oh my goodness! you sir, you are incredible! your reviews are so excellent i have actually bought some of these clones just for my own perusal. so you are the second person to have seen 'murder by death'. nice taste in movies. you are moving to the top of my recommended video list. please do not ever give in to the dark side of serious. you cover all the important points of a pen review and do so with a touch of humor that makes the review better than others. 'party on dude!'
Oh thank you so much Bill! That is much appreciated! When I started doing these videos, I remember thinking that there couldn't be anything more boring than a video about a pen. And that is from a guy who used to lecture on electrical formula calculations and lighting angle trigonometry. So, having fun is more important than the pen for me. :) Murder by Death is one of my favourite all time films. With a cast like that and written by Neil Simon, I can't believe more people don't know the film.
One of your best intros, musically and satirically. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into these. Hope you and your family have a blessed and Merry Christmas.
Nice video, Doug! I love all the Star Wars references. When you flash the public service announcement card with that 60's-70's themed elevator music I laugh every single time and it reminds me of the British comedy "Are You Being Served".
I don’t own any of these clones but I do own the vintage big red fire hose. (User grade and restored price is quite reasonable) imho there is something about owning an iconic item. The vintage were probably meant to be practical daily writers with its no bs design, versus the the delicate item that modern duofold is. Thanks for showing us the wingsung converter I will now try to find a few for my pilots now. Happy Holidays and thanks for keeping us company.
Hi Doug, I love your film references in this video [I think we are on the same thought wavelength]. Absolutely fascinating video on the [Count] Duofold clones. I'm seriously thinking of getting one of these clones [as I cannot afford to spend the ridiculous amounts for an original Parker Duofold]. I wish you and all fellow viewers of your channel a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year. Take care & stay safe.
@@InkquiringMinds There are too many Counts out there Dooku, Chocula, Drac, Basie and the one from Sesame Street - to name a few. Here's something you might like being a fellow Beatle fan th-cam.com/video/9LOHsrLWgq4/w-d-xo.html - let me know what you think of it.
Great review, Doug. I loved the "Clones" intro. Too bad about the skips. The nib looks glorious, otherwise. I've never used Skrip Peacock, but I do love turquoise inks that are easy to read, pop off the page, and shade nicely. I don't know how close to Peacock these are, but I adore both KWZ Turquoise and Pelikan 4001 Turquoise. Have a wonderful holiday, Doug! I'm looking forward to your "worst of" list. I'm sure it will be a lot of fun.
@@InkquiringMinds I go with Noodler's Navajo Turquiose for my turquiose needs. It is a very nice ink, but never used Skrips, so not sure how close it is. Nicer than the Lamy Turquiose in any case, although not in as nice of a bottle, as Nathan doesn't believe in spending more than the absolute minimum on packaging, which includes the bottle, as to him only the ink is the product.
I have an original bottle of Sheaffers Skrip Peacock Blue and new bottle of Sheaffers Skrip Turquoise. I did a side by side comparison and it was hard to see any difference to my eyes. Why go around looking for a similar color turquoise when you can buy the Shaffers Skrip today? I got a brand new bottle of it off Ebay recently for around $9.00 and free shipping. You can't beat that!
Very nice clone of previous reviews... Hadn't seen the new 699 with piston filling rather than the vacuum filling mechanism. As to Turquoise inks, currently my favorite is noodlers Navaho Turquoise. Have a wonderful Holiday, I look forward to your next installment.
Thanks 👍 Many people have suggested Noodler's Navajo Turquoise as a close match to Skrip Peacock. Does the Navajo stain as much as other Noodler's inks?
@@InkquiringMinds I think it is mostly the Baystate inks that are the troublesome ones. But it is a pretty saturated ink. Didn't give me any trouble in variety of pens. Currently have it in PenBBS 500 Summer, which is a nice color match.
After seeng your video and that hint with the Pilot cartridges, i managed to fit into a WS 613 a Pilot Namiki Black IC-100 cartridge....it's a tight fit but it's working !!! Only thing is you have to pop that plastic seal with a needle (or a mechanical pencil lead in my case) and fit the cartridge to the feeder. Thanks a lot for the hint, now i know a little more :) . Cheers and Merry Christmas!
Yes. I poke the little plastic dealy with the point of my blunt syringe and the retrieve it with needle nosed pliers. I just put the WS converter into my Pilot Falcon and it works great.
Great to have you show ...your collections ..even on the updates of Jin hao Hero etc for almost thirty yrs we have not at local bookstalls ??? Duofold 1995 Marble Blue..bought one in my collection...beautifully made....well is a classic...for the price I guess......can I ask..about a cream white Parker Duofold Ballpen.....when was it produce...I bought n kept it in a very old classic store 30 yrs ago...? U must be a expert. Appreciate.. by the are collecto r of Gibson 🎸 too.. 😃
I Doug mega video once again glad you did this pen but have watch this i think its rather expensive for the quality.I await your video on the 699 piston filler as myn arrived yesterday(clear with gold trim).Have not had time to ink it up yet.Have a good christmas & keep your entertaining reviews coming👌.Its strange i used skrip turquoise at high school many moons ago.
@@InkquiringMinds Just what I figured, and ordered one in Sky Blue last week, although it was the color and not the value that finally tipped the scales.
Well Doug now that you’ve done the “clones” I can’t wait to see your year end review of the “clowns” of 2020. I especially like the looks of the Moonman pattern.
