver
April 21st, 2012, 09:26 AM
Those are the Jinhao 159 (Big Black German cigar shaped pen look-a-likes) correct?
No sir, these are a slip cap, they don't look as fancy as that 159. Link-http://www.xfountainpens.com/X750-Vertrag-Black-p/jh157.htm
I believe xfountainpens is the only outfit that has the Bulow brand, which is by many accounts congruent with Jinhao.

KrazyIvan
April 21st, 2012, 10:54 AM
Looks a little like the X450 by Jinhao but that cap band looks like what Huashilai does on there 3K model.

fountainpenkid
April 21st, 2012, 12:19 PM
wait....so the seller @ isellpens is lying about pens like the hero 110? he says that they are NOT plated...

dannzeman
April 21st, 2012, 01:16 PM
I've wondered why there isn't a forum for Chinese pens like the Italian one too ?There easily could be if there's demand for one.

KrazyIvan
April 21st, 2012, 02:08 PM
wait....so the seller @ isellpens is lying about pens like the hero 110? he says that they are NOT plated...

Did not see that one but if Todd says they are not plated, I would trust him. Be weary of the eBay ones.

etoyoc
April 24th, 2012, 03:31 AM
I won't buy any more Jinhao pens. At least not until my luck changes. They are cheap pens, but after getting burned on 4 different duds, I am not buying another. My experience is that they are poor starters, skip like crazy, stop writing after 1/2 page, and take a lot of fiddling with to get writing again.

I have a Hero 329 that was good until the clips inside the cap got bent, but it is still serviceable. I did get a cheap set of Hero 616 that were problematic, with some work they no longer spurt ink constantly. They still burp/blurt, but not as much as they did. As far as I know they may be the counterfeit ones. All in all, I would be willing to give Hero pens another chance, but not on a bulk purchased pen like the 616.

isellpens
April 28th, 2012, 01:46 PM
All my Hero pens are gold as advertised plus I guarantee them. Many of my pens you could not even buy a gold nib for the cost of the pen.

Sailor Kenshin
April 30th, 2012, 12:03 PM
I recently purchased a Jihao X750 - the Ivory. It is a very smart looking pen and writes smoothly, feels great in my hand, I'm very happy with it. I have two other Jinhaos and two Wing Sungs (that I haven't inked yet.) The total cost for these 5 pens is ridiculously low and I'm wondering why I don't hear more about people wanting/getting/using Chinese pens? Have I been lucky so far? Will I be sorry? Is it somehow more cool to be putting out $200 rather than $35?

1. I don't know.
2. If you are, so am I.
3. Nope!

I LOVE Chinese pens. I love the fact that I can afford to experiment with color and style and give some away.

I've been buying/reviewing some new ones, so I have way too many pens inked at the moment, but I always have at least two Hero 616s in rotation, and my Official Check-Writing Pen, the Hero 329 (Bad Green Gator).

I have what some people would call good pens, and they get used less often than my Chinese cheapies.

KrazyIvan
April 30th, 2012, 12:24 PM
I think sometimes the stigma plus actual problems with quality do keep people away. sbrebrown posted a video of his first Jinhao. It was broken on arrival but he got it put together. His subtle tongue in cheek humor could not disguise his dissapointment. Then he could not get it to fill. I am pretty sure he knows what he is doing so I fault the pen rather than user error. His subtle tongue-in-cheek humor could not disguise his dissapointment. At least that was my impression. I don't know why some people have bad luck with Chinese pens and some don't. As stated before, all but two of my Chinese pens have failed on me out of the box. Even then I got them working reasonably.

dragonstail
May 8th, 2012, 06:53 PM
I have several Chinese pens. Overall, they are a pretty good value, but the quality control is a bit loose, compared to the main line European brands. Some of them are great every day knock around writers, especially if you are concerned about losing a more expensive pen. I have several Hero 800's (a Parker 45 knock-off). They have gold nibs, not plated. With a little adjustment they are excellent. Todd at isellpens.com has always been super reliable to deal with.

KrazyIvan
May 8th, 2012, 08:07 PM
Here's one for you. I purchased what I have always thought to be a quality Italian pen. It is my second Italian pen, not from the same manufacturer. Both of my Italian pens have/had major quality issues that should have been caught before leaving the factory. I paid a pretty penny for them and am really disappointed with them. So, that's two for two. Not a good record so far and it's really making me think twice about considering Italian pens. I could fix the pen myself but that's not the point. It should have worked out of the box, in my opinion. Anytime I pay more than $50 for a pen, I expect it to work. Maybe my standards are too high???

Freddy
May 8th, 2012, 09:16 PM
Here's one for you. I purchased what I have always thought to be a quality Italian pen. It is my second Italian pen, not from the same manufacturer. Both of my Italian pens have/had major quality issues that should have been caught before leaving the factory. I paid a pretty penny for them and am really disappointed with them. So, that's two for two. Not a good record so far and it's really making me think twice about considering Italian pens. I could fix the pen myself but that's not the point. It should have worked out of the box, in my opinion. Anytime I pay more than $50 for a pen, I expect it to work. Maybe my standards are too high???

Heck, any time we spend anything on a new pen, the expectation should be that it will work unless clearly stated otherwise.

KrazyIvan
May 8th, 2012, 10:49 PM
That is true but I think it's paramount on higher priced pens but really, like you say, it does not matter how much you pay. It just really made me question exactly what I was paying for. I am giving the retailer a chance to make it right so I am refraining from naming the pen and the retailer for now. I guess I just needed to vent.

Sailor Kenshin
May 9th, 2012, 07:17 AM
Here's one for you. I purchased what I have always thought to be a quality Italian pen. It is my second Italian pen, not from the same manufacturer. Both of my Italian pens have/had major quality issues that should have been caught before leaving the factory. I paid a pretty penny for them and am really disappointed with them. So, that's two for two. Not a good record so far and it's really making me think twice about considering Italian pens. I could fix the pen myself but that's not the point. It should have worked out of the box, in my opinion. Anytime I pay more than $50 for a pen, I expect it to work. Maybe my standards are too high???

Not at all. If it's at a certain price point it SHOULD work out of the box.

I would say that 98% of my Chinese cheapies ($10 & under) DID work out of the box. I can actually name the ones that didn't, and a lot of pens cross my desk.

John the Monkey
May 9th, 2012, 02:51 PM
Not at all. If it's at a certain price point it SHOULD work out of the box.

I would say that 98% of my Chinese cheapies ($10 & under) DID work out of the box. I can actually name the ones that didn't, and a lot of pens cross my desk.

