I have the clear demonstrater 9019 with a medium nib. It writes beautifully. It's my desk pen par excellence. Hats off to Jinhao. I use a sparkly Jinhao 82 for a pocket pen.
DaDao 大刀 was a very large version of their swords. 大 This is the character for big, but more so 'great' - it is the character for person(ren) with arms wide. Also part of one of my favourite character(s): "great harvest (accomplishment)" is this character 'great' combined with a hand grasping for the moon (in the Oracle bone scripts). And the 刀 is sword or knife/blade, but interestingly it is also a class/name for 100 sheets of paper ;)
I love big pens too, primarily because I’ve got hand tremors and arthritis; thicker pens are easier to control. The bigger the better. I’m sold after this video.
I have bought 2 of these fountain pens with F and M nibs and was thrilled from the start. A huge but comfortable FP with a great nib at a small price. Hopefully Jinhao will soon come up with the idea of making B, BB, stub and italic nibs as well
Thank you for the great review. I purchased two medium 9019s, one in black and a clear demonstrator. I ground one into a 1.1 stub and the other pen into a .9 cursive italic. I was able to adjust the clip tension on both pens and tested them on a shirt pocket and the outside breast pocket of a Harris tweed. The clips have good tension on both materials with no cracking issues. Micro scratching is on par with the black cellulose acetate on my Pelikans. Both pens write exceptionally well. A maroon version is now on the way. I do find that the solid colour models have a more solid feel than the demonstrators but that may just be my perception. The converters and feeds on these pens are absolutely brilliant. Cheers
The transparent plastic just feels like a different plastic than the opaque. It feels like the transparent ones are made of a polystyrene rather than the usual injection molded plastic - more TWSBI-like.
I got it today. In addition to the fact that the quality of the moulding is not very good, the medium nib is not the smoothest I used. The Hongdian Medium nib has no feedback at all. I highly recommend you to try the hongdian medium nib - it's just a fairy tale. Great review as always, Doug
I love how it writes! It's my favorite Jinhao. I do agree with your suggestions on how to make it better! As always Doug you are one of my favorite pen enablers
I just ordered one on Amazon- the black with gold. Look forward to trying it out. Should be here Monday…I need another fountain pen like a hole in the head 😂😂😂
Thanks for the review, Doug. I'll get one of these 9019's as soon as I can, as the larger converter just makes more sense. I had cracking problems with the Jinhao Sharks because they used such a thin resin to make the bodies sadly. This resulted in cracks at where the barrel and the section met, which were even more annoying because they were so comfortable to use, and had medium number 5 nibs to boot. But they were very cheap pens. For 13 USD, there shouldn't be any cracks. But the larger converter might just be a godsend. I'm going to go for an opaque though and cross my fingers, because their resin is less good in quality than their earlier pens in my experience. So we'll see. Thanks again.
The future for these big pens, from Jinhao, looks bright. They developed nib number 8. Now we got another pen with this nib, and they developed a new sized converter. What wonders can we expect from their next big pen?
Useful, fun review. Thanks! I have a 9019 on the way in an opaque resin. I hope it is more durable than the clear plastic looks. I haven't had any issues yet with the opaque resin on my x159, so fingers crossed. I am, of course, very impressed with the innovative converter. I wonder if we'll see Japanese "tributes" to it in the near future!
I now have 9019s in black and bourdeaux, and I love them. No cracks so far, but all three had blue ink in the feeds. I've also gotten Wing Sung 630s with steel nibs for 30USD each on AX, and they have the brass piston mechanisms, as well.
Watching this review made me interested in it and I just ordered two, Olive Green with heartbeat M nib and Transparent with standard M nib. I am looking forward to the delivery.
Great review Doug. When I first saw this pen a couple of weeks ago I ordered three. At the price I figured it was a no brainer. To my shock they are amazing not only for the price but frankly for triple the price. I own, like you, several grail pens (Montblanc, Pelican, Yard o Led, Edison Pens and Parker) and several custom pens from my favorite pen maker (Lotus Pens) but at this point I use one of my 9019’s more than any other pen. They write well and consistently, the EF nib is smooth and the ink flow is great and the converter holds a generous amount of ink. What’s not to love? And for less than $14.
Ah well... JInhao... I end up getting *any* new Jinhao as a matter of principle because I need various colour coded fountain pens to scribbler notes and places markers and variously coloured bones and structural abnormalities on orthopaedic measurement sheets... though I honestly could do this with normal boring ballpoints they disgust me so it's *clearly* a necessity... and I'm somewhat disinclined to lob my Pelikans around to share an environment with grinding machines and 250°C vacuum silicone mats🤣. And of course after watching your review of the new monstrously massive 9019 I ordered two, I did very well with my 7 or so x159s so far so I don't really have any negative preconceptions about the plastics used. So thanks for the ever useful and semiotically light-hearted reviews! Best regards Raoul G. Kunz
Thanks for the excellent review,Doug. I've been using my Transparent Wine-Red Jinhao 9019 for a couple of weeks now. I cleaned the pen out thoroughly before I inked it and did notice some residual ink from factory that flushed out easily. My example writes smooth and wet;I love it! I bought from a seller on Ali Express who had them listed for $6.08;with shipping included I paid $9 per pen. After I cleaned out the Diamine Writer's Blood from the initial filling I noticed some inky water that had become trapped in between what looks to be the outside of the cap and an inner layer of the cap(?) This is not inside the cap-liner piece. I soaked the cap and flushed it some more which resulted in even more ink/water trapped in this "layer". Most of this inky water dissipated after a couple day's drying time;but there are still some stains inside the cap. May not be a problem with the opaque resin; but,it does bug me in the transparent resin. Have not heard anyone else report this occurrence. I initially cleaned out the cap because some ink had crept from nib to cap. Every review I have seen on this pen warns about the VERY stout clip potentially cracking the cap. So,I resolved to test this by working the clip with my fingers and clipping it to thick materials and pages of a notebook. I'll let you know when/if it cracks. Even if it does crack I am very satisfied with the value received with this pen. I have the Clear and Transparent Red examples;both nibs. Will get an opaque version if they come out with more colors. Hoping for an Ivory or White resin. The White X159 is my favorite color in that model. So far no cracking problems with any of my four X159 Jinhaos(but I have too many pens and they are not used a lot.) Thanks for including your music in the videos. I particulary enjoy your finger-picking guitar style.
