Junlai 930 #9 Steel Piston Review

[Shanghai Knife Dude]

Junlai launched her first #9 in 18K in Oct 2024 (Junlai 900) at USD500ish. It did not cause that much sensation. My theory:

• the whole FP market apatite is welcoming more towards the low end market. 
• wealth of the west has been shrinking over the last decades.

Otherwise, I can't think of any solid reason why a #9 18K, titanium/ebonite casing with functional piston, a world class of his own really, doesn't attractive much from the fervent pen enthusiasts in the west. 

 

Here is a cheap version of the Junlai 900: Junlai 930, 

• #9 Steel nib in F/M/B (first time steel B available from Junlai, or any other Chinese makers); 
• Two colors (black/burgundy) resin
• Torpedo with slot ink windows
• LIR

And, mostly important, fur USD50 (MSRP CNY169/USD25 in China, thanks to your Ali/Etsy traffickers). 

 

Flat top/ open ink window/ more colours, will become available when time is ripe. 

 

https://shanghaiknifedude.blogspot.com/2025/03/junlai-930-fountain-pen-review.html

 

 

Review:

 

Nib Macro:

 

[Shanghai Knife Dude]

[SpencerianDream]

Thanks for your review and I hope to see more of this pen.
 

To answer your question, A $500 Chinese pen is a non-starter in  the West, not because appetite is waning, in my opinion, but because a pen like this represents a big risk. Example, I buy Majohn P139 with #8 nib and it’s objectively an OK pen. Cheapest modern pen I own with ebonite feed and large nib. Cool. But it’s annoying to fill because no ability to fill the pen without submerging the entire nib. It’s also a bit short (ok) but can’t post really (ok you can, but not well and posting easily turns piston knob.) So, for me it’s not my first choice to grab. But I don’t care, because it’s $55. That is, expensive enough that I have to think about it, but not expensive enough for me to be  mad if it’s not perfect. At that price it can still represent great value because the $55 and under Western pens it competes with in price are cheap looking and don’t have ebonite feeds or 8 nibs. Whereas $500 (that is, more than some make in a week…) I’m not comfortable risking through the dodgy China-US e-commerce channels, and for that price there’s a very real risk of disappointment. For $500 I can get some amazing pens that are a fully known quantity, so to speak. 

[Shanghai Knife Dude]

On 3/31/2025 at 9:32 PM, SpencerianDream said:

Thanks for your review and I hope to see more of this pen.
 

To answer your question, A $500 Chinese pen is a non-starter in  the West, not because appetite is waning, in my opinion, but because a pen like this represents a big risk. Example, I buy Majohn P139 with #8 nib and it’s objectively an OK pen. Cheapest modern pen I own with ebonite feed and large nib. Cool. But it’s annoying to fill because no ability to fill the pen without submerging the entire nib. It’s also a bit short (ok) but can’t post really (ok you can, but not well and posting easily turns piston knob.) So, for me it’s not my first choice to grab. But I don’t care, because it’s $55. That is, expensive enough that I have to think about it, but not expensive enough for me to be  mad if it’s not perfect. At that price it can still represent great value because the $55 and under Western pens it competes with in price are cheap looking and don’t have ebonite feeds or 8 nibs. Whereas $500 (that is, more than some make in a week…) I’m not comfortable risking through the dodgy China-US e-commerce channels, and for that price there’s a very real risk of disappointment. For $500 I can get some amazing pens that are a fully known quantity, so to speak. 

You need Low Ink Refill. My second P139 (Feb,2025) came with LIR. I have a video on this surprise. Yes, you are rigth, even a usd50 pen gave you a surprise (in a favourable way though), nevertheless to say a usd500 surprise. LIR is my first criteria for new acquisition now.