Jinhao 159

[Malcy]

I'll say it here and now; 'I don't like most Chinese pens'. There is something about them that I just can't put my finger on. However, I don't deny that they produce cost effective writing instruments that many enjoy. There is an exception to every rule, and the Jinhao 159 does enough to work it's way into the select group of pens that I like.

 

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/Luminarium/Pens/DSCF0120.jpg

 

I came by the 159 totally by accident. I was having a rare sleepless night and decided to surf the net in the early hours in the hope that I would get to sleep afterwards (it worked). In a half awake state, I saw an image of a Jinhao 159 and an MB 149 together and thought that it looked pretty good. A quick surf on the bay and I snagged this Jinhao 159 for £6.98 inc P&P.

 

As you can see from the images, the 159 has the classic cigar shape, though the design is not as refined as that certain German pen. Unlike the German pen which I will not identify, the section is narrower (or at least appears to be) and the pen is comfier to write with. The 159 is mostly metal and black lacquer and I have no complaints about the finish which is very good. I think that the cap is mostly plastic and posting it does not put the pen out of balance. Overall well made and solid. Being large and metal, it is not light weight but the weight is not excessive and one of my year 7 (11-12YO) pupils used it the other day without problem, in fact she found that the chunky shape was a big help. Dimensions are 147mm long capped, 164mm posted, barrel 17.3mm diameter, mass 49g (to compare, my Parker Duofold Maxima has a mass of 20g).

 

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/Luminarium/Pens/DSCF0121.jpg

 

The 159 has a steel nib which like the rest of the pen is rather large. It is marked 18K GP, though where they hid the gold plating is anyones guess. No complaints about how it writes though. I prefer nibs on the flexier side, but this is a nail. However it writes with a very smooth wet broad line and as such is nice to use. The filler is C/C and the included converter works well, so no issues here other than capacity.

 

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/Luminarium/Pens/DSCF0122.jpg

 

For me, this is a fun pen and a nice surprise. It is very robust and costs little, so I can let the kids use it without worry but it is nice to use in it's self. It is only 73 times cheaper than that certain German pen but I have had both and I know which will stay.

 

Appearance & Design (1-10) 7

Construction & Quality (1-10) 7

Weight & Dimensions (1-10) 8

Nib & Performance (1-10) 7

Filling System & Maintenance (1-10) 6

Cost & Value (1-10) 10

Conclusion (Final score, xx/6) 45/60

 

A writing sample (Diamine blue-black):

 

http://i54.photobucket.com/albums/g114/Luminarium/Pens/jinhao.jpg

Edited March 4, 2012 by Malcy

[nitnop]

Thanks. Nice review. I think I'll try a 159.

[ryanchan]

Beautiful handwriting - may I ask what ink that is?

[wastelanded]

I have the Bulow version, also reviewed here, and yes it's a surprisingly pleasing pen to use. Heavy yes, but balanaced fairly well. Just don't drop it on your foot or you'll be in A&E for xrays. An excellent deal, certainly more than 1/73 the worth of another writing instrument not mentioned.

 

Thanks for reviewing this...I'd also like to know what ink that is.

[CRB]

Thanks for sharing the interesting review. After reading it I went looking for a 159; I'm looking forward to getting it.

 

As for the 18K GP marking on the nib, I think it's like the white gold plating on the Jinhao X750 nib (it's not the same colour as stainless steel). I have that nib, and consider it to be very good. The script in your background seems to show some stubbish line variation, very nice.

 

Congratulations on your new pen.

 

Cheers,

Joe

[Celerity-dad]

I just received the Bulow version as well. Mine has a fine German Knox nib which is butter smooth. I like the weight and size of the pen. Thanks for sharing the photos of your pen.

