HongDian 525 Purple Red Metal Fountain Pen, Extra Fine Nib Classic Pen Includes Metal Pen Case and Refillable Converter

Hongdian Brass Dark Blue with EF nib – beautifully finished nice writer right out of the box. This is a fairly slim pen with a beautiful finish. It has a push to close/pull to open cap that snaps securely in place. The pen is similar in design to a pen from a particular German pen manufacturer but is not a copy. It is a bit smaller in diameter and the section of the pen is actually longer which provides a comfortable grip surface. The section is smooth metal but they left some very minor machining marks in place which provides improved ability to hold the pen over a smooth polished chrome section. Because of this the section does not show finger prints. I inked the pen with Platinum Mix Free Blue ink and the pen wrote a EF line flawlessly. The EF nib was smooth with good ink flow without any nib adjustment needed. The metal construction of the pen provides a little more weight than plastic or acrylic pens which is comfortable. The pen posts securely but is long enough for me to use unposted. The only negative thing about the pen is the clip which is really too tight and inhibits it’s use. The pen came equipped with a converter and at $13.99 this pen is a bargain.

Wonderful pen. The quality feels outstanding, and the dark blue color is absolutely perfect. Sleek, stylish, good weight, performs perfectly. Smooth EF nib.

Functionally, I love this pen. It writes well and is reasonably smooth. It was very good looking at first, but the finish, though beautiful, is garbage. The finish rubbed off from the cap the first time I posted it. I otherwise love it and would give it five stars if the finish held up more than a couple minutes.

I ordered blue and got a black pen. The box is labeled as a blue pen, but it's black. I tried ordering a replacement hoping it was a one-off but got another black pen. It writes nice, and I like the bent tip, and the weight of the pen. The cap doesn't stay on the end of the pen well when you're writing unless you really shove it on there. Also I gave it poor marks for "giftable" because there are NO INSTRUCTIONS. At first I thought I couldn't use the cartridges I bought and finally figured out that I needed to put a new cartridge in the pen (upside down) FIRST and then the pen nib w/attached cartridge. It was only by hunting through reviews and the internet that I was able to figure it out. You also might get a dented metal box like I did with the first pen. So, it's fine, if you want black (or I guess one of the other colors available).

This is my first HongDian pen, though I've had my eye on that jet black one that looks like some sort of tactical weapon, too. This one, though, is simple and really very attractive. The matte finish is gorgeous, and the color turned out to be a nice teal. The whole design is elegant with the only external branding being a small logo on the clip. Nothing on the finial. The chrome grip section of the pen was very cleverly textured so that it doesn't ever get slippery, which is a nice touch, and it looks interesting, too... more pearly, like brushed metal should. I've attached a picture of the pen next to a Lamy Al-Star and a Jinhao x750 for size comparison (and the smaller #5 nib of the HongDian next to the #6 Jinhao. So, if you like slim, elegant pens... especially if you have smaller hands... this pen is for you. If you like big, bulky pens... keep looking. The nib on the pen that I got is a fude... a bent nib. In normal writing, the ball-tip of the nib isn't touching the paper... so the feel is more like writing with a stub nib. It's not super smooth, but it is smoother than I expected. It's taking some getting used to; I might go with the standard nib next time. I found that Monteverde's "California Teal" was a good match for the color of this pen.

TL;DR Buy this pen. Let me start out by saying this pen has no business being this good for twelve bucks. I am left handed and was expecting a “scratchy” writing experience, but right out of the box this pen exceeded my expectations. While it is certainly not going to replace your Montblanc, it’s a well made pen for every day use and has a price tag that makes losing one (or giving it away as the case may be) a non-issue. For the left handed writer, it does give a bit of feedback–maybe a little less than that of a ballpoint pen for comparison–but without the tendency of some to dig into the page. I use mine at work to take a lot of notes on the absolute cheapest spiral notebooks one can find and still find the experience enjoyable. The only issue that I’ve had is the weight and size can get to you after a long time writing–notes or signing things is fine, but usually reach for a different pen when I need to write something longer than a few paragraphs to avoid hand cramps.

I bought this pen and have been writing with it for a few weeks now. I filled it using the converter and nib with Monteverde Canyon Rust ink. The ink and pen color are a fantastic match. The pen never fails to write. It does not skip at all. Even when you first pull the cap off to write after having not used it in 2 or 3 days, the pen writes immediately. The extra fine nib is very tiny, yet it puts out a great amount of ink. The writing experience is not scratchy, though given how small the nib is you definitely feel it moving across the paper. The pen writes well on all papers I've tried it on. I will be looking to begin a collection of Hongdian pens. The 525 is great!

I dunno about “sheerness”? But this item is of fine quality. I chose an EF nib. I’m new to fountain pens. But I started with handmade ones that use bock nibs. They are great. Compared to those this is also likewise, great. Nothin to fancy on the outside. Write magnificently. Nice fine lines. A tiny bit scratchy on the cheap paper I use. Ink flow is perfect for me. Doesn’t flow through printer paper when used at a normal rate. Can if you decide to, say leave the tip sitting. Perfect for its intended purpose. A fountain pen to use at work. Taking notes. Sitting safety in my pocket. Metal.. copper/brass/steel?? Construction is solid.

Es muy linda y se siente de buena calidad, pero la verdad no noté que venía sin tinta, la tienes que comprar a parte, pero fue mi error no leer. Es muy bonita

I was expecting higher quality. Feels like a non genuine knock off product that looks nice but lacks details in quality. I never own a Hong Dien before so I can not verify my suspicions. I definitely expected more for the price I paid. I Will need to fill it and give it a try to see how it writes.

Feels good at first look...but once you start writing...it is very rough...ink flow not smooth... Words seem as if coming out of a constipated pen Not worth buying

Ballpoints be gone! I have accumulated about 30 fountain pens (I think I might have a little problem here), and I can honestly say this is the one I love writing with the most on a day to day basis. Beautiful pen, very well made, an absolute delight to use. So...I've bought as many colours of them as I can find. This is really worth getting. Totally recommend it.

I'm quite new to fountain pens, but my first was much broader in nib and pretty well built. I got this one due to the finer nib and hearing good things about it for the price. At first I found it a little scratchy, but it seems to have settled a little, and I've discovered that's a frequent difference when using finer nibs compared to larger ones. It writes nice and smooth, with no leaks so far. The build is nice and solid without being heavy. Definitely worth a go for the price!