A surprisingly familar fountain pen has been added to the Jinhao lineup – the new jinhao 59 pocket fountain pen – available in a variety of colorways and combinations.
As per usual, I could not resist picking up this pen from Aliexpress as they are super affordable and seemingly an exact replica of the famous Pilot e95s fountain pen.
Of course, the Jinhao is actually an inset nib, not a true inlaid nib, plus it is a steel nib, not a 14k gold nib as on the Pilot pens and many of the long short pocket pens of that era by Pilot, Sailor and Platinum.
There is no doubt that the gold nibs give you a very different feel and we all have our personal preferences in regards to what is worth our money. I still love my Pilot e95s and these new Jinhaos have not replaced my Pilot.
But they are affordable steel nibbed pocket pens – for less than 10 USD for a pocket fountain pen – sounds pretty nice for supplying all corners of your house, office, car and carry-ons.
I actually might have jumped the gun on this one, because I picked up two in different colorways, however, Jinhao has since been releasing new color combinations. I would have opted for that beautiful sparkly brown color honestly!
Well, I already have two Jinhao 59s, so I doubt I will add more to my collection just because it’s more than I need.
The EF and F options that I purchased both work well. Smooth nib albeit hard as a nail – like many Jinhao nibs. No issues with leaking but I have heard others complain they received a dud that leaks. When it comes to these plastic pens, the issue of cracking is always a concern. But I suppose I get what you pay for.
Perhaps these can be everyday workhorse, throw around pens – that at some point might break or crack on you. But for the price, that’s what you would expect.
Why buy the Jinhao 59? It’s an affordable way to try out a long-short pen of this style, to see if it’s your jam. It’s also super affordable to buy multiples to keep in various locations of your work or home, where you wouldn’t leave your more expensive pens ever!
Does it replace the Pilot e95s? Not a chance. The gold nib on my Pilot e95s is divine and the writing experience is completely different. Especially if you are doing any kind of long form writing.
But if you just need some for quick notes and the ability to carry it around, throw it around, even lose it sometimes… the Jinhao 59 would do the job. And you can replace it pretty easily.
Those are my thoughts.
If you would like to support this blog, check out my affiliate links to purchase the Jinhao 59 on Aliexpress below:
Jinhao 59 Fountain Pen option 1