From left, the Moonman C1, the Moonman C3, and the Moonman M2 eyedroppers.

Brand Profile: Taking a Look at Moonman's Emergence and Current Direction

November 21, 2019

Despite Chinese pens having been widely available for a decade or more - since I’ve been in this hobby - none of the brands have ever caught my interest the way Moonman has. The Moonman M2 is the first Chinese pen that legitimately impressed me, to the point where I think it’s a better writing instrument that many pens that cost five times as much. Why? The nib. Any pen company, anywhere in the world, can churn out mass-produced plastic tubes that look decent. Budget pens that write exceptionally well are true gems, and I’ve yet to experience a bad Moonman nib.

What do we know about the company itself? Not much. From what I can gather by way of Chinese pen experts such as Frank Dong of FrankUnderwater, Moonman is one of several brands manufactured by a large Shanghai-based pen company, Shanghai Jingdian. What differentiates Moonman from other “budget” pen companies is that they have chosen to focus their attention on factory-tuning nibs to a level that most pen companies never reach, while still maintaining a sub-$20 price point.

The nib quality has remained consistent even as Moonman’s product line has expanded. On the M2, Moonman uses a gold-plated No. 5 nib with a basic “Iridium Point German” engraving. So-called “IPG” nibs have garnered - deservedly - an atrocious reputation for quality, but mine arrived tuned to perfection. On newer models such as the C1 and the C2, Moonman has opted for a larger No. 6 nib that still writes well, but quite obviously “borrows” design elements from Conklin and Monteverde. Not only is this tactic unnecessary to sell these pens, but the mishmash of design elements doesn’t work and cheapens the overall look.

Sure, it’s technically a different pattern, but how hard is it to come up with a basic logo that distinguishes your brand?

As much as I enjoy Moonman pens for the fact that they are true bargain-basement workhorses, recent developments have me questioning how much I should support them going forward. Need another example? Well, I probably should have noticed it before now from the promotional photos, but the recently released Moonman C1 is an obvious attempt to replicate Shawn Newton’s Shinobi, particularly the clear models with different color sections. I’m not sure whether this would qualify as technical infringement - the Shinobi design is rather basic and minimalist, after all, and I believe it originates from a custom design proposal submitted to Shawn by a customer - but this goes a step beyond “inspiration.” Is this where Moonman is headed now?

Does the “C” in the “C series” pens stand for “copycat”? The Moonman C2 moves ever closer to Franklin-Christoph territory.

Once you have it in hand, you’re not going to mistake the feel of a C1 for a Newton Shinobi. Shawn’s pens have a much more substantial feel in hand.

Design issues notwithstanding, there’s nothing wrong with the nibs on these pens. Both are excellent writers.

You can see the facet on one side of the pen. The one thing Moonman has perfected here over the Shinobi is that the cap is double-threaded so that the facet on the cap and barrel line up perfectly every time you cap the pen. On the Shinobis you have… — You can see the facet on one side of the pen. The one thing Moonman has perfected here over the Shinobi is that the cap is double-threaded so that the facet on the cap and barrel line up perfectly every time you cap the pen. On the Shinobis you have to guess.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

As much as I enjoy bargain-hunting, recent developments with Moonman as a brand have bothered me a bit, and I’m not sure I like the direction in which this company is moving. Sure, we can debate the extent to which transparent plastic cylinders can/should be protected as proprietary designs, but PenBBS has shown that it’s possible to be successful at this price point without blatant copycatting, which just makes your brand look cheap. Moreover, if I’m going to spend money supporting a company, I want to see them putting effort into bringing something unique to the market, not just inexpensive versions of other peoples’ pens. The irony in this, of course, is that Moonman’s design decisions create a completely unnecessary distraction for the brand. Moonman nibs are more than capable of standing on their own, and the company doesn’t need to churn out knock-offs to be successful.

I’ve acquired all of my Moonman pens via eBay. Currently, Moonman’s “eyedropper” lineup includes the Moonman M2, the Moonman C2, and the Moonman C1, all of which cost less than $20. The only one I can in good faith recommend is the M2, for the reasons I’ve discussed, and the M2 remains an exceptionally nice pen for the money. That said, unless I see the brand moving in a drastically different direction I will certainly lose interest if they continue to release more of the same.

Disclaimer: This post contains affiliate links.

Adventures in the Bargain Bin: Moonman N3 Fountain Pen

May 1, 2019

Up on the blog today: more adventures in the online stationery bargain bin, with this entry examining a recent release out of China, the Moonman N3. I discovered this pen via Frank’s “Chinese Pen News You Need to Know” update for January and February, and the blue striated material, which Moonman refers to as “celluloid,” jumped out at me. Despite some immediate skepticism of the claim of “celluloid” at this price point - confirmed by the fact that I have seen this particular material used elsewhere and NOT labeled celluloid - I bought one because I wanted to see if Moonman could justify the (slightly) higher price than the sub-$20 market of the M2 eyedropper.

Let’s get this out of the way first: this pen is definitely not “celluloid,” despite how it’s described in the listings, but to be honest I didn’t expect to spend $35 and receive a real celluloid fountain pen. I suspect this might be more of a translation issue than anything else, because in other listings I’ve seen Moonman pens labeled as “celluloid resin acrylic” or “celluloid acrylic",” which just doesn’t make any sense. In any event, the material is still nice, and appears to be the same acrylic used in more expensive pens like the special edition FPN “Blue Pearl” Bulkfiller from Conid, as well as Monteverde’s “Giant Sequoia” pen.

