Hongdian keeps getting better and better at designing pens. Bravo to them! And just checked online, most retailers are still selling these Hongdian pens with only EF and F nibs.
3:14, tasteful and subtle editing. I like how the introduction of the diamond-patterned pen is accompanied by transition to new background music, after the previous soundtrack had been very subtly faded to silence.
Well done as usual. I bought the black M nibs from Sally. I too love this design from Hongdian. The twill design looks good but the rhombus looks great. The N11 is a daily writer for me. Always brings a smile. I also like a metal pen as well as a plastic pen. Then there is metal sections on plastic pens, a hybrid design.
Thanks Chris :-) When I searched for nibs originally, I didn't find the black nibs, though I'm not sure I'd have bought them anyway... I've always been a fan of the two-toned ones. I really enjoy the variety of colors and patterns that can be found in acrylic pens, but there's also something to be said for the solid feel of metal. I'm glad that I don't have to choose one or the other 🙂
I really like metal fountain pens. The pen I used most during my high school and college years was the rotring 600. Now I'm experimenting a bit with different materials, but the pen I use the most currently is still an all metal one. A nice blue black Karas Vertex with a double broad nib and sailor blue black ink in it. Now I have ordered two more Karas pens. They are currently phasing out their Fountain K line and those models are on sale right now. One of them is olive colored. I was thinking of putting Sailor Shirakashi in that one. Thanks for all these nice relaxing fountain pen video's. 👍
Hong Dian has upped their game this year. The design, construction and the quality of the nibs has improved significantly. Some have a nice bounce to them. I have not bought this model. I have kept to buying their piston filler pens. I usually avoid metal pens l, particularly if the section is also metal. My hands are somewhat oily and tend to slip on the section. Not all metal sections are slippery. My ēnnso Titanium pen has a very comfortable section and has a texture to keep slippage to a minimum. The weight of a metal pen is no problem if it is balanced. It is more for the feel of the pen in the hand that is the main concern. I love ebonite and celluloid pens. The tactile feel of the pens are outstanding.
Hongdian does make some nice piston fillers, it seems. I haven't purchased any of them, but I perpetually have at least one N1S or N12 in my Aliexpress shopping cart. I completely agree about the feel of ebonite pens, and metal pens can certainly be hit and miss when it comes to feel for me.
Interesting green ink from sailor! I like the idea of writing in green, but it has to be one that is pleasant to read (most greens are then eliminated).
I'm a fan of most green inks, I think... but the Cicada is a very nice one. Blue-greens, pine-greens, olive greens... greens so dark that they're almost black... all good for me. The only greens that I steer away from are light, bright greens that seem that they'll be hard to read. 🙂
I’m so glad you like this pen. I do too! I have a blue twist one. I have ordered a white one. No one seems to talk about those. Thank you for telling us about the nib units. I. could only get EF so I’ll try that.
They were hard to find at first, but now there seem to be a couple of different sellers offering Hongdian nib units. I hope that they branch out to broad nibs, eventually!
I have a hong dian N7 and writing for more than 1/4 page would cause forearm cramps. I think maybe it's my writing style and I use too much wrist but that's going to be a hard habit to correct. The Jinhao X159 or even better, the 9016 are much lighter and feels much faster on the page. Effortless is the word. It makes writing a pleasure.
That's interesting; I don't have any trouble writing with these pens for long periods, but if I use any of my x159s or 9019s I do get hand fatigue because of the large grip section, which I didn't think would be a problem. I haven't used a 9016 yet, but I guess this is why it's great that we have so many choices out there to fit our individual writing styles.
@@thewetpen Ahh I see. I wear a small size mens glove but prefer the thicker grip of the 9016, which is a tiny bit thinner than X159. The 9019 was too thick and was returned.
Okay Matt... you can't be a tease... please share, please bless the rest of us: where can we get "Evening Cicada?" That green is gorgeous... the pens are each a wonder, but that Kingdom Note Evening Cicada is a must-have.... Again, amazing content. Happy New Year....
