Hmm, I didn’t find anything smug or pretentious in your last video. As a matter of fact I find your dry sense of humor & video inserts are wonderful, as are your great, informative opinions of the pens you review. I recently bought a Hongdian pen thanks to your review & it works so much better than my Pilot Metropolitan or my Noodler Flex. Those pens have been permanently retired as far as I’m concerned. I love your videos & you always put a smile on my face!
Hello^^ I am a viewer living in Korea. Please forgive me for using a translator because I do not speak English. ^_^a I was thinking about what to buy because I was new to using a fountain pen, but after watching the video of the n1s model you just introduced, I chose it as my first fountain pen because it was cheap and had good reviews. I bought the amber color because there was no blue color. Since I lack experience with fountain pens, the video you uploaded is very helpful. Thank you for always
It would be nice if companies like Hongdian offered more variety in their nib sizing. I'm not a fan of finer nibs either, but if a nib works well, it works well. Maybe they'll offer different sizing in the future. It's amazing how much pen you get for the money. 6 months ago, I probably wouldn't have believed it.
Chinese companies _are_ starting to offer more choices. Moonman offers EF, F, M, and 1.1 on the P136, for example. Hongdian offers the long blade nib, which is a new option in the pens that came out in the last year or so.
I am or perhaps was a fan of the N6, but you have convinced me the N1S is a stellar pen. I will order one shortly. I am fortunate that you have given this pen the proper review and demonstration of its capabilities. The section is nicely done and the ink window is a definite plus. Most of my recent acquisitions have been either a piston filler or a vacuum filler with the ability to remove the section or piston for easy maintenance. I still believe the Schuylkill is a good pen, even if it does not post. But at half the price, the N1S is worthy of its position on your comparison chart. I was thinking of the M600 but with the smoothness of this nib, it is going to take a back seat, maybe forever. Great review, Doug.
The Eco section is not removable. It's part of the barrel. However, the nib and feed are. They can also be swapped with the TWSBI Go and possibly the TWSBI Swipe.
I'm wondering why that golden finish at the end of the barrel. Seems a bit over the top . I'm still in doubt between the blue and the red versions. Thanks!
Intriguing pen, the blue looks great. I may have to try one. You mentioned it's similar to the M600 in terms of size, and I like those, have three of them in fact. I'm just now delving into Chinese-made FP's and I like this one. The X159 has been pretty good so far, though the section and metal thread piece had to be cemented back together because they just came apart, but a lot can be forgiven for $15. It does write well, which sadly can't always be said for more expensive pens. Thanks for the review.
Although you said you were removing the M800 from the discussion, still by your criteria, it was way behind the N1S, which for me is pretty surprising and very positive! I believe that just the fact that the 309 has a catastrophic design failure shows how something like this can ruin an amazing pen. Excellent video as always Doug, and again had me laughing at 17:53. G-A-L-A-X-Y!
Nice, but I'd really like a nib choice other than EF (even a good one - mostly they just put my teeth on edge ). Reminds me of the Hongdian 960, but as a piston filler - my 960 wrote delightfully from the very start, the only downside being the plating on the trim ring that just wore / flaked off in the first few weeks. Annoying, as the aesthetics are actually pretty good otherwise.
I reviewed an N1S December of 2021. I don't see this as a new model, it preceded N6, N7 & N8. My N7s do not post on blind cap. Confused by removeable section. The only one I'm sure about is the 309. The N1S section is not. Hongdian continues to release amazing new models. Consistently great quality. And now they have their "long knife" nib.
Yeah. New to me since I didn't like the only offering in marmalade. My N7 when posted will actually turn the piston. I was wrong about the N1S section and the TWSBI. The TWSBI does come apart but only the nib and feed come out of the front section.
Damn you Doug, I thought I'd found the pinnacle of pens in the N7 and it's now at the bottom of your list. Well, with the nib it came with, it's at the top of my list and I will not be sucked in to buy yet another recommended fountain pen (maybe).
Doug, most of us understand that you have the best, most creative site with helpful content on this platform (You-Tube). As you know I am an old, retired professor/minister. I watch philosophy videos, theology, law-related (my teaching and law practice days need fed), and anything else I find educational (especially in areas I have never studied). NO ONE is more creative and diligent at working into the information the short clips. It made this description of Hongdian’s design much more interesting. And, these Chinese pen companies, as well as the ones selling the ridiculously expensive pens similar to the Chinese pens made for the next level. I have some of the more expensive (sorry, I just cannot justify ever spending over $1,000 on a fountain pen. Projecting future values makes expending the monies to collect what may be virtually worthless one day is just a sign of “conspicuous consumption” (oh, yes I studied economic theory as well). So, even with the expensive pens I love (Pelikan M800s, M1000, Szilard King of Pen, Pilot Custom Heritage 845, and more), I write daily with Chinese pens. I find the Jinhao 100 Centennial, many of the Hongdian pens, the PENBBS pens, and numerous others from China (I am writing notes today using an incredible Chinese made pen (and I cannot remember which company manufactured it, but it is Chineses and it has a marvelous ink window, great nib, and more (just no identifying brand on it, so I have to look back at EBay to see who supplied it). My point is that several Chinese manufacturers, men and women working incredibly hard to develop entrepreneurial ventures in communist China, are making very, very good products. As a retired professor in Econ/finance/law, I am as anti-communist and anti-Woke as they come; however, they way to defeat communism is to support privately owned businesses in China. Make them so dependent on the world marketplace that they have to make more and more concessions to people of China and the world that they begin to blend into a hybrid model more akin to the West. We are far from pure capitalism in the USA or Canada, with so many (unfortunately) governmental takeovers of various functions that we cannot ever criticize mixed-capitalism. In theory I support even more freedom than you have or we in the USA have! In practice, a country that has over a billion people is mind-numbingly difficult to shepherd. The ruling elite in China can’t do it! They will adapt. Too much said, for anyone who reads long-winded diatribe (hopefully not many), I have given a lot of fodder for angry criticism (which I do not read). :)
Thanks for this, Keith. I think China abandoned communism years ago. They are still a ruthless oligarchy and human rights violator in the extreme. However, their people are wonderfully charming, intelligent, creative and inventive. I get frustrated when people become so pig-ignorant that they lump the people that are being oppressed with the people that are oppressing them!
