I recently received my X159 (V2) in blue-black with gold trim. What a stunning writer! Filled it and straight off it wrote beautifully. No feedback to speak off, great flow and the pen fits perfectly in my rather large hand. Definitely a pen I would recommmend.

I'm so happy to hear your opinions on this pen!!! My nib wrote very similar to yours ... so I spent quite a bit of time tuning it and now it's a good writer which is great because I love the weight and size of the pen!!!

I'm a big fan of this pen; comfortable, reliable, and a little bouncy. I had to widen the nib feed a bit, but that took all of 30 seconds. It embodies what a big pen company could/should do with at least one of their pens. In this way, it's a thoroughly modern daily driver.

Love the ramble and exposition, vs. a walk and an exhibition.

another great review ... as usual, thx for the time you spend making those videos, they are absolutely amazing and I absolutely love them.

This was the review I’ve been waiting for! Bought this pen when Azizah said she liked it, mine is not as dry as yours seemed in the video but then again I have the best ink in the world in mine-SBREBROWN!! Great review Stephen, Jude

Appreciate the review. A few things: 1. Jinhao immediately came out with a V2 of the X159 to address the number of cap turns, as well as adding the O ring to the barrel as people (including me with my V1 X159) were quickly getting cracked barrels. My blue X159 V2 is fantastic! 2. I wish more companies would take the "You know what..." approach that Jinhao apparently did! ;-) 3. Why would people complain about your rambling? It's history, it's fountain pens, what do people want??!

I think it would be a smart decision for the Chinese OEMs to start producing nibs with tipping similar to Japanese coarse nibs. A $20-25 #8 coarse nib would be a very good starting point for a nibmeister to grind any nib shape you could possibly desire.

Yeah I just got this for my dad and had problems writing with it.. turns out it works better with wetter inks... the end of the barrel does screw off and on the other colour variations the nib is two tone in colour and the screwy part on the section is plastic... love the feel of it.. looks pretty..... I may get myself one

Mine writes much more like what I consider a medium. That also means it doesn’t dry out. I haven’t written with it for several weeks and it just wrote, without any hesitation.

I have two of these and they both write wet and smooth out of the box. Suppose it is a bit of hit or miss. The nib also has a bit of bounce and the pen is very comfortable to write with. Absolute bargain in my opinion.

Thanks for your review Stephen! I bought a few of the really, REALLY cheap X159's, because I love it so much. The nib is not only large but also smooth and STURDY. For that reason it is a great nib to experiment with grinding (I made them a broad). I have bought a dark blue and dark red X159 - that feels lesser as a rip-off - and it matches with resp. a dark blue indigo and dragon's red ink. After many purchases these and the Jinao x89 are my favorite pens now, so cheap a can play and experiment with the pens, nibs and different inks and that makes the hobby even more enjoyable.

Fyi, if you are curious. The barrel is two piece and the finial on barrel is tightly screw on to barrel on Version 2. The metal ring on the barrel is not expose from inside. The cap has two layer. If you remove the finial on the cap and the clip (by drilling out), the outer jacket on the cap slides out (too bad cap finial is not screwed on). Then you can slide out the centre band on the cap off the inner layer. I think the cap has another layer inside sealing the nib. The nib unit has separate collar and the collar is screwed on the barrel. The nib and feed are friction fit to the nib collar. The plastic nib feed looks very much look alike to the modern 149 feed. I've replaced the the nib with my spare 149 nib and it works like a dream. I can take it every where without worrying getting damage to the body. Btw, I a fan of your channel especially the old ones. I assume you had a bit more time in those days and pull everything apart.

The name Jinhao essentially means Golden Luxury (a gaudy name which is typical of Chinese brands) with Jin meaning Gold and Hao meaning Luxury. I just checked it out and saw that they have an "Avocado Gold" trim which I might just get.

Another well thought and informative video. In this economy with a #8 sized nib this pen can't be beat. I have all colors and yes Doctor it does come in a coffee variant which is currently inked with SBRE brown and a perfect match I might add. I have a 149 and also all colors of the 159 and I am quite satisfied with this size especially the grip section on account of arthritis. Another fountain pen that comes to mind is the Sailor KOP. eBay has a orange variant kop for $961. I bought my orange x159 for $7.88 Some hits and misses, apply the video tutorials and get your desired result. Doctor Brown, you do not ramble... This is rambling.

Jinhao manufactures for Shanghai Qiangu Stationary Co. 金豪 translated to Golden Luxury. I can see how (no pun intended,) you would take Hao as 好, or good, they both have the same translation in English.

I got one a few months ago, and liked it well enough that I've gotten one for a friend and fellow enthusiast for Christmas. I did not run into dryness issues myself. I do find that the nib writes with a little more line variation with little encouragement than do the No. 6 nibs. Nice review, thanks!

