#karas kustoms

[ink-pens]

Karas Kustoms Ink

Copper and brass models.

Source: http://www.nibandink.com/pens/2015/12/12/review-karas-kustoms-ink-20

[woodstonefeatherbone]

Finally got one of my Holy Grail pens--a Karas Kustoms K in all copper--two days ago. I immediately fitted it with a vintage Parker Vacumatic 14k semi-flex nib I had sitting around.

This pen.. THIS MUTHA FUCKIN’ PEN. Is heavenly. This is the carry-around-with-you and don’t-worry-about-how-beat-up-it-gets pen. It’s way too heavy for long writing sessions or drawing, but man... I just love this thing.

It also develops a patina REALLY fast. I can’t wait to see how its color continues to change! :O

[edcstation]

There are a wide range of everyday carry pens out there. They differ in size, the refills they take and material they are made out of. Some pens are ideal for constant use and some are ideal for occasional use. Some have multiple uses and some can be quite simple and elegant.  Here's a top 10 list of a range of EDC pens for all types of requirements.

  Parker Jotter Retractable Pen

The Parker Jotter is Parker's best selling retractable pen and with good reason. This is a great, reliable and affordable everyday carry pen. Made of stainless steel with a sleek and streamlined design makes it elegant and hardy. This EDC pen can take a great variety of refills including the fisher space pen refills (With plastic attachment). The fact that this pen looks great and is affordable makes it a great everyday carry essential.

Buy on Amazon

 Zebra F-701 Ballpoint Retractable Pen

Another great, affordable EDC pen. A retractable pen with a heavy duty stainless steel barrel makes this rugged and sturdy. A knurled grip allows for greater writing stability. It is refillable with a Zebra F-Refill.

Buy on Amazon

 Fisher Space Pen

Classic everyday carry pen! Originally designed for NASA to write in all conditions. It's everything an EDC pen should be. It's small and fits in the pocket nicely. It writes upside down, on wet paper and in extreme temperatures. Comes in a massive variety of colours.

Buy on Amazon

 Machine Era Pen - Solid Brass

An elegant well put together pen. This pen is precision machined in house with a solid brass body. The brass will develop a patina over time which adds character and interest in the pen. The Machine Era Brass Pen is included with Pilot G2 cartridges and will fit any standard size Uni-ball cartridge. There aren't any o-rings to wear out on this pen. The lid screws on so you won't have any mishaps with ink in your pocket. Overall this is pen is a great everyday carry item. It is solid, durable and performs well.

Buy on Amazon

 Gerber Impromptu Tactical Pen

Any situation can turn dangerous and it is when you least expect it. Gerber collaborated with Law Enforcement officials to create this rugged and tough tactical pen. Made of a machined steel and a stainless steel pocket clip makes this pen handy and hardy. It takes a Rite in the Rain ink cartridge that works in all conditions indoors and outdoors (Also takes Fisher space Pen refills). It contains an integrated glass breaker which can also be used for self defence. A great EDC pen to assist in your preparedness to take on whatever situation comes your way.

Buy on Amazon

 Karas Kustoms Retrakt Copper Pen

Made in the USA this clicky EDC pen is solid and of exceptional quality. The pen is machined from Tellurium Copper, contains a nice and thick stainless steel pocket clip and an all metal click machanism. It comes with a pilot G2 refill and is compatible with any Parker ballpoint compatible refill.

Buy on Amazon

 Kaweco Liliput Fountain Pen

A great everyday carry fountain pen that is convenient in size and durability. The screw cap prevents the nib from drying out if you do not use it every day. In addition the screw cap is attached to the rear of the pen to make it the length of a full sized pen.

Buy on Amazon

 Fisher Space Trekker Keychain Pen

Another great pen here from Fisher and this time it's for the keychain. Constructed from brass and steel it's built to sit on the keychain and take a beating. The cap is secured tightly on the pen so it won't accidently come off in your pocket. It takes the famous Fisher Space Pen cartridge that writes in all conditions.

Buy on Amazon

 TT Pocket Tools Keychain Pen

An artistic and functional EDC keychain pen available in brass or copper. It is convenient and durable due to its material. A screw cap ensures that the pen doesn't accidently come off in the pocket. Takes a Fisher Space Pen refill which allows you to write in all condtions.

Buy on Amazon

Karas Kustoms The Bolt Machined Brass Pen

Another awesome EDC pen by Karas Kustoms. This pen is unique in that it uses a bolt-action twist mechanism to engage the tip of the pen which is also great for the fidgeting with. Machined from solid C360 brass it is built to last. It's made in the USA and takes any Parker ballpoint compatible refill including the Fisher Space Pen refill.

Buy on Amazon

[shady-cypress]

[thefinerpoint]

Karas Pen Co: Reaktor Starliner Review

Karas Pen Co. sent me a selection of their Starliner fountain pens to review here on the blog. All thoughts expressed about these pens are entirely my own.

Last week I reviewed the Galaxie pen that makes up part of the Karas Pen Co upcoming launch of their Reaktor line of pens. This week I am looking at their partner, the Starliner fountain pen.

