What Chinese Pens Are You Using Today?

[richardandtracy]

No Chinese pens today - my K316 is taking a break and is being ably stood in for by a Duofold Centennial. :roflmho:

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[madzaxmax]

Methinks a small part of everything is made in China these days. I think its a new law or something.

[bodah]

I just received a Jinhao X750 this afternoon and I am still working on how best to use it, but I can say that it is incredibly smooth at any angle and though I'm not sure if there is a correct posture I've been able to write out some nice "quick brown foxes" with it. I look forward to playing around with it and hopefully learning from some of the pros here. I was bitten by the fountain pen bug about a year ago at the most and have compulsively created quite a nice little collection and to find a fun writer for so cheap is great. My model is a matte black with a silver and quite ornate Chinese Calligraphy nib. It's actually quite beautiful.

[sebastel23]

a hero 616 with hero carbon black ink (234).

[lovemy51]

today:

http://www.ebay.com/itm/330864564289?ssPageName=STRK:MEWNX:IT&_trksid=p3984.m1439.l2648

 

http://i.ebayimg.com/t/Vintage-Wing-Sung-Lucky-2007-Fountain-Pen-Fine-Nib-Octagon-Barrel-Made-in-1993-/00/s/MzU0WDQ5Ng==/$T2eC16d,!yME9s5qIGLfBQPiTvZ1Vg~~60_12.JPG

[richardandtracy]

What does the Wing Sung feel like?

I have a Wing Sung 812, but with its fine nib & leaky hood, I don't use it at all.

 

 

Today's pen is a K316. Guess which colour.... That's right, Charcoal. Hrrumph. I'm getting predictable.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[PAC 1957]

What Chinese pens are you using today?

 

There have been a number of threads about other pens, but I'm surprised how many are in use. What are yours & how do you rate them?

 

In the last couple of months I have found that I'm always carrying a Chinese pen along with my more normal Parkers, and today both are Chinese:

Kaigelu 316 Amber/grey.

Kaigelu 319 Lapis cap.

 

Both are excellent - writing at least as well as a Duofold & Sonnet respectively.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

Hi,

with all due respect to Chinese pens, I don't think they should be be compared to the classic brands such as the one You've mentioned (Parker). It's not (only) a question of tradition, it's also a matter of design, build quality, reliabilty and durability. Nevertheless They may write well , no doubt about it .

 

Best

Piero

[richardandtracy]

Hi,

with all due respect to Chinese pens, I don't think they should be be compared to the classic brands such as the one You've mentioned (Parker). It's not (only) a question of tradition, it's also a matter of design, build quality, reliabilty and durability. Nevertheless They may write well , no doubt about it .

 

Best

Piero

Piero,

 

This thread is to find out what Chinese pens are good, pass on experiences about the bad ones etc. There are so many Chinese pens that it's all too easy to break the bank without having found a good one. The pooling of experience here will avoid wasted money. I have bought 3 Huashilai pens, the 3000, which is good, and the A053 and 2210, which are utter rubbish. My experience can prevent others wasting their money on the A053 and 2210.

 

I agree that not all Chinese Pens are up to the quality of some of the more established brands. However, I cannot agree that none of them are, and quote an example from my experience:

 

I have a Sonnet Flighter CT. For a medium nibbed pen, I think the Kaigelu 356 is as good as my Sonnet, and at least it wrote on all the paper I have when I recieved it - unlike the Parker. After fixing both so they write nicely, I really cannot decide which I prefer. The K356 is the Sonnet's equal in every way that matters.

 

On this basis of one pen not writing properly on all paper, I could declare Parker to be a rubbish brand (in exactly the same way as some people do with all Chinese pens because one writes badly), however I don't because there are other pens of theirs that are good. Unfortunately few of Parker's modern pens show either the design or build quality that made Parker great in the past - and I am speaking as one who grew up with Parker pens and have more of the brand than all my other pens put together. I think Parker's quality is falling and the Chinese brands are rising. A few, a relatively limited few (at the moment) pens are now equivalent in quality. This thread helps to pass knowledge that on.

