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About the Name:
The Dhaulagiri (pronounced "Dowel'-la-giri") is named after the 7th highest mountain on earth. The Dhaulagiri is so named because in Hindu the word means "Dazzling, Beautiful mountain". So I thought it was a fitting name for this pen--for the "dazzling" acrylic cap bands--the most prominent feature of the pen.

About the Dhaulagiri:
The idea of this pen actually came from the lack of available parts. When I first started making custom fountain pens, the hardware (clips and bands) were very hard to find. There were just a few clip styles available, and you had to settle for one finish per style. And the metal accent bands weren't available at all. So if I wanted anything fancy on a pen, I had to improvise. That's how the acrylic accent band on the Dhaulagiri came about--I wanted a cap band. Although that was the main factor, the other motivating factor was that I wanted to create something unique. So after some trial and error, I came up with the Dhaulagiri.

Although some of my clients have come up with a color scheme of their own (such as the Blueberry Mesh and Yellow Jacket pens) I had a specific color scheme in mind for the Dhaulagiri: 1) I selected a blank for the barrel that had a mix of two or three colors (a main base color and one or two secondary colors). 2) Then from the barrel blank, I'd select one of the secondary colors and use that for the cap. 3) I use the base color (preferably something with PEARL in it) for the acrylic cap band. My thinking for the color scheme was that if a blank already had those color combinations in it, then I should be able to use those same colors separately across the rest of the pen. The system works, but it's challenging to find those individual colors. So after making a few pens, I couldn't find anymore suitable blanks.

Other possible color combination:
After running out of suitable "off the shelf" blanks, I had the idea to reach out to a custom pen blank maker and ask if he could make up "sets" of blanks using that color scheme. I gave him a few color combination, and later he sent me a set of sample blanks to try out (the purple and orange Alumilite). Those colors worked perfectly, so I ordered several other sets. Along with the new order, I ordered another set of the purple and orange blanks since those colors turned out so well. But the new blanks didn't match the old ones at all. The supplier finally admitted that couldn't replicate colors, so all the sets were going to be one offs--I wouldn't be able to make any additional pens if customers liked the colors. So I ended up dropping the idea of having custom blanks made unless I wanted to settle for one-offs.

Dhaulagiri Dimensions:
The Dhaulagiri is a fairly stout pen. The overall length is about 6" (152mm), with the max barrel diameter coming in at about .5625" (14.25mm). The max cap diameter--the acrylic accent band-- is around .70" (18mm). The diameter of the main part of the barrel is about .625" (16mm) at the base and about .60" (15.25mm) at the finial base. The height of the band is about .25" (6.5mm).

The standard inking system for the Dhaulagiri is a Cartridge/Converter, but it could also be ordered as a button or piston filler. It uses the larger #6 nib with steel nib as standard. Nib finishes available for #6 STEEL nibs are: 2-tone, polished steel, and Black Oxide. Current tip sizes are x-fine, fine, medium, broad, 1.1 and 1.5 italics. 14 & 18K Gold nibs are also available as a special order.

Dhaulagiri Options and Upgrades:
I think the unique style of this pen stands on it's own, so it requires few upgrades or options. One unique upgrade to the Dhaulagiri is that you can order it with different style threads. The standard pen used the normal 3-start threads. But you can order it with beefier looking single-start threads. The advantage of the single starts threads is that you can have more turns of the cap in a shorter height of the threads (or the same amount of turns with less threads). To get about 1 1/2 turns of the cap, you need about 1/4" in length of the 3-start threads. But you can get the same amount of turns in only 3/16" in length of the single start threads. Other upgrades (as stated in the dimensions), would be upgrading the nib to 14 or 18K Gold, or the inking system to a button or piston filler.

I also offer a variety of hand-made Pen Props and Pen Buttons. You can order a Pen Prop in a material to match your pen, or any one of the wooden styles made in a variety of stained or dyed colors. The Pen Buttons are available for any of the clipless pens.

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About this Pen:
Normally the Dhaulagiri has a clip. But the purple colors in the cap were so beautiful, that I hated to obscure it. So I decided to make it a clipless. But instead of making the cap one piece (since it didn't need a threaded finial for a clip) I decided to add an acrylic band to the top using some of the orange Alumilite. I was surprised after it was sanded and polished that the band actually looked like it was GOLD.

About this Material:
This pen was the first pen I ever made using Alumilite acrylic. I found the material very easy to turn and finish, and it has a silky smooth feel to it similar to soapstone. Once the material is turned and polished, it has a very beautiful depth of color that you don't get with Acrylic Acetate. Unfortunately it's hard to capture in the photo's, but it's beautiful material-- one of those materials that has to be seen to be really appreciated.

Material update: At long last, I finally have MORE!!
When I first posted this pen more than TEN years ago, I mentioned that I loved the colors so much, I ask the supplier to make more. But when I received the new blanks, they just weren't the same color at all. It was very disapointing. But I didn't give up hoping that one day I'd be able to find the right supplier that could replicate them for me. And I finally did! So if you'd like to have a pen like this one, send me an email!

This Pen's Specifications:
Length: Capped = 6.0" / Uncapped = 5.25".
Diameter: Barrel = .60" / Cap = .64".
Clip: Clipless.
Nib: 2-tone Steel Meister.
Filling System: C/C.