I purchased mine a while back and I'm very much enjoying it. I have also heard mixed reviews on the nib, but I got luck with mine because it writes quite well. Thanks for the review.

I think it is very interesting your review. I use to llike every review you make, but most of the times it is about expensive pens I can t get. So I appreciate you show a pen everyone around the world can afford and enjoy. I wiill try to increase the inkflow watching videos as you recommends. Grettings from Spain. 🇪🇦 And merry Christmas.

i got a first batch one. mine was actually incredibly well built. i’d say that of a $50 pen. the nib was perfect . i don’t use it that much as i prefer vintage pens, but this thing is really dang good for under $10 i would recommend it to starters. this cheap #8 nib has lots of potential and i’m interested to see what else jinhao does with it.

I also had difficulty removing the nib and feed. I was finally able to accomplish that by wrapping Gorilla Tape around the nib/feed. (IMO, everybody can benefit from having Gorilla Tape in their tool chest, as it serves innumerable lifesaving purposes.) My nib was skippy enough on the diagonal upstrokes to be annoying, and, yes, the pen wrote very dry. After I removed the nib/feed, I was able to separate the tines using two brass strips. I then re-assembled the pen and gave it a few strokes on Mylar paper. Now, the pen writes very well. I would say, though, that the nib now writes like a medium verging on broad. I don’t mind that because I like using all sorts of nibs. I am thinking that this would be a great pain for testing out/using colored inks. I don’t like to use ink that stains a lot in my more expensive pens, but I am thinking that I might like to buy a few of these Jinhao x159 pens and dedicate each one to a particular color. I could see using one for Baystate Blue, for example. I also think that, with the nib now broader and flowing and more wetly, I could use a dry ink like Diamine Pumpkin or Autumn Oak and the ink might flow pretty well.

Thanks for the (free) video! Several years on and I still enjoy your videos. Actually you inspired me to get into fountain pens (for better or worse :D) I tried the 159 few years ago and tuned the nib to make it buttery smooth. It was great until the lacquer started flaking off and the threads got damaged somehow through normal use so the cap would not screw on. I did salvage the nib though. I'm going to try the X159 and see if it's better than the previous model.

There is a new upgraded version of the X159 that has gold trim and the cap comes off in one and a half turns. The nib also has gold accents on the new batch.

Thanks Professor Brown.

Interesting and tempting. I have no #8 nibs currently in my remuda. I have their 159 but not their x159. I wish they offered it with a #8 medium nib. Oh, and I remember watching your Jinhao 159 review video shortly after it came out. We're both getting a bit older! :) --- Merry Christmas Stephen and a very Happy, Healthy and Prosperous New Year!

I have the red X159 as well as the old 159. Both are good all around pens. Thanks for another great review and video. Have a good Christmas break and a Happy New Year.

I’ve always wondered your thoughts on this pen. I’ve never encountered a number 8 nib. It’s always been size 6 or smaller. This is interesting to say the least. Thank you for posting! And don’t mind the rambling, I actually love it.

Hi, Steve. Nice review.👍 I think the thread on the grip section is plastic made to look like metal, though.

Jin Hao, (Chinese: 金号; pinyin: Jīnhào), which translates to "Gold Number", is a group of radio stations in Shaanxi, China serving Xi'an, China and the greater provincial area.

I love mine, it's a solid performer, so gratifying to work with

I just got my first Jinhao X159 today. I’m shocked at how much I love the weight and size of this pen. It came with a fine nib, but I’m ordering some medium and Fude to switch out, although it is probably more rational just to buy several different pens with different nib sizes, since they are so very inexpensive. I am a first time subscriber and I’m enjoying you tremendously. I’m trying to place your accent. Where might you be from. HAPPY NEW YEAR 🎉

I got one for myself, had a good experience, and decided to get them (with good inks and a fountain pen friendly notebook) for some friends at work so I could introduce them to fountain pens. Figured its similarity to a Montblanc 149 would be useful so they could anticipate what that would feel like to write with (at least size and shape), should they want one in the future.

can wait to watch..

Nice work Stephen! Frank in Colorado

To my mind this is an excellent pen to get someone into the hobby, it is inexpensive, reasonable build quality and looks good. What I like most is how things "trend" in this hobby, I believe that last year it "flex" nibs, and this year number 8 nibs. Thanks for the review, very informative as always.

Would be great so see a follow up if you decide to widen the tines.

Well, the rambling sometimes is better than the review:-) I have 2 x159, they are both a bit dry, the second was drier than the first, but this is something you can easily fix. Jinhao can do marvels with this nib. I imagine already a BB and a stub ! Thank you for the review !

