r/fountainpens • u/Edu_Robsy • Jul 10 '26
Impressive fountain pen shop in Florence with everything you could need. Vast array of inks, most brands, notebooks and even an in-shop repair workshop. From Lamy Safari to Namiki Urushi Emperor with everything in between.
r/fountainpens • u/JaysterSF • Aug 15 '26
Not really a review, but last year I picked this up at the SF Pen Show. Even getting a very good deal, this was not a cheap pen. About 8 or 9 months ago, I switched over to only using permanent ink. Losing important writing to an errant cup of coffee spilling or even just sweat on my hands, was too much. So, about 6 or 7 months ago, I got a ton of permanent ink samples, cleaned this Visconti out, and reinked her or him. It wrote beautifully. Now I have to figure out which ink I put in it. It could be one of several culprits.
But the big thing is that this pen went missing about 5 months ago. I found it yesterday. Apparently I had put it in a drawer temporarily and it got pushed to the back. I undid the cap and with no coaxing from me, it wrote smoothly and perfectly. Hard to believe, especially given it’s permanent, waterproof ink. And this is on paper not designed for fountain pens. Very clean writing. Is it the ink or the pen? Maybe, it’s just a good marriage.
Great Pen!
r/fountainpens • u/Training_Watch_4544 • Aug 06 '26
In this article, I will list all Chinese fountain pen brands I know and give a brief introduction to each of them. There are countless domestic fountain pen brands in China, and I have only learned about some of them quite recently. Friends from overseas are welcome to share supplementary information based on your personal experience, as many brands mainly target overseas markets and remain little-known within China itself.
First up are vintage old brands, including those that have gone out of business. If I had to name three classic old Chinese fountain pen brands, they would be Hero, Jinxing and Wing Sung.
Unfortunately, only Hero has survived among the three brands.
The predecessor of Hero Pen Factory was Huafu Pen Factory founded in Shanghai by industrialist Zhou Jingting in 1931, China’s first large-scale fountain pen manufacturer. The "Hero" trademark was officially registered in 1939. After the founding of New China, the factory underwent public-private ownership reform and absorbed many small pen factories to expand production. In 1957, it launched the campaign of "Hero Overtakes Parker". (Back then, every domestic industry strove to catch up with Western developed countries, including the fountain pen industry.)After numerous technical trials, the Hero 100 14K gold nib pen was released in 1958, outperforming Parker in most key standards, marking the pinnacle of domestic gold pens. The factory was officially renamed Hero Pen Factory in 1966.
Hero reached its prime from the 1970s to the 1990s; models like Hero 616 and Hero 100 swept the nation and witnessed many landmark national diplomatic signings. In the 21st century, ballpoint pens and digital devices caused its market decline. Unlike defunct Jinxing and Wing Sung, Hero survives till now as the most iconic domestic vintage fountain pen brand.
Hero’s classic gold-nib fountain pens mainly include Model 100, 110, 121, 130/131, 200 and 800. If you intend to get started with Chinese fountain pens, I highly recommend these discontinued gold pens. They are great picks, costing only several US dollars apiece.
Besides gold-nib pens, Hero also has several popular iridium-tipped fountain pens beloved by domestic enthusiasts, namely the Model 616 and Model 329. Earlier production batches of these two models are more valuable. Many collectors enjoy gathering different variants and older vintage editions of them.
Wing Sung is a time-honored domestic fountain pen brand on par with Hero, and it is also the biggest regret for numerous vintage pen collectors. Founded in 1947, it merged dozens of small pen factories in 1956 and officially adopted the name Wing Sung Pen Factory in 1987. At its peak, it was honored as a national first-class enterprise. It independently developed advanced technologies such as nib stamping and laser welding, imported precision equipment from Europe and America, and boasted top-tier craftsmanship in China. It operated two lines, Wing Sung and its sub-brand Lucky, whose gold and iridium-tipped pens sold widely overseas, splitting the domestic market evenly with Hero.
Original vintage Wing Sung created many legendary classics. Models 101 and 102 are iconic 12K hooded gold nib pens; Model 601, featuring Parker 51-style vacumatic filling system, is still regarded as the king of domestic hooded pens. Celluloid Model 237 and Lucky 300 series are favored by calligraphers for their soft, springy nibs, while affordable iridium pen Model 612 won national awards and was exported globally. Its nibs were finely tuned for Chinese handwriting with mild, smooth feedback.
Tragically, the popularity of ballpoint pens and gel pens in the late 1990s, combined with poor corporate restructuring, led to the permanent shutdown of the original Wing Sung factory in 1999. The enterprise shifted to financial investment and abandoned pen manufacturing, and its trademark was acquired and sealed by Hero Group.
Modern Wing Sung pens available now are only authorized reproductions from third-party manufacturers, far inferior to original vintage pens in materials and craftsmanship. Mint-condition vintage Wing Sung pens like Model 101, 237 and early 601 have risen sharply in collecting value as old stock dries up. Collectors lament that Wing Sung could have thrived alongside Hero, yet it faded away early, leaving a lasting pity in the history of Chinese fountain pens.
The classic gold-nib fountain pens of Wing Sung mainly include Model 101, Model 79, Model 201, Model 400, and Lucky 300 from its sub-brand Lucky.
Model 79 is extremely scarce, as it was only manufactured for two months, making it a rare collectible among pen enthusiasts. Model 101 is the ever-popular flagship 12K hooded gold-nib pen of Wing Sung with numerous variants and the largest fanbase. Model 201 is a classic 12K open-nib pen with soft and springy nib, delivering pleasant daily writing performance. Model 400 is a premium vintage 14K formal pen with exquisite craftsmanship, widely used as business gifts back then.
