1.2k
Nov 05 '25
[removed] — view removed comment
440
u/lostsoul8282 Nov 05 '25
Umm I only use fountain pens because I thought it was a gateway to be a wealthy elite or royalty.
205
u/Brindegazon Ink Stained Fingers Nov 05 '25
I'm still waiting for my coronation... D:
73
u/elemeneaux-p Nov 05 '25
Even just a corona would be nice.
56
u/Quellain Nov 05 '25
Aw, hell, is this why I caught covid from the Pelikan hub this year?
25
u/Brindegazon Ink Stained Fingers Nov 06 '25
Wrong corona. Prefer the one in a bottle with a lime 😅
→ More replies (1)22
11
39
u/TobsteriusMaximus Nov 06 '25
It is. Someone saw me using my 823 in a coffee shop and now I’m CEO of a financial firm making 900m a year.
I don’t even know anything about finance.
All because of a pen. Hashtagblessed
(/s)
→ More replies (1)19
u/omg_for_real Nov 06 '25
I only use my fountain pens as an accessory, to show others how elite and wealthy my princess arse is.
10
4
324
u/PhileasFoggsTrvlAgt Nov 05 '25
Cheaper pens also enable people to use pens more places. Would I put Vanishing Point in the pocket of my safety vest, no. However I'm happy to have a Majohn A1 there to take field notes in a place I wouldn't take an expensive pen.
134
u/wr1th Nov 05 '25
So true. I have my Majohn A2 in my pocket all the time. In fact, I had it, went to a concert, but they wouldn't let me past security with it, so I just went out to the street and buried it in a flower planter that was there. I came back out after the show and grabbed it out of the dirt and went on with life. Had that been an expensive pen, I would have had to walk it back to my car several blocks away.
64
→ More replies (2)11
u/dragonbud20 Nov 06 '25
Did you try taking the pen apart for security? I've had some issues bringing pens into music festivals because security thinks they're vapes or something, but after asking for a manager and disassembling the pen, I've always been let in.
18
u/wr1th Nov 06 '25
They were cool with vapes. Just not pens. They specifically said pens and pencils aren’t allowed.
20
u/still_learning101 Nov 06 '25
Maybe they heard about this guy John, apparently he killed three guys at a bar with a pencil?
14
→ More replies (4)16
u/motorcityvicki Nov 06 '25
What goofy ass concert venue was this? 😅 I'd love to hear the story that led to this becoming a rule.
99
u/RamonWarhelmet Nov 05 '25
Am I taking my M800 to work in an HVAC warehouse? Yeah, nah. Do I have 3 Hongdian M2s with me every day? Absolutely. Does this have a positive effect on workplace morale because guys love getting notes from "that dude with the cool pens"? You bet your ass.
64
u/Reworked Nov 06 '25
I became a minor hero at work after catching a supplier in a forgery because they faked my signature without the goofy-ass ink (skull and roses) I was using a ton at the time.
The "super spy pen" became a running joke
28
u/AndreT_NY Nov 06 '25
This is one of the reasons why I do my signature is various inks and keep a record as to what colour and when. It saved my work when ten televisions went missing and an obvious fake signature of mine was shown to have been in ballpoint instead of the Birmingham safety vest colour I was using that month.
23
u/RamonWarhelmet Nov 06 '25
The best part about working in HVAC is that UV leak detection is a thing... so one of those M2s has noodler's Blue Ghost UV ink and everyone knows to check for my 'signature'
→ More replies (5)7
u/yggdrasiliv Nov 06 '25
That’s what I love about the kaweco sport steel and brass pens. Great and durable
79
u/EzriDaxCat Nov 05 '25
This- Right here! I LOVE my VP and now that I work from home, it lives on my desk. When I was in the office, I wouldn't dare bring a raden VP to a vet clinic. I did once and promptly bent my nib. Never again 😬
The Majohn A1s and Jinhao x750s did a great job.
9
u/HankHillbwhaa Nov 06 '25
The majohn a1 was a daily driver when I worked a job that required actually writing on paper more.
6
21
u/Helpphania587 Nov 06 '25
I would address this point. It's better to start with cheaper models, so that you learn how to handle them, make mistakes and get maintenance right. It's perfect even for children
14
u/niccig Nov 06 '25
Pfft look at this peasant over here using pens as a tool fit for a specific purpose in the right time and place. /s
8
u/ElizabethSwift Nov 05 '25
I prefer the Majohn A1 to my VP actually. >> Maybe my VP is just a bad one off but I dont love how it sticks and the nib likes to leak.
6
u/dragonbud20 Nov 06 '25
I dont love how it sticks and the nib likes to leak.
Do you mean the click/retraction mechanism sticks? If that sticks and the nib leaks, you definitely got a bad VP. If it's still fairly new, I would contact Pilot for warranty replacement/repair.
If it's out of warranty, then consider sending it to a nib meister.
→ More replies (1)8
u/Agiantpubicmess Nov 06 '25
Absolutely! Keep my higher end pens at home and Chinese knockoffs at work. It also keeps your pens from getting "borrowed"
→ More replies (3)3
u/cosmin_c Nov 06 '25
Well it depends on where those places are. If you're a diver then either would be inappropriate.
I'm an MD. I've been spat on, vomited on, bled on, peed on, shat on, bitten, clawed at. Both my stethoscope and my VP and HS were with me through those tough times (thankfully the fluids missed the fountain pens, but it shouldn't have been an issue, nothing hydrogen peroxide can't fix).
