I wonder how many times someone bought a single jinhao, and then said "And then i bought 4 more"... :) they are tremendous value, and a dangerous gateway drug to the fountain pen world. Started with the blue twirl x450 and never looked back.
Same here. Began with x450, remember I owned Mont Blanc and Caran D'ache even before I bought my first Jinhao, and own 25 other Jinhao. They are fabulous
Congratulations on your reviews. I am a fountain pen collector. I have many limited series units. I bought a Jinhao 159 to see what it was like. I liked it a lot and it is so cheap that I immediately bought one of each color. Greetings from Spain
Try the Jinhao X750. Perfect Goldilocks pen. Not too big, not too small. I have both. Nib can be easily swapped with a Bock or Jowo nib. 1.1 stub is my favourite.
I just started binge watching your channel. Not bad for a first review, though wasn't as detailed when you compare it with your recent ones. Love the work that you do. Cheers.
@@rohandey2092 hello there. This fountain pen is really a good pen. When you said that it had a poor nib, but for me, that depends on how you treat your pen. Most fountain pens will have a failure in its nib if you don't use them properly and with care. The quality of the pen is worth to its price.
With some micromesh (1200 grit) you can easily smooth a nib. For a dry nib take a look at SBREBrown's YT vid. on making your nib wetter. Even more costly pens may require a bit of smoothing. This pen is surely not just for beginners. I am an avid collector, and I still enjoy writing with my 159s. Yes, it is nice for beginners, but definitely not limited to beginners. Own 10 159s in my collection!
Great review. I bought a 5 pack for $20 on Ebay. They look and write great. I replaced two of their nibs with stub nibs from Goulet pens, and the writing they produce is beautiful. I gave two away. And I kept one completely stock to be used as a travel pen and for self-defense when travelling as these things are beefy and hard metal with sharp steel nibs. Can be used to gouge, stab, or as a kobutan if a need arises.
Necro-comment. I have a few 159's and I love them but they are not the best value pen. Jinhao heritage. Wooden pen. Same nib, nearly same grip (only better), lighter, and it's wood! But I appreciate that you are in the tank for Chinese pens too.
I can agree with that. The Heritage came out after this video (the first review I did). I think around the time of the Heritage Jinhao upped their #6 nib quality a bit overall. The Jinhao 100 is another (though more expensive) great value since then with some very good nibs.
try getting a "Click Aristocrat" with a Broad Nib . it writes without making any sound and without skipping . It is an Indian pen and costs Rs.350 ($5) In India .
I do agree that the 159 is a difficult pen to carry in a shirt pocket (unless it's covered by a waistcoat, maybe 😁), but I absolutely love mine. Size and weight are both to my advantage. I need one that fits my hand like a primary crayon in the hands of a very small toddler (I had a stroke, so I'm prone to drop smaller pens.) Weight doesn't seem to strain me, either. It's my go-to for letters and such. Great pen for the price! I've had several nice vintage lever fill pens that didn't write as nicely (and one was a "holy grail" gold nib.) I'm getting back in the fountain pen game after a hiatus of almost 40 years, and since I am on disability, the Chinese pens are what I can afford right now (plus an Osmiroid 75 I was fortunate enough to find on eBay in my price range.) I'd have to save up for even the higher priced pens, and I am not sure if they will be any better than this one. (Though I still plan to get my first fountain pen love, vintage lever fill pens as I can afford them.)
Greetings from Belgium. Eleven months on, how's the search for the vintage lever fill pen going, Paul? I hope you were able go get one that was reasonable in price and in working condition. As far as the higher priced pens go: you're right, higher price doesn't always equal better pen. I'm fortunate enough to have a couple of vintage pens that were in my price range but I have several inexpensive Chinese pens that punch well above their weight and that rival pens 50x their price when it comes to writing sensation. If you like beefier pens, have a look at the Hero 565. James did a review on it. You can find it on eBay for about 5 bucks. It's a lot lighter than this Jinhao 159, but it's bigger in girth than most pens. A word to the wise: as with most Chinese pens, quality control can be a bit of an issue. All the best, Kaat
@@darkchocolate4643 At this point, I'm well on the way to having a collection of Esterbrook pens from the mid 1930s ("Dollar") through the purse pens, some of the Big Four (Sheaffer, Wahl-Eversharp, Waterman's and Parker), a Conway Stewart and Mabie Todd Swan C2, and several other less known pens in vintage. Plus about 50 different Chinese pens. 😁 Nothing new over $10ish, the Mabie Todd was the most expensive, at $61. Limited income means that I target the cheaper ones, and have gotten decent at restoration. I even just picked up a TINY eyedropper filler from around the 1920s. 2¾" including the ring top. And another tiny lever filler not much bigger. Though I still like the bigger pens, I also have a fondness for the vintage pens. And I've overcome the tendency to drop pens, for the most part. 😁
@@darkchocolate4643 The best thing to me is that I have a complete set of the double jewel Esterbrook J series in grey. It was a grey Esterbrook J that started it all in around 1983. (Sadly lost when I went to college...)