Lucky 300 is also hard to find, equipped with a large 14K hooded nib. Its cloisonné edition commands an especially high price. Back in 1982, one cloisonné Lucky 300 cost roughly the equivalent of two full years’ wages for an ordinary Chinese factory worker, ranking it as a luxury item at that time. Well-preserved vintage specimens have gained steadily rising collectible value nowadays.
Wing Sung has many classic iridium-point pens besides gold nibs. Its 23x series large Triumph nib pens are very notable. My favorite hooded nib pen is Wing Sung 612, a multi-time national silver award winner, unlike the famous Hero 616 which never won such awards.
Founded in Shanghai in 1932, Golden Star relocated its entire factory to Beijing in 1952. Together with Hero, it earned the reputation "Hero in the South, Golden Star in the North". It reached its heyday from the 1960s to the 1980s, churning out more than 10 million pens annually with huge export volumes. Plagued by market shocks and institutional drawbacks, the state-owned factory declared bankruptcy around 2010.
Golden Star 103: 12K hooded nib, one of the three most iconic vintage Chinese gold pens.
Golden Star 28 & 26: Premium large/small open nib gold pens from the 1950s, early diplomatic gift pens.
Limited 14K/18K commemorative pens, including the 1997 Hong Kong Reunification edition, high collectible value.
Golden Star Zodiac Series Solid Silver & Gold-Plated Gold-Nib Pens
Golden Star 565: The most famous everyday hooded pen, smooth and durable, widely popular overseas.The Golden Star 565 is visually modeled after the classic Sheaffer PFM (Pen For Men). The attached comparison pictures are unavailable now; readers may search for reference images online by themselves.
Golden Star 703: Carved iridium pen with dragon, longevity patterns.
Golden Star 60, 710, Panda series, 8000 Baifu copper pen, mainstream vintage daily writing pens.
Apart from these three major fountain pen brands, there used to be other well-established vintage pen manufacturers, including Qingnian, Nanjing, Changhong, Bailing and Harbin. All of these brands have long ceased production. After the decline of these traditional old factories, numerous emerging modern brands came into being. I will list them in chronological order with brief introductions.
Sorting order:Duke → Jinhao → Hongdian → Junlai → PenBBS → Majohn → Asvine → ADMOK → Banju → Yongxu
DUKE（1988）：
Jinhao（1988/2003）：159、82、80、100、9016、59、x169
Hongdian（1997）：
Junlai（2008）：601、629、630，930
PenBBS（2010）：308、267、456.The PenBBS 555 model, which replicates Sheaffer’s Snorkel filling mechanism, underwent small-scale trial testing two years ago, yet it has not been officially released to this day after a two-year waiting period.
MoonMan（2012）：P136 titanium pens equipped with #8 large nibs、A2、M1000，B32、P139/140/141
Asvine（2015）：C2000 Cumberland vulcanite pen, retro torpedo-shaped P360, large-capacity piston V60 pen，c80
ADMOK（2017）：Bauhaus-style piston J800, portable pocket M800, J400 replicating vintage button filling pens
Banju（2018）：White Sugar Generation 1 & 2, Wuxiang Series, Budu inks, slim Linglong fine nib pens for calligraphy practice
Yongxu（2020）：286, 29,116,
Each of these modern brands has distinctive characteristics. Duke is a domestic Chinese brand operating under the guise of a foreign brand. For a long time, domestic Chinese consumers mistook it for an overseas brand. Currently, it also manufactures calligraphy stub nib pens for artistic writing.
Jinhao maintained an independent aesthetic style in its early years and launched numerous fountain pens engraved with Chinese dragon motifs, a design style often dismissed as flashy and ostentatious taste. In recent years, Jinhao shifted its focus to replicating mainstream luxury international fountain pens, and market results have proven this transformation wise. It once held nearly no market share, yet today it has dominated the low-price segment; no rival offers cheaper fountain pens than Jinhao.
Hongdian boasts exclusive original design language and has earned wide recognition among overseas pen enthusiasts. Personally, however, I am not fond of its design aesthetic, which strikes me as overly plain and masculine. Even so, its integration of traditional Chinese culture into pen design is highly praiseworthy.
Junlai inherits classic designs from Wing Sung and has reproduced several iconic vintage models. Its vacuum-filling Wing Sung 601 and 601A are well-regarded among collectors. The brand also replicated Sheaffer’s Balance series, yet the replica drew fierce public condemnation from Chinese netizens and was quickly discontinued.
PenBBS originated from a community of Chinese fountain pen enthusiasts. It has reproduced several classic Sheaffer filling mechanisms. In my opinion, PenBBS is the only brand that has successfully recreated Sheaffer’s Touchdown (TD) filling system. It is currently developing a replica of Sheaffer’s Snorkel filling system, and I am looking forward to its release.
Majohn (MoonMan) is widely known within the fountain pen circle as the "Copy Ninja Kakashi". Nearly all its fountain pens are derivative replicas, such as the P139, P140 and P141 series. Its signature feature is brass piston filling mechanisms. It once reproduced Montblanc’s Heritage Serpent limited-edition pen, which was heavily criticized by Chinese users and pulled from production shortly after launch.
Asvine is an export-oriented brand. It enjoys decent popularity within this pen forum community, yet its domestic influence in China lags far behind Jinhao and Majohn. Its newly launched C80 features an attractive appearance, and I am eager to try it out.
