Jinhao 51A, Another New ( Or Is It Renewed ) C/c Filling Hooded Nib

[Mongoosey]

I was wondering if anyone had an idea about this:

 

Firstly, I don't know yet because my pens wont arrive for a week or few, but the Jinhao 51a Fines (0.5 unhooded) appear to use the same nibs as the jinhao 992's. I can't verify that though, but it appears they may. If anyone can verify that it does or doesn't that I'd be grateful. I can't tell if they are the same nib as the 992 or the Jinhao 599.

 

Secondly, if it does, does anyone know know if a Jowo can fit the 992? I'm pretty sure a #5 Jowo can fit the 599, but I don't know for certain, and if anyone knows please share : )

 

Any feedback would be helpful. Thank you.

[JollyCynic]

I was wondering if anyone had an idea about this:

 

Firstly, I don't know yet because my pens wont arrive for a week or few, but the Jinhao 51a Fines (0.5 unhooded) appear to use the same nibs as the jinhao 992's. I can't verify that though, but it appears they may. If anyone can verify that it does or doesn't that I'd be grateful. I can't tell if they are the same nib as the 992 or the Jinhao 599.

 

Secondly, if it does, does anyone know know if a Jowo can fit the 992? I'm pretty sure a #5 Jowo can fit the 599, but I don't know for certain, and if anyone knows please share : )

 

Any feedback would be helpful. Thank you.

 

The answer is yes to all of the above. The unhooded version of the Jinhao 51a is a size 5 nib, and the exact same one used by 992s, 599s, et al. You can swap Jowo nibs into those Jinhao pens, or you can fit the Jinhao size 5 nibs (whether they be the normal fine ones or the calligraphy stubs) into standard size 5 pens.

 

There are a lot of people saying that you can't put the section from a normal 51a onto one of the (apparently) Caliart acrylic gradient barrels. I can, but it's an extremely tight fit. It's also the only way to eye-dropper the acrylic-barrelled ones. I don't have one of the wooden barrels, so I can't personally test that swap.

 

Just wanted to edit this to chime in that I agree with the consensus that it's a nice pen. It's my first hooded pen, and though it's broader than I expected, it's an extremely reliable and consistent pen. I've been grabbing a bunch of them as there's a shop that's got them for $0.85 right now, but I think there'll be some even cheaper on 11/11. Along with cheap Fine and stub Jinhao nibs, the unhooded ones are awesome for tinkering.

Edited October 30, 2018 by JollyCynic

[Mongoosey]

 

The answer is yes to all of the above. The unhooded version of the Jinhao 51a is a size 5 nib, and the exact same one used by 992s, 599s, et al. You can swap Jowo nibs into those Jinhao pens, or you can fit the Jinhao size 5 nibs (whether they be the normal fine ones or the calligraphy stubs) into standard size 5 pens.

 

There are a lot of people saying that you can't put the section from a normal 51a onto one of the (apparently) Caliart acrylic gradient barrels. I can, but it's an extremely tight fit. It's also the only way to eye-dropper the acrylic-barrelled ones. I don't have one of the wooden barrels, so I can't personally test that swap.

 

Just wanted to edit this to chime in that I agree with the consensus that it's a nice pen. It's my first hooded pen, and though it's broader than I expected, it's an extremely reliable and consistent pen. I've been grabbing a bunch of them as there's a shop that's got them for $0.85 right now, but I think there'll be some even cheaper on 11/11. Along with cheap Fine and stub Jinhao nibs, the unhooded ones are awesome for tinkering.

 

Thank you for the feedback. I picked up a couple of the acrylic unhooded 0.5 versions because they have the metal section to add some weight and balance and it's a plus to hear about a good tinkering capacity.

 

I'm always open to a good chinese pen that can take some kind of Jowo. I'll verify this when they arrive with photos if it hasn't already been done by then. I do recall somewhere someone mentioning that the 992 had trouble fitting a #5 Jowo, but could fit an TWSBI Eco Jowo nib... so we'll see and I'll verify this.

 

I was excited about the jinhao 992 because it had a great nib on it, but that pen proved to be too small, so it's nice to see jinhao make a solid p51 knock off. I like those dimensions and have no shame in purchasing it since Parker doesn't even make the p51 anymore.

[Holon]

 

Firstly, I don't know yet because my pens wont arrive for a week or few, but the Jinhao 51a Fines (0.5 unhooded) appear to use the same nibs as the jinhao 992's. I can't verify that though, but it appears they may. If anyone can verify that it does or doesn't that I'd be grateful.

Yes, they are the same, I swapped them and they are 100% the same.

[truthpil]

Yes, they are the same, I swapped them and they are 100% the same.

That means those generic Chinese stub nibs will fit as well. You'll have options from 1.1 to 2.9mm!

Edited October 31, 2018 by TruthPil

[Holon]

 

You can swap Jowo nibs into those Jinhao pens, or you can fit the Jinhao size 5 nibs (whether they be the normal fine ones or the calligraphy stubs) into standard size 5 pens.