@@paulherman5822 Esterbrook sure make some nice pens, don't they? I'd love to get my hands on one some day but here on the old continent, they're a little too rich for my blood. I refuse to cough up 200 bucks for a new pen with a steel nib, no matter how well it writes. I'd much prefer a vintage one anyhow, but that would mean importing one from the US and paying a ridiculous amount of import tax on it. It'll just have to wait till I make it across the Atlantic again.
Enjoyed this video. I have all colors which look like a jumbo box of crayons. These are indestructible workhorse pens. I have fine & extra fine Goulet nibs they match the ink flow with the jinhao feed perfectly. I tried the x750 and the x450 and gave those away. You can put " dangerous" inks your Bay State this and that. in these pens with ease of disassembly they clean up nicely. Had I known then what I know now I would have brought ( high end) a pelikan M1000 & a M800 and these 159s and would have saved a lot of money. Also good as a tactical pen for self defense gave them to my loved ones. Watch out for the New and improved jinhao X 159. 1/2 the weight, semi- precious resin and a number #8 sized nib! Identical to the 149 & KOP. In this economy... I got mine for $8.40!
Jinhao 159 fountain pen is all metal big and heavy. It works perfectly. The nib is always wet. Everything is good but you can't avoid the scratches because it's not plastic but it is made of painted metal
I have changed the nib with jowo no 6 steel nib & it works fantastic. One major drawback is it has it's excess weight. If manufacturer reduce it's excess weight the pen could give heavy competition to all other pens
I had decided the 159 was not for me. I have a predilection for pens on the lighter side and ones that fit my small female hands. I also wasn't a fan of the big clip. Fast forward several months. After watching your video, I decided to get a 159 anyway. Well, two, as you do. At 4 bucks and change a pop, I figured I didn't have much to lose. And I must admit: I like it a lot better than I thought I would. It writes well, as most Jinhaos do, so no surprise there. The clip isn't as hideous in real life as it is in pictures. And what's really surprising: not only does the heft not bother me, it is the only pen in my entire collection that I like to use posted. So thank you for the review, James.
Would like to know about twist thread sustainability in Jinhao 159, do they disrupt on frequent opening and closing or they work well even after long use?
I can only speak to my own experience, but the couple of 159s I have don't have any thread wear issues, and the pen in the review is still in use 4 years on.
Hello I often talk to you about pens. Last you told me about Sheaffer dot. I.e. what white dot means. Now I am here to learn about jinhao 159. The shape I like . It's a 2 dollar pen. But they write on nib that it is gold plated. That's very surprising. I do not use gold based pens. So I was a bit disturbed as I wanted to buy this pen . What's your opinion? Is it gold plated ?? Nib!
Great question. There is no gold in the 159's nib, it's steel. But they use the same nibs and stamping for all their #6 nibs, and don't delete this mark for the steel nibs. That seems an odd decision to me, but there it is.
Two pens make me a great impression : the 159 and the SAILOR "Professional Gear" Slim Gold, Black (H - "M" point) 18 K. Gold nib. With slightly size point differences, their starts are safe and the stroke on the paper, definited. This SAILOR model a little bit more controlled, due to the fact that has a very good 'feedback'.
Do the Jinhao 159's come with a friction fit nib or do es the nib and feed now come in a collar that screws into the section? Also, would any size 6 nib fit this pen? I have a few extra better nibs in #6 and was thinking of getting a few pens to use the better nibs.
How would you compare this with the Jinhao X450 and X750? I'm getting my first fountain pen and I'm excited about it. Between the 450 and 750, I was considering the 450 but then I ran into this model, and I feel like I'm behind square one.
I purchased two and love them. But I have a problem with the nib. It writes fine but when using the converter, I cannot draw up any ink. I have a workaround solution. Any thoughts?
The pen is great but under the clip i see that the paint has been removed. I bet this happens to every pen. I really don't like it. On the other hand it writes perfectly
I wonder how many times someone bought a single jinhao, and then said "And then i bought 4 more"... :) they are tremendous value, and a dangerous gateway drug to the fountain pen world. Started with the blue twirl x450 and never looked back.