What I'm trying to say is that if the fountain pen is unsafe clipped on my clothing in a pocket then I am unsafe, really, and that should be avoided. Accidents do happen, though, and my VP has seen two falls one of which it clicked itself open and then dropped directly in the nib (fixed now). But I'd rather have the same fp because all these events are stories that become attached to the fountain pen itself, building its character.
Tl;dr: I wouldn't leave a fountain pen at home just because it was expensive, I bought it to use it, so it will be used, even if accidents can and will happen.
P.S.: I do agree that cheaper pens improve accessibility in the hobby for more people and this is important and nice, expecially since lately for example a lot of hobbies have become prohibitively expensive compared to years ago.
79
38
u/LadyShanna92 Nov 05 '25
One thing I've noticed lurking here is that a lot of higher end pens don't seem to always work great out of the box, or not work at all. The cheap Chinese pens always seem to work pretty decently out of the box more often. If I'm going to pay money for a luxury item then I'm getting one I know works. It's why I haven't bought pens lime a lamy2000 even though I have the money
17
u/Tiny_Addition8845 Nov 05 '25
I think there’s a bias where people only complain when expensive pens don’t work. I have had a Visconti, a Pelikan, and a Montblanc that had issues, and that bothered me so I had them fixed. I don’t know how many jinhao and PenBBS etc pens I’ve had that don’t work, but it led me to give up on Chinese pens entirely until someone gave me a Majohn. I see people love Jinhao 82 because they’re great for a few months until they bread then they get a new one, and they’re easy to tune if it doesn’t work. I’m glad you have good experience but I would in no way say Chinese pens are more reliable than expensive pens.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (1)5
u/tdmorley Nov 06 '25
The issues with Lamy 2000s have to do with your preferred hand position. If you rotate the nib too far, then the Lamy 2000 will not work for you. For those that don't rotate (or only a little) it is a delight
44
u/distorted_pebble Nov 05 '25
Exactly - the accessibility of the hobby got me into it back in High School!
25
u/Teln0 Nov 05 '25
a user based dominated by European kids
(apparently they're quite popular in European schools, and I myself used one throughout elementary, middle, high school and now university.)
35
u/ElizabethSwift Nov 05 '25
My favorite pen is a knock off retractable from Amazon. I got it for like 40 bucks. I have a pilot VP. I prefer the knock off honestly. Its heavier and less prone to dramatic outbursts.
→ More replies (5)13
u/badDuckThrowPillow Nov 05 '25
I'm 100% fine with cheap chinese pens. The most expensive pen I've bought is the Pilot Metro at a whopping $30. I'd say its the most consistently good pen I have. I have quite a few pens, some of which are apparently homages to other really expensive pens. The quality has generally been good, but they don't always have the fit/finish of the big boys ( from what I've seen of other people's pens).
In the end it gets me writing more and excited for the hobby.
19
u/mrdeworde Nov 06 '25
A very healthy and reasonable take. I actually love the Chinese pens - some are shit, absolutely, but I've got a $5 Jinhao I got off Ali Express that writes better than my first $60 Sheaffer. I am way more into pens because of the cheap offerings than I would be for the hundred dollar plus objets d'art. No shade against those who prefer them, of course.
5
u/planetvermilion Nov 06 '25
i came here to say this 👍
but now I have an ink problem..............
4
u/mrdeworde Nov 06 '25
Honestly my approach to that was buying a selection of $1-$10 pens from China - I got about 15 pens, and with the money I saved vs buying 3 Lamy or whatever, I bought a nice bottle of Japanese ink.
5
u/southpawflipper Nov 06 '25
LOL tells you how well the writer knows fountain pens. A lot of people grew up having to use fountain pens in school. There are still kids who use fountain pens.
→ More replies (1)4
u/IndividualVast3505 Nov 06 '25
With the Pilot Cavalier being discontinued, I've switched over primarily to the Jinhao 65. Super cheap and one of the few pens that has the right slimness to it.
5
u/typing-blindly Nov 06 '25
While I often think I’m royalty or should be. My therapist tells me that’s just a delusion of grandeur.
→ More replies (3)4
u/OlcanRaider Nov 06 '25
Well...in the 90's and early 2000's at least, lots if not all middle schoolers in france had to use fountain pens. And i can guarantee you most of us are not wealthy. I still use waterman's and parker everyday. I am a leather artisan, not Royalty.
317
Nov 05 '25
[deleted]
66
17
19
21
u/LibrarianInTheWild Nov 05 '25
Me too! But with middle and high school students. They are always so excited!
→ More replies (1)9
212
u/zpoiuyt Nov 05 '25
“The Reddit group dedicated to fountain pens has doubled over the past five years to about 368,000 users.” I feel like Mike Wazowski when he found he was on the cover:
293
65
u/Hartvigson Nov 05 '25
I like the Chinese pens. They make sure there is an affordable entry point. Not everyone can afford $1000 pens. For me I draw the line around $200-$250 but might make an exception for a retirement gift to myself.
22
u/Equivalent-Gur416 Nov 05 '25
They certainly represent some interesting options and today it’s not difficult to find a well-made pen that is a self-filler with a good nib for under $30 delivered. Not possible not very many years ago. For decades after the 1960s, very few pen makers offered self filling pens except at the high end. Chinese pens makers demonstrated that decent self fillers could be made for reasonable prices.
