What Chinese Pens Are You Using Today? 2020 + 21

[VillersCotterets]

5 hours ago, Mech-for-i said:

The Star Trek arrow is [...]

Thanks a lot.

[readytotalk]

34 minutes ago, Karmachanic said:

Pilot "cap" fits the Moonman, but not the other way around.

Oh! Can it be true? Are the threads different by size?

[AmandaW]

On 12/11/2021 at 12:51 PM, Mech-for-i said:

Hero claim they had improve the nib grind and writing on the 616s

 

I will be looking for one when they become more readily available where I can get one - at the moment there aren't any one ebay (Australian) and only one seller on AliExpress (with not very good store rating). Hopefully there will be more sellers soon. The inlay will be very helpful when trying to line up the nib correctly! I have drawn a little mark on my 616 Plus so I can see what I'm doing.

[readytotalk]

Moonman Ti200, stiff nib, but very well-polished, buttery smooth. The pen seems a bit heavy - 26 grams unposted.

[Karmachanic]

On 12/11/2021 at 4:51 AM, Mech-for-i said:

Hero 616s inked with Hero 232 IG blue black , well when Hero claim they had improve the nib grind and writing on the 616s , they are not lying , now had 3 of these, all write much wetter, smoother Vs the 616plus it based upon which themselves write significantly improved over the old 616

 

 

Please help.  I'm easily confused.  Hero 616s is a new version of the 616, and is not refering to Six-One-Sixes, as in multiples of the 616.  Thank you.

[Mech-for-i]

14 hours ago, Karmachanic said:

 

 

Please help.  I'm easily confused.  Hero 616s is a new version of the 616, and is not refering to Six-One-Sixes, as in multiples of the 616.  Thank you.

 

I just knew it, it got to give trouble some time ... lol

 

Hero made a bunch of 616 , the classic vintage models in small and standard size , they are simply model cataloged as 616 ;

 

Then about a year and a half ago or is it 2 , do not quite recall , Hero revamp the 616 and totally redo the inside mechanism , replacing the old thin rod Feed+ ink Collector + breather tube + fixed aerometric squeeze filler with all new single piece integral Feed ( with integral finned ink buffer ) , a different sized nib ( but you will not know it just by looking at them ) , C/C filling , and a bunch of new Colour with the Black only remain staying ; BUT the pen is styled exactly the same as the old 616 , size, profile, everything and its cataloged as the 616Plus

 

 This year, Hero take the 616plus and further enhanced it with a metal ( Brass ) lacquered Barrel, put inland on the hood, fashion a gold plated clip on the now highly polished cap and give it a same colour ( as the barrel ) plastic Jewel cap finale ( the actual screw finale is metal, only the facing part had molded plastic ), and release them in 4 classic and vintage colour + an all black and these are cataloged as the 616s

 

All three size wise, profile vise are exactly the same ( standard size ) , differs only in the colour options ( styling  vise ) and Hero consider them all of the 616 Family, though they are different pen alright

[Karmachanic]

@Mech-for-i  Thank you for the clarification!

[Helen350]

My new Jinhao 100 Cenntennial arrived last Friday.  Have been inked since its arrival.  Like

the looks of the new brown resin.  Rare for a Chinese pen to have a brown resin.  Jinhao

has changed both the cap band and finial insert.  The finial insert does not have the usual

Jinhao horse and chariot, but a series of grille lines with a banner through them with the letters

JD PON.  The grille lines remind me of the grille of some vintage car.  Was thinking of the vertical

grille work of the 1954 Jaguar XK120 Mecum and the 1963 Buick Riviera Mecum   It represents

a nice change.  The cap band has two rows of the Greek Key Border design.  I really like the looks

of these design changes.  The clip is the arrow clip. Though the nib is a med, it did require just a

bit of smoothing, which none of my other Centennials required.  My camera cannot capture

these changes well (will be getting a new camera very soon), but the brown resin Centennial

is a nice looking pen.  Will work well in a business environment, and will probably attract a

bit of attention.  Have added a picture of the Jaguar XK 120 grille & Greek Key border.

 

 

 

[Gunkanes]

WingSung 699 + Jowo B nib + Sailor Storia Red 50% - Sailor Irori 50%. 

Jinhao 750 + FPrevolution F Flex nib + Diamine Majestic Blue.

[Sailor Kenshin]

The 699 looks really pretty with that red ink!  👍🏻

 

No pics, but using two Jinhao Safari-like pens, one Easter Egg Blue, EF,  and smooth finish with 'Jink,' a blue Jinhao ink, the other, F, emulating in color one of the turquoise LEs, with a mix of Monteverde Horizon Blue and Lamy Turquoise.

[Helen350]

Kaigelu 316A - M. nib.  Ink:  Dryden Designs Sky Blue

[OCArt]

Another very pretty pen, Helen.

33 minutes ago, Helen350 said:

Kaigelu 316A - M. nib.  Ink:  Dryden Designs Sky Blue

 

[AgedAndFine]

 

 

[Ted A]

Are the Kaigelus now coming with a resin/plastic finial  instead of the lead or whatever that super heavy material used to be?

