Kaweco Steel Sport Fountain Pen Review

Kaweco makes my favorite pocket fountain pens, bar none. I think I’ve tried just about all of them at this point, and even so, I’m always ready to get the latest model in my hands. The Kaweco Steel Sport is the latest model, and my current favorite. At least until the next one.

What I like so much about the Kaweco Sport lineup overall is they are rock solid in my pocket. It doesn’t matter if it is the plastic barrel Classic or something as strong as this stainless steel model. My pocket is where I carry the Sport most of the time, and despite all of the jostling around the cap stays secure and the ink never leaks from the nib.

Prior to the Steel model, the stock gray AL Sport was my favorite to use, and the Brass Sport was the best looking. The Steel sport is the best of both world for me.

For all of the Kaweco Sports I have used, I am experiencing something different with this one that I have with any other. When unscrewing the cap, I find the grip section gets loose - about 1/16th of a turn - on occasion. When the pen was brand new, I noticed at a higher rate than I do now. I think it’s just one of those metal on metal things that now I’ve started to break it in is getting better. It’s a minor thing, but I thought I’d point it out because I’ve used a lot of these pens and have never seen this.

This doesn’t affect the performance of the pen or my thoughts of this pen, but one thing with Kaweco sometimes can: The nib. The brand is known for sketchy quality control on their steel nibs, especially with what is referred to as a Baby’s Bottom. This causes skipping and poor line performance, and has plagued Kaweco for years. I almost never have a problem with my Kaweco nibs because I generally order them with extra fine nibs. You hear more reports of this issue with medium or broad nibs.

I’m happy to report the extra fine nib on my Steel Sport is perfect, but again, your mileage may vary.

To fill the Steel Sport, I used the Diamine 1864 Blue Black ink cartridges. I find Kaweco’s inks to be a little washed out, and there are a ton of short international cartridges on the market that I prefer.

Picking a Kaweco Sport comes down to personal preference. I find the experience of using one plus the portability of it keeps it at the top of my most used pens list. Plus, there are so many choices you are certain to find one in your price range that suits your style.

So, what’s next in the Sport lineup Kaweco? I’ll be anxiously waiting.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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TWSBI Classic Turquoise Fountain Pen Review

(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)

I must preface this review by saying that I came into it with the TWSBI jitters. I, like many others, have a TWSBI tragedy in my past, so when I am introduced to a new TWSBI, I always have one question on my lips: Are you going to break my heart? I've got baggage. But it doesn't stop my heart from fluttering at the sight of a snazzy new pen.

The TWSBI Classic isn't new, but it has been slightly redesigned. It now has two O-rings at the end, which are meant to allow the pen to post--which was one of the biggest issues reported by users of the previous design. It's a simple solution--but effective. The pen posts nicely and the cap feels secure. It does feel a little back-heavy to me when posted, but I have small hands. I can't speak, yet, to the longevity of those O-rings--but they should be fairly easy to replace, if needed.

The Classic has also been given some fresh, new colors to choose from--including this fetching turquoise. I love the color. The chrome accents and smooth octagon shape give the whole pen a sweet mid-century vibe. The bottom chrome of the piston knob is etched with "TWSBI Classic" and the finial has the red TWSBI logo. The clip is plain, and a little stiffer than I like, but at least it's sturdy. The center band has no decoration.

The cap unscrews to show metal threads cushioned with another O-ring. Above the threads is a clear, plastic ink window. The grip section and nib unit unscrews from this ink window. The section is turquoise plastic like the body, though that plastic sleeve slides off of the feed and nib unit. It's a narrow grip, but long, and comfortable to hold. The feed itself is the part that screws into the ink window, where the threads are carved into the inside of that clear plastic. This is the achilles heel of the pen. More on that later.

The disassembly of all these pieces makes the pen easy to clean--a very nice feature for a piston-fill pen. A few minutes of rinsing is all it takes, as opposed to the seemingly endless fill-and-purge routine that most piston pens require. The piston assembly itself is designed to be taken apart for maintenance, and the packaging includes the necessary wrench. The packaging also includes a small vial of silicone grease, which you are going to need immediately. More on that later.

The 1.1 stub nib on my pen was really nice right out of the box. It's a #4 Jowo nib (also available in EF, F, M, and B). It's smooth, but with a good bit of feedback. There's no dragging or scratching, and it starts up right away every time. It's just enough stubbiness to add character to my writing without being so bold that I can't use it for everyday tasks. It's not too wet, but doesn't feel dry. I'm very pleased with the nib--and that will keep me writing with this pen despite the issues I've had so far.

