Kaweco Classic Sport vs. AL Sport Piston Filler Fountain Pens side-by-side — Two Kaweco Sport Piston Fillers: The AL Sport Piston Filler (left) and the Classic Sport version (right).

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler Redux: Classic Sport vs. AL Sport Piston Comparison

November 23, 2024

This release took me a bit by surprise. While I did suspect that Kaweco would eventually release a lower-cost version of its initial piston-filling fountain pen, I didn’t expect it to happen so soon. Of course, we’re talking about the just-released Kaweco Classic Sport Piston Filler fountain pen, which arrived Wednesday. Now that I’ve had a few days to mess around with it, I can answer a few of the questions that I received and offer my initial impressions on how it compares both to the standard (cartridge) Classic Sport model and the AL Sport Piston Filler.

Kaweco Classic Sport vs. Classic Sport Piston Filler Fountain Pens — The standard Kaweco Classic Sport (top) vs. the Kaweco Classic Sport Piston Filler (bottom).

Kaweco Classic Sport (Cartridge) vs. Classic Sport Piston Filler

Appearance. As with the AL Sport, Kaweco chose to use the most basic version of the Classic Sport (clipless black with gold trim) as the starting point for the Classic Sport Piston Filler. Capped, you won’t notice any meaningful difference from the standard cartridge Classic Sport other than the gold ring at the blind cap, which you remove to access the piston knob. (The blind cap at the back of the pen prevents the piston from accidentally being turned when the pen is posted.) Uncapped, you will of course see the ink window, tinted grey, which immediately differentiates the barrel on the piston filler from the standard cartridge pen.
Weight. The first thing about the Classic Sport Piston Filler that struck me was the weight - the pen is notably light, with the added heft from the piston only slightly perceptible in my hand. It’s of course much lighter than the AL Sport Piston Filler, but that’s to be expected given the difference in materials.
Clip Compatibility. There is no integrated clip in the Classic Sport Piston Filler. The standard add-on Kaweco Sport clip fits, so you can use that as you like. I personally prefer a sleeker clipless look on the Classic Sport, and if I need a clip on a pocket pen, I usually opt for the AL Sport Piston Filler or one of my Art Sport models (which also feature the integrated clip).

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler Ink Windows — Both piston fillers feature ink windows.

Classic Sport Piston Filler vs. AL Sport Piston Filler Fountain Pen

Overall Aesthetic. The designs of the Classic Sport and Al-Sport piston fillers are distinct, even though the internal mechanics may be identical. Personally, I think the AL Sport Piston Filler looks more upscale, with the curved clip, matte metal body, and greater heft in the hand. Of course, it’s also more expensive, priced at $165 as opposed to $75 for the Classic.
Clip vs. No Clip. As noted above, the AL Sport Piston Filler features the integrated clip, borrowing the same design from the Kaweco Sport Luxe series and the latest collection of Art Sport fountain pens. The clip is a matter of personal preference that often draws strong opinions. If you absolutely need a clip, you can add one to the Classic Sport.
Ink Capacity. Both pens appear to use the same piston mechanism, and hold the same volume of ink. While I’ve not done a scientific measurement, the pistons took in enough water/ink to fill approximately 3/4 of the way to the 1ml marker on a sample vial. So I’ll guesstimate approximately .7ml of ink. This is roughly what would fit in a standard fountain pen converter, and probably more ink than you would get in a short international cartridge and certainly more than in the Kaweco Mini Converter. Piston or not, the Kaweco Sport will never be an “ink tank” fountain pen, but the piston pens hold more than enough ink to get most people through a few days of writing.

Both Kaweco Sport Piston Fillers Posted and Extended — The integrated clip on the AL Sport Piston Filler (left) vs. the standard Kaweco Sport Clip on the Kaweco Classic Sport Piston Filler. The add-on clip is sold separately for the Classic Sport.

