I'm not certain what about your intro finally made me realize this, but you, Chris, are the Marco Polo of the pen community, touring China (metaphorically) on behalf of all of us.
Chris, you’ve done it again….i.e. sold me on this pen. Received mine two weeks ago and carried the obligatory strip down and silicon greased it. Filled it with Diamine Ox Blood (one of my favourite inks) and found the nib had a bit of feed-back. Tried to swap with a Goulet #6 but not successful, as the metal is thicker. Decision was made to tune and polish the nib, and now it just writes magnificently. Have also ordered some 0.6mm Medium Nibs Iridium Tip Silver for Fuliwen 017, based on your WOW4 review of the Fuliwen 017 Resin Fountain Pen. My plan is to swap with one of this Fuliwen nibs, hopefully giving my WS 699 the same WOW rating. I am always on the quest of constant improvement, something I have taken from my job. Will keep you posted. BTW this 699 now also comes in clear transparent with black trim and silver clip, and wait for it…… with 0.7mm medium nib; still at the same price….mmmm.. food for thought? Once gain thank you and keep ‘em review videos comin’.
Interesting! I have a Pilot 743 with a shattered section, and was wondering if I'd be able to salvage the situation by putting the Pilot nib (a #15 FA) into a Wing Sung 699, so I could use the nice FA nib although in a cheaper pen. Or maybe screw the Wing Sung section into the Pilot 743, with the 743 FA nib in it, restoring the Pilot to "new" condition except for the section. What do you think? (I know the 743 and the 823 are not identical of course, but I think they use the same nibs, and am hopeful the 743 might accept the section of an 823 and also its Wing Sung clone.)
@@danmagoo looking at what other pen users/hobbyists have done, it is mostly about experimenting through trial and error. This is what makes our hobby/passion interesting. My answer to you is just give a go and if works, you have succeeded; if not at least you tried. Good luck with it.
Gee Chris, This Wing Sung looks like a Pilot Custom 823, one of my greatest of all time FP's, knockoff. Of course, the Pilot is 20x as expensive, but worth every penny IMHO. Thanks 😊
Sketch Stack Not me. It’s the excellent work of businesses like Wing Sung that rescue consumers from overpaying for good pens from “prestigious” companies that don’t deliver value.
C- Heck yeah! I even consider them high quality. I’ve been using a Wing Sung 698, for example, in a black/gold lacquered style. Used it for two years and dropped it several times and rubbed it against my pocket items. It still writes like a beauty and looks clean! The cool thing about cheaper pens that are decent quality is that if a nib or something breaks, it’s cheap to replace. I had a Waterman Expert once with a broken nib and replacement nibs cost nearly as much as a new pen..!
Hi Chris, just received my 5 x 0.6mm Medium Nibs Iridium Tip Silver for Fuliwen 017. Swapped one with my Jinhao X750 just try it out and was most impressed with it. So I decided to do like wise with my Wing Sung 699, not before shortening the Fuliwen nib to match the 699. Did this by cutting it using a hobby rotary cutting wheel and file to dress up. Fitted onto the 699, first stroke of the pen and "WOW", was like a completely new pen. It is super smooth, very wet and I only need to hold the pen very lightly and let it "glide" on the paper; absolutely fantastic. Glad I did the swap. BTW watched another blogger Aaron's Pen Video and learnt that Wing Sung after releasing the original brown, then transparent have just released its latest version; a translucent black version. Wonder what's next?
Just received one of these today, amber colour and i am really blown away by how good my fine nib writes, it wont replace my custom 74's as my daily pens but its great for the £16 i paid for it on eBay, Currently dedicated to waterproof black for any envelopes i address, great review as always.
I got mine with an opaque section because I like the look of it. It's currently inked up with one of the brown Monteverde inks, although I can't remember which one at the moment. This could be an EDC pen for me whereas the Pilot Custom 823 would probably not leave the house, if I were to get it further down the road.
chrisrap52 The 699 (like the three-digit Wing Sung pens) is by Victo, while the four-digit ones are by WSE. For the record, plunger-fillers - AKA vac-fillers - were very common in the early days of Chinese pen-making, off the top of my head, Wolff - as Hero used to be called - made many, and so did Doctor who was eventually acquired by Hero.
Thanks for the Vac history. Interesting that the 3013 came out about the same time as the 699. Do they share any departments, design, marketing, manufacturing? From my view of the pens, they seem to have very little in common besides the type of filling system. The 3013 at $4 USD is a great buy.
@@chrisrap52 Based on my own observations there seems to be some exchanges between Victo (AKA Green) and WSE but the R&D and manufacturing still appear to be quite independent. Also worth noting is that Victo is one of Hero's manufacturing plants in a corporate sense. but WSE was started by the old Wing Sung and was part of the acquisition by Hero. Interesting to note that Wing Sung in any of its incarnations did not seem to have made plunger-fillers until these recent models.
@@chrisrap52 I have not yet inked up my 699 (I have the same colour as yours) but the 3013 was something of a disappointment. Maybe I just have a bad pen but I kept getting ink starvation regardless of resting the pen nib-down before writing, or releasing the blind cap to various degrees. The 699 feels much more solidly engineered, just as my beloved 698s are better executed than my 3008s with tighter tolerances and less play in the mechanism. Initial impressions are that the 699 continues the trend.
