Kaweco Skyline Sport Fountain Pen Review

Kaweco fountain pens have been on the market for more than 100 years, and the company has stayed true to the classic design of its earlier models. I've heard a lot about that AL Sport and Sport models, but it wasn't until I stumbled upon a few pictures of the mint version of the Kaweco Skyline Sport fountain pen that I knew I had to have one.

My giant man hands could easily crush the Kaweco Skyline Sport.

The subtle mint color of this Kaweco Skyline Sport reminds me of classic cars from the 50's and 60's. This pen looks like it was plucked from history, and the look is reinforced by the crisp chrome Kaweco body logo and circular cap logo.

It's hard to capture in a photo, but the mint color of the Kaweco is subtle.

The Kaweco Sport lines consist of various pens and pencils that are designed to fit in the pocket. I knew that the fountain pen would be small, but I wasn't prepared for just how tiny it is.

Mint Kaweco Skyline Sport compared to the Lamy Safari.

The Kaweco Skyline Sport is meant to be posted, for all but those with the tiniest of mouse hands. The pen cap is threaded, which ensures that the pen will stay securely capped and leak free while jingling around in a pocket or bag. The pen posts securely, without twisting or moving, thanks to the grip provided by the notched end of the pen body.

Although the pen is tiny, it nestles comfortably in the web between my thumb and index finger when posted. It's worth reiterating that I have massive hands, so I was surprised by just how comfortable the pen is, given its size. The pen grip is on the thin side, and I do notice some hand fatigue after long writing sessions.

The Mint Kaweco Skyline Sport is the first non-Lamy pen that I've owned, and the intricate designs etched in the nib blow the Lamy Safari nibs right out of the water.

I went with the fine nib version of the Kaweco, and it is on par with the Lamy nibs, in terms of line thickness and flow. The nib is a silky smooth writer, even more so than the fine Lamy nibs. I'm using Noodler's Bulletproof ink with my Kaweco, and I love the contrast between the black ink and the mint pen body.

This version of the Kaweco Skyline Sport comes with a Blue International Short Cartridge, but I picked up a squeeze converter as well, sold separately. I've seen a few complaints about how difficult the converter is to fill, but I haven't had any issues with filling it to capacity. It does take a few squeezes and taps to work out the air, but I am pleased with its performance.

The Mint Kaweco Skyline Sport fountain pen is an excellent pocket fountain pen, but it's also an excellent fountain pen period. It fits easily into my pocket, without fear of leaks. I find myself using this pen as my daily writer due to its looks and solid performance. At less than $30 for pen and converter, this pen is an instabuy. For those looking for a heavier alternative, Kaweco also makes a metal version of the pen, the AL Sport. While I have my eyes on the stonewash edition of the AL line, the Skyline Sport is easily my best looking and performing fountain pen so far. This pint-sized pen packs a punch.

Casual Sunday: Midori Edition - September 20, 2015

It's rabbit hole week here at A Better Desk, and this week's theme is the Midori Traveler's Notebook. I stumbled upon this notebook while browsing Instagram and loved the customization options. I've tried Field Notes as my main notebook, but they are just too small. I also want something that travels with me and isn't just filed or discarded once it's full. It seems that the Midori is just the solution for both. Mine arrives on Tuesday!

• Midori Traveler’s Notebook Follow-Up | The Well-Appointed Desk - The post that whetted my appetite!
• Review: Midori Traveler's Notebook (A Man's Perspective) - YouTube - It's hard to find reviews that aren't all about scrapbooking and bedazzling. This is a good one.
• An Introduction to the Midori Traveler’s Notebook (part one) | Pens! Paper! Pencils! - An awesome three-part overview.
• Flickriver: Patrick Ng's photos tagged with travelersnotebook - It's nice to see the Midori without tons of charms and paper craft.
• Midori Traveler's Notebook - DYSong Photography
• BanditApple Carnet Midori Refills - The Goulet Pen Company - These seem to be the most popular off-brand refills.
• Review: Banditapple Carnet Notebooks | The Well-Appointed Desk - And the Banditapple refills seem to stack up nicely.

