Kaweco Liliput Fireblue Double Broad

[sub_bluesy]

This is my first Kaweco and I really dont know why I waited so long. Im really happy with this pen even as a daily writer despite the ultra small size.

 

I went against all better judgement and ordered a double broad nib on a pocket pen and boy am I glad I did! It writes like a very nice stub nib with about a 1mm line width. This may be common knowledge with Kawecos but it was news to me. My only complaint about the nib is that it was on the bleeding edge of babys bottom and actually showed mild hard starts on the first letter. This was easily fixed with a short polish with 4K micromesh and then a few runs on 6k to get rid of the squeakyness. It writes very well after a small amount of work. The cartridge seems to last about as long as it does in a standard stub nib pen so far. I plan to refill it with a syringe of which is extremely easy. I would say even easier than a converter actually.

 

The Fireblue finish is awesome! Every angle of the pen is interesting. Theres always something new. There is a very high premium paid for it though. Not sure if its worth it to everyone but it does look cool. The Fireblue finish cost me an extra $40 over raw stainless with a deep massdrop discount. I just bought a raw stainless version as well so Ill see how close I can come to Fireblue with a mapp gas torch and some cutting oil. I suppose youre partly paying for the story behind the process with the CEO of Kaweco personally torching each pen and matching the caps to pen bodies. Thats kind of cool and worth the extra cost to me. It adds a little something special to the pen regardless even if I can replicate the finish on a raw stainless pen myself for much less.

 

The form factor is very convenient. Its super small and makes my Montegrappa Micra look like a full size pen. I can barely use the Liliput unposted. It fits mid web between my thumb and pointer finger. I wear a medium glove for reference. For quick writing it can be used effectively with average sized hands. For anything longer than a few sentences, the pen should be posted for stability. My only gripe here is I wish Kaweco would have not threaded the pen body all the way to the full radius at the top. Theres only one entrance to the threads capping the pen and posting. Many times you need to hunt and peck to post the pen since theres no staging area to align the cap to the body before you get to the threads. Also with only one thread entrance, you will need to rotated the cap almost 360 deg around before it will catch a thread many times, thus rolling off the body. Its a little annoying in a hurry.

 

Overall this is an extremely unique pen and can perform as well as a full size pen when posted. Its ridiculously small of which is great. You can opt for a double broad/stub nib in basically the smallest fountain pen on the market with just a standard international cartridge?! I salute you Kaweco for making it possible for me to indulge in my insane pen specifications on this one! Its a completely crazy pen in this configuration but just awesome! Im very happy with it and its never dull or boring! Ive been writing with it all week and its not even gotten close to old. The kicker is, I believe the Karas Kustoms K titanium Bock nib will fit this pen. Im going to order a nib and report back. A semi flex pocket pen?!! You got to be kidding me! Thats just a good time right there! No one will see that one coming.

[SoulSamurai]

I'm very fond of the Liliput, I'm glad you liked yours. Please let us know how the titanium nib works out; if it goes well I might have to try it myself.

 

Personally I rarely have any issue at all with the threads when posting the pen, but all the screwing and unscrewing make it inconvenient for regular use.

[inkstainedruth]

I've been looking longingly at the Fireblue Lilliput for a while now. But have been deterred partly due to the price (not as enamored of the "standard" ones) and partly due to the reported issues with Kaweco converters in general -- and I will NOT buy a pen that is cartridge only, especially if all they take are the short ones.

I refilled cartridges when I first got started (in fact that was my very first post to FPN, asking about refilling Parker cartridges) and I rapidly came to the conclusion that flushing them out in order to refill them with other inks was too much of a PITA.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[The Blue Knight]

Is the pen lacquered over the "fire blue" finish? If wonder if the oxides will rub off to some extent over time.

[sub_bluesy]

Is the pen lacquered over the "fire blue" finish? If wonder if the oxides will rub off to some extent over time.

