Kaweco Student: is it really a student’s pen?

Known for their acessible entry Sport models,  Kaweco has been shifting their focus on the everyday fountain pen users that would prefer their writing instruments to be as rugged and somewhat "marked" with the scratches of time, but what if you are among the camp of "I wanna have a nice pen and I want it to stay nice" without spending hundreds of dollars on one, the Student might be the next best thing.

As emphasized by the core value of the brand, Kaweco wants their pens to partner price and value without any compromise, and they certainly achieve success with this model. The first time I picked up the pen, the difference between this example and the usual Kaweco really showed.

The barrel and cap are injection moulded and they feel a lot more substantial and firm, especially at the threads and the supporting inner knobs at the end of the barrel, as the at area is most prone to cracks due to the pen being knocked around in use.

You would definitely feel the thickness of the plastic, and even more so with this clear demonstrator version, the design of the clip attachment seems pretty solid and everything gives out a feeling of reliability.

The styling of the cap is reminiscent of Kaweco's vintage models from the 1940s and 50s such as the Dias, to be inline with their idea of "classic design and high quality manufacturing".

The section is a smooth brass piece with nickel plating to keep silvery look of the pen, accompanied by a steel nib unit that can be unscrewed and replaced easily, if you are looking for an upgrade with their "Premium" steel nibs or the 14k variations. The girth is a bit smaller for my hand but for the intended audience of this pen, this might be a really good choice to make as students would spend their whole day with their pens, and a big section tends to tire the hand quicker.

The modern Kawecos shy away from piston fillers and for good reasons: cartridges and converters are easier to use, easily replaceable and they keep the price down. However, for $60, this Student sits in a very odd place in the market: priced a bit too high as a first-pen for many, but does not provide the necessary upgrades needed as a 2nd fountain pen for many users. Had Kaweco decided to put a gold nib on this and let it compete with the big boys, the Student would have had a better chance at being more popular.

Nevertheless, I could see why they put a steel nib on this model: with regular daily use this pen would see constant collisions with things in your pencase, or the inevitable misfortune of being knocked onto the floor. A steel nib unit could be bought for less, and opens up a lot of room for experimentation as you could fit any no.5 sized nib into its nib collar.

The standard nib writes smoothly but is tuned a  tad dry to my liking, but a bit of home adjustment is plenty enough to make it write as you would want, oh, and don't expect line variation from a small and firm nib, they write but they aren't made for flexing.

Left is the writing from this Kaweco Student with Waterman Black.

Overall, looking at the pen by itself, the Kaweco Student is a solid option for the sub $100 category if you prefer a daily writer with no thrills and no shiny 14k gold nibs. Nonetheless, if you have already got a decent first pen, I would not recommend getting this one as it offers neither a significant upgrade in terms of writing experience nor exotic material, it would save you more in the long run to save up a bit more and aim at a first gold nib fountain pen.

To assist you with saving as much money as possible, but still getting a decently made pen with…say, $3, there is the next article with the Pilot Petit1 pocket fountain pen for you to check out.