JINHAO 51A Celluloid Acrylic Fountain Pen Steel Cap (Gray Marble, Extra Fine Nib 0.38mm)

Im just returning to using fountain pens. I had a Schaeffer's skrip cartridge pen in the 70s and always loved how it worked. I have a Jinhao 8802 that is a wonderful pen. I decided to give this 51A a shot as I loved the idea of an extra fine covered nib and the color options are amazing. The Phantom Blue pen I received is so much nicer than the one pictured. A true flashback to the 60s. The pen is light weight but not cheap feeling at all. The screw threads are smooth and everything matches up perfectly. The pen easily accepts both cartridge and the included converter and no leaks at all. The pen works well both posted and I unposted, and has a good balance point for me. The hooded nib just looks elegant and screams quality. Performance of the nib is a little iffy at times. The angle of writing is very important and can be a bit challenging to achieve until you get used to it. The EF nib lays down a fine line and once you get the angle figured out the line is very smooth and consistent. The pen tends to be the perfect wetness for me (not too wet or too dry). I really like a fine tipped pen (which is strange as I LOVE thick lead pencils and my go to lead size is 1.3 mm or even 2.0mm) and this really works for me. The nib is smooth right out of the box (ok bubble wrapped bag) and is only going to get better with time. Upside down writing is possible but as expected, very scratchy. The brushed metal cap is pressure fitted with no real click. So far no scratches on either end of the pen body. There is also a nice robust pocket clip on the cap. I am falling in love with this pen and honestly at this price point, this could become a daily beater with no worries of loss or walking off. Probably not a great beginner pen but a great second pen.

The media could not be loaded.  I love electric blue. This pen captures the color well. The patterns in each one will be unique. As with my other EF hooded nib by Jinhao, this one writes well. No skipping, consistent lines. Comes with a converter as all fountain pens should. Unfortunately that is not always the case, but it is with Jinhao. I am a fan! 👍🏻

This pen is great! I have a Parker 51, which this is clearly modeled after, and for the price difference, wow, I am impressed with this Jinhao. No gold nib, obviously, but for a steel nib, it writes beautifully. Mine is very wet, which I like, but some might prefer a drier nib. Quality control being what it is, YMMV. The material is understated but classy, the pen feels solid and expensive. The cap is very top heavy, so it's awkward to use posted, but I find it comfortable unposted. The only small complaint is that the cap is very hard to push down all the way onto the pen and I worry about the body getting scratched up eventually. However, beyond making me nervous, this has not seemed to have affected the pen in any way so far. I hope that this pen lasts for a very, very long time. It's easily my favourite Jinhao so far!

The body is a beautiful blue, the pen is light and easy to write with. Thickness is just right for my small hands. I have the grip of death, with this I don't need to grip too hard to control my writing. Nib is smooth with enough feedback on cheap copy paper for writing satisfaction.Unfortunately after flushing and soaking, I still run into skipping after writing for a minute or so, and very hard starts after leaving it over night. The converter it came with has a piece of plastic above the piston. The listing says it's a 0.38 EF, but it seem to lay down a thicker line then my Hong Dian Forest F? I have a Preppy EF and it's so fine to a point it scratches paper. Not sure, maybe I'm imagining things.Overall I like this, but the minor nuances just irks me. It's $10, I'm not going to return and leave this as part of my collection. Once the ink is done, I won't be using this anymore. I will purchase the Hero 329 and try that instead.

Personally, I think the 51A is one of Jinhao's weakest efforts, but I know many people love it. I feel that the built quality and materials are not up to the standards they set with pens like the X750. Where many Jinhao pens are $6 pens that feel like $60 pens, the 51A is more like a $6 pen that feels like a $16 pen. Still a good value, but not amazing.The body is nice enough made from a very cool looking resin, however the section (where you hold it), it made from a very cheap feeling glossy plastic that can get slippery and makes the pen feel cheap. The hidden nib design looks great, but its performance is passable at best. It has too much feedback or scratchiness for my liking and I found it to write rather dry, even for an Extra Fine. The cap is a nice brushed stainless steel but it does not fit on to the pen with a nice click or really any type of positive feedback. It feels like it's scratching and grinding as you put it on, almost like you're trying to put the wrong cap on the wrong pen.Overall, it's still a passable writer and looks nice enough, but there are better Jinhao pens at this pricepoint and I can't see myself picking it up very often to write with.

This JINHAO 51A Celluloid Acrylic Fountain Pen (Amber, Extra Fine Nib) is a beautiful pen and writes well! Here's a fountain pen that won't break the bank. The nib is smooth on paper, pen feels good in the hand, and although I prefer writing with the pen capped, it would be just as comfortable without the cap. There's a nice feel to the pen - not too light nor too heavy. I did notice that as I write, the flow of the ink is not necessarily consistent. The ink looks darker on the paper and then as I continue to write the ink looks fainter. After a pause in writing, the darker then lighter ink resumes. Not a biggie to me; in fact, it may simply be the Shaeffer ink that I'm using in this pen.