 

 

In my experience this doesn't work with most pens. The 992 nibs are a bit thicker then other #5. You can put other #5 nibs in the 992 and 51A, it's not as tight as the original nibs, but usable. The other way around was always impossible with the pens I tried (except the 991 and 51A). The 992 nibs are to thick to fit in my other pens.

I have a custom ground cursive italic 992 nib and was searching for a nicer pen for it and bought a Jinhao 601. The nibs look identically, but unfortunately they are not. The 992 nib didn't fit into the 601, the other way around was no problem. But now I am happy with the 51A as a holder for the custom nib.

[JollyCynic]

 

In my experience this doesn't work with most pens. The 992 nibs are a bit thicker then other #5. You can put other #5 nibs in the 992 and 51A, it's not as tight as the original nibs, but usable. The other way around was always impossible with the pens I tried (except the 991 and 51A). The 992 nibs are to thick to fit in my other pens.

I have a custom ground cursive italic 992 nib and was searching for a nicer pen for it and bought a Jinhao 601. The nibs look identically, but unfortunately they are not. The 992 nib didn't fit into the 601, the other way around was no problem. But now I am happy with the 51A as a holder for the custom nib.

 

This is the only example I've got at work with me right now, but that's one of the size 5 Jinhao 0.7 mm factory stubs in a Schmidt unit. I'm pretty sure I've got a Bock at home I can swap back and forth with a Jinhao, too, but don't have any photos. Maybe the Jowo units you use have a much higher quality tolerance than what I'm used to, as I don't have any pens that came with a size 5 Jowo nib to test. I apologise if I've misled anyone.

 

Edited October 31, 2018 by JollyCynic

[truthpil]

 

In my experience this doesn't work with most pens. The 992 nibs are a bit thicker then other #5. You can put other #5 nibs in the 992 and 51A, it's not as tight as the original nibs, but usable. The other way around was always impossible with the pens I tried (except the 991 and 51A). The 992 nibs are to thick to fit in my other pens.

 

 

This has been my experience as well. JoWo nibs are thinner than stock 992 nibs so sometimes the fit loosely but are still functional, other times they just keep falling out of the pen (especially if you've done several nib swaps with the pen so the feed is looser in the assembly). I have not been able to put my 992 nibs in any other pen because they are too thick.

[Mongoosey]

Don't the 992's fit a TWSBI Eco nib?

[truthpil]

Don't the 992's fit a TWSBI Eco nib?

My Eco nib fit for a while but eventually the fit got too loose.

[truthpil]

Don't the 992's fit a TWSBI Eco nib?

My Eco nib fit for a while but eventually the fit got too loose.

[Mongoosey]

Well I might give that Eco nib a try, anyways.

 

But I honestly didn't purchase the 51a's looking to tweak them. I think those 992 nibs on them can be solid especially with a wet/lubricated ink.

 

I did purchase the 599's, though, to put a #5 in. I don't think the Lamy grip is necessarily the most comfortable, but it's not bad for tripod grippers like me, but I do find it is quite secure and conducive for longer writing sessions.

 

I would have just stuck with my Lamy Safari's but I can't stand their dry flow and I much prefer a Jowo nib over the lamy nibs, and their's the potential option of a Bock or, if that is too loose, a Knox nib.

 

EDIT: I also read someone had success with a Bock Titanium nib on the 992... so Hmmm... I've been looking for a good excuse to try out a Bock Titanium nib.

Edited November 1, 2018 by Mongoosey

[truthpil]

Yeah, the 992 nibs can often be amazing writers, not just "for the price" but downright amazingly smooth and wet.

 

The Knox #5 nibs I have are thicker than JoWos so they should work well in a 992 or 51a. I'm not going to risk trying it though on my remaining 992 because I wore out my first one swapping nibs too much.

[Mongoosey]

Yeah, the 992 nibs can often be amazing writers, not just "for the price" but downright amazingly smooth and wet.

 

The Knox #5 nibs I have are thicker than JoWos so they should work well in a 992 or 51a. I'm not going to risk trying it though on my remaining 992 because I wore out my first one swapping nibs too much.

 

Yes, I'm enthusiastic due to my similar experience with the nibs and their continued reputation from FPN, and also other reviews.

 

EDIT: I felt the jinhao 992 had a lot of potential: solid nib, innercap, and functioned very well. I read stories of people using that pen over $100+ pens because it worked better in more extreme weather.

 

But 2 factors ultimately kept me from embracing the 992:

1. The cracking/cheapness
2. The smaller size

But those two factors may have been addressed in the 51a it seems with wooden and acrylic versions at least, though time will tell.

 

Out of all the chinese pens I've owned, the Parker 51 shape and the 992 nib have been stand out favorites of mine. I've had some enjoyment with Wing Sung's, PenBBS's, and other's, but I've never kept them in my rotation. There was always some drawback that kept me from tossing them.

 

698's weren't comfortable, I didn't like the feel of the nibs on the 618 (which fell apart), and the 3008, which in the end just felt cheap as heck. PenBBS was a close second, but I don't like their nibs and had too many problems fitting a Jowo into them well (and other small little quirks).

