Thanks for another excellent video, Professor! I bought a Kangaroo many years ago (maybe 5 years ago, in the days before I looked at TH-cam pen reviewers!), it was very heavy, and the nib was dreadful but I swapped it out for a nicer nib. The problem I had even back then was that the nicer colours were all sold out. You do manage to pick up some beautiful colours. Thank you and long may you continue to give us great “content”.
I love the chatoyance of this pen. It's gorgeous! I'm with you....I love my Jinhao Iced Orange Centennial with a medium nib...it wrote out of the box with no adjustments. Such a deal for a $20 pen. Thanks, Doug!!! Can't wait for the next review. Take good care.
Have a blue "new" 316, amber one just cleared customs. When I have both, I'll do my review. Kaigelu has been slowly changing the 316. The one I got late in 2020, has some of the "new" features, barrel black end cap unscrews, new converter. My blue 316 writes fabulously as do all the other 316s. Sorry you got a "bad" nib. On the new 2021 nib, kangaroo has a baby, my 2020 316 does not. I Iike the cleaner look of the section without end ring. I have a few pens where that golden ring has discolored or plating wore off. Amazing amount of detail in this review. Stay safe & healthy.
Love the Star Trek - "It's stuck"!! My 2018 316 nibs are stuck forever. I ordered the blue 316, trusting it will arrive within the next 2-3 weeks. Have (4) Kaigelu 316s. My 100s have provided me with a nice writing experience. My smoothest Chinese pen is the Picasso Avignon, which writes like butter. I have also found the Picasso 915 a decent writing experience, and a beautiful pen.
Hi Doug, I went down the "Duofold" clone pens rabbit hole too. They are my favorite style and I love all the color variations. Whether it's Jinhao, Kaigelu, Moonman or others makers. I've had no problems with any of them and all the nibs are smooth, wet and write lovely. And you can't beat the price point. Thanks for your excellent reviews of these pens!
YOWZA. I got the blue one just now. My first Kaigelu. The color is even more beautiful when in your hand. Medium nib ( more like a broad which I love) and Noodlers Blue Eel.The nib is like “Buttah”. One of the smoothest writers I have ever had. Thanks for the great review!
Nice one, I'm not a huge fan of the duofold clones, but this one impresses me by the sheer amount of disassembly options. Any thoughts on compatibility of the nib housing? The housing doesn't look like anything else I have, but the nib with the cutout reminds me of the Wing Sung 699's nib. By the way, I wouldn't immediately conclude that an off-center cut nib is the culprit of it writing poorly. I have a Bock medium that is cut extremely off center (like 25%/75%, really extreme). I thought it would be horrible, but it's actually a really smooth and consistent writer.
I wouldn’t either, albeit I prefer symmetry. Sometimes the assymetrical cut causes one side of the nib to be longer, making it ”horrible”. Prudent polishing with a grinding stone never failed to even it out for me.
I prefer the ''2019'' version . But overall the Jinhao centenial is the real winner of the Duofold clone war. Thanks for the review. BTW really nice ink
@@InkquiringMinds i was just looking at it . From the picture on ebay , it looks more like a Pelikan but it remains to see in person i just might get one
Doug, I know exactly what you are talking about with this nib. I just bought one on Ali Express Marble Medium nib two days ago and I have had such terror with this nib. Soaking, picking at it, it would not budge it came with baby's bottom also and was scratchy. And finally I did something right, it writes now, but still hard starts, maybe because there is no inside cap covering making the nib dry out. I am holding my breath. I love the smaller size of this pen. But it is something to be desired. Wish I would have seen your video first...WHOOPS!!!
That Jinhao nib bleeds ink! It might be because that it might have a loose fit in that section/feed combo. Another great review, Doug. Always right up my pen alley.
Thanks for another thorough and fun review Doug! 😊 On a different note, you may be onto something regarding your Pen Convergence theory. Last week I received 4 pens in 2 sequential days. They came from 4 different countries (China, Italy, Netherlands- via the USA - and Brazil) and were purchased on different dates throughout the last 3 months. It was very weird to get them all at once.
The same thing happened to both my daughter and I. I received pens from Aliexpress and one from Amazon. My daughter received pens from Aliexpress; but from different sellers; all on the same day. And we both received our orders, on the same day!
Thanks to you, I’m getting to know about so many beautiful pens from manufacturers I hadn’t heard of ! Coming to heavy pens, I had once ordered a Sheaffer 300 which weighs 50+ grams I guess.. I could not even hold it, leave alone writing with it !
This is a very beautiful and well done Fountain Pen. I like very much the colour, the fact to see tha kangaroo on the cap and the nib. I like the gold trim. The chatoyancy (I do not know how to write this in english). This is a very special colour. And the design of the ring is very elegant, kind on Celtic style. Greetings from Mexico.
If you use a real standard international converter you don't need an adapter to fill it using a needle. The end of the converter fits inside the needle.
@@InkquiringMinds By international standard I meant the schmidt type. If you use the adapter the output is streched out. Using the needle directly the output is pushed in.
