Wing Sung 3008

[Nyanzilla]

This is my first review here. So I hope I didn't make too many mistakes ^^".

 

I was looking for a Wing Sung 698 but couldn't find one. Then I stumbled upon the 3008. It is a new model from 2017.

 

Appearence & Design (7.5/10)

 

This fountain pen has some similarities with the TWSBI 580 (overall shape and design) and the Lamy Safari (nib and feed).

It is a clear demonstrator with gold trims and a coloured tube in the piston-filler's mechanics. This tube can have different colours, as black, pink, green and blue. Maybe there will be some more colours. The barrel is not round, it has (if I counted right) 16 facets.

The cap is a screw-on type. It can be posted, but it will sit at the very end of the pen, making it quite unbalanced. There is no inner cap, like ith the Twsbi. Maybe this could make the nib to dry more quickly but on the other hand it looks much better.

On the cap top there is no logo, just a shiny rounded plate. At the other end of the cap is a broad golden band with two grooves. On one side there are two chinese signs engraved, on the opposite there is the number 3008.

The nib is short. It has the same dimensions and appearance like the nibs on the Lamy Safari. The nib is made of stainless steal without anygold plating. There is a breather hole and a small logo embossed, als well als the letter F for the nib with. The feed is made of clear plastic which looks very good in a demonstrator, unlike many others which have a black or grey feed.

 

Construction & Quality (7/10)

 

The pen looks solid and well made. There is only one thing that's not perfect: the gold trims, especially on the clip, look a bit cheap and not perfect shiny. I doubt that they would last for a long time. But I have no experience with that pen, so maybe in a few months I can say more about its durabilty.

The mechanics is made completely of plastic. That coloured tube which looks like Aluminium is just metalic painted plastic. I have no problem with that. It's working fine, and does not look too cheap. The clip is usable but can be moved to the side a bit. I is not so solid as it's looking.

 

Weight & Dimensions (9/10)

 

The weight is: 24.3 g (with cap) and 13.3 g (without cap)

The lenght is: 140 mm (capped), 130 mm (uncapped), 170 mm (posted)

The diameter is: 14.95 mm (cap band), 12.63 mm (barrel), 9,78-10.85 mm (grip section)

 

The pen is long enough to be comfortably used without posting the cap. The grip section is a good average. It could be a bit thicker for my taste. The pen feels lightweight but not too light and it is well balanced. Capped it is too long and unbalanced.

(for comparison: 1. Lamy 2000, 2. TWSBI Eco, 3. Wing Sung 3008, 4. Lamy Vista, 6. Platinum Preppy)

 

Nib & Performance (9/10)

 

When I looked to the nib and feed, it came to me that I've seen such before. Indeed the nib has the same dimensions as the nibs on some Lamy pens, like the Safari, Vista, Nexx etc. I tried to exchange the nib with one from my Lamy Vista - and it fit perfectly.

So if you're looking for more nib sizes, like a stub nib or even a gold nib, you can easily replace it with a Lamy's.

 

The nib is hard and stiff and does not show any sign of flex at all. Nevertheless it is an angreeable wirter, as it is smooth and well polished. It does not write worse than any of my Lamys.

I got it with an F nib which ist quite truely an F (not so fine like a Japanese fine, and not that broad like some Pelikan fines.)

The ink flow is constant and on the wetter side. I had no problems with skipping or hard starts.

 

Filling System & Maintenance (8/10)

 

This pen is a piston-filler. But it's machanism is a bit different than usual. When you turn the piston knob, it will not screw out but turn in place.

The piston is moving smoothly.

The pen can be disassembled without tools, just by holding the gold ring above the piston knob and unscrewing the barrel.

The gold ring at the end of the grip section can be unscrewed too. The cap top with the clip can be removed with a small Philips screw driver from the inside of the cap.

As the piston knob is rotating free, it cannot be tightened. This feels a bit odd.

 

Cost & Value (10/10)

 

I purchased it in a set of four pens on Amazon for about 16€. So it's 4€ per pen. This is a ridiculous low price for a piston-filler fountain pen and a beautiful demonstrator. A TWSBI eco costs here about 40€, a TWSBI diamond 580 about 70€ and a Pelikan M205 >100€. So I can get 10-17 Wing Suns for the price of a TWISBI!

I got mine without any box and instructions, just in a plastic sleeve. I don't know whether there might be a gift box or retailer's package in China.

 

Conclusion (50/60)

 

It is a nice and well-made fountain pen for a very affordable price. It is the best Chinese pen I have tested so far.

Edited September 21, 2017 by Nyanzilla

[friedrichwild]

Nice review. i am waiting mine from day to day. i ordered it from ebay for 3.8 euro i think. i was hoping that i could exchange the nib with those from lamy because i have a lamy joy with 1.5mm italic but the lamy is too big for to carry around. So i amo going to put the lamy nib on the wing sung! I wish i get one with silver trims and not gold trims but they told me that i cannot choose. they pick the color by random

[NPatil]

.... I wish i get one with silver trims and not gold trims but they told me that i cannot choose. they pick the color by random

It's now available in many other listings, most of which allow you to choose the color. Like this one I bought:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/162675505287

[friedrichwild]

It's now available in many other listings, most of which allow you to choose the color. Like this one I bought:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/162675505287

thanks! i wish i had seen that earlier!