It's only for sale at "Kingdom Note" in Tokyo. It's in my first video about hunting for inks in Japan. They do have a website, though, and their inks can be shipped overseas... for a price.
I ordered the diamond pattern in the blue and funny enough, I bought the same medium nibs from esybuy. I put diamine inkvent velvet emerald in mine and it’s a perfect match. Great minds think alike. I only wish that the pen was a bit longer to use unposted. Hongdian is hitting way above its weight class these days. I just got an n9 and have a n10 on the way. Can’t wait to check out their #8 nib.
I've had my eye on a blue N10, but finding them in-stock has been tricky :-) On the other hand, Hongdian just gave me an M1, and it has one of the most scratchy nibs that I've encountered. Hope that they're keeping up their standards with the #8 nibs.
@@thewetpen that's unfortunate. I just bought an M1 in Fine and find the nib to be very smooth and pleasant to write with. I have an M2 on the way as well in EF.
I like plastic pens for their ease of use, they're more comfortable to hold for longer periods of time. Metal pens, I like that they are cold. I tend to have clammy hands, the temperature is refreshing.
I do love the variety of colors and textures that can be found in acrylic and other plastics, but I agree... the touch of metal can be very nice. The temperature and general solidity 🙂
I like metal pens, but they are less forgiving to scratching and the coating peeling. Accidents happen, my momentary OCD can buff out a plastic pen, but not a metal pen. I carry a pen (or 7) everywhere.
Ahh, I can certainly understand that. I have the same issue, sometimes. With some pens, I appreciate the scratches and wear... almost like a patina on a pen... that show how much I've used it and what it's been through. This sort of thing is a lot easier for me to accept on cheap pens 🙂
Metal pens are just too heavy for me. I am used to writing and drawing with light pens so it is what I have been gravitating towards in my fountain pen journey. These are beautiful though, and the video really shows it. Good job!
I agree that lighter pens can feel good in the hand, although sometimes metal pens are just as light as plastic/resin pens. These ones are definitely heavier than most.
Beautiful pens! Thanks for your detailed review. I had used primarily plastic archival fiber-tip pens before finding fountain pens, so when I got my first Jinaho x750, the size, heft, and cold metal body were a bit of a shock and required an adjustment period. After more experience with a variety of fountain pens, I've come to appreciate that a well-balanced metal pen requires less effort to write with, though I also enjoy staring at a chatoyant resin while I write.
I just got a Ranga Abhimanyu after seeing your review, in the grey and cream, matte finish as well, and I love it. That kingdom note cicada green is envious to say the least.
It's available online, for those who are willing to pay for shipping from Japan :-) I'm going back again in a couple of months... I should decide on some inks now so that I don't spend too much.
I am not a huge fan of metal pens, but these pens are looking very good. Colours are very nice. I also prefer medium or broad nibs. Inks used are really 👌 nice. Good colour. Keep it up 👍. Take care. Good luck.
I much prefer plastic fountain pens. The biggest issue for me is the cold touch of a metal pen. That issue is more bothersome in winter. I like how the Platinum Procyon has an acrylic grip. But I still don't love the cold touch of the barrel in my hand. Also, since writing with a fountain pen is a kind of spiritual experience for me, resins are more in sync with that mindset: the various amounts of transparency and multiple colors in a featherweight body that is warm to the touch as opposed to metals; the cold hard stuff of guns, swords and shields. Great video. I must say I am tempted by these beautiful designs, but in the end I'll likely pass.
I wonder if the cool touch of a fountain pen would be more attractive in warmer climates? I can certainly see the appeal of a warmer touch (one of the reasons I love ebonite) here in the Pacific Northwest.
Interesting thought (that metal might be more appealing in warm climes). However, metal is analogous to cold blooded animals, right. Meaning that they would likely heat up in hot weather. Or maybe not. Maybe it would take much higher temps to affect a metal pen that way. @@thewetpen
@@shaigluskin1225 My assumption was that the cool touch of metal has more to do with how well it conducts heat away from the fingers than its absolute temperature (since a metal pen and a plastic pen here on my desk will be the same actual temperature, but feel different). So, I guess that means that up until the ambient temperature is 98.6F, they'd feel cooler than plastic? That's probably way too much time and thought spent on a silly topic 🙂
@@thewetpen Definitely! I am a bit new to fountain pens and there isn't really an abundance of fountain pen stores in the Philippines which sucks. Nonetheless I found myself splurging on a Lamy Safari and an Al-Star and I love the Al-Star to death due to the the cool metal. Plastic just feels cheap to me for some reason.
