First Look: BN Works BNdot

BN Works is a new player on the pen manufacturing scene, and they recently sent me a prototype of their first design, the slick-looking BNdot.

The industrial design and clean lines remind me a lot of Lamy, as does the refined feel of the pen. The 304 stainless steel barrel is smooth, and comes in three PVD coating options in Champagne, Gold, and Black, along with the standard Chrome.

What sets the BNdot apart is the clip design. It is rock-solid and works flawlessly as the refill deployment method. One press down to extend the tip, another press to snap it right back up into the barrel.

While using this prototype I noticed a bit of tip rattle from the Schmidt Easy Flow 900 ballpoint (this is a Parker compatible refill pen). I emailed Tony, the designer behind BN Works, and that tolerance has already been tightened for production to eliminate the rattle. Tony has been wonderful to work with since I have had this pen in fact.

For just $65 with free worldwide shipping, and even free custom engraving, the BNdot provides great value for those looking for a sleek, sturdy, well-designed Parker refill compatible pen. Look for the launch on Indiegogo tomorrow morning at 10:30 eastern.

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

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Posted on September 19, 2016 by Brad Dowdy and filed under BN Works, Pen Reviews.

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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Posted on September 19, 2016 by Brad Dowdy and filed under BIGiDESIGN, Pen Reviews.

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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