Lamy Vista Fountain Pen Review

I picked up a Lamy Vista while attending a conference in Japan. For those who aren't familiar, the Lamy Vista is basically a sexier demonstrator (see through) version of the Lamy Safari. The Safari is one of the most popular starter fountain pens, along with the Pilot Metropolitan. I'm not sure what I was thinking when I purchased a German pen in a country that produces the Metropolitan; however, I just couldn't turn down this sleek looking demonstrator's cat calls from the pen rack. Lamy pens just look more interesting to me, even if the Pilot Metropolitan is universally considered to be an excellent starter fountain pen. I had a rough start with Lamy, but I just couldn't pass up the Vista.

The Lamy Vista is a stunner, with a clear plastic body that shows off all of the pen's inner workings. Although the body is completely plastic, the pen is made well and feels sturdy in hand. The clip is a monster and is so strong that it leaves indentations when clipped to my daily carry Field Notes notebook. The Vista is built to be used and abused. The pen takes on the personality of the ink inside, so it's a great pen to use with colorful inks. The pen takes the standard Lamy cartridge or an ink converter, but the red on the Lamy Z24 converter would ruin the look of the pen. I recommend the Z26 version which uses black plastic instead of red. Goulet Pens has a great writeup about the usage of converters with the Vista. I'm a fountain pen novice, so I appreciate the ability to see how the pen works, and I'm surprised that the Vista isn't mentioned more often in the "best pens for beginners" lists floating around the internet.

Blue is beautiful with the Lamy Vista

The Vista's body does show fingerprints, which is to be expected from clear plastic. It may not be the best choice for the OCD fountain pen fans out there, but it shouldn't be a problem for most. I've also noticed several scratches and scuffs, which are easily visible to the naked eye. The Lamy barrel logo is shiny and metallic, although I was disappointed by how easily the logo cracked and scratched. Small blemishes aside, the Vista feels great in the hand. I can use the pen comfortably all day, either posted or unposted. The cap clicks into place when capping, but there's no click when posting, so be careful not to jam the cap onto the end of the pen.

Lamy Safari and Vista pens are known for their unique molded triangular grip. This grip may be a challenge for those who use a non-traditional grip when writing, but I absolutely love it! My fingers slide easily into place, thanks to the flat sides of the grip, and I find that this grip makes the pen feel much smaller than it actually is. I love small pens, so this is exactly the feel that I am looking for. My terrible handwriting is partially due to poor grip, and the molded grip forces me to hold the pen correctly. This has been helpful in my efforts to improve handwriting skills.

I was hesitant to give Lamy another go after my terrible experience with the Safari, but I was pleasantly surprised by the Vista. The pen is a workhorse and works well for hours at a time without skips, clogs, or leaks. This pairs well with the grip to help produce painfully long pen reviews with zero fatigue or annoyance to the writer! I purchased a fine nibbed version, which is buttery smooth on everything from Rhodia pads to Field Notes. The Lamy fine nibs aren't exactly "fine", so I recommend picking up the extra fine version, if you're looking for a really slim line. The fine nib works well for me, although I think that I may have been better off with an EF nib.

I have to admit that this is my first pen review, but I'm in love with the Lamy Vista. It was difficult to choose between a Lamy and the Pilot Metropolitan, but the unique look and excellent grip pushed me over the edge. I would love to try a Metropolitan to compare, but there's no doubt that the Lamy Vista is a well-performing affordable pen that's deserving of becoming your first fountain pen.

Casual Sunday - September 13, 2015

My favorite links from last week:

• Guide to Choosing a Fountain Pen - JetPens.com - Practical beginners guide.
• KarasKustoms: Fountain Pen Beginner's Guide - It's Quality Bro Edition - Philosophical beginner's guide.
• Buyer's Remorse, Impulse Buys, and Shady Sellers: The Vagaries of Buying Fountain Pens Online - The Pen Addict
• 2015 DC Pen Show: Wrap-up - The Pen Habit - Great tips for working a pen show.

Things that made me drool last week:

• Brasstown - Zip Roll Pen Case — Nock Co. - Pretty sure that the steel/mango version will be my first pen case.
• Kaweco AL Sport Stonewashed Fountain Pen - Fine Nib - Black Body - JetPens.com

Purchases from last week:

• Kaweco Skyline Sport Fountain Pen - Fine Nib - Mint Body
• TWSBI Diamond 580AL Silver Fountain Pen nib F
• Diamine Ink Bottle Pumpkin - Because fall...

