General
Majohn A1 is known widely in marketplace as a close Pilot Capless clone, a pen that uses as much as possible of an original design of pen made in Japan, without getting into a copyright legal issues. Naturally, this is interesting to know because if you have seen the original Pilot Capless, also known as Vanishing Point you have also seen the A1, simply made as to look like a Vanishing Point, but at much lower retail price.
Features
In order to protect the Vanishing Point pen from its ink simply just drying out, the nib unit is hidden behind a small “hermetic” door just inside the front facia of the pen. This is a fountain pen concept of a clicking mechanism pushing the entire nib assembly unit into your writing area, very similar to a typical average ballpoint pen. Many from the user community like this basic comparison. This is a very interesting pen design concept, which combines ballpoint pen functions to a nib and, feed-based fountain pen design. Since launch of the A1 model and, Pilot Capeless, there is no more clicking like in the ballpoint pen, and intentionally have become “discrete” being improved by silence.
Comment
I have to admit, that after learning of the A1’s existence I had to get one. The A1 did not technically disappointed me. Its nib is smooth and works perfectly. The same can be also said about its filling mechanism, cartridge-converter i.e., Pilot cartridge and now Majohn or Pilot converter. The saga continues.
Ink used: Parker Quink Blue-Black, France/UK