Mark

[Malcy]

Alas, the writing in the background of the images was not made by the Jinhao 159. I took the photos at the same time as I took photos of a 1928 Sheaffer 7-30 flat top and the writing is by that pen. I think that the ink was Lamy blue but I could be wrong. I have added a writing sample from the 159 to the review, however my scanner is on it's last legs so the quality is not great.

[Malcy]

I have tried the pen out at school with a variety of kids and they really like it.

 

Comments like 'Where can I get one?' and 'Will you sell it to me?" are typical. They find the chunky shape easier to grip than thin ball points and not having to apply pressure when writing helps too.

 

However for children used to cheap ball points ( which they borrow half the time) even £7 seems a lot.

[tmcneil82]

I just got mine in tonight ($11 with shipping) and I am amazed at how much I like it. Certainly not a high quality pen, but it's a heck of a pen for the price. In fact, next to the twsbi, this might be the best bang for the buck I've gotten so far out of pens.

[robofkent]

I have a Jinhao 159 too and like you I find it to be one of the best of the current generation of Chinese pens........looks mightily impressive for very little money, what's not to like?

[th3]

That is a beautiful pen! Thanks for your review, very well done.

 

I've always admired the large black cigar-shaped pens, the

kind that Presidents and Prime Ministers and leaders of industry would

use in old movies.

[WetWetWet]

Thanks for a good review!

 

I ordered one too and waited 30 days for it to be delivered. While it's impressive for the price and perhaps in some sense a bargain compared to the pen it tries to ape, it isn't in my opinion a very good pen, neither writing wise nor quality wise. The feeding seems to either overflow the nib with ink or there's severe skipping. The tines came slightly misaligned and due to the uneven flow of ink, there's sometimes a double line.

 

The ring in the cap where the threads are came off immediately. The "laquer"-surface doesn't fit 100 per cent on the brass etc.

 

I don't think it's fit for DIY projects or that it is worth to tune it; there are many S/H pens of good quality that have a character of their own and could be repaired/tuned and that doesn't cost more than the MontJinhao.

 

I have a few Chinese clone pens that I adore, f ex The Baoer 388 (Parker Sonnet), so there's no prejudice against Chinese pens.

 

Or perhaps I got a particularily bad specimen

[Malcy]

Thanks for a good review!

 

I ordered one too and waited 30 days for it to be delivered. While it's impressive for the price and perhaps in some sense a bargain compared to the pen it tries to ape, it isn't in my opinion a very good pen, neither writing wise nor quality wise. The feeding seems to either overflow the nib with ink or there's severe skipping. The tines came slightly misaligned and due to the uneven flow of ink, there's sometimes a double line.

 

The ring in the cap where the threads are came off immediately. The "laquer"-surface doesn't fit 100 per cent on the brass etc.

 

I don't think it's fit for DIY projects or that it is worth to tune it; there are many S/H pens of good quality that have a character of their own and could be repaired/tuned and that doesn't cost more than the MontJinhao.

 

I have a few Chinese clone pens that I adore, f ex The Baoer 388 (Parker Sonnet), so there's no prejudice against Chinese pens.

 

Or perhaps I got a particularly bad specimen

 

It sounds like you got a lemon or I got a good one. my copy seems robust and writes well. As I said earlier, I am letting kids at school use it and they tend to be hard on their pens. I have had some Baoer 388 which went down well with the children too.

[larsbj]

Congratulatinons on your new pen!

I purcased the same one off a chinese (I think) ebay seller together with a X750 and a "Naranja Dolce" which is supposed to be a replica of a Delta Dolce Vita. Paid appx USD10 incl P/S per pen. Unfortunately I have not had the opportunity to use it toroughly, only dipping it. But the initial impression is positive. There is, however, one annoying snag with it. The threads on the cap are squeeky; not smooth at all. Not quite sure what I should do with it, but maybye some silicone oil (supplied with my TWSBI) can help???

 

Anyway, I liked the feeling of the pen; smooth nib, bit heavy but feels sturdy, nice medium/fine wet line. And cost/value is 10/10. So, as one of the other members commented, What's Not to Like?