I have a teal and a red demos on the way. Overall the improvements add up to a genuine attempt to offer customers a better quality product. I prefer demonstrators over solid colours as you can see the internal parts including the ink sloshing around. I wonder if someone makes demonstrator washing machines- hours of entertainment there.
I have 2 of those on their way! 1 in the same color you're showing & 1 black. I'm excited to try them out! One might say "I like big pens & I cannot lie!" 🤣 🤣 🤣
I got mine. Zip bag, no box. 😢 I found the converter is great. My only complaints are the nib was very dry and it hard starts. I changed the nib to an X159 nib and writes well. It still hard started. So I changed inks from Private Reserve American Blue to Iroshizuku asa-gao and works wonderfully. The converter holds a lot of ink. I have always been a bit underwhelmed with the standard converter. I was shocked at how much ink it held. Great review Doug.
Thanks again Doug. So we need to start a petition to make it International Law that all fountain pens MUST have a converter that screws in, not pressure fits.
Great review Doug. Another pen I don't need, but ordered because it was AUD$4.40 (ie. about US$2.50 including shipping) and your wrap up comments. I too wonder about the longevity of some of the Jinhao pens, but at those prices it's not a concern. My X159 looks like it's staying together and the Hongdien N7 and Asvine P20s I have look very robust indeed. I don't wear pens in the pocket so that should not be an issue, but I get your point about the leverage of a stiff clip on some flimsy plastic. Your comments WRT the Jinhao #8 nib are spot on. It is a big, excellent nib, writes exceptionally well in the X159, so I am expecting nothing less. I just don't see how these Chinese manufacturers and sellers can keep putting products out like the 9019 (including postage) for the price. It would be remiss of me NOT to buy one.
Bought three of them (clear demonstrator, black, burgundy) in EF and F nib. I’m not joking, these are the best writers a I’ve in my collection, and I own MB 149 and 146, Pelikan :M1000, Leonardo’s, Visconti etc. pity they have the injection gate at the end otherwise it would be interesting to eyedrop them… but these are really incredible pens for the price
Aren't you lucky,? Both of mine came rolled up in plastic and threw in a bag. Neither one was damaged or scratched, so I guess I am lucky. I love the pens, seems sticking with cheaper pens are good enough for me.
Excelente edición de video. Poder ver simultáneamente a Usted y a la estilográfica es muy interesante. Felicitaciones por está decisión. Saludo desde Medellín, Colombia.
I bought this pen because of you. I got the fine nib. My goodness, the pen writes so smooth for $13 USD. I wish it wasn't so big but I will live with it! Rachelle in Seattle
Seeing another great review from you makes me anxious for my 9019 Dark Blue to arrive which should be next week. I also ordered 3 replacement nibs to try switching things up.
That's another pen you've got me to buy at a time when I am supposed to be reducing my collection! But what a pen, for the money this now has to be the best value pen available. Great looking pen, a superb No8 nib and a nice size too. Keep up the great reviews.
Great review - thank you, Doug! I have 4 X159s and should be receiving 3 9019s today. We will see how long they last, but I likely won't replace them and may even gift some. I also have the Wingsung 630 and 629 with steel nibs. If they prove to hold up, I may venture into a gold nibbed version, as long as I can get it for the price of a Platinum President on sale(sub $140)...just to say I have a Chinese pen with a gold nib - lol!
@InkquiringMinds I had bought a President a couple years ago. After they discontinued it, I picked up another. Aside from the tendency for the cap to want to cross-thread, I like them very much.
Hi again, Jim, from Madrid, Spain (a New Yorker expat living abroad). As always... I crack up with your videos!!! I also get tingly and excited while watching them!!! 😂😂😂😂 As per your Big Ass Pen... It looks very interesting. I really like demonstrator clear pens, but what was very interesting (to me, at least) is the Big Ass Converter (1.9 ml you described?). That's a game changer for me with regards to buying this pen (positively, I mean). My main concern with Jinhao's (I have 6 already) is always the same issue... They dry quickly in warm weather... Here in Madrid we only have 1-2 months of colder weather (-5 to +5 °C max cold on average), whilst most of the year is between +10 to +25 °C and 3 hot months (+30 to +40 °C), and the Jinhao's are always dry and I need to reset the nibs or clean 'em up very often and even then they take a while to start (it also happens with my Lamy Safary though it is far easier to restart by just dipping the nib in water for a a sec and cleaning the nib and it will restart again fluidly, and it won't happen at all with my TWSBI nor with my 2 Platinum Preppy's which seal amazingly). BTW - I usually use my Fountain Pens for Art, as well as for writing. In any case, I was waiting to get a #8 Nib size and affordable FP and I think I found one with this Jinhao 9019 DADAO. Thanks for sharing and for all your work on these reviews, Doug! Cheers from Sunny Spain! 😁👍✌😎
Just got my blue demonstrator Dadao yesterday and oh my, I love it! I love beefy fountain pens. This one is “uuuuge” without being an albatross. I got it on Amazon, so no box 😿, just a condom.
