What came first (to the finish line), the original or the clone?

And why are some clones just better and you’re mean for scoffing at them

Before pen purists get to this blog and stab me to death with their 21k gold nibs, here is a disclaimer: I’m not saying copying another person’s pen design is fine or okay or good or whatever.

I’m just saying it’s not bad. I’m not going to sit here and put moral value on possessing fountain pens, be they $0.01 or $10,000 pens, since — like pens — pen people also come from all over the world and from all sorts of financial backgrounds. It seems not only snobby but extremely privileged to tell someone who opted to get a “copy/clone” that they are Bad People TM. I’m of the opinion that other people’s fiscal decisions are just that: other people’s. I do not care what you do as long as you don’t hurt other people.

“But

@idipbananasintocoffee

, are you saying that it’s okay to steal?! Would you download a car?!”

No. I don’t mean it’s okay to steal. I mean… maybe I would download a car but since I can’t drive, that’s a moot point. The key difference between stealing and copying is that copies mean more of the same, not less of the original, and that sometimes copies make better pens — for the user. Let me explain.

I recently almost got an obviously fake Montblanc 149. There was an eBay auction that I won as I bid $35 on the pen; I honestly don’t even know why I did it except for my usual “there ain’t no way I’m gonna win”. Well, I did. Thankfully, the seller was fine with my canceling the order, although I’m wondering if I should’ve still gotten it just for laughs. The description, for those who read them before they bid (can’t be me), actually did mention the pen not being a real Montblanc, as if the price tag wasn’t a dead giveaway. It wasn’t a bad looking clone either, had the snowflake and Montblanc name and even the “made in Germany” stamped on it. It would have fooled a non-pen person. Do I particularly like that they used the actual brand name on the fake product? No. It’s the equivalent of going to Starbucks thinking fall BOGO starts in the morning and naturally it doesn’t so you get mad for false advertising (which is exacerbated by your being undercaffeinated). Just make it more obvious! Advertise it as BOGO Afternoon Definitely Not Montblanc, or your own company name, and I’ll be fine.

What I generally don’t have a problem with is taking a pen design and making a pen that looks similar to it and advertising it under your name. Why? Because I’m not a pen purist, and because not everyone can afford a $160-pre-tax-pre-shipping Vanishing Point, or a $90 Curidas, or a $220 limited edition Pro Gear Slim, or a $120 Kaweco Supra or whatever it’s called. Or maybe not everyone wants to be disappointed in how a pocket pen can’t fit a good converter and how you have to pay extra for a clip (looking at you, Kaweco AL Sport, and glancing back at Delike pocket pen that came with both the clip and a fantastic converter for fraction of the price).

Or maybe Jinhao did it better. This is not a jab at the “new” Parker 51, but the reader can also read between the lines and just skip the 51 in lieu of the Jinhao 85. Besides… the 85 came out before the new 51. Take that, my question from the beginning of this post.

Before I get stabbed to death even by non pen purists… not all copies are the same.

Platinum Curidas vs Lanbitou 3088

Lanbitou (left), Curidas (right)

I have a Platinum Curidas that I won, and I have a Lanbitou 3088 that I bought. Both pens look almost the same, but of course the latter is advertised under the Lanbitou name. It’s not the only pen of theirs I have, but I’m going to focus on this particular model right now.

The Curidas is a retractable plastic pen that comes with a steel nib and a price tag of $90. Once left unused for a week, it might have a bit of a hard time starting, but it will write.

The 3088 is a retractable plastic pen that comes with a steel nib and a price tag of $10~. Once left unused for two blinks of an eye, at most for half a day, it will absolutely hard start, dry out, and be a horrible writer unless you disassemble it to prime the feed to make it usable. And as we all know, even the Curidas is a chore to disassemble.

Obviously, the copy failed to copy and actually bring something to the table. I would not recommend even trying the 3088 as it’s silly to pay to get frustrated. You can be frustrated for free any day of the week. Just come to my workplace.

The same goes for the Wing Sung 3013, the clone of the TWSBI Vac 700. Absolute garbage pen.

However, as I said, not every copy is the same.