@@Val-vc2fc I'm a fan of the Al-Star, too! When I lived down in Florida over a decade ago, my only fountain pen was a metal Cross pen, and I agree... the cooler touch of the metal felt good in that climate.
Hey! I have seen that Yu-Sari notebook on Galen's website but I have not seen anyone review the paper. I am a leftie and I am intrigued by the description of fast drying, but still highlighting ink qualities like shading and sheen. What is your experience? Have you considered doing a paper review? Thanks in advance.
It's on my list of reviews to make in the future, but I've got a pretty full plate at the moment so I'm not sure how long it will be until I get to it. Hopefully not too long.
I'm not sure why but all my Hongdian pen got scratchy and dry after a few month of using. I usually do monthly cleaning with a fountain pen cleaner and warm water to make sure there's no clogging (or before every ink change/when the ink runs out). So I'm not really into buying a new one from this brand. This review might change that, as I'm currently looking for the exact ones you're reviewing to give it another try. I'm quite curious if people used Jinhao and what're they thoughts about fountain pen made of this brand, because it's cheap and write good, at the same price point as Hongdian (sometimes cheaper)
There are a couple of different things that cause scratchy nibs, but the most common one is nib tines that are out of alignment, and that can happen with any nib if you tend to hold the pen such that both tines of the nib don't get even pressure... one of them will get bent back further, making the edge of the other one scratchy. I haven't noticed that happen particularly with HongDian, but I could understand why some nibs might be more prone than others. Jinhao pens are generally good quality (though not usually outstanding) at an excellent price point. I personally find their nibs to be very average, though their large #8 nibs can be a nice change to use now and then. Lots of people buy them just because they're so cheap (especially pens like the Jinhao 82s), and I do enjoy using their new 9019 Dadao models, for short periods at least. Anyway, if your tines are out of alignment, they're fairly easy to fix if you have a good magnifying glass or loupe... just gently bend it back the other direction until they match again.
Respected sir, can you please make a video on your recommendation of fountain pens around 20 US dollars of every company you have... Jinhao, Parker, Sheaffer, Hongdian, Diplomat, Lamy, Kaweko, Pelikan, TWSBI, Pilot and some other companies... Please 🙏🏼 Regards from India 🇮🇳
ah, sorry, you already have the link in the details. Those have the old straight-cut feed, compared with the new design rounded shape feed of the original F nib. Did you replaced only the nib or the medium one fits well with it's nib unit? And really awesome job with these reviews, especially with the macro shots of writing sample!
2:44 Are you serious? So you prefer the clip were distorted? The pen design is with obliques lines....but not the clip because it have to be functional Sometimes people is too pedantic
Hongdian pens are bulletproof considering their price. These pens are the best pens in their price range.
Agreed. Excellent performance at this price.
Hongdian keeps getting better and better at designing pens. Bravo to them! And just checked online, most retailers are still selling these Hongdian pens with only EF and F nibs.
3:14, tasteful and subtle editing. I like how the introduction of the diamond-patterned pen is accompanied by transition to new background music, after the previous soundtrack had been very subtly faded to silence.
🙂 Thank you
I've several Hongdian pens,....and have not been let down by their quality. The N8 maple leaf being my favorite,.....the EF nib is simple a dandy.
They make some wonderful pens. I've been disappointed with a couple of models... especially their older pens... but the good ones are excellent!
Well done as usual. I bought the black M nibs from Sally. I too love this design from Hongdian. The twill design looks good but the rhombus looks great. The N11 is a daily writer for me. Always brings a smile. I also like a metal pen as well as a plastic pen. Then there is metal sections on plastic pens, a hybrid design.
