introducing the kaweco student 70s soul fountain pen in extra fine

So, I must confess. I have a weakness for the colour orange. The Platinum Procyon is proof but that wasn't enough. Enter this Kaweco Student in 70s soul! My experience with Kaweco has been mixed. My first Kaweco was the Skyline Sport in mint and I didn't get on with it very well. I still have it but apart from the initial use, I've not used it since. The pen was too small and too light - I can deal with one of those qualities but both in the same pen? It was never going to work out.

It took me a good few years before dipping my toe in the Kaweco waters again and this time, it was for the Kaweco AL Sport in Rose Gold. I went through a rose gold phase (didn't we all) and that pen was one of the results of said phase.

In late 2018, I found this offering. And well, the retro colour scheme attracted me initially. I just can't explain it and I can imagine this design being a niche one but it just appeals to me.

Design and Usability

The pen is predominantly made of plastic so is lightweight in hand; perfect for those prolonged writing sessions or your rambling 'dear diary' entries. With the cap posted or unposted makes no difference either - both are nicely weighted. I prefer my pens longer (I have big hands) so I prefer to use it with the cap posted.

Lengthwise, it isn't too long, nor does it feel short in the hand (like the Skyline or AL Sport) but those with smaller hands may find it too long when used with the cap posted.

The grip section looks like it could be slippery but no such problems for me so far...

Can we talk about the colour scheme again? I absolutely love it. The orange cap with the cream body and the gold coloured accents. *insert love heart eyes emoji here*

The cap closes with a couple of turns which gives it a secure feel.

Nib

Extra fine nibs often get a bad rep: scratchy, full of feedback, poor ink flow, etc. However, none of these issues with this nib at all! Even from day one, it wrote perfectly. Not scratchy at all; in fact, extremely smooth and no discernable feedback either. I have used a variety of inks in this pen so far: De Atramentis, Diamine, Pilot, Lamy, Monteverde, J. Herbin, etc, and I have had absolutely no issues with flow so far.

Price

Priced at £60, it is in the medium price range. For me, it definitely feels like a step up from the Kaweco Skyline but whether it should be priced almost the same as a Kaweco AL Sport is another question. For a few pounds extra, you can get a pen made of metal, albeit on the smaller side. So I guess it comes down to what you want from a pen: pocket and metal or normal sized and plastic?

Overall

This pen has been constantly inked since I got it and I think that speaks for itself. I genuinely love this pen and use it pretty much daily. Everyday, I write in my 'One Line A Day' journal, my other journal where I just ramble and in my planner to ensure my tasks for the day are accomplished and to plan the following day too.

For me? The only things that could make this pen even more perfect would be ink cartridges/a converter with a larger capacity and a snap-cap. However, I'm still very impressed!

NB: this pen was bought with my own money and I have not been paid to endorse it. All opinions are my own.