This is a brief, mid-week post and intended largely as a reminder to myself that I do not NEED any more fountain pens. I shall therefore be able to look back at this post next week and see how I did in reality, compared to my resolve.
I have been looking forward to the London Autumn Pen Show, taking place this coming Sunday, 10 October 2021. Once again it will be at the spacious new venue, the Novotel in Hammersmith. The London Spring Pen Show, having been delayed, did not take place until July and so it is unusual to have two shows just three months apart.
What I currently look for and enjoy in a fountain pen, is for it to be comfortable to hold, to write well (smooth and with good flow) and to lay down the line that I want, which is interesting and flattering to my handwriting.
I discovered all of these qualities in the Moonman S5 eyedropper pen. I now have one on my desk in my office and an identical one at home.
When I pick this up, it always writes without hesitation. The smoothness and the line variation just blow me away every time. I love using it.
A feature of the pen is the multi-coloured grip section. I felt that this was a bit odd at first given that the rest of the body is clear, but actually I have grown to like it and it looks better in macro! Also, because every pen is slightly different, it helps to distinguish them, if you have more than one.
The real star of the pen, for me at least, is its oblique broad nib although this might not be everybody’s cup of tea. The pen came with three nib units and you also have the choice of an extra fine and a medium.
I have raved about this pen before but it is worth saying again, that it has all these qualities and more, and yet costs only £27.50. I have spent a lot more on a pen and will probably do so again, but I need to keep in mind that the comfort and writing experience, whilst they might match my S5, are unlikely to be appreciably better.
That is a very subjective opinion of course, but my own needs are dictated by my being a lefty-overwriter. The goal for us all is to find a pen that ticks all our boxes. Good sense tells us that when we find one, we should then stop amassing more pens and enjoy the fruits of our search, but we shall see!
In other news, I am very much enjoying my latest gadget, namely the Puluz 23cm mini-lightbox that I reviewed in my last post. Here are a few more gratuitous examples of my recent photos with it:-
Well, wish me luck everybody at the coming pen show. I hope to gather a bottle of ink or two. As for the temptation to buy more fountain pens, I shall cross that bridge when I come to it!
Fountain pen blog 
Have fun at the pen show. Loving your Century II and Peerless photos. I can 100% guarantee that the photos of my new pen will be much less crisp!
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Thankyou. I look forward to the reveal.
I meant to ask you, does your blue Cross Century II have a production date stamped on it? Mine is 0415.
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I have also been saying to myself ‘I don’t need another pen’. I really don’t need another pen. Really… But then I think now that it is not a ‘mathematical thing’. True, with dozens of pens, I could be rational and say to myself that I can only use one pen at a time, or perhaps a few pens using different coloured inks for some writing needing different colours – such as marking up a manuscript with corrections and suggestions…
But these are just utilitarian considerations. In the end, I buy pens because I enjoy having them, having the choice and the luxury of different nibs and sizes. Maybe it is a case of self-delusion, but I am now more and more reconciled to having more pens than I need. And then there is the thrill of finding a great pen at a pen show… Last time, I found a nice vintage Pelikan M400… So I shall definitely be there on Sunday morning : )
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These are all excellent points and you put them into words very well. I look forward too seeing you there!
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Like you, I have fallen for such a pen. In my case, it’s the Delike New Moon 2 Bent Nib. The body is the same pattern as your section. It is easily my favorite pen these days and is partnered with Iroshizuku syo-ro. Currently on its seventh fill in two months, it clearly has a converter that is too small for constant use. The eyedropper sounds like a better bet assuming it holds more ink than the converter. Where did you purchase yours?
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Thankyou. It’s great that you have a pen that suits you so well.
I bought the Moonman S5 on Amazon. It is sold in a set with two extra nib units, which screw into the section.
The ink capacity is huge!
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Thanks. There is a Majohn S5 that appears to be the same pen. It ships from China and these days that means at least a month or more to reach the U.S. I think the nib you like is the best nib or fude which is the one that won me over and will get a full review in a few days. It is very satisfying to use on Tomoe River 52g. Love this combination.
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Yes the Majohn S5 is the same pen as the Moonman S5.
Here with Amazon Prime I can get one with next day delivery. I don’t know how long it would take to reach the States though.
It seems to have options to buy with a fine or an extra fine nib, in each case with a medium plus a broad too. With luck the broad is actually an Oblique.
I looked at the New Moon 2. If the fude nib suits your writing angle then this looks a lovely find.
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P.S. the S5 nib that suited me best was an Oblique broad. Note that it is a stub nib not a bent or fude.
If you search majohn s5 then you may also find one advertised with a bent nib but I have not tried that version, yet!
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The Majohn and the Moonman are not offered via Amazon or Amazon Prime with three nibs. The oblique broad isn’t offered at all though it would be good with my handwriting. The three nib combination comes from China with a fine or extra fine, medium, and bent nib. Again, no broad or oblique broad. Funny how countries are offered different options. If it weren’t for the small converter capacity, the one I have would be fine. It came through Amazon Prime and was so good I purchased a second. Then I ordered an extra fine from China that took a month to arrive and was awful. A replacement nib is taking the slow boat here and hopefully will get delivered by mid November. Good thing I wasn’t in a hurry. If nothing else, life in the time of Covid is teaching us patience and to make do with what we have. 🙂
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Ah yes, so Amazon USA has different choices than we see on Amazon UK.
You are very right about needing to be content with what we have: something I must keep in mind as I head to the London Autumn Pen Show today:)
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Hello, thanks for the blog and all the tips you share with us.
I’ve seen you’ve written a number of times about the Moonman S5. I remember you mentioned you bought one with three nibs.
May I ask where did you buy it from?
Thanks for your help.
Mikel
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Ok, I read on the answer to another comment that you found it on Amazon. I’ve already found it too!
Thanks again.
Mikel
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Thankyou. Yes it was from Amazon. Now it is also called the Majohn S5. There are different kit options, either a Fine or Extra Fine, plus a Medium and Broad (which is oblique). Also sold with a bent (fude) nib but I have not tried that one.
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“This is a brief, mid-week post and intended largely as a reminder to myself that I do not NEED any more fountain pens.” This had me howling with laughter!
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It seemed like I had good intentions but with hindsight I was setting myself up for failure😄
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Hahahahaha I could see that coming!
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Thanks for the enthusiasm about the eye dropper pen. I cannot imagine using anything but a fountain pen for work these days, but I baulk at using an eye dropper given that it seems fiddly to fill it (I am a veteran of grappling with a screw fill and ink bottle during a Teams meeting!). I have a Moonman, but have not used it yet. I also have a vintage 1920s eye dropper – but same thing, it has yet to be used. I’m not as brave as I used to be, it seems.
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Thank you! If it helps, the Moonman’s ink capacity is so huge that you do not need to fill up very often. As it is a demonstrator there is no danger of running dry without notice. I actually enjoy the ritual of refilling. I stand the barrel in an old Aurora ink bottle for safety and fill it and reassemble before cleaning up. Then it is all over for another few months.
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