Thanks Chris :-) When I searched for nibs originally, I didn't find the black nibs, though I'm not sure I'd have bought them anyway... I've always been a fan of the two-toned ones. I really enjoy the variety of colors and patterns that can be found in acrylic pens, but there's also something to be said for the solid feel of metal. I'm glad that I don't have to choose one or the other 🙂
I really like metal fountain pens. The pen I used most during my high school and college years was the rotring 600. Now I'm experimenting a bit with different materials, but the pen I use the most currently is still an all metal one. A nice blue black Karas Vertex with a double broad nib and sailor blue black ink in it. Now I have ordered two more Karas pens. They are currently phasing out their Fountain K line and those models are on sale right now. One of them is olive colored. I was thinking of putting Sailor Shirakashi in that one. Thanks for all these nice relaxing fountain pen video's. 👍
Thanks!
No, thank you!!! I think that's the 3rd super thanks that I've ever had... so exciting for me :-)
Hong Dian has upped their game this year. The design, construction and the quality of the nibs has improved significantly. Some have a nice bounce to them.
I have not bought this model. I have kept to buying their piston filler pens.
I usually avoid metal pens l, particularly if the section is also metal. My hands are somewhat oily and tend to slip on the section. Not all metal sections are slippery. My ēnnso Titanium pen has a very comfortable section and has a texture to keep slippage to a minimum. The weight of a metal pen is no problem if it is balanced. It is more for the feel of the pen in the hand that is the main concern.
I love ebonite and celluloid pens. The tactile feel of the pens are outstanding.
Hongdian does make some nice piston fillers, it seems. I haven't purchased any of them, but I perpetually have at least one N1S or N12 in my Aliexpress shopping cart. I completely agree about the feel of ebonite pens, and metal pens can certainly be hit and miss when it comes to feel for me.
I have a similar thought and experience too
I like acrylic pens due to softness compared to a metal pen. Move over the metal pens have a tendency to wear out its coating after some time .
Interesting green ink from sailor! I like the idea of writing in green, but it has to be one that is pleasant to read (most greens are then eliminated).
I'm a fan of most green inks, I think... but the Cicada is a very nice one. Blue-greens, pine-greens, olive greens... greens so dark that they're almost black... all good for me. The only greens that I steer away from are light, bright greens that seem that they'll be hard to read. 🙂
Thank you for the video ! We discover cheep pens to make our life happy !!
PS I see this twisting form in a Visconti Divina matt edition
These Hongdians are still among my favorites, and at such a reasonable price!
I’m so glad you like this pen. I do too! I have a blue twist one.
I have ordered a white one. No one seems to talk about those.
Thank you for telling us about the nib units. I. could only get EF so I’ll try that.
They were hard to find at first, but now there seem to be a couple of different sellers offering Hongdian nib units. I hope that they branch out to broad nibs, eventually!
I have a hong dian N7 and writing for more than 1/4 page would cause forearm cramps. I think maybe it's my writing style and I use too much wrist but that's going to be a hard habit to correct. The Jinhao X159 or even better, the 9016 are much lighter and feels much faster on the page. Effortless is the word. It makes writing a pleasure.
That's interesting; I don't have any trouble writing with these pens for long periods, but if I use any of my x159s or 9019s I do get hand fatigue because of the large grip section, which I didn't think would be a problem. I haven't used a 9016 yet, but I guess this is why it's great that we have so many choices out there to fit our individual writing styles.
@@thewetpen Ahh I see. I wear a small size mens glove but prefer the thicker grip of the 9016, which is a tiny bit thinner than X159. The 9019 was too thick and was returned.
Okay Matt... you can't be a tease... please share, please bless the rest of us: where can we get "Evening Cicada?" That green is gorgeous... the pens are each a wonder, but that Kingdom Note Evening Cicada is a must-have.... Again, amazing content. Happy New Year....
It's only for sale at "Kingdom Note" in Tokyo. It's in my first video about hunting for inks in Japan. They do have a website, though, and their inks can be shipped overseas... for a price.
