It is an exciting development, but the price is off putting, in the range where you start seeing pens with gold nibs. I’m waiting for the reviews to come in before committing.
I have 6 Kaweco Sport pens! I have been working to expand my drawing style and found the Sport pens so fun and comfortable. I love colour so have loaded my favourite coloured inks in them. It's a learning curve for sure and I am still exploring adding colour to my images. I think black ink has a purity that resonates with me but we will see. I like adding watercolour sometimes that seems more to my liking. I haven't pursued the flex nibs yet but the more you talk about them the more I wonder what I am missing!! 😊 Thanks for your review.
I’m thinking of getting more! I’ve been playing with using CMYK inks to do color drawings and the clear Kaweco Sports, if I eyedropper them, seem like good candidates for that.
Hi Marc, 1st; I'm no artist, and have no desire to be one. I still enjoy your channel and watch the occasion video when a title strikes my fancy. I don't watch each one, but I've stayed subscribed. I really enjoy your style of explaining and demonstrating what is happening in your videos, and for me, that makes them very enjoyable. Thank you, sincerely. 2nd; I like fountain pens, I use them in my life, but for reasons that are of the most mundane nature..., grocery lists, filling out a form, signing a check for a bill, etc... . I enjoy their feel, how they put a line down on paper, and in some cases, the quality of craftsmanship that some fountain pens have. I have found that the Kaweco AL Sport(s) are some of my favorite. I dislike the small ink capacity of Kaweco converters, and small international cartridges work, but I dare say I never use them. Having acquiring a variety of fountain pens over the last few years, I found the ruggedness of the AL Sport suit me. I never worry that the pen will break and leak with these robust fountain pens. Kaweco AL Sport series are great for me as they fit my front pocket of my shirts. They post really smoothly, and as such fit my right hand great. They are my go to pen as I head out the door. They make excellent Christmas/Birthday gifts IMO. The plastic ones work well too, and are much less to purchase, but the ruggedness of the metal versions {AL for me} make spending the extra cash worth it. As far as ink capacity, I've been using my brown Kaweco AL Sport Golden Espresso as an eye dropper for 2 years or more. It's brown, so I use brown #41 ink, and haven't found any corrosion on the inside bare AL when I've had to refill. Rinse it out, use a flashlight and look down the barrel, and all I've ever found so far is bare AL. I don't subscribe to the "theory" that modern inks will reek havoc on the insides of bare metal fountain pen barrels. That is my choice... . Grease the fine threads with silicone grease, and enjoy the large ink supply. Just remember to open the fountain pen nib up... :=). Things could get messy ;-) Thanks again for your excellent video.
I love eye-dropping my pens too (as I think we’ve discussed in my eye-dropper pen vid), but feel uncomfortable carrying a plastic eye-droppered pen in my pocket. As for doing it to metal pens, I think it probably comes down to the specific composition of the metal being used vs the specific combination inks. The stainless steel version my be a good candidate, but I’m also wondering if the greater conductivity of metal would create more problems with burping. Glad to see that my videos are being watch by non artists as well!
@@mkompan So far, it's been my experience (though limited for sure) that the bare AL inside the barrel of the Kaweco AL sports have not shown any sort of reaction to the ink I've been using. I do agree that a SS version would also be a good candidate for eye-dropper style fountain pen. Ti also might be a very good selection. I have 2 Ensso Ti pens, but have yet to eye-dropper them, well that's changing right now. Thanks again Marc, you do an excellent job on your videos, solid info, and executed very well. (that is NOT the case for some RUclips providers. They may have great content to share, but they can't seem to get that information across in a video... :-( )
After watching this video when it first came out, I just recently placed my order for the Kaweco steel semi-flex from FPnibs (I think maybe before they didn't have any in stock or I didn't have enough items to justify the shipping). But now I do. I also got the Jowo #5 steel semi-flex for my Franklin christoph and opus 88 Koloro. Looking forward to be able to convert some of the pens that while I don't dislike, I think might benefit my experience to have semi-flex nibs in them.
Congrats on the purchase. That Kaweco semi-flex is still one of my favorites, and I use it often. The new #5 Jowos are made a little differently than the ones I bought, and I’m curious to try them.
I'm an artist and bought my first fountain pen. After the rabbit hole of videos I bought a Kaweco Brass Sport (M) and I love it! I can see this is going to be a problem cause I am hooked! I hoped to buy only one pen but I may get the brass again with a finer nib I think, and put a different colour ink in it, just cause I love the brass feel. I'll get a different clip so I know which pen has which ink. I worried a bit about the brass smell but it's so subtle that I don't hardly notice at all and I like the weight of it.
