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Review: Jinhao 601

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The 601 is another of Jinhao’s brass-constructed fountain pens with a painted finish. This one differs from the ubiquitous X750 and X450 by being decidedly less thick and weighty, though it still has enough heft to avoid feeling as inexpensive as it is. The snap cap reveals a textured metal grip section which feels good in the hand to some users but that is not a universal opinion. That same textured section also seems to capture a lot of ink while inkin g this pen. Interestingly, the section appears to be threaded where it meets the body but these are in fact just rings which are stacked as a design element, not threads. The cap posts securely and doesn’t make the pen too heavy but does make it unbalanced for my taste.  As usual, this Jinhao comes with their quality standard international converter and no cartridges, so I inked it up with my usual Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki-Shikibu and hit the Rhodia *80 DOT pad running. The nib is Jinhao’s standard silver #5 with t
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Review: Jinhao 8802 “Shell”

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Review: Jinhao 8802 “Shell” The Jinhao 8802 with the “Shell” finish is simply one of the most beautiful pens in my collection thus far. Inlaid abalone is something you just don’t see on fountain pens under $150, but you do get it here and it’s beautifully finished. Thankfully the writing experience of this pen matches the striking aesthetics. The 8802 is a medium to long pen of medium girth and medium to heavy weight. It is brass construction with silver finish on all of the moving parts, including the all-metal threads which fasten the section to the barrel. The package I chose came with 10 standard international ink cartridges in 5 colors as well as a converter. I have not tested any of the included ink but the converter is the same nice Jinhao unit I’ve come to expect in their fountain pens.  The unthreaded cap just snaps off and fastens securely when capped. It does post securely as well, but makes the pen far too heavy and unbalanced in this configuration
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Mini review: Voilamart PU Leather Fountain Pen Case for 12 Pens.

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Mini review: Voilamart PU Leather Fountain Pen Case for 12 Pens. Nice enough for Montblanc, affordable enough for Jinhao! So, I could tell pretty quickly that I was going to need one of these. In fact, now I have two of them! Fountain pens are highly addictive and with all the quality affordable Chinese models out there from Jinhao and the likes, you’re likely going to need a couple of these, too. This case is made of a nice, soft but durable-feeling PU Leather that even smells nice! It seems plenty flexible for getting pens in a nd out, but I’d also trust just tossing it in a bag or in the trunk of a car and expect my pens to still be in great shape. (Obviously don’t leave inked fountain pens in a hot car).  The zipper pull is metal (both of my cases have gold tone) but the zipper teeth are plastic, meaning you don’t scratch your pens while sliding them in and out. The elastic straps inside are strong enough to keep your pens from rubbing on each other, but flexi
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Review: Jinhao 992 Light Blue Demonstrator, EF Nib

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Jinhao 992 Light Blue Demonstrator, EF Nib On my journey into the wonderful world of fountain pens, I’ve run into several surprisingly good pens and a handful of really bad ones. Thankfully, this is one of the former. The 992 Demonstrator is my first plastic Jinhao. Oh, I have the metal X750, X450 and 8802 (with the shell design), and the Ceramic 950, but this plastic Jinhao is something new for me. The Jinhaos have been my favorite inexpensive Chinese pens so far, easily outpacing Wing Sung for quality and writing experience. They always had a nice heft to them, they feel substantial in the hand and I’ve yet to receive anything but a great nib from them, but I was a bit cautious in being too optimistic about venturing into Jinhaos with lighter materials. Well, my concern proved to be unnecessary. The 992 quickly proved to be not only very visually appealing, but a real joy to write with. As this was also my first EF Jinhao nib, I was very pleasantly surprised t
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Mini- review; Jinhao X750, Royal blue.

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This all-metal pen has a nice heft to it without being so heavy that it cramps your hand on those long writing sessions. The Medium nib is pretty broad and writes effortlessly, nice and wet. No feedback or scratch whatsoever, writes like a much more expensive pen. The fit, finish and overall quality seem to be terrific. This is currently my every day carry (EDC). Writes every time, no startup lag, keeps up with fast writing with no skip s, but don’t expect line variation with the fairly stiff nib.  Comes with a standard converter which works well. Snap-off cap is stiff, clip is also stiff, Does post securely and it’s not too back-weighted when you do but it’s likely long enough for many writers without posting. I love this pen and highly recommend it for beginners. As it comes in a variety of colors and can be used with a Zebra G nib for flex work, will be buying more of this model. Highly recommended, 5 stars.
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Mini-review: Lanbitou 3059 Piston Fill Clear Demonstrator

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Pros: • Aesthetics. I’m a sucker for a clear demonstrator, especially piston-filled, and this one is just gorgeous, especially when filled with an interesting (and not too dark) ink. • Price. I paid just over $2 shipped on eBay, arrived in about 2 weeks. • Fully transparent. Unlike it’s obvious inspiration, this pen has a totally clear section and feed, really showing off whatever ink you choose to run in it. • Maintenance. Again, unlike the pen this is somewhat modeled after, the disassembly and reassembly require no tools. Simply unscrew the metal ring just below the piston knob, and you’re good. Even better, the piston assembly itself is self-synchronizing, meaning no more fussing around with the alignment during reassembly. • Locking piston knob. When the piston is raised all the way up, turn the knob just a little further and it will click reassuringly, locking the piston into place, so you don’t have to worry about pushing any ink out if/when you bump the knob w
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Review; Moonman Wancai Mini, Fine nib

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When this seller reached out and asked me to review this pen in this color, I asked if I could review the transparent model instead. That would have been a mistake! I was not prepared for how beautiful this pen is in person! With its flowing light ribbons floating in nearly clear translucent green space, even before you ink it up with your favorite hue, this pen really takes your breath away. Add some ink into the mix and now those ribbon s really show off their true depth! But this pen isn’t all show and no go...The gold-tone 0.5 Fine iridium-point nib is surprisingly smooth and glides on the paper like a fine Medium, though leaving a much finer line. A little line variation is possible and there is just a hint of feedback without any scratchiness at all. The pen is slightly thicker than all but the thickest pens and capped it is extremely short and portable, but that is the point. Unscrew the cap, screw it back on the end, and you have a nearly perfect sized, light
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