Battle Wolf (Weekend Art of Pens Sketch 1)

Fountain Pen: Platinum Preppy (Black 0.3 & Red 0.5 & Highlighter Yellow) and Oaso (F) Fountain Pen (Turquoise).

Inks: Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black, Pilot Red Ink, Pelikan M205 Duo Yellow Highlighter Ink and Waterman Inspired Blue. 

Montblanc Meisterstuck "Mini Mozart"

(1) Background: 

Let me start by saying: this pen is not mine. I wish it was, but it's not. I saw it, dusty and dirty, sitting very innocuously in my boss's penholder about a month or so ago and I was naturally fascinated. I started hunting around online for the identity of this very elusive, tiny little burgundy pen, which I knew of course to be a Montblanc given the iconic white star emblazoned on the top of the cap (see picture below).

After several googling sessions, I stumbled upon this fountain pen network thread. 

From there I knew exactly what pen my boss had; the "Meisterstück Hommage À W.A. Mozart Fountain Pen (Small Size)" (see the official Montblanc page here), quite a mouth full, so I'll just refer to it simply as the "Mini Mozart".

When I had happened to be in my boss's room again, I brought up the topic of the little burgundy pen, and sheepishly asked: "can I have a look at it?". He laughed, knowing that I was a fountain pen enthusiast, and permitted me to do so. He then told me that the Mini Mozart had been given to him, many years ago, as a gift and that he had stopped using it because he just didn't have time to maintain it properly.

I immediately offered to take the Mini Mozart home with me over the weekend to clean it and get it back to him in a good writing state. This is why I will be reviewing the Mini Mozart in today's post (though I had originally planned to do a write-up of the Onishi Seisakusho Celluloid Fountain Pen as part of my "Invaluable Pens" series of posts).

(2) Specifications and Aesthetics: 

Finish: Burgundy with Gold Finishes, the centre band on the cap is also nicely engraved with the words "Montblanc - Meisterstück" (see picture below).

Measurements: The Mini Mozart is a very small pen; with a length of 10.7 cm (capped), 9.2 cm (uncapped and unposted) and 11.3 cm (posted). It has  a barrel diameter of 0.9 cm (at its thickest point). 

Nib: The nib is 14 Karat gold and it is beautifully engraved (see picture above).

Design: As you will you note in the previous two pictures above there are a 2 thin gold bands just before the nib and the end of the barrel. The rings have threads and allow the cap to screw on securely when the pen is either capped or posted. I love this feature of the Mini Mozart because it posts so securely; you won't feel the cap wobble as you write. This makes the pen feel as if you were writing with a single unit. This allows for the Mini Mozart to stay pocket-sized but writes and feels like a regular-sized pen (see picture below).

(3) The Cleaning Process: 

I didn't manage to take pictures while I was actually cleaning the pen, but  trust me when I say the pen was in a terrible state. There was dry ink encrusted on the nib, feed and in the barrel itself. The pen hadn't been used in such a long time that whatever little ink was left in the cartridge had turned into a gooey little blob which wouldn't budge no matter how hard you shook the cartridge.

(Nib, Cap and Barrel - sorry for the over exposed picture!)

I washed the pen under cool running tap water, flushed the nib/feed with a syringe and then left the pen submerged in water for about 5 - 6 hours. Even after the thorough flushing (with clear water coming out the nib), there was still hidden/encrusted ink dissolving into the water from the nib as it slowly soaked in the water.

(4) Re-Inking the Pen: 

Because the Mini Mozart is so small, I didn't think it would take a converter (the official Montblanc page confirms this, see also picture above), so I used a needle and syringe to refill the same cartridge that was originally in the pen (see picture below).

(5) Writing Experience: 

The Mini Mozart's broad nib lays down a very thick and "juicy" line (i.e. extremely wet, see writing sample above). The 14 Karat gold nib is soft and does allow for slight line variation with minimal strength. The nib also feels incredibly smooth on paper. Even on low-grade copier paper it feels fantastically smooth (when it can sometime feel like writing on sandpaper, especially with my cheaper fine-nibbed pens).

However, that being said this particular Mini Mozart nib does suffer from a little bit of "baby's bottom" due to the over polishing of the nib, and therefore does have some occasional starting issues (see Richard Pen's glossary entry for baby's bottom). Though it is not too major an issue, it can still be a little frustrating at times. To be honest, this has to be, by far, the smoothest writing experience I have ever had. I simply love the way this pen writes and glides across the page.