Yes but the same brand name. There are two divisions of Wing Sung, one more upscale. I guess I should pay more attention. A good article to read - frankunderwater.com/2017/09/14/the-new-wing-sungs-explained/
@@chrisrap52 while it is the same brand name, it is two different companies that are producing it and, from what that article said, it sounds like it was a license deal, so very likely neither company has any say on what the other does, as can be seen by their often competitive releases. I do want to add, the 3013 is the first in the 4 digit line that I feel is actually a good value, all the previous ones I have tried have rusted or broke.
@@ayannawilliams2068 There are some who have the piston rod in the 3013 corrode. From my analysis, it appears rod is plated brass. My 3013 do not have corroded rods after a month. Plating quality can vary. They probably plated rod silver color to match the rest of the pen. Most other Vac-fillers have solid stainless steel (PenBBS) that is corrosion resistant.
@@chrisrap52 thanks for that info, sad that the company that makes the 4 digit wing sung can't make their stuff a bit higher quality. The 3 digit wing sung pens have all been home runs, excellent pens.
Was watching one of your videos where you were using a emery board to make the nib write smoother. I did the same to my Kaweco Perkeo, which was very scratchy / giving an insane amount of feedback. Thanks for the tip.
I like my 699 a lot. My only concern is that the rod sometimes acts like an ink stopper and sometimes it is not. But I bought it to see if the Pilot 823 would be a good fit for me and worth the 12X the price.
I have the Pilot Custom 823, and I love it to death. I have to say the pen deserves all the love and praise it still gets. Its glowing reputation is fully deserved. Now, I’m still tempted to have this WS 699 as well. It looks to be an extremely well done emulation of and worthy tribute to the stellar 823. I have just found a fully clear demonstrator 699 with only black finials at both ends, and an M nib. For only $28. Needless to say, it went straight to my cart and now on its way to me very soon.
chrisrap52 ...Oh, I’m almost certain I will. Thanks again to your review and a few others that persuaded me that I must have the 699 despite already having the Custom 823. Next, I want the Penbbs 456. You were right on the money in your intro: this journey has seemingly no end. 🙂
Muchas gracias por tu "oprtunísima" reseña, pues, que yo sepa....¡acaba de salir a la venta! Tus comentarios, geniales y en su justa medida, como siempre. Me ha parecido algo (?) cara la versión de 14 Kilates, teniendo en cuenta que, al parecer, sólo cambia el plumín. Eso si, hay que reconocer que tiene su encanto el Grabado del 1947, como año de fundación de WingSung. Pero 100 $, me parece un poco excesivo. Gracias CHRIS. Saludos desde España.
Hola Espana. Mi experiencia con muchas puntas de oro modernas suele ser mejor ya que los fabricantes tienen mucho cuidado con estas puntas de mayor precio. ¿Vale la pena el costo adicional solo puede ser determinado por el comprador? Tengo muchas puntas de oro vintage que cambian mi visión ya que las puntas de oro modernas no tienen esa maravillosa sensación suave de la vendimia. El beneficio principal es que la punta dorada se verá genial durante la vida útil de la pluma.
I mean it's 100% trying to be the pilot vac filler. But that pilot pen is $200 and an amazing pen so getting this for under $30 looks good. And it seems to be a more standard nib and feed than the often used pilot nibs that wing sung often uses.
I have a couple of these. Intelligently I managed to drop a blue one on the hard tiled floor in my porch as I was unpacking it. The cap finial sheared off. Once I'd stopped swearing I binned the clip and managed to glue the finial back on. There doesn't seem to have been any damage around the cap liner so hopefully I've not compromised the air-tightness too much. It's obviously now just a messaround and ink tryout pen. I noticed it's easy to unscrew the small metal terminating ring at the end of the barrel when unscrewing the blind cap. Refitting it seems to have cross threaded it, further compounding my utter clumsiness and hopelessness, but I guess it's better to get this out of my system on cheaper pens rather than trashing a premium one. Argh!
@@chrisrap52 since you have tried both pens, how do you compare the two nibs ? 3013 has a decent fine nib, typical of all Wing Sung's that I've bought. Is the nib of 699 the same as good ?
I finally got the Wingsung 699 today, but it feels like a used pen. The vacuum mechanism does not work and it had a cracked barrel. The cap was entirely flimsy. The top part was essentially glued. When I tried to unscrew, the whole thing came apart into two. Oh well.
I received my WS 699. Well built and nicely finished but the nib, was too fine for me. The standard #6 nib is too long and it will not set properly. I tried a Keigelu 316 nib which will fit but I could not close a gap between the feed and the nib. I took a Jinhao #6 nib, cut about 1/8" using a wire cutter, cut the sharp edges and filed the end smooth. After a little tweaking I got it working good. I prepared a Filuwen M #6 nib, using this same procedure and it is working exactly as I like.
@@chrisrap52 You can try a modified #6 Nib. Now I am testing a Nemosine M nib (very smooth), which I modified removing about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch from the bottom. All these modified nibs fit nicely with no gaps between the feed and the nib so the ink flow is good. A little tweaking of the feed to adjust the ink flow and the pen performs as good as many expensive pens. This pen is now in my rotation, performing very well, next to a couple of Moonman M600S with stub and nemosine M nibs. Gracias a tus comentarios ahora solamente compro plumas que sirven. Gracias.
