Kaweco 250 Nib In A Dia 2 Or Kaweco Al Special?

[Phil_Dart]

It seems I'm a bit late to the party here. I thought though, that it might be worth summarising the things I've read above, not least so it's all clarified in one post, and so it's come from the horses mouth.

Bock 180, 076 and 060 are all size 5 nibs.
Bock 250 is a size 6 nib.

A size 6 nib cannot be fitted to a pen that has a size 5 housing and feed, and vice versa.

180 is Bock's standard size 5

076 is the same length as 180 but is wider across the shoulder (and looks a bit more like a size 6, which many people like. To get an impression of the aesthetic, take a look at Visconti. Most Viscontis are supplied with an 076)

060 is the same width as 180 but is shorter (most, but not quite all Kawecos are supplied with an 060)

All three use an identical housing.
180 and 076 use the same length feed
060 uses a shorter feed.

Dia and Al Sport are both supplied by Kaweko with an Kaweco branded 060
Bock 060, 076 and 180 will all screw straight into either model as a direct replacement because they all have identical housings. My strong advice though, whenever swapping to a nib that has a longer or wider geometry than the one supplied, is double check that there is sufficient room in the cap to allow it. The consequences of not doing so can be, well, expensive.

I hope that helps

Phil

[TheDutchGuy]

^—Very useful! Thanx!

[Zephyr259]

Fantastic thread, thanks to all for supplying this info. After discovering Beaufort's site I was considering trying a regular size 5 (180) in my Lilliput, looks like I have a bit of space in the cap to play with but could anyone give me a measurement (mm preferred) of the length of the 180 vs the 060?

 

Thanks muchly.

 

Oh, and this now makes the Dia 2 a lot more tempting...

[Phil_Dart]

According to Bock's specs, there's just under 4mm difference between them. The visible length of an 060 is 16mm, and a 180 is 19.6mm

[TheDutchGuy]

I’ve ordered a 076 an am eager to try it. For the record, the nib of a TWSBI Eco or TWSBI Go also fits in the Dia2 collar and those nibs also fit inside the Dia2 cap. This does not apply to the Sport range.

[Zephyr259]

According to Bock's specs, there's just under 4mm difference between them. The visible length of an 060 is 16mm, and a 180 is 19.6mm

Thank you.

 

Just measured the internal depth of the Lilliput cap and it's more or less an exact fit for the 060 nib. Looking externally there should be room but feeling the balance it would seem that the end of the cap has a solid plug of brass a few mil thick.

Edited June 7, 2019 by Zephyr259

[TheDutchGuy]

 

The Bock 076 arrived today. The screw-in design of these Kaweco pens is fabulous: removing the previous nib and installing the 076 is literally a one minute job. As indicated earlier in this discussion, the 076 is longer and wider than the stock Dia2 nib but it fits into the cap without any problems.

 

Aesthetically, the Dia2 is much-improved by the larger 076 nib. The pen looks much more balanced now. In terms of writing, unlike the exquisite experience I have with the fabulous nibs that Bock makes for Leonardo, this 076 strikes me as reliable and functional. These qualities are necessary but not sufficient - an element of pleasure would be more than welcome.

 

+ Looks nice on the Dia2;

+ Smooth and pleasant when you have a featherlight touch (but see below);

+ Larger feed greatly improves ink flow; whereas the stock 060 assemlies tend to be dry-ish, the flow of this 076 is just right (even with Kaweco Midnight Blue, which is a dry ink);

 

/ Some drag (like moving your hand through water) when you write a bit more heavy-handedly;

/ Whereas some modern steel nibs make you forget about your gold nibs (such as Leonardo, Opus 88, Pineider Avatar), the Bock 076 definitely feels like a steel nib;

/ Not much refinement or fun in the writing experience.

 

For the 12 UK pounds that this nib cost me, Im glad that I bought it. It did not transform my Dia2 into a rival for my best steel-nibbed pens, but it sure did elevate it to a new level.

Edited June 17, 2019 by TheDutchGuy

[sansenri]

Thank you very much for this very informative thread.

I have just ordered my own Bock 076 from Beaufort to swap in place of the existing 060 in my Dia 2.

I have always liked this pen, its build quality and the slightly retro look, but the small nib did always look somewhat out of place.

I am keen to see it look more balanced with this larger nib.

(in the photo as it is now)

 

[TheDutchGuy]

After having used the 076 for a week in my Dia2, I have to admit that it’s growing on me. The Dia2 has always been a very ergonomical pen and with this nib, my handwriting is greatly improved. Text just flows out of the pen, unimpeded, at a brisk pace. The somewhat clunky, steel-ish feel depends a lot on pressure. With a featherlight touch, the nib is quite pleasant.