What's new

Educate me on fountain pens. Some questions pls

Hello there,

I am trying to gift some nice pens from Aliexpress to some friends.

I have difficultles to source ink in my country so I would need to rely on cartridges.

I am open to get a converter just in case I find ink.

Now... I have these beginners questions.

1) how long does a nib last? I want to buy a set of different nibs.
2) is it possible to use premium nibs in a Chinese pen?
3) I have selected these pens on my selection : wing Sung 630;Jinhao 9019. But I don't think these use cartridges.
4) how do I find out whar cartridge are compatible with certain pens? Is there a standard?

5) are there any ink worthy to consider on aliexpress?

A lot of questions. I understand. Thank you for your time and help in advance.
 
Hello there,

I am trying to gift some nice pens from Aliexpress to some friends.

I have difficultles to source ink in my country so I would need to rely on cartridges.

I am open to get a converter just in case I find ink.

Now... I have these beginners questions.

1) how long does a nib last? I want to buy a set of different nibs.
2) is it possible to use premium nibs in a Chinese pen?
3) I have selected these pens on my selection : wing Sung 630;Jinhao 9019. But I don't think these use cartridges.
4) how do I find out whar cartridge are compatible with certain pens? Is there a standard?

5) are there any ink worthy to consider on aliexpress?

A lot of questions. I understand. Thank you for your time and help in advance.

1) A nib can last a lifetime.
2) For most new users the Chinese produced nib will do the job.
3) If you cannot buy ink in your country I would change your choice of pen to another brand, possibly Jinhao, the X159 is a larger pen but has very good reviews. The 9019 takes cartridges.
4) The majority of Chinese pens will use the standard International cartridge.

I see that you want to buy a set of nibs but I would counsel against buying pens with the idea that you can swap out nibs, there are pens where this is a straightforward task but not at this price point.

I don't use Aliexpress but I think you would struggle to buy a BAD ink from anywhere. Keep to blue or black, are you certain that bottled ink is unobtainable in your country? Even by mail?
 
1) A nib can last a lifetime.
2) For most new users the Chinese produced nib will do the job.
3) If you cannot buy ink in your country I would change your choice of pen to another brand, possibly Jinhao, the X159 is a larger pen but has very good reviews. The 9019 takes cartridges.
4) The majority of Chinese pens will use the standard International cartridge.

I see that you want to buy a set of nibs but I would counsel against buying pens with the idea that you can swap out nibs, there are pens where this is a straightforward task but not at this price point.

I don't use Aliexpress but I think you would struggle to buy a BAD ink from anywhere. Keep to blue or black, are you certain that bottled ink is unobtainable in your country? Even by mail?
Many thanks for your explanation.

I don't know where to find ink here but I will look into. I am sure that even if I find ink here it will be a lot more expensive than Alix.

I can order easily from Aliexpress but yes shipping from EU remains as a last option.

Is there anything against cartridges like a disadvantage?

These pens that you suggested come with a converter or should I get for them? There are some Screw Type 2.6/3.4mm Caliber Ink.
So I can use ink I guess.

Never thought that a fountain pen had so many details... 😂
 
Many thanks for your explanation.

I don't know where to find ink here but I will look into. I am sure that even if I find ink here it will be a lot more expensive than Alix.

I can order easily from Aliexpress but yes shipping from EU remains as a last option.

Is there anything against cartridges like a disadvantage?

These pens that you suggested come with a converter or should I get for them? There are some Screw Type 2.6/3.4mm Caliber Ink.
So I can use ink I guess.

Never thought that a fountain pen had so many details... 😂


Cartridges and disadvantages.

1. Some people take the view that cartridges are bad news because they increase our plastic disposable waste and that converters are a better option.
2. There is also the flushing and cleaning action whenever a converter is used.
3. Cartridges are a more expensive means of using a fountain pen.
4. A pen with a cartridge can take a long time, possibly hours, for the ink to reach the tip of the pen, new users many not be impressed.
5. Cartridges are convenient for travelling instead of carrying an ink bottle.

I think that most if not all Jinhao pens come with a converter.

You will appreciate that fountain pens do not suit the lifestyle of everyone. some may prefer a ballpoint or rollerball simply because they are easier to live with.
 
Last edited:
I am reading the jetpens website which has a lot of info.

I saw that there are a lot of YouTube videos also on pens.

Pens are a wide world indeed.
 
I’m not a fountain pen aficionado but I used them daily in my professional career. As a lawyer I wrote a lot and I loved the effortless writing of a fountain pen. I had a Waterman, a Schaeffer, a Cross, a Parker, a Mont Blanc and one or two others. I loved them all. I used Parker Quink and Noodler inks. I had special shiny paper tablets made that allowed the pens to glide smoothly. I could write for hours without fatigue.

When I retired, the pens were retired too.
 
