Baoer 801. Better Than A Parker Vector.

[Lloyd_G]

Hi guys, I'm new here! Just joined the forum to say that the Baoer 801 is not a Vector clone - it in fact a clone of the Parker 88/Rialto.

 

I do agree with the review, the 801 MK1 is a fantastic pen, but please ignore the hooded nib version (MkII).

 

Cheers

[bob_hayden]

But isn't the Rialto a Vector clone;-)

[inkstainedruth]

But isn't the Rialto a Vector clone;-)

 

Apparently "Rialto" is a rename for the 88/Vendome model, which WAS a Vector sort-of clone.... At least according to the article on all three at parkercollector.com, anyway.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Lloyd_G]

Well no, since the Vector and Rialto were on sale at the same time. The Baoer 801 is much closer to the Rialto than the Vector, just go take a look!

 

A Vector clone would be the original (round bodied) Jinhao 611, the nib unit is hooded, but will accept a standard Vector nib unit, the cap clicking into place perfectly

[bob_hayden]

Well I am no expert on pen history, but I think the Vector dates from 1986, the 88 from '87 (officially, '88) and the Rialto from 2004. I have no idea when the 801 was introduced. So the shape of all the pens comes from the original Vector while making that shape in metal dates from the 88. I don't think there is anything original about the Rialto which was mostly a new name for the 88. But it is true that today the 801 is more like the metal Parkers than the plastic Vector, at east in that regard.

[sodul]

Maybe the 8 in 801 is not random. I've never used a Parker 88, I'm only, somewhat, familiar with the Vector which I dislike. I do like the Baoer 801.

 

Has someone managed to get the nib out of a 801? I was able to pull the nib and feed with much effort and some gripping material. Nice how the feed is very similar to the Jinhao feeds with the double ink channels on both sides of the air channel. Yes, all the plating is gone, it just rubbed off with the old ink.

 

 

I have a small vintage Arnold with a rusted nib (top nib on picture) and the Baoer 801 nib is a good fit. I'll use that modern nib in the vintage pen for now, at least until I get my hands on small vintage nibs.

Edited December 22, 2017 by sodul

[Honeybadgers]

Look into the 801 with the "midnight gold" trim. it's so, SO cool looking, it looks like star dust images taken from the hubble telescope.

Edited December 22, 2017 by Honeybadgers

[bob_hayden]

I have seen one finish called "Shimmering Samds" as well as a (different?) finish called "Aurora Borealis". Is "Midnight Gold" one of these, or something else? I am not seeing it on eBay.

[Lloyd_G]

Yes, the midnight gold finish is the same as "Aurora Borealis".

 

Mods, please remove link if not allowed.

 

http://justwrite.com.au/baoer-801-rollerball-pen-midnight-gold-with-gold-trim

[richardandtracy]

I think of the 801 & Vector as comparable mostly due to similarity in price and the fact that on both the section is metal. The Rialto has a plastic section.

Not sure the 801 is better than a Rialto, as my Rialto is, erm, dead after spending 6 weeks in the washing machine door seal rubber.

 

I will get the pictures back, eventually. Photobucket is not on my Christmas card list...

 

Regards

 

Richard.

[sodul]

Does anyone know how to source Baoer 801 nibs? I was expecting to have them somewhat available since Jinhao #6 and #5 nibs are available for a very reasonable price. I've restored a vintage Arnold pen with a vintage #2 nib and found that the 801 nib fits very well and it turned a ruined pen into a lovely little writer. I have an other vintage pen that was fitted with a Waterman #2 nib (unfortunately in a very bad shape) and rather than using brand new 801s I would rather get nibs of that size. It's also very difficult to pull the nib out of the 801.

 

I know purists will yell at me for the sacrilege of putting a modern chinese nib into a vintage american pen, but a pen with a working nib is better than a non working pen, at least to me. This is a reversible process, so if I do find a good source of vintage (pre-1940s) nibs I will do a proper restoration.

[richardandtracy]

I have never seen separate B801 nibs, so I'm sorry, I can't suggest a source. Possible it may be worth putting the question up in the Chinese Pens forum, and maybe one of the Taobao user's may be able to point you in a good direction.

 

Regards,

 

Richard.

[oneill]

I have seen one finish called "Shimmering Samds" as well as a (different?) finish called "Aurora Borealis". Is "Midnight Gold" one of these, or something else? I am not seeing it on eBay.

Hi There, please note that Shimmering Samds is supposed to be Shimmering Sands,I know because I named it.Trust Me, Oneill

[sodul]

Thanks Richard, I'll give it a try.

 

Here are two of my vintage pens with Baoer 801 nibs in them.

