Shopping for a Hongdian fountain pen on Amazon and stuck on the nib dropdown menu? Here is the 10-second rule: pick Fine (0.5 mm) or Extra Fine (0.38 mm) in the Hongdian Black Forest 1851 ($16–22) for normal everyday writing, pick the Hongdian Bent Nib / Fude ($16–20) for sketching and brush-like line variation, or pick the Hongdian C1 Hooded Nib ($12–16) if you want a pen that doesn't dry out between lecture pauses.
Pick the Right Hongdian Nib in 30 Seconds
Top Picks Compared
Hongdian Black Forest 1851 (Fine or Extra Fine)
Hongdian Black Forest 1851 · Typical: $16-22
Best if: Consistent, smooth 0.38mm (EF) or 0.5mm (Fine) PVD-coated black steel nib. Zero learning curve for notes, planners, and office work.
Setup note: Includes converter inside the barrel, but no ink in the box—add bottled ink below.
Hongdian Black Forest Bent Nib (Fude)
Hongdian Black Forest Bent Nib (Fude) Fountain Pen · Typical: $16-20
Best if: Upturned curved tip writes from Extra Fine (steep angle) to 1.2mm Broad (low angle). Beloved by urban sketchers and calligraphy beginners.
Setup note: Requires consistent hand angle if used for small everyday handwriting.
Hongdian C1 Classic Hooded Nib Pen
Hongdian C1 Classic Hooded Nib Fountain Pen · Typical: $12-16
Best if: Semi-hooded Fine nib shields the ink feed from air, preventing dry starts when you pause during lectures or meetings.
Setup note: Smooth lacquered metal barrel; ships with converter (ink sold separately).
Required Starter Ink: Waterman Serenity Blue (50ml Bottled Ink)
Every Hongdian pen ships with a refillable converter pre-installed, but NO ink in the box. Add this foolproof 50ml bottle so you can fill and write immediately.
Note: Hongdian pens use a proprietary 3.4 mm bore for cartridges, so filling the included converter from bottled ink is the easiest and cheapest way to start.
Hongdian Nib Options Compared Side-by-Side
Unlike Western starter brands that only offer Extra Fine, Fine, and Medium, Hongdian listings on Amazon include specialty Asian grinds like Bent Nib (Fude) and Long Blade right next to standard sizes. Use this table before clicking buy:
| Amazon Nib Label | How It Writes | Best For | Skip It If... |
|---|---|---|---|
| Extra Fine (EF, ~0.38–0.4 mm) | Crisp, controlled narrow line; lowest ink output | Cheap copy paper, small planner grids, compact print handwriting | You prefer glassy, wet, broad strokes on smooth fountain-pen paper |
| Fine (F, ~0.5 mm) | Smooth everyday medium-fine line with balanced flow | 90% of beginners: daily journaling, lecture notes, signatures | You write tiny letters inside 3.7 mm Hobonichi grids |
| Bent Nib / Fude (0.5 mm to ~1.2 mm) | Curved upturned tip: write steep for Fine, hold low for Broad brush-like strokes | Urban sketching, expressive headers, calligraphy practice, shading inks | You want effortless, uniform line width during fast note-taking |
| Long Blade /Long Knife (~0.5–0.7 mm) | Architect/Naginata-style grind with thicker horizontal strokes and thinner verticals | Block print flair, Chinese/kanji character hooks, hobbyists wanting subtle line variation | It is your very first fountain pen and you rotate the pen while writing |
1. Standard Extra Fine (0.38 mm) & Fine (0.5 mm): The Safe Daily Drivers
If you are buying your first Hongdian Black Forest 1851 or Hongdian M2 Pocket Mini for everyday notes, stick to Extra Fine (EF) or Fine (F):
- Extra Fine (~0.38–0.4 mm): Best if you write on ordinary office copy paper, spiral school notebooks, or compact planner grids. It puts down less ink, so pages dry faster and rarely bleed through.
- Fine (~0.5 mm): Feels noticeably smoother than the EF while staying neat enough for college-ruled lines. The Hongdian M2 Mini also uses a springy "Soft Fine" nib that gives a gentle cushion on paper.
