When I see Jinhao making a big converter for a big pen, yet Sailor refuses to do the same for the King of Pen which costs about 80x, it really puts into perspective how the traditional manufacturers take their users for granted.
In case of Sailor I think it's more rationalisation and unification of components. Look at Pilot, they have CON-70 for their more expensive pens, but they also are basically Toyota of the pen world. Sailor is more like Jaguar. You don't compete in all segments of the market, because you don't have the money and you don't even want to, it's not what you are known for. Sailor makes Reallo line of piston fillers if you want bigger capacity, and Pilot also makes piston and vacuum fillers if you want more capacity. It would be nice if Sailor offered bigger converter, obviously, but they have solution, if you really want. But it's kinda meaningless debate, in my opinion. Does Jaguar compete with Dacia? No, why would they? Customer base is totally different, they look for different things and have different preferences, on different price points. People buying Sailor KOP would not buy Jinhao and Jinhao buyers would not buy KOP. They are different products for different buyers.
@@jakublulek3261 That's an unconvincing apologia for a large company that certainly could easily design a large converter for a $1,000 pen. Good grief.
@@BerndtNorten I am talking as somebody who did production engineering and rationalisation. I am not trying to make excuses, I am just talking from experience, why would a company behave like that.
Big companies like Sailor likely have their manufacturing process for converters completely automated. Designing a new high capacity converter would also require design of the automated machinery. That is a monumental engineering task that would likely result in monetary losses.
Just saw on IG someone fitted Montblanc 149 OB 3 nib into this housing. And definitely seeing this pen in last few days. Good to know that Jinhao is making those corrections to their pens.
I'm curious about that. It's the same nib at the x159, which is a different size than the MB. From my understanding the MB is actually something like a #9 or #9.5 nib
Dadao is the name of the model name: 大道(Dà dào) which means “grand avenue” literally. Alternative interpretation can be “the great principle”, an idea in Confucius.
@@alihasanabdullah7586 “great sword” is 大刀, not 大道. The reason they got mixed in English is because of their similar “pingyin” writing. Without the phonetic markers, they are both spelled as Da Dao
They really did a good job on this one. Usually Jinhao's don't do it for me, but this pen and the 82 I think are done very well. This one a little more since its not a dimensional and visual copy of another pen! LOL
I have a 9019 clear demonstrator with a wonderfully smooth EF nib and I love it. I never expected it to be so comfortable but it is. That huge converter changes everything, makes it like a piston-filler. I hope someone makes a compatible #8 EF flex nib.
The threads are a little worrying (I can see the body cracking over time, so I'd be interested in seeing how this pen fares after a year or two) but some of the other design decisions are really nice. It's a small thing (or maybe a big thing, literally) but I'm impressed with the converter. There are so many other manufacturers making big chonky pens with tiny converters. Looking at you, Sailor - with the massive King of Pen that uses a tiny standard Sailor converter.
Still debating if to get this pen. I love my X159 and had gotten a second as a number 8 nib backup. Oh the thought of another large pen but in the style of the Jinhao 82 - aka KOP Pro Gear style, makes me kinda giddy. Let’s see what they come with next.😊
I bought tbis pen after the review and...its already cracked with minimal use! Now I understand why Doodlebud looks at the stresses in the plastics. The inner cap developed a jagged break near the nut at the top of the cap. This pen was babied. It never left my office, was never dropped. Even if I had dropped it, we have plush carpet at my office. I didn't even cap it all that tightly because I used it daily at work. Replacing it with an Asvine vac filler, which so far writes smoother and actually fits slightly better in my hand. We will see how long this one holds up.
I love this pen! I received mine a few days ago and was blown away by the quality for the price (I paid like $8 USD shipped). It's great to see this from Jinhao, Chinese pen makers are just killing it, both Jinhao and Moonman are on it. I do wish Jinhao used a different clip here, I'm assuming this is directly based on the Namiki emperor, but it's smaller and not quite a knockoff so if they just used a different clip, it could have been a unique model for Jinhao, instead of just copying the Pilot clip. Other than that, this pen is sooo good! I'll going to order a few more. I stocked up on x159s thinking those were too good to be true at the price, but the 9019 is better.
I have a clear in F that's really fun to draw with. One like yours in XF on the way. I may have to get another in M (probably in the solid burgundy). I also really love my X159 so I guess I've lucked out with these #8 nibs so far.
Great review of an outstanding pen. I've already added several 9019's to my collection, and love them. Now, one thing to follow up on the X159. I haven't had your experience with this pen. I have a half dozen in my collection, and have been enjoying them for the past year or more with no problems whatever. No breakage, consistently smooth writers, very dependable. It may be I just got lucky with mine, but I've been extremely happy with them. They write and function as well as my two MB 149's and my Duofold, but they're at an almost throw away price if anything does happen to one of them. Anyway, great channel and thanks for your many insights on fountain pens.
This pen is incredible for the price. I just received mine as a clear demonstrator. The build quality is very good, upon visual inspection. It is a large pen. Apparently it is inspired by the Namiki Emperor. It is larger than the Montblanc 149 in terms of width. The converter is surprisingly large, it can hold about 1.7 ml of ink. That is about 3X more than the standard Jinhao converter. Dadao is a version of a Chinese sword. I hope it will perform well when I ink it for use. The converter on the Jinhao 100 does rattle, especially on their skeleton model.
To clarify, "Dao" is a general term for sword (it has a more specific meaning, which is single-edged sword, but it is also the generic word for sword) and "Da" means "large," so it's like many other languages' terms for "greatswords." A dadao is basically a giant machete.
@@vitriolicAmaranth Hold on The DaDao here is not ‘大刀’(large sword) but it is DaDao ‘大道’(avenue). There are different tones among these two ‘Dao’s but it can’t be showed in English translation. Therefore this Jinhao DaDao ‘大道’ means avenue.
@@tansoncheng Thank you for your correction. But I would like to supplement a new meaning here. The word '道' stands for the core idea of Taoism in traditional Chinese culture. It is a name or antonomasia for the ultimate sprit of nature or just the law of the universe. So here the name of the pen not only represents the big avenue in modern Chinese, but also contains the meaning of showing a staggering product and striving for the best writing experience in traditional Chinese.
@@WenyuanCheng-s2l I will say the Taoism is a pretty interesting thought on the name, yet somehow we won’t be able to know why did Jinhao gave this name when creating this pen cause it is the first or second time for Jinhao to name a pen other than using numbers only :)
@@tansoncheng Yeah, as far as I know, many people criticize their products for the cheap quality and not having cultural connotations. So... after the success of Jinhao 82, as you can see, they are trying. The whole idea is like, 'Wow, it's really big, can we find a name that suits the shape?' Then you get the result
Good pen, but here in India, we can get a Kanwrite Emperor for nearly the same price. It is the same thing, but with an ebonite feed, steel body, and an optional ultra flex nib.
I just ordered 3-pack of these for significantly less than $40 (that includes California’s sales tax scam), because I too would like to give this pen to others interested in fountain pens. What an advantage to be able to use the converter that has a larger ink capacity than many, if not most of my piston-fillers! Love the screw-in converter, and the various reinforcements. I can handle little tweaks, so I am not concerned about a little tuning. I get in trouble (at 77, as the eye sight is an issue for me to do anything more serious than a series of smoothing moves. GREAT REVIEW! You’ve reached my Terrific Trio, as you, Doug, and Chris bring an engineering or tech savvy that are not in my experience set. (My wife is probably more mechanically savvy than I am!) As I often say, neither a Ph.D. Program or law school covered anything mechanical! :)
The Jinhao Tiandao 1935 I have uses that big converter and a large #8 nib like the 9019. I inked it up about a month ago and have barely used any ink at all, and the nib is very smooth.
I just got the clear demonstrated version. The size of the converter impressed me. Take note Pilot and Sailor. It's now my favourite desk pen. My favourite pocket pen is a Jinhao 82 with a fine nib. I have had no troubles with my X159 pens.
2:41...NOW that's what I call a Good Budget F.P. !! thanks , gonna order one now. QUESTION : Is this a copy of another more pricey fountain pen brand ?
