Review: Karas Kustoms Fountain K – Black Delrin Edition
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The Numbers:
Weight: 25g
Length (capped): 130mm
Length (uncapped): 120mm
Price: USD$80 onwards from Karas Kustoms
Body Material: Delrin
Nib Material: Stainless steel
Filling Mechanism: Standard International Cartridge / converter
Colours: Various
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Intro:
My thanks to Glenn for the fountain pen. He had sent me this pen a long time ago having won it in a giveaway organised by Karas Kustoms. I’ve been happily using the Fountain K for years. This is my very first board nib fountain pen and I was never one for those.
But this is the start of me shifting my preferences towards the broader nibs.
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Packaging:
The Karas Kustoms Fountain K came in a cardboard box. Points for the packaging being minimal and recycle able. Inside, instructions were included. The pen despite being free came with a converter and an ink cartridge, among other things.
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Performance:
This Fountain K is a special one. The body is made of black Delrin, it is a special polymer plastic that’s smooth and soft to the touch. Its cap and grip is made of aluminium and is left in its unpolished state. The unpolished aluminium gives the pen a rough and tumble aesthetic and knowing the pedigree of this pen, I’d dare say this pen will stand up to the test of time and serve me well for the years to come. (I’ve been using this pen on and off for more than a year at this point)
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The Fountain K isn’t a large or long pen. It is relatively compact though still maintaining its ability to accept a full length standard international converter and cartridge. It is well balanced. The aluminium grip is a nice counterweight to the length of black Delrin that makes up the barrel.
The Fountain K comes with a super stiff clip that’s screwed into the cap. That clip is not going anywhere. It still slides over paper and pen cases with ease, of course the thicker the material, the harder it will be. The cap unscrews in about 1.5 revolutions to reveal a Bock #5 nib inside. The grip is relatively short, shaped with a dip towards the front end of the grip and flaring out towards the nib again. This provides a nice little lip for your fingers to rest against.
The threads that the cap screws in against are sharp. And after more than a year of on and off use, it still remains so. They are not so sharp they cut you but it isn’t the most comfortable experience. But this is on the Delrin barrel version, I’m not sure how it would feel on the metal barrel ones.
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As mentioned previously, the Fountain K takes a standard international converter and cartridge. And these comes standard with the pen as well. And the cap doesn’t post. That’s not a problem for me since I don’t post my caps but for everyone else do take note.
The Fountain K comes in a B nib. I’m assuming it’s a board nib because there is no indication on the nib itself. But it writes broader than any other nib I’ve owned. The writing experiencing is smooth and wet as expected from a nib with such a generous tipping but there was no baby’s smooth problem.
Conclusion:
The Karas Kustoms Fountain K is a way better experience I have when I compared it to the first version of the Karas Kustoms INK many years ago. I’ve not revisited the brand after that first Kickstarter I’ve backed for the INK. And I’m glad they have improved greatly since then.
Also this is my first foray into broad nibs and I must say there is something to them.
Once again, my thanks to Glenn for the fountain pen.
Pros:
- Lightweight
- Durable
- Takes standard international converter and catridges
Cons:
- Can’t be posted
- Sharp threads on the barrel
Additional Reading:
- Karas Kustoms’ Fountain K Barstock “Monsoon” Review by The PencilCase Blog
- Karas Kustoms’ Copper Fountain K Review by The Clicky Post
- Karas Kustoms’ Fountain K Review by The Poor Penman
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