Hongdian M2 Black Forest Mini Fountain Pen, Extra Fine Soft Nib & Sleek Shape Aluminium Short Pocket Travel Pen (Army Green)

I have several of these Hong Dian (or Hong Dian or Hongdian, I’ve seen all variations) M2 pocket pens. They are sleek and tough, comfortable in my hands (medium sized with long fingers), and are all great writers.. They can be written with without posting the long cap on the back, but they are made to be posted. Then they are the length of a standard fountain pen; the posting is easy and secure. They are made of metal, so the weight in the hand when posted is in the sweet zone for me.These pens are attractive too, especially this reddish orange one with gold-colored hardware. The clip is not only built in (unlike, for example, the Kaweco), it is actively springy, actually the most functionally useful clip I have on a fountain pen. The nib runs pretty true to stated size for Western pens. (Japanese pens are typically about a size smaller.) It has just a touch of bounce and is a very smooth, wet writer. I have examples of these Hong Dian #5 nibs in EF, F and M and all are great, smooth writers right out of the box. The provided cartridge converter is nicer than the one for Pilot pens, and again, I point out that some manufacturers like Kaweco require that it be purchased separately. It’s smaller than a standard converter but holds enough ink for my needs between refills.I carry my M2s, with different inks, in a holder now, attached by their springy clips, but in the past I have carried one loose in my trouser pocket with no leaks or other issues. There is good sealing of nib when closed, so they are always ready for drawing or writing without drying out between uses. If I’m panning to write for many pages, I will turn to a favorite large fountain pen, but for something rugged and portable, these are great. They are also inexpensive enough that if I lose one, I won’t be crushed.The only potential negatives I can see have not been issues for me: (1) someone with large hands might find the section a bit narrow, though it should be long enough, and (2) some may find the section to be a bit too slippery. I do wish they would equip this model with a slightly roughened section for a better grip, but I can deal with it as is.I do like this M2 pocket pen model better than the earlier M1, which is similar but smaller when posted and not as comfortable for me.

So first off, I can confirm this pen is indeed solid brass. I wasn’t 100% confident when ordering but I knew I would find out once the pen arrived. I compared the advertised weight of the Brass M2 to a Kaweco Brass Sport and Brass Liliput so I felt better about ordering it. I have 2 other M2 pens and was confident in the quality and writing experience. However, I wanted to try this brass pen considering I’m a sucker for brass and already have a Kaweco Brass sport and a Kaweco Brass Supra. The reason I say all of this is because I intended to sand off the protective clear coat and expose the raw brass underneath so it would develop a beautiful patina over time. Out of the box, it was lovely and wrote like my 2 other M2s - beautifully. After testing and removing all the parts I could off the pen, I started sanding with micro mesh pads, increasing grit level as I went. That eventually led to a buff with my Dremel and a metal polish at the end. The end result is a stunning pen that looks (and performs) WAY above its price range. I’m so happy I took the chance and got this brass version. It was a fun project. So, for anyone else out there that is interested in doing this to their own brass M2 - it’s well worth it! Oh and the nibs that come with these little pens are straight up phenomenal. They have a glorious bounce to them and it’s an overall joy to write with them. The 3 I have are smooth, great flow with no issues, and reliable. That’s a heck of a lot more than I can say for a couple +$600 pens I received that couldn’t even do as simple of a task as write out of the box. Hope this review was helpful! 🖖

I really like this pen - the color, the weight, the feel. But I did have to replace the nib with a Picasso Medium nib I had in my stash because the OEM nib *squeaked* really bad! I tried tuning it a bit with some micro-mesh and Mylar paper, but it still squeaked, so I just switched it out. Now it writes very well, though I may at some point replace the nib with a Bock or JoWo.If you want a less expensive alternative to one of the small Kaweco fountain pens, this is a good option. The pen seems well-made, solid, and is a really good size -- somewhat better than the Kaweco Liliput, since this one is slightly longer when posted; about the same size as the Kaweco Sport, as can be seen in the photo.Photo reference --Top: Kaweco Ice Sport - PinkMiddle: Hogdian M2 Black Forest Mini - Army GreenBottom: Kaweco Liliput Fireblue.UPDATE: I bought the Midnight Blue version of this pen and it wrote BEAUTIFULLY right out of the box! No skipping, no scratchiness, no squeakiness, just smooth writing that's better than some of my $100+ pens. Really really nice pen!