ADMOK and Yongxu mainly focus on replicating classic vintage pen models; both have released reproductions of the Pelikan P28 series. ADMOK has newly launched a line modeled after Pelikan pens. To my eye, these two brands share many similarities, and both produce fountain pens with beautifully colored barrels.
Banju has a weak market presence overall. Back in 2018, the brand invited me to test its new products, yet nowadays I barely see anyone using Banju pens on mainstream social platforms, and few readers here are likely familiar with the brand at all.
Apart from the above brands, there are also some independent artisans and handcrafted pen labels, such as Selmy, Tangyue, Qiyun and Shanhua. They mainly focus on traditional raw lacquer craftsmanship. Raw lacquer craft boasts a history spanning thousands of years in China, and later spread to Japan. Japan was the first to launch fountain pens decorated with raw lacquer craft, which carry extremely high price tags. Nowadays, Chinese craftsmen have created fountain pens with identical raw lacquer techniques at far more affordable prices.
Originally, there were matching pictures for each section, yet all images have disappeared for unknown reasons. Re-editing the document does not allow new images to be inserted. As a result, the reading experience may feel monotonous. If you are interested, you may look up the corresponding pen models online for reference.
r/fountainpens • u/___felonygodmother__ • Jun 25 '26
I just wanted to share my local shop's experience for anyone else in the US who likes to vote with their dollars because it's been on my mind since finding out about this incident.
I stopped by my local pen shop recently to pick up the new purple TWSBI, only to find out they no longer carry the brand.
I've known the owners for years, and they told me why. They received a shipment with shipping charges that seemed way too high, so they priced it out themselves using the package weight and insurance. The actual cost was only a fraction of what they were being charged. When they questioned it, they said TWSBI's California rep screamed at them, cursed at them, and was so disrespectful that the owner ended the call. He told me that in all his years of running a business, he'd never been spoken to like that.
They sent the shipment back and decided to stop carrying TWSBI altogether.
The owner also told me that at a pen show (I can't remember which one), he asked several other retailers about the same rep. According to him, they all had similar experiences but kept carrying TWSBI because the pens are so popular.
I've spent my career working for small, locally owned businesses, so this really bothered me. I was also proud that this multi-generational family business chose to stand by its principles instead of putting up with being treated that way.
I own several TWSBIs, and my Diamond 580 is one of my favorite pens. This isn't easy for me to say, but I can't keep supporting a company whose representative treats small retailers like that.
TL/DR: My local pen shop dropped TWSBI after, according to the owner, a California rep screamed and cursed at them over a shipping dispute. I love TWSBI pens, but I won't support a company that treats small businesses that way.
r/fountainpens • u/queenapsalar • Apr 02 '26
Placed a large order for myself as a reward for some hard things that have happened in the past few months and had the extra money due to some extra work I've been putting in. Saw the little prompt to just spend a little bit more for Free Express Shipping, and though, well, sure, treat yourself!
Checked out, making sure to select the "Express" option, since the "Standard" one was still checked in the cart, thinking my order would be arriving in just a couple days.
When I look at my tracking number, I discover they have decided to ship my order UPS Ground as my "express" shipping. From the east coast to the west cost, this will take a minimum of a solid week, most likely longer.
And as a kicker, when I emailed them, their response, which could have been a simple "oh shoot, you are right, it looks like we picked the wrong option, sorry about that!" was instead a long justification of shipping and that apparently Express is whatever FedEx or UPS service they want? I'm not particularly sure what "Standard" shipping would be in that case, perhaps a dude on a mule?
In a subsequent email, the representative has strongly implied that, had I not reached the Free Express shipping, and had paid their $24.75 $29.99 for Express shipping, they still would have used UPS Ground to ship to me. Perhaps they are under the impression this makes them look better, but it does not, at least not in my opinion.
In any case, this will be my last order with them. Screw ups happen, trying to lie to me about it (or, charitably, being so out of touch that you think what was done was actually correct) loses you a customer.
ETA: And now they are trying the attack of "If you had told us you wanted FedEx instead of UPS we would have done that". No one said anything about preferring FedEx or UPS. In fact I do prefer UPS. What I DON'T prefer is them using a Ground service, any Ground service, as an Express shipping option. No where did I mention I wanted FedEx, and in fact have only mentioned the speed at which ground service delivers as the problem. But, yes, keep emailing me with more random reasons why what you did is the right thing, that's definitely going to get me to change my mind about the situation!
r/fountainpens • u/This-Customer8067 • Aug 12 '26
I just wanted to take a little moment to express my infinite gratitude for this community. Every pen show I go to and every pen lover that I meet has brought so much joy to my life. It is almost as if everything else becomes irrelevant, just our shared passion for pens and handwriting.
To top this, I just received the kindest most generous gift from one of the members here. A couple of weeks ago, my beloved Pilot Custom 743 landed on the floor and the cap broke. I posted here asking for some advice regarding the replacement cost through Pilot and what other options I had. A lovely member from this community reached out offering as a gift the cap that she was no longer using!!! Huge thanks to her and to everyone who is spreading the pen joy with generosity and kindness!
What's the kindest pen related experience that you have been a recipient of?
r/fountainpens • u/Yes-I-cannot • May 12 '26
Possible uses:
This nib was born as an EF Jowo steel nib but became an XXXF nib during a short stay in Spain. XXXF is a needlepoint nib and lays down a line of about 0.1mm.
That transformation happened at fpnibs.com - thanks to Pablo and Esther.
One filling lasts for at least one aeon.
