Sporty Pursuits

Kaweco Original 060 & 250 Review

The Kaweco Original is the subject of today’s review, well, two of them, in fact. The 060 and the 250, which whilst they look almost identical, they are subtly different. The Kaweco Original 060 has a dainty Bock #5 EF nib and the 250 came with a heftier Bock #6 B. Finished in a stealthy matte black and supplied in a black and grey tin box, these do look like a class act.

Kaweco is a German brand with a pedigree dating back to 1883, when they began making dip pens. In 1909, they developed and patented their first “safety fountain pen”, with the iconic Kaweco Sport pocket pen launched in 1911. The Sport, with its instantly recognisable faceted shape, is the pen most people associate with the Kaweco brand. The Original is essentially a slightly longer version and comes with a clip.

First impressions

I am slightly embarrassed to admit that, for reasons I will not go into here, I do not own any Kaweco pens. The Kaweco Original pens were something of a pleasant surprise. The pens both genuinely feel nice in the hand. They are a comfortable size and weight, and the matte black finish makes my inner Goth smile (without losing any existential angst credentials).

Externally, the difference between the two models is quite subtle and at first glance you’d be forgiven for thinking them identical. The Kaweco Original 060 is slightly slimmer and has a longer section. Whereas the very marginally chunkier 250 with its larger nib, has a shorter section, making the overall capped lengths the same. Uncapped, the 060 is still shorter and daintier.

Writing Experience

A bit of a mixed bag, to be honest. The pens are a nice compact size, fairly light and comfortable to hold. The cap doesn’t post, which is not a problem for me, though some may find the 060 a little too dainty for their hand as a result.

The pens arrived with me from the previous reviewer already inked. I went with what was in there rather than waste good ink by flushing and refilling. It is, therefore, possible that a different ink may perform better in these pens.

The Kaweco Original 250 is slightly heavier than the 060. I found the Bock #6 Broad nib in the 250 quite pleasant to write with and penned an entire six page letter with it. My preference is usually for finer nibs, but this one wasn’t excessively wide and I enjoyed using it. So much so that I may have to add another B or two to my collection!  Inexplicably though, the ink did start to run dry half way through my letter, despite there being plenty in the converter. Once I had forced some ink through, it was back to writing normally. I can only speculate that the feed would benefit from a good flush.

The Bock #4 EF nib in the 060 was rather less impressive. The ink really didn’t want to flow at all and it felt as though I was writing on wax. Whether this was a similar issue to the erratic performance of the 250, or something else, I can’t really speculate. It is not a pen I would reach for in its present state.

In Summary

This dark duo would not look out of place in the pocket of a Ninja or, for that matter, a Goth. That said, they do have a slightly vintage quality to them as well.

Pro

• Nice matte black finish
• Compact
• Comfortable in the hand
• Vintage feel

Con

• Ink flow erratic
• 060 rather too dainty perhapshttps://www.kaweco-pen.com/en/
• Cap doesn’t post (may be an issue for some)

Who is it for

• Ninjas
• People who like faceted pens
• Goths
• Kaweco Sport lovers with larger pockets

The lowdown

Available from the usual stationery retailers, the Kaweco Original 060 weighs in at £95, while the 250 will set you back £115.

These pens were lent to the United Inkdom group for review purposes by Kaweco without obligation or incentive.