Casual Comparison of Two Cheapies

[Dan Carmell]

When two inexpensive pens, new on AliExpress arrive on the same day, a comparison is inevitable, isn’t? They both have Lamy-style nibs, take a 3.4mm cartridge/converter, and have a triangular grip. Those similarities, and a clip, are about all they share. 
 

The Jinhao 58 is feels really sturdy, tough plastic and construction. The clip is very springy and resistant and the black trim looks very nice. Screw cap, with an ink view window but as with most c/c pens, it’s not very useful except to see the cart is empty, perhaps. The EF nib wrote quite well, immediately. I don’t trust wood in pens, cheap or expensive, but it’s really quite a great ‘student pen’ and under $4. Comes in multiple plastic colors and the wood as either ‘maple or ‘walnut.’  Nib sizes in 03 (EEF), EF, or F, but these are the easiest nibs to swap out. 
 

The other pen is a ‘Space Magnet’ pen, with the word ‘Galaxy’ on it. I didn’t attempt to chase down the maker’s name. You might think that bulbous thing above the clip was the cap, but it isn’t, it’s one of the two gimmicks of this pen. The other gimmick is the magnetic cap, at the other end of the pen. That translucent thing above the cap houses a spare nib rattling around in it, that’s the gimmick. The dark-color Lamy-style nib wrote just fine, nothing special. It’s made well-enough and is okay in the hand but goofy. I paid $12 for it, I imagine it will be half that soon. 
 

Big contrast between a very straight forward and functional Jinhao and the comparatively expensive gimmick pen. I should add that I popped cartridges in these two pens and the bamboo pen that appears in one photo, no prior prep, left them capped and nib down on the counter for about 5 minutes and they all wrote, though I think the no-name bamboo pen could use a flush. 

[mke]

3 hours ago, Dan Carmell said:

Jinhao 58 is feels really sturdy, tough plastic and construction.

 

Is that really bamboo? Or is it a wood look-a-like?

You chose the best color combination. Just checked the other colors.

[Dan Carmell]

6 hours ago, mke said:

 

Is that really bamboo? Or is it a wood look-a-like?

You chose the best color combination. Just checked the other colors.

My bamboo reference was to the green pen in one picture that’s propping up the Space Magnet pen. That barrel material is something natural, but what I’m not sure, though it feels like wood. 

[mke]

On 1/15/2025 at 12:48 AM, Dan Carmell said:

My bamboo reference was to the green pen in one picture that’s propping up the Space Magnet pen. That barrel material is something natural, but what I’m not sure, though it feels like wood. 

 

I read that "bamboo" in the description of the Jinhao 58 on Aliexpress. The barrel looks like wood. But sellers there are quite flexible in interpreting the reality.