Est. 2026 · Price: FreeEditor-at-large: The Hedgehog

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Kaweco Perkeo: Full-Size Beginner Fountain Pen

Compiled from 8 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research

Quick answer

The Kaweco Perkeo is Kaweco's full-size starter fountain pen: a light resin pen with an octagonal snap cap and a triangular grip. Goulet Pens measures it at 138.6 mm (5.5 in) capped and 158.1 mm (6.2 in) posted, about 12 g. It takes standard international cartridges or a converter and comes with F or M steel nibs.

On this page10 sections
Kaweco Perkeo All Black fountain pen posted, drawn to scale at 158.1 mm, with an inset of its triangular grip
The All Black Perkeo posted, at Goulet's 158.1 mm (drawn at 1 mm = 5 px).

Product facts

Product
Kaweco PERKEO Fountain Pen, All Black
Brand
Kaweco
Brand origin
Germany
Made in
Germany*
Material
Resin (plastic) body, cap and grip; black-coated steel nib
Released
2017*
Price range
$$$5–20 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Colors

All Black

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Notes on these facts
  • Made in Germany: Kaweco's Amazon brand listing says its products are hand-assembled and individually inspected in Nuremberg and that all nibs are made in Germany; Goldspot notes the word "Germany" molded on the barrel end. Kaweco's own site, kaweco-pen.com, refused our connection on October 22, 2026, so we read its Perkeo specs from search snippets. Source. Price: example listing. Released: Goldspot says the modern Perkeo was introduced in 2017; the name comes from an ebonite eyedropper pen in Kaweco's 1908 catalog.
  • Colors: names per Kaweco, checked October 24, 2026. Eight colors per Kaweco's PERKEO series page; Perkeo Infrared per Kaweco's COLLECTION series page, which says Collection pens are available for a limited time. Tints were sampled from Kaweco's product photos; Cotton Candy and Old Chambray are two-tone (barrel, then cap). Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
  • Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.

Key takeaways

  • Goulet Pens measures the Perkeo at 138.6 mm (5.5 in) capped, 129.5 mm uncapped and 158.1 mm (6.2 in) posted.
  • Goulet weighs it at 12.0 g; Kaweco's German shop lists 14.3 g for the All Black M.
  • The grip is a rounded triangle, 9.8 mm across where the fingers rest, per Goulet.
  • It takes short or long standard international cartridges; Goulet puts a converter fill at 1.14 ml.
  • Goldspot says Kaweco brought the 1908 Perkeo name back in 2017 as an ergonomic starter pen.

What is the Kaweco Perkeo?

The Perkeo is Kaweco’s full-size, low-cost fountain pen for beginners and school, with a triangular grip and a clipless octagonal snap cap. Goulet Pens calls it Kaweco’s entry-level full-sized pen.

The name is old. Goldspot says the first Perkeo was an ebonite eyedropper pen in Kaweco’s 1908 catalog, and that CEO Michael Gutberlet brought the name back in 2017 for this resin starter pen.

It sells well in the US. On October 22, 2026 the All Black version ranked #92 in Amazon’s Fountain Pens category, with about 1,300 ratings shared across the colors.

Kaweco Perkeo specs

Spec Value
Maker Kaweco, Nuremberg (Germany)
Type Cartridge/converter fountain pen, snap cap, no clip
Body Resin: octagonal cap, faceted barrel, triangular grip
Nib Steel, F or M (black on the All Black)
Length capped 138.6 mm (5.5 in) (Goulet); 14 cm (Kaweco)
Length uncapped 129.5 mm (5.1 in) (Goulet)
Length posted 158.1 mm (6.2 in) (Goulet); 15.9 cm (Kaweco)
Diameter 12.9 mm body, 15.9 mm cap, 9.8 mm grip (Goulet)
Weight 12.0 g (Goulet); 14.3 g (Kaweco, M nib)
Ink Short or long standard international cartridges, or a converter
Capacity 1.68 ml cartridge max, 1.14 ml converter (Goulet)
Article / EAN 10001818 / 4250278616939 (All Black, F)
Price band $$ ($5–20 per pen)

Goulet measured the pen; Kaweco’s German shop gives the rounder 14 cm and 15.9 cm figures and a slightly heavier weight. Either way it is a light pen.

Kaweco Perkeo capped, uncapped and posted lengths drawn to scale
Posting the cap adds about 3 cm.

How does the triangular grip feel?

It places your thumb, index and middle finger on three flats, the way school pens do. Goulet measures the grip at 9.8 mm, and Goldspot says it is longer and wider than the Kaweco Sport’s.

That shape suits people who were taught a tripod grip. If you hold a pen between two fingers or rotate it as you write, the flats can push your fingers where you don’t want them, so try one first if you can.

What ink does the Kaweco Perkeo take?

