The Kaweco Sport is a true icon among German fountain pens. Now, with the arrival of the Kaweco Sport piston filler, the series may add a proper piston mechanism to its family alongside the familiar cartridge models. Let’s take a closer look at the aluminium AL version.
More than 100 years after the very first Kaweco Sport was launched, the Sport series finally welcomes a piston filler once again. This expands the line-up of the Nuremberg-based brand, which until now has offered its most recognisable pen as a clutch pencil, mechanical pencil, ballpoint and cartridge-converter fountain pen. In addition to the classic plastic version, the Kaweco Sport piston filler is also available in aluminium which is the one we are looking at today.
Packaging and first impressions
The packaging of the Kaweco Sport piston filler is rather charming. Inside a decorated cardboard box sits a round metal tin that houses the fountain pen itself.
Open the tin and you are greeted by the pen, a bottle of ink in Royal Blue in the 32 millilitre size, and a compact brochure. Officially, the pen goes by the name Kaweco Piston Sport, and the version shown here is called Navy/Gold.
The pen itself is small. Anyone familiar with the Kaweco Sport will not be surprised. To write, the cap is posted onto the back of the pen. The blue anodised finish looks refined, and thanks to its material, the pen has noticeably more weight than the regular aluminium Sport models.
Design, features and build quality
In most respects, this is a classic Kaweco Sport, though with a few subtle but meaningful differences. One of them is the permanently attached clip. Until now, this was reserved exclusively for the Kaweco AL Sport Touch Pen, a model designed for the use on touchscreens.
As this is a piston filler, there is an ink window positioned just above the cap threads. Kaweco has also added an extra trim ring at the rear, right below the piston mechanism. It is a small detail, but one that gives the pen a nicely balanced visual presence.
The compact pen is only really comes completed once the cap is posted. Interestingly, the Kaweco Sport becomes only marginally longer when posted. The real advantage is that the broad cap provides a much more comfortable grip. Despite its small size, the Kaweco Sport piston filler boasts surprisingly pleasant and well-balanced ergonomics.
Build quality is excellent. Everything feels solid and precisely crafted. Compared to the plastic version, the aluminium model clearly gains in visual quality and tactile appeal.
Nib and filling system of the Kaweco Sport piston filler
The attention to detail seen in the packaging continues at the nib. Just like its cartridge-converter siblings, the Kaweco Sport piston filler is offered in n five nib sized: EF, F, M, B and BB. The nib itself is made of stainless steel and, in the Navy/Gold version, plated in yellow gold and embellished with a familiar Kaweco design.
On paper, (in this case Graphilo loose sheets), the Kaweco Sport piston filler really shines. Our BB nib, wonderfully suited for signatures thanks to its generous width, delivers an excellent flow and strikes a pleasing balance between firmness and smoothness. In short, writing with this pen is pure delight. The beautifully sheening Diamine Purple Rain ink also adds a dash of fun.
Price and availability
The Kaweco Sport piston filler is part of the regular collection. It is neither a special edition nor a limited release.
The price of the version reviewed here, the Kaweco Piston Sport AL Navy Gold, is 149 euros. For comparison, the plastic piston filler version comes in at around 65 euros.
Final thoughts on the Kaweco Sport piston filler
A Kaweco Sport belongs in every fountain pen collection. Its compact size makes it a true pocket pen and an ideal everyday companion. Until now, choosing a Kaweco Sport meant committing to cartridges or baby converters.
That limitation is now gone. Kaweco’s little classic finally returns with a full piston mechanism. This does not only make a far wider range of inks accessible, but also introduces a mechanical filling system that many enthusiasts will adore.
What makes this even better is that Kaweco continues to offer both filling systems side by side. As appealing as a piston mechanism may be, it is easy to see why some writers still prefer the quick and clean convenience of cartridges when on the move. Variety, after all, can be a beautiful thing.
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