Exploring Chinese Fountain Pens: State & Acquisition in North America

[2ouvenir]

Dear FPN Community,

 

I am at the near-end of my fountain pen journey and I have great fountain pens that I am already happy with. However, I've been increasingly intrigued by the offerings from Chinese fountain pen manufacturers, and I know they are changing, improving (or devolving!) constantly. I see the odd Chinese fountain pen on Amazon sometimes but I hesitate to buy it despite it being so inexpensive because of inconsistent reviews and supposedly poor quality control. I'm reaching out to our knowledgeable community to gather insights, experiences, and recommendations regarding Chinese fountain pens. Here are a few points I'm curious about:

 

• State of Chinese Fountain Pens: What is the current state of Chinese fountain pens in terms of quality, design, and innovation? Are there any standout brands or models worth exploring?
• Acquisition in North America: While online platforms like eBay and Alibaba are common, I'm interested in exploring conventional channels for purchasing Chinese fountain pens in North America. Have any of you had success in acquiring these pens through brick-and-mortar stores, pen shows, or specialty retailers? Are there any trusted vendors you would recommend?
• Personal Experiences: If you've used Chinese fountain pens, I'd love to hear about your personal experiences. What do you appreciate about them? Any particular models that have impressed you?
• Tips and Recommendations: For those who have delved into the world of Chinese fountain pens, do you have any tips or recommendations for someone looking to start their collection? Any pitfalls to avoid?

 

Please feel free to share your thoughts, insights, and recommendations. I'm eager to learn from your expertise and explore the diverse world of Chinese fountain pens!

 

Warm regards,

2ouvenir.

[irony]

I am no expert on Chinese made pens, but I too thought I had enough pens to satisfy my acquisition syndrome.

I watched several you-tube videos (Inkquiring Minds, SBREBrown,..) and wanted to try the Majohn A3 fountain pen, which is a copy of the Pilot Capless/Vanishing Point pen.  The A3 was perfect.  Next up, the Jinhao brand and their X159, 9016, 9019 fountain pens.  All but one of the Jinhao fountain pens wrote out of the box.

I especially like the transparent versions of the 9016 and 9019.  I think the 9016 is the perfect 'beginner' fountain pen, and the price at about $6.00 US dollar is phenomenal.  Got an Hongdian N7, wrote well. Got a Majohn C1 and it wrote well too.  The worst pen was a Paili 013. 

 

I own:  Montblanc 149, 146. Two each.  Omas and Visconti, and Montegrappa. Several Watermans and Pilots.

Several vintage Watermans, Mabie Todd, Alco, Parkers, Conway Stewarts.....too many to list.

 

The Chinese are knocking their socks off with fountain pens and their pricing is simply too good to be true.

Do they have faults, sure.  Their plastics are cheap feeling (X159 + 9016) but they write just as well as most

European pens.  And, if you can perform some simple Nib tuning, you will never need to spend more than $30.00 on a fountain pen.

[Penguincollector]

   I started collecting Chinese fountain pens because I collect penguins, and the inexpensive school pens often feature penguins on them. I was pleasantly surprised by the improvement in quality (I bought one generic IPG cigar shaped pen shaped object at a mall kiosk in the early ‘90s and was disappointed). I am particularly impressed by Wing Sung and have a few piston filler gold nibbed pens that I adore and paid $47 for one (698) and $70 for the other (699). I just bought a steel nibbed hooded piston filler (618) for $11, and if I like it, I may buy the 12k nib option. 
 

  I’ve been collecting most of my life now,  have many pens from several eras and price points, and it was only recently that I realized how improved pens coming from China are now. I have mostly bought them from AliExpress, which I haven’t had any issues with. I was gifted an old Hero short-long  by a collector friend, and I originally found this “new wave” of Chinese pens on eBay. I have only seen them in stores like Five Below in the US, although some lower tier brands have them as their starter pens for way more than they are worth. 

[inkstainedruth]

I started out with inexpensive pens, including a few cheapie Guanleming pens (from a vendor who sadly is no longer in business).  The Guanleming demonstrator pen used to be my dedicated pen for Noodler's Bay State Blue, because for five bucks US I didn't care if the ink stained the barrel or not (unfortunately, I caught the clip on the elastic in a pen case and accidentally snapped the finial off the cap).  One of the other pens, the Guanleming 978 Accountant (a squeeze filler like on a Parker 51 Aerometric) impressed a more knowledgable friend by its quality in spite of the price; and while I haven't used it or the third Guanleming pen (which has a fude nib on it) in a long time, they were pretty decent writers.  

I was less impressed with a Jinhao 599 (a knockoff of a Lamy al-Star) that someone gave me -- but it *did* teach me that I could get used to the triangular section on a real Safari or al-Star.  And I'm not sure but what the "Hero 616" I got from someone in my local pen club is a fake (he had ordered them on I think eBay as a ten or twelve pack and was handing them out to anyone who wanted one.  It's okay, but it also *writes* like a pen that's only worth a buck (which is what he paid apiece for them).

