I’ve had these two Moonman fountain pens for several months and had been trying to decide whether to review them separately or together. I decided that it would be efficient to review them together since I’ve sat on them for so long. The two models are the M2 and C1. I happen to have the C1 in the limited edition Holiday design but a standard model is still currently available. The M2 has been reviewed on this site previously by Laura as well.
Both pens are capable of being eyedroppered and feature a trio of silicone o-rings to keep the ink from leaking without the need for silicone grease.
The Moonman C1 Holiday edition came in a simple paperboardboard with a foam insert diecut out to hold the pen and the eyedropper as well as a paper insert describing the pen and company. I confess that I never read these little paper blow-ins. I’m sure there’s some sort of warranty info or details about the company and other pens or even how to fill the pen but at this point in my pen-buying career, I don’t really need it.
The C1 is a simple tube design with one side flattened to keep the pen from rolling off the table. This particular model was printed with holiday icons and a special red/blue/purple swirl-with-shimmering-sparkles grip.
The C1 takes a standard #6 nib. I swapped out the nib on this with a spare Franklin-Christoph nib I had laying around. The pen came with a stock F nib that acted more like a wet M nib which is a little felt tip pen-like for me. The Franklin-Christoph nib I put on the pen is a SIG Fine which is also wet but has some character to the line.
The Moonman M2 comes in the same sort of plastic box that TWSI uses. Inside is a diecut foam shape with the pen and eyedropper.
The Moonman M2 is clean, smooth and cigar-shaped. It reminds me a little of the Franklin-Christoph Pocket 66. The EF nib is gold toned steel which seems to be in contrast to the overall aesthetic of this pen. I think a silver toned nib would have looked better.
The M2 is postable but the cap doesn’t stay on very tightly.
I needed to run a metal flossing sheet through the tines a couple times because the flow was starved.
Here is a close-up of the title written with the F-C SIG Fine.
Both pens are comfortable to hold and use (the C1 is 22gms capped and 17gms and the M2 is 15gms capped/posted and 12gms uncapped). They are lightweight and well-balanced. The nibs for both were a bit disappointing (hence, the swap and flossing). To be honest, the original M2 that Laura reviewed was sent to me first and I wasn’t crazy about the nib on that one either. Being able to easily swap out the nibs is a good option.
The rubber o-rings are a lovely addition to an eyedropper fountain pen. Both of these pens are fairly inexpensive so using them to test inks, swap nibs or just goof around they are nice additions. Aesthetically, the clean, simple designs are an added benefit.
Tools:
- Paper: Rhodia Uni-Blank No. 16 with 6mm guide sheet
- Pens: Moonman C1 Fine Nib Fountain Pen ($26.98) and Moonman M2 EF Fountain Pen ($19.99)
- Ink: Diamine Christine (£9.50 for 80ml bottle)
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I have an M2 and I love it, no trouble with the nib at all. The holiday version of the C1 is adorable, I don’t know how I missed that one.
I also have an M2, but with a fine nib that writes like a Western EF. It came perfectly adjusted, and I have enjoyed using it as a desk pen. I don’t know why the red metallic ring around the barrel is so attractive, but it is. It’s not a pen for beginners–no eyedropper filler is–but it’s fun for those of us who are used to Asian pens, and it appears very well built.
I have an M2 and really dislike my nib. Are you saying a FC nib works in the M2?
Yes, I had to pull the nib out of the housing but a size #6 works just fine
I’m sorry. The FC #6 nib fits in the C1. I suspect a smaller #5 nib should work in the M2.
Thank you for the review of the two models.
I had my eye out on the Moonman and especially on the C1 as I like the tube shape a bit more.
It is very appealing to me the fact it is an eyedropper, even though realistically it is impractical as these days the writing I do by hand is minimal.
Ana, which pen would you recommend for a slightly more stylized writing than a fine tip nib would provide?
I love the design of the C1 but hate using it – the nib is terrible! Thanks for the review – I’ll try swapping nibs!
Going by the excellent reviews on the Internet, I got a Moonman M2 fountain, pen EF nib. The nib is scratchy, rough, and has a poor ink flow. No lover of good fountain pens can afford to write with them for long. Mine should go into the dustbin within a week. I also got a Jinhao 159, medium nib, last week that was better but still quite disappointing.
All Chinese pens seem to be overhyped all over on the Internet. I strongly suspect that the rave reviews are fake and planted. They are not worth it, even at their low prices.
I think the biggest issue with Chinese pens is consistency. I may get one with a good nib but it’s no guarantee that the next pen purchased will have an equally good nib. For the prices though, it’s often worth the gamble. Sorry you’ve had less than favorable results.