Might see if I can put a converter in it! I have a jinhao 100, nib didn't work so had to swap it out. Why do you think the jinhao beats out the kaigelu?
@@InkquiringMinds Ok! How about if you were using the no 6 nib of your choice on either the new Kaigelu 316 or Jinhao 100 which would be your favourite?
@@StarKnightZ they are both very similar. The Jinhao 100 is superior for me because I like the clip better and it has a huge variety of very cool acrylics.
Thank you very much for the very informative video as usual. Apparently now, KaiGeLu 356, the cigar shaped FP seems to be 138mm in length, 25grams in weight and the diameter is 13mm.
@@InkquiringMinds i see! Yesterday i received jinhao 9056 tigerwood and kaigelu 316a, the white gray one. I am impressed for both of them. The write like butter. Didn't expect that in such a low price. I have an expensive gioia and it needed tuning to write well
Mr Rathbun, have you tried any other 'nib units' in this pen for compatibility? If the pen happened to be compatible with Bock or Jowo units, or even any of the odd sized Chinese made units that are about nowadays, that would be really handy to know, particularly if the Kaigelu branded nibs are a bit duff.
Such a timely review. I just received my "ink smoke" 316, which seems to be in between your 2019 and 2021. It has the black endcap and section, and the section is metal. However, it has the new converter with the ball which does not screw in. I was looking forward to the screw in converter. It also had almost no black swirls in the resin, so its more like a white cloud than smoke. However, it does write very nicely. I am now looking for a Jinhao C to buy based upon your comments. So far my favorite is the Moonman M600s.
Hi, Fountain pen newbi here . Can you tell me what does duofold mean? I’ve looked on different pen sites but can’t find an explanation. Thank you for your videos, they are helpful!
Parker began making the Duofold pen in the 1920's. It is a classic design, that has been copied by many other pen makers. The classic Duofold pen had an arrow shaped clip.
Very interesting review! I got rid of my Kaigelu 316 because of the weight, and still use the very nice nib in other pens. On your picture the amount of tipping material looks plenty enough to allow for nib grinding levelling out the two tines. It wouldn’t surprise me if there are nib nerds out there that would take on that challenge, for free, just to make you happy with the pen.
@@InkquiringMinds And one of these days you might feel lucky and try a spot of nib grinding. Nothing (to lose) can be a cool hand! Ref: One of my favourite films.
Nicely done, sir! You know what I’m talking about... wink, wink. On a nib note, I recently took a fine Jinhao nib and reground it into a 1.0 stub. It writes very well in my new Jinhao 9056 in dark wood. Coincidentally, I’m currently writing with a Jinhao Centennial in blue (inked with Robert Oster Soda Pop Blue).
@@paulmchugh1430 It all depends on whether it is the NEW 2021 Kaigelu 316 or the old, heavier, 316. The old ones are friction fit - or even glued in, I can't tell as I couldn't get it out. But the new ones are friction it inside a plastic nib unit that unscrews from the section. So, to use in a Penbbs, you'd have to pull the nib from the nib unit and put it in the Penbbs collar with a Penbbs feed.
Kudos on another great review. Sorry to hear the Jinhao nib got stuck in the Kaigelu nib unit housing. The nib is either thicker, or the wings too wide where it enters the Section, or the nib contour does not closely enough follow the feed contour, or there is a "D" shaped keyway in the housing and the feed was not installed correctly. It looks to be a standard Jinhao feed. Your's seem to have a few bent fins, so while brute force may break it 'more,' it should be easy to get another (FPR, $3), but I suspect you probably have spares laying around. :D Be careful dipping the Jinhao Centennial Section into the ink bottle. Ink can get trapped behind it. My ring eventually fell off (the ink attacked the glue) and the plastic behind the ring, that holds the o-ring, broke into many pieces. If you look closely into the Centennial Section you should see a rubber membrane that collapses around the top of the feed, thereby making an air-tight seal. Going to a lighter weight plastic is a step backward, imo. It's good that Kaigelu got rid of the barrel finial weight, which made the pen top heavy, but I wonder if it now has the near 50/50 weight balance of the Centennial? I doubt that the cap is air-tight though. (Fill it up with water, let is sit on a paper towel overnight, see if water has seeped out. If water leaks out, air can leak in, the nib can hard start in the morning.) At 17.2 grams body weight, it is now in the typical range of about 16 grams for most DuoFold pens. The Converter looks like the typical 3.4mm Chinese Standard than the 3.0mm Int'l Std.
I realize that aesthetics are very subjective, but I prefer the looks of the original. In particular, not a fan of that cap band on the new one! BTW ... what accounts for the weight difference you spoke to?
If it’s all in the nib why does the jinhao not have original nib and you gave it away. I liked the weight of the keigalu. Bummer it’s lighter. Lot info her . Thx for vid.
I gave away the extra fine on the Wing Sung 670. I took the Jinhao nib out of my Jinaho Centennial Sky Blue because I was given an Italix cursive italic nib that is nothing short of spectacular. The Jinhao #6 medium nib that was in the pen wrote perfectly well. Plus, I never said, "it is all in the nib". I said, "And a fountain pen is only as good as the nib on paper." Which is not the same thing.