[KellyMcJ]

I got four of these from ebay too. I'm madly in love with the nib, it puts many of my others to shame!

 

Does the piston cap on yours wiggle back and forth when fully retracted? That's my only complaint about mine, but I can't decide if it's a problem or how it's supposed to be. Attempts to adjust the piston have failed.

[Nyanzilla]

Yes, the piston knob is a bit loose. I think this is typical for that kind of mechanics.

With a common piston mechanism you're screwing the knob against the barrel, so it will be blocked. Here the knob is just turning in place so it has nothing to be pressed against.

[Mech-for-i]

Got to check this one out, look like a good platform to seat my Lamy B nib

[bobje]

Detailed and complete review of a new pen, and thank you. For less than $4, the quality of this piston filler is remarkable.

[KellyMcJ]

Yes, the piston knob is a bit loose. I think this is typical for that kind of mechanics.

With a common piston mechanism you're screwing the knob against the barrel, so it will be blocked. Here the knob is just turning in place so it has nothing to be pressed against.

 

That's what I'm starting to suspect. It doesn't seem to be that easy to turn accidentally, although it seems like it would be. I find it unnerving, but I'm undecided whether or not it's "safe". I guess time will tell. I'm interested to see what others experiences are here.

[Nyanzilla]

When posting the cap, you can turn the knob by twisting the cap. So you have to be careful by pulling off the cap straightly and not turning it.

[KellyMcJ]

When posting the cap, you can turn the knob by twisting the cap. So you have to be careful by pulling off the cap straightly and not turning it.

I noticed that too, but it's not a concern of mine because I only post a very few of my pens.

[maximme]

my quick comparision wingsung 3008 vs TWSBI diamond.
.

[IndigoBOB]

It's now available in many other listings, most of which allow you to choose the color. Like this one I bought:

 

http://www.ebay.com/itm/162675505287

 

Thank you. I just picked one up from this seller.

 

I really like the fact that you can swap in a Lamy nib. It seems like a surprisingly good value.

[IndigoBOB]

How would you guys compare this to the Wing sung 698?

 

Does it feel as sturdy as the TWSBI 580?

[Ted A]

I like the click lock closing of the 698 better than the 3008's free turning piston. Neither are as solidly snugged against the barrel as is a Pelikan, for example.

 

I have the TWSBI 540. I don’t feel much difference in sturdiness between these three pens. Of course, it will take some time to see if there are similar cracking issues to what the TWSBI pens have had, as well as the general longevity of the Wing Sung pens.

 

I would prefer it if the piston knobs felt more solid, but I am getting used to it and am bothered less now than a month ago. I am generally not too anxious about my pens so others with a higher anxiety level might have more problem.

[Seele]

I like the click lock closing of the 698 better than the 3008's free turning piston. Neither are as solidly snugged against the barrel as is a Pelikan, for example.

 

I have the TWSBI 540. I don’t feel much difference in sturdiness between these three pens. Of course, it will take some time to see if there are similar cracking issues to what the TWSBI pens have had, as well as the general longevity of the Wing Sung pens.

 

I would prefer it if the piston knobs felt more solid, but I am getting used to it and am bothered less now than a month ago. I am generally not too anxious about my pens so others with a higher anxiety level might have more problem.

 

Ted A,

 

The 3008 - along with some other Wing Sung models - is built by a separate firm called Wing Sung Educational who also owns the Wing Sung brand and trademark, FYI.

 

I have encountered two variants of the pen, one without a "click lock" when the piston is screwed home which I call Rev 1, and one that has which I call Rev 2. The difference is in the piston shaft: Rev 2 has a slight modification where a tiny bump is moulded on each flat, close to the piston itself, and this gives the click which you have to turn the piston knob consciously to overcome.

 

As the Lanbitou 3059 shares the same piston drive mechanism, it also has the equivalent revisions, but Lanbitou phased out their Rev 1 3059 very quickly so it is rarely seen. But WSE seems to have them all mixed up so if you get a bunch of ostensibly identical 3008 pens, you might find a mixture of these two revisions.

 

Also, the 3059 and 3008 also share the same feed, so it's most likely that these are bought-in proprietary components; Lanbitou's 757 also employs this same feed and WSE's 6359 is quite likely to do so too.

Edited October 19, 2017 by Seele

[IndigoBOB]

Well I just ordered a 4 pack from amazon. I'll let you know the ratio of Rev 1's to Rev 2's.

 

Thank you for the information : )

[AmandaW]

A green one with a fine nib arrived a couple of days ago. I inked it with Diamine Graphite and have been using it on a few different types of paper - I'm very happy with it. It writes well, but I agree the slight wiggle on the piston nob is a bit unnerving, though I expect I'll get over it.

 

I've now ordered a purple one with an EF nib which was listed as 2018 Wing Sung 3008 - hopefully it will be the one Seele mentioned that does have the click lock.

[Nyanzilla]

Even the screw-to-click types have a slight wiggle at the piston knob. So don't expect too much.

If you don't post the cap (or post it very carefully without turning) it is very unlikely to accidentally turn the knob and spill the ink.

[Ted A]

The wobble would reduce the risk of ink spills since there is movement in the knob but not in the piston.