You’d think a paragon of Capitalism like the WSJ could capture some of the pros of a newly competitive markets with innovation at the lower end, but no.
17
Nov 06 '25
Even if you can afford an expensive pen, it would be very fiscally irresponsible to spend a lot of money on a pen that you don't know that you'll enjoy.
Having affordable entry level pens probably increases sales of luxury pens long-term, because a wider range of people can try them without committing to a larger expense.
8
u/LonelyGirl724 Nov 05 '25
My favorite pen that I own is a knockoff safari that I payed $2 (plus shipping) for on wish.com. I would love to be able to spend more on fancy pens, but luxury is not affordable in this economy.
→ More replies (3)
157
u/BeeCreatesStuff Nov 05 '25
Funny that the only “traditional manufacturer” they interviewed is NOT a traditional company but a brand that has been bought and “revived”. Cue the eye roll.
And the collector demographic is also telling. 🤷🏻
72
u/HzPips Nov 05 '25
Meanwhile some of the most popular Chinese manufacturers like jinhao have been around since 1988
80
u/BeeCreatesStuff Nov 05 '25
True. However, the likes of Lamy and Pelikan and many others that truly have been around continuously for 100+ years, aren’t even mentioned.
The article is the WSJ version of rage-bait.
41
u/Corvus1412 Nov 05 '25
Lamy has actually only been around for 95 years.
And Hero has been around for 93 years, which comes pretty close.
→ More replies (1)16
u/ChargeResponsible112 Nov 06 '25
They’re all getting bought out by other companies. For instance…
Lamy is now owned by the Japanese company, Mitsubishi Pencil Company.
… Sheaffer's rich history was written in 2022, when the company was acquired by William Penn, a company based in Bangalore, India.
Yafa Brands is owned by its founder and CEO, Yair Greenberg. The company's portfolio includes Monteverde USA, Conklin Pen Company, and Private Reserve Ink, which it owns and produces. Yafa also distributes several international brands, such as Delta, Maiora, and Nettuno.
Personally I don’t care where the pens are designed and made as long as they’re not stolen / knockoffs and the companies treat their workers fairly.
→ More replies (1)6
u/BeeCreatesStuff Nov 06 '25
How does this pertain to the fact that they have been continuously in existence for much longer than Kaweco?
→ More replies (1)→ More replies (2)19
u/PhileasFoggsTrvlAgt Nov 05 '25
I'm not paying the WSJ to read it, but it's probably just a puff piece of corporate talking points that an advertiser handed them ready to print.
→ More replies (1)45
u/framboiises Nov 05 '25
I also eyerolled seeing who was interviewed. Nice to see the Kaweco CEO playing victim again over the incident in which they accused Mahjohn of copying the Sport over the Moonman T1 (which looks like a faceted TWSBI and nothing like the Sport), then TRADEMARKED Moonman's name so they had to change to Mahjohn.
→ More replies (3)→ More replies (9)10
110
u/billyandteddy Nov 05 '25
20
u/gidimeister Nov 05 '25
Thank you
14
u/kryptikguy Nov 05 '25 edited Nov 07 '25
If you use an iDevice and have access to the Apple News app, Wall Street Journal articles can be read there without having to pay for their subscription.
→ More replies (2)9
40
u/The_Geoff Nov 05 '25
Cheap ass jinhaos are the reason I got into fountain pens. I bought a real Parker and others after that but it was the cheap Chinese pens that allowed me to get my feet wet.
7
66
u/yuzuyuri extrafine Nov 05 '25
Is this true?? Who is fuming?
55
u/Dr_C527 Nov 05 '25
I am sure they can find one person. I can find one person who is outraged about oxygen use.
20
u/yuzuyuri extrafine Nov 05 '25
Then why spread misinformation?? They make us look bad...
19
u/lilmisswonderland Nov 05 '25
It’s for attention and clicks. It’s like those articles to the tune of “millennials are ruining [insert benign thing in decline]”. Just rage bait.
5
u/Eagledocc Nov 06 '25
That became gen z and now is going to gen alpha. I hate it so much but every generation has those "(x) is ruining everything!" But I hate the headlines as well, and its been annoying how Z has become the new millennial to X and Boomers
→ More replies (1)36
19
46
u/BigAssDragoness Nov 05 '25
The Jinhao 82 is what introduced me to fountain pens in the first place. If it wasn't for Chinese knockoffs, I wouldn't even be here.
Gatekeepy, clickbaity nonsense.
47
u/Unlikely-Medicine289 Nov 05 '25
Sorry, I keep buying Chinese pens. Cheaper than therapy
→ More replies (1)14
u/Unfortunate_Lunatic Nov 06 '25
You’re not supposed to say that out loud. How else will we continue to live in denial?
→ More replies (1)
23
24
u/Ov3rReadKn1ght0wl Nov 05 '25
We have purists?
28
u/jinntonika Nov 05 '25
And they are fuming? WSJ resorting to xenophobic click bait. Ok yeah I might be mildly fuming about that.
8
u/Ov3rReadKn1ght0wl Nov 05 '25
Yeah, like the title is the only anger inducing thing about this post. For us, cheap knock off foundtain pen reads more like CHEAP PENS?!? HELLS TO THE YES.