A friend of mine gave my husband a Hongdian 6013 (I think that's the model) but he's misplaced it but was too heavy a pen for me.  YMMV....

My main problem with Chinese pens (and many other Chinese products as well) is that they completely ignore patents and trademarks and international copyright law).  

And yes, I have bought clothes that were made in China (but NOT a certain brand coat where at 50% off on sale at Macy's years ago I STILL couldn't afford it (!) -- I'd say more, but there's a ban on talking politics on FPN; and once saw a documentary about a company that made beads under contract to a US firm for Mardi Gras (which included showing footage of Mardi Gras to the girls working/living at the factory, and also footage of the factory conditions to the people in New Orleans trying to get the people on the floats to toss beads to them (and at the end there was a blurb about how the US company had then moved production from China to a company in Vietnam because it was "cheaper".... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

[OregonJim]

I'm also at the point where I'm no longer actively looking to add to my collection.  However, I do buy a relatively cheap Chinese fountain pen from time to time.  Part of it is the novelty of playing with something new without affecting the budget.  Part of it is to add to my knock-around drawing/sketching kit.  I can fill these pens with permanent inks and other fluids (coffee, etc.) that I would be scared to try in a vintage pen.  I can bend a nib into a fude style without fear.  Plus, it's good to have a few cheap but usable pens on hand to give to prospective fountain pen converts.

[RedPie]

I bought some Jinhaos from temu.com. I have not had a bad experience and those pens write very well. I also bought a Luoshi  881A and was not disappointed. 

[Uncial]

I bought quite a few metal Jinhao's a long time back. They lasted a lot longer than the rubbish crumbling plastics they seem to use now (cant say my experience of recent Chinese pens has been positive at all). The ergonomics on recent ones have greatly improved but the 'feel' and tactile elements still disappoint. The nibs are a little less nail like and it's been interesting to see gold nibs appearing, but they are often very thin and liable to deform over time. Flow seems a more common issue now than before. Prices are up, and for me I just can't be bothered taking a punt on €20 with added tax duty to end up with a pen that won't write or a cap that splits and crumbles. Your money is better spent on ink, but there's always the possibility that I have been serially unlucky.

[2ouvenir]

2 hours ago, Uncial said:

rubbish crumbling plastics they seem to use now

 

Yikes! Cutting costs, eh?

[Dan Carmell]

9 hours ago, Penguincollector said:

<snip>
I am particularly impressed by Wing Sung and have a few piston filler gold nibbed pens that I adore and paid $47 for one (698) and $70 for the other (699). I just bought a steel nibbed hooded piston filler (618) for $11, and if I like it, I may buy the 12k nib option. 
 

  I’ve been collecting most of my life now,  have many pens from several eras and price points, and it was only recently that I realized how improved pens coming from China are now.

<snip>

Our collecting experience and reaction to the improvements in Chinese pens are similar. I am surprised how few people have found the amazing combo of a 629 or 699 with the WS #6 14K nib! It’s the best bargain around, even if you just buy it for the nib!

 

My experience with the Chinese gold nibs is that they are consistently smooth and well shaped, and quite a bit finer than their counterparts in steel. I have the 618 with the 12K nib but haven’t inked it because my regular 618 is still 30% full 😂 so I can’t vouch for it but I bet you will like it. 

[Penguincollector]

2 hours ago, Dan Carmell said:

Our collecting experience and reaction to the improvements in Chinese pens are similar. I am surprised how few people have found the amazing combo of a 629 or 699 with the WS #6 14K nib! It’s the best bargain around, even if you just buy it for the nib!

 

My experience with the Chinese gold nibs is that they are consistently smooth and well shaped, and quite a bit finer than their counterparts in steel. I have the 618 with the 12K nib but haven’t inked it because my regular 618 is still 30% full 😂 so I can’t vouch for it but I bet you will like it. 

  Right on, I hope so! I have to write out many pens before I can ink the new one, but yes, WS gold nibbed pens have amazing nibs for the money. 

[Mech-for-i]

being a veteran Chinese fountain pen user / hoarding collection had me start collecting , despite my fondness to them I still had to state it's a niche and somewhat a cult , in that unlike most other part of the world ; fountain pen still mainstays writing tool in China as of today , so by decree the current state can best sum up that they are just as good and as bad as the worldwide stationary market and products goes , there are certainly a lot of decent and working ones but decent and working is all they do ( and designed to be so )

 

Hobbyist like us seeks quality to a reasonable degree and yes today's Chinese fountain pen can give you that so long you stay away from the stationary category and instead look for the mid range and up , mid range as not in price but product features , spec , design and so

 

Jinhao is a prime example of going from mass produced ok OEM to ( somewhat still mass produced ) decent and quality self branded fountain pen manufacturing and marketing , the brand best represents why price not equate quality , the 51a pretty much re- ignite the hooded nib hype due to its price / performance and no less price / availability and from there onwards it just improves

 

