Pen Review: Kaweco Ac Sport Red Le

[Chrissy]

Kaweco AC Sport Red LE FP Review

History (reproduced from the Kaweco web-site)

The first Kaweco Sport was founded in 1912 as a pocket fountain pen for ladies, officers and sportsmen. In 1930 the brands and models of Kaweco and Aurumia fused and the Ka We Co three part circle emerged. This circle is still used today on nearly all of it’s pens.

In 1993 H & M Gutberlet GmbH made it’s first prototypes for a relaunch of the Kaweco Sport under the name Trekking, but gained and registered the rights to rename as Kaweco in 1994.

The Kaweco Sport was newly produced as a cartridge holder in 1995, but the design remained the same as the 1935 model.

In 2000 the first Limited Sport edition was produced in green celluloid, and the AL Sport as well as the Art Sport were launched in 2003.

The Pen

Measurements: Closed; 109mm, Posted; 135mm, Nib; 17mm.

When I first saw this pen, I said 'wow' to myself. It looks so much better 'in the flesh' so to speak, than it does in pictures that I have seen. This is one spectacular looking pen. It has an octagonal barrel in satin red aluminium, with black carbon fibre inlays.The cap screws onto the barrel when closed to make a compact pocket pen, like all Kaweco Sport FP's, then it posts onto the end off the barrel when open, to make a good size writing pen. I was a bit scared that the cap might mark the amazing carbon fibre of the barrel, but that hasn't happened yet. Even the Kaweco circle is painted black on the end of the cap of this pen.

My only tiny little disappointment was to see that it came with a polished steel nib as standard. So I decided to try it with the optional black nib, and this made it look so much better. Nibs are interchangeable with AL pens, they just screw out. Assuming you are holding the pen in your right hand, hold the nib top and bottom (not sides) and it unscrews out of the section in a clockwise direction using your left hand.

This pen comes with nib options EF, F, M, B and BB.

I am advised by Kaweco that threaded calligraphy nibs are also available to purchase separately as are 14ct gold options plus black options.

The Filling system

As I’m reviewing some Kaweco pens and inks, I selected a Ruby Red cartridge for the AC Sport red LE FP. The cartridges are International Short cartridge size.

If you’re looking for a pen with a sophisticated piston filling system, or even a classic type of twist converter, then you might be disappointed with this pocket-sized pen. There is only room for one International short cartridge due to it’s miniature size. However, I don’t find this a problem at all.

The Writing Test

After I inked up the pen with the Ruby Red cartridge, it wrote straight away. It was so lovely to write with, not at all tiring, and I didn’t find the grip at all slippery. The firm, black steel Fine nib gave me a smooth writing experience that rivalled that of some gold nibs in more expensive pens. There is no flex with the nib. I also tried an optional 1.1 threaded nib in this pen, and that really showed off the red ink. I'm reviewing the Ruby Red ink separately, so I won't say too much about it here, but suffice it to say I really enjoyed the pen and ink combination. The pen was a good colour match for the ink, if you sometimes like to match inks with pens as I do.

Overall Opinion

Kaweco Sport pens have a really good screw cap that prevents their cartridges from drying out, and I have always liked that in this type of pen. I also love the fact that the Sport pens come in the Kaweco super metal gift tin that easily takes two pens plus a couple of spare cartridges.

If you want a clip or a converter they are available separately, but I find it as easy to refill cartridges from bottled ink with a syringe, as using the tiny squeeze type of converter that is made to fit this pen. Kaweco sell their inks in 30ml bottles or packs of 6 cartridges.

All in all, I really like this pen and I would recommend it. This is an expensive Kaweco Sport RRP £92 in the UK, but you can find them for less. An optional black nib unit would cost you an additional £30 or less.

Kaweco loaned me this pen to review, and I really appreciate that. Thank you Kaweco.

[mehandiratta]

This is a lovely pen...

and thank you for the wonderful review...

 

Do you think the the finish or color will wear off with wear and tear unlike brass or copper ...

[visvamitra]

Very nice photos. Thank you for the review.

[benay148]

This is a lovely pen...

and thank you for the wonderful review...

 

Do you think the the finish or color will wear off with wear and tear unlike brass or copper ...

Had this same pen for about two years now. Still holding up perfectly

[Chrissy]

This is a lovely pen...

and thank you for the wonderful review...

 

Do you think the the finish or color will wear off with wear and tear unlike brass or copper ...

 

Thanks and you're welcome.

 

I don't think the red finish will wear off. There are many coloured metal pens on the market, and the finish isn't just painted on. I'm not sure whether posting the metal edge of the cap will ever mark the carbon fibre. I can ask Kaweco though.

 

Very nice photos. Thank you for the review.

