Such a great little video. I love how off the cuff and casual it feels. It's like having a natural conversation with someone instead of a condensed and formulaic review. Not that there's anything wrong with them but these have that extra air of authenticity to them and back to the point, I may nab myself my first little Chinese pen because of it :)
Just commented on your hate products and asked for links to approved and preference products and I found this! I am on my search for more of these videos. Like the way you cover the points you like. Thanks for your videos.
Thanks! There are many not a couple of pens that I don’t recommend on my channel. Most of the time if something is bland or not that great, I just ignore it.
Hi Stephen again. Jim from Madrid, Spain (a fellow artist and a New Yorker expat living abroad). You know I've been a subscriber to your channel for over a year and I know that you focus your reviews on the pens that you test, though I'm here basically for the Artwork you create... I just LOVE it! The way your imagination works... I admire it! In any case... great review on another fountain pen. I don't like Chinese fountain pens because after buying a lot if them thinking I would save money... I don't! Why? Maintenance is the most important factor... And what I mean by this, as an Artist that uses Fountain Pens "sporadically" for my work (besides my TWSBI ECO that ALWAYS performs for writing and drawing) I need a reliable fountain pen that will ALWAYS work even after several months without using it and storing it with proper fountain pen ink (both soluable and non-soulable). For this I use, besides my TWSBI ECO nib, my 2 Platinum Preppys ( & nibs) and my 3 Sailor FUDE de Mannen FPs (2 with a 40° and 1 with a 55° nib). All of them NEVER fail, even after a very long time without use (weeks or even sometimes months). I also have 1 Lamy Safari and... even this one I have to restart (easier than the Chinese ones) but not worth it either. So... as a writer and an Artist that wants a good "tool" to write and draw with, that it's also ECO friendly (unlike ball point pens, for example) and where you can use any type of ink (prepared for the tool you want to use) I would always recommend "some" main brands: 1. Montblanc - I have 2 old ones and they are my jewels of the crown. 2. TWSBI: they are amazing! Also for their Ink capacity and dont dry up. 3. Platinum Preppys - they will NEVER dry out and always ready to function/work, but they are not pretty. 4. LAMYs: are good too but they do dry up (they do not work after a few days) but are easy to restart (dip the tip in a bit if water and work a bit with the converter to restart ink flow) 5. And the rest that I have (All of them Chinese- Jinhao's, Hongdian, etc.) Are a pain in the Arse! Waking them up is a bit of a problem (having to clean them up fully every single few days - not operational, in my opinion). My opinion is also based on regular/daily performance and maintenance/cost of the Fountain Pen on a regular basis. Chinese Fountain Pens (in my experience) work well, but they do have a High cost on maintenance (something nobody explains in the FP community, and something that should be explained). Again, Stephen... I am here for your Art (mainly). I also lobe your reviews in Fountain Pens (they helped me at the beginning). And, I hope the best to YOU (as an Artist) and you your channel (I have been a subscriber for almost 1,5 years and I will continue to be a subscriber). I hope I can also help others that cannot spend thousands of dollars (or Euros or whichever currency) in their love for Fountain Pens and Art (mainly because MONEY is one if the real scarce resources for Artists!). Cheers from Sunny Spain! 😁👍😎✌
First of all, thank you for your compliments. I am blown away that someone watches my videos for my art alone. It makes me encouraged to make more different types of videos with this channel, which is something that I like to do. I actually don’t have the same experience as you with Chinese pens. Mine rarely clog. I’m not sure why some people report that, but I think it may have something to do with how I use my pens. I tend not to leave pens inked up, but rotate through them 2-3 at a time, cleaning them after a few fills. I’m actually planning to make a video on just that subject. I can agree with the other brands you recommend. I have complicated feelings about TWSBI, due to the issue of their Eco pens cracking around the section. I made a video about my experience with that a year or so ago on this channel as well. Thanks for watching! I plan to do more with my art on this channel in the future!