I am an artist as well and I use FPR and vintage Waterman #2 nibs on modified Kaweco Lilliput pens. I have always been on the lookout for the most flexible nibs for drawing and have used vintage Waterman pens for many years. I found that the Lilliput fits the nibs well; I did not think the Sport pens would fit them since it seemed that they are a larger #6 size feed, so I went with the Lilliput. With some modification of the feed to allow for more ink flow, I use copper and stainless steel pens with Watermans as well as FPR Ultra Flex nibs. The FPR nibs are fantastic - really close to the flexibility of the latter, except for maybe a slightly thicker line, and they are really affordable (~$17, but frequently on sale for less). Like the Sport, the Lilliput does not hold enough ink, so I modified them by using two pens: I cut the end of the barrel, drilled it out to accommodate a standard sized cartridge, and then permanently attached a second cap to that drilled back section, lengthening the pen. You cannot cap them, but I would rather have the added ink capacity and extra length. I like that with converters you can open up the pen and shoot a bit more ink through the feed if it ever seems dry. At this point the pens are perfect for me. You can read more here, where I posted about the mods: www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/371934-hacking-kaweco-liliput-pens-for-the-perfect-drawing-tool/#comment-4622265
That’s a very effective solution to the lack of ink capacity. I found that adding additional ink flow was unnecessary. I did warp the feed slightly so that it pressed more tightly against the nib, which prevents railroading. Adding flow to the feed is probably best done with a jewelry file, since it allows for better control. Tutorial on this coming soon.
@@mkompan I found that both Waterman and FPR nibs were skipping, so I opened up the ink gap of the feed by filing and melting it so it was wider. Now they work perfectly.
@@justinw9260 that’s great. Part of the problem isn’t flow, but rather the nib moving away from the feed, breaking the surface tension between them. This is particularly true of FPR nibs. I give the plastic feeds a slight curve to correct for this problem. Here’s a short video on this hack: An Easy Hack For Plastic Fountain Pen Feeds That Improves Their Performance in Flex Pens ruclips.net/video/zzuWP0lmTXc/видео.html I find that filing and then using the back of a knife to clear out the ink channel of shavings allows me to increase ink flow gradually (since it’s not something you can reduce.)
I'm pleased with my Kaweco Steel Sport. Currently I am not chasing the Flex Dragon, though the FPNibs option is very tempting, but luckily also very expensive. Instead I'm doing a deep dive into fude nibs. I'm not at all sure I need anything else.
The flex dragon is a good way to put it, though this steel flex nib, is very much on the cheaper side of this vice. The Kawecos, due to the weakness of the Euro are cheaper in Europe, so if you buy the Sport and the Flex nib from FPnibs , it almost justifies the shipping. BTW, they can also turn that Kaweco nib into a fude.
Coincidentally, I was looking at the possibility of getting the Kaweco brass as my on-the-go sketching pen. It's small and would probably fit in a small pack. Good info from this video.
I highly recommended it! The thing is indestructible and looks even better when all stained and scratched up. It’s nice not to have to worry about protecting your pen when working outdoors, and the nibs on them are surprisingly good.
Thank you for this interesting review! I heavily use Kaweco pens. Maybe I can give you a little tip, too: Do you know the Ink Cartridge Stoppers by "Great Fountain Italy"? They're made of brass and therefore everlasting. They work fine and look very elegant with the Kaweco Brass pen … ;-)) Best wishes from Germany!
You’re welcome! I bought those brass stoppers awhile ago and was planning on making a review of them. They really are the best option to cap your cartridges. I took some capped cartridges on an airplane recently and they didn’t leak at all.
There’s only one using a Kaweco nib, the 060, so that’s the one to get. As for the feed hack, it helps keep the pen from railroading, but also makes it write wetter. I would get it, and if it’s too wet for your liking, you can always use the feed your pen came with.
A note for those who might encounter a dead end when trying to find the website in question for the first time: The FP nibs website is missing an "s" in the description above. It should be "FPnibs", not "FPnib".
I wonder if you could share which flex nib you ordered for the kaweco. I like to draw with fountainpen with thin lines but find the kaweco EF nib to broad and inflexible. It would help me a lot since I love the pen itself. Thank you for your review and inspiring channel!
You’re welcome! If you go to the FP nibs website, you will find a flex nib option. One of the options is a steel flex nib for the Kaweco sport. It’s made from an EF nib and is very fine.
