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While it's hardly a secret around these parts that I'm smitten with certain Italian and Japanese pens, I'd like some limelight for an unsung hero. I won this pen in Appelboom's Free Fountain Pen Friday giveaway some time ago and it's been growing on me ever since. This isn't meant as a full-size review, merely as an ode to an understated, high-quality, workhorse pen. Its art deco design resonates with me - I simply love art deco. It's no-frills blackness also resonates with me. Where other black pens can be boring, somehow this one isn't. Materials and build quality are top-notch. Pick this pen up and its quality is immediately apparent. This pen will stand up to intense daily use. Kaweco really hit the nail on the head with its dimensions: not too wide, nor too narrow. Not too short, nor too tall. Not too heavy, nor too light. It's just right and melts into my hand. At this point in my fountain pen journey, I really cannot claim that gold nibs are better. My favourite nibs in pens that you can buy in any store today are the steel F nibs that Leonardo uses, followed by the palladium dreamtouch nibs of the Homo Sapiens and gold Sailor nibs. It's not so much the material, it's how well the nib is made. The small steel nibs that Kaweco uses in its Sport, Liliput and Dia pens are cheap. A nib, feed and collar unit is priced under 10 euros. I've got a bunch of nibs lying around: an EF, several F's, an M, a 1.1 stub and a 1.5 stub. With the EF, F and M nibs, the size designations are pretty meaningless. The EF writes like an F, the F's are all over the place and the M writes like an F. All of the nibs are smooth, some are dry-ish (easily solved) and some have a certain amount of drag (not to be confused with feedback and not so easily solved). Long story short, the EF is really good, the 1.1 is a lovely stub, the 1.5 isn't crispy enough and has flow issues, the F's are all over the place and the M is my favourite and found its way into my Dia2. But as said, in terms of writing it's not at all like a typical M. It's a really well-writing pen: quite wet but not excessively so, never skips or hard starts. The cap seals really well so the pen will write straight away after two weeks of no use. The full-size Kaweco converter works like a converter should work and holds a reasonable amount of ink. The nib is very smooth but not without control, a very easy pen for longer sessions. Priced around 100 euros, it's not a cheap for a steel-nibbed pen. I was fortunate to win it, but if I'd paid full-retail then I would have been happy. It's become a real road-dog and I enjoy it more every day.

Kaweco Dia2 Dual Review My friend Laura and I thought it would be fun to do a dual review of a fountain pen. Kaweco loaned each of us a Dia2 with chrome trim. Laura used a steel EF nib, and a 14ct gold BB nib. I used a steel M nib. I also tested it with a steel 1.1mm nib and a 14ct gold F nib. We posted the full review, with more thoughts and pictures, on Laura's blog here but we also want to show you highlights from our review here on FPN. We hope you enjoy reading it. 1. Appearance and Design. Laura: It’s based on a traditional design from the 1930s. I love the chrome-colored trim, the shiny black resin and the knurled rings on the end of the cap and barrel that date from the original Dia. And the shape of the clip is gorgeous. Chris: The Dia2 is a full length pen based on a classic 1930’s Art Deco design. It comes with either chrome or gold trim. The cap has 2 decorative inlaid chrome bands at the base. 2. Construction and Quality. Laura: The Dia2 feels very nicely built. The barrel screws firmly onto the section and a spring-loaded feature inside assures you that the cartridges are firmly in place. Chris: Everything about the Dia2 suggests a high quality pen. It is not a flimsy, lightweight, pen in your hand, as the barrel has inner brass screw threads that give it a good balanced feel. The highly polished black CNC acrylic has cleanly cut and smooth screw threads. You insert one cartridge into the section, and a spare inside the barrel. The spring loading is reassurance that the cartridge won’t fall out. 3. Weight and Dimensions. Weight of pen capped: 27.8 grams (inked with cartridge). Weight of body only: 18.6 grams (inked). Length: Body only, unposted: 12.5 cm or about 5 inches. Posted: 16 cm or just over 6¼ inches. Capped and closed: almost 13.5 cm or 5¼ inches. Laura: I used the Dia2 unposted, and found it to be a nice full sized pen, that feels balanced and comfortable in the hand, even for longer writing sessions. Chris: I only used it unposted, and it felt comfortable in my hand. It might feel slightly unbalanced if posted. 4. Nib and Performance. Laura: The Dia2 uses the same nib units as used on the AL-Sport. The steel EF is smooth, with a touch of feedback, and no flex, but it doesn’t feel stiff. It’s excellent for fast writing and just how I like a nib. I tried the gold BB nib, but didn’t find that improved the writing experience for me. I think the Kaweco steel nibs give a lot of bang for the buck, and I’m very happy with them. Chris: You can choose from threaded steel calligraphy nibs, black steel nibs, or gold nibs. I found my M steel nib had a dry flow. When I swapped in the gold F nib I found the flow was much better with a softer writing experience. I found the nib size looked slightly small in the pen, and I felt it could easily have handled a slightly larger nib, but it didn’t make that much difference to me. 5. Filling System and Maintenance. Laura: I used the Dia2 extensively, but with cartridges only because I did not have a converter that fits. I like cartridges but would have liked a converter as well. Chris: I used cartridges in the Dia2, because I have been using them in the Sport pens that I’ve been reviewing. However, Kaweco also sent me a KW23846 converter that fits it, as none of my International sized converters would stay in properly. The twist action converter that fits the Dia2 is different to the squeeze converter that fits the Sport pens. 6. Cost and Value. Laura: This is the only rub for me. In the US, the Dia2 in chrome sells for about $100, which puts it up in the highest range among steel-nib pens. The converter that fits the Dia2 is an additional $4. That is around the same price as a Pelikan M200, which is a similar steel-nib German pen. I think the Dia2 looks like more of a premium pen. It has much nicer trim, it feels more solid and it’s a bigger pen. The Dia2 feels like a grown-up’s pen. Chris: In the UK, Cult Pens sell the Dia2 Chrome for £72 and the Dia2 Gold for £92. You also need to add £3 for the converter. Pelikan M205’s cost £90 and the M200 costs £120. If you wanted to have the Dia2 with a gold nib then you are adding at least a further £99 to the UK price. So the price would then be comparable with the Lamy 2000 Makrolon FP. I actually prefer the shiny black classic and more traditional finish of the Dia2, and feel that it is a higher quality pen overall. 7. Conclusion. Laura: I really liked this pen. It’s a full-size pen with traditional looks, that feels very well-made. I’m a big fan of the steel EF nib. The Dia2’s only drawback, for me, is that it’s on the expensive side. And I think it should come with a converter. Chris: I like it’s size and high quality, as well as it’s looks and performance. However, I wouldn’t be able to live with the chrome pen fitted with a yellow gold nib, and the gold trim version or the two-tone gold nib make it significantly more expensive. I also think Kaweco need to include a converter with the pen for the sake of the insignificant additional price. N.B. Kaweco kindly sent me the two-tone 14ct gold nib to try it with, and I think it looks much better than the monotone gold nib. I'm adding a couple of pictures to show this nib.