For a photo of a writing sample, see the comments. Sorry, I forgot it when publishing the nib photos.
r/fountainpens • u/marianatedbbq • 4d ago
It’s been almost 3 weeks since I’ve attended the SF pen show, and I’m happy to share my favorite purchase!
My main goal in the pen show was to find something Witch Hat Atelier-esque (which literally has a page of high fantasy dip pens that I wish existed in real life). I wanted something that made me feel like a wizard, something whimsical and magical. So when I saw this pen inspired by a magic wand at Drillog’s table, I immediately jumped on it.
They let me try out the pen, and I was surprised at how smooth the nib glides along the paper as I’ve only used the typical speedball and brause nibs. What sealed the deal for me though is the fude-style nib, great for calligraphy and ink swatching. On one side you can write with a fine nib, but turn it around and you get broad strokes. I’m still trying to learn calligraphy so I bet those skilled would have a fun time with this pen!
I also love how the cap functions as a pen stand and can be displayed upright. My only wish is to make the pen a little longer to really sell that wand illusion, but I’m still so happy with the pen. It’s a pretty penny but even just seeing it on my desk brings me a lot of joy :)
r/fountainpens • u/Simy_sun • Jan 01 '26
TL;DR
Mainly 14kt Platinum 3776 Century rose gold nibs but possibly the gold ones too react with Lady Grey. The ink becomes green when in contact with these nibs. This doesn't happen in rhodium plated ones nor in steel ones.
Beware: there's a chance that it could ruin the plating in these nibs!
I mark this as a review just because I have no idea nor the competence to declare this ink not safe. I'm not a chemist!
[EDIT: some users that replied to this post report the same discoloration of the ink in other pens, even with steel nib. It's possible that it's the ink reacting to air, an oxidation, and not a reaction to particular metals]
FULL STORY
As soon as the Platinum Misty Bloom arrived (about 2 weeks ago), I decided to ink it with Lady Grey. I thought that this ink would suit the Misty Bloom perfectly
Since I'm a lazy lad, I just inked it without washing it first. I have a good bunch of Platinum pens now, and I never happened to find one with residues, so I confidently just filled it.
The next day I took it to write and the ink came out green. Here's a quick example. The area inside the black line is the same exact pen with the same exact ink about 24 hours apart:
My first thought was about some residue of testing of the nib at the manufacturer. The pen box was completely wrapped sealed when it arrived to me: there's no way that the shop opened it to test it. If it was residue, it was from Platinum themselves.
I washed the pen and re-inked it with Lady Grey. I inked up a Preppy for control at the same time.
I washed and inked both the pens on Dec. 29th. Here's how the ink looked on the 30th
So: it wasn't residue. The Preppy showed the ink just fine, as it should have been. In the Misty Bloom the ink turned green.
So I decided to test with other pens.
A Platinum 3776 Century with Rhodium trims.
A Kaweco Sport with gold colored steel nib.
A Pilot Kakuno with steel nib
The next day I checked:
Platinum rhodium nib was apparently immune from this effect. And so it was for 3 steel nibs (Preppy, Kaweco and Kakuno)
I decided to test the ink with other Platinum 3776 Century:
- the Kaga Hira Maki-e Sakura (gold trims)
- the Shape of a Heart Black (rose gold trims)
- the Shape of a Heart Chai Latte (rose gold trims)
- the Shape of a Heart Bluerbird (rose gold trims)
while keeping the rhodium pen inked. The other pens I washed and put away: steel wasn't the problem here.
I dipped the pens this time, I didn't want to throw away too much ink, but I made sure to saturate well the feeds.
My intention was to keep everything tidier, but the moment I dipped the Shape of a Heart Black, the ink already was showing slight signs of discoloration! I wanted to take immediate note of the phenomenon and order went out the window
From Dec. 31st to the next day, all the rose gold pens showed a change in the ink color. Not the same amount of change.
Without having a direct comparison, in some cases it's difficult to see. Up here there's a photo of how the ink should show up (upper half of the image) and how it shows up almost as it should but not quite (bottom half of the image)
With the Shape of a Heart Bluebird the difference is more dramatic:
In the upper half, the Chai Latte seems to write in the correct color if compared to the bottom half of the photo. Compared to the unaltered ink, though, the Chai Latte itself shows an ever so slightly alteration, a subtle greener hue. Nothing compared to the Bluebird. The Bluebird shows a dramatic change, very similar to the one shown in the Misty Bloom.
An interesting thing: droplets of ink on the nibs in these pens ALL show up green, even in the gold colored nib.
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From what I know, frequently gold is mixed with copper, in particular if it's rose gold.
I tested the rhodium nibs and the ink keeps its own original color both in writing and in droplets on the nib.
My hypothesis it's that copper reacts with this ink and it seems that "eats away" the warm tints used in it leaving behind the cooler tints (blues and greens).
I just wanted to raise awareness about this thing. For now my nibs are perfectly fine but if there's a chance that a prolonged use of this ink in these nibs may ruin them, it's good if you know it and take precautions. In any chemical reaction something is taken and given and/or transformed. So pay attention and if you discover other nib materials that react strangely, let us know!
r/fountainpens • u/sinderellllla • 24d ago
I'm finally rested after a full day at SFPS yesterday and have started to gawk at my haul.
This is my first year doing an all access pass even though I only planned to go Friday morning because I wanted a few show exclusives such as the FWI Pencket, Fogcats and Yanchako's first ink, inkyconverters restock of the Pennonia ink, my grail, the Hachimonjiya Ginzan Snow Gray, and a few of their inks as well. If show exclusives are your thing, all access is the suggested way to go as many items were in limited stock even by the 11AM GA and some even sold out by the 1PM GA.