Thanks for taking the time to swap the nibs with the black forest! I'd seen this pen around online and watched many reviews on youtube about it lately, but no one seems to have taken the time to see if the other nib+feed units from the black forest would fit... Very pleased to see that it does indeed work on both! :-) Now... Question for you regarding something that I haven't seen, does the converter used for the black forest fit in the smaller body of the M2? Would be amazing if the length of that converter fit properly for the greater ink capacity that a fude nib might demand for any serious time spent drawing ;-0
I wasn’t sure the answer to that question so I went to check it out. It’s a no-go from the start. The converter is physically longer than the body. Lame. There might be another HongDian more to your liking with greater ink capacity if the Black Forest isn’t for you. Can’t be sure, but I’m betting the Fude would fit their other pens.
@@stepheninks Dang dude, thanks for taking the time to confirm that the converter doesn't fit. Really appreciate you testing that and reporting back!🙏 But I already own the black forest, and the dark green version... AND the dark blue ahahaha... No shortage of spare nibs either😅 Despite the black forest's converter not fitting into the M2, I might pick one up anyway because I do love the form factor, the dark blue colour finish, and the yin yang cat finial as well... The cat finial truly made it a must have instead of just a maybe pen hahaha Once again, can't thank you enough for looking into the converter question!! Cheers!
@@drop0int I like to be the channel that does what others don’t. I try to answer all questions here, so if I ever miss something, please don’t hesitate to ask a follow-up question!
I think that this one reminds me of the Asvine V126 I looked at a few months back. In that I did not know anything about it, bought it on a whim, and as soon as I started using it, I couldn’t imagine how I lived without it. Instant favorite.
When I see pocket pens it makes me want one. I saw another youtube with a shorter pen hold it like a Charcoal stick or pastel. With a fude nib it was a really fun locking experience.
Great video presentation. The Olive Drab color of the pen is beautiful. I find this pen a little bit slippery to hold and write but if I hold the threaded section it is okay.
I could definitely see slippery to hold as being an issue. Metal pens are often like that. I find the texture of whatever coating is on this pen alleviates that a bit though. I would absolutely buy a resin/plastic version of this pen too though!
Stephen, wonderful review of the pocket pen! Now, please do fix the audio levels. Its too low! Awaiting further pen purchases, reviews and cute artwork! Best wishes!
Great review, as always. I bought the M2 about a month ago. I much prefer it to the Kaweco Brass. It feels more comfortable, and balanced. It writes well (I have the Fine). And it's pretty sturdy as it's been banging around in bag.
Very interesting! Thanks for making this video!! What pocket pen that does NOT use a cartridge would be your favorite or your recommendation? I’ve got my eye on the new Kaweco.
Good question! Do you mean like a piston-filling pocket pen? All of my pocket pens are cartridge/converter. I’m not aware of any other filling mechanism on a pocket pen. I think the HongDian M1 is my favorite converter filling pocket pen, followed by the Kaweco Sport. Unfortunately some pens like the Kaweco Liliput don’t allow you to use a converter, and those are immediately pushed to the bottom of my list.
I really want one. It’s not in the budget for me right now, but I’m sure I’ll eventually get one, and when I do I’m for sure going to talk about it on this channel.
Wonky weels are the best! IMO this pen is very well made, all in aluminium and in nice colors. The nib can be better but is ok. The only issues were some hard starts, I blamed the sealling of the cup, but I don´t know. Note, beware with the recording volume it is low IMO and also changes from take to take.
I got this one , in Army green (amazon $30)...I like it , way better and cheaper , than the (Kaweco sport Pen = $50 + $26 Bold nib ~> = HST/GST (13%) + Total = $85.88 cad ).😵🤑🤑
I'm a little surprised that you didn't compare it to the Kaweco Sport, since it is so similar in appearance. I don't have an aluminum Sport to compare it to for weight, but for size it is just slightly larger. I enjoy the plastic Kaweco, but I really like the feel of the M2.
