Kaweco AL Sport

[troglokev]

The Kaweco AL Sport comes in a neat little plastic box, which opens to reveal a solid-looking chunk of aluminium, looking more like a screwdriver than a pen. Picking it up, you realise it's thickly anodised, and somewhat better made than its plastic brothers.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2650/3844145373_acf6751b10.jpg

 

The AL Sport looks more like something you'd find in a hardware store than a stationers, but it's a neat and simple design that looks good. There is a step in the barrel that fits an insert in the aluminium cap, and provides a stable and secure posting mechanism. I like these little pens with their unpretentious practicality.

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3448/3844145369_564735b455.jpg http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3542/3844145367_a59fee488e.jpg

 

The AL Sport is rather more substantial in the hand than the plastic version, and accordingly less flimsy. The threads operate smoothly, though this is a point that will need watching in a pen made from aluminium. Aluminium has a tendency to corrode and seize, so it may need to be protected with silicone O-ring grease at some point.

 

With the pen posted, it is a well-sized pen that fits nicely in the hand. It really does need to be used that way, as the barrel of the pen is quite short.

 

http://farm3.static.flickr.com/2525/3844145365_a0dcbe3b84.jpg

 

Popping in the cartridge revealed the pen to have good flow, and no nib issues. The nib is a steel one, that writes well: nothing fancy or elaborate, but it does the job. I wish my fancier and more elaborate nibs had performed this well straight out of the box!

 

http://farm4.static.flickr.com/3420/3844145363_43d2a9e78e.jpg

 

I should mention that the nib in my plastic Sport required a little tine alignment, but once that was done, it too was a good little writer.

 

The AL Sport is a cartridge filler only. You might be able to fit one of the smaller converters into it (such as the one made by Montegrappa). The pen is too short for a standard cartridge converter. A word of warning: don't even think of making an eyedropper pen out of anything made of aluminium. The plastic Sport is a great candidate for such things. This one isn't.

 

The AL Sport is more expensive than its plastic brethren, and it's clear that a good proportion of this has gone into better materials and build quality. As $60US, it remains a great value little pen.

 

The AL Sport is my ideal travel pen, being rugged and cheap, and a cartridge filler. Ink bottles are not great companions on an airplane. All in all, it's a nice little pen for the price.

 

A few words in praise of Swisher's service:

You learn more about a business when they are having problems getting something for you than when they just have to package a pen and send it off. That was the case with this pen, and Swisher's kept me informed of developments, and offered a refund when they were sent a batch of pens that had the wrong clips with them (which would scratch the aluminium). That this offer was unsolicited indicates a good business to deal with, in my view. I'd happily buy from Swisher's again.

 

(No affiliation apart from being a happy customer in difficult circumstances)

[kazoolaw]

I've always been interested in the aluminum version of this pen: thank you for a succinct and well done review.

gary

[adam11]

I don't think it looks likes screwdriver I have black plastic version that I bought in Berlin. Vintage predecessors of the pen with piston filler mechanism are quite nice.

[troglokev]

I also have a piston filler (a V16 with a very nice stubbish broad nib). The older pens, too, are well worth looking at.

 

Maybe screwdrivers look different in Europe...

[Yuki Onitsura]

Screwdrivers must look different in Europe because this pen looks like a screwdriver to me too.

 

Yuki

[adam11]

Well, it's true I didn't hold in my hands a real screwdriver for a long time, but my Kaweco sure doesn't look like one. Maybe our European tools are much sophisticated than tools in The New World

Edited August 23, 2009 by adam11

[PaulK]

I have the plastic version that I slip into my pockets on weekends. Wonderful lil' pen. Consistent writer, no start-up issues ever. I recall passing up a great deal on an AL version like yours with a kt. gold nib. Blast!!!! I figured they'd always come up on auction so decided to see if I liked the inexpensive model first.

 

Very nice review.

 

Paul

[troglokev]

Well, it's true I didn't hold in my hands a real screwdriver for a long time, but my Kaweco sure doesn't look like one. Maybe our European tools are much sophisticated than tools in The New World

Does Michel Audiard make screwdrivers, then? :blink:

[tmenyc]

wow, you have nice screwdrivers!

 

Tim

[adam11]

Does Michel Audiard make screwdrivers, then? :blink:

 

Nooo, don't be ridiculous... He's dead

[lovemy51]

nice! where d'you get it, at ACE hardware store? i have the plastic version in silver. i take around w/o the clip... very usefull, speacially when changing the screws on my sun glasses!

 

Well, it's true I didn't hold in my hands a real screwdriver for a long time, but my Kaweco sure doesn't look like one. Maybe our European tools are much sophisticated than tools in The New World

our tools here come from china!!!

[Zaphod]

To my eyes it looks like a screwdriver when it's posted.

 

But not the regular kind, but the ones that are electrically insulated with only a little metal showing. In that way it's safe for kids and people that don't read manuals to prod on things that possibly carry a current. Since we have a healthy 230 V in the wall sockets, such screwdrivers are fairly common here, though it's by no means the most common type.

 

edit: added "when it's posted".

Edited August 26, 2009 by Zaphod

[stevlight]

I Loved this pen--I say LOVED because i always had it in my pocket--then lost it!!!! I miss it.

[troglokev]

I Loved this pen--I say LOVED because i always had it in my pocket--then lost it!!!! I miss it.

A terrible tragedy! These are such fun little pens, and you do feel an attachment to them.

[professionaldilettante]

Hello everyone, I recently acquired an AL Sport, and was wondering what the proper way to post the pen without damaging it. I know that it's pretty durable as is, but I was wondering what the proper way to post the cap was. I either leave it loosely on the end of the pen, with it rotating around, but sometimes it gets annoying, so I gently push down on the cap, and it sticks. I don't know if it's because of the cap threads are running into the step at the end of the pen, or it's actually built that way. Either way, I just want to know that I'm not breaking the threads or messing up the finish by getting the cap to stick when posting.

[troglokev]

Gently push it down so that it sticks. You'll only do damage if you try to push push it beyond that point.

[professionaldilettante]

Thanks for the tip!

[LisaG]

Probably the most covertly beautiful pen I own. A very elegant design that is not obvious until you write with it.

[vero]

Just received one of these in black anodized aluminum for Christmas. So cool.

[RitaCarbon]

I Loved this pen--I say LOVED because i always had it in my pocket--then lost it!!!! I miss it.

I lost one in an airport in silver plastic. It was a tragedy. Kawecos are the best travel pens, they are designed for travel. They write well on high altitude too. Cartriges are also convinient to use.

I have now two plastic ones - a white and an orange - and love them dearly. The white one was accidentally laundered in a washing machine. It still writes great.

 

Thak you very much for such a nice review.