Jinhao 159 Review

Sorry for posting so late guys. Had nearly 8 hours of classes for today and was so tired by the time I got home, I had to delay finishing it for a while. Anyway, here’s your weekly review. Enjoy! 🙂

The Jinhao was a pen I ordered from Goulet Pens, which meant that it was coming to me packed safely enough to withstand a blizzard. Inside the box, the Jinhao was just inside a little plastic sleeve. No special box or packaging of any kind, not that I expected any at that price tag. First impression was that it was a hefty pen. The design reminded me of one of my dream pens the Montblanc Meisterstuck 149. If you saw the Instagram photo I posted yesterday, then you would know that it looked like a dead ringer for a typical Montblanc. I really enjoy this style while others may feel put off by the size and heft. It fit comfortably in my hands, but I think it would be a little difficult for those with small hands to use.

For a cheap $13 pen, I was pleasantly surprised by the performance of the nib. I was expecting to have to smooth it out with some micro mesh, but it was perfectly smooth and juicy straight out of the box (I didn’t even rinse it out). I opted for the medium nib, which has a very generous amount of tipping. The line wrote larger than a standard Lamy medium, yet smaller than a Lamy broad. The design stamped onto it tends to take on the color of the ink it’s loaded up with. I really like it, but it may be something others won’t.

After twisting open the cap and seeing the section, I cringed on the inside a bit. It brought me back to my Metropolitan experience where the transition was too sharp and ended up biting into my hand. Thankfully, that was not the case with the Jinhao. It’s rounded, ensuring that no matter how hard you grip it, it won’t bite into your hand. The same goes for the threads which I really appreciate.

The biggest drawback for me personally was the converter. While it does hold a decent amount of ink, it feels very cheap and breakable. I didn’t expect a Platinum quality converter, but this one almost immediately broke apart in my hands. I was pulling the converter to fill it up with some Iroshizuku Shin-Kai(I fill via syringe, ensuring a complete fill). As I was pulling, the twister pulled out of the metal section and the plunger flew out with it. I started panicking a bit, but calmed down after I figured out that I could pop it back in. However, I would recommend using this pen with a standard cartridge. The converter is just too flimsy to hold up for long term use.

The branding is minimal, being present only on the cap band. The model number is also indicated on the opposite side of the company brand. The clip is very malleable and fit without any signs of struggle into my Hightower. It is also very securely attached to the cap, ensuring it doesn’t wiggle around in the slightest.

Overall, I would highly recommend this as an excellent beginner’s fountain pen. It’s cheap, running in at about $12.50USD, solidly built and has a quaint design, reminiscent of the Montblancs of yore. While I’ve heard of people having nib issues, it’s nothing a bit of micro mesh and mylar paper wouldn’t fix. It’s also a popular frankenpen prospect, making the possibilities endless. Get one and experiment! Have fun and as always, write on, my friends.