I’ve several Al Sport, their clones and also an M2 (Fine). The most beautiful of all these is M2, but its nib has been a big disappointment for me even after some smoothing. Beautiful sketch- as always!
I have found my nib to be quite smooth. It always seems the case that these lower cost pens have some glaring consistency issues. This pen does take the HongDian Black Forest units, so maybe a replacement can turn it around? I know you shouldn’t have to do that, but it is an option.
Yeah, this one turned out strange. I think my microphone wasn’t plugged in all the way or something. I did boost the gain, but it didn’t help much. Since I’m really happy with how this video came out besides the sound issue, I decided to keep it up. Other videos before and since don’t have this issue as much. Of course, there are some levels that aren’t that great when I first started this channel and was filming on my phone… but we’ve all got to start somewhere, right?
Hello. I would like to share an annoying fact. I notice that many of my nibs that i already tuned, write smoothly and pleasant but next morning i hear a sound on paper. I wouldn't say it scratchy but a very bad sound. So i tune them again. Do you have an explanation? I feel very disappointed if i have to tune the nibs over and over again. Shouldn't the tuning be permanent?
In my experience, tuning can sometimes need to be reset, but not at the rate that you’re describing. I have a few pens with less expensive nibs that have needed to be re-tuned 2-3 times since buying them. This is over several years. One thing that can affect your pen nibs would be if they are dropped, uncapped/capped in a way that bends the tines, or if you somehow change the angle you write with them. Without knowing the specific details of your situation, I don’t think I can say more. Advice I can give is to just tune it again, and keep checking it to see if it sticks this time. Eventually, you should get something that stays.
@@stepheninks i forgot to tell you that i change tha angle all the time because i writing much on bed or office and need to change angles. Dp uou think that matters?
@@stathkon It probably does, since if you twist the angle on a fountain pen, you might be writing on an edge that hasn’t been smoothed out yet. But just for clarity, are you talking about rotational angle, or vertical (up and down) angle of the pen? Either way, it could have an effect. I would say that when tuning your nibs, you might want to just smooth it out on all the angles you might use it for. Although, if you’re really sensitive to that changes, you could also set up some of your pens for being in bed, and some for the office. I don’t think that’s a perfect solution, but it could make a difference.
M2 is *EXTREMELY* slick/slippery, and the owner is constantly alert not to drop the dang PITA thing on the floor! Also: unpleasantly stiff and scratchy nib #5, not easy to find/replace...(+ ink leaking issues as well!) Personally, I was so disappointed... Nice drawer-guardian -.-
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sorry your experience wasn’t good. This pen is pretty much perfect for me. If you have som suggestions for other pocket pens you might recommend to other who feel the same way about this one, I’ll happily pin this comment at the top of the video. I think people enjoy having a variety of opinions about the things I talk about.
Yes, I’m sorry about that. This particular video had a problem that I never quite solved. I was able to fix it with all my videos moving forward though.
Those pen tins make for great half-pan watercolour containers!!!🎖
That’s a fantastic idea!
Great idea!
@@SagacityLost THANX🤘🤘🤘🤘
That was my first thought 😁
@@shirleyhiggins3395 😜
Such a great little video. I love how off the cuff and casual it feels. It's like having a natural conversation with someone instead of a condensed and formulaic review. Not that there's anything wrong with them but these have that extra air of authenticity to them and back to the point, I may nab myself my first little Chinese pen because of it :)
I’m glad you enjoyed it. I do my videos that way on purpose. Everyone needs an art friend!
Enjoyable review. Thanks
Glad you enjoyed it
Just commented on your hate products and asked for links to approved and preference products and I found this! I am on my search for more of these videos. Like the way you cover the points you like. Thanks for your videos.
Thanks! There are many not a couple of pens that I don’t recommend on my channel. Most of the time if something is bland or not that great, I just ignore it.
Hi Stephen again. Jim from Madrid, Spain (a fellow artist and a New Yorker expat living abroad).
You know I've been a subscriber to your channel for over a year and I know that you focus your reviews on the pens that you test, though I'm here basically for the Artwork you create...