 

Thanks and you're welcome. I thought some of the pics looked a bit dark. I will fix that for the brass Kaweco Sport when I review that pen.

[pavoni]

Great review Chrissy, and always appreciate it when a reviewer bothers to put a bit of history behind the particular pen/brand being discussed

 

I only happened across these wonderful pens this year when looking for a fountain pen that would accompany my Midori notebook, and not mind being thrown about (leaks, spills, cap coming off etc) in the bottom of a backpack. Well, I now have three of the Kaweco AI Sport Transparent (or 'Demonstrator' as I prefer to call them) fountain pens. Two are attached via a penholder to my Midori, whilst the other accompanies me to work and acts as backup to my more delicate everyday carry fountain pens.

 

For the sake of convenience and for greater ink capacity, I converted each Kaweco to an eyedropper. All three are reliable and wet writers. After quite a bit of abuse this past four months, I am happy to note that none of two pens attached to my Midori has shown any sign of leakage, not a hint of a single drop either inside the caps or in/on my backpack. Perfect

 

You are absolutely right, these Kaweco pens are much better in the flesh, though I find it hard to believe your red beauty pictured can look even better than it does in your excellent photos.

 

Good choice on the dark nib for yours. I have gold nibs on all three of mine but I wouldn't mind finding one suitable vintage donor nib with flex to fit one of mine, given the ink capacity afforded an eyedropper! I've tried a Waterman's No 2 nib but......it would mean a bit of surgery on a wonderful little nib for it to fit Any ideas?

 

Great review Chrissy. Thanks for sharing. Whilst I doubt I would need another, you've certainly tempted me with that red AC Sport of yours.

 

Pavoni.

[FOUR X FOUR]

Great review. Awesome looking pen. I just wish the sellers would have gold nibs available.

[Diderot]

Nice review, thanks.

[Chrissy]

Great review Chrissy, and always appreciate it when a reviewer bothers to put a bit of history behind the particular pen/brand being discussed

 

I only happened across these wonderful pens this year when looking for a fountain pen that would accompany my Midori notebook, and not mind being thrown about (leaks, spills, cap coming off etc) in the bottom of a backpack. Well, I now have three of the Kaweco AI Sport Transparent (or 'Demonstrator' as I prefer to call them) fountain pens. Two are attached via a penholder to my Midori, whilst the other accompanies me to work and acts as backup to my more delicate everyday carry fountain pens.

 

For the sake of convenience and for greater ink capacity, I converted each Kaweco to an eyedropper. All three are reliable and wet writers. After quite a bit of abuse this past four months, I am happy to note that none of two pens attached to my Midori has shown any sign of leakage, not a hint of a single drop either inside the caps or in/on my backpack. Perfect

 

You are absolutely right, these Kaweco pens are much better in the flesh, though I find it hard to believe your red beauty pictured can look even better than it does in your excellent photos.

 

Good choice on the dark nib for yours. I have gold nibs on all three of mine but I wouldn't mind finding one suitable vintage donor nib with flex to fit one of mine, given the ink capacity afforded an eyedropper! I've tried a Waterman's No 2 nib but......it would mean a bit of surgery on a wonderful little nib for it to fit Any ideas?

 

Great review Chrissy. Thanks for sharing. Whilst I doubt I would need another, you've certainly tempted me with that red AC Sport of yours.

 

Pavoni.

 

Thank you for your comments. There is plenty more history associated with the Kaweco brand on their web-site, but I chose to concentrate on the history of the Sport pens as I was afraid to make too long in case no-one read it. So I'm encouraged that you did.

I have a friend who has converted a Kaweco Ice Sport (or 'Demonstrator' as you prefer to call them) to an eye dropper, and it looked great with ink inside it's barrel when she posted on her blog. Sadly, I don't have an Ice Sport. I really wish I had selected one to review, but in the plastic Sport range I have already selected the Chess version to review.

It's good to hear that these pens can rattle around in bags, take abuse and not leak, and remain reliable writers. I'm not at all surprised that they can.

I will be able to try the gold nib out shortly as I'm also reviewing the brass Sport. I'm sorry I can't suggest any flexible nibs that are the same size as a Sport nib, but I bet someone who can will come along

 

Great review. Awesome looking pen. I just wish the sellers would have gold nibs available.

 

You're welcome. I saw gold nibs available at Cult Pens, Hamilton Pen Co and Seitz-Kreuznach. They are also available on ebay from S-K and Gidania

If you ask Kaweco they will tell you where they have more stockists

 

Nice review, thanks.

 

You're welcome.

[Chrissy]

 

 

Do you think the the finish or color will wear off with wear and tear unlike brass or copper ...

 

In reply to your question Kaweco say:

The surface of our AC Sport is anodised. So it won’t get such a patina like LILIPUT Copper or BRASS Sport.

