5040 Titan Ultimum Review: An Engineered Ultra Fountain Pen from Ireland

Introduction

The 5040 Titan Ultimum is a limited-edition ultra fountain pen from a fairly new company, and it arrives with an unusual mix of credentials: a machined stainless steel and grade five titanium body, a large number 8 nib, and a bulk filling system inspired by a small handful of existing designs. With only 250 pieces made, it is clearly aimed at collectors as much as everyday writers.

The company behind it, 5040, is based in Ireland and was founded in December 2023 by Roy Anderson, a mechanical engineer by trade. The name is a play on his favorite number, seven: 7 factorial (7 x 6 x 5 x 4 x 3 x 2 x 1) equals 5040, as does 7 x 8 x 9 x 10. The number also appears in Plato’s dialogue Laws, which gives the brand a quietly nerdy identity that suits the engineering-first approach of the pen itself.

Who This Pen Is For

The Titan Ultimum suits writers who value build quality and mechanical ingenuity over prestige materials. It is a hefty, metal-intensive ultra pen with a generous ink capacity and a very large nib, so it rewards those who prefer a substantial pen used unposted. If you expect a gold nib at every price point, this is a pen to think about carefully. If you appreciate precise machining and a clever filling mechanism, it has a lot to offer.

Design and Materials

The pen is built from stainless steel, grade five titanium, ultum, and what appears to be Delrin (the low-profile feed is either ebonite or Delrin, and it is definitely not plastic). The flat top of the cap features an attractive machined optical illusion that gives the metalwork a bit of life, and the cap is engraved to note the limited edition of 250 pieces.

From the cap, there is a medium step down to a straight section of barrel, which is the ultum portion, before the body tapers toward a piston knob with the same flat machined end treatment. The cap twists off in just over one rotation, and underneath sits a stainless steel number 8 nib engraved with the 5040 name, paired with that low-profile feed. The combination of the large nib and low feed looks fantastic and feels size-appropriate.

The section is concave, and although it is metal, it does not feel slick or slippery. The metal threads are not sharp, and even with a grip resting on them, the pen stays comfortable in use. The cap can technically be posted, but it sits loosely and backweights the pen, so this is a pen best used unposted.

The Bulk Filling System

The standout innovation here is the filling system. It is a bulk filler, similar in concept to systems used on the Conid Bulkfiller and Gravitas models. You untwist the piston, pull the mechanism back, submerge the nib, then screw it back in and shut the valve. The piston seals the main chamber off from the inner chamber, so no ink escapes when the knob moves.

In practice it works impressively well. One fill with Waterman’s light purple ink produced what looked like roughly 85 to 90 percent capacity in a single draw, whereas many piston fillers need a couple of cycles to approach a full fill. For heavy writers, that combination of huge capacity and single-pull filling is a genuine practical advantage.

Size Comparisons

Next to other ultra pens, the Titan Ultimum holds its own. Alongside the Kasama Una, the Visconti Italia Ultimum, and the Schon Design Ultimum, it reads as a full-bodied ultra pen rather than a compact one. The Schon Design is a nice contrast: a small pocket pen carrying a huge number 8 nib, which is an appealing idea in its own right.

Against non-ultra pens, it sits comfortably next to the Leonardo Momento Zero Grande and below the Sailor King of Pen. It is also close in concept to the Conid Bulkfiller King Size, which uses essentially the same pull-unscrew-screw-push filling sequence. Uncapped, the Titan Ultimum looks proportionate next to the Kasama and the Leonardo.

Writing Performance

The number 8 stainless steel nib is a genuine highlight. Even in a fine point, ink flow is generous, and the very large nib offers a decent amount of flex. During faster writing, the low-profile feed keeps up very well with no hesitation. Reverse writing is fairly smooth but would not be called a strength of this pen.

Used with a lighter, unsaturated purple ink, the fine nib produces clean, consistent lines with pleasant shading. The generous flow means the line runs slightly wetter than the nib size suggests, which many writers will welcome. After a full writing session, the gold nib question does not feel pressing in practice, because the steel nib simply performs.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The price is the main sticking point. At €640, which currently equates to about $740, the Titan Ultimum asks premium money for a stainless steