Real Hero 616, Please Step Forward!

[KrazyIvan]

I long suspected a Hero 616 I purchased a few months ago was a fake. It was purchased here but I do not have reason to suspect the person that sold it to me knew it was a fake (I hope.) For that, the person shall remain nameless. I have not seen any other sales of the same type from this person so I'll leave it at that.

 

Enter WontonST. He is selling Hero 616's he picked up on a trip to China. These were directly purchased from Hero. I thought this would be a good opportunity to see if I had a fake or not. I also thought it would be good to catalog the differences so others could see them. This is not an expensive pen by any means but it is nice to know why your Hero is not what everyone made it out to be.

 

I submit to you the photo "review" of the fake Hero 616 vs. the true Hero 616 with comments on the photos. All photos are clickable for larger version on my Flickr account.

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5073/5910461891_416a74d430_b.jpg

2011-07-06 18.53.26 by IvanRomero, on Flickr

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6037/5910461889_416a74d430_b.jpg

2011-07-06 18.54.24 by IvanRomero, on Flickr

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6045/5910461885_010988e531_b.jpg

2011-07-06 18.55.53 by IvanRomero, on Flickr

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6042/5910461863_e29d6e3e18_b.jpg

2011-07-06 18.56.04 by IvanRomero, on Flickr

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6021/5910448575_a4af289233_b.jpg

2011-07-06 18.56.28 by IvanRomero, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5314/5910448571_94c68268bb_b.jpg

2011-07-06 18.57.19 by IvanRomero, on Flickr

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6043/5910448563_79c3fef312_b.jpg

2011-07-06 18.58.07 by IvanRomero, on Flickr

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6038/5910448561_f3186b75dc_b.jpg

2011-07-06 18.59.06 by IvanRomero, on Flickr

 

http://farm7.static.flickr.com/6041/5910448545_9e40a81518_b.jpg

2011-07-06 18.59.28 by IvanRomero, on Flickr

 

http://farm6.static.flickr.com/5314/5910448517_b353021132_b.jpg

2011-07-06 19.00.35 by IvanRomero, on Flickr

[boogee]

I don't really know why would people make fake stuffs out of Hero 616 when the real stuff only costs a few dollars.

[KrazyIvan]

I don't really know why would people make fake stuffs out of Hero 616 when the real stuff only costs a few dollars.

 

It is puzzling but I guess that the market is big enough that it is worth selling fakes.

Edited July 7, 2011 by KrazyIvan

[Nonsensical]

From what I know, the Hero 616 that you've labelled as 'real' is actually just a NOS Hero 616. They just don't make them up to the same standard anymore...Perhaps I'll post up some photos later.

[englishchese]

Dam I got a pack of fake ones I take back all the mean things I said about hero 616's(A lot of it out of rage)

[KrazyIvan]

From what I know, the Hero 616 that you've labelled as 'real' is actually just a NOS Hero 616. They just don't make them up to the same standard anymore...Perhaps I'll post up some photos later.

 

That is a BIG drop in quality. The real 616's were recently purchased according to WontonST: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/199049-visit-to-shanghai/page__p__2025999#entry2025999

It will be interesting to see your photos.

Edited July 7, 2011 by KrazyIvan

[KrazyIvan]

Dam I got a pack of fake ones I take back all the mean things I said about hero 616's(A lot of it out of rage)

 

I had the same issue when I tried my first fake 616. It is really lacking.

[FarmBoy]

I got a fake 616 as well. Turns out it was made by some company named Parker. Go figure.

[Gobblecup]

Ivan,

 

This post is great, if we had a place to pin this, it should be pinned! This kind of comparison will do allot to put certain possible debates about this much loved, but low priced pen, to rest.

 

 

From what I know, the Hero 616 that you've labelled as 'real' is actually just a NOS Hero 616. They just don't make them up to the same standard anymore...Perhaps I'll post up some photos later.

 

I doubt that when these came straight from the factory, but I will say no more.

 

I got a fake 616 as well. Turns out it was made by some company named Parker. Go figure.

 

Todd, you always get the timing right! :ltcapd:

 