Nice Figboot impression at the beginning. This pen brand seem to come out of nowhere for me. And it looks like they just keep getting better and better.
Absolutely no apology due or necessary. Your regulars know very well what do expect from your videos and await each new edition with bated breath. I personally bated the he'll out of my breath. Thoroughly enjoyed your review of the 88 and this new N1S. Thank you.
Really nice acrylic pen on this HongDian. They really have come a long way. The first fountain pen I purchased, in my reawakened love of fountain pens in the last 3 years, was the Hongdian Black Forest pen. Then the streamlined silver toned HongDian , then the Monteverde Innova 20th Anniversary Edition. And then I was off to the races after that. I will always look back fondly on the HongDian pens for reigniting my love for fountain pens. Funny thing is, it seems the Chinese pens are the ones that are hitting it with the acrylics so much more than the big boy companies are as of late it seems. And at much better prices as well. It boggles my mind that some of these $200-$400 pens aren’t even acrylic but molded plastics. Like the Platinums and the Pilots and many others. Which, don’t get me wrong, I like. But I like their gold nibs more than the bodies of the pen because many are basic and plastic. One of my Platinum President pens took a two story high dive onto gravel and dirt and ruined, and I do mean ruined, the nib. Warranty doesn’t cover ruined or messed up nibs. I will be paying more for a replacement nib than I did for the entire pen a few months ago. This is crazy. And Platinum is making me send the pen all the way back to Japan just to fit the nib into the body! Originally the U.S. Distributor was just going to sell me the nib. But when she went to the pen show and asked about a replacement feed for me, they told her I had to send it in and that they refused to let me just buy the replacement nib. No explanation given. She didn’t understand it either. Other than them saying that they want to fit the nib and feed in the body of the pen. Absolutely ridiculous. I have to send it to the Distributor and then they send a large shipment to Japan. God only knows how long it will be until I see it again. And honestly it makes me very nervous. What if it just gets lost on the way there or back to me? Do I have any recourse? No, it would seem. So I’m leery to say the least. Sometimes I think I have a curse on my head I swear. 😆 I don’t understand any of it. But I’m thinking I will do that because if I don’t fix this pen and buy another nib for it I will always be looking at this pen body and remember how it caused me pen pain. 😆. But oh boy am I going to be paying for it to do so. I find the whole pen world crazy often times. But I digress. They need to make more acrylic fountain pens without the ridiculous expense. And the Chinese are doing it! Huzzah!!! And three cheers to them for doing so!!! Thank you, Doug, for sharing this beautiful acrylic HongDian pen!
I have to look up what “brand” the Chinese piston-filler is that I am writing with! I share your view of the Hongdian N7 (I have two, and I love some things about them) and I agree with your assessments. I would add that the nibs on my two are not quite as good as others from China that I own. I personally like the Jinhao 100 Centennials (have about 10 of them), but it is not a piston-filler model. Asvine, Kaigelu and other brands have been good buys for me.
Huh, I thought the N1S came out before the N6, N7, and 100, about a year ago? If I recall it was the first piston filler that Hongdian came out with. Is this an updated version? This one looks the same as the old one except if I recall correctly the old one was yellow/orange.
You are correct. I ignored that marmalade version and only got one when they had other colours. I just indulged myself in a little fantasy where HD actually listens to me!
With the original nib being as good as that, I wouldn't have seen any need to swap. I preferred the original nib's writing sample as well. However, it's your pen ... carry on
@@InkquiringMinds Oh, I remember when conferences had all the presentations on slides, and we had to go through to ensure the speakers hadn't put them upside down, wrong way round, or in the wrong order. Heaps of carousels! Eek! Flashbacks!
What took Hongdian so long? Dry sense of humour - extra dry 0.2mm. Hongdian no 1, Jinhao no 2. Good to see the nib is easily removable - where are the Hongdian interchangeable nibs? World Peace 😊
@@InkquiringMinds Roger that. I will let you know the outcome when the N1S arrives. Has HongDian got back to you yet on the GTR. Black with gold pinstripes sounds nice with two tone black/gold nib -1K limited edition.
Hi, again, Daug. I’ve got a Hongdian N1S, but he EF is awful; it’s very dry and scratchy. And I can’t find the way to swap it as I’m unable to pull the nib out. Will you please tell me what you did to take it out? It's easy to unscrew the feed and nib unit, but it's impossible for me to disassemble the nib.
I had to soak mine in water with a drop of dish soap (Dawn) for a couple of days. Then I left the nib unit in the pen (for leverage) and used a rubber mat around the sides of the nib to grip it, and pulled it straight out. It isn't easy. Don't twist.
Had one of these a good month now Doug & like you I was all set to swap nib to a LNB but found the supplied nib very nice,usually fine is not my thing.Great fountain pen.