2. What Is the Hongdian "Bent Nib" (Fude Nib)?
Many first-time Amazon buyers accidentally order the Bent Nib thinking it is just an ergonomic shape—or worse, think their nib arrived damaged in shipping!
In reality, the Hongdian Black Forest Bent Nib is a traditional Fude (筆) nib designed to mimic a calligraphy brush using a single steel nib:
- Hold it steep (70°–80°): Only the very tip touches the paper, producing a crisp Fine line (~0.45 mm).
- Hold it at a normal low writing angle (40°–50°): The flat underside of the upturned bend rides across the page, laying down a broad, wet stroke (1.0 mm to 1.2 mm) that shows off ink shading beautifully.
- Flip it upside down (Reverse Writing): The back of the curve writes an ultra-thin ~0.3 mm hairline for tiny annotations or sketch details.
Who Should Buy the Bent Nib?
If you draw, urban-sketch with waterproof ink like Platinum Carbon Black, write bold journal headers, or want a fun second pen under $20, the Hongdian Black Forest Bent Nib is one of the best bargains on Amazon. For fast cursive or tiny margins, choose the standard Fine instead.
3. What Is the Hongdian "Long Blade" Nib?
On piston-filling models like the Hongdian N7 and select Forest listings, you will also see a Long Blade option.
Rather than bending the metal upward like a Fude nib, the Long Blade shapes the iridium tipping into an elongated, subtly curved blade (similar to a Japanese Naginata Togi or Western Architect grind). It writes like a smooth Medium-Fine pen but gives horizontal strokes slightly more thickness than vertical strokes, making neat block print and hand-lettering look effortlessly stylized without the sharp corners of an italic stub nib.
4. Hooded Nibs (Hongdian C1): Best for Students & Meetings
If you love Hongdian’s metal build quality but hate capping and uncapping your pen every 30 seconds during a lecture or meeting, look at the Hongdian C1 Classic Hooded Nib. Because only the very tip of the nib is exposed to the air, ink evaporates much slower than on an open nib.
Hongdian Black Forest (EF / Fine)
$16–22 · Converter Included
Choose Extra Fine for cheap paper or Fine for smooth everyday writing. Durable knurled metal barrel with black PVD nib.
Hongdian Black Forest (Bent Nib)
$16–20 · Converter Included
Upturned Fude nib shifts smoothly from hairline Extra Fine to 1.2mm Broad strokes depending on your hand angle.
Frequently Asked Questions
What does "Bent Nib" mean on a Hongdian fountain pen on Amazon?
On Amazon, Hongdian’s "Bent Nib" is a Fude (pronounced foo-deh) nib—a stainless steel nib with a small upturned curve at the tip. When you hold the pen nearly vertical (steep angle), it writes a Fine line (~0.4–0.5 mm). As you lower your hand angle toward the paper, more of the curved flat surface touches the page, producing a juicy Broad stroke up to ~1.2 mm. Flipping the pen upside down (reverse writing) gives a needlepoint Extra Fine line.
Should a beginner choose Fine, Extra Fine, or Bent Nib on the Hongdian Black Forest?
If you want a reliable everyday writer for notes, work, or journaling, choose Fine (F) or Extra Fine (EF). Only choose the Bent Nib if you specifically want to sketch, draw, write bold headings, or experiment with brush-style line variation.
What is a Hongdian "Long Blade" nib?
Hongdian’s "Long Blade" (sometimes listed as Long Knife) is an affordable take on a Japanese Naginata Togi or Western Architect grind. Unlike a flat stub nib, the tipping is shaped like a curved blade so horizontal strokes look slightly broader than vertical strokes, adding natural character to print handwriting without catching on paper.
Do Hongdian fountain pens come with ink on Amazon?
No. Because of airline shipping regulations, Hongdian pens ship with an empty twist-action converter pre-installed inside the metal barrel, but no ink cartridges or bottled ink. Always add a bottle of Waterman Serenity Blue ($8–12) or standard 3.4 mm bore cartridges so your pen is ready to write on day one.