I have been carrying the grey Hongdian M2 with a Diamine grey. Fine to medium seem to work well with it. No issues so far. Even the converter worked flawlessly, the first attempt.
Omg the little closing trick on the M2! I never thought to do that considering i do the opposite with it. It makes such a satisfying sound when you open it with the body in one quick turn and spins in place. Makes me feel like a gun slinger.
Pocket pens are the Swiss army knifes of the fountain pen world. Do you really need a little tiny knife to carry around with you wherever you go? No…but what if you DO? I say that knowing full well that the Monteverde Tool Pen exists… but if we all agree to not acknowledge its existence together, does it really exist?
The M2 has the added benefit of being able to use any Black Forest nibs. EF, F, M, and Fude. I switch back and forth between the Extra Fine and the Fude. I just can’t decide which one to choose sketching most.
The minute I saw that Hongdian, I wanted it! What a gorgeous little pen. I would have given the Jinhao fewer points for posting. If it’s a jiggly post, it’s a loser, as far as I’m concerned. Every bit of real estate on a pocket pen matters-how it feels against the back of your hand and the feel of it in the crook between the bottom of your forefinger and thumb (Is there an anatomical name for that?). If it’s jiggling and feels like it’s going to fall off, it’s a nope. I have a Kaweco Bronze Sport that is a very solid poster. I know the cap isn’t going anywhere when it’s posted. Maybe Kaweco Sports in plastic, aluminum or brass models are a different story. Anyhoo, I’m looking forward to getting my M2 from Amazon tomorrow! Thanks for a great introduction to a new brand for me.
HongDian has been super impressive for me so far. I have an N8, a Black Forest and this M2, and they are all lovely, reliable, and sturdy. I really want to get a few more things from them just to try everything out.
Considering my intended use, which to carry in my shirt pocket, I would score it a 3,4, 4,3, and 3, or 17. My DeLike Brass pen has rounded ends and would score about like you did. I don’t have the others but the HongDian is worth a look. Thanks.
The HongDian pen is a surprisingly good pen for its price. If the first pen you mentioned is the Kaweco Sport, I agree, I think I scored it too low. Hindsight, right?
I have the Kaweco and DeLike and have written with the HongDian. I would rate the Kaweco 1 point higher with a 4 on ease of posting putting it in the same spot as you concluded, so I agree with your ranking for whatever that is worth. One question, can the clip on the HongDian be removed? I did not notice on the one I wrote with. Thanks for the video.
My M2 quickly became an every day carry. Sturdy construction, and very well balanced and comfortable when posted. I don't have any of the others to compare it with; though a Sport is on my wish list.
I have all but the brass one and many more. The M2 is my favorite pocket pen in this price range . But does not beat out the pilot e95s or all the vintage pens like it made in the 60s and 70s .
I love PenBBS pens. They’re on of my favorite drawing nibs. I heard that they’re more comfortable to use for left handed people? Being a left handed person who can barely use his right hand for anything by opening doors, I have no way to test this theory.
Surprisingly, I have all four of these, sort of. I have the full size Jinhao 82, not the mini. It's definitely pocketable, but I think the size gives it an unfair advantage over the Kaweco Sport (in the tie, I would put it ahead of the Sport). I have had the Kaweco Sport the longest (years), and the rollerball version of it is my actual EDC. The Hongdian M2 is my current favorite, however. For me, it's basically like a Kaweco Sport Mark 2! Love the robot drawing, by the way.
In my opinion it would be fair to give the Kaweco 1 point or half point extra in the aesthetic category. Because it is available in many colours, finishes and therefor more likely to appeal to the user.
The Sport does, but HongDian has their own cartridge size, which may line up with some other Chinese pens, from what I’ve heard. I’m trying to do a deep dive on pen cartridge/converters over the summer when I have more time. It’s a confusing subject.
@@stepheninks Actually the “standard international” is 2.4 mm-bore. The M2 seems to have a 2.6 mm bore, common on chinese pens (with the 3.4). On my M2 I was able to fit Schneider international small cartridges, which I like because they are cheap here in Europe and the ink is fairly waterproof after drying and good for sketching. I was cautious not to apply to much strength and damage the nipple, but it went in quite smoothly. Of course the cartridge opening is a bit widened but it never leaked even after 3 months. And by the way I find the converter very qualitative on the M2, especially compared to the Kaweco "things" 🙂
Hey, thanks so much for the video. If you ever remember about the clip for the Delike brass pen I would be forever thankful if you reply to me with a link. I love that pen and would love to add a clip to stop it from rolling. Thanks so much in advance!!
