Review With Field Test Report: Kaweco Classic Sport With Extra Fine Nib

[butangmucat]

I happened to travel to New York to visit several colleges and before the first visit started, I had some time to visit the Fountain Pen Hospital to look around and got this Kaweco Classic Sport with an extra fine nib. I got the Classic Sport because of the gold-plated nib and a much cheaper price while offering a performance similar to the much higher-end products of this line. Because I am travelling, I will not give a full writing sample with Lipsum and some Chinese text, but I will show you some notes that I have taken in this trip (but please just ignore the content).

 

Appearance & Design: 10

 

http://img.vim-cn.com/6c/bd2cd9b89d997c8b1c5d12ef9fa739933989e3.jpg

 

This pen has a blue plastic finish and a gold clip that you can take off. Though plastic, this pen does not feel cheap at all. It feels very comfortable when being held and I am happy with carry with it when I am out.

 

Construction & Quality: 9

 

Though a plastic pen, the Sport feels good. It might be not as sturdy or robust as the Soyuz I have reviewed, but when I hold it, I can feel that it is a pen that can take some slightly harsh environments. The details have been fine-tuned, and the craftsmanship is something that is worth appreciating.

 

Weight & Dimensions: 7

 

The Sport is a small pen. It is barely usable when unposted, but when posted it has a descent size that even I who have relatively large hands found suitable. This pen is light and does not become a burden when I carry it in my pocket.

 

Nib & Performance: 8

 

http://img.vim-cn.com/50/fd8d7428bcb87d6843959ba0c1bd96ba48d997.jpg

 

http://img.vim-cn.com/43/24d2b85090c1e3de41c677f397ee7921953a72.jpg

 

Notes taken without a table. Ink: Private Reserve Naples Blue (International Short); Paper: Clairefontaine Triomphe

 

This is an extra fine nib, German standard. It may seem to be a bit wet, but as Brian Goulet from Ink Nouveau pointed out in his review of Clairefontaine Triomphe, the drying time of certain inks including Private Reserve can be longer than normal. I will see if this is a problem present on other papers.

 

There is a little feedback from this nib. I haven't tried papers other than this and the cheap notepaper provided by my hotel. This nib performs well on both and it is definitely not scratchy (though the staff warned me about this possibility). Overall, this is a very good nib at its price range. The gold plating may also helped a little.

 

Filling System & Maintenance: 7

 

I currently use this pen with international short cartridges because I am travelling. However, there is an official aromatic converter and I have also bought a mini piston converter that hopefully works. The problem is that it cannot hold a lot of ink.

 

It is possible to disassemble this pen and there are YouTube videos. However, I have not tried this yet.

 

Cost & Value: 9

 

This pen costed $29 with the clip and an extra $5 for the converter at the Fountain Pen Hospital. At this price range, I would say this is definitely a very good deal. You get a gold-plated nib that performs excellent even though it is an extra fine. It is a descent pen at a very good price.

 

This is another pen that I might out in my shirt pocket. I really love it and it is light enough for me to carry around. It might a bit small, but believe me, this small pen has a lot in it and I will probably take it with my Soyuz to my prom or visit today.

Edited April 11, 2015 by butangmucat

[butangmucat]

I meant this pen is not scracthy but I made a mistake. I will correct this when I can use my laptop.

Fixed.

Edited April 11, 2015 by butangmucat

[Frank C]

Thanks for the review. I have one of the older models. They are great pens for the price. Good luck with your choice of colleges. You are embarking on a great adventure!

[masterguns]

Nice review. Thanks. I have two Kaweco Sports (burgundy and demonstrator) as well as the AL sport. Simply put, these pens are cool and convenient. The AL Sport is nearly always with me in the rotation. Love that thing. I have nibs in F, M, and 1.1 stub. The F and M are pretty much identical in the line they put down. The 1.1 is a great nib, and is the one I use most often. I've considered getting an EF, but have been too happy with the 1.1 to be honest. All three of my pens are reliable writers. I highly recommend them to anyone in the market for a cool pocket pen.

[ENewton]

I have several other fountain pens but recently bought a Kaweco Sport (F) to have with me when I travel. A few minutes ago I was writing a short note with it and reflected that if it had been the first fountain pen I ever tried, twenty years ago, I would never have become a regular fountain pen user. In particular, I find I have to maintain so much pressure on the nib to keep the ink flowing that even though the pen is of very light weight, my hand quickly tires. Maybe I have simply been using fountain pens for so long that having to push when I write is strange and uncomfortable.