Thank you for this great review. I finally received my 9019's and am pretty impressed. Threads are better/smoother than my other Jinhaos. Engraving much nicer. 'O' ring is a nice improvement and the converter is outstanding with a better design on the screw shaft, triple seal piston, and the threads on the body where they belong instead of on the fulcrum (pivot) end like most. I'm a little concerned about all the air space (it really showed up in the demonstrator models) in the cap. Overall a huge improvement and a steal at current pricing.
Good to hear you're enjoying it. Its not all perfect, but its pretty damn good and especially when factoring what you get for what you give. I thinks its an incredibly fair exchange
I'm also very excited about this pen. I got mine in the clear demo and I'm very happy with it. One thing I love that most won't care about is there is tons of room in the cap. Since the inkquiring minds review the #8 stacked nib has become popular and I bet you could fit a quad in there. Excited to see what jinhao does next
Have several of the X159 and 9019. Given the trend towards #9 (Kanwrite Mammoth) and #10 (Magna Carta Mag1000) nibs, I predict Jinhao will have a #9 or #10 steel nib in the next year to two.
I believe that the very early X159s from the 'Model T' era (any colour you like, so long as it's black) were particularly prone to cracking - mine certainly did. The later units with the o-ring and fewer turns on the cap threads seem to be much better - one of mine took a tumble onto concrete and accumulated some deep scratches, but no cracks.
I really like these new Jinhao #8 nibs. Their #6 nibs are usually perfectly good but boring so I swap them ASAP. I have no urge to do that with either the X159 or the 9019. I think that you might have got a bad X159. If I look at mine compared to my 9019, the build quality is close. I don't think that you would want a metal version of the 9019. We already went there with the original 159 and they were too heavy. They were brass, AFAIK.
I also enjoyed being able to replace lousy and /or boring Jinhao #6 nibs. Plenty of alternatives. Not so for #8 nibs, and I’m not impressed with mine. Feeling stuck now.
I’ve got an 82 with a fine nib I’ve been using the last few days and it’s been great. Fails to lay down in in some strokes but otherwise very smooth very fine.
Hiya DB, I purchased two 9019s, a black and a clear demonstrator in fine. I wasn't happy with the ink flow so I chased out the feed channels with a razor and now the flow is spot on. I also received a pack of three medium nibs. I reground one into a .9 cursive italic which writes as well as the .9 on my Stipula Volterra. I applied a bit of silicone grease to the barrel threads and that smoothed the threads considerably. That clip is very tight and I adjusted the tension and now it slides securely over both shirt pocket material and the pocket of a Harris Tweed jacket. The mould lines on the section and body were polished off with wet 4,000 grit paper and Flitz polish. Good pens are now great pens and both perform perfectly. My six x159s required a little nib tweaking and feed work and they write perfectly as well. Thanks for the great video. Cheers
I got one in the wine red, and the material feels identical to my Platinum President The EF is great. Smooth with a touch of feedback and bounce. This would probably be pen of the year for me if i hadn't just gotten my Wing Sung 630. Wirh those new parts maybe we'll get a Pelikan or Delta clone.
Your review convinced me to skip the X159 in favor of the 9019. I bought one in dark blue with an M nib (currently inked up with Diamine Sargasso Sea, but I may have to switch to a drier ink) and a clear demonstrator with an F nib (currently inked up with PenBBS #177). I'm still thinking about getting one more of these with an EF nib, maybe the black one?
If you look at the name of the pen in sinograms, "大道" (dà dào) means "avenue" (see also "The road to a better future"). The transliteration DADAO is often mistranslated into blade (but it's "dà dāo" not "dà dào").
The main reason the KOP isn't on my "grail list" is that converter. There is this HUGE metal reducer in the pen to fit their small standard converter. They're a huge player in the FP world and can no problem get a larger converter for that pen. People who have a KOP don't care about being able to use the same converter from their PGS on their KOP. They need to get a larger converter and just make a new metal part to fit the section and converter. It would cost so little its ridiculous! I see what they did with the KOP and I think its just pure laziness and complacency. Not impressed .... rant over LOL
@@Doodlebud Thanks for your rant. That's what i am thinking lol. I am kind of converter/cartridge person. But the small Sailor converter is still a bummer for my PGS. When i use PGS(has EF-like MF nib) i needed to include ink more often. Then with KOP #8 M nib? or Naginata togi nib? No way.. It would be too bothersome. I like their nib but will not buy 21k or KOP until Sailor do something on their converter. At least, they should improve the standard converter by reducing knob section & increasing ink capacity so as to match other brands converter!
My 9019 hard-starts and is skipping a lot with Diamine Ancient Copper. One pen one ink. Before I inked it up, I cleaned the pen and found residual ink in the feed. They must test-drive these things!?
I forgot to mention that there was some residual ink in mine too. Ancient copper isn't the best for good flow so you might want to try another ink. Or your nib/feed could be in need of some adjustment
Man,do I feel stoopid. I originally cleaned the pen but with only water. I went back took out the nib/feed scrubbed them with dish soap/toothbrush and it writes GREAT! With the Ancient Copper! I went to the link doodlebud listed and out of all the suggestions he gave, I started by thoroughly cleaning the pen again. Eureka! Brilliant! Thanks,bud! @@Doodlebud
Beeswax on the threads , I do it with all plastic thread pens , works way better than silicone grease , I tiny amount then kiss it with a touch of heat to flow the wax , wear on the plastic all but disappeared. Love the 9019 , would love to see a selection of nibs for it such as an architect and an italic would be delicious, I did get a medium and reshape it to a mild italic . Well done Jinhao .
Chinese websites list this model as Dadao (dah-dow) / 大道, which has a few meanings. One is "boulevard", i.e., large avenue/wide city street. This can also have the metaphorical sense of "great prospects". I think it can also mean something like "great Dao/great way" in a Daoist sense or in the sense of a "great governing principle" in the universe/society. I have some knowledge of Chinese characters, but I'm not Chinese, so I'm not sure what the first/strongest association a Chinese person would have with a pen named 大道.
I saw some Jin Hao ads video in which the demonstrator wrote "大道至简" (The greatest way is the simplest). This could be the intended meaning. This is also a part of a quote from Xi JinPing's speech in 2017.
I bought 3 jinhao 82s, as my first pens, based on your review of them! I definitely prefer the medium nibs on those, even tho I usually prefer fine point. Would love to see you review the larger nibs, in the different points, just to know whether there are performance differences in the larger nibs. Thanks for providing info that is so practical, for us newbies!
Love my Jinhao 82 pens! Not the . Right now I'm enjoying the 82s way more than the 9019 . It hard starts and skips with the first ink I tried in it,Diamine Ancient Copper. Both of my 82s performed very well right out of the box... /plastic sleeve/bubble-wrap.
Awesome video! The word "dadao" engraved on the cap means literally "the big path", and it is possible that is related with the daoist concept of the "proper reason". Also it means "main street" or "avenue".
I thought DaDao means 'Big Knife' or broadsword. Some Chinese pen often referred their nibs to some ancient weapon, such as 'long knife nib' mimicking Naginata Yogi nib, which I thought it referred to the weapon similar to one use by Guan Yu. Am I wrong?
@@vitthorn5395 The ambiguity is served, I agree with you. Nevertheless, I'd searched the name of this fountain pen in Chinese websites, and the name for it is 大道.
Hey Doodlebug I think I saw a Lamy Aion in that first shot of the review, but I don't see an Aion review on your channel, would love to know your thoughts on it and see a review!
I have a few different Jinhao pens and one of my go-to pens from Jinhao is the 992. It actually looks like a little brother to the 9019. I have one 992 that I use as an eye-dropper pen for taking notes with, but I think I would like to try this pen.