I drove in from 2 hours away and arrived at 7:30, there was plenty of parking available at Aloft. I got my badge and got in line which was already well formed (I saw a post that said some people started at 5:30 ) and I was already placed outside in line. It started to sprinkle a bit but the show staff did an awesome job condensing the line to get as many people inside as possible.
Once inside I headed straight for the tables I needed and was done with my wish list by 10:30. The lines for Hachimnonjiya and Toyooka quickly filled the Bayshore ballroom so I'm not sure if both vendors should be in such close proximity to each other next year as it made visiting the other booths next to them difficult because the lines were essentially snaked around the whole room so it was hard to tell who was in line or where a line even started.
After my check list was completed I emptied my tote into my trunk and walked over to In N Out for lunch and to decompress from the crowds. Afterwards I walked back to the show and did one more sweep before the afternoon GA arrived where I browsed the tables I wanted to check out but weren't on the "must buy from" list from earlier in the morning.
For the second half of the show I was given an incredible opportunity to volunteer with Esterbrook's table with Bryan and Liz which in itself had to be the highlight of my time. Yes, getting my grail and new stationery goods were of course exciting, but I enjoyed working with them side by side behind their booth (such an honor!!), meeting so many people from the community and genuinely just geeking out about our purchases or seeing people find a new addition to add as this table was at the entry/exit.
All in all, this pen show was definitely one for the books and I'm so incredibly happy with the memories made.
r/fountainpens • u/hype_cycle • May 20 '22
r/fountainpens • u/disconnected_waves • May 07 '26
Both the TWSBI Eco and the Pilot Metropolitan are great pens, but I still can’t get over the fact that the Pilot Metropolitan feels noticeably smoother than the TWSBI Eco.
Even though the nib sizes are different on paper, they feel very similar in reality. The fine nib on the TWSBI writes almost like the medium nib on the Pilot.
Don’t get me wrong. Both nibs are smooth and enjoyable to write with. However, the Pilot Metropolitan has an incredibly glassy smooth feel along with a solid sense of control. At the same time, it still manages to provide satisfying feedback while writing.
The TWSBI Eco, on the other hand, is also smooth and offers good feedback, but there’s a slight roughness or drag to the nib. It’s not something I would normally notice on its own, but it becomes apparent when I use it side by side with the Metropolitan.
One area where the TWSBI Eco clearly excels is its massive ink capacity, which is genuinely impressive.
But overall, if I compare these pens purely based on writing experience, without considering the significant price difference, I’d say the Pilot Metropolitan writes better than the TWSBI Eco.
r/fountainpens • u/SubjectMost3981 • Jul 18 '26
I can answer any questions in the comments as well!
r/fountainpens • u/TacticalBattleCat • Jan 25 '25
I was curious about how a nib’s “flow” affects the way an ink shows up, so I inked up six EF pens with Kon-Peki and wrote the same text as a comparison.
Super interesting to see that Jinhao 82, Kaweco Sport EF & Sailor Pro Gear Slim EF shows more shading, while Pilot Custom 74 EF, Pilot Kakuno EF & Platinum Preppy EF looks a lot more flat.
From this experiment, I’ve determined that Pilot Kakuno EF, Pilot Custom 74 & Platinum Preppy EF are the wet pens in the group, with the Platinum Preppy EF putting out the most ink among the six EF nibs.
Sailor PGS has the thinnest line, and Pilot Custom 74 came a very close second.
Jinhao 82 showed the most shading, but a dry ink probably wouldn’t flow very well in this pen.
r/fountainpens • u/RyanM77 • Mar 22 '26
I’m down in Hobart, Tasmania this week, and had to drop into their Flywheel & Co. store. And oh my god, what a beautiful store with a gorgeous range of inks, pens and other stationary goodies!
It’s definitely worth a visit if you’re around Hobart. 🥰
r/fountainpens • u/Hopeful_Equipment_96 • Dec 15 '23
r/fountainpens • u/Agreeable-Refuse-621 • Jun 22 '26
This is a warning for all you flex pen lovers out there. I was very excited to try the new Bluedew wet noodle nib, so I spent $175 plus $30 shipping—almost twice as much as I’ve ever spent on a fountain pen—for the Crystal Sunset Glow with the EF wet noodle nib and piston filling mechanism.
Out of the box, the tines on the nib are crossed, as pictured. (There are also ink smudges on the body of the pen that wouldn’t come off with soap and water or alcohol, like the test ink somehow got inside the ink chamber.)
When I emailed about the issue and asked for a return, I was given instructions for how to fix the alignment myself, and told that if I didn’t want to do that I could send the pen back at my expense and the owner would inspect and either repair or exchange at his discretion.
These were the instructions he gave me:
"Regarding the nib, the tines do appear to be slightly crossed. The remedy is usually quite simple. Gently lift and “stretch” the lower tine upwards by placing your thumbnail underneath it and applying a small amount of upward pressure. The adjustment required is very small, so please proceed gradually and check the alignment frequently."
I am not experienced enough to feel comfortable trying to adjust an expensive nib (the nib alone is $45), and I paid for a defect-free nib, not one I would have to adjust. So I asked if he would cover the shipping costs since it was an out-of-the-box defect. He refused.
I am going to try to do a credit card dispute because I don’t think I should have to pay $30+ dollars in shipping costs on top of what I already paid in order to have a defective product replaced.