This review is 3 months old, so no one is going to read this. I finally received a Jinhao X159 today 4/8/2023, and I was somewhat shocked at the size of this pen, even though you were explicit about it's girth and length, not to forget mentioning the enormous #8 nib. I ordered a MEDIUM sized nib as well so this took some time to get across the Pacific and 2000 miles of North America to get here. Actually the shipping was quick but the pen was obviously not a stock item, but had to be built I suppose. Looks nice, the medium tipping looks as big as a basketball under my loupe. Now after some cleaning I'll have to see how it performs.

Regarding the dryness, I wonder if making the ink channel slightly wider with a razor knife (e.g. X-Acto) might help too? I'm waiting for them to come out with a medium nib before I buy and review.

Enjoyed your review Stephen! Agreed with your points; always enjoyed my black metal version from 2012.. be well in 2023; I just got home from a 7 day hospital stay following a massive and 8th spinal surgery.. likely that 10 years of pain is on the run.. Thank you for offering some fun and interesting videos over the same general timeframe--i want you to know that they helped! Frank in Colorado

I have 2 and have problems with both nibs. One is unusable and the other works well with a cartridge. But still the nib is really hit or miss.

I have 2 of these, one blue and one black. Both write beautifully, more like a medium line.

I gifted these after tuning the nibs. I replaced them with regular 159's which I actually prefer. How do I get replacement caps?

I purchased a pack of four with different colours and fine nibs. I love them but there is inconsistency with the ink flows between the various pens.

These are wonderful pens for a value price. They model for anyone a reasonable sense of writing with a large barrel pen prior to investing in a high value pen. They are easy to clean and maintain and can be considered useful for use with inks that are potentially appealing but may harm a pen. Considering the Baystate Blue colour being hard to match and its ink quirkiness with cleaning making it prohibitive for long term use in many pens….this is a must have priced pen. Anyhow again thanks Stephen for the reviews and video’s.

Its far better to get a nib too dry than too wet. Penbbs is known to do that also and it gives people options. A few down strokes with extra pressure fixes it quickly.

I just ordered this pen for the #8 nib. My expectation is that it will be fun.

Resin? I think it's a fairly cheap thermoplastic. And that it's injection molded. But pity it's not available in 'M'. The ink variation with pressure is typical for Jinhao and possibly intended for writing Chinese characters?

My X159 arrived 1 day ago and I really like it; I have a dark green resin, but the F nib is really smooth, and wet . the balance is great and the wider section really works for me. I prefer it to my TWSBI classic and an AL-STAR, all with replaced F nibs - because of the wider section and the smooth feel of the nib ( I am left-handed). Oddly, It did cost me 18 GBP which is twice what you paid in CAD but I still think it represents good value for the enjoyment it gives .

My x159 works fine but has one problem: when I uncap it there is always a little ink at the end of the section where it meets the nib, just enough to get ink on my fingers. Other than that I really like the pen. Writes well and you can't beat the price.

There are actually TWO versions of this pen - one with a three turn cap - and another with a two and a half turn cap. I have both. I prefer the pen with the three turn cap since I think the two and a half turn cap has a skipping issue. I suspect that the nibs on the newer models are a tad over-polished and MAY have a baby's-bottom issue. Having said that - it isn't really a BIG issue. It still writes.

Is it really made from resin? Looking at my X159, I thought it was made from cheap plastic. But the design and nib are brilliant for the price and you could easily write for hours on end very comfortably. Quite possibly the most comfortable pen I've ever used. However, the clip is rubbish and I only use it to prevent the pen from rolling off the table.

I have the old 159 and this version fixes everything I didn't like about the original. The nib was too small, the section tapered weirdly, the cap threads were metal, If you want it to look like the 149 the clip wasn't close however, I actually like the old clip personally. I'm gonna order one for sure. Does anyone know what the old one is made of, it seems like just painted metal but I'm not sure??

I have one in EF A very smooth nib An excellent writer, no problem with flow and writes well with a light touch I find the pen too big and girthy for my hand for writing I now use it as a drawing pen where I can hold it loosely Just $6 it is an insane price for such a quality pen I recommend this pen (it comes in different colors)

Recently bought one on Amazon, I had a few 159 in the past (like them but they are way too heavy). Interestingly, very old Jinhao 159 used to have the center band stamped, more recent ones have them engraved/etched like in the x159 I have one with the EF nib, and it's not *particulary dry*, but for the price, I can understand how people are getting inconsistent results. Only used Diamine Writer's Blood in the thing, and that ink seems wetter than the usual (to me at least). Also, I was surprised when cleaning the brand new x159 to find the feed had some blue ink in there. Are they actually QA-ing these pens individually now?

Another reason why a size 8 nib is a really good idea for a chinese company is that larger metal pieces are a LOT easier to work with than smaller metal pieces. It will be much easier for them to provide higher quality nibs more consistently.