Hey Doodlebud, just FYI I got one of these and had a pretty different experience. It's my first Jinhao, and it has a M nib. Purchased from Amazon US, it's been plagued by skipping and hard start issues. I was swayed by your review but I don't hold it against you at all, I think that at its best this pen lives up to all the praise you gave it; but that Jinhao may have some QC issues. Or perhaps I got a 1/1000 dud, or perhaps the pen was damaged in shipping. I'll try not to make this too long, but I'd heard that sometimes dried out test ink can cause this issue on Jinhao pens. Thorough rinse didn't do much. Warm water rinse + overnight soak did improve things somewhat. Someone mentioned that their feed was misaligned from the factory, mine seemed to be too. I straightened it, but it doesn't have a very positive connection to the section so I feel a bit iffy about this detail. I don't have the proper shims to check spacing, but I suspect that either the tines are too tight, or perhaps the pen really doesn't like my ink (using Noodler's Heart of Darkness, which is usually well behaved, even in my driest pens. But that is another thing to look at for sure, as well as possibly adding a tiny amount of dishsoap). Using my rudimentary loupe the tines look tight but not touching. I've given it about as many 'firm lines' as I am willing to try before risking tine misalignment, and they don't seem to have improved much. At any rate, it's a bit disappointing because I was hoping it would kick butt out of the box, but instead it resembles the performance of some of my scrappy rescue pens. Like I said, no hard feelings. Just want to put this out there for anyone else who might be considering one, that I've heard anecdotal reports online of issues similar to mine with this pen. Unfortunately I can't return mine as I won't be back in the States for some time. I hope they aren't cherry-picking review units.
Yup, you're not going to get top notch QC at this price point. But then again this same thing happens with pens that are 10X+ the cost. Its a numbers game, and when this many are made it happens. Having the basic gear & practice under your belt to make the adjustments I feel is the best investment someone can make. I've had quite a number of pens recently that required adjustment out of the box across a wide range of price points. Most are resolved in under 1 min.
@@Doodlebud Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately this is quite a sticky issue. I thought I solved it with some tine-widening strokes (much harder than I would normally do) but the relief was temporary. I'm beginning to think it's some sort of persistent airlock issue. Possibly an issue with how I am refilling it.
Can I use Jinhao cartridges in this one? I want to carry a pen to work (my Waterman stays home) and need a pen that takes cartridges. If cartridges are possible, are standard cartridges OK? Thanks in advance.
Nice to see them coming out with something of their own. Maybe they're moving away from doing a lot of obvious copies. Nice you've found a Jinhao that you like, be interesting to see how it lasts, long-term.
Darn it all, I acquired the clear demonstrator, and it looks gorgeous. Love the converter too. But my M nib is horrid. Skips like crazy in addition to being scratchy and dry. I soaked in water with a little Dawn for a day, shimmed the nib, carved the feed channel out, used some micro mesh, and filled with lubricated ink. None of this helped, after spending about an hour tweaking. Very disappointing. I’m sure there are great 9019s out there and I’m tempted to try another. But the ol’ Jinhao quality control ghost still haunts.
Unfortunately that can happen with pens of all price points. Check out a video I did which might help you trouble shoot your pen: ua-cam.com/video/Yo6vefMOkwI/v-deo.html
I could have written this same comment, except that it's only the 2nd Jinhao to disappoint me. I'm going to check out that linked video. I really want to like this pen!
If anybody is having drying up issues with this pen put some silicone grease or even glue around the cap screw. I did put a little bit of crazy glue very carefully around and now it seals great
Doodlebud, I just got this . This thing is magnanimous, until you get it in your hand you don't realize how large it is. It is a little too large for my liking. But I am loving it. I put Diamine Sherwood Forest in it. Had to use a syringe to get the ink it, because the pen is so large. It's fun to write with. It wrote right up without the nib in the ink. I'm impressed. thanks for the review on this. I am behind in the fountain pen world, I am catching up.
You're never behind. Don't have to "collect them all." If it wasn't for me getting sent pens because of my channel I wouldnt have as many as I do. I'm super grateful for all the pens that do come my way, but having more pens doesn't equate to a better experience with fountain pens. It can be pretty easy to get carried away very quick! Go slow, enjoy what you have, try new stuff, explore, and stick to a budget. Just a few tips. The #1 tip is know how to do basic nib adjustments! That will make the hobby so much better.
@@Doodlebud Thanks for the advice. I am having fun with it. Writes nice. It is a little too large. What gold nib pen would you seek of the better pens please. I was suggested the Platinum 3776?
I’ve been loving your videos but not in a position to buy any pens right now, even very cheap ones because of financial stress. When I was younger I went through a period of being relatively flush with disposable cash and got some fancy pens like an MB 146 and some lesser-luxurious pens. (They were sold ages ago.) One day when my finances bounce back I might like to shoot for either a KOP urushi, a Pilot custom urushi, or Pelikan M1000. As it stands now my “grail” is probably the pilot custom urushi. But here’s my question about the fancier Chinese budget pens: they seem to come in 2 basic forms: obvious knockoffs of flagship like the MB149. Or else obviously plastic generic-looking versions of basic classic styles, as in this case. What I’m wondering is whether the Chinese will attempt a legitimate urushi or a lacquer finish that looks so close that it could really pass as luxury material rather than plastic, in an elegant simple style either like a basic barrel with a couple rings, or a simple cigar like the KOP. Simple barrel or simple cigar with modest decoration, in either real urushi or lacquer or something that could pass for this.
Look at a couple moonman/majohn pens. or wingsung pens. They make usually pretty quality stuff. (Btw there are 2 wing sungs and im talking abt the one that makes pens rhat are $20+.) I cant really buy any pens either rn but i like watching reviews.
@@Unlucky1776 me too: strictly window shopping unless I see a truly amazing bargain! Of which there actually appear to be some. Every day the Chinese are getting better and better at challenging the European luxury brands on watches and pens that become more and more undistinguishable from pens costing 50x more; watches up to 1000x more. Something to get very excited about indeed! Thanks for replying with the tip!
Terrific review, of the Jinhao 9019, thank you. I appreciate that you point out some of the questionable design features as well as the improvements over earlier and less admirable engineering stunts in Jinhao's pens. Regarding your problems with the x159, you may have gotten a dud, or one that was damaged in transit. I got one when they were released a while back and it's been smooth, reliable, and surprising for a pen this low-priced. Some years back I got a lot of the painted steel x-less 159's and the quality was a crapshoot. Some were ok, others were useless. But the plastic regeneration seems a considerable improvement. I recently swore I'd back off buying pens until I paid for my heart surgery and the repair of a molar that shattered when I fractured my skull recently. How lucky can one person get?
doodle,just an update on my 9019. I believe some ink(Writer's Blood) has crept/nib-creeped in between the cap-liner and the inside of the cap. It doesn't just rinse out. I'm going to have to find a socket slim enough to fit in there and remove that nut(I don't think I have one that small); but,not sure that will help. Guess I will try to find out how the cap is constructed and how the ink got to where it is. I really don't enjoy working on pens. This ink in the cap/staining bugs me;looks bad. I might destroy the pen but I want to get that ink out of there.
You can always try to wick it out. Get a damp tissue and pack it into the end of the cap. Let it sit overnight and it might draw out the ink. Stand the cap upright while it sits. Might do nothing but worth a try
I did try that with a paper towel. THis is weird. It looks to me like the ink is between like a double-wall inside the cap(?) Could the cap be constyructed in two layers plus the cap-liner? After I soaked it a while(again) some of the water got inside this inside layer and ran down into the cap threads but inside the threads. If I squeeze the cap I can see the ink move around in this inner-space I can't get to .I'm going to walk away from it for a while. Thanks for your reply!@@Doodlebud
Perhaps someone can answer my question: can you pull/screw nib and feed unit out for cleaning? Thank you for that detailed review 👍 As always nothing missing 😊
Mine just arrived in yellow. About AU$11 off Temu. It’s pretty decent and the ink capacity is great. Not too fussed about the clip setup but it seems robust enough. There’s probably not a lot of reasons to unscrew the converter apart fro cleaning occasionally. It’s a good smooth writer. That one looks great in the transparent green! Still waiting for an X159 to arrive but I like my chunky metal 159’s. Currently I’m obsessed with their wonderful X750 and have five of them. They’re really something else for not a lot of money. 👍🏻
By the way, until now I have always thought the Jinhao 100 Centennial was the greatest bargain in all my collection. I think I ended up owning at least a dozen. I have given several away. If they ever get to the point of using this platform with some of the acrylics they used on the 100s, I might just move to this pen for everything. To think I can clean the pen easily, know I have a full converter, and either write with a smoothed #8 nib or put a #8 gold nib on one in acrylic would be a game changer.