Your revelation that a Wing Sung converter fits at least some Pilots was worth everything else in this review! Oh, nice red pen too. The clone wars go way back, considering that Conklin came out with the Duragraph in 1923, only a year or two after the original Parker Duofold.
Thanks for another entertaining, informative review. The intro was awesome! I do like turquoise ink. My favorite is Noodler's Navajo Turquoise. I can't say how it compares to the Pilot blue, but I do like it. 🙂
@@InkquiringMinds I second that. Like my third favorite ink after Heart of Darkness and Yama Budo, and ahead of many of the purple/violet inks I really love.
At best these are half-brothers, most just cousins, none "clones". But an attack of the cousins just doesn't have the same impact. I find the Wing Sung nibs to be on the soft size, see some line variation in your writing. They are shorter than traditional No 6, 32 vs, 35mm. What's next, Sheaffer Balances? Wish you have a Joyous New Year.
Lovely music! I just saw something interesting on Amazon-egads! -Moonman m1000 ! But to the clones at hand, I bought an “Amble” with the bits-not the big liney swirls looking kinda 60s-came in the metal tin-lovely pen! And the Teal one with the two metal rings at thread end of cap. It’s a great color pen! I love the size & weight of these pens for me rotten thumbs! (And these m800 beauties!). But as you can tell, so many clones I can’t keep who made what or did who to what....need a scorecard and list of where to find god varieties of #6 nibs....just hate to have all the same (unless I had a giant stash of gold nibs! Hahaha! Don’t we all wish that?)
@@InkquiringMinds I shoulda known you woulda already have m1000 winging its way to Calgary! The really dark wood one? I’ll be eager to see it! Also noticed a black hex shaped pen with brushed metal appointments with hex cap to match. A Faber-Castell knockoff I guess. As for peacock inks: Ku-Jaku is my adult peacock bluey-greeny ink I love-nicely different peacock ink but then I also have a few more in the same scope as the old Scrip Peacock blue we all love for its bright clear turquoise; Lamy is tops but a few others out there : kaweco Paradise Blue; Thornton Turquoise; Kaweco has a favorite brown of mine called caramel ; ordered Ama iro (sky blue) which I hope will be a bit in the clear bright blue kinda color leaning a little to peacock blue! Oh and also ordered Noodlers army air corps blue-black for a more interesting complex blue-black. I’m on the hunt for a few good greens. Generally like inks that seem a little vintage, darker & mysterious with the exception being blue ink that are bright & clear, transparent shaders like good watercolor paints! Any suggestions appreciated! And any to avoid ... !?
@@RBartsy Merry Christmas Rebecca! Yes, I've got the dark wood version of the Moonblanc M1000 on the way! You mention Ama-Iro. Well guess what my daughter bought me for Christmas? Ama-Iro! It looks fabulous in the bottle. Haven't tried it yet. I'm thinking of filling both my Wing Sung 699 (vac and piston) with it for the review of the piston I'm doing next week. As to suggestions for ink; I've been VERY impressed with Leonardo Blue which is almost identical to Kon-Peki (a favourite) but with a touch more sheen. Also, this Diamine Jack Frost is to die for! And my son bought me another bottle of it not knowing I had one! But I'm glad of it! He also bought me Diamine Happy Holidays - some kind of deep blue. The only ink I have that I would avoid is Montblanc Oyster Grey. Boring!
I don't have a recollection of peacock blue, but I find blue inks (probably any colour ink) need exactly the right amount of flow to look good on paper. I'd like to try some Iroshizuku Kon-peki. I'm really looking for a good blue-green.
I’m really enjoying these comparison videos. I think the J. Herbin is the closest to what I remember peacock blue being, although I think the peacock had just a touch more green cast in it.
Finding a cartridge or a bottle of the original Skrip is next to impossible. So, it is always very subjective. I think your art supply store has these smaller bottles of J. Herbin. I bet they have the Bleu Pervenche.
8:04 Maybe I totally mistaken but it seems to me that the word "orange" used as a colour name is a relatively recent linguistic convention. In older texts, things that we would qualify today as having an "orange" colour were described as being "red": red hair, red fox. According to Wikipedia : "Before the late 15th century, the colour orange existed in Europe, but without the name; it was simply called yellow-red. Portuguese merchants brought the first orange trees to Europe from Asia in the late 15th and early 16th century, along with the Sanskrit naranga, which gradually became part of several European languages: "naranja" in Spanish, "laranja" in Portuguese, and "orange" in [French]." www.wikiwand.com/en/Orange_(colour)#/Etymology
I am pretty pleased with my Duragraph collection and haven’t ventured much on the other clones. I have coming a Jinhao Centenial big red to check things out ;) may be M600S next? As far as turquoise I recommend Waterman Inspired Blue, beautiful ink, lighter brighter than the Pilot it seems. A great ink, like any other Waterman!
This was a particularly good one, Doug! Production values! Hilarious! A Christmas present to us all. That cartridge converter is very interesting: fits a Pilot, and seems to resemble (both in design and build quality) a Platinum. (A double-clone.) Am I off? The Con-40 is so absurdly poor ... I'm wondering whether it's possible to buy these converters separately.
Excellent review with tons of information I can use when considering a purchase and evaluating a new pen. Thanks! Nice turquoise ink! What ink do you use in your introduction?
A good pen to add to the clones would be the vintage sheaffer no nonsense fountain pen. And it’s priced similarly to these pens at $20 and under on eBay
I have a genuine Jinhao Duofold clone with a fude nib that I use to write up journal heading and tv 📺 programs in the newspapers. The Duofold Clone Wars begun they have.
