Chinese Pens Show And Tell.

[acorn]

Nice pen ian.

 

None on ebay or amazon, is this a discontinued pen?

Edited December 8, 2015 by acorn

[Ian the Jock]

I'm not really sure, but I don't think it's discontinued.

 

Ian

[Ian the Jock]

Another pen from the Jinhao stable today.

It's a very robust pen, which at first glance resembles the Jinhao x500, however, it is quite different, with the immediate difference being the wooden barrel.

Is it wood?, It looks like wood, it certainly feels like wood, and is textured like wood, so we'll say it's wood.

Anyway, here's another handsome Jinhao, the thoughtfully and beautifully named........8812.

 

 

 

 

 

A comparison pic with the x500

 

 

Cheers

Ian

[bobje]

Elegant wood on that Jinhao barrel, and beautiful pairing of ink and pen.

[mooshi]

Another pen from the Jinhao stable today.

It's a very robust pen, which at first glance resembles the Jinhao x500, however, it is quite different, with the immediate difference being the wooden barrel.

Is it wood?, It looks like wood, it certainly feels like wood, and is textured like wood, so we'll say it's wood.

Anyway, here's another handsome Jinhao, the thoughtfully and beautifully named........8812.

 

A comparison pic with the x500

 

Cheers

Ian

Pretty! I found a white wooded Jinhao that I'd been eyeing for a while. Might pick one up soon and hopefully it'll be here for my birthday (Dec 20).

[Ian the Jock]

Elegant wood on that Jinhao barrel, and beautiful pairing of ink and pen.

Thanks Bob

The ink is one of those odd inks that can look completely different on different paper.

On my other paper it looks really pale, almost beige, yet in my journal it looks really dark, even darker than it does on the Oxford paper that I used above.

 

Ian

[bobje]

Some William Carlos Williams for the week. Hua Hong red lava, Binder burgundy ink, Staples bagasse sugar cane paper.

 

[magnus919]

Jinhao X450, original configuration

Noodler's Black

Reflexions sketch book
Math: The new (wrong) kind.

 

http://i.imgur.com/Y2j9UHr.jpg

Edited December 22, 2015 by magnus919

[Ian the Jock]

Loving the pad and pen pics guys.

Great photos.

Bob, that Binder burgundy really goes well with the Lava.

I recently got some diamine burgundy rose, which I've not tried yet, but I think I'll need to be getting the Lava back out and giving it a bash.

Magnus, 65 degrees, whit!!?

That's our mid-summer temperature.

If that was my photo, your wonderful 450 would have "turned blue wi the cauld".

 

Keep the show and tells coming folks, I really enjoy looking at pics from other members who share " the joy of Chinese fountain pens".

I've been using my J217 all day today and it still "grabs" me, every time I use it, probably more so than any other pen I have, which isn't bad for a pen which had such a meagre price tag.

 

Ian

[ian1964]

I love reading your posts and so thought I would contribute. My latest Huahong which cost me a princely $4.00.

Edited December 23, 2015 by ian1964

[ian1964]

This is my most expensive and best Chinese fountain pen. It is truly a quality pen and came in a fabulous display box. The make is Hero but for the life of me I can't remember the model.

[sanyalsoumitra]

This is my most expensive and best Chinese fountain pen. It is truly a quality pen and came in a fabulous display box. The make is Hero but for the life of me I can't remember the model.

 

This is Hero 767 Art Deco.

 

[ian1964]

 

This is Hero 767 Art Deco.

 

Thank you

[richila]

12/25/15 by Richila, on Flickr

My Christmas pen and first Hero.

[inkeverywhere]

I haven't done an S&T for a wee while, so I thought I'd weigh in with my two "BIG GUNS"

 

The first, really needs no introduction, as Richardandtracy has championed this pen for many a moon, It's the Kiagelu 316 (century stars), and mine is of the white variety.

