Jinhao X159 Review: A Number 8 Nib Fountain Pen for Under Ten Dollars

Introduction

Jinhao’s 159 has been around for the better part of a decade: a metal-bodied pen that, millimeter for millimeter, mirrors the size and shape of a Montblanc 149, just in metal instead of precious resin. The new X159 revisits that formula with two meaningful changes. The body is now resin rather than metal, and the nib has grown from a number 6 to a number 8.

That second change matters more than it might seem. Number 8 nibs are having a moment, and with most of them being gold units that push the price up, Jinhao’s approach is notable: an oversized nib on a pen that shipped to Canada, shipping included, for nine dollars and seventy-six cents. Here is how the pen actually holds up.

Who This Pen Is For

The X159 is aimed at anyone curious about larger nibs who does not want to gamble on a gold number 8 unit from a European manufacturer. It also suits writers who prefer a big, comfortable pen that stays light. Because the body is resin rather than the original 159’s metal, the pen posts securely without becoming top-heavy, and the long posted configuration stays comfortable for extended writing.

Budget-minded collectors will also appreciate the packaging philosophy: the pen arrives in a simple plastic bag, nothing more. No box to store, no filler to discard, and the bag is recyclable.

Design and Build

The pen is finished in plain black resin with a look that is simple but genuinely pleasant. Everything is rounded off nicely: no sharp edges or corners anywhere, and even the threads feel comfortable in hand. The center band carries a laser-engraved Jinhao marking along with the X159 designation, though the imprint quality reads as slightly cheap up close. That is about what you would expect at this price, and it does not affect function.

The cap takes several turns to unthread, but it is quick to unscrew and never feels tedious. The barrel tapers down to what looks like a blind cap at the end, though it is purely decorative; it is simply the rounded-off end of the barrel. The clip is a weak point: it feels like it could be bent out of shape without much effort.

The Number 8 Nib

The star of the pen is the oversized nib, marked F for fine and stamped with the Jinhao name and a chariot motif. Set beside a standard number 6 nib from a Dig Active, the Jinhao unit is visibly larger, with broad, flat shoulders that give it a stocky but appealing look. This appears to be a first exposure to Chinese-made number 8 nibs, and Jinhao’s move looks smart given the current appetite for big nibs.

For context, most number 8 nibs available today are Bock units, and the ones that are not tend to be in-house or stainless designs from smaller makers. Most are gold and expensive. That makes an affordable stainless number 8 genuinely interesting, and at least one manufacturer of pens in Ireland has reportedly obtained these nibs to experiment with.

Writing Performance

In use, the fine nib writes with a very light, dry line. With zero pressure it puts down almost nothing at speed, and with some pressure the line darkens considerably. The tight nib slit is the culprit: the pen can run much wetter, but the slit restricts flow. Opening the tines slightly would likely turn it into a very pleasant writer, and this is a fixable issue with a bit of careful tine adjustment.

There is a touch of line variation available with gentle pressure, which is easier to justify on a pen this inexpensive. Reverse writing produces an extremely thin, fine line, though since the nib is already fine, that is a niche trick. Overall, it writes reasonably well even before any tuning, just not as wet as many writers would like.

Filling and Maintenance

The pen fills via a converter with a flat turning knob, a design similar to what Lamy introduced first. It includes a nice metal ring on the collar and a rubber o-ring inside the barrel threads that keeps the section from unscrewing accidentally. The o-ring already shows slight wear from friction and may eventually need replacing, though testing showed the section stays tight even without it.

The barrel appears to be solid, but there is a metal ring inside near the section that could interact with ink, so eye dropper conversion is probably not advisable on this pen. That limitation is worth accepting rather than risking a metal-to-ink reaction.

Likes and Dislikes

The X159 earns real credit for being a reinvented classic. Jinhao took a design they have sold for a decade, spotted that number 8 nibs are trending, and shipped an updated version in a nicer material with a bigger nib. It looks good, feels good, and the oversized nib is genuinely fun, something not previously seen on a Chinese pen in this range.

The price is the biggest selling point. For under ten dollars, no other pen brand offers a number 8 nib. On the downside, the nib is not perfect: dryness seems common enough that it appears to be a unit-to-unit issue, though it is relatively easy to correct. The clip feels flimsy, and some details like the engraved imprint look a bit cheap, which is the trade-off at this price point.

Buying Advice

If you want to try an oversized nib without spending gold-nib money, the X159 is the obvious entry point. Buy it expecting to do a small amount of tuning: if your unit writes dry, spreading the tines slightly will transform the experience. If you want premium trim quality out of the box, look elsewhere, because that is not what ten dollars buys. For everyone else, it is a genuinely interesting pen at a remarkable price.

Conclusion

The Jinhao X159 is a smart update to an already interesting design: lighter resin construction, a fun oversized number 8 nib, and a price that removes almost all risk from trying it. The dry fine nib and the flimsy clip are real caveats, but both are manageable, and the core experience of writing with a big nib on a big, light pen holds up well. For under ten dollars, it is hard to argue with.