Kaweco Collection Liliput Green Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

It's been quite a while since I've tried out a new Kaweco, let alone a Liliput. I've been so pleased with the steel and copper variants in my collection that I almost forgot about the original aluminum models. Even better, there are more colors than last time I looked!

The Kaweco Liliput in Green is a beauty. It features the same small size and feel as the original, but in a cheery medium green colorway. Compared to the standard black and silver, this one is pretty exciting. I've had it on my desk for a couple weeks just because I like how it looks so much.

The Liliput uses the same nib system as the Sport, AL Sport, and other popular models. If you have customized nib units, you can easily swap them between one another. The fine point that came with my pen worked great out of the box. It lays down a smooth, crisp line and starts up immediately when I'm ready to use it. If you've used Kaweco steel nibs in the past, this one is no different.

The Liliput comes with a standard blue cartridge, but I opted to use Diamine Meadow with a Kaweco mini piston cartridge converter. The mini converter is still too long to fit the Liliput with the piston plunger fully extended, so I only extended it about halfway to ensure there was enough space to prevent any leaks once the section was screwed into the body. So far, it's worked great!

The Liliput is a unique size that I really enjoy carrying and using. It's a robust and dependable pocket pen, but it's also a pretty and simple piece of metal. The small size, limited branding (just a Kaweco logo on top of the cap), smooth ends, and crisp threads make this pen a joy to use, handle, and look at.

One thing you'll have to do prior to buying a Liliput (assuming you think the small size is suitable for your use) is pick a material and color. This green aluminum colorway really makes me happy, but there are several other Liliput options that I've either collected already or want to collect in the future. In aluminum, you can pick from black, silver, or green. In copper, you can pick a plain barrel or a wavy barrel. I have the wavy barrel and love it. My personal favorite, the stainless steel version, is a little heavier and feels perfect for my writing balance. And, at some point I'd love to grab a special Fireblue variant. If you think the Liliput is a bit too small for your taste, you can get the same shape and design in a larger package with the Supra, which is another favorite of mine.

The Kaweco Liliput isn't for everyone, but it definitely has fans! This little pen might look diminutive, but it's very capable. At $60, it's a little pricey for a pocket pen, but the materials and fit and finish more than justify the price tag for me. If you're looking for a pocket fountain pen, the Liliput at least needs to be in your list of considerations.

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

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Pilot Kakuno Transparent Green Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Pilot Kakuno was introduced several years ago at this point, and I'm embarrassed that it took me this long to try one out for myself. With a collection of Pilot Metropolitans and Platinum Preppys, I just didn't see a reason to add another low end fountain pen to an already unwieldy collection. But in the same way that I keep adding Kaweco Sports and Lamy Safaris to my collection, the Pilot Kakuno just has a unique and amazing feel all its own. This Transparent Green Pilot Kakuno has really impressed me so far.

The Kakuno is a fairly small and lightweight pen, but don't let it fool you. This pen is also sturdy and ready for every day shenanigans. The transparent plastic is vibrant and resistant to fingerprints. While this pen may cost three times more than a Platinum Preppy, it also feels at least three times more durable. The cap is held to the pen with a snap fit mechanism that feels nice to use and also does a great job at keeping the cap in place. The cap can easily post on the back of the pen, and due to the light weight, it doesn't really change the balance of the pen when posted. The cap also doesn't have a clip, but it does have a couple of nubs that keep the pen from rolling away.

Compared to the Metropolitan, the Kakuno is a little thicker overall since it doesn't taper like the Metropolitan. The grip section is a good diameter for my fingers and I feel like the grip is incredibly comfortable for my low three-finger grip. The grip section has a triangular shape similar to a Lamy Safari, but it's not as noticeable as the Lamy version. For my grip, it fits my fingers well and feels secure.

The nib of the Kakuno is pretty much the same nib that you'll find in the Metropolitan or even the Prera. And that's a great thing — the fact that Pilot include this excellent steel nib in their entry level fountain pen is fantastic. The only real difference with the Kakuno nib is the branding — it has a happy smiley face on the nib along with the size designation. Out of the box, my copy worked perfectly. It's smooth, responsive, and the lines are super crisp. If there's one thing I love about Pilot, it's how consistent they are when it comes to nib performance. To this day, I've never had an issue with a Pilot nib needing any kind of tweaking or adjustments out of the box — they just write as intended.