Handwritten Part 2

Nothing soothes a traveller's stomach quite like an airline omelet*. I've made the 12-14 hour flight to Japan seven or so times, and it hasn't gotten any easier, even with the complimentary bottles of sake. I lived in Japan for six months as a student and return yearly to lead a group tour. I jumped at the opportunity to go back to Japan for a conference at a university in Kyoto. I love the country and culture.

I discovered the Muji brand in Japan as a student in search of cheap pens and notebooks. Muji makes everything from fountain pens to pants. Their stores are huge, and everything is cheap but relatively high quality. I purchased a little 195x137mm kraft notebook there as a student and was hoping to resupply.

I stopped by the campus store at the university, in hopes of finding my notebook. There were no Muji's in site, but there were aisles of pens and a huge Rhodia notebook display. The fancy pen display case held a Pilot Vanishing Point, what I would consider to be my "grail" pen. Considering the cheap ballpoints and spiral notebooks in my university's bookstore, this place was a candy store. This was the first time that I'd ever seen a selection of fountain pens in person, and it was tempting to make a big move and walk away with a Vanishing Point. Alas, there was only one color and I just wasn't ready to make the leap.

I picked up an awkwardly translated Apica notebook. These notebooks are a great size and thickness for desk note taking, and the paper, like paper in most Japanese notebooks, is dense and high quality. They're also a steal at $1.25 per notebook, making them perfect for the Japanese student on the go.

The advertising sets a high bar.

The conference organizers provided a Kokuyo A4 Report Pad which has similar paper quality at first glance. Japan certainly knows how to do stationary.

This imposing pad is clearly for very official Japanese business only.

I made my way back to the Haneda Airport, after the conference ended, and stopped to see two of my best friends from America. They knew that I was in search of a Muji store and scouted out the best store in Tokyo. The Muji entrance was through a store called Loft, so we stopped there to take a look around. If the campus store was a candy store, this place was the entire chocolate factory. There were aisles and aisles of rollerballs, fountain pens, pencils, and stationary, all free to touch. Display cases housed the more expensive pens, like the Lamy 2000 and several others in the $400-$500 range. I've heard about many of these pens, but I've never seen so many in person. It had been a year or so since my Safari hit the shelf, but it was time to give fountain pens another shot.

I was still sore from my Safari experience, so I decided to look for a pen in the $30-$50 range. The choices were overwhelming, and I couldn't settle on a decision. I picked up a Rhodia Dot Pad, but was prepared to walk away without a pen. I walked through the aisles one more time and noticed a slick looking Lamy demonstrator. I assumed that it was part of the Al-Star line, not realizing that the Al-Stars were all made of aluminum. It was a gorgeous pen and well under my $50 limit. It turns out that this was the demonstrator version of the Lamy Safari, called the Lamy Vista. I was now in possession of two Safari's, one of which was a complete dud. Hopefully the Vista would come with 100% less disappointment.

The Lamy Vista is a beauty. It's dramatically better-looking that its non-transparent Safari counterparts.

Muji turned out to be the least exciting part of the day, considering the great time with friends whom I rarely see and the chance to geek out over the pens and paper at Loft. I found my precious Muji notebook, completing my epic quest, but also picked up a few other toys, all of which I hope to review here. Most importantly, I picked up a renewed interest in fountain pens.

The complete Japan pen, pencil, and paper haul.

I inked up the Vista when I got back to the states, and I've been using it for a few weeks now without a single leak or case of inky fingers. This pen is amazing! It turns out that my experience with the Safari was just a fluke. It still sits on the shelf, but my Vista travels to work with me daily. My second foray into fountain pens was a huge success, and I plan to post my first pen review ever in the near future.

It's amazing how one bad experience or criticism can kill a new hobby or passion. Thanks to a faulty pen, I was prepared to give up on fountain pens altogether. Although my analog journey had a bumpy start, I'm glad that I gave it a second chance. For those considering the purchase of a fountain pen, don't make the mistake that I did by purchasing it from Amazon. Although some manufacturers distribute through the service, do your research first, and consider using a site like JetPens.com, if there are no pen stores near you. Pen sites may be more expensive, but great customer service and quality control are worth the few extra bucks.

Miss part one? Read it here!

*May not contain actual eggs.