Wing Sung 6359 - Purchase Advice?

[finewriting]

Hi

 

I'm laid up for a bit. My medical team has instructed me to take it easy and take pleasure in small things during my convalescence.

I'm taking that to mean purchasing inexpensive fountain pens will speed my recovery. In my interpretation, it's pretty much what the doctor has ordered.

 

Here's where I need a bit of help. I'm interested in a Wing Sung 6359 (or possibly more than one ... all things in moderation, of course). But I strongly prefer those with the black clip over those with the chrome clip.

 

Problem is ... listings on eBay aren't clear on the matter. Many sellers are using images of pens with chrome clips and black clips in the same listing.

 

I have reached out to one seller but he does not appear to understand the distinction (so far). And I would like to place an order soon, so a pen (or two) has a chance of arriving before I am up and about again.

 

At current eBay prices ... it's not much of a gamble. But I already have some Lamy Al-Stars with shiny chrome clips. I would like to try a Wing Sung 6359 (or two) with a black clip.

 

Are the ones with black clips new stock? Anyone had any luck buying the precise model I'm after?

 

Any advice appreciated.

 

 

 

[garyc]

It may be slightly random and/or luck of the draw. I bought 3 from seller king-200988, one pink, one coffee, one silver. They came today - the silver had a silver clip, the other 2 had black. In the listing pictures, a composite showing all the colours features black clips, but the individual pictures show silver. This is probably what you have seen - I think they all probably recycle the same pictures. That seller offered 6% off on the second item, so maybe just to buy a couple or more to increase your chances of getting the colour you want.

 

The nibs are very fine and very smooth by the way, quite pleased with mine.

[finewriting]

Thanks for sharing your experience.

 

Here is what I tried.

 

I found two different sellers on eBay who assured me their pens had black clips (despite the pictures in the listings, which showed both possibilities). Neither seller was king-200988, as it turns out.

 

I bought three pens.. and am waiting to see what shows up in my mailbox.

 

Perhaps I should have bought a coffee coloured pen too ... hmmmm.

[IndigoBOB]

I had bad luck buying these pens on ebay. 1 worked well, but came heavily dented and 2 others seemed like knock offs with terrible nibs, strangely bent bodies and appeared different from the first one.

 

I think if you get something that works well then that's a good start.

[garyc]

Another slightly curious thing I noticed is that the silver one I have has flats on both sides of the barrel with WINGSUNG feintly inscribed on the side that faces you as you write. The other 2 have no WINSUNG inscribed and are rounded on the side opposite to the one that faces you when writing. Lamy Safari and a Jinhao 599 are flat on both sides.

 

Other differences are the silver has a transarent feed and the ink viewing windows are more crudely punched out with sharp edges, rather than holes sitting within an enlarged depression like on the other two (black-clipped) models. Those also have two indent lines running round the circumference of the cap just below where the clip enters. I think I prefer them just for those aethetic touches.

[finewriting]

Now I'm really curious to see what I am going to get.

I ordered one red, one silver and one gray ... two different sellers.

I'm beginning to wonder whether I should have paid so little ...

I will post results when pens arrive.

Edited December 6, 2017 by finewriting

[IndigoBOB]

Another slightly curious thing I noticed is that the silver one I have has flats on both sides of the barrel with WINGSUNG feintly inscribed on the side that faces you as you write. The other 2 have no WINSUNG inscribed and are rounded on the side opposite to the one that faces you when writing. Lamy Safari and a Jinhao 599 are flat on both sides.

 

Other differences are the silver has a transarent feed and the ink viewing windows are more crudely punched out with sharp edges, rather than holes sitting within an enlarged depression like on the other two (black-clipped) models. Those also have two indent lines running round the circumference of the cap just below where the clip enters. I think I prefer them just for those aethetic touches.

 

 

I have observed the same thing. The versions I received that DIDN'T have the Wing Sung inscribed +straight on only one side were terrible quality. Ebay is a bit of a gamble with these chinese pens.

[finewriting]

Two pens have arrived (a single order).They have those black clips I wanted. But there is nothing on them that would identify them as Wing Sung pens. No logos. No brand name.

The build quality seems okay. The metal isn't thick but the pens don't feel cheap in the hand.

One writes quite well. The other is like a nail scratching glass. But I'm sure I can improve it.

 

UPDATE. BOTH PENS WRITE WELL NOW. A LITTLE TUNING WAS REQUIRED.

 

Awaiting the third, from the other seller. I am very curious to see whether it is different.

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

Edited December 20, 2017 by finewriting

[finewriting]

I have all three pens now.

The niibs (EF) are pretty good. One is almost buttery.

The finishes are pretty good too. No Wing Sung logo or branding anywhere, however.

The windows to check the ink aren't perfect. On all three pens, the stamping is deeper and more defined on one side.

But it's consistent and tolerable.

I was prepared to buy a Lamy nib for at least one of them. I don't see the need.

They are reliable writers so far.

Oh ... and they all have the black clips I wanted.

Not bad for two bucks Canadian.

And more importantly ... I won't wince quite as much when they pick up dings and scratches.

[finewriting]

And then there were four. Grey, silver, red and matte black.