The Kakuno comes with a single black ink cartridge. This is par for the course, but I wish Pilot included a more exciting ink cartridge color to match the pretty transparent blue-green pen body. You can use a Pilot cartridge converter (like the CON-40 or CON-70) with this pen, which makes it easy to use whatever ink you'd like to use, but I wish it came with a blue ink cartridge.

It's a shame I waited all these years before trying the Kakuno. It's really a world-class fountain pen, and the fact that you can pick one up for less than $13 is incredible. This makes for a great gift, a great foray into the fountain pen world, or a great treat for yourself when you want to throw a new reliable pen into the mix. You can pick from EF, F, and M nibs, and several fun colors. Don't be like me — try one out sooner than later!

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

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Kaweco Premium Steel Fountain Pen Nib Review

When the Kaweco Premium Steel Fountain Pen Nib launched last year, my initial reaction was “the what now?” What is this? What is Kaweco saying about their current offerings? Is it worth the premium price for the premium nib? Who is this for? Is it any good? After spending a few months with this nib I am ready to tackle these questions.

I want to start with performance and quality first. Is the Kaweco Premium nib any good? I ordered the steel nib in extra fine, and it has been nothing but great right out of the box. The line is clean and sharp, while retaining its smoothness. I’ve used it exclusively in my Kaweco Steel Sport (which apparently I love so much I’ve reviewed it twice,) and I’ll readily admit it is better than the stock steel extra fine nib that it ships with. It should be.

So, what do you do with this information? For most Kaweco users, nothing. I’m guessing that the $25 Classic Sport-and related options-is far and away Kaweco’s best selling pen. It is good quality for a good price, and is a good choice for first time fountain pen buyers.

And the crowd chants “If you get a good nib!”

Stock nib quality control has been a long-time Kaweco issue, with the main culprit being the phenomenon pen users refer to as Baby’s Bottom. Jeff covered this issue, and how to fix it, because of the frustration his AL Sport nib was giving him. Unfortunately, his situation is not unique.

Kaweco Premium Steel EF, top, vs. Standard Steel.

With this being a recurring theme for the popular German pen maker, you would think they would address the issue directly. Maybe they have, as I hear fewer stories of bad out-of-the-box experiences, but that’s anecdotally speaking. There is still a dice-roll feel to ordering a Kaweco pocket pen of any style.

Kaweco Premium Steel EF, top lines, vs. Standard Steel writing comparison. The Premium nib is clearly wetter and smoother, which led to a nicer line than the drier stock EF nib.

What if I told you that you could guarantee a better writing experience on your $25 fountain pen by adding on a $45 nib? For starters, I’d feel like I’m being played for a fool. By introducing their Premium Nib lineup, Kaweco is telling me that their stock nibs aren’t good enough. That’s a marketing problem, but admittedly, only to obsessives like myself. A large majority of first-time Kaweco Sport buyers will have no idea this product exists. I just cross my fingers that they get a good nib, and their first foray into fountain pens isn’t ruined by a bad one.

Marketing aside, Kaweco did create a premium product that the aforementioned obsessives like myself will enjoy. Once. That is what the Premium Nib is to me. What exactly makes this nib premium? According to Kaweco, the tipping is larger, and each nib is hand-finished, giving these nibs a smoother, more consistent writing experience. Based on my experience, I concur with all of that. I’m glad to have this nib, and it will be in heavy use, likely over any other non-modified Kaweco nib I own.

If you have several Kaweco fountain pens that fit the smaller #5 nib, it would be worth buying a Premium nib to use interchangeably with your favorite pen barrels. I don’t think it would be worth it to change out all of your Kaweco steel nibs to Premium Steel nibs. Even though they are so easy to swap out, it doesn’t make financial sense.

Kaweco has also determined that it doesn’t make financial sense for them to improve their stock steel nibs, so this is the price you have to pay for better quality control.

For a full writing breakdown, check out this wonderfully thorough Yoseka Stationery comparison post.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!