Fountain Pen: Hongdian N10

VISUAL

The Hongdian N10 is a large aluminum metal pen. The cap, body, and section have a really diagonal pattern of chatoyance. I'm not sure if this effect is made using anodization techniques or if this is from a printed overlay. If it's an overlay, it's done really well with no visible seams! There is a shiny chrome blue stripe on either side of the pen that adds a bit of visual flair. Unfortunately, this stripe doesn't align from barrel to cap when the cap is on tightly. It's a minor quibble, but I would have loved if it lined up.

The trim is a chromed black with a lot of textures engraved. There are two small ink windows in the barrel - they're almost too small to be useable, and I would have loved to see them framed out to stand out better. As it is, I feel like the sharp-ish edges around the ink windows are prone to grabbing onto random dirt.

This pen features a rather striking black #8 nib - it's large, but as the whole pen is large it seems fitting.

TACTILE

I really like the size of this pen. It feels very satisfying and has a nice weight to it. Aluminum pens tend to be on the lighter side of the metal range, but this one a bit heavier.

The coating/texture of this pen is very interesting. It is a satin-matte finish that is almost frictionless. It's very cool to touch and run my fingers over, but it introduces troubles with gripping. I sometimes feel like I rely on the cap threads to truly grip the section. At least the threads are not sharp and are pretty comfy to hold.

PRACTICAL

This giant nib is amazing to look at and amazing to write with. It is slightly bouncy, very smooth, and I love it. It also has an ebonite feed, which is so rare to see in a pen at this price point.

The cap posts snugly and while it makes the pen incredibly long, it isn't so heavy that it feels horribly backweighted. I really appreciate that there is a ring at the start of the piston knob - I feel like the cap grabs more onto that ring rather than sitting directly on the piston knob. Therefore, when I accidentally twist to remove the posted cap, it doesn't start turning the piston, unless the piston was already loose.

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STATISTICAL

Pen Measurements:

Weight: 34.86g

Weight of Cap: 14.68g

Length Capped: 142mm

Length Uncapped: 100mm

Length Posted: 176mm

Nib: 8mm 'Fine' Steel

Body Style: Flat Top

Fill Method: Piston

Fill Volume: 1.4ml

Comparison Pens: Pilot Metropolitan, LAMY Safari

My Fountain Pen Database

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OVERALL

Pros:

• Large but a comfortable weight

• Exceptional huge nib

• Ebonite Feed

Cons:

• The huge nib and the fact that this is a piston filler limits what ink bottle shapes can be used to fill the pen

• The patterning on the body doesn't align when the cap is tightened

• Itty bitty teeny weeny ink window is not super helpful

• Very slippery/frictionless body and section texture

This pen has such an interesting design. I really like it overall, though I'll have to see how the finish does over time. I'm especially a fan of the writing experience. I wish the nib came in a medium, and I know I'm not the only one who has expressed that sentiment.

DISCLAIMER: Pens and inks purchased by myself. Photos and opinions are my own.