Unboxing The Majohn P139 Montblanc Hemingway Copy: Is It Worth It?

[@deandesrosiers6857]

Brand new pen, most of us: ink it and write a little… Doug: let me take this pen apart… love it. Great humour as well. Happy New Year

[@InkquiringMinds]

Happy new year!

[@kevinlandon7578]

I received my P139 today and it looks and writes great with a smooth line and great flow. Thanks again for a great review.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Great to hear!

[@kevinlandon7578]

@@InkquiringMinds , I was able to order the orange version with the #8 nib.

[@unknowncrash1]

Sadly my hands are too tiny for this, but this thing is a beauty!!! Love how moonman always provide these alternatives of rare/difficult to source FPs.

[@andreimj]

I got the exact same one yesterday. The nib was very disappointing but I custumised it thanks to you. Now it writes like a dream. I love this pen!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Great to hear!

[@kristijones528]

I've been looking forward to this video. Not a MB fan but the shimmery white colourway and interesting nib made me hand over my cash. Mine did come with a box (from the 365 store), and I syringe filled it after flushing with water. I measured over 1.7ml draw on the piston, suggesting there might be some room for adjustment. The knob on mine is quite firm, so I don't think it would be at risk of being knocked when posted. The #8 nib I think is the best I've tried so far - smoother and bouncier than the WS630 or the Hong Dian A9, more delightful to write with than the Jinhao Dadao's great steel shovel. The fit, finish and quality of acrylic are next level, and now I have it in my hand I don't feel it was overpriced. If anything, it makes me disappointed in the 630's comparatively dull finish.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, @kristijones528, for the excellent information!

[@Copperplate_69]

Thank you very much for this informative review and also the many splendidly humorous moments! 🥰

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@nasirjamalkhattak7988]

Thank you, Doug, for another wonderful review!

[@Shanghai_Knife_Dude]

It is RMB 250 (USD 35) before crossing the Pacific. Despite missing the initial launch couple of months ago, Sally still charges double.

[@fountainpenworld]

Hi Dude, As you told me a few weeks ago: Dollar hunters! And why not: They still find enough customers.

[@elborracho81]

Is that for the #8 size nib or #6?

[@Shanghai_Knife_Dude]

@@elborracho81 same #8

[@Shanghai_Knife_Dude]

@@fountainpenworld avoid Sally's ”initial launch", after one month, less premium.

[@fountainpenworld]

@@Shanghai_Knife_Dude Sally sells on Etsy, as far as I know, so no chance for me to cross her/his/their path. I'm always glad to receive from time to time your info's about the real retail prices in the PRC market.

[@faniro4792]

Thanks for the great and, as always, very humoristic review!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Glad you enjoyed it!

[@AnonymousToMost]

Hello…I have been eyeing this pen for a bit, but only could find it in the #6 size nib. Now that I saw your video I ordered one with the #8 medium nib in the white color. I didn’t need another pen, but realistically who does LOL. Nice video.

[@chazmena]

You sold me on buying one; I got the orange-coloured version. Thanks! Hope all goes swimmingly.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@ilikepens]

I fill my p139 using an ink miser stand alone cup. There are also models out there for free to 3D print. You should have your son print you one. Super great for the BNP (big nib problems). Great review Doug. My feeling we’re pretty much the same.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks for the tip! I’ve got one.

[@jantajov]

Black and gold with white sparkling body. It looks genuinely nice.

[@BEYSeamaster1]

Hi Doug, I bought 3 P136. I barely filled 2 of them 4 times each and the filling mechanism broke. The plastic of one of the 2 at the top of the twisting finial cracked in an inch long J shaped hairline. I couldn’t return them to AliExpress or get a refund because they were “past the 90-day return policy.” Extremely poorly made pens. I bought a Wing Sung 630 two weeks ago. Gorgeous pen and smooth no. 8 nib. Smooth and solid piston too. So far. My favorite of all time though is still the X159. Second in line is the Wing Sung 699. I’m going to buy the P139 based on your recommendation. Thanks for the video.

[@shane6242]

these are great pens. i have both colorways and they've performed flawlessly so far...scratches that MB Hemingway/139 itch!

[@constantinosthrasyvoulou2553]

Nice review. If it were 130mm unposted i would have immediately ordered it.

[@theprof_001]

Doug, you hit the nail on the head! With an ebonite feed and brass piston, the turned acrylic body on this pen is something you don’t normally see in combination on a.Chinese pen. The price is borderline high. Thanks for a great review. 👍

[@InkquiringMinds]

Right on

[@iamtheinvincible1]

I'm considering purchasing a new fountain pen and have narrowed down my options to the Majohn P139, Wing Sung 630, and Admok M800. Could you please share your expert opinion on which of these models offers the best longevity, particularly when it comes to build quality and durability? I appreciate any insights you can provide to help guide my decision.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Of the three you mention, I would go with the Admok M800. If you like the feel of a Pelikan M800 then this is for you. It is well-built and some versions come with an excellent Schmidt or Bock nib.