Hm, I reckon I'm 50/50. Three fantastic Hero 616 "Jumbo"s, two dud Baoers (517s) and a Jinhao (X750).

goldiesdad
May 18th, 2012, 12:58 PM
My go to right now is a Hero 616 under 3 bucks and writes a smooth beautiful line ....

manoeuver
May 19th, 2012, 07:42 PM
I am liking my 330 quite a bit. I got a 616 but have not used it. It seems very cheap to me. We will see.

lovemy51
May 22nd, 2012, 03:08 AM
hello, gang. i buy and use a lot of chinese pens. what can i say? most -and by that i mean 99%- of the ones i own, write like any FP should write. a lot of them write better than my more expensive european brands.


jor412 wrote:
I've only tried about 10 Chinese pens, but so far, I've had good luck with them.
how many more does one need to try to be convinced?:noidea:

lovemy51
May 22nd, 2012, 03:26 AM
There easily could be if there's demand for one.

we have a Lamy sub-forum here -and only 8 threads . i'm sure we can talk about the chinese pens more here. just get Sailor-K and Krazy-I in there and those two will fill the chinese pen sub-forum in no time.

lovemy51
May 22nd, 2012, 03:31 AM
tell me what u guys think of this chinese combo pen: FP/BP

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n419/peterpaul_rguez/lilypen.jpg

John the Monkey
May 22nd, 2012, 03:39 AM
tell me what u guys think of this chinese combo pen: FP/BP



WANT! That's very cool. Is that a triumph style nib?

jor412
May 22nd, 2012, 03:41 AM
tell me what u guys think of this chinese combo pen: FP/BP

http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n419/peterpaul_rguez/lilypen.jpg

First, of course, after trying 10 I'm convinced that they're decent pens and more than worth their cost. Like I said, I've had good luck with them. The point I was making was merely that while others have gotten duds, I have yet to encounter a dud.

They write fine. Sometimes, the construction leaves something to be desired (like chipping or fading paint on sections, ink drying up faster than it should which indicates the pen isn't as air tight as it could be, a cap that fits too tightly, etc.). They're not perfect but for what I paid for them (an average of $1-9), I'm not complaining.

Second, the nib on your pen is gorgeous.

Sailor Kenshin
May 22nd, 2012, 05:59 AM
we have a Lamy sub-forum here -and only 8 threads . i'm sure we can talk about the chinese pens more here. just get Sailor-K and Krazy-I in there and those two will fill the chinese pen sub-forum in no time.


Heeheeheeee.......

That two in one pen reminds me of a bamboo pen/brush combo I have. Strange but interesting.

KrazyIvan
May 22nd, 2012, 08:46 AM
we have a Lamy sub-forum here -and only 8 threads . i'm sure we can talk about the chinese pens more here. just get Sailor-K and Krazy-I in there and those two will fill the chinese pen sub-forum in no time.

Now you are going to make me blush. :p

That is an interesting pen that reminds me of some company memorabilia that I came across while looking into branded pens as in company giveaways. It was a cracked ice fountain pen/mech pencil combo but I passed on it because it looked like too much work to get operational.

I do like the triumph style nib. I need to get my own Triumph but my Wingsung 233 and 234 will hold me over until then. :p

lovemy51
May 22nd, 2012, 11:28 AM
Krazy man, that is not a triumph nib. it only appears so from that angle. it is actually an inlaid. that makes it more interesting, dont-it?

here's a belly shot:
http://i338.photobucket.com/albums/n419/peterpaul_rguez/P5220017.jpg

KrazyIvan
May 22nd, 2012, 12:06 PM
Yes, it surely does make it more interesting. :agree:

jotterius
May 31st, 2012, 10:14 AM
I also have mixed fillings. A year ago I habd bought a hero 616 10 pens lot, only 3 of them were usable. A month later I ordered a Jinhao Long March (or something like that) and a Duke pen, both were well constructed and reliable writers. I am currently waiting for a jinhao 159 which from what I have heard are is same as the Bulow X530

ianmedium
May 31st, 2012, 11:47 AM
It has only been the last three months that I have discovered Chinese pens. My first was a give away 616 from Teri at Peyton street pens. I purchased a NOS Sheaffer imperial 777 and she included the 616. I was very impressed with its performance so started looking around, then got another NOS this time a Hero 330, the nib on that was is super fine but not at all scratchy. I have also added a bookworm 675 and jinhao dragon rising. I flushed all the pens before use as is my want and each and every one writes wonderfully. The only fault so far was one of the red crystals in the eyes of the dragon clip was missing, I just took the other one out and now the dragon looks like it has diamond eyes!

I have spent less than $30 for all these pens including shipping, great fun and they are going to be useful to me as I want to Lear how to grind a stub nib and these will be great practice!

I have my eyes on one of the Hero 1000 51 look a likes as it has a gold nib, nearly did it last week but ended up winning 51 special on eBay for $23 so the Hero is on hold!

writingrav
June 6th, 2012, 03:24 PM
Unfortunately, another failure to report. I received a Duke 209 yesterday and was initially thrilled with it. Fine looking black matte finish, very smooth nib. I wrote with it for awhile with no problem. Took it out of the carry case today and it was leaking (all over my hands.) Cleaned it up and tried to write with it and the ink was just pouring out. I emptied and flushed it and tried to take the nib off to adjust it on the feed, but couldn't get it off easily and didn't have tools or time to spend. So out of the daily carry it came, replaced by my trusty Schaeffer Intensity that I hadn't put into the rotation for awhile.

KrazyIvan
June 6th, 2012, 04:27 PM
That sounds like air was getting in. Did you make sure the converter was in all the way? I have never tried Duke but it is supposed to be on the "higher" end of the spectrum.

I will still stick with Kaigelu. I have been really happy with them. I just ordered another Century Star 316 (Parker Duofold homage) in charcoal. I am going to stub it maybe even try a CI grind. One reason I like them is the converter screws in, so you are not guessing if it is in correctly.

writingrav
June 6th, 2012, 05:30 PM
That sounds like air was getting in. Did you make sure the converter was in all the way? I have never tried Duke but it is supposed to be on the "higher" end of the spectrum.

I will still stick with Kaigelu. I have been really happy with them. I just ordered another Century Star 316 (Parker Duofold homage) in charcoal. I am going to stub it maybe even try a CI grind. One reason I like them is the converter screws in, so you are not guessing if it is in correctly.

I'm pretty sure the converter was in. It worked ok yesterday. I'll try it again tomorrow. I too am very happy with my Kaigelu.

jor412
June 6th, 2012, 09:14 PM
That's too bad about the Duke. Dukes have decent reputations so I bought a Beijing Opera 805. It was bit of a dry writer so I tweaked it. No problems with it after that. My only thing against it is that the nib seems to me to be a #2 or at the most a #3. The pen would've looked better with a slightly larger nib. Other than that, it's a beautiful well-made pen.

