Karas Kustoms Starliner Xl - First Impressions

[Karas Kustoms]

You mentioned a few things that are why I love the pen. I am a Pilot Precise V5 RT and Energel refill user. I love the experience they provide and always swap out for those two refills. In my shorter pens, I only use the EasyFlow 9000 as it is a smooth and pleasurable writing experience. For us the ease with which a person can find a G2 combined with how inexpensive the refills are for us to purchase made it the go to refill. But with some ingenuity people can use a myriad of refills in the Galaxie XL with just a razor and some tubing you could even use some of the Zebra refills.

[IndigoBOB]

You mentioned a few things that are why I love the pen. I am a Pilot Precise V5 RT and Energel refill user. I love the experience they provide and always swap out for those two refills. In my shorter pens, I only use the EasyFlow 9000 as it is a smooth and pleasurable writing experience. For us the ease with which a person can find a G2 combined with how inexpensive the refills are for us to purchase made it the go to refill. But with some ingenuity people can use a myriad of refills in the Galaxie XL with just a razor and some tubing you could even use some of the Zebra refills.

 

 

I think you have a special pen. I don't want to jinx it, but based on sifting through the reviews of the Reaktor line up in anticipation, I think there seems to be a lot of hard work and research that has been realized.

 

Whether it be my grade school nieces or nephew, my grandma, my mother, my friends, myself... I have noticed that when I give someone an optimally writing pen, it inspires something in them to write.

 

And I've gotten that reaction out of them with fountain pens, but also parker Jotters with Easyflow9000's, but also pens that can use Pentel Energels and Pilot Precise V7/V5's... And I love how my V7's can effortlessly write at any angle, allowing me to rest the pen like I do fountain pens, feeling just like a fountain pen.

 

So despite the original refill of the Pilot G2 for the Galaxie XL, which still is a solid refill I as a pen snob (largely due to hand fatigue problems) still respects, the Galaxie XL seems to be an optimal writing instrument with sufficient versatility, but it's really standing out among the world of machined ballpoint's/rollerballs.

 

I think you guys recognize that yes you can write great things with just a pencil, but it does make a difference to have a well made pen in your hand, and to competently provide something like that at such an optimal level as is evidenced by these first impressions of the Starliner XL which are congruent with already posted reviews of the Reaktor lineup, at a more available price, with such innovation and unique Americana design... well I think you set a new bar.

 

I ordered a Galaxie XL and I can't wait. I have no doubt it's going to write optimally using a few of my preferred refills (Pentel Energel, V7, FineLiner).

 

I hope you guys find more reasons or excuses to push your innovations because I quite frankly think from what I see and have tried that there aren't other pen manufacturers doing that right now, and especially with regards to machined pens, and especially ballpoints/rollerballs, I don't know if the other companies have that creativity that can push the existing boundaries and meet that challenge of innovation, let alone the capacity.

 

EDIT: Jeez, I barely finish my post and you guys come out with this new innovation: Holy Moly guys... I stopped following fountain pens when Matt Armstrong "retired", but dang you guys are giving the pen community something to look forward to. Niiiiiiice fountain pen! And it's so different from anything you guys have!! Keep it up!! Don't lose any momentum : )

 

Edited August 3, 2018 by IndigoBOB

[Karas Kustoms]

Thanks for the kind words. We took last year off for the most part in terms of making new pens though we designed about 6 of them. We are now at the point we can start to release them as we've gone through the prototyping phase and have functional products. We love our current line of pens and they have got us where we are now, but we understand there are areas for improvement and designs we don't currently have (functional or aesthetic). So we are really hoping to fill some gaps in our inventory while also providing people with some pens that they've asked us for.

[IndigoBOB]

That all sounds quite good

 

I loved your Galaxie XL for the most part besides preferential aspects, especially the small size:

 

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/338658-karas-pen-cos-galaxie-xl-rollerball-review/

 

There's not a lot of quality Ballpoints/Rollerballs out there until about well over $100+ range (Pelikan K200). I use the rOtring Tikky and Parker Jotter next to my trusty Lamy Vista-M with Heart of Darkness and I have $100+ pens.