I ordered this one in black as I did not know they had a clear one. I would have chosen that one. Next one is the wing sung with the gold nib! Will you be reviewing that one?
I am new to fountain pen collecting I have about 20 pens (only 5 of which are over £200) but the 9019 (M) is the smoothest, most enjoyable pen I have ever used. It is still my favorite pen.
Mr Bud, excellent review as usual with a little extra at the end. Leverage of clasp with thin plastic at the top would look like a definite point of failure. I ordered one of these from AliX (and yes it was next to nothing about US$2.50 delivered). I would be remiss not buying one. My X159 has been pretty robust, but it doesn't get a flogging. I think the large sized converter is a winner (my last couple or so pens have been piston fillers Hongdian N7 and Asvine P20s because they are robust and hold a decent amount of ink, but you pay for the privilege). And that #8 nib is generally excellent. I look forward to the pen arriving and, if it lives up to your review, I will be well happy with it. Thanks again for the detail.
Newbie viewer here, found your podcast while scrolling through UA-cam and it made me want to pull my poor old pens out of the storage drawer. I may have gone a bit crazy and also and ordered a TWSBI Diamond 580, and am quite looking forward to putting pen to paper (which I also ordered … and yes, one can’t order pen and paper and not throw in a bottle of ink), but for all the fellow Canuck’s out there, where are your favourite places to order supplies from?
I order from all sorts of places. But a great Canadian online retailer is www.blesket.com. They also setup a discount code for viewers to save 10% (DOODLEBUD22). I think its free shipping on orders over $100. Check the description in this video as well as there is a list of places that have setup discount codes for viewers to use to save on their purchases.
Thanks for introducing me to this one, which has a better nib (M) than several x159s (F and M) . You say the nibs are interchangeable but I'm wondering if the housing from the x159 will fit the larger section of the 1019, and vice versa. (P.S. I'm still hoping for a decent B nib.)
I bought three of these at once (different colours), and they do write very nicely. However, the seal is poor between the barrel and feed, causing the cap to have a buildup of leaked ink. The cap seems to have a secondary lining that made it impossible to get the leaked ink out. It doesn't affect the writing, but it is definitely an issue of quality control. May not be as visible on the translucent, coloured versions. Smooth writer.
For me this pen is as similar to a Namiki emporer as a X159 to a MB 149, or a 82 to a PGS, or a 80 to a L2K. Dont get me wrong, i love Jinhao pens, starting from the 992. Very glad that I able to enjoy these good quality pen at such an affordable price. But i wouldn't say that its not a copy of other pen.
I want to get a few of these... The x159 I was expecting to be bigger. I bought 2 of the first batch, 6 of the second, and two more of the "current"run off x159s. It's irritating we're the QC department as the replacement nibs you can now buy won't work on the first two runs.... But out of 10 pens I got 4 solid nibs and use the rest for barrel replacements as the threads wear out lol. Another perfect vid... Answering the tough questions and taking names 😊
I recently got my first Jinhao.. the X750. It's such a surprisingly good pen that to me it means one of/or two things. 1. Expensive pens are insanely overpriced 2. The cost of the Jinhao is so low that it should raise human rights concerns
Thanks for the video! 😀I was hoping you'd do a side-by-side comparison with your Jinhao X159 so we could see the design differences, but I don't think you're that crazy about the X159 so ...lol. Anyway, after watching your video, I ordered one in the red demonstrator colour from the Aliexpress seller ( 365Days Stationery Store) that sent you the pen for review.
Other than the mini-gussets in the cap and barrel, that looks "dubiously similar" to my Majohn/Moonman C3, down to the O-ring... AND if anyone's interested, at least my C3 was "troublesome" with skipping, going dry on me arbitrarily, and such with the converter in use... It came with an eye-dropper and WAS advertised on Ebay as "eyedropper demonstrator" (with the same or similar shade of blue-grey translucent)... AND as soon as I got some silicone grease and went to "eye-dropper mode" with it, IT'S BEEN FAN-G**-D***-TASTIC!!! It gives a FINE range of line variation, even without being a "flex" specific, and I get quite a bit of extra mileage (I am an ink-sketch artist) flipping the nib over for the "extra extra fine" work of hatching and cross-hatching for shade/shadow, textures, and such "effects". Filling the barrel is a MONUMENTAL amount of ink, so you can go camping with it and sketch for DAYS... no trouble to speak of... AND the one BIG BIG BIG improvement (to my admitted chagrin) from JINHAO... They put a clip on the side... Yeah, let that be A warning. The "Moonman C3" has a metal "plaque" stamped and glued into the side of the cap, so CAPPED it won't roll off on you... It also DOES NOT POST... at least, mine doesn't post for sh*t... SO that's also nice, and with my "piano-players' hands" it would be advantageous for an extra length and comfort standpoint... BUT the C3 IS long enough to work with ... and my fingers are all over the place when I'm drawing... so not a huge issue, and easily worked around... haha ANYWAYS... for anyone (including Doodlebud) who might be interested... The way Moonman/Majohn handled it instead of "mini-gussets" was to just THICKEN the ends entirely... so about a quarter-inch (6 to 8 mm?) at each end of the pen is plastic... just solid plastic... It's cool and doesn't massive overweight anything. You won't notice it longer than you notice... if that makes sense... It just is what it is... BUT they do have that "familial resemblence" going on... lolz ;o)
Dadao is "big sword," in Chinese, makes sense. That converter is worth the price of admission, just won't have a sleeve for it, the Jinhao x159 can hardly fit my EDC pen case.
I was so close to buying this pen, but a medium feels a little bit fine for such a big pen - I feel like it would only 'fit' a single or double broad nib! Love the review, though!
1. Yay, Jinhao!
2. Extra credit for giant screw-in converter.
3. Thanks for the show.
I didn't know I could form the following words together in one sentence: "I really like this Jinaho pen!" 😆
When I see Jinhao making a big converter for a big pen, yet Sailor refuses to do the same for the King of Pen which costs about 80x, it really puts into perspective how the traditional manufacturers take their users for granted.
In case of Sailor I think it's more rationalisation and unification of components. Look at Pilot, they have CON-70 for their more expensive pens, but they also are basically Toyota of the pen world. Sailor is more like Jaguar. You don't compete in all segments of the market, because you don't have the money and you don't even want to, it's not what you are known for. Sailor makes Reallo line of piston fillers if you want bigger capacity, and Pilot also makes piston and vacuum fillers if you want more capacity. It would be nice if Sailor offered bigger converter, obviously, but they have solution, if you really want. But it's kinda meaningless debate, in my opinion. Does Jaguar compete with Dacia? No, why would they? Customer base is totally different, they look for different things and have different preferences, on different price points. People buying Sailor KOP would not buy Jinhao and Jinhao buyers would not buy KOP. They are different products for different buyers.
@@jakublulek3261 That's an unconvincing apologia for a large company that certainly could easily design a large converter for a $1,000 pen. Good grief.
@@BerndtNorten I am talking as somebody who did production engineering and rationalisation. I am not trying to make excuses, I am just talking from experience, why would a company behave like that.
Big companies like Sailor likely have their manufacturing process for converters completely automated. Designing a new high capacity converter would also require design of the automated machinery. That is a monumental engineering task that would likely result in monetary losses.
Just got mine. Clear demonstrator. Feels great. Writes great. Looks great. This may be a candidate for pen of the year.
Just saw on IG someone fitted Montblanc 149 OB 3 nib into this housing. And definitely seeing this pen in last few days. Good to know that Jinhao is making those corrections to their pens.
I'm curious about that. It's the same nib at the x159, which is a different size than the MB. From my understanding the MB is actually something like a #9 or #9.5 nib
Dadao is the name of the model name: 大道(Dà dào) which means “grand avenue” literally. Alternative interpretation can be “the great principle”, an idea in Confucius.