About the Kaigelu - I'd get a Kaigelu Parker lookalike in a heartbeat if it weren't so heavy.

jd50ae
June 7th, 2012, 06:53 AM
This discussion seems to come up on every forum.
I have Duke, Jinhao and Namixin pens.
As far as I know they were all made in Germany.
I think the first "Chinese" pens I bought were from www.ISellPens.com.
I won't buy one unless it has the manufacturers nib and not the IRG variety.
They have all been exceptionally smooth and write the first time right out of the box.
I have had to buy doubles of a couple because my wife has absconded with the first ones.
And lucky for me they have all been larger pens.

KrazyIvan
June 7th, 2012, 08:35 AM
Common misconception about where they are made because of the usual "Iridium Made in Germany" stamp on a lot of Chinese pens. I was confused about this at first. They are made in China but the iridium tipping (if it really is an iridium point) on the nib is made in Germany.

jd50ae
June 7th, 2012, 01:24 PM
They are indeed made in Germany.

writingrav
June 7th, 2012, 03:36 PM
They are indeed made in Germany.

Ok, can someone clear this up. I'm going with what KrazyIvan said. The nibs tipping is sourced from Germany but the pens are indeed made in China. Does everyone agree?

Ziggy1333
August 14th, 2012, 04:52 AM
I'm pretty sure the Duke nibs are German made.....

Anyway what difference does it make, Dukes as far as my experience goes (I have 4 of them) are pretty smooth writers, Found them to be more reliable then Jinhao. But that's not to say that I have some great results with the Jinhao, they're fun to toy around with and practice smoothing and the what not.... :)

Saintpaulia
August 14th, 2012, 11:08 PM
Interesting thread. I have just begun my Chinese pens odyssey. Thus far not good. Based upon reviews of Dukes and Kaigelus I ordered at Duke D07 and a Kaigelu 357.

The Duke will not write decently at all. I've tried every thing I know how to do (which isn't alot-I still don't know how to "tweak" a nib), mainly cleaning it really really good. The nib-feed will not come out of the model I have. There is just no adequate flow.

The Kaigelu is a bit better. It at least writes and puts out ink but only up to a point. You know how someone will test a pen by quickly running the nib over paper sideways to see how much ink the pen lays down? Like its really fast back and forth sideways? This pen will not lay down hardly any ink that way. But if you do the same thing up and down it lays down a goodly amount. Now, what would cause this? Is it the nib that is at fault? - i.e. the nib lays out ink up and down vertically but not sideways horizontally? It should lay down ink both ways shouldn't it?

Now this Kaigulu does allow removal of the nib and feed, which I stumbled upon. I cleaned it really good this way after already cleaning it good before. It helped. But it still will not lay out ink horizontally in a test of how much ink it is capable of putting out, of keeping up with the demands made on the nib.

I liked both of these brands in their aesthetic sense. They have some good designers over there. But a pen that looks beautiful but will not emit adequate aflow is not pretty in my book. I have one more coming, a Picasso. We will see what it does.

Saintpaulia
August 14th, 2012, 11:17 PM
To administration. I think there should be a sub-forum for Chinese pens. In a way, they are more important right now than, say, Italian pens. There are more questions and concerns with them for one thing. More stuff that is being tried and which fails or works. Chinese pens are of the moment and cutting-edge. Italian pens are old news. Not that there is anything wrong with old news! :wink: In other words, there is just as much happening forum-wise with the Chinese pens as there are with any other existing sub-forum devoted to a country.

Sailor Kenshin
August 15th, 2012, 07:13 AM
Interesting thread. I have just begun my Chinese pens odyssey. Thus far not good. Based upon reviews of Dukes and Kaigelus I ordered at Duke D07 and a Kaigelu 357.

The Duke will not write decently at all. I've tried every thing I know how to do (which isn't alot-I still don't know how to "tweak" a nib), mainly cleaning it really really good. The nib-feed will not come out of the model I have. There is just no adequate flow.

The Kaigelu is a bit better. It at least writes and puts out ink but only up to a point. You know how someone will test a pen by quickly running the nib over paper sideways to see how much ink the pen lays down? Like its really fast back and forth sideways? This pen will not lay down hardly any ink that way. But if you do the same thing up and down it lays down a goodly amount. Now, what would cause this? Is it the nib that is at fault? - i.e. the nib lays out ink up and down vertically but not sideways horizontally? It should lay down ink both ways shouldn't it?

Now this Kaigulu does allow removal of the nib and feed, which I stumbled upon. I cleaned it really good this way after already cleaning it good before. It helped. But it still will not lay out ink horizontally in a test of how much ink it is capable of putting out, of keeping up with the demands made on the nib.

I liked both of these brands in their aesthetic sense. They have some good designers over there. But a pen that looks beautiful but will not emit adequate aflow is not pretty in my book. I have one more coming, a Picasso. We will see what it does.

I have one single Hero and one other Chinese pen (which might be a Haolilai, not sure) that have so far eluded my attempts to get them writing well. Good luck with these pens and if you don't mind my asking, where did you get them?

writingrav
August 15th, 2012, 07:26 AM
Interesting thread. I have just begun my Chinese pens odyssey. Thus far not good. Based upon reviews of Dukes and Kaigelus I ordered at Duke D07 and a Kaigelu 357.

The Duke will not write decently at all. I've tried every thing I know how to do (which isn't alot-I still don't know how to "tweak" a nib), mainly cleaning it really really good. The nib-feed will not come out of the model I have. There is just no adequate flow.

The Kaigelu is a bit better. It at least writes and puts out ink but only up to a point. You know how someone will test a pen by quickly running the nib over paper sideways to see how much ink the pen lays down? Like its really fast back and forth sideways? This pen will not lay down hardly any ink that way. But if you do the same thing up and down it lays down a goodly amount. Now, what would cause this? Is it the nib that is at fault? - i.e. the nib lays out ink up and down vertically but not sideways horizontally? It should lay down ink both ways shouldn't it?

Now this Kaigulu does allow removal of the nib and feed, which I stumbled upon. I cleaned it really good this way after already cleaning it good before. It helped. But it still will not lay out ink horizontally in a test of how much ink it is capable of putting out, of keeping up with the demands made on the nib.

I liked both of these brands in their aesthetic sense. They have some good designers over there. But a pen that looks beautiful but will not emit adequate aflow is not pretty in my book. I have one more coming, a Picasso. We will see what it does.

It is certainly a hit or miss adventure. I have Wing Sun's that I can't use, my Kaigelu works well and 2 out of 3 Jinhao's are absolutely superb writers from the get go. The good news is that these pens cost so little compared to other brands that the risk is potentially worth it. If all the money I've spent on Chinese pens added together yielded me 2 superb writing instruments, beautifully styled, I can't complain.