You and me both! I cannot confirm this personally, but there are many on Reddit that swear the Kaweco Supra clip works on this pen. Again, I have not tried it, but that is what I have heard.
Of the 4 pens in the video the only one I don't have (or do I?) is the Delike. I have one similar but it's aluminum. I have a certain weakness for pocket pens which include the Pilot Petit1, a Majohn X1, and an ensso XS Minimalist. There's another trick I learned about the 82 mini - the end of the barrel is actually a blind cap that can be pulled off to gain access to the converter. Finally, if you want a truly small pocket pen, it is billed as a "cigarette" pen by some stores on Ali Express. You might be able to find it by also using the brand name Yiren. There are 2 versions. One version threads to post. Written on the cap is the word Luoshi (makes me think it's a brand name), has what appears to be a model number of 385B, and a 0.38 mm hooded nib. Amazingly, it writes pretty well, and better than any of the Moonman/Majohn nibs that I written with. The other version has a flat end and the cap posts magnetically. That one is close to useless in my big hands. These pens I''d say are definitely a novelty!!
I’ll have to check out the cigarette pen. Sounds… interesting, even though I don’t know if I’ll like it. I noticed the blind cap thing in my full video for the 82 mini as well. Someone in the comments of that video said that theirs was glued on tight, so our pens MIGHT be oddly flawed, in weirdly advantageous way.
No. Sailor Progear Slim isn’t a pocket pen, but Sailor Progear Slim ‘Mini’ is ! I used to be into collecting pocket pens till recently and I’ve a total of about 20 of all the pens showcased in this video. M2 is the most aesthetically appealing, but its nib is the worst ! Kaweco’s nibs maybe boring, but I rate them the highest of its contenders from this bunch. Cutest of all these pens according to me is Delike (I’ve half a dozen Delike ‘metal’ pocket pens). If I were to pick only one pen out of these, I’ll pick a Kaweco Al Sport which looks & feels good and writes well (but not reasonably priced 😞)
@@limmoblack I guess by ‘minis’, you mean pocket pens in general. Here’re some notable ones among 50+ pocket pens (as I can’t name just one !) which write very well: Pilot Elite (vintage) Sailor pocket pen (vintage) Sailor Progear slim mini Twsbi Rosegold Mini Moonman/Majohn X1 Traveller’s company brass pocket pen Kaweco Sport, Liliput Conklin Minigraph and its clone from Montegaut
I actually like Kaweco nibs as well. “Boring” = reliable in my opinion, and artists can go galavanting about with spontaneous and unreliable nibs all they want when they’re young, but when it’s time to settle down, you want something you can rely on. The Kaweco nib has a steady job and a 401k. I guess for these cheaper pens, the nibs can be a bit of a mixed bag. Mine is fantastic! If you’re buying pens in the vein of less than 25USD, I think it’s worth it to invest in some brass sheets and micro mesh. I haven’t had a bad nibs that those two plus a good cleaning couldn’t fix!
I'm putting this as a separate comment, because it's not pocket pen related. I recently discovered that Amazon sells an Amazon Basics fountain pen. It is remarkably good, surprisingly. Lots of mostly positive UA-cam reviews. I picked one up because it only cost $11.10 and I have been impressed with it. You might want to give it a try.
Confusingly comfortable. I think that when I look at it there’s this cognitive dissonance that tells me it won’t be comfortable, but while using it, no issues at all. I have kind of large hands as well. It’s a curious pen. If you’re interested at all, I do recommend it, especially since it’s so cheap.