Hi Jose this WS 699 has only very recently been released with 0.7mm medium nib, and comes in both the transparent brown and transparent clear with black trim and silver clip for the same price as the original 699. Check it out.
Hmmm... Might just have to add this to my next pen order. Thanks for the review! You are one of my go-to sources for inspiration for buying a new fountain pen. You definitely didn't steer me wrong with the last one I received! Thanks!
Hi Chris - thank you for your excellent reviews! Have you tried to separate the plunger from the body? One drawback with this pen compared to the 823 is the way inks cling to the chamber. Polishing the interior and replacing the lubricant may improve this characteristic, but you can't really do the job with the plunger in place!
Chris, this nib seems remarkably similar to the 5.5" nib on the Kaigelu 316. www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/monthly_02_2016/post-107535-0-12678200-1454974071.jpg. I've successfully replaced 5.5" nibs in that pen with a 6" and had little to no issues although it can be finicky depending on the replacement. Might be worth a shot to throw in a broader nib!
Can this be swapped with a #6 nib (e.g. Nemosine) the way you did with your PenBBS 456? Or would it make more sense (from a value standpoint) to do that with a PenBBS 268 instead?
@@chrisrap52 Thanks for the response, and for the consistently great videos! I'm a big fan of Nemosine .6mm stubs, so I'm always looking for good pens to stick them in!
Thanks Chris. My 699 arrived yesterday and, due to work commitments, I haven't tried it yet. Mine came in a similarly battered box but the pen itself was unharmed. Having seen the writing sample I must admit I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping this was going to be one of your "Wow" pens. Maybe it was the pen/ink combination. It just seemed to lack something. I'll be trying out mine this weekend in the hope I've got a slightly wetter nib. Who knows. As always I enjoyed your review.
I took a chance on the ink. Next time I'll consider a Monteverde ink. I think it's the best flowing ink I have. I could work on nib but wanted to show as received.
I have been using my 699 with Pilot Black ink and I really like how it writes for a fine nib. I micro meshed a tiny amount to get the feel I like (8000 micro mesh rather than the usual 12000 to keep some feedback present). The nib didn't need smoothing, it's just my personal preference. Hope it is a durable pen as it feels very comfortable to write with. Still prefer my pens 456s though overall
Greetings! How do WS699 nib sizes correspond to western nib sizes? If I order one with Medium size nib, will it be equal to a western Fine like japanese pens?
@@chrisrap52 Thank you very much. Nice showing the nib next to other similar nibs, I am now drooling over the Singularity nib, sadly I can't find one in EU.
Chris, very nice review. I just received my Wingsung 699 and find the nib on my copy is wonderfully smooth, a real joy to write with. The question I have is have you discovered a way to remove the plunger from the barrel so as to clean the extra silicone grease that is in the barrel? Continue the interesting reviews of fountain pens, they are informative and enjoyable. Thanks..Richard
Thank you. I try to give viewers a personal perspective. Let you see the pen & decide for yourself if it is worth a second look. Can be removed see - www.scrivinor.com/article/wing-sung-699-poor-mans-pilot-823
Hi Richard, I have stripped down completely my 699 to silicon grease it. To unscrew the plunger retainer from the barrel, you will need use rubber grips like the one chrisrap52 showed in one of his previous videos. It will be tight, but just hold it firmly with your thumb and finger it will unscrew with a bit of effort. Good luck with it. Regards Richard Han
@@Richard1855 thanks for the info, I was hoping it might be that simple but didn't want to force it before knowing that would work. Have a great day! Richard
Nice review. Thanks. Mine is on the way to me and I am anxious for it. Do you need to unscrew a lot the blind cap to write with it? For the ink to flow?
You can write a bit, sentences, but for me, I try to open bind cap whenever I write. If not, I forget, the pen starts writing dry & I think what? Then I remember open blind cap.
another great pen and review, regarding your checklist there are 18 boxes to tick ,if each box was worth 5.55 points it would give 99.99 possible points (lets call it 100) so 13 ticks would give a score of 72.15 (ok i got too much time on my hands)
@@chrisrap52 the thing with the new system is that it seems a bit clinical 'theres no account for instinct or gut feeling based on your years of experiance and volume of pens you,ve handled
I'm trying to provide my reaction to these pens in some different formats. Foremost it needs to be something that I enjoy doing. My goal is to provide you the viewer, information on the pen hopefully in an entertaining manner.
Generally, I think it is a complex filling system that has a little more capacity than a converter. It's fun to use. The principals behind the vacuum filler are great. I have not found vac-fil sensitivity to inks. Some inks don't work in some pens but work great in others. Some inks have trouble in almost all pens. The biggest drawback is changing inks. Pretty much have to disassemble to thoroughly clean the pen.
I have two of these. I like the way they write, especially in reverse, and the huge ink capacity. One developed a little crack near the top of the barrel. The second one has a loose end cap. It comes right off the piston thing. Do you think I could super glue that back on? Or should I just give up on these and save up for an 823? I'd have to save a long time! And...I've read that they are prone to cracking. I can't imagine spending that kind of money on a pen and then worrying about it cracking.
Glue may work. I don't recommend Super Glue as it can attack plastic & is not that strong. An industrial Epoxy would be better. I checked my 699, no cracks, works well. It feels substantial. Surprised it is fragile.