Omg same hahaha
I bought the exact same x450 and now I have close to 30 fountain pens and 4 in the Mail
Same! Jinhaos are such value! 992, x450, x750, 159, centennial 100, 51A and the list is growing!
Same here. Began with x450, remember I owned Mont Blanc and Caran D'ache even before I bought my first Jinhao, and own 25 other Jinhao. They are fabulous
I always buy them in pairs. But 159 and X450 I have bought plenty of!
I love this pen! I like its size and its weight! And it writes well. I have collected six of them in different colors. Gorgeous pen!
Congratulations on your reviews. I am a fountain pen collector. I have many limited series units. I bought a Jinhao 159 to see what it was like. I liked it a lot and it is so cheap that I immediately bought one of each color. Greetings from Spain
Thank you for watching!
My brother and I love your videos! Jinhao is such a good pen for such a low price.
Thanks, glad you’re enjoying them.
Try the Jinhao X750. Perfect Goldilocks pen. Not too big, not too small. I have both.
Nib can be easily swapped with a Bock or Jowo nib. 1.1 stub is my favourite.
I just started binge watching your channel. Not bad for a first review, though wasn't as detailed when you compare it with your recent ones. Love the work that you do. Cheers.
Thanks!
My Jinhao 159 just got arrived this afternoon. This pen is totally perfect for beginners who are planning to buy one soon. Loved it!
Is it good? Am looking to get it!
But people say that it has poor nib and poor quality control
@@rohandey2092 hello there. This fountain pen is really a good pen. When you said that it had a poor nib, but for me, that depends on how you treat your pen. Most fountain pens will have a failure in its nib if you don't use them properly and with care. The quality of the pen is worth to its price.
With some micromesh (1200 grit) you can easily smooth a nib.
For a dry nib take a look at SBREBrown's YT vid. on making
your nib wetter. Even more costly pens may require a bit of
smoothing. This pen is surely not just for beginners. I am
an avid collector, and I still enjoy writing with my 159s. Yes,
it is nice for beginners, but definitely not limited to beginners.
Own 10 159s in my collection!
Great review. I bought a 5 pack for $20 on Ebay. They look and write great. I replaced two of their nibs with stub nibs from Goulet pens, and the writing they produce is beautiful. I gave two away. And I kept one completely stock to be used as a travel pen and for self-defense when travelling as these things are beefy and hard metal with sharp steel nibs. Can be used to gouge, stab, or as a kobutan if a need arises.
I ordered Jinhao 159. I am really excited to use it. Good video. Thank you so much for this review.
Great, I hope you enjoy it as much as I have. Feel free to come back and share your impressions in the comments.
@@JG3Reviews I would love to!
@@carlitotorresjr1259 how is it?
Necro-comment. I have a few 159's and I love them but they are not the best value pen. Jinhao heritage. Wooden pen. Same nib, nearly same grip (only better), lighter, and it's wood! But I appreciate that you are in the tank for Chinese pens too.
I can agree with that. The Heritage came out after this video (the first review I did). I think around the time of the Heritage Jinhao upped their #6 nib quality a bit overall. The Jinhao 100 is another (though more expensive) great value since then with some very good nibs.
I really like my Jinhao 159s - even though they are heavy they are very comfortable for me unposted! I enjoyed your review very much!!!
Thanks! It is a great pen, I like it more every time I use it.
Well it looks like the mont blanc 149 but its not a capillary action pen but it looks and write well
The 159 is splendid; you should use it with the original JIN HAO ink cartridges (black)!!!
try getting a "Click Aristocrat" with a Broad Nib . it writes without making any sound and without skipping . It is an Indian pen and costs Rs.350 ($5) In India .
I do agree that the 159 is a difficult pen to carry in a shirt pocket (unless it's covered by a waistcoat, maybe 😁), but I absolutely love mine. Size and weight are both to my advantage. I need one that fits my hand like a primary crayon in the hands of a very small toddler (I had a stroke, so I'm prone to drop smaller pens.) Weight doesn't seem to strain me, either. It's my go-to for letters and such. Great pen for the price! I've had several nice vintage lever fill pens that didn't write as nicely (and one was a "holy grail" gold nib.)
I'm getting back in the fountain pen game after a hiatus of almost 40 years, and since I am on disability, the Chinese pens are what I can afford right now (plus an Osmiroid 75 I was fortunate enough to find on eBay in my price range.) I'd have to save up for even the higher priced pens, and I am not sure if they will be any better than this one. (Though I still plan to get my first fountain pen love, vintage lever fill pens as I can afford them.)
