Kaweco AL Sport Ballpoint - Glossy Silver Pen Review

When I first saw the glossy silver offering on Jetpens for the Kaweco, I was completely stunned at how striking they were.  It isn't very often that you see a pen and keep getting drawn back because of how good it looks.  Perhaps it was just their great photography?  Once it arrived, I found this was not the case, but that the pen really IS striking!

This was my first Kaweco product (start big, right?...or small?) and can admit that I am thoroughly impressed by the build quality.  This particular pen body is made of aluminum and is finished with a high polish chrome that gives it a mirror-like finish.  Again, very striking.  The pen feels solid in your hands and has a decent weight, although not heavy by any means.  The knock mechanism is quieter than I expected and almost seems pressurized when you push it, but has a smooth and solid feel. 

The only downside for me of this pen is how small it is.  Being a smidge over 4 inches means that it is small for sure.  I wouldn't say it is uncomfortable to use, but isn't ideal.  The knock pushes into the fleshy part of the hand between the thumb and index finger rather than sticking into the air like most pens.  Also, I almost feel that the pen diameter is somewhat disproportionate to the length; too wide for how short.  If it was 1/2" longer it'd probably be perfect.  Ok, there are two downsides: as striking as the mirror-like finish is, this thing is prone to fingerprints and scratches.  The knock after only a few uses has already shown signs of wear from making light contact with the body.

I switched the refill out for a Fisher Space Pen multi-pen refill as the Kaweco ballpoints tend to be lacking; this was true upon testing when it arrived.  The Fisher refill is actually pretty awesome just by itself!  It has these break points in the refill where you snap it to the right length.  Kind of weird, but strangely enjoyable?  Like a sort of bubble wrap effect.  I've found I can't go wrong with a Fisher refill.

Although this particular Kaweco isn't one I could see myself using daily, I enjoy having it.  My first impression of Kaweco's quality is quite good and I imagine there will be more of them to come.