I have large hands for my size. Then again, I'm only 5' 7" and only weight in at about 125 pounds. And that's WITH my prosthetic leg and clothes on. That being said, I don't particularly care for large pens. I liked the Cross Classic Century line, and the Sheaffer Targa sets, including the slim fountain pens, and the Waterman Hemisphere. I actually like the Jinhao 35 and the ever-so-slightly larger 65. I have many Jinhao pens that I've added to my collection just because I felt like expanding my Jinhao collection, even though I knew I would never write regularly with them. I even have a Jinhao 999 Dragon pen! This 9019 is one that I will probably NOT add to my collection, just because it's a absolute baseball bat. But it's nice to see you get a great deal of enjoyment out of it. I do hope they address the possible durability issues and use that larger converter in some other upscale models in the future.
Seems like a great writer. I already ordered mine along with an Asvine v126. Doug, I was wondering, have you done a review on the Pilot Custom 823? I was looking through your videos but I couldnt find anything. Maybe you got any plans of reviewing it on the future? Keep up the great work!!
I have the Pilot 823 in and . If I had it to do over I think I'd just opt for the 743(in the Verdigris color!). I think Pilot has corrected whatever was causing a part of the feed to become dislodged into the ink chamber; but,I had to send my 823 back to Pilot USA for this repair after this happened to me while cleaning. And I enjoy changing inks more frequently. @@InkquiringMinds
Thank you for the wonderful review. As the body does not have metal threads and is a single unit, with the feeder thread having a o seal, can we use it as an eye dropper?
I have a Jinhao 9019. It's butter smooth. But the writing comes a bit light. Do I need better ink? I am not a fountain pen enthusiast. I am using it to improve my handwriting. The ink I got is parker quink blue.
ROFL! Big ass pen! DA DAO means "The Big Way". DAO refers to the WAY of Nature and culture in China's religious, spiritual and scientific practices. DAO is associated with YinYang and the harmony of components. I haven't bought any FP in months or used them. Mostly been doing watercolor paintings (managed to do urban sketching for the first time). I'm wondering if they'll release a XiaoDAO which would be "The Small Way," a more slimline version with size 6 nib.
@@InkquiringMinds --- The marketing blurb says, "May your path never darken, the stars, the sun, and all things obey your command, the moon is not busy with its fullness, and your lover is not far away." This means DADAO is "Big Way" (broad road). Depending on the accents on the vowels, DADAO can mean achieve, Big Way, broadsword, knock down. Homophonic wordplay is why the Chinese are a hoot!
Hello, thank you for all this great content. I have a question to this Jinhao 9019 DADAO: I have two and both have a hard time starting writing. I need quite a bit pressure every stroke that they are writing. Is this a common thing? What could it be and how can I fix that? Thank you very much.
the nib stem is very peculiar, with 2 slots and space for the pin that locks the feed to the nib unit... why do they don't use standard jowo or bock nib units? I'd love B/BB and CSI nibs (stubs would be fine too) on this pen, but Jinhao doesnt produce them...
I feel cheated! Mine came with no box. It came in a zip baggy (and not a cheap noisy sleeve!) with a sticker that called it the Dadao SERIES, number 9019. that's promising for chubby pen lovers like me... Doodlebud also said that all the tooling done for the metal parts here and the new converter tells him it's a start of a line and not just a one-off. As for the size, it's still tiny compared to the Namiki Emperor, but it's just a 1-1.5mm bigger diameter over the similarly shaped Namiki Yukary Royal. I compared with the sizes David Parker measured on the Namiki. it's about the same size and shape, only an extra mm thicker.
Hello Sir Doug, Great review on the 9019, wasn't expecting it from Jinhao but have you seen anyone who has used a Montblanc nib for it? Besides the price of getting the 149 nib, do you think it's worth it despite the fact that it has (minor) issues with the plastic where it "might" crack? That includes the X159 if ever
Hi there doug! There seems to be a design flaw in this pen that's really bothering me. I bought the demonstrator one and it seems that excess ink can easily ingress into the hollow space inside the pen cap. It seems you can't clean it out without taking apart the cap (which needs a nut driver to dismantle). Let me see if I can get the ink out of my pen cap once I find an appropriately sized screwdriver.
The styrene Jinhao uses is garbage, as is their molding process. I had an x159 literally self destruct while sitting in my pen drawer. That your 9019 had a stress crack before use points to truly poor manufacturing processes. The large converter is, however, brilliant. Sailor should take note for the KoP. Finally, re: the blue ink traces. They easily could add a dip station for almost no cost to make it look like they are "testing" nibs. But even if they do "test," look at Lamy. They test every nib, and a significant percentage are still crap so it doesn't really mean much!
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks for the reply. I think we could place a rubber o-ring so that would handle the problem of leaking ... also add some silicone gel on the threads and it could be done. The issue with ink reacting with the metal that's a problem. Maybe painting the interior metal parts ... well we are talking about a 15$ fountain pen tho ...
@@John_Smith__ It already has an o-ring on the nozzle. I was talking about the bottom of the barrel. There is an injection molding gate at the bottom of the barrel. When I hold it up to the light on my opaque 9019, I can see daylight through it.
Whoa this is a big pen. It's even larger than my Conklin All American and my Monteverde Giant Sequoia. So this is not a pen for me. Also I share your concern about cracks. It takes a lot of experience to create a transparent pen which will not crack. In most cases the material is polycarbonate which has a tendency to crack on its own if the material is not handled correctly during the injection moulding process. In the beginning TWSBI had a lot of cracking pens before they learned how to do it correctly.
Hi Prof Doug, are you able to confirm( if feasible ) if the solid color versions of 9019 and X159's are ABS plastics(RIC 7 group) and more durable ( better build) unlike Demonstrator versions which are polystyrene (RIC 6 group).. i'm using this knowledge from Wing sung 630 video and some of your comments in this video 😅...i have already ordered 9019s dark blue and black versions before your video was released....