 

I tried the Baron Fig Squire and Squire Click:

 

The Squire

• Great Twist mechanism
• Great Refills
• Too heavy; fatiguing; I like to relax and ease down when I write, have a more cogitative/meditative experience, to let go, let the mind flow more easily increasing creativity, but having to grasp the squire's weight to control it prevented this ungrasping practice of concentrative writing.
• Poor ergonomics; Makes the pen feel heavier than it is.
• Mediocre balance.
• Finish was rough, good for gripping, but irritating and abrasive wherever the upper body of the pen rested on my hand.
• Needs a clip.
• Overall: C- grade

Squire Click:

• Good click mechanism; same one you guys use; not loud nor scraping.
• Great refill
• Good weight; Not too heavy; could weigh down the ballpoint to make it write effortlessly like a fountain pen; it could have been lighter even, which would have allowed it to be used for long writing sessions.
• Mediocre ergonomics at best; pen did feel heavier than others of the same weight, but with better ergonomics
• Too narrow for me to hold for extended periods of time.
• Mediocre balance: Made it feel heavier than it was; needs to be more bottom heavy.
• Needs a clip
• Finish was rough, and too much so especially where the pen rested on my hand.
• Overall: C + grade

-----------------------------------

Conclusion:

 

People are looking for a good metal pen they can put a great refill in, that isn't a heavy metal, isn't a weapon, or something that isn't trying to make a statement. Just look at how popular the Zebra F701 is when hacked with a Fisher refill, and those refills are inferior unless you are in an environment that is not conducive for writing, or if you like writing angrily having to press down hard to get a descent line. The Parker Jotter is one of the most popular metal pens especially with an Easyflow (but it is limited to shorter writing sessions). And these pens aren't heavy.

 

I think there's a huge gap in the market for a solid metal pen with good ergonomics (especially like those of the Reaktor lineup), that isn't a heavy pen, and is one that uses a great refill. I'm surprised the Baron Figs are so popular, and I'll tell you why: It's because of the refills. Heck, that's why those bulky, awkward Retro51's are so popular.

 

For me, holding the Galaxie XL was like discovering this new possibility of a pen design, especially with regards to the section shape. The tapering to a healthy flare offer assistive support at pressure points natural to writing offering better comfort and ease of using, especially for longer writing sessions, which for me requires a relaxing grip that the weight of basic heavy metal pens impede, hindering my own ability to become absorbed more in what I'm thinking about and writing about.

 

But if you take that Galaxie/Reaktor section shape or like that of an Aurora 88, Pelikan (m400-m1000) fountain pens, which are some of the most revered designs in the pen world (Have stood the test of time for a reason), keep the weight manageable, pop in a good Schmidt refill, and balance that pen well beyond that mediocrity that plages the pen ballpoint/rollerball pen world, and you're getting into uncharted territory where I think you realize the precedence of what makes a great writing instrument and maybe finding that it's already been made, discovered, and perfected, and the best you can do is add your owns style.

 

And with the success of the refills Schmidt has created, which are rather recent in Pen History, and which I think are quiet little wonders of the pen world, you can make an affordable pen, that is an affordable fountain pen alternative, that moves from that niche or clique of heavy metal pens, into the realm of fountain pen quality writing, something that could only be found from a fountain pen: that effortless writing. And, IMO, thanks to Schmidt, that is possible now outside of a fountain pen.

[IndigoBOB]

This pen looks beautiful!! OMG

 

You guys get it. You know, you're really getting it. Karas Kustoms made good pens. But Karas Pen Co is making some remarkable writing instruments.

 

Truly something beautiful that's blossoming out of that Arizona Desert.

 

Edited August 11, 2018 by IndigoBOB

[Writing Uphill]

I've had the Starliner XL for a few weeks and sadly, it's been relegated to at home use, only. The issue is that it collects ink in the cap and that drips onto the section. I think it's due to the suction of uncapping. I've swapped nibs (fine steel, EF titanium), tried different inks, switched from a converter to cartridge, and while some of those things helped, it did not help enough. It's disappointing, because the ergonomics are perfect for me and the snap cap is great for a daily use pen.