[@iamtheinvincible1]

@@InkquiringMinds And what is your opinion on majohn p139 vs wing sung 630

[@InkquiringMinds]

The P139 is a chunky pen with a big nib. The WS630 is just a phenomenal fountain pen. It is almost identical to a MB149. They both have #8 size nibs of course. But my WS630 has a 14k #8 size nib that is sublime.

[@lhenzbujo1170]

I bought the Orange (M) and White (F) Majohn P139 No.8 nib. Despite my smaller handgrip, I actually loving this pen thus far. I did a custom grind to cursive italic on the White while i keep the Orange M as is. I bought mine from AliExpress and both came with a sturdy box. I’m suprised yours didnt came with a box. But good thing pen arrived safe ❤

[@InkquiringMinds]

Great to hear!

[@texasmom8827]

Doug, I am so glad you liked the pen or I would have had serious buyer's remorse as I ordered the 2 pens (white/orange) in the 8 nib from aliexpress which has better pricing than Sally. Btw-- I adore your Delta DV2.0 pen! Wish it were more affordable. They do have a model that's $350 USD but no gold nib? Ugh. While I think about it, I did order two Furores from Appleboom. You and your wonderful recommendations are very bad for my wallet. Thanks for all your funny and wonderful reviews!

[@InkquiringMinds]

The Furore is hugely underrated fountain pen.

[@texasmom8827]

@@InkquiringMinds I watched your review on them and that's what sold me. I love my Leonardo MZ and was thinking about getting another one, but the Furore options are incredible. Can't wait to get them in a few weeks. Thanks again!

[@bappadityadutta857]

I have recently ordered this pen in orange with a medium #8 nib .

[@InkquiringMinds]

Awesome!

[@ForTheLoveOfPens]

Pilot makes a brilliant feed on their Custom series (74,823, etc) with the ink inlet right by the tipping material. That design would be a perfect pair for these large #8 size nibs.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Yes they do! Those with #8 nibs should start doing the same thing.

[@NavyAssassinOnBLAST]

Comedy, drama 🎭(Kaweco v MoonMan) and good looking pens 🖋 ✒ My favorite pen channel 😊👍🏽 🥉 🏆

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you @WhstlblwrBlastingEpsteinsILK. That is much appreciated!

[@markdonovan1540]

It looks beautiful and certainly more affordable than more established brands. Seeing how easy It was chipped was enough to let me know that one drop on the floor will likely cause a lot of damage. For that reason, Majohn P139, you're fired 👉

[@michaelangelonousagi5419]

Mine works great. The quality of the housing is excellent and the brass piston is fantastic. The nib is ironically the weakest part of the pen, but that can always be swapped out. Regardless, it performs well as a $70 alternative to a $2000 pen that I'll never purchase.

[@spisanty]

Thanks for the review. How convenient is pens with #8 nibs ? Would like to hear comments on big nibs

[@InkquiringMinds]

For me, it depends on the size of the pen. Big pens with tiny nibs or small pens with big nibs just look unbalanced.

[@paulmchugh1430]

I haven't inked my copy of the pen, yet. I would have a problem filling the pen with my Diamine Regency Blue which only comes in a 30ml triangular bottle due to the placement of the filler hole on the feed or any other bottle that was less than half filled (save for a Waterman or Iroshizuku bottle). The nib, though looks and writes wonderfully. I will have to use it shortly. Thank you for your review, Doug. Was it worth the wait?

[@InkquiringMinds]

Yes it was!

[@paulmchugh1430]

​@@InkquiringMindsI finally inked the pen. All I can say is, OMG? The nib is wonderful. It is very responsive and smooth. The balance is nice without the cap. Fit and finish is very well done. Like you, inking the pen is going to be a challenge with the filling hole so far back on the feed. But was it worth the wait? Yes, it was.

[@ibpopp]

The orange is very attractive, but don't think I'd ever use it. Sigh! Thanks for another great post from the frozen wastes of Canada.

[@InkquiringMinds]

My pleasure!

[@fountainpenworld]

Was it worth to wait for that #8 nib? The initial writing result wasn't that thrilling, but I hope it will behave well from now on. I've got the orange one 2 months ago, after the price hype settled and came to normal, with a #6 EF (looking a bit like the Delta DV, only without the crushed ice feature). It writes very well, nib and feeder interacting well. I would have loved if Moonman would have made the pen in that original reddish color, coming closer to the MB GW EH original. But this way, with the orange version they made a 2in1 copy: MB and Delta in 1 Moonman. Another topic: I got the P138 (MB LdM) in 2 versions, the longer and heavier silver colored version and its smaller and lighter black color little sister. Both are writing well, but there are indeed differences in quality as the larger and heavier full metal silver version is sturdier, somehow of much better workmanship. If you hold both FP's in your hands at the same time you immediately notice the difference.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks for sharing, @fountainpenworld!

