MB 149P's body guard

[Helen350]

Doug of Inkquiring Minds did a Youtube vid on the Jinhao X159:

 

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=NzdsCCf9hW0

[kpong11]

Is the matte texture at the end of section also plastic? BTW the nib is just friction fit, not screw-in unit, right?

[cvk]

  On 7/18/2022 at 12:40 AM, kpong11 said:

Is the matte texture at the end of section also plastic? BTW the nib is just friction fit, not screw-in unit, right?

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it is a screw in unit as shown in the video by InquiringMinds. The nib is friction fit inside the unit. 

[Karmachanic]

  On 7/17/2022 at 8:32 PM, OCArt said:

I was very surprised when I compared the nib of an 'old' (white) 159 to the new (black) model, the new nib is substantially bigger

 

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Hmmm. Very interesting!  #8 nib, apparently.

[Mech-for-i]

Well it's to be expected , cause the 159 remain unchanged ,Jinhao just add the X159 as a new & additional model , it's not replacing the 159 , I suppose X stands for XL as in size

[Ted A]

It may stand for eXport. Years ago I had heard that the Jinhao’s intended for export, x450 comes to mind,  had the x at the front of the name. Ten years or so ago, American retailers only had the two or three models with the x

[WJM]

I don't think X means anything. They had this trio of classic metal pens - X750, X450 and 159. The name of 159 was obviously a call back to MB 149 by which the pen was inspired. 

 

X159 is actually closer to the MB 149, still not really a direct copy or clone, but the inspiration is very clear. 159 is a good name for a 149 inspired pen and it's already well known model name in the community, so they release another similiar pen as X159, because why not. As if they're saying it's similiar to the previous one, but slightly different.

 

They could also call the new pen Jinhao 160 or 169... or 249 I guess. I mean, they are possibilities. 

 

Wonder if plastic version of X450 (perhaps this time called "450" - without the X) will follow? 

[socialmoth]

  On 7/6/2022 at 6:12 PM, Karmachanic said:

 

I'll let you know when it gets here on the slow boat.

From the aliexpress page:

Feature:

Inspiration: Jinhao X159 Acrylic.

Material: Acrylic barrel.

Size: 14.6cm*1.7cm, Fine nib, Writing Line is 0.45mm-0.55mm.

Weight: 26g.

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Just to note: Contrary to most listings' descriptions, it's injection-molded

 

The nib's still #8, but I haven't been able to note any springiness in my copy

[Karmachanic]

  On 8/4/2022 at 5:27 PM, socialmoth said:

it's injection-molded

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If it was made from cast sheet stock, MB 149 for example, it would be considerably more expensive.

I flushed and filled it. It wrote like an EF, so I opened the tines for a wetter, wider line.  I had no expectation of softness.

[sketchstack]

I bought a couple of x159 from two different sources. While dissecting I noticed they each have ink residue on the feed. Rinsing one of them reveals it to be a blue residue. 

 

Could Jinhao be testing these inexpensive pens prior to shipping? (Like Lamy)

 

I'd have assumed I just got a used pen but again this was two different sources. Though who knows --maybe one source selling via two online identities? Never can be sure these days.  

 

Regardless, I'm very very pleased with the x159. I'd prefer a medium nib but that's really my only complaint. The one I have inked is a really fantastic writer, especially once I did a quick tine spread to get the ink flowing. Incidentally a Lamy cartridge fits these pens. 

[Mech-for-i]

  On 8/6/2022 at 4:04 AM, sketchstack said:

I bought a couple of x159 from two different sources. While dissecting I noticed they each have ink residue on the feed. Rinsing one of them reveals it to be a blue residue. 

 

Could Jinhao be testing these inexpensive pens prior to shipping? (Like Lamy)

 

I'd have assumed I just got a used pen but again this was two different sources. Though who knows --maybe one source selling via two online identities? Never can be sure these days.  

 

Regardless, I'm very very pleased with the x159. I'd prefer a medium nib but that's really my only complaint. The one I have inked is a really fantastic writer, especially once I did a quick tine spread to get the ink flowing. Incidentally a Lamy cartridge fits these pens. 