Overall, writing feels effortless with the Mini Mozart, and this is one of those pens that immediately and unconsciously improves the user's handwriting as the nib sails across the page.

(6) Conclusion: 

I personally don't believe in the mantra "the more expensive the better". From my few google searches online, I found a second-hand Mozart Mini going on ebay for about US$333 (about S$450, see here) and another ebay entry which states that the recommended retail price is about US$485 (about S$650, see here). 

Needless to say, this is not a cheap pen, and it is already considered the cheapest in the "140" series of Montblanc Meisterstück fountain pens. If you were to ask me: "is this pen worth the price?", then I would say "no", unless I could easily afford it (i.e. if I was Bruce Wayne or Tony Stark). 

I say this because (a) it is plagued by minor starting issues (due to the "baby's bottom"), and (b) that would mean that at some later stage the nib will have to be reworked by a nibmeister and potentially cost the owner some out-of-pocket expense. As I have often mentioned, I prefer thicker and heftier pens and (c) the Mini Mozart is a tiny pen, which makes it an incongruous match for a "beefier" guy like me. Though I do admit that the Mini Mozart is beautiful, well-made with high quality materials, (d) I however still don't see the economic sense of purchasing this pen unless you are getting it at a greatly discounted price, or as a status symbol, or as a fantastic gesture of someone else's generosity.

See also Inky Preacher's charming retelling of how he came to own and rediscover his own Mini Mozart here, which is testament to how easily a person can fall in love with a Mini Mozart and form sentimental bonds with a fountain pen, which far exceeds any monetary value attached to it.

Having used the Mini Mozart for just a short period of time (over the weekend), it has become something of a "gateway drug" for me and I have proudly and defiantly declared to my wife that I will be getting my very own Montblanc pen sometime in the future, and I will be looking out for a good/mint condition second-hand MB with a decent price!

For another very detailed review (with great pictures too!) of the Mini Mozart, see Hari317's FPN post here.

The Waterman Hemisphere (Invaluable Pens Part 1 of 3)

For this week's post, I'll be reviewing 1 of the most invaluable pens that I currently have in my collection. Aside from the price of the pen itself, I have placed a good amount of sentimentality and significance in the pen for my own personal reasons. 

(Top: Waterman Hemisphere / Bottom: Onishi Seisakusho Celluloid Fountain Pen)

Preface: I started out this post intending to write a review of the Waterman Hemisphere, however, as I began typing, I realised that it morphed into more of a "how I got into fountain pens" type of post. It just goes to show how much this pen means to me. This post will also be Part 1 of a 3 part series of posts where I will be discussing the Onishi Seisakusho Celluloid Fountain Pen next.

I hope you don't mind my ramblings and still enjoy the post! 

(1.a) The Waterman Hemisphere ("the Hemisphere")

Background / History: If you've read the "My Pen Collection" page, you'll know that the Hemisphere was a wedding gift from my wife's uncle who lives and works in Hong Kong. This is therefore the first and oldest pen in my collection (I've had this pen for slightly more than 2 years now, me and my wife just celebrated our 2nd Wedding Anniversary several weeks back!).

(two-toned blue Waterman Pen Box)

The pen came very nicely gift wrapped, and it was presented to me the night before the wedding. I still remember opening the two-toned blue Waterman box and finding the gold and black Hemisphere inside, needless to say I was blown away. I remember uncapping the pen and seeing how shiny and reflective the gold-plated nib was. I was awestruck. I was speechless. I stood there just admiring the shape of the nib for the longest time. 

When I think back, I honestly believe that that might have been the very first time I actually held a fountain pen in my hands. Though I remember vaguely that my father had once owned a vintage Mont Blanc Meisterstuck (which has since been lost to time), I had however never actually touched it, I was of course too young to ever be allowed to handle something so costly.

When I had asked my wife's uncle, a long time after, why he had decided to give me a fountain pen, he then explained that it was because I was just starting out on my career. He therefore felt that I should be equipped with a good fountain pen to accompany me on my epic journey into the unknown. 

I could tell right away that he had put a lot of thought into the gift, and he had hoped to "pass the torch" like how he had once received a fountain pen too; to mark his transition into adulthood and into the working world. To this day, my wife's uncle is still using his own Hemisphere at work.

