Moonman M600S - Quick Review

[Penman222]

This is a quick review of the Moonman M600S. It was purchased on-line from a US seller for about $18.00 including shipping. It came in a nice cardboard box with a flip lid and included a convertor.

Quality and build: The pen is said to be a close copy of a Parker Duofold in size and weight. The construction is flawless - the pen is constructed out of a high quality plastic that feels similar to a Pelikan M800. I purchased a “blue” one, the one delivered is teal in color that has a teal/black swirl that is very attractive. The trim is gold, as it the plating on the steel nib. The pen has a clip that closely resembles a modern Parker. It has a screw cap the works perfectly.

Size: The pen is about the same size as a Lamy 2000 in length and girth of the barrel. The cap can be posted but it is awkward. I usually prefer to post my pens, but the Moonman is large enough I write with it unposted. It has a nice balance when posted and unposted.

Nib Properties: The nib is large, probably a #6 as it is the same size as my Edison Herald. It is gold (color) plated steel, and it is single tone. Some pictures of the Moonman have a Silver/gold nib but not in this case. The nib screws out of the barrel but I am unsure if it would fit other pens. The nib is friction fit and can be removed with little effort. The converter fits snugly in the pen, and seems to be of high quality. There is no metal thingy in the converter to break surface tension as I had seen advertised in some Moonmen M600S pens.

Writing Quality: Many Chinese pens (and many high priced European pens) have nibs that are hit or miss. The M600S nib was a good writer right out of the box, but I tweaked it a bit for flow and smoothness, and now it writes as well as my Sailor 1911L, which means nearly perfectly. It is a true western medium with 7/10 flow and is smooth as glass. I am using a wet Diamine ink in the pen and it writes perfectly in a $3.00 Staples notebook that I use for my daily journal.

Overall impressions: The Moonman M600S is an exceptional Chinese pen. It could be a great daily writer or a cheaper carry/beater pen to be used instead of carrying a Lamy Safari. The build and writing qualities hint towards a more expensive pen, and at around $20, I can unconditionally recommend this pen.

[langere]

Good review! I agree completely with your points.

 

Thanks-

 

Erick

[usk15]

I have exactly the same pen, and I feel exactly the same about the pen.

[MuddyWaters]

I disagree about size and weight. The pen feels too light and the section is definitely thicker than that of a Lamy 2000.

[Gloucesterman]

+1 to the above except for the Lamy 200 with which I have no experience. I have several of these pens(different colors) and really like them. They too were/are good writiers directly out of the box and definitely a good purchase.

 

BTW, thank you for the review. It was excellent.

[Aysedasi]

I have one - it is a decent pen and a good writer at the price. Other than that though, it is actually just a forgettable pen. It quickly dropped out of my rotation.....

[MadAsAHatter]

I have this exact pen also. I say your review is pretty spot on. Unlike yours though, mine came with the 2 tone nib and metal thing in the cartridge. I find it very comparable to my Conklin Duragraphs.

[WarrenB]

Mine came with a Jinhao nib fitted and a seperate Moonman nib. Weird.

 

Haven't gotten around to putting it in the rotation, but this review prompts me. Thanks!

[WLSpec]

Looks like a great pen! I've wanted a Moonman for a while, and this post just might push me over the edge...

[sansenri]

Mine came with a Jinhao nib fitted and a seperate Moonman nib. Weird.

 

Haven't gotten around to putting it in the rotation, but this review prompts me. Thanks!

Not so weird, it comes with a moonman F nib, if you aks for a M they fit the Jinhao M, but leave the moonman F in the box, similarly if you ask for a fude, they fit the fude (Jinhao) and leave the Moonman in the box.

Evidently moonman only provides own branded nibs in F.

[sansenri]

Thank you for the review.

Unfortunately my experience was not such fun

first delivery I received this weirdly bent cap...

the seller took some convincing but then sent me a new pen, the new pen is admittedly nice, the fude nib is fun but somewhat odd for western writing. I'm planning to switch something different in, that might make it more interesting...

Edited December 23, 2019 by sansenri

[A Smug Dill]

the new pen is admittedly nice, the fude nib is fun but somewhat odd for western writing.

The M600S is not supplied with a Fude nib from the Moonman factory, although I've seen some sellers offer it as a selectable nib option (as the only nib supplied, or one in a set of three as a "package" purchase with the pen); and in fact I don't suppose the Fude nib you received is branded as Moonman. Did you expressly select it by your option, or did you receive a regular Moonman nib on the pen you received originally with the crooked cap, and somehow the seller sent you a replacement with a Fude nib? (Whoops, I can see now, from the photos you posted, that the pen you originally received also had a Fude nib. How come?)

Edited December 24, 2019 by A Smug Dill

[Honeybadgers]

I wish it didn't use the parker arrow clip. I know it's really heavily taking influence from the duofold, but with the arrow clip, it's just a ripoff. Why not just use one of their other really nice clip designs?

 

Either way, the duofold is not on many people's short lists for purchase, so it's not like this pen is stealing market share. And I do love moonman's fit and finish, and I really like their new #6 nibs.

[sansenri]

The M600S is not supplied with a Fude nib from the Moonman factory, although I've seen some sellers offer it as a selectable nib option (as the only nib supplied, or one in a set of three as a "package" purchase with the pen); and in fact I don't suppose the Fude nib you received is branded as Moonman. Did you expressly select it by your option, or did you receive a regular Moonman nib on the pen you received originally with the crooked cap, and somehow the seller sent you a replacement with a Fude nib? (Whoops, I can see now, from the photos you posted, that the pen you originally received also had a Fude nib. How come?)

 

no, no, you're right, I selected the fude nib, because I wanted to try one! I also got a spare F Moonman included.

The fude (Jinhao) is actually nice, just slightly odd as I said, but I know it's supposed to be used to write oriental characters.

It's still on the pen and I'm using it, it's sort of fun, but eventually I'll probably change the nib with something else, I recently bought an Ancora 14k size 6 nib that needs a home...

I didn't like the Moonman F nib much, nothing wrong with it, just slightly too fine for my taste.

[WJM]

I wish it didn't use the parker arrow clip. I know it's really heavily taking influence from the duofold, but with the arrow clip, it's just a ripoff. Why not just use one of their other really nice clip designs?

Same thoughts here. They should have stayed with the ball clip of the original M600.