Pen Review: Kaweco Liliput Fireblue, Kaweco Liliput Stainless Steel and Kaweco Supra

Kaweco loaned me these fountain pens to review, and I used them for a few weeks. They are all cartridge-converter pens based on the same Liliput design, but different in size and finishes. Technical specifications for all three pens are listed at the very end of the review.

I’ll start talking about the Supra, which is newer. The Supra is a brass fountain pen based on the design of the Liliput but made wider and longer.

The Supra retails at $140 in the US. All brass, it is the largest and heaviest Kaweco fountain pen I’ve tried, and among the heaviest fountain pens I’ve used. But even though I usually prefer lighter pens, I loved the Supra.

The Supra has a screw-in metal extension to make the pen longer, which can be removed if you want a shorter pen. In the above photo, the Supra is full-size with the extension between the section and the rest of the pen body.

Extended, the Supra is basically a standard-sized fountain pen in length and width. Here is the Supra extended full-size compared to a Pelikan M205 and a Montblanc LeGrand (146 size).

And here are those pens posted.

When the metal extension is removed, the brass Supra shrinks to a length closer to the two small Kaweco Liliputs, though wider. That extra diameter adds some writing comfort.

Because the shorter Supra is a mini-fountain pen, it’s designed to be used posted. So here is the shorter Supra posted, next to the Liliputs. That brass object at the bottom is the Supra’s extension tube.

While mini-pen lovers will like having the option of both sizes, so they can use the shorter Supra as a pocket pen, I tended to keep the Supra at full size, with the extension, because that was the size I preferred.

There isn’t a weight benefit of using the Supra in shorter mode. Because the short Supra is a mini-pen, it needs to be posted, and the short Supra posted weighs about the same as the extended Supra unposted — about 40 grams. Posting the cap brings the weight of the extended Supra to about 50 grams. The extended Supra is nicely balanced and comfortable, so I just used it that way. I even carried the Supra around extended, albeit in a pen case.

I love the size and diameter of the Supra. However, because I don’t have huge hands, a 40 gram pen is too heavy for me to write with for hours straight. But I found the Supra surprisingly comfortable for shorter writing sessions.

Why? The weight of the Supra comes from the brass material of the entire pen, so the Supra’s weight is distributed evenly. For me, that made the heavier Supra more comfortable than some resin pens that weigh less but have most of the weight concentrated in either a brass piston at the top or a metal section. Better balance is better.

With the Supra or Liliput you post by screwing the cap onto screw threads at the end of the pen, which is very secure. I did note that the screw threads seem to be longer than normal. It takes about three turns to post the Supra or Liliput, and almost four turns to cap or uncap either model.

The Supra nib unit is a bigger version of the convenient screw-in/screw-out nib unit found on all Kaweco pens above the basic range. My Supra had a fine nib, which was extremely smooth with good ink flow. The combination of large nib and weighty pen made the Supra a really fun writer.

Take a look at the Supra’s supersized nib. It sure won’t fit into a Kaweco Sport. Below is a Pelikan M205 and a Montblanc LeGrand (146 size) flanking the Supra. The Supra has a bigger nib than even the Montblanc.

Aesthetics are subjective, but I think the Supra is beautiful. Extended it’s nicely proportioned, and the larger nib size balances the size of the pen. The sleek shape is enhanced by the understated markings.

The Supra is minimalism maximized. But in terms of its heritage, the Supra is actually the Liliput maximized. So now is the perfect time to mention the Liliput. I got to use a Fireblue and a Stainless Steel Liliput.

The Liliput is a true mini-pen. It’s Kaweco’s smallest, thinnest fountain pen, and it’s designed to be used posted. I found posting the Liliput necessary for anything more than a quick word or two. Here is a photo comparing the size of the Liliputs with a Kaweco AL-Sport, extended Supra and Pelikan M205.

The Liliput Fireblue looks spectacular.

The Fireblue is hand-torched steel. In the US, the Fireblue retails for around $180, which makes it the most expensive of the three pens I’m reviewing. But to me this finish is worth it. It is that special.

I don’t want to slight the Stainless Steel Liliput. The Stainless Steel is quieter, but what I liked about the Stainless Steel Liliput was how sleek and minimal the pen looked. The simplicity of the material brings the shape and form of the Liliput to the fore.

The Stainless Steel Liliput is about $100. There are a number of Kaweco Liliput finishes (including brass) with different prices depending on material. The least expensive Liliput starts at around $55 in the US.

My Stainless Steel Liliput came with a medium nib and the Fireblue with an extra-fine, both of which were good writers. Liliput nib units are the same as those on the AL-Sport, AC-Sport and Dia2 line, and can be easily unscrewed and interchanged with the nib units of any of those pens. Not with the larger Supra, of course.

I am a fan of these Kaweco stainless steel nibs. They’ve been very good out-of-the-box in my experience, but I like that they can be easily adjusted if you want to increase ink flow. I also love being able to remove them for cleaning, and to swap them into other Kaweco pens.

The Liliput is very short and very thin. It fits nicely into the Kaweco Traveller Case, which is to be expected, but it is also easy to just drop in pocket or purse.

Both these steel Liliputs have a nice heft, weighing a few grams more than the Kaweco AL-Sport. That’s a comfortable weight for me for writing, but makes for a solid-feeling pen that seems able to withstand the slings and arrows of carry-around use.

Excellent nibs, the tiny size and sturdy metal construction combine to make these Liliputs the best portable fountain pen I’ve ever used. I’d love to have one to carry around. If I were at my desk I probably wouldn’t choose the Liliput to draft a long document; it’s a little thin for extended writing, for me. But horses for courses.

Now here are the technical details.

First, filling system. The Supra is a cartridge/converter pen. It works with standard (short) international cartridges. With the extender, I think the Supra also will take a long international cartridge. I know for sure that the extended Supra does take Kaweco’s large converter.

The Liliputs are small and take a standard (short) international cartridge.

Here are some approximate pen measurements.

Weight of the extended Supra: approximately 50 grams capped and approximately 40 grams uncapped. Weight of the shorter Supra without extension piece: approximately 40 grams.

Length of extended Supra capped and closed: about 13 cm or 5 ¹⁄₈ inches. Length of extended Supra posted, excluding nib: about 14 cm or 5 ¹⁄₂ inches. Length of shorter Supra (without extension piece) capped and closed: about 9.7 cm or just over 3 ³⁄₄ inches.

Weight of either the Stainless Steel or Fireblue Liliput: about 24 grams.

Length of Liliput capped and closed: about 9.2 cm or just under 3 ³⁄₄ inches. Length of Liliput posted, excluding nib: about 10.7 cm or 4 ¹⁄₄ inches.