How to Convert a Jinhao Pen to a Zebra G-Nib : 3 Steps to the Cheap Flex Nib Option! 

Thanks ! You are talking about widen the channel INSIDE the body of the pen? Or the feed under the nib?

Great advise, I'd never thought of sanding the feeder but you're totally right 👍

@@reekooism I’m talking about using the Xacto to widen the ink channel on the plastic feed underneath where the nib sits onto the feed. Not a whole lot just about the width of the xacto blade your using to do it. I also notch the ends of the feed channel i just created to make it wider at the end like a Y shape if that makes sense. This way where the ink flows from the converter into the feed it’s wide and able to keep up with non stop flex writing.

@@manuelsalazar3938 sanding the circumference makes it so much easier to get the nib and feed in and out of the section either for cleaning or color changes. I try to rinse and remove the nib if I’m not gonna be using it for more than a day or 2. I always store them clean and dry and I was destroying to many nuns trying to get them in and out with pliers so I figured there had to be an easier way. So I made an easier way :-)

@@pantalonious3984 The pliers don't destroy the nib and feed, when you put a piece of bicycle tube around both.

Awesome. Glad to hear that it worked out reliably for you! I have to say that I've had much better success with the drill-bit method, too... it was a little more hit and miss with pliers.

@@thewetpen I would like to add another bit of experience info. In don't know if I'm the only one but I also noticed that the titanium plated G nibs are better to mold and insert. I was trying to use some nickel plated G nibs and all three pens failed to insert in the pen feed. For a moment I thought that maybe the pens were to blame. I was going to give up but later I tried with the titanium plated ones and the went in without any trouble. Has anyone else had a similar experience?

Glad to hear that it worked out! Pliers work for me in a pinch :--), but the drill bit method has been much more reliable for me... although I haven't had to do this recently. I eventually bought an Osprey Madison ($30) fountain pen that fits Zebra G nibs, and although I don't use it very often, it makes my life a lot easier than this sort of thing!

Thanks! Glad you liked it :-)

Ahh, I'm glad that it worked for you. I've heard a few people say that they were able to use the G-nib without modification, but it must be with a different type of pen than I've tried... they would never have even fit back together, much less written. Enjoy your pen!

Ahh, glad it worked out for you!

Youre really cant do it without its simple instruction? God...

@@sobr24 Nice, condescending tone you got there. Just imagine, just for a moment, that some people really couldn't figure out the proper method to straighten the nib when they have tried it themselves and need a little bit of help or just a small hint to make it work. Just imagine that people aren't stupid, just because they ask for help or learn new things to achieve their goals. Quite the opposite is here the case, since a new method was learned and successfully applied. Just imagine that not everyone is such a genius like you who doesn't need help from anyone and figures everything out by himself! God...

Glad to hear that someone is still finding this useful :-) When I first heard about this process, I watched a couple of random videos where people just took out the old nib and popped in the G-nib as though it would fit perfectly... still don't know how. It's been a while since I've done this, now, but I thought it was a lot of fun when I did it :-)

My pleasure... glad it worked for you! I have also tried to sand down the feed a bit, but for me, it has always ended up with a feed that isn't the perfect shape anymore and I get leaks. Maybe I need to be a little less aggressive 🙂

Glad to hear it! This process always seems to take a little luck, too.

I can't get either the Jinhao 750 or 450 nibs to come out even after soaking the end assembly in boiling water.

Glad I'm not the only one who had some success with this method!

@@thewetpen can use other number 6 size nibs?

@@diegomarquez3293 The Jinhao x750 can use all sorts of #6 size nibs, yes. Some #6 sized nibs are slightly different in size from each other (Kanwrite, maybe penBBS...) but for the most part, they'll fit in the Jinhao.

@@thewetpen what's the best nib you can fit onto the jinhao in terms of quality?

@@diegomarquez3293 I don't think that there's any consensus on that. There are too many brands and materials (steele, gold, titanium, etc) and different people have different preferences. There's even variation within brands and nibs of the same type... sometimes nibs will need a bit of polishing or alignment to be perfect. That said, I think that most people would claim that JoWo and Bock gold #6 nibs are the best, with their steel counterparts in a close second place.