I thought it said Great Sword
@@alihasanabdullah7586 “great sword” is 大刀, not 大道. The reason they got mixed in English is because of their similar “pingyin” writing. Without the phonetic markers, they are both spelled as Da Dao
I’m with you on this one. I got mine about a week ago and I’m blown away with how good it is!
They really did a good job on this one. Usually Jinhao's don't do it for me, but this pen and the 82 I think are done very well. This one a little more since its not a dimensional and visual copy of another pen! LOL
I have a 9019 clear demonstrator with a wonderfully smooth EF nib and I love it. I never expected it to be so comfortable but it is. That huge converter changes everything, makes it like a piston-filler. I hope someone makes a compatible #8 EF flex nib.
I love your reviews. You always have an engineering aspect of the build in your reviews of the pens.
My engineering brain just never turns off
Thanks for a comprehensive review - I am waiting for the silvery-findings versions, hope it will happen sooner or later as with other Jinhao models.
I recently saw a review on this one with Chrisrap’s review. Overall positive reviews on it. Thanks for your review on it Doodlebud.
I have 7 Jinhao x159s and haven't had any trouble with them. Love them all!
I heard the first run we're as good as the newer ones. Might have to check it out
The threads are a little worrying (I can see the body cracking over time, so I'd be interested in seeing how this pen fares after a year or two) but some of the other design decisions are really nice. It's a small thing (or maybe a big thing, literally) but I'm impressed with the converter.
There are so many other manufacturers making big chonky pens with tiny converters. Looking at you, Sailor - with the massive King of Pen that uses a tiny standard Sailor converter.
Still debating if to get this pen. I love my X159 and had gotten a second as a number 8 nib backup. Oh the thought of another large pen but in the style of the Jinhao 82 - aka KOP Pro Gear style, makes me kinda giddy. Let’s see what they come with next.😊
I bought tbis pen after the review and...its already cracked with minimal use! Now I understand why Doodlebud looks at the stresses in the plastics. The inner cap developed a jagged break near the nut at the top of the cap. This pen was babied. It never left my office, was never dropped. Even if I had dropped it, we have plush carpet at my office. I didn't even cap it all that tightly because I used it daily at work. Replacing it with an Asvine vac filler, which so far writes smoother and actually fits slightly better in my hand. We will see how long this one holds up.
Good to hear your detailed review, am tempted.
Great pen, love mine. Got the M nib which is lovely, with the burgundy - classic colour!
It's a pretty good pen. Just might have to grind it too!
I love this pen! I received mine a few days ago and was blown away by the quality for the price (I paid like $8 USD shipped). It's great to see this from Jinhao, Chinese pen makers are just killing it, both Jinhao and Moonman are on it. I do wish Jinhao used a different clip here, I'm assuming this is directly based on the Namiki emperor, but it's smaller and not quite a knockoff so if they just used a different clip, it could have been a unique model for Jinhao, instead of just copying the Pilot clip. Other than that, this pen is sooo good! I'll going to order a few more. I stocked up on x159s thinking those were too good to be true at the price, but the 9019 is better.
I love my Jinhoa 9019... an excellent pen for the money!
I have a clear in F that's really fun to draw with. One like yours in XF on the way. I may have to get another in M (probably in the solid burgundy). I also really love my X159 so I guess I've lucked out with these #8 nibs so far.
Great review of an outstanding pen. I've already added several 9019's to my collection, and love them. Now, one thing to follow up on the X159. I haven't had your experience with this pen. I have a half dozen in my collection, and have been enjoying them for the past year or more with no problems whatever. No breakage, consistently smooth writers, very dependable. It may be I just got lucky with mine, but I've been extremely happy with them. They write and function as well as my two MB 149's and my Duofold, but they're at an almost throw away price if anything does happen to one of them. Anyway, great channel and thanks for your many insights on fountain pens.
it's all the rage on the pentubes
I’ve had one about a month now, and love it so much I just ordered another. £8 with free next day delivery from Amazon UK.
Absolute steal.
This pen is incredible for the price. I just received mine as a clear demonstrator.
The build quality is very good, upon visual inspection.
It is a large pen. Apparently it is inspired by the Namiki Emperor. It is larger than the Montblanc 149 in terms of width.
The converter is surprisingly large, it can hold about 1.7 ml of ink. That is about 3X more than the standard Jinhao converter.
Dadao is a version of a Chinese sword.
I hope it will perform well when I ink it for use.
The converter on the Jinhao 100 does rattle, especially on their skeleton model.
To clarify, "Dao" is a general term for sword (it has a more specific meaning, which is single-edged sword, but it is also the generic word for sword) and "Da" means "large," so it's like many other languages' terms for "greatswords." A dadao is basically a giant machete.
@@vitriolicAmaranth Hold on
The DaDao here is not ‘大刀’(large sword) but it is DaDao ‘大道’(avenue).
There are different tones among these two ‘Dao’s but it can’t be showed in English translation.
Therefore this Jinhao DaDao ‘大道’ means avenue.
@@tansoncheng Thank you for your correction. But I would like to supplement a new meaning here. The word '道' stands for the core idea of Taoism in traditional Chinese culture. It is a name or antonomasia for the ultimate sprit of nature or just the law of the universe. So here the name of the pen not only represents the big avenue in modern Chinese, but also contains the meaning of showing a staggering product and striving for the best writing experience in traditional Chinese.
@@WenyuanCheng-s2l I will say the Taoism is a pretty interesting thought on the name, yet somehow we won’t be able to know why did Jinhao gave this name when creating this pen cause it is the first or second time for Jinhao to name a pen other than using numbers only :)
@@tansoncheng Yeah, as far as I know, many people criticize their products for the cheap quality and not having cultural connotations. So... after the success of Jinhao 82, as you can see, they are trying. The whole idea is like, 'Wow, it's really big, can we find a name that suits the shape?' Then you get the result
Good pen, but here in India, we can get a Kanwrite Emperor for nearly the same price. It is the same thing, but with an ebonite feed, steel body, and an optional ultra flex nib.
I just ordered 3-pack of these for significantly less than $40 (that includes California’s sales tax scam), because I too would like to give this pen to others interested in fountain pens. What an advantage to be able to use the converter that has a larger ink capacity than many, if not most of my piston-fillers! Love the screw-in converter, and the various reinforcements. I can handle little tweaks, so I am not concerned about a little tuning. I get in trouble (at 77, as the eye sight is an issue for me to do anything more serious than a series of smoothing moves. GREAT REVIEW! You’ve reached my Terrific Trio, as you, Doug, and Chris bring an engineering or tech savvy that are not in my experience set. (My wife is probably more mechanically savvy than I am!) As I often say, neither a Ph.D. Program or law school covered anything mechanical! :)
The Jinhao Tiandao 1935 I have uses that big converter and a large #8 nib like the 9019. I inked it up about a month ago and have barely used any ink at all, and the nib is very smooth.
Very nice! I'm looking forward to trying one out.
I just got the clear demonstrated version. The size of the converter impressed me. Take note Pilot and Sailor.
It's now my favourite desk pen.
My favourite pocket pen is a Jinhao 82 with a fine nib.
I have had no troubles with my X159 pens.
I’ve never had a problem with any of my X159s falling apart. I’ve ordered a red and blue clear 9019s with medium nibs.
2:41...NOW that's what I call a Good Budget F.P. !!
thanks , gonna order one now.
QUESTION : Is this a copy of another more pricey fountain pen brand ?
Perfect timing, I just ordered 2 today.
Thank you for this great review. I finally received my 9019's and am pretty impressed. Threads are better/smoother than my other Jinhaos. Engraving much nicer. 'O' ring is a nice improvement and the converter is outstanding with a better design on the screw shaft, triple seal piston, and the threads on the body where they belong instead of on the fulcrum (pivot) end like most. I'm a little concerned about all the air space (it really showed up in the demonstrator models) in the cap. Overall a huge improvement and a steal at current pricing.
