Compliments For Kaco

[bobs51]

Sad to report, my Kaco Edge, fast becoming my favorite pen, developed a crack in its cap running from the bottom edge of the cap to about half-way up.

 

I sent an email to Kaco late on Saturday, Eastern US time, and within 24 hours had an email back offering a replacement cap. They decided to ship it via DHL so I should be seeing it soon.

 

Great pen... wonderful customer service.

 

Thanks, Kaco.

 

Bob

 

UPDATE: DHL package received today (Tuesday) with two replacement caps and a gift from Kaco as well. THANKS, KACO!!

Edited January 30, 2019 by bobs51

[Honeybadgers]

wow, that's kind of insane. A chinese company is offering warranty support?

 

Color me impressed.

 

Both of the edges I have in standard rotation are fine, so I hope there was just one bad batch that we're starting to see.

[Holon]

Wow, never expected that.

 

I hope there was just one bad batch that we're starting to see.

 

I really hope so too. My Edge is still perfectly fine and a 2nd one is on its way.

[garyc]

After I read this 2 weeks ago I checked my 2 Kaco Edges - both had cracks:

 

I immediately emailed Kaco with the picture and they responded - within 9 minutes!!!!!

 

An exchange of emails with my mailing address (in the UK) followed and 4 days later I received a DHL package from Shanghai with 4 replacement caps.

 

I am truly impressed. The pens are two of my favourites - after the first I bought a second to keep one on my desk at home and to take the other to work.

 

BTW Makrolon comes in 126 different grades: https://www.plastics.covestro.com/Products/Makrolon/ProductList.aspx Only 18 of those have some amount of glass fibre mixed in. Perhaps Kaco chose a more brittle version than Lamy did.

 

A shame they don't make the Edge in other colours - at least one of the Makrolon grades (2205) has been used in bright shades for iPad covers. https://www.plastics.covestro.com/Applications/Inspiration-Gallery/iPad2-cover.aspx?origin={48DEF5C9-5AF7-4449-A84D-E809E991B7FA}

 

I fancy one of those Kaco Retros now. :-)

 

[woleizihan]

Really? That’s definitely good to hear. I’ll also try to contact them for a replacement.

[garyc]

Not such a happy ending - one of the replacement caps has already developed a split. Such a shame as it is otherwise a very nice pen.

 

[taike]

I'm real curious if Kaco intends to fix this in an updated Edge. This pen has received such an positive reception but the cap cracking is killer.

[Honeybadgers]

Well, if they're honestly honoring warranty work, then the more of us that return the pens for cracking issues, the more likely they will be to know there's a problem and fix it.

 

 

One of mine has developed a small crack in the middle that has been stable for about 4 months. The other four I have (I have extras that I intended as gifts until i discovered they could crack) are all still fine.

Edited June 6, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[mb146]

Greetings fellow pen lovers.  Just as an update. I purchased two black Kaco Edge fountain pens in November 2020.  I was hoping that the defective cracking cap issue had been addressed. The pen seemed to be well made.

 

After gently using both pens very sparingly, I put them away in my desk draw. In January 2021, I noticed both pens were developing cracks along the cap! 

 

I attempted to contact the seller, but he is no longer available and it is no longer in stock. I attempted to contact Kaco directly by email but did not receive any reply.

 

Amazon at least finally issued a refund to me.

 

I strongly urge you to not buy this pen.........what a disappointment. Buyer beware! 

[Paganini]

Those were probably old stock. The new ones don't have the cracking problem. 

[Licue]

3 hours ago, Paganini said:

Those were probably old stock. The new ones don't have the cracking problem. 

Is there a way to tell which are which before buying?

 

Are the blue and the brown ones new stock?

[Paganini]

I believe the blue and brown ones are all new stock. As far as I know the first generation Kaco Edges were only made in black.

 

I got a second generation Kaco Edge in black from the Kaco Global Amazon store; I messaged them in advance and they confirmed that they had updated the manufacturing process. Unfortunately, the price for this security (and Amazon prime shipping) was that the pen cost $30 instead of the usual $10 or $15. 

 

The finish of the new ones is slightly different from the old one, a more dusty-looking matte. 

 

My advice would be to contact the seller ahead of time to make sure they have the new version. I haven't looked in a while, but last year when the cap-cracking problem became well-known most sellers selling the first generation Kaco Edges tried to unload their stock at substantial markdowns. I got my first generation one for $6 from an Amazon seller, and it included a converter, which does not normally come with the pen! Even if the cap does crack, it's hard to say why you shouldn't spend $6 on a good Schmidt nib and feed; the converter alone usually costs almost as much as the whole package! 

[Mech-for-i]

I had both the new and the old version, they can easily be identified side by side ; the old version is more a satin finish instead of matt, where the new version is fairly matt by comparison. That stated my 2 sample of the old models continue to work without developing anything, touchwood here

[Licue]

Thank you both for answering 🙂

 

6 hours ago, Paganini said:

I believe the blue and brown ones are all new stock. As far as I know the first generation Kaco Edges were only made in black.

 

I got a second generation Kaco Edge in black from the Kaco Global Amazon store; I messaged them in advance and they confirmed that they had updated the manufacturing process. Unfortunately, the price for this security (and Amazon prime shipping) was that the pen cost $30 instead of the usual $10 or $15. 

 

The finish of the new ones is slightly different from the old one, a more dusty-looking matte. 

 

My advice would be to contact the seller ahead of time to make sure they have the new version. 

Well, I'll probably buy on Aliexpress and so far my experiences with asking Ali-sellers questions about product details have been rather ..um.. difficult.

 

 

3 hours ago, Mech-for-i said:

I had both the new and the old version, they can easily be identified side by side ; the old version is more a satin finish instead of matt, where the new version is fairly matt by comparison.

 

I read about slight differences in the finish too, but I don't think that's something that can be seen on standard product fotos (if the fotos even show the pen that's actually being sold..)