2022 MaJohn C4 Japanese Eyedropper Fountain Pen Review
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- Опубліковано 12 лип 2024
- This is the new Japanese eyedropper fountain pen from MaJohn - the C4. I unbox it, talk about the parts and features of the pen, provide some size comparisons and measurements, and then do a writing sample. After the writing sample, I talk about what I like and what I don't like about the pen. Please feel free to use the chapters provided below to skip to various parts of the review.
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Chapters:
00:00 Start
00:16 Introduction
02:01 Parts and Features
09:36 Size Comparisons
10:35 Measurements
10:50 Filling the Pen
11:18 Writing Sample
14:33 Likes and Dislikes
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Concerto No. 1 in E major, Op. 8, RV 269, "Spring" (La primavera)
Allegro (in E major) by Antonio Vivaldi, in HD quality!
- Classical music piece performed by: John Harrison - Violin / Robert Turizziani - Conductor / Wichita State University Chamber Players
- Music licensed by: John Harrison
- Music license: CC BY-SA 1.0
CAUTION: The following video has an unusually high VHQ (video humor quotient). Viewers are advised to refrain from consuming carbonated beverages while watching. Any liquid spewing out of your nose is YOUR responsibility. - Навчання та стиль
As for the rod having no function, I beg to differ. pulling it out 1/4-1/2 of the way sucks in just enough air so that when you push it back down it will prime the feed, which is a feature missing from regular body-filled pens like the Q1 and others. super important.
That is some truth right there!
I am so glad the eyedropper are leaning towards the type of model I have 4 opus88 pens and a vintage Japanese pen and I must admit I love them all and because I like to draw and write with my pens the extra ink capacity is great and this one looks like a keeper so here we go with another pen
Thanks for this honest and thorough review, Doug! Adding the shutoff valve is a great improvement, but I totally share your opinion about the tiny clip, and mismatch between the hardware and nib finishes.
I couldn't help but imagine a Jinhao X159 with a Japanese eyedropper mechanism. Wouldn't that be great, especially with the No. 8 nib!
Thanks again, and keep up the excellent work!
OOOOH HELL YEAH!!!!
This is right on time sir!! You always come through RIGHT-ON-TIME!!!!!
I was considering buying a second "Opus-88 Demonstrator" on this week...I'll be picking up one of THESE instead!!
THANK YOU!!!! ❤
Right on!
Nice pen and guitar. Great review as always. 👏👏👏
Thank you! Cheers!
Congrats on your new Guitar. Hope you enjoy it for many years to come. About the pen, size does matter, look at that clip!!! 18:22 LOL Im dying in here!!!
LOL Thanks, Santa!
Great Video Doug ha ha , loved the clips. 🙂
Glad you enjoyed it
Yes, "spitting" is much more correct than than "burbing".
Personally, I find the UK slang, "to gob", funnier. "Eek! Rob's pen gobs blobs of ink."
Which brings up such lovely UK phrases as "Shut yer festerin' gob you tit!"
I just got mine yesterday. Perfect timing 👍
Nice 👍
Thank you Prof. Doug!
My pleasure!
Spit right on 🤣! Another great review. Those wonky threads could be a deal killer. Looking forward to tomorrow’s Pen Resurrection! 👍👍👍(wow 3 again)!!!! 😎
Thank you so much, theProf!
Good review as always, Doug! The clip is like the military style clip on a Sheaffer Tuckaway... sort of.
Sort of! :)
Love the hat Doug. Another great video.
Thanks 👍
Boy O Boy, am I happy with this pen! I can attest to Doug's experience above with regards to its Moonman #6 Medium nib. It, to borrow from Miami's colloquial, "Kicks ASS, Bro...!" Incredibly, I had my Kaigelu and Goulet #6 at hand to swap. But then did about ten figure eights in all directions of the compass on 12K sandpaper and .... (more Miami follows:) "Coño, Doug, bro, that this is like DA BOMB, Pápa!!!" Thanks for the recommendation, sir.
Awesome Chaz!
I have mine! Inked it yesterday. It does have baby’s bottom (overly polished), so I will adjust it. However, I do think I will end up loving it, as it certainly operates like my Opus 88, and I love the clear acrylic with a lot of ink sloshing around in the barrel! They eyedropper does not function all that well, but I have not tried using anything to seal the squeezer-top to the tube. Anyway, thanks for keeping us up-to-date! KW
Thanks, Keith. I was surprised by how much I like how it feels and writes!