Wow that intro went all over the place! Great work again, Doug, you keep entertaining :) Wing Sung has been rather on and off for me (that's the "premium" wing sung, not the cheapo's like the 3000 series, which appears to be another brand altogether). I have the 618, which I can't fault, but I don't like the feeling of hooded nibs, nor do I really use any fine nibs, so it's sitting in a box; uninked. I have the 698, which I put a Pilot CM nib on. That takes it from ok to great, but it's a little on the dry side. I planned to take care of the feed once the first fill is empty, but it simply never runs out... I have the 699 piston in brown, which was a bit of a disappointment compared to the 698. The plastic doesn't feel as nice, it's too light, and it doesn't fit a Jowo stub nib well. It fits, but when I do, the Jowo nib is a tad too long and too wet. I've been looking at duofold clones, but out of the ones you've shown, I like the Jinhao clip (ball clip) the most, the Moonman acrylic in amber the most, and the wing sung seems to have a nice converter. Out of all of these, my vote would still go to the Moonman M600S, but I can't get over the parker-style clip. That clip takes the design from "homage" to "counterfeit". Perhaps I should look at a moonman M600 (without the S), or just risk it for a Jinhao, which covers most of the basics I'm after. Thanks again for a very informative review and comparison.
Thanks, Michael! It IS confusing, because there are TWO Wing Sung companies. Once makes the Wing Sung 3008, 3013 etc. The other makes the 618, 601, 699 etc. The former is the "student" (read cheap) pen maker.
@@InkquiringMinds At least the model naming/numbering schemes let's you tell them apart, but very annoying till someone clues you into that little secret.
I am not a fan of turquoise. So I wouldn't be able to suggest any ink. I like blue ink. I have Iroshizuku asa-gao and Diamine Regency Blue. I am thinking about Visconti Blue, next.. While I thought the 670 was very interesting, it is not for me. I just ordered the 2024 Kaigelu 316. Beautiful resin and the description says it has been improved. We shall see..
The 670s are made from Cellulose Acetate per WingSung on their taobao page, so I think it wins on material. Still not all that into the clip though. I did my duty and bought the Sterling Silver Anniversary version but it's stuck in the Homeland for now.
Celluose Acetate is just a type of plastic. It shouldn't be conflated with "Celluloid" which is a trade name for a material made of nitrocellulose and camphor. From the look and feel, the material of the 670 is inferior to turned acrylic in my mind.
@@InkquiringMinds Yes, I am aware of cellulose acetate vs cellulose nitrate. Personal preference but I like the feel of the WS better vs Jinhao. Not sure why WS is more expensive on ebay but they are about same price as the Jinhao on taobao.
@@oscarmedina1597 I also ordered 2 new hongdian pens recently: 1837 Magpie F, 660 Wood EF. Also have 1847 voyager green EF. 🙂 Their design the most impressive for me from many Chinese pens.
@@simon215a, my daily pocket carry is a blue Dark Forest inked with Organic Studios Aldous Huxley. My wife carries an all black Dark Forest in her purse.
@@oscarmedina1597 Do you like these pens? I saw in reviews that in black forest cover can fall off because of a cap. Therefore I bought hongdian 1847 with screw cap. I like that pens have quotes, like "light of hope" 🙂
I just checked my 5 dlls Wing Sung 613 and the converter indeed fits perfectly in my Kakuno and Metropolitan, so I guess now I know where to get a cheaper and better converter than the Con-40 and it also includes a free pen! xD
I have the Jinhao Centennial in the same sky blue cracked ice color, AND a Moonman (pre-Majohn) 600s in the same Amber color! I'd have to dig out my pen cases and hunt down my Kaigelu 316 to see what color it is. I think it's the same white with black swirls you have here! GMTA, right?
@@InkquiringMinds Sound's pretty. Looking forward to the review! FWIW, the Duofold clones are actually a bit "chunky" for me. They kind of feel over-large for my hand. But, if I find one in ivory or white with silver-colored trim, I'd add it to my collection just to have it. Unfortunately, all the ones I've seen in that color have gold-colored appointments, so I've not been tempted hard yet.
You mean the typeface for the Star Wars titles? I tried the WS converter in my e95s but, of course, it is too big. But it works in my Explorer okay. But I have a Con70 in that which is WAY better than the WS.
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks for the reply on using WS converter. By script, I meant like a “movie script”; the whole narration in the “introduction”. You went through it without even a smile, and it was hilarious
Well, it WAS the Moonman M600S Amber until this Jinhao Centennial Sky Blue came along! The addition of the Italix Broad Cursive Italic nib on the Jinhao made it my favourite now.
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks for the reply! Since it sounds like with the stock nib the moonman would be winning for you, I'll stick with mine (I have the teal one and am quite happy with it). After all, I do not think I have a nib that would have the same effect on the jinhao as yours had for you!
Thanks for the review, Doug - of the various (Chinese) Duofold clones you've tried, which would you recommend as the best in class, and/or best value for money? (Obviously not the Wing Sung 670!)
Usually I would say the Moonman M600S - especially with the new acrylics like the Amber. But, with this Jinhao Centennial Sky Blue at $15, it has to be the best of them now.
@@InkquiringMinds D'oh! Esybuy (on Etsy) were doing a good deal on the M600s, with three nibs included for a small extra price. Might end up splashing out on the Sky Blue Jinhao too, but the "Star Blue" Moonman was calling to me...