@@InkquiringMinds 감사합니다! 저는 오늘 N1 모델을 구매했습니다. 내일부터 휴일이라 배송이 다음주나 되면 올 것 같은데, 두근두근 거립니다. 사실 저에게는 첫 만년필입니다. 만년필에 대해서 검색을 하다가 Minds 님의 영상을 접하게 되었습니다. 좋은 리뷰를 해주셔서 감사드립니다.
First, I enjoyed your fast talk video as proof that UA-cam should hire more intelligent people. Second, now that you've become the Hongdian Whisperer, perhaps you can whisper the words "Broad" and "Medium" to Jinhao. especially for the x159, a very large pen that screams for a very thick nib.
Oh, also a question not related to todays video. I’ve wanted a Pelikan M800 for quite some time but I suffer from this horrible condition called poverty aka poor as motha fugga so I could really only afford the M200. I almost got one but talked myself out of it because I don’t want to get the M2 and not like it and have that put me off of Pelikan for the day I may actually be able to afford the M8. How different is the M2 from the M8? Being a lesser model, is it made cheaply or crapily or is it just smaller? Some companies have crappy low end models but their higher end models are made much much better but until you cross whatever financial threshold they set quality tends to be extreme at either end, being complete shite, or exemplary. What’s your thoughts Mr Doug? Do you think the M200 might be a good taste for somebody that really wants an M800 or should I just hold out until I’m not so poor so as to be able to get the pen I actually want?
I've tried a couple of M200s; one was vintage and one brand new. Both of them are way too small for my medium sized hand. And the nibs were ordinary (steel). However, the M800 is EXTRAORDINARY! It is a great size and nib is spectacular. The N1S is only a couple of millimeters shorter than the Pelikan M600. If you find the N1S is comfortable posted and unposted, then think about saving up and getting an M600. I can't vouch for the nibs as I've never tried one, but if they are anything like the M800, they are great.
Yes Sir, another superb review including a part which made me cry (your very expressive apologies), I couldn't hold my tears back. Tears of laughter, I've to admit. This Pen strikes me as well, I hope they listen to you requests for another model yet to come. I'm going to search the N1S now on Aliexpress. Mary's is known to me but they recently p***ed me off with a shipment, which probably never has been made, ea. one Majohn T2 and T5 and it seems to me, they never send a parcel, only a Tracking no. I'm extremely upset with their entire unreliable, unprofessional attitude. As a result I'm since 4 days in a "dispute" and they are only asking me to cancel the dispute and "please wait, be patient." I live in Thailand since 18 years, so the many different asian/chinese "business-styles" aren't really unfamiliar to me. And sometimes "you have to get out the whip" as continuing pleasantries only invite them to stay on the cheating path. In concludio, another Pen I have to hunt down, based on the expertise of Doug, the FPW (Fountain Pen Wizard).
Good review, Doug, thanks. Seems the manufacturers/designers are paying attention to your remarks about their pretty gilded metal pen, which you show here in blue, but reviewed with red background and maple leaves a while back, as the new model doesn't have the flaws present in the previous one. Interesting that pens you like a lot earned lower scores than some you don't favor. Someone here was posting about the Jinhao 100 century, and I just got a couple more yesterday, which had apparently been tested, as they had traces of blue ink when I cleaned them, and I have zero objections to anything. Yet. Question on cheap piston-fillers: When attempting to clean one, the nib somehow cracked the threaded shank on the end jewel. I managed to get the threads out with a hex wrench, but have no idea how to re-join the bits of the threaded end jewel to the cap, or trust it to hold the clip. Maybe I'll dispense with the clip altogether and just cement to end finial right into the opening in the top of the cap. New world problems!
No need to apologize. You always provide the exact level of snark needed for the situation. Hmmm... The cap on this pen looks almost suspiciously like one on an early modern Wing Sung I have. Just something I noticed. There seems to be certain Chinese brands that are paying attention to their customers. Hongdian is definitely one. Lovely looking pen!
Excellent! Pretending to apologize for a fictitious reason was great. Also I agree that Hongdian “kicked it up a notch,” a phrase made popular by Emeril.
I HOPE HongDian make your pen because I would jump on it. Well maybe not jump on it, being pierced by a nib is never fun, but I would absolutely buy one. But it’s name has to be tied to you and our community!
The 78 RPM review of the Jinhao 88 worked, too! That would have taken even more effort to put together as it wouldn't have been your usual workflow / flow. Wasn't supposed to have listened in on your Hongdian conversation.. But Inkquiring Minds IM... From Inkquiring minds.. Blown Minds..
All three pens have nib units that unscrew easily for changing the nib. If you want to pull the nib to use a non-Hongdian #6 nib, just make sure you use the Hongdian feed and collar, and avoid the Hongdian N7 as cap-clearance is an issue.
"N1S = New one, sorry" Lol. In all honesty I do think your opinions are getting heard by various Chinese manufacturers, which is beyond awesome. Looking forward to the Hongdian DGR Galaxy within the coming months :)
It came out actually before the N6 and N7. It was the first piston filler that Hongdian made, but at the time of introduction it was only available in a yellow color.
Laywer up, Doug. I'm gonna sue because of the emotional distress to my wallet every time I watch your videos! Before subscribing I was a decent, hard working government worker, and now, after a year or so, I am foregoing food and wandering the streets (only finding time to surf the web and complain from the local library) in order to scrape together funds for the latest pen models reviewed. Seriously, I had no issues with the Jinhao review - it deserved to be short! This looks to be a massive improvement over the original. If this and the recently reviewed Asvine 126 come in better plastics -- shoot, charge 10 bucks more -- it is, in the words of the immortal Bill Paxton, "game over." Good job, Doug!
