(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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