What Chinese Pens Are You Using Today?

[richardandtracy]

With those upturned caligraphy nibs, you have to think of them as being like a brush rather than as a pen. You normally pull a brush in the direction you want the line, and should do the same with these nibs. As you want a thinner line, make the pen more upright, and if you want a thicker line, lower the angle down to 30 degrees to the paper. I reviewed one here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/206771-kaigelu-300-calligraphy-pen/ and under the 'Writing' section described how I felt it needed to be used.

 

Personally I cannot use those nibs to write in normally and much prefer to do caligraphy with dip pen nibs.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[auto winder]

With those upturned caligraphy nibs, you have to think of them as being like a brush rather than as a pen. You normally pull a brush in the direction you want the line, and should do the same with these nibs. As you want a thinner line, make the pen more upright, and if you want a thicker line, lower the angle down to 30 degrees to the paper. I reviewed one here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/206771-kaigelu-300-calligraphy-pen/ and under the 'Writing' section described how I felt it needed to be used.

 

Personally I cannot use those nibs to write in normally and much prefer to do caligraphy with dip pen nibs.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

Thanks, the review was very interesting and explained well how to approach this pen! I bought it because I was intrigued by the unusual form of the nib and it was so cheap that it would be no big loss if I couldn't get it to work. Now I will try the brush approach and see if it works better for me that way. BTW, is this nib similar to the "zoom nibs" that some Sailor pens come with?

[richardandtracy]

I don't know, but I suspect the answer is no. Wimg did explain what the Zoom nibs were to me, but I have to confess my eyes crossed & I failed spectacularly to understand. I think it's all in the shape the iridium blob is ground with the Zoom nibs, rather than having the nib bent upwards.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[Sailor Kenshin]

With those upturned caligraphy nibs, you have to think of them as being like a brush rather than as a pen. You normally pull a brush in the direction you want the line, and should do the same with these nibs. As you want a thinner line, make the pen more upright, and if you want a thicker line, lower the angle down to 30 degrees to the paper. I reviewed one here: https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php?/topic/206771-kaigelu-300-calligraphy-pen/ and under the 'Writing' section described how I felt it needed to be used.

 

Personally I cannot use those nibs to write in normally and much prefer to do caligraphy with dip pen nibs.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

I collect these pens and use them to add variety and almost a flex quality to my handwriting. So far, the best and easiest to use is the five-dollar Guanleming 193. Used it yesterday to write a letter, loaded with Waterman Havana Brown.

[maus930]

Jinhao 159 -- very pleased with it

[JemC]

I'm using my new Hero 100 flighter today. In the beginning it had some ink flow issues but after some flushings with water and a bit dish soap, it works much better.

I really wanted this to be my daily writer, but it just wrote a bit too wide for me. I'd say it was about twice as thick a line as most of my 616's.

 

Today I'm using my Vens 329 with Noodler's BP Black. It's taken on the role of the H100, but it's a little small for me. Otherwise, a great pen and a fine writer. It's survived in my pocket through several tumbles already.

[lovemy51]

Silver S T Dupont Fidelio M nib Shaeffer Skrip Blue

huh? :hmm1: i've never heard of this chinese brand. is it new?

[richardandtracy]

I have a suspicion someone dropped in on the wrong thread.

 

Todays's pen is the humble Huashilai 3000. This is much better than the other Huashilai pens I have, and would be willing to recommend it to anyone as a reasonable every day pen. The finish isn't great, I can feel the turning marks on the white & black stripe cap, but otherwise I have no complaints. As is usual with me, some of the paint finish is suffering after only a month, but I do seem to be very hard on pens.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[J.R.]

Just received the Guanleming 2001 - the clear plastic one - I put some Aurora Black in it, with the aero still in place, just to check it out. Later, I'll Gorilla Glue the hole in the barrel, and use it as an ED, if things go well. Hmmm, or maybe some of my Waterman's Carnation Red, and use it as a Holiday pen ! Just thought of that...

 

Take care,

JR

[Tom Aquinas]

Silver S T Dupont Fidelio M nib Shaeffer Skrip Blue

huh? :hmm1: i've never heard of this chinese brand. is it new?

 

 

 

Indeed. Quite right and just proves I needed an opthomologist's appointment today.

[lovemy51]

Silver S T Dupont Fidelio M nib Shaeffer Skrip Blue

huh? :hmm1: i've never heard of this chinese brand. is it new?

 

 

 

Indeed. Quite right and just proves I needed an opthomologist's appointment today.

hehehe! that happens when you post all over these "what are u using today" threads!!

take care!

[richardandtracy]

I have the Huashilai 2210 with me today, alongside a home made custom pen. Have to confess I've been avoiding the Huashilai, as even my first effort at nib grinding (a medium italic) ends up with a nicer pen.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[cedargirl]

I'm still using a Hero 5028 with a 1.1 mm cursive italic nib as an every day writer. Love this pen. Nice smooth nib. Great when I want a broad nib.

[51ISH]

I'm still using a Hero 5028 with a 1.1 mm cursive italic nib as an every day writer. Love this pen. Nice smooth nib. Great when I want a broad nib.

 

 

I can see another purchase coming on

 

( I love my 1.1 Safari nib )

 

Can I ask did you purchase the pen with 2 other nibs....like this one:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hero-5028-Broad-Nib-Set-Fountain-Pen-/230880182490?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c18800da

 

If so, what size are the other nibs ?