If it isn't too much to ask, could you tell me how thick in mm is the feed. I've had bad experiences with plastic feeds so far (I use B and flex B-M nibs), so I'd like to swap the feed and nib with a Kanwrite ebonite feed and #6 Kanwrite B flex nib, which are wet and amazing. Kanwrite ebonite feed is 6,2mm
Thank you Chris for the excellent review . I'm not going to say the pen mimics another pen i think we have to move past that personally , 90% of most pens look alike in some way . I think WingSung , Moonman , PenBBS , Lanbitou & Jinhao , to name but a few Chinese manufacturers , are knocking the ball out of the park. Im been Writing recently with a Jihao #601 & the Lanbitou twist 776 , they are both excellent pens . In the past yes Chinese pens were a novelty but now they are a real alternative to more expensive western and Japanese made pens. Ps : i like the ink its does have an old fashion look , perhaps from the photography of the day , the sepia kind of look .
Chris, I have bought the pen, and I must say that the pen grew on me that it became my edc. I like it more than the 3013 that you suggested to me ago. That being said, might the m600s nib fit in it? How do you remove the nib? Thanks! 😁
I'd say no, the M600 nib is a full size #6, the 699 nib is about a #5.5, 2.5mm shorter. Nib & feed just pullout, use a rubber gripper, gently twist & pull, should be easy to extract.
Hello Chris, could you please check whether there are any signs of the filler assembly corroding at all? My Wing Sung 3013 did start to rust and it would be a great shame if the 699 was also affected by shoddy manufacture.
So far I don't see any. Sounds like a materials issue not how it is made but what it is made of. Need to use corrosion resistant materials like stainless steel for the parts that touch ink. What ink are you using? That could have contributed.
@@chrisrap52 You're right, the ink I'm using is Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth Blue from Czech republic. It's the most common ink to get here, being used in schools. Unfortunately, it's the kind of ink anybody outside the country will have limited experience with. One person on Reddit also mentioned he/she noticed corrosion in the 3013 inked with Diamine Jalur Gemilang. I believe the 699 will be made to better standard than the 3013, I'm just making sure everything looks alright.
Timely review, Chris! I am mulling about buying the pen, and I decided I'd make a decision after I have watched your review. And, here it is! Does the plastic barrel feel flimsy? 😁
@@chrisrap52 this is the first review you have done that has talked me out of getting a pen due to the wing sung 3013. I would think that this is the value pen (mic drop) of 2019. They are going for under 4 bucks and you can get a pair of medium nibs and feeds from Bobby for $6.50. the only color they have not put out is smoke....and I will get it when I see it. the blue 3013/Pali blue version is a unique tint in the hand.
I need some help after disassembling mine and cleaning and putting everything back it will not create a vacuum or eny kind of reaction and will not refill no matter what eny suggestions?
When I cleaned out my 699, ua-cam.com/video/y9odEvKDvfA/v-deo.html, I did not remove piston. Without knowing what you did, I would suspect the o-rings on the piston not working. Did you see o-rings on the piston?
@@chrisrap52 @chrisrap52 yep it was the o ring on the thing that seals the piston if any one else has this problem and if you take everything out wash it. make sure to let all the wet stuff sit over night where it is dry. wen you put everything back together make sure the top piston seal is tight and has a proper seal. you should be able to see the o ring on the piston seal tight at the bottom of the part where you screw it back in. thank you for the quick response and keep up the great videos .
I'm not certain what about your intro finally made me realize this, but you, Chris, are the Marco Polo of the pen community, touring China (metaphorically) on behalf of all of us.
Awesome analogy, I totally... scouting the Ink Route? :D
Another to my list to purchase, perfectly analysed by Chris, as is usual and I'm accustomed to it.
I like both of your rating systems. Keep up the great work!
Chris, you’ve done it again….i.e. sold me on this pen. Received mine two weeks ago and carried the obligatory strip down and silicon greased it. Filled it with Diamine Ox Blood (one of my favourite inks) and found the nib had a bit of feed-back. Tried to swap with a Goulet #6 but not successful, as the metal is thicker. Decision was made to tune and polish the nib, and now it just writes magnificently. Have also ordered some 0.6mm Medium Nibs Iridium Tip Silver for Fuliwen 017, based on your WOW4 review of the Fuliwen 017 Resin Fountain Pen. My plan is to swap with one of this Fuliwen nibs, hopefully giving my WS 699 the same WOW rating. I am always on the quest of constant improvement, something I have taken from my job. Will keep you posted. BTW this 699 now also comes in clear transparent with black trim and silver clip, and wait for it…… with 0.7mm medium nib; still at the same price….mmmm.. food for thought? Once gain thank you and keep ‘em review videos comin’.
Interesting! I have a Pilot 743 with a shattered section, and was wondering if I'd be able to salvage the situation by putting the Pilot nib (a #15 FA) into a Wing Sung 699, so I could use the nice FA nib although in a cheaper pen. Or maybe screw the Wing Sung section into the Pilot 743, with the 743 FA nib in it, restoring the Pilot to "new" condition except for the section. What do you think? (I know the 743 and the 823 are not identical of course, but I think they use the same nibs, and am hopeful the 743 might accept the section of an 823 and also its Wing Sung clone.)
@@danmagoo looking at what other pen users/hobbyists have done, it is mostly about experimenting through trial and error. This is what makes our hobby/passion interesting. My answer to you is just give a go and if works, you have succeeded; if not at least you tried. Good luck with it.
