2022 Wing Sung 629 Fountain Pen Review Gold vs Steel Which is Better?
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- Опубліковано 12 лип 2024
- I have previously reviewed the Wing Sung 629 piston filler. It had a14k gold nib. This one has a steel nib and I try to determine whether the gold nib is worth the extra $100. I talk about the parts and features of the pen, provide some size comparisons and measurements, and then do a writing sample. After the writing sample, I talk about what I like and what I don't like about the pen. Please feel free to use the chapters provided below to skip to various parts of the review.
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Chapters:
00:00 Start
00:51 Introduction
01:40 Parts and Features
07:53 Size Comparisons
08:46 Measurements
09:01 Writing Sample
12:45 Liks and Dislikes
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Concerto No. 3 in E major, Op. 8, RV 293, "Spring" by Antonio Vivaldi, in HD quality!
- Classical music piece performed by: John Harrison - Violin / Robert Turizziani - Conductor / Wichita State University Chamber Players
- Music licensed by: John Harrison
- Music license: CC BY-SA 1.0
CAUTION: The following video has an unusually high VHQ (video humor quotient). Viewers are advised to refrain from consuming carbonated beverages while watching. Any liquid spewing out of your nose is YOUR responsibility. - Навчання та стиль
君one the top stands for the Taobao store name (君来) of the manufacturer (格林文具, Green Stationary) of the wing sung 6xx pens and 2013 is the year the store started their business. As you know Hero owns the Wing Sung brand, and it's loaning the brand to some other manufacturers to produce Wing Sung branded pens. Green Stationary is one of them and produces series of 6xx pens. Other low-end modernly produced Wing Sung pens (mainly 3xxx pens like 3011 and 3013) , is manufactured by another company (派利). They also produce Wing Sung branded inks.
Thanks, Jeremy Z., for the excellent information!
Does the Gold nib make it a Bling Sung? 😄
OMG! You get a time-out for that one! 😂
😏
Great opening performance! 🎸
The hits just keep coming!
Another one for the list, thanks for the great review
Thanks Tic Tac!
Thanks for another helpful review! You’re the best!
You are so welcome!
Thanks Doug!
Great review , Thank you Doug. Good intro too !
Thanks Luc!
Another well done, well though out and comprehensive review. Doug you keep getting better and better,
Thank you kindly
Thank you for your honest opinion. Great video.
Glad it was helpful!
Thanks 😊 another informative video
My pleasure 😊
Great video, very informative.
Glad it was helpful!
Wow Doug! Great playing!
Thank you for saying that. Those John Lennon triplets took me a month of practicing every day to master.
Yes! I was trying to find someone who had the flat top one. Thanks again Doug! Now to decide what color I want.
Glad to help
I hit “like” just for the intro music and stayed for the informative breakdown of these two pens. Great job, Doug. I’ve been thinking that I may need to get one of those Chinese gold nibs, but you just talked me out of it. And my wallet thanks you.
Thanks, Oscar! One of the most difficult rhythm guitar parts in rock 'n roll history.
Great review Doug i actually ordered the 629 last week in blue with the flat finials with steel nib.I have the 628 in the 14kt nib & i agree with you its just not worth the extra money.Keep videos coming & you'll hit 9000 subscribers.
Enjoy it! Thanks!
Nice! Thank you for sharing.
Thanks for watching!
Great review. I'm not big into Chinese pens. I like my Pelikans, and my original Parker 51!
Love the song Doug! To me this pen looks more like a Sailor Progear than anything else minus the 21k of course.
Nice to see they're both smooth nibs. My two Wing Sung pens are a little scratchy but I regularly use them 😊
Yes they are!
A very interesting video about a nice classy looking pen that sounds like the kind of pen I like for an every day writer. I'm on a no buy month at the moment so roll on the 1st of July so I can get an order in!
You nailed it, as usual. Gold nibs look nice but not worth the extra charge.
Perfect quote! 😄
Glad you think so!
An honest video, thanks.
I bought MB-like model, steel nib, in blue, with similar MB window, but received the clear window model. Having said that, the pen works like a dream, I must say. The piston and nib work flawlessly, being an F. Always ready and no skips.
By the way: get the nib out and you will see it is way smaller than a #6 Jowo, Bock or "usual" nib. It also happens with the 699. The feed, however, accepts a number 6 with some hard pushing 🙂
Wing Sung has come a long, long way from the 601A! Your point about the relative merits of gold and steel nibs makes good sense. If one wants inexpensive gold with better bounce, I refer them to Jinhao or Hongdian!
