The Muji Pen: An artist review 

Thanks! This is one of my favorites!

Glad it’s not just me that loves this pen!

Nice! Thanks for the info!

I’ve heard good things about Lamy’s slim pen (is it the CP1?) but have never tried it. When you consider the price, this pen is a miracle. It has no right to be as good as it is!

That’s awesome to hear! I actually really want an elite 95, but there are quite a few other pens in that range that I want to try out. Fountain pens are so much fun to make art woth

Couldn’t agree more!

I wonder if line weight has anything to do with how light the pen touches the paper? I have a very light touch, and sometimes I draw faster to lessen how much ink gets on the page. This pen is so responsive, I’m sure individual results might vary more than a stiffer nib. But anyway, I’m glad you enjoy it. I’m loving mine too!

@@stepheninks I tried to be super gentle when drawing a line and it still turned out thick. I don't mind though. Really great pen for this price and I don't have to worry about durability much. Thanks for the recommendation! :)

For me, the Pilot Kakuno was the first pen that made me think I could put down technical pens (not that there’s anything wrong with them of course). I have way more fun with my fountain pens now. If you like waterproof inks, I highly recommend the De Atramentis Document ink line, and Platinum’s Carbon Black. Great in fountain pens. I’ve never had a clog.

when did they start making pens with removable nibs? few months ago or more?

@@michaelcorleone89 I have had this one for a few years now, and I received it used. I’m not sure if it’s the most recent model that the nib cannot be removed, or if that model is even older than the one that I have. That’s a bummer if they are really producing two types that look similar. I really like this one, but I guess I can’t say with confidence what you will end up with if you ordered one for yourself.

Like I said, if Muji started making other finishes, I might be tempted to collect them all, even though I don’t usually do that. For its price, I think it’s the very best they could make it.

I have been looking into Otho pens. You’ve piqued my interest now. Thanks for the nib info too!

One of my favorites!

It’s a lovely pen! You’re lucky to be able to pick one up in person!

Hope you love it!

@@stepheninks we will know in about a week. I already have a steel Black Forest. Which I really like so your video also prompted me to order another in carbon fiber. If the Muji is as good I will love it.

I agree on both points. It’s fun to use, and it compares very favorably to the Black Forest. I feel like the only real difference is the weight. Sometimes I prefer one over the other, sometimes the opposite.

I think you’ll like that 456! The nib is less flexible than the Muji, so you should get more consistent lines. Don’t forget to open the back of the blind cap when drawing with vac fillers (like the 456). This keeps the feed from drying up.

@@stepheninks Thanks!

I love Whalen I have so many good things to say about a pen that I forget to mention a bunch of other awesome things. This pen is an absolute gem.

Mine is quite good.

I think with any pen in the under 20USD range, there are inevitably going to be some individual units that don’t perform as well as others. That being said, the truly aggravating thing about that is that I have found that more expensive pens tend to have about the same rate of reliability from unit to unit. Like you said, that’s true of any pen. My guess is that if you’re used to spending 100USD+ on a pen, you’re not going to like the Muji. However, if you (like me) buy a lot of pens in the 10-30USD range, you’re probably going to appreciate this one. Though of course, individual tastes vary greatly.

@@stepheninks I think my greatest fear was that it was a QC issue that is similar to other unnamed companies. That, and I probably shouldn't always trust Amazon reviews for fountain pens since the majority of people probably didn't have experience with a fountain pen before. Who knows. Thanks for the perspective and being honest. 🙂

@@jackivaltrades Yeah, the Amazon thing is definitely true. I cannot tell you the number of times I have read 1 star reviews of (in my opinion) pretty decent pens that just say “It didn’t come with ink.”

@@stepheninks IMO it's worth taking a risk on.

Yeah, if a more expensive pen needed tuning, I might hire a professional, but anything under 30USD, I just do it myself, and accept the results. A nice set of micro mesh would be all you really need for the scratchiness. I used some on a video on this channel to tune my Platinum Preppy. I’m not an expert, but I’m really happy with the results. Check it out if you need some inspiration!