Here's a "pocket pen" that I haven't seen on this channel that you also might like as a fellow artist with an appreciation for nice lines: The Pilot Prera :-) While not a ✨true pocket pen✨™ in the sense that it's not quite the same size as a capped Kaweco Sport, the Prera is only about 1-1.5cm longer when uncapped and un-posted. As such, many people consider the Prera to be a very pocket-able pen And of course, since it's a Pilot, the quality of the pen is absolutely superb! Check it out if you ever find one for a good price, I think you might like it quite a bit. The sound of capping that pen is quite possibly one of the most satisfying sounds+feelings I've ever got from a pen 👌😌
@@stepheninks I don’t disagree with this comment. , however, my sport and a small pad are in my shirt pocket almost all the time. It performs three excellent functios 1) it disappears in my pocket due to its size and weight, 2) when I reach for it it for a quick note it always writes with a delightful nib and 3) it is a relatively inexpensive and quality made but yes rather cheep feeling pen that would not be excessively mourned if lost. I love writing all over the nonfiction books I read. For the current book, I quickly slipped a fine nib in (it is friction fit) and inked it up with Robert Oster Velvet Crush. No feather or bleed through even on the rather rough absorbent book paper. My other pocket pens write equally well but none of them disappear in the shirt pocket because of of extra weight (brass), length capped or both. I have three Pilot E pens, a vintage Elite with an 18k M nib that I bought on an eBay auction. I repaired the barrel with Gorilla glue and it is a dream pen. The other two are an E95S with a medium and one with fine 13k nib. I do not carry them. They are mostly work related for note taking and reside on my desk. My pens are a beautiful and fun obsessive collection of tools. I buy new pens always with a thought of how they fit in my tool collection and will be used. A few fails, bur tha will wait till later. (Yes I have a few that are hard to justify as tools, Conway Stewart Churchill, but what a scratch for my obsessive collecting itch)
The M2 sure is a nice pen. Unfortunately I returned mine because the clip fell off. The tiny metal pin keeping it in place fell out. I have good hopes that the next Chinese pocket pen is going to be even better.
Oh, that’s a shame. Hopefully it’s not a pattern with these pens. I’ve only had mine for a few months, but if something does happen, I will be sure to add more information in the form of a video or post.
I love my Hongdian M2 ($26 cad) ....I just wish It never gave me , sore hands when I write/ sketch with it, over long periods..LOL Kaweco ($50 cad) is an overpriced PLASTIC RESIN fountain pen...LOL
Yeah, it does feel kind of expensive for what it is. I bought mine a long time ago, so removed from how much it cost (plus the converter and the clip separately) its a good pen. If you don’t need a pocket pen, you can get a lot more for that price though.
I like the M2 alot better than the Kaweco the threads on the Kaweco cut into my fingers. The only reason I bought them is because they offer B/BB nibs. And you cannot swap out Hongdian from the Kaweco 🙁
I have been carrying the grey Hongdian M2 with a Diamine grey. Fine to medium seem to work well with it. No issues so far. Even the converter worked flawlessly, the first attempt.
Nice. I love grey inks!
Waiting for my M2 to arrive. I cant wait since im new to this hobby.
This is a great time to get into this hobby. So many cool things and a lot of good low-cost options. This one included. Hope you love it!
Omg the little closing trick on the M2! I never thought to do that considering i do the opposite with it. It makes such a satisfying sound when you open it with the body in one quick turn and spins in place. Makes me feel like a gun slinger.
(Adjusts brim of hat)
“This pocket ain’t big enough for the two of us.”
(Twangy guitar plays in the background)
The first thing I tried when I got my two M2s today!😂😂😂
Pocket pens by their nature are just cool. Thanks for introducing me to the Jinhao 82 Mini, I might buy a couple.
Pocket pens are the Swiss army knifes of the fountain pen world. Do you really need a little tiny knife to carry around with you wherever you go? No…but what if you DO?
I say that knowing full well that the Monteverde Tool Pen exists… but if we all agree to not acknowledge its existence together, does it really exist?
The M2 has the added benefit of being able to use any Black Forest nibs. EF, F, M, and Fude. I switch back and forth between the Extra Fine and the Fude. I just can’t decide which one to choose sketching most.
Those are my two favorite nibs too!
The Hongdian long knife nib is my favorite for sketching. Wish I could get an M2 with that nib for my passport journal.
I too like the M2. PenBBS standard nib has an upturn. First pen to have it was Sheaffer in the 30s.
I really need to get into vintage pens. Love your videos!
I vote for the Hongdian!
Still my favorite too! These are actually all really good pens though.