Exactly!
I owned a Pilot Custom 743 which is made in 2012 and a Wing sung 629. To be honest, I think 629F is much better than 743F. First, it's much smoother than 743 especially when you are writing with Kokuyo Campus notebook. Second, Con-70 sucks a lot, you need to maintain Con-70 every month otherwise it will leak ink and the piston will be tough and hard to press. But Wing sun, it's easy to discoated, you might need dust-free cloth to clean the nib, at least I did so. If you use common tissue to clean the nib, it might be scratched.
In this price level, 629 will be your best choice.
Thanks Doug for clearing that difference up. The Wing Sung 629 ticks a lot of boxes for an everyday beater pen. Not too flashy to attract envy or magpies, comfortable to use because of a decent girth and a no. 6 nib, and a generous ink capacity and piston-filling. It's practical and not too expensive. So, that's a 👍from me.
Thank you, BigHenFor!
I knew that there was something I liked about you! 😁
Very similar view of the whole gold vs steel nib thing. I have several steel I like better than some of my gold nibbed pens, and vice versa. And in both types, whether an Esterbrook Manifold (steel for writing through carbon copies), several of my Wahl-Eversharp Skyline pens, a Sheaffer's Lifetime or even a Parker 51 (last types are gold nibbed), it really doesn't matter. VERY similar writing experiences. And the 9128 "flexible" ("for shaded writing," according to Esterbrook ads of the time) is similar to my Waterman's Taperite, which is not a "wet noodle," but about as flexible as some modern pens that claim to be flexible.
And, like you, Doug, flexible doesn't really matter to me.
Thanks for the comparison between the two pens! Hope you have a great week!
Thanks, Paul! Finally going to get some nice weather this week!
Mr. Doug i love the steel vs gold comparison and review so stick with same theme can you please do thr review of Jinhao Steel vs Gold nib review. As per my knowledge Jinhao 100 is available with 14K gold nib also.
Modern steel nibs are made from stainless steel (not magnetic) and is corrosion resistant as good as the gold nib.
Good to know. Thanks, Chris.
An update. I just got the 629 with the steel nib.
For lack of a better expression - DAMN! The nib is wonderful and very smooth. Well worth the money. The weight, the size, the performance is fabulous. The resin is done very well and the proportions fit my hand nicely.
Would I ever consider a similar pen from Germany? Perhaps a used one but ever those would probably be 10X the amount I paid for this pen. Great review and recommendation, Doug.
Yes. I have my eyes peeled for that perfectly priced 1970s or early 80s 149.
Well explained, Doug. The temptation to get a 14 or 18 karat nib to enhance the writing experience seems, like, fool's gold to me. A well crafted nib doesnt have to cost a lot of money. This may be why I am so partial to Indian nibs - quality made with a wide variety of sizes, including flex versions. Bobby nibs and Kaigelu long knife nibs are also good, but they give specific writing experiences that may not be for everyone. So, for a user one should try many kinds of nibs before settling on one. Going to a pen store would help, but many may not have access to one in their area. Being able to swap nibs should be a basic skill to learn when entering this hobby, but if not, the buyer who is seeking an inexpensive, quality pen should do due diligence and research into the pens so that they can have a good writer right out of the box. Which is why reviews like yours are so important.
Excellent points, Stefan!
Totally agree. My 21kt Sailor Pro Gear is my favourite writing experience overall - partly because I really enjoy the fine craftsmanship and brand history.
The most joy I get writing on a regular basis comes from signing for documents at work with my Jinhao X159. The large size (especially when everyone else is using cheep work supplied ball points) feels silly and fun, plus the pen is comfortable and feels great to write with. I quite look forward to my daily signing routine. That the pen is $10 gives me even more of a laugh.
Your reviews convinced me to buy a 629. It is a very reasonable deal. It turns out the 699 medium steel nibs that you can buy on Amazon fit into the 629. You do have to spend some time adjusting the tines to make the nib wet and with micromesh for smoothness but the pen feels (and looks) an awful lot like a 699 at the end of your work, laugh. Oh, and a wet lubricated saturated ink like KWZ Rotten Green or Diamine Writers Blood helps too. Thanks for the videos, they're great.
With the WS 699 medium steel nib and some time writing with it, I like this flat top very much. Not quite as much as the 699s and Majohn T5s but pretty dang close.
1. Nice comparison, thanks. I would be very tempted by a KOP with a steel nib that Sailor took just as much care producing as they do their 21k gold nibs. Assuming a substantial price drop.
