First Look: BIGiDESIGN Ti Arto

I finally have a pen barrel for the Uni-ball Signo DX refill.
I finally have a pen barrel for the Uni-ball Signo DX refill.
I FINALLY HAVE A PEN BARREL FOR THE UNI-BALL SIGNO DX REFILL!!!

To say I’m excited about the BIGiDESIGN Ti Arto is a bit of an understatement. Ever since Kickstarter pens became a thing, the Uni-ball Signo DX (UM-151) has been left out in the cold, despite being the best gel ink pen on the market. It’s refill design isn’t compatible with many others, thereby leaving the market open to Parker and Pilot G2 compatible refills.

Sure, you could hack and slash the DX into other barrels, but few people want to go that route. They want a pen barrel that will fit their favorite refill easily, and the Ti Arto does just that. In fact, it fits over 200 refills, even the mini-sized D1. And it fits them all well.

How BIGiDESIGN accomplishes this is with an internal compression cone within the nose cone of the pen. You unscrew the barrel above the grip section, slide in your refill, then as you screw the section back on the internal nose cone compresses and tightens around the refill. As you can see in their project video, you can adjust the amount the refill is exposed, and it does require a little playing with it to get it just right. Well, for me it does, because I am super anal-retentive.

Did I mention it fits the Uni-ball Signo DX?

I tried a few different refills and they were all dead solid perfect. This is a fun pen to have in your arsenal for sure.

Titanium is BIGiDESIGN’s calling card, and that is your only option for this campaign. Which, for $65, is a great deal for a titanium barreled single cartridge pen. This one happens to fit more than 200.

I backed this pen the moment it went live - in fact I was backer #1. Getting this prototype in hand from Chadwick and Joe only solidified my thoughts on this pen. It’s really good and I can’t wait to get the final version in hand.

My thanks to BIGiDESIGN for sending me this pen at no charge for purposes of this review.

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First Look: Tactile Turn Glider

I’ve been a fan of Will Hodges work at Tactile Turn since his first Kickstarter launch. Over the past year, Will has taken things to the next level in his shop, adding high-end equipment to invest in his vision of making great pens. In my short time with the Tactile Turn Glider, I think it is safe to say he has another winner on his hands.

The selling point of the Glider is its smooth-action bolt mechanism, which is easily operated with one hand. The crescent shape allows you to engage the refill with an easy downward motion of your thumb, and retracting the refill just takes a quick flick to get the bolt past its resting spot. It makes an excellent “swoosh!” sound when retracting it too, which I have had fun with.

The Glider is the longer of the two models and accepts Pilot G2 refills, while the Slider is your choice if you like Parker-style refills and a shorter pen barrel.

The only issue I have with the Glider is the refill doesn’t extend past the nose cone far enough for my liking. This has happened to me with several other machined pens in the past, and a small square of double-sided foam tape on the end of the refill gets it to the right length.

Will sent me the Stainless Steel model for review and it feels great. The ridges on the barrel are his calling card, and this is the most refined they have ever felt. It is balanced well and is not too heavy. I have backed the Titanium model on Kickstarter, and you can choose from Brass, Copper, Zirconium, and Damascus Steel as well.

This is a refined pen, and you can tell Will is hitting his stride on the manufacturing side. If you are interested in the Slider or Glider you only have four days left to get in on the action so take a look.

My thanks to Tactile Turn for sending me this pen at no charge for review purposes.

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, which I am very grateful for.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

Vanness Pens

Robert Oster Inks are the latest and greatest arrival at Vanness Pens. These inks are bold and vibrant, and come in 49 different shades, so you are sure to find one to fit your writing needs.

At just $16 for a 50 ml bottle they are a great deal. Order three or more bottles and make the deal even better with free shipping in the US!

My thanks to Vanness Pens for sponsoring The Pen Addict this week.