(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
There's no denying how prevalent the design of the Kaweco Sport is in the stationery world. There are several different models of the Sport that all feature the same faceted barrel and minimal style. It's a thing of beauty, and I'd bet that most fountain pen fans have at least one in their collection. But what if you're not a huge fan of the pocket pen size, the lack of a clip, or the small nib that comes on the Sport models? In that case, the Kaweco Original Fountain Pen is meant for you.
The Kaweco Original is a modern take on a classic design that looks like a Sport model has been stretched a bit to a more standard length. Oh, and it has a clip built in to the cap. The chrome accents against the matte black body are classic Kaweco all the way, and those facets on the body and cap remind you of all the Kaweco Sport models that came before it.
The branding on the pen is normal for Kaweco; there's a "Kaweco Original Germany" stamped on the side of the body, "Kaweco" is stamped into the clip, and the top finial has the traditional "Kaweco" split into three parts in a circle pattern. This is all standard for all of Kaweco's pens (as long as the pen also has a clip. The nib also features the round logo stamp along with a nib size indicator and some minimal scroll work around the edge of the nib shoulders. All of this is right in line with all the other pens in Kaweco's lineup.
Aside from the additional length, there's one other major difference with this pen compared to other Kaweco pens — the nib size. Most Kaweco pens comes with their 060 size steel nib, which is the smaller sized nib that fits the Sport models quite well. The 250 nib size on this pen is quite a bit larger, but fits the longer and wider body perfectly. I've seen this nib on the Supra, and I know a couple other models come with it, but it's still somewhat hard to find on Kaweco pens. It's a $25 upcharge, but I think it's totally worth it. The nib was buttery smooth out of the box, and the writing experience is great. I've taken to writing without posting the cap since there's a good balance with just the pen body due to the extra length.
Another thing that the longer body affords us is the ability to use a standard size cartridge converter! Another rarity with many Kaweco models, you will have no problems popping a standard converter in here to use your favorite inks. I opted for a Kaweco cartridge this time around, but I tested the fit with a converter to be sure. I've tried all the small Kaweco converter, and they either don't work well, don't hold enough ink to be worth the hassle, or they're just fiddly and unreliable compared to cartridges. Being able to use a standard converter is fantastic. I just wish Kaweco included one in the box at this price.
The Kaweco Original with the larger 250 nib comes in a $125 (the smaller 060 variant is $105.50). The Kaweco AL Sport starts at around $76, and I think the Original is fairly priced given the additional body length, the larger cap and clip, and then of course the large 250 nib. You can save a few bucks with the 060 model, but I'd strongly urge you to go with the large 250. It's perfect on this pen.
You can pick one of these up with an EF, F, M, or B nib in either the 250 or 060 nib size, but matte black with chrome trim is the only color option. If you enjoy the timeless design of the Kaweco Sport but want a little longer body, this is the pen made for you!
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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