The main issue I encountered was that those plastic threads between the ink window and the feed leak. Like, a lot. Fill-the-cap-with-ink leaking. Open-it-over-your-notebook-and-ruin-the-page leaking. I've been able to slow it down by applying silicone grease to those threads--but when you apply it, be careful to only get the grease on the threads of the feed, and not on the part where ink needs to flow through. If grease gets inside the feed, it will likely be ruined. This isn't a huge undertaking as far as pen set-up goes, but there's nothing about the pen itself that indicates that this step should be necessary. And perhaps it won't be necessary on every pen--but I suspect it will on most. The threads are fairly shallow, and it's two different types of plastic coming together. Even with the grease, I'm finding the occasional bead of ink on the section. I don't mind inky fingers--I think they're stylish--but I would never put this pen in a pocket.

There is another foreboding element to the ink window that has me a little bit nervous. There is a visible seam in the plastic that goes right from the lip of the opening all the way through the threads. I can't tell if this is the actual seam from the molding of the plastic, or if it is the start of a hairline crack. It's this kind of plastic threads that have cracked on me before, so be careful to screw the feed in gently to avoid putting extra strain on the threads.

As it stands now, I can't complain--after a little tinkering, the pen works great. It's a good writer. At $52, it's a decent price for a piston-fill pen. It's not my favorite of the TWSBI designs, but it's cute and would be a nice piece for someone who doesn't care for demonstrators. I'm looking forward to continuing to use mine, and I'm keeping my fingers crossed that this'll be my TWSBI happily ever after.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Kaweco Special Fountain Pen in Brass: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Kaweco Special Fountain Pen in brass is indeed special—a definite step up from the usual plastic and aluminum offerings by the company. This pen is made of solid machined brass in the octagonal shape favored by the brand. The words “Kaweco Special FP Germany” are etched on one side.

The pen comes in a Kaweco tin and includes one blue cartridge.

The screw-on cap has a silver finial embedded in the dome-like top. There’s a grooved ring beneath this. These details give the pen a steampunk look that keeps it from being boring.

The bottom of the barrel has threads for posting the cap. However, I found that posting the cap made the pen too unwieldy. It is a nice detail for those who like to post their pens, and threaded posting means the cap will remain secure.

This pen came with a steel EF nib. It writes smoothly with no scratchiness at all, and the ink flows well.

I’ve bought several Kawecos, and all but two had absolutely horrible nibs. So, I was pleased to get one with a great nib.

The grip unscrews to allow access to the cartridge or converter.

There’s also a rubber ring at the base of the threads to insure that the cap seals well so the nib won’t dry out.

Although this pen is brass, it isn’t too heavy (the body weighs 20 grams). That’s because it is so thin. The grip is only 8.2mm wide and 15mm long, so there’s not much room for your fingers. The threads hit right where I normally position my fingers, and that is uncomfortable. I’ve been holding the pen by the barrel rather than the grip, but writing this way feels a bit awkward.

When you first open up the Kaweco Special, it is gloriously shiny, and the facets gleam in the light. But it doesn’t take much handling for the brass to show fingerprints. And, it only took a few days of use for a patina to form. That’s to be expected with a brass pen, and many people like the way brass looks with a patina. If you don’t, plan to polish your pen frequently.

Although I like the octagonal shape and the brass finish on the Kaweco Special, this is not the pen for me. It is much too thin. My hand starts cramping almost immediately, and long writing sessions are painful. Now that I’m in my 50s, I’ve found that I do better with larger pens. But that’s just me. I know many people prefer thinner pens and this is certainly a nice one.

You can purchase the Kaweco Special Fountain Pen from JetPens for $89.50.

Pros

• The Kaweco Special is a gorgeous brass fountain pen with Kaweco’s unique octagonal shape.
• The pen is balanced (unless you post it) and is not too heavy even though it is made of metal.
• The nib on this pen works well, but I’ve found Kaweco nib quality to vary from pen to pen.
• The rubber ring creates an airtight seal between the cap and the barrel when the pen is closed.

Cons

• The Kaweco Special comes with only one blue cartridge, so plan on buying more cartridges or a converter if you buy this pen.
• The pen is way too thin for my comfort, but as I said in the review, many people prefer slender pens.
• The brass doesn’t stay shiny for long, so you’ll either need to love patina or be willing to do a lot of polishing.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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