I think I found a blue ink in a store locally. Better than nothing?

I ordered some pens from China a couple of days ago also.
 

Attachments

  • PXL_20241203_180536817.jpg
    PXL_20241203_180536817.jpg
    1.4 MB · Views: 21

Doc4

Stumpy in cold weather
Staff member
I have difficultles to source ink in my country so

What country is that? I bet someone here knows of a good way to find ink bottles just about anywhere ...

1) how long does a nib last?
Either forever, or right up until some hamfisted rookie smashes it.
1733324635057.png

2) is it possible to use premium nibs in a Chinese pen?
A very few pen companies make nib swapping easy. LAMY comes to mind.
1733324893596.png

Some other brands make it easy to swap out the pen section. Pelikan is an example.
1733324840764.png

Many brands make nib changing not user-friendly at all. You can get the nib changed but it's a detailed process best sent to a pen expert repairman. Nibs come in many different sizes and styles, so all are not interchangeable with all pens.
Pens are a wide world indeed.
Indeed.
I think I found a blue ink in a store locally. Better than nothing?
Probably. It's a brand I've never seen discussed before so you are probably the first B&B member to use it ... tell us how it goes!

The one thing that I will warn you about with inks is ... avoid India Ink and other inks that are for "dip pens" only. (Those are the pens that don't hold their ink supply inside themselves in a cartridge, cartridge converter, or other method.) These inks are often made with shellac or other thick and gooey stuff that will very quickly clog up the inner workings of the fountain pen. Stick to inks made specifically for fountain pens.
 
It looks like the Wing Sung 630 is a piston. It can only be used with bottled ink. Cartridges won’t work. The piston to draw ink into the barrel is fixed in the pen. It should work well and in some ways, if you have a bottle of ink, it is easier to use than cartridges or a converter.

The Jinhao 9019 has an extra large converter. I think it would require a Jinhao cartridge and not the standard western cartridges. There are three sizes of Chinese cartridges. I sometimes get cartridges with a Chinese pen and will use them in the pen they came with. But I then use the converter. I have never gotten a Chinese pen without a converter if a converter is required.

I would recommend that you not get the 9019. It is a very large pen and unless the person has large hands it might be uncomfortable for them to use.
 

gpjoe

Slickness is a sickness
Lots of good replies and suggestions, I'll add some comments:

Cartridges are simple to use and easy to change. I have a pile of Jinhao pens, all of which came with a converter installed, but I still bought a tub of 100 Jinhao carts from AliE for 5 bucks. Not sure how or where you might use your pen, but I found it easy to throw a few carts into my bag and have them handy when my pen ran dry at a meeting. Just a thought.

Regarding nibs, *most* of my Jinhao nibs write as expected, with the M nibs being wetter and smoother, and the F nibs having a bit more feedback. I'm thinking you will be fine with the Chinese nib. Like anything else, if you get bitten by the hobby, you can always explore replacement nibs based on your budget and nerve.

Last, I have a Jihao 9019 and it is my largest pen. It comes with a converter but I've only used the pen with a cart. It writes beautifully (M nib) in my not-giant hand...even considering its girth. The X450 is more moderately sized, and a very nice pen for the money.

I grabbed some popular "starter" pens to illustrate the size differences. From left: Lamy Al-Star, Jinhao 9019, Jinhao X450, Pilot Metropolitan.

20241204_142535.jpg
 
There was a time when the quality of Chinese pens was terrible. There was a Hero pen for example which was a poor copy of the brilliant Parker 51, the Hero was really cheap, sometimes 10 cents or less including delivery. You could order 10 for a dollar, one or two would be okay. This was about 25 years ago. The writing was on the wall, if they could improve the materials, quality and produce the pens to their own design then they could be a force to be reckoned with.

Jinhao pens are very easy to live with and are inexpensive, cheap enough at coffee money to give away. They do not have the quality of Pelikan or Montblanc but are useable and you would not be too upset if it was lost or dropped at 1% of the price of a Montblanc and might even be more reliable.

I recommend Jinhao to people who want something smart that they can take into the office that does not cost a lot of money. They can always graduate to whatever they chose if they enjoy the experience.
 
Lamy Al-Star, Jinhao 9019, Jinhao X450, Pilot Metropolitan
I got the Pilot Metropolitan with M nib when it first came out and I have had lots of issues with it. Been trying to adjust the nib to see if it helps. I think the more recent versions are better produced (and also come with squeeze converter). But it is a very nice pen, size and weight-wise.

I have the Lamy Al-Star with F nib and converter which is a very nice writer. But I gave it to my daughter so she can work on improving her writing.

I also have a Waterman Laureate with M nib that is doing well after I fixed it up (was handed down from my father).

Now I am interested in the TWSBI precision with F nib. Hoping for it to appear as a holiday gift.