[Helen350]

On 12/31/2021 at 7:40 PM, OCArt said:

Another very pretty pen, Helen.

 

 Thank you so much OCArt!  It is also a very nice writer.  Gone through two ink fillings in

the past few days--doing quite a bit of journaling.

 

[Helen350]

10 hours ago, Ted A said:

Are the Kaigelus now coming with a resin/plastic finial  instead of the lead or whatever that super heavy material used to be?

Yes, the later models and the 316As have much lighter finials.  My original two

316s from 2016-2018 definitely had the heavier finials, which many had big

issues with and replaced the finials (with quite a bit of effort).  Despite the

heavier finials, they were very eye-catching pens.  The Kaigelu 316A has a

much lighter in weight resin/plastic finial, and is no longer top heavy.   I now 

own 8 Kaigelu 316s--two original models (the two on the right), and 6 later

models.  I own two models with white finials.  Though not the best snap, here

are my Kaigelu 316s.  I will say that whenever I pull one out in public to

sign a check or write something, my pen gets a lot of attention.  They always

give me an opportunity to do some "fountain pen evangelism."  

[Ted A]

Thanks, Helen. Now is that good news or bad news for me? It opens up a lot of pens to consider adding. Except for the balance I really enjoy my older Kaigelu (same finish as yours on the far right).

 

GOOD NEWS. I can get a new pen or many new pens

 

 

[YFS]

I have to say that Kaigelu 316s are my favorite pens. I actually prefer the weight of the first generation Kaigelus. The quality and finish of the first generation feels a cut above the latest generation. The nib of the first generation is also better looking and better stamped in my opinion. I have heard of a bunch of people not loving the fact that the stamp vs the golden/silver color of the nib seems to be not always perfectly aligned on the newer nibs. 

 

The older generation used to come with Medium nibs only whereas the newer generation gives you the choice of EF, F and M. I found at some point that the Wing Sung 699 nib fits perfectly in the Kaigelu 316 with zero effort. In contrast, a standard #6 nib like the Goulet #6 nib or Nemosine #6 nib does not fit in the Kaigelu 316 without modifying the section. I guess the Kaigelu 316 nib and the WingSung 699 nib is just a tad smaller. In any case, I tend to replace the Kaigelu M nib nib with Wing Sung 699 EF or F and 30 seconds of micromesh later, it makes a perfect pen.

 

My favorite is the black version of the first generation of Kaigelus. You've got to add that to your collection Helen.

[Helen350]

27 minutes ago, YFS said:

I have to say that Kaigelu 316s are my favorite pens. I actually prefer the weight of the first generation Kaigelus. The quality and finish of the first generation feels a cut above the latest generation. The nib of the first generation is also better looking and better stamped in my opinion. I have heard of a bunch of people not loving the fact that the stamp vs the golden/silver color of the nib seems to be not always perfectly aligned on the newer nibs. 

 

The older generation used to come with Medium nibs only whereas the newer generation gives you the choice of EF, F and M. I found at some point that the Wing Sung 699 nib fits perfectly in the Kaigelu 316 with zero effort. In contrast, a standard #6 nib like the Goulet #6 nib or Nemosine #6 nib does not fit in the Kaigelu 316 without modifying the section. I guess the Kaigelu 316 nib and the WingSung 699 nib is just a tad smaller. In any case, I tend to replace the Kaigelu M nib nib with Wing Sung 699 EF or F and 30 seconds of micromesh later, it makes a perfect pen.

 

My favorite is the black version of the first generation of Kaigelus. You've got to add that to your collection Helen.

 

I just might add the black version to my collection.  I love the original, 2nd generation and the

316A.  Of my collection, I had only one 316 which required me to smooth the nib just a bit. 

Overall, I have found the nibs to be nice writers.  If I want them butter smooth, then I pull out my

micromesh.  It is not often that I write with a true F nib, and never with an EF nib.  I prefer M nibs

or a F/M nib.  Have larger handwriting.  Checked the stamping on my new generation & 316A nibs,

and found no problem with the alignment.  Maybe I was just lucky!  Of my 360 pens I find myself

more frequently inking the Kaigelu 316 & 316A, Jinhao 100 Centennial, Sheaffer NoNonsense, Lamy

Al-Star and Picasso Avignon--my absolute favorite - nib is smooth as soften butter. I do strive to

go through many others like my Bexleys, Monteverdes, Watermans, TWSBI Ecos, Noodlers Ahabs

with #6 Goulet M. nib, Platinum 3776s and my beautiful pens from India.  Yet, for my daily general

writing in the past year or so, I tend to always have a Jinhao 100 or Kaigelu 316 inked up along

with 2-3 others.  My collection is very eclectic and one which represents my fixed budget (LOL). 

Like the 699, with two in the collection. 

[Helen350]

Jinhao 100 Centennial - M. nib.  Ink:  Chesterfield Capri