Dual Pen Review

[mikehodgman]

Dual Pen Review – Kaweco Al Sport and Sheaffer 300

 

Dual Pen Review! Why review these two pens at the same time you ask? Well, I picked them up at the same time, so two birds with one stone. Plus they are definitely very different pens and it is interesting to contrast the two. I got the Kaweco from Jetpens and the Sheaffer from Goulet Pens. I can’t say enough about both companies. They are awesome. My Sheaffer went on closeout the next week after I bought it and Goulet Pens gave me store credit for the difference. They are awesome! Have I said they are awesome?

 

I’ll start with the Kaweco first. To tell you the truth, I was not very interested in this pen at first. I have only just begun collecting fountain pens and this one was not very high on my list. A couple things changed this, I read some fantastic reviews on the pen and I also realized that I don’t have many fountain pens that I really want to carry around (don’t want to scratch or break them). So, into the online cart it goes (fine nib by the way).

 

When it arrived I immediately loved the tin it comes with. What a great package! I’ll have to find some other uses for that…. When I pulled it out of the cool tin, wow…. It is a pretty small pen. I realized it was small from the reviews, but it is pretty tiny. I popped a cartridge in and posted the cap and was surprised how nicely it fit into my hand. It was a little small, but not uncomfortable. I was also impressed by how well crafted the pen was. Very nicely made, everything seems to fit so precisely.

 

How does it write!?!? At first, not so well. I was a little irked because the pen seemed to skip around. The line was very unstable, but the nib was very smooth. Fortunately, after a little while, the nib seemed to break in and it wrote great. Wonderful smooth nib. I popped it into my pocket and carried it around for a day with no problems. It really is a perfect, simple pen that is easy to carry around and not worry about. Plus, it is a wonderful writer.

 

The next day, the Sheaffer shows up in the mail! I got this pen, pretty well for the opposite reason of the Kaweco. I just really loved the way this pen looked. It is a fantastic looking pen. It’s one I wanted to take to work and use around the office. There were some mixed reviews, but I was convinced enough to give it a try. Plus, I liked that it was an American company (I know the darned thing is made in China though).

 

I pulled this one out of the box and immediately loved the way it looked. I liked the weight to it and also really liked that it was not a screw on top (it kind of annoys me). The cap is ridiculously heavy, but since I usually don’t post the top much, the weight of the pen minus the cap was just fine.

 

How does it write!?!? Pretty darn good. I filled it up with Noodler’s Bad Blue Heron (love that color) and tried it out. No issue with warming up. Line was pretty crisp and was perfect sized for me. Only problem was that it wasn’t as smooth as the Kaweco and it has a tendency to dry up pretty quickly if you stop writing and then it takes a second to start up again. Not unhappy at all with the performance of the nib, but it did not blow my mind or anything. I really enjoyed writing with it though.

 

Conclusion – Two fantastic pens that I love for totally different reasons. The Kaweco performs wonderfully and it is very durable and utilitarian. The Sheaffer looks fantastic and writes great. It is a pen I will use around the office with pride. Two great pens I am happy to add to my collection.

[tomgartin]

Thanks for the review! I had a similar experience with the Kaweco (mine is black) and didn't expect to like it so much. With a syringe to refill the cartridge I think it's a good competitor to the Lamy Safari as a beginner/knockaround pen. Glad you're enjoying yours.

Edited August 3, 2012 by tomgartin

[goldiesdad]

Thanks for the review ... I just ground my Keweco Broad nib into an Oblique ... you are right a great writer ...

[Silvermink]

I've got a 300 and a regular Kaweco Sport clear demonstrator. I think I prefer the latter overall but they're both pretty decent pens.