Kaweco AL Sport Piston Filler 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 Bluesky. And her latest book, The Atropine Tree, is now available!)

One of my favorite things to do is wander off to someplace scenic and then write a lot when I get there. Writing at home, where the dishes and laundry and cats and children are all competing for my attention, is nearly impossible for me these days. Really, I can write anywhere but at home, but good scenery helps. It's nice to have something pretty to look at as I stare into the distance for extended thinky time, which is 60% of the writing time.

But writing on the go has a conundrum. Pocket-sized pens are much more portable and easy to take on the go. BUT pocket-sized pens commonly do not hold much ink. I have a few trusty eyedropper pens that have served me well in these cases, but I was very excited when I learned that Kaweco was releasing a piston filler version of their pocket pen. I already love Kaweco pens, but a Kaweco with a built-in ink tank? Be still my heart.

I finally got my hands on one, and the verdict is: why do other pens even exist? That's a silly question, of course--I love all my other pens, also, and I wish I could write with every single one of them every single day. But this one really is the perfect "run away and write lots" pen. I believe we will have many adventures together.

Our first adventure was a few weeks ago at an all-day write-in at a winery in the middle of the countryside. The setting was gorgeous, the words were flowing, and this pen was a champ.

The Kaweco piston filler comes in two models, the Classic, which is made of plastic, and the AL, or aluminum model. I chose the aluminum one for its durability. It has the characteristic Kaweco Sport shape with the cylindrical body and hexagonal, long cap that covers most of the pen. The cap posts securely to make a normal length pen, though I prefer to write with it unposted. This model has a built-in clip, which delights me. It's the same design as their add-on clips, but this one won't slip off--though you can remove it by unscrewing the finial, if you want. The aluminum body is anodized a matte black and all the finishes are in gold tones, which gives it a very elegant look.

The grip section is slightly shaped for good grip, and behind the grip and threads is an acrylic ink window so you can see how much ink you have left.

At the bottom of the pen is a cap that unscrews to reveal the piston knob. I really like this design. While the cap is a small piece you need to keep track of, keeping the piston knob covered prevents any accidental twisting that could result in ink spillage.

The pen has a gold plated steel nib. Mine is an EF, and it glides. It is so smooth, with just the perfect amount of flow. It's a fantastic writer. It never skipped or stopped for the entire five hours of writing I did at this retreat. It was the perfect pen for the day.

I received the starter set version of this pen, so it came in a beautiful presentation tin with a bottle of Kaweco's classic blue ink, which I was more than happy to fill it with. It's a lovely true blue and looks fantastic in the pen and on the page. The Starter Set AL Sport Piston Filler sells for $170 at JetPens, while the pen alone sells for $160.50. The Classic version in plastic costs $70. It's available in XF, F, M, B, and BB. And with this ink capacity, you could actually rock that BB. The prices all seem quite fair, in line with other Kaweco models. A regular AL Sport costs $76, so it makes sense that the added complexity and convenience of the piston model would be higher.

This pen has been my daily pen since it was inked, and I still haven't had to refill it. This is going to be the perfect pen to take on longer trips without having to worry about running out of ink. There are a plethora of writing events coming up throughout the rest of the year, along with my usual November writing retreat and one long work trip. Kaweco will be my trusty sidekick.

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

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Little Hollow Customs “Mistress” Fountain Pen Review

One of my favorite things about attending pen shows is getting to meet new makers, and hear their ideas for the products they are producing. I’ve been able to talk to Em and Logan, the makers behind Little Hollow Customs (and their awesome daughters as well!) a couple of times over the past year, and getting to see their work grow in that short amount of time has been fun to see.

At the 2025 Washington D.C. Fountain Pen SUPERSHOW last month, I couldn’t help but be taken by the variety of pens I saw at their table. The beautifully crafted, polished, and finished acrylic pens are merely the start, with various sections, barrel bands, and metal finishes - even full metal options - make you stop, pick up, and then ask “tell me about this one.”

Hearing how makers describe what they do gives me life. And I’m not just talking about pen makers. People who are the most passionate about what they make - stickers, notebooks, inks, pens, any and all stationery - make the best products. It’s obvious, right?

It’s obvious to me with the Mistress, the uniquely named fountain pen that I’m reviewing today (read more about the name here), that details matter to Little Hollow Customs. With acrylic pens, I’m looking for a consistent polish, smooth threading, and a few “extras” that can set one pen apart from the other. For example, the little dimple on the end of the barrel is a nice touch. It changes nothing about the performance of the pen, and if it wasn’t there it would be a non-issue, but is one of those extras I notice, and enjoy.

SQUIRREL!

The dimple discussion is burying the lede on what I like the most about this pen: the metal grip section. The material is Nickel Silver, and provides the exact feel I’m looking for in a pen. I like front-weighted pens, so metal sections are my jam, and this one is shaped perfectly. There is a moderate concave into a flared out section before the nib, allowing my fingers to settle in to write.

The barrel band is a nice added touch, in matching Nickel Silver, along with a finial disc with their SQUIRREL! logo. Another small detail, often overlooked, is a ledge cut inside the cap to rest against the grip section when capping the pen to help keep extra air out around the nib. In addition, the cap only takes a half-turn to uncap, so those who need quick access will be happy.

The barrel material is Carolina Pen Company Primary Manipulation 5, and the sparkles in the acrylic pop against the metal accents. I chose Bungubox Sanctuary Blue to ink up the Jowo #6 1.1 mm stub nib, which features a second SQUIRREL! The Mistress is as nice to write with as it is to look at.