But it could be that the aluminium wears off after some time when carrying it together with keys in your pocket for example – however even then it would remind more of a Stonewased than BRASS Sport or Copper.

[Mickey17]

Kaweco makes beautiful pens. Thanks for the review and recommendation.

[mehandiratta]

 

 

In reply to your question Kaweco say:

The surface of our AC Sport is anodised. So it won’t get such a patina like LILIPUT Copper or BRASS Sport.

But it could be that the aluminium wears off after some time when carrying it together with keys in your pocket for example – however even then it would remind more of a Stonewased than BRASS Sport or Copper.

 

thank you for that piece of information

[Appelboompen]

Thank you for the great review and the detailed pictures.

 

Personally I like the carbon & red combination.

[Chrissy]

Kaweco makes beautiful pens. Thanks for the review and recommendation.

 

 

thank you for that piece of information

 

 

Thank you for the great review and the detailed pictures.

 

Personally I like the carbon & red combination.

 

 

You are all very welcome.

[flight878]

A bit late contributing to this thread, but as an owner of this fine pen, and specifically the beautiful red pen, something that has annoyed me with its photography is the inconsistency of the red hue.

 

One of my favourite colours is red, but more towards a firetruck red, not a crimson, magenta-leaning red. The red on the this Kaweco AC Sport is leaning more towards the latter, despite some photos hinting it leans more towards the former.

 

I attached my photos of the pen using an iPhone camera under bright, white light. I compared to a Lamy Pico and Studio Royal Red (same red hue), that lean more "Swiss" red-orange. My pen was fitted with the black version of the nib, purchased separately, as I think it's better suited than the chrome steel nib.

 

Here are some variation of its (misleading) photos from the Web:

http://static2.jetpens.com/images/a/000/041/41740.jpg?mark64=aHR0cDovL3d3dy5qZXRwZW5zLmNvbS9pbWFnZXMvYXNzZXRzL3dhdGVybWFyay5wbmc&markalign64=dG9wLHJpZ2h0&markscale=19&s=c7e3ab2d8ad93f258de81a0735cfda22

 

More realistic:

http://www.vecchietti.it/3813-home_default/kaweco-ac-sport-red-stilografica.jpg

 

More misleading:

 

I like this red, if it were really like this:

 

More accurate:

 

 

A beautiful, but still misleading, Ferrari red:

http://sklep-scryba.pl/images/AC%20sport%20carbon%20red%202.jpg

 

There are more examples that can be seen on the Web. This is to inform the prospective buyer who is looking for a red pen and picky about this colour's hue.

 

I suspect that the red here appears more Swiss or firetruck-like under warm light, while under natural light, it reveals the truer crimson, magenta-leaning hue. If the digital camera processor tends to photograph in a warmer, "yellowy" white, I think this will affect the red variant on this pen.

 

[kmik]

Hello Fight878!

Nice Pictures, the comparison with pico and Studio is a valid Color Information. The New Kaweco AC pen (orange (sometimes racing orange)has a somewhat brighter hue than the Studio in the comparison Picture. (see Kaweco Web site). the Orange tends to Parkers BigRed.

Both new Colors of KawecoAC (orange, green) are nice, and it was a good idea to include black nibs due to the carbon part. These black nibs feel (forme) a Little bit sturdier than the blank ones. The new Kaweco ink sunrise orange is a perfect fill for the orange pen.

 

regards kmik

[Chrissy]

A bit late contributing to this thread, but as an owner of this fine pen, and specifically the beautiful red pen, something that has annoyed me with its photography is the inconsistency of the red hue.

 

One of my favourite colours is red, but more towards a firetruck red, not a crimson, magenta-leaning red. The red on the this Kaweco AC Sport is leaning more towards the latter, despite some photos hinting it leans more towards the former.

 

I attached my photos of the pen using an iPhone camera under bright, white light. I compared to a Lamy Pico and Studio Royal Red (same red hue), that lean more "Swiss" red-orange. My pen was fitted with the black version of the nib, purchased separately, as I think it's better suited than the chrome steel nib.

 

There are more examples that can be seen on the Web. This is to inform the prospective buyer who is looking for a red pen and picky about this colour's hue.

 

I suspect that the red here appears more Swiss or firetruck-like under warm light, while under natural light, it reveals the truer crimson, magenta-leaning hue. If the digital camera processor tends to photograph in a warmer, "yellowy" white, I think this will affect the red variant on this pen.

 

 

I adjusted my pictures to match the colour of the pen that I have.

[landrover]

On

[theoddcopy]

I've been looking into getting a Kaweco Classic Sport lately, but have been unable to make the final push to purchase. This AC Sport model looks great, though. I may have to pull the trigger for one similar to this.

[Chrissy]

It's an excellent choice.