Wing Sung ( Shanghai JL & Green Stationary manufactured ) , Hero are old school but deliver , brands like Liveinyou , Hongdain, Moonman, Selmy .. there are many new names coming in from mid 2010's on and they differs from the old names and many of the defunt 1990's brands in that they now serve not the gift , nor stationary market but are dedicated fountain pen / fashion accessories sector and the quality and design shows as best represented by PenBBS

 

I would refrain from commenting on NA local as far as availability goes , being not there

 

as far as personal experience, tips, and recommendations goes , I shall say , and I think most would agree , past and vintage models are an acquired taste and expect them to be like vintage British and Italian sports cars , that is , when they perform they perform great but majority of the time you are likely just trying to get them to work

 

Certain specific vintage model(s) though are well worth trying out , no less the Hero 100 , you cannot get a brand new Parker 51 Aerometric but you can get a Hero 100 today as it's very much in production, the Wing Sung 601 can be seen as a less sophisticated but yet more complicated vacumetic version , which also had option for an open nib , fighter finish and so

 

Hero still made good even great pens but their marketing and design runs towards the safe and conservative

 

Moonman , now Majohn , together with Delike start the more up to date fashion oriented design cue in Chinese fountain pen and culminating in like of Selmy, Liveinyou and behold - PenBBS , which bring us loads of filling options

 

Hongdain is the new gift market oriented brand but deliver pens that just quality abound and Jinhao is catching up quick while maintaining its price advantage

 

It is as of today a very vibrant and young market both locally and world wide for these brands and their product shows

 

My recommendation - do the homework , ask around , there are many knowledgeable souls on this forum who can help

 

any specific models - I do agree with prior post about the gold nibs equipped Wing Sung , though I would suggest the 601 as a start , for playing around get Jinhao 9056 , still think this beefy wood wonder better than the more recent 9016, Jinhao's 100 Century ( Ball Clip ) is about as classic a style as it goes

 

PenBBS is for fun and fashion but the pens themselves are quality to start with , the Vac fill 456 and the economy but oh so ergonomic 323 , one just had to hold and write with one to admire the engineering

 

There are others , many more , and frequently fellow Chinese fountain pen hobbyist share theirs here , come talk to us , browse and be dazzled, amazed and if delving in prepare to be getting drag into the abyss

[Dan Carmell]

What a great summary, @Mech-for-i!

 

In addition to being the world’s largest market for fountain pens, or perhaps better said the largest remaining pool of fountain pen users, Chinese pen users also bring to the fountain pen community a long history, as I understand it, of users tweaking and repairing their pens, aided by pen makers willingness to provide parts individually. This is something you hear about from longtime Chinese pen users, something that even pen lovers elsewhere often don’t do. 

[Sailor Kenshin]

I just bought about a dozen retracting Chinese fountain pens, no name, all colors, but getting a big kick out of them.  Maybe two dollars each?  

 

Loaded three up, wrote convincingly.  They're a lot of fun, reminding me of the good old isellpens days.

[inkstainedruth]

Thanks!  Isellpens was the place I was thinking of, but couldn't remember the name because it's been so long since the business existed!

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[langere]

I agree that Chinese pens have come a long way.  Still, to my mind, not the same as most European brands and not at all up to Japanese brands.  But they have their place and I have acquired a lot of them.  In fact, I have a Jinhao 9019 in my kitchen for the grocery list and things like that all the time. They tend to be very reliable.

 

Erick

[irony]

Update on Jinhao 9016.  If you care to twirl the pen around the barrel (below the threads) you will notice that

the cylinder shape is not perfectly round.  It is smooth, but irregular.  Does that make sense?  I think the best Chinese pen in my (small) collection for weight, shape and size is the Hongdian N7.  The Wing Sung 629 Piston filler is the best 'plastic' turned pen, but it is so light weight that it feels cheap even when posted.  Also, the steel nib is below average.  Next purchase, Asvine P36.

[Penguincollector]

  I just had my first interaction with a large batch of the same pen and I can see why people would get frustrated. I have been stubbing Jinhao 992 pens for my club and they’re mainly ok, but in some the friction fit nibs are barely held in place and the converters on some have slightly too big an opening to really fit the feed post and barely suction ink through the feed. The ones that work, do so really well. I will say that Jinhao is my least favorite of the Chinese pen makers. I find the nibs kind of meh.

[Mech-for-i]

Just as always , quality come at a cost ,  with the like of Jinhao , and many of the economy price range / school / stationary kind , well , just do not had the consistency of decent workmanship , it's just a fact

 

Am ok with that so long am having this mindset that the said item or items are so .. probably not something for the newbie nor the uninformed

 

Despite people all saying Hero not how they used to be , though Hero's own models tend to be the most consistent and decently working right out of the box as of today's range , would not hesitate to just gift a 616plus to newbies for a start and many of their up to date offerings , cannot say the same towards Jinhao nor some other newer names

 

Hongdain is ok except their design start to look really monotonous , I had good experience with Delike but Moonman ( Majohn )'s is a mix bag

 

Liveinyou used to be good but since being sold to the new owner theirs seems little to offer

 

PenBBS are doing good uuntil COVID came in and it seems it's slowing down for them but they still do good pens