[cedargirl]

I'm still using a Hero 5028 with a 1.1 mm cursive italic nib as an every day writer. Love this pen. Nice smooth nib. Great when I want a broad nib.

 

 

I can see another purchase coming on

 

( I love my 1.1 Safari nib )

 

Can I ask did you purchase the pen with 2 other nibs....like this one:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hero-5028-Broad-Nib-Set-Fountain-Pen-/230880182490?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c18800da

 

If so, what size are the other nibs ?

 

Hi 51ISH

 

That looks like it, but I don't recall the packaging. I bought mine from iSellpens, here

http://www.isellpens.com/hero2.html and it did come with three nib units - the 1.1 mm being the smallest. Now that you remind me I should go and try the broader nibs. You know I never got past the 1.1 mm. Loaded it up and liked it so much I just kept using it. It hasn't been unlinked since I bought it a couple of months ago.

 

Mine is blue. The blurb on yours says the barrel is plastic and the cap metal. In mine, the barrel is definitely made of the same material as the cap. It's a light alloy of some sort. The pen has a metallic finish.

 

I think one of the reasons it writes so well for an italic nib is that it writes quite wet. I like wet nibs, but the extra ink also seems to keep it lubricated.

 

Enjoy!

[K. Cakes]

I just got a Hero 395 delivered today. I was excited for the order since I'd heard good things about nib (supposedly semi-flex), but it is, without question, the worst pen I have ever purchased. So scratchy its completely unusable. I've been working on smoothing the nib for two hours and it still terrible

[Scribblesoften]

I just got a Hero 395 delivered today. I was excited for the order since I'd heard good things about nib (supposedly semi-flex), but it is, without question, the worst pen I have ever purchased. So scratchy its completely unusable. I've been working on smoothing the nib for two hours and it still terrible

 

Sorry to hear it. I have a 395 and it works quite well. The nib was a bit draggy in normal writing at first but with some flexing and use, it has evened out into a wet medium semi-flex. Quality control for Chinese pens, in general, has always been the bugaboo.

[51ISH]

I'm still using a Hero 5028 with a 1.1 mm cursive italic nib as an every day writer. Love this pen. Nice smooth nib. Great when I want a broad nib.

 

 

I can see another purchase coming on

 

( I love my 1.1 Safari nib )

 

Can I ask did you purchase the pen with 2 other nibs....like this one:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/Hero-5028-Broad-Nib-Set-Fountain-Pen-/230880182490?pt=LH_DefaultDomain_0&hash=item35c18800da

 

If so, what size are the other nibs ?

 

Hi 51ISH

 

That looks like it, but I don't recall the packaging. I bought mine from iSellpens, here

http://www.isellpens.com/hero2.html and it did come with three nib units - the 1.1 mm being the smallest. Now that you remind me I should go and try the broader nibs. You know I never got past the 1.1 mm. Loaded it up and liked it so much I just kept using it. It hasn't been unlinked since I bought it a couple of months ago.

 

Mine is blue. The blurb on yours says the barrel is plastic and the cap metal. In mine, the barrel is definitely made of the same material as the cap. It's a light alloy of some sort. The pen has a metallic finish.

 

I think one of the reasons it writes so well for an italic nib is that it writes quite wet. I like wet nibs, but the extra ink also seems to keep it lubricated.

 

Enjoy!

 

Hi Cedargirl

 

Thanks muchly for all the useful info....I liked the look of the blue one too....I really cannot buy anymore black pens

 

I think the 1.1 nib would be my favourite nib too....and I doubt the others would see any use....my minuscules are too....erm......minuscule to handle more than a 1.1 ....especially if it is a wet writer....I must admit Isellpens give it a rave review. At that sort of price it would be rude not to give it a go eh? Trouble is....it's on the same page as the Hero 110......and I do keep coming back to those as well. I do think those are good value for a gold nib.

 

Oh, forgot to mention....today it's the Beijing Jinxing 28A

Not everyones cup of tea I know....but that's OK...

Edited November 22, 2012 by 51ISH

[cedargirl]

Now you're talking, 51ISH!

 

If you like fine nib writers (and I guess with a username like that, maybe you do) I have a bunch of Heros in that Parker 51 style and I love them. I haven't yet bought a 110 with the gold nib. As I normally go for a medium or larger nib, I thought I'd start with a cheaper version to see whether I liked them - and I do!

 

I ended up with three of the 329s and three of the 613s. I am really enjoying them. As well as writing nicely, I'm really enjoying the fact that they work so well with some of my inks. Some inks work better (for me) in a fine nib than they do in a medium nib. (Like Diamine Merlot and Damine Umber. These pens put these inks down in a nicely saturated fine dark line. The inks look more washed out with a thicker, and maybe drier, line.) I like colour matching these pens with the inks and always have a couple inked.

 

But now I'm torn. Do I go and buy a 110? What if I Ike it a lot more than the steel nibbed pens I am so fond of? I'd have to buy a whole bunch of 110s! And then, there's the actual vintage Parkers to factor in ... Where does it end?

 

Ooh, that's right ... It doesn't!! :roflmho: :clap1:

[Scribblesoften]

I had a 110 that wrote nicely but the pen was too small for my mitts. The nib fits right in a 616. So now I have a gold nibbed 616. It writes nicely and it rides around with my Parker 51's.