Fountain Pen Review: Kaweco Liliput EF

 

Awhile back I won this little jewel from a generous contest hosted by Ivan (@Ivan_Ro_).  The pen has been on my wanted list for sometime now but I was hesitant in getting one because of its size, as seen below:

 

I feel stealthy, just like 007.

It looks like a little silver bullet!  Though I do write small and have relatively small hands, I was afraid that I would have a hard time becoming accustomed to a smaller barrel and less substantial as other regular-sized pens.  Needless to say, my assumption and fear are proven erroneous.  It might be petit in size, but it writes just as well as a full-size fountain pen.

Appearance

 

From a design point of view, Liliput conveys minimalist spirit and simple elegance.  It does not have any bell or whistle attached to it. When capped, Liliput measures 9.7cm (approximately 3.8 inches), so can easily fit in anyone’s pocket and purse.  The downside of its daintiness is the potential for misplacement; it has leapt out of pencil cases unexpectedly  several times from a pen case due to lacking of a pen clip.

It will roll infinitely… just like the Big O.

007 writing utensil posted.

The branding of Liliput is pretty discrete as well.  Kaweco is both laser engraved onto the side of the cap, as well as the top of the cap.

Similar to Kaweco Ice Sport, Liliput has a screw on cap and twisting is also required when you post it, as you see the thread at the end of the pen.

Threads at the end of the pen.

Nib

Liliput’s nib looks similar to IceSport’s, only a tad smaller in size.

Kaweco IceSport v. Liliput nib.

The stainless steel nib is durable and adapts to individual writer’s habits easily.

 

The front:  same engraving as regular Kaweco IceSport

 

The side

 

The back is different.  If you look closely, there is a Kaweco insignia in the middle.

The particular one I have has an EF nib.  The line produced is comparable to the one made with Japanese fine.  You can see comparison of the two below:

Liliput and Maki-e has about the same thickness of lines. Kaweco’s fine nib is definitely comparable to a Japanese medium. Comparison done on Fabriano EcoQua

For those who seek precision and finesse in writing, EF would be suitable; however, it is important to bear in mind that often time, fine nib requires some adjustment period, since slight initial scratchiness may be experienced.

Another feature that I absolutely adore about Liliput is that you can easily pull the nib and the feed out for a thorough cleaning each time, which is a dream come true for pen addicts with cleaning OCD.  It is also easy to put them back together post cleaning.

Writing


The break-in period for Liliput is shorter than the one for Maki-e.  After using it constantly for a day, it becomes quite smooth, but not to the extent that the user cannot control the flow.  It writes once it is in contact with the surface of the paper, thus render the overall writing experience effortless.  Here is a short writing sample:

Yes, a silly haiku-like passage on Black and Red paper.

Liliput takes international short cartridge and to my knowledge, there is no converter that fits it which also affects ink capacity.  That could be one of the few drawbacks of this adorable pen.The alternative is to save empty cartridges and use a syringe to refill them to enable maximum flexibility in ink choices. If you are unsure how, check out this tutorial.  When installing the cartridge, be sure to twist it to secure, or you will be like me who spill a cartridge on the first day.

Thumbelina and its vintage box.

Other fabulous review on the same pen:

• No Pen Intended
• Guest Review by Ben Dahl at the Pen Addict
• Ivan_Ro_ at FP Geeks

Where can I get it?

• JetPens
• Cult Pens