There’s no way I can confirm the type of plastic as Jinhao (like most Chinese brands) is not very transparent about their products. However, the plastics just feel different to me.
This might have to be a pen I pick up, even with the potential cracks... can the clip be removed safely? I rarely use clips and I could do without if it lengthened the life of this pen. Also, do Pelikan nibs fit in any pens apart from maybe the Scrikss 419? I'm so tempted to try and make some kind of adapter or frankenpen, I love Pelikan pens, probably my #1 favorite is the M200 / 205, but I don't think I can in good conscience buy more because of the price point.
I recently bought 8 of these pen 7 EF n 1 F. Out of the 7 EF 2 of them have very bad nib.. it is so bad that it will rib the paper when going from left to right.. I adjusted the nibs and at some angle it’s still super scratchy.. I guess stay away from the EF nib..
You are lucky if this pen can write, I received one that was unusable... The quality of each piece of this model varies. He has the same nib which is still not enough. Disappointment as always with cheap products.
I do like bigger pens so I will look at this closely. I haven’t anything with a number 8 nib and I do like the large converter.I might check out the solid colour ones. Do you thinkers there will be any difference in the plastic quality? That’s a lot of ink to leak if it cracks in the wrong place? Thanks for showing it, Doug. 🍚🥢
I thought I saw a crack also in the barrel. I don't trust any of the clear plastics on inexpensive pens any more. Regardless, this pen is too big for me.
I hate big pens and I cannot lie. However... I LOVE this fat boy. Right out of the box (about 2 weeks ago) and even more as time passes. Totally surprised me, I expected to dislike it. The only thing I hope they change is I'm hoping they expand the range of colors. I'd love to see this pen offered like the Jinhao 82, in a smorgasbord of colors and trims!
@@InkquiringMinds, you said it; that converter is huge. Reminds me of the giant converter in a Noodler's Ahab. I just meant I'd love it if they offered it in gobs of colors the way they do the 82.
The numbers for the weight of this pen are incorrect. Here are the correct numbers: Weight = 32.1g Cap = 11.5g Body = 20.6g
I have the clear demonstrater 9019 with a medium nib. It writes beautifully. It's my desk pen par excellence. Hats off to Jinhao.
I use a sparkly Jinhao 82 for a pocket pen.
Yay to the Big 3, Jinhao, Wing Sung and Ma John, for their ongoing innovation. Hey Japan, how about some new models from YOU?
hongdian crying in the corner
@@totallylegit2068 And Hong Dian! Especially!
DaDao 大刀 was a very large version of their swords. 大 This is the character for big, but more so 'great' - it is the character for person(ren) with arms wide.
Also part of one of my favourite character(s): "great harvest (accomplishment)" is this character 'great' combined with a hand grasping for the moon (in the Oracle bone scripts).
And the 刀 is sword or knife/blade, but interestingly it is also a class/name for 100 sheets of paper ;)
It’s 大道。 not 大刀
Well, there you go again. Making me add pens to my Amazon list. I love me some big fat Jinhao pens! Thanks for the review!
I love big pens too, primarily because I’ve got hand tremors and arthritis; thicker pens are easier to control. The bigger the better. I’m sold after this video.
Thanks for sharing!!
I have bought 2 of these fountain pens with F and M nibs and was thrilled from the start. A huge but comfortable FP with a great nib at a small price. Hopefully Jinhao will soon come up with the idea of making B, BB, stub and italic nibs as well
That would be cool!
Thank you for the great review. I purchased two medium 9019s, one in black and a clear demonstrator. I ground one into a 1.1 stub and the other pen into a .9 cursive italic. I was able to adjust the clip tension on both pens and tested them on a shirt pocket and the outside breast pocket of a Harris tweed. The clips have good tension on both materials with no cracking issues. Micro scratching is on par with the black cellulose acetate on my Pelikans. Both pens write exceptionally well. A maroon version is now on the way. I do find that the solid colour models have a more solid feel than the demonstrators but that may just be my perception. The converters and feeds on these pens are absolutely brilliant. Cheers
The transparent plastic just feels like a different plastic than the opaque. It feels like the transparent ones are made of a polystyrene rather than the usual injection molded plastic - more TWSBI-like.
I got it today. In addition to the fact that the quality of the moulding is not very good, the medium nib is not the smoothest I used. The Hongdian Medium nib has no feedback at all. I highly recommend you to try the hongdian medium nib - it's just a fairy tale. Great review as always, Doug
I love how it writes! It's my favorite Jinhao. I do agree with your suggestions on how to make it better! As always Doug you are one of my favorite pen enablers
Thank you so much, @wolf_ceit_witch!
I just ordered one on Amazon- the black with gold. Look forward to trying it out. Should be here Monday…I need another fountain pen like a hole in the head 😂😂😂
Large capacity converters and much easier to clean than a piston converter! Let’s hope this starts a trend. Great review Doug.
Agreed!
Converter for the Win!
Thanks for the review, Doug. I'll get one of these 9019's as soon as I can, as the larger converter just makes more sense. I had cracking problems with the Jinhao Sharks because they used such a thin resin to make the bodies sadly. This resulted in cracks at where the barrel and the section met, which were even more annoying because they were so comfortable to use, and had medium number 5 nibs to boot. But they were very cheap pens. For 13 USD, there shouldn't be any cracks. But the larger converter might just be a godsend. I'm going to go for an opaque though and cross my fingers, because their resin is less good in quality than their earlier pens in my experience. So we'll see. Thanks again.
This Jinhao 9019 converter is the largest converter I have ever owned, big fat and massive converter.
The future for these big pens, from Jinhao, looks bright. They developed nib number 8. Now we got another pen with this nib, and they developed a new sized converter. What wonders can we expect from their next big pen?
I’ll be fascinated to see.