The second, possibly isn't quite so well known, and has, unfortunately it would seem, been dis-continued, although I'd imagine that there will still be some Chinese vendors who have some.

It's the Jinhao 217 Rose and black.

So

The Kiagelu 316. Not much to say other than, that this is an awesome pen, which looks fantastic, writes beautifully, is superbly made and has a Kangeroo on the nib....magical.

The semi transparent look of the white version isn't everyones' bucket of birdseed, but I love it. The gold colour of the converter showing through just adds to the classy appearance in my opinion, and the white was always going to be my first choice over the amber, and grey, although, they will also need to at some point be "part of the gang".

Anyone who has an interest in Chinese pens should have one of these, if you don't, get one, you will not be disappointed.

The Jinhao 217. This is my favourite of all Chinese pens, and to achieve that mantle, it must be a bit of a pen, especially when I also have the Kiagelu above.

There's just something about it....it's gorgeous.

I have used it for almost a year now, and it is in the same condition as the day I bought it.

This pen has written more than any of my pens, Chinese or otherwise, and it has never skipped a beat. It seems to be of a higher quality than my other Jinhao pens, even down to the converter, which is a sturdier bronze metal affair. The nib is excellent. Superbly smooth with a medium line that never fails.

As I said before, it appears to now be discontinued, which is a shame, as this pen has been a gem of a find, although I did see a couple on "the bay" a few weeks back, but they went for considerably more than what I paid for mine, but I'll be keeping an eye out.

 

Both of these pens are just brilliant, and will be very, very difficult to un-perch from the top of my Chinese pen tree, and the pen that manages it will need to be something pretty special.

 

Cheers

Ian

 

 

I know there's an extra pic of the "Roo nib" but I just couldn't help it.

A nib with a Kangeroo on it is a thing of beauty in itself.

 

Ian thank you for one of the most enjoyable topics I have ever followed since joining the FPN. It is the first time I have opened the Chinese heading. I have never bought a Chinese pen prior to reading your topic, not even thought about buying one.

 

After reading about the 316 I checked out ebay and bought the white marbled edition. I am as excited about it's arrival as any other, far more expensive pen, I have previously bought. I have always wanted a modern Parker Duofold but for me to cost is just too prohibitive and probably will be for some time.

 

 

 

Greg

[magnus919]

Oh, that Kaigelu... I'm going to give myself one of those as a gift someday. It's not terribly expensive, so I don't suppose the wait will be too long to bear.

[Ian the Jock]

I love reading your posts and so thought I would contribute. My latest Huahong which cost me a princely $4.00.

Lovely Huahong Ian

These Huahongs are unbelievable value, and their nibs are excellent.

Some of the larger Huahongs, like the blue cap, and the barleycorn cap mentioned earlier in the the thread, have excellent medium nibs which are just brilliant.

 

This is my most expensive and best Chinese fountain pen. It is truly a quality pen and came in a fabulous display box. The make is Hero but for the life of me I can't remember the model.

As Sanyalsumitra kindly showed it's the 767 which is a gorgeous pen, which I have been close to firing on a few times.

Congrats

 

12/25/15 by Richila, on Flickr

My Christmas pen and first Hero.

Congratulations on your first Hero Richila.......looking good too.

Loving the orange theme.

 

Ian thank you for one of the most enjoyable topics I have ever followed since joining the FPN. It is the first time I have opened the Chinese heading. I have never bought a Chinese pen prior to reading your topic, not even thought about buying one.

 

After reading about the 316 I checked out ebay and bought the white marbled edition. I am as excited about it's arrival as any other, far more expensive pen, I have previously bought. I have always wanted a modern Parker Duofold but for me to cost is just too prohibitive and probably will be for some time.

 

 

 

Greg

Thanks Greg

What started as me just wanting to "nosey" at what other folks had, has turned into a full blown, run for months thread, which I really enjoy contributing to, and I still get to "nosey" at other peoples pens.