I was never into cartridges. My dad was, and he had a bunch for the Waterman. He was a teacher and always needed to have his pen inked and ready. I wanted to have the ability to use whatever ink and colors that caught my attention. All my pens have converters to do just that. Also, the overall cost for a bottle of ink is much better than the equivalent cost for cartridges. But you really have to like that bottle of ink...
 

gpjoe

Slickness is a sickness
There was a Hero pen for example which was a poor copy of the brilliant Parker 51...

Jinhao pens are very easy to live with and are inexpensive, cheap enough at coffee money to give away. They do not have the quality of Pelikan or Montblanc but are useable and you would not be too upset if it was lost or dropped at 1% of the price of a Montblanc and might even be more reliable.


I've got a Jinhao 86 that is a blatant copy of the Parker, down to the "arrow" clip...though the cap is embossed with the Jihao name.

Currently priced at 15 bucks for 4 pens, with converters on the 'zon...so under $4 per pen, and less than a Peppermint Latte. 😉
 
Cartridges and disadvantages.

1. Some people take the view that cartridges are bad news because they increase our plastic disposable waste and that converters are a better option.
2. There is also the flushing and cleaning action whenever a converter is used.
3. Cartridges are a more expensive means of using a fountain pen.
4. A pen with a cartridge can take a long time, possibly hours, for the ink to reach the tip of the pen, new users many not be impressed.
5. Cartridges are convenient for travelling instead of carrying an ink bottle.

I think that most if not all Jinhao pens come with a converter.

You will appreciate that fountain pens do not suit the lifestyle of everyone. some may prefer a ballpoint or rollerball simply because they are easier to live with.
This is a great, succinct post. Especially the bolded quote. I too thought of getting friends a starter fountain pen for Christmas. I had about decided on Pilot Metros, but the more I thought about it the more I realized that the pen would be thrown in a drawer and never used after the initial ink fill ran out.
 
I got the Pilot Metropolitan with M nib when it first came out and I have had lots of issues with it. Been trying to adjust the nib to see if it helps.
I worked on the nib and it looks like I fixed its issue. Writing extremely well and smooth without startup or stall issues even when not used for a day. More time will tell but I am hopeful it lasts.

Also, still hoping for TWSBI Precision <F> from Santa...
 
Hello there,

I am trying to gift some nice pens from Aliexpress to some friends.

I have difficultles to source ink in my country so I would need to rely on cartridges.

I am open to get a converter just in case I find ink.

Now... I have these beginners questions.

1) how long does a nib last? I want to buy a set of different nibs.
2) is it possible to use premium nibs in a Chinese pen?
3) I have selected these pens on my selection : wing Sung 630;Jinhao 9019. But I don't think these use cartridges.
4) how do I find out whar cartridge are compatible with certain pens? Is there a standard?

5) are there any ink worthy to consider on aliexpress?

A lot of questions. I understand. Thank you for your time and help in advance.
I have the Jinhao 9019. It is a very large pen in girth, which I like. It comes with a converter that works well, but I believe it will use cartridges too, (hence the converter). I have several Jinhao pens and all have been good, such as the 992. It comes with a converter and will take cartridges. Jinhao cartridges can be had in a bucket and are very cheaply priced.

Swapping nibs needs to be done with great care on most pens because the feed is easily damaged. It can be done, just that care must be taken. Some fountain pens are easier to change nibs, and some are made to do so. The Lamy Safari is made to change the nibs and nibs come in a range of sizes and shapes. It uses proprietary cartridges, however. I've never explored this, but I'd be willing to bet that a maker in China has copied the Lamy Safari and the cartridges and both will be available on Aliexpress.

Which is more important, swapping nibs or using cartridges? Some companies, like Pilot, Lamy, Kaweco, and others use proprietary cartridges. I'd opt for a pen that uses international cartridges.
 
I have the Jinhao 9019. It is a very large pen in girth, which I like. It comes with a converter that works well, but I believe it will use cartridges too, (hence the converter). I have several Jinhao pens and all have been good, such as the 992. It comes with a converter and will take cartridges. Jinhao cartridges can be had in a bucket and are very cheaply priced.

Swapping nibs needs to be done with great care on most pens because the feed is easily damaged. It can be done, just that care must be taken. Some fountain pens are easier to change nibs, and some are made to do so. The Lamy Safari is made to change the nibs and nibs come in a range of sizes and shapes. It uses proprietary cartridges, however. I've never explored this, but I'd be willing to bet that a maker in China has copied the Lamy Safari and the cartridges and both will be available on Aliexpress.

Which is more important, swapping nibs or using cartridges? Some companies, like Pilot, Lamy, Kaweco, and others use proprietary cartridges. I'd opt for a pen that uses international cartridges.

I have only seen one copy of the Lamy from China, outwardly the pen was similar but the cartridges were not compatible, the nib could not be swapped out either.
 
Top Bottom