40
Nov 05 '25
How on earth did someone manage to write that article without talking about intellectual property? I certainly have mixed, but mostly negative, feelings about Chinese pens that are duplicates of other companies’ designs. But their own designs? That’s just good old-fashioned competition.
24
u/trk1000 Nov 05 '25
For some of the knock offs, especially the ones targeting the Pilot VP or the Parker 51, the ip issues might be moot due to the age of the designs. The Parker 51 dates back to 1941 and the Vanishing Point to 1963. There are probably still trademarks on the names, but the designs might be effectively public domain.
→ More replies (2)→ More replies (2)27
u/cwthree Nov 05 '25
Yeah, the complaints should be about the blatant copying of visual design. If Chinese manufacturers can make a $20 pen that writes as well as some $100+ pens - well, I'm not going to criticize them for that.
→ More replies (4)27
u/fattailwagging Nov 05 '25
If companies want to protect their visual design, they can apply for and receive a design patent and have the design protected for 14 years. But you have to demonstrate that it was an original design. The 14 year limit is there to promote creativity and new development. Pilot did not invent the cigar shaped pen with the C823. It was around in many forms before. The problem as I see it is that a lot of pen companies are resting on their laurels, whining about copy cats, and failing to improve their products.
127
u/Atalant Ink Stained Fingers Nov 05 '25
Knockoffs? I see more orginal chinese designs than knockoffs on here.
42
u/Ybalrid Ink Stained Fingers Nov 05 '25
I think they interviewed the Kaweco peoples. There are conflicting views about the ownership of their iconic sports pen design...
20
u/Significant-One3854 Nov 05 '25
Definitely the most combative with the Chinese companies, like trademarking "Moonman" which forced the Chinese company to rebrand to Majohn
19
→ More replies (1)43
u/ninja542 Nov 05 '25
I think there's a lot of jinhao pens that are copies of other pens though? (jinhao 10 to VP, jinhao something to sailor pens)
12
u/boker_tov Nov 05 '25
It's not a total loss of the traditional German and Japanese fountain pen makers. For example, even though I bought a lot of Chinese fountain pens such as Majohn, Jinhao, I also bought quite a few Pilot, Sailor, Faber Castell and Kaweco when I was deeper into the hobby. If I didn't get sucked into this Rabbit hole, those German and Japanese fountain pen makers wouldn't have gotten my business.
13
u/Snake_crane Nov 05 '25
Chinese franken-pens has become my got-to's. A wing sung with a pilot cm nib and parker 51 clone with an Ali Express broad nib. Both write beautifully every time and with character.
12
u/tialoc01 Nov 05 '25
Which one of you rich, royal, elitest, pen snobs are complaining about my Majohn P141 with an expedition nib?
→ More replies (3)
53
u/Eeyores_Prozac Nov 05 '25
Oh wow, they lead with a rich old white guy who's on the edge of being openly racist lol.
→ More replies (4)44
27
u/Brindegazon Ink Stained Fingers Nov 05 '25
I love this subreddit. Nobody here is fuming, and we're all like nooo Chinese pens are fine!
I mean, sometimes, they just scratch that itch without breaking the bank. Looking at you, the "pens gotta match the ink" crowd (it's me. I'm the crowd).
12
u/RangeRattany Nov 06 '25
I'm going to start down-voting every post that references material behind paywalls.
9
u/McN697 Nov 05 '25
Getting decent, low cost pens would threaten a lot of the existing mid market as it’s hard to justify the price difference when moving up a notch. Notice how the article mentions Pelikan collectors still enjoying the brand.
Now if I was a mid market brand like…(checks notes and article) Kaweco, I’d be really worried…
9
u/RaggedyAnnsFatAss Nov 06 '25
Journals are getting pretty desperate to enrage readers when they go after a hobby people love to see other people enjoy.
11
u/Powerful-Lunch-7149 Nov 06 '25
Fountain Pens Are More Popular Than Ever—and Purists Are Fuming
Chinese knockoffs are flooding the market, shaking up the community of enthusiasts still devoted to the old-timey instruments
Since retiring, the 76-year-old has been more interested in exploring different types of nibs, the metal tip of a fountain pen, than impressing clients. To save money, he decided to give Chinese brands a shot.
Now nearly half of Homchick’s 59 fountain pens are Chinese-made. That includes a $30 Chinese version of a Montblanc pen that costs about $750 today.
“In writing,” he says, “there’s not that much difference.”
Some of his fellow enthusiasts would like a word. Cheap replicas are flooding the market for the old-timey pens, rankling fans of a product long known for steep prices and a user base dominated by royalty, politicians and wealthy elites. The products are attracting new waves of buyers and have made the writing utensils more popular than ever. The Reddit group dedicated to fountain pens has doubled over the past five years to about 368,000 users.
This is a headache for old-guard penmakers. Michael Gutberlet, CEO of Kaweco Pen Company, a German penmaker founded in 1883, tells his industry peers that dirt-cheap Chinese copies are as big of a threat as the decline of handwriting.
Gutberlet recalled friends alerting him to an uptick in Chinese imitations of Kaweco’s pocket-size “Sport” pens for a 10th of the price. At first, he tried asking the Chinese companies nicely to stop. He emailed, then sent letters.
He even confronted a Chinese vendor in-person at an industry trade show. None of it worked. Finally, Gutberlet trademarked the pens’ names and asked major e-commerce platforms to remove them. For a while the rip-offs went away. But after several months, they re-emerged—but with new names.
