For some time I have wondered what Jinhao’s 6 dollar homage of the pricey Mont Blanc 149 was like. What did it feel like? What was the workmanship like? How did it write? Curiosity finally got the best of me and I placed it as an add on to a Prime order. When received, it was wrapped in clear plastic and unceremoniously placed between other items in a large Amazon box.

From my quick research it appears that the Jinhao brand is produced by Shanghai Qiangu Stationary Co. which per the Jinhao website was founded in 1988 and “..(is a) manufacturer which specializes in producing and exporting high quality metal writing instruments..”

The Jinhao 159 shows up commonly on fountain pen forums as amazingly affordable, large, and ponderously heavy. The fountain pens in this price bracket include the Platinum Preppy, and Pilot Penmanship.

My Review will be in the following format: 1. First impressions (10) 2. Quality and workmanship (20) 3. Nib performance (30) 4. Filling system (10) 5. Cost/value (20) 6. Everyday use (10) 7. Observations and conclusions,

The score is based on comparison to other fountain pens in the price range.

So lets get started!

Jinhao 159 capped



Size next to Lamy Vista

First impressions:

Despite the lack of presentation in the packaging (which frankly, at this price point, is expected), the Jinhao 159 had a solid feel when I first picked it up. The most defining initial characteristic would have to be the size and the weight of the pen. The lacquer appeared somewhat polished and the understated chrome accents help moderate the otherwise conspicuous presence that a pen this size makes.

Aesthetically, this pen is a blatant homage of the cigar shaped Mont Blanc 149. I don’t necessarily hold this against the pen (as many many companies have made great pens in the classic cigar shape), but it doesn’t make any stylistic statement of its own.

The overall positive first impression was shattered when I tried to unscrew the section from the barrel and found it to be quite tightly screwed in. Once unscrewed I realized that the barrel and section had quite a bit of space between them even when fully tightened.

Score: 4/10

Quality and Workmanship:

I was torn when evaluating the workmanship of this pen because of the price, and what it aspires to pay homage to. The pen is made of brass and lacquer when other pens in the price range are made of plastic. The pen at first glace to the untrained eye appears very similar to pens many many times it’s price when other pens in the price range are indistinguishable from disposable pens. What can be expected of 6 dollars? Ultimately when a product tries to be too much for too little, workmanship is often the first casualty.

The way the section and the barrel come together was the first indication that this pen was not manufactured to the tightest tolerances. Close inspection of the clip revealed 2 things: 1) The clip itself was mis-aligned and 2) the machining marks were very evident on the clip itself.



Machining marks evident on the clip

The lacquer was even and there were no evident marks on the finish itself. Unfortunately shaking the pen revealed that the included converter wasn’t seated too flush in the section. I spent some time making sure to seat it correctly, but it still has quite a bit of side to side give that is concerning. Despite this observation, I have yet to see any leaking from the converter.

The cap screws on securely with no side to side play. The only concern regarding the cap is that metal threads on the section meet plastic threads on the cap. This is something to be mindful of when recapping the pen. Over-tightening may strip the plastic threads on the inside of the cap.

Score: 11/20

Nib Performance:

The Jinhao 159 nib is large and embellished with the same logo found on the clip. At this price point I expect nothing more than an un-plated steel nib. Confusingly, the nib is marked 18kgp. I assume that means 18 karat gold plated which I am utterly certain cannot be the case at this price point. I would be perfectly happy with a steel nib, why feel the need to be misleading about the plating?



The curiously labeled nib

The nib writes very very wet. This pen was sold as a medium and writes like a European “medium.” I had no issues with skipping and it took the Lamy black ink very well. The tines appeared well aligned and needed no adjustment. The pen glides across the paper and there is very little feedback when writing. When capped and uncapped for use, there was no leak from around the section. There was little to no nib creep. Suprisingly, the nib is somewhat springy for a steel nib, and some gentle line variation is possible. Overall the writing experience is acceptable, but nothing special.

The “medium” nib writes somewhat broad for everyday use. I cannot hold this against the pen, as it was advertised as a medium, but if you planned on using it to write notes, you may want to try the “fine.”

Score: 14/30

Filling System:

The Jinhao 159 uses a converter which is included with the pen itself.



Jinhao Converter

I am not a huge fan of converters due to lack of capacity, but at this price point it is expected. The pen cannot be converted into eyedropper because of the copious use of metal in the barrel. The side to side play in the converter is concerning for future stability, but for now it does it’s job perfectly fine.

Score: 5/10

Cost/Value:

At 6 dollars, this pen is the price of 2 disposable gel pens (which would last me a week with the amount I write). I have reservations about the quality of construction as well as the long term durability of the pen itself. Unlike many pens in the 20-70 dollar range, this pen will most likely not last a lifetime even with careful use. Of course, you could buy 10 of these pens for less than a 70 dollar pen. With those caveats, at this price-point, I find this pen to be an acceptable value.

Score: 10/20

Everyday Use:

This part of the review is difficult for me as I have not had the pen very long. In the time I have had it, I have found that writing for long periods with such a heavy pen can be difficult and tiring. The limited ink capacity combined with the very wet writing means that this pen will not last a day of heavy use without being refilled. Overall it makes an acceptable second pen, but I would think twice about relying on it as my only pen for a day of heavy writing.

Score: 5/10

Observations and Conclusions:

Deep inside, I knew that I could not get a high quality fountain pen that pays homage to a Mont Blanc for 6 dollars. Despite this, I hoped that I could get an acceptable pen with a classic shape for 6 dollars. Ultimately this pen is remarkable for only one thing, being 6 dollars. From the perspective that something as tricky to manufacture as a fountain pen could be assembled half a world away, packaged, and shipped to my door in fully working condition for that price is nothing short of amazing. As a fountain pen, even at this price-point, it is just below average. At this price I would recommend the Pilot Penmanship or the Platinum Preppy before the Jinhao 159. I have seen the Jinhao 159s going for up to 12+ dollars, at that price point it is definitely inferior to the Pilot Metropolitan.

If you already have lots of pens and are curious, I wouldn’t hesitate to buy this pen. I will probably put it into rotation every so often as a second pen, for variety (isn’t that the point of having a large diverse collection?). If you are just starting out and are looking for a good quality starter pen, look elsewhere.

Total Score: 49/100 (Varying levels of unacceptable)

Score System: (score is compared to other pens in the price range)

0-49 Varying levels of unacceptable, there are other better pens for the same price

50-59 Acceptable for everyday use, average

60-69 Good, many features are above average

70-89 Great, most features are above average

90-100 Amazing, class leading, iconic