KrazyIvan
August 15th, 2012, 08:31 AM
Just a guess but I think the tines are too close together. When you do the vertical stroke, you may be flexing the nib just slightly and opening the tines so more ink flows. When you do the horizontal strokes it tends to close the tines, hence no ink flow, especially if they are already closed up tight. Hold the nib up to a light. You should be able to see a uniform slit of light all the way to the nib. If it closes up at the nib, you know it's too tight and restricting flow.

The easiest way to open up the tines is to hold the pen as if you were going to write with it on a hard but cushioned surface and at about 45 degrees. I do this on my desk glass top with my desk pad on top. Then just press down so that the tines spread apart. Be careful and don't press so hard that you damage the nib. It is a steel nib so it will take a bit of pressure but don't go crazy with it. Do it once then check your work. "Rinse and repeat" until you get the desired flow.

Saintpaulia
August 15th, 2012, 02:25 PM
Just a guess but I think the tines are too close together. When you do the vertical stroke, you may be flexing the nib just slightly and opening the tines so more ink flows. When you do the horizontal strokes it tends to close the tines, hence no ink flow, especially if they are already closed up tight. Hold the nib up to a light. You should be able to see a uniform slit of light all the way to the nib. If it closes up at the nib, you know it's too tight and restricting flow.

The easiest way to open up the tines is to hold the pen as if you were going to write with it on a hard but cushioned surface and at about 45 degrees. I do this on my desk glass top with my desk pad on top. Then just press down so that the tines spread apart. Be careful and don't press so hard that you damage the nib. It is a steel nib so it will take a bit of pressure but don't go crazy with it. Do it once then check your work. "Rinse and repeat" until you get the desired flow.

KI, that's it? Just press down on the nib? Nothing put betw. the tines to ease them apart? I mean, after the pressing down, would not the tines just go back to the orientation and distance apart they had before? But yes you are right, the "daylight" does not extend all the way to the nib tip, not by a long chalk. Also, should this procedure be done while the pen is inked up?

KrazyIvan
August 15th, 2012, 03:07 PM
KI, that's it? Just press down on the nib? Nothing put betw. the tines to ease them apart? I mean, after the pressing down, would not the tines just go back to the orientation and distance apart they had before? But yes you are right, the "daylight" does not extend all the way to the nib tip, not by a long chalk. Also, should this procedure be done while the pen is inked up?

I am assuming you do not have tools so, that is it. Your aim is to bend the tines outward to open the slit without actually bending the tines away from the feed or springing the nib. I do it with the pen inked so I can check my work immediately. I also have a slight variation where I actually grip the tines with my thumbs and push on them from the feed side something like this, just with two hands and some slight pain involved :p :

http://farm8.staticflickr.com/7096/6947704084_e6a421bf13_b.jpg (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ivan_romero/6947704084/)
Nib adjustments. (http://www.flickr.com/photos/ivan_romero/6947704084/) by IvanRomero (http://www.flickr.com/people/ivan_romero/), on Flickr

You will need to make sure your nib tines are also aligned after the whole thing.

TWSBI has a video that I will have to look for that shows a different method of doing the same thing. It involved some cushioned pliers. It is easier to adjust the nib that way but now you are introducing a tool that has leverage in the equation that can make things go wrong a lot faster.

KrazyIvan
August 15th, 2012, 04:01 PM
Found the TWSBI video. http://youtu.be/x0pNht6vsfE

Saintpaulia
August 15th, 2012, 04:13 PM
Thanks alot KI. Actually since posting my last, I got out my binocular microscope (usually used in my botanical work), and looked at the nib of my Kaigelu 357. I had a piece of Clairefontaine paper under it on the microscope stage. I pressed down on the nib as per your suggestion. I could see "daylight" all the way to the tip doing it this way. The distance betw. the tines seemed uniform and wide enough to see daylight reflected off of my paper into the nib (I use a microscope light, very focused and bright). So this does not seem to be the problem. I will have a look at the linked video next that you kindly provided. Breck

KrazyIvan
August 15th, 2012, 04:22 PM
The magnification is going to exaggerate the spacing, just keep that in mind. All of my good flowing pens have the slit uniformly spaced. Assuming good vision and if you can't see the light without magnification it still might be too tight.

Saintpaulia
August 15th, 2012, 04:42 PM
The magnification is going to exaggerate the spacing, just keep that in mind. All of my good flowing pens have the slit uniformly spaced. Assuming good vision and if you can't see the light without magnification it still might be too tight.

Frankly Ivan, I cannot see any space betw. the tines with my naked eyes. I have legendarily poor vision. Can I at least use a loupe? My microscope can be set at 7X too by the way. Anyhow, let's say that the space is still not wide enough betw. the tines. Not having a pair of pliers, or whatever, like that fellow had in the TWSBI video, how do I spread 'em? I've done the simple pressing down, as you know. So if that doesn't do it, what's next? (Keep in mind please that I bought my first fountain pen in this current life span only three and a half months ago! It says under my user name "Junior Member" - that characterization is correct! :)

Saintpaulia
August 15th, 2012, 05:17 PM
I have one single Hero and one other Chinese pen (which might be a Haolilai, not sure) that have so far eluded my attempts to get them writing well. Good luck with these pens and if you don't mind my asking, where did you get them?

Not at all. I got both at eBay via the Chinese vendors. For the Duke that would be the comeon1788 and for the Kaigelu, new_trust1. Given that the Duke has been one big hassle I have to give comeon1788 extra points for good communication before and after the sale.

Sailor Kenshin
August 15th, 2012, 05:21 PM
Hope you get 'em writing well!

Saintpaulia
August 16th, 2012, 12:38 PM
Hope you get 'em writing well!

Thanks. I am still hoping for a followup answer to this question from my last post to KrazyIvan: "Anyhow, let's say that the space is still not wide enough betw. the tines. Not having a pair of pliers, or whatever, like that fellow had in the TWSBI video, how do I spread 'em? I've done the simple pressing down, as you know. So if that doesn't do it, what's next?"

Or anyone else for that matter. I would like to use this pen but in its current condition it is only writing at about half its potential.

Sailor Kenshin
August 16th, 2012, 01:15 PM
I have heard you can 'floss' a nib using film negative or thin brass shim.

If you have a new clean ear syringe you can try forcing water thru the section to make sure ink CAN get to the feed.

KrazyIvan
August 16th, 2012, 02:03 PM
Thanks. I am still hoping for a followup answer to this question from my last post to KrazyIvan: "Anyhow, let's say that the space is still not wide enough betw. the tines. Not having a pair of pliers, or whatever, like that fellow had in the TWSBI video, how do I spread 'em? I've done the simple pressing down, as you know. So if that doesn't do it, what's next?"

