Another sample recieved from the fine people at Kaweco, the Kaweco Elite is different than any Kaweco pen I have previously reviewed. Most people know Kaweco as the premier pocketable fountain pen manufacturer - the AL Sport and ART Sport are two of my favorites - and they also do a fine job with full sized pens like the Kaweco Allrounder.
The pocketable pens and most of the full sized pens share one thing in common: the nib. It is smaller, somewhere around what many would consider a #5 sized nib. They are also interchangable, meaning an AL Sport nib can be unscrewed and put into an Allrounder. The Kaweco Elite is a loner in the main Kaweco production line, using a larger steel nib they call the 250, which is along the lines of a #6 sized nib.
The larger nib works wonderfully for the Elite since it is a bigger, heavier pen. The barrel is turned from a single block of piano lacquer acrylic with a high-gloss finish that looks spectacular on the octagonal barrel. The metal cap has quite a bit of weight too - you aren't going to want to write with it posted.
Weight isn't an issue at all when writing - any concerns vanished once the nib hit the page. The medium steel nib is smooth and consistent. It is firm as well, which is a feature I personally enjoy a lot in my fountain pen nibs.
This is a great pen, made only better by using a bottle of Kaweco Aubergine in the provided converter, which is the color you see in the written review below. I'll be sad to send this one back to Kaweco, but it has earned a solid spot near the top of my wish list.
You can currently purchase the Kaweco Elite from JetPens for $150 in F, M, and B nib sizes.
Thank you to Kaweco for providing this product for review! You should also check out Azizah's review at Gourmet Pens for more information on the Kaweco Elite.