I ordered the diamond pattern in the blue and funny enough, I bought the same medium nibs from esybuy. I put diamine inkvent velvet emerald in mine and it’s a perfect match. Great minds think alike. I only wish that the pen was a bit longer to use unposted. Hongdian is hitting way above its weight class these days. I just got an n9 and have a n10 on the way. Can’t wait to check out their #8 nib.
I've had my eye on a blue N10, but finding them in-stock has been tricky :-) On the other hand, Hongdian just gave me an M1, and it has one of the most scratchy nibs that I've encountered. Hope that they're keeping up their standards with the #8 nibs.
@@thewetpen that's unfortunate. I just bought an M1 in Fine and find the nib to be very smooth and pleasant to write with. I have an M2 on the way as well in EF.
@@oscardalby7524 Luckily I have some better nibs from other pens that I can swap in :-)
I like plastic pens for their ease of use, they're more comfortable to hold for longer periods of time. Metal pens, I like that they are cold. I tend to have clammy hands, the temperature is refreshing.
I do love the variety of colors and textures that can be found in acrylic and other plastics, but I agree... the touch of metal can be very nice. The temperature and general solidity 🙂
I like metal pens, but they are less forgiving to scratching and the coating peeling. Accidents happen, my momentary OCD can buff out a plastic pen, but not a metal pen. I carry a pen (or 7) everywhere.
Ahh, I can certainly understand that. I have the same issue, sometimes. With some pens, I appreciate the scratches and wear... almost like a patina on a pen... that show how much I've used it and what it's been through. This sort of thing is a lot easier for me to accept on cheap pens 🙂
Metal pens are just too heavy for me. I am used to writing and drawing with light pens so it is what I have been gravitating towards in my fountain pen journey.
These are beautiful though, and the video really shows it. Good job!
I agree that lighter pens can feel good in the hand, although sometimes metal pens are just as light as plastic/resin pens. These ones are definitely heavier than most.
Great review
Beautiful pens! Thanks for your detailed review. I had used primarily plastic archival fiber-tip pens before finding fountain pens, so when I got my first Jinaho x750, the size, heft, and cold metal body were a bit of a shock and required an adjustment period. After more experience with a variety of fountain pens, I've come to appreciate that a well-balanced metal pen requires less effort to write with, though I also enjoy staring at a chatoyant resin while I write.
I feel the same way... a good quality metal pen feels wonderful to write with, although I also really enjoy beautiful resins 🙂
I just got a Ranga Abhimanyu after seeing your review, in the grey and cream, matte finish as well, and I love it.
That kingdom note cicada green is envious to say the least.
It's hard to go wrong with a Ranga pen :-) I'm returning to Tokyo next month, and hopefully will find some time to visit Kingdom note again!
Amazing video!
Thanks! 🙂
Uhhgg I love the cicada color so much
It's available online, for those who are willing to pay for shipping from Japan :-) I'm going back again in a couple of months... I should decide on some inks now so that I don't spend too much.
That is the challenge
I am not a huge fan of metal pens, but these pens are looking very good. Colours are very nice. I also prefer medium or broad nibs. Inks used are really 👌 nice. Good colour.
Keep it up 👍. Take care. Good luck.
Thanks :-)
my favourite brand.
Defnintely one of my favorite Chinese brands, too, although they have stiff competition from PenBBS and Wing Sung.
Love me a metal pen 💙💚💜
What is the all black pen at 9:46?
That is an ASA Nauka... an Indian pen. I have a video about it, if you're interested.
I much prefer plastic fountain pens. The biggest issue for me is the cold touch of a metal pen. That issue is more bothersome in winter. I like how the Platinum Procyon has an acrylic grip. But I still don't love the cold touch of the barrel in my hand. Also, since writing with a fountain pen is a kind of spiritual experience for me, resins are more in sync with that mindset: the various amounts of transparency and multiple colors in a featherweight body that is warm to the touch as opposed to metals; the cold hard stuff of guns, swords and shields. Great video. I must say I am tempted by these beautiful designs, but in the end I'll likely pass.