Another thing that struck me at the time was the exact words that my wife's uncle uttered to me when he saw how much I admired the Hemisphere. He said: "Ah, it's just something inexpensive, really!". The Hemisphere is still currently the most expensive pen that I own. To me that also showed just how humble and unassuming my wife's uncle really is. Of all my in-laws, he is the one that I can relate to the most, and the one that I feel understands me best.

(1.b) A Mini Review of The Hemisphere:

Finish: Matt Black with (23 Karat) Gold Trim Finishes (see the Hemisphere on Waterman's official website here).

Cost: I have seen the Hemisphere retailing online and at various boutique shops / Waterman counters (in departmental stores) in Singapore for about S$130 - S$150. As far as I know, the Hemisphere is actually considered the lower-range or entry level Waterman fountain pen.

Converter/Cartridge: One thing that I love about the Hemisphere is that it takes standard (short) international cartridges (depending on the model of the Waterman pen, I have read that there may be some difficulty closing the pen see this FPN thread). I was pleasantly surprised when I realised this because Waterman, like a lot of other established fountain pen brands, has its own proprietary converters and cartridges. Though the Hemisphere typically does not come with a converter right out of the box, mine did, probably due to my wife's uncle's thoughtfulness.

Impressions: The Hemisphere is thicker in the middle and is tapered at both ends. My initial impression of the pen was that it was thin and small, possibly even too thin and too small for my hands. But because it is thicker in the middle, it still allows for a comfortable writing experience. The Hemisphere is however deceptively much heavier than it actually looks. For a lack of a better description, the Hemisphere feels (and indeed looks) like an expensive fountain pen. It is a solidly made pen, and even the converter does not rattle in the barrel when it is shaken vigorously.

 (extra details that make the Hemisphere unique)

As for its aesthetics, I really like the slit in the middle of the clip and the "cut-off" slope at the top of the cap. These 2 deliberate and extraneous finishes give the Hemisphere a very "modern" look  and makes the pen look unique. Overall, the Hemisphere is undeniably a very sleek and beautiful pen.

The nib is also very nicely engraved with Waterman markings, as is the gold ring at the end of the cap (see photo above). If I haven't already sold you on its looks, check out the promotional video below!

Writing Experience:

The nib is made of steel and then plated with 23 Karat gold, and because of the underlying steel, the nib is stiff and does not allow for any line variation. For a "Fine" nib, it also writes nicely. As for the ink flow, the feed keeps up with even the most furious of scribblings. I have not experienced any skipping with the Hemisphere.

What I Dislike: There are really only 2 things that I dislike about this pen (which is of course specific to my own personal preference and you may not feel the same as I do). These dislikes however are not fatal to my overall love of the pen and are easily overcome.

First, would be that I dislike posting the Hemisphere when I write. Because of the extra metallic embellishments on the cap and at the end of the barrel (which actually make this pen look stunning), it makes the pen feel very "back heavy" and unwieldy when writing. It feels almost as if someone is holding onto the back of the barrel (and very gently pulling downwards) as you write. Of course the only way around this would be to NOT post the pen, I typically just leave the cap on the table, or hold it in my spare (left) hand as I write.

Second, I found the small capacity of the converter (0.5ml of ink) and the opaqueness of the barrel to be a really frustrating combo. On several occasions, I had brought the Hemisphere for work meetings and thereafter had the pen run out of ink completely. Now, I typically use only clear demonstrators during my work meetings (i.e. my TWSBI 580). A simple solution to avoiding this would be to just check the amount of ink left in the converter before heading off for a meeting, however because I always find myself rushing while at work, I rarely have the time to stop and check the converter.

But again, this is specific to me and my work. I however would say that this pen was meant for a much more cultured and slow-paced lifestyle (i.e. during the time of fair Ladies and genteel Gentlemen), where the average person still wrote letters at their desk and had the liberty to refill their pens midway through their work day. I however do not have the luxury of time; my work is fast-paced and stressful; like most other modern-day work environs.

Though I may not use the Waterman for work meetings, I do however use the Waterman when I am sitting at my cubicle. I use it to jot down quick notes or to draw up my to-do-list for the day.

(1.c) Conclusion:

The Hemisphere is a decent writer, but I love this pen more so for the background and story that it comes with. That being said, I would consider this pen to be an heirloom pen and something that I would want to pass down to my children. Again this would be a testament of how much this pen means to me personally. 