 

The good news is that trying the Starliner got me to convert my Render K into a fountain pen. With the same nibs, etc., I have no issues with ink in the cap, probably because it is a screw cap. I also like that when traveling, the Render/Fountain K can hold a spare cartridge (I use the converter when not traveling). The ergonomics are quite good for me, but not as good as the Starliner XL.

 

One thing I wonder about the Starliner XL ink in the cap issues is that the feed seems a little small for the nib. Flow is excellent, but I wonder if fins that went further out under the nib would help deal with any flow irregularities caused by capping. My understanding is that this is a #5 nib in length, but on the larger side for width, with a standard #5 feed.

[KellyMcJ]

I've had the Starliner XL for a few weeks and sadly, it's been relegated to at home use, only. The issue is that it collects ink in the cap and that drips onto the section. I think it's due to the suction of uncapping. I've swapped nibs (fine steel, EF titanium), tried different inks, switched from a converter to cartridge, and while some of those things helped, it did not help enough. It's disappointing, because the ergonomics are perfect for me and the snap cap is great for a daily use pen.

 

The good news is that trying the Starliner got me to convert my Render K into a fountain pen. With the same nibs, etc., I have no issues with ink in the cap, probably because it is a screw cap. I also like that when traveling, the Render/Fountain K can hold a spare cartridge (I use the converter when not traveling). The ergonomics are quite good for me, but not as good as the Starliner XL.

 

One thing I wonder about the Starliner XL ink in the cap issues is that the feed seems a little small for the nib. Flow is excellent, but I wonder if fins that went further out under the nib would help deal with any flow irregularities caused by capping. My understanding is that this is a #5 nib in length, but on the larger side for width, with a standard #5 feed.

When I uncapped mine the very first time I flung ink all over the desk. Figured it was extra ink because I'd just filled it. I found that if I uncap slowly I have no issues.

[Karas Kustoms]

I've had the Starliner XL for a few weeks and sadly, it's been relegated to at home use, only. The issue is that it collects ink in the cap and that drips onto the section. I think it's due to the suction of uncapping. I've swapped nibs (fine steel, EF titanium), tried different inks, switched from a converter to cartridge, and while some of those things helped, it did not help enough. It's disappointing, because the ergonomics are perfect for me and the snap cap is great for a daily use pen.

 

The good news is that trying the Starliner got me to convert my Render K into a fountain pen. With the same nibs, etc., I have no issues with ink in the cap, probably because it is a screw cap. I also like that when traveling, the Render/Fountain K can hold a spare cartridge (I use the converter when not traveling). The ergonomics are quite good for me, but not as good as the Starliner XL.

 

One thing I wonder about the Starliner XL ink in the cap issues is that the feed seems a little small for the nib. Flow is excellent, but I wonder if fins that went further out under the nib would help deal with any flow irregularities caused by capping. My understanding is that this is a #5 nib in length, but on the larger side for width, with a standard #5 feed.

 

Please email us at info@karaskustoms.com so we can take care of this issue, as the pen should not be causing any type of "vacuum" action when uncapped.

 

This was a concern of ours during the design and prototype phases especially with the feed on the 076 nibs allowing greater ink flow, we wanted to make sure there was not any type of vacuum or suction created during the capping and uncapping action. During our testing over several months we did not run into the issue you are describing. We did run into something similar to what KellyMcJ references, ink being dislodged from the nib/feed during uncapping. I myself experienced this quite a bit during my last semester of college when I carried my pen in my bag which got tossed around a lot. As the ink flow is increased in the 076 nibs, it allows for quite a bit of ink to remain on the feed. I had ink in my cap most days but it was really only due to how I was carrying the pen or uncapping it.

 

During further testing of uncapping the pen when filled at different amounts and methods, including uncapping while upside down, no ink was sucked out of the nib and feed. As mentioned above, we will want to replace your pen and when we have it, perform tests on your pen to attempt to isolate the problem you are running in to.