My pleasure :-)

I've tried Diamine Shimmertastic inks in one, and it worked just fine... no problems with clogs for me. It is a good idea to flush the pen with water regularly, but since these G-nibs corrode and need to be changed now and then, that's always a good time to wash out the feed... so it's pretty ideal for shimmer inks.

Thank you! I was wondering how well they'll work for writing cards, etc - lots of glittery ink when it comes to Christmas for me :)

Thanks :-) I think I only used one ink in this video... there at the end... and it was Lamy Azurite. In my previous video, the inks were listed in the end credits (in the order of appearance), but I didn't think about it in this video, since the ink had such a minor cameo.

I've been hearing this more and more recently, that the stock nib seems to be glued in. I haven't encountered it myself and I don't really know why they'd do it, but it seems like they might be. My answer to just about all of the problems I have with removing and inserting nibs is heavy leather gloves... but it sounds like that might not be enough in this case. If you figure something out, let me know!

Actually, it's been a while since I've done this, but part of the reason is that... yes... you have to empty the pen and clean it if you're going to let it sit for more than a day or two, or the nibs corrode and it's a bit mess. Now, I don't use the expensive G nibs... I went with the cheap ones here... and the titanium ones are supposed to last longer, but I imagine that wouldn't buy you a lot of extra time. If you haven't seen it already, you might want to check out my video about flex nibs more generally and the FPR Ultra Flex. No need to clean that one up.

Glad it was helpful!

Thanks! Glad you liked it

F, M and B all refer to the size of the tip of the nib. #6 or #5, for example, refer to the size of the body of the nib. Not all nibs have a number, but nibs that are originally made by the German manufacturer JoWo (a huge number of nibs are made by them but re-branded by pen manufacturers) come in a few standard sizes. #5 and #6 are the most common, but I think they go up to #8. Finding out which pens use a #6 nib can be a little tricky, but good pen reviewers will generally tell you.

@@thewetpen Thanks, that helps a lot

It seems like it would be an easier fit, but I haven't had any luck with it... maybe you will! I've tried them on #5 feeds and also #5.5 feeds, which they seem to fit, but I can never actually get the nib and feed to fit into the pen/nib unit. I think that there's just too much extra metal in the dip nib and it wraps around the sides of the feed too far. If you try it and get it to work, let me know!

The converter is the stock one that came with the Jinhao pen (or it might be a Jinhao extra that I ordered, but it's the same thing). Good luck!

Thanks! I wish I could say that I was positive that the "rear fins" method was superior... it's just what I happen to do, and it usually works for me, but I also think that I get some slippage when I'm inserting the nib and feed, so who knows. Good luck! What pen are you getting from overseas? I just got a Diplomat Excellence from overseas and love it.

@@thewetpen I'm waiting on a Moonman Delike brass pen, going on 2 months now. I've lost patience with waiting on it, so I've ordered another Jinhaox750 and a few flex nibs and feeds from FPR. They will all arrive before the Moonman pen arrives and I'll have fun with the X750 and calligraphy. Since the Flexing will be taken care of easily, I'll focus on grinding the tip to an actual XF size.

And...the FPR flex-nib on X750 feed was a complete friggin FAILURE. WAAAAY too wet for my needs and line is a medium to start with. I need a fine line for anything. This isn't for me. Going back to video games and outdoor camping...this fountain pen bs is for the birds.

@@Detman101 Awww man. Sorry to hear that. My FPRs are definitely not EF with wet ink in it... it's more like a fine, and if I use ink that's more on the dry side, then I get problems with railroading. Anyway, good luck. I want to do some camping too.

@@thewetpen Thank you for letting me know that. I thought that somehow there would be a balance between sloppy and starvation. Apparently that is not the case and is impossible to meet. I'm not spending 300 dollars on a stupid manufactured flex-nib pen like the Pilot falcon. Trying to get a flex-nib pen is proving to be to expensive for my pocket and my patience. Gonna go break stuff and burn stuff in the woods and get back to good life. Can't believe I waste a whole gdamn month of time with this bs...

