Wednesday, February 5, 2014

Kaweco Dia2 Fountain pen


I've done a few Kaweco reviews already now, but there are still a couple of pens from the Kaweco care-package left to review! The next one in line is the Kaweco Dia II. Just like the Sport Luxe, I think this Dia II fountain pen is best described as a modern representation of a vintage model pen.


And to make the vintage feel of this pen even stronger, they also come in a different box, not the normal tin most other Kaweco pens are presented in. It's a very pretty, small, leather-look box with a lined interior. Inside is a single 'tray' that holds the pen. I really like this box, it's even cooler than the regular boxes, and it definitely adds to the value of the pen!


The pen itself is made out of a piano black acrylic material, machined around a brass tube to give it a bit of extra weight. It's a solid pen, though it's definitely not heavy.

Acrylic is quite a soft material, and I did notice that the area where the edge of the cap touches the barrel, gets scuffed quite easily. It's not immediately noticeable, but over time the wear tends to build up on this place. So if you like to keep your pens in absolute pristine condition, keep in mind that acrylic pens will always tend to get scuffed when you use it!

The cap has the standard Kaweco clip and a distinctive double center band. Both cap and barrel have a small knurled section, which looks really cool. In addition to the standard Kaweco logo on top of the cap, there's also one on the back of the pen, which is a bit odd at first, but it looks quite nice. As if that's not enough branding yet, there's also -Kaweco Dia Germany- engraved at the back of the cap, so you'll definitely never forget what pen you're writing with!


As for the dimensions, it's not a huge pen, at roughly the same size as an allrounder (around 13.5 centimetres/ five and a bit inches) Though it's definitely comfortable to hold. I even use it unposted (But then again, I normally never post my pens!) You might want to post it if you have slightly larger hands, or if you prefer a slightly more back-heavy pen.


It's not an overly heavy pen, though the brass insert (Or at least, I think it's a brass insert, frorgive me if I'm wrong!) gives the barrel of the pen a slightly more solid feel to it!

To me, a great selling point of Kaweco pens is -And I know i will start to annoy people by saying this over and over again!- The grip section! It's such a simple, subtle concave shape, but for me, it is still my favourite, as I find it to be very comfortable for my hand. I don't know how other people think about this though, If you've had some experience with Kaweco pens, feel free to leave a comment and to tell me what you think about it!


When it comes to nibs, it's pretty much the same story as always! As it is also equipped with a standard #5 nib, like most other Kaweco fountain pens, you can swap it out with any nib you want. I tried this one with a Fine nib, which -again- confirmed my opinion about Kaweco's nibs: Stay with the finer nibs like EF or F. (or Medium as well) I still think the finer nibs are the best option, they are smooth, and consistent, and they have a better flow than the B or BB nibs.

One thing about the nib that I find quite odd, is it's size. It feels a bit small for a full-size pen like this one. It might have looked better with a slightly bigger nib.


Pricewise, it's in the same price category as the Allrounder. 85 Euros (105 USDollars) will get you one of these. If you prefer the gold trimmed version, you'll have to add a few dollars to this price.

Note: this pen was sent to me by Kaweco, free of charge, so I could write this review.  I was in no way influenced in the making of this review, the opinions shared in this review are completely my own!.

7 comments:

  1. Great review! It looks like a beautiful pen but you're right, the nib seems oddly small for such a substantial pen.

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  2. I have two Kawecos and I find for the price they are some of the best pens out there. That is the one problem I see with this pen, the price. I cannot see how the much larger price is justified. I paid between $18 and $22 for both of mine and as you point out they all use the same nibs. Great detailed review. Keep up the good work.

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    1. Hey Shirley, the Kaweco Classics are indeed very good value for money. What you're paying for with the more expensive pens like these (or any other brand actually!) is the visual appearance of the pen. As long as you don't go into gold nibs, you're mostly paying extra for the materials/techniques they used to make it prettier. The Classics are just injection moulded plastic, whereas this one is a machined acrylic (which costs a bit more to make) It's all a matter of preference, and whether you are willing to pay more for appearance!

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  3. I recently grabbed an AL Sport and it has worked its way into my pocket as a daily carry. The size and style of the Dia II are very, very appealing. Should I pull the trigger on this purchase you'll have to live with the fact that part of it will be your fault! :-)

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    1. That's a tough question! It's really nothing like the ALsport except for the nib! The ALsport is slightly better value for money. But I'd say, if the scuffs on the barrel won't matter to you, yeah, why not!

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  4. Excellent review ! Would compare the thickness of the pen's section to the Pelikan M400/600 ?

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    1. Thank you Oliver, the section diameter is somewhere in between that of the M400 and M600, but it's a little longer. It's not a very girthy pen.

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