M2 Black Forest Mini Fountain Pen, Medium Nib & Sleek Shape Aluminium Short Pocket Travel Pen (Army Green)

The HongDian M2 Black Forest Mini is a masterclass in compact engineering, proving that incredible performance can come in a small package. The standout feature is undoubtedly the exceptional build quality; its all-metal construction feels remarkably sturdy and premium, offering a weighted balance that defies its pocket-sized dimensions. Despite its portability, the writing experience is top-tier, featuring a nib that glides effortlessly across the page with reliable consistency. The sleek, tactical design of the Black Forest series translates beautifully to this mini format, making it both a rugged everyday carry tool and a sophisticated piece of stationery that fits comfortably in any pocket or planner loop.

Items were as described and arrived when expected. The pen itself is compact and well made. The nib on mine was super smooth right out of the box. Really a pleasure to write with. This Hongdian M2's natural comparison product is to the Kaweco pen. Similar design, but 2/3 the price, and includes a converter, which the Kaweco charges an extra $15 for (What the Heck, Kaweco?). Great travel pen, weighs practically nothing, reasonably priced and works the way it is supposed to. What's not to like? This does not feel like a budget pen. It is a serious little writer that is well designed and punches above its weight class in terms of its feel on the page. Well done, Hongdian! I have bought several more.

This is really a 4.5 or even 4.75 star review, so I figured it deserves the rounding up. That said, 5-stars is a perfect product to me, and this pen isn't perfect. Not too far off, though! The build quality is impressive overall and the nibs are unbelievably smooth. There's a bit of a tradeoff in that the EF is not especially fine, and in my experience, there's not a huge variance between EF, F, and Ms, but they're great nibs nonetheless. Mine have all worked very well out of the box with no additional tuning required. That alone is impressive, and they really write like a dream. I have yet to have a bad one, knock on wood. The converter capacity is reasonable for a pen of this size, although the fude (bent) nib is ink hungry. The other styles aren't especially so. With the cap posted, the pen is a comfortable size. It has a satisfying, spring-loaded clip. I have a few complaints, but they are minor and can all be fixed by the user, which is why the pen still gets high marks. First, it's very easy for the body to unscrew while unscrewing the cap. This quickly becomes frustrating. The o-ring is not quite thick enough, so replace it with one that is 8x5x1.5mm. Problem solved--I have not had a single accidental unscrewing since making the switch. Also, I personally find that when posting the cap, it's easy for the clip to dig into the side of my hand unless I align the clip with the nib. Then there's no digging. This is the smallest of annoyances, and frankly aligning the clip and nib looks sharp, anyway. Those are about the only less-than-stellar things I have to say about this small and mighty pen. Some neutral observations: the section is the same anodized aluminum as the rest of the pen. Some people may not love this material for a grip. It does not bother me, although I also do not tend to use this pen for very long writing sessions. Because it's aluminum, it can be scratched, but to me this is just kind of par for the course for the material. A lot of people will find the pen too small to use for anything but the briefest of notes without posting the cap, but many pocket pens are designed to be posted. It is a bonus (for multiple reasons) that the same nibs fit the Forest Series, M2s, and possibly some other Hong Dian pens. Given what is going on in the world, I don't know how much longer this pen will be $20, but that's what it costs as I write this, and it is EASILY worth that price.

This pen is the latest Hong Dian I've purchased, and just as excellent writer out of the package as the others. At the first cartridge it writes very nicely, with no scratchiness or delayed starting. It has the EF nib which is not quite as fine as a Japanese EF, but seems as fine or slightly more so than a typical European nib. Machining quality is excellent. Based on weight it is brass, and not brass color aluminum. It is somewhat hefty compared to a similar pen like the Kaweco Sport AL. The cap is threaded and holds securely, but is easy to unscrew. It is well balanced and comfortable to write with. The only quibble I have is with the clip. It is machined instead of stamped, with a separate spring. The clip shape is good and very smooth, but the spring is weak, especially relative to the weight. It came with a converter, but I loaded it with a Hong Dian cartridge. I've had good experience with the Hong Dian cartiridges in blue and black. They contribute to making the pens reliable, and so far with no leaking issues. Overall it is going to be a daily workhorse.

