Has anyone acquired a Hongdian A7?

[txoko]

Thank you goes out to Shanghai Knife Dude for the gluing suggestion.  That did indeed fix the problem.  And I didn't even make a mess of it, so all-in-all a very good day.  The A7 is now a really nice pen.

[Shanghai Knife Dude]

On 11/7/2024 at 8:03 PM, Number99 said:

I was referring to the thing described as "胶圈"(Rubber ring) that several commenters mentioned.

Another commenter mentioned that they received a replacement, but there was an omission in the translation of the "笔握"(grip) and I mistakenly thought this was the "胶圈".

So I'd like to rephrase my question: Is there a pen grip replacement service in place in China?

But the answer to this question may only be known by those involved. It turns out that I was confused, and I have no questions now because I was previously informed that parts and product replacement would be implemented in the event of a problem.

 

「樺」カバ kaba. maybe 桦木 in Mandarin Chinese. (birch tree.)

「河馬」カバ kaba. maybe 河马 in Mandarin Chinese. (hippopotamus.)

↠So「河马木」？

 

There are many Japanese sellers who write "カバ (kaba)" in katakana, the phonetic form, because some Japanese cannot read the Kanji character for "樺 kaba." (This character is not a common kanji as defined by the Ministry of Education,etc.)

That is why the translation became the homophone animal hippopotamus. Perhaps.

😁

https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Birch

This is probably a tedious explanation for you. Please allow me to add an explanation for those who do not understand Chinese characters.

 

P.S.

I wrote this after confirming that Pilot S20 and S30 are sold in some stores in China, labeled as 河马木.

 

1. Hongdian A7 - the initial release was like a car crash, "losing grip" is the only issue I am aware of. I am not aware of theO-Ring ( "胶圈", ) issue. All those pitfalls are covered by HD After Service only in China. Overseas buyers receives all China pens from third-party trafficker or resellers or oversea distributor, whatever fancy names make themself more comfortable.  After Service is impossible from those lords. 

2. Thank you for explaining the KABA 樺 wood issue. In China, 樺 is used on the most entry level kinds of wood pen. That is why 河马木 is used in Legno marketing in China. As Sun-Tzu said: To fool your enemy, you must first make a fool of yourself. Pilot plays well in the wood game. 

3. BTW, I am getting interested in Nohara (https://store.nohara.jp/), but oversea purchase seems impossible at the moment, unless double the retail price from a second hand seller(a Japanese trafficker this time). 

[Shanghai Knife Dude]

On 11/10/2024 at 8:54 AM, txoko said:

Thank you goes out to Shanghai Knife Dude for the gluing suggestion.  That did indeed fix the problem.  And I didn't even make a mess of it, so all-in-all a very good day.  The A7 is now a really nice pen.

Good. 

[Number99]

On 11/21/2024 at 12:12 AM, Shanghai Knife Dude said:

2. Thank you for explaining the KABA 樺 wood issue. In China, 樺 is used on the most entry level kinds of wood pen. That is why 河马木 is used in Legno marketing in China. As Sun-Tzu said: To fool your enemy, you must first make a fool of yourself. Pilot plays well in the wood game. 

Okay, come to think of it, Pilot has a group company in mainland China, so they should be able to correct this if necessary. But it seems that is not the case.

 

On 11/21/2024 at 12:12 AM, Shanghai Knife Dude said:

3. BTW, I am getting interested in Nohara (https://store.nohara.jp/), but oversea purchase seems impossible at the moment, unless double the retail price from a second hand seller(a Japanese trafficker this time). 

Please give me some time. I will look into it and send you a PM.

A quick search shows that the price here for a second-hand item is *20,000 to 40,000 JPY. It appears that you have to participate in a lottery to purchase directly from a store that handles new items.

 

P.S.

*Data on secondary distribution products that have been sold.

Edited November 22, 2024 by Number99

[a student]

1 hour ago, Number99 said:

Okay, come to think of it, Pilot has a group company in mainland China, so they should be able to correct this if necessary. But it seems that is not the case.

 

Please give me some time. I will look into it and send you a PM.

A quick search shows that the price here for a second-hand item is *20,000 to 40,000 JPY. It appears that you have to participate in a lottery to purchase directly from a store that handles new items.

 

P.S.

*Data on secondary distribution products that have been sold.

 

Is it the case that Nohara make only ballpoints and pencils?

[Number99]

33 minutes ago, a student said:

 

Is it the case that Nohara make only ballpoints and pencils?

I only browsed a store dealing in ballpoint pens once 3 years ago, so I am not familiar with the recent situation. I didn't even know they made pencils. From my uncertain memory I think they were cheaper...

😅

Now it seems to be a very festive time due to the excessive demand from elementary and junior high school students.

I don't know, I'm like a beginner... 

I think it's just what's on the website.