Takeaways and Where to Buy

This post contains only my initial thoughts on Kaweco’s latest release - one thing I want to see is whether the Classic Sport Piston Filler shares the same excellent ink flow as the AL Sport version. As I pointed out in my post on that pen, having the ink sit directly behind the nib and feed (as it does with most piston fillers) often leads to heavier ink flow and an overall wetter writing experience, which I’ve always found to be a good thing with smaller nibs like those in the Kaweco Sport series. So far, the writing experience has been quite nice and consistent in both the Classic and AL Sport versions, but I plan to do a longer-term test.

Kaweco Pen Counter in the TGS Shop — Come by our shop and see not just the Kaweco Sport Piston fillers, but also the other new releases like the latest Kaweco Collection AL Sport “Olivine” (shown at left).

We currently have stock of both the Kaweco Classic Sport Piston Filler and the AL Sport Piston filler in the shop. If you’re in the Nashville area, I have two tester pens inked up so you can come by and try them in person if you like. We’ve also just received a major restock of Kaweco Bottled Ink, Kaweco Ink Cartridges, and other styles of fountain pens such as the full-sized Kaweco Perkeo!

During the upcoming holiday season, our store will be open for extended hours. Please check the “About” page for directions and updated operating hours, as well as announcements regarding any special events.

Thursday Drops: Kaweco Sports, Including a New Piston Filler, and a Restock from Japan!

November 21, 2024

What better way to usher in the holiday season than to welcome a giant Kaweco restock, which includes a handful of hotly anticipated new releases. First up is the 2024 Kaweco Collection AL Sport in “Olivine”, a gorgeous gold-tinged green color. Second, what we all suspected was coming, but is now a reality: a piston version of the Classic Sport. This latest release dispenses with the integrated clip and uses the lightweight plastic body of the Kaweco Classic Sport as opposed to the AL Sport (which will continue to have its own piston-fill version). Last but not least from Kaweco, we’ve brought the Perkeo into the shop, in all available standard colors as well as the 2024 Kaweco Collection special release, Infrared.

Pilot S20 Ballpoint in Brown and Red Finishes

Did I mention we received a huge shipment direct from Japan yesterday? New additions include the super smooth (and ergonomic) Pilot S20 ballpoints, as well as additional stock of the Uni Jetstream Prime, Uni Jetstream Edge, and the Zebra Sarasa Grande Vintage. All color options should be in stock once again!

Kaweco Collection AL Sport in Olivine. The AL Sport is the aluminum version of the iconic Kaweco Sport fountain pen, which offers a bit more heft and durability than the plastic version. This 2024 special release features a soft golden green color.
Kaweco Classic Sport Piston Filler Fountain Pen. Everyone expected Kaweco to do this at some point, and it’s a pleasant surprise to see this release emerge just before the holidays! The Classic Sport receives a piston upgrade, currently available in standard black without a clip included.
Kaweco AL Sport Piston Filler Fountain Pen. The initial Kaweco Sport Piston filler is still available, and will now apparently be known as the “AL Sport” Piston. Personally, I prefer this version with the integrated clip and more heft.
Kaweco Perkeo Fountain Pens. Priced at just $18, the Kaweco Perkeo was Kaweco’s answer to consumer demand for a full-size, low-cost fountain pen. Available in multiple colors, the Perkeo is lightweight and takes standard international cartridges and converters. The 2024 Kaweco Collection version, “Infrared”, is also available.
Diamine 160th Anniversary Inks. Diamine recently celebrated their 160th anniversary as a company, and in connection with that milestone released a series of inks inspired by the landmarks and locations around their factory.
Diamine Inkvent Calendars. Inkvent is about to begin! These inky takes on the traditional Advent calendar offers 24 12ml bottles of ink, followed by a 30ml bottle for the 25th day. Each day is supposed to be a surprise, so no posting spoilers!
Teranishi Guitar Fountain Pen Inks. These cult favorite inks from Japan are now available in the shop and online. The Teranishi inks feature offbeat colors unique to this particular line.
Platinum Classic Inks. The Platinum Classic series features five different inks with iron gall content, meaning that the inks appear lighter shades when wet but darken to a black-infused color as they dry. These inks are all safe for fountain pens. We’ve also recently added Pilot Chou Kuro Black and Carbon Black to our bottled ink options. Both are very dark pigmented black inks that show extremely good water resistance.
Pilot S20 Ballpoint Pens. A friend gifted me one of these pens earlier this year, and I immediately knew that I had to have these for the shop. With a smooth wood finish, the S20 accepts the Dr. Grip “Cocoon” hybrid ballpoint refill, and comes in two colors: red or brown.
Nakabayashi Paper. Customer favorite Nakabayashi Logical Prime, Logical Air, and Yu-Sari paper is restocked in nearly all formats.