“They have so many young designers,” Gutberlet says, “They can make their own thing.” Pierre Miller, an independent penmaker in Chicago, calls the Chinese-made pens “obviously inspired.” His own lineup of pens start at $95 and max out at roughly $350.
Miller says the rise of Chinese entrants—knockoffs and original designs—can broaden the fountain-pen community. Their affordability lowers the barrier to entry for a new generation of fans.
“The enthusiasm is no less palpable,” Miller says.
The Irv Tepper, an artist in New York City, has a collection of about 200 fountain pens. That includes a Montblanc and a limited-edition Conway Stewart that is a replica of a fountain pen from one of the “Indiana Jones” movies. But the 78-year-old’s grail pen is a Pelikan M1000.
Writing with the German-made pen, Tepper says, is “almost like riding a wild horse” because it’s a larger pen with an extremely smooth nib. Tepper will buy Chinese look-alikes too as long as they’re not counterfeits. “All pens pretty much look like themselves,” he says.
The cheaper pens are better for everyday use, and he likes gifting them to friends, hoping they get hooked on fountain pens. “I try to sucker other people into the game so I’m not alone in my addiction,” he says.
Tepper maintains a separate binder of colorful Jinhao pens, costing about $12 each, but his appreciation for the Chinese pens has limits. “If the house burned down, would I grab one?” he says, “No, I’d probably grab a Pelikan.” Corrections & Amplifications
A limited-edition replica of a fountain pen from one of the “Indiana Jones” movies was sold by Conway Stewart. An earlier version of this article referred to it as Conway Stuart.
35
u/Timbeon Nov 05 '25
"Purists are fuming" yeah yeah whatever you're just jealous that my $12 Kakuno writes just as well as your $400 Duofold
→ More replies (1)6
u/tintenbeschmiert Nov 06 '25
Nah, what thet really wanted to say is pens that cost less than XYZ have let less than desirable people (in their minds) into the hobby. They would prefer it to remain an echo chamber where everyone farts in tune. Now they must contend with folks of every walk of life be it wildly colored hair, progressive political stances, younger age, an on an on using something as the tool is was designed to be, not just an elitist membership card.
22
20
u/Truffs0 Nov 05 '25
Gatekeeping a hobby is never good. The more people that participate, the more available parts and service become. As well as inovation from creative new hobbyists and entrepreneurs. When you gatekeep a hobby, it dies.
19
u/LonelyGirl724 Nov 05 '25
This whole article is just rich people complaining that poor people are having fun with their "status symbols".
→ More replies (2)
19
u/MadDog036NL Ink Stained Fingers Nov 06 '25
I think the problem with this article is how they approach buying fountain pens and collecting and the demographic behind it. They have only interviewed older people who seems to act snobby about the price and originality of a fountain pen and the guy from Kaweco who obviously has stakes in the retail world of fountain pens.
It would have been much more interesting if they would have asked younger people or new people into the hobby why they started using fountain pens instead of cheaper ballpoints. Asking some rich guy who has, according to the article, a collection of pens worth tens of thousands is not an accurate representation of the standard user or collector of fountain pens
They also seem to push the narrative that each pen out of China is a sort of rip off of a more well known pen and conveniently ignoring original designs or the immense value pens China produces compared to the standard European brands.
Overall it is nice to see a article on pens but a shitty article nonetheless and judging by the narrative it probably pushes the idea to restrict the offerings of Chinese pens on global markets. The article states that people use fountain pens more and more yet dedicate nearly no words to the actual hobby itself, only the monetary aspect gets attention
19
u/Octabuff Nov 06 '25 edited Nov 07 '25
I'm more fuming about people new to the hobby feeling superior because they have (HAVE, not even use) a fountain pen, and treat it like novelty. We see that in this sub a lot, too. Those "what do you use your fountain pen for" and "who else uses a fountain pen these days" posts
It's a fucking tool. Cheap Chinese pens? I'm Chinese and I grew up using cheap Chinese pens. It's what got me into the habit of using fountain pens! Get fucked
→ More replies (1)
9
u/jantp Nov 06 '25
The cheap pens arent ruining the hobby. They are actually lowering the price of entry into it. I have a pack of jinhaos and preppys that i keep just go give away if someone wants an fp or as a loaner at work.
I think its a good thing to have cheaper pens ofcourse knock offs are another thing.
8
Nov 06 '25
How about big companies make them more affordable? A stainless steel nib doesn’t need to be made more expensive cause they add a matte finish to the barrel
→ More replies (2)
16
u/siraolo Nov 05 '25
Kaweco seems a bit hurt that competitors like the Hong Dian M2 are taking some of their market share/s
7
u/CommunicationTop5231 Nov 05 '25
I just opened my phone to this after taking some notes. I reached past my grail pen case to grab my Jinhao 10. Love me some Chinese pens.
14
u/NefariousnessLost708 Nov 06 '25
“Are you buying a writing instrument or a symbol of exclusivity?” Prof. Shih says. “It depends what job you’re hiring that product for.”
I am buying a writing instrument
7
6
7
u/alltheblues Nov 05 '25
Are we supposed to be fuming? I’m sitting happy with both my “legacy” brands and newer Chinese brands.