As for whether I would recommend this pen to someone else, I would think not, simply because I believe that there are better pens out there (that write smoother and objectively look better too), and that you could get for the same price or less (granted that in Europe a Waterman Hemisphere might only cost about 40 to 50 Euros, in Asia that is not the case). I realised too that a lot of the cost in making this pen went into its aesthetics (and brand prestige) rather than the actual writing experience for the user.

JINHAO X750 (with HERO 233 ink) = CHEAP and SOLID

In this post I will be discussing the value of a relatively inexpensive pen; the JINHAO X750.

(1) Personal Background on how I got this Pen: 

I got this pen very early on in my "fountain pen obsession". At the time, I was devouring blog posts, youtube videos and googling fanatically anything fountain pen related. I first got to know about JINHAO pens from SBREBrown (see specifically his X750 review here and also his website here).

I knew JINHAO pens in general to therefore be cheap and yet solidly built fountain pens, which were in a way knock-offs or imitations of their more expensive western counterparts (see SBREBrown's Fountain Pen Shoot-Out: Mont Blanc 149 vs JINHAO 159 here, inktronics' blogpost here and obviously just by looking at the JINHAO 599, picture below).

(JINHAO 599 - kind of looks like a Lamy Safari)

Yet, the appeal to me was that JINHAO pens were still proudly Chinese and even more proudly "made in China". I love that about JINHAO pens; their unabashedly Chinese origin and pride. As if defiantly saying: "Yes, I am cheap. Yes, I am made in China. But I still offer a certain level of class and quality that far exceeds the price you paid. I am, therefore, undeniably worth every cent!".

The circumstances of my buying it was more of a "chanced-encounter" rather than a hunting expedition as it is with most of the pens in my collection. On that fateful day, I happened to be in Changi Airport Terminal 3 and I just so happened to have a little bit of spare time and I just happened to walk into a Du Yi Bookshop (www.duyi.com.sg), which as it also happens, is (as far as I know) the only Bookshop in Singapore that carries JINHAO fountain pens.

I still remember the sense of excitement I felt when I saw it for the first time. After having read so much about it online, it literally felt like I had just bumped into some "mid-level" Asian movie star or Canto-pop singer. I was, in a sense, star struck and I just had to buy it.

(2) Review Proper:

(2.1) Price: I paid S$13.90 for the X750 (glossy black with silver trim finishes - see picture above).  Du Yi Bookshop currently only sells the glossy black version that I got, they do however carry the JINHAO 601 in the gold (S$19.90), glossy blue (S$13.90) and the black / grey marble (S$13.90) finishes as well. All of which comes with a free converter. Also, not every Du Yi Bookshop branch carries the same stock, I do however recommend visiting the Du Yi Bookshop in Chinatown Point. From personal experience, that branch seems to carry the most Fountain Pen related stuff (e.g. HERO Inks and JINHAO Cartridges) and is right next to Daiso too (where you can even pick up a S$2.00 fountain pen!).

You can definitely get the X750 cheaper online and in a lot more colour variations, such as Silver/Aluminium, Lava Red, White and Matte Black (the white version seems particularly sexy, see picture below. See also my search results for the X750 on eBay here). They typically cost about S$4.00 - S$5.00 including free international shipping (from Hong Kong).

(picture from eBay - note the free converter too)

I paid S$2.30 for the 60ml bottle of HERO 233 Ink (Blue), which is probably the cheapest ink you can find in Singapore! (see picture below)

(photo credit: penpaperinkletter.com, see his very detailed review of the HERO inks here)

(2.2) Problems I encountered using this pen: 

NEVER STORE THE PEN WITH THE NIB POINTING DOWNWARDS:

After getting the pen, I inked it up straight away (with Pelikan 4001 Brilliant Black) and brought the pen to work where I had accidentally left it nib down in my pen holder. My X750 then started to leak, and progressively started to fill the cap up with several drops of ink. The next time I uncapped the X750, the ink shot out from the cap and splattered all over my desk (and my work shirt!).

LESSON LEARNT.

I started looking around online again and realised some people were having the same problem too (see Michael Heenan's comment on the Goulet Pens Blog here). My own opinion on the matter is that the JINHAO X750 has a very BIG nib and to keep up with the nib, the feed has to be very wet. Upon closer inspection of the X750 feed, I realised that the Feed Channel on the X750 was very wide and therefore allows for very aggressive capillary action (see picture below), in effect, drawing a lot of ink down from the converter and into the nib/feed. Therefore, when stored nib-pointing downwards, and with the help of gravity, it would not be surprising if the pen "dumped its converter contents into the cap" (in Michael's words).

