What Chinese Pens Are You Using Today?

[richardandtracy]

Turquoise a 'Girl's Colour'?

 

I don't think so. I have used it as my main colour for 20 years. It started when I was working for an aircraft interior's company. A number of official documents seemed to be issued on days when the official signatory was on leave. To avoid that problem, I adopted Turquoise as my ink colour as no-one else regularly used fp's, and none those who owned fp's had the dilution I used of the colour I used (1:1 dilution of Pelikan 4001 with boiled water - boiled to stop limescale buildup in the pen, though I now know Pelikan 4001 is acid enough to stop that anyway). I eventually left the company after 5 years, and by then I was one of the longest serving members of the technical department. I will admit that after using it for 20 years, I am a bit bored with the colour.

 

Now, if you have to call colours 'girly', then what about Diamine Claret? I do use that, but it's not too much to my taste.

 

Back to topic:

I shall be using the Kaigelu 356 in the workshop today.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

[Sailor Kenshin]

I got a seven-dollar Hero fude (model 593? I THINK? Anyway it's black 'n' silver) working just fine, after filling its converter with a soft burgundy, advancing the converter when it wouldn't write, switching the con into two other pens, and finally switching it back, lol.

 

And this morning my fingers are no longer pink.

 

I just wish they'd name the models instead.

[lalindsay225]

This week, it's a Kaiduoli, a porcelain model with a dragon and a phoenix on it. Looks alright with Diamine Indigo.

 

Sailor Kenshin -- what is a fude? Thanks.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Ooooo....it's a nib that turns up at the end, on purpose!

 

Giving you tremendous variation of line from M to triple-B, if you get the angles right. Upside down, it writes a fine line. So basically it's the Swiss Army Knife of fountain pens. I have a small but growing collection.

[51ISH]

Turquoise a 'Girl's Colour'?

 

I don't think so. I have used it as my main colour for 20 years. It started when I was working for an aircraft interior's company. A number of official documents seemed to be issued on days when the official signatory was on leave. To avoid that problem, I adopted Turquoise as my ink colour as no-one else regularly used fp's, and none those who owned fp's had the dilution I used of the colour I used (1:1 dilution of Pelikan 4001 with boiled water - boiled to stop limescale buildup in the pen, though I now know Pelikan 4001 is acid enough to stop that anyway). I eventually left the company after 5 years, and by then I was one of the longest serving members of the technical department. I will admit that after using it for 20 years, I am a bit bored with the colour.

 

Now, if you have to call colours 'girly', then what about Diamine Claret? I do use that, but it's not too much to my taste.

 

Back to topic:

I shall be using the Kaigelu 356 in the workshop today.

 

Regards,

 

Richard

 

I've not tried the Diamine Claret....but I agree .....it is more 'girly' than Torquouise....

 

I must admit I tend to go for darker more saturated (boys??) colours.....

 

Not sure what that says about me or my insecurities

[Scrawler]

I am using a white marble Kaigelu 316 with Treves Turquoise in it. Lovely pen and lovely ink.

[pandabirdy1]

Ooooo....it's a nib that turns up at the end, on purpose!

 

Giving you tremendous variation of line from M to triple-B, if you get the angles right. Upside down, it writes a fine line. So basically it's the Swiss Army Knife of fountain pens. I have a small but growing collection.

 

 

I have just received my Hero fude Sailor Kenshin!

On your advice I gave it a good flush first, and even then took a little while to get started...

But once started - wow! What line variation!

It's a surprisingly good pen - especially for the $6.50 price and free shipping...

I'm using mine for drawing, and it gives a lovely fluid line that to me feels less 'formal' than most pen and ink combos.

[doggonecarl]

Chinese pen purchases continue...just inked my newly arrived Baoer 388 and Kaigelu 356. Both stainless steel models. I was floored how smooth the Baoer wrote with a no-name blue cartridge. Nice, springy nib. However the entire cartridge ending up leaking into the cap. I assumed a problem with the feed where the cartridge fits.

 

The Kaigelu wouldn't accept a cartridge either, though the seller indicates that both pens take international short cartridges. Hmmmm. Switched to the supplied converters and both pens write fine. I'm relieved, especially regarding the Baoer. As I mentioned, I was stunned at how well it wrote out of the box.