Since Majohn broke into the Pelikan homages already, maybe we'll see a Jinhao M1000.
Heaven would be a piston or vacuum fill.
And at least one Western pen maker (Gravitas Pens) is using Jinhao's #8 nibs in their own oversize pen.
@@CarzorStelatis I know. I have one!
I inked my clear demonstrator 9019, very beautiful, and as my nib is M size, very wet and smooth and most importantly shimmering ink on my paper :D
Thanks for sharing!
Useful, fun review. Thanks! I have a 9019 on the way in an opaque resin. I hope it is more durable than the clear plastic looks. I haven't had any issues yet with the opaque resin on my x159, so fingers crossed. I am, of course, very impressed with the innovative converter. I wonder if we'll see Japanese "tributes" to it in the near future!
I might get an opaque one too.
Are you listening Japan?
Mine arrived today. I’m stoked about the capacity because I just got assigned some tasks that involve a lot of handwriting.
Bought this pen because of your review. Great pen! Writes like a pen that should cost way more than it did!
Great to hear!
Love the #8 nib❤
I now have 9019s in black and bourdeaux, and I love them. No cracks so far, but all three had blue ink in the feeds.
I've also gotten Wing Sung 630s with steel nibs for 30USD each on AX, and they have the brass piston mechanisms, as well.
The 630 is a nice pen.
Like the Medium.....or even broad. ❤
Watching this review made me interested in it and I just ordered two, Olive Green with heartbeat M nib and Transparent with standard M nib. I am looking forward to the delivery.
Hope you enjoy it!
Great review Doug. When I first saw this pen a couple of weeks ago I ordered three. At the price I figured it was a no brainer. To my shock they are amazing not only for the price but frankly for triple the price. I own, like you, several grail pens (Montblanc, Pelican, Yard o Led, Edison Pens and Parker) and several custom pens from my favorite pen maker (Lotus Pens) but at this point I use one of my 9019’s more than any other pen. They write well and consistently, the EF nib is smooth and the ink flow is great and the converter holds a generous amount of ink. What’s not to love? And for less than $14.
Waiting on my 3 pack to show up, looks fun and will see if the emperor is to much for me, as its on my list of must haves.
Wow. I have Fire and Ice in mine. I inked it up 4 days ago.
Ah well... JInhao... I end up getting *any* new Jinhao as a matter of principle because I need various colour coded fountain pens to scribbler notes and places markers and variously coloured bones and structural abnormalities on orthopaedic measurement sheets... though I honestly could do this with normal boring ballpoints they disgust me so it's *clearly* a necessity... and I'm somewhat disinclined to lob my Pelikans around to share an environment with grinding machines and 250°C vacuum silicone mats🤣.
And of course after watching your review of the new monstrously massive 9019 I ordered two, I did very well with my 7 or so x159s so far so I don't really have any negative preconceptions about the plastics used.
So thanks for the ever useful and semiotically light-hearted reviews!
Best regards
Raoul G. Kunz
Thanks for sharing!
Excelente review. Muchas Gracias!
Thanks for the excellent review,Doug. I've been using my Transparent Wine-Red Jinhao 9019 for a couple of weeks now. I cleaned the pen out thoroughly before I inked it and did notice some residual ink from factory that flushed out easily. My example writes smooth and wet;I love it! I bought from a seller on Ali Express who had them listed for $6.08;with shipping included I paid $9 per pen.
After I cleaned out the Diamine Writer's Blood from the initial filling I noticed some inky water that had become trapped in between what looks to be the outside of the cap and an inner layer of the cap(?) This is not inside the cap-liner piece. I soaked the cap and flushed it some more which resulted in even more ink/water trapped in this "layer". Most of this inky water dissipated after a couple day's drying time;but there are still some stains inside the cap. May not be a problem with the opaque resin; but,it does bug me in the transparent resin. Have not heard anyone else report this occurrence. I initially cleaned out the cap because some ink had crept from nib to cap.
Every review I have seen on this pen warns about the VERY stout clip potentially cracking the cap. So,I resolved to test this by working the clip with my fingers and clipping it to thick materials and pages of a notebook. I'll let you know when/if it cracks. Even if it does crack I am very satisfied with the value received with this pen.
I have the Clear and Transparent Red examples;both nibs. Will get an opaque version if they come out with more colors. Hoping for an Ivory or White resin. The White X159 is my favorite color in that model. So far no cracking problems with any of my four X159 Jinhaos(but I have too many pens and they are not used a lot.)
Thanks for including your music in the videos. I particulary enjoy your finger-picking guitar style.
Thanks for sharing, @michaelcameron7815!
Great video! These look like interesting pens. I may have to order one or two. Thanks for the review!
You bet!
I have a teal and a red demos on the way. Overall the improvements add up to a genuine attempt to offer customers a better quality product. I prefer demonstrators over solid colours as you can see the internal parts including the ink sloshing around. I wonder if someone makes demonstrator washing machines- hours of entertainment there.
I’m sure they do… for Home Depot!
Now I have to go and rewatch DB's review!! LOL
I’m enjoying this pen. I picked it up last week. I think it may be the largest pen I own at the moment. Definitely the widest section.
I ordered the same color you did and liked it enough to order three more. Nice review as always.
Awesome! Thank you!
I have 2 of those on their way! 1 in the same color you're showing & 1 black. I'm excited to try them out! One might say "I like big pens & I cannot lie!" 🤣 🤣 🤣
I got mine. Zip bag, no box. 😢
I found the converter is great. My only complaints are the nib was very dry and it hard starts. I changed the nib to an X159 nib and writes well. It still hard started. So I changed inks from Private Reserve American Blue to Iroshizuku asa-gao and works wonderfully.
The converter holds a lot of ink. I have always been a bit underwhelmed with the standard converter. I was shocked at how much ink it held.
Great review Doug.