On a different note, have you noticed a name change on some Moonman listings on eBay? I have brought to the attention of admin fraudulent listings for Jinhao as of late. These are sellers I have used before and trusted, not anymore. I have a Kaigelu purchased in the last few months, love it.....It's the older version.
Yeah I've seen the word "Mojiang" instead of Moonman. The branding on the nib is still Moonman. Who knows though? They might be changing like Datsun, Datsun/Nissan, Nissan/Datsun, Nissan.
@@InkquiringMinds Hey, Doug. Mojiang is just the pinyin transliteration of the brand name 末匠 in hanzi (Chinese characters). Think of it like the finish on a Japanese pen being written in kanji as 櫻. Can't pronounce that, right? But Sakura is fine. Same principle. I've always been able to find their pens on websites in Chinese (that includes Taiwan) using either 末匠 or Moonman. Moonman sticks in English, because it makes you think of the man in the moon, I guess. Does this change possibly have anything to do with Kaweco getting involved?
@@InkquiringMinds Hasn't Kaweco trademarked the Moonman, Delike and one more Chinese brand? So, calling the pens Mojiang would be a workaround in the vein of "See? We're not violating trademark rights. We're selling Mojiang pens..." (Feigning innocence)
@@yuklimka7251 that's what I've heard. And Mojiang is, in fact, their name. I don't suppost anyone would mistake a Moonman fountain pen for a Kaweco Moonman anyway.
Thanks for sharing! I'm debating on this one in Amber. I wanted an Esterbrook that looked similar but that one is close to $300. I'll settle for this one for now 😜 if you need a spare Kagelu or Jinhao nib, I have some in Fine and Extra Fine if you'd like me to send you one, just message me and let me know! Take care!
I'm wondering if the older one is more of the Duofold type, and the newer one is more of a Duragraph type. The ends and the cap band leads me to think that. (I have a Duragraph/Endura--depending on the age-- from the 1920s coming, and those are the biggest differences I see.) Too bad that it's a crapshoot whether or not the quality is good...
Once again you’ve delivered a thorough, entertaining, and honest review. However I don’t believe even the Jinhao can compare to my Parker Duofold Centennial “Big Red.” (Sorry, couldn’t resist a little dig, but for the past few days it’s the pen I’ve been using for my memoirs).
@@InkquiringMinds Doug, I meant to ask for a link to your Ink Buddy. I want to get one for 30 ml Diamine ink bottles - oh, never mind, I see you’ve already placed the link at the bottom. Thanks anyway.
Pretty. Damn the nib though! Might be a good candidate for a super duper custom grind if the nib wasn't stuck. Is there a current pen that is Duofold style with a piston fill? That style of pen looks like it would be nice for long sessions at the desk. If there is one it probably costs an arm and a leg. tldr I wish it was a piston filler 😜
Controversial opinion: I really like pens with black/non-matching sections and finials. Which is why the Parker Duofold and Pilot 823 are my favourite designs. Imagine Penbbs released a _"vintage"_ run of their translucent resin pens with solid colour section and finials, similarly to the 823. I wouldn't hesitate for a second.
That's not so controversial, Hrnek! I think a lot of people like the classic Duofold look with the black finials and section. And Penbbs HAS made pens with solid colour finials and sections against various swirling acrylic resins. The last release of the 456 had a bunch of them. They all disappeared FAST!
Wow, that's really unfortunate about the nib. I love their old style nibs. I hope yours is an anomaly and not a sign of things to come. The new nibs look like they're engraved/cut, where I'm pretty sure the old ones are stamped. Nice to see that they still can't get the plating lined up, though. It would be a shame if they fixed that after all these years. I like the new cap band, but think I prefer the black finials. Thanks for the thorough comparison. I'm going to get one of these, but I think I'm going to stock up on the old ones before they start disappearing.
There was a rumor on FPN that Kaigelu was going out of business or at least stopping the production of the 316. Obviously, it was stopping production of the old version.
I was gonna say if you could contact the seller and ask him to send you a nib replacement but I guess is kinda pointless now you can't remove the Jinhao one haha
Yeah, if I complained to industrialmechanical, he would do something for me I'm sure. But he's a good seller and helped me before and this isn't an issue I need resolved as you say.
Fair and honest review, as always. I wonder if you have seen the new Moonman M700 model? It looks like another updated Duofold clone, a little more minimalistic than the M600 and with a Bock nib like the M800. It's about twice the price of a Jinhao Centennial, so it won't unseat it as your best clone "for the money," but maybe it could give the Duragraph a run for its money.
I've seen the M700 and have been hesitating. Way too much money for the pen, even with a Bock. I'll wait until they have one with the Moonman nib which I will swap out anyway. And it looks like it is short unposted and actually doesn't post either.
