(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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