Unfortunately fpnibs does no longer offer any steel nibs (which I could not comprehend) with semi- or full-flex option! For this they only offer very expensive Jowo gold nibs!
I just went to the website, and you're right, the Kaweco semi-flex modification is no longer available! Again, I need to ask Pablo if he's taking break, or stopping entirely.
@@mkompan Thank your for your reaction! After I had seen your videos I was so glad finally to find an affordable option for flex nibs also suitable for smaller pens like my Kawecos. Most #6 nib fountain pens feel to big and clunky for me and the feeds are often not able to supply flex nibs with ink sufficiently. Therefore I find it a pity to hear from fpnibs that they still offer Jowo gold nibs only. I hope you will receive a positive answer from fpnips.
@@adamgillanders7886 they’re back, but in a slightly different form! The #6 steel semi flex is now made from one of those Jowo soft nibs with the cut outs. There’s also a new bock #6 version.
@@mkompanohhhh interesting, so those will work with the Kaweco sport huh? I’m so new at this so I was confused because I thought I was looking for a #2, and what is the bock version?
I imagine you, like me, welcome the new Kaweco Piston Sport. Can't wait to try it out.
It is an exciting development, but the price is off putting, in the range where you start seeing pens with gold nibs. I’m waiting for the reviews to come in before committing.
I have 6 Kaweco Sport pens! I have been working to expand my drawing style and found the Sport pens so fun and comfortable. I love colour so have loaded my favourite coloured inks in them. It's a learning curve for sure and I am still exploring adding colour to my images. I think black ink has a purity that resonates with me but we will see. I like adding watercolour sometimes that seems more to my liking. I haven't pursued the flex nibs yet but the more you talk about them the more I wonder what I am missing!! 😊 Thanks for your review.
I’m thinking of getting more! I’ve been playing with using CMYK inks to do color drawings and the clear Kaweco Sports, if I eyedropper them, seem like good candidates for that.
@@mkompan Clear Kaweco Sport pens??? Oh I didn't know about those. I like your idea. More pens 🎈👍🎈!
Hi Marc,
1st; I'm no artist, and have no desire to be one. I still enjoy your channel and watch the occasion video when a title strikes my fancy. I don't watch each one, but I've stayed subscribed. I really enjoy your style of explaining and demonstrating what is happening in your videos, and for me, that makes them very enjoyable. Thank you, sincerely. 2nd; I like fountain pens, I use them in my life, but for reasons that are of the most mundane nature..., grocery lists, filling out a form, signing a check for a bill, etc... . I enjoy their feel, how they put a line down on paper, and in some cases, the quality of craftsmanship that some fountain pens have. I have found that the Kaweco AL Sport(s) are some of my favorite. I dislike the small ink capacity of Kaweco converters, and small international cartridges work, but I dare say I never use them. Having acquiring a variety of fountain pens over the last few years, I found the ruggedness of the AL Sport suit me. I never worry that the pen will break and leak with these robust fountain pens. Kaweco AL Sport series are great for me as they fit my front pocket of my shirts. They post really smoothly, and as such fit my right hand great. They are my go to pen as I head out the door. They make excellent Christmas/Birthday gifts IMO. The plastic ones work well too, and are much less to purchase, but the ruggedness of the metal versions {AL for me} make spending the extra cash worth it. As far as ink capacity, I've been using my brown Kaweco AL Sport Golden Espresso as an eye dropper for 2 years or more. It's brown, so I use brown #41 ink, and haven't found any corrosion on the inside bare AL when I've had to refill. Rinse it out, use a flashlight and look down the barrel, and all I've ever found so far is bare AL. I don't subscribe to the "theory" that modern inks will reek havoc on the insides of bare metal fountain pen barrels. That is my choice... . Grease the fine threads with silicone grease, and enjoy the large ink supply. Just remember to open the fountain pen nib up... :=). Things could get messy ;-) Thanks again for your excellent video.
I love eye-dropping my pens too (as I think we’ve discussed in my eye-dropper pen vid), but feel uncomfortable carrying a plastic eye-droppered pen in my pocket. As for doing it to metal pens, I think it probably comes down to the specific composition of the metal being used vs the specific combination inks. The stainless steel version my be a good candidate, but I’m also wondering if the greater conductivity of metal would create more problems with burping. Glad to see that my videos are being watch by non artists as well!