[@jeremiahkarlsson1]

In my experience, nibs often run dry after reverse-writing. That goes for many models. Don't know why, but it seems to happen after reverse-writing also for you. I have the same pen (the orange version) and have never had any issues with the ink-flow so far. And if you know, please tell me if there are any spare-nibs on the market to buy, if one wants to have different nib-sizes without having to buy a completely new pen. Greetings from Sweden.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, @jeremiahkarlsson1! You can buy spare nibs from Jowo, Schmidt, and Bock. There are also plenty of Chinese spare nibs in all sizes. Goulet sells the "Goulet" nib which is a Jowo.

[@charleskramer1633]

😊I got my P139 about 2 weeks ago. And after writing about 3 or so pages it stopped writing as yours did. I don’t use any glittering inks in my pens so it couldn’t be a clogging problem. Very strange.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Clean it out with water and a drop of dish soap. Rinse. Refill.

[@tester776]

Can you check if the Sing Sung 630 nib is compatible with P139 feed?

[@InkquiringMinds]

I have had the WS639 nib out and it has an unusual tail and notch that fits the feed in position. So I would think it would be a dubious fit.

[@tester776]

@@InkquiringMinds Understood, thanks

[@tester776]

Also, do you have any Bock 380 pens?​@@InkquiringMinds

[@creato938]

Honestly, this feels like a case the pen looks better than what it is, perhaps because it's not 100% original.

[@zathrasnotzathras9435]

Doug, how did you learn that this is going to be released at sometime? I never know when new releases of anything is coming out.

[@InkquiringMinds]

The P139 was released months ago but with a #6 nib option. The #8 nib option was listed as "out of stock". So I asked the seller when they'd be in. I was told the factory was remaking the #8 feed. As soon as it was in stock, they sold me one.

[@zathrasnotzathras9435]

@@InkquiringMinds Thanks Doug

[@eddiecandelaria8691]

Waiting for you to post a review on this one. I saw that this pen with the #8 sized nibs are available from another u tuber who goes by Shaq MD. Also when you did the size comparison next to your delta dv 2.0 that told me All i need to know. I have the dv oversize original with the beautiful # 8 size nib and it writes just how it looks , flawlessly. This would have been an impulse buy for me and prices seem to be getting higher on these Chinese fountain pens. I'll have to take a hard pass. Thanks again for this extensive video. Take care.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you so much!😊

[@MaybachET22]

It seems that nobody talks about it, but the Hemingway itself is a copy of Montblanc 139. Which is my grail pen. Don't check how expensive they are. My P139 had skipping problems and I had to thoroughly clean the feed - it was blocked with some gunk. It could have been the first ink that I used in this pen and not a manufacturing defect though.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, @MaybachET22, for the excellent information!

[@teresaharris-travelbybooks5564]

Actually the pen reminds me of the Delta DV Oversize.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Yup. That’s why I put it next to my Delta DV 2.0

[@jhpyle2]

When I got mine from Ali Express it came in a box.

[@InkquiringMinds]

All depends on the reseller.

[@qinkoo7682]

i use #6 one. but 6 nib doent have nib dry😊

[@mannylamont5757]

That opening sounded like the start of a Gordon Lightfoot song.😊

[@InkquiringMinds]

I’m glad, because that’s what it was!

[@oscarmedina1597]

Thanks for this review, Doug. I, too, had been waiting for this pen for several weeks- maybe two or three months. So I got a WigSung 630 with a steel nib instead for much less than $70; it’s ok. I already have a gold nibbed WingSung 630, and I have to agree with you that the gold nib pen is the better value. “Short and fat,” huh? I’m surprised you’re willing to go public about your shortcomings. 😂

[@InkquiringMinds]

LMAO!

[@ArnoldPangilinan]

You can fill this pen dipped at around the hole in the middle of the nib. You need not soam the entire nib.

[@InkquiringMinds]

The Majohn P139's filler hole is at the top of the feed just at the section. It will not fill from the breather hole.

[@pavel7078]

Which nib is better Majohn P139 or Hongdian N12? Size of the nib doesn't matter to me

[@InkquiringMinds]

I like the Hongdian nib better, but I like the P139 pen better than the N12.

[@cpcfreak]

Why Oh Why the short clip? They had the chance to fix the one thing that bugs the hell out of me, just making the clip a few millimetres longer, a tad thinner, maybe halfway between where it is now and the cap ring and it would be proportional to the cap and body instead of looking fat and stunted. The way the Dolce Vita clip looks is much much better even with a tiny difference in width and length.