Your apology is genuinely Canadian 😉! I didn't find your latest video about the Jinhao 88 to be offensive at all, so I don't think the complaints are justifiable. Thanks for introducing yet another interesting Chinese pen. I think I would go with the Asvine N1S [New One, Sorry!] as its size would suit my hands better. Thanks, and keep up the excellent work. 👍🏼👏🏼
Depends on whether you like a cigar shape or a flat top design. They are both the same piston but the N6 has a heavy cap. The N6 also has an ebonite feed.
@@InkquiringMinds Doug, I'm sorry to be pushy, but I want to get the most for my money. Please could you tell me which pen should I choose Wing Sung 629 or The Hongdian N1S?
@@АлександрТорянников They are both good pens. The 629 comes in both cigar and flat-top designs and is the more traditional-looking pen and is also injection moulded plastic.. The N1S comes in some really nice acrylics.
While you're making aesthetics suggestions to HD, why don't you mention that some of their models would be more attractive to (a minority?) some consumers if they offered chrome or silver-colored trim? I still don't own any of Hongdian's acrylic models. This one doesn't seem to be flipping enough of my switches to put it very high on my list of wanted acquisitions any time soon, either. Nice review. And I AM a big fan of Hongdian's metal pens. But I just don't think this one is for me.
Hmm, I didn’t find anything smug or pretentious in your last video. As a matter of fact I find your dry sense of humor & video inserts are wonderful, as are your great, informative opinions of the pens you review. I recently bought a Hongdian pen thanks to your review & it works so much better than my Pilot Metropolitan or my Noodler Flex. Those pens have been permanently retired as far as I’m concerned. I love your videos & you always put a smile on my face!
I was just making a small joke, Kate. I keep going back to the subscriber who dumped me saying I was smug, pretentious and obnoxious! LOL
Hello^^ I am a viewer living in Korea. Please forgive me for using a translator because I do not speak English. ^_^a I was thinking about what to buy because I was new to using a fountain pen, but after watching the video of the n1s model you just introduced, I chose it as my first fountain pen because it was cheap and had good reviews.
I bought the amber color because there was no blue color. Since I lack experience with fountain pens, the video you uploaded is very helpful. Thank you for always
Thank you so much!
It would be nice if companies like Hongdian offered more variety in their nib sizing. I'm not a fan of finer nibs either, but if a nib works well, it works well. Maybe they'll offer different sizing in the future. It's amazing how much pen you get for the money. 6 months ago, I probably wouldn't have believed it.
Chinese companies _are_ starting to offer more choices. Moonman offers EF, F, M, and 1.1 on the P136, for example. Hongdian offers the long blade nib, which is a new option in the pens that came out in the last year or so.
I am or perhaps was a fan of the N6, but you have convinced me the N1S is a stellar pen. I will order one shortly.
I am fortunate that you have given this pen the proper review and demonstration of its capabilities. The section is nicely done and the ink window is a definite plus. Most of my recent acquisitions have been either a piston filler or a vacuum filler with the ability to remove the section or piston for easy maintenance.
I still believe the Schuylkill is a good pen, even if it does not post. But at half the price, the N1S is worthy of its position on your comparison chart.
I was thinking of the M600 but with the smoothness of this nib, it is going to take a back seat, maybe forever.
Great review, Doug.
Thanks, Paul!
Another beautiful blue pen. Doug, you and James at JG3 Reviews are adding a lot of Chinese pens to my wish list.
The Eco section is not removable. It's part of the barrel. However, the nib and feed are. They can also be swapped with the TWSBI Go and possibly the TWSBI Swipe.
Yeah. My bad. But TWSBI -1.
@@InkquiringMinds damn, -1 to TWSBI. Ruthless my friend. 😂
I'm wondering why that golden finish at the end of the barrel. Seems a bit over the top . I'm still in doubt between the blue and the red versions. Thanks!
The cat illustration was worth my time today! LOVE YOU, Doug!
~bro hugs~
Intriguing pen, the blue looks great. I may have to try one. You mentioned it's similar to the M600 in terms of size, and I like those, have three of them in fact. I'm just now delving into Chinese-made FP's and I like this one. The X159 has been pretty good so far, though the section and metal thread piece had to be cemented back together because they just came apart, but a lot can be forgiven for $15. It does write well, which sadly can't always be said for more expensive pens. Thanks for the review.
If you get one, let me know how it compares to a Pelikan M600 will you? By the way, love your sloop John B!
Hello, Doug, N1S and Asvine P20 look pretty similar. But which one would you choose?
The P20 is VERY similar to the Nahvalur Schuylkill. I think the N1S is more comfortable in my hand and it posts.
I have a couple of these, and they're great. But I would love to see some different colors. Imagine the N1S with the 1841 colors.
Although you said you were removing the M800 from the discussion, still by your criteria, it was way behind the N1S, which for me is pretty surprising and very positive! I believe that just the fact that the 309 has a catastrophic design failure shows how something like this can ruin an amazing pen. Excellent video as always Doug, and again had me laughing at 17:53. G-A-L-A-X-Y!
Thanks, Diego!
