I own other, much fancier pens. Pens that caress the hand, waltz smoothly across the page like silk and draw approving comments from even the most ‘non’ of non-pen enthusiasts. The Jinhao 51A is not in that league and won’t get a five-star review, but in value for money terms I think these go all the way to eleven and here’s why. Firstly, they cost incredibly little. And yes, they look and feel like they cost incredibly little. There’s only one price point these could drop down to and that’s absolutely free. But for anyone thinking about moving up from the common or garden rollerball or ballpoint these are a virtually zero risk way of trying out a fountain pen for the first time. This version of the 51A has a hooded nib which makes it look a little more like a normal pen. Very bad for purists who want a veritable sword at the end of their writing instrument. But absolutely fine for newbies who might struggle with the bendier, pliable nibs more commonly found on a fountain. Secondly, they write really well. Yes, I hear you say, that's kinda what pens do, and to the uninitiated this seems like a statement of the blindingly bleeding obvious, but not to a nib-nerd. Fountain pen enthusiasts know this isn’t a given, especially with something that costs less than a Latte. Even the most expensive showpiece may need a little teasing and coaxing before it flows across your page like an Olympic ice skater. Childish I know, but some of my better-quality pieces need very rude words scrawled on a sheet of paper several times before waking up after a long sleep. Some need to be held in a certain way. These are the eccentricities fountain fans love, but if you’re new to the field you’ll probably just want something that works as soon as you pull off the cap. And all five of mine do that, at any angle with more or less any grip. The 51A is as metronomically reliable as your ballpoint or rollerball but still feels like a fountain pen. It writes smoothly and isn’t ‘scratchy’, giving a writing experience that could quite possibly pass a blindfold Pepsi Challenge against many a fancier contender. And for tick-box number three? This is a fountain pen you can sling in a bag and anywhere. I once lost my beloved Waterman Hemisphere for several weeks while at work. Okay I didn’t actually lose sleep or contemplate hara-kiri but it was horrible, and the the day I re-discovered it lurking in the bottom of my car door side pocket was a moment of pure joy I can still smile at even now. None of my better pens have left the house since. But one of these can come out with me anywhere, anytime and I'll show it a good time. And then there’s the added advantage of actually being able (look away now, nib nerds) to lend your pen to a colleague. Yes that's right - I said it. That’s normally a request that has fountain pen owners making that “who’s broken wind in the lift?” face. It’s the fear that nobody else but you can so much as scribble “cup of tea?” on a Post-It note without turning your handsome gold plated nib into scrap metal. But with one of these? No problem. Lend it, or even give it away to a colleague who actually thinks a Bic biro is an acceptable life choice. And finally, each one of these comes with a convertor. For non-aficionados this means a little tube where an ink cartridge would usually go with a screw mechanism that sucks up ink. These on their own would be worth a few quid each but to have one included in a pen as affordable as this is the very definition of bargain. Yes you can get very cheap disposable fountain pens. These are invariably yuk to write with, leak when you least want a leaky pen, and are very bad for the planet. The 51A can be filled up with any colour you have (and most nib-nerds will have LOTS), is easy to clean between colours and there’s nothing to throw away. So there you go. For the already initiated who don’t want to burst into tears and bang their head on the desk when they lose their beloved scribe this is a pretty good workaday instrument. And for those of you new to the cult, this is the perfect, risk-free way of dipping your nib into a bottle of ink for the first time and never again having to look at that tired box of biros in the stationery cupboard.