Good to hear you're enjoying it. Its not all perfect, but its pretty damn good and especially when factoring what you get for what you give. I thinks its an incredibly fair exchange
Got mine two days ago... I am pleasantly surprised by this pen! Hope it's durable!!
I'm also very excited about this pen. I got mine in the clear demo and I'm very happy with it. One thing I love that most won't care about is there is tons of room in the cap. Since the inkquiring minds review the #8 stacked nib has become popular and I bet you could fit a quad in there. Excited to see what jinhao does next
Ahh yes you could stack the hell outta this pen!
Thanks for the review. I searched for your review of the Asvine P36 in the background and didn't find it. Hope it's coming soon.
Yup its in the queue
Have several of the X159 and 9019. Given the trend towards #9 (Kanwrite Mammoth) and #10 (Magna Carta Mag1000) nibs, I predict Jinhao will have a #9 or #10 steel nib in the next year to two.
Amazing polariscope DB.
I believe that the very early X159s from the 'Model T' era (any colour you like, so long as it's black) were particularly prone to cracking - mine certainly did. The later units with the o-ring and fewer turns on the cap threads seem to be much better - one of mine took a tumble onto concrete and accumulated some deep scratches, but no cracks.
I really like these new Jinhao #8 nibs. Their #6 nibs are usually perfectly good but boring so I swap them ASAP. I have no urge to do that with either the X159 or the 9019.
I think that you might have got a bad X159. If I look at mine compared to my 9019, the build quality is close. I don't think that you would want a metal version of the 9019. We already went there with the original 159 and they were too heavy. They were brass, AFAIK.
I also enjoyed being able to replace lousy and /or boring Jinhao #6 nibs. Plenty of alternatives. Not so for #8 nibs, and I’m not impressed with mine. Feeling stuck now.
It would be great to have a stub nib on this.
A broad or a double broad even better !
Thanks DB, great review (as always). Just got one as well and loving it too! Kind regards.
I’ve got an 82 with a fine nib I’ve been using the last few days and it’s been great. Fails to lay down in in some strokes but otherwise very smooth very fine.
Djewwwdlebud! I like this more than the x159. I put a bock 8 ti in it 😅
Does the Bock housing fit on the Jinhao section ?????
Hiya DB, I purchased two 9019s, a black and a clear demonstrator in fine. I wasn't happy with the ink flow so I chased out the feed channels with a razor and now the flow is spot on. I also received a pack of three medium nibs. I reground one into a .9 cursive italic which writes as well as the .9 on my Stipula Volterra. I applied a bit of silicone grease to the barrel threads and that smoothed the threads considerably. That clip is very tight and I adjusted the tension and now it slides securely over both shirt pocket material and the pocket of a Harris Tweed jacket. The mould lines on the section and body were polished off with wet 4,000 grit paper and Flitz polish. Good pens are now great pens and both perform perfectly. My six x159s required a little nib tweaking and feed work and they write perfectly as well. Thanks for the great video. Cheers
I got one in the wine red, and the material feels identical to my Platinum President
The EF is great. Smooth with a touch of feedback and bounce.
This would probably be pen of the year for me if i hadn't just gotten my Wing Sung 630.
Wirh those new parts maybe we'll get a Pelikan or Delta clone.
Awesome pen for the price. I just ordered a black in Ef and a blue one in M
I love the look of these! Thanks for providing the link-I just ordered all 3 transparent pens in all 3 nib sizes!
Very cool! I just bought a bunch from that exact same store just 2 days ago!
Hope you enjoy it
I have the x159 and i have no problem , it is solid and write nicely so here,we are....
your voice is so nice to listen to
Thanks. I never notice it LOL. To me its just a regular voice like anyone else
Your review convinced me to skip the X159 in favor of the 9019. I bought one in dark blue with an M nib (currently inked up with Diamine Sargasso Sea, but I may have to switch to a drier ink) and a clear demonstrator with an F nib (currently inked up with PenBBS #177). I'm still thinking about getting one more of these with an EF nib, maybe the black one?
I have a clear ef and Im very happy with it.
Really enjoy the pen (apart from the converter not being 100% straight) and I can't wait for the next models.
this looks great - i just ordered one, can't wait to try it out
If you look at the name of the pen in sinograms, "大道" (dà dào) means "avenue" (see also "The road to a better future").
The transliteration DADAO is often mistranslated into blade (but it's "dà dāo" not "dà dào").
Even Jinhao makes a bigger converter for $15 pen, what Sailor is doing with the trifling converter in KOP?? I don't get it...
The main reason the KOP isn't on my "grail list" is that converter. There is this HUGE metal reducer in the pen to fit their small standard converter. They're a huge player in the FP world and can no problem get a larger converter for that pen. People who have a KOP don't care about being able to use the same converter from their PGS on their KOP. They need to get a larger converter and just make a new metal part to fit the section and converter. It would cost so little its ridiculous! I see what they did with the KOP and I think its just pure laziness and complacency. Not impressed .... rant over LOL
@@Doodlebud Thanks for your rant. That's what i am thinking lol. I am kind of converter/cartridge person. But the small Sailor converter is still a bummer for my PGS. When i use PGS(has EF-like MF nib) i needed to include ink more often. Then with KOP #8 M nib? or Naginata togi nib? No way.. It would be too bothersome. I like their nib but will not buy 21k or KOP until Sailor do something on their converter. At least, they should improve the standard converter by reducing knob section & increasing ink capacity so as to match other brands converter!
My 9019 hard-starts and is skipping a lot with Diamine Ancient Copper. One pen one ink. Before I inked it up, I cleaned the pen and found residual ink in the feed. They must test-drive these things!?
I forgot to mention that there was some residual ink in mine too. Ancient copper isn't the best for good flow so you might want to try another ink. Or your nib/feed could be in need of some adjustment
Man,do I feel stoopid. I originally cleaned the pen but with only water. I went back took out the nib/feed scrubbed them with dish soap/toothbrush and it writes GREAT!
With the Ancient Copper!
I went to the link doodlebud listed and out of all the suggestions he gave, I started by thoroughly cleaning the pen again. Eureka! Brilliant! Thanks,bud! @@Doodlebud
I bought the blue and gold one in extra fine.
Beeswax on the threads , I do it with all plastic thread pens , works way better than silicone grease , I tiny amount then kiss it with a touch of heat to flow the wax , wear on the plastic all but disappeared. Love the 9019 , would love to see a selection of nibs for it such as an architect and an italic would be delicious, I did get a medium and reshape it to a mild italic . Well done Jinhao .
Chinese websites list this model as Dadao (dah-dow) / 大道, which has a few meanings. One is "boulevard", i.e., large avenue/wide city street. This can also have the metaphorical sense of "great prospects". I think it can also mean something like "great Dao/great way" in a Daoist sense or in the sense of a "great governing principle" in the universe/society. I have some knowledge of Chinese characters, but I'm not Chinese, so I'm not sure what the first/strongest association a Chinese person would have with a pen named 大道.
I saw some Jin Hao ads video in which the demonstrator wrote "大道至简" (The greatest way is the simplest). This could be the intended meaning. This is also a part of a quote from Xi JinPing's speech in 2017.
I bought one just to check it out. At $11 U.S., that’s nothing. Liked it so much I ordered three more.
I bought 3 jinhao 82s, as my first pens, based on your review of them! I definitely prefer the medium nibs on those, even tho I usually prefer fine point. Would love to see you review the larger nibs, in the different points, just to know whether there are performance differences in the larger nibs. Thanks for providing info that is so practical, for us newbies!
Love my Jinhao 82 pens! Not the . Right now I'm enjoying the 82s way more than the 9019 . It hard starts and skips with the first ink I tried in it,Diamine Ancient Copper. Both of my 82s performed very well right out of the box... /plastic sleeve/bubble-wrap.
Awesome video! The word "dadao" engraved on the cap means literally "the big path", and it is possible that is related with the daoist concept of the "proper reason". Also it means "main street" or "avenue".
I thought DaDao means 'Big Knife' or broadsword. Some Chinese pen often referred their nibs to some ancient weapon, such as 'long knife nib' mimicking Naginata Yogi nib, which I thought it referred to the weapon similar to one use by Guan Yu. Am I wrong?