The cap of the JINHAO X750 snaps on to the barrel with a satisfying "CLACK" when it is closed too, this gives the cap a tight seal over the nib/feed and helps to prevent it from drying out easily. However, as I've read, this tight seal can exacerbate the ink leakage because it creates a vacuum in the cap itself, and when the cap is removed (forcibly, which is normal given how tight the cap fits onto the barrel) it actually causes the ink to get sucked out from the feed and to explode everywhere.

POOR QUALITY CONTROL:

I personally did not have an issue with this and I found my pen to be well made and a joy to write with (as I had done with my Muji and Franklin Covey pens), I took out the feed and gave it a good wash and scrubbing (with an old toothbrush) to make sure that there was no dust or grease-residue on the feed or in the feed channel before I started using the X750.

But some people (see this FPN Thread) have experienced some serious quality control issues which have rendered the pen unusable (broken barrel or nib/feed sections) and/or has allowed for a terrible writing experience (misaligned tines etc).

See also PenInkcillin's review of the JINHAO X750 here, where the author experienced a dry nib which caused the pen to skip a lot.

Again, I have to reiterate that I did not encounter such problems at all. To be frank, I didn't mind paying more to purchase the pen from Du Yi Bookshop, rather than ordering it online. At least this way, I actually got to "feel" the pen before putting down any money for it. I spent some time studying the pen (writing without ink, disassembling it and re-assembling it again, and trying to look at the tines with my naked eye), and got what I believed to be the best made X750 from the lot on display that day (however, when you buy online, it all depends on your "luck of the draw").

(3) IMPRESSIONS / WRITING EXPERIENCE:

(3.1) The Aesthetics:

I generally love the feel of the pen in my hand when I write. As I've mentioned before, I've got slightly larger hands and I really like pens with a bit of "weight" and heft to it (though for some people that might be an issue). I also found the shape and finishes of the pen to be "classic" and attractive, and honestly, you can't go wrong when your pen actually tries to look like a Mont Blanc Meisterstuck (see picture below).

(Mont Blanc Meisterstuck Classique Platinum)

(JINHAO X750)

I do however take issue with the "weird-ugly-looking-tribal-tattoo-esque" engraving on the end of the cap (see picture below).

(would have been better without it)

Another thing I found quite "weird" was the "18Kgp" engraving on the nib of the JINHAO X750 (see picture below). The nib is definitely not "18 karat gold-plated", so why state so? Clearly this must be a unique brand of Chinese-humour (that only Chinese people, me included, would get) or a very poor attempt at passing-off and a poorer attempt at misrepresentation.  To give them (JINHAO) the benefit of doubt, its probably the former reason, right?

(honestly, the other engravings on the nib do look quite cool!)

(3.2) The Writing Experience:

I found the pen wrote smoothly, without any skipping whatsoever, and with the HERO 233 ink which I've got in my X750 at the moment, the overall writing experience can be summed up simply as: VERY WET. I would therefore recommend loading it with a drier ink as the HERO 233 ink tends to be very diluted (which would also explain why it is so cheap). The HERO ink also has a very strong "inky" smell (imagine the smell of black Chinese water colour paint).

In the close-up writing sample (see picture below), you can see that the ink tends to "feather" or bleed into the paper ever-so slightly (also depending on what kind of paper you use - i.e. how fibrous the paper is) and therefore giving a very broad line even for a Medium nib.

But in comparison to another Pen/Ink combination (in the picture below I used a M-nib Platinum Preppy, inked-up with Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue) you can see that the JINHAO clearly lays down a wetter line (and broader due to the feathering).

("Feathering" - is when the ink seeps and bleeds into the paper, and 
allows for a broader line than what was initially laid down in the writing 
process. See this FPN thread for more information)

(4) CONCLUSION:

I genuinely like the JINHAO X750 a lot, I think it looks great, writes well and performs up to par for the price I paid (even if it was 3 times what I could have probably got for it on eBay). However, because of the problem that I had with the leaking of the nib (when not stored upright), I honestly do not dare take the pen out of the office, much less use it as my "EDC" pen; for fear that it would explode with ink again when I next uncap it. 