The minute I saw that Hongdian, I wanted it! What a gorgeous little pen. I would have given the Jinhao fewer points for posting. If it’s a jiggly post, it’s a loser, as far as I’m concerned. Every bit of real estate on a pocket pen matters-how it feels against the back of your hand and the feel of it in the crook between the bottom of your forefinger and thumb (Is there an anatomical name for that?). If it’s jiggling and feels like it’s going to fall off, it’s a nope. I have a Kaweco Bronze Sport that is a very solid poster. I know the cap isn’t going anywhere when it’s posted. Maybe Kaweco Sports in plastic, aluminum or brass models are a different story. Anyhoo, I’m looking forward to getting my M2 from Amazon tomorrow! Thanks for a great introduction to a new brand for me.
HongDian has been super impressive for me so far. I have an N8, a Black Forest and this M2, and they are all lovely, reliable, and sturdy. I really want to get a few more things from them just to try everything out.
Considering my intended use, which to carry in my shirt pocket, I would score it a 3,4, 4,3, and 3, or 17. My DeLike Brass pen has rounded ends and would score about like you did. I don’t have the others but the HongDian is worth a look. Thanks.
The HongDian pen is a surprisingly good pen for its price. If the first pen you mentioned is the Kaweco Sport, I agree, I think I scored it too low. Hindsight, right?
I have the Kaweco and DeLike and have written with the HongDian. I would rate the Kaweco 1 point higher with a 4 on ease of posting putting it in the same spot as you concluded, so I agree with your ranking for whatever that is worth.
One question, can the clip on the HongDian be removed? I did not notice on the one I wrote with. Thanks for the video.
I had to check that after this comment. It doesn’t look like it can come off. At least not without breaking the clip.
@@stepheninks a thank you for checking.
My M2 quickly became an every day carry. Sturdy construction, and very well balanced and comfortable when posted. I don't have any of the others to compare it with; though a Sport is on my wish list.
I think if I owned just two of these pens, I would want the Sport and the M2.
I have all but the brass one and many more. The M2 is my favorite pocket pen in this price range . But does not beat out the pilot e95s or all the vintage pens like it made in the 60s and 70s .
I need to get into vintage pens soon. I’ve bought most of the things I want in the modern space.
Pen BBS have the up turn on their fine and extra fine nibs, like the delike. I love the slight up turn for drawing and the line quality.
I love PenBBS pens. They’re on of my favorite drawing nibs. I heard that they’re more comfortable to use for left handed people? Being a left handed person who can barely use his right hand for anything by opening doors, I have no way to test this theory.
Thank you for the tip (lefthanded). @@stepheninks
I don't have a pro gear slim, but I have a Jin Hao 82 (full size) that i consider a pocket pen. It's smaller than all my other pens
You might feel the same about the PGS then. They’re exactly the same size. There’s no right or wrong answer really. Just an endless sea of opinions.
Surprisingly, I have all four of these, sort of. I have the full size Jinhao 82, not the mini. It's definitely pocketable, but I think the size gives it an unfair advantage over the Kaweco Sport (in the tie, I would put it ahead of the Sport). I have had the Kaweco Sport the longest (years), and the rollerball version of it is my actual EDC. The Hongdian M2 is my current favorite, however. For me, it's basically like a Kaweco Sport Mark 2!
Love the robot drawing, by the way.
All of these pens are good pens.
In my opinion it would be fair to give the Kaweco 1 point or half point extra in the aesthetic category. Because it is available in many colours, finishes and therefor more likely to appeal to the user.
Thants true. To be fair if it was only my opinion, and not also what I have heard people say about it, I would have given it a higher rating.
Do the *Hongdian M2* and the *Kaweco Sport* take international small ink cartridges?
The Sport does, but HongDian has their own cartridge size, which may line up with some other Chinese pens, from what I’ve heard. I’m trying to do a deep dive on pen cartridge/converters over the summer when I have more time. It’s a confusing subject.
@@stepheninks Actually the “standard international” is 2.4 mm-bore.
The M2 seems to have a 2.6 mm bore, common on chinese pens (with the 3.4).
On my M2 I was able to fit Schneider international small cartridges, which I like because they are cheap here in Europe and the ink is fairly waterproof after drying and good for sketching.
I was cautious not to apply to much strength and damage the nipple, but it went in quite smoothly. Of course the cartridge opening is a bit widened but it never leaked even after 3 months.