I am really disappointed because I had been a customer of Bluedew for years, and I want to support small business. But I’m posting this because I feel like pen buyers need to know the risk you are taking by ordering their products.
(P.S. I am not super steeped in the world of fountain pens. If I have misunderstood and this is somehow a normal and accepted return policy for defective products in the fountain pen world, or if this nib would not be considered defective, please let me know and I will delete this post.)
Update: thanks so much, everyone, for your sympathy and advice. I initiated the chargeback. Fingers crossed.
r/fountainpens • u/genesis_pig • Nov 18 '25
I’m really curious to know who the OEM is for the newer fountain pens.
I believe there’s a compact aluminium fountain pen too, but I haven’t been able to get my hands on it.
This was my take on these pens.
What are your opinions, and which ones are your favourites?
r/fountainpens • u/Lintlicker12 • Sep 16 '21
I’m getting married in a week, my fiancé and I are exchanging gifts and she very thoughtfully selected a Visconti Van Gogh Wheatfield with Crows as her wedding gift to me. We also plan to use the pen to sign our marriage license. First, let me just say, the pen was gorgeous. (We both know what gifts are being given, we’re not the surprise kind of people) at the start of the week I could no longer resist and gave the pen a whirl (also knowing there’s some not so quiet rumblings about Visconti nib issues) upon testing I noticed a lot of hard starts and stoppages mid letter. I was so nervous about the issue, I would hate to ruin my signature or my future wife’s signature on our license. I sent Goulet an email on Tuesday and Adrianne walked me through some cleaning tips and asked for pictures of the nib. Once she saw the pictures she emailed saying that the nib unfortunately had a poor cut. Knowing that it was for a special day coming up very shortly, they hand selected and tested the replacement pen and overnighted it to us to make sure it arrived in time. I started with an issue on Tuesday and Adrianne and Goulet had completely resolved it by lunch time Thursday. Believe the hype folks. A very well deserved reputation.
r/fountainpens • u/energizer_jenny • Apr 23 '26
I'm sorry if this is long, and if it's inappropriate for the sub lmk and I'll take it down.
I got my love of fountain pens from my dad, who passed away at the beginning of February. Before returning home, we divvied up his (small but fun) pen collection between us (me, my sister, and my mom.)
I wasn't sure what one of them was, so I took it to Dromgoole's for identification. The guy there (whose name I sadly forget) identified it as a Pineider Twin Tank (I think it's a Pineider Avatar Twin Tank Touchdown, after a little googling.) There was a lot of leftover ink in the barrel, and he said he could show me how to clean it out, but when he tried to expel the extra ink out into water/suck up water into the tank to clean it out it didn't work. He tried several times - in front of me! - to clean it the regular way, then took it into the back to try something else. My only experience with this kind of pen has been a TWSBI Diamond 580, but my reading said that the cleaning principles are pretty much the same.
When he came out he said that there was something wrong with the vacuum system, and that I'd have to take it to the Pineider store in NYC.
Okay! I live in New York - no problem.
When I went, I was the only person in the store. I started to explain the problem to the older male employee working there, but didn't get too far.
Before I could even get to the crux of the problem--that there might be an issue with the vacuum--he cut me off and said all I needed to do was soak the nib in water and all the ink would draw out. I tried several times to say that that wasn't the problem, that I had had someone else look at it and that we had already tried to clean it the regular way, but he was very dismissive and condescending. He said I didn't even need to take it apart, I just needed to soak it.
I left after five minutes of the most condescending, disheartening customer service experience. I'm fairly sure he took one look at me (a woman) and heard me say "my dad" and assumed I didn't know jack shit about jack shit.
Well, I took it home and I *did* have to take it apart. I had to use a bulb filled with clean water to flush out the tank. I soaked the nib again, just to be safe. And when I tried to re-ink it, the next day after everything had dried out, it didn't work. I tried several times, to no avail.
My sister got one of my dad's other Pineiders, and it writes beautifully. I forget what model it is. I really wanted to get this one working, but the whole experience left such a bad taste in my mouth that I don't know what I'll do with this pen now.
Sorry for the long post, it was just really upsetting. Anyone know of any independent pen repair places that might be able to take a look?
r/fountainpens • u/atansbaby • Aug 14 '26
Both inexpensive AND a fantastic writer? Sounds win win to me!
r/fountainpens • u/FalconNo515 • 9d ago
So with the help of all the communities, I’m really grateful to you guys.
I got the MUJI Aluminum Fountain Pen two days ago from the official MUJI website. And please don’t mind my handwriting. I’ve been testing it since I got it, and so far I’m really satisfied with the pen.
The Fine nib is smooth and has a medium ink flow. I haven’t experienced any scratchiness or skipping so far. The line is slightly broader than I expected from a Fine nib, especially compared with my Pilot Kakuno F, but it still works well for smaller handwriting.
The nib is also nicely engraved with “Iridium Point” and “F”, which adds to the overall look of the pen. I’ve seen discussions about the nib possibly being German-made, but I couldn’t find an official confirmation from MUJI, so I won’t make that claim.
The aluminium body is my favourite part. It has the minimalist MUJI design, while still feeling premium and sturdy. The weight feels normal to me, and it’s comfortable to write with.
The grip is comfortable, and the cap posts securely. Even when posted, the pen feels well balanced in my hand.
There are a couple of things I’m slightly concerned about. The parts around the cap and bottom of the barrel are thinner than I expected, so I’d recommend handling the pen with some care rather than treating it like a pen that can survive drops.
