Luxury Chinese House Calligraphy Fountain Pen - Bronze

I prefer fine and extra fine nibs so after reading another review which said this pen was closer to fine than medium I thought I'd risk it and order one. I would agree, the nib is at the fine end of medium and for me it's a pleasure to write with! I've ordered other cheap Chinese pens (Jinhao X450 and X750) and been very disappointed - the nibs have been overly broad and they write very, very wet. This pen is great, not too wet and only minor feather and bleed on cheaper papers, no issues on good quality paper. The pen is a medium weight and comfortable to hold and write with. It looks nice too. I'm very pleased with this purchase and would recommend it. For less than £5 it offers fabulous value for money.

Smooth writing action, good ink flow, I'm getting no spotting or leaking on the nib, nor excess ink when writing. Cool design, a little lighter than other pens, but can be 'adjusted' by putting the cap on the end (I find it a lot nicer to write with like this, but it's a personal preference!) Completely "scratchy-free" from my experience, although I'm using it for general writing/journalling on higher GSM paper (floats like a cloud over 100GSM!) - I have found it a bit hit and miss on lower quality paper. Comes with a converter/'refillable cartridge' for use with pots of ink - I'm using it with some Jacques Harbin "Poussiere de lune" (Moon Dust) ink which is also fantastic! My only niggle is the grip is a little shorter than I'd like, but I have big hands and the pen is still pretty comfortable and easy to use Bought this on a bit of a whim to play around with fountain pens again after not using one since leaving school a couple of decades ago, and I'm frankly blown away by how good it is for the money! I'm sure people with more experience with fountain pens will have a different story to tell, but if you've fancied trying a fountain pen this is a great starting point :D If you're eyeballing a fountain pen to 'get into' using them, or something for general day to day use while out and about without taking your more expensive pens with you, this is a great buy!

This pen really is superb quality for the small price I paid (under £5). The barrel is an antique gold colour which appears to be lacquered to bring out the detail. The design is really quite lovely and depicts horses with Chinese text above, I think they symbolise good luck in Chinese Mythology. Being made of solid metal the pen is a little weighty, especially when posted (lid popped on the end) but is not so heavy to distract or effect the use of it. The lid is made of plastic but the rest of the pen is metal. This is especially good as the threads that attach the body to the nib section are also metal. There is no way you can crack the body of the pen from over tightening which has happened to me with some plastic fountain pens. Another nice feature is the groove detail on the pen where you would naturally hold it. Ideal to prevent slipping when writing for a long time, yet comfortable to hold. The lid has a satisfying click to it when it is put on and does not swivel. The clip is also very strong. Inside the pen is a universal adapter that allows you to fill the pen from a bottle rather than using cartridges (although that is fine and is how I am using mine at the moment as I have run out of bottled ink). Instead of the old fashioned converters that you had to squeeze to draw the ink into it, this device has a plunger that works via a screw mechanism. Better still it holds a bit more ink than a regular cartridge. If you prefer cartridges you can have a spare in the barrel of the pen, but it will rattle a bit which can be off putting. The nib itself appears to be gold plated and although marked as medium is more like a fine nib. It does feel a little scratchy, but from previous experience this will actually wear down over time with use to become a smoother write. The ink flow is superb and wrote without fault as soon as the cartridge was installed. If you wanted to spend the time and effort you could easily turn this pen into an italic nib, there are many videos and instructions how to do this online. All in all I am thrilled with the quality of the pen and how it writes. It looks far more expensive than it is, is a reliable writing tool and will survive well in any bag due to it's solid construction. Many thanks for reading!

The GOLDEN CHINESE HORSE M NIB FOUNTAIN PEN SUPERIOR GIFT, otherwise the Baoer 507, is the second Chinese fountain pen ever purchased and primarily for its styling. Quality is not supreme but you cannot argue about its value as the purchase price also includes a filler adapter. The barrel is all-metal with other body parts such as the end cap and grip section in black plastic as is its cap. Its weight is a bit on the heavy side, but not excessive. The nib is of steel and gold-plated in parts and graded 'Medium' but would be either 'Fine' or 'Extra-fine' if from one the major Western brands but is not as smooth or as easy to use as it should be - it is somewhast scratchy but could improve. This style and grade of nib can usually be relied upon to provide an excellent user experience - other examples do - but this is an exception! The finish of the barrel is in relief and one of several patterns that reflect a Chinese fairy tale. When first received and filled the pen worked pretty much to expectation but far less smoothly than accustomed by many others from western brands. However, it was only after periods on non-use that its ink-flow issue materialised. When capped and stood nib up, or laid flat the ink will appear to dry within the feed and it will not then write at all unless emptied and refilled; priming with a little saliva (an old trick). Of the several Chinese pens owned, this is the only one to cease; no other can be made to act similarly. The nib is extremely fine and will not suit everyone. POSTSCRIPT - After finding reviews of this pen on other sites, it was learned that its nib problems are common and usually caused by the nib tines being too closely spaced - there is no post production checking or adjustment. A THIN sheet of stiff (laminated) paper dragged between the tines will supposedly work miracles. Post-treatment, the nib is much improved to just about usable and also now appears to be a fraction of a grade broader although a polish using a very fine grit paper has improved it further; it now writes moderately well but with a bite as it moves across the paper. Since writing the original review, it was learned that Baoer is manufactured by Hero whose own-brand pens are commonly rated among the worst of the Chinese pens although some consider them superb, not in personal experience as both examples owned are unusable as supplied.

The pen looks really nice and sleek, and is great for a gift, as it's good value for money

The nib does not feel like medium at all. I have 3 other fountain pens and this thin nib feels scratchy on any paper. Shame, because the weight on the pen feels good and the build quality also good.

Bought this for my daughter. This pen was lovely to hold, and was a great weight in the hand, however, the ink would jot flow down the nib. I tried several types of ink, but alas, it just wouldn't work, so sadly, we sent it back.

A wonderful pen that is great value for money! It is very comfortable to use and writes beautifully. It seems very sturdy as well. It is a good weight and with the lid on it is more weighted, so whatever is most comfortable! I would definitely recommend buying it, it's made me want to buy more!