What is an "ole opry"? As I said in the video, this Wing Sung M is .7mm thick which according to Richard Binder is between a Western Medium and a Broad or a Japanese Broad.
The M800 is longer because of the points on the finals only. It is thicker in the barrel and the section is wider slightly. The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande is a much bigger version of the same shaped pen.
My Parker fountain pens are pretty. I dislike writing with them. They dry out before I can finish a sentence. My favorite Parkers are my ballpoint pens and pencils.
Have to agree not a pen I'd write home about.....sorry. Of all the "clones" this seems the least attractive maybe because it looks more like a clone of the Jinhao Centennial duofold clone 😁😁
I think these Chinese pens are better than Parker ones because these days Parker is producing very cheap quality pens. It's kind of swindling going on from big brands like Parker, Sheaffer, Cross, etc. I recently tried to buy Calais, Urban, etc. but I stopped when I saw very degraded quality of the big brands' pens.
1. Those bulges rule this guy out for me. 2. The Pilot Petit1 comes in a Clear Blue finish with a beautiful light blue ink cartridge. I haven't been able to locate it in bottle form - can anybody help? The replacement cartridges are horrendously expensive, I guess following the cheap razor/expensive blade model.
@@ichirofakename Tried one. Leaves a nice line, but too short for my hands, which aren't petite. Otherwise a nice starter pen. Friend of mine gives them as stocking stuffers to introduce people to fountain pens.
@@martinlebl631 Yeah they are on the small side, but for whatever reason that doesn't bother me. I love 'em. For me to spend over $5 for a pen, it has to do something the Petit1 doesn't.
oh my goodness! you sir, you are incredible! your reviews are so excellent i have actually bought some of these clones just for my own perusal. so you are the second person to have seen 'murder by death'. nice taste in movies. you are moving to the top of my recommended video list. please do not ever give in to the dark side of serious. you cover all the important points of a pen review and do so with a touch of humor that makes the review better than others. 'party on dude!'
Oh thank you so much Bill! That is much appreciated! When I started doing these videos, I remember thinking that there couldn't be anything more boring than a video about a pen. And that is from a guy who used to lecture on electrical formula calculations and lighting angle trigonometry. So, having fun is more important than the pen for me. :) Murder by Death is one of my favourite all time films. With a cast like that and written by Neil Simon, I can't believe more people don't know the film.
I wholeheartedly agree. Doug’s videos are the absolute best. It’s a travesty that he doesn’t have more subscribers.
I love your reference to the classic movie: Cloneheads, starring HongDan Aykroyd and Janehao Curtain.
LMAO!!
I never expect your videos to make me laugh, yet they do
I'm glad I exceed your expectations!
Your videos are more than reviews of fountain pens. It's so smart(love the title lol), witty and cute :)
One of your best intros, musically and satirically. Thanks for all the time and effort you put into these. Hope you and your family have a blessed and Merry Christmas.
Thank you! You too!🎅🎄
Nice video, Doug! I love all the Star Wars references. When you flash the public service announcement card with that 60's-70's themed elevator music I laugh every single time and it reminds me of the British comedy "Are You Being Served".
Classic! That's not elevator music! That's Herb Alpert! Kenny G is elevator music. LMAo
I don’t own any of these clones but I do own the vintage big red fire hose. (User grade and restored price is quite reasonable) imho there is something about owning an iconic item. The vintage were probably meant to be practical daily writers with its no bs design, versus the the delicate item that modern duofold is.
Thanks for showing us the wingsung converter I will now try to find a few for my pilots now.
Happy Holidays and thanks for keeping us company.
The Wing Sung converter seems to be working in a number of Pilots. It works in my Pilot Falcon just fine.
Good pen.......merry Christmas Santa Rath!👍🎄🎁🎉🎊🎆
You are great reviewer,great musician and a good man.....love from Puglia!
Happy holidays!🎄🎅
I have liked my wing sung nibs lately. I ordered some wing sung nibs and put them in some of my Jinhao's and am pretty happy.
I was very surprised by this Wing Sung nib. I will end up in another pen I suspect.
Good Stuf Thank you Doug, My turquoise of choice is Lamy
I haven't used my Lamy Turquoise in a while. It is very light.
Hi Doug,
I love your film references in this video [I think we are on the same thought wavelength].
Absolutely fascinating video on the [Count] Duofold clones.
I'm seriously thinking of getting one of these clones [as I cannot afford to spend the ridiculous amounts for an original Parker Duofold].
I wish you and all fellow viewers of your channel a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.
Take care & stay safe.
Thanks so much Count Dooku! And the same to you and yours. 🎅🎄
@@InkquiringMinds There are too many Counts out there Dooku, Chocula, Drac, Basie and the one from Sesame Street - to name a few.
Here's something you might like being a fellow Beatle fan th-cam.com/video/9LOHsrLWgq4/w-d-xo.html - let me know what you think of it.
@@countduckula9977 Yes! I had seen that already! Amazing!
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks Doug for the feedback. I am happy you enjoyed that.
Great review, Doug. I loved the "Clones" intro. Too bad about the skips. The nib looks glorious, otherwise. I've never used Skrip Peacock, but I do love turquoise inks that are easy to read, pop off the page, and shade nicely. I don't know how close to Peacock these are, but I adore both KWZ Turquoise and Pelikan 4001 Turquoise. Have a wonderful holiday, Doug! I'm looking forward to your "worst of" list. I'm sure it will be a lot of fun.
