ATELEIA Craft + Design Brass Pen Review And Giveaway

I first noticed Chris Williams’ work when Mike Dudek got his hands on a very early prototype of what has become the ATELEIA Craft + Design Brass Pen and Leather Journal Kickstarter project. Chris reached out to me a few months back and sent a couple of prototypes my way to check out and I’m excited to see his project finally launch because this is a great pen.

The ATELEIA Brass Pen is an excercise in minimal design and quality craftmanship. The brass cylindrical barrel is a sight to behold. The clean lines are striking and the weight and feel of the pen are spot on. I use a Pilot Hi-Tec-C 0.25 mm blue black refill in mine, with other refill options possible such as the Pilot G2, Fisher Space Pen, and Schmidt 5888. More refill options are part of a stretch goal to add a new threaded insert which will fit the Uni-ball Signo lineup and more.

The shape of the pen makes it perfect for pocket carry, sliding in and out of your tightest hipster jeans with ease. Seeing the age and wear on mine after repeated use gives it a real sense of ownership and beauty too. This pen is an experience.

The only downside I can find with this pen is you will need a wrench or pliers to change the refill. And be careful too because the brass is soft and you don’t want to leave teeth marks. I recommend using a soft cloth between the pleirs and the nib. Luckily, this isn’t a dance you need to do very often.

Chris was nice enough to send me an extra pen and leather sleeve to give away to a reader of The Pen Addict. Here is how to get your own ATELEIA Brass Pen prototype before the Kickstarter wraps.

1. Leave one comment on this post anytime between now, and Monday night at 11:59 PM Eastern Time. You are limited to one entry. This contest is open to US and International readers.

2. For this contest, I will pick one winner at random from the comments section of this post. The comments will be numbered in the order they are received, i.e. the first comment is #1, the second #2, and so on. The Random Integer Generator at random.org will be used to pick the number of the winner.

3. The contest winner will be posted on Tuesday, September 23rd. The winner will have one week to email me via the Contact link at the top of the page.

Thank you to Chris for doing this and be sure to check his project out. Only 27 shopping days left!

Kaweco Eco Leather Pouch Review

I was a bit surprised when I saw the Kaweco Eco Leather Pouches pop up at JetPens. Kaweco has made larger, sturdier pen cases in the past, making these seem like a bit of an outlier. I was even unimpressed when I first opened the package for the Liliput 1 Pen Pouch. It seemed thin and flimsy and I was concerned it wasn't such a good deal at $18.50. I was wrong.

I chose the single Liliput pouch because 1. The Liliput needs a pouch more than the AL Sport and 2. My pens would touch in the two pen pouch. The Liliput is so small it tends to get lost in my pocket, but sliding it into this pouch has made it perfect for pocket carry. The leather is thin and soft, allowing it to form to the pen very well. It is also breaking in nicely, getting some nice wear, which all leather goods need.

I can see the use for the single sleeve Sport pouch, but that size of pen just goes straight into the pocket without issue for me. The two-pen pouches seem too large for the pocket but will be fine in a backpack or purse.

Bottom line: The Kaweco Eco Leather Pouch comes in more handy than I thought. My Brass Wave Liliput has found a new home.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)

Kaweco Skyline Sport Fountain Pen Review

I’ve long been a fan of the Kaweco Classic Sport fountain pen but it never made my daily rotation. I’m not the biggest fan of the gold colored nib and trim of the pen, after all. With the release of the new Kaweco Skyline Sport I can happily carry one of the best pocket pens on the market with fresh, new silver furniture.

Kaweco didn’t just just swap gold for silver and keep the barrel colors intact, they added Mint and Gray to the lineup, and also made Black available in the Skyline lineup. The blogosphere is in love with the Mint barrel - rightfully so - but I went with the more subdued Gray with an EF nib and couldn’t be happier.

If you are a fan of the Kaweco Classic you will be glad to know the nuts and bolts of the pen haven’t changed a bit. The same great design and functionality are found in the Skyline. It is a lightweight, compact pen when closed and full-sized for writing with the cap posted. It is easily comfortable enough to use all day.

What I like about the Skyline the most is that it is a no-frills pocket carry. The smooth plastic barrel just slides into your pocket, with no clip to snag on anything and no metal barrel to scratch up other items. It’s also cheaper than most pocket fountain pens so there is no fear in losing it.

The Kaweco Classic is a great all-around fountain pen and the Skyline fits right in to an already excellent lineup.

(JetPens is an advertiser on The Pen Addict and I received this product at no charge.)