What Chinese Pens Are You Using Today ?

[Dan Carmell]

On 10/12/2023 at 5:22 AM, Mech-for-i said:

 the OG plastic version , the metal version AFAIK actually were given the model name 981-2 , and they had a further version , also in metal but lacquered and that had a different model designation too ( just cannot remember what )

Interesting! I’ve never seen the lacquered version. 

[Helen350]

HongDian 8041 - M. nib.  Ink: Iroshizuku Ama-Iro

 

[txoko]

Interesting ink choice for that purple barreled pen.  I took the more boring route, but I didn't use that pen today---yet.  Maybe I will, now that I had to look at it.............

[Helen350]

My yellow HongDian C1 arrived.  Inked with Iroshizuku Ama-iro.  Nib is a F. hooded nib.  Like the pen, however, definitely not partial to this fine nib.  A bit too scratchy for my taste.  Will require some micromesh.  I recognize HongDian pens come with fine nibs, but would love to  find a medium nib for this hooded pen

[Helen350]

Jinhao 82 - F. nib.  Ink:. Diamine Oxford Blue

[Penguincollector]

On 10/28/2023 at 4:40 AM, Helen350 said:

My yellow HongDian C1 arrived.  Inked with Iroshizuku Ama-iro.  Nib is a F. hooded nib.  Like the pen, however, definitely not partial to this fine nib.  A bit too scratchy for my taste.  Will require some micromesh.  I recognize HongDian pens come with fine nibs, but would love to  find a medium nib for this hooded pen

    I thought of you as soon as I saw this pen for sale. I wonder if you go ham on the micromesh, if you can make it wider. I know people have accidentally made their nibs wider by over grinding/polishing, so there must be a deliberate technique to do so. 

[SLinkster]

TL;DR version: AliExpress purchase. Decent inexpensive glass dip nib on a Jinhao 82 pen. Portable. Writes well. They're cheap enough to order two, which you should do to ensure one arrives intact and usable.

 

All the words: I included two of the recently-available Jinhao 82 glass nib pens with my latest AliExpress order. I spent today using one to make sample cards and to write in a pamphlet journal I made using Kokuyo 64gsm copier paper.

 

One pen arrived damaged - the nib tip was crushed under the brass clip assembly. The glass nib is epoxied into the OEM section, which is epoxied into the grip. In the case of the damaged pen, the nib wasn't pushed in far enough into the section, which in turn was not pushed entirely into the grip. AE issued a refund less than two hours after I reported the damage so I'm not terribly heartbroken about it.

 

The other pen is great.  The nib is a treat to use. It definitely has a sweet spot for writing - the nib simply glides across the paper with virtually no feedback when I find that spot, but it writes well enough no matter the rotation. I was able to achieve a bit of line variation by changing the writing angle but it seems to work best at about 35-40 degrees. With a more vertical posture the line "dried up"; more shallow and the line got globby. The capillary action is totally awesome - I rolled the clean and dry tip in a drop of ink caught in a bottle cap liner and the nib just sucked it up! I was able to write about a dozen words with that one drop. After dipping the nib to just below the belly and then twirling it to distribute ink up into the channels I was able write nearly 1.5 pages in an A5 notebook before I felt the need to re-dip.

 

 

[USG]

On 10/28/2023 at 7:40 AM, Helen350 said:

My yellow HongDian C1 arrived.  Inked with Iroshizuku Ama-iro.  Nib is a F. hooded nib.  Like the pen, however, definitely not partial to this fine nib.  A bit too scratchy for my taste.  Will require some micromesh.  I recognize HongDian pens come with fine nibs, but would love to  find a medium nib for this hooded pen

 

Wowie Zowie... that pen looks very cool.. 😀👍

 

PGC  (below) is right.

 

8 hours ago, Penguincollector said:

    I thought of you as soon as I saw this pen for sale. I wonder if you go ham on the micromesh, if you can make it wider. I know people have accidentally made their nibs wider by over grinding/polishing, so there must be a deliberate technique to do so. 

 

[Helen350]

On 10/31/2023 at 11:18 AM, Penguincollector said:

    I thought of you as soon as I saw this pen for sale. I wonder if you go ham on the micromesh, if you can make it wider. I know people have accidentally made their nibs wider by over grinding/polishing, so there must be a deliberate technique to do so. 

