Chia/JML from "Classic Pen Set"

[polarpaul]

In order to help out a fellow newbie, I'll review the fountain pen that comes in the JML (a.k.a. Chia makers of clay creatures that grow green hair when you water them) "Classic Pen Set" as seen on TV. The pen comes with 15 ink cartridges (5ea black, blue, and red), but no converter.

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The pen wasn't that smooth when I got it using the ink cartridges it came with which look like they're European short cartridges. The clip on the cap is attached with rabbit ear type metal fittings through holes in the cap which caused the pen to dry out. I temporarily fixed the problem with some white glue (I'll fill the holes with something more permanent later). Refilling them with Noodler's Polar Black didn't improve the writing characteristics either. In looking at the requests for pen reviews, I ran across one for this pen which I had received for Christmas (my first new fountain pen in over 25 years). Decrire left a link to a video demonstrating the pen which shows them puncturing a hole in an aluminum can. Since I'd acquired other pens I liked much better and this one continued to be scratchy, I decided to test their claim. Here are the results:

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The pen required some adjustment afterwards and was not surprisingly, even more scratchy.

In looking at inks beyond the black and the blue, I ran across some wonderful writing samples using italic nibs. I decided to inflict further torture on the Chia by grinding it down to an italic nib as seen below. The line is actually wider at times than the original nib and does show some shading. I'm sure this voids my warranty.

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Here's some writing samples comparing the before and after which are actual size (100 dpi):

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Details of the writing samples:

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The pen actually writes smoother than it ever has and I'll actually use it for it's intended purpose.

Edited March 9, 2008 by polarpaul

[HDoug]

Your daring review certainly answered all my questions I had about the pen! And I'm glad your experimentation paid off for you (and all brave enough to follow in the path you have forged). May your Chia pets smile upon all your future endeavors!

 

Doug

[donwinn]

Oddly, it is one of these which got me restarted with fountain pens several years back. I purchased mine in a set at the DelMar Fair in San Diego county. However, the one I had wrote very nicely. I have been looking to purchase another set, but cannot find them.

 

Donnie

[polarpaul]

Oddly, it is one of these which got me restarted with fountain pens several years back. I purchased mine in a set at the DelMar Fair in San Diego county. However, the one I had wrote very nicely. I have been looking to purchase another set, but cannot find them.

 

Donnie

Amazon has the JML Classic Pen Set and if you do a Google search of "as seen on tv pen set", you'll find more sources for them too.

[Decrire]

Merci for the review as I had asked for it originally I believe. Now I know it can be obtained with confidence thanks to your insightful review.

[whitedragon]

Greetings, all.

 

Pen newbie here! Just started trying to get into the fountain pen thing at about the same time I was given a little gift set (JML classic pen set as reviewed here here ).

 

My first and biggest question is...what am I doing wrong? The contents of my set seem to all be here...but the fountain pen..well, I open it up to a barrel, top, ink cartridge...but I see no nib. I see none in the set anywhere. Is it buried in the barrel somewhere? I generally tout myself as not being a complete moron, but this has me baffled... Someone just tell me what simple thing I'm missing and slap me?

 

Thanks in advance! : )

[whitedragon]

Greetings, all.

 

Pen newbie here! Just started trying to get into the fountain pen thing at about the same time I was given a little gift set (JML classic pen set as reviewed here here ).

 

My first and biggest question is...what am I doing wrong? The contents of my set seem to all be here...but the fountain pen..well, I open it up to a barrel, top, ink cartridge...but I see no nib. I see none in the set anywhere. Is it buried in the barrel somewhere? I generally tout myself as not being a complete moron, but this has me baffled... Someone just tell me what simple thing I'm missing and slap me?

 

Thanks in advance! : )

 

I..er..figured it out...

 

Apparently the nib ends of the pens were just machined very hard into the caps that I had to pull with such force i was worried I was going to break something in order to get them free... I..feel a little silly now...

 

Move along...nothing to see here...*hangs head in shame* Sorry for taking up space on your board with such a dumb question...

[Too funny]

Apparently the nib ends of the pens were just machined very hard into the caps that I had to pull with such force i was worried I was going to break something in order to get them free... I..feel a little silly now...

 

Move along...nothing to see here...*hangs head in shame* Sorry for taking up space on your board with such a dumb question...

 

 

Can't recall laughing as hard in a long time. Read it aloud to my son who was just given the set and whose initial efforts had included unscrewing the base of the pen to find the cartridge and not the "nib"-probably a common mistake. I found this review and tried to read it aloud but was doubled over in stitches before I got to the end. We just howled. Thanks so much for posting this!

[Ed Ronax]

Nice review, have seen the adverts on TV.