Thanks for watching, Ken! I'm sure I'll get hate mail about the "worst" list. LOL
@@InkquiringMinds I go with Noodler's Navajo Turquiose for my turquiose needs. It is a very nice ink, but never used Skrips, so not sure how close it is. Nicer than the Lamy Turquiose in any case, although not in as nice of a bottle, as Nathan doesn't believe in spending more than the absolute minimum on packaging, which includes the bottle, as to him only the ink is the product.
I have an original bottle of Sheaffers Skrip Peacock Blue and new bottle of Sheaffers Skrip Turquoise. I did a side by side comparison and it was hard to see any difference to my eyes. Why go around looking for a similar color turquoise when you can buy the Shaffers Skrip today? I got a brand new bottle of it off Ebay recently for around $9.00 and free shipping. You can't beat that!
I really appreciate these comparisons. Very useful review format!
Glad it was helpful!
Very nice clone of previous reviews...
Hadn't seen the new 699 with piston filling rather than the vacuum filling mechanism. As to Turquoise inks, currently my favorite is noodlers Navaho Turquoise. Have a wonderful Holiday, I look forward to your next installment.
Thanks 👍 Many people have suggested Noodler's Navajo Turquoise as a close match to Skrip Peacock. Does the Navajo stain as much as other Noodler's inks?
@@InkquiringMinds I think it is mostly the Baystate inks that are the troublesome ones. But it is a pretty saturated ink. Didn't give me any trouble in variety of pens. Currently have it in PenBBS 500 Summer, which is a nice color match.
@@InkquiringMinds I haven't noticed it staining anymore than any of my other inks.
After seeng your video and that hint with the Pilot cartridges, i managed to fit into a WS 613 a Pilot Namiki Black IC-100 cartridge....it's a tight fit but it's working !!! Only thing is you have to pop that plastic seal with a needle (or a mechanical pencil lead in my case) and fit the cartridge to the feeder. Thanks a lot for the hint, now i know a little more :) . Cheers and Merry Christmas!
Yes. I poke the little plastic dealy with the point of my blunt syringe and the retrieve it with needle nosed pliers. I just put the WS converter into my Pilot Falcon and it works great.
Merry Christmas ⛄🎄 Mr. Indi
Happy holidays!
Great to have you show ...your collections ..even on the updates of Jin hao Hero etc for almost thirty yrs we have not at local bookstalls ??? Duofold 1995 Marble Blue..bought one in my collection...beautifully made....well is a classic...for the price I guess......can I ask..about a cream white Parker Duofold Ballpen.....when was it produce...I bought n kept it in a very old classic store 30 yrs ago...? U must be a expert. Appreciate.. by the are collecto r of Gibson 🎸 too.. 😃
Thanks for watching! I'm no expert; just learning as I go! :)
I knew I'd enjoy your latest video. I really appreciate the sense of humor you bring into the reviews. Merry Christmas to you and your family.🎄
Happy holidays!🎅🎄
Yay! I was hoping for a Doug video today. With so many clones around you, you must be mindful of Order 66.
Hope you enjoyed it! I'm in more danger than from Order 66; I'm a Star Trek fan and not so much on Star Wars. :)
@@InkquiringMinds, blasphemy! Hey, by the way, do you want to borrow my Christmas gifts to review?
I Doug mega video once again glad you did this pen but have watch this i think its rather expensive for the quality.I await your video on the 699 piston filler as myn arrived yesterday(clear with gold trim).Have not had time to ink it up yet.Have a good christmas & keep your entertaining reviews coming👌.Its strange i used skrip turquoise at high school many moons ago.
Cool, thanks You are right about the 670 being overpriced. In that group, the Jinhao Centennial is the best for the buck IMO.
@@InkquiringMinds Just what I figured, and ordered one in Sky Blue last week, although it was the color and not the value that finally tipped the scales.
Ordered the Sky Blue Jinhao Centennial as my first clone. Just couldn't get away from that color. It was about $20 on Amazon, but with free shipping.
I love mine now that it has an Italix Broad Cursive Italic nib.
Ironically enough, it's forecasted to rain with unseasonably warm weather for Xmas Eve and Xmas where I am. lol. Thanks for the tunes!
Happy holidays! We just got two feet of snow. Nothing is moving. Not even the pen I'm expecting in the mail!
@@InkquiringMinds happy holidays to you, too! Hopefully Alberta snow won't be too harsh!
Nice ELP cover😎
Thank you, Cmdr Darwin!
Merry Christmas Doug, it's a warm Christmas morning here in oz. Merry Xmas :)
Happy holidays! It is bright blue sky and 2 feet of fresh snow here in Alberta!
Well Doug now that you’ve done the “clones” I can’t wait to see your year end review of the “clowns” of 2020. I especially like the looks of the Moonman pattern.
That's a good one Richard! LOL
Your revelation that a Wing Sung converter fits at least some Pilots was worth everything else in this review! Oh, nice red pen too. The clone wars go way back, considering that Conklin came out with the Duragraph in 1923, only a year or two after the original Parker Duofold.
Thanks! Everyone copied the Duofold. And then everyone copied the Sheaffer Balance. It is called progress.
@@InkquiringMinds I'm all for it. I love both the Duofold and the Balance designs.