 

A nice day to ya all from Norway!

LBj

[cuza]

It is no coincidence that Jinhao named this pen the 159... Photo below offers a handy visual comparison of the J 159 vs MB 149.

 

 

 

I have a couple of these and find them quite nice reflecting the improving quality control of PRC fountain pens. I paid only $20 USD for both 159s.

 

 

cuza

[mikefromsac]

I also have a 159 and love it. I changed the nib to a German Knox (paid $9 for the nib, new) and it writes like a dream. I also have an x750 and they're both great values for $10 each delivered. Of course it doesn't have the quality as my MB, but the MB doesn't feel 50 times better either ...

 

Enjoy all pens!

 

- Mike

[John Cullen]

I bought two of the 159's. Nice pen.

 

A couple of drawbacks. The cap does not screw on as well as it could. There is a cheap plastic insert in the cap into which the barrel screws. I would recommend people be a bit careful starting the screwing on process so as not to strip the threads. The barrel only screws maybe a half turn or so into the cap.

 

The included converter is a bit rough on the nipple end and then wobbles a bit when in, as the opening in the back of the section is quite a bit larger than converter. I found a Waterman cartridge fit more snuggly than the supplied converter.

 

It is a nice pen for the price.

 

The Knox nib is very nice and smooth.

[J English Smith]

On the strength of the original review, I bought one of these last week. It arrived yesterday, about two weeks faster than I was expecting. I paid all of $10 shipped. Very nice pen for the money. A few small gripes only:

 

Clip is not as robust as I like. It is OK. Not as much grip action, as say, a similar size Wality pen.

The section is quite wobbly as you screw it in, but once in place, stays put and feels solid.

Regular Jinhao nib seems to take a little starting - first stroke - but then writes well. It is currently inked with just Lamy black. Other inks may be a little more lubricating.

It is a WIDE nib. With the size of the converter, I expect this will burn through the ink fairly fast, requiring more frequent refills.

 

I personally like the cap action, I like push-on caps better than screw caps, but this is nice and solid and does not unscrew.

 

The weight is amazing. It really is too heavy to use for everyday writing, but it is a hell of an impressive "signing pen."For about the same price as a Wality 152, it is pretty impressive.

 

How does one get the alternate nib for this pen? Is it just a push-in nib/feed?

[Sparky2]

Mine just arrived today – ordered for $11 on the first. It seemed like a long 18 days, but it isstill impressive for "free" shipping. No complaints here.

 

I like almost everything about this pen so far. There was a little squeak when screwing in the section; it is metal-to-metal threads that are a bit loose until tightened all the way down. The converter is a bit wonky. The piston had to be pushed as well as turned to fully travel down into the cylinder. These things were not too bad, but the writing thickness is very broad for being labeled a medium. I had heard that this was going to be the case and have ordered some K35 nibs. That brings the total to $20 (the good people at xfountainpens did notcharge for shipping). The pen still seems like a very good price. If I were a fan of this very smooth but very bold nib, it would be an excellent deal.

 

J English Smith - I saw some instructions around here that described how to change the nib. At least I think it was this nib, or perhaps it was the one on the X450 that uses the same size. I wish I had bookmarked the link. Perhaps someone has it handy...

Edited March 21, 2012 by Sparky2

[lovemy51]

this pen has become a sensation recently. the size appeals to me. thanx for the review, Malcy!

 

 

 

on a separate note:

am i the only one that dislikes the crest on the clips of these pens coming out of china? it looked good on the dukes, cos' it had the crown engraved on them and it looked... i dunno, regal? (or should i say "princely", being a "duke" and not a king?)... but it seems like all chinese pen makers are using it now. dead ugly, IMO.

 

funny, but it doesn't look all that bad on the J159. it must be the size of the pen... :hmm1:

Edited March 20, 2012 by lovemy51