Asa Gao is such a well-behaved ink!
Thanks again Doug. So we need to start a petition to make it International Law that all fountain pens MUST have a converter that screws in, not pressure fits.
Agreed!
Great review Doug. Another pen I don't need, but ordered because it was AUD$4.40 (ie. about US$2.50 including shipping) and your wrap up comments. I too wonder about the longevity of some of the Jinhao pens, but at those prices it's not a concern. My X159 looks like it's staying together and the Hongdien N7 and Asvine P20s I have look very robust indeed. I don't wear pens in the pocket so that should not be an issue, but I get your point about the leverage of a stiff clip on some flimsy plastic. Your comments WRT the Jinhao #8 nib are spot on. It is a big, excellent nib, writes exceptionally well in the X159, so I am expecting nothing less. I just don't see how these Chinese manufacturers and sellers can keep putting products out like the 9019 (including postage) for the price. It would be remiss of me NOT to buy one.
Thanks for sharing!
Thabks to your review I tried the 9019 and founr it womderful!
Excellent! Thanks, Kevin!
Most fun oen review, yet! 🎨 🖋 🔥 👏 Love that ink. Imma have to grab me 1 of those big ass pens! 😊
Bought three of them (clear demonstrator, black, burgundy) in EF and F nib. I’m not joking, these are the best writers a I’ve in my collection, and I own MB 149 and 146, Pelikan :M1000, Leonardo’s, Visconti etc. pity they have the injection gate at the end otherwise it would be interesting to eyedrop them… but these are really incredible pens for the price
Aren't you lucky,? Both of mine came rolled up in plastic and threw in a bag. Neither one was damaged or scratched, so I guess I am lucky. I love the pens, seems sticking with cheaper pens are good enough for me.
Excelente edición de video. Poder ver simultáneamente a Usted y a la estilográfica es muy interesante. Felicitaciones por está decisión. Saludo desde Medellín, Colombia.
¡Muchas gracias! ¡Eso se agradece mucho!
I bought this pen because of you. I got the fine nib. My goodness, the pen writes so smooth for $13 USD. I wish it wasn't so big but I will live with it! Rachelle in Seattle
Thanks, Rachel!
Seeing another great review from you makes me anxious for my 9019 Dark Blue to arrive which should be next week. I also ordered 3 replacement nibs to try switching things up.
Hope you enjoy it!
great review thanks again
My pleasure!
That's another pen you've got me to buy at a time when I am supposed to be reducing my collection! But what a pen, for the money this now has to be the best value pen available. Great looking pen, a superb No8 nib and a nice size too. Keep up the great reviews.
Great review - thank you, Doug! I have 4 X159s and should be receiving 3 9019s today. We will see how long they last, but I likely won't replace them and may even gift some. I also have the Wingsung 630 and 629 with steel nibs. If they prove to hold up, I may venture into a gold nibbed version, as long as I can get it for the price of a Platinum President on sale(sub $140)...just to say I have a Chinese pen with a gold nib - lol!
Good choice! The President is no longer produced and they are excellent pens.
@InkquiringMinds I had bought a President a couple years ago. After they discontinued it, I picked up another. Aside from the tendency for the cap to want to cross-thread, I like them very much.
Nice review. Got some new and useful information about this pen before posting an order.
Isn't it based on the namiki yukari royale? I've seen everyone mention the emperor but that is a bigger pen.. This one is yukari size..
I’m sure you’re right. But i didn’t have an Emperor in my pocket to check.
Hi again, Jim, from Madrid, Spain (a New Yorker expat living abroad).
As always... I crack up with your videos!!! I also get tingly and excited while watching them!!!
😂😂😂😂
As per your Big Ass Pen... It looks very interesting. I really like demonstrator clear pens, but what was very interesting (to me, at least) is the Big Ass Converter (1.9 ml you described?). That's a game changer for me with regards to buying this pen (positively, I mean).
My main concern with Jinhao's (I have 6 already) is always the same issue... They dry quickly in warm weather... Here in Madrid we only have 1-2 months of colder weather (-5 to +5 °C max cold on average), whilst most of the year is between +10 to +25 °C and 3 hot months (+30 to +40 °C), and the Jinhao's are always dry and I need to reset the nibs or clean 'em up very often and even then they take a while to start (it also happens with my Lamy Safary though it is far easier to restart by just dipping the nib in water for a a sec and cleaning the nib and it will restart again fluidly, and it won't happen at all with my TWSBI nor with my 2 Platinum Preppy's which seal amazingly).
BTW - I usually use my Fountain Pens for Art, as well as for writing.
In any case, I was waiting to get a #8 Nib size and affordable FP and I think I found one with this Jinhao 9019 DADAO.
Thanks for sharing and for all your work on these reviews, Doug!
Cheers from Sunny Spain!
😁👍✌😎
Thanks so much!
大道 DaDao is written on the box. Da Dao does not mean big sword or big pen in this case. But instead it means “big road” or an avenue.
I like the Big Pen interpretation better.
looks like the mother of all wet pens lol. going to have to get one now
Just got my blue demonstrator Dadao yesterday and oh my, I love it! I love beefy fountain pens. This one is “uuuuge” without being an albatross. I got it on Amazon, so no box 😿, just a condom.
Awesome! I have a solid color version coming.
@@InkquiringMinds I’m interested in a solid, but that clear wine one is also calling out to me.
It's a terrific pen. I'm getting a few more, big-ass pens!
(Like my pens like my female, significant others.)
Awesome!
@@InkquiringMinds she was-- oh, sorry, the pen, ya...uh-huh.
Just ordered one just like yours for $5.94 but no box for that price. Looking forward to writing with it. Thanks, as always, for your inspiration.
Thanks Doug!
My x159 cracked because of the tight holder.