 

~~~~~

 

 

I got two of these from Wonton, wanting to try out the $5 Parker 51 for myself. In short I am very pleased with them, they may be 'cheap' but they are great writers, and nothing to loose sleep over if lost or broken. :clap1:

Edited July 7, 2011 by Gobblecup

[foolhorse]

As far as I know there are two different size of 616, big and small. Your "real" 616 is the big while the "fake" is the small. 616 does't finish well but not that bad as the "fake". Traditionally 616 refer to the big, but now the small is more commen in the market. The big 616 is produced in Shanghai while the small is produced in other factories of HERO.

[KrazyIvan]

I got a fake 616 as well. Turns out it was made by some company named Parker. Go figure.

 

Oh the irony.

 

I might get the gold colored 616. I have two Parker 21's and I would have to say my real 616 seems to be very close in quality to the 21's.

[Gobblecup]

As far as I know there are two different size of 616, big and small. Your "real" 616 is the big while the "fake" is the small. 616 does't finish well but not that bad as the "fake". Traditionally 616 refer to the big, but now the small is more commen in the market. The big 616 is produced in Shanghai while the small is produced in other factories of HERO.

 

No, the two pens compared are the same size. Check the picture again, you are falling for a common optical illusion. Hint: follow the graph lines.

[foolhorse]

:embarrassed_smile: yes, they are same size

[Nonsensical]

Just to post a warning- what's about to come is EXTREMELY picture heavy. I apologise...in advance. :embarrassed_smile:

 

From top to bottom, left->right for all photos:

Hero 616 from Ebay 10 pack

Hero 616 from Ebay 3 pack "vintage style"

Hero 616 from TaoBao "NOS" silver

Hero 616 from TaoBao "NOS" gold

 

http://imageshack.us/g/52/hero1a.jpg/

http://img52.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=hero1a.jpg

Edited July 7, 2011 by Nonsensical

[KrazyIvan]

Ivan,

 

This post is great, if we had a place to pin this, it should be pinned! This kind of comparison will do allot to put certain possible debates about this much loved, but low priced pen to rest.

 

 

I got two of these from Wonton, wanting to try out the $5 Parker 51 for myself. In short I am very pleased with them, they may be 'cheap' but they are great writers, and nothing to loose sleep over if lost or broken. :clap1:

 

Thanks for the kind comments.

 

I think the disparity in the little things like the engraving imprint are too big to say that it is a quality drop or just a different Hero made pen. Why would they drop quality so much if they obviously already have the tooling to make the higher quality pen. Also, yes, externally the pens are the same size.

[richardandtracy]

KrazyIvan, I agree with you about the P21S & real H616 as being comparable in overall quality - and said so in this comparative review: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=63828

 

Thanks for the identification of things to spot in a fake.

One query I have, is the fake a squeeze bar c/c pen? The filler looks almost the correct diameter for a c/c.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

 

 

[ticoun]

i've seen pics of a hero 616 which had a non-finned collector, it was clearly a fake. maybe you should check your fake to see if the collector is finned. if it is finned, that means there are more than one type of fakes out there.

[KrazyIvan]

KrazyIvan, I agree with you about the P21S & real H616 as being comparable in overall quality - and said so in this comparative review: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?showtopic=63828

 

Thanks for the identification of things to spot in a fake.

One query I have, is the fake a squeeze bar c/c pen? The filler looks almost the correct diameter for a c/c.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

Richard,

 

I just recently found about the c/c version last week. I am afraid I am a bit noobish at knowing how it works. This one is an aerometric fill but is that system removable? If so, how would I go about removing it?

 

i've seen pics of a hero 616 which had a non-finned collector, it was clearly a fake. maybe you should check your fake to see if the collector is finned. if it is finned, that means there are more than one type of fakes out there.

Do you have any links for the pictures? I am afraid I am not familiar with the term "collector". :embarrassed_smile:

[KrazyIvan]

Just to post a warning- what's about to come is EXTREMELY picture heavy. I apologise...in advance. :embarrassed_smile:

 

From top to bottom, left->right for all photos:

Hero 616 from Ebay 10 pack

Hero 616 from Ebay 3 pack "vintage style"

Hero 616 from TaoBao "NOS" silver

Hero 616 from TaoBao "NOS" gold

 

http://imageshack.us/g/52/hero1a.jpg/

http://img52.imageshack.us/slideshow/webplayer.php?id=hero1a.jpg

 

I looked for the Jumbo and the regular 616. The external size difference between the two is very noticable. There is not a noticeable external size difference between my two examples. I also think it is worth noting that the cap "jewel" on my fake example does not look like any of your cap examples.

 

I did not want to directly link to the picture but here is one I found specifically that shows the difference between the jumbo and regular. The picture is from Isellpens.com

 

http://www.isellpens.com/Images/Hero/M616%20COMPARISON%201.JPG

Edited July 7, 2011 by KrazyIvan

[Gobblecup]

Just to post a warning- what's about to come is EXTREMELY picture heavy. I apologise...in advance. :embarrassed_smile:

 

From top to bottom, left->right for all photos:

Hero 616 from Ebay 10 pack

Hero 616 from Ebay 3 pack "vintage style"

Hero 616 from TaoBao "NOS" silver

Hero 616 from TaoBao "NOS" gold

 

http://imageshack.us/g/52/hero1a.jpg/

http://img52.imagesh...p?id=hero1a.jpg

 

I looked for the Jumbo and the regular 616. The external size difference between the two is very noticable. There is not a noticeable external size difference between my two examples. I also think it is worth noting that the cap "jewel" on my fake example does not look like any of your cap examples.

 

I did not want to directly link to the picture but here is one I found specifically that shows the difference between the jumbo and regular. The picture is from Isellpens.com

 

http://www.isellpens...PARISON%201.JPG

 

I noticed that too, the fake you posted has a cap jewel different from any of the examples shown by Nonsensical. The diffferences between all of the examples Nonsensical shows are mostly in size, not finish. The two you posted in the OP had very noticeable differences in finish.