Thanks for another entertaining, informative review. The intro was awesome! I do like turquoise ink. My favorite is Noodler's Navajo Turquoise. I can't say how it compares to the Pilot blue, but I do like it. 🙂
Thanks for sharing!! THAT was another one of the inks that was suggested as a close match to Skrip Peacock; Navajo Turquoise!
@@InkquiringMinds I second that. Like my third favorite ink after Heart of Darkness and Yama Budo, and ahead of many of the purple/violet inks I really love.
At best these are half-brothers, most just cousins, none "clones". But an attack of the cousins just doesn't have the same impact. I find the Wing Sung nibs to be on the soft size, see some line variation in your writing. They are shorter than traditional No 6, 32 vs, 35mm. What's next, Sheaffer Balances? Wish you have a Joyous New Year.
Thanks, Chris. The best to you and your family in 2021!
Great comparison! Love the converter info. 😊
Glad it was helpful!🎅
@@InkquiringMinds stay well pen fans need you
Lovely music! I just saw something interesting on Amazon-egads! -Moonman m1000 ! But to the clones at hand, I bought an “Amble” with the bits-not the big liney swirls looking kinda 60s-came in the metal tin-lovely pen! And the Teal one with the two metal rings at thread end of cap. It’s a great color pen! I love the size & weight of these pens for me rotten thumbs! (And these m800 beauties!). But as you can tell, so many clones I can’t keep who made what or did who to what....need a scorecard and list of where to find god varieties of #6 nibs....just hate to have all the same (unless I had a giant stash of gold nibs! Hahaha! Don’t we all wish that?)
I have a Moonman M1000 on its way to me right now! Film in January! LOL Another Moonblanc!
@@InkquiringMinds I shoulda known you woulda already have m1000 winging its way to Calgary! The really dark wood one? I’ll be eager to see it! Also noticed a black hex shaped pen with brushed metal appointments with hex cap to match. A Faber-Castell knockoff I guess. As for peacock inks: Ku-Jaku is my adult peacock bluey-greeny ink I love-nicely different peacock ink but then I also have a few more in the same scope as the old Scrip Peacock blue we all love for its bright clear turquoise; Lamy is tops but a few others out there : kaweco Paradise Blue; Thornton Turquoise; Kaweco has a favorite brown of mine called caramel ; ordered Ama iro (sky blue) which I hope will be a bit in the clear bright blue kinda color leaning a little to peacock blue! Oh and also ordered Noodlers army air corps blue-black for a more interesting complex blue-black. I’m on the hunt for a few good greens. Generally like inks that seem a little vintage, darker & mysterious with the exception being blue ink that are bright & clear, transparent shaders like good watercolor paints! Any suggestions appreciated! And any to avoid ... !?
@@RBartsy Merry Christmas Rebecca! Yes, I've got the dark wood version of the Moonblanc M1000 on the way! You mention Ama-Iro. Well guess what my daughter bought me for Christmas? Ama-Iro! It looks fabulous in the bottle. Haven't tried it yet. I'm thinking of filling both my Wing Sung 699 (vac and piston) with it for the review of the piston I'm doing next week. As to suggestions for ink; I've been VERY impressed with Leonardo Blue which is almost identical to Kon-Peki (a favourite) but with a touch more sheen. Also, this Diamine Jack Frost is to die for! And my son bought me another bottle of it not knowing I had one! But I'm glad of it! He also bought me Diamine Happy Holidays - some kind of deep blue. The only ink I have that I would avoid is Montblanc Oyster Grey. Boring!
I don't have a recollection of peacock blue, but I find blue inks (probably any colour ink) need exactly the right amount of flow to look good on paper. I'd like to try some Iroshizuku Kon-peki. I'm really looking for a good blue-green.
Kon Peki is my favourite ink, although lately the Leonardo Blue seems to be a close rival.
I’m really enjoying these comparison videos. I think the J. Herbin is the closest to what I remember peacock blue being, although I think the peacock had just a touch more green cast in it.
Finding a cartridge or a bottle of the original Skrip is next to impossible. So, it is always very subjective. I think your art supply store has these smaller bottles of J. Herbin. I bet they have the Bleu Pervenche.
8:04 Maybe I totally mistaken but it seems to me that the word "orange" used as a colour name is a relatively recent linguistic convention. In older texts, things that we would qualify today as having an "orange" colour were described as being "red": red hair, red fox.
According to Wikipedia : "Before the late 15th century, the colour orange existed in Europe, but without the name; it was simply called yellow-red. Portuguese merchants brought the first orange trees to Europe from Asia in the late 15th and early 16th century, along with the Sanskrit naranga, which gradually became part of several European languages: "naranja" in Spanish, "laranja" in Portuguese, and "orange" in [French]."
www.wikiwand.com/en/Orange_(colour)#/Etymology
Fascinating! Thanks, Alain! :)
The history of the colors is fascinating indeed. I recomend Michel Pastoureau books.
@@MateuMatheu Really history of language. Many words have fascinating roots if one bothers to go down those rabbit holes.
I am pretty pleased with my Duragraph collection and haven’t ventured much on the other clones. I have coming a Jinhao Centenial big red to check things out ;) may be M600S next?
As far as turquoise I recommend Waterman Inspired Blue, beautiful ink, lighter brighter than the Pilot it seems. A great ink, like any other Waterman!
Very nice! The new finishes on the M600S are excellent.
