Majohn A1 Press Fountain Pen with Box, Retractable Extra Fine Nib Metal Matte Black Ink Pen with Converter for Writing

I purchased the matte black clipless Moon Man/Majohn A1 at the same time as a Decimo (the pilot VP’s slimmer, lighter, younger sibling) and prefer the A1.**see photo for both pens and essentially a handwritten version of this review**While the A1 may technically be a “knock-off” of the VP, it’s gotten a reputation for being a very good fountain pen in its own right. The biggest difference between this and the others is the nib — choosing the “best” is just personal preference.The A1’s nib offers a touch of pleasant pencil-like feedback, and paired with the feed is an extraordinarily consistent writer with no skipping or flow issues. It’s almost like writing with a brand new extra-fine hard felt-tip?? It is a “nail,” so there’s zero flex to it.The Decimo & VP, on the other hand, have 18kt gold nibs, which are very very soft and glassy-smooth on paper. The Decimo’s nib was so soft that I could see the tines separating while I was writing, which caused some inconsistent flow and isn’t ideal in general, and there was no line variation unless I used more pressure than I was comfortable with.Remember: Gold nib ≠ flex nib, and not every steel nib is unyielding!The A1 does not feel “cheap” in any way — it’s extremely sturdy, weighty, and dependable. I usually prefer slimmer pens as I have small hands & an unconventional grasp, but the girth of this one doesn’t bother me (the grip section is roughly the same diameter as the barrel of a capped Metropolitan, for example).The clicker is very satisfying and convenient, too. The trap door closes all the way, keeping the nib from drying out.*Just make sure the nib is put in the barrel correctly to begin with, by lining up the little bump on the feed & slotting it into the corresponding notch in the barrel. As far as I know, this is the case with any capless FP.It’s a huge bonus that Moon Man/Majohn offers a version without a clip. The clip is polarizing for sure — for some, it may help align the nib correctly, and for others it may just get in the way, depending on how you grip your pen (I’m in the second group). I only wish they offered this option in more than just black!The entire inside (nib/feed/cartridge) is the same size & shape as the Decimo & VP, so you could put a Decimo’s nib in an A1, for example (I tried it, there were no issues), and the body is very close to a VP in terms of size, weight, and appearance.Overall, if you have some experience with more traditional fountain pens and are thinking about getting a clicky FP, I absolutely recommend getting this one first to see if capless is for you. New FP users will get a better sense of preferences by trying out some capped one first :)

This is a very nice pen.At first, I was at odds about getting a knockoff as I love Pilot pens, and I do own one of the original VPs. I did some research and saw that Pilot's original patent (US3292593A) expired 40+ years ago in December 1983. The purpose of these patents is to offer the authors temporary exclusive rights and protections in exchange for teaching the world about their cool invention. So with that legal input, the price difference, and new body styles as motivation, I gave this a try and was quite pleased with the result.The first nib I received leaked around the edges, which caused ink to pool up behind the trap door. After communicating this with the retailer, showing photos detailing the issue, they sent me a new nib. The time from first contacting the seller to receiving the new nib was about three weeks. That new combination works great. The writing is smooth, even for an <EF> steel nib. My nib has great flow with Iroshizuku Shin-kai ink, and does not skip, even with very quick writing.I'm also a fan of the complete black matte coating and texture, as it reduces the tendency to slip around the grip.Mechanically, the clicking is as loud as the VP original, with just a hint more "grittiness" that sounds like it could be from the spring, and not really grinding metal.I gave this 4 stars for "Value for money", but I would like to explain. While it is a great savings to the Pilot original, it can be purchased from China distributors even cheaper for about 70% of the price listed on Amazon. However, you may not get the same customer service and shipping time as I received, so buyer, please be aware.Other things to consider: There is not much line variation, but I would not expect this with either this nib size or construction. I have read that some folks have problems with their nib flow or scratchiness/feedback. Perhaps that is a quality control issue for the contractor making these nibs for Majohn, and could potentially be improved? The nib doesn't do reverse writing well at all, but I am not one in need of an XXF line at this time. I do wish Majohn would explore other nib sizes/shapes.Overall, I am happy with my purchase, and I hope this review provides helpful details for your decision-making.