 

 

The nibs fits surprisingly well and I've used the yellow Arnold as my main pocket pen for a few weeks without any issues. It wrote first time every time. I fixed the green flat top yesterday, and seems to write well even with a primitive feed design (no ribs, single large ink/air channel).

 

 

[oneill]

Maybe the 8 in 801 is not random. I've never used a Parker 88, I'm only, somewhat, familiar with the Vector which I dislike. I do like the Baoer 801.

 

Has someone managed to get the nib out of a 801? I was able to pull the nib and feed with much effort and some gripping material. Nice how the feed is very similar to the Jinhao feeds with the double ink channels on both sides of the air channel. Yes, all the plating is gone, it just rubbed off with the old ink.

 

 

I have a small vintage Arnold with a rusted nib (top nib on picture) and the Baoer 801 nib is a good fit. I'll use that modern nib in the vintage pen for now, at least until I get my hands on small vintage nibs.

If you like the Baoer then you will probably like a Jinhao because it is made by the same company, both are very affordable and well made Trust Me, Oneill

[sodul]

If you like the Baoer then you will probably like a Jinhao because it is made by the same company, both are very affordable and well made Trust Me, Oneill

Oh you do not have to convince me. I like Jinhao pens very much and use them every day. I have a black 159 on rotation at work and I was using a 911 for a few weeks before that. I have lots of Jinhao spare nibs, they are easy to get on eBay and that's why I'm hoping the Baoer nibs are also relatively easy to source.

 

This is a picture of some of my Jinhaos:

 

I'm contemplating getting the rose gold version, that's the only one color missing AFAIK. I avoid the gold trims since they tend to not age as well as chrome trims.

[oneill]

Oh you do not have to convince me. I like Jinhao pens very much and use them every day. I have a black 159 on rotation at work and I was using a 911 for a few weeks before that. I have lots of Jinhao spare nibs, they are easy to get on eBay and that's why I'm hoping the Baoer nibs are also relatively easy to source.

 

This is a picture of some of my Jinhaos:

 

I'm contemplating getting the rose gold version, that's the only one color missing AFAIK. I avoid the gold trims since they tend to not age as well as chrome trims.

I love all of the Jinhao's and all of the Baoer's which are made by the same company.My personal

Favourite is the Abalone or The Mother of Pearl as it is sometimes called, I had the pleasure of Naming that pen and I have 3 of them in my collection which really makes the collection. Did you know that you can buy a Flex nib from Goulet pens which will turn one Jinhao into a Flex writer, I think it is the 450 and 750. Trust Me. Oneill

[Melilla]

I have a slightly larger sample. I must have bought maybe a dozen or more Vectors over a span of many years. Nibs tended to be rough and variable out of the box, and fine did not seem much different from medium. They did smooth out in time and write reasonably well. I thought the ones made in England were better than the earlier pens I had that were made in the US of A, while the ones from India were the most erratic. The plastic is pretty soft and I too have had barrels split out. You could get them in calligraphy sets and the narrowest calligraphy nib could be used as a broad.

 

For inexpensive Parkers I much prefer the Frontiers or even the Betas. I own maybe ten of each and all have been just fine.

 

I bought a red 801 some years ago to use with red ink for marking up manuscripts. I really liked it and ended up with about 15 or so, I think in every color they had. Every one was perfect right out of the box and none have ever given me any real trouble. I do find that if I have some ink that does not flow very well the problem is most pronounced in the 801s, but it takes a very unusual ink to precipitate that. There is a much greater variety of colors in ink cartridges for the Baoer, including lots more exciting than those in the Parker line, or really cheap ones if you want that.

 

I would consider these Baoers to be much better pens than the Vectors, with much better quality control. I can't speak to other Baoer models, but find Chinese pens in general to be quite variable in quality. But not these.

 

Ultimately, though, I don't see them as competitors because there is no overlap in the nib widths offered. I much prefer fine or extra fine nibs so the Baoer is a good fit for me while the Vectors are not.

 

PS

 

Current US of A prices for the 801 from China are $1.89, including postage, and up.

 

Note there is another pen sold as a Baoer 801 which has a different nib (at least) and the reviews I've seen were poor. The second photo in this thread looks good enough to identify the one I like. The one I don't like has a hooded nib with the hood in chrome.

[Melilla]

Hi Bob! Im new in fountainpennetwork.com, so sorry if I broke protocol or enter in your chat just like this... I got a couple of 801, and I agreed with everything , great (and cheap!) fountain pen, but.... How do you manage to take off the nib and feeder to clean it? Its not pressure fit, and trying to unscrew it doesnt work either...maybe pushing from inside the section? Please help me. How you did it?

Thanks!!

[bob_hayden]

It was sodul, not I, who pulled nibs out of these.