Nice pens. Not as solid feeling in the construction as the ... er... "similar" Lamy Al-Star. But nice for the price.

I don't find the nibs quite as smooth as a Lamy. In the end, I did swap a Lamy nib onto the one with the "worst" nib (they were all EF) and I prefer the Lamy F.

But no complaints.

[IndigoBOB]

I much prefer the Lamy's as well. IMO they have a superior tactile feel to them and I prefer the sound over the squeaky nibs I get from Wing Sung.

 

The Lamy EF that came with my Al Star is unbeatable.

 

My Black Lamy Fine in my Vista with Sailor Kiwa Guro is an EDC that is superb.

 

The chinese pens are fun to try out, but the only ones I ended up keeping in my rotation were Jinhao's swapped with Jowo nibs or Knox nibs.

[finewriting]

I much prefer the Lamy's as well. IMO they have a superior tactile feel to them and I prefer the sound over the squeaky nibs I get from Wing Sung.

 

The Lamy EF that came with my Al Star is unbeatable.

 

My Black Lamy Fine in my Vista with Sailor Kiwa Guro is an EDC that is superb.

 

The chinese pens are fun to try out, but the only ones I ended up keeping in my rotation were Jinhao's swapped with Jowo nibs or Knox nibs.

No argument. It's just that my the dings, nicks and scratches hurt so much more in my Lamy Al-Star .... which is .. oh .. 30 times the cost ...

[IndigoBOB]

1 great working $30 pen beats 30 mediocre $1 pens. The Al Star's, Safari's, Vista can take a beating.

 

If you're Al-Star is getting Dinged up something good, maybe a pen case might help. Franklin-Christoph makes great ones and the saddleboot 2-pen versions from their Stockroom have been a lifesaver in preserving my pens.

 

But if your Al Star is getting beat up on the job or something, that sucks, especially if it's quite noticeable and you're trying to present yourself more professionally... I can see how a dinged up pen in such a context might juxtapose that approach.

 

In the rougher contexts I use my Safari's and Vista. My Al Star Doesn't have any dings in it yet, but I know the ABS plastic in the Vista and Safari's is just about unbeatable in durability in that regard.

 

I do prefer the Safari and Vista, but I like the added... class, i guess would be the word, of the Al Star: has a little more heft, a little more style in color, and a slight more seriousness in presentation. the Al Star offers a nicely different feel from the Safari/Vista while keeping the ol' reliable section.

 

I got excited about the chinese pens with all the enthusiasm that accompanied the newness of them, and it is warranted with how well they work compared to some other models that are more expensive, and more particularly for the price, as well as compared to how previous chinese pens worked OOTB, but for me... I still think pens like the Metropolitan, and especially the Eco, and much more especially the Safari, are superior pens and once I had those I couldn't go backwards in preference and standards while I had those before said pens functioning to my liking.

[finewriting]

I appreciate the advice about pen cases. I will look into that.

And you are right about the professional look of an un-dinged Al-Star.

 

My solution includes accumulating pens for all seasons ... and all reasons.

 

I have a pair of Al-Stars (one unscratched)...a trusty charcoal Safari ... the four Wing Sungs ... some Jinaho 992s ... a few others ... and a Parker Sonnet that doesn't leave the house.

 

The Al-Stars don't go the hardware store on Saturdays.

 

The transparent Jinhao 992s don't get pulled out on formal occasions.

 

But I also have to admit it is just fun to try to out new pens ....

[steve50]

I ordered this pen when it first came out last year and it came with a Wing Sung logo on the barrel. Unfortunately it didn't work very well. The nib was well-aligned and smooth but there was something wrong with the feed and i had to keep pushing more ink in using converter. Threw away the pen except the cap, nib and converter just in case...

 

I ordered two yesterday from different sellers and noticed that now they come out in various colours and also they don't seem to have the Wing Sung logo any more. Wonder if they will work this time/there is change in quality.

 

Yeh probably it's wiser to just get Al-Star if it's your first time buying a fountain pen (in fact Al-Star was my first fountain pen). Or get 30 wing sungs?

[finewriting]

After playing with Wing Sung 6359s for a bit ... I have reached a new conclusion.

 

Most of the EF nibs are far too scratchy for my taste. Some of the pens I bought were hard starters, especially when loaded with inks of the interesting kind.

 

Nice looking. But not (for me) nice writing ... with three of the four pens I bought.

 

But ... when you swap in a Lamy F nib ... everything changes.

 

You get a smooth starting, smooth writing, presentable pen.

 

I say presentable because I pulled the nib off my dinged-up, worn out Lamy Al-Star and put it on a Wing Sung (I also bought a new Lamy F nib, as mentioned earlier).

 

This worked for me.

 

Now I have pens I like to look at and write with. And I don't worry about them.

 

Because if (when) I ding up a Wing Sung ... I can always get another for pocket change ... while keeping the Lamy nib.

 

Your mileage may vary, of course. But I liked recycling my old Lamy nib ... and like what that did for a new Wing Sung.

[bob_hayden]

Most of the pens advertised on eBay as 6359s are not. More details in another 6359 thread here:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/325645-wing-sung-6359/page-3