I have three older, "celluloid" (?)(actually smells and feels the part, so who knows?) Kaigelu. I don't like them. Nicely made, but they have all kinds of small, annoying issues. Starting issues, burping, drying up, even leaking... Actually, the first one I bought is the best, fooled me to buy two more. I suppose I could tinker a bit with them... Never got to it sofar though.
When I saw these new versions come up for sale I thought they may be fake models of Kaigulu 316. Kind of like the fake Jinhao Moonman crap pen you reviewed once. I also had bad experience with this particular seller industrialmechanical in the past so decided to skip it all together. I have around 14 of these duofold clones between Moonman, Jinhao, and Kaigulu 316, not counting the one I got for my wife. So I think I got enough for now. :-) I agree Jinhao Centennial is best value for money and I think Jinhao generally do not get their due with the quality of fountain pens they produce. I picked up x750 for $4.50. 30 sec on micro mesh and it is one good writer. You can get Jinhao cheaper if you just willing to wait for auctions. I have ordered some Kanwrite broad nibs to replace in a couple of my Jinhao Centennials. Let's see how that experiment works out.
I don't think that this company has any quality control whatsoever. I have the old version. I love the way it writes but it has a weird problem. It won't work with a converter. It's like there's a vacuum lock when you try to draw up ink. Yet, it works just great with cartridges. It's too bad that they don't care. They are a nice pen.
The nibs haven't been great. I've just received a new Kaigelu 356, which is a new model to me from them. I haven't inked it yet but I'm hopeful it will be a good one.
Unfortunately nibs like this are useless for me, all inks bleed through everything. If you would be kind enough to record your drying tune work would be appreciated.
@@InkquiringMinds I agree but such a huge difference seemed a lot. Kaigelu nibs are pretty expensive on their own at least double than the jinhao ones so i am surprised you had such a bad apple.
@@InkquiringMinds Also the polishing is off. I think that in their attempt to make them quickly they ignored to make them work . Probably they reduced the force on the press machine so they don't wear it as quickly ignoring the fact that they are making them ugly. The misalignment of the cut might be because they overworked the cutter so much that they deformed the wheel by either making it too thin or too heated. Quality control is also very noticeably absent. As of Q.C. Penbbs cant be touched by the other Chinese manufacturers.
Nice thing about fountain pens, a lousy one may be only a nib swap away from greatness. Thanks, Doug!
Very true!
Thanks for another excellent video, Professor! I bought a Kangaroo many years ago (maybe 5 years ago, in the days before I looked at TH-cam pen reviewers!), it was very heavy, and the nib was dreadful but I swapped it out for a nicer nib.
The problem I had even back then was that the nicer colours were all sold out. You do manage to pick up some beautiful colours. Thank you and long may you continue to give us great “content”.
Thanks for sharing!
I've always wondered about these. Thanks for the comparison!
No problem!
I love the chatoyance of this pen. It's gorgeous! I'm with you....I love my Jinhao Iced Orange Centennial with a medium nib...it wrote out of the box with no adjustments. Such a deal for a $20 pen. Thanks, Doug!!! Can't wait for the next review. Take good care.
Thanks for sharing!
Have a blue "new" 316, amber one just cleared customs. When I have both, I'll do my review. Kaigelu has been slowly changing the 316. The one I got late in 2020, has some of the "new" features, barrel black end cap unscrews, new converter. My blue 316 writes fabulously as do all the other 316s. Sorry you got a "bad" nib. On the new 2021 nib, kangaroo has a baby, my 2020 316 does not. I Iike the cleaner look of the section without end ring. I have a few pens where that golden ring has discolored or plating wore off. Amazing amount of detail in this review. Stay safe & healthy.
With your '2020' Kaigelu, were the black end cap and finial plastic like the '2021' version, or painted brass like the 'old' version?
@@ZedZed9PluralZA The ends are all plastic. One reason the new pen weighs less.
So, with the new acrylic, they are either 2020 with black finials or 2021 with the acrylic finials. Makes sense.
Love the Star Trek - "It's stuck"!! My 2018 316 nibs are stuck forever. I ordered the blue 316,
trusting it will arrive within the next 2-3 weeks. Have (4) Kaigelu 316s. My 100s have provided
me with a nice writing experience. My smoothest Chinese pen is the Picasso Avignon, which
writes like butter. I have also found the Picasso 915 a decent writing experience, and a beautiful
pen.
Right on! You got a good one!
Hi Doug, I went down the "Duofold" clone pens rabbit hole too. They are my favorite style and I love all the color variations. Whether it's Jinhao, Kaigelu, Moonman or others makers. I've had no problems with any of them and all the nibs are smooth, wet and write lovely. And you can't beat the price point. Thanks for your excellent reviews of these pens!
Thanks for sharing!
Surprisingly I find the dupes way more interesting than the originals! I don't think I'd go for a duofold over parkers other pens.
YOWZA. I got the blue one just now. My first Kaigelu. The color is even more beautiful when in your hand. Medium nib ( more like a broad which I love) and Noodlers Blue Eel.The nib is like “Buttah”. One of the smoothest writers I have ever had. Thanks for the great review!