Nice, but I'd really like a nib choice other than EF (even a good one - mostly they just put my teeth on edge ). Reminds me of the Hongdian 960, but as a piston filler - my 960 wrote delightfully from the very start, the only downside being the plating on the trim ring that just wore / flaked off in the first few weeks. Annoying, as the aesthetics are actually pretty good otherwise.
Only a 3 minute introduction? I protest! We were promised 5 minutes... *The smugness and pretension was my favourite part of the previous episode?
Tomorrow’s intro is five minutes!
@@InkquiringMinds Loving your own comment is the subtle humour I adore, kudos.
*Thank you, the smugness is appreciated, and the pretension is presumed.
@@alohm I do that automatically as UA-cam sees each thumbs up and heart as an “interaction “ and promotes my channel more as a result.
@@InkquiringMinds But it seems so smug... I like it better when done for ego rather than angorythem reasons... :)
Eyy, I'm early. Well... More like late because I'm watching this video from the Philippines. It's 11pm here.
18 pm in Russia
1:30am in Australia
11:15 in Newfoundland!
I reviewed an N1S December of 2021. I don't see this as a new model, it preceded N6, N7 & N8. My N7s do not post on blind cap. Confused by removeable section. The only one I'm sure about is the 309. The N1S section is not. Hongdian continues to release amazing new models. Consistently great quality. And now they have their "long knife" nib.
Yeah. New to me since I didn't like the only offering in marmalade. My N7 when posted will actually turn the piston. I was wrong about the N1S section and the TWSBI. The TWSBI does come apart but only the nib and feed come out of the front section.
Naval schoolgirl. Cool name for a pen.
Damn you Doug, I thought I'd found the pinnacle of pens in the N7 and it's now at the bottom of your list. Well, with the nib it came with, it's at the top of my list and I will not be sucked in to buy yet another recommended fountain pen (maybe).
I calls 'em as I sees 'em!
really enjoy your review about fountain pen and learned a lot from it too. thanks
Glad you enjoyed it!
Thank you!
You're welcome!
Typical Canadian. Always Sorrey. 😂
cutway: Anchor Man 2 pre-fight Jim Carrey scene.
LOL
I rather enjoyed the last video. Count this comment as a big 👍 and 💖 !
BTW, the N1S looks really good!
Thank you, Charles!
Doug, most of us understand that you have the best, most creative site with helpful content on this platform (You-Tube). As you know I am an old, retired professor/minister. I watch philosophy videos, theology, law-related (my teaching and law practice days need fed), and anything else I find educational (especially in areas I have never studied). NO ONE is more creative and diligent at working into the information the short clips. It made this description of Hongdian’s design much more interesting. And, these Chinese pen companies, as well as the ones selling the ridiculously expensive pens similar to the Chinese pens made for the next level. I have some of the more expensive (sorry, I just cannot justify ever spending over $1,000 on a fountain pen. Projecting future values makes expending the monies to collect what may be virtually worthless one day is just a sign of “conspicuous consumption” (oh, yes I studied economic theory as well). So, even with the expensive pens I love (Pelikan M800s, M1000, Szilard King of Pen, Pilot Custom Heritage 845, and more), I write daily with Chinese pens. I find the Jinhao 100 Centennial, many of the Hongdian pens, the PENBBS pens, and numerous others from China (I am writing notes today using an incredible Chinese made pen (and I cannot remember which company manufactured it, but it is Chineses and it has a marvelous ink window, great nib, and more (just no identifying brand on it, so I have to look back at EBay to see who supplied it). My point is that several Chinese manufacturers, men and women working incredibly hard to develop entrepreneurial ventures in communist China, are making very, very good products. As a retired professor in Econ/finance/law, I am as anti-communist and anti-Woke as they come; however, they way to defeat communism is to support privately owned businesses in China. Make them so dependent on the world marketplace that they have to make more and more concessions to people of China and the world that they begin to blend into a hybrid model more akin to the West. We are far from pure capitalism in the USA or Canada, with so many (unfortunately) governmental takeovers of various functions that we cannot ever criticize mixed-capitalism. In theory I support even more freedom than you have or we in the USA have! In practice, a country that has over a billion people is mind-numbingly difficult to shepherd. The ruling elite in China can’t do it! They will adapt. Too much said, for anyone who reads long-winded diatribe (hopefully not many), I have given a lot of fodder for angry criticism (which I do not read). :)
Thanks for this, Keith. I think China abandoned communism years ago. They are still a ruthless oligarchy and human rights violator in the extreme. However, their people are wonderfully charming, intelligent, creative and inventive. I get frustrated when people become so pig-ignorant that they lump the people that are being oppressed with the people that are oppressing them!
Nice Figboot impression at the beginning. This pen brand seem to come out of nowhere for me. And it looks like they just keep getting better and better.
Thanks for catching that, Zathras!
Absolutely no apology due or necessary. Your regulars know very well what do expect from your videos and await each new edition with bated breath. I personally bated the he'll out of my breath.
Thoroughly enjoyed your review of the 88 and this new N1S. Thank you.
Thank you, Don!
Really nice acrylic pen on this HongDian. They really have come a long way. The first fountain pen I purchased, in my reawakened love of fountain pens in the last 3 years, was the Hongdian Black Forest pen. Then the streamlined silver toned HongDian , then the Monteverde Innova 20th Anniversary Edition. And then I was off to the races after that.
I will always look back fondly on the HongDian pens for reigniting my love for fountain pens.
