Fountain Pen Shootout Kaweco ALSport and Sport vs Hongdian M2

[@deanandreoli1975]

I love pocket pens. I am a legit runt. My hands are small. I can use an unposted Lilliput. Always on the lookout for a quality pocket pen. The Hongdian M2 is great. Never dries out on me. Does well in my pocket. I’m a line cook, I usually carry a brass sport in my pocket. Never burps or leaks even in my sweaty work pocket. But the Hongdian performs just as well and it costs less than twenty bucks. Hard to beat.

[@allanwellings8422]

I have a plastic Kaweco (it lies uninked and unloved), a brass Sport -(also uninked but much loved) and a Hongdian (inked and in use). And the winner is… the Ensso Piuma Pocket Pen Titanium.

[@fossilimprint2954]

Lucky you. Ensso no longer is selling the Piuma Pocket Pen, been looking at their website over a month, it no longer even appears at all.

[@allanwellings8422]

@@fossilimprint2954 I thought I’d missed the boat on it too but Ensso’s business model seems to be to produce batches of a particular model - usually with a discount for pre-orders - and then, when they’re all sold, leave it for a while before offering another batch. You could try asking them if the titanium model is permanently discontinued or just not available at the moment.

[@faethe000]

The H2 has a flex nib. It's like a hidden bonus. HongDian labels it "soft".

[@nickm9370]

Must admit that I'd go for the Kaweco Al-Sport. I always have a brass Kaweco Sport in my pocket for "on-the-fly" use (guess what ink, Stephen?!😁), albeit I have a fair few other full-sized pens that I also use at other times. Did have to work a bit on the nibs (M & EF), to be honest. Extended the cartridge to maximum length by cutting off a converter and gluing on a piece of latex ink bladder - fill it with a syringe. Lasts over a month on the EF nib with the low /average (but very frequent) use I put it to. Love the patina on the brass too! Quite shocked by the price difference, though....

[@MiguelGonzalez365]

Although they are probably of similar quality, I like the Kaweco Sport more for its aesthetics. In Brazil, the situation is critical because the Kaweco pays 92% import duty and the Hondiang only 44%. This is because the Chinese online shops have agreed to participate in "remessa conforme", a programme that allows the tax to be paid electronically at the time of purchase. Most of the stores that sell Kaweco products use the traditional method, where the tax is communicated to the customer when it arrives at customs. The moral of the story is that many traditional brands neglect their global distribution networks. If you look at the distributors in the country, a Lamy Safari costs about $60 in Brazil. Yes, there are brands like Diplomat, Schneider, Montblanc or Pelikan that have much lower sales margins, about 50% more expensive than in Europe, not 200% like Lamy or Kaweco. I have 3 Kaweco Sport and one DIA2 bought before the changes in import rates. Also, I took advantage of an offer from a Brazilian store to buy a Student only slightly more expensive than in Europe.

[@pepperpath]

I bought a kaweco sport demonstrator 12 years ago and the gold plated nib is amazing. I didn’t like the pen so nib is now on my al rose gold. So a vote for kaweco!

[@LewisLittle66]

Hongdian M2 nib units are exactly the same as the Forest series and the 1862, they're screw-fit and completely interchangeable. I have these nibs in EF, F, M and Long Blade (architect), and I swap them round often, though I usually keep the EF in my M2. There's also a fude, but I don't have that one. I've never seen any Hondgian in broad or stub. It's a fantastic little pen, much better than the Kaweco IMO.

[@arthursmith1539]

I’m about to watch the video. My guess/vote is Hongdian. Back after the break.

[@arthursmith1539]

I’m back. Couldn’t agree more. The Hongdian is great. (In the end, personally I love my Lilliput more, and that’s the one I carry everyday, but if I were starting from scratch I’d be hard pressed not to go with the Honduran. )

[@paulmchugh1430]

I will certainly add the Hong Dian M2 to my list of pens to get. I have the Sport and it just does not my hand well. I know the M2 is metal but could it be eyedropper filled? I have done so with other metal pens with no damage.

[@thebrownhat1]

I picked up a hongdian after your first video and it really is a lovely little pen!

[@sailcat9]

I have a range of pocket pens by Kawaco, Namisu, Ensso, Schon DSGN, Pilot, Hongdian, and others. The Hongdian M2 is a surprisingly well-made pen that performs very nicely and looks quite attractive, as well. It may not be my favorite but it is the least expensive, by far. I wouldn't have any qualms about recommending the M2 to a person who wanted a good, inexpensive pocket pen.