The pen is definitely a raw oxidezed finish without a lacquer layer on top. The oxidation is a very long wearing finish but it will scratch. I have a couple scratches in the pen from installing a Kaweco bronze clip today. I removed the clip since I don’t think it suits the pen but it did leave some scratches at the top of the cap. From just general wear though, it will be a decade before you notice any wear from daily use. It’s pretty much bomb proof but try to avoid other hard metal surfaces from contacting the pen. Just my observation so far.

[sub_bluesy]

I'm very fond of the Liliput, I'm glad you liked yours. Please let us know how the titanium nib works out; if it goes well I might have to try it myself.

 

Personally I rarely have any issue at all with the threads when posting the pen, but all the screwing and unscrewing make it inconvenient for regular use.

I put in for a Bock Ti #5 nib today in medium. Will report back how it performs. I’m pretty excited about it! I love the #6 medium Bock Ti nib so I’m optomistic on the #5. It will definitely be out of the ordinary for sure.

[SoulSamurai]

I've been looking longingly at the Fireblue Lilliput for a while now. But have been deterred partly due to the price (not as enamored of the "standard" ones) and partly due to the reported issues with Kaweco converters in general -- and I will NOT buy a pen that is cartridge only, especially if all they take are the short ones.

I refilled cartridges when I first got started (in fact that was my very first post to FPN, asking about refilling Parker cartridges) and I rapidly came to the conclusion that flushing them out in order to refill them with other inks was too much of a PITA.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I don't remember where I saw this, but someone (I'm going to be very embarrassed if it was you) posted about this the other day: http://templarink.com/03b_converterskinny.html. Looks like it should fit the Lilliput; it's capacity is tiny but if you're using the Liliput as a small "just in case" carry pen rather than your primary writer then it might not be a problem? Alternately there's a couple of squeeze converters that will fit but they basically straight-up don't work unless you treat them like a cartridge and refill with a syringe anyway.

 

http://templarink.com/images/SkinnyMiniConverter1_sm.jpg

Edited January 31, 2018 by SoulSamurai

[Honeybadgers]

If it wasn't so appallingly expensive, the one I held at the University bookstore felt amazing in the hand. I'd be all over it at $50, but absolutely not at the msrp, especially with kaweco's less than stellar nib qc these days

 

I can confirm the templar mini converter shown above fits the liliput. The only pen I know it doesn't fit are the ohto pocket pens, being too narrow for it. That converter comes in a wide neck too that holds a tiny bit more ink. Not great for a BB taking extensive notes, but it gets the job done

Edited January 31, 2018 by Honeybadgers

[inkstainedruth]

 

I don't remember where I saw this, but someone (I'm going to be very embarrassed if it was you) posted about this the other day: http://templarink.com/03b_converterskinny.html. Looks like it should fit the Lilliput; it's capacity is tiny but if you're using the Liliput as a small "just in case" carry pen rather than your primary writer then it might not be a problem? Alternately there's a couple of squeeze converters that will fit but they basically straight-up don't work unless you treat them like a cartridge and refill with a syringe anyway.

 

http://templarink.com/images/SkinnyMiniConverter1_sm.jpg

 

Thanks for the info. If I ever get to the point of being able to afford a Fireblue Lilliput, I will definitely keep this company in mind, especially since this seems to be a piston converter (rather than the awful low-end Parker slide converters).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[tinta]

Thank you for reviewing the Lilliput Fireblue. Enjoy this stunning pen. It's on my wish list.

 

My "daily carry" is a plain, stainless version of this diminutive pen, nestled in its Kaweco raw leather case. This Lilliput has a wonderful 14c Kaweco M stub ground for it by Pendleton Brown.

 

The most water resistant ink I could find in cartridge form is Pelikan's 4001 blue/black (sourced from Cult). Not an exciting colour, but appropriate for most occasions. This pen is great for filling in forms, writing notes, lists & cheques, etc,... It's more useful than I ever imagined.

 

BTW, the fitted Kaweco case (also from Cult) stops the Lilliput from rolling off surfaces & prevents the pen's cap from backing off (unscrewing) inside your pocket. Ask me how I know this.

 

[SoulSamurai]

I'd be all over it at $50

I believe the basic aluminium version is around that price point (or it was when I bought mine), but it will be much lighter than the steel.