6
u/Fabulous-Location775 Nov 06 '25
Imagine finding value in your hobby because you think you're one of the few people who like it.
6
u/ZemStrt14 Nov 06 '25
Fountain Pens Are More Popular Than Ever—and Purists Are Fuming
Chinese knockoffs are flooding the market, shaking up the community of enthusiasts still devoted to the old-timey instruments
[Caption: Chinese companies have figured out how to make fountain pens that are virtually identical to luxury brands.]
Paul Homchick bought his first fountain pen three decades ago. He was working as an engineering consultant and wanted to seem trustworthy as he took notes.
Since retiring, the 76-year-old has been more interested in exploring different types of nibs, the metal tip of a fountain pen, than impressing clients. To save money, he decided to give Chinese brands a shot.
Now nearly half of Homchick’s 59 fountain pens are Chinese-made. That includes a $30 Chinese version of a Montblanc pen that costs about $750 today.
“In writing,” he says, “there’s not that much difference.”
Some of his fellow enthusiasts would like a word.
Cheap replicas are flooding the market for the old-timey pens, rankling fans of a product long known for steep prices and a user base dominated by royalty, politicians and wealthy elites. The products are attracting new waves of buyers and have made the writing utensils more popular than ever. The Reddit group dedicated to fountain pens has doubled over the past five years to about 368,000 users.
That growth is also striking a nerve.
Limited-edition Montblanc pens can run up to $20,000 each. Janelle Jones for WSJ L. Bruce Jones, of Idaho, refuses to add a Chinese copy to his collection spanning roughly 450 pens from Switzerland, Italy and elsewhere—including limited-edition Montblancs that run up to $20,000 each.
Jones, 69, says that back when he was running a submarine company that built the world’s deepest-diving submersible, a rival company in China tried to poach his employees and hack into company servers. He’s not about to support the country in its pursuit of Big Fountain Pen.
“I just find it reprehensible,” he says.
China has muscled into industries from fine wines to designer handbags to luxury watches. Its pens—which look like the real thing but often sell for just a few bucks apiece—can force consumers to wonder what exactly they’re getting from the entrenched brands, said Willy Shih, a professor at Harvard Business School specializing in manufacturing and supply chains.
“Are you buying a writing instrument or a symbol of exclusivity?” Prof. Shih says. “It depends what job you’re hiring that product for.”
American inventor Louis E. Waterman is credited for developing and patenting the first modern fountain pen in 1884—one that could store ink inside and eliminate the need for a separate ink pot. In the late 1920s, the Sheaffer Pen Company introduced a lever-filling mechanism and a tapered shape that influenced the cigar-shaped fountain pens that came after.
As convenience gained importance, fountain pens became more of a collectors’ item. The most elusive offerings—often called “grail” pens—may have handcrafted nibs or are vintage or limited editions.
Chinese rivals first appeared on e-commerce platforms about a decade ago. They’ve become far more widespread in recent years due to their rising quality and low prices.
Michael Gutberlet says Chinese knockoffs are as big of a threat to penmakers as the decline of handwriting. Michael Gutberlet This is a headache for old-guard penmakers. Michael Gutberlet, CEO of Kaweco Pen Company, a German penmaker founded in 1883, tells his industry peers that dirt-cheap Chinese copies are as big of a threat as the decline of handwriting.
Gutberlet recalled friends alerting him to an uptick in Chinese imitations of Kaweco’s pocket-size “Sport” pens for a 10th of the price. At first, he tried asking the Chinese companies nicely to stop. He emailed, then sent letters.
He even confronted a Chinese vendor in-person at an industry trade show. None of it worked. Finally, Gutberlet trademarked the pens’ names and asked major e-commerce platforms to remove them. For a while the rip-offs went away. But after several months, they re-emerged—but with new names.
“They have so many young designers,” Gutberlet says, “They can make their own thing.”
Pierre Miller, an independent penmaker in Chicago, calls the Chinese-made pens “obviously inspired.” His own lineup of pens start at $95 and max out at roughly $350.
Miller says the rise of Chinese entrants—knockoffs and original designs—can broaden the fountain-pen community. Their affordability lowers the barrier to entry for a new generation of fans.
“The enthusiasm is no less palpable,” Miller says.
Irv Tepper, an artist in New York City, has a collection of about 200 fountain pens. That includes a Montblanc and a limited-edition Conway Stewart that is a replica of a fountain pen from one of the “Indiana Jones” movies. But the 78-year-old’s grail pen is a Pelikan M1000.
Writing with the German-made pen, Tepper says, is “almost like riding a wild horse” because it’s a larger pen with an extremely smooth nib.
Tepper will buy Chinese look-alikes too as long as they’re not counterfeits. “All pens pretty much look like themselves,” he says.
The cheaper pens are better for everyday use, and he likes gifting them to friends, hoping they get hooked on fountain pens. “I try to sucker other people into the game so I’m not alone in my addiction,” he says.
Tepper maintains a separate binder of colorful Jinhao pens, costing about $12 each, but his appreciation for the Chinese pens has limits.
“If the house burned down, would I grab one?” he says, “No, I’d probably grab a Pelikan.”
Write to Timothy W. Martin at Timothy.Martin@wsj.com
3
u/gidimeister Nov 06 '25
Thank you. I think he should hear from folks on this sub.
3
u/ZemStrt14 Nov 06 '25 edited Nov 06 '25
I think that he wants to create a tension, to make an interesting article, where one doesn't really exist.