Flushing my new 82 before use revealed some blue ink was indeed in it
I have large hands for my size. Then again, I'm only 5' 7" and only weight in at about 125 pounds. And that's WITH my prosthetic leg and clothes on. That being said, I don't particularly care for large pens. I liked the Cross Classic Century line, and the Sheaffer Targa sets, including the slim fountain pens, and the Waterman Hemisphere. I actually like the Jinhao 35 and the ever-so-slightly larger 65. I have many Jinhao pens that I've added to my collection just because I felt like expanding my Jinhao collection, even though I knew I would never write regularly with them. I even have a Jinhao 999 Dragon pen! This 9019 is one that I will probably NOT add to my collection, just because it's a absolute baseball bat. But it's nice to see you get a great deal of enjoyment out of it. I do hope they address the possible durability issues and use that larger converter in some other upscale models in the future.
Thanks for sharing, @TheNightowl001!
Seems like a great writer. I already ordered mine along with an Asvine v126. Doug, I was wondering, have you done a review on the Pilot Custom 823? I was looking through your videos but I couldnt find anything. Maybe you got any plans of reviewing it on the future?
Keep up the great work!!
I’ve been close to getting an 823, but nothing yet.
I have the Pilot 823 in and . If I had it to do over I think I'd just opt for the 743(in the Verdigris color!). I think Pilot has corrected whatever was causing a part of the feed to become dislodged into the ink chamber; but,I had to send my 823 back to Pilot USA for this repair after this happened to me while cleaning. And I enjoy changing inks more frequently. @@InkquiringMinds
Thank you for the wonderful review. As the body does not have metal threads and is a single unit, with the feeder thread having a o seal, can we use it as an eye dropper?
No. The nozzle on the section is metal and the end of the barrel has an injection molding gate. So, I wouldn't.
Great review! I like the pen but I wish Jinhhao made it the same size as a Namiki Emperor.
I have a Jinhao 9019. It's butter smooth. But the writing comes a bit light. Do I need better ink? I am not a fountain pen enthusiast. I am using it to improve my handwriting. The ink I got is parker quink blue.
Quink blue is a rather pale colour. Try Diamine Asa Blue or Sapphire Blue for more saturaton.
@@InkquiringMinds will try. Thank you very much.
I'm disappointed you didn't use a clip of Benny Hill from The Italian Job "Are they big? I like 'em big!" 😂
LOL
When you said “Rhodia” I was like “Whaa?” Good one! 😂
Hehe
ROFL! Big ass pen! DA DAO means "The Big Way". DAO refers to the WAY of Nature and culture in China's religious, spiritual and scientific practices. DAO is associated with YinYang and the harmony of components. I haven't bought any FP in months or used them. Mostly been doing watercolor paintings (managed to do urban sketching for the first time). I'm wondering if they'll release a XiaoDAO which would be "The Small Way," a more slimline version with size 6 nib.
“Language: Mandarin Chinese. Source: Classical literature. Dàdāo (大刀) can literally be translated to "great saber", "big knife", etc.”
@@InkquiringMinds --- The marketing blurb says, "May your path never darken, the stars, the sun, and all things obey your command, the moon is not busy with its fullness, and your lover is not far away." This means DADAO is "Big Way" (broad road). Depending on the accents on the vowels, DADAO can mean achieve, Big Way, broadsword, knock down. Homophonic wordplay is why the Chinese are a hoot!
Hello, thank you for all this great content.
I have a question to this Jinhao 9019 DADAO: I have two and both have a hard time starting writing. I need quite a bit pressure every stroke that they are writing. Is this a common thing? What could it be and how can I fix that?
Thank you very much.
Try rinsing the nib unit with water with a drop of dish soap.
@@InkquiringMinds thank you very much for the great help. It worked a charm. Now the pen is flowing very wet and I like it. All the best 🤩
the nib stem is very peculiar, with 2 slots and space for the pin that locks the feed to the nib unit...
why do they don't use standard jowo or bock nib units?
I'd love B/BB and CSI nibs (stubs would be fine too) on this pen, but Jinhao doesnt produce them...
I feel cheated! Mine came with no box. It came in a zip baggy (and not a cheap noisy sleeve!) with a sticker that called it the Dadao SERIES, number 9019. that's promising for chubby pen lovers like me... Doodlebud also said that all the tooling done for the metal parts here and the new converter tells him it's a start of a line and not just a one-off.
As for the size, it's still tiny compared to the Namiki Emperor, but it's just a 1-1.5mm bigger diameter over the similarly shaped Namiki Yukary Royal. I compared with the sizes David Parker measured on the Namiki. it's about the same size and shape, only an extra mm thicker.
Year of the big-ass pen
Hello Sir Doug,
Great review on the 9019, wasn't expecting it from Jinhao but have you seen anyone who has used a Montblanc nib for it? Besides the price of getting the 149 nib, do you think it's worth it despite the fact that it has (minor) issues with the plastic where it "might" crack? That includes the X159 if ever
I think I saw some photos on FB where someone had put a MB nib on it.
Loved the quote lol
I wonder if the non-demonstrator plastic is stronger? I'll have order one and find out! Did you explore that avenue? Love a good "big ass" pen!
I haven’t ordered another. But I assume the opaque plastic of the x159 is the same.
My Swipe cap cracked into pieces too. POS, never purchasing Twisbi pens again. Thanks for this review, pen looks cool but it’s too big for me.
Sorry to hear that. TWSBI are not all they are cracked up to be.
Are the measurements in this video a bit off? It says the weight is 22.5g but the body is 31.6g? Or am I just confused. :D Thanks for the videos!!
Yeah, I think I swapped the numbers around and they don't add up either. The number for this pen (empty) are: Weight = 32.1g Cap = 11.5g Body = 20.6g
Hi there doug! There seems to be a design flaw in this pen that's really bothering me. I bought the demonstrator one and it seems that excess ink can easily ingress into the hollow space inside the pen cap. It seems you can't clean it out without taking apart the cap (which needs a nut driver to dismantle).