2. One more reason to choose gold: it's cool and expensive, just like you will be if you buy it.
Thank you Ichiro. That is much appreciated!
Nice pens. About MB inspiration , there is now a Jinhao 159 in black resin… can’t wait to receive that big guy :)
Where did you see this? I would love one of those too.
I've not see this either.
Just snagged one!
@@InkquiringMinds where did you find it?
@@andrewdaydreamer5209 esybuy on Etsy
Thanks for another great review as always!!! Now I am thinking to buy another pen, the pelikan M8xx or 6xx but I now started to doubt that, will the writing experience worth the cost of pen ?...... (I never try pelikan but I want to try their super smooooth nib.) Can WINGSUNG gold nib (or even steel nib ) beat pelikan ? PS. I own a wingsung 698 and really like it.
There is no comparison between a Pelikan M800 and any other gold nib I've experienced. It is in a class by itself. It isn't just the gold, it is the way they shape the nib material and the entire pen experience. My Pelikan M800 is above all others.
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks 🙏 I am now more determined to acquire a pelikan.... I am not rich and barely save enough money to buy one... At first, I did not like the design of pelikans ... But the more I looked at it ... made research on its specification , nibs...piston filler ... And every reviews on the internet made me like it more and more..... Now I just need small push for me to pull the trigger.
This makes aftermarket jowo #6 soft flex worthy to look.
A Jowo #6 will not fit a 629 or 699.
Me antoje de comprar una de estas en el estilo clásico. Punta de acero y color negro con accesorios en tono dorado. En el video de ve muy elegante. Buena revisión.
Muchas gracias, Luis!
Very good review. Certainly worth considering. Is the piston filler worth while? This may be the piston filler I have been looking for.
The piston is very good and easy to remove, maintain and clean.
@@InkquiringMinds thanks. As you mentioned all that glitters is not gold. Did you take Latin in school?
Funny, I have the wrench but not a single Wing Sung iny collection. I have to get this 629. It will be the closest I come to having a Montblanc pen, lol.
Thanks Doug. Did I miss your review of the 1911L?
Yup! ua-cam.com/video/Pv8GR8W64lE/v-deo.html
Thanks for another terrific video.
Perhaps the 2013 means it’s the 2013th pen in the production.
Could be!
@@InkquiringMinds The 2013 is the year of the manufactuer（green stationary） established.
The number of pen was carved in the golden nib. Every golden nib have its own number. You can see it if you take the nib out.
629 is a special model as it’s the only Wing Sung model so far that comes with the 14k Naginata style nib (JF nib).
I've not seen that one!
@@InkquiringMinds The JF nibs (JF-F, JF-M, JF-B) are special nibs for Chinese calligraphy. They are just not popular in western world but they are in China. There is a hype about these nibs, saying that the 14K JF nibs are the real gem in this model.
I ordered the 14kt gold Heartbeat JF-M from taobao and hopefully it will arrive safely.
I think it's funny how we put value on something that doesn't always turn out to give as much. It's the same for pens, clothes, foods, you name it. There's a point of diminishing returns, and you only get so much enjoyment out of spending extra until it becomes just a cash sink.
Here's my hyperlate comment:
I got the 14k 629 with a golden nib in broad - which makes it roughly a European M, if a bit larger, so let's call it a "Pelikan M"🤣 - it writes a tad bit less flexible than my Pelikan M800 M (Stresemann so with a 18k nib that is palladium plated) but pretty much on par with my Pelikan M400's 14k nib in M.
It also has *substantially* less flex than my Montblanc 147 in B, but this one is *almost* "flexy" and exceedingly broad, even for a European B.
Of course, in spite of the probably correct assertion that the 629 with the 14k gold isn't worth the additional price I'd venture to say that, especially outside of the EU and doubly so outside of Germany, the price of a "MXXX" series Pelikan or even more of *any* Montblanc is almost laughably high which kind-of-relativises the price.
(heck new, like my Pelikans, they are even here in Germany substantially expensive, and the current generation has a somewhat less attractive body - I got the last generation, phew)
Best belated regards
Raoul G. Kunz
Thanks for sharing
I have yet to buy my first gold nib. Like you, I'm not a calligrapher and I keep light contact between pen and paper, so it looks a gold nib won't add anything significant to my writing experience. And at those prices, I rather spend my money on new beautifully exciting resin pens than on a fancy nib.