[Writing Uphill]

It’s awesome that Karas Pens is so involved in this site!

 

Regarding your comments: I’m not at all sure whether my issues are a vacuum or related to the capping/uncapping action. If I’m careful, all is well, but being especially careful kind of defeats the purpose of a workhorse daily carry pen. I did try an experiment last night, capping and uncapping a few times with the pen face down, and almost immediately, the feed was flooded, which does make me think there’s a slight vacuum, but with such a free-flowing feed, it could just be the jolt from capping/uncapping. I’m not sure your design can fully avoid a vacuum and that is the nature of most snap cap fountain pens. This is the second cap on this pen (the first one had a mistapped clip thread), and both had the same behavior. Not sure what variable could be off to create more vacuum than what is normal on the section itself (I see no imperfections) but I do not know this pen the way you do. I’m sure it’s not an anomaly with the nib unit, as I’ve tried multiple nib units and different filling mechanisms, and the results are the same. Also, those nib unit/filling system combos have worked fine in the Fountain K.

 

I do think this is the wrong feed/nib combo for what is intended to be a workhorse pocket pen, especially given the snap cap. I have had numerous workhorse pens with equally good or better flow that do not sling ink in transit. These are mostly from Lamy and Kaweco (Jowo nib). The Lamys are all snap caps. I’ve had others that can’t handle being daily carry pens, because they fling ink, and almost all had Bock nibs (all ranges, lots of brands, many that don’t admit to using Bock).

 

A nudge on nibs: I’ve heard your reasons for going Bock for your nibs, and I totally get it. But, in my experience with nibs at the same price points to the ones you offer, the Jowo nibs I’ve seen are exceptionally better. My Kaweco Jowo nib was perfectly machined and ground out of the box, better than nibs on most pens that go for $100 more, including gold ones. Under magnification, it’s textbook perfect, and writes like it, too. It may be pure luck. What I do know is that I’ve had tens of Bock nibs, and most required additional setup, including the ones from Karas (mostly around start problems due to baby bottom of some degree or another).

 

I’m loving using my Fountain K, and glad the Starliner XL got me to modify my Render K into it. It is a great workhorse pocket pen, and for whatever the reason, doesn’t fling ink like the Starliner. The Starliner is an ergonomic pleasure, but doesn’t see that much use, sitting on my desk. If you think it’s worth taking a look at the pen, I’m happy to arrange sending it back to you, but I am guessing it’s just a mismatch between my goals for this pen and its design intentions, and I don’t hold that against Karas.

[KellyMcJ]

I can definitely say that my Starliner does not have an oversaturated feed as you say. It did at first- when I first filled it, and I was concerned, but after I blotted the extra ink out I never had a problem again (and I will say that I was using an overly free flowing ink as well.)

 

I haven't let it jostle around in a pocket all day or anything like that, but I don't think what you're experiencing is normal at all. Mine sits horizontal in my drawer and it's never given the least bit of trouble after that first filling.

[Karas Kustoms]

Not to get into the weeds, but I am unaware of Kaweco using anything but Bock nibs. The partnership between Kaweco and Bock is so strong that Kaweco is listed on Bock's website as a professional reference. That being said, perhaps they used JoWo sometime in the past.

 

To comment on the JoWo vs Bock and give a little more clarity. We approached JoWo before moving to Bock and asked to use their nibs. We were referred to their US distributor of JoWo nibs as the only way to purchase their product. In doing so, we would have been charged vastly more than the actual wholesale price, and would have had to wait much longer than necessary to receive our nibs as our volume of nibs is very high. It was only after that discussion and the inability to work directly with JoWo that we decided to explore Bock as our primary nib source. We understand people are very loyal to one brand or another, and it was simply a matter of our need to work direct with the manufacturer due to our large volume.