I just LOVE it! The way your imagination works... I admire it!
In any case... great review on another fountain pen.
I don't like Chinese fountain pens because after buying a lot if them thinking I would save money... I don't!
Why?
Maintenance is the most important factor... And what I mean by this, as an Artist that uses Fountain Pens "sporadically" for my work (besides my TWSBI ECO that ALWAYS performs for writing and drawing) I need a reliable fountain pen that will ALWAYS work even after several months without using it and storing it with proper fountain pen ink (both soluable and non-soulable).
For this I use, besides my TWSBI ECO nib, my 2 Platinum Preppys ( & nibs) and my 3 Sailor FUDE de Mannen FPs (2 with a 40° and 1 with a 55° nib). All of them NEVER fail, even after a very long time without use (weeks or even sometimes months).
I also have 1 Lamy Safari and... even this one I have to restart (easier than the Chinese ones) but not worth it either.
So... as a writer and an Artist that wants a good "tool" to write and draw with, that it's also ECO friendly (unlike ball point pens, for example) and where you can use any type of ink (prepared for the tool you want to use) I would always recommend "some" main brands:
1. Montblanc - I have 2 old ones and they are my jewels of the crown.
2. TWSBI: they are amazing! Also for their Ink capacity and dont dry up.
3. Platinum Preppys - they will NEVER dry out and always ready to function/work, but they are not pretty.
4. LAMYs: are good too but they do dry up (they do not work after a few days) but are easy to restart (dip the tip in a bit if water and work a bit with the converter to restart ink flow)
5. And the rest that I have (All of them Chinese- Jinhao's, Hongdian, etc.) Are a pain in the Arse! Waking them up is a bit of a problem (having to clean them up fully every single few days - not operational, in my opinion).
My opinion is also based on regular/daily performance and maintenance/cost of the Fountain Pen on a regular basis.
Chinese Fountain Pens (in my experience) work well, but they do have a High cost on maintenance (something nobody explains in the FP community, and something that should be explained).
Again, Stephen... I am here for your Art (mainly). I also lobe your reviews in Fountain Pens (they helped me at the beginning).
And, I hope the best to YOU (as an Artist) and you your channel (I have been a subscriber for almost 1,5 years and I will continue to be a subscriber).
I hope I can also help others that cannot spend thousands of dollars (or Euros or whichever currency) in their love for Fountain Pens and Art (mainly because MONEY is one if the real scarce resources for Artists!).
Cheers from Sunny Spain!
😁👍😎✌
First of all, thank you for your compliments. I am blown away that someone watches my videos for my art alone. It makes me encouraged to make more different types of videos with this channel, which is something that I like to do.
I actually don’t have the same experience as you with Chinese pens. Mine rarely clog. I’m not sure why some people report that, but I think it may have something to do with how I use my pens. I tend not to leave pens inked up, but rotate through them 2-3 at a time, cleaning them after a few fills. I’m actually planning to make a video on just that subject.
I can agree with the other brands you recommend. I have complicated feelings about TWSBI, due to the issue of their Eco pens cracking around the section. I made a video about my experience with that a year or so ago on this channel as well.
Thanks for watching! I plan to do more with my art on this channel in the future!
I’ve just got that same pen but with a fine nib, fits nice in trouser pockets and is lovely to write when posted.
It probably looks good while hanging there too!
Me encantan tus reviews!
Gracias!
This video was perfect for me.
Glad you liked it!
Love this pen! Only issue I have had is with the brass clip pin working loose. Doesn’t help I use it as a fidget toy. Great video!
You’re the second person to mention this happening. I guess I need to be careful with my clip!