[@Joe29587]

Which are your top 3?

[@AndrewWertheimer]

Agree on M2. I used to like Kaweco, but poor converter and absurd to pay for clip.

[@mscohen57]

Thank you for another cool video! I own an Al Kaweco and love it for the reasons we all know. I also have the Kaweco little converter… not the best. Do you know if the Hongdian converter fits the Kaweco? (Since both support the international small cartridges…) Thanks!

[@TimBarnett-w2q]

Which Kaweco blue ink did you initially use please? It seemed to have a shimmer.

[@ScottEllerman]

Hongdian all the way. I bought an AL Sport about a month or two before I noticed the M2 and I really wish I hadn't bought the AL Sport. The only Kaweco Sport model that can best the M2 is the piston-filler, and it's 10x the price of the Hongdian. The nibs are also interchangeable with the Hongdian 1861 Black Forest, which offers a fude and a "long knife" (architect-ish) nib.

[@judyjacobs5827]

Jetpens, a US retailer, has the ALsport starting around $76 and their top price is just under $200. Any tax and shipping cost is additional. We hope this helps.

[@Jezee213]

Light is good! Much better.

[@fossilimprint2954]

Many good points, Kaweco seems to be getting lots of profit.

[@kjmav10135]

My Hongdian M2 has a Medium nib.

[@robp1019]

I have a fine that is more like a medium, but I am so impressed going to get a medium one, and they do a bright orange M2 now as well. £17 in UK.

[@johndevault9030]

The Hongdian M2 would be my choice over the Kawecos. And you can now get replacement nibs for the M2 that include Medium nibs and Fude nibs. So while the initial nib offerings remain limited you can get additional nibs for a variety of line widths, at a very reasonable price. Thus the M2 becomes an even stronger choice.

[@louishalleux]

I take the Kaweco Design 😊

[@mariatriesart8389]

Too late for me, I bought a Kaweco Sport specifically for the double broad nib. I am trying to print in my journals to leave to my children when I am gone. The double broad kaweco nib makes my printing so much neater. Wish I had known that they had a calligraphy nib. Had I known that the Hongdian M2 had an architect nib, I would have bought the M2 first, as architect nibs are great for printing as well. C'est la vie.

[@nolagloyd6691]

You didn't mention which nib you had on the M2...that wrote like an architect nib.

[@theprof_001]

Great review and shootout! The M2 is my pick.

[@allenl391]

M2 all day long!!

[@followyourbrush]

I purchased an M2 and was actually surprised how nicely it writes! It has become a favorite pen.

[@SidF-l8j]

For my $$, I would go with the "M2". If I really wanted a wider nib I suspect you could easily find one that would fit. At one time Chinese pens were synonymous with cheap/shoddy and poor quality. Overall, my experience and that of many pen friends the quality has been excellent. I am sure there are many reasons for the huge price difference and only some of them are "profit" based. Thank you for another good review.

[@graylingboysalisbury]

Yet to buy a hongdian that is anything other than wonderful. M2 all day long.

[@arcboy2011]

I have had good luck lately with the Hogdian's and the Jinhao's. Majon remains trash as far as nibs go.

[@robp1019]

My Majon T1 nibs have been great

[@arcboy2011]

@@robp1019 I think it depends on the model, In my case mine was trash, took me over an hour of working on it to get it smooth enough not to annoy me with excessive feedback and it is still not great. Glad yours was good.

[@mmzeeman]

I sent my M2 back because the clip broke. The little pin fell out.

[@tbayless8324]

Hongdian, I just wished they had broad to BB nibs too. And the Kaweco threads for me are sharp and uncomfortable for long writing periods.

[@user-br3sl9go3b]

Having an undetachable clip on a pen to put in one's pocket strikes me as counterproductive. Not to mention uncomfortable.

[@HertyKelly]

Lee Michelle Jones Linda Jones Gary

[@danmagoo]

My Hongdian M2 writes whenever I pick it up, even if it's been weeks; it has a good feel, and always makes a very nice, slightly varied line. I unfortunately have about 4 Kaweco Sports, and they all fail to start if they weren't filled and used within the last 3 days. The Sport has a good look and feel, but is totally unreliable.

[@limmoblack]

Ask your friend if they has a decent 'mic' too.

[@PhilemonMortimer-q6o]

Thomas Mark Walker George Moore Karen