So if you're looking for a "workhorse pen" that you can throw into your bag or stick into your pocket, I wouldn't recommend the JINHAO X750, as it is clearly meant for more sedentary "storage-and-use"; either when at home or in the office.

The JINHAO X750 did, however, give me the confidence to then go onto eBay and order the JINHAO 159 (which is still in the process of being shipped to me).

All-in-all, I would say, for the price you pay, you could easily go online (or to Du Yi Bookshop) and get yourself one just for the thrill of trying it out. If you like it (as I did), GREAT! If you don't, you can toss it in the bin without too much heartbreak or damage to your wallet.

Franklin Covey Lexington v Muji Aluminium Round Fountain Pen (A Comparative Analysis)

In this post, I will be comparing 2 pens that I had recently acquired. 

As the title suggests, the first is the Franklin Covey Lexington ("FC Pen") and the second is the Muji Aluminium Round Fountain Pen ("Muji Pen").

FC Pen

Muji Pen

The idea behind why I wanted to do this comparative analysis was because both Nibs are said to have "Iridium Points". To be honest, I did not know much about Iridium at the point of time when I had gotten either pen and it was only much later that I realised what that actually meant.

If you are interested in what an "Iridium" nib or point means (and what resulting significance it has for a fountain pen), there are many interesting articles on the internet. For example: this article on nibs.com (http://www.nibs.com/article5.html) talks about why "Iridium" (on a fountain pen nib) is not really "Iridium" anymore.

In a nutshell, Iridium is actually a very rare metal which is part of the platinum group of metals and is highly sought after for its durability, hardness and resistance to corrosion. In the past, tiny Iridium beads were commonly welded onto gold nibs to reinforce them (as gold is much softer and therefore more susceptible to the wear and tear associated with writing).

Given the relatively cheap prices of the FC Pen and the Muji Pen respectively, it would be safe to say that actual Iridium was not used to "tip" their nibs. Some other type of alloy was probably used to achieve the same general principle behind the idea of why Iridium is used - i.e. to give the nibs a longer lifespan. 

With that being said, let's dive into the comparative analysis of the 2 pens now (skip to the end for the summary and conclusion if you want to avoid the lengthy comparison).

(1) PRICE (and where to buy):

The FC Pen that I got is readily available from Times Bookstore (specifically, I got mine at the Tampines Mall branch) and it cost S$33.00. It came in a variety of different colours and finishes, but I opted for the Polished Chrome with Gold finishes as I felt that it had a more "classic" look about it (if I remember correctly, I also saw ballpoint and roller-gel versions too).

The Muji Pen cost S$23.00 and comes in one colour only; matte silver. There is however a compact version of the same pen available (that becomes a full-length pen when posted). Though, as the brand naturally suggests, the Muji Pen is sold at Muji stores, however when I went looking for the pen, I was sorely disappointed to find that the pen was sold-out at their Ion Orchard, Somerset, Bugis Junction and Marina Square branches (Yes, I went to all those stores!). 

I finally managed to find a good stockpile of them at JEM and was very relieved to finally find it. Learn from my mistake; call ahead to reserve one or find out if its even available before heading down to the store.

Muji has also just launched its online store here in Singapore, with a promotional 10% discount off all purchases, however I was unable to find the fountain pen on their website. 

The closest I managed to find was the same compact pen design, but with a ballpoint pen version instead (see link below). 

http://www.muji.com.sg/store/aluminum-pocket-ballpoint-pen-blk-4934761849706.html?cl=no_color_code_4934761849706.

(2) NIB/FEED:

As mentioned previously, both feature an "Iridium Point" nib (but in varying colours, i.e. gold and silver respectively).

The Muji Pen's nib states that it is an "F", whereas the FC Pen did not state what size it came in, and even after inspecting the packaging of the FC Pen more thoroughly, I was however still clueless about the size of the nib (this was a frustrating experience for me).

It was only later, after googling more about the FC Pen that I realised it was an "M" nib.

(see: http://www.amazon.com/Franklin-Lexington-Appointments-Cross-FC0016IM-3MS/dp/B003G1HIVO)

Purely on visual observation alone, both feeds appear to be different, and as the picture above shows, the Muji feed tends to be a bit "beefier", with deeper grooves and thicker fins, whereas the FC Pen's grooves/fins are shallower, thinner and more numerous.

