Jinhao 500 Review

February 22, 2014

Jinhao 500 - A close review.

Introduction :

Why to write a review of a sub- ten dollar pen, particularly when no one else in most forums have done that? Well , as a user and collector of fountain pens I have always wondered if just the high listed price of a pen is the only criterion for it the get a review !

I would leave that to the debators. I would only point out that this seven dollar pen under study has left me with almost nothing wanting in most departments.

The primary critreion for me about any pen is hassle free , un-tiring and smooth writing experience.

Grandeur , jwellery appeal and high end technology or even media hype takes a rearer seat.

Perhaps , these conditions are subjective and acceptable differently to different individuals.

Keeeping comparisons to a minimum and strictly between similar price brackets it might still be said that this low cost pen sports a look inspired by and remotely similar to the Pelican M400. That staement certainly can not dent the reputation of the great M400 pen in any way, but it appeals to me that some low end customers can get a close feel at a fraction of the price.

Distribution :

Jinhao 500 is a medium sized pen from Jinhao company in lacquered brass body and comes in five common barrel colours of black & white chequered, brownish amber colour, black and mother of pearl. All of them come fitted with black cap , black end finial and gold trim. Nib is standard Jinhao medium nib in two tone 18 K gold plated steel; filling by jinhao standard twist piston converter.

We have taken up a mother-of-pearl colour barrel pen for review.We have all the other shades except the black and mechanically all these are same, only the looks appeal differently . These pens with the medium nib as well as the bent calligraphy nibbed ones sell for about $ 7 to 7.5 in the e-bay.

Construction :

The pen is made of thick brass tubes , coated with different colour resin lacquer, making the pen robust and slightly heavy. The section and cap finial core is black plastic.

The feed is moulded plastic and there are no serrations at the bottom of the feeder, making the nib a bit stiff.

There is gold plating in the cap nut, clip, cap band , the section bottom band and two barrel end rings- the plating looks good now, no idea how durable in long run.

The section tapers a bit sharply over its 1 inch length, just enough length and girth for holding with my thick fingers. The barrel end finial is black lacquer coated brass, apparently press fitted.

Overall quite a pleasant looking pen, slightly on the flashy side. I would happily award 8/10 here.

Weight and Dimensions : Moderate

Pen Length - Capped - 136mm - Uncapped - 124mm - Posted - 163mm
Pen Weight - Capped - 36g - Uncapped - 23g

The Nib :

Standard two tone Jinhao nib, narrow shoulder type. Not outstanding but quite pleasant to look.

There is no breather hole as in conventional nibs, just a slit- this is an upcoming design trend in modern Chinese pens and perhaps becoming the order of the day.

Appearance :

I find the pen to have a pleasant look. [ Admit that some negative perceptions prevail about China made pens, I do not subscribe]. This handsome pen gets 8/10 here.

Performance and maintenance :

With or without the cap posted, this pen writes with a fine balance and the effortless handling is further improved by the good section shape and the very smooth medium nib from Jinhao.
Ink flow is perfect, there is no skipping at any point of time. The pen writes a little wet and that aids in better smoothness, but no soaking on the paper.
Surprized to note that this pen is a fast writer , despite all-metal heavy body thanks to very good balance, good grip and smooth nib.
Fit and finish of all parts are accurate, no loose ends here.
The converter mechanism is the standard Jinhao converter , works fine and fills almost full capacity.

I would give 9/10 in this vital section.

Pricing :

At $ 7/- this a very affordable pen, offering all the listed features . Definitely this pen deserves a 9/10 here.

Conclusion :

A great looking pen at a low price point and a fine alround effortless writer in durable construction.

My final rating would be 8.8/10