And by the way I find the converter very qualitative on the M2, especially compared to the Kaweco "things" 🙂
Hey, thanks so much for the video. If you ever remember about the clip for the Delike brass pen I would be forever thankful if you reply to me with a link. I love that pen and would love to add a clip to stop it from rolling. Thanks so much in advance!!
You and me both! I cannot confirm this personally, but there are many on Reddit that swear the Kaweco Supra clip works on this pen. Again, I have not tried it, but that is what I have heard.
thanks! Another quick question, how's it aged since your video? Did it develop a patina? Did it age gracefully? Thanks!
@@inigoaguirre2181 to be honest, it still pretty much looks the same as when I first bought it.
Of the 4 pens in the video the only one I don't have (or do I?) is the Delike. I have one similar but it's aluminum. I have a certain weakness for pocket pens which include the Pilot Petit1, a Majohn X1, and an ensso XS Minimalist. There's another trick I learned about the 82 mini - the end of the barrel is actually a blind cap that can be pulled off to gain access to the converter. Finally, if you want a truly small pocket pen, it is billed as a "cigarette" pen by some stores on Ali Express. You might be able to find it by also using the brand name Yiren. There are 2 versions. One version threads to post. Written on the cap is the word Luoshi (makes me think it's a brand name), has what appears to be a model number of 385B, and a 0.38 mm hooded nib. Amazingly, it writes pretty well, and better than any of the Moonman/Majohn nibs that I written with. The other version has a flat end and the cap posts magnetically. That one is close to useless in my big hands. These pens I''d say are definitely a novelty!!
I’ll have to check out the cigarette pen. Sounds… interesting, even though I don’t know if I’ll like it. I noticed the blind cap thing in my full video for the 82 mini as well. Someone in the comments of that video said that theirs was glued on tight, so our pens MIGHT be oddly flawed, in weirdly advantageous way.
No. Sailor Progear Slim isn’t a pocket pen, but Sailor Progear Slim ‘Mini’ is !
I used to be into collecting pocket pens till recently and I’ve a total of about 20 of all the pens showcased in this video. M2 is the most aesthetically appealing, but its nib is the worst ! Kaweco’s nibs maybe boring, but I rate them the highest of its contenders from this bunch. Cutest of all these pens according to me is Delike (I’ve half a dozen Delike ‘metal’ pocket pens).
If I were to pick only one pen out of these, I’ll pick a Kaweco Al Sport which looks & feels good and writes well (but not reasonably priced 😞)
Which ones of all your minis, in your opinion, writes the best? Also, are there any mini pens with medium(or larger!) nibs?
@@limmoblack I guess by ‘minis’, you mean pocket pens in general.
Here’re some notable ones among 50+ pocket pens (as I can’t name just one !) which write very well:
Pilot Elite (vintage)
Sailor pocket pen (vintage)
Sailor Progear slim mini
Twsbi Rosegold Mini
Moonman/Majohn X1
Traveller’s company brass pocket pen
Kaweco Sport, Liliput
Conklin Minigraph and its clone from Montegaut
@@sathishrao7926 Thank you, much appreciated.
I actually like Kaweco nibs as well. “Boring” = reliable in my opinion, and artists can go galavanting about with spontaneous and unreliable nibs all they want when they’re young, but when it’s time to settle down, you want something you can rely on. The Kaweco nib has a steady job and a 401k.
I guess for these cheaper pens, the nibs can be a bit of a mixed bag. Mine is fantastic! If you’re buying pens in the vein of less than 25USD, I think it’s worth it to invest in some brass sheets and micro mesh. I haven’t had a bad nibs that those two plus a good cleaning couldn’t fix!
@@stepheninksso would you rate a Kaweco sport ef nib better than the Hongdian m2 ef nib?
I'm putting this as a separate comment, because it's not pocket pen related. I recently discovered that Amazon sells an Amazon Basics fountain pen. It is remarkably good, surprisingly. Lots of mostly positive UA-cam reviews. I picked one up because it only cost $11.10 and I have been impressed with it. You might want to give it a try.
I’ve heard of that one. Might be worth looking into. Thanks for the recommendation!
What cartridges does it use? Euro standard or Chinese intl standard?