Thanks for taking the time to swap the nibs with the black forest! I'd seen this pen around online and watched many reviews on youtube about it lately, but no one seems to have taken the time to see if the other nib+feed units from the black forest would fit... Very pleased to see that it does indeed work on both! :-)
Now... Question for you regarding something that I haven't seen, does the converter used for the black forest fit in the smaller body of the M2? Would be amazing if the length of that converter fit properly for the greater ink capacity that a fude nib might demand for any serious time spent drawing ;-0
I wasn’t sure the answer to that question so I went to check it out. It’s a no-go from the start. The converter is physically longer than the body. Lame. There might be another HongDian more to your liking with greater ink capacity if the Black Forest isn’t for you. Can’t be sure, but I’m betting the Fude would fit their other pens.
@@stepheninks Dang dude, thanks for taking the time to confirm that the converter doesn't fit. Really appreciate you testing that and reporting back!🙏
But I already own the black forest, and the dark green version... AND the dark blue ahahaha... No shortage of spare nibs either😅
Despite the black forest's converter not fitting into the M2, I might pick one up anyway because I do love the form factor, the dark blue colour finish, and the yin yang cat finial as well... The cat finial truly made it a must have instead of just a maybe pen hahaha
Once again, can't thank you enough for looking into the converter question!! Cheers!
@@drop0int I like to be the channel that does what others don’t. I try to answer all questions here, so if I ever miss something, please don’t hesitate to ask a follow-up question!
@@stepheninks You're a gem in a sea of rocks! Keep doing what you do m'dude :-)
I just reviewed this a few weeks ago, still loving it
I think that this one reminds me of the Asvine V126 I looked at a few months back. In that I did not know anything about it, bought it on a whim, and as soon as I started using it, I couldn’t imagine how I lived without it. Instant favorite.
When I see pocket pens it makes me want one. I saw another youtube with a shorter pen hold it like a Charcoal stick or pastel. With a fude nib it was a really fun locking experience.
Someone mentioned doing that on an earlier pocket pen video I posted on this channel. It sounds interesting. I’m not ready for it. But I approve.
Great video presentation. The Olive Drab color of the pen is beautiful. I find this pen a little bit slippery to hold and write but if I hold the threaded section it is okay.
I could definitely see slippery to hold as being an issue. Metal pens are often like that. I find the texture of whatever coating is on this pen alleviates that a bit though. I would absolutely buy a resin/plastic version of this pen too though!
Stephen, wonderful review of the pocket pen! Now, please do fix the audio levels. Its too low! Awaiting further pen purchases, reviews and cute artwork! Best wishes!
Appreciate the feedback. I don’t know what happened with the audio. I’m looking into it.
Great review, as always. I bought the M2 about a month ago. I much prefer it to the Kaweco Brass. It feels more comfortable, and balanced. It writes well (I have the Fine). And it's pretty sturdy as it's been banging around in bag.
I’m excited to see how much punishment mine can take!
Very interesting! Thanks for making this video!! What pocket pen that does NOT use a cartridge would be your favorite or your recommendation? I’ve got my eye on the new Kaweco.
Good question! Do you mean like a piston-filling pocket pen? All of my pocket pens are cartridge/converter. I’m not aware of any other filling mechanism on a pocket pen. I think the HongDian M1 is my favorite converter filling pocket pen, followed by the Kaweco Sport. Unfortunately some pens like the Kaweco Liliput don’t allow you to use a converter, and those are immediately pushed to the bottom of my list.
I've recently gotten into vintage Japanese Pilot Elite pocket pens. Are you interested in the Elite line?
I really want one. It’s not in the budget for me right now, but I’m sure I’ll eventually get one, and when I do I’m for sure going to talk about it on this channel.
Wonky weels are the best!
IMO this pen is very well made, all in aluminium and in nice colors. The nib can be better but is ok.
The only issues were some hard starts, I blamed the sealling of the cup, but I don´t know.
Note, beware with the recording volume it is low IMO and also changes from take to take.
Yeah, something went weird. It sounded good on my device, but something went wrong. Looking into it.
I got this one , in Army green (amazon $30)...I like it , way better and cheaper , than the
(Kaweco sport Pen = $50 + $26 Bold nib ~>
= HST/GST (13%) + Total = $85.88 cad ).😵🤑🤑
It punches above its weight for sure!
