What I'm Watching on Kickstarter

There are quite a few Kickstarter campaigns going on right now (or upcoming very soon) that are on my radar at the moment.  Some of these I will be providing reviews for in the near future, so stay tuned for those! 

Ti POST Raw Titanium Pen + Stylus

The fellas over at BIGiDESIGN are back at it again with a revision of their highly popular Solid Titanium Pen + Stylus, but with a revision to the barrel making posting easier and more balanced.  They've also simplified the finish selection to one awesome raw titanium version.  Looks killer.


Tiletto - The Titanium Letter Opener

I'm not gonna lie, this thing looks pretty sweet.  Why use a boring plastic letter opener (or even your fingers) when you can use this work of art?  Likely not TSA approved for travel, but would be an awesome edition to your desk.


SPICA T - Titanium pen by Loclen

Definitely one of the more unique designs out at the moment, the SPICA ballpoint (or pencil) is an attention getter for sure.  This one can take the D1 so there are a lot of refill variations available.


Retro-Essential Pen - Brass and Wood

These look like some pretty cool little pens.  I particularly like the walnut version (of course).  The blend of raw brass and wood will age over time making it a unique aesthetic. 


Follow Up to the Ti2 Pen

Remember this beauty from a couple of years ago?  Well, rumor has it (direct from the source) that Mike Bond is at it again with a new pen project to be launched very soon.  Keep an eye out for more details as it's going to be cool.

The Bolt from Karas Kustoms - Copper Edition

I've been holding onto this pen going on 4 or 5 months now and told myself early on that I wouldn't review it until I felt it had sufficiently "aged".  That is one nice thing about copper is that it is going to develop a character all it's own.  The copper Bolt is no exception.

Now, I'm not going to spend a lot of time on The Bolt itself as it has been reviewed previously on The Clicky Post as well as other blogs, but I mainly wanted to showcase this unique finish.

The first instance of copper on Karas Kustoms pens occurred with the launch of the Retrakt Kickstarter campaign and has since grown to be one of the most popular versions.  Granted, it is a bit heavy to use for long writing stints, it is definitely a head turner and an interesting conversation piece for friends and colleagues.  These pens are not copper colored or plated, they are machined from solid copper stock which makes for an amazing experience.

I don't claim to know the full reasons why Karas Kustoms decided to make copper versions of their pens (other than it is a killer material), but what I can tell you is that those guys run deep in their roots which Arizona is a big part of.  Copper is a large part of Arizona's history and was (and still is) one of the state's largest industries.  In fact, Arizona produces more copper than any other state in the US comprising upwards of 60% of the total copper production nation wide.  Kind of a big deal, right?

Enough of the history lesson, but I definitely know that Arizona is a big part of why Karas Kustoms does what they do and is a nice tribute to the place they call home.

The copper edition of The Bolt doesn't run cheap at $105 apiece.  This is due to the machining process being a bit more difficult as the metal is a bit "sticky" to machine according to Bill Karas and the material cost is much higher.  The fellas have offered me pretty much a permanent promo code for my readers of 10% off of any purchase.  Use the promo code CLICKYPOST at checkout to receive the discount which will save you about $10 if the copper Bolt was on your list.

I really enjoy this pen, but there is one thing to consider before buying particularly if you have a sensitive nose.  As copper tarnishes and oxidizes it puts off a bit of a metallic scent that can get on your fingers.  Metallic smelling pen = metallic smelling fingers.  If that metallic penny (or cent in the US) smell offends you, it may not be right for you.  A seemingly small thing, but one to think about.

Copper is antimicrobial though which is a bonus.

One thing I really love about the copper (or brass) versions of The Bolt is how smooth the mechanism is.  With the aluminum it feels like it scrapes a bit; not offensively, but you can feel it.  On the copper or brass editions it is like butter.  Maybe some metallurgist readers could explain some of the surface properties, but all I know is that it is silky smooth.

Definitely a neat piece that might be of interest to some.  I'm still awaiting my chance to get a copper Render K... Keegan from One Star Leather Goods managed to beat me to the punch on being the first person to get one.  :)

Doane Paper Goods Giveaway Extravaganza - Worldwide!

Was the name of the post a little over the top?  I think not!  Hopefully, if anything, it got you all just a little bit excited.

Our friend, Chad Doane, was kind enough to send me a pretty sweet bundle of goods to use as a giveaway here on the The Clicky Post.  The giveaway is open to both US and International readers!  

***UPDATE***  - Chad also informed me that Doane Paper can now be shipped internationally anywhere the United States Postal Service is delivered.  Orders must be $100 or more + shipping.  This is great news!  If you have questions about anything, feel free to contact Chad about your options.

Small Flap Jotter in hand, perfect for small notes/lists.

Pretty sweet, right?  Thanks Chad!  These are great products and in addition to trying to win, give his shop a look and maybe even place an order if you haven't already.  Doane Paper by far is my daily go-to writing canvas.

How to Enter:

This giveaway is open to US and International readers and will run through this coming Friday, March 14th until 11:59pm Arizona, USA.

To enter, complete the form below by providing your name and email address.  Email addresses will be used for the sole purpose of contacting the winner!  One entry per person.

I will arrange the names in order as received and use a random number generator to pick the winner.  Upon selecting a winner I will announce it on the blog, email the winner directly, and they will have one week to reply with their shipping information.  If after a week all I hear is crickets, someone else gets to win!