Are you shopping for a gift this holiday season? Check out the T.G.S. Holiday Gift Guide, which we update each year! If you’d like to come shop in person, our brick-and-mortar shop is open this week on Thursday (1-6pm); Friday (1-7pm); and Saturday (10-7pm).

The latest AL Sport release from Kaweco features this beautiful golden green “Olivine” finish.

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler Black Aluminum

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler: Initial Impressions of a Long-Awaited "Upgrade"!

April 20, 2024

Well, it's here! After years of speculation, and much anticipation, Kaweco has released the piston filler version of the Kaweco Sport. Rather than design a completely new pen, Kaweco adapted the existing AL Sport fountain pen by adding an integrated clip and, of course, the piston filler. What are my initial thoughts? Let's take a closer look.

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler in Packaging — The pen ships in this commemorative tin, complete with a vintage-style bottle of ink.

Initial Impressions of the Design

From the moment you open the box, there's no confusing this pen with anything other than a modern Kaweco Sport fountain pen. As mentioned, the body design draws on the existing AL Sport line, though Kaweco has added the integrated clip from the current Art Sport lineup and the now-discontinued “Luxe” model. There's also a gold band at the blind cap, which you remove to access the piston mechanism.

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler Capped — I’m sold on the integrated clip. It’s a matter of preference, but I was always a fan of the now-discontinued “Sport Luxe” pens that had this same look.

In terms of size, feel, and overall setup, you shouldn't notice much of a difference between the Sport Piston Filler and the existing AL Sport line. My red AL Sport shown below weighs 18g, and my 3/4 full Kaweco Sport Piston Filler weighs 24g. While the piston adds some weight, given the Sport's small size, I don't really notice it.

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler Posted — The pen posts nicely, and the ink window allows you to see how much ink you still have in reserve.

The biggest difference in the body is the vintage-style ink window, which allows you to see the ink level in the pen. The piston filler holds more ink than a cartridge, certainly holds more ink than the small Kaweco Sport “Mini” converter, and while it's not quite at eyedropper level, you don't have to deal with silicone grease, ink burping, and other considerations that pop up when you pour ink directly into the barrel.

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler Piston Mechanism — Remove the blind cap to access the piston knob and refill the pen.

The piston design on this pen is a bit unique. You access the piston by removing the blind cap to reveal the piston knob. Why would Kaweco do this? I suspect it’s because nearly everyone posts the cap on the back of the Kaweco Sport as they write, and this design minimizes the risk of the piston accidentally engaging and expelling ink while writing.

Nib and Writing Experience

The first thing I noticed after inking up my medium piston Sport for the first time was how much the standard Kaweco nib benefitted from the increased ink flow the piston mechanism offered. Piston fillers often deliver a more consistent flow of ink to the nib and feed than cartridge/converter pens, which in turn makes the pen feel like a smoother writer. I find this effect more pronounced with smaller No. 4 and No. 5 nibs. Again, this is strictly a matter of personal preference, but the medium nib in the pen I chose for myself is excellent. (It's also possible that a higher degree of quality control went into the nibs on the $165 pen than goes into the standard $28 Sport. One would hope so.)

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler Nib — The Kaweco Sport Piston Filler uses the same nib as the other Kaweco Sports, but the nib unit is different. My understanding is that Kaweco will start selling replacement nib units specific to this pen.

I won't write much more on the writing experience - I've previously reviewed multiple versions of the Kaweco Sport and the feel of this pen in the hand as you write isn't significantly different. You either like these smaller pens or you don't, and nothing about the filling system really changes that.

Kaweco Sport Piston Filler Writing Sample

"But I Like the Vintage One Better...."