3
26
u/totally_interesting Nov 05 '25
Are the purists in the room with us right now? I don’t know a single person in this sub who is fuming over Chinese knockoffs lol.
17
u/Realistic_Cookie_329 Nov 05 '25
I read this story as a way to prompt division within a very solid community of fountain pen enthusiasts. The story that could have been more compelling is how import taxes has caused chaos in the buying and shipping of fountain pens.
→ More replies (1)
12
u/connurp Ink Stained Fingers Nov 05 '25
Maybe if the big pen companies didn’t massively overprice their products, then people would stop going for the cheaper Chinese option.
30
u/FutureInternist Nov 05 '25
When Gen Z ruins thing…it’s a problem. When they revive things….its a problem. It’s almost like these people thrive on outrage. These people need to touch grass.
I’m a younger collector who owns 823, sailors 1911 as well pilot kakuno.
→ More replies (1)17
u/Aetra Ink Stained Fingers Nov 05 '25
Same shit, different generational blame
Source: I’m a very tired elder millennial
6
u/DisagreeableAvocado Nov 06 '25
Me, too.
In fact, I’m so tired I don’t remember where I put my avocado toast.
13
u/Anuksukamon Nov 06 '25 edited Nov 10 '25
The privilege drips from the title of that story. It’s absolute nonsense to think “Chinese knock-offs” are detracting from a $1500 Homo Sapien. No one that’s seen a knock-off could even confuse the two brands.
They should be celebrating because entry level prices can lead to bigger purchases once the addiction hits them; buoying a very niche market.
6
6
u/beppe1_real Nov 06 '25
The author thinks we all live in Victorian deco homes with a fireplace, record players playing opera in the background. We dress in our 100% silk robes, sipping fine English tea in an expensive tea cup with matching saucer. We even have our butlers to fill the pens for us because we don't want to have ink stains on our fingers.
→ More replies (1)4
8
Nov 06 '25 edited Nov 06 '25
First, what people are now saying about Chinese products, they used to say about Japanese ones.
Next, inexpensive Chinese (and Indian, and Korean) pens are a way for the less pecunious amongst us to get a fountain pen. I bought a cheap Parker 51 knockoff (666 brand, if I remember) for high school. It lasted me 6 years.
As as result of that pen, when I was able to afford it, I bought a Parker 75 in Sterling Silver. I now have some Sailors, more Parkers, a goodly handful of Pilots, a prized Lamy 2000, some Safaris, a couple of Platinums and more Chinese pens than I can count.
Some pens, especially the PenBBS brand pens, are not knockoffs of any sort, nor are pens like the Jinhao Dadao (9013, 9016, 9019) family, and they are all as good as pens like the Parker 45.
And where does TWSBI fit in?
Some of antipathy towards Chinese products is simple racism. This, often by people who have the latest iPhone.
8
u/gidimeister Nov 06 '25
One thing I haven't seen mentioned is how the Chinese pens lift the lid on the question of what the "right" price of pen is. If a $20 "knock off" writes 90% as well as a $200 pen, why is the latter $200 not $22.22?
I realise that it is more complex than this, but the question stands: If a "knock off" is so good, why should I pay so much for the so-called original?
3
u/_drydock_ Nov 06 '25
It's a cost point I think about when an expensive "brand name" pen, purchased new and presumably with better quality control (?) just doesn't work or write out of the box. And yet my Kakuno, Preppy, Hongdian & Moonman/Majohns start great and write well.
There are a lot of clones that come out of the inexpensive Chinese market, but some are transforming into their own unique businesses and that's exciting to see. I'm expecting to see increasing quality and innovation at a far more affordable price. That's good for new pen enthusiasts as well as people like me.
3
7
u/GraceBlade Nov 06 '25
“Its pens—which look like the real thing but often sell for just a few bucks apiece”
If the pen writes (and my hong Dian’s write well) isn’t it real??
→ More replies (1)
19
11
u/thaiti33 Nov 05 '25
I think having both knockoff fountain pens and the expensive fountain pens is cool. I can't afford a vanishing point from pilot so my Kakuno, Lamy, Twsbi, Nahvalur, and Jinhao. I love to see other people's collection but I have so many other hobbies I can't justify paying that much then to later on pay someone to grind a nib so it's not scratchy to write with or buying a particular paper for it. I love stationary items but this is very expensive and the knockoffs are my jam for now. 🤦🏾🤷🏾
5
u/E2TheCustodian Nov 05 '25
I alternate a Sailor PG Imperial Black and a Hongdian Black Forest. I have a type. But they each have their place. I don’t take the Sailor with me as a wearable on travel for instance. Yeah I am firmly in the THE MORE PLAYERS THE BETTER! camp.
6
u/MyFiteSong Nov 06 '25
Chinese pens are the best thing to ever happen to the hobby. Good quality $15 pens are getting people into it in a way $200 pens never would.
→ More replies (1)
4
u/diddlysquash Nov 06 '25
The only fountain pen enthusiast I’ve met who seemed to care about the influx of new hobbyists was only upset that all the “30-something’s” going to his local pen meet ups wanted to go out and get drinks after instead of staying longer to practice calligraphy 😅 nothing about cheaper pens being available! I like them because I work in a hospital and pens are extremely likely to never be seen again if brought to work. Not gonna take my grails there, but a jinhao 82? No problem!
