Question

February 20, 2016

Like most of us knows, the Jinhao X750, X450 and 159 are big successes among fountain pens users. As well most of us knows that Chinese pens manufacturers makes copy of popular brands.

So I'm wandering why none of any small independent western manufacturer doesn't makes copy of Jinhao X750 and X450 in acrylic, ebonite or any nicer and better materials? Because if someone decide to start making the barrels and caps, many of the original can be transplanted from original: the clip, finials, cap insert, section. I would like to have a better X750 made from a beautiful material and upgraded JoWo nib.

February 20, 2016

I sort of suspect there is already a western copy of the J159. It's the MB 149.

Don't think anyone could do it at a reasonable price, well, not comparable anyway.

Regards,

Richard.

February 20, 2016

Jinhao X450 , X 750 and 159 as well as Hero 901 are the cheapest e-bay Chinese pens and are sold by larger numbers due to their low pricing. Technically however these are quite up to date modern pens. China manufacturers get lots of government support to produce these pens so cheap, direct as well as indirect support. Small independent manufacturers can not match the price or worse still can not develop a consumer base with the same mass market pen projected at a much higher cost. It is imperative that they stick to catering to the niche market with more sophisticated pens- that way some sell is assured. A copy of the Jinhaos in expensive material and high end nib unit will still look much like the Jinhaos. I as a customer feel that form factor of a pen makes lot of contribution to the buying decision. Well just a thought!

February 20, 2016

Thank you both! Make sense these replies.

February 29, 2016

It would be easy enough to replace the barrel and the cap with something nicer, but you would still have the problem of the inner cap.

The inner cap (the part that clicks on when you cap the pen) is the weak point on these and most other Chinese pens.

They become loose or split down the side eventually.

It's a shame they don't screw on, because these pens actually have great nibs and make nice writers.

You could remake the pen in such a way that the cap screwed onto the barrel, but then you would be moving so far away from the design that you couldn't really call it a Jinhao any more, it would be a custom pen with a Jinhao section.

I'd give it a go myself, but that would mean buying a tap that matched the section thread.

If I'm going to all that trouble, I might as well just make the section too.