@@vitthorn5395 The ambiguity is served, I agree with you. Nevertheless, I'd searched the name of this fountain pen in Chinese websites, and the name for it is 大道.
Hey Doodlebug I think I saw a Lamy Aion in that first shot of the review, but I don't see an Aion review on your channel, would love to know your thoughts on it and see a review!
It's in the queue
I have a few different Jinhao pens and one of my go-to pens from Jinhao is the 992. It actually looks like a little brother to the 9019. I have one 992 that I use as an eye-dropper pen for taking notes with, but I think I would like to try this pen.
Hey Doodlebud, just FYI I got one of these and had a pretty different experience. It's my first Jinhao, and it has a M nib. Purchased from Amazon US, it's been plagued by skipping and hard start issues. I was swayed by your review but I don't hold it against you at all, I think that at its best this pen lives up to all the praise you gave it; but that Jinhao may have some QC issues. Or perhaps I got a 1/1000 dud, or perhaps the pen was damaged in shipping.
I'll try not to make this too long, but I'd heard that sometimes dried out test ink can cause this issue on Jinhao pens. Thorough rinse didn't do much. Warm water rinse + overnight soak did improve things somewhat. Someone mentioned that their feed was misaligned from the factory, mine seemed to be too. I straightened it, but it doesn't have a very positive connection to the section so I feel a bit iffy about this detail.
I don't have the proper shims to check spacing, but I suspect that either the tines are too tight, or perhaps the pen really doesn't like my ink (using Noodler's Heart of Darkness, which is usually well behaved, even in my driest pens. But that is another thing to look at for sure, as well as possibly adding a tiny amount of dishsoap). Using my rudimentary loupe the tines look tight but not touching. I've given it about as many 'firm lines' as I am willing to try before risking tine misalignment, and they don't seem to have improved much.
At any rate, it's a bit disappointing because I was hoping it would kick butt out of the box, but instead it resembles the performance of some of my scrappy rescue pens. Like I said, no hard feelings. Just want to put this out there for anyone else who might be considering one, that I've heard anecdotal reports online of issues similar to mine with this pen. Unfortunately I can't return mine as I won't be back in the States for some time. I hope they aren't cherry-picking review units.
Yup, you're not going to get top notch QC at this price point. But then again this same thing happens with pens that are 10X+ the cost. Its a numbers game, and when this many are made it happens. Having the basic gear & practice under your belt to make the adjustments I feel is the best investment someone can make. I've had quite a number of pens recently that required adjustment out of the box across a wide range of price points. Most are resolved in under 1 min.
@@Doodlebud Thanks for your reply. Unfortunately this is quite a sticky issue. I thought I solved it with some tine-widening strokes (much harder than I would normally do) but the relief was temporary. I'm beginning to think it's some sort of persistent airlock issue. Possibly an issue with how I am refilling it.
Can I use Jinhao cartridges in this one? I want to carry a pen to work (my Waterman stays home) and need a pen that takes cartridges. If cartridges are possible, are standard cartridges OK? Thanks in advance.
Nice to see them coming out with something of their own. Maybe they're moving away from doing a lot of obvious copies. Nice you've found a Jinhao that you like, be interesting to see how it lasts, long-term.
I'll actually get to see how this one lasts long term because I will actually be using it LOL
Darn it all, I acquired the clear demonstrator, and it looks gorgeous. Love the converter too. But my M nib is horrid. Skips like crazy in addition to being scratchy and dry. I soaked in water with a little Dawn for a day, shimmed the nib, carved the feed channel out, used some micro mesh, and filled with lubricated ink. None of this helped, after spending about an hour tweaking. Very disappointing. I’m sure there are great 9019s out there and I’m tempted to try another. But the ol’ Jinhao quality control ghost still haunts.
Unfortunately that can happen with pens of all price points. Check out a video I did which might help you trouble shoot your pen:
ua-cam.com/video/Yo6vefMOkwI/v-deo.html
I could have written this same comment, except that it's only the 2nd Jinhao to disappoint me. I'm going to check out that linked video. I really want to like this pen!
If anybody is having drying up issues with this pen put some silicone grease or even glue around the cap screw. I did put a little bit of crazy glue very carefully around and now it seals great
Doodlebud, I just got this . This thing is magnanimous, until you get it in your hand you don't realize how large it is. It is a little too large for my liking. But I am loving it. I put Diamine Sherwood Forest in it. Had to use a syringe to get the ink it, because the pen is so large. It's fun to write with. It wrote right up without the nib in the ink. I'm impressed. thanks for the review on this.
I am behind in the fountain pen world, I am catching up.
You're never behind. Don't have to "collect them all." If it wasn't for me getting sent pens because of my channel I wouldnt have as many as I do. I'm super grateful for all the pens that do come my way, but having more pens doesn't equate to a better experience with fountain pens. It can be pretty easy to get carried away very quick! Go slow, enjoy what you have, try new stuff, explore, and stick to a budget. Just a few tips. The #1 tip is know how to do basic nib adjustments! That will make the hobby so much better.
@@Doodlebud Thanks for the advice. I am having fun with it. Writes nice. It is a little too large. What gold nib pen would you seek of the better pens please. I was suggested the Platinum 3776?
got one thanks for review
The converter that came with my X159 doesn't work too good. I can't wait to get this model because the converter looks pretty decent.
I’ve been loving your videos but not in a position to buy any pens right now, even very cheap ones because of financial stress. When I was younger I went through a period of being relatively flush with disposable cash and got some fancy pens like an MB 146 and some lesser-luxurious pens. (They were sold ages ago.) One day when my finances bounce back I might like to shoot for either a KOP urushi, a Pilot custom urushi, or Pelikan M1000. As it stands now my “grail” is probably the pilot custom urushi.
But here’s my question about the fancier Chinese budget pens: they seem to come in 2 basic forms: obvious knockoffs of flagship like the MB149. Or else obviously plastic generic-looking versions of basic classic styles, as in this case.
What I’m wondering is whether the Chinese will attempt a legitimate urushi or a lacquer finish that looks so close that it could really pass as luxury material rather than plastic, in an elegant simple style either like a basic barrel with a couple rings, or a simple cigar like the KOP. Simple barrel or simple cigar with modest decoration, in either real urushi or lacquer or something that could pass for this.
Look at a couple moonman/majohn pens. or wingsung pens. They make usually pretty quality stuff. (Btw there are 2 wing sungs and im talking abt the one that makes pens rhat are $20+.) I cant really buy any pens either rn but i like watching reviews.
@@Unlucky1776 me too: strictly window shopping unless I see a truly amazing bargain! Of which there actually appear to be some. Every day the Chinese are getting better and better at challenging the European luxury brands on watches and pens that become more and more undistinguishable from pens costing 50x more; watches up to 1000x more. Something to get very excited about indeed! Thanks for replying with the tip!
@@AnonYmous-ry2jn yea exactly! Right on the money with the watches comment. I'm. Waiting for 11.11 next month to get a new watch lol.
Canny wait for mine to arrive. Will probably be another week.
Mine had the same issue with the nib and I had to adjust it a bit to not skip.
Terrific review, of the Jinhao 9019, thank you. I appreciate that you point out some of the questionable design features as well as the improvements over earlier and less admirable engineering stunts in Jinhao's pens. Regarding your problems with the x159, you may have gotten a dud, or one that was damaged in transit. I got one when they were released a while back and it's been smooth, reliable, and surprising for a pen this low-priced. Some years back I got a lot of the painted steel x-less 159's and the quality was a crapshoot. Some were ok, others were useless. But the plastic regeneration seems a considerable improvement. I recently swore I'd back off buying pens until I paid for my heart surgery and the repair of a molar that shattered when I fractured my skull recently. How lucky can one person get?
Looks gushy! Gotta try one out!
doodle,just an update on my 9019. I believe some ink(Writer's Blood) has crept/nib-creeped in between the cap-liner and the inside of the cap. It doesn't just rinse out. I'm going to have to find a socket slim enough to fit in there and remove that nut(I don't think I have one that small); but,not sure that will help. Guess I will try to find out how the cap is constructed and how the ink got to where it is.
