Fountain pens are considered the epitome of writing culture. They glide over the paper with just a little pressure when writing and, unlike a ballpoint pen, their nib allows an individual approach. This is conducive to the development of personal and, in most cases, neat handwriting. But the nib width - fine, medium, broad - also has an influence on the type of handwriting. The piston fountain pen can be described as the primus inter pares among fountain pens. It can be filled with "loose ink" and is not dependent on ink cartridges. This saves plastic, is cheaper on balance and offers more choice in terms of ink color. One small drawback: due to the filling mechanism, piston fountain pens are only available in the size of standard writing instruments and rarely in a pocket-size format.

Kaweco, the manufacturer known for its compact writing instruments, has also filled this gap in its (and our) range and developed a piston fountain pen that is pocket- and therefore travel-friendly. The compact body in the usual classic format of the Sport series is made of black anodized aluminium and has a gold-plated bronze clip. By attaching the cap to the barrel, the fountain pen can be extended to 13 centimetres and then sits comfortably in the hand. With its smooth-running piston mechanism, you can refill it directly from the inkwell - the semi-transparent window shows the ink level. A gold-plated stainless steel nib with iridium grain - available in fine, medium and broad widths to suit individual preferences - ensures that the ink flows evenly onto the paper. For refilling, we recommend our Manufactum writing inks, which we offer in various colors - even with a burgundy or coffee scent: for familiarity when traveling.

Founded in 1883, fountain pen factory Koch, Weber & Co. based in Heidelberg used to be one of the most important manufacturers of fountain pens and accessories. And it was one of the most ingenious, too. They invented the first German truly leak-proof stylograph: the “safety fountain pen”. In the middle of the 1930s, they designed the stylograph model “Sports”, a small fountain pen which (slightly modified over time) was successfully sold until 1970. This is not particularly surprising considering the compact length of 10.5 cm of the closed fountain pen – a commodity when travelling. Over and above the ready-to-use stylograph – with the cap attached to the end – is very comfortable to hold and writes agreeably. Inspired by the model of 1935, we initiated its production relaunch. Like its archetype, our model “Sports” has a gold-plated nib with an iridium writing tip. As Kaweco did in later years, we also offer a series of writing instruments for travelling. In addition to the fountain pen, you find a ball pen, retractable pencil and clutch pencil in pocket-size in our range. In this version (with a black case featuring guilloches), these writing instruments are exclusively available at Manufactum.