Jinhao X450 And X750 Won't Write

[magicspeller]

Hi, I hope someone can help me, because I don't know what I'm doing.

 

I caught the fountain pen bug about three years ago and bought several pens -- inexpensive ones to start with. When they developed problems, I tried giving them a thorough cleaning, and I still had problems with them and gave up. My pens have been stored unused ever since.

 

Something recently sparked an interest again and I decided to give it another try. I flushed and cleaned a Pilot Metropolitan, a Lamy Safari, and two Jinhaos: an X450 and X750. The Pilot and Lamy are writing beautifully now, but I can't get either of the Jinhaos to write at all. I put a "new" cartridge in one and a converter in the other one. (The cartridge is three years old; do they dry up if they've been in the box untouched?)

 

I need to be educated, please. What can I do to get them working again? I liked them as well as the more expensive pens way back then, and I would like to be able to use them again.

 

Thanks!

[sebastel23]

From my observation, both the X750 and the X450 suffer from badly sealing caps - that means, they dry out within days. at least mine do.

Usually, it's sufficient to clean them thoroughly, but if you can't pull the feed, this can cost quite some time soaking and rinsing. In the end, i gave up on them.

 

Interesting, though, the Jinhao 159 doesn't share that weak spot (screw cap instead of snap cap). If you like the Jinhao nibs, this might be the way to go. The 159 is a rather tall and heavy pen.

[Beechwood]

A few more symptoms please.

 

If you are filling the pen using a converter, filling the pen through the nib then the ink must be present in the nib and the pen, in 99/100 cases must write.

 

Can you advise what ink you are using, and that the paper you are using has been shown to work with your other pens.

 

Have a close look at the nib, I preseume that the pens havent been dropped or damaged in some other way.

 

With the cartridge pen. Fit the cartridge. Use a Kleenex or other absorbent paper, dampen the paper. Stand the pen nib down onto the paper, leave it for 30 minutes. On return to the pen the Kleenex should show ink stains, now you know that the ink and feed are working. If there is no ink marks then fit the converter and repeat.

[magicspeller]

Thank you both. You're amazing. I've been in a lot of forums and discussion groups for over 25 years, and I don't remember any where a question generated such quick, and so many, responses

 

I'm using black Parker Quink. I initially tested the pens in a check spiral notebook. After seeing your reply, Beachwood, I tried a Black 'n Red, better quality notebook. In both cases, both the Pilot and the Lamy worked, and neither Jintao did.

 

I moistened the nibs and managed to get the X450 writing -- the one with a cartridge. I don't know how long it will work, though. If I continue to have problems, I'll try your Kleenex test (and will do so with the converter).

 

Thanks again.

[Beechwood]

Thank you both. You're amazing. I've been in a lot of forums and discussion groups for over 25 years, and I don't remember any where a question generated such quick, and so many, responses

 

I'm using black Parker Quink. I initially tested the pens in a check spiral notebook. After seeing your reply, Beachwood, I tried a Black 'n Red, better quality notebook. In both cases, both the Pilot and the Lamy worked, and neither Jintao did.

 

I moistened the nibs and managed to get the X450 writing -- the one with a cartridge. I don't know how long it will work, though. If I continue to have problems, I'll try your Kleenex test (and will do so with the converter).

 

Thanks again.

 

 

Good Luck

 

One old fashionned tip on pens with large nibs is to hold the pen in your left hand, wrap a Kleenex around your forefinger and stroke the the nib several times in one direction, away from you, you may find that the action with the tissue is drawing the ink down through the nib.

 

The ink is fine, it shouldn't give any problems.

 

In my experience these pens work well, they should give good service, the only think I would say is that they have big and long feeds which take some filling before the ink reaches the nib, unless you are using a converter of course.