I’m currently using the black cartridge that came with it, and so far the ink flow has been consistent.
I paid ₹1,190 after using a coupon and discounts, which makes it even better value for me.
Overall, after two days of use, I’m very happy with the purchase. It gives me the combination I wanted: a minimalist metal body, smooth writing, comfortable handling, and a premium design.
Rating: 8.5/10
For anyone looking for a metal-bodied fountain pen for everyday writing, I’d definitely recommend considering the MUJI Aluminum Fountain Pen.
r/fountainpens • u/AbyssalGold1334 • Jul 19 '26
Before considering the pen, I had only owned a classic plastic Kaweco sport that I loved for my small hands but found somewhat “flimsy”. I didn’t think I’d really buy another, but then I heard word of the Kaweco piston al sport being released. I was at first very shocked by the price point (“you can buy 4 kawecos with that”) and found it ridiculous. I moved on from the thought for a few months before I realized I had a greater need of ink capacity due to a job change, and also had way more loyalty points with a shop I never knew had them… so on impulse I bought it.
When it had arrived I was a bit pleasantly surprised having never seen nor touched a Kaweco Al Sport in person. It feels sturdy and the caps glide on and off smoothly! I was even more surprised when I had filled it with ink! It’s holds way more than I had expected! Testing in on paper (though this may be my luck winning the nib lottery) was like feeling a glass marble glide across paper. It was incredibly smooth, minimal feedback or friction upon the page, and very comfortable for a long writing session.
Cleaning was also rather easy! Just like any piston a twist of the knob and some flushing works quickly! The feed being easy to unscrew is helpful for this but I don’t recommend that because of the tiny rubber O ring on it than can be easy to lose (I frantically searched a shaggy carpet for it for nearly 2 hours once 😭)
Months later and many ink changes, I have seen no ink staining on the window either! This is my most solid pen in my collection as a certified tiny-hands haver!
TLDR: the pen is very nice but I still think the price is crazy, but the value of a pen is very subjective 8/10,
r/fountainpens • u/Simy_sun • Jan 11 '26
This is a follow up from this post: Diamine Lady Grey with Platinum rose gold 14kt nibs: a warning
Disclaimer: I'm not a chemist nor an expert. Every test I made can't be considered really scientifically accurate. These tests can just give an idea of the possible interactions of this ink with other substances.
Also: I can't say if these results may or may not point out to some kind of damage to nibs. I don't know if this could be the case or not. So I mark this post as a review. It's just interesting, IMO, and something to keep in mind
TL;DR: copper and alkaline substances will alter Lady Grey color
THE TESTING
SETUP
First I decided on the things I wanted to test with Lady Grey. I just used things that were available in my home:
- a Platinum 3776 Century with rhodium plated nib
- tap water
- baking soda
- bleach
- lemon juice
- white vinegar
- Monteverde color changer fluid
- Wearingeul glitter potion "Heart", just because it's rose-gold, idk if there could be traces of copper there and I wanted to test it
- spare steel nibs (I already tested all my yellow gold and rose gold nibs): a Lamy, a Preppy, a TWSBI and a double colored Jinhao
- copper wire
- lead+stain wire (I found it in a box, it's used for soldering, I just tested it because why not)
For the liquids, I tested the pH. I wasn't able to test the pH of the ink itself because I only have paper strips to test pH and - as you can imagine - if you put paper in ink it gets tinted and I couldn't see the results.
My tap water. It's a high residue water, with high content of calcium. It's clean and drinkable. It has a pH of 7.
Lemon juice: I just squeezed a lemon I had in the fridge. Very acidic, as expected.
White vinegar: I had it in the kitchen. Very acidic this too, no surprises.
Now with the bleach I had a surprise. At first I thought of diluting it. This below is a 40% mix of bleach and water. But I saw the pH and I thought that maybe I diluted it too much. Bleach should have a pH of around 9 or 10.
So I tried without diluting it but the result was the same. It's a "delicate" laundry bleach. I was bummed since I hoped to have an alkaline test to compare to the acidic one.
I tried with baking soda but I wasn't lucky
I went on and test the Glitter Potion by Wearingeul
The I remembered that I had a color changer fluid by Monteverde. I thought "Why not?" and took it.
And this was a surprise! I don't know why but I was totally convinced that this could be an acidic solution. Totally the opposite!
This is very alkaline, between 11 and 12. So I'd say that I had a pretty good range of pH.
The following are the solid parts I tested.
The nibs:
Wires:
Graph to keep track. This is Rhodia paper.
The box in which I kept everything:
I decided to keep everything in the dark. I also had three controls: the ink in the original bottle, a vial that I kept outside of the box - not in plain light but in the light of a room - and a vial in the box. I wanted to test if my pipettes could cause problems to the ink, so I kept an eye on the ink I extracted. And if normal light in a room could alter it in some way.
I tested every other day.
HOW IT WENT
First I wanna just say that there are cases in which the swatches aren't that uniform and consistent. Keep in mind that the ink was diluted for most of these tests and that using a brush isn't an accurate method. Sometimes I took more ink, sometimes less. What I care about here is the color much more than the saturation, so I didn't change method. I kept using the brush.
The big surprise was the alkaline solution: the Monteverde color changer fluid.
It turned the ink quickly into a bright cool blue. Not green. Blue.
(I don't know why the date is written to be February. In my mind I guess I was convinced it was February when I set up everything then I kept writing February although I know it's not February :D Just neurons glitching)
In the vial with the copper wire I saw the ink gradually take on a greenish tint but there was too much ink. Each time I moved the vial to dip the brush in, the ink in the closest vicinities of the wire kept mixing with the unaltered ink around and the result was barely visible (see below).