When I bought both the pens, and had plugged in the respective cartridges that came with each pen, I found that there were ALOT of starting issues with both. They tended to skip alot, and when writing fast, both pens dried out and refused to start-up again even after giving them a vigorous shaking. I was disappointed and crestfallen. 

However, after doing a bit of research and asking around, I was advised to pull out both nibs/feeds (both are friction-fit and come off easily) and to give them both a good wash under running tap water. This was because, (as I had been told by a senior collector) new feeds are sometimes coated with grease to prevent the ebonite/plastic feeds from drying out (and becoming brittle) while in the store, and will therefore require a good washing before use.

After having done so, I was amazed at how smooth and fluid both pens began to write. Lesson learnt: wash both nibs and feeds thoroughly before using.

(3) OVERALL LOOK AND FEEL:

The Muji Pen can feel quite light and hollow at times, however the FC Pen has a good weight and balance to it when writing. 

I also found the Muji Pen to be too thin and the knurled grip to be quite uncomfortable to hold. Also, due to its thin size, I found myself gripping the pen a tad bit too hard and as a result my hand would cramp if writing fast and over an extended period of time (as I had experienced while at work). 

The Muji Pen, as others have pointed out, is also reminiscent of an X-acto Knife! See picture below:

To rectify the "thinness" of the barrel, I slipped on some Pilot G2 rubber grips that I had laying around at home (see picture below - lubricate the barrel first and the rubber grips slip on easily!). Though, the end product might not be as aesthetically appealing as the original clean-matte-silver look it came in, I now find writing with the Muji Pen to be comfortable and pleasing (the rubber also gives the Muji Pen some much needed weight and balance, and makes for a better writing experience).

(my modified Muji Pen, looks terrible, but now feels great to write with)

(4) WRITING EXPERIENCE

After having washed both the nibs/feeds, they now write very well. I did not observe any skipping or stoppage in the ink flow when writing (as I had experienced before). Both felt "stiff" and did not allow for very much "flex" when writing (i.e. practically no line variation at all). 

Surprisingly too, the "F" nib of the Muji Pen was much "wetter" than the "M" nib on the FC Pen. It may however be due to the type of paper or different inks I was using in each pen (i.e. Brilliant Black Pelikan 4001 in the Muji Pen and the standard Franklin Covey Ink per the cartridge provided). I also observed some bleeding of the ink of the Muji Pen on the paper (See the writing sample above).

I generally prefer "wetter" pens, both however appeal to me, and I have no qualms with either pens' writing performance.

(5) CONVERTER/CARTRIDGE:

Both use standard international cartridges. I had purchased a Pelikan converter (S$8.00 from Fook Hing) for the Muji Pen, and found that it fits perfectly on both pens without any problems.

(6) SUMMARY:

Here is a summary of each area, as I had covered earlier:

Price:

Muji Pen S$23 / FC Pen S$33 

(Muji clearly offering the cheaper pen, though it was a pain to find!).

Nibs: 

Tie. Both are equal in that both claim to be "Iridium Point" Nibs.

(Personally, to me, there are no observable differences when writing with either).

Look:

The FC Pen has a sleeker, more professional look, which I would proudly carry with me into any work function or meeting. The Muji Pen however looks rather surgical and drab, which may also be ideal for anybody who wants to remain low-key and unnoticeable.

(FC Pen wins with its classy and timeless look).

Feel:

As mentioned earlier, the Muji Pen felt too thin (and hollow) for my hands and caused my hand to cramp when using it for fast writing over an extended period of time. I did not have that problem with the FC Pen which has a fatter barrel and a heftier feel to it too.

(FC Pen wins again; it generally feels more solid and pleasing to hold).

Converter/Cartridge:

Tie. Both use standard international converters/cartridges.

Writing Experience:

Tie. Both are equal in terms of smoothness and both feeds can keep up with my furious writing speeds. I enjoy writing with them as both offer a good "stiff" feel when writing.

(7) CONCLUSION:

Overall, both are great pens, I use both of them interchangeably and frequently while at work (whether in the office or out at a meeting) - and I would recommend either of them to friends, albeit with a certain amount of caution and advice (i.e. washing the nib/feeds, pricing of the pens and thinness of the Muji Pen's barrel, especially for people with bigger hands). But for the sake of having an explicit victor, in my humble opinion, I think that the FC Pen is marginally better, but it is still very debatable as to whether it is worth the extra S$10.00 (if you are price conscious and have small hands - then the Muji Pen is the way to go!).

Thank you for reading!