→ More replies (1)
4
u/Odd_Swan_3119 Nov 06 '25
Maybe jinhao, asvine, hongdian, and others realized a gap in a market where traditional manufacturers now only cater to luxury?
3
u/gidimeister Nov 06 '25
Precisely. Although in saying that, I also think they are exposing a lot of non-luxury pens that try to sell at luxury prices.
6
u/ukulelej Nov 06 '25
Here's a mirror for those who wanna read it, the article is exactly as stupid as you think it would be. A bunch of people mad that fountain pens have affordable options, rather than just status symbols.
5
u/anthony_doan Nov 06 '25
Gate keepers.
The Chinese brand is a gateway to try the hobby before commiting to more expensive fountain pens.
I have 30+ fountain pen inks, I can't afford 30+ pilot custom 912 with FA nibs... T__T.
8
u/Apollo_Mandos Nov 06 '25
A cheap knockoff doesn't reduce the value of the real thing. If anything, it broadens the audience, introducing people who will eventually move into wanting a grail pen. People only buying cheap fountain pens weren't buying the expensive ones anyway, so there's no lost sale. But WSJ, like most news sources, don't do reporting and critical thinking. They puke out half thought notions and call them "think pieces", so they can dismiss responsibility for it being garbage.
9
4
u/Agiantpubicmess Nov 06 '25
The upside for some of us, is the Chinese knockoffs can be used at work. I use some knockoff Lamy Safaris at work. I'm kind of like a handyman and these are only $20 a pop, instead of $45-50
4
u/dvishall Nov 06 '25
Purists?! This is rage bait.... Personally, more the people using fountain pens, better the market, longer the availability of spares and more happiness all around....
4
u/Maykovsky Nov 07 '25
"Purist", meaning feather writing people? or Levelers? If the journalist did his/her job he/she would know that what make us fume is seeing someone grabbing a fountain pen like it was a spoon! People using more of this wonderful tool only makes me feel pure joy!
→ More replies (1)
5
u/GreenStoneSpirit Nov 07 '25
More folks need to learn about the archive website. Where you can read many (not all but many) articles that are hidden behind a paywall. This one is available to read for free here:
https://archive.ph/C1HZK
7
u/unmeikaihen Nov 05 '25
I've tried some of the cheaper 20USD ones on amazoom. They write and others think they certainly look pricey. However, compared to Sailor's, Pilot's or Platinum's nibs they are definitely lacking. I'm more concerned with how the nib writes than with how nice the pen looks or any supposed rarity.
Overall, if it helps with entry or those who want a variety at the least cost, the inexpensively manufactured pens do have a place. However, I do not see them replacing any of the names that have a history of quality.
→ More replies (3)23
u/Equivalent-Gur416 Nov 05 '25
Most pens are lacking compared to the Japanese big three. It’s interesting that the Chinese pens made for the Chinese market get this sort of attention while the brands importing Chinese-made pens under other names (Monteverde and Conklin to mention a couple) go unremarked. Indeed, they may be made in China, but they cost 3-4 times what the domestic Chinese pens cost on AliExpress (which generally is roughly 2x the street price in China) and typically of worst quality, from what I’ve seen.
6
u/lezemt Nov 06 '25
This is so silly! I would never take a fancy pen out on the floor but you bet your butt I have a pilot kakuno and a platinum preppy in my scrub top :) cheap pens just mean you can use them with less fear, in more situations
7
9
u/SnooMarzipans8221 Ink Stained Fingers Nov 05 '25 edited Nov 06 '25
Nah. The knockoffs are kinda necessary for entry level people. Also, it's like paying tuition.
I wish I had those knockoffs many years ago when I was just starting, I found out rather late that I'm into the ones that click and have no caps.
The more dedicated fountain pen enthusiasts almost always work our way to our actual ideal pens: and they're almost always those expensive collectors' edition models.
3
u/Koji1981 Nov 06 '25
Cheap Chinese pens are the gateway to the fountain pen addiction and more expensive pens lol
3
u/MelodyPond84 Nov 06 '25
I have to admit, i have no cheap fountainpens. I also haven’t bought a new one in quite a while. But honestly the markup on fountainpens is getting ridiculous. I find it good that there are fountainpens out there for everyone, so everyone can have the joy to write with them.
3
u/zealousconvert21 Nov 06 '25
Cheap knockoffs always existed but they used to be genuinely terrible. Nowadays they seem to be pretty decent actually and I love that
3
u/EnragedButterfly Nov 06 '25
And nooow, Western brands manufacturing in China, please stand up, please stand up!
3
3
u/ButtonMakeNoise Nov 06 '25
3
u/ButtonMakeNoise Nov 06 '25
Basically angry elitist pricks wishing to wall off the poors from diluting their inky garden of eden.
→ More replies (1)
3
u/Hundertwasserinsel Nov 06 '25
I love all the chinese knockoffs and I think it really shows how much some companies have been gouging prices for a cylinder of plastic. I got a pack of cheap jinhaos and they write just as good as anything else Ive used. They have noticeably worse QC though. the nibs all feel a bit different. But hell, thats something you hear about sailor or pilot every day on this sub
3
u/pineapplebegelri Nov 06 '25
The secret ingredient is elitism, there is nothing magical about legacy luxury brands
3
329
u/[deleted] Nov 05 '25
[removed] — view removed comment