Very nice! Thank you, MrCabimero!
Nice one, I'm not a huge fan of the duofold clones, but this one impresses me by the sheer amount of disassembly options. Any thoughts on compatibility of the nib housing? The housing doesn't look like anything else I have, but the nib with the cutout reminds me of the Wing Sung 699's nib.
By the way, I wouldn't immediately conclude that an off-center cut nib is the culprit of it writing poorly. I have a Bock medium that is cut extremely off center (like 25%/75%, really extreme). I thought it would be horrible, but it's actually a really smooth and consistent writer.
I wouldn’t either, albeit I prefer symmetry. Sometimes the assymetrical cut causes one side of the nib to be longer, making it ”horrible”. Prudent polishing with a grinding stone never failed to even it out for me.
Yes, I've had an off center slit write well in the past. This isn't one of them.
I prefer the ''2019'' version . But overall the Jinhao centenial is the real winner of the Duofold clone war. Thanks for the review. BTW really nice ink
A viewer pointed me to the Hongdian 960. Now one is on the way. Another clone.
I second the Jinhao Centenial and the Conklin Duragraph 👍
@@InkquiringMinds i was just looking at it . From the picture on ebay , it looks more like a Pelikan but it remains to see in person i just might get one
@@lucm6476 Yeah, that's why I got it actually; because it looks so similar to my new Pelikan M800!
Doug, I know exactly what you are talking about with this nib. I just bought one on Ali Express Marble Medium nib two days ago and I have had such terror with this nib. Soaking, picking at it, it would not budge it came with baby's bottom also and was scratchy.
And finally I did something right, it writes now, but still hard starts, maybe because there is no inside cap covering making the nib dry out. I am holding my breath. I love the smaller size of this pen.
But it is something to be desired. Wish I would have seen your video first...WHOOPS!!!
Thank you!
That Jinhao nib bleeds ink! It might be because that it might have a loose fit in that section/feed combo. Another great review, Doug. Always right up my pen alley.
Nope. Tighter than a .
Thanks for another thorough and fun review Doug! 😊
On a different note, you may be onto something regarding your Pen Convergence theory. Last week I received 4 pens in 2 sequential days. They came from 4 different countries (China, Italy, Netherlands- via the USA - and Brazil) and were purchased on different dates throughout the last 3 months. It was very weird to get them all at once.
Ah ha! Pen GRAVITY!
The same thing happened to both my daughter and I. I received pens from Aliexpress and one from Amazon. My daughter received pens from Aliexpress; but from different sellers; all on the same day. And we both received our orders, on the same day!
Thanks to you, I’m getting to know about so many beautiful pens from manufacturers I hadn’t heard of !
Coming to heavy pens, I had once ordered a Sheaffer 300 which weighs 50+ grams I guess.. I could not even hold it, leave alone writing with it !
You are so welcome!
This is a very beautiful and well done Fountain Pen. I like very much the colour, the fact to see tha kangaroo on the cap and the nib. I like the gold trim. The chatoyancy (I do not know how to write this in english). This is a very special colour. And the design of the ring is very elegant, kind on Celtic style. Greetings from Mexico.
Thank you! Cheers!
I've got one on order and hope I get luckier with the nib. Thanks for a great and helpful review
I hope so too!
I received mine today (M nib). It is a smooth nib that writes like a Broad nib and is a wet writer. Very happy with it
If you use a real standard international converter you don't need an adapter to fill it using a needle. The end of the converter fits inside the needle.
I just used the converter that came with the pen which is an international standard.
@@InkquiringMinds By international standard I meant the schmidt type. If you use the adapter the output is streched out. Using the needle directly the output is pushed in.
Might see if I can put a converter in it!
I have a jinhao 100, nib didn't work so had to swap it out. Why do you think the jinhao beats out the kaigelu?
They don't always. Some Jinhaos are awful!
@@InkquiringMinds Ok! How about if you were using the no 6 nib of your choice on either the new Kaigelu 316 or Jinhao 100 which would be your favourite?
@@StarKnightZ they are both very similar. The Jinhao 100 is superior for me because I like the clip better and it has a huge variety of very cool acrylics.
Thank you very much for the very informative video as usual. Apparently now, KaiGeLu 356, the cigar shaped FP seems to be 138mm in length, 25grams in weight and the diameter is 13mm.
I have one on the way.
@@InkquiringMinds Oh, already! Good luck on your your new NIB this time.
Nice review!Would you prefer this or moonman 800 orange?
The M800!
@@InkquiringMinds and i quess the bock nib?
@@stathkon Actually I have a Leonardo nib in it at the moment.
@@InkquiringMinds i see! Yesterday i received jinhao 9056 tigerwood and kaigelu 316a, the white gray one. I am impressed for both of them. The write like butter. Didn't expect that in such a low price. I have an expensive gioia and it needed tuning to write well
Mr Rathbun, have you tried any other 'nib units' in this pen for compatibility? If the pen happened to be compatible with Bock or Jowo units, or even any of the odd sized Chinese made units that are about nowadays, that would be really handy to know, particularly if the Kaigelu branded nibs are a bit duff.
