Delike Alpha (Kaweco Brass Sport Clone) Modifications And Review

[bass1193]

I just got two of these in today from an eBay seller. Spent $15.50 US on each. I also have a Brass Sport that I love and use daily. My overall impression of them is surprisingly good, and it amuses me that the plastic sleeves they were packed in inside the box are printed with the admonition "PRODUCT OF HERO PROHIBIT TO IMITATE". So rich!

 

Also, comparing the two, the Brass Sport's cap is also plastic-lined. It's one piece, unlike the Delikes, but still this does mean that they're plastic threads in the cap and metal on the barrel.

 

I was planning on stripping the laquer from the Delikes, but I want to test the lead content before I do. Chinese brass is notorious for having a high lead content.

[Alric]

I just got two of these in today from an eBay seller. Spent $15.50 US on each. I also have a Brass Sport that I love and use daily. My overall impression of them is surprisingly good, and it amuses me that the plastic sleeves they were packed in inside the box are printed with the admonition "PRODUCT OF HERO PROHIBIT TO IMITATE". So rich!

 

Also, comparing the two, the Brass Sport's cap is also plastic-lined. It's one piece, unlike the Delikes, but still this does mean that they're plastic threads in the cap and metal on the barrel.

 

I was planning on stripping the laquer from the Delikes, but I want to test the lead content before I do. Chinese brass is notorious for having a high lead content.

 

If you test the lead content, would you mind sharing the results ? I stripped the lacquer from mine, but I'm concerned about that issue as well.

[zubzub]

Does this pen dry out like Jinhaos if you don't use it for 2-3 days?

[richila]

Does this pen dry out like Jinhaos if you don't use it for 2-3 days?

No, I have left it for more than a week and it starts right up.

[Honeybadgers]

I quite like the finish on the pen.

 

I got the bent nib for it and love the pen. it's actually been altering as my work daily carry with the lamy 2000, and in a lot of ways I like the delike more.

 

Only issues are the clip wasn't secure enough, but I just bent it tighter with pliers and it's good now, and the converter started leaking after a month or so, so I just popped a new one in. But it writes like a dream and will not dry out!

 

I've left it for two weeks and it started right up. One of the best pens china's made.

Edited September 22, 2017 by Honeybadgers

[maximme]

HELP
my Delike cap is now freely spinning cause the thread on the cap
is NOT on the cap itself but a plastic ring.
Somehow the ring has worked itself loose within the cap.....

[Tefolim]

the nib were considered as hero's product in china.

[Dip n Scratch]

I was tempted by a Kaweco Sport, but seduced by the Delike Alpha.

The inscription is cringe-making. Why on earth did they do that?

I don't know whether to whip the engraving off that flat with wet 'n dry or paint it so it looks less offensive

 

Is the nib & feed a standard size? Just in case I ever found the thing delivered a line width that was too fine I could stuff in a Bock nib and still have a good pen for half that of the genuine brass Kaweco Sport.

 

PS: Did you get around to testing the brass for lead content?

Edited March 29, 2018 by Dip n Scratch

[taike]

I was tempted by a Kaweco Sport, but seduced by the Delike Alpha.

The inscription is cringe-making. Why on earth did they do that?

I don't know whether to whip the engraving off that flat with wet 'n dry or paint it so it looks less offensive

 

Is the nib & feed a standard size? Just in case I ever found the thing delivered a line width that was too fine I could stuff in a Bock nib and still have a good pen for half that of the genuine brass Kaweco Sport.

 

PS: Did you get around to testing the brass for lead content?

 

I dutifully stripped off the lacquer and after a certain amount of time and patina, the inscription is only visible at certain angles. Basically gone.

 

The lead question kinda bugs me though. Would like to hear about that.

[Dip n Scratch]

If the brass is dodgy stuff that would be very bad news.

Maybe it'd be best to try and conceal the inscription with a coloured pen and move the clip to conceal it.

Should have expected a catch for that price, which is something like an eighth one would pay for a genuine brass Kaweco Sport.

[taike]

HELP

my Delike cap is now freely spinning cause the thread on the cap

is NOT on the cap itself but a plastic ring.

Somehow the ring has worked itself loose within the cap.....

 

 

 

 

Did you find a solution to the problem of the cap thread insert coming loose?

 

My brass version has come up with the same issue. The thread insert is easily dislodged so capping and uncapping can go off the rails.

 

I'm still thinking about how to refix the thread insert solidly into the cap.

[Plutosson]

Am I to understand that the nibs for the Kaweco Sport will fit the DeLike Alpha clone?

[tenney]

re: those earlier posted nice closeups... (thank you)

 

What I don't understand is CNC milling etc. should be straightforward and should just be right.

How can any CNC shop even in China do such a poor job of cutting the threads. I just do NOT get it.

[Dip n Scratch]

I would not pay the rip-off price of a genuine Brass Sport. Is it true that they don't take short International cartridges. I was tempted at one point to buy a plastic Sport, but then I found the Delike Alpha.

It stays in the ass pocket of my work trousers and it's been sat on & also dropped while capped numerous times.

I have not had any leakage issues with the Delike, but the EF nib lets the pen down. I know that such a fine nib is less inclined to glide over the paper but the supplied nib seems excessively scratchy.

[Karmachanic]

I have not had any leakage issues with the Delike, but the EF nib lets the pen down. I know that such a fine nib is less inclined to glide over the paper but the supplied nib seems excessively scratchy.

 

Micromesh.

[taike]

It looks like Delike nib units are increasingly available. I just received a couple from taobao (F & bent). A quick search turned up the same on ebay.

 

The F nib is lots smoother.

 

[Plutosson]

Does anyone have a lead on where to get a replacement for the nylon threaded liner of a Delike Alpha (Or the original Kaweco) ? Mine is not stripped (yet) but it would be nice to have one just in case.

I'm looking for a DeLike customer service of some kind without needing to learn Chinese.

[lysander]

Is it possible to remove the feed and nib on this pen ?

I got a super cheap chinese brass kaweco clone, and the section and feed were glued in and impossible to remove without destroying the pen.

 

I'm also quite curious about the lead content as I would definitely want to take the lacquer off.

[almoore]

Is it possible to remove the feed and nib on this pen ?

I got a super cheap chinese brass kaweco clone, and the section and feed were glued in and impossible to remove without destroying the pen.

 

I'm also quite curious about the lead content as I would definitely want to take the lacquer off.

 

Hi

 

Yes, it is possible to remove the nib and feed, I did it to change the nib for a medium and it was not easy; thankfully you can now just buy replacement units.

 

Al

[danielfalgerho]

They're still around! Just got two of these (minimum order) for Alibaba, beyond dirt cheap, shipped form Kuala Lumpur in about 5 weeks, pretty good considering the paandemic slowdown. They are better than the price would indicate, the nibs are average, the F better than the M. I may give them better nibs if they behave. The fake antiqued lacquer is severely ugly IMHO. Good news: it comes off. Bad news it takes perhaps more work than the pen is worth. But, hey it's a fountain pen, whats not to like?

Edited June 13, 2020 by danielfalgerho