Brass was actually one of the earliest alternatives to Ebonite when fountain pens were the only game in town. As a matter of fact, many modern fountain pens (and Biro pens) still have a brass body, but they hide it under paint or lacquer. Brass is an ideal metal for pen makers, because it has a relatively low melting point, is easy to shape, and relatively corrosion resistant. But...copper has a strong smell when it comes into contact with fingers. Brass is 80%-90% copper, so you get that smell with brass, as well. The good news is that you may not care much for the smell of copper, but many microbes find the presence of copper to be absolutely fatal. And after a couple of weeks to a couple of months, depending on how frequently you use the pen, the smell will be almost completely gone. The microbe-killing part will still be there, without the smell. As far as writing with this microbe killing weapon of mass decontamination, it's nearly perfect. The Gravitas produced nib is very smooth, and it's as good as, or even better than, an equivalent sized JoWo (or Bock) steel nib. I have several Sentry pens, and the feeds on all of them are nice and juicy. If you find that your pen is too juicy, try using Pelikan 4001 Königsblau ink, which is rather dry. The metal body is free of blemishes and scuffs, but that won't stay like that for long, especially if your pen comes into contact with other metallic objects. So, if you want to keep your pens looking like new, make sure to store them in the provided carrying case when you're not actively writing with them. For me, I don't mind that scuffs and scratches, because they all add to the "lived-in" look of objects and that are not only treasured, and loved, but used daily!
Would definitely buy again.