Pen Pit Stop : Kaweco Brass Sport

[namrehsnoom]

Pen Pit Stop : Kaweco Brass Sport

Welcome to the Pen Pit Stop. Here you will find reviews of pens that already have some mileage on them. More specifically, these reviews are of pens that are in my personal collection, and that have been in use for at least a year. I thought it would be fun to do it this way - no new & shiny pens here, but battered vehicles that have been put to work for at least a year. Let's find out how they have withstood the ravages of time.

The fountain pen that arrives at the pit stop today is the "Kaweco Brass Sport". Kaweco is a well-known German pen company, whose history dates back to 1883 with the foundation of the Heidelberger Federhalterfabrik (Heidelberg dip pen company). The brand is best known for its pocket pens of the Sport and Liliput range. As early as 1905 Kaweco had already manufactured the first writing instruments made out of metal. This particular incarnation of the Sport range is constructed from brass, making it a heavyweight pocket pen.

I bought this pen in January 2015, and it has been in rotation as an EDC (Every Day Carry) pen since that time. This is one of my older pens, which has been in use for over 3 years now. Let's have a closer look at it.

Pen Look & Feel

Like all Kaweco Sport models, this is a great EDC pen with an industrial look: no ornaments for this pen except for the Kaweco logo on the cap's finial. Etched on the side of the cap is the pen's designation "Kaweco Brass Sport". The pen is small enough to easily fit in your pocket (about 10cm capped). Because it's a workhorse pen, you don't have to worry about it getting scratched or dented. This pen is meant to take a serious beating, and gets its character from the scratches and patina it accumulates during its lifetime.

When you're ready to use the pen, just unscrew the cap and post it. You then get a full-sized fountain pen that is very comfortable in the hand. The cap has an octagonal design, which means that the pen easily stays on your desk, without fear of it rolling away. Kaweco does sell separate pen clips if you absolutely want one, but I never used them - in my opinion they don't match with the industrial look of this pen.

The nib on this pen is the same as that of the Liliput - and on this Sport model it looks a bit small. I would have preferred a slightly bigger nib, like the one on the Kaweco Supra. Being an all-metal pen constructed from brass, this is a real heavyweight. Despite its small size, this is one of the heaviest pens that I own. The pen is still well-balanced though, and comfortable to write with. It's weight didn't bother me in the least.

The pictures above illustrate the size of the Brass Sport in comparison with a standard Lamy AL-star. Capped, the Kaweco is indeed a very small pen. In actual use though, the capped Brass Sport is almost exactly the size of an uncapped Lamy pen - i.e. a real full-sized fountain pen.

Pen Characteristics

• 
  
• Build Quality : a very sturdy pen, that is virtually indestructible. I typically carry it around in my pocket together with my keys. As such, the pen accumulates lots of scratches, but it is designed for this, and this abuse gives the pen its character. As the pictures of my pen show, it has accumulated lots of scratches and has developed a definite patina, clearly showing a pen that's been in use for some years. I like the battered look of this pen that is really due to the patina, and have never polished it to shiny new brassness.
  
• Weight & Dimensions : about 10cm when capped – and as such a small pen to carry around, perfect for an EDC pen. Being made from brass, this is also a real heavyweight. This didn't bother me - the pen is still very comfortable to write with.
  
• Filling System : this is a cartridge convertor pen, that fits small-size international cartridges. Kaweco sells a mini-convertor, but I have never used it. I find it much more convenient to just syringe-fill small cartridges.
  
• Nib & Performance : I find the steel nib a tad too small for this pen, and would have preferred a slightly larger nib. A big plus is that the nib units are user-changeable. Kaweco sells nib units in the sizes EF-F-M-B-BB and even calligraphic nibs. I really appreciate that you can easily replace the nib unit. You don't have to fear damaging your nib, since you can easily replace it. You can also experiment with different nib sizes. Nib units cost about 10 EUR - not expensive.
  
• Price : about 75 EUR, including taxes. Great value for money.
  

Conclusion

The Kaweco Brass Sport is a great pocket pen, with a really nice industrial look. This is a very sturdy pen, that's meant to take a beating. My pen has scratches all over it and has developed a nice patina, giving it a battered look that I quite like. This brass pocket pen is about indestructible, and will last for decades. I love it, and would buy it again without hesitation.

[ENewton]

How nice this pen looks. I've had a plastic Sport for several years and am often tempted to get a brass one, but the nib on mine has been such a disappointment that I am reluctant.

 

You mention that the nib units are replaceable. Are you still using the original nib, or have you swapped in others? If you have swapped in others, have you tried any of the newer Jowo nibs? My pen is from the time when the nibs were made by Bock, and I wonder how the newer nibs compare.

[Mags]

Newer nibs work excellent. Never an issue thus far and I have three of them.

[Eric2018]

I have the same brass sports in EF.

 

I found mine is quite bouncy. Some line variations are available even not pressing hard.

 

I carry it even in jeans pocket with coins and keys. Sturdy!

 

True, I love it too as its a worry-free edc, but its really heavy, not a workhorse for sure.

[Honeybadgers]

Love the patina yours has. My delike is getting there as well. I love the brass because it's inherently antibiotic, so I don't have to worry about wiping it down.