Your comment about the clip was right. I totally agree with you Doug. That clip looks so weird for this size pen.
Great video. Thanks for your time and effort. I appreciate it.
Really the only part I dislike as well. Plus it makes me question the functionality of such a clip.
Thanks for watching!
I need to stop watching your videos. I was doing some research on how to install a security camera and I ended up purchasing this pen. How does that happen?! This is BS.
Been there.
Just got my C4 and noticed something: That weird stub of a clip, is actually the same shape as the Moonman logo! Still as useful as a chocolate teapot, but cute.
Yeah. The cutesy clip. Its a nice logo touch, but hardly functional. LOL
Thank you for the review. With the knowledge you have divulged, I will hopefully not make the pen spit (proper technical term). It could be why I didn't like my Bela which spit quite well.
Mine should arrive Monday.
Great review, Doug.
Glad it was helpful!
I'm with you on this one Doug i have 3 Opus pens & for some strange reason i dont find myself using them , i will have too conciously start using them.Great review Doug & it looks a great pen for the price but i will sit on the fence with this one for a while as i have just ordered a new model from Ranga a Salmon model.
Thanks 👍
That Guild is incredible
I love my Opus 88 pens, it's nice t see the same type of system in other brands.
Didn't know about eyedropper pens with this shutoff valve before. Might be interested in getting this especially the medium nib option. Still need Jinhao and Hongdian to give more medium nib options.
The filling system and a medium makes this definitely on the list, but going with a different color hardware.
I just bought one a couple of weeks ago. Yes, i watched this video first.
The EF nib was great (no complaints at all), but, i put a Nahvular 1.1mm stub in it just because i like 1.1mm stubs and i think it matches the big chunky pen better. Currently inked with Diamine Earl Grey. Absolutely lovely pen - especially considering it was less than £20 on AliEx.
I like that they make the nibs easily swappable.
I'm thinking my days of buying Jinhao pens are over as i'm really getting the itch to buy a few more Majohns. Much better pens.
Luckily, i haven't had any problems with cross threading.
Agreed, that the clip is rather silly, but it is also rather cute. Not sure what the designer was thinking with that. I think the world needs a little bit of silly once in a while, so it's not a deal breaker for me.
As I understand it, the pen design is a copy of another pen right down to the clip.
good review.
Glad you think so!
Thank you for the review, just bought earlier this week the Majohn M2 and C4. I was thinking that those pens might be easier to clean? I want to start using shimmer inks for the coming holidays. And I'm relunctant to use them in my fancier pens. (New to using fountain pen since last August.)
I'm always in awe when I see that we can repair or find spare parts for something. It is rare these days. (I'll keep in mind that we can buy spare parts from PenBBS.)
It is a good looking pen, and I would also have prefered the ornements to be chromed like the nib, not gold. I'm not confortable yet to change nib. :)
I don't mind the small clip. I rarely clip my pens but I prefer a pen to have something to prevent it to roll. I use a pen sleeve to carry them in my pocket.
Thank you again for the time you took to make this review.
Thanks!
Talked to Majohn, here are 2 reasons for the weird short clip: 1. homage to early eyedropper in 1920s 2. It actually is a Majohn logo, brass with gold plated🎉 And Majohn said this pen was inspired by some Waterman vintage in New York and he simply doesn't want anything do with Japanese whatsoever.
I recognized it was the Moonman logo. Interesting about hommage to the 20's.
Hey Douglas! I've been eyeballing this puppy. Over the summer I was Thirsting for one of Endless Pens' LE Opus Minis, then this came up. Maybe put a fude on it for a while to be extra. Your timing is perfect!
Yay!
Nice guitar
8:36 Is that an Archimedes Principle reference? Thanks for the informative review. I didn’t realize this type of filling system existed. Seems like an ersatz vacuum system without the bulge. I like the idea of en eye dropper without indigestion.
Eureka! You found the reference! LOL Thanks Jerry!
You owe me a keyboard🤣🤣🤣🤣🤣! The Young Sheldon clip put me right over the top!!!!
My bad
@@InkquiringMinds 🤣🙋🏼♀️👏👍
Excellent review. Large ink capacity!!!
Thanks for watching!
FYI Doug from your friendly Chinese speaker, the Wancai is pronounced “WANts-eye”, named after the Wan Chai district in Hong Kong.