Any time is the perfect time to pick up a new hobby if you’re doing it for the right reasons!

The first time is the hardest. You just have to hold firmly and pull straight. For a friction fit nib like this one, they start off pretty snug in there. More so if you have some ink in the feed, because you get some sticking and surface tension.

@@stepheninks Thank you. It was pretty hard but I successfully remove it. I put the front part few seconds in hot water, I think it helped a bit.

I think really heavy pens and really light pens are two different lanes, but I would love to see ANY other variants of this pen. I’d snap them all up instantly!

Fair. It doesn’t work for everyone. I think it’s an amazing value for the price. Of course, any amount of money is too much to pay for a pen you don’t like.

You have given me new pens to want.

@@stepheninks Well, it's free to want 'em.

@@ichirofakename Free to look, but not to touch. Such is life.

It’s one of my favorites!

That’s a tough call. I do think this pen is worth it, especially if the cost difference is equivalent across brands. I think everyone should have at least one European and at least one Japanese brand of pen. This is high on my list of worthwhile purchases.

​@@stepheninks I bought it haha! price went down to €24 on Amazon so I didnt hesitate at all. Cant wait to receive it and start drawing with it.

@@barrazaillustration9383 that’s lucky! I hope you love it!

Hows the pen been working for you?

its been great , I ended getting a second pen and replaced the nib for an EF@@Rasengandattebayo82

Sorry it doesn’t work for you. This pen remains one f my favorites, but there are definitely pens that make thinnner lines. The Pilot Kakuno or Platinum preppy are two that come to mind right away. Both have a pretty decent reverse writing line that’s thinner than the forward writing. This particular nib has a bit of a bounce to it, which allows for different line weights when forward writing. The Faber Castell nibs on the Loom and Grip also have this quality.

I do still love this pen for sketching. In fact, I was using it today. Favorite is more of in a technical sense, as I really like using many different pens and cycling through them a lot. If I were to do this video again this year (and maybe I should), I think that many of these pens would still be on this list. But if you look at the top 5 or so, the difference between how much I like them is so slight, it might as well be a tie. But short answer, yes.

Visually, I can see the similarities, but those pens are in stark contrast otherwise. The Muji is lighter, smoother, and has a slightly flexible “bounce” to it. I still do love the Black Forest, but definitely, it’s not the same pen.

@@stepheninks ohh boy.....now I will have to get one....and a new noodler ink to go with it...well gotta do what you gotta do 😁

@@farmerfox3332 both pens are definitely worth the price of admission

I don’t see any comment I need to approve anywhere. But I am familiar with the Indigraph. It’s on my back burner, but I might get one in the coming year. I find myself not to excited about it, to be honest. Don’t know, it might be great, but I just don’t feel the “need” for India ink in a fountain pen, since there are waterproof options that are okay for fountain pens. Just the concept of putting India ink on a fountain pen makes me nervous! But who knows, maybe I’ll love it?

@@stepheninks It's specifically designed to take india ink so no harm will come to the fountain pen. I've had mine for quite a while now and its my favourite drawing fountain pen now. I love the Muji so don't get me wrong and still use it occasionally. But given I do professional art using ink I either use a quill or the Indigraph or alternatively use my drawing monitor which I also have and love using. India ink is generally what most comic or manga artist use because of it's extremely fast drying capabilities and it's much more waterproof then any other fountain pen ink that claim to be waterproof. I admit it's not a cheap pen but if you do get the chance even to try one I think you'll be very very surprised as the Muji and Indigraph in terms of ergonomics are very similar. I love both pens so don't get me wrong and if you are satisfied with the Muji then of course keep using it (I still use mine occasionally) but if you get the chance definitely try out the indigraph. I'd love to see your opinion on it especially given the nib is quite flexible and gives you great line variation.

@@franckalcidi599 I will probably get one eventually.

I guess it doesn’t work for everyone. For me it has always been very comfortable.

I ended up buying grips for the pen. works fine now.

I can imagine Quentin Tarantino getting really weirdly excited about pens.

So unexpected in such a cheap pen!