Good luck! A little soapy water is probably all the cleaning you need, but if you HAVE and ultra sonic cleaner, then it probably needs it :-)

@@thewetpen Nothing has worked. I tried to remove the nib + feed but, even with cushioned pliers, couldn’t budge it. Probably time to throw it away - unused, and start again 🙁

@@royksk Ahh... that's too bad. Some of the Jinhao pens recently have had the feed glued in place. I don't understand it... it must save money somewhere along the line. Better luck with the next pen!

To be honest, I'm not sure. The chrome nibs that I have are pretty terrible... I can't leave them in an inked pen for more than a couple of weeks. On the other hand, I have a titanium nib in an Osprey Madison, and it hasn't given me any problems, and I've used it off and on for about two years. With the chrome nibs, I get corrosion and rust... that's the main thing. If that weren't the problem, the next most obvious problem that you'll encounter is nib tines that are mis-aligned or bent or railroading. Otherwise, there are just general problems with the tips of the tines, from wear... they may get sharp or scratchy, or might wear down enough that the point is not as sharp as you want, etc. Hope that makes sense

@@thewetpen thank you very much for the reply and it sort of painted a picture for me on what to expect. Much appreciated! 😊

@John - I'm having the same issue with a recently acquired X750. It feels as if the nib is glued into the freaking pen. I soaked in warm water, tried reverse pounding, nothing has worked and I'm afraid if I try anything more extreme, I'll damage the pen. Does anyone have any other suggestions, other than drilling it out?

Yikes. That does sound like a lot of work :-) Probably very satisfying to get it to work, though.

Sounds like you're on the right track, though I'd really recommend using the hammer with the drill bit method. I've never done this on a 159, so I'm not sure how that would change things, but if the nib isn't bent enough to match the feed's radius, you won't be able to get the nib and feed in to the pen. Good luck!

Hey Amanda, that's the second time this week I've heard the same thing about the stuck nib in the pen. The first guy said that he thought it was glued in. I've had a similar problem with nibs getting stuck after they've corroded for a bit. In any case, I'm sorry to say that I haven't found a reliable way to get them out. The feeds for these pens are really cheap ( you can buy bags of them for a few dollars), so don't worry too much about hurting it. If you manage it, let me know how!

Good luck!

Glad to hear that it worked for you! Enjoy your pen 🙂

Thanks! You'd think that with the lockdown order I'd be able to find some time to make some new ones, but I've been swamped. I do have some ideas, though, and they'll be along eventually :-)

As I say, I'm no expert with these things. My policy is ... give it a try! With a cheap pen. :-)

I've never found an ink that didn't work at all, but some are certainly better than others. Some inks are too thin and immediately railroad if you try to flex at all, but they all handle normal writing pretty well. Again, the nib does have to be cleaned, or you may have problems regardless of the ink. But part of the fun is trying different inks and finding one that works well for your needs and writing style.

Well, generally speaking, the Zebra G nib is used in dip pens. A fountain pen like the Jinhao has an ink supply stored inside the pen for a continuous ink supply. Of course, if you don't mind dipping your pen frequently, then there's no need, but I find the self-contained pen to be more convenient. That said, there are now some pens made specifically for use with G-nibs, but they cost more than the few dollars that these Jinhaos will cost.

I found a drill bit and pliers better, actually. The drill bit is definitely the missing piece!

@@andrewwright5025 Nice! I didn't have any luck with the pliers and bit... I prefer the hammer, but whatever works :-) I haven't tried any of the Desiderata or Osprey pens. However, I have found that on Aliexpress, they're now selling Jinhao pens with Zebra G nibs pre-installed. Not sure if they're using the same feed or not. I ended up buying an FPR Jaipur with an ultra-flex nib and ebonite feed; it's really reliable... so I've pretty much stopped looking for other options :-)

I have a FPR too and appreciate that it Just Works. I was doing this with a Noodler's Ahab because I really wanted the dynamism of the 'G' (or similar...) nib. So I'm curious to see how this does with corrosion over the next few days...