 

We are compiling feedback from as many users as possible to see if this is a recurring issue with the Starliner XL as we have had a handful of people send us feedback similar to your experience in the last two days. While we conducted a pretty in depth 3 month field test during the prototype run and we have sold through several hundred Starliner XLs, it is possible that this issue is caused by a convergence of things. Off the top of my head if the inner diameter of the cap is at its tightest tolerance and the outer diameter of the barrel is at it's widest tolerance it could be creating a seal that causes two things to occur. During capping, the process would be pressurized and push air through the feed into the converter/cartridge. When the capping action was complete this could cause reverse pressure to push ink into the feed and cause over saturation. During the uncapping process the reverse could happen and cause the air to be drawn out with ink and allow for some leaking into the cap. This would be exacerbated by uncapping and capping the pen when it was in a horizontal position or with the cap downwards as gravity would also pull the ink into contact with the feed.

Regardless, I'm more than happy to look at your pen and see if there is some way we can alleviate this problem and provide you with a working functional pen that fulfills your needs.

[KellyMcJ]

To throw my 2 cents into the Bock vs Jowo debate...I prefer the Bock nibs. My two Bock EF nibs are some of my favorites BUT it all depends on the individual company's treatment of the nib, tuning etc too. (Which is so highly individual that I think outside of an actual problem, you're going to find it impossible to keep everyone happy. Maybe you could offer Jowo as an upgrade? )

[Writing Uphill]

Thanks for the explanation about the nib suppliers. I wish there was more competition, but the market is only so big...

 

Regarding what Kaweco uses, I've seen a few mentions of their switch to JoWo, most trustworthy, being Brian Goulet saying that Kaweco told him it started around a year ago. I'm pretty sure the one on my Sport is not Bock -- the grinding looks nothing like what I've seen on Bock. though I guess Kaweco may now be regrinding their nibs before they go out the door.

 

Most of the time I'm more careful when uncapping pens, but I inattentively opened the Starliner XL in a way that confirmed there's a vacuum being created. If I uncap the pen in one fluid motion (usually, I pop it just enough to release tension and then uncap), there is a vacuum-release sound. It happens every time. I'll get in touch with Karas via customer support channels about sending the pen back for you to look at.

 

I really appreciate the effort you have put into designing your pens and your customer service.

[KellyMcJ]

Thanks for the explanation about the nib suppliers. I wish there was more competition, but the market is only so big...

 

Regarding what Kaweco uses, I've seen a few mentions of their switch to JoWo, most trustworthy, being Brian Goulet saying that Kaweco told him it started around a year ago. I'm pretty sure the one on my Sport is not Bock -- the grinding looks nothing like what I've seen on Bock. though I guess Kaweco may now be regrinding their nibs before they go out the door.

 

Most of the time I'm more careful when uncapping pens, but I inattentively opened the Starliner XL in a way that confirmed there's a vacuum being created. If I uncap the pen in one fluid motion (usually, I pop it just enough to release tension and then uncap), there is a vacuum-release sound. It happens every time. I'll get in touch with Karas via customer support channels about sending the pen back for you to look at.

 

I really appreciate the effort you have put into designing your pens and your customer service.

I can confirm that I definitely don't hear any sound that would indicate vacuum release. The one time I managed to splatter ink I uncapped it rather...exuberantly? Enough to fling ink. I wasn't accustomed to the particular cap seal yet.

[Writing Uphill]

Received my replacement today with the new cap. What they appear to have done is uniformly remove a significant amount of material from below the cap seal. The upside is that at first blush, it solves the suction problem (though it does uncap with a quick burp sound). The downside is that the cap is really, really rattly now -- think Lamy Aion, but worse. Also, I still think the nib is mismatched to the feed and that if the feed were wider, to match the wings of the nib, behavior would be a lot better (I have two nibs of different material, and the issues are the same for both). Also, this nib/feed combo produces a lot of nib creep with most inks. Given the small, but very wet feed, mixed with the rattling cap, this will still be a desk pen, only -- I don't trust it enough to take it out of the house. However, it is one of the most comfortable pens I've used, so it definitely has a place on my desk.