Or anyone else for that matter. I would like to use this pen but in its current condition it is only writing at about half its potential.

What you are doing should be sufficient but you may need to do it a many times to get it right. The nibs are steel and resist the bend, springing right back to the way they were.

Saintpaulia
August 16th, 2012, 07:14 PM
What you are doing should be sufficient but you may need to do it a many times to get it right. The nibs are steel and resist the bend, springing right back to the way they were.

I am currently hampered somewhat in my ongoing effort at getting the pen to operate properly in the horizontal by the lack of a decent supply of ink - the converter being basically broken. But while I had it under my binocular dissecting microscope I did run a very thin razor blade down the groove betw. the tines. That's about all I can do until I can find a new converter for it.

@Sailor: actually I am a fairly old hand at flushing pens with a ear syringe and this one has been repeatedly so cleaned. The problem is most definitely not as a result of having a Chinese pen from the factory with the junk that sometimes accompanies them. Also, I found that I can remove the nib+feed assembly! So it has been cleaned that way as well.

KrazyIvan
August 16th, 2012, 07:31 PM
I forgot about your converter. I tried three converters. I figured a Schmidt converter is pretty standard and would be easy to find. It is too small I think. It may fit if I force it in but it wont work in it's intended pen if I do, so, I don't want to force it. I tried one of my Jinhao converters and it is too big and just falls out. The last one is a Rotring converter. It is also small. I think the best bet is a standard Schmidt but you have to jam it in.

Sailor Kenshin
August 17th, 2012, 09:23 AM
Or you could see if a cart fits.

Sometimes you have to fiddle with those, too. There's one of my Chi-pens that is supposed to take standard internationals, and I tried every brand I had, but I ended up using a Parker cart.

KrazyIvan
August 17th, 2012, 09:29 AM
Or you could see if a cart fits.

Sometimes you have to fiddle with those, too. There's one of my Chi-pens that is supposed to take standard internationals, and I tried every brand I had, but I ended up using a Parker cart.

Agree and it would probably be the easiest solution. I tried a Parker converter too, it did not work.

Saintpaulia
August 17th, 2012, 08:36 PM
Well I have ordered a new Kaigelu converter from isellpens as worse case scenario. Never did I have the faintest idea that taking out that ball would cause so much trouble! I am beginning to wonder if maybe the low price of these Chinese pens isn't ultimately increased by all the hassle one goes thru with them, sometimes.

manoeuver
August 17th, 2012, 09:08 PM
the low price of these Chinese pens isn't ultimately increased by all the hassle one goes thru with them, sometimes.
that there's the gamble now isn't it? then again some of us prefer the hassle.

Saintpaulia
August 17th, 2012, 10:50 PM
that there's the gamble now isn't it? then again some of us prefer the hassle.
Sounds like the sage advice of a true geek to a novice!

Sailor Kenshin
August 18th, 2012, 06:50 AM
Buy them from the same place you got the con and you'll get a trouble-free pen 99 percent of the time.

Saintpaulia
August 18th, 2012, 12:28 PM
Buy them from the same place you got the con and you'll get a trouble-free pen 99 percent of the time.

Not sure I understand. Did you mean buy the Kiagelu pen from the same place where I am now buying the converter? If so, not possible. Todd does not sell the Kaigelu 357. However, perhaps you are intimating that he could special order any Kaigelu for me?

Sailor Kenshin
August 18th, 2012, 01:35 PM
No, just wasn't aware isellpens did not have that model.

Saintpaulia
August 18th, 2012, 02:18 PM
No, just wasn't aware isellpens did not have that model.
Hey there Sailor. Yes it is so - isellpens does sell Kaigelus, et al. but not in the models that attract(ed) me via eBay. I am apparently still at that stage of incipient geekdom where pens with what I call conglomerate constituents do not attract me at all. I prefer simpler designs with a single color accented by a tasteful amount of "trim". See attached.1125

Sailor Kenshin
August 18th, 2012, 08:45 PM
Is that the pen you got? Niiiiiiice.

If i remember right, Kaigelu cons are a unique screw- in type?

Saintpaulia
August 18th, 2012, 10:25 PM
Is that the pen you got? Niiiiiiice.
If i remember right, Kaigelu cons are a unique screw- in type?
Yes that is my pen. It is nice. Take a look at the Kaigelu pens offered on isellpens. I don't find them as attractive myself. No, the converter that I have been hassling with is not screw in. I wish it were as it might be better made.

KrazyIvan
August 18th, 2012, 11:35 PM
So far only my Kaigelu 316 has the screw in type converter.

FP_GaF
August 19th, 2012, 12:06 AM
Here are a couple of articles that you may find helpful in understanding what KI is talking about:

http://www.penmuseum.co.uk/master%202.htm

http://www.richardspens.com/?page=ref/ttp/tune.htm

Tuning and adjusting nibs needs patience and some skills but these are easy to learn. "Fiddling" with your pens to adjust it to your ideas is part of what makes our hobby so interesting and rewarding.

BTW: don't use razor blades to spread tines apart. You may damage the inside of the nib slit causing nib creep (ink seeping out of the slit and onto the nib top or bottom surface) or, worse, more flow problems. Don't worry, we all learn every day, even the masters of the trade.

Good luck with your pen, it will work fine eventually.

Sailor Kenshin
August 19th, 2012, 07:26 AM
Again, I would say, try a cart. If you have or can get one with a notably wet ink, so much the better.

I have two Kaigelus to my hazy recall. One's a little fude that cost all of five dollars and did not come with a converter; the other is more spectacular and I even left that 'tag' with the kangaroo dangling from it. -_-

PS: inspired by this thread, I took 'those' two pens and inked them using converters. Now the Hero 592 writes well (waterman blue-black) and so does the heavy, enormous Huashilai (jh gris nuage). And they wouln't write, time and again.

Keep at it. You will discover the perfect combo of pen and ink.

Saintpaulia
August 23rd, 2012, 02:15 PM
So far only my Kaigelu 316 has the screw in type converter.