@@andrewwright5025 I agree that there's better contrast between the needle thin and the flex when using a dip nib. Are you using the titanium or the standard G-nibs? I've had a couple of standard G-nibs corrode in the pen, now, and in both cases I couldn't figure out any way to remove them without destroying the feed.

Just standard. In retrospect I'm not sure if my previous problems were corrosion or just ink drying in the gap between the feed and the nib. So I'm anxious to see how this works out over the next couple days. I haven't found removal from the Noodler's Ahab very difficult, but I can see how corrosion would make it worse.

Yeah... unfortunately, that's just sorta how it is (at least, for me). If it's very hard, then the nib might not be shaped enough to fit the feed, but even when it is.... the leather glove for grip and protection really helps.

I don't really know for sure, but I don't see why not. Some Speedball nibs are large and have a reservoir, so they might interfere with the caps of some pens. If you experiment, let us know!

It depends on whether you're using the standard steel nib or a titanium one, and it also depends on the ink (some are more corrosive than others), but in my experience, it seems to take about 2-3 weeks before I start to see corrosion. I'd be really curious to hear what other people have to say on this topic, though.

That's exactly the recommendation: try not to keep the pen inked all the time, I've read of extreme cases where the nib starts corroding in less than a week, also avoid inks that are prone to nib creep as they accelerate the process.

I'll take a look around and see if Gillot nibs are available here. Thanks!

@@thewetpen I ordered the nibs from paperinkarts, they have a copperplate set with those nibs.

Yes, very likely, but nothing is certain with these pens. Give it a try! If you can't get the G-nib to fit by following the instructions above, you should be able to just put your Jinhao nib back in place. Good luck!

I have definitely run into a couple that were really tight and hard to remove. For me, wearing the leather gloves really helps with that... I seem to be able to get a better grip and don't worry as much about damaging the nib and feed. I've also seen some places (Goulet, I think?) sell a little sheet of rubber to wrap around the nib for the same job, though I haven't tried it. Anyway, they'll come out eventually... they are just pressure fit... so keep at it :-) On the other hand, one time I left a steel G-nib and some ink in an x750 for a month or two (just forgot about it), and when I found it, the ink had dried and the nib had corroded, and I couldn't get it out again... even with pliers. That was stuck permanently, and I just threw it away after that... and was glad that it was only a $4 pen.

​@@thewetpen So I ended up soaking the nib for a minute in hot water and that FINALLY did it. I used rubber gloves and managed to pull them out, I'm so relieved lol. I flattened the nib using your drill bit/hammer tip. I now I have a working modded pen! RELIEF! Thanks so much for your tutorial!

@@MrYukieme Nice! Glad it worked for you :-)

There actually ARE other fountain pens that are made to fit G-nibs (I didn't know it at the time of this video), although they're more expensive than the 2 or 3 dollars that a Jinhao will cost. The least expensive one that I'm familiar with is the Osprey Madison. You can get a standard #6 sized flex nib unit for it, or a G-nib unit, or a different brass nib unit for it. I think the pen costs around $20 and the nib unit costs another $20 or so.

@@thewetpen that's not horrible, if that Zebra actually works. I bought a 'custom made/tailored' Jinhao with Zebra in it, from Aliexpress. Writing quality was comparable to my own experimentation with pliers... Not so great. So far, the best flex experience I have is with some vintage British pen (Mabie Todd Swan I think?).

Hey John, Glad you were able to get the old nib out... some of them are tighter than others, and I have heard reports that some are glued in on some Chinese pens (not Jinhao, but I was momentarily afraid that they had started). Anyway, it's not unusual for it to be difficult to push the Zebra G nib in. In fact, in the video here, you may notice a band-aid appear on one of my fingers in the video, which is from where I was trying to install a nib without the leather gloves on, and my hand slipped because I was pressing hard, and the edge of the nib cut my finger a bit. So, DO make sure that the radius of the G-nib matches the original nib as closely as possible before anything else, but then just go ahead and use some force (with some gloves or something else protective, if you can).