Wants Eye! I got it!
Thank you for the cap-threading heads up. Mine is also sticky. I do think the nib is not only stiff, but it may be a baby’s bottom issue on mine or possibly slightly off for my classic writing angle. I will re-post after I tune the nib. I love the looks, but it is just not tuned to my liking. I also second your review of the clip! :) It is OK, as I do not clip pens in a pocket (I have ruined one $500 suit coat (no cleaner could get the permanent ink out of my “lawyer’s suit.” Since I am not a lawyer and, even when teaching undergraduates, one now just hopes teachers wear long pants with a good T-shirt, I don’t mind sacrificing a suit coat, but the ink destroy my shirt and stained my left side for a month or so! 😊😊😢
Oh for the old days when professors wore turtlenecks with corduroy jackets with elbow patches and smoked a pipe.
Wonderful video, Professor Doug. Does pen take a Jowo No 6 nib unit? (The screw-in kind). It would make an excellent vessel for trying out nibs. (I’m still not entirely comfortable with “pulling nibs”, I’m exceptionally clumsy and I’m not confident of pulling it off (as it were). Thanks again, sir.
The nib unit isn’t compatible with Jowo, but you could add a Jowo nib using the MaJohn unit.
My biggest issues were the cross threading and the silver nib with gold trim. The clip to me seemed more like a roll stop. Then I looked through the cap at the nib and it looks like the majohn nib and drop logo stylized as a roll stop instead of an actual clip, but I may be off on that one.
Hi
Thank you for your great reviews
In your video about the moon man m800 you have said that you can screw into the moon and threads a bock unit including the housing -is it also true for the c4?
The Moonman m800 has two versions; Bock and Moonman, and they are NOT interchangeable. The C4 will accept the Moonman unit but not the Bock. You can, of course, pull the nibs and use a Bock with the Moonman nib unit and feed. I’ve successfully put Leonardo nibs in all three of my M800s.
I'd like to have a friend in the army (none of them atm) and present him with a box of C4.
That’s an explosive tip!
Just look at the caution in the description 😂😂 However I liked the pen and was looking for a eye dropper fountain pen...
I was thinking about solving the spitting problem by putting beads into the barrel/ink reservoir to replace the air, but when I looked it up, people have said that just putting a few beads, not enough to displace all the air, has solved the issue. I can only assume they're working as heat sinks in that case. You just plop them in and leave them, so you're losing a bit of capacity, but supposedly it solves the issue without having to add and remove beads repeatedly. If they _are_ acting as heat sinks, they wouldn't help with actual pressure differential, like going on an airplane.
For a bead-adding eyedropper pen design, you could make the clip into a little bead dispenser, so that you can add beads into the barrel while you're out and about using the pen, and when it runs out of ink you're presumably at home to refill it anyway, and thus capable of cleaning and retrieving the beads. I'm thinking either a groove/channel clip with the beads lined up inside it and a gate at one end to dispense them, or the beads could be ring-shaped and have the clip running through them, and you unscrew a ball at the bottom of the clip to remove them.
Of course, at that point the simplicity of the eyedropper design would probably be ruined. I think it would be cute and worth it for the novelty though
Cool. Thanks for sharing!
Just got around to seeing this video. Are you going to do a review on the new Guild? I'd be interested because for an electric for me Guild makes some really good ones and also its around my price point for a 12 string electric. I'm toying with the idea of getting a Guild acoustic 12 string right now, but want a full electric later on to get that jangly 60's 70 sounds haha
Hey, William. I doubt I'll do a review of the electric 12 string. They are very time-consuming to make/edit and anything I play on the guitar to show how it sounds would give me a copyright strike against my channel. You can't even mention the name "The Eagles" before you get a take down notice. Plus, I've done guitar related videos before and I only get a handful of views. The skinny is, it is a terrific, inexpensive (for an electric 12 string) guitar to use as a base for improvements. I'm already replacing the tuners with Grovers because the cheap Chinese tuners are crap. The nut needs a LOT of work and the intonation is awful. It needs a setup (of course), but I'll have to fine-tune the bridge to make it play in tune up and down the neck. The pickups have a lot of variety of tones (push/pull split coils) and can give you 60's jangle to mellow humbucker sounds. And the laminated red mahogany is to die for!
@@InkquiringMinds Ahh I understand that haha. What model is it again?