The highest compliment I can pay makers is that they “get it.” I think Em and Logan, and Little Hollow Customs, certainly do, and I can wait to see what they come up with next. Like a piston-filler.

(Little Hollow Customs provided this product at no charge 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!

My Pen Picks for San Francisco Show & Tell

(Kimberly (she/her) took the express train down the fountain pen/stationery rabbit hole and doesn't want to be rescued. She can be found on Instagram @allthehobbies because there really are many, many hobbies!.)

One of the best parts of pen shows (or any pen gathering) is the opportunity to try other people’s pens. It’s neat to see how other pens look and feel and maybe find a new pen or grind to add your wishlist. It’s just as important (if not, more so) to discover things you might not like - maybe a pen’s grip section is too small, or it is too light or too heavy, or doesn’t fit right in your hand.

With the San Francisco Pen Show this weekend and a lot of empty slots in the currently inked pen binder to fill, I wanted to pick some pens that would be cool for folks to check out and try. Here are some of the criteria I used (in no particular order):

• Nib - Is there something particularly interesting or uncommon about the nib? Maybe it’s been ground, or it is flexy, or a less common ultra extra fine.
• Grinds - Yes, I know I mentioned it above, but more specifically, is there variety in the grinds I’m picking?
• Size - Rather than picking the “typically sized” pens, I like to have pens in different sizes, lengths, girth, grip sections, weights, etc.
• Materials/finish - Is there something different about the pen material itself? A cool resin/blank? Ebonite? Urushi?
• Newer release - When possible, I try to ink up the more recent acquisitions, especially if it’s something that people have been wondering about.
• Less common - This might be a lesser known brand or model, or a hard to find, “grail”-type of pen.

I won’t bore you with the contents of the 48-pen binder, but here are some of the especially fun ones I picked out:

Don’t worry, there are more than these for folks to try at the SF Show during after hours! (Pens are shown, left to right, in the order listed below.)

• Sailor Pro Gear Mini, Crimson - This has the same girth as the Pro Gear, as well as the 21k gold nib, but in a shorter form factor. This has the older screw-to-post barrel (current models post as usual). You can either use Sailor cartridges or their mini converter.

• Aurora Alpha - I bought this at the St Louis Pen Show because I didn’t know about this model which was released in the early 90s. This model also has an interesting grip that I’d never seen before either.

• Platinum 3776 Carnelian - I recently got this stacked Coarse nib (done by Gena Salorino of Custom Nib Studio). The gold colored nib doesn’t match the Carnelian’s silver trim, but it fits in this pen’s Music nib housing (the Music nib is sitting at home sulking). You’ve gotta try writing with it!

• Red Dragon pen with Regalia Writing Labs Trilogy nib - This is one of Ralph Reyes’ Trilogy nibs from ~2019 and is a triple stacked nib that writes wickedly broad on the regular and fine on the reverse. The gorgeous vintage material that Brian Chu of Red Dragon Pen Co used can’t be captured in photos.

• Leonardo Momento Zero with Stylosuite X-Wing Harpoon nib - This is one of my absolute favorite flex nibs and it’s made by Les Sheely of Stylosuite. I almost always have this nib inked up.

• Lamy 2000 with BB Architect/Slightly Stubby Medium Fine on the reverse - This is probably hands down, my favorite nib that Gena has ever done for me (and they’ve done a lot!). Architects aren’t usually my favorite grind (I”m a cursive italic fan) but Gena’s architects are great and this one on a former blob of a BB nib is perfect for my high angle, with the added bonus of a slightly stubbish line on the reverse.

• Pilot x Bungubox Custom 823 - It’s an 823, but more importantly, it’s a colorful 823! Made for Bungubox’s 10th anniversary two years ago, I believe only 200 pens were made. I was fortunate to make it on the waiting list and to have my name called on my birthday - it was definitely a sign! I also like to ink it up around show time because I get to show it to Kaoru of Bungubox at the show!

• Schon x Custom Nib Studio Sashiko fountain pen - This pen was released mid-last month, love the combination of this pen being a result of two good friends’ collaboration, the cross pattern on black ultem, and the Broad Journaler nib.

• ST Dupont Line D Large, Firehead Guilloche Ocean Blue - ST Dupont is not a super common brand, but it has the best snap cap out there, and their nibs write like buttah. And this one is gorgeous, and blue, and has some heft too. Lots of stuff to try in one pen.

Look at the detail of the guilloche AND the scalloped edge of the nib!

• Waterman Carene - If you like inlaid nibs, the Carene is definitely something to check out. I love the look of this nib and it writes so nicely too!

• Pelikan M815 Blue Stripes - Y’all know I love my birds, so when this pen was announced, I had to get it. It’s blue, it’s a Pelikan, and it’s got the metal stripes which makes it heavier than the regular M80x.

• Pilot Myu - The Myu isn’t a pen you get to see every day, and this one has a Medium nib, which is even less common.

• Montblanc 146 and Pilot 823 - Two great writers made even better with urushi and raden work by Hiroko Makino of Bokumondoh. (I’m bringing others too!)

• Krusac L-15, Purple Heartwood with Regalia Writing Labs Sequel - I’ve been meaning to ink up this Krusac again because most folks have never tried a pen made from wood. I paired it with a stacked nib which writes fine on the regular and mega broad on the reverse.

These aren’t the only pens I’ll have with me - the rest of the 48-pen binder will be filled with inky goodness too. So come find me if you want to try these or any of the pens I’m bringing. Your best bet is to find me after dinner, usually not too far from the bar, lol :-) I’m so looking forward to seeing/meeting folks at the SF Pen Show this weekend!

(Disclaimer: All pens pictured are my own, aka, not sent in for review, etc.)