I'm not one who overgrinds my nibs.  My purpose for micromesh Is to make the nib smoother for writing.  Did just enough and now the nib is to my liking on my new "💛" pen.  I learned by watching Stephen Brown years ago.  I have to admit I'm not partial to hooded nibs, however, I do like the feel of the section in my hand.  Not only do I like yellow pens, but partial to long stemmed yellow roses with plenty of babies breathe. (LOL)

[Helen350]

HongDian D1 Skeleton, with F. nib arrived.  Put in a bit of Monteverde Blue/Black.  Did some journaling and it writes rather smooth.

[Penguincollector]

46 minutes ago, Helen350 said:

HongDian D1 Skeleton, with F. nib arrived.  Put in a bit of Monteverde Blue/Black.  Did some journaling and it writes rather smooth.

  Ooh, that pen is so pretty!
  

 

20 hours ago, Helen350 said:

I'm not one who overgrinds my nibs.  My purpose for micromesh Is to make the nib smoother for writing.  Did just enough and now the nib is to my liking on my new "💛" pen. 

  I am glad you fixed it to your liking. Babies’ Breath is one of my favorite little flowers to grow. 
 

 I have 3 Chinese pens inked and ready to go at the moment: Asvine V169 with Waterman’s F/S Blue, Amazon Basics F with a generic violet cartridge from Pen Savings, and my new Lucky Wing Sung 698 SF with Diamine Jack Frost.

[USG]

I'm writing with a fleet of Jinhao X-159s and right now I'm busy with Laundry Bluing.

Mrs. Stewart's Concentrated Liquid Bluing

[Ted A]

[Helen350]

On 11/4/2023 at 7:30 PM, USG said:

I'm writing with a fleet of Jinhao X-159s and right now I'm busy with Laundry Bluing.

Mrs. Stewart's Concentrated Liquid Bluing

Like the looks of that blue.  Writing is crisp.  Laundry bluing?  Have not seen that used since the early 60s.  Did not know it was still around.  

[USG]

13 hours ago, Helen350 said:

Like the looks of that blue.  Writing is crisp.  Laundry bluing?  Have not seen that used since the early 60s.  Did not know it was still around.  

 

I didn't know anything about it until I read about it on one of the threads here.  It writes like an unlubricated dry ink and shades pretty well.  Doesn't feather or bleed and for some reason it's waterproof.  A "hint" of water changes it's character to a free flowing lubricated writing fluid but you loose the shading effect, so I've been using it straight.  The color and effect varies with the paper used.  The smoothest effect has been with the Cosmo Snow above.

 

Jinhao X-159 (M)

 

[VivienR]

On 11/4/2023 at 6:29 PM, Helen350 said:

HongDian D1 Skeleton, with F. nib arrived.  Put in a bit of Monteverde Blue/Black.  Did some journaling and it writes rather smooth.

Same here, just received my D1, with F nib. Filled up with an old goodie: J Herbin Eclat de Saphire. It writes really good, worth it's price. The piston doesn't move up completely, but not yet hassled with to disassemble it to try to align, although feels that the holding mechanism may not long enough. Was a bit hard to fill up from the shallow Herbin bottle, since it has a long nib. 

[Penguincollector]

  Trying to write out a slew  of Chinese pens with blue inks today: Wing Sung 698 SF with Diamine Jack Frost, Asvine V169 F with Waterman Serenity Blue, and a Litzy EF with CX-22 (blue with gold shimmer). I also have a Cross for Franklin Covey Lexington M inked with Autumn Oak  and a Pen BBS F with Oblation’s Portland Rain that are running low. Time to write fancy, doodle, color, and zentangle. 

[Penguincollector]

3 minutes ago, VivienR said:

Was a bit hard to fill up from the shallow Herbin bottle, since it has a long nib. 

  I bought an Ink Miser for hard to fill pens. I think Luxury Brands either makes or distributes them. It was really inexpensive and has more than paid for itself in easing the whole inking process (ritual). 

[RedPie]

14 hours ago, Penguincollector said:

  I bought an Ink Miser for hard to fill pens. I think Luxury Brands either makes or distributes them. It was really inexpensive and has more than paid for itself in easing the whole inking process (ritual). 

👍You are so right, I bought one and it changed the process of filling a lot and it is a lot less messy...

I use it all the time when the ink gets low!

[Penguincollector]

3 hours ago, RedPie said:

👍You are so right, I bought one and it changed the process of filling a lot and it is a lot less messy...

I use it all the time when the ink gets low!

   
   Isn’t it awesome; also a good impromptu pen stand.