I never got a chance to try others as this one is now stuck tight.
Such a timely review. I just received my "ink smoke" 316, which seems to be in between your 2019 and 2021. It has the black endcap and section, and the section is metal. However, it has the new converter with the ball which does not screw in. I was looking forward to the screw in converter. It also had almost no black swirls in the resin, so its more like a white cloud than smoke. However, it does write very nicely. I am now looking for a Jinhao C to buy based upon your comments. So far my favorite is the Moonman M600s.
You'll like the Jinhao Centennial!
Another great review 👏
Thank you 🤗
looking for the old brown / red kaigelu, but can't find it. I can only have that colour
Like this? www.ebay.ca/itm/174570916157?hash=item28a53cc93d:g:ReMAAOSwzN9f5IOv
Great review as always. Doug, I believe that you are missing the Hongdian 960 in your collection.
That's true. The 960 wants to be more like a Pelikan M800 though I think. Since I just got my Pelikan M800 this week, I should get a 960 to compare.
Hi, Fountain pen newbi here . Can you tell me what does duofold mean? I’ve looked on different pen sites but can’t find an explanation. Thank you for your videos, they are helpful!
It is from the English word "twofold" meaning twice as great.
Parker began making the Duofold pen in the 1920's. It is a classic design, that has been copied by many other pen makers. The classic Duofold pen had an arrow shaped clip.
Have you tried if a Jinhao cartridge converter works on Kaigelu 316?
A Jinhao converter is too loose in a Kaigelu 316.
@@InkquiringMinds Thank you every much!
Thanks so much for this! It's incredibly informative and I enjoy all of your videos. How can one tell one is not ordering a 2021 version?
Ope -- nevermind; I hadn't watched far enough! Thanks!
Thanks, Judy!
Very interesting review! I got rid of my Kaigelu 316 because of the weight, and still use the very nice nib in other pens.
On your picture the amount of tipping material looks plenty enough to allow for nib grinding levelling out the two tines. It wouldn’t surprise me if there are nib nerds out there that would take on that challenge, for free, just to make you happy with the pen.
Thanks for the tips!
@@InkquiringMinds And one of these days you might feel lucky and try a spot of nib grinding. Nothing (to lose) can be a cool hand! Ref: One of my favourite films.
Shockingly bad nib. Brilliant review again Doug thanks. Wish I had a nib archive
Thanks for watching!
So does the Jinhao nib write any differently in the Kaigelu body?
Not at all. Exactly the same.
Nicely done, sir! You know what I’m talking about... wink, wink. On a nib note, I recently took a fine Jinhao nib and reground it into a 1.0 stub. It writes very well in my new Jinhao 9056 in dark wood. Coincidentally, I’m currently writing with a Jinhao Centennial in blue (inked with Robert Oster Soda Pop Blue).
Very nice! I love the Soda Pop Blue!
I like the blue Jin Hao 100 with Robert Oster Bondi Blue.
I was thinking swapping the Kaigelu nib for the one on my penBBS 323. Do you think it will work?
It should but I've never tried it. The cap on the 323 has clearance. It would not fit in a 308 though.
@@InkquiringMinds Thank you. Does the Kaigelu feed pull out or unscrew?
@@paulmchugh1430 It all depends on whether it is the NEW 2021 Kaigelu 316 or the old, heavier, 316. The old ones are friction fit - or even glued in, I can't tell as I couldn't get it out. But the new ones are friction it inside a plastic nib unit that unscrews from the section. So, to use in a Penbbs, you'd have to pull the nib from the nib unit and put it in the Penbbs collar with a Penbbs feed.
@@InkquiringMinds thank you, again. Unfortunately my pennBBs nib with it's slightly upturned design is just not of me.
Kudos on another great review.
Sorry to hear the Jinhao nib got stuck in the Kaigelu nib unit housing. The nib is either thicker, or the wings too wide where it enters the Section, or the nib contour does not closely enough follow the feed contour, or there is a "D" shaped keyway in the housing and the feed was not installed correctly. It looks to be a standard Jinhao feed. Your's seem to have a few bent fins, so while brute force may break it 'more,' it should be easy to get another (FPR, $3), but I suspect you probably have spares laying around. :D
Be careful dipping the Jinhao Centennial Section into the ink bottle. Ink can get trapped behind it. My ring eventually fell off (the ink attacked the glue) and the plastic behind the ring, that holds the o-ring, broke into many pieces. If you look closely into the Centennial Section you should see a rubber membrane that collapses around the top of the feed, thereby making an air-tight seal.
Going to a lighter weight plastic is a step backward, imo. It's good that Kaigelu got rid of the barrel finial weight, which made the pen top heavy, but I wonder if it now has the near 50/50 weight balance of the Centennial? I doubt that the cap is air-tight though. (Fill it up with water, let is sit on a paper towel overnight, see if water has seeped out. If water leaks out, air can leak in, the nib can hard start in the morning.) At 17.2 grams body weight, it is now in the typical range of about 16 grams for most DuoFold pens. The Converter looks like the typical 3.4mm Chinese Standard than the 3.0mm Int'l Std.