@@Richard1855 Thanks, Richard! That is good advice, especially when we're talking about reasonably-priced pens. I appreciate the quick reply.
How did you go about tuning the nib? I noticed the same issue with mine.
Gee Chris, This Wing Sung looks like a Pilot Custom 823, one of my greatest of all time FP's, knockoff. Of course, the Pilot is 20x as expensive, but worth every penny IMHO. Thanks 😊
Sketch Stack
Not me. It’s the excellent work of businesses like Wing Sung that rescue consumers from overpaying for good pens from “prestigious” companies that don’t deliver value.
C- Heck yeah! I even consider them high quality.
I’ve been using a Wing Sung 698, for example, in a black/gold lacquered style. Used it for two years and dropped it several times and rubbed it against my pocket items. It still writes like a beauty and looks clean!
The cool thing about cheaper pens that are decent quality is that if a nib or something breaks, it’s cheap to replace. I had a Waterman Expert once with a broken nib and replacement nibs cost nearly as much as a new pen..!
Hi Chris, just received my 5 x 0.6mm Medium Nibs Iridium Tip Silver for Fuliwen 017. Swapped one with my Jinhao X750 just try it out and was most impressed with it. So I decided to do like wise with my Wing Sung 699, not before shortening the Fuliwen nib to match the 699. Did this by cutting it using a hobby rotary cutting wheel and file to dress up. Fitted onto the 699, first stroke of the pen and "WOW", was like a completely new pen. It is super smooth, very wet and I only need to hold the pen very lightly and let it "glide" on the paper; absolutely fantastic. Glad I did the swap. BTW watched another blogger Aaron's Pen Video and learnt that Wing Sung after releasing the original brown, then transparent have just released its latest version; a translucent black version. Wonder what's next?
A blue one. ;)
Just received one of these today, amber colour and i am really blown away by how good my fine nib writes, it wont replace my custom 74's as my daily pens but its great for the £16 i paid for it on eBay, Currently dedicated to waterproof black for any envelopes i address, great review as always.
I got mine with an opaque section because I like the look of it. It's currently inked up with one of the brown Monteverde inks, although I can't remember which one at the moment. This could be an EDC pen for me whereas the Pilot Custom 823 would probably not leave the house, if I were to get it further down the road.
chrisrap52 The 699 (like the three-digit Wing Sung pens) is by Victo, while the four-digit ones are by WSE. For the record, plunger-fillers - AKA vac-fillers - were very common in the early days of Chinese pen-making, off the top of my head, Wolff - as Hero used to be called - made many, and so did Doctor who was eventually acquired by Hero.
Thanks for the Vac history. Interesting that the 3013 came out about the same time as the 699. Do they share any departments, design, marketing, manufacturing? From my view of the pens, they seem to have very little in common besides the type of filling system. The 3013 at $4 USD is a great buy.
@@chrisrap52 Based on my own observations there seems to be some exchanges between Victo (AKA Green) and WSE but the R&D and manufacturing still appear to be quite independent. Also worth noting is that Victo is one of Hero's manufacturing plants in a corporate sense. but WSE was started by the old Wing Sung and was part of the acquisition by Hero. Interesting to note that Wing Sung in any of its incarnations did not seem to have made plunger-fillers until these recent models.
@@chrisrap52 I have not yet inked up my 699 (I have the same colour as yours) but the 3013 was something of a disappointment. Maybe I just have a bad pen but I kept getting ink starvation regardless of resting the pen nib-down before writing, or releasing the blind cap to various degrees. The 699 feels much more solidly engineered, just as my beloved 698s are better executed than my 3008s with tighter tolerances and less play in the mechanism. Initial impressions are that the 699 continues the trend.
@@bikkies I'm filming a 699 revisit. Agree with your assessment of these models. Need to factor in the cost to keep it in perspective.
@@chrisrap52 I'll look forward to that with interest! Thanks for the reply.
Thanks for the review. From my understanding, the 3013 and 699 are produced by different Wing Sung licensees.
Yes but the same brand name. There are two divisions of Wing Sung, one more upscale. I guess I should pay more attention. A good article to read - frankunderwater.com/2017/09/14/the-new-wing-sungs-explained/
@@chrisrap52 while it is the same brand name, it is two different companies that are producing it and, from what that article said, it sounds like it was a license deal, so very likely neither company has any say on what the other does, as can be seen by their often competitive releases. I do want to add, the 3013 is the first in the 4 digit line that I feel is actually a good value, all the previous ones I have tried have rusted or broke.
@@ayannawilliams2068 There are some who have the piston rod in the 3013 corrode. From my analysis, it appears rod is plated brass. My 3013 do not have corroded rods after a month. Plating quality can vary. They probably plated rod silver color to match the rest of the pen. Most other Vac-fillers have solid stainless steel (PenBBS) that is corrosion resistant.
@@chrisrap52 thanks for that info, sad that the company that makes the 4 digit wing sung can't make their stuff a bit higher quality. The 3 digit wing sung pens have all been home runs, excellent pens.
curioso que Yo las que he comprado son todas de 3 dígitos, sin saber que tenían origen distinto. La verdad todas ellas funcionan muy bien.
Was watching one of your videos where you were using a emery board to make the nib write smoother. I did the same to my Kaweco Perkeo, which was very scratchy / giving an insane amount of feedback. Thanks for the tip.
and ordered the 699 for $18 from eBay.