You will not be disappointed with the K316 Greg, it is a real stunner, the quality of which will knock your socks off at the pricepoint.

It has been said previously by others that this pen is as good, if not better than the Parker is itself.

Now there's a claim and a half.

I can't afford the Parker either.......but who needs one??? You've got a K316 on it's way, and it even has a Roo on the nib......and ye canny whack that.

 

 

Oh, that Kaigelu... I'm going to give myself one of those as a gift someday. It's not terribly expensive, so I don't suppose the wait will be too long to bear.

Magnus

In your "cheap geezer" attire, go onto ebay China and find the vendor who is the cheapest for the Kaigelu, then make him an offer (he is generally pretty reasonable with accepting offers) and you will get one cheap enough to meet the required criteria of "much cheapness".

 

Go on......You know you want to.....

 

Ian

[WireFox]

I don't think I am ever going to be a Chinese fountain pen purest :-) After two ink fills on two pens straight out of the bubble wrap I was busy rooting in the spares box. The thing is that both the Jinhao X750 and the Jinhao 189 did function immediately and plenty of ink flow too However, the problem is that the nibs supplied just didn't do it for me at all. They are entirely characterless and I would have had more joy from dipping a six inch nail :-)

 

Don't get me wrong though I really did not expect much at all and I was not disappointed....with the nib that is...oh and the converter ;-) However the X750 in an understated white with chrome trim is a real joy as barrel, cap and section. No really it is! How do they do it for a couple of quid? It is solid and robust and very well balanced indeed. You have probably spotted the obvious problem here...that's all very well but a sleek barrel, a solid section and a handsome cap are not going to get my life story written. Speaking of the cap; it has a very solid closure and when the cat gets used to being sprayed from tongue to tail tip with iroshizuku shin kai each time you uncap the pen it is fine....really ;-)

 

So, what about the offending components, can they be substituted...well yes they can as the spares box has testified. I set to work on the X750 first (because I really do rate this pen - apart from the bits that transport the ink to paper). I removed the nail and I was surprised to find a feed that looks as if really will do the job and given the amount of ink laid down when the nail was fitted it certainly did not need replacing. The X750 takes a 'standard' No.6 nib and a quick ferret around in my nib tin produced an unbranded German nib with iridium tip. This I duly fitted this and I also slung in a Visconti converter for good measure. The top came of the supplied converter when I tried to remove it.

 

I now have a rather smart looking pen that writes rather well and given some previous light work with micro mesh it is smooth too. Okay the nib cost as much as the pen (six quid) but for £12 I know have a pen that stands up to my bargain basement Lamy pens and the Faber-Castell Loom. It is even better at laying ink than my Conklin Duragraph. I like this pen so much that one of the Bock nibs I already have on order will be fitted as soon as it arrives.

 

http://i63.tinypic.com/mkzkv6.jpg

 

http://i66.tinypic.com/30w9s7k.jpg

 

http://i66.tinypic.com/2nbalmv.jpg

 

And what of the Jinhao 189...hmm well I will probably not be seen in public with this pen but after fitting a Faber-Castell medium steel nib and F-C converter it performs very well indeed. The nib is smaller in this pen and the FC, Visconti Van Gogh and TWSBI 580 nibs all fit perfectly.

 

 

http://i66.tinypic.com/dbsaxy.jpg

 

In conclusion; these Chinese pens are not for the nibliophile who wishes a solid investment for their heirs but they are great fun and if you are the the sort of bloke who does not care about the B as a prefix to his MW then you can cash in on this fun.

 

I do not like the nibs but others might and of course replacing the nib is easy. I can guarantee that when you do this on a pen like the X750 it will quickly become and everyday pen. You cannot compare these pens with the mainstream 'names' it is pointless to do so but they are quirky and certainly have their own unique place on the shelf.

[magnus919]

Well said, WireFox.

[magnus919]

1. Jinhao X750

2. Baoer 388