Kaweco AL Sport Stonewashed Roller Ball 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 Kaweco AL Sport is a classic, beautiful design that many of us love, but we also probably assume that we're talking about a fountain pen when that name comes up. Well, there's also a roller ball version of the pen, and it's pretty nice.

The Kaweco AL Sport Roller Ball is exactly what you might expect — it's the same as the normal fountain pen, but with a different section that uses a roller ball refill instead of the fountain pen nib. In fact, you can even swap the section out with other AL Sports if you want.

In my opinion, this is one of the best pocket carry pens out there. It's well made, durable, and has a refill that behaves better than most fountain pen nibs. Even better, it can accept the Schmidt capless refills. Yep, the same ones found in the Retro 51. Knowing that, this pen was an insta-purchase for me.

How does the pen perform? In many ways, it's the same as the regular fountain pen version, so I'll just summarize it with: it feels great in the hand, it's made of durable materials with high tolerances, and it can withstand a lot of punishment. With this particular version, the stonewashing effect means you don't have to worry about making that first scratch because there's already an infinite number of scratches on the pen from the factory. (I hope I'm not the only one who has a fear of making a first scratch on a new pen.)

If the body is the same as the fountain pen line, then the most important thing to consider here is the refill. I'll be honest with you — the Kaweco refill included with the pen is OK. It tends to skip every now and then and it doesn't fit in the pen perfectly. When writing, the refill moves a tiny bit and makes a noise that distracts me when writing. I like the refill to be snug when writing. And, the skipping can be a bit of an annoyance as well. Like I said, it's OK.

But, you have to also consider that the awesome Schmidt Capless refills work with this pen. Any Parker style refills will work this pen as well, but I'm a huge fan of the Schmidts. Most of us probably had our introduction to these refills from a Retro 51 of one kind or another, and you'll know immediately if you like it or not. Basically, the Schmidt refills are really smooth, dark, and skipless. I've never had problems with them hard-starting, skipping, or any other problems that sometimes come up with roller balls. They're really one of my favorite refills, and I'm really happy when a pen accepts them.

With that in mind, I whole-heartedly recommend this pen. Just remember to pick up a Schmidt P8126 or P8127 with your order. The combination of a comfortable, nearly indestructable pen with an awesome refill is what joy is made from. The price for the pen is a bit high, but you probably already know that this is a standard price for the Kaweco AL Sports, and it's certainly fair due to the materials and high quality craftsmanship that goes into them. If you're in the market for a great roller ball, definitely check them out!

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

*D* Rocket Titanium Oval Bolt Pen Prototype Review

Darriel Caston reached out to me a couple of months ago about his first Kickstarter project, the D Rocket Titanium Oval Bolt Pen. We exchanged emails, he shared his designs and thinking behind the pen, and a few weeks ago was able to ship me out a prototype, which I have put through the paces.

The primary design decision with the D Rocket was to keep the bolt as clean and flush with the side of the barrel as possible. Darriel succeeded in doing this by making the barrel an oval shape. This may be confusing to process, but the shape is subtle and in practice works quite well. I have a standard grip and I picked up the pen and was comfortably writing without hesitation.

The bolt action is smooth and snappy as well, a feature that is a must with this style of pen. It is easily workable with one hand, but something odd hit me after about the third click: The bolt is located in the left-handed position. Mike Dudek pointed out the same thing, so I'm glad I'm not crazy in thinking I've never used a bolt with this setup. It's not a deal breaker, but I have to flip the pen around to use it with the clip out after engaging the refill.

Materials wise, titanium is found in all the primary parts of the pen, making it a durable choice for EDC. I asked Darriel to send me the model with the D Rocket logo and laser markings to see how it would look on that type of finish and I like it. It gives the pen design a little extra pop.

The primary question with the D Rocket Oval Bolt boils down to this: Are titanium materials important to you? If so, this pen is well worth looking at. It fits Parker compatible refills, such as the Fisher Space Pen and the cool Ohto 0.5 needle ballpoint that shipped with mine, making it a durable, functional choice. If not, the aluminum Karas Kustoms Bolt or Maxmadco Bolt will save you a few bucks and suit your needs just fine.

My thanks to Darriel Caston for sending this pen over for review. If you like what you see be sure to check out the Kickstarter project for more details.

Sakura Kakikata Felt Tip Pen Review

The Sakura Kakikata gets it done with simplicity. No bells, no whistles, no frills, Just excellent performance at a fair price. What more can you ask for?

The Kakikata looks like a throwback to marker pens from the 70's and 80's that you would find by the dozen in some beat up box in an office supply closet or desk. They may have even had dust on them when you saved them, but after popping the cap off and scribbling a few test lines you knew you were on to something. Where is the love for a simple pen like this?

This is another one of those pens where I'll take two or three of them, stash them in the places I like to write, pick up from time to time, and remember how nice it is to write with. The fine felt tip is clean and sharp, and the lines are dark. The ink is water and fade resistant too, so artists will enjoy them as well.

Will this pen replace the Pigma Micron, Uni Pin, or some of my other favorite art pens? Not likely, but its a fun pen and a reminder that you don't need much to make something awesome.

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