@@mkompan So far, it's been my experience (though limited for sure) that the bare AL inside the barrel of the Kaweco AL sports have not shown any sort of reaction to the ink I've been using. I do agree that a SS version would also be a good candidate for eye-dropper style fountain pen. Ti also might be a very good selection. I have 2 Ensso Ti pens, but have yet to eye-dropper them, well that's changing right now. Thanks again Marc, you do an excellent job on your videos, solid info, and executed very well. (that is NOT the case for some RUclips providers. They may have great content to share, but they can't seem to get that information across in a video... :-( )
After watching this video when it first came out, I just recently placed my order for the Kaweco steel semi-flex from FPnibs (I think maybe before they didn't have any in stock or I didn't have enough items to justify the shipping). But now I do. I also got the Jowo #5 steel semi-flex for my Franklin christoph and opus 88 Koloro. Looking forward to be able to convert some of the pens that while I don't dislike, I think might benefit my experience to have semi-flex nibs in them.
Congrats on the purchase. That Kaweco semi-flex is still one of my favorites, and I use it often. The new #5 Jowos are made a little differently than the ones I bought, and I’m curious to try them.
I'm an artist and bought my first fountain pen. After the rabbit hole of videos I bought a Kaweco Brass Sport (M) and I love it! I can see this is going to be a problem cause I am hooked! I hoped to buy only one pen but I may get the brass again with a finer nib I think, and put a different colour ink in it, just cause I love the brass feel. I'll get a different clip so I know which pen has which ink. I worried a bit about the brass smell but it's so subtle that I don't hardly notice at all and I like the weight of it.
I also love the brass Sport. It’s perfect for the studio.
I am an artist as well and I use FPR and vintage Waterman #2 nibs on modified Kaweco Lilliput pens. I have always been on the lookout for the most flexible nibs for drawing and have used vintage Waterman pens for many years. I found that the Lilliput fits the nibs well; I did not think the Sport pens would fit them since it seemed that they are a larger #6 size feed, so I went with the Lilliput.
With some modification of the feed to allow for more ink flow, I use copper and stainless steel pens with Watermans as well as FPR Ultra Flex nibs. The FPR nibs are fantastic - really close to the flexibility of the latter, except for maybe a slightly thicker line, and they are really affordable (~$17, but frequently on sale for less).
Like the Sport, the Lilliput does not hold enough ink, so I modified them by using two pens: I cut the end of the barrel, drilled it out to accommodate a standard sized cartridge, and then permanently attached a second cap to that drilled back section, lengthening the pen. You cannot cap them, but I would rather have the added ink capacity and extra length.
I like that with converters you can open up the pen and shoot a bit more ink through the feed if it ever seems dry. At this point the pens are perfect for me.
You can read more here, where I posted about the mods:
www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/371934-hacking-kaweco-liliput-pens-for-the-perfect-drawing-tool/#comment-4622265
That’s a very effective solution to the lack of ink capacity. I found that adding additional ink flow was unnecessary. I did warp the feed slightly so that it pressed more tightly against the nib, which prevents railroading. Adding flow to the feed is probably best done with a jewelry file, since it allows for better control. Tutorial on this coming soon.
@@mkompan I found that both Waterman and FPR nibs were skipping, so I opened up the ink gap of the feed by filing and melting it so it was wider. Now they work perfectly.
@@justinw9260 that’s great. Part of the problem isn’t flow, but rather the nib moving away from the feed, breaking the surface tension between them. This is particularly true of FPR nibs. I give the plastic feeds a slight curve to correct for this problem. Here’s a short video on this hack: An Easy Hack For Plastic Fountain Pen Feeds That Improves Their Performance in Flex Pens
ruclips.net/video/zzuWP0lmTXc/видео.html
I find that filing and then using the back of a knife to clear out the ink channel of shavings allows me to increase ink flow gradually (since it’s
not something you can reduce.)
I'm pleased with my Kaweco Steel Sport. Currently I am not chasing the Flex Dragon, though the FPNibs option is very tempting, but luckily also very expensive. Instead I'm doing a deep dive into fude nibs. I'm not at all sure I need anything else.
The flex dragon is a good way to put it, though this steel flex nib, is very much on the cheaper side of this vice. The Kawecos, due to the weakness of the Euro are cheaper in Europe, so if you buy the Sport and the Flex nib from FPnibs , it almost justifies the shipping. BTW, they can also turn that Kaweco nib into a fude.
Any thoughts on whether to order the semi flex nib with the high or very high feed hack?
Coincidentally, I was looking at the possibility of getting the Kaweco brass as my on-the-go sketching pen. It's small and would probably fit in a small pack. Good info from this video.
