AKORD Luxury Chinese House Calligraphy Fountain Pen - Green/Bronze

Smooth writing action, good ink flow, I'm getting no spotting or leaking on the nib, nor excess ink when writing. Cool design, a little lighter than other pens, but can be 'adjusted' by putting the cap on the end (I find it a lot nicer to write with like this, but it's a personal preference!)Completely "scratchy-free" from my experience, although I'm using it for general writing/journalling on higher GSM paper (floats like a cloud over 100GSM!) - I have found it a bit hit and miss on lower quality paper.Comes with a converter/'refillable cartridge' for use with pots of ink - I'm using it with some Jacques Harbin "Poussiere de lune" (Moon Dust) ink which is also fantastic!My only niggle is the grip is a little shorter than I'd like, but I have big hands and the pen is still pretty comfortable and easy to useBought this on a bit of a whim to play around with fountain pens again after not using one since leaving school a couple of decades ago, and I'm frankly blown away by how good it is for the money!I'm sure people with more experience with fountain pens will have a different story to tell, but if you've fancied trying a fountain pen this is a great starting point :DIf you're eyeballing a fountain pen to 'get into' using them, or something for general day to day use while out and about without taking your more expensive pens with you, this is a great buy!

I prefer fine and extra fine nibs so after reading another review which said this pen was closer to fine than medium I thought I'd risk it and order one. I would agree, the nib is at the fine end of medium and for me it's a pleasure to write with!I've ordered other cheap Chinese pens (Jinhao X450 and X750) and been very disappointed - the nibs have been overly broad and they write very, very wet. This pen is great, not too wet and only minor feather and bleed on cheaper papers, no issues on good quality paper.The pen is a medium weight and comfortable to hold and write with. It looks nice too. I'm very pleased with this purchase and would recommend it. For less than £5 it offers fabulous value for money.

The GOLDEN CHINESE HORSE M NIB FOUNTAIN PEN SUPERIOR GIFT, otherwise the Baoer 507, is the second Chinese fountain pen ever purchased and primarily for its styling. Quality is not supreme but you cannot argue about its value as the purchase price also includes a filler adapter. The barrel is all-metal with other body parts such as the end cap and grip section in black plastic as is its cap. Its weight is a bit on the heavy side, but not excessive.The nib is of steel and gold-plated in parts and graded 'Medium' but would be either 'Fine' or 'Extra-fine' if from one the major Western brands but is not as smooth or as easy to use as it should be - it is somewhast scratchy but could improve. This style and grade of nib can usually be relied upon to provide an excellent user experience - other examples do - but this is an exception! The finish of the barrel is in relief and one of several patterns that reflect a Chinese fairy tale.When first received and filled the pen worked pretty much to expectation but far less smoothly than accustomed by many others from western brands. However, it was only after periods on non-use that its ink-flow issue materialised. When capped and stood nib up, or laid flat the ink will appear to dry within the feed and it will not then write at all unless emptied and refilled; priming with a little saliva (an old trick). Of the several Chinese pens owned, this is the only one to cease; no other can be made to act similarly.The nib is extremely fine and will not suit everyone.POSTSCRIPT - After finding reviews of this pen on other sites, it was learned that its nib problems are common and usually caused by the nib tines being too closely spaced - there is no post production checking or adjustment. A THIN sheet of stiff (laminated) paper dragged between the tines will supposedly work miracles. Post-treatment, the nib is much improved to just about usable and also now appears to be a fraction of a grade broader although a polish using a very fine grit paper has improved it further; it now writes moderately well but with a bite as it moves across the paper.Since writing the original review, it was learned that Baoer is manufactured by Hero whose own-brand pens are commonly rated among the worst of the Chinese pens although some consider them superb, not in personal experience as both examples owned are unusable as supplied.