Let me see if I can get the ink out of my pen cap once I find an appropriately sized screwdriver.
Yeah that could be unpleasant with a demonstrator. No so much with the solid.
The styrene Jinhao uses is garbage, as is their molding process. I had an x159 literally self destruct while sitting in my pen drawer. That your 9019 had a stress crack before use points to truly poor manufacturing processes.
The large converter is, however, brilliant. Sailor should take note for the KoP.
Finally, re: the blue ink traces. They easily could add a dip station for almost no cost to make it look like they are "testing" nibs. But even if they do "test," look at Lamy. They test every nib, and a significant percentage are still crap so it doesn't really mean much!
True!
Question for those in the know ... can this pen be used by loading it with a eye-dropper? Therefore using the entire ink compartment?
It has a metal section nozzle which will react with the ink. Also I’m not sure of the water tight-ness of the barrel.
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks for the reply. I think we could place a rubber o-ring so that would handle the problem of leaking ... also add some silicone gel on the threads and it could be done. The issue with ink reacting with the metal that's a problem. Maybe painting the interior metal parts ... well we are talking about a 15$ fountain pen tho ...
@@John_Smith__ It already has an o-ring on the nozzle. I was talking about the bottom of the barrel. There is an injection molding gate at the bottom of the barrel. When I hold it up to the light on my opaque 9019, I can see daylight through it.
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks again, and that makes it a candidate for say --- strategically placed glue 😀 at the injection molding gate ...
@@John_Smith__Yes. If you don't care about the longevity of the pen, it is worth the experiment!
💯🧡🤠as always ✍️
Whoa this is a big pen. It's even larger than my Conklin All American and my Monteverde Giant Sequoia. So this is not a pen for me. Also I share your concern about cracks. It takes a lot of experience to create a transparent pen which will not crack. In most cases the material is polycarbonate which has a tendency to crack on its own if the material is not handled correctly during the injection moulding process. In the beginning TWSBI had a lot of cracking pens before they learned how to do it correctly.
Hi Prof Doug, are you able to confirm( if feasible ) if the solid color versions of 9019 and X159's are ABS plastics(RIC 7 group) and more durable ( better build) unlike Demonstrator versions which are polystyrene (RIC 6 group).. i'm using this knowledge from Wing sung 630 video and some of your comments in this video 😅...i have already ordered 9019s dark blue and black versions before your video was released....
There’s no way I can confirm the type of plastic as Jinhao (like most Chinese brands) is not very transparent about their products. However, the plastics just feel different to me.
@@InkquiringMinds understood, thanks 👍
Hello, Doug. What’s the name of your notebook?
It’s a Clairefontaine 90gsm spiral notebook.
@@InkquiringMinds and what’s the cost of it?
@@user-lw8ku1cr9e Around $15 Cdn.
This might have to be a pen I pick up, even with the potential cracks... can the clip be removed safely? I rarely use clips and I could do without if it lengthened the life of this pen. Also, do Pelikan nibs fit in any pens apart from maybe the Scrikss 419? I'm so tempted to try and make some kind of adapter or frankenpen, I love Pelikan pens, probably my #1 favorite is the M200 / 205, but I don't think I can in good conscience buy more because of the price point.
I think the top finial is glued in.
I recently bought 8 of these pen 7 EF n 1 F. Out of the 7 EF 2 of them have very bad nib.. it is so bad that it will rib the paper when going from left to right.. I adjusted the nibs and at some angle it’s still super scratchy.. I guess stay away from the EF nib..
I would!
Do you prefer this over the x159?
Yes.
Is this the largest pen you have got in your collection?
It is pretty close. I have a Fuliwen Ancient Civilizations that's very large, and two Rangas that are big.
Atleast some one told the things I am concerned about. 🙏
You are lucky if this pen can write, I received one that was unusable... The quality of each piece of this model varies. He has the same nib which is still not enough. Disappointment as always with cheap products.
Yes, this inexpensive pen stunk out of the box! Unusable. I do know it is a crapshoot when ordering one. I was not disappointed. 😊
Which pen is the one at the ending?
Visconti Mythos Apollo
"Don't have to mortgage your Winnebago" 😂😂😂😂
Thanks for the video and on time warning not to use the clip
Thanks Oleg.
I do like bigger pens so I will look at this closely. I haven’t anything with a number 8 nib and I do like the large converter.I might check out the solid colour ones. Do you thinkers there will be any difference in the plastic quality? That’s a lot of ink to leak if it cracks in the wrong place? Thanks for showing it, Doug. 🍚🥢
I think the opaque and transparent plastics are different kinds of plastic.
@@InkquiringMinds Thank you
I thought I saw a crack also in the barrel. I don't trust any of the clear plastics on inexpensive pens any more. Regardless, this pen is too big for me.
I hate big pens and I cannot lie. However... I LOVE this fat boy. Right out of the box (about 2 weeks ago) and even more as time passes. Totally surprised me, I expected to dislike it. The only thing I hope they change is I'm hoping they expand the range of colors. I'd love to see this pen offered like the Jinhao 82, in a smorgasbord of colors and trims!
I doubt they could fit that converter in an 82!
@@InkquiringMinds, you said it; that converter is huge. Reminds me of the giant converter in a Noodler's Ahab. I just meant I'd love it if they offered it in gobs of colors the way they do the 82.
They should hire you to name their pens.😂
LOL!
Yeah, this is definitely a Big A$$ pen. I have the hands of a construction worker and it's a tad too big for me 😂😂😂
I guess the phrase, "The pen is mightier than the sword," doesn't make sense in Chinese. 😂
Lost in translation!