 

As for the Kaigelu, fit and finish are top notch. Lays down a nice, even medium-fine line with just a hint of line variation.

[richardandtracy]

Sounds as if there could have been a tiny leak in the cartridge in your Baoer. However, as the c/c works, there should be little need to try cartridges again.

 

I agree about the fit & finish of the K356. The one I have was at least as good as my stainless Sonnet. The pen wrote better too - ie it wrote on all paper I had, while the Sonnet refused to make a mark on some paper I tried it on until I ground out some of the baby bottom deliberately put in by Parker.

 

 

Today's Chinese pen is...

Yep. You guessed. My Charcoal K316 with Diamine Ancient Copper. It's paired with my lovely Onoto Magna Classic, and both pens feel superb.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[WC Lee]

today's pens

 

Hero 565

Jaguar F18

Baoer 3040

[johnsi02]

Baoer 388

Bought it off pokydady a few months ago as one of my first fountain pens. Soon found out it stands up to the best. I keep it filled with Bernanke Black. It is my go to black ink pen.

When I bought it I thought it was a fine but found it often lays more of a medium line. Of course today I happen to be writing on a legal pad, and I haven't found one of those yet that didn't feather.

JS

[51ISH]

Beijing Jinxing A28....with Diamine Denim.....

 

A lovely combo, but to be honest the Jinxing copes with any ink I've thrown at it so far.

[palendra]

Wenliang 515

 

Cheap but effective.

[Sailor Kenshin]

Wenliang 515

 

Cheap but effective.

 

Would love to see pix, approx. price, and where to get!

[doggonecarl]

Of course today I happen to be writing on a legal pad, and I haven't found one of those yet that didn't feather.

 

There are legal pads that are fountain pen friendly and it's discussed in the Paper and Pen Paraphernalia forum. The best I've found has been the Dollar General store brand. One of the few pads that highlights the sheen in my Parker Penman Sapphire ink.

[tmenyc]

1980's NOS Wing Sun 233...

 

A friend brought me some fp stuff he had lying around, including two 233's he had picked up in China in 1985 and had never used. They're attractive, for sure, but not working well yet. They both appear to be firm fines, but I need to soak them and probably open the tines a touch to get the flow going.

Haven't decided what to do with them, will probably sell at least one of them.

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5450/9206789809_c7129567a7.jpg

http://farm6.staticflickr.com/5326/9209576704_6424d70c06.jpg

My very limited understanding of these is that they are typical workingmen's pens, from the last years of Wing Sun's independence as a firm before being taken over. I'd appreciate learning more, for sure. If anyone's collection really really needs one, let me know.

Tim

[doggonecarl]

 

...they are typical workingmen's pens,

I had a friend from England who worked in China for over a year, in Shanghai. He said he never saw any Chinese person use a fountain pen. Said it doesn't support writing their characters like a needlepoint gel pen does. With so many pens coming out of China, I find that hard to believe, but he was there, not me.

[tmenyc]

With all the confidence nearly complete ignorance brings, I also find it hard to believe. Maybe we can hear from someone who knows the facts...interesting thought, though.

 

Tim

Edited July 4, 2013 by tmenyc

[WC Lee]

I don't know ... why would there be pen companies producing fountain pens if there weren't a market for them ...especially back in the days when virtually nothing was exported out of China. They may not be so popular today as they were about 50 years ago, but the same thing happened everywhere as well. The use of fountain pens have decliined so much that the odds of seeing someone using one is close to nil.

[FountainPenCowgirl]

Just starting to venture out of my early Pilot/Lamy comfort zone (new to FPs generally), getting acquainted with my new TWSBI 540 (not going to lie - chose it for the gorgeous blue color). It's not only growing on me, it may become my new go-to pen (though facing stiff competition from my new Pelikan M205). It's not too big for my tiny hands, but it has substance. (Doubtful I'd want to go bigger/wider, though.)

 

Nib is divine, too: a bit of a spring to it?

Edited July 7, 2013 by FountainPenCowgirl