Initial Review of Kaco RETRO Fountain Pen

[donnweinberg]

This is my initial review of a relatively recent addition to the Kaco brand of pens -- the Retro, which is offered in several colors with an extra-fine (EF) stainless steel nib that is hooded.  I purchased from a Chinese seller two of the Retro FPs, one in red and the other in turquoise.  Here are photos that I took.  In the photos showing the packaging, I already removed the cartridges and already placed the included converter into the pens:

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

These are light-weight and youthful-looking pens.  Capped and filled with ink, the pen weighs only 17g, the cap of which alone contributing 7g.  The cap easily and securely posts.  The converter fits snugly into the section.  The clip is very firm, but the plastic ball at its end facilitates placing it or removing it from a pocket.  I measured the length of the capped pen at 5.75".  

 

I filled the red version's converter with Robert Oster "Hot Pink" ink, which is more like a red than a pink.  The pen wrote immediately.  The nib is somewhat nail-like -- very stiff -- but it writes relatively smoothly, though noisily.  The EF nib lays down a moderately wet line with what is closer to a fine thickness, and there is no line variation between horizontal and vertical strokes, as the nib is not designed to do that.  

 

An odd, though not bad, feature is seen in the last photo below, a closeup of the red pen where the section meets the barrel.  

 

 

One might think that the transparent area is an ink window.  The only thing one sees, at least when a converter is installed, is the converter's black connector, not the ink level.  I have not tried the pen with a cartridge, so I don't know whether one would be able to see a bit of ink in one.  Perhaps someone else will try that and let us know.

 

A FP connoisseur probably will not be impressed with this pen, but it makes a nice beginner FP, especially for the young, as its looks are youthful, and it is easy to fill and use.  Has anyone else tried this pen?  If so, what are your impressions?

 

Edited April 5, 2024 by donnweinberg
Corrected my misnaming of the pen as Metro, when it's the Retro. Removed one early sentence that also assumed the "Metro" incorrect name.

[donnweinberg]

I paid $12.21 for each one.

Edited April 5, 2024 by donnweinberg
As I edited the name in the first, main post, I deleted from the second post that I had gotten the name wrong, and just left the price I paid for it.

[jchch1950]

Colourful pens,the design is ok,the only big limitation is the lack of more nib sizes.