Well the converter I got from iseepens is a screw in type and does not fit my 357 which has a push-in type. So that was a waste of $5, unless at some future date it fits something else.

caribbean_skye
September 4th, 2012, 03:50 PM
Well, here's my 2c worth. I picked up a Dikawen 830, Jinhao 159, Kaigelu 316 white veined and Jinhao 811 from ebay from 4 different sellers. The only one I have yet to try is the Jinhao 159 as that arrived in today and I am waiting on the water I flushed through the pen to dry. I am happy to report that the others write really well. By really well, I mean I've written an entire sheet worth or more (letters to my penpals) with each pen with no flow issues. Due to the cost of these pens (although the Kaigelu was a bit pricier than the others) I really didn't have any high expectations past the first 5 lines of writing. So far these all have written really smoothly and have exceeded any expectations I've had. Unless someone is an avid fountain pen user and aware of certain brand names, they would not guess that these are cheap pens. I'm with you KrazyIvan, if I spend more than $50 for a pen I expect it to work. Unfortunately I cannot afford, at least not yet, some of the pens I'd like to try out that people have been raving over.

Saintpaulia
September 4th, 2012, 04:31 PM
Keep at it. You will discover the perfect combo of pen and ink.

Actually they have been sent abroad for evaluation. But my Duke should be returning any day now.

Sailor Kenshin
September 5th, 2012, 07:26 AM
Nemo Singularity? I think I was considering that model.

KrazyIvan
September 5th, 2012, 10:06 AM
I like my "Nemo", even with the F nib. It looks like xfountainpens are retro fitting them with JOWO Knox nibs. I have mine filled with Mont Blanc Irish Green right now.

Saintpaulia
September 5th, 2012, 10:51 AM
I like my "Nemo", even with the F nib. It looks like xfountainpens are retro fitting them with JOWO Knox nibs. I have mine filled with Mont Blanc Irish Green right now.

Glad to know that Ivan. Even with a fine nib. I just hope whoever answered my email query at xfountainpens.com has a poor ruler. I asked what the grip diameter was and they responded (3 days later) with .46 inches! What's with this decimalized fractions of an inch? These people have never heard of the metric system? I'm not being English system chauvinistic here, I still use inches and not centimetres, miles and not kilometers, but with small diameters of things millimetres are very useful and fractions of inches are frankly stupid. I'm gradually being won over to what the rest of the World figured out some while back :welcome:

Consulting my Google source, .46 in. came out to about 10.5 mm. which is way too thick for my hand. My research (not on xfountainpens) led me to conclude that the grip section was much less than that. Could you measure yours Ivan? (in mm. please LOL)

KrazyIvan
September 5th, 2012, 12:19 PM
I don't think that is entirely correct. I don't have calipers but I measure it at 5/8" = 15.8mm?? That does not sound right to me and I don't have my metric ruler with me.

Saintpaulia
September 5th, 2012, 03:40 PM
I don't think that is entirely correct. I don't have calipers but I measure it at 5/8" = 15.8mm?? That does not sound right to me and I don't have my metric ruler with me.
Hey there. Well we are talking about grip sections right? I have seen very few pens whose barrel diameter was 15.8 mm!! So I think something is out there. Because of my small hand I have a pair of calipers and have gotten rather well-informed about the grip diameters of many pen models! A caliper is really the only way to measure diameter accurately. Cheers, Breck

Steph
September 6th, 2012, 03:13 PM
I really want to like Chinese pens so i keep trying them, but they are hit or miss. It is disappointing when it doesn't work out, like when my Duke Opera Mask literally fell apart in my hands. But today, a hit!

I received a Boaer 508 that I got on eBay one late night last week for $0.99 ($6.51 with shipping). The feed is one of those smooth ones with no gills and I half expected it to be a dud. I didn't think I should challenge it with a high saturation ink, so I filled it with some Pelikan Royal blue. And nothing. Absolutely bone dry.

Luckily I had a piece of brass shim in my office pen box. That did the trick! One stroke and now the pen is flowing enough that it is laying down a solid, fine line. I'll fiddle with it more tonight when I am near some Ink-nix and a buff stick, but this is turning out to be a pretty cool bargain.

Sailor Kenshin
September 6th, 2012, 05:20 PM
Well.... I went and dids it. Got a Nemo coming, and another model, and some ink. Xfountain pens is dangerous!

Saintpaulia
September 6th, 2012, 05:37 PM
Luckily I had a piece of brass shim in my office pen box. That did the trick! One stroke and now the pen is flowing enough that it is laying down a solid, fine line. I'll fiddle with it more tonight when I am near some Ink-nix and a buff stick, but this is turning out to be a pretty cool bargain.

Glad to know it is working for you! Write on!

Saintpaulia
September 6th, 2012, 05:38 PM
Well.... I went and dids it. Got a Nemo coming, and another model, and some ink. Xfountain pens is dangerous!

Heh, heh. For me maybe not xfountainpens - their inventory didn't impress me - but economy class fountain pens? Very dangerous!

Sailor Kenshin
September 7th, 2012, 05:20 AM
So far, my x450 Kurve is writing reallywell, but I used a cart with Waterman Florida Blue, not their converter. We'll see how the upcoming pens work.

KrazyIvan
September 7th, 2012, 10:45 AM
Would love to read your take on the Nemosine.

Sailor Kenshin
September 7th, 2012, 01:11 PM
Thanks. I ordered the granite finish with a calligraphy nib and I'm really eager to test it!

Saintpaulia
September 10th, 2012, 09:11 PM
Very helpful my Lord.

Saintpaulia
September 10th, 2012, 09:20 PM
Glad to know that Ivan. Even with a fine nib. I just hope whoever answered my email query at xfountainpens.com has a poor ruler. I asked what the grip diameter was and they responded (3 days later) with .46 inches! What's with this decimalized fractions of an inch? These people have never heard of the metric system? I'm not being English system chauvinistic here, I still use inches and not centimetres, miles and not kilometers, but with small diameters of things millimetres are very useful and fractions of inches are frankly stupid. I'm gradually being won over to what the rest of the World figured out some while back.

Consulting my Google source, .46 in. came out to about 10.5 mm. which is way too thick for my hand. My research (not on xfountainpens) led me to conclude that the grip section was much less than that. Could you measure yours Ivan? (in mm. please LOL)

OK. I got the Nemosine in hand last week. The grip section was in fact too thick for my hand and went back the next day to Amazon, thru their easy return service. I have finally gotten it down to a fine point that I cannot use any fountain pens with a grip section greater than 9.5 mm. 9.0 mm. is pushing it some. My best pens for writing comfort are 8.5-9.0 mm in grip section diameter.

Saintpaulia
September 10th, 2012, 09:21 PM
Keep at it. You will discover the perfect combo of pen and ink.

Actually they have been sent abroad for evaluation. But my Duke should be returning any day now.
Hmmm... I notice that my Duke still has not returned from The Netherlands. Today is the 10th of September whereas I wrote this last "returning any day" comment on the 4th. So somethings up with the postal systems.

KrazyIvan
September 10th, 2012, 09:37 PM
Labor day did get in the way.

Saintpaulia
September 10th, 2012, 10:35 PM
Labor day did get in the way. Yeah it did. I thought I had taken that into account, but...