Glad it worked. Enjoy the 699, great price.
I like my 699 a lot. My only concern is that the rod sometimes acts like an ink stopper and sometimes it is not. But I bought it to see if the Pilot 823 would be a good fit for me and worth the 12X the price.
I have the Pilot Custom 823, and I love it to death. I have to say the pen deserves all the love and praise it still gets. Its glowing reputation is fully deserved.
Now, I’m still tempted to have this WS 699 as well. It looks to be an extremely well done emulation of and worthy tribute to the stellar 823. I have just found a fully clear demonstrator 699 with only black finials at both ends, and an M nib. For only $28. Needless to say, it went straight to my cart and now on its way to me very soon.
Hope you enjoy the 699.
chrisrap52 ...Oh, I’m almost certain I will. Thanks again to your review and a few others that persuaded me that I must have the 699 despite already having the Custom 823. Next, I want the Penbbs 456. You were right on the money in your intro: this journey has seemingly no end. 🙂
Me gusta mucho ese tipo de plumas. Creo que vale la pena pedir una para agregar a la colección. Cordial saludo.
Muchas gracias por tu "oprtunísima" reseña, pues, que yo sepa....¡acaba de salir a la venta!
Tus comentarios, geniales y en su justa medida, como siempre.
Me ha parecido algo (?) cara la versión de 14 Kilates, teniendo en cuenta que, al parecer, sólo cambia el plumín. Eso si, hay que reconocer que tiene su encanto el Grabado del 1947, como año de fundación de WingSung. Pero 100 $, me parece un poco excesivo.
Gracias CHRIS. Saludos desde España.
Hola Espana. Mi experiencia con muchas puntas de oro modernas suele ser mejor ya que los fabricantes tienen mucho cuidado con estas puntas de mayor precio. ¿Vale la pena el costo adicional solo puede ser determinado por el comprador? Tengo muchas puntas de oro vintage que cambian mi visión ya que las puntas de oro modernas no tienen esa maravillosa sensación suave de la vendimia. El beneficio principal es que la punta dorada se verá genial durante la vida útil de la pluma.
cost only 60 dollar in china
I mean it's 100% trying to be the pilot vac filler. But that pilot pen is $200 and an amazing pen so getting this for under $30 looks good. And it seems to be a more standard nib and feed than the often used pilot nibs that wing sung often uses.
I have a couple of these. Intelligently I managed to drop a blue one on the hard tiled floor in my porch as I was unpacking it. The cap finial sheared off. Once I'd stopped swearing I binned the clip and managed to glue the finial back on. There doesn't seem to have been any damage around the cap liner so hopefully I've not compromised the air-tightness too much. It's obviously now just a messaround and ink tryout pen. I noticed it's easy to unscrew the small metal terminating ring at the end of the barrel when unscrewing the blind cap. Refitting it seems to have cross threaded it, further compounding my utter clumsiness and hopelessness, but I guess it's better to get this out of my system on cheaper pens rather than trashing a premium one. Argh!
Thank you, Chris. Not sure about the naming of the ink, though it's a nice brown.
Chinese commentary. What else is brown known for?
Thank you, Chris for yet another great review,. I really like that ink, almost like a dark olive color.
Still a little hesitant about bying a 699. I'm totally happy with my blue 3013 though.
Then stick with the 3013.
@@chrisrap52 since you have tried both pens, how do you compare the two nibs ? 3013 has a decent fine nib, typical of all Wing Sung's that I've bought. Is the nib of 699 the same as good ?
I like the 699 nib better. The 3013 is very good but edged out by the 699, feels better on paper.
I finally got the Wingsung 699 today, but it feels like a used pen. The vacuum mechanism does not work and it had a cracked barrel. The cap was entirely flimsy. The top part was essentially glued. When I tried to unscrew, the whole thing came apart into two. Oh well.
Sorry to hear. Not a reputable seller.
chrisrap52 Yeah, $20 down the drain. But tomorrow, I have my Sailor Pro color 500 arriving (via Amazon) and I am expecting a better experience
Mine is waiting for me when I get home! Can't wait to tinker with it
Hope you find it exciting, stimulating & encourage writing.
I received my WS 699. Well built and nicely finished but the nib, was too fine for me. The standard #6 nib is too long and it will not set properly. I tried a Keigelu 316 nib which will fit but I could not close a gap between the feed and the nib. I took a Jinhao #6 nib, cut about 1/8" using a wire cutter, cut the sharp edges and filed the end smooth. After a little tweaking I got it working good. I prepared a Filuwen M #6 nib, using this same procedure and it is working exactly as I like.
Excellent, thanks for sharing. I have a Keigelu M nib is am planning to put into 699.
@@chrisrap52 You can try a modified #6 Nib. Now I am testing a Nemosine M nib (very smooth), which I modified removing about 1/8 to 1/4 of an inch from the bottom. All these modified nibs fit nicely with no gaps between the feed and the nib so the ink flow is good. A little tweaking of the feed to adjust the ink flow and the pen performs as good as many expensive pens. This pen is now in my rotation, performing very well, next to a couple of Moonman M600S with stub and nemosine M nibs. Gracias a tus comentarios ahora solamente compro plumas que sirven. Gracias.
Hi Jose this WS 699 has only very recently been released with 0.7mm medium nib, and comes in both the transparent brown and transparent clear with black trim and silver clip for the same price as the original 699. Check it out.