Initial reactions to the Kaweco Sport Piston Filler have been mixed, not necessarily due to the pen itself but rather because nobody knew what to expect, with expectations all over the place. Some, frankly, were wildly unrealistic. (I'm not sure in what world people were expecting an inexpensive piston filling Kaweco fountain pen with a 14k gold nib, or an exact replica of vintage pens featuring materials that can’t be sourced.)

Keep in mind that the modern company we know as "Kaweco" is different from the legacy company that produced vintage “Sport” fountain pens. Much like "the new Esterbrook", the rights to the Kaweco name were acquired by a new manufacturer who began making modern pens inspired by the heritage designs.

Kaweco Sport Piston Fillers Vintage Vs. Modern — My vintage Kaweco Sport from the early 1970s (right) next to the modern pen. For a more fulsome comparison, check out this YouTube video, which includes writing samples.

I believe this context is important to understand because creating a piston filling Kaweco Sport is not as simple as "turning on the old machines". As with most vintage pens, the machines and tooling used to make the pens likely don't exist anymore - much less in workable condition - and the gold nibs and other materials used in the vintage manufacturing are either much more expensive or entirely unavailable to modern manufacturers. A piston-filling Kaweco Sport in a vintage-style body different from Kaweco's current lineup, featuring a 14k gold nib, would easily top $200, and I would probably pitch it closer to $300+.

Kaweco Sport Piston Fillers showing vintage and modern Logos

On the "Value Proposition" and Appreciating Trade-Offs

Now for some “market discussion”: There has been a lot of talk about the price point of the Kaweco Sport Piston Filler ($165), which many believe is too high. While the pen is certainly not inexpensive, I don’t see how a German-manufactured piston fountain pen from a mainline brand could cost less than $130 given the realities of the market. (At some point in the future, we might see some minor price drop on this pen as we did with the Art Sport, thus I’m calling $130 as the ultimate floor here even thought the price currently sits at $165 for the pen / $175 for the pen+ink set. A cheaper pen would almost certainly be a resin model.)

Kaweco Sports Piston vs. AL Sport — Will we see more colors of the Kaweco Sport Piston? Probably eventually, but not right away.

Does it represent "good value"? Frankly, I’m not sure how a piston-filling pocket fountain pen, styled in very specific manner, can even be viewed from a “value” perspective. I see this as a niche product that will likely appeal to a smaller number of people than something like a TWSBI demonstrator. The price reflects that. If what you're looking for is a durable pocket fountain pen with a decent nib that easy to refill and costs as little as $28, that already exists in the form of the standard Kaweco Sport. You can also purchase the AL Sport for $90, which is virtually identical to the piston filler (albeit with different trim and minus the integrated clip). Honestly, the price point here surprised me in a very different way from most people, as I was expecting $200+, especially after the $300+ Ebonite Sport release.

And, yes, if you really want a gold nib, and you prefer the vintage styling, those are very much available on the secondary market (an entirely different set of considerations unique to vintage pens and their maintenance).

Kaweco Sport Piston vs. AL Sport Overhead Shot on Table

Takeaways and Where to Buy

I'm enjoying the new Kaweco Sport. Like most Kaweco releases, the build quality feels high, and Kaweco has done a nice job translating the piston filling system to the existing AL Sport format. Because smaller nibs can sometimes be stingy with ink flow, the piston mechanism seems to vastly improves the writing experience for those who enjoy a wetter nib, and for this reason alone the Sport Piston Filler will likely become my default Kaweco for when I want to do a lot of actual writing, as opposed to quicker notetaking on the go.

Kaweco Sport Fountain Pens with Integrated Clips

You can purchase the new Kaweco Sport Piston Filler at most Kaweco retailers, including directly from us via the T.G.S. Curated Shop. We currently stock the pen in a gift set that ships in a commemorative tin with a bottle of Kaweco Royal Blue ink for $175. The pen on its own sells for $165, and after this initial shipment Kaweco will begin stocking retailers with stand-alone pens. It will be interesting to see whether this takes off, with more colors available, or whether it remains a one-off in the overall lineup!

The Gentleman Stationer is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and pledges via the T.G.S. Patreon Program. We greatly appreciate your direct support!