Yes, those are fountain pens. They are click versions from Jinhao that are similar to the Pilot Vanishing Point. The nibs are surprisingly good, smooth with good flow. More about these babies in the near future.
Sailor Shikiori Inks
02/12/2026https://flic.kr/p/2rWnSi4
Ink acquisitions from 2025 make a colorful and harmonious palette. All are from the Sailor Shikiori line. The coordination was unplanned but rather a happy accident. The pen is a Jinhao that works well with all of the colors. Could this become my spring rotation?
Asvine C80 Nibs
02/06/2026
Asvine C80 nib comparison on Rhodia. The writing was slow to dry which isn’t surprising given how much flow these nibs have. The smooth, steel #8 nib is large but suits the dimensions of the C80. At less than $30 USD, it is a fair price for a well-made fountain pen.
Asvine C80 EF and Hongdian Ink in Brown
02/03/2026Asvine C80 extra-fine in brown with Hongdian brown ink are a good pair for narrow ruled paper. My A5 journal is working well with the large size 8 nib though there is some show-through and a few dots of bleed-through on my inexpensive paper. For journaling, it doesn’t really matter though I have seen this happen with several Hongdian inks.
The C80 is quite smooth for an extra-fine though there is some feedback. I could write with it for long sessions and that is not the case with other such narrow nibs.
The build quality is better than expected at the price point. The C80 is the largest pen in my collection and even in my small hand, a pleasure to use. Maybe that is why I now have three.
At Amazon.
Asvine C80 Meets Hongdian Blue Ink
02/02/2026Asvine C80 Green Ripple medium nib with Hongdian Peacock Blue ink. Appealing together but show-through and bleed-through limit their use. Since I seldom use the back of my paper, it isn’t a deal breaker for me.
Jinhao x159 as a Weekend Companion
01/30/2026My second Jinhao x159 writes somewhat better than the first one but could use an ink with less flow. Diamine Saddle Brown might be it’s next date if it doesn’t fill an Asvine C80 next.
New Faves for 2025
12/19/2025Time to assess recent additions and share the best of the lot with you.
For aesthetics, the Ferris Wheel Press Marquise is the clear winner. Note that it wrote very well with FWP ink so that duo is a winner.
Though I usually find metal pens to be too heavy, Asvine/Hongdian models won me over with their balance, length and nibs. The Carbon Fiber and the N2 are good enough to deserve regular use.
Nibs are somewhat unpredictable in the under $40 range though my Jinhao 82 pens have been reliable. Of the new nibs, two of the Asvine/Hongdian pens earned perfect scores.
The fine is a workhorse and the bent nib just plain fun but suitable for everyday writing as well. Smooth with a touch of feedback, both will get plenty of time in my rotation.
That brings us to ink and to be honest, I like some of my new ones but none are destined for my regular rotation. For that honor, an ink needs to have a unique color as well as outstanding properties and characteristics. It also has to make legible notes on mediocre looseleaf paper in my A5 notebook. Hongdian Sky Blue is at the top of the list performing well with the Hongdian 620 bent nib. It writes more like a broad nib that narrows to a fine than a fude that produces wide and varying lines like a brush.
So the overall winners came from Ferris Wheel Press and Asvine/Hongdian both of which were unexpected surprises.
As if you needed encouragement, these are the links at which my Asvine/Hongdian products were purchased:
Asvine/Hongdian Carbon Fiber Fine
What were your favorite acquisitions for 2025? Anything we should try in 2026?
An Inkophile's Blog 
