Karas Kustoms Mini Fountain K And Papier Plume Ink Now At Vanness Pens (Sponsor)

Karas Kustoms is one of the most innovative machined pen manufacturers on the market. Whether it is unique barrel materials, or bright, brilliant anodizing, they do it right. The Mini Fountain K is their latest release, and is a pocket rocket of fountain pen fun.

There are basic Aluminum and Brass models, but the real fun lies in your ability to mix up materials and colors. My favorite is the Brown Anodized Aluminum with Copper Section, followed closely by the Blue/Black Anodized combo.

No matter your style, Karas Kustoms has a pen that fits you. To receive 10% off your Karas Kustoms purchase, use the code “penaddict” at checkout.

If you are looking for the perfect ink match for your new pen, Papier Plume now has their own ink lineup available at Vanness Pens. The colors range from the vibrant Peacock Blue, to the subtle Moss Green, to Oyster Grey, which is a personal favorite and part of the Pen Addict Ink Sampler.

Karas Kustoms and Paper Plume ink make a wonderful writing combination, and Vanness Pens is your source for both. My thanks to them for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.

Alfred Dunhill Sentryman Art Deco Rollerball Review

Alfred Dunhill is a premier luxury brand, recognized around the globe for it’s classic menswear and accessories. In fact, the parent company of Dunhill, Richemont, owns Montblanc as well, along with more than a dozen other high-end brands.

As a company, Dunhill became popular in the early 1900’s by tapping into the world’s newest fascination: automobiles. Dunhill didn’t make cars, but rather accessories for those who drove them. Goggles, coats, even a wind-proof pipe.

The pipe, and smoking accessories in general, was how I first became aware of the brand. Not that I have ever smoked, but there wasn’t a mall in the 1980’s or 1990’s where you didn’t see some sort of Dunhill presence. That market has changed over the past two decades, and Dunhill has changed right along with it, while remaining true to its origins.

The Sentryman Art Deco Rollerball is the embodiment of the Dunhill brand in a writing instrument. A glorious one at that. You can’t look at this pen and not think, or say, “Wow.”

You also cannot look at the price of this pen and not think “Wow” as well.

At $790, this is far and away the most expensive non-fountain pen I have ever reviewed. I was actually nervous when Dunhill reached out to me to review this pen, and paused for days, if not weeks, before committing to accepting this product from them.

I’m glad I did.

I’ve spoken for years about what I call the “Montblanc Problem”, which is the phrase I use when you are paying for everything about a pen besides the writing experience. The refill is the least expensive part of the equation, which anyone can afford. The refill also fits in many other pen barrels, giving you the Montblanc writing experience without the Montblanc cost. The Montblanc/Pilot G2 hack is famous for this.

As I tell readers all the time, you have to understand what you are paying for in the luxury pen market, and decide what is important to you. Are materials, style, branding, and marketing your primary purchasing factors? Or is it the writing experience? There is no wrong answer, of course, but the most impossible question for me to answer is “I have x dollars to spend on a pen for a gift, what should I buy?”

If money is no object, I would consider the Sentryman over any Montblanc rollerball I have seen. It is absolutely stunning. It feels great to write with. It looks great sitting on my desk, or clipped to a shirt pocket. It writes wonderfully (Unposted, that is. It is too heavy posted.) with the included Dunhill-branded Schmidt EasyFlow refills (International G2/Parker refill compatible). Price excluded, this is a 10 out of 10 pen.

But price can’t be excluded when making a purchasing decision. I’ve spent more on fountain pens, but my opinion is that I get more too. Do you get more when spending this much on a rollerball? That is for you to decide.

My thanks to Alfred Dunhill for sending me this pen at no charge for purposes of this review.

---

Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, which I am very grateful for.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Misfill - Sunday, November 13th

Each week in Refill, the Pen Addict Members newsletter, I publish Ink Links as part of the additional content you receive for being a member. And each week, after 10 to 15 links, plus my added commentary on each, I'm left with many great items I want to share. Enter Misfill. Here are this weeks links:

-- Let’s All Obsess Over This Intricate Map of Alt Music History (Wired)

-- Letter Writing Inspiration for Tonight's Letter Writing Club at the Shop (Wonder Pens)

-- How '1-Up' Went From Pinball to Gamer Speak (Atlas Obscura)

-- Russia’s Traditional Ancestral Architecture Is Pretty Amazing (Design You Trust)

-- An Illustrated Guide of the World's Weirdest Panics, From A to Z (Atlas Obscura)

-- Stephen Shore's Photographs of Andy Warhol's Factory (Juxtpoz)

-- Loadout: 15 Day Thailand Travel Pack (Pack Config)

Want to catch the rest, plus extra articles, reviews, commentary, discounts, and more? Try out a Pen Addict Membership for only $5 per month!