@@Richard1855 I ordered one. Thanks.
Hmmm... Might just have to add this to my next pen order. Thanks for the review! You are one of my go-to sources for inspiration for buying a new fountain pen. You definitely didn't steer me wrong with the last one I received! Thanks!
Thanks. Glad to hear my reviews useful.
Hi Chris - thank you for your excellent reviews! Have you tried to separate the plunger from the body? One drawback with this pen compared to the 823 is the way inks cling to the chamber. Polishing the interior and replacing the lubricant may improve this characteristic, but you can't really do the job with the plunger in place!
I did not take mine apart but others have. Haven't notice ink cling on my pen.
There are two companies named Wing Sung.
One uses a 3 digit model number the other 4 digits.
Do somebody know if it takes a no.6 Jowo nib?
Chris, this nib seems remarkably similar to the 5.5" nib on the Kaigelu 316. www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/uploads/monthly_02_2016/post-107535-0-12678200-1454974071.jpg.
I've successfully replaced 5.5" nibs in that pen with a 6" and had little to no issues although it can be finicky depending on the replacement. Might be worth a shot to throw in a broader nib!
Can this be swapped with a #6 nib (e.g. Nemosine) the way you did with your PenBBS 456? Or would it make more sense (from a value standpoint) to do that with a PenBBS 268 instead?
The larger size #6 would not fit well in teh 699. Could I modify feed, force it, maybe, do I want to no. Swap nib in 268, piece of cake,
@@chrisrap52 Thanks for the response, and for the consistently great videos! I'm a big fan of Nemosine .6mm stubs, so I'm always looking for good pens to stick them in!
Thanks Chris. My 699 arrived yesterday and, due to work commitments, I haven't tried it yet. Mine came in a similarly battered box but the pen itself was unharmed. Having seen the writing sample I must admit I'm a little disappointed. I was hoping this was going to be one of your "Wow" pens. Maybe it was the pen/ink combination. It just seemed to lack something. I'll be trying out mine this weekend in the hope I've got a slightly wetter nib. Who knows. As always I enjoyed your review.
I took a chance on the ink. Next time I'll consider a Monteverde ink. I think it's the best flowing ink I have. I could work on nib but wanted to show as received.
I have been using my 699 with Pilot Black ink and I really like how it writes for a fine nib. I micro meshed a tiny amount to get the feel I like (8000 micro mesh rather than the usual 12000 to keep some feedback present). The nib didn't need smoothing, it's just my personal preference. Hope it is a durable pen as it feels very comfortable to write with. Still prefer my pens 456s though overall
Me 2.
Greetings! How do WS699 nib sizes correspond to western nib sizes? If I order one with Medium size nib, will it be equal to a western Fine like japanese pens?
A generous western fine. I show the medium nib is this 699 review - ua-cam.com/video/58RzJT8PDT4/v-deo.html
@@chrisrap52 Thank you very much. Nice showing the nib next to other similar nibs, I am now drooling over the Singularity nib, sadly I can't find one in EU.
Chris, very nice review. I just received my Wingsung 699 and find the nib on my copy is wonderfully smooth, a real joy to write with. The question I have is have you discovered a way to remove the plunger from the barrel so as to clean the extra silicone grease that is in the barrel?
Continue the interesting reviews of fountain pens, they are informative and enjoyable.
Thanks..Richard
Thank you. I try to give viewers a personal perspective. Let you see the pen & decide for yourself if it is worth a second look. Can be removed see - www.scrivinor.com/article/wing-sung-699-poor-mans-pilot-823
Hi Richard, I have stripped down completely my 699 to silicon grease it. To unscrew the plunger retainer from the barrel, you will need use rubber grips like the one chrisrap52 showed in one of his previous videos. It will be tight, but just hold it firmly with your thumb and finger it will unscrew with a bit of effort. Good luck with it. Regards Richard Han
@@Richard1855 thanks for the info, I was hoping it might be that simple but didn't want to force it before knowing that would work. Have a great day! Richard
Nice review. Thanks. Mine is on the way to me and I am anxious for it. Do you need to unscrew a lot the blind cap to write with it? For the ink to flow?
You can write a bit, sentences, but for me, I try to open bind cap whenever I write. If not, I forget, the pen starts writing dry & I think what? Then I remember open blind cap.
@@chrisrap52 Thanks for your reply!
another great pen and review, regarding your checklist there are 18 boxes to tick ,if each box was worth 5.55 points it would give 99.99 possible points (lets call it 100) so 13 ticks would give a score of 72.15 (ok i got too much time on my hands)
Yes you do. Would make videos much longer.
@@chrisrap52 the thing with the new system is that it seems a bit clinical 'theres no account for instinct or gut feeling based on your years of experiance and volume of pens you,ve handled
I'm trying to provide my reaction to these pens in some different formats. Foremost it needs to be something that I enjoy doing. My goal is to provide you the viewer, information on the pen hopefully in an entertaining manner.
What is your general opinion of vac fillers? I have heard some inks do not work in pilot custom 823. Thank you for the review....
Generally, I think it is a complex filling system that has a little more capacity than a converter. It's fun to use. The principals behind the vacuum filler are great. I have not found vac-fil sensitivity to inks. Some inks don't work in some pens but work great in others. Some inks have trouble in almost all pens. The biggest drawback is changing inks. Pretty much have to disassemble to thoroughly clean the pen.
