General
The Jinhao 82 Fountain Pen at 124 mm in length is the smallest fountain pens we tested, and only the vintage Pelican 100 is shorter by a bit, but the comparison rapidly ends here as both pens are not comparable, either technically or from a provenance point of view. Our acquisition of the 82 pen was dictated by shared curiosity, as its advertised price in April 2023 was just £3.17, directly supplied from PRC. Four and half months later you can still buy the 82 pen for £4.27, or even £3.97 if you buy 3 pens (volume procurement…). Shipping from PRC is FOC but can be varied, generally it takes 3-3.5 weeks if the wind blows in the right direction. Naturally UK supplied 82s are more expensive but then there is so much less fun.
Features
Some commentators think that Jinhao, perhaps rather cleverly invented the 82 pen to shift surplus of their overstocked converters and some No.3 nibs, and maybe some other pieces like clips, etc. The 82 pen is a simple writing instrument which comes with magnet happy nib. It reacts! In fact, this is quite common on many other Jinhao nibs, dependant on the type of stainless steel used the degree of “happiness” varies. Both the Jinhai 82, F and EF nibs need only a very light touch and both produce a slightly wider line, which adds to their character. The 82 is very similar to a well-known design by Sailor, made in Japan, so some reviewers question the 82 pen’s originality.
Comment
Nice affordable, small pen. Its posting is very critical and it works well. No fancy packaging, just simple working fountain pen in the recognised Sailor style. Quality of workmanship and materials of Sailor is much more refined.
Ink used: Parker Quink Black, France/UK
