The pen for this review was provided by Kaweco, and will be returned to them after the publication of the review. No additional compensation was provided. All opinions expressed are solely those of the reviewer.
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Material: Aluminum
Nib: Steel. Fine
Appointments: Silver-colored
Filling System: Standard International Cartridge/Converter
Length (Capped): 135mm
Length (Uncapped): 121mm
Length (Posted): 182mm
Section Diameter: 9.5mm
Barrel Max Diameter: 12.5mm
Cap Max Diameter: 14.5mm
Weight, Capped (with ink and/or converter): 32g
Weight, Uncapped (with ink and/or converter): 18g
So, when the good folks at Kaweco sent me a copy of their catalog and asked me if I would be interesting in reviewing their pens, I was actually surprised to discover that they also have a line of what I call “full-length” pens. The first of these more standard-length pens I received for review is the Kaweco Allrounder.
Like many Kaweco pens, the Allrounder comes in a gold-colored tin. The Allrounder’s tin is longer than the tin you receive with one of the shorter models, but the design is essentially identical. The pen also comes with an ink cartridge. The review unit I received wasn’t your standard retail package, so I’m not certain if the pen comes with a converter or not.
The Allrounder is a metal-bodied pen with a clean, understated design. The review model that I received is black, although it also comes in other colors (such as blue, red, or silver.) The pen has a somewhat art deco feel to it, although others have ascribed to it a 1950s design aesthetic. I find it to be far more deco, particularly around the clip. The matte finish of the anodized aluminum body results in a textured-yet-smooth feel in the hand that is quite pleasant.
The top of the cap has a Kaweco logo medallion in a chromed metal finish. The clip is stiff, but it has a lovely tapering design with the Kaweco name stamped in script and a diamond-shaped clip “ball” with a nice angular design. The silver cap band is decorated with a series of what looks like 1s and 0s (at least to someone who works in the tech industry…) The pen is long enough to be used comfortably without posting. The cap can post securely, but not deeply, and when posted is a ridiculous 182mm in length.
The pen is a cartridge/converter pen, and uses standard international cartridges and converters. The slightly concave section is quite comfortable in the hand, and the matte finish keeps the grip from ever getting too slippery.
My only real complaint with the pen is that the threads are metal-on-metal, and quite noisy in that fingernails-on-a-chalkboard sort of way. The threads have been anodized along with the rest of the pen, and the pen squeals and screeches every time you unscrew the cap. (See the video above for audio of what I mean) So, if you’re the kind of person who absently fiddles with your pens by screwing and unscrewing the cap incessantly during meeting during meetings, this pen is probably not your best option.
Kaweco included a Medium nib (my preferred nib width) on this pen. It’s the same nib unit style that is used on most of their pens, including the Sport and AL-Sport series. The nib units screw in, and are very easy to replace with other-sized nibs. The Allrounder will also accept Kaweco’s new 14k Gold nibs, which are wet, juicy, wide nibs with a slight stub-like quality to them. Like every other Kaweco steel nib I’ve tried, the nib is very smooth. It does tends to run a little on the dry side, and with a line that is narrower than the nib’s designation might suggest. Were this my pen, I would have opened up the tines of the nib just a bit to increase ink flow and line width, and then this would have been the perfect writer for me.
Overall, I like this pen quite a bit. The squeaky threads notwithstanding, the Allrounder is a really solidly-built pen. The metal body is well-machined and feels pretty much indestructible. Despite being metal, the weight is pleasant in the hand, and the design has a nice, if somewhat understated, look that is unlike any other design out on the market today. Add to it a nice, smooth nib, and you have quite a lovely writing instrument.
