For today’s post, I thought I’d keep things local, and review a pen designed just down the road from me (well, 2 hours or so down the interstate) in Chattanooga, Tennessee. BigiDesign has made a name for themselves in the machined titanium pen market, especially with their “Ti Ultra” and “Ti Arto” designs that are engineered to accept hundreds of different refills. Today, I’ll look at the Ti Ultra, which not only has an extremely versatile refill system (compatible with 750-plus?!?) but also features a 3-in-1 design that allows you to use the Ti Ultra body as a cartridge/converter fountain pen, in addition to the rollerball/gel or ballpoint refill of your choice.
I backed the Ti Ultra on Kickstarter, so in the box I received the “Stonewashed” pen made from grade 5 titanium, with both rollerball/ballpoint and fountain pen nib sections. The fountain pen function is self-explanatory - you simply screw the nib section into the pen body, and fill/use like any other cartridge/converter fountain pen. BigiDesign uses No. 6 Bock titanium nibs, which typically are decent writers, though they sometimes need to be tuned out of the box. I’ve not written with this one, as the fountain pen functionality is not what drew me to the Ti Ultra and it’s slimmer sibling, the Ti Arto. Rather, for me the true value lies in the pen’s ability to use nearly any conceivable rollerball, gel, or ballpoint refill when coupled with BigiDesign’s patent-pending clutch-style refill system.
Unscrewing the front portion of the section opens the clutch system. You insert the refill of your choice, and tighten the front, like you would with the bit on a handheld drill.
The system closes securely around the tip of the refill, and I’ve not had any issues with a refill coming loose while writing. Shown here is a Uni Signo 207 installed in the Ti Ultra.
I don’t have a large number of machined pens designed to accept specific refills, so the ability to rotate hundreds of different options through a single pen body is quite useful to me. As such, I’ve had both the Ti Arto and Ti Ultra pens in my arsenal for a couple years now, and they get regular use. Of the two, I would probably say that I prefer the slimmer Ti Arto, but that’s mainly due to the placement of the threads on the grip. Given how I hold the pen, the threads on the Ti Ultra - which are near the tip - sometimes rub my fingers as I write, leading to an uncomfortable writing experience over longer sessions. The threads on the Ti Arto are higher up, which eliminates the issue.
Grip sections compared on the Ti Ultra, left, and the Ti Arto, right.
While the BigiDesign pens have received a good deal of attention from the “pen press” over the years, the niche nature of the product and the higher price point has held back this particular model. The Ti Ultra pen runs $240 on the BigiDesign website, though discount codes are available. You do get a lot for your money, especially if you value the fountain pen option, but it’s a higher price than many are willing to pay for an edc-style machined pen. The Ti Arto is priced more in the sweet spot of this segment, at $85 for a still-versatile titanium pen that accepts “only” 200+ refills. If you have very specific needs in terms of preferred refills, BigiDesign has a list of compatible refills under the listings for both the Ti Arto and the Ti Ultra, which I would encourage you to read before making a purchasing decision.
Disclaimer: I purchased the pens pictured in this review with my own funds, for my own personal collection. This post does not contain affiliate links. Going forward, T.G.S is supported entirely by purchases from the T.G.S. Curated Shop and the T.G.S. Patreon Program, which offers access to online meetups, exclusive discounts and pre-orders, and more!