[a student]

12 minutes ago, Number99 said:

I only browsed a store dealing in ballpoint pens once 3 years ago, so I am not familiar with the recent situation. I didn't even know they made pencils. From my uncertain memory I think they were cheaper...

😅

Now it seems to be a very festive time due to the excessive demand from elementary and junior high school students.

I don't know, I'm like a beginner... 

I think it's just what's on the website.

 

Thank you

[Number99]

1 hour ago, a student said:

 

Thank you

Please go to the home page of their website.

 

🔍Instagram, X(Twitter).

#野原工芸 

Google.

野原工芸

You might find a similar workshop.

However, a Google search brings up a lot of scam sites.

Edited November 22, 2024 by Number99

[Shanghai Knife Dude]

On 11/22/2024 at 6:31 PM, Number99 said:

Okay, come to think of it, Pilot has a group company in mainland China, so they should be able to correct this if necessary. But it seems that is not the case.

 

Please give me some time. I will look into it and send you a PM.

A quick search shows that the price here for a second-hand item is *20,000 to 40,000 JPY. It appears that you have to participate in a lottery to purchase directly from a store that handles new items.

 

P.S.

*Data on secondary distribution products that have been sold.

Thank you and I  think I will have to hault the Nohara for the moment. Nohara is retail starting 8000 yan, which is fair for its build and quality.  But the 'fashion' has pushed the second hand price over more than double or more. I can't help to relate Nohara to other heat I previously participated: Rolex Green Submariner, later on it was a proven secondary marketing traps.  

I  am very good at "giving up".  LOL .  

 

[Shanghai Knife Dude]

On 11/22/2024 at 10:15 PM, Number99 said:

Please go to the home page of their website.

 

🔍Instagram, X(Twitter).

#野原工芸 

Google.

野原工芸

You might find a similar workshop.

However, a Google search brings up a lot of scam sites.

Google is THE scam.  That's why: https://youtu.be/r3fNk3ewT44?si=uEmtCyv_-jwHOYgB

[Number99]

Nohara Kogei was originally a nationally certified traditional craft workshop. The former president is a nationally certified traditional craftsman.

I understood @a student's question to be an attempt to raise a related topic about traditional crafts.

The current president is a craftsman who trained in Sweden and returned to Japan, and I believe that he will eventually be certified as a traditional craftsman.

Nohara Kogei explains its products clearly on its website blog and provide examples of after-sales service.

Then, an influencer with nearly a million subscribers on YouTube began to feature Nohara Kougei frequently over the past four years, sparking a boom in the industry.

The influencer promotes Nohara Kougei, Nohara Kougei promotes the influencer's products, and now they even sell collaborative products.

Most of the supporters are elementary and junior high school students who seem to have increased their followings during the COVID furlough period.

 

Availability will be difficult for some time.

 

Sources. 

https://kougeihin.jp/en/craft/0613/

 

(Japanese language from here on.)

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/ea0457a08ababb37ba9f8689145dc3bfde288a99

 

https://www.nohara.jp/about.html

 

https://www.blog.nohara.jp/

 

https://youtube.com/@seasar04?feature=shared

 

Annotation.

Yahoo News may not be viewable from Europe. If you must read it, please use a VPN to access it from an IP address outside Europe.

 

Edited November 24, 2024 by Number99

[Number99]

17 hours ago, Shanghai Knife Dude said:

I am very good at "giving up".  LOL .  

I think that is a good idea.

I missed out on a ballpoint pen 3 years ago and I don't regret that choice at the time

😅.

[Shanghai Knife Dude]

6 hours ago, Number99 said:

Nohara Kogei was originally a nationally certified traditional craft workshop. The former president is a nationally certified traditional craftsman.

I understood @a student's question to be an attempt to raise a related topic about traditional crafts.

The current president is a craftsman who trained in Sweden and returned to Japan, and I believe that he will eventually be certified as a traditional craftsman.

Nohara Kogei explains its products clearly on its website blog and provide examples of after-sales service.

Then, an influencer with nearly a million subscribers on YouTube began to feature Nohara Kougei frequently over the past four years, sparking a boom in the industry.

The influencer promotes Nohara Kougei, Nohara Kougei promotes the influencer's products, and now they even sell collaborative products.

Most of the supporters are elementary and junior high school students who seem to have increased their followings during the COVID furlough period.

 

Availability will be difficult for some time.

 

Sources. 

https://kougeihin.jp/en/craft/0613/

 

(Japanese language from here on.)

https://news.yahoo.co.jp/articles/ea0457a08ababb37ba9f8689145dc3bfde288a99

 

https://www.nohara.jp/about.html

 

https://www.blog.nohara.jp/

 

https://youtube.com/@seasar04?feature=shared

 

Annotation.

Yahoo News may not be viewable from Europe. If you must read it, please use a VPN to access it from an IP address outside Europe.

 

 Thank you, informative and educational as always. 

 

That influencer is "Seasar Stationery", an obvious paid propaganda. Media warfare.