5 Large Fountain Pens with Big Nibs Worth Trying

Introduction

Large pens with genuinely big nibs used to be an expensive corner of the market. That has changed. Right now there is a solid group of oversized fountain pens, most carrying number eight or number nine nibs, that span from around $20 to roughly $130. This roundup looks at five of them: the Jinhao 9019, the Jinhao 930, the Majohn P140, the Asvine V800 and the Kanwrite Mammoth.

A quick note on nib numbers: the number simply refers to the diameter of the feed in millimetres. A number eight nib sits on an 8 mm feed, a number nine on a 9 mm feed. Both are substantially larger than the standard number five nib most modern pens use.

All five pens here were written with the same ink, a deep blue, so the comparison below is as close to like-for-like as possible.

Jinhao 9019: The Affordable Number Eight Entry

The Jinhao 9019 is the most affordable pen in this lineup at roughly $20, and it is a genuine number eight nib pen. The body comes in a clear demonstrator finish, but if clear acrylic is not your thing there are other finishes available. The oversized nib has a distinctly classic, large-nib styling, and the included converter is notably girthy, so despite its compact look it carries a decent amount of ink.

It is hard to think of a cheaper way to try a number eight nib. The trade-off is refinement: the section is very wide and fairly featureless, which some writers will find tiring over long sessions. As a writer itself it is pleasant, but in this five-pen comparison it is the least comfortable to hold for extended periods. At this price, that is a fair compromise.

Jinhao 930: The Colossal Number Nine

The Jinhao 930 is a love letter to the classic large flagship pen, but bigger. It is longer than the pen that inspired it, and it carries a colossal number nine nib in a true broad. The build quality feels genuinely good, and the writing experience is pleasant and quite wet, which suits the broad nib nicely.

At around $80, this is a noticeable jump from the 9019, but you get a pen that feels well made and a nib that dwarfs a standard number five. One caveat: this is a very big pen. If the 930 sounds like too much, Jinhao also makes the 920 and 910 in smaller sizes, though those come with somewhat smaller nibs.

Majohn P140: Comfortable Piston Filler

The Majohn P140 is another clear demonstrator, also available in other finishes, and it brings a genuinely appealing filling system: a piston filler that holds a nice amount of ink. The number eight nib returns here too.

In use, the P140 was one of the more comfortable writers in the group, with a wetter, more saturated line than the Jinhao 9019. The section is still fairly girthy, as most large pens are, but the overall balance in the hand is good. For anyone who wants a big pen without dealing with cartridges or converters, this is an easy recommendation.

Asvine V800: The Vacuum-Filled Standout

The Asvine V800, at around $60 Canadian, was the biggest surprise of the group. It is vacuum filled, so ink capacity is generous, and it carries another number eight nib. What sets it apart is the option of a 1.1 mm stub nib, which adds real expressiveness and line variation to your writing.

More than anything, the V800 gets the section right. The shape and diameter are simply comfortable, and it was the easiest of these big pens to hold for long writing sessions. The nib is wet and smooth. Of the five, this is the favorite purely as a writer, and it also does not have to be clear if you prefer a solid finish.

Kanwrite Mammoth: The Ebonite Statement Piece

The Kanwrite Mammoth comes from India rather than China or Taiwan, and it is immediately the most distinctive pen here thanks to a beautiful mottled red ebonite finish. It is also the biggest pen in the lineup, edging out the Jinhao 930 by a millimetre or two, with a very girthy section. If narrow sections are your preference, this is not the pen for you.

The number nine nib is stocky and broad in the shoulders rather than in the tipping, which makes it an interesting writer: very pleasant and smooth. The Mammoth can be eyedropper filled, which would turn the entire barrel into an ink reservoir, and it ships with both a very large converter and a small travel ink reservoir that screws directly into the section. In practice that travel reservoir can lead to ink starvation, so the converter is the safer daily choice. Priced at $129, it is also the most expensive pen here, but arguably the prettiest.

Side-by-Side Nib Comparison

Lined up together, the number eight nibs on the Jinhao 9019, Majohn P140 and Asvine V800 look remarkably similar, and it would not be surprising if they are closely related, though that has not been confirmed. The number nine nibs on the Jinhao 930 and Kanwrite Mammoth are another step up entirely, looking enormous next to a standard number five nib.

The practical takeaway: number eight nibs are the sweet spot for most buyers, while number nine nibs are for people who truly want the biggest writing experience available.

Which One Would I Pick?

Ranked as a writer, the Asvine V800 takes first place, followed closely by a tie between the Jinhao 930 and the Kanwrite Mammoth. The Majohn P140 sits just behind, and the Jinhao 9019 rounds out the list, mostly because of its less comfortable section rather than any fault in how it writes.

On pure looks, the Kanwrite Mammoth wins outright. The mottled red ebonite is genuinely beautiful, and it feels like a pen worth displaying, not just writing with.

Conclusion

There is no bad choice in this group of five. The Jinhao 9019 is the affordable gateway to a number eight nib at about $20. The Majohn P140 adds piston filling, the Asvine V800 adds vacuum filling and a stub option, the Jinhao 930 delivers a colossal number nine broad, and the Kanwrite Mammoth brings ebonite craftsmanship and sheer size. Match the filling system, section shape and budget to your preferences, and any of them is a satisfying way into big-pen territory.