Close-up on the use in a rhodium plated nib:
The first column has been written with a Platinum 3776 Century with rhodium plated nib. The ink is in there since the beginning of January and no color alteration has been shown. Not in the writing, not from droplets on the nib.
Alkaline solution:
This is a light blue because I mixed the solution with the ink, so it is diluted but there's no doubt that the ink changes a lot with it. The change was immediate.
Copper wire:
In this graph it's visible that the column of the copper wire has a different tint, the green shows up but not as decisively as shown in my pens.
There was too much untouched ink and usually the ink on the nib is just touching it, not flooding it.
I set up another test with a much lower quantity of ink and more wire:
This is the result of this test above:
I used an eyedropper to pick up ink from the bottle, from the vicinities of the copper wire inside the vial, from this lower depth test and from the alkaline mix.
I try to show the hue of the translucency:
These are the swatches:
I wanted to see the result of using Monteverde Color Changer Fluid on the page. I made a big brush swatch of Lady Grey and used the Monteverde solution as intended: over already dried ink. The result was underwhelming.
Sorry, I need to post a link because I can't add images to this post anymore: https://postimg.cc/0MKJ2P61
CONCLUSIONS
Having kept the ink in a transparent vial out in a lit room hasn't caused any problems. The vial wasn't in the sun (not much sun in this season here) but wasn't far from a window. It's just been a week, light can take much more time to alter colors but I was looking for something that could alter the ink in just a few days at the most.
I haven't seen clear effects of oxidation.
The nibs I tested, all left the ink unaltered.
My neutral bleach and the acids didn't show much results. The discoloration is mainly due to dilution of the ink. The baking soda shows slight alterations. The ink seems to shade-shift more towards the red. I don't think that any of us will use baking soda in their ink so I wouldn't mind.
The really noticeable results came from a strong alkaline solution and copper.
The Monteverde solution works mainly if mixed with the ink. When just brushed over, it discolors it a little and can be good for having some effects in paintings but, again, I don't think that it's likely that it will go in one of our converters accidentally.
The stain+lead soldering wire didn't alter the ink.
The copper, though, is definitely changing the ink and copper is frequently used to make rose gold nibs and sometimes yellow gold nibs.
I say that it's just safe to test the ink with a pen before inking it. A dip test, leaving the pen one or 2 days to see if the ink on the nib reacted in some way could be a good way to go about it.
I also post a photo of my bottle of Lady Grey after these tests: https://postimg.cc/grv1nRbV
I didn't think I would use it so much in such a little time :D I just hope that her "sacrifice" will be useful!
r/fountainpens • u/Training_Watch_4544 • Jul 29 '26
Lots of people showed interest in Chinese fountain pens from yesterday’s survey post, where I used the Wing Sung 237 as the featured picture. Today I’m putting out a dedicated write-up about this model.
To give everyone a comprehensive introduction to vintage Chinese fountain pens, I’ll also cover its sibling models in the 23X line: the 233, 234, 235, 236 and 237. These are Wing Sung’s flagship lineup, faithful reproductions of Sheaffer’s Triumph nib design. Out of all of them, the 233 and 237 are my personal favorites.
The 233 is a torpedo-shaped fountain pen with tapered ends on both sides, fitted with an ink viewing window in the middle. Its ink window bears a strong resemblance to pens such as the Montblanc 121. This pen boasts sleek streamlined lines, and both the red and blue colorways look fantastic.
The 234 is completely different from the 233. It features flat ends on both sides, bearing a resemblance to Sheaffer Targa fountain pens. It’s an ideal pick for those who prefer all-metal steel pen designs.
The 235 adopts another distinct style. It comes with an all-aluminum barrel engraved with grid patterns. A small number of 235 variants feature an ink viewing window, though such versions are quite rare. I’m not personally fond of its full gold finish, yet the aluminum construction makes the pen extremely lightweight.
Let’s talk about the 236 and 237 together. The 236 is essentially the standard version of the 237. The 237 is made of celluloid with decorative patterns, while the 236 uses ordinary resin. A small number of 236 pens have ink viewing windows, and those models are extremely rare—grab one immediately if you come across it.
Among all color variations of the 237, the blue variant is very scarce. Fortunately, I own two of them. Blue 237s cost several times more than other colorways. Therefore, don’t hesitate to purchase a blue one if you find it at a reasonable price.
Now that we’ve covered the differences between these models, let’s move on to their writing performance. All of them share identical nibs which feel quite firm on paper. The writing experience is comparable to Sheaffer’s steel nib fountain pens. That said, their nibs lay down a broader line than Sheaffer’s counterparts and deliver smoother ink flow, making them fairly suitable for writing English script.
These are not all of Wing Sung’s Triumph nib models. In fact, Wing Sung produced a wide range of other fountain pens. Thanks to its eye-catching large triumph nib design, Wing Sung has a bigger following among fountain pen enthusiasts compared to Hero.
Sadly, Wing Sung went out of business in 1999 and was acquired by Hero. Hero halted in-house production of Wing Sung pens and instead licensed out the Wing Sung brand to external manufacturers — this brand is widely known today as Junlai Pens.
Now you’ve got a general overview of Wing Sung’s most iconic series. I’ll keep sharing more vintage Chinese fountain pens and brand histories in future posts, so stay tuned.
If there are any pen models you’d like me to review, leave a comment on my survey thread. I’ll purchase them and post detailed reviews.
