Spotlight: Karas Kustoms Render K Brass Pen

As I explained in the first post of this blog, I don’t see materialism the way that most people do. Rather than focusing on the quantity of my possessions, I’ve come to value their quality. As such, many of the things that I have and cherish and carry with me every day have been tirelessly researched with one goal in mind: I want to love this thing, and I only want one. Be it a backpack or a wallet or a pair of jeans, I try to seek out the “best” in each scenario. And that’s not to suggest that there is an objectively “best” pair of jeans or backpack somewhere out there. What I mean is that I want to find the best thing for me. 

Well, enough philosophizing. The point is, I’ve been writing avidly since I was 13 and, as such, an outlandish number of pens have come and gone from my life. Some have been cheap-o disposables, and some have been a little nicer. Last fall I decided to seek out the best (for me) pen that I could own. Something solid and beautiful and well made enough that it would truly last the test of time. So, after scouring kickstarter projects and website upon website, product review upon product review, I finally took a risk and ordered a pen that I thought might fit my needs. And I have to say…I hit the jackpot. Enter: The Render K Pen. 

Karas Kustoms is a small shop located in Mesa, Arizona, where they make (among other things) machined metal pens. They currently have three models available: the Bolt Action, the Retrakt (click pen), and the Render K (screw cap). Additionally, each model is available in three different metals (aluminum, brass and copper). 

I went with the Render K model in brass (tied with copper for the heavies option) because I wanted something almost too heavy. I wasn’t let down!

Weighing in at 3.3 ounces (when capped), this thing doesn’t mess around. The typical response when handing it to someone is “holy shit”, usually followed by “what’s this thing made of?”. Just to give you an idea, a roll of dimes weighs 4 ounces. 

But to say that this is a heavy pen and nothing else would be criminal. This thing is designed and built to near perfection. Machined out of a solid piece of brass, the shape and subtle details really make this pen what it is: The knurling on the cap, the heavy duty stainless steel clip, and (perhaps best of all), the ability to take a huge variety of ink refills using the included spring and plastic spacer. I use a Fisher Space Pen refill in, which writes through anything. 

Knurling detail

Stainless steel clip

Space pen ink refill with included fitting hardware

The cap screws on and off, which I thought might be annoying to have to do every time I wanted to write something down. What I’ve found, however, is that I love this ceremonial unsheathing. In fact, the brass pen sliding out of the brass cap sounds like a movie sound effect of a sword being drawn (pretty awesome). The cap doesn’t post on the back of the pen, but this doesn’t bother me. It either sits on my desk next to my notebook, or ends up clipped to my clothing for safe keeping.

Uncapped

I’ve never had any problems with the cap unscrewing, either. This was something that I was actually pretty worried about: that the cap would loosen on its own and I’d lose a piece of the pen. I wasn't sure, being that it’s metal on metal, how tight of a seal the machined threads would make. This concern disappeared the second I opened the package. This thing tightens up incredibly well, and I’ve never had it loosen when I didn’t want it to. Not only that, but the these are “triple start” threads, meaning that you don’t have to fiddle around lining them up.

Threading

This pen has served its purpose incredibly well. Perhaps the biggest thing that I wanted in my pen was a kind of companion. Something that was with me every single day, and something that feels like it will never break or fail on me. I look forward to, one day, being able to pass this along to a son or daughter. That’s how confidence inspiring this beauty is. 

If you want to peruse their pen selection, or take a look at their phone cases or tops or other machined metal goods, head over to karaskustoms.com. 

Thank for reading, and I’ll see you next time. 

Spotlight: Field Notes Notebooks

About a year ago I decided something: that I don’t write enough things down. Writing has been a big part of my life and my identity since I was in high school (mostly poetry). As someone who concentrates on his writing so much, I decided that I wanted more of a record of my day-to-day thoughts and ideas, lines of poetry, observations, etc. Since I started carrying these things I haven’t been able to figure out how I ever lived without them. I always have one on me, and am constantly amazed by their usefulness. On any given day I’ll be writing down snippets for new poems and ideas for editing current ones, as well as To-Do lists, shopping lists, reminders, quotes from friends, book or music or movie recommendations, or just quick little refections. This has sparked my larger Field Notes project, which is to fill about one book per month, and then catalogue them chronologically. In a section of my desk I have all of the books I’ve filled out so far, and I already cherish the ability to pick one up and see where my head was at a few months earlier. 

I fill about one per month (48 pages), and it’s easy to store them chronologically because of the space provided inside the cover page. 

By finishing a book and then shelving it in chronological order, it’s easy to refer back and re-read whatever I like. Also, I love the beat up, worn in look that they take on depending on where I’ve taken them and what I’ve done with them. When I was baking pizza in a wood fired oven, they  got way more beat up than from working in a high school. It’s also probably worth noting that, no matter what I’ve thrown at them, they’ve held up without exception. 

Filled notebooks go on the right, fresh ones live on the left.

A particularly abused example that I carried for a month while I worked at a pizza place

Field Notes has standard brown notebooks that are always available in blank, lined and graph paper. Also, four time a year they release special, limited edition versions of their books with different tweaks and perks and bonuses, whether it’s a different color, or cover artwork, or paper. My favorite so far have been their “America the Beautiful” edition, which uses heavy duty, thick covers and great art depicting amber waves, mountains majesty and fruited plains. I’ve also added their “red blooded”, “night sky”, “expedition” and “county fair” editions to my collection. They even offer a subscription that guarantees you two three packs of each edition for a year. And, perhaps best of all, every three-pack, regardless of the edition, is always the same price: 10 bucks. 

 "America the Beautiful" Edition

"County Fair" Edition (Vermont)

It’s so great to stay tuned-in and see what each new edition will bring. So far I’ve gotten my hands on a few different kinds, and I’m sure my collection will only grow. Plus, with each edition, my main fashion accessory continues to fluctuate, adding a little dash of different color depending on what I decide to carry. 

Perhaps best of all is, since they’re made so well and since each edition has so much unique personality, I am always excited to grab one on my way out the door. And since I’m so drawn to them, I now have a running, written dialogue recorded in them of the past year. It makes me excited to keep writing everything down, and to think about being able to flip back through these books when I’m old and grey. 

If you’re intrigued, check them out at fieldnotesbrand.com. It’s incredible what a big difference it can make just having the ability to jot a note or two down here and there. There’s something about the act of writing something in itself, whether it’s a reminder or an idea or a random thought, that brings that moment into focus. Sometimes I want to be able to look back on it later, and sometimes I just crave the experience of writing something down in the moment. 

Thanks for reading, and I’ll see you next time.