[Honeybadgers]

I believe the basic aluminium version is around that price point (or it was when I bought mine), but it will be much lighter than the steel.

 

 

That's my point, there's nothing that makes the steel justify that price. I liked the look of the fireblue in particular, the aluminum felt like nothing.

[sub_bluesy]

That's my point, there's nothing that makes the steel justify that price. I liked the look of the fireblue in particular, the aluminum felt like nothing.

I agree. The prices on steel are insane but I was able to pick up the Fireblue for about $130. Still crazy but it is a very unique pen in a BB configuration and worth it to me. It’s a fun pen. You would think prices would come down after about 90 years though.

[sub_bluesy]

Thank you for reviewing the Lilliput Fireblue. Enjoy this stunning pen. It's on my wish list.

 

My "daily carry" is a plain, stainless version of this diminutive pen, nestled in its Kaweco raw leather case. This Lilliput has a wonderful 14c Kaweco M stub ground for it by Pendleton Brown.

 

The most water resistant ink I could find in cartridge form is Pelikan's 4001 blue/black (sourced from Cult). Not an exciting colour, but appropriate for most occasions. This pen is great for filling in forms, writing notes, lists & cheques, etc,... It's more useful than I ever imagined.

 

BTW, the fitted Kaweco case (also from Cult) stops the Lilliput from rolling off surfaces & prevents the pen's cap from backing off (unscrewing) inside your pocket. Ask me how I know this.

 

I’m pretty confident the Fireblue finish is easily replicated on a steel pen. I have a second pen coming in that’s raw stainless. My plan is to fire it and see what I get.

[tinta]

I’m pretty confident the Fireblue finish is easily replicated on a steel pen. I have a second pen coming in that’s raw stainless. My plan is to fire it and see what I get.

Best of luck with the torch. Please let us know how your "firing" has worked out.

[inkstainedruth]

Hmmm. That's an idea. I know a bunch of people who are jewelers or blacksmiths. If I was to get one of the other (less expensive) Lilliputs, I bet it wouldn't cost me a lot more to have one of them take a torch to it to do the bluing.

In fact, I know just the person -- she's on disability, she needs the money (she sells jewelry and small pewter figurines on Etsy), and she was (unbeknownst to me) a pen person, who lost all her pens and a fancy Caran d'Ache pencil -- and most of her and her housemate's cats (as well as pretty much everything else) in a bad fire a few years ago. It actually made the local Saturday evening TV news at the time, because it was BAD -- she is on oxygen and the tanks went up, but the fire started in a wall which they didn't know had any wiring. I haven't talked to them in a few years but have gifts for them for something they did for me about 4 years ago, including getting her a Parker Vector Looney Tune Taz pen -- because, well Teri NEEDS a Taz pen.... (For Linda, I have a stuffed "Grumpy Cat" wearing a jester's hat.... ).

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[FPRebel]

reported issues with Kaweco converters in general -- and I will NOT buy a pen that is cartridge only, especially if all they take are the short ones.

Have you seen the bulb filler hack for small Kawecos? It's truly easy, peasey and very quick to make, and it works like a champ. I bought the cognac Sport I'd wanted after seeing that. The Fireblue has been on my want list since it was released, but that price....!

[sansenri]

I love the liliput

but it's really really small.

I carry it in my office back pack, it just disappears in one of the pockets but it's always there.

It's just so nice digging it out and having a FP in any occasion...

Reading your post just reminded me it's there since a couple of weeks now without having been used, so I was curious to try: wrote straight out, no hard start at all. I have a B nib in it.

my version is the brass wave, the weight is right, the aluminium versions seemed too light.

I was undecided between this and the fireblue, and I am still temped by the latter.

The material is fantastic, built like a tank. Looks good too.
My only gripe is the threading on the section is really sharp!

 

[Fishkabob]

are these nibs bock?

[minddance]

I have a Kaweco Sport in BB with baby's bottom too and tines that are way too tight for proper ink flow. I did not go the micromesh path. Instead, I split open the tines using my thumbs so tt it would dump ink onto the paper, exactly the way I like it - and not without subtle line variations

 

It is very enjoyable now.