Funny thing is, it seems the Chinese pens are the ones that are hitting it with the acrylics so much more than the big boy companies are as of late it seems. And at much better prices as well. It boggles my mind that some of these $200-$400 pens aren’t even acrylic but molded plastics. Like the Platinums and the Pilots and many others. Which, don’t get me wrong, I like. But I like their gold nibs more than the bodies of the pen because many are basic and plastic.
One of my Platinum President pens took a two story high dive onto gravel and dirt and ruined, and I do mean ruined, the nib. Warranty doesn’t cover ruined or messed up nibs. I will be paying more for a replacement nib than I did for the entire pen a few months ago. This is crazy. And Platinum is making me send the pen all the way back to Japan just to fit the nib into the body! Originally the U.S. Distributor was just going to sell me the nib. But when she went to the pen show and asked about a replacement feed for me, they told her I had to send it in and that they refused to let me just buy the replacement nib. No explanation given. She didn’t understand it either. Other than them saying that they want to fit the nib and feed in the body of the pen. Absolutely ridiculous. I have to send it to the Distributor and then they send a large shipment to Japan. God only knows how long it will be until I see it again. And honestly it makes me very nervous. What if it just gets lost on the way there or back to me? Do I have any recourse? No, it would seem. So I’m leery to say the least.
Sometimes I think I have a curse on my head I swear. 😆
I don’t understand any of it. But I’m thinking I will do that because if I don’t fix this pen and buy another nib for it I will always be looking at this pen body and remember how it caused me pen pain. 😆. But oh boy am I going to be paying for it to do so. I find the whole pen world crazy often times.
But I digress.
They need to make more acrylic fountain pens without the ridiculous expense. And the Chinese are doing it! Huzzah!!! And three cheers to them for doing so!!!
Thank you, Doug, for sharing this beautiful acrylic HongDian pen!
Thanks for sharing, SoulWatcher! Sailor has the same policy with their nibs.
@@InkquiringMinds that figures. So absorb tho.
I have to look up what “brand” the Chinese piston-filler is that I am writing with! I share your view of the Hongdian N7 (I have two, and I love some things about them) and I agree with your assessments. I would add that the nibs on my two are not quite as good as others from China that I own. I personally like the Jinhao 100 Centennials (have about 10 of them), but it is not a piston-filler model. Asvine, Kaigelu and other brands have been good buys for me.
Thanks, Keith!
2nd..also from the philippines..now the video is as long as usual.
Hongdian did it again, and that section with the slight flare is a great addition for user comfort. Thanks for showing it to us, Doug.
Glad you liked it!
Yes, Galaxy, please.
Dang it, I wanted to cut down on my Chinese Pen habit, but this one looks nice indeed.
Huh, I thought the N1S came out before the N6, N7, and 100, about a year ago? If I recall it was the first piston filler that Hongdian came out with. Is this an updated version? This one looks the same as the old one except if I recall correctly the old one was yellow/orange.
You are correct. I ignored that marmalade version and only got one when they had other colours. I just indulged myself in a little fantasy where HD actually listens to me!
Watching this blue ice pen reviev and have a voice in my head saying: "What are You doing Jesse?!?! We need to...buy this pen". :D
LOL!😂
Better buy hongdian n12
It’s the new generation of Hongdian N1S with the new soft nib
With the original nib being as good as that, I wouldn't have seen any need to swap. I preferred the original nib's writing sample as well.
However, it's your pen ... carry on
People like to see if a nib can swap.
Spreadsheets?! What's next? PowerPoint presentations on the Mission Statement for the channel? 😆
I always hated the dreaded PowerPoint. Reminded me of interminable slide shows on Kodak Carousels.
@@InkquiringMinds Oh, I remember when conferences had all the presentations on slides, and we had to go through to ensure the speakers hadn't put them upside down, wrong way round, or in the wrong order. Heaps of carousels! Eek! Flashbacks!
I love one of your commercials, nice! Don’t like how the Kaigelu long knife writes. Still a great review!
🤠🤠🤠hope they dedicate one model to you. ✍️
I don’t feel like you needed to apologize, I guess you can’t please some people. That Hongdian proposition you mentioned, sounds like a winner!
What took Hongdian so long? Dry sense of humour - extra dry 0.2mm. Hongdian no 1, Jinhao no 2. Good to see the nib is easily removable - where are the Hongdian interchangeable nibs? World Peace 😊
Put a Jinhao in it!
@@InkquiringMinds friction fit? N6 screw in unit - any chance that would work?
@@MrAndrew1953 I haven't tried it but there's a good chance. The only thing it need is length and the N1S cap has plenty of clearance.
@@InkquiringMinds Roger that. I will let you know the outcome when the N1S arrives. Has HongDian got back to you yet on the GTR. Black with gold pinstripes sounds nice with two tone black/gold nib -1K limited edition.
These Hongdians are really nice, an underground hit!
Hi, again, Daug. I’ve got a Hongdian N1S, but he EF is awful; it’s very dry and scratchy. And I can’t find the way to swap it as I’m unable to pull the nib out. Will you please tell me what you did to take it out? It's easy to unscrew the feed and nib unit, but it's impossible for me to disassemble the nib.
I had to soak mine in water with a drop of dish soap (Dawn) for a couple of days. Then I left the nib unit in the pen (for leverage) and used a rubber mat around the sides of the nib to grip it, and pulled it straight out. It isn't easy. Don't twist.
the section is not removable from the twsbi eco however the nib and feed can be removed
Yeah. True.
Captain Canada lol
He fights crime with sarcasm!
Had one of these a good month now Doug & like you I was all set to swap nib to a LNB but found the supplied nib very nice,usually fine is not my thing.Great fountain pen.
