Capless, metal, press to write
cartridge / converter
· 30.0 g
32 colourways · $38 typical
7.4
high confidence
Where the score comes from
| Reviews read by hand | 7.9 |
|---|---|
| Reddit sentiment | 6.8 |
| Mentions found | 375 |
| Positive / negative | 72 / 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 to | Pilot Capless / Vanishing Point |
|---|---|
| Filling | Cartridge / converter |
| Nib widths | Extra Fine · Fine |
| Length capped | 138.0 mm |
| Diameter | 13.0 mm |
| Weight | 30.0 g |
| Materials | brass · metal |
| Street price | $28–$56 |
| Colourways | 32 |
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
Black
makoba.com · moonmanpen.com · thepenworld.com
Black / Gold
moonmanpen.com · thepenworld.com
Black-Gold (no clip)
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Blue
moonmanpen.com · thepenworld.com
Blue / Black
moonmanpen.com
Blue-Black (with clip)
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Cyan
thepenworld.com
Cyan / Black
moonmanpen.com
Grey
thepenworld.com
Grey / Black
moonmanpen.com
Grey Blue-Black (with clip)
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Matt Black
thepenworld.com
Matte Black
makoba.com · moonmanpen.com
Matte Black (no clip)
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Matte Black (with clip)
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Olive / Green
thepenworld.com
Olive / Green / Black
moonmanpen.com
Olive-Black (with clip)
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Orange
moonmanpen.com
Reverse Scale Black
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Reverse Scale Grey
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Silver
moonmanpen.com · thepenworld.com
Striped Black
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Striped Grey
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Striped Silver
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
White
moonmanpen.com
White / Gold
moonmanpen.com · thepenworld.com
White-Gold (with clip)
www.everythingcalligraphy.com
Wine / Red
moonmanpen.com
Yellow
thepenworld.com
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
The Ultimate Chinese Fountain Pen Catalogue — The Mind Palace