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am not so sure about Jinhao, but its common practice in China with fountain pen retailer to test the pens before shipping it out to the customers , in fact in the home market , especially on online retail channel , its commonly seen that retailer would ask customer to specify if they do not want the pen tested before shipping out , of course I am talking about the more general fountain pen retail sector, the student / workhorse / stationary retailer usually would not do that.

 

AFAIK, quite a number of online retailer selling to oversea market also would refrain from doing the testing cause of customers concern , in such cases the customers would be required to specify for the testing

[Karmachanic]

The X159 received from AliX had residual blue ink.  Doesn't necessarily mean it was tested tho'.

Hopefully the screw in nib unit infers more choices in the future.  Not that I'm dissatisfied with the F.

[GWT1]

Both my copies had blue residue also just in forward section of feed and under nib forward section also! I would say Jinhao is doing this testing so wide spread would have to be??

[afishhunter]

  On 8/6/2022 at 4:04 AM, sketchstack said:

Incidentally a Lamy cartridge fits these pens. 

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A standard Jinhao cartridge or converter don't fit?!?

Well that blows. I have a few "extra" Jinhao converters from the 992 demonstrators I use as an eye dropper fill.

The spring plunger converter syringes I have don't fit a Lamy. No idea what - if anything - they fit. The hole's too big for the Jinhao, and my Lamy Safari. A Sheaffer, perhaps?

[A Smug Dill]

  On 8/18/2022 at 1:21 AM, afishhunter said:

A standard Jinhao cartridge or converter don't fit?!?

Well that blows.

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Jinhao makes two models of “standard” ink converters to fit Chinese brands of fountain pens. The 3.4mm-bore converters will fit pen models such as the Jinhao 80, and the 2.6mm-bore converters will fit pen models such as the Jinhao 992 and Jinhao 599A.

 

Anyway, what's the big deal? I'm sure your order of a Jinhao X159 pen will come with a compatible Jinhao-branded converter; and, since you're importing it from China anyway, it should be no hassle to order additional converters at the same time, if you are keen to have multiple compatible units on hand.

[sansenri]

I have one of these on order since beginning of August and should likely find it waiting for me upon return from summer holidays.

Yes, the nib is a size 8, which should mean it fits an 8mm diameter bore/hole (Indian companies tend to consider 40mm length as a useful definition of nib size, unfortunately it is not, as for example the Ambitious 40 nib is 40mm in length but fits a 6 mm bore/hole - so if the definition of nib size is given essentially by diameter -and that is my understanding - the Ambitious 40 is a size 6 nib...)  .

I find this new X159 interesting particularly due to the size 8 steel nib. So far size 8 nibs have not been available, until just recently MagnaCarta launched the size 8 steel nib, which however seems to cost around $60...

With the X159 you get a size 8 steel nib for a few dollars... plus the whole pen!

 

I forget to mention that the lack of metal threads (external) and no step (like in the original 149) is a god sent improvement for me. Glad the ugly shield is gone too...

 

We'll see what the quality is like, but the few reviews I read so far seem mildly positive.

[A Smug Dill]

  On 8/19/2022 at 2:53 PM, sansenri said:

Indian companies tend to consider 40mm length as a useful definition of nib size,

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That is also how Jinhao designates the nib on the X159, in the official marketing collateral for the product.

 

(click to enlarge)

Source: Official Jinhao store on Taobao

 

No Chinese manufacturer of note and/or scale (as opposed to individual sellers on AliExpress, Etsy, etc. who may be trying to target prospective customers in the secondary market overseas for their main commercial push) actually designates the nibs factory-fitted on its pens as no.5, no.6, no.8, etc., when that framework of nib size designation is mainly a JoWo thing, barely extensible to Bock and its marketing, and certainly no “international standard” about which major players such as Sailor, Pilot, Lamy, Pelikan, Aurora, etc. that makes their own nibs in-house give any express recognition.

 

Interchangeability and/or compatibility with ‘Western’ pens and feeds is not of what Chinese manufacturers make a selling point for the nibs they produce for Chinese-branded pens; and the only Chinese pens that are marketed on being compatible with, say, Bock nibs will already have Bock nibs fitted on them (e.g. on one branch of the Moonman 800 model).

