Hongdian Matte Black Forest Rollerball Pen with Schmidt Black Ink Refill, Classic Design with Metal Case for Business Signature

Edited December 2025: After two months, the clip broke off... This was my EDC pen, but I need the clip in order to carry it! ———— Original review in October 2025: The nib writes pretty smoothly, but this EF nib writes almost as large as Lamy Safari F nib. I did have a hard time getting the ink to flow for the first time, but after that I’ve had no issues. The case material feels smooth and premium, but it did come with a small scratch. Fine for me since I’ll be daily carrying this, but might be a turn off to some. The weight and balance is fine unposted, if a bit light, but writing feels extra nice with the cap posted. Overall, extremely good value, especially considering the built in converter. I’ll probably get a second one in another color to try out some of my other inks.

I was looking for a fountain pen to keep in my art/travel bag, and this HongDian pen turned out to be exactly what I needed. It’s not too big or too small, not too heavy or too light—just the perfect balance in both size and weight. The metal body gives it a sturdy, high-quality feel and the overall design is clean and aesthetically pleasing. One of the biggest perks is that it comes with its own converter, allowing you to use any ink you like. I’ve noticed that many fountain pens require you to buy a converter separately, so having it included is a great bonus. I also appreciated the wide variety of colors and nib options to choose from: everything from extra fine to broad, plus the fude nib. I went with the matte black design and the fude nib, which has a bent tip that makes it easy to achieve expressive line variation from thin to thick. It’s a fantastic option for sketching, calligraphy or general writing. If you’re looking for a well-constructed, stylish fountain pen that won’t break the bank, this one is absolutely worth picking up.

I'm a lefty, new to fountain pens, and had no issue starting right up with this one! I bought the "fine" tipped nib, and 30 (minimum quantity available) of the dark green ink cartridges in one order (other reviewers didn't seem to read the description stating it does not come with ink) I absolutely didn't want to mess around with the included converter and a bottle of ink, just not my idea of a good time! There aren't really any instructions, but common sense and a simple diagram on the cartridge box really is all you need to figure out that the little hollow end of the cartridge, goes into the back of the pen nib assembly! I don't understand why other reviewers docked stars and complained about lack of clarity... Its a pen, there's only so many places the ink can go! Once that was all set, it was off to the races! I was worried that being a lefty, I'd smudge the ink, but their branded ink dries so fast I quickly found I didn't need to worry. The Dark Green is gorgeous, really impressive when you're looking at a full page of it scribbled down on paper. It doesn't seem to bleed, although I am super careful about never letting the nib sit in one spot too long. The pen nib itself is the perfect level of smooth, and scritchy in my opinion. When I write with a fountain pen , I wanted that little scratch to the experience and it provides a perfect balance. I'm not worried about tearing the paper or anything, it's smooth and consistent. The flow rate seems just right, I've not had it go dry or had it unable to keep up. When I first saw I had to buy a minimum of 30 cartridges, I thought, "is this really worth it... Am I ever going to use all this?!" But after writing pages and pages with the pen, and using it at work as well, yup, worth it. I've gone through just under half a cartridge in 5 days. Probably 10-15 pages worth, and a few dozen signatures and scrawled sticky-notes. So, 30 cartridges for around $11 bucks is well worth it! I adore the emerald green ink, but if you want variety you can but the variety pack. You'll need it if you're an avid writer. The pen construction is awesome. Heavy, solid, but not cumbersome. The nib feels great on paper, the cap clicks on both the back and over the tip securely. You can even buy replacement nibs! I didn't realize that until I looked at the sellers other shop items. I think that's super cool at this price point! Some reviewers complained that the "Black" pen isn't ALL black... The cap and the back end where the cap posts are a gorgeous dark brown, very nearly black metallic color. The pen is called the FOREST SERIES, so the color combo fits well! Its sophisticated and classy in my opinion. If they read the description, they'd have seen they need to buy the MATTE BLACK model for an all black color scheme. What a weird thing to dock stars for anyway! All in all, for the price, this one is worth it. Well constructed, easy use, quality finishes, great performance, all without tossing a ton of cash away. For beginners, this is a great entry point, I don't think you'll be disappointed!

This pen is overall nice quality for price. ASSEMBLY & WRITING Easy to use and assemble. Seeing some other reviews, I rinsed the nib first before using. Easy to clean. Let it dry for about 2 days (pen is refillable, comes with a refillable converter). Then tried it out. As soon as I started writing it worked nicely! Write speed is efficient. I’m left handed and this pen works well for me. COMPARISON Comparing this pen to my platinum preppy, It’s feels heavier. The Platinum, it’s light as a feather. But the Asvine, you know you’re handling it. Also, I got the “fine” nib but writing looks more “medium” to me. My Preppy fin nib produces smaller writing. I will say that this Asvine pen seems to write better from the start. My Preppy pens are touch and go even with cleaning. And can be a little finicky. STORAGE & FUNCTION The Asvine pen also comes with a nice ten box for storage if you’re not using it often. However, if you plan on everyday use, be aware this may not be the most comfortable pen. I’m still testing it out. It feels fine but I personally like a thicker round grip like the Preppy pen. Also the Asvine clip is a bit stiff and mostly is for aesthetics not really functional. But the pen does glide well in most my folio & notebook pen loops.

ok

Finished are good, it is metal painted, not plastic, and the writing is very nice and fluent, very good for the price, totally recommend.

This pen is excellent. I got the Extra Fine Matte Black version, and ive only had it for a day or so.... So i dont know how itll hold up in a week, month, year etc, but it feels solid. I have it inked up with Diamine OxBlood and it writes very smooth. Ive seen others say that it can be scratchy, so i don't know if i got lucky or they got unlucky. But from my experience it is smooth. Smoother then some pens that cost many times more. The cap has a soft cushioned close followed by a nice sharp click. The cap also posts very nicely. It sits flush against the body at the top, though i don't like to use my pens posted. This pen is lovely either way. The only gripe i have with the pen is that the step between the grip and the body is a bit steep. I tend to hold my pens very low down so the small ridge that the cap clicks into it a bit noticeable but its nothing too bad. Like my Pilot Metropolitan has a larger step, but it also has a longer grip. But thats really not a deal breaker. In closing, this pen is lovely, i really recommend it. I would recommend it if it was double the price. I like this better then pens that are 4x the price. Its a nice pen.

Penna fantastica ! Scrittura pulita e ottima scorrevolezza. La sto usando da più di un anno.

I had some doubts about this pen since it’s a Chinese brand and there are too many that I don’t know and never heard of, but the product is amazing. The body weights in a way that feels like a high quality pen and the way it flows in the paper is amazing. Highly recommended.