Hongdian M2 Black Forest Mini Fountain Pen, Fine Soft Nib & Sleek Shape Aluminium Short Pocket Travel Pen (Midnight Blue)

I have been using this pen for about a week and here is my review:Packaging & Accessories: 8/10The pen comes in an oval metal box. I have another Hongdian fountain pen and the packaging is the same. The pen came in a plastic bag for additional protection.Aesthetics & Quality (10/10)The M2 is a nice little pen. Aesthetically the lines are pleasant to the eye (I like squared lines to curvy ones) and it appears to be well put together. It comes with a clip that is very usable. It has a nice medallion with the Hongdian mark on top (it appears 3D) and Hongdian M2 stamped on the side of the cap. The concept is similar to the Kaweco Sport and other pocket pens: the cap is quite long and the pen itself quite short (see pictures): once the cap is posted the pen becomes full size. The materials used is probably alluminum well anodized. The pen comes with a converter, which is bigger than the one offered by Kaweco for the Sport and very to use. Similarly to the N11, the converter has a reinforced nipple and it can be disassembled for maintenance.The pen has an O-ring in the section to avoid accidentally unscrewing the body from the section and probably one more in the cap, as when the cap posts I can feel a nice positive engage from it: it won’t fall even if you violently shake the pen.Overall, very good quality.Nib and wiring quality: 9/10The nib looks like a number 5: I didn’t try to unscrew it, but I imagine you could. It is dark colored (ruthenium?) which matches the same color of the clip. It is very smooth with some nice feedback (not scratchy). I enjoy writing with it very much.Weight and Dimensions: 9/10The pen is pretty light as you would expect from a pocket pen. Being made of metal, it is heavier than a plastic Kaweco Sport, but definitely not that heavy and it feels pretty well in the hand. Closed it is about 4 inches long and capped it is about 5 inches: by no means a long pen but long enough to write comfortably.Cost & Value: 10/10The pen costs $19 on Amazon which is definitely not expensive and cheaper than a Kaweco Sport in metal. Considering that you get a nice pen, with a clip and a converted (the last two items are options for Kawecos and need to be purchased separately), this is a nice little package.Conclusion: (46/50 –92%)Hongdian did it again! This is another nice pen, especially if you are looking for an expensive pocket pen with substance (metal construction) and with the added bonus of a nice sized converter.

Sometimes it can be easy to dismiss what one might initially think of as another Chinese company pumping out a mass produced product. Because of the quantity of these sorts of companies one can assume their quality is lessened, and sometimes that is the case. But not here. Hongdian does an INCREDIBLE job with their products! I’ve been using fountain pens since 2003 and used Schaefer, Parker, Montefiore, etc. and these Hongdian’s are BY FAR the most functional, sleek, smooth-writting, and well crafted pens I’ve seen. All the fit and finish are spot on. The nibs are deburred and well rounded for the smoothest writing experience you can have (gel pens don’t compare). They are sleek and easy to carry with you and use on a day to day basis. You can just feel they’re solid, not cheaply made, with excellent attention to detail. Their refill system is simple and affordable. I love these pens , and the price point is mind blowing. If you’re planning on buying one, then BUY TWO. They are THAT good!

I really like this pen - the color, the weight, the feel. But I did have to replace the nib with a Picasso Medium nib I had in my stash because the OEM nib *squeaked* really bad! I tried tuning it a bit with some micro-mesh and Mylar paper, but it still squeaked, so I just switched it out. Now it writes very well, though I may at some point replace the nib with a Bock or JoWo.If you want a less expensive alternative to one of the small Kaweco fountain pens, this is a good option. The pen seems well-made, solid, and is a really good size -- somewhat better than the Kaweco Liliput, since this one is slightly longer when posted; about the same size as the Kaweco Sport, as can be seen in the photo.Photo reference --Top: Kaweco Ice Sport - PinkMiddle: Hogdian M2 Black Forest Mini - Army GreenBottom: Kaweco Liliput Fireblue.UPDATE: I bought the Midnight Blue version of this pen and it wrote BEAUTIFULLY right out of the box! No skipping, no scratchiness, no squeakiness, just smooth writing that's better than some of my $100+ pens. Really really nice pen!

I decided to give this pen a try despite not being familiar with the manufacturer, Hongdian, because it was listed as a pocket pen with a soft nib, and the price was right. I found mixed joy and disappointment in what I received.Pros:+ This is a compact pen that posts nicely, comfortable both when pocketed and when in use. Its aluminum cap and barrel feel sturdy.+ The matte finish is attractive.+ At $20 with converter included, the pen is good value.+ The pen takes international standard (short or long) cartridges, which makes it easy to refill whether you prefer cartridges or bottle ink.Cons:- This was advertised as a soft-nib pen, but it most certainly is not. "Soft" in terms of fountain pen nibs refers to a nib that flexes during use to provide variation in the width of the line put to paper and how fast ink flows onto the paper...but does so less than a "flex" nib. This is a very rigid steel nib (albeit a fairly smooth one).- This pen seems to come from China, so I assumed that listed nib sizes were Asian sizes similar to Namiki/Pilot, or Jinhao. What I received was more of a Western medium, similar to a Pelikan or Lamy nib.- The converter is very flimsy, and attaches a bit loosely. I expect to have to replace it before long.Overall... I like the pen. At just about $20, it compares reasonably well to my much more expensive Kaweco AL Sport. However, I found the description rather misleading. It should *not* be listed as a soft nib, and it should be specified that the nib sizing is Western.