The Starliner comes with a lot of the same backstory as the Galaxie pens. There are two different sizes, the pocket and the XL. The colour options and materials are the same on both pens, however the Starliner has a few subtle differences that make these stand apart from the Galaxie.

The Starliner Design.

The Starliner follows the same simple aesthetic as the Galaxie pen in that familiar Karas Pen Co. style. There is less flourish on the cap of the Starliner, when you compare it against the Galaxie. The top of the pen cap has a small raised peak, but no cog. There are three machined rings at the very top of the pen cap, two at the bottom and one on the bottom barrel of the pen itself. These represent a countdown, such as you would see in a space launch. This is again different to the Galaxie pen and sets the two apart.

The pocket Starliner takes standard cartridges and ships with a Monteverde black cartridge. The XL version comes with a K5 Schmidt converter, which immediately makes this a more attractive pen for my personal use. They come with the 076 Bock nibs similar to other Karas Pen Co fountain pens. I have found these pens really nice to write with, all through the different nib sizes.

The Starliner fountain pen follows the same pricing as the Galaxie hitting that entry level. The pocket will come in at $50 and $55 for the XL.

Using the Starliner.

Similar to the Galaxie I preferred using the XL version of the Starliner fountain pen. I like the fact that I can use any of the inks I had on hand. The additional length you get with the XL is far more comfortable to use and with the ink options makes this a lot more adaptable.

However personally I prefer the aesthetic of the pocket pen mainly due to the lack of the clip. The good news is the pocket Starliner is a tad longer than the pocket Galaxie, as you can see in the photo below. The additional length makes the pocket Starliner comfortable to use unposted, an issue I had with the Galaxie. As with the Galaxie range, the full black version of the Starliner is probably my favourite, it just looks so sharp and clean.

Overall thoughts.

I can’t quite help but compare the Reaktor pens to the other Karas pens I have used in the past, the Ink, the Decograph, the Render K and the Retrakt, and there is a distinct difference. Therefore if you’re familiar with or own any of those pens, the Reaktor range is different. But different doesn’t mean they’re worse. These pens are great, reasonably priced and do give you two good options of pen styles based on your preferred style.

I like what Karas Pen Co. have done with their new Reaktor range of pens. They are really nice to use and don’t compromise on that Karas feel. Creating a range of entry level pens is a good move.

Thank you again to the guys at Karas Pen Co. for sending me these pens to play with and review here on The Finer Point.

[thefinerpoint]

Karas Pen Co: Reaktor Galaxie Review

Karas Pen Company sent me their latest pen releases to review here on the blog. Today we will be looking at their Galaxie range of pens, all thoughts of which are my own.

Karas Pen Co will be launching a new line of machined pens this summer called the Reaktor line which includes the Starliner fountain pen and the Galaxie ballpoint/rollerball pen. There is a lot to say about both so I am splitting out my reviews, with today’s focusing on the Galaxie range of pens.

What is the Reaktor Galaxie?

The concept, design and naming of the Reaktor line is influenced by Mid-century America, specifically space, and the themes that influenced almost all aspects of their culture. As with other Karas pens the design behind the pens are well considered and really add to the identity of the pen you’re using. It’s also interesting that there are quite a few stationery brands that have launched products with a space theme in recent months, so there is something of a trend here too.

The Reaktor Galaxie pen comes in two sizes, a small pocket pen and an XL full length pen. They take two different refills, the pocket shipping with the Schmidt MegaLine P950 in medium, or the Parker style refill, and the XL with the Pilot G2. The difference in the refill compatibility needs to be considered when choosing the right pen for you, although its worth mentioning that Anna’s Epic Refill Guide should also be referenced to investigate what refill hacks can be performed. For the purposes of this review I am judging these pens based on how they arrive, straight out of the box.

Galaxie Design.

The pens arrive in a small plastic container which I have been told is very close to the final packaging design. The colour of the packaging corresponds to the colour choice of your pen. I really like the packaging, it’s slim and lightweight, good for international customers, but it also keeps the pen secure.

The pen design is typical of what you may know and expect from Karas Pen Co. There are four different options to choose from, full black, a tumbled aluminium finish and then two polished aluminium pens, one with a red anodised grip section, the second with a blue anodised grip section.

There are a few subtle differences between the two different sizes. The pocket Galaxie is clipless and the XL has the traditional Karas bolted on clip which regardless of the colour choice you go for is consistent across all pens.

Both sizes of the Galaxie have a distinctive cap design which looks like a cog, but actually takes inspiration from the hose fixtures found on space suits. This is also where the inspiration of the colour scheme comes from. The Galaxie pen is a click rather than screw cap meaning its very simple to flick off the cap.

Using the Galaxie.

I have been using these pens for some time now. I have a number of them on my desk which I have been using to write work notes, jot down quick additions to my planner. Initially I was drawn to the smaller version of the pen because of the size and it worked well with my pocket notebook use. Unposted the pen is too short and not particularly comfortable to use. When posted the length is much better and the weighting works well too. Usually I don’t post my pens, but this one needs it. The one issue I’ve found is that the cap did come lose I guess from the movement when I was writing and I had to nudge it back in place quite a lot.