Greetings from Belgium. Eleven months on, how's the search for the vintage lever fill pen going, Paul? I hope you were able go get one that was reasonable in price and in working condition.
As far as the higher priced pens go: you're right, higher price doesn't always equal better pen. I'm fortunate enough to have a couple of vintage pens that were in my price range but I have several inexpensive Chinese pens that punch well above their weight and that rival pens 50x their price when it comes to writing sensation.
If you like beefier pens, have a look at the Hero 565. James did a review on it. You can find it on eBay for about 5 bucks. It's a lot lighter than this Jinhao 159, but it's bigger in girth than most pens. A word to the wise: as with most Chinese pens, quality control can be a bit of an issue.
All the best, Kaat
@@darkchocolate4643 At this point, I'm well on the way to having a collection of Esterbrook pens from the mid 1930s ("Dollar") through the purse pens, some of the Big Four (Sheaffer, Wahl-Eversharp, Waterman's and Parker), a Conway Stewart and Mabie Todd Swan C2, and several other less known pens in vintage. Plus about 50 different Chinese pens. 😁
Nothing new over $10ish, the Mabie Todd was the most expensive, at $61. Limited income means that I target the cheaper ones, and have gotten decent at restoration. I even just picked up a TINY eyedropper filler from around the 1920s. 2¾" including the ring top. And another tiny lever filler not much bigger. Though I still like the bigger pens, I also have a fondness for the vintage pens.
And I've overcome the tendency to drop pens, for the most part. 😁
@@paulherman5822 That sounds like quite a lovely collection, Paul. I'm really pleased for you!
@@darkchocolate4643 The best thing to me is that I have a complete set of the double jewel Esterbrook J series in grey. It was a grey Esterbrook J that started it all in around 1983. (Sadly lost when I went to college...)
@@paulherman5822 Esterbrook sure make some nice pens, don't they? I'd love to get my hands on one some day but here on the old continent, they're a little too rich for my blood. I refuse to cough up 200 bucks for a new pen with a steel nib, no matter how well it writes. I'd much prefer a vintage one anyhow, but that would mean importing one from the US and paying a ridiculous amount of import tax on it. It'll just have to wait till I make it across the Atlantic again.
Enjoyed this video. I have all colors which look like a jumbo box of crayons.
These are indestructible workhorse pens. I have fine & extra fine Goulet nibs they match the ink flow with the jinhao feed perfectly. I tried the x750 and the x450 and gave those away.
You can put " dangerous" inks your Bay State this and that. in these pens with ease of disassembly they clean up nicely. Had I known then what I know now I would have brought ( high end) a pelikan M1000 & a M800 and these 159s and would have saved a lot of money. Also good as a tactical pen for self defense gave them to my loved ones. Watch out for the New and improved jinhao X 159. 1/2 the weight, semi- precious resin and a number #8 sized nib! Identical to the 149 & KOP. In this economy... I got mine for $8.40!
I've ordered Jinhao 159, Jinhao x159, Jinhao x850 just to test all of them and see which one suits me best....
Jinhao 159 fountain pen is all metal big and heavy. It works perfectly. The nib is always wet. Everything is good but you can't avoid the scratches because it's not plastic but it is made of painted metal
Compare jinhao x159 Vs x450
I have changed the nib with jowo no 6 steel nib & it works fantastic. One major drawback is it has it's excess weight. If manufacturer reduce it's excess weight the pen could give heavy competition to all other pens
Same here, but with Bock. I like the weight :)
Where did you get spare jowo nibs please? Also any idea if a kanwrite no 35 fits the 159. Thnx
@@sandy1508 I purchased it through ebay
@@koustavghoshpwe can you share the link please. Can't seem to find on eBay.
I had decided the 159 was not for me. I have a predilection for pens on the lighter side and ones that fit my small female hands. I also wasn't a fan of the big clip.
Fast forward several months. After watching your video, I decided to get a 159 anyway. Well, two, as you do. At 4 bucks and change a pop, I figured I didn't have much to lose. And I must admit: I like it a lot better than I thought I would. It writes well, as most Jinhaos do, so no surprise there. The clip isn't as hideous in real life as it is in pictures. And what's really surprising: not only does the heft not bother me, it is the only pen in my entire collection that I like to use posted. So thank you for the review, James.
I kept it at just the one for a couple of years, but another did arrive a couple of months ago, and I'd like another for a nib swap. Uh oh!
@@JG3Reviews Which nib would you use in it?