 

After the improvement shown in the average Chinese pen in the last 5 years, I doubt if quality will be very different from Occidental pens in another 5 years, and then I think the main difference will be in aesthetics. Chinese designed pens for the Chinese market seem to have a very different aesthetic, which takes some getting used to. That is a matter of taste rather than quality & I hope we will all be able to accept that difference in the future.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[WetWetWet]

What does the Wing Sung feel like?

I have a Wing Sung 812, but with its fine nib & leaky hood, I don't use it at all.

 

 

Today's pen is a K316. Guess which colour.... That's right, Charcoal. Hrrumph. I'm getting predictable.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

I have a Wing Sung 2007, like the one lovemy51 shows. I can't recommend it at all. Everything is bad about it.

[TSherbs]

Just received my $6 Hero 330 (Arrow) in burgundy. Instant smooth fine writer. Thank you!

[rbeef]

I just received two Heroes today, Hero 329 and 329-2. Unfortunately, the 329-2 is already leaking

They have incredibly fine nibs, take a look:

 

http://i.imgur.com/OFQgyoVh.jpg

 

http://i.imgur.com/fxdJGBFh.jpg

[51ISH]

Hi,

with all due respect to Chinese pens, I don't think they should be be compared to the classic brands such as the one You've mentioned (Parker). It's not (only) a question of tradition, it's also a matter of design, build quality, reliabilty and durability. Nevertheless They may write well , no doubt about it .

 

Best

Piero

Piero,

 

This thread is to find out what Chinese pens are good, pass on experiences about the bad ones etc. There are so many Chinese pens that it's all too easy to break the bank without having found a good one. The pooling of experience here will avoid wasted money. I have bought 3 Huashilai pens, the 3000, which is good, and the A053 and 2210, which are utter rubbish. My experience can prevent others wasting their money on the A053 and 2210.

 

I agree that not all Chinese Pens are up to the quality of some of the more established brands. However, I cannot agree that none of them are, and quote an example from my experience:

 

I have a Sonnet Flighter CT. For a medium nibbed pen, I think the Kaigelu 356 is as good as my Sonnet, and at least it wrote on all the paper I have when I recieved it - unlike the Parker. After fixing both so they write nicely, I really cannot decide which I prefer. The K356 is the Sonnet's equal in every way that matters.

 

On this basis of one pen not writing properly on all paper, I could declare Parker to be a rubbish brand (in exactly the same way as some people do with all Chinese pens because one writes badly), however I don't because there are other pens of theirs that are good. Unfortunately few of Parker's modern pens show either the design or build quality that made Parker great in the past - and I am speaking as one who grew up with Parker pens and have more of the brand than all my other pens put together. I think Parker's quality is falling and the Chinese brands are rising. A few, a relatively limited few (at the moment) pens are now equivalent in quality. This thread helps to pass knowledge that on.

 

After the improvement shown in the average Chinese pen in the last 5 years, I doubt if quality will be very different from Occidental pens in another 5 years, and then I think the main difference will be in aesthetics. Chinese designed pens for the Chinese market seem to have a very different aesthetic, which takes some getting used to. That is a matter of taste rather than quality & I hope we will all be able to accept that difference in the future.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

 

I have bought a few loads of Chinese pens through recommendations on this thread. I have yet to buy a 'duff' pen. I find I use my Chinese pens as much if not more than my 'more expensive' pens...maybe at the back of my mind I know if they get 'abused' it won't cost me a fortune to

replace them.

 

It is costing me a (small) fortune...

 

:roflmho: :roflmho: :roflmho:

[Sailor Kenshin]

Richard: Great explanation of the hows and whys. Thanks!

 

I think some people have an affinity with certain objects or brands. I'm one of those. Most of my Chinese pens are great, inexpensive writers (still struggling with my Hua/3000’s ink flow, and once I did get a Hero that spewed ink), but on the whole they make me happy.