The Schmidt refill is not my favourite. It’s quite gloopy and I had quite a few false starts. As I mentioned the refills can be swapped out and I would definitely recommend this on the pocket Galaxie. With the XL the popular Pilot G2 works as you would expect.

In terms of colour choices I think the black anodised finish on these pens looks great. The colour options feel very American with the blue and red grip sections. I was surprised by the tumbled aluminium finish Galaxie, it looks a lot better in the flesh than I expected.

Overall thoughts.

I like the Galaxie pen and it’s nice to have another machined pen option for your refills. Personally I like the XL version a lot more, the size is more comfortable to use and there is a little more flexibility with the refill options. The smaller pocket Galaxie however is a great pocket pen choice. The bonus to all of this is the price point. The smaller version is $40 and the XL is $45. That’s great value for a machined pen and I am not sure there are many options in the market at these prices. There is a nice notebook which is available now with a really nice Reaktor logo on the cover.

I’d like to thank Karas Pen Company for sending me their latest pens to review here on the blog.

[thefinerpoint]

Karas Kustoms Decograph 1801 Sleeping Beauty Limited Edition Review.

Karas Kustoms contacted me some time ago to ask if I would like to use their latest signature limited edition fountain pen, the Decograph. I have been using this pen for some time, all the opinions and thoughts shared in this review aren’t influenced by Karas Kustoms in any way.

I have been using the 1801 ‘Sleeping Beauty’ Decograph for some time, months in fact. The Decograph is not my first experience with Karas Kustoms pens, I own a Retrakt and an Ink fountain pen both of which I enjoy but in very different ways to the Decograph.

The name.

This limited edition is the 1805 Sleeping Beauty. Its name is taken from the blue colour of the pen which is inspired by turquoise mines found in Arizona, where Karas Kustoms is located.

The packaging.

I don't really often mention packaging on the blog, because really who cares. But the Decograph deserves some attention here. This is one of the nods to Karas Kustoms specialities, working with aluminium. The Decograph is packaged in an aluminium tube with the Karas Kustoms logo stamped on the front.

As this is an aluminium tube its heavy. This tube provides serious protection to the fountain pen, perfect for shipping but also for storing your pen when you’re not using it.

I was genuinely wowed when I opened the box, I wasn't expecting anything like this, and it’s very different to how the Ink and Retrakt came to me. I presume this is all part of the signature line.

The Decograph design.

The Decograph is a move away from the traditional Karas Kustoms materials. It’s made from a thermoplastic or acrylic-like material which they have combined with their distinctive aluminium finishes. The blue acrylic has a black swirling pattern moving through the pen body that is similar to other acrylic pens.

I really like the blue used in this edition because its bright and vibrant. I expected it to be semi-transparent but in fact it’s not, it’s a solid blue. I like this because you aren’t distracted by the inner workings of the pen and seeing the convertor which is pretty boring, instead you concentrate on the beautiful colour and design.

The defining features of the Decograph come from the aluminium flourishes. The sturdy pen clip and the aluminium cap top and bottom.

There’s a subtle Karas Kustoms logo nestled on the underside of the pen. The aluminium is almost a brushed finish which looks nice in the overall design. The contrast of the plastic and aluminium helps to add some weight to the pen but also finishes everything off really well making it look and feel like a premium pen.

Each limited edition pen comes with the model number and pen number etched into the side of the pen. Each limited edition has a limited number of available units and you can track your unit number on the pen itself.

The nib and using the Decograph.

Karas Kustoms Decograph uses a #6 Bock nib. I am not sure what nib I have here, I am presuming a fine but it writes beautifully. The nib is smooth and the ink flows well. The #6 Bock nib is the right size and fits proportionally with the Decograph, anything smaller would have looked odd.

I have used the convertor provided with the pen using my Pilot Iroshizuku Syo-Ro, one of my favourite inks that matches so well with this pen.

I have used this pen a lot over the last few months because I enjoy it so much. It’s really nice to write with and the light weight makes it a really comfortable to use for long periods of time.

Overall thoughts.

I have used my Decograph almost every day which shows how much I have enjoyed this pen. I’ve tried to think about how to summarise the Decograph and do the pen some justice. When you look at this pen it’s clear its made by Karas Kustoms. The simple, classic shape plus the high end aluminium finishing touches all scream Karas Kustoms.

For me the Decograph puts Karas Kustoms in a place where I feel like I can really use their pens. Their past alumiunium pens, while they are solid and great to use, are too clunky for long term use. By expanding out and using a different material and pairing it with aluminium is a great idea and potentially opens Karas Kustoms up to a whole new market. The Decograph has become my favourite Karas Kustoms pen and one that I will use over and over again.

I’d like to thank Karas Kustoms for sending me the Sleeping Beauty fountain pen to review here on the blog.

[val-the-wilding]

Karas K series fountain pen