That's what I haven't landed on just yet. I'd like one with something more specialized, but haven't decided stub/flex/or just what.
You can take the clip off and replace it with a Jinhao 51A, looks much nicer.
@@wasreallygoodnikka Really? That fits? I'll have to try that!
guess I'll order a set. I like the weight and balance (and classic look) of the X450's I have.
Would like to know about twist thread sustainability in Jinhao 159, do they disrupt on frequent opening and closing or they work well even after long use?
I can only speak to my own experience, but the couple of 159s I have don't have any thread wear issues, and the pen in the review is still in use 4 years on.
The matte finish on that 159, much nicer than the glossy. A bit too large for me....But I like Jinhao's.
The matte finish is nice, I have the x750 rollerball in matte.
Hello I often talk to you about pens. Last you told me about Sheaffer dot. I.e. what white dot means. Now I am here to learn about jinhao 159. The shape I like . It's a 2 dollar pen. But they write on nib that it is gold plated. That's very surprising. I do not use gold based pens. So I was a bit disturbed as I wanted to buy this pen . What's your opinion? Is it gold plated ?? Nib!
Great question. There is no gold in the 159's nib, it's steel. But they use the same nibs and stamping for all their #6 nibs, and don't delete this mark for the steel nibs. That seems an odd decision to me, but there it is.
@@JG3Reviews well an odd rather weird decision indeed. Can you suggest some equally affordable same design pen?
Regards
I got 2, love itttt
Any update on this pen? I have issues with the enamel flaking. I love writing with it and other Jinhao pens.
Two pens make me a great impression : the 159 and the SAILOR "Professional Gear" Slim Gold, Black (H - "M" point) 18 K. Gold nib. With slightly size point differences, their starts are safe and the stroke on the paper, definited.
This SAILOR model a little bit more controlled, due to the fact that has a very good 'feedback'.
Do the Jinhao 159's come with a friction fit nib or do es the nib and feed now come in a collar that screws into the section?
Also, would any size 6 nib fit this pen? I have a few extra better nibs in #6 and was thinking of getting a few pens to use the better nibs.
Not all size 6 are created equally, but I've swapped with JOWO nibs, and Bocks fit, too. It is just a friction fit nib.
How would you compare this with the Jinhao X450 and X750?
I'm getting my first fountain pen and I'm excited about it. Between the 450 and 750, I was considering the 450 but then I ran into this model, and I feel like I'm behind square one.
Buy x450 first for a smoother flow and broad nib with click mechanism cap system. Then buy 159 mentioned here. Then x750
Just received mine. This is one cheap pen, both in cost and quality. To compare it to a Montblanc 149 is as comparing Chevy Cruze to a BMW 325.
Is "international cartridge" the standard Parker cartridge?
Jinhao pens cost mor in my country and only one e store had these... This one I ordered the 149 $14,31 before shipping.
Bro how to hold the 😂 pen .. recently I bought 159 model ... It's very smooth... But when I write ..the letters were soo big 😶 and line were thickk. .
It’s a Beast 💪🏼💎👏
I just ordered 3 of these on eBay for only $12 dollars, including shipping!
Now I just have to wait 2-3 weeks for them to arrive ... 😂
Did you like them???
Cheap but takes months took arrive
I have one.Very good quality.
I think mont blanc 149 looks better . Thanks.
Looking forward to getting my two pens soon.
What pens did you buy i bought a jinhao 159 and i got 2 for 14 dollars
@@bulletstothebeat1768 wait our name is the same??
@Ernesto Amigacho I'm pretty sure it was Amazon - they aren't a difficult pen to get hold of.
I purchased two and love them. But I have a problem with the nib. It writes fine but when using the converter, I cannot draw up any ink. I have a workaround solution. Any thoughts?
Do you have this problem on both pens? What ink are you using?
I do. I am using a Parker/Quink bottle ink. I have other Jinhao pens that work great
Did you try the WING SUNG 698 I hear that’s a good one
Yes, not too long ago, it's a great demonstrator.
can i use montblanc ink cartridge on jinhao 159?
Yes, they are both standard international cartridges. I've used Montblanc cartridges in this pen.
It is a great looking pen but the clip is throw up worthy. It’s horrible, if only it was just a plain, rounded on edges metal strip...
Jinhao 159 is the cheap version of the mont blanc 149 mitserstrüc
Meisterstück ;-)
The pen is great but under the clip i see that the paint has been removed. I bet this happens to every pen. I really don't like it. On the other hand it writes perfectly
This writing instrument built like a tank. Too much metal.