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Kalligraphie-Infos

Tintenfuchs’ pen test: Kaweco Steel Sport fountain pen & calligraphy nibs

Tintenfuchs’ pen test: Kaweco Steel Sport fountain pen & calligraphy nibs

As a calligrapher, I’m constantly looking for ways to take my trade with me wherever I go. Calligraphy fountain pens seem to be the perfect tool for that, so I’ve decided to give some of the sets that are out now a try and let you in on what I discover. This post is part of an international blogger review series, therefore it’s in English.

Selection

I really like Kaweco’s fountain pens. The nibs are nice and smooth and the ones from the sport line are small, which I prefer. I don’t think they are very pretty but writing with them makes up for that.
They come in many shapes and colors, most of them lightweight plastic (which I love) but I tested the steel one. Which IS pretty. So shiny! So durable!

The pen

Handling

It’s heavy, it’s metallic, it’s sexy sexy stainless steel. It feels goooood to touch, but it’s a little too heavy for my taste. I think the weight will appeal to many writers and my issue is probably that I’m constantly working on keeping my touch as light as possible when working with a pointed nib. My penholders keep getting lighter by the year. 

Nibs

When purchasing the pen, you can choose between fountain pen nibs in EF, F, M, B and EB. I tested the M nib. The Steel Sport can also be fitted with the regular weirdly sized broad nibs: 1,1 mm, 1,5 mm, 1,9 mm und 2,3 mm. Why those sizes? If anyone knows, please tell me.

They look sturdy and well-made.

Flow

The 1,9 and 2,3mm nibs sometimes have a hard time starting up when held at an angle, which is necessary for many broad pen styles. Other than that, the ink flow is very good, even when picking up speed. The 2.3mm struggles with very high speeds but then again, that’s not really what it’s for.

The regular M nib writes beautifully if a little scratchy. This is probably due to the weight the pen puts on the paper by itself.

Edges

For a fountain pen, the nibs give surprisingly sharp edges. It is also possible to turn the pen without a loss in ink flow. Pen manipulation like turning the nib on its edge is not an option but I don’t think it’s what it’s really meant to do.

Calligraphy & Conclusion

I’m not an expert in broad pen hands but as far as calligraphy fountain pens go, the Kaweco Steel Sport is pretty nice. The steel just feels good in your hand and the flow surprised me. So if you’re looking to treat yourself to a fancy fountain pen and dabble in calligraphy, go for it.