I'm a little surprised that you didn't compare it to the Kaweco Sport, since it is so similar in appearance. I don't have an aluminum Sport to compare it to for weight, but for size it is just slightly larger. I enjoy the plastic Kaweco, but I really like the feel of the M2.
You know, I should have brought it in. Never fear! I am going to be doing a pocket pen comparison video soon, and I’ll be sure to bring them all out!
I’ve several Al Sport, their clones and also an M2 (Fine).
The most beautiful of all these is M2, but its nib has been a big disappointment for me even after some smoothing.
Beautiful sketch- as always!
I have found my nib to be quite smooth. It always seems the case that these lower cost pens have some glaring consistency issues. This pen does take the HongDian Black Forest units, so maybe a replacement can turn it around? I know you shouldn’t have to do that, but it is an option.
Nice review. FYI, your audio levels are way too low. In your video editor, there should be an option to set the audio gain to a peak of 0dB.
Yeah, this one turned out strange. I think my microphone wasn’t plugged in all the way or something. I did boost the gain, but it didn’t help much. Since I’m really happy with how this video came out besides the sound issue, I decided to keep it up. Other videos before and since don’t have this issue as much. Of course, there are some levels that aren’t that great when I first started this channel and was filming on my phone… but we’ve all got to start somewhere, right?
Hello. I would like to share an annoying fact. I notice that many of my nibs that i already tuned, write smoothly and pleasant but next morning i hear a sound on paper. I wouldn't say it scratchy but a very bad sound. So i tune them again. Do you have an explanation? I feel very disappointed if i have to tune the nibs over and over again. Shouldn't the tuning be permanent?
In my experience, tuning can sometimes need to be reset, but not at the rate that you’re describing. I have a few pens with less expensive nibs that have needed to be re-tuned 2-3 times since buying them. This is over several years. One thing that can affect your pen nibs would be if they are dropped, uncapped/capped in a way that bends the tines, or if you somehow change the angle you write with them. Without knowing the specific details of your situation, I don’t think I can say more. Advice I can give is to just tune it again, and keep checking it to see if it sticks this time. Eventually, you should get something that stays.
@@stepheninks i forgot to tell you that i change tha angle all the time because i writing much on bed or office and need to change angles. Dp uou think that matters?
@@stathkon It probably does, since if you twist the angle on a fountain pen, you might be writing on an edge that hasn’t been smoothed out yet. But just for clarity, are you talking about rotational angle, or vertical (up and down) angle of the pen? Either way, it could have an effect. I would say that when tuning your nibs, you might want to just smooth it out on all the angles you might use it for. Although, if you’re really sensitive to that changes, you could also set up some of your pens for being in bed, and some for the office. I don’t think that’s a perfect solution, but it could make a difference.
La tengo desde hace una Semana y, la verdad, prefiero la Kaweco Sport ef.
The Sports is a classic for a reason! I only prefer this one slightly over the Sport. I just think it looks prettier.
M2 is *EXTREMELY* slick/slippery, and the owner is constantly alert not to drop the dang PITA thing on the floor!
Also: unpleasantly stiff and scratchy nib #5, not easy to find/replace...(+ ink leaking issues as well!)
Personally, I was so disappointed...
Nice drawer-guardian -.-
Thanks for sharing your experience. I’m sorry your experience wasn’t good. This pen is pretty much perfect for me. If you have som suggestions for other pocket pens you might recommend to other who feel the same way about this one, I’ll happily pin this comment at the top of the video. I think people enjoy having a variety of opinions about the things I talk about.
Time to spend more money 😂!
I know, sorry! Haha. Fortunately, it’s not thaaaaat expensive!
Maybe turn the volume up some.
Not sure what happened with the audio. Looking into it.
I thought my headphone was broken, but not
your clip has incredibly low volume
Yes, I’m sorry about that. This particular video had a problem that I never quite solved. I was able to fix it with all my videos moving forward though.
audio level is too low
I know. Not sure what happened. I’m looking into it.