Right on
Dang! Another Hongdian. Gonna need to review some new pen cases - lol!
Nice vid, nice looking pen. Needs more nib options from factory.
Yes Hongdian Galaxy Galaxy !@@!!!
만년필 리뷰 감사합니다. 남자가 주로 사용하기에 소개해주신 색상이 적당할까요??? 아니면 별도로 추천해주실만한 색상이 있으실까요?
감사합니다!
N1S는 주황색, 녹색, 빨간색 및 파란색의 네 가지 색상으로 제공됩니다. 남녀 공용으로 사용하기 좋은 것 같아요. tinyurl.com/57v2hx52
@@InkquiringMinds 감사합니다.
혹시 n1은 써보셨는지 궁금합니다.
한국에서는 n1 모델이 더 유명해서요 ^^;
@@얼죽아빵 나는하지 않았다.
@@InkquiringMinds 감사합니다! 저는 오늘 N1 모델을 구매했습니다. 내일부터 휴일이라 배송이 다음주나 되면 올 것 같은데, 두근두근 거립니다.
사실 저에게는 첫 만년필입니다.
만년필에 대해서 검색을 하다가 Minds 님의 영상을 접하게 되었습니다.
좋은 리뷰를 해주셔서 감사드립니다.
@@얼죽아빵 시청해주셔서 감사합니다. 멋진 펜인 N1과 함께 행운을 빕니다!
First, I enjoyed your fast talk video as proof that UA-cam should hire more intelligent people. Second, now that you've become the Hongdian Whisperer, perhaps you can whisper the words "Broad" and "Medium" to Jinhao. especially for the x159, a very large pen that screams for a very thick nib.
I'm expecting more nib selection from Jinhao in the new #8 size!
Great video once more. Thank you so much for doing everything so easy and clear.
Glad to help
Is this better than Asvine P20?
I don't think so. I love the Asvine P20. The N1S is smaller.
@@InkquiringMindsI’ll go with P20 too then. It’s more funky too.
Thanks good sir :)
Oh, also a question not related to todays video. I’ve wanted a Pelikan M800 for quite some time but I suffer from this horrible condition called poverty aka poor as motha fugga so I could really only afford the M200. I almost got one but talked myself out of it because I don’t want to get the M2 and not like it and have that put me off of Pelikan for the day I may actually be able to afford the M8. How different is the M2 from the M8? Being a lesser model, is it made cheaply or crapily or is it just smaller? Some companies have crappy low end models but their higher end models are made much much better but until you cross whatever financial threshold they set quality tends to be extreme at either end, being complete shite, or exemplary. What’s your thoughts Mr Doug? Do you think the M200 might be a good taste for somebody that really wants an M800 or should I just hold out until I’m not so poor so as to be able to get the pen I actually want?
I've tried a couple of M200s; one was vintage and one brand new. Both of them are way too small for my medium sized hand. And the nibs were ordinary (steel). However, the M800 is EXTRAORDINARY! It is a great size and nib is spectacular. The N1S is only a couple of millimeters shorter than the Pelikan M600. If you find the N1S is comfortable posted and unposted, then think about saving up and getting an M600. I can't vouch for the nibs as I've never tried one, but if they are anything like the M800, they are great.
Yes Sir, another superb review including a part which made me cry (your very expressive apologies), I couldn't hold my tears back. Tears of laughter, I've to admit. This Pen strikes me as well, I hope they listen to you requests for another model yet to come. I'm going to search the N1S now on Aliexpress. Mary's is known to me but they recently p***ed me off with a shipment, which probably never has been made, ea. one Majohn T2 and T5 and it seems to me, they never send a parcel, only a Tracking no. I'm extremely upset with their entire unreliable, unprofessional attitude. As a result I'm since 4 days in a "dispute" and they are only asking me to cancel the dispute and "please wait, be patient." I live in Thailand since 18 years, so the many different asian/chinese "business-styles" aren't really unfamiliar to me. And sometimes "you have to get out the whip" as continuing pleasantries only invite them to stay on the cheating path. In concludio, another Pen I have to hunt down, based on the expertise of Doug, the FPW (Fountain Pen Wizard).
Thanks for sharing!
Good review, Doug, thanks. Seems the manufacturers/designers are paying attention to your remarks about their pretty gilded metal pen, which you show here in blue, but reviewed with red background and maple leaves a while back, as the new model doesn't have the flaws present in the previous one. Interesting that pens you like a lot earned lower scores than some you don't favor. Someone here was posting about the Jinhao 100 century, and I just got a couple more yesterday, which had apparently been tested, as they had traces of blue ink when I cleaned them, and I have zero objections to anything. Yet. Question on cheap piston-fillers: When attempting to clean one, the nib somehow cracked the threaded shank on the end jewel. I managed to get the threads out with a hex wrench, but have no idea how to re-join the bits of the threaded end jewel to the cap, or trust it to hold the clip. Maybe I'll dispense with the clip altogether and just cement to end finial right into the opening in the top of the cap. New world problems!
I've heard a number of people comment on finding traces of ink in the new pens - signs of testing. That's great!
Does Goldspot Pens carry any Chinese pens?
Not that I can see. Goulet carries Jinhao.
No need to apologize. You always provide the exact level of snark needed for the situation.
Hmmm... The cap on this pen looks almost suspiciously like one on an early modern Wing Sung I have. Just something I noticed.
There seems to be certain Chinese brands that are paying attention to their customers. Hongdian is definitely one. Lovely looking pen!
