Kaweco DIY Event 2024
There I were, on a peaceful Friday morning, writing an ink review. And upon a sudden, I hear a notification on my phone. What could it be? A special Kaweco DIY event at Pen Boutique?? Today?? DIY Berry?? Of course, I did what any reasonable and responsible blogger would do and told my day job I didn’t like them anymore because I had to get to Pen Boutique posthaste.
And head to Pen Boutique, I did! Way too early. I was the first one there and they were finishing up setting up the machinery. But that’s okay! There was plenty of time to shop around for more inks and things while I waited to be the first victim.
And the wonderful staff at Pen Boutique were more than happy to help me find everything I was looking for as always!
So how does it work?
That’s a great question! It’s easy! First, you’ll be met with trays of all the parts you’ll need. You choose your nib size (I went with broad) and then you’re given the grip section, barrel, cap, cap liner, and finial medallion.
With all the parts in hand, it’s time for the best part! There are two press machines you have to work with, just like the ones Kaweco uses to assemble the pens in Germany. The one on the left is used to press on the cap liner and medallion, and the one on the right is used to press the nib unit into the grip section.
The first press is keyed to fit both the liner and the cap, so those really can’t be placed incorrectly. The medallion on the other hand can be a little tricky to place (mine went flying), but once it’s on securely, it’s good to go — and as a huge bonus to anyone who’s also bothered by the random medallion placement on the Sport models, you now have the opportunity to align it perfectly to whatever facet of the cap you want (or imperfectly, whatever you like, I won’t judge). Once you have it aligned the way you want, you slide the press into place, and you’re ready to press the parts together. There’s a very confirming bump to get passed when pulling the lever, and then it’s done! The second machine works just like the first: it’s keyed for the nib unit, and you place the grip section inside, and then actuate the press.
Once your parts are all together, you’re given an ink cartridge, plastic wrapper, box, stickers, and paperwork to assemble and package your pen, just like the factory. All done! And with probably 3% of the efficiency of an actual Kaweco factory worker!
The finished product!
So, is it worth it?
Of course it is! Sure it’s not the most involved assembly, but it doesn’t matter. Simply seeing the awesome machines for yourself and experiencing how they work is worth checking out. It’s fun. So why not? If you have a DIY event nearby, go for it. It’s a good time.
If you’re interested in seeing more about how the presses work, Kaweco has an excellent video on it here