This was a particularly good one, Doug! Production values! Hilarious! A Christmas present to us all. That cartridge converter is very interesting: fits a Pilot, and seems to resemble (both in design and build quality) a Platinum. (A double-clone.) Am I off? The Con-40 is so absurdly poor ... I'm wondering whether it's possible to buy these converters separately.
Glad you enjoyed it! It would be terrific if they made these WS converters available separately. I'm going to use this one in my Pilot Falcon.
Excellent review with tons of information I can use when considering a purchase and evaluating a new pen. Thanks!
Nice turquoise ink! What ink do you use in your introduction?
Thanks Andrew! That ink is J. Herbin Kyanite du Nepal.
I need to try a sample of that. The only J. Herbin Ink I have is Eclat de Saphir.
A good pen to add to the clones would be the vintage sheaffer no nonsense fountain pen. And it’s priced similarly to these pens at $20 and under on eBay
The "no nonsense" Sheaffer is the first stop for many first time fountain pen users.
I have a genuine Jinhao Duofold clone with a fude nib that I use to write up journal heading and tv 📺 programs in the newspapers.
The Duofold Clone Wars begun they have.
I'm now going to end my videos with "subscribe you must".
@@InkquiringMinds Subscribe I do. May the Kaigelus be with you.
Wow that intro went all over the place! Great work again, Doug, you keep entertaining :)
Wing Sung has been rather on and off for me (that's the "premium" wing sung, not the cheapo's like the 3000 series, which appears to be another brand altogether).
I have the 618, which I can't fault, but I don't like the feeling of hooded nibs, nor do I really use any fine nibs, so it's sitting in a box; uninked.
I have the 698, which I put a Pilot CM nib on. That takes it from ok to great, but it's a little on the dry side. I planned to take care of the feed once the first fill is empty, but it simply never runs out...
I have the 699 piston in brown, which was a bit of a disappointment compared to the 698. The plastic doesn't feel as nice, it's too light, and it doesn't fit a Jowo stub nib well. It fits, but when I do, the Jowo nib is a tad too long and too wet.
I've been looking at duofold clones, but out of the ones you've shown, I like the Jinhao clip (ball clip) the most, the Moonman acrylic in amber the most, and the wing sung seems to have a nice converter.
Out of all of these, my vote would still go to the Moonman M600S, but I can't get over the parker-style clip. That clip takes the design from "homage" to "counterfeit". Perhaps I should look at a moonman M600 (without the S), or just risk it for a Jinhao, which covers most of the basics I'm after.
Thanks again for a very informative review and comparison.
Thanks, Michael! It IS confusing, because there are TWO Wing Sung companies. Once makes the Wing Sung 3008, 3013 etc. The other makes the 618, 601, 699 etc. The former is the "student" (read cheap) pen maker.
@@InkquiringMinds At least the model naming/numbering schemes let's you tell them apart, but very annoying till someone clues you into that little secret.
I am not a fan of turquoise. So I wouldn't be able to suggest any ink. I like blue ink. I have Iroshizuku asa-gao and Diamine Regency Blue. I am thinking about Visconti Blue, next..
While I thought the 670 was very interesting, it is not for me. I just ordered the 2024 Kaigelu 316. Beautiful resin and the description says it has been improved. We shall see..
I'll be interested to see the "improvements".
I don't know the Skrip ink so I'm not sure how good a match it is, but I love the Lamy Turquoise. It's a wonderful color.
I have some of that Lamy Turquoise too. It is a very light colour.
The 670s are made from Cellulose Acetate per WingSung on their taobao page, so I think it wins on material. Still not all that into the clip though. I did my duty and bought the Sterling Silver Anniversary version but it's stuck in the Homeland for now.
Celluose Acetate is just a type of plastic. It shouldn't be conflated with "Celluloid" which is a trade name for a material made of nitrocellulose and camphor. From the look and feel, the material of the 670 is inferior to turned acrylic in my mind.
@@InkquiringMinds Yes, I am aware of cellulose acetate vs cellulose nitrate. Personal preference but I like the feel of the WS better vs Jinhao. Not sure why WS is more expensive on ebay but they are about same price as the Jinhao on taobao.
There is also HongDian 960 which looks alike. Released recently about $25. I really like it in a dark green color.
Now I have to look! :)
Just ordered one! (Plus two more HongDian pens)
@@oscarmedina1597 I also ordered 2 new hongdian pens recently: 1837 Magpie F, 660 Wood EF. Also have 1847 voyager green EF. 🙂 Their design the most impressive for me from many Chinese pens.
@@simon215a, my daily pocket carry is a blue Dark Forest inked with Organic Studios Aldous Huxley. My wife carries an all black Dark Forest in her purse.
@@oscarmedina1597 Do you like these pens? I saw in reviews that in black forest cover can fall off because of a cap. Therefore I bought hongdian 1847 with screw cap. I like that pens have quotes, like "light of hope" 🙂
That Wing Sung is probably made from polypropylene copolymer (PPC).
I just checked my 5 dlls Wing Sung 613 and the converter indeed fits perfectly in my Kakuno and Metropolitan, so I guess now I know where to get a cheaper and better converter than the Con-40 and it also includes a free pen! xD
I know right? That's a Christmas Bonus!
Cheaper and better indeed, just tells you how bad of a deal those CON-40s are.
@@martinlebl631 Truth!
I have the Jinhao Centennial in the same sky blue cracked ice color, AND a Moonman (pre-Majohn) 600s in the same Amber color! I'd have to dig out my pen cases and hunt down my Kaigelu 316 to see what color it is. I think it's the same white with black swirls you have here! GMTA, right?