[bulbboy]

An ivory x750 with Lexington Grey ink

[sebastel23]

photo outing today, brought the kaigelu 356. a friend was quite impressed.

 

back home, i inked my second hero 616, and i have to say - another proof of the great p51 concept. i mean - how much more cheaply can you make a pen, and it is still a reliable and solid writer? (as long as you're not into flex, of course.)

 

have a great weekend everywhere.

s.

[vedarao1]

Hero 329, all the way, from 4th grade to 32 years later. It has been an abused pen and I have replaced its nibs, barrel, and cap so many times. It still writes like a dream.

[PAC 1957]

Hi,

with all due respect to Chinese pens, I don't think they should be be compared to the classic brands such as the one You've mentioned (Parker). It's not (only) a question of tradition, it's also a matter of design, build quality, reliabilty and durability. Nevertheless They may write well , no doubt about it .

 

Best

Piero

Piero,

 

This thread is to find out what Chinese pens are good, pass on experiences about the bad ones etc. There are so many Chinese pens that it's all too easy to break the bank without having found a good one. The pooling of experience here will avoid wasted money. I have bought 3 Huashilai pens, the 3000, which is good, and the A053 and 2210, which are utter rubbish. My experience can prevent others wasting their money on the A053 and 2210.

W

I agree that not all Chinese Pens are up to the quality of some of the more established brands. However, I cannot agree that none of them are, and quote an example from my experience:

 

I have a Sonnet Flighter CT. For a medium nibbed pen, I think the Kaigelu 356 is as good as my Sonnet, and at least it wrote on all the paper I have when I recieved it - unlike the Parker. After fixing both so they write nicely, I really cannot decide which I prefer. The K356 is the Sonnet's equal in every way that matters.

 

On this basis of one pen not writing properly on all paper, I could declare Parker to be a rubbish brand (in exactly the same way as some people do with all Chinese pens because one writes badly), however I don't because there are other pens of theirs that are good. Unfortunately few of Parker's modern pens show either the design or build quality that made Parker great in the past - and I am speaking as one who grew up with Parker pens and have more of the brand than all my other pens put together. I think Parker's quality is falling and the Chinese brands are rising. A few, a relatively limited few (at the moment) pens are now equivalent in quality. This thread helps to pass knowledge that on.

 

After the improvement shown in the average Chinese pen in the last 5 years, I doubt if quality will be very different from Occidental pens in another 5 years, and then I think the main difference will be in aesthetics. Chinese designed pens for the Chinese market seem to have a very different aesthetic, which takes some getting used to. That is a matter of taste rather than quality & I hope we will all be able to accept that difference in the future.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

Hi Richard,

Thankyou FOR Your reply, I agree that chinese pens quality is improving and their value FOR money is Very good.. .Nevertheless it's difficult to predict if they will reach the overall quality Of high end production of Montblanc, Omas, Pelikan , Waterman, Montegrappa, Aurora and also Parker. I agree that Parkers are not what they use to be in the past, but their high end products are still quite good, FOR example the Duofolds, the Premiers and the top end Sonnets.

We'll see .

 

Best

Piero

[richardandtracy]

Piero,

 

I have a Kaigelu 316 Duofold copy and use it interchangably with my Centennial. I agree, that pen isn't of the same quality. The balance and plating are both not as good, however it is a very good pen that I would miss if I didn't have it. I will say, if I could get any Parker of that quality at that price, I'd be a happy man. I can gat the K316 for the same price as a Vector in a B&M store at home. I'd never get the Vector again having had a K316 for that money.

 

Regards

 

Richard

 

 

 

 

 

[richardandtracy]

Today's pen will be one of my Jinhao 1008 seashell pens that arrived yesterday. I have to confess that I was disappointed to find the cap was painted metal (knowing my ability to strip paint with the things I get on my fingers).

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[NewFPU]

Today it is my Baoer 508 paired with Private Reserve's Claret

 

 

 

Myste