I have three x159’s, and they have all written very well close to what I would consider a medium line. They don’t dry out. I guess they vary from batch to batch. Luck of the draw??

My x159 was an absolute hose, almost too wet for me with most inks. With a PenBBS ink or maybe a Pelikan 4001 it's a beautiful writer though. Just too chunky in the hand for me.

Two of the caps on my Jinhao X159's broke off at the joint of the clip when it was inserted in a shirt pocket. Will not happen with a brass-bodied 159.

No problem with making this an eyedropper. First, stuff silicon putty into the top of the barrel because the blind cap unscrews and you need the putty to stop any ink from getting to the line where the cap screws onto the barrel. Next, cut the standard converter so 1/8 inch sticks out from the section, forming a tube. Finally, put some silicon grease around the metal. Done. I did this months ago to a few X159 pens, and all write without leaks or corrosion. In fact, I have a few Jinhou pens I converted to eyedroppers several years ago following the same method, and not one has shown any corrosion. Maybe the idea that metal will disqualify a pen from being used as an eyedropper is for specific pens or inks, but it does not apply to the Jinhao models with metal threads and a plastic barrel.

Oh man I cracked up when I heard this pen only costs 10 bucks plus shipping😂. This is crazy! A schmidt or bock nib unit would cost more than that. And it WORKS?!?!

I probably wrote with 6 or 7 Jinhao x159 and all of them wrote beautifuly. A "wet" ink is probably important as the nibs are F (or EF). The biggest drawback of this pen is that you can't get an M or (even better) a B nibs. Hopefully someone from Jinhao will read my comment and decide to produce M and B nibs...

Well, I have a very limited knowledge of chinese so take this with a pinch of salt. The chinese chariot is called 战车 zhànchē = war vehicle. Yes, 好 hǎo means good but Jīnháo is written like this: 金豪 金 Jīn means gold and 豪 háo means hair or drawing brush so considering Jīn probably means good and not literally gold, I would translate Jīnháo as "good pen".

Thanks for this review. I have the dark green and the burgundy color pens. Both wrote well out of the package. Probably more on the medium side. The nib and feed are contained in a nib unit, which is screwed into the section. So far, even with much effort, I have been unsuccessful in removing just the nib. If you figure out how, please post a video of the technique. I suspect that the o-ring is to help keep the 'Renaissance Resin' from splitting when tightening the barrel. Thank you for sharing.🙏

I had always hated Jinhao nibs until I tried the hooded nibs in the Parker 51 knockoffs. They are great. Marking with one atm. But, until Jinhao stops pumping out OK-looking pens with "fine" nibs that are really M or B but never EF or F, I'll stay away except for the aforementioned hoodies, which I love.

It's not #8 nib, diameter is smaller and it's a bit shorter.

The good thing is that the feed is well designed and can easily supply ink to an adjusted nib

I am happy to see you review this pen! I have two of them and may get more. I have a black one and a coffee colored one both with EF nibs! I LOVE them! They are amazing writers and with the EF nibs I can actually use them in my moleskine notebooks which are pretty much useless for anything else but EFs or ballpoints. I’m surprised how much I love these pens! I don’t find myself ever using my 159 anymore as it is too heavy with all that metal. This x159 is perfectly balanced in my opinion. I’m also quite delighted with their version of an XF nib!

Mine is VERY dry as well

My copy had a pretty dry nib, but after opening it up it is quite a decent writer.

Welcome to the X159 Party, though a tad late.

I love my Jinhao x159 and it has been a consistent writer for me.

Excellent review. I have 2 of these pens and think it is one of the best releases by Jinhao this year. The price makes this pen a great value. Is it cheap in construction? Well, I think is it fine and perhaps better than some that costs more. Lastly, if they made this pen with a piton filler it would be fabulous.

So moral of the story, the MB149 should only be $10. But since it has a gold size 8 it starts at $900.

I never liked my metal 159. It is too heavy for me. I have mixed feelings for the x159 as it is too big for my hands .

Mind boggling to me that this pen sels for under $10. I now have 5 of them.

I think Jinhao could have charged $20 or $25 bucks and still sold bushels of them. Interesting--and I'm certainly pleased about it since I have 3 of them--that they priced them so low. If so inclined, one could send one, or more, off to a nib grinder and have a nice pen, #8, custom-ground nib for what? $70? Even less? Thanks, Dr. Brown!

A hair in your mouth? Hope it's your moustache, not moustache riding... Great review. Thanks.

One way to look at this is look how cheap, good for the money. I just see a thing that wasn't made with good QC, is devoid of original ideas, and is simply future refuse rather than a joy forever. Why bother? Instead abhor items that are future refuse and you will be able to save for what is actually a durable good.