@@InkquiringMinds Nevermind I just saw it was the Starfire I. Thanks again Doug.
@@williamcatalano1762 it is a Guild Starfire I 12 string.
Love my Opus88 Bella (B) I also appreciate your reviews. Will we get to hear you play the new guitar?
I hope so! Part of the purchase of the 12 string was in celebration of getting my fretting hand back working again. I wasn't able to play guitar for 10 months due to trigger finger. Some cortizone and therapy and I'm back playing again. It will take a bit to get used to the 12 string before I can record again.
@@InkquiringMinds glad you're better.
@@wendyholiday2021 Thanks, Wendy!
Like I've said before, I'm not a fan of demonstrator pens. Nevertheless, I do recognize the convenience of the section sealing mechanism. But, all things considered, for me, this Majohn is as attractive as a "drinking straw" (like the Twsbi Eco 😉). I'd prefer my Opus 88 Bela any day of the week. As a matter of fact, I'm expecting a new Opus 88 Omar, with its signature sealing mechanism. To me, swirling resins always beat transparent demonstrators. 🖋️
As long as I can see the ink level. Although fir shimmering inks the demonstrator can make the ink to be the bling.
Wonder what would be a good fine nib replacement for this.
If you don't like the stock fine nib, a #6 Jowo or Bock should fit.
Can you recommend any other larger size (large sections) inexpensive pens? Most of the pens I see look so slim?
The Jinhao x159 is the same size as the Montblanc 149, has a #8 size nib, and is very inexpensive.
Thank you!
I use eye droppers because of large hands, arthritis, ebonite feed capability and nib interchangability. They are still a pain because of burping and inconsistent nib flow.
Has anyone traded nibs and feeds on this? It might be possible to modify it for an edbonite feed?
would you recommend a EF, F or M nib? is EF not smooth enough?
I have not tried the EF. I prefer the medium.
Thanks for the review… I think the air burping thing on its own is enough to put me off from buying it lol
But the stopper valve prevents that!
My headcanon that majohn would cheekily keep the moonman branding on the pen is busted...pride goeth before the fall
Where you get the parts bag from? Thanks
They are usually sold out on the official Penbbs Etsy shop, but you can find them on Aliexpress. tinyurl.com/y5npkmu2
Doug I’m very confused about filling this pen. Yes I watched your video but nothing happened pulling up the plunger or pushing it backdown into the ink??
I hope you're just kidding me?
@@InkquiringMinds please explain. If you have the vacuum converter why doesn’t any ink come into the chamber? The only way I could do that is filling it as an eyedropper.
@@MrAndrew1953 Sorry. I thought you were kidding. It IS an eyedropper. There is no vacuum. The rod and stopper only plug the section to keep the pen from burping.
@@InkquiringMinds Relieved to hear that. In the manual it shows you how to fill a Push button converter, Eyedropper,Vacuum Converter,Plunger Converter, Piston Converter and Cartridge. It’s a good pen that writes well. You just have to be careful how you engage the threads for the cap.
17:00 to 18:00 was 'sixty seconds worth of distance run!' 🤣😂😅
😂
I’m cannot close the cap and get the clip to line up with the nib. It irks me. Does anyone have suggestions?
Is the nib unit turned tightly in?
Hello Dough..That guitar is identical to the Gibson 335.. And very close to the Brian May Red Special.
¿Do you would buy a Brian May Red Special?.
Hey Raul! It is a hollow body like the 335. I also have a Gretsch DC 5122 that is similar to George Harrison's Country Gent. I doubt I'd buy a Brian May. I've pretty much got the guitars I need now! :)
@@InkquiringMinds 👍👍🇪🇸🇪🇸🇪🇸👍👍
Ooh, a big pen… me likey, and me too. I have several Opus 88 pens (one from almost every model), and I like every one of ‘em. But at this price, why not another demo eye-dropper? Since you changed the term from burping to spitting, why not change “eye-dropper” to “barrel-filled?”
If you filled it with a barrel of ink, that would be fitting! LOL
@@InkquiringMinds , well, we’re filling the barrel aren’t we? Then the pen is barrel-filled. Hardly anyone actually uses an eye-dropper now; we use blunt syringes.
Question:
What is the difference between an eyedropper and a piston filler, when it comes to burping?
As far as I can tell, there is no difference on the business end of the pen - the in is inside the barrel, right up against the wall, and any air bubble in there will indeed expand with heat.