Petergly
September 10th, 2012, 11:23 PM
My $12.00 Jinhao 159 arrived today.

Wow - it sure is a big pen! I don't have big hands, and I thought this might be a bit too fat. Fortunately no - it's very comfortable to hold.

And it looks like I got a good one - it writes real nice. Smooth and wet with some Lamy green ink in it. Gotta laugh though - the nib is engraved "18K GP", but I don't see any gold... :-)

Saintpaulia
September 11th, 2012, 10:08 AM
My $12.00 Jinhao 159 arrived today.
And it looks like I got a good one - it writes real nice. Smooth and wet with some Lamy green ink in it. Gotta laugh though - the nib is engraved "18K GP", but I don't see any gold... :-)

Did you clean it first?

Petergly
September 11th, 2012, 04:13 PM
Did you clean it first?

Indeed I did. A couple of drops of detergent in a glass of water, flushed through a few times, followed by a water-only rinse. Dried appropriately and then loaded up. All good :-)

penultress
September 30th, 2012, 07:14 PM
I decided to try a Jinhao pen, Noblest Dragon or Noblest Double Dragon. It's defintely a hefty pen and I was excited about getting it inked and writing with it. However, it won't load any ink. I tried the first time straight out of the box and the second time I washed the converter, piston and all. Still nothing. I've rinsed the nib and feed but that's it. Should I do something more?

Saintpaulia
September 30th, 2012, 08:21 PM
Sorry to hear. I just bought my first Jinhao too. A 165. Do you know, or could you find out the number of the model you have? I am soaking mine right now to prepare it for its first ink. Sounds like you did all the right things. There should be more responses from some of the knowledgable veterans.

KrazyIvan
September 30th, 2012, 09:04 PM
Make sure the converter is seated properly and the nib is fully submerged in ink, past the section.

penultress
September 30th, 2012, 09:05 PM
Thanks. I don't know that there is a model number. I'll double check the position of the converter and submerging the nib.

Saintpaulia
September 30th, 2012, 10:04 PM
Does your Jihhao Noblest Dragon have alot of encrusted decoration on the barrel and cap? really "fancy" looking?

penultress
October 1st, 2012, 05:40 AM
Does your Jihhao Noblest Dragon have alot of encrusted decoration on the barrel and cap? really "fancy" looking?

Yes, it does

Saintpaulia
October 1st, 2012, 10:22 AM
Yes, it does
Then I know the one from eBay listings. Looks heavy!!!
Any luck since your first posting on getting it to take up ink?

manoeuver
October 1st, 2012, 12:38 PM
did you try filling the converter without the section/nib assembly attached and pushing ink into the feed with the converter piston?

Saintpaulia
October 1st, 2012, 03:10 PM
did you try filling the converter without the section/nib assembly attached and pushing ink into the feed with the converter piston?
Sounds like a good idea. Some tricks of the trade.

My Jinhao 165 is in all-gold colored metal with a sort of interesting pattern, longitudinally, of smooth then etched, then smooth, etc. [I attach the seller's good photo] It is so pretty that I have not wanted to ink it up! But finally did this p.m. with my favorite "testing" ink, the super compliant and reliable Platinum mix-free Aurora Blue.

Well, it writes! And very nicely too. Have a medium nib and writes like a medium nib. (I am discovering that the Chinese pens are not like the Japanese, in that when they (the Chinese) say "medium nib" they mean it). It's a gosh-awfully heavy pen at 32.37 grams but is so well-balanced when posted that I don't seem to notice so much. With Chi-pens one truly never knows; it is a gamble. But this was a winning bet.

penultress
October 1st, 2012, 07:42 PM
did you try filling the converter without the section/nib assembly attached and pushing ink into the feed with the converter piston?

Hmm, something new! I'll try that too!

penultress
October 1st, 2012, 07:43 PM
Sounds like a good idea. Some tricks of the trade.

My Jinhao 165 is in all-gold colored metal with a sort of interesting pattern, longitudinally, of smooth then etched, then smooth, etc. [I attach the seller's good photo] It is so pretty that I have not wanted to ink it up! But finally did this p.m. with my favorite "testing" ink, the super compliant and reliable Platinum mix-free Aurora Blue.

Well, it writes! And very nicely too. Have a medium nib and writes like a medium nib. (I am discovering that the Chinese pens are not like the Japanese, in that when they (the Chinese) say "medium nib" they mean it). It's a gosh-awfully heavy pen at 32.37 grams but is so well-balanced when posted that I don't seem to notice so much. With Chi-pens one truly never knows; it is a gamble. But this was a winning bet.

How nice! This Dragon pen is my first Chinese pen, so I'll go with the flow (or not) ...

penultress
October 2nd, 2012, 06:39 PM
did you try filling the converter without the section/nib assembly attached and pushing ink into the feed with the converter piston?

Inking without the nib/feed helped! This medium nib writes so smoothly, I'm thinking I ought to get a Jinhao with a fine nib next!

KrazyIvan
October 2nd, 2012, 09:51 PM
That tells me you may not be dunking the pen far enough into the ink to suck any up. It could also be a bad seal between the converter and section.

penultress
October 2nd, 2012, 10:36 PM
That tells me you may not be dunking the pen far enough into the ink to suck any up. It could also be a bad seal between the converter and section.

I dunked as far as the end of the feed and stopped short of the pen itself. Does a bad seal mean it will leak?

manoeuver
October 3rd, 2012, 05:01 AM
I dunked as far as the end of the feed and stopped short of the pen itself. Does a bad seal mean it will leak?get the pen in there. you'll have to wipe it off, is normal.

KrazyIvan
October 3rd, 2012, 08:51 AM
Yeah, like manoeuver said, you don't have the pen far enough in the ink to suck any up. You have to be just past the start of the section. If you look at your pen on the feed side at the very top you might see a small notch or hole. That is where the ink get sucked into the pen. If it is not submerged, no ink will get into the pen.

penultress
October 3rd, 2012, 05:14 PM
Thanks manoever and krazyivan. I didn't realize the pen had to be sunk in so far. I haven't had to do that with my other piston fillers but now that I think about it, I do get air inside too.

babbaboooey
November 2nd, 2012, 06:53 PM
Just got a 159 last week after hearing all the talk. Filled it with mb toffee and have been using it every day for about a week. I have to say its a very smooth heavy pen. Well worth the 6 bucks (including shipping) !!!!!!

fountainpenkid
November 7th, 2012, 04:26 PM
TWSBI the best chinese pen? (Taiwan is just non communist china)

UK Mike
January 13th, 2013, 01:11 PM
I now have ten Chinese pens and every one of them is a smooth writer with decent feed. Have I been lucky? I have pens from Jinhao, Baoer, Duke and Hero.