 

Conversely, a Chinese no.35 (i.e. 35mm total length) nib that is Moonman branded will likely fit, say, a Jinhao X750 or a Kaigelu 356, both of which come factory-fitted with respectively branded no.35 nibs, never mind the feed diameter. Whereas a HongDian-branded no.32 nib will not be compatible, in spite of being nominally a “no.6” in your preferred terminology and has a curvature that fits around a 6mm-diameter feed. Likewise, the nib on a Wing Sung 699 is a no.32 (and interchangeable with a HongDian nib of the same size); what good is saying or knowing that it’s a “no.6”?

 

[Mech-for-i]

You know the only part that says it's that they use a 6mm diameter feed , but I've come across such so call no.6 with a length as short as 23mm all the way to one rather lengthy 38mm with all kind of profile , side wing flair and width , not to mention the thickness of the actual nib ..

 

Some time even from same Mfr they are not interchangeable even if they are of the same size and it's not just Chinese , I've had that with the Japanese big three as well as multiple high end ( more like high priced ) Italians 

 

And this is not even new , Sheaffer  ( vintage )had been known for nibs that take the same feed but just will not fit into otherwise models that's not native , and similar for a number of big names.

[Ted A]

 

  On 8/18/2022 at 3:38 AM, A Smug Dill said:

 

Jinhao makes two models of “standard” ink converters to fit Chinese brands of fountain pens. The 3.4mm-bore converters will fit pen models such as the Jinhao 80, and the 2.6mm-bore converters will fit pen models such as the Jinhao 992 and Jinhao 599A.

 

Anyway, what's the big deal? I'm sure your order of a Jinhao X159 pen will come with a compatible Jinhao-branded converter; and, since you're importing it from China anyway, it should be no hassle to order additional converters at the same time, if you are keen to have multiple compatible units on hand.

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Is there a way to distinguish the 3.4, 2.6 from each other and from the European/US “standard” converters? Other than trying to jam them in and see if they crack the collar.

 

I find a need to move converters around for various reasons and am never quite sure what will work

[A Smug Dill]

  On 8/21/2022 at 2:58 PM, Ted A said:

Is there a way to distinguish the 3.4, 2.6 from each other

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I'm sure someone is going to find my answer disagreeable, but the most glaringly obvious way is to eyeball the mouth of the converter, as a matter of course; the 3.4mm-bore converter is going to have a noticeably larger opening than the 2.6mm-bore converter! Looking at just one, and correctly identifying it in isolation, as opposed to distinguishing them from each other is a different matter; it takes training one's eye, and the best way to train one's eye is to eyeball enough units of both types.

 

 

  On 8/21/2022 at 2:58 PM, Ted A said:

and from the European/US “standard” converters?

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As far as I'm aware, Schmidt only makes 2.4mm-bore converters, including on behalf of Western brands such as Pelikan, Diplomat, Faber-Castell, and Rotring. It's a safe bet that, other than a small number of nevertheless prominent Western fountain pen brands such as Lamy, Aurora, Parker, Cross, a converter bearing a recognisable Western brand (including Waterman, Monteverde, Kaweco, S.T. Dupont, Tibaldi, etc.) will not be 2.6mm-bore. On the flip side, I don't think Jinhao, Hero, HongDian, Wing Sung, PenBBS, or any other Chinese-branded converter will be 2.4mm-bore.

 

  On 8/21/2022 at 2:58 PM, Ted A said:

Other than trying to jam them in and see if they crack the collar.

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Of course, you can always just measure the inner diameter of the mouth with a ruler, or a pair of callipers. Or keep a spare Bock, JoWo, or Schmidt nib unit on hand; the ‘nipple’ on any of those would fit 2.4mm-bore cartridges and converters, so if a converter fits slightly loosely on it (enough to fall off by the pull of gravity alone), it'll be 2.6mm-bore, and if a converter fits very loosely, it'll most likely be 3.4mm-bore (although 3.2mm-bore converters exist). You can't tear the mouth of any 2.4mm-or-larger-bore converter doing that.

 

Edited August 23, 2022 by A Smug Dill
added photo