[KellyMcJ]

Received my replacement today with the new cap. What they appear to have done is uniformly remove a significant amount of material from below the cap seal. The upside is that at first blush, it solves the suction problem (though it does uncap with a quick burp sound). The downside is that the cap is really, really rattly now -- think Lamy Aion, but worse. Also, I still think the nib is mismatched to the feed and that if the feed were wider, to match the wings of the nib, behavior would be a lot better (I have two nibs of different material, and the issues are the same for both). Also, this nib/feed combo produces a lot of nib creep with most inks. Given the small, but very wet feed, mixed with the rattling cap, this will still be a desk pen, only -- I don't trust it enough to take it out of the house. However, it is one of the most comfortable pens I've used, so it definitely has a place on my desk.

 

That's sad news. The nib being "mismatched" sounds like it may be misaligned with the feed and an easy fix, I've often found pens arrive that way and am used to fixing it. I'd reach out to Karas if you're not happy.

 

I got the email about the new caps and wondered if I should return mine because I've had the occasional burping issue, but it's solved by careful uncapping (the kind of careful that's no trouble at all, but sometimes I forget and yank the cap off like it's a ballpoint and fling ink everywhere LOL). I'm glad reading this that I opted not to return mine for the upgraded cap as it sounds like it may have other issues. My cap doesn't rattle at all.

Edited November 4, 2018 by KellyMcJ

[Writing Uphill]

Hi KellyMcJ. It’s not a misalignment, it’s also not air in the feed, as it happens with two different models of pens, two different nibs, and with both converter and cartridge. Depending on how you use the pens and with what inks, it can be fine. It’s not a huge problem, just makes the pens a little more prone to throw ink when bumped and to allow for more nib creep with some inks (like the Diamine inks I tried). I’ve got Herbin in it now, and it seems like a proper combo, but I can still see ink a little bit out past the feed on the wings. When looking at my Lamys, Pelikans, and Kawecos, all which do not exhibit these issues, the feeds very closely match to the contours of the nib. Some of these pens are wetter than the Karas pens, so I don’t think it’s just a matter of flow characteristics.

[cjr]

Just received my new Starliner XL with steel EF nib yesterday. Perfect pen! This is my sixth Karas Kustoms pen. I have four Fountain Ks and one Fountain K mini. I love them all.

 

As soon as I saw the Starliner XL on the web site, I had to have one. I'm a fan of the Pilot Prera (have five of them) and the Pilot Stargazer (two of them). Their smooth snap caps are the model I use for a perfect snap cap pen. The Starliner XL meets those standards. I have had no trouble with suction on capping or uncapping. My pen is loaded with Platinum Pigment Blue and starts right up. Whatever KK has done with the design, they achieved near perfection with a smooth snap cap and dryout prevention.

 

The latest batch of Bock nibs are extremely smooth and work right out of the box. I use the EF nibs exclusively because I like a very fine line. I'll be trying the Starliner XL with some DeAtramentis Document ink next. That is a very wet ink that demands a very fine, dryer nib.

 

I've adjusted a few of my EF nibs for a wetter flow, and they work well with all permanent inks I've tried, including Noodler's 54th Massachusetts, Legal Blue, Luck of the Draw, and Lexington Gray.

 

Oh, and I almost forgot to mention that for the price, this is one of the best values for a metal, durable fountain pen on the market. I plan to buy several more.

[Honeybadgers]

Bumping this about a year later because I just couldn't resist buying my first karas, the limited edition apollo 11 starliner XL with an aluminum body and cap and brass section. Opted for the titanium EF nib.

 

The clip is a little too tight, it posts well but not super securely sometimes due to the metal on metal fit, and the cap wobbles just a tiny bit, but the snap is nice and heavy, feel in the hand is phenomenal, I love the custom laser engraving on the titanium nib, very art deco, the titanium EF writes absolutely flawlessly, and it's definitely going to be one of my daily workhorse pens, particularly since the brass grip makes the section germicidal.

Edited September 11, 2019 by Honeybadgers

[truthpil]

I just grabbed one of these in all brushed aluminum because Karas currently has a "blow out" sale on them with broad nibs. It's a perfect pen for me! The craftsmanship is superb; very nicely balanced, feels solid despite being incredibly light, and fits in any size of shirt pocket. The cap seal is also amazing and posts flawlessly. Grab one before they're sold out for good!