Kaweco AL Sport Fountain Pen Black Body F Nib Review

The depth and breadth of my fountain pen collection is small, but growing. For the past year or so, one of my favorite fountain pens has been the grey body Kaweco AL Sport. It is a beautifully designed pen with a smooth nib and portable build. I came into the black body version of this pen recently at work so I thought I would quickly compare the two.

The build and nib size are obviously identical, so if you want to read more about those things please check out my original review. There is a difference in the barrel finish though, which made it difficult to pick a favorite.

The grey AL Sport, which I have used for a while, has a smooth finish, while the black has what I would call a satin finish. I wouldn’t say it is a matte finish - it is not that rough - but there is definitely an audible sound when you run your finger across the barrel. With the grey, there is no sound at all.

It may seem nitpicky to compare these two pens on barrel finish alone, but I want readers to know that there is a difference, especially if you are considering spending this much money on a pen. Gun to my head, I prefer the smooth finish of the grey, but man, the black is a real looker.

Decisions, decisions.

Lamy Nexx Fountain Pen F Nib Review

(This is a guest post by Bryan Gushikawa.)

Lamy pens are most well-known for the affordable battle-ready Safari and Al-Star lines, but Lamy is one of the few companies out there that is willing to break the mold and experiment with radical new designs (their Dialog 3 is a beauty!) and ideas … but you don’t always need to spend $400 to get a hip, new design! The proof is in the Lamy Nexx.

The lightweight aluminum body is a rounded, triangular shape that makes for easy holding, with a tacky grip area that is also triangle-molded elastomer. The best part about the grip is that it is soft enough to cushion without being squishy and also a dust magnet. The pen body itself is supremely well machined and will be quite durable. The cap is heavy plastic with an aluminum clip that is secure, sturdy and features a lanyard hole. Although the cap looks bulky, it’s needed to balance the lightweight body of the pen when writing and you’ll notice that there’s very little weight in the hand and strain in the wrist when writing. Combine that with the standard Lamy steel nib (which is legendary for smoothness) and you’ve got a pen that you can write ALL DAY with. No joke! I’ve sat in seminars and written for a solid hour with this pen and had no cramps to speak of. The fatter barrel really does help in reducing hand fatigue and also allows people with larger hands to really feel comfortable.

The only real downside for me is that a Lamy F is like a Japanese B nib, but that’s true for most Western vs. Eastern pens. I like to print graph paper from Incompetech.com or use graph notebooks with bigger squares and use this pen for seminar notes or brainstorming. The ink flow is so smooth and consistent that the pen doesn’t stop until you do. When you pair Lamy’s legendary ruggedness with a smooth nib and a VERY ergonomic body, you get a real innovation in the way that people write and Lamy has really outdone themselves with this pen. I’d recommend trying it out just to see for yourself how it feels to be able to write with no pressure or hand strain. This would also be excellent for people with tendonitis or wrist problems.

Pilot Prera Fountain Pen Review

(This is a guest review by Bryan Gushikawa)

The Pilot Prera is one of the best fountain pens ever made! I can say that without reservation because there are no other pens out today that offer the same blend of style, comfort, smoothness, and value. It's an excellent pen for beginners and it also offers a lot to experienced fountain pen users. I can spend pages and pages just writing paens to the Prera, so let's get into the specifics of why this is such a great pen!

General Notes: This pen is a little shorter than a typical fountain pen, but the thickness feels nice in the hand. The body comes in many colors and the nibs come in a range, with M and F nibs being excellent choices for most users. The Japanese nibs write smaller than their Western counterparts, so expect to get an M nib for daily writing (~0.6mm) and F nibs for fine work (0.4mm lines).

Smoothness: This pen uses a stiff, steel nib, made by Pilot, and offers a very smooth point. Although a large part of the smoothness of a fountain pen is based on the ink used, the tip contributes quite a bit to the feel of the pen on paper. The Prera is a big winner here, with a tip that glides effortlessly across the paper.

Grip and Balance: Not thick and not thin, but JUST right. Although there is no texture in the grip area, it's sufficiently sized and the plastic isn't so slick to make it hard to hold. When posted, the pen balances well and the weight is distributed evenly.

Ink Flow: Again, although this can be dictated by ink choice, the feed on every Prera I've owned is perfect right from the factory. No skips or blotches here and there's enough flow to allow the pen to start without scribbling.

Build Quality: Wow! Thick plastic and metal accents! The clip is securely affixed to the cap and WILL hold the pen in a pocket. There is a cushioning effect of air when capping the pen, letting you know that the cap is airtight and your pen won't be drying out while capped.

Capacity: Pilot offers a superior range of converters, from the squeeze-type CON-20 to the larger piston CON-50. They all fit the Prera and so do the Pilot cartridges.

Clip: Excellent. Simply excellent!

Post: Secure and rigid. The posting is wonderful! You'll want to post the cap to make sure it's long enough to grip properly.

Overall: I really love this pen and recommend it to everyone! You really will never be disappointed by this pen. It's nice enough to be business ready, but cheap enough so that you don't feel anxious about taking it to the office. A definite recommend and a must buy! Note that you'll get excellent results from the Pilot line of inks, but converters will let you try brands from other companies, as Pilot pens can only fit Pilot carts, not international standard cartridges.