Thanks, Doug, great collection of office-appropriate pens. I love the classic black and gold. It's truly a timeless design. I may need to invest in a Wing Sung sooner or later. Sailor Mmmmm, don't get me started on Sailor; I love the Sailor nibs, but the body of their pens is underwhelming, I have a couple of Sailors, and they feel cheap in hand. However, the nibs write beautifully. Have a great week :)
Chels
Thanks Chels!
A shame to match first grade nibs to second grade bodies.
I always liked Wing Sung nibs... even more so than Jinhao or Moonman nibs.
You forgot the "bling" reason... gold will always give you more bling points than steel :D.
Catching up with this one... I missed it at the time. Doesn't it look remarkably like a Sailor Pro Gear? As does the new Jinhao 82 that I spotted today (available in glorious technicolor!), although I expect that to be a converter one, given the significantly lower price.
It does, even though I've never held a Pro Gear. But the new Jinhao 82 is out and it is even closer to the PG.
629 has an issue with barrel cracking resulting in ink leaks 2 out of 2 had developed the issue within a year. Research reviews to see similar results
Excellent review and comparison! Most people don't seem to understand that the steel or gold are not what is actually "touching" the paper. The thickness and shape of the nib is what makes a pen "flex." I used to do some artwork with dip nibs. I absolutely LOVED my bronze Hunt crowquill nibs. Talk about hairline lines! AND Flex!
Having said all that, the Wing Sung 629, being modeled on the Montblanc 146, isn't really my "style." It's a fatter pen than I prefer and I suspect (based on the weights you showed) isn't really as "hefty" as I think a "luxury" pen should feel in my hand. That's just a matter of tastes. Nothing against the pen. Still, I'll probably put one or two on my watchlist on eBay and at some point will add it to my moderately large collection of Wing Sung Pens. With a very few exceptions, I LOVE their EF nibs and really enjoy writing with them!
I got a WS 629. The F nib has a bit of a feedback. Will it get it to be butter smooth if I use a 12k micro mesh. I tried a few 8s but it’s not butter smooth yet. Am I chasing a dream? Any tips for micro mesh usage ?
Yes. As long as the tines are aligned properly you can polish it with micromesh. The tipping on a 14k gold nib is the same as that on steel, so they behave similarly.
Every golden nib was hand polished by the owner of this company. And every golden nib has its own number.
Maybe he just like the thinner medium nib. But he also provides B and BB
Nice pens but I honestly think I'd prefer to save up for a Pilot 823 with a medium nib. I haven't got one yet but Matthew Armstrong thought they were a very good pen.
I have been on the edge of getting one, but I wonder if it will be so much better than my WS699 to justify the extra cost.
@@InkquiringMinds Probably not. Really the only difference is going to be the nib.
Buenas tardes, en primer lugar agradecer la reseña, me parece muy acertada.
Me parece una estilográfica a un precio muy razonable y con un diseño interesante. Me pregunto si nos hemos acostumbrado a la MB146 y si es el tamaño más cómodo o si se nos haría más cómodo un modelo más pequeño.
Un saludo.
------------------
Good afternoon, first of all thank you for the review, it seems very accurate.
It seems to me a fountain pen at a very reasonable price and with an interesting design. I wonder if we have gotten used to the MB146 and if it is the most comfortable size or if a smaller model would be more comfortable for us.
All the best.
It is all subject, Bernardo. Everyone's hand size and pen grip is different.
@@InkquiringMinds
Gracias por responder.
Por supuesto lleva razón, pero me preguntaba para Vd en particular.
Un saludo.
------------
Thanks for answering.
Of course you are right, but I was wondering for you in particular.
All the best.
@@bernardog.141 I've never actually written with a MB146. The MB149 is okay but not my favourite size. My favourite size fountain pen is the Leonardo Momento Zero.
@@InkquiringMinds
Gracias por responder y por compartir su opinión pesonal.
No conozco esa marca y modelo en particular, pero la próxima vez que se me de la oportunidad sin duda la probaré acordándome de Vd, sin duda será una gran estilográfica.
Un saludo desde España.
-------------------
Thank you for responding and for sharing your personal opinion.
I don't know that brand and model in particular, but the next time I get the opportunity I will certainly try it remembering you, it will undoubtedly be a great fountain pen.
A greeting from Spain.
How would you say this compares to the wingsung 699 quality wise?
As good as the 699.
Love my 629, looks great, writes well, great ink capacity. Only wish they would make them to accept a standard #6 size nib.. I really wanted to be able to swap the nib out(its a bit too fine for my liking) for a standard JOWO #6. But wingsung seems hell bent on limiting that with their pens(same with the 699), and its the only thing wrong I can see with either pen.