Yup and yadda yadda yadda fools. ;) I just got another Jinhao Centennial last week. Galaxy with cream finials and section.
@@InkquiringMinds Sound's pretty. Looking forward to the review!
FWIW, the Duofold clones are actually a bit "chunky" for me. They kind of feel over-large for my hand. But, if I find one in ivory or white with silver-colored trim, I'd add it to my collection just to have it. Unfortunately, all the ones I've seen in that color have gold-colored appointments, so I've not been tempted hard yet.
Please Stand By with Herb Alpert and TB never gets old. Frau Farbissina, too!
I can only use eight seconds of Herb Alpert to avoid a copywrite strike! LOL
[expletive deleted] awesome ELP music.
LOL
Everyone's at Court you guys
Thanks, Adriel! :)
Where do you come up with the awesome script, a place far far away?
If the wings sung converter fit Pilot pens, that would be nice.
You mean the typeface for the Star Wars titles? I tried the WS converter in my e95s but, of course, it is too big. But it works in my Explorer okay. But I have a Con70 in that which is WAY better than the WS.
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks for the reply on using WS converter. By script, I meant like a “movie script”; the whole narration in the “introduction”. You went through it without even a smile, and it was hilarious
@@dd-hr4nx Thanks! :)
Which of the duofold clones is your favorite now and why?
Well, it WAS the Moonman M600S Amber until this Jinhao Centennial Sky Blue came along! The addition of the Italix Broad Cursive Italic nib on the Jinhao made it my favourite now.
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks for the reply! Since it sounds like with the stock nib the moonman would be winning for you, I'll stick with mine (I have the teal one and am quite happy with it). After all, I do not think I have a nib that would have the same effect on the jinhao as yours had for you!
Thanks for the review, Doug - of the various (Chinese) Duofold clones you've tried, which would you recommend as the best in class, and/or best value for money? (Obviously not the Wing Sung 670!)
Usually I would say the Moonman M600S - especially with the new acrylics like the Amber. But, with this Jinhao Centennial Sky Blue at $15, it has to be the best of them now.
@@InkquiringMinds D'oh! Esybuy (on Etsy) were doing a good deal on the M600s, with three nibs included for a small extra price. Might end up splashing out on the Sky Blue Jinhao too, but the "Star Blue" Moonman was calling to me...
So the fact that the Con-40 fits in the Wing Sung leaves me wondering... Would the Wing Sung converter be worth putting in a pilot pen?
It works great in my Pilot Falcon and is way better than the Con40 or refilling a cartridge.
It takes 15 days or more for me to get a package from Toronto to California. LOL
And vice-versa!
Have you participate in an Ole Opry ?
Do you know if this "M" of the WING SUNG is close to the European "F" ?
What is an "ole opry"? As I said in the video, this Wing Sung M is .7mm thick which according to Richard Binder is between a Western Medium and a Broad or a Japanese Broad.
@@InkquiringMinds : I'm shocked that you asking what is the oldest country singers gathering through the radio broadcasting in Nashville, (Tn.)
Mr. Rathbun, is the Moonman M600 bigger than the M800??? I bought an M800, honestly I was hoping to the a bit bigger.
The M800 is longer because of the points on the finals only. It is thicker in the barrel and the section is wider slightly. The Leonardo Momento Zero Grande is a much bigger version of the same shaped pen.
My Parker fountain pens are pretty. I dislike writing with them. They dry out before I can finish a sentence. My favorite Parkers are my ballpoint pens and pencils.
Thank you, Cynthia Ellis!
Have to agree not a pen I'd write home about.....sorry. Of all the "clones" this seems the least attractive maybe because it looks more like a clone of the Jinhao Centennial duofold clone 😁😁
Send in the clones!
23:50 Pelikan 4001 Turquoise should be a close match to the vintage Peacock Blue
inkswatch.com/choice.html?hexColorChoice=00bbe3
Thanks for that Alain. I'll have to try it.
I think these Chinese pens are better than Parker ones because these days Parker is producing very cheap quality pens. It's kind of swindling going on from big brands like Parker, Sheaffer, Cross, etc. I recently tried to buy Calais, Urban, etc. but I stopped when I saw very degraded quality of the big brands' pens.
The pens made in China by Chinese brands seem to be better than the ones made in China by western brands.
1. Those bulges rule this guy out for me.
2. The Pilot Petit1 comes in a Clear Blue finish with a beautiful light blue ink cartridge. I haven't been able to locate it in bottle form - can anybody help? The replacement cartridges are horrendously expensive, I guess following the cheap razor/expensive blade model.
The Pilot Petit1 is a new one for me. Interesting.
@@InkquiringMinds I love the Petit. But not as much as Mr Fakename!
@@InkquiringMinds Available at jetpens.com for $3.30. It makes a mark, fulfilling my needs about 95% of the time.
@@ichirofakename Tried one. Leaves a nice line, but too short for my hands, which aren't petite. Otherwise a nice starter pen. Friend of mine gives them as stocking stuffers to introduce people to fountain pens.
@@martinlebl631 Yeah they are on the small side, but for whatever reason that doesn't bother me. I love 'em. For me to spend over $5 for a pen, it has to do something the Petit1 doesn't.
Very nice 😍💋 💝💖♥️❤️
Thanks 🤗
Yikes!
Why the heck would anyone spend almost 800 dollars on an antique designed pen???
bleh...
Not to write with obviously.