I wonder if the cool touch of a fountain pen would be more attractive in warmer climates? I can certainly see the appeal of a warmer touch (one of the reasons I love ebonite) here in the Pacific Northwest.
Interesting thought (that metal might be more appealing in warm climes). However, metal is analogous to cold blooded animals, right. Meaning that they would likely heat up in hot weather. Or maybe not. Maybe it would take much higher temps to affect a metal pen that way. @@thewetpen
@@shaigluskin1225 My assumption was that the cool touch of metal has more to do with how well it conducts heat away from the fingers than its absolute temperature (since a metal pen and a plastic pen here on my desk will be the same actual temperature, but feel different). So, I guess that means that up until the ambient temperature is 98.6F, they'd feel cooler than plastic? That's probably way too much time and thought spent on a silly topic 🙂
@@thewetpen Definitely! I am a bit new to fountain pens and there isn't really an abundance of fountain pen stores in the Philippines which sucks.
Nonetheless I found myself splurging on a Lamy Safari and an Al-Star and I love the Al-Star to death due to the the cool metal. Plastic just feels cheap to me for some reason.
@@Val-vc2fc I'm a fan of the Al-Star, too! When I lived down in Florida over a decade ago, my only fountain pen was a metal Cross pen, and I agree... the cooler touch of the metal felt good in that climate.
Hey! I have seen that Yu-Sari notebook on Galen's website but I have not seen anyone review the paper. I am a leftie and I am intrigued by the description of fast drying, but still highlighting ink qualities like shading and sheen. What is your experience? Have you considered doing a paper review? Thanks in advance.
It's on my list of reviews to make in the future, but I've got a pretty full plate at the moment so I'm not sure how long it will be until I get to it. Hopefully not too long.
I'm not sure why but all my Hongdian pen got scratchy and dry after a few month of using. I usually do monthly cleaning with a fountain pen cleaner and warm water to make sure there's no clogging (or before every ink change/when the ink runs out). So I'm not really into buying a new one from this brand. This review might change that, as I'm currently looking for the exact ones you're reviewing to give it another try. I'm quite curious if people used Jinhao and what're they thoughts about fountain pen made of this brand, because it's cheap and write good, at the same price point as Hongdian (sometimes cheaper)
There are a couple of different things that cause scratchy nibs, but the most common one is nib tines that are out of alignment, and that can happen with any nib if you tend to hold the pen such that both tines of the nib don't get even pressure... one of them will get bent back further, making the edge of the other one scratchy. I haven't noticed that happen particularly with HongDian, but I could understand why some nibs might be more prone than others. Jinhao pens are generally good quality (though not usually outstanding) at an excellent price point. I personally find their nibs to be very average, though their large #8 nibs can be a nice change to use now and then. Lots of people buy them just because they're so cheap (especially pens like the Jinhao 82s), and I do enjoy using their new 9019 Dadao models, for short periods at least. Anyway, if your tines are out of alignment, they're fairly easy to fix if you have a good magnifying glass or loupe... just gently bend it back the other direction until they match again.
Nice video! The nib units are 32 or 35mm?
Thanks! These are #6 / 35mm
Many thanks! @@thewetpen
Respected sir, can you please make a video on your recommendation of fountain pens around 20 US dollars of every company you have... Jinhao, Parker, Sheaffer, Hongdian, Diplomat, Lamy, Kaweko, Pelikan, TWSBI, Pilot and some other companies... Please 🙏🏼 Regards from India 🇮🇳
I'll give it some thought 🙂
Can you please let me know what model is the medium nib for N11?
ah, sorry, you already have the link in the details. Those have the old straight-cut feed, compared with the new design rounded shape feed of the original F nib. Did you replaced only the nib or the medium one fits well with it's nib unit?
And really awesome job with these reviews, especially with the macro shots of writing sample!
@AlinBalanean I bought the whole nib units and just replaced the whole things... both work nicely :-)
2:44 Are you serious? So you prefer the clip were distorted?
The pen design is with obliques lines....but not the clip because it have to be functional
Sometimes people is too pedantic