Snark Level = ENGAGE!
Excellent! Pretending to apologize for a fictitious reason was great. Also I agree that Hongdian “kicked it up a notch,” a phrase made popular by Emeril.
LOL!
I HOPE HongDian make your pen because I would jump on it. Well maybe not jump on it, being pierced by a nib is never fun, but I would absolutely buy one. But it’s name has to be tied to you and our community!
The Hongdian IM (Inkquiring Minds)!
Nice job again, Doug. Now I gotta buy one of these.
Go for it!
All people/things, who know what's good for them, naturally listen to you, sir. It's your effortlessly authoritative professorial voice, sir!
Thank you aag24. That is much appreciated!
Nib EF is too fine but barrel/cap is perhaps more beautiful than any other, including expensive pens.
The 78 RPM review of the Jinhao 88 worked, too! That would have taken even more effort to put together as it wouldn't have been your usual workflow / flow.
Wasn't supposed to have listened in on your Hongdian conversation.. But Inkquiring Minds IM... From Inkquiring minds.. Blown Minds..
So they have produced an N7 (almost) with a cap that matches the barrel and section. Wunderbar!
I haven't seen that yet!
hongdian N1S, or Hongdian N6, or Hongdian 100? which one is better? I like the black color from N6, but also the metal on the 100
which hongdian is the best for changing the nib to for example the one from the video kaigelu long knife? I want to use for writing chinese characters
All three pens have nib units that unscrew easily for changing the nib. If you want to pull the nib to use a non-Hongdian #6 nib, just make sure you use the Hongdian feed and collar, and avoid the Hongdian N7 as cap-clearance is an issue.
"N1S = New one, sorry" Lol. In all honesty I do think your opinions are getting heard by various Chinese manufacturers, which is beyond awesome. Looking forward to the Hongdian DGR Galaxy within the coming months :)
Yeah, perhaps. I doubt it somehow! And I think the N1S might have come out around the same time as the N7 - I might have missed it.
It came out actually before the N6 and N7. It was the first piston filler that Hongdian made, but at the time of introduction it was only available in a yellow color.
Laywer up, Doug. I'm gonna sue because of the emotional distress to my wallet every time I watch your videos! Before subscribing I was a decent, hard working government worker, and now, after a year or so, I am foregoing food and wandering the streets (only finding time to surf the web and complain from the local library) in order to scrape together funds for the latest pen models reviewed. Seriously, I had no issues with the Jinhao review - it deserved to be short! This looks to be a massive improvement over the original. If this and the recently reviewed Asvine 126 come in better plastics -- shoot, charge 10 bucks more -- it is, in the words of the immortal Bill Paxton, "game over." Good job, Doug!
Have your people talk with my people.
@@InkquiringMinds My cousin Vinny is on speed dial.....
Your apology is genuinely Canadian 😉! I didn't find your latest video about the Jinhao 88 to be offensive at all, so I don't think the complaints are justifiable.
Thanks for introducing yet another interesting Chinese pen. I think I would go with the Asvine N1S [New One, Sorry!] as its size would suit my hands better.
Thanks, and keep up the excellent work. 👍🏼👏🏼
Thank you, Diaa!
@@InkquiringMinds You are most welcome, Doug! Thank you for the time and effort you spend to create your excellent content.
Does the nib assembly come out or is it glued in ?
It unscrews.
@@InkquiringMinds thanks Doug
Personally not a big fan of cracked acrylic, but the rest of this pen looks great!
HongDian N1SDJR sounds like a winner! 🏆 🥇 👍🏼
Sorry I'm so unacceptably late, btw - the shopping delivery arrived...
Excellent!
Does this wrench also work on the N6? My piston's a bit squeaky.
Yup. Same piston.
@@InkquiringMinds That's good to know.
Thanks for a useful review; love the yellow colour. Ali Express lists them for A$35. I'm tempted to get one after Easter.
Cheers from Coolaroo Colin.
Glad it was helpful!
Gotta love Captain Canada!
Captain CanaDUH!
Love the chart 👌
Wouldn't be fun without charts!
Which one is better to buy: N6 or N1S?
Depends on whether you like a cigar shape or a flat top design. They are both the same piston but the N6 has a heavy cap. The N6 also has an ebonite feed.
@@InkquiringMinds I'm afraid that the N6 will scratch just like the 1841 that I recently received
@@InkquiringMinds Doug, I'm sorry to be pushy, but I want to get the most for my money. Please could you tell me which pen should I choose Wing Sung 629 or The Hongdian N1S?
@@АлександрТорянников They are both good pens. The 629 comes in both cigar and flat-top designs and is the more traditional-looking pen and is also injection moulded plastic.. The N1S comes in some really nice acrylics.
@@InkquiringMinds I have $30 and I have a tough choice to make. What would you personally choose?
While you're making aesthetics suggestions to HD, why don't you mention that some of their models would be more attractive to (a minority?) some consumers if they offered chrome or silver-colored trim?
I still don't own any of Hongdian's acrylic models. This one doesn't seem to be flipping enough of my switches to put it very high on my list of wanted acquisitions any time soon, either. Nice review. And I AM a big fan of Hongdian's metal pens. But I just don't think this one is for me.
Now I'm making suggestions for you too? The Hongdian DJR "Nightowl"?? LOL
@@InkquiringMinds Well, I don't have a UA-cam channel with 2 million views! They're not going to listen to ME!
Love that crushed ice blue turquoise colour! Another one for the wishlist then. 😇🩵🙏🙌