I have both types, I write with my Opus 88 pens with the valve open, and the only times I've had any burping at all from them is when the big one was accidentally left half full smack in the sun this summer - not the best Idea I've come up with in any case. For the record, the valve was Closed when it did that, and all that happened was that a spray of ink made i into the closed cap.
Thanks for the question, Lars. There are several differences between them but the most important is that with a piston filler you can control the amount of air in the ink chamber where an eyedropper, you cannot. So, for example, if you were boarding a plane with a piston filler half full of ink, that pen would be prone to burping because of the changing air pressure. But, you could turn the piston knob with the pen nib up and expel as much air as possible before you board. There being no air in the chamber, the pen won't burp.
@@InkquiringMinds Myees. I see that as an edge case, compared to every day use, but then I don't fly much. And you could, almost as easily, fill up that eyedropper - pumping air out through a nib full of ink is going to require tissues or leave a mess anyway.
But for regular use - you say you have eyedroppers burping just from holding them in your warm hands? Not all pens are even translucent enough to See the ink level. And piston fillers should have the same problem too.
I am going to go out on a limb here, and say my hypothesis is that only really cheap eyedroppers have this problem. And not from the heat of your hands, but from the material of the barrel being soft and squishy enough that even a soft bump makes it shoot out ink.
That shouldn't be a problem with even half decent pens.
@@larsgottlieb Yes, just the warmth from your hand can make an eyedropper burp. Even with an opaque pen, I can push the air out by watching the bottom of the feed for bubbles. When the bubbles stop, the air is out. Of course you have to be careful.
I have never heard of anyone having to push the air out of a piston filler to write normally with it. Is that even a thing?
Yeah, Doug, but while you are writing the pen can still burp due to the heat emitted by the hand. Been there, done that :(.
Exactly. That's why any pen with a shut off valve and larger capacity, I will open the valve to get ink into the section and then close when writing.
I am a bit confused, I thought Moonman/Majohn was Chinese company? but it is mentioned Japanese here, did I miss something?
A "Japanese Eyedropper" is a design style of fountain pen, not where it is manufactured. The Opus 88 Bela is a Japanese eyedropper style pen but it is made in Taiwan.
@@InkquiringMinds I see thank you for elaborating
I'm used to spitting, as when the wife.and I get into a heated discussion, or when my seven year old son has one of his many insane bursts of emotional energy, the spittle flies. I like the Opus 88. like the lemming that I am, ordered on Amazon.
Which Opus 88 did you get?
@@InkquiringMinds two Belas the red and blue. Also the Omar.
The clip is their logo
Yes it is. But too small.
wait . . . . why the clip so short hahahahaha
Nice guitar, not so nice pen. It could hsve been a contender, but for the wonky threads, the lack of posting, and that clip.
Yup!
The title should be 2022 c4 CHINESE eyedropper
It is a Japanese eyedropper made in China.
She is a large one....
It's an odd beast, this one. I kinda like eyedroppers, but, yeah, the spitting like a camel 🐫 can get me down. I have very warm hands. The Japanese solution is a good one, but...I don't think this is the right vehicle for it. It's like all the things I want, but not quite right. Rollstop instead of redundant clip? Yes, but.... Large capacity? Yes, but... Good shape in the hand? Kinda....
Japanese? Majohn is a Chinese fountain pen brand, which is the new branding of Moonman.
the mechanism is called "Japanese" for no good reason other than that's where it first appeared.
Watch the video at least 1 and half minute
@@Seefood73 Thx! That make sense now!
I thought MaJohn is Chinese
It is. But the filling system is called a “Japanese Eye Dropper”.
Pretty sure it's Chinese made.
Indeed it is. But it is a Chinese Japanese eyedropper which is a style of pen filler.
@@InkquiringMinds I see. Is it a number 6 nib?
@@gordonhall9943 Yup. Pretty standard-sized #6.
MaJohn is from china, not japan.
Yes. But the style of pen filler is called a Japanese eyedropper.
Is this pen compatible with Asvine V126 nibs?
Yes, but use the feed and collar of the C4.
@@InkquiringMinds thanks
I just bought this ink (it's my first bottled ink) and haven't tried it yet, so it was really nice to see it "in action". Haven't gotten the converter to my Lamy Vista yet so I have to do with the Lamy cartridge in the meantime. 😇🩵🙏🙌
Hope you enjoy it!