I really don't enjoy working on pens. This ink in the cap/staining bugs me;looks bad. I might destroy the pen but I want to get that ink out of there.
You can always try to wick it out. Get a damp tissue and pack it into the end of the cap. Let it sit overnight and it might draw out the ink. Stand the cap upright while it sits. Might do nothing but worth a try
I did try that with a paper towel. THis is weird. It looks to me like the ink is between like a double-wall inside the cap(?) Could the cap be constyructed in two layers plus the cap-liner? After I soaked it a while(again) some of the water got inside this inside layer and ran down into the cap threads but inside the threads. If I squeeze the cap I can see the ink move around in this inner-space I can't get to .I'm going to walk away from it for a while.
Thanks for your reply!@@Doodlebud
Perhaps someone can answer my question: can you pull/screw nib and feed unit out for cleaning?
Thank you for that detailed review 👍 As always nothing missing 😊
Mine just arrived in yellow. About AU$11 off Temu. It’s pretty decent and the ink capacity is great. Not too fussed about the clip setup but it seems robust enough. There’s probably not a lot of reasons to unscrew the converter apart fro cleaning occasionally. It’s a good smooth writer.
That one looks great in the transparent green!
Still waiting for an X159 to arrive but I like my chunky metal 159’s. Currently I’m obsessed with their wonderful X750 and have five of them. They’re really something else for not a lot of money. 👍🏻
Looks very nice actually ❤
I'll take 2 of everthing, you sold me!
Norm!
By the way, until now I have always thought the Jinhao 100 Centennial was the greatest bargain in all my collection. I think I ended up owning at least a dozen. I have given several away. If they ever get to the point of using this platform with some of the acrylics they used on the 100s, I might just move to this pen for everything. To think I can clean the pen easily, know I have a full converter, and either write with a smoothed #8 nib or put a #8 gold nib on one in acrylic would be a game changer.
I ordered this one in black as I did not know they had a clear one. I would have chosen that one. Next one is the wing sung with the gold nib! Will you be reviewing that one?
I've been thinking about seeing whats up with those so I just may 🤔
I am new to fountain pen collecting I have about 20 pens (only 5 of which are over £200) but the 9019 (M) is the smoothest, most enjoyable pen I have ever used. It is still my favorite pen.
Mr Bud, excellent review as usual with a little extra at the end. Leverage of clasp with thin plastic at the top would look like a definite point of failure. I ordered one of these from AliX (and yes it was next to nothing about US$2.50 delivered). I would be remiss not buying one. My X159 has been pretty robust, but it doesn't get a flogging. I think the large sized converter is a winner (my last couple or so pens have been piston fillers Hongdian N7 and Asvine P20s because they are robust and hold a decent amount of ink, but you pay for the privilege). And that #8 nib is generally excellent. I look forward to the pen arriving and, if it lives up to your review, I will be well happy with it. Thanks again for the detail.
Newbie viewer here, found your podcast while scrolling through UA-cam and it made me want to pull my poor old pens out of the storage drawer. I may have gone a bit crazy and also and ordered a TWSBI Diamond 580, and am quite looking forward to putting pen to paper (which I also ordered … and yes, one can’t order pen and paper and not throw in a bottle of ink), but for all the fellow Canuck’s out there, where are your favourite places to order supplies from?
I order from all sorts of places. But a great Canadian online retailer is www.blesket.com. They also setup a discount code for viewers to save 10% (DOODLEBUD22). I think its free shipping on orders over $100. Check the description in this video as well as there is a list of places that have setup discount codes for viewers to use to save on their purchases.
Thanks for introducing me to this one, which has a better nib (M) than several x159s (F and M) . You say the nibs are interchangeable but I'm wondering if the housing from the x159 will fit the larger section of the 1019, and vice versa. (P.S. I'm still hoping for a decent B nib.)
I bought three of these at once (different colours), and they do write very nicely. However, the seal is poor between the barrel and feed, causing the cap to have a buildup of leaked ink. The cap seems to have a secondary lining that made it impossible to get the leaked ink out. It doesn't affect the writing, but it is definitely an issue of quality control. May not be as visible on the translucent, coloured versions. Smooth writer.
BTW, love your videos!!
The nib of the transparent green pen has a zig-zag shaped slit that looks like an electrocardiograph waveform.
For me this pen is as similar to a Namiki emporer as a X159 to a MB 149, or a 82 to a PGS, or a 80 to a L2K.
Dont get me wrong, i love Jinhao pens, starting from the 992. Very glad that I able to enjoy these good quality pen at such an affordable price.
But i wouldn't say that its not a copy of other pen.
I want to get a few of these... The x159 I was expecting to be bigger.
I bought 2 of the first batch, 6 of the second, and two more of the "current"run off x159s. It's irritating we're the QC department as the replacement nibs you can now buy won't work on the first two runs.... But out of 10 pens I got 4 solid nibs and use the rest for barrel replacements as the threads wear out lol.
Another perfect vid... Answering the tough questions and taking names 😊
I should probably check out the "new" x159 to see it. Sounds like its been improved a bit
man that's a huge converter!
It was a really smart idea for them to do
I recently got my first Jinhao.. the X750. It's such a surprisingly good pen that to me it means one of/or two things.
1. Expensive pens are insanely overpriced
2. The cost of the Jinhao is so low that it should raise human rights concerns
Definitely the second lol. But yea some companies like MB just are overpriced.
Thanks for the video! 😀I was hoping you'd do a side-by-side comparison with your Jinhao X159 so we could see the design differences, but I don't think you're that crazy about the X159 so ...lol. Anyway, after watching your video, I ordered one in the red demonstrator colour from the Aliexpress seller ( 365Days Stationery Store) that sent you the pen for review.
I hope you like it. It's a pretty big pen, but they did a great job 👍
Other than the mini-gussets in the cap and barrel, that looks "dubiously similar" to my Majohn/Moonman C3, down to the O-ring... AND if anyone's interested, at least my C3 was "troublesome" with skipping, going dry on me arbitrarily, and such with the converter in use... It came with an eye-dropper and WAS advertised on Ebay as "eyedropper demonstrator" (with the same or similar shade of blue-grey translucent)... AND as soon as I got some silicone grease and went to "eye-dropper mode" with it, IT'S BEEN FAN-G**-D***-TASTIC!!!
It gives a FINE range of line variation, even without being a "flex" specific, and I get quite a bit of extra mileage (I am an ink-sketch artist) flipping the nib over for the "extra extra fine" work of hatching and cross-hatching for shade/shadow, textures, and such "effects". Filling the barrel is a MONUMENTAL amount of ink, so you can go camping with it and sketch for DAYS... no trouble to speak of...
AND the one BIG BIG BIG improvement (to my admitted chagrin) from JINHAO... They put a clip on the side... Yeah, let that be A warning. The "Moonman C3" has a metal "plaque" stamped and glued into the side of the cap, so CAPPED it won't roll off on you... It also DOES NOT POST... at least, mine doesn't post for sh*t... SO that's also nice, and with my "piano-players' hands" it would be advantageous for an extra length and comfort standpoint... BUT the C3 IS long enough to work with ... and my fingers are all over the place when I'm drawing... so not a huge issue, and easily worked around... haha
ANYWAYS... for anyone (including Doodlebud) who might be interested... The way Moonman/Majohn handled it instead of "mini-gussets" was to just THICKEN the ends entirely... so about a quarter-inch (6 to 8 mm?) at each end of the pen is plastic... just solid plastic... It's cool and doesn't massive overweight anything. You won't notice it longer than you notice... if that makes sense... It just is what it is... BUT they do have that "familial resemblence" going on... lolz ;o)
they actually changed to an acme thread on the new 9013
Dadao is "big sword," in Chinese, makes sense. That converter is worth the price of admission, just won't have a sleeve for it, the Jinhao x159 can hardly fit my EDC pen case.
I was so close to buying this pen, but a medium feels a little bit fine for such a big pen - I feel like it would only 'fit' a single or double broad nib! Love the review, though!