Majohn A1Majohn

Capless, metal, press to write

cartridge / converter · 30.0 g
32 colourways · $38 typical
7.4
high confidence
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Where the score comes from

Reviews read by hand7.9
Reddit sentiment6.8
Mentions found375
Positive / negative72 / 29

What it is

Retractable/capless fountain pen: press the knock and the nib comes out through a trapdoor. Metal body, ~138mm, ~30g, extra-fine 0.38-0.4mm nib. Majohn's take on the Pilot Capless idea, at roughly a fifth of the price.

Homage & Design Inspiration
Homage to Pilot Capless / Vanishing Point

Spec sheet

Homage toPilot Capless / Vanishing Point
FillingCartridge / converter
Nib widthsExtra Fine · Fine
Length capped138.0 mm
Diameter13.0 mm
Weight30.0 g
Materialsbrass · metal
Street price$28–$56
Colourways32

Dimensions mined from retailer listings and cross-checked across stores — approximate.

For and against

  • A working capless fountain pen for well under $40
  • One-handed operation, genuinely convenient for notes
  • Metal body feels substantial
  • Converter or eyedropper filling
  • Clip sits under the fingers — the classic Capless compromise, inherited whole
  • EF nib only in most versions
  • Trapdoor mechanism is the obvious long-term failure point
  • Heavier than the resin A2

The pen that made a lot of people take Majohn seriously: the capless format, working, at pocket-money prices.

What owners say

Majohn's P136 and A1 are probably the best-value pens on the market right now, honestly r/fountainpens · 7 pts · thread
I bought a Bobby nib a few year back. It was a cursive italic nib swap on my Majohn A1. It is about a 1.0. It made a pen I hate into one I adore. Excellent nib grind. r/fountainpens · 5 pts · thread
I got hosed by Amazon when i bought my clipless A1 for $35, but it was the type I wanted: matte black, clipless, fine nip, so what the hell. And after writing with it and seeing its excellent fit and finish, I have zero buyer's remorse. r/fountainpens · 3 pts · thread
As a left I love that the A1 has a version without a clip. I wish the Pilot VP had a clipless version. After writing with some Vanishing Points at my local-ish pen club, I eventually plan on getting a VP nib unit to put in my A1 r/fountainpens · 2 pts · thread
I'll caveat that the Pilot VP nib is superior. I bought a VP nib and put it in my A1. It fits perfectly. I'm waiting for Majohn to put out a lighter version of the clipless A1 because the metal hulk is way too heavy for me to use for long writing sessions. r/fountainpens · 2 pts · thread
Funnily enough OP I bought a A1 about a month ago and fell in love so much I ended up ordering a VP. Thought about buying a nib unit as they go for about $100usd but after thinking about tax I ended up ording a VP off aliexpress for a good price. Just waiting for it to clear import customs and hopefully come next week. r/fountainpens · 2 pts · thread

Colourways

32
Majohn A1 in Black
Black makoba.com · moonmanpen.com · thepenworld.com
Majohn A1 in Black / Gold
Black / Gold moonmanpen.com · thepenworld.com
Black-Gold (no clip) www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Majohn A1 in Blue
Blue moonmanpen.com · thepenworld.com
Majohn A1 in Blue / Black
Blue / Black moonmanpen.com
Blue-Black (with clip) www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Majohn A1 in Cyan
Cyan thepenworld.com
Majohn A1 in Cyan / Black
Cyan / Black moonmanpen.com
Majohn A1 in Grey
Grey thepenworld.com
Majohn A1 in Grey / Black
Grey / Black moonmanpen.com
Grey Blue-Black (with clip) www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Majohn A1 in Matt Black
Matt Black thepenworld.com
Majohn A1 in Matte Black
Matte Black makoba.com · moonmanpen.com
Matte Black (no clip) www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Matte Black (with clip) www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Majohn A1 in Olive / Green
Olive / Green thepenworld.com
Majohn A1 in Olive / Green / Black
Olive / Green / Black moonmanpen.com
Olive-Black (with clip) www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Majohn A1 in Orange
Orange moonmanpen.com
Reverse Scale Black www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Reverse Scale Grey www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Majohn A1 in Silver
Silver moonmanpen.com · thepenworld.com
Striped Black www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Striped Grey www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Striped Silver www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Majohn A1 in White
White moonmanpen.com
Majohn A1 in White / Gold
White / Gold moonmanpen.com · thepenworld.com
White-Gold (with clip) www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Majohn A1 in Wine / Red
Wine / Red moonmanpen.com
Majohn A1 in Yellow
Yellow thepenworld.com
Majohn A1 in Yellow / Black
Yellow / Black moonmanpen.com
Yellow-Black (with clip) www.everythingcalligraphy.com

Stocked at

www.everythingcalligraphy.com $28
www.everythingcalligraphy.com $28
moonmanpen.com $38
moonmanpen.com $38
moonmanpen.com $38
moonmanpen.com $38
moonmanpen.com $38
moonmanpen.com $38
moonmanpen.com $38
www.ttpen.com $39
moonmanpen.com sold out $38
moonmanpen.com sold out $38

Converted to USD at August 2026 rates.

Sources

Majohn (Moonman) A1, fine, fountain pen review — sketchywolf

Majohn A1 — JetPens

The Ultimate Chinese Fountain Pen Catalogue — The Mind Palace

Also capless / retractable

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