This is a gorgeous fountain pen in a particularly luscious color (lilac purple), comfortable to hold, which writes smoothly, and with a quality that you might expect of much more expensive pens. It is a juicy "wet" writer. I got this same pen in 3 colors and 3 different nib sizes. Each of the 3 is easily now one of my favorite pens. I think these pens are easily among the best deals you can get in terms of fountain pens, in terms of high quality with low cost. In addition, I really love these smaller size fountain pens, they are enjoyable in every way.

The Hongdian M2 fountain pen in brass is a well-made writing instrument that wrote beautifully with minimal tuning of its extra-fine nib. I have several fountain pens that are five times the price if not more, and this one gives them all a run for the money. It is a fun little pen, a perfect weight, and when the cap is posted, just the right length to feel substantial. I adore it. I guess my only complaint is that the extra fine is more like a western fine--so not as fine as I might want. But that is a tiny quibble when it writes so nicely and feels so nice in the hand. Be warned though, if you prefer girthy pens, this isn't the pen for you. It's a pocket pen after all.

I work in the medical field, so my pens live a rough life — clipped to my lanyard, tossed in my scrubs pocket, or riding around in my bag between notes. I used this Hongdian M2 Mini every day for a few months, and there’s a lot I genuinely liked about it. The size and weight are perfect for constant writing. It feels sturdy in the hand, and the nib is excellent — smooth, reliable, and tough. I dropped it nib-first a couple times during busy shifts, and it kept writing like nothing happened. Where it disappointed me was durability. It’s advertised as brass, but after about four months of regular use, the finish started looking more like brass-coating than solid brass. The scratches got pretty intense pretty fast, even accounting for the daily grind of clinical work. I also had an issue with the ink cartridge occasionally coming loose inside the capped pen, which meant ink on the inside of the body (and on my hands) more than once. Not ideal when you’re trying to stay clean during a shift. The spring-loaded pocket clip is great in theory, but the tiny hinge pin kept sliding out. I’ve had to push it back in several times, and at this point I’m assuming it’s going to fall out for good. Bottom line: Fantastic nib, great feel, and a solid pen for getting into fountain pens. But if you need something that can take daily wear in a medical or active job, the body and hardware don’t hold up as long as expected. It served me well while it lasted, but I’ll be upgrading to something more durable next.

I love writing and fountain pens. I have a decent collection. Some quite expensive. And, I've learned $$ aren't always the measure of a good writer in a pen. I've taken to these Hong Dian fountain pens. Especially the "soft" version of their nibs. This pen is a "soft" Medium and again, doesn't disappoint. It writes wet and full. I can use it with drier inks and it will put decent ink to paper. With wet inks it is a dream and glides effortlessly with full, dark linework that doesn't feather on good paper. While these "soft" nibs are not the same as a "flex" nib (they don't really "flex" to offer line variation that way). These soft nibs have a nice spring and give to them that makes them a pleasure to write with, with good ink flow, and a forgiving feel that makes them easier to control for me, especially for longer writing sessions. Some reviews note issues with these pens. For me, this hasn't been the case - there's been a lot of value for the money. I now have 5 of the Hong Dian pens and none of them have had any issues. The brass version of this M2 gives the Kaweco Sport Brass (which I also have) a serious run for its money, especially with the "soft" nib. Even their normal "classic" nibs that are stiffer (the way a stock jowo or schmidt nib is) flow ink beautifully and write very well. I have several of those nibs as well in EF, F, M, Fude, and Blade. They all write wet and work as they should. I just don't have anything but good to say about these pens so far, especially for the money. Honestly, with Amazon's policy, if I did happen to get something that didn't meet the performance of the others I had, I'd just exchange it for one that does. These less expensive pens find their way into rotation with my expensive pens. I enjoy writing and creating with them all.