I agree!
I do love my 699s, although the nibs are pretty boring. Still they work like a charm.
I'm rather curious if manufacturers just use a better tipping material on their gold nibs? My experience has generally been my gold pens (Sailor/Pilot; so I know not entirely fair) are smoother than what I can manage out of my Jowo nibs. Ditto my LAMY 2000 vs safari (but that's not a great comparison?).
Also, a quick look now, the one benefit of the gold nib 629 seems to be I can actually get a M/B? The steels are all seemingly EF/F? Does anyone know if this is just a supply chain issue or just the norm?
That medium gold is 0.4mm far from Medium! And it isn’t the tipping material as much as how expertly it is ground.
Yes, of course.
The iridrum point in 14k 629 is better and more smooth than the stainless steel nib.
Big questions aside. How does this wing sung nib compare to penbbs nibs?
I much prefer the Penbbs fine nibs to the WS629 steel nib. It has more character.
Mr Zhang, the owner of this company,who polished this golden nib tell me that: It will be better for a hard golden nib when we write a lot.😂
So the nibs are not bouncy at the start of his design（except the jf nibs）
Is it worth buying it now? Can you give me some advice, please?
The 14k gold nibbed version, while the nib is awesome, is quite expensive. I think the steel nibbed version is a great bargain. Nice pen.
Can any #6 nib fit in this model, or do the nibs have a notch at the bottom like the 699?
Wing Sung continue to make these pens (629, 699) so they have just enough difference that a #6 standard nib like a Jowo or a Kaigelu will not fit.
@@InkquiringMinds clever 😔
@@InkquiringMinds A Dremel can take care of that.
I hope you have some of the types of groups we have here in SoCal. For example, there are those who mimic the Beatles or other groups that go back as far as my music tastes…the 1950s and 60s entertain groups at the Regan Presidential Library. The truth is that some of them are likely better now than some in those one- or two-hit wonder bands. Some…well, not so! But a guy who only sings a cappella dare not try to to assess bands. I think you could bring great fun to any gathering. The truth is you are the envy of all of us who wish we had made an obscene venture to our basketball (other sport) coach who said we had to choose between music and sports (unfortunately, they were during the same after-school period. While athletic skills have given me pleasure, music skills are far more valuable as one ages, gets more poetic, and just needs to sing or to stimulate those aesthetic brain cells that bring us a deep, inner joy. Play & sing forever, my Canadian friend, as you bring a lot of us great joy. :).
Thank you so much, Keith!
Yes, if you don’t buy those special versions of gold nibs, i.e. calligraphy and lightening, the normal gold nib gives nothing better than the steel nib.
At around 4:30 you mention injection molded plastic but do you know this for certain? You say yourself that you don’t see gates or seams. I think ink windows like that are done by binding the two materials and turning the pen. My sailors and plantinums have very obvious injection moulding scars
It is absolutely injection molded resin. I removed the top finial and there are seams on the inside.
@@InkquiringMinds thanks Doug. Interesting they do a better job with fit and finish than Platinum and Sailor
I am Chinese, but even me failed to tell the character on the top of the pen
I will add one thing to your comments re gold vs. steel nibs and smoothness. When it comes to nibs like stubs and obliques, you are almost always writing with an untipped nib when they're steel. I guess because the tipping material is so expensive, the nibmakers always grind the calligraphic nibs right out of the tines. With gold nibs, even the largest are tipped. This means the writing experience is much smoother with a gold stub or oblique than with a steel one in my experience.
Great point! And gold being softer than iridium, if nibs weren't tipped, the tips would wear out very fast.
You forgot #4, "Bragging Rights".
I enjoyed the video immensely. ( But, I prefer to watch on a Saturday when nothing is going on then other than having to bring my rubbish and recycled materials to the local transfer station.) But what is it about the Wing Sung 629? Whether gold or silver, who on Earth should care? Even were I able to get one for US$1.99, or US$0.99) why bother? It is like buying a Ford Fusion = generic nothingness, bland to the nth degree; i.e., bascially A worthless and nothing special to offer anyone. A waste of resources, time, and money.
I dunno. I think it is a nice pen!
Wing Sung is a historic Chinese penmaker, if you care about that type of thing. Been around since 1947. Both Wing Sung and Hero pens dominate much of Asia culturally and in terms of market share. It's that region's Parker vs. Sheaffer debate.
Hi Doug, I think it will be attractive for me to click the link to buy from goldspot if there is a discount tagged to it.
LOL I would like a discount too!