I did have some initial feed problems with two Baoers. I soaked them overnight in detergent, flushed with clean water and they have been perfect ever since with Diamine inks. One of them has become a favourite and is used every day to complete my diary entry.

I think that Chinese quality (and quality control) have improved immensely over the last few years. You have to remember that these Chinese guys are building most of your electrical and electronic appliances.

fountainpenkid
January 13th, 2013, 01:56 PM
I now have ten Chinese pens and every one of them is a smooth writer with decent feed. Have I been lucky? I have pens from Jinhao, Baoer, Duke and Hero.

I did have some initial feed problems with two Baoers. I soaked them overnight in detergent, flushed with clean water and they have been perfect ever since with Diamine inks. One of them has become a favourite and is used every day to complete my diary entry.

I think that Chinese quality (and quality control) have improved immensely over the last few years. You have to remember that these Chinese guys are building most of your electrical and electronic appliances.

But not these guys... ;)
the only "chinese" pen I've had was a TWSBI Mini, but that doesn't count. I just haven't found many chinese pens that have non c/c fillers and aren't super cheezy or overdone (and ofcourse not many have 14k nibs either)

Zhivago
February 7th, 2013, 06:16 PM
This past Saturday, I had three Chinese pens-all purchased less than six months ago-fall apart on me in different ways. My favorite being when I put a converter back into a Jinhao 159 and the entire nib/feed housing came flying out of the section. :D Apparently Jinhao doesn't use the best glue.

I wonder if three in one day is any kind of record. The old saying about getting what you paid for still has some truth.

AndreasDavour
February 8th, 2013, 02:25 AM
I have seen these kinds of discussions now on all pen related fora, and while the quality control in China works to a different standard than in some other countries, I am reminded of Stephen Browns YouTube videos where he shows his Montblanc 149, which costs a fortune.

It skips, constantly.

All pens needs tweaking sometimes, whatever their land of origin. At least that is my experience (only from vintage pens, and newly made Chinese ones, but still).

Zhivago
February 8th, 2013, 12:28 PM
For the record, all three pens mentioned above wrote well enough. But whether they were well made is another matter.

Augustinian
February 12th, 2013, 02:00 PM
Thanks for this information. Helpful.


I buy chinese pens knowing that I am going to work on them and practice nib grinding with them. I have a lot of Chinese pens. I have found mostly good pens but there have been some dogs in the bunch. I have learned that a good pen will depend on where you get your pens. Ebay is my main source for Chinese pens but I also get them from isellpens.com (no affiliation). I hear hisnibs.com also has a good selection.

If you want Hero pens, get them from eBay user yespens or the retailers already mentioned. Others out there may be factory rejects or fakes, as ironic as that sounds. The best quality Chinese pens so far have been my Kaigelu pens. I purchased one of mine from eBay user jewelrymathematics pmstylus (sorry wrong ID, they sell Kaigelus out of California) and I figured out they are the supplier or somehow affiliated to isellpens.com. If you see some pen photos on isellpens.com (http://www.isellpens.com/specials.htm) and then look at jewelrymathematics ebay listings (http://www.ebay.com/sch/jewelrymathematics/m.html?_nkw=&_armrs=1&_from=&_ipg=&_trksid=p3686), you will understand. It is faster to get the pens through isellpens but I live about a 6 hour drive from his base of operations. ;)

I like Jinhao pens. All of the Jinhaos I bought from ebay user Member id gotoschool888 have been good. Seller comeonXXXX (x= some numbers I don't remember right now) has been good too but takes longer to ship.

The two Huashilais I have purchased required major work to get them to write. This included feed modification. I have a feeling they were factory rejects because my Schrade tactical pen has the exact same feed and nib and it writes perfectly with cartridges. The ink channel seems more defined in the Schrade than the Huashilais. Those have been my only problem childs. gotoschool helped me with my first Chinese fountain pen that did not work, again a Huashilai. They told me to put the pen in very hot water for a few minutes then transfer immediately to cold water. I don't know if that helped clear out any machine oils but it worked and the pen has been fine since. I don't recommend using the hot water trick on other pens, you may damge the finish or feed on some pens.

I make it a point to flush the pens with amonia water before the first use and that seems to take care of a lot of problems. I do see some people taking the breather tube out of their Jinhaos for better flow. I have not had to do that though I do adjust the nib for more flow. I hope this has helped some.

KrazyIvan
February 12th, 2013, 02:25 PM
Glad it helped you. :)

cedargirl
March 22nd, 2013, 07:52 PM
This past Saturday, I had three Chinese pens-all purchased less than six months ago-fall apart on me in different ways. My favorite being when I put a converter back into a Jinhao 159 and the entire nib/feed housing came flying out of the section. :D Apparently Jinhao doesn't use the best glue.

I wonder if three in one day is any kind of record. The old saying about getting what you paid for still has some truth.

One of the things I like about Jinhao and some other Chinese brand pens is that they don't use any glue to hold the nib and feed in the section so you can change nibs and re-seat the nib and section if needed. But, they are not supposed to fall out. That would make a mess. Sorry you had this experience with your pens.
I am mostly very pleased with my Chinese pens; but then again, I quite like tinkering with pens to bring them up to speed.

ndw76
April 27th, 2013, 07:55 AM
I bought my first real Chinese pen yesterday. I have a TWSBI Vac 700, but I think of that as being a Taiwanese pen. Yesterday I went for a walk around the neighbourhood were my in-laws live looking for stationery stores run by old Chinese. I found a Hero 329 for 40 baht and I got two Skyglory pens, one of which I have given away, for 25 baht each. So that is three pens for about $3 usd. So far I am happy with all of them and even if they all break tomorrow for that price I don't care.

kaisnowbird
April 27th, 2013, 08:52 AM
But not these guys... ;)
the only "chinese" pen I've had was a TWSBI Mini, but that doesn't count. I just haven't found many chinese pens that have non c/c fillers and aren't super cheezy or overdone (and ofcourse not many have 14k nibs either)

:agree: Too true, especially the "overdone" part. I'd rather pay twice the price (still not very much) for something that look a lot more modest.

Chinese people in their 50s and 60s will be able to tell you that the major Chinese pen manufacturers (eg. Hero, Wing Sung, etc) produced way better nibs 30 years ago than what they are churning out today, especially a few models with gold nibs. Those nibs were very precise - not glassy smooth, they let you feel the paper, had a subtle bounce, and the result was crisp, controlled strokes that show the writer's emotions and skills, a hallmark of Chinese calligraphy. I would pay good money to get a NOS Hero 100 from the early 80s :to_pick_ones_nose:, though it may need a new sack.