[@InkquiringMinds]

It is because they slavishly copy every part of the pen.

[@afrog2666]

First time was tough, but at least it wasn`t akward 🤣

[@afrog2666]

That Boss is gorgeous btw, probably around 25.000 dollars, but whatever :p

[@jamessims9475]

I got one from her and it came wrapped like that…no box. LOL

[@user-br3sl9go3b]

A pen aficionado Hemingway Jones has very recently identified a Waterman fountain pen as one Ernest Hemingway used (and left behind in a hotel room). He also has evidence proving Hemingway used a Parker Duofold. Plus, he confirms Hemingway had and used a Sheaffer. So, I am unsure why you say Hemingway preferred Montegrappa. Please, for nerds like me, why do you believe that?✒

[@InkquiringMinds]

Hemingway, although not partial to one model of Montegrappa pen in particular, was especially fond of the brand. Why? Because, during World War I, when the American author served as an ambulance driver on the Italian Front, he was stationed next to the pen manufacturer’s Bassano del Grappa factory. The pen pictured above is from Montegrappa’s ‘Novel’ series, and named for Hemingway. Elegant, ergonomic and surprisingly sober of design, the tobacco and amber pattern on the barrel is particularly evocative - and features Art Deco laser-cut frames with the writer’s signature in contrast. www.thegentlemansjournal.com/article/pens-worlds-famous-authors/

[@Sallysaurus]

Every time you bring up her Etsy store I get a lil confused for a second

[@InkquiringMinds]

LOL

[@svantovitgrammaticus9210]

I will never understand …. If you not have the money don’t buy it…… best Frank

[@jasonnabors1231]

$70 Chinese pen that he shows here failing inexplicably like a five dollar Jinhao. I’ll pass.

[@tester776]

Where did it fail? Are you talking about that ink starving problem?

[@user-br3sl9go3b]

I am giving my opinion, and I know it's not worth more than anyone else's. But it is also not worth less than anyone else's. I can't get passed Moonman (a.k.a Majohn) shameless rip-off copying and low pricing based on standards for wages, health and safety regulations, and other societal costs -- not least of which include protection of originators' rights -- that the companies they rip off abide by. I my opinion, Majohn's business strategy is reprehensible. I wish (I know, I lose out, I'm in the minority this century) consumers in the West (including Canada, hahaha!) stop buying their pens.

[@HistoricGentleman]

You would be surprised just how many of the beloved western brands you would have to quit shopping with as well if you truly wished to not hand over your money to Majohn/Moonman

[@user-br3sl9go3b]

@@HistoricGentleman I wouldn't be surprised. When Nixon opened China to American capitalist consumerism, a doctrine of business executives -- well, a few of them who were farsighted -- was: "You can sell one product in China. Or you can sell one product in China and then open a plant there. Otherwise, for ever after, the Chinese will sell millions of copies of yours back to the US." And, as an example everyone here can identify easily with, newly released copyrighted movies were available for less than or about $1 in Hangzhou three or four days -- at the latest -- after they premiered in cinemas in the US. (P.S. fakester Majohn/Moonman is not a US-held company. So, if you care about this at all, differentiate between US companies with holdings in China, and Chinese companies. It's hard for US consumers to know. However, when it comes to foodstuffs, look at the label. Never, ever, under any circumstances, buy a consumable that is "made in" or "a product of" China." Take my advice for your and your family's health.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Too bad there isn’t a government agency that looks out for the safety of the public about food and drugs.

[@user-br3sl9go3b]

@@InkquiringMinds They try. Contaminated food items from China comprise the vast majority of items rejected for import by the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) inspectors. No regulatory agency, however, is funded enough or able to be anywhere near 100% effective. Chinese producers have been found guilty even of selling contaminated and unhealthful food products domestically -- to their own consumers! In my opinion, the safest bet is to read the "country of origin" labels, don't buy any that say China, and for fresh produce, to reject any and all that you suspect come from China.

[@user-br3sl9go3b]

@@InkquiringMinds I wrote a lengthy reply, but I must have done something wrong since it doesn't show up here. This is the Cliff Notes summary: The vast majority of bad food imports discovered and rejected by the US Food and Drug Administration border inspectors are from China. The US FDA border inspection system -- like any and all government regulatory agencies -- can't be anywhere near close to perfect. Moverover, Chinese companies have been identified as selling their contaminated food internally -- to their own Chinese consumers! Stay away from any and all foodstuffs you are able to identify as being from China.

[@Raul1971xxx]

Pens with this system, I unscrew the unit and fill it with a syringe.. That never fails.. 😄😄👍👍🇪🇸🇪🇸

[@InkquiringMinds]

No point in the piston!

[@Raul1971xxx]

Hmm.. Moonman Hemingway.. 👍🇪🇸😄