I understand that Moonman uses mostly Chinese-manufactured nibs, none of which are labeled the typical “Iridium Point Germany,” but rather have a custom Moonman imprint. The Moonman nibs I have used have all been excellent and well-tuned out of the … — I understand that Moonman uses mostly Chinese-manufactured nibs, none of which are labeled the typical “Iridium Point Germany,” but rather have a custom Moonman imprint. The Moonman nibs I have used have all been excellent and well-tuned out of the box.

Product description issues aside, Moonman has done a nice job with the N3. The fit and finish exceeds that of much more expensive pens in my collection, and the nib comes well-tuned, which is something of a Moonman hallmark and uncommon at this price point. Note that the N3 is on the slimmer side - I’d personally prefer a wider-diameter barrel, but the pen has a nice balance, posts ok (though a little long), and is lightweight. The generic converter is just that - generic - but I haven’t experienced any inkflow issues.

Even the somewhat generic pen box feels much nicer than what typically comes with pens at this price point.

Moonman continues the trend of Chinese pen companies targeting a segment of the market that previously has been dominated by TWSBI and neglected by other companies: the $20-50 range. It’s certainly rare to see a pen with a more traditional, “professional” design cost this little money, and for it to be of decent quality, well, that’s even more uncommon. At least two other Moonman offerings take this same approach: the M200 and the M300, which hit a slightly higher price point and apparently feature Schmidt nibs.

The Moonman Logo on the cap finial adds a bit of class, and makes this pen look more upmarket.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I’ve been favorably impressed with every Moonman pen I’ve tried. From the original M2 eyedropper to the slightly more elaborate N3, these pens easily outperform their price point. I also appreciate the fact that they aren’t “homage” (much less knockoff) pens, and that Moonman appears to be attempting to do something original with their designs. Given that I know I’m not the only one who feels this way, it’s only a matter of time before Moonman makes its way into the mainstream. Depending on their distribution chain, it’s easily a brand that pen retailers should consider stocking.

Currently, you can purchase the Moonman N3 and other Moonman pens via various eBay sellers. While the N3 is slightly more expensive than the company’s other offerings, the pen is nicely finished and the nib is well-tuned. This one will stay in the collection.

Disclaimer: This post contains links to paid sponsors and affiliates. I purchased the pen featured in this review with my own funds, for my own use.

Pen Review: The Moonman M2 Eyedropper Fountain Pen

March 28, 2018

Lately I've become a bit enamored with all the unique (and inexpensive!) pens coming out of China. Even just a couple of years ago, when someone in the pen community mentioned "eBay Pens" or "Chinese Pens," they were referring to extremely cheap pens by Jinhao, Baoer, and others that could be found priced at $5 or less. These pens are, of course, still available, and there's a reason they're so cheap: manufacturers perform little to no quality control, and it can be a total crapshoot whether or not you receive a pen that actually writes out of the box. I most recently experienced this issue with a Monteverde Monza, which I've since learned is a rebranded Jinhao.

The acrylic on the Moonman M2 is well-polished, both inside and out.

The overall landscape, however, has changed over the past year or so. Whether it's a question of manufacturers actually upping their game, or simply different (and higher-end) Chinese pens being made available internationally for the first time, I've recently purchased several sub-$20 fountain pens that significantly outperform their price point and are legitimately good pens. The overall winner so far is the Moonman M2, a clear acrylic eyedropper fountain pen with one of the best out-of-the-box steel nibs I've used.

I use the Moonman M2 as a desk pen, shown here sitting atop my Logitech K780 Keyboard. I typically use the keyboard's tablet/phone holder as a pen rest.

I don't know much about Moonman, but from what I've read elsewhere, it's a brand run by stationery and pen enthusiasts who source their pens from a factory and then further tunes/customizes them. Their enthusiasm shows - Moonman plainly has put a lot of attention into the M2. While the pen itself is a straightforward design, the acrylic is well-polished, and the pen sports an attractive red anodized cap band that looks especially good if you have the pen filled with red ink. (Montblanc Alfred Hitchcock is my current choice.)

Note that this pen is eyedropper-only. If you prefer to use a cartridge/converter filling system, this won't be the right pen for you. Kudos to Moonman for including a very nice glass eyedropper in the box alongside the pen. I like this eyedropper better than the one that accompanies the Opus 88 Koloro pens, since this one has a "needle tip" that makes it easier to get the ink down into the barrel with minimal mess.

As I mentioned earlier, the nib on this pen is a stunner. I wouldn't call it a needlepoint, but it's definitely a true extra-fine that's been perfectly tuned for smoothness and flow. Don't be thrown off by the lack of a custom imprint and the "Iridium Point" engraving - someone who knows what they're doing has worked on this nib. I also don't think my pen's an outlier - the reviews I've read have been uniformly outstanding.

The Moonman M2 is a great length. posted or unposted. The section is comfortable, with unobtrusive threads that take about 2 turns to open and close.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

The extra-fine nib on my Moonman M2 might be the best nib on a "cheap" pen that I've ever experienced (and certainly the best Chinese-made nib I've ever used), making this a no-brainer purchase for me to recommend, especially if you like eyedroppers. Which brings me to the question of where to buy them. Since Moonman pens aren't stocked at retailers outside of China, as far as I know, and are made in relatively small batches, you may have to consider a variety of avenues to get your hands on one. You can find them easily on eBay at a range of listed price points, though you should pay close attention to the shipping charges which usually causes the total price to average out into the $10-15 range.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Takeaways and Where to Buy

Takeaways and Where to Buy

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