Standard international cartridges, short or long, or any standard international converter. It ships with one short cartridge and a spacer, according to Goulet.

Filling Capacity (Goulet) Notes
Short cartridge Up to 1.68 ml with a spare piggybacked One included
Long cartridge Fits the barrel Sold separately
Converter (e.g. Schmidt K5) 1.14 ml Sold separately

A converter lets you fill from a bottle; our how to fill a fountain pen guide shows the steps.

How does the Perkeo compare to the Kaweco Sport?

The Perkeo is a full-size desk pen; the Kaweco Sport is a pocket pen that only reaches full length posted.

Kaweco Perkeo Kaweco Classic Sport
Capped 138.6 mm (5.5 in) 105 mm (4.1 in)
Posted 158.1 mm (6.2 in) 127–133 mm (5.0–5.2 in)
Cap Snap, octagonal Snap, octagonal
Grip Triangular Round
Ink Short or long cartridges, converter Short cartridges, mini converter
Price band $$ $$$

Sport figures come from our guide to it. Goldspot adds that the Perkeo’s barrel has room for a full-size converter, which the Sport doesn’t.

Is the Perkeo a good first fountain pen?

Yes, if you like a guided grip and want a cheap way into German nibs. It sits in our $$ band, $5–20 per pen, below the Sport.

Alternatives in our best fountain pens for beginners include the Pilot Metropolitan for a metal body and a finer Japanese nib, and the LAMY safari, which also has a triangular grip.

Where is the Kaweco Perkeo made?

In Germany: Kaweco says its pens are hand-assembled and inspected in Nuremberg, with German-made nibs. That statement is on Kaweco’s own Amazon brand listing, and Goldspot found “Germany” molded on the barrel end.

Kaweco’s website refused our connection on October 22, 2026, so its specs here come from Kaweco’s pages as search engines show them, checked against Goulet’s measurements.

If you want a full-size Kaweco in acrylic with a fitted clip, see the Kaweco Student.

Frequently asked questions

Is the Kaweco Perkeo good for beginners?

Kaweco sells it as a school and beginner pen: it is light, has a triangular grip that guides the fingers and a snap cap, and comes in F or M. Reviewers at Pen Chalet found the nib wet and even.

What size is the Kaweco Perkeo?

Goulet Pens measures 138.6 mm (5.5 in) capped and 158.1 mm (6.2 in) posted, with a 12.9 mm body. Kaweco's German listing gives 14 cm closed and 15.9 cm posted.

Does the Kaweco Perkeo come with a converter?

No. It ships with one short standard international cartridge and a cartridge spacer, per Goulet. Any standard international converter, such as the Schmidt K5, fits.

Can you use long cartridges in the Kaweco Perkeo?

Yes. Goulet lists both short and long standard international cartridges, and Goldspot notes the barrel has room for two short cartridges piggybacked.

Does the Kaweco Perkeo have a clip?

Not as standard. Kaweco sells a separate Perkeo clip in black or chrome that slides onto the cap.

Is the Kaweco Perkeo made in the USA?

No. Kaweco is a German brand, and its Amazon listing says the pens are hand-assembled and inspected in Nuremberg, Germany, with German-made nibs.

What nib sizes does the Perkeo come in?

Fine (F) and medium (M) steel nibs. German F and M nibs write a little wider than Japanese F and M.

What colors does the Kaweco Perkeo come in?

Kaweco's shop lists eight Perkeo fountain pen colors: All Black, All Clear, Breezy Teal, Cotton Candy, Iridescent Pearl, Jungle Green, Old Chambray and Peony Blossom. It also sells Perkeo Infrared, a red Kaweco Collection edition offered for a limited time.

Sources (8)

  1. Kaweco (Germany): Kaweco PERKEO Füllhalter All Black F (article 10001818; Länge 14 cm, geöffnet 15,9 cm; 15 mm without clip; plastic; read via search snippet)
  2. Kaweco (Germany): Kaweco PERKEO Füllhalter All Black M (article 10001817; Gewicht 14,3 g; read via search snippet)
  3. Goulet Pens: Kaweco Perkeo Fountain Pen, All Black (measured lengths, diameters, weights and capacities; EAN 4250278616939)
  4. Goldspot: Kaweco Perkeo pen review (1908 origins, 2017 reintroduction, comparison table)
  5. Amazon: Kaweco PERKEO All Black Fountain Pen, Fine Nib (1.3K ratings; #92 in Fountain Pens, October 22, 2026)
  6. Pen Chalet: Kaweco Perkeo fountain pens
  7. Kaweco: PERKEO series page, English (fountain pen colors)
  8. Kaweco: COLLECTION series page (limited-time Perkeo Infrared edition)

Plain-text version for AI agents: kaweco-perkeo.md · Spotted an error? See how we check facts.