 

So I'm quite enthusiastic to see many positive factors come together in this pen. I'm not saying it's going to be spectacular, though that would be nice, but to be able to get a solid working pen that fits my preferences seems more highly probable with the 51a than other choices out there.

Edited November 1, 2018 by Mongoosey

[Mongoosey]

OK.... so.... I've had a chance at some first impressions with the 51a's, hooded and nonhooded (NOT RECOMMENDED):

 

1. The Hooded EF is a true EF is you ask me. The flow is OK. Not great, but not awful. I have HOD in mine and it writes smoothly. I find that it can have a sweet spot when starting, but once the ink flows it's good to go. But these may have variations to them and this ink may vary from others.

• Overall: Good for the money, but not good enough to replace better inexpensive pens I have, and not worth it IMO. It doesn't quite cut it for me and I much prefer the QC and functionality of Pilot's or even Wing Sung pens but honestly, these make me not want to buy more chinese pens.
• Also, you can't replace the nibs for something better so their highly limited to their functionality which is substandard IMO.
• They are EF nibs so if you don't like EF's then they aren't for you. They are smooth for an EF, so if you have some good ink I think they are pretty OK, but this size is limiting IMO, and if you can afford it I'd really suggest a better company to purchase from.

2. NonHooded F: These have been very disappointing. I must have had a good experience with a good 992 back in the day, but these nibs have been terrible. Now, I've flushed these pens with filtered water, then soap water, then filtered water, and they do have hard starts. They are very angle dependent like a stub, but along the x and y axes. they have a blunt flattened nib grinding that I think causes this, and/or it could be poor fit, or simply substandard design.

• I think that if you can find a decent nib replacement the NonHooded Fine 51a's are potentially great pens, but like other chinese pens I've tried, you won't get me to like these if you can't replace them with a non-chinese nib.
• Overall: cheap pens that are not worth it. It's better to get a single higher quality pen than settle for these. But if you can, like an x750, put a European nib in there, then you have something worthwhile, but on it's own, these are cheap cr@p pens. I'd recommend the Wing Sung 3008 if you're looking for something dependable OOTB. I think Wing Sung does a better job. I think Pilot does a much much better job, and I think that once again Jinhao fails to meet the mark.

CONCLUSION: I RATHER USE A BALLPOINT THAN THIS CHEAP CR@P. NOT HAPPY WITH IT.

Edited November 15, 2018 by Mongoosey

[truthpil]

As far as I'm concerned, Wing Sung hooded pens are good enough and quite versatile as far as nib swapping goes, so there's no reason to look elsewhere for an economically priced one. The only advantages of the 51a are that it can be had with some pretty acrylic barrels and the non-hooded version can have a butter smooth Jinhao 992 nib (if you happen to be lucky).

Edited November 16, 2018 by TruthPil

[truthpil]

(Duplicate post)

Edited November 16, 2018 by TruthPil

[penzel_washinkton]

OK.... so.... I've had a chance at some first impressions with the 51a's, hooded and nonhooded (NOT RECOMMENDED):

 

1. The Hooded EF is a true EF is you ask me. The flow is OK. Not great, but not awful. I have HOD in mine and it writes smoothly. I find that it can have a sweet spot when starting, but once the ink flows it's good to go. But these may have variations to them and this ink may vary from others.

• Overall: Good for the money, but not good enough to replace better inexpensive pens I have, and not worth it IMO. It doesn't quite cut it for me and I much prefer the QC and functionality of Pilot's or even Wing Sung pens but honestly, these make me not want to buy more chinese pens.
• Also, you can't replace the nibs for something better so their highly limited to their functionality which is substandard IMO.
• They are EF nibs so if you don't like EF's then they aren't for you. They are smooth for an EF, so if you have some good ink I think they are pretty OK, but this size is limiting IMO, and if you can afford it I'd really suggest a better company to purchase from.

 

Not going to comment on the non-hooded ones since I have not owned one. But there is some points that I have to disagree with unfortunately.

First of all, this is not a true EF. I would say this is the same as a F in a Faber Castell Loom. A true EF (western EF) would be equivalent to a Japanese F and I can for sure tell you that this does not write as fine as a Pilot Metropolitan F.

 

And also could you elaborate on why it is not worth it? Since you said also that this is a good value and smooth nib for an EF, and if it is about QC problem then you have not detailed the QC problem you encountered with this pen.

I am also interested on what pens you recommend at this price point as a comparison.

 

Thanks, appreciate your review and viewpoints regarding the pen

Edited November 19, 2018 by penzel_washinkton

[bass1193]

I think the hooded ones with metal connectors (wood and acrylic barrels) are underpriced at $2. By far. The plastic-barrelled ones with plastic connectors are honestly overpriced at $2, though, so I suppose it's a wash 😄

[Tefolim]

EF...During different periods the width of EF are different in different editions of the FP standard. Hero 100's ef once reached 0.17mm long ago. SIPF accepted a standard adopted from Pilot's standard from late 1980s to stopping fp's manufacturing.