@@rahulshah1408 Euro Intl standard. I have a Pellican cartridge in it.
Is the Delike raw brass? I’d love a budget brass pen.
Yes. and that wonderful smell gets on your hands, but mine writes so well. I was shocked.
Exactly what the person above this comment said. Shockingly good, shockingly a raw brass pen for under 20USD
@@stepheninks Mine is different with the rings all around it but it posts the same and I paid $2 for it on Ali express.
What is the experience like writing with the Jinhao 82 mini?
Confusingly comfortable. I think that when I look at it there’s this cognitive dissonance that tells me it won’t be comfortable, but while using it, no issues at all. I have kind of large hands as well. It’s a curious pen. If you’re interested at all, I do recommend it, especially since it’s so cheap.
@@stepheninks Already beat you to it..I bought 3 for $3 a piece..I am very happy for variety at a ridiculous cost..Thanks
Here's a "pocket pen" that I haven't seen on this channel that you also might like as a fellow artist with an appreciation for nice lines: The Pilot Prera :-)
While not a ✨true pocket pen✨™ in the sense that it's not quite the same size as a capped Kaweco Sport, the Prera is only about 1-1.5cm longer when uncapped and un-posted. As such, many people consider the Prera to be a very pocket-able pen
And of course, since it's a Pilot, the quality of the pen is absolutely superb! Check it out if you ever find one for a good price, I think you might like it quite a bit. The sound of capping that pen is quite possibly one of the most satisfying sounds+feelings I've ever got from a pen 👌😌
I’ve heard of the Prera, but I’ve never really looked into it. I’ll see what I think! I do like nice lines.
I have sports. I write well but it feels very cheap at hand.
Yeah, I’ve experienced the same. I can’t deny that the Sport is a good pen, but it isn’t a terribly exciting pen.
@@stepheninks I don’t disagree with this comment. , however, my sport and a small pad are in my shirt pocket almost all the time. It performs three excellent functios 1) it disappears in my pocket due to its size and weight, 2) when I reach for it it for a quick note it always writes with a delightful nib and 3) it is a relatively inexpensive and quality made but yes rather cheep feeling pen that would not be excessively mourned if lost.
I love writing all over the nonfiction books I read. For the current book, I quickly slipped a fine nib in (it is friction fit) and inked it up with Robert Oster Velvet Crush. No feather or bleed through even on the rather rough absorbent book paper.
My other pocket pens write equally well but none of them disappear in the shirt pocket because of of extra weight (brass), length capped or both. I have three Pilot E pens, a vintage Elite with an 18k M nib that I bought on an eBay auction. I repaired the barrel with Gorilla glue and it is a dream pen. The other two are an E95S with a medium and one with fine 13k nib. I do not carry them. They are mostly work related for note taking and reside on my desk.
My pens are a beautiful and fun obsessive collection of tools. I buy new pens always with a thought of how they fit in my tool collection and will be used. A few fails, bur tha will wait till later. (Yes I have a few that are hard to justify as tools, Conway Stewart Churchill, but what a scratch for my obsessive collecting itch)
The M2 sure is a nice pen. Unfortunately I returned mine because the clip fell off. The tiny metal pin keeping it in place fell out. I have good hopes that the next Chinese pocket pen is going to be even better.
Oh, that’s a shame. Hopefully it’s not a pattern with these pens. I’ve only had mine for a few months, but if something does happen, I will be sure to add more information in the form of a video or post.
@@stepheninks It was in the first few minutes in which I was using the pen. I also ordered an Asvine P50, that one is excellent.
@@mmzeeman the v126 is a favorite of mine. I really want to try the p50 at some point.
I love my Hongdian M2 ($26 cad) ....I just wish It never gave me , sore hands when I write/ sketch with it, over long periods..LOL
Kaweco ($50 cad) is an overpriced PLASTIC RESIN fountain pen...LOL
Yeah, it does feel kind of expensive for what it is. I bought mine a long time ago, so removed from how much it cost (plus the converter and the clip separately) its a good pen. If you don’t need a pocket pen, you can get a lot more for that price though.
I like the M2 alot better than the Kaweco the threads on the Kaweco cut into my fingers. The only reason I bought them is because they offer B/BB nibs. And you cannot swap out Hongdian from the Kaweco 🙁