I highly recommended it! The thing is indestructible and looks even better when all stained and scratched up. It’s nice not to have to worry about protecting your pen when working outdoors, and the nibs on them are surprisingly good.
Thank you for this interesting review! I heavily use Kaweco pens. Maybe I can give you a little tip, too: Do you know the Ink Cartridge Stoppers by "Great Fountain Italy"? They're made of brass and therefore everlasting. They work fine and look very elegant with the Kaweco Brass pen … ;-)) Best wishes from Germany!
You’re welcome! I bought those brass stoppers awhile ago and was planning on making a review of them. They really are the best option to cap your cartridges. I took some capped cartridges on an airplane recently and they didn’t leak at all.
@@mkompan Ah, this is something I haven't tried yet, but good to know, that they didn't leak! 👍
Hi, great topic. If I decide to go searching for a vintage gold nib in size 2 , should it be 14 or 18 K or is gold plated enough?
I don't think the karats matter all that much, though most vintage nibs seem to only come in 14K. Vintage steel nibs can also be very good.
Hey Marc, I see several steel semi flex options on fpnibs. Do you remember which worked for your setup?
Also do you have any thoughts on the ‘flow hack’ they offer?
There’s only one using a Kaweco nib, the 060, so that’s the one to get. As for the feed hack, it helps keep the pen from railroading, but also makes it write wetter. I would get it, and if it’s too wet for your liking, you can always use the feed your pen came with.
Thanks!
A note for those who might encounter a dead end when trying to find the website in question for the first time: The FP nibs website is missing an "s" in the description above. It should be "FPnibs", not "FPnib".
Thanks for catching that. Error fixed.
@@mkompan No problem. Your videos cover an abundance of useful topics. Keep up the good work!
@@musar03580 Thank you!
i love all your interactions with Kaweco the good the bad the amazing the ugly :D
Have you ever tried or thinking of trying Lamy ones ?
Thank you. For some reason Lamy pens have never appealed to me.
I wonder if you could share which flex nib you ordered for the kaweco. I like to draw with fountainpen with thin lines but find the kaweco EF nib to broad and inflexible. It would help me a lot since I love the pen itself. Thank you for your review and inspiring channel!
You’re welcome! If you go to the FP nibs website, you will find a flex nib option. One of the options is a steel flex nib for the Kaweco sport. It’s made from an EF nib and is very fine.
Thank you Marc! Will do
Have you tried the indigraph pen? I've been considering picking one up because it can use india ink, but it's hard to find good artist reviews of it.
No, no experience with it. I'm happy with the performance of the Platinum Carbon Black, and have not yet felt the urge to use India ink in my pens.
Superb review as ever!
Thank you!
@mkompan semi-flex nib option not avaiable! Do you have some clues?
They sometimes run out of inventory. You can email them and ask if or when they’ll be bringing them back.
Have you tried a calligraphy nib for drawing? Thanks a lot!
What kind of calligraphy nib? The ones made for Kaweco pens?
@@mkompan yes, I want to try the calligraphy nib from kaweko in either 1.1 or 1.5 for sketching but wanted to find some reviews about that first 😅
@@AnneliLMendozaArt sorry, no experience using those. Calligraphy nibs are fun to draw with. I have a 2mm music that I use on occasion.
I just posted a review on the sport haha thanks for sharing your video!
Great! I’ll check out your review.
Hello, is the leather case belt attachable ?
No, it doesn’t have belt loop.
Unfortunately fpnibs does no longer offer any steel nibs (which I could not comprehend) with semi- or full-flex option!
For this they only offer very expensive Jowo gold nibs!
I just went to the website, and you're right, the Kaweco semi-flex modification is no longer available! Again, I need to ask Pablo if he's taking break, or stopping entirely.
@@mkompan
Thank your for your reaction!
After I had seen your videos I was so glad finally to find an affordable option for flex nibs also suitable for smaller pens like my Kawecos. Most #6 nib fountain pens feel to big and clunky for me and the feeds are often not able to supply flex nibs with ink sufficiently. Therefore I find it a pity to hear from fpnibs that they still offer Jowo gold nibs only.
I hope you will receive a positive answer from fpnips.
@@mkompanI was also disappointed to see this, have you found out from him if he has permanently stopped making them?
@@adamgillanders7886 they’re back, but in a slightly different form! The #6 steel semi flex is now made from one of those Jowo soft nibs with the cut outs. There’s also a new bock #6 version.
@@mkompanohhhh interesting, so those will work with the Kaweco sport huh? I’m so new at this so I was confused because I thought I was looking for a #2, and what is the bock version?