Thank you, Wally!
I realize that aesthetics are very subjective, but I prefer the looks of the original. In particular, not a fan of that cap band on the new one! BTW ... what accounts for the weight difference you spoke to?
I would assume the brass in the end finials. Plus, the 2019 model has much thicker, heavier acrylic.
My version of the Kaigelu (older style) has a removable blind cap, but it's not very useful, since you can't reach the converter.
Thank you, DAK!
Great review. Thank you
Thanks for watching!
If it’s all in the nib why does the jinhao not have original nib and you gave it away. I liked the weight of the keigalu. Bummer it’s lighter. Lot info her . Thx for vid.
I gave away the extra fine on the Wing Sung 670. I took the Jinhao nib out of my Jinaho Centennial Sky Blue because I was given an Italix cursive italic nib that is nothing short of spectacular. The Jinhao #6 medium nib that was in the pen wrote perfectly well. Plus, I never said, "it is all in the nib". I said, "And a fountain pen is only as good as the nib on paper." Which is not the same thing.
On a different note, have you noticed a name change on some Moonman listings on eBay? I have brought to the attention of admin fraudulent listings for Jinhao as of late. These are sellers I have used before and trusted, not anymore. I have a Kaigelu purchased in the last few months, love it.....It's the older version.
Yeah I've seen the word "Mojiang" instead of Moonman. The branding on the nib is still Moonman. Who knows though? They might be changing like Datsun, Datsun/Nissan, Nissan/Datsun, Nissan.
@@InkquiringMinds Hey, Doug. Mojiang is just the pinyin transliteration of the brand name 末匠 in hanzi (Chinese characters). Think of it like the finish on a Japanese pen being written in kanji as 櫻. Can't pronounce that, right? But Sakura is fine. Same principle.
I've always been able to find their pens on websites in Chinese (that includes Taiwan) using either 末匠 or Moonman. Moonman sticks in English, because it makes you think of the man in the moon, I guess.
Does this change possibly have anything to do with Kaweco getting involved?
@@yuklimka7251 I'm sure it does. Although I can't think of a Kaweco model named "Moonman".
@@InkquiringMinds Hasn't Kaweco trademarked the Moonman, Delike and one more Chinese brand? So, calling the pens Mojiang would be a workaround in the vein of "See? We're not violating trademark rights. We're selling Mojiang pens..." (Feigning innocence)
@@yuklimka7251 that's what I've heard. And Mojiang is, in fact, their name. I don't suppost anyone would mistake a Moonman fountain pen for a Kaweco Moonman anyway.
Thanks for sharing! I'm debating on this one in Amber. I wanted an Esterbrook that looked similar but that one is close to $300. I'll settle for this one for now 😜 if you need a spare Kagelu or Jinhao nib, I have some in Fine and Extra Fine if you'd like me to send you one, just message me and let me know! Take care!
Thanks! I've got quite a few! :)
I'm wondering if the older one is more of the Duofold type, and the newer one is more of a Duragraph type. The ends and the cap band leads me to think that. (I have a Duragraph/Endura--depending on the age-- from the 1920s coming, and those are the biggest differences I see.)
Too bad that it's a crapshoot whether or not the quality is good...
The two pens are identical in dimensions, so I'd say no.
Once again you’ve delivered a thorough, entertaining, and honest review. However I don’t believe even the Jinhao can compare to my Parker Duofold Centennial “Big Red.” (Sorry, couldn’t resist a little dig, but for the past few days it’s the pen I’ve been using for my memoirs).
Enjoy your Duofold! They are a classic for a reason!
@@InkquiringMinds Doug, I meant to ask for a link to your Ink Buddy. I want to get one for 30 ml Diamine ink bottles - oh, never mind, I see you’ve already placed the link at the bottom. Thanks anyway.
@@williamcrane1 Ah good you found it!
@@InkquiringMinds yes. And I ordered the Red Resin - looks like a jewel. 😀
Pretty. Damn the nib though! Might be a good candidate for a super duper custom grind if the nib wasn't stuck.
Is there a current pen that is Duofold style with a piston fill? That style of pen looks like it would be nice for long sessions at the desk. If there is one it probably costs an arm and a leg. tldr I wish it was a piston filler 😜
Yeah. A Pelikan M800. Video soon. :)
@@InkquiringMinds yeah, I figured you'd say Pelikan as I wrote that 😄
Perfect ink choice for that pen!
It is. Very similar to Robert Oster Astorquiza Rot.
Controversial opinion: I really like pens with black/non-matching sections and finials. Which is why the Parker Duofold and Pilot 823 are my favourite designs.
Imagine Penbbs released a _"vintage"_ run of their translucent resin pens with solid colour section and finials, similarly to the 823. I wouldn't hesitate for a second.
That's not so controversial, Hrnek! I think a lot of people like the classic Duofold look with the black finials and section. And Penbbs HAS made pens with solid colour finials and sections against various swirling acrylic resins. The last release of the 456 had a bunch of them. They all disappeared FAST!