@@chrisrap52 Thank you sir.
I have two of these. I like the way they write, especially in reverse, and the huge ink capacity. One developed a little crack near the top of the barrel. The second one has a loose end cap. It comes right off the piston thing. Do you think I could super glue that back on? Or should I just give up on these and save up for an 823? I'd have to save a long time! And...I've read that they are prone to cracking. I can't imagine spending that kind of money on a pen and then worrying about it cracking.
Glue may work. I don't recommend Super Glue as it can attack plastic & is not that strong. An industrial Epoxy would be better. I checked my 699, no cracks, works well. It feels substantial. Surprised it is fragile.
@@chrisrap52 OK, I'll see if I can get some of that, thanks.
If it isn't too much to ask, could you tell me how thick in mm is the feed. I've had bad experiences with plastic feeds so far (I use B and flex B-M nibs), so I'd like to swap the feed and nib with a Kanwrite ebonite feed and #6 Kanwrite B flex nib, which are wet and amazing. Kanwrite ebonite feed is 6,2mm
Per my nib chart, 699 feed is 6.3 mm. See 8:50 of the video.
@@chrisrap52 Thank you. Sorry, I saw the chart, but didn't actually notice that feed diameter was already shown.
Thank you Chris for the excellent review . I'm not going to say the pen mimics another pen i think we have to move past that personally , 90% of most pens look alike in some way .
I think WingSung , Moonman , PenBBS , Lanbitou & Jinhao , to name but a few Chinese manufacturers , are knocking the ball out of the park. Im been Writing recently with a Jihao #601 & the Lanbitou twist 776 , they are both excellent pens . In the past yes Chinese pens were a novelty but now they are a real alternative to more expensive western and Japanese made pens.
Ps : i like the ink its does have an old fashion look , perhaps from the photography of the day , the sepia kind of look .
Speaking to the choir. We certainly enjoy these products & are excited about the possibilities.
Chris, I have bought the pen, and I must say that the pen grew on me that it became my edc. I like it more than the 3013 that you suggested to me ago. That being said, might the m600s nib fit in it? How do you remove the nib? Thanks! 😁
I'd say no, the M600 nib is a full size #6, the 699 nib is about a #5.5, 2.5mm shorter. Nib & feed just pullout, use a rubber gripper, gently twist & pull, should be easy to extract.
Hello Chris, could you please check whether there are any signs of the filler assembly corroding at all? My Wing Sung 3013 did start to rust and it would be a great shame if the 699 was also affected by shoddy manufacture.
So far I don't see any. Sounds like a materials issue not how it is made but what it is made of. Need to use corrosion resistant materials like stainless steel for the parts that touch ink. What ink are you using? That could have contributed.
@@chrisrap52 You're right, the ink I'm using is Koh-I-Noor Hardtmuth Blue from Czech republic. It's the most common ink to get here, being used in schools. Unfortunately, it's the kind of ink anybody outside the country will have limited experience with. One person on Reddit also mentioned he/she noticed corrosion in the 3013 inked with Diamine Jalur Gemilang.
I believe the 699 will be made to better standard than the 3013, I'm just making sure everything looks alright.
Timely review, Chris! I am mulling about buying the pen, and I decided I'd make a decision after I have watched your review. And, here it is! Does the plastic barrel feel flimsy? 😁
Why are you considering the pen? It does not feel flimsy as I say in my video. It has a quality feel.
@@chrisrap52 It has an understated elegance to it. And, the filling system is a novelty to me. 😁
Yes it does. Save money & get a 3013 to experience a vac-filler.
@@chrisrap52 this is the first review you have done that has talked me out of getting a pen due to the wing sung 3013. I would think that this is the value pen (mic drop) of 2019. They are going for under 4 bucks and you can get a pair of medium nibs and feeds from Bobby for $6.50. the only color they have not put out is smoke....and I will get it when I see it. the blue 3013/Pali blue version is a unique tint in the hand.
I need some help after disassembling mine and cleaning and putting everything back it will not create a vacuum or eny kind of reaction and will not refill no matter what eny suggestions?
When I cleaned out my 699, ua-cam.com/video/y9odEvKDvfA/v-deo.html, I did not remove piston. Without knowing what you did, I would suspect the o-rings on the piston not working. Did you see o-rings on the piston?
@@chrisrap52 @chrisrap52 yep it was the o ring on the thing that seals the piston if any one else has this problem and if you take everything out wash it. make sure to let all the wet stuff sit over night where it is dry. wen you put everything back together make sure the top piston seal is tight and has a proper seal. you should be able to see the o ring on the piston seal tight at the bottom of the part where you screw it back in. thank you for the quick response and keep up the great videos .
Chris, would the nib from a Kaigelu 316 fit? It's between a 5 and 6, and I see the nib alone offered occasionally on eBay.
Based on dimensions the 316 nib will fit in the 699. I just bought a pair of M 316 nibs, like the way they write.
699 14K ¥396.00 RMB，in China
About $60 USD, great price.
Is this nib the same type as in the 698?
No, standard shape, 698 Pilot shape.
some say you need to release the back 5mm
Would that cut into your hand when the back is released 5mm?
No.
you could also post the cap to cover up the opened blind cap
Is the feed in this pen same as standard #6 feed (like in jinhao pens)?
Can't answer. Pen inked up & I don't want to pull feed.