@@thewetpen Thanks so much for your reply. I think I may have to give up as I've been at it for a few hours and not sure it's worth it. I'm actually Jackie, John's wife, not sure why his email came up, and I'm an artist eager to draw with a flex nib without having to dip in the ink well a million times. When I go to push the feed and nib in, the feed will go in a little more than the nib, but it stops and just won't budge. I've tried hammering closer to the tip to open it up, but that doesn't work either. Oh, well, mission aborted, but I did find your video very helpful. Another artist posted the conversion and she just took the Zebra G nib without any adjustments and it went in easily. It may be that the feed is too tight? Ugh, I know I'll keep at it because my persistent side is very strong. Thanks again!

I'm sorry to hear that! As I mentioned in the video, I ruined the first Jinhao pen that I tried this with, too... so it was a good thing that I bought a pack of 5. For me, the drill-bit method has been much more reliable than using pliers.

Ugh, sorry to hear that. As I think i mentioned in the video, I ruined the first pen that I tried this on, too. That's why it was good to buy a pack of 5 of them at about $3 each. Maybe I mentioned that in the flex nib video, now that I think about it...

@@thewetpen aactually i think it might be fine, i just messed up the frills on the feed a teeny bit, but i had a really hard time fitting the g nib in there, so i just reverted it to the original nib but im not sure if its fine yet cuz i dont have ink on hand today. But since i mostly draw, ill either try to do this at a later time with a little more foresight, or just get a cheap holder like a speedball and use that with fountain pen ink to try it out, cuz now i have ten unused g nibs lol. But anyway, just reply to this and ill delete my original comment since its not exactly useful, nor true anymore. Edit: ill just edit it

Yep, the cap still fits on no problem :-)

It does take some force to get them out, but unfortunately, it seems that some of them seem to come glued in these days, too! Part of the reason that I recommend using these Jinhao pens is that they're cheap and you may ruin one or two while figuring things out. I did. I'd say use a little more force 🙂

@@thewetpen so i was able to do it and it can write, but my only problem is that it stops writing sometimes and i have to wait 1-10 minutes for it to get other ink back. Is that normal??

@@zba1010 It's not unusual, at any rate. You'll find that some inks will give you better performance and others will not flow as well. Some people modify the plastic feed to allow more ink through, or just slow down when they're writing. If it has this problem when you're not heavily flexing, then that's a sign of a bigger problem.

@@thewetpen thanks man now its working properly lol Still a lot of railroading(if thats the correct term) but its all good

Yikes. Hope you didn't get one of these pens where the feed has been glued into the grip section. That would probably require an angle grinder :-) Good luck!

@@thewetpen LOL, no, I meant it as a joke - when you pulled the hammer I busted out laughing a little, it was unexpected :).

Sounds like it's worth a shot, although there are some things that can help fix a pen that skips. Good luck!

Not a size difference... they're designed to fit into the same nib holder. I've never used one, so I can't say what the difference would be as far as the flexibility or size of the tip... but there's no special reason that you'd need to use Zebra G nibs rather than other brands or styles. But whatever brand, I'd still recommend using a nib that is corrosion resistant like the titanium G nibs, since the steel ones corrode so quickly.

@@thewetpen Thank you for your quick informative reply.

@@larryglatt2548 Any time 🙂

Not as inexpensive as something that I already have 🙂 In this case, I wasn't bleeding air out, I was pushing extra ink into the feed

That is the unfortunate truth of the matter, although the titanium ones do seem to hold up better. That's why I like to use the drill bit method to process a bunch of nibs at the same time, and then switch them out when needed.

It's good for if you have writing that could benefit from a flex nib and shading, but don't want to break the bank for a more expensive pen, or if you want to do calligraphy without taking ink with you.

I don't know; you'll have to try and see! :-)

@@thewetpen and can you make a video on Ledos Click Aristocrat Sky Blue Demonstrator Fountain Pen 3in1 Ink Filling System Flex Nib it's a Indian brand

@@Sadhakboy I actually have a Click Aristocrat with a semi-flex nib, and a Click President with an ultra-flex nib, and I'll do videos about them in the future, but next week I'm traveling, so it may be a couple of months.