@@InkquiringMinds Oh bugger, I never knew they did!
Wow, that's really unfortunate about the nib. I love their old style nibs. I hope yours is an anomaly and not a sign of things to come. The new nibs look like they're engraved/cut, where I'm pretty sure the old ones are stamped. Nice to see that they still can't get the plating lined up, though. It would be a shame if they fixed that after all these years. I like the new cap band, but think I prefer the black finials. Thanks for the thorough comparison. I'm going to get one of these, but I think I'm going to stock up on the old ones before they start disappearing.
There was a rumor on FPN that Kaigelu was going out of business or at least stopping the production of the 316. Obviously, it was stopping production of the old version.
I was gonna say if you could contact the seller and ask him to send you a nib replacement but I guess is kinda pointless now you can't remove the Jinhao one haha
Yeah, if I complained to industrialmechanical, he would do something for me I'm sure. But he's a good seller and helped me before and this isn't an issue I need resolved as you say.
Fair and honest review, as always. I wonder if you have seen the new Moonman M700 model? It looks like another updated Duofold clone, a little more minimalistic than the M600 and with a Bock nib like the M800. It's about twice the price of a Jinhao Centennial, so it won't unseat it as your best clone "for the money," but maybe it could give the Duragraph a run for its money.
I've seen the M700 and have been hesitating. Way too much money for the pen, even with a Bock. I'll wait until they have one with the Moonman nib which I will swap out anyway. And it looks like it is short unposted and actually doesn't post either.
I have three older, "celluloid" (?)(actually smells and feels the part, so who knows?) Kaigelu. I don't like them. Nicely made, but they have all kinds of small, annoying issues. Starting issues, burping, drying up, even leaking... Actually, the first one I bought is the best, fooled me to buy two more. I suppose I could tinker a bit with them... Never got to it sofar though.
I have three of the heavy earlier versions too. They are okay writers but the pen is just too heavy.
When I saw these new versions come up for sale I thought they may be fake models of Kaigulu 316. Kind of like the fake Jinhao Moonman crap pen you reviewed once. I also had bad experience with this particular seller industrialmechanical in the past so decided to skip it all together. I have around 14 of these duofold clones between Moonman, Jinhao, and Kaigulu 316, not counting the one I got for my wife. So I think I got enough for now. :-)
I agree Jinhao Centennial is best value for money and I think Jinhao generally do not get their due with the quality of fountain pens they produce. I picked up x750 for $4.50. 30 sec on micro mesh and it is one good writer. You can get Jinhao cheaper if you just willing to wait for auctions. I have ordered some Kanwrite broad nibs to replace in a couple of my Jinhao Centennials. Let's see how that experiment works out.
Good luck with that! I have another Duofold clone on the way; Hongdian 960.
I don't think that this company has any quality control whatsoever. I have the old version. I love the way it writes but it has a weird problem. It won't work with a converter. It's like there's a vacuum lock when you try to draw up ink. Yet, it works just great with cartridges. It's too bad that they don't care. They are a nice pen.
The nibs haven't been great. I've just received a new Kaigelu 356, which is a new model to me from them. I haven't inked it yet but I'm hopeful it will be a good one.
You have a ball left
Could be right.
Unfortunately nibs like this are useless for me, all inks bleed through everything. If you would be kind enough to record your drying tune work would be appreciated.
Thanks for reminding me. Here is Brian Goulet on how to do that! th-cam.com/video/ocNwGpqAku4/w-d-xo.html
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks Doug!
Helloo Mr Douglas, I spy a Pelikan, am I dreaming? c:
Anyways, tune into my Instagram because I got a Montblanc Lavander Purple ink yay c:
You're not dreaming! My birthday grail pen!
You amateur! LOL. I have 11 Jinhaos 100, 6 Kaigelus and 5 Moonman (Moonmen?)! LOOOL. And, by the way, 2 Parker Duofolds.
LOL You win!
@@InkquiringMinds Better... I've gone nuts.
newer pen is made cheaper, awful nib
Kaigelu doesn't use a #6 nib in their 2019 model??? Jinhao nibs are #6 and it fit and the kaigelu didn't??? Odd
It is a #6 but all #6 nibs are not equal. The #6 just indicates 6mm width of the feed at the base.
@@InkquiringMinds I agree but such a huge difference seemed a lot. Kaigelu nibs are pretty expensive on their own at least double than the jinhao ones so i am surprised you had such a bad apple.
@@nikthegreek4223 The new ones don't look as nice as the old ones. The engraving is so light it is hard to see.
@@InkquiringMinds Also the polishing is off. I think that in their attempt to make them quickly they ignored to make them work . Probably they reduced the force on the press machine so they don't wear it as quickly ignoring the fact that they are making them ugly. The misalignment of the cut might be because they overworked the cutter so much that they deformed the wheel by either making it too thin or too heated. Quality control is also very noticeably absent. As of Q.C. Penbbs cant be touched by the other Chinese manufacturers.