Pilot Vanishing Point vs Majohn A1

Pilot Vanishing Point (right), Majohn A1 (left)

Disclaimer: I have both. I do. I have two VPs and two A1s. Let’s compare em.

The Vanishing Point is a retractable brass fountain pen that comes in regular colors and limited editions so the price tag only starts at $160 for the base model (like the Matte Black), but can go up to $500~ (like the Raden models). It is equipped with a 18k gold nib that could be rhodium or black coated, and you have a choice of F, M, B, and 1.0 stub. And FM if you’re lucky and live in Japan.

The A1 is a retractable brass fountain pen that comes in regular colors, but also in several other fun patterns, like the stripes and fish scales, and it is a teensy bit more affordable ($20-25~). The only nib option that I know of is the EF (European, so closer to VP’s F), but — and this is where it gets interesting — the nib unit is compatible with Pilots. What that means is that if you have a spare VP nib unit, or if you want the fun pattern, you can swap parts and you’ll be none the wiser. And, even better, the converter that comes with the A1 is actually good. I’m talking everything the con-50 wished it had been, and everything the con-40 will never be. I actually find myself using the original steel nib more often than the Pilot’s gold. But, of course, I also use the gold nib in the A1. As I said, the parts are interchangeable, and, honestly, I don’t think the original matte black body of my VP will be as durable as the yellow or fishscale body of the M1.

Pilot Prera vs Wing Sung 3003

Wing Sung 3003 (center, duh)

Okay so I don’t have a Prera but I’m not paying $50 for a glorified Metropolitan (unless it’s Cocoon) that won’t even take a normal converter. Instead, the 3003 will fit a longer converter and for some reason the thing is indestructible. I’m talking fall on the concrete and it scoffs at me and says “Tis but a scratch.” And, best of all, you can put the nib of a Metro/Prera/Explorer/etc on it, but you don’t have to as the original nib was pretty damn good. I think I put the “other Wing Sung’s” nib on it and it still works fine.

Kaweco (AL) Sport vs Delike Brass whatever pen

Lanbitou 3062, Kaweco AL Sport, Delike Element as I don’t have a Supra, sorry

I love my AL Sport. It’s a perfect writer, and a gift from a dear friend, and if my house is on fire I’ll save my pens before I save my computer… but honestly, if you need capacity and a clip and a beater pen, the Lanbitou 3062 or Delike Brass or any unnamed Chinese pocket pen will be the pen you’d take on a hike or any other place where you need a solid converter and a pen that you won’t cry about if you were to lose it. Both the Kaweco and its clones are portable and small but the Lanbitou cost me less than what the clip for the Kaweco set me back for. But you do you.

Sailor Pro Gear Slim vs Jinhao 82

Jinhao 82 with swapped finials and cap (left), Sailor PGS Christmas Pudding with original parts because if something happens to it I will cry (right)

Okay now I’m pulling your leg. You can’t compare the two; there is something unique about the feel of the Sailor nib on the page that a Jinhao won’t be able to deliver. But if you want a fun colored pen that, again, you won’t be sad about if you were to lose, grab a couple of 82s. Who knows, maybe you’ll penable someone new and have them spend hundreds on this hobby.

Conclusion: there is a place and a reasonable price for every pen. However, I don’t believe that you need to pay a premium price to get a premium writing experience. Sure, the bragging rights are super enticing, but one shouldn’t break their bank just for bragging rights. That’s what iPhones are for. The point of this post is to say that no number of Jinhao, Delike, or Majohn sales will ever ruin or devalue or damage the sales of any Sailor, Kaweco, or a Pilot pen. Maybe you don’t know if the clip on the Vanishing Point will work for you, so you’ll get a M1 and make sure you like the position of the clip before you commit to an expensive pen. Maybe you just hate how small Kaweco converters are, so you’ll get a Delike New Moon. The fact you did that does not mean you would have or wouldn’t have bought the “original”; it just means you bought the pen that made sense for you. And again, having a fountain pen is neither good nor bad; there is no moral value in possessing a fountain pen. It’s a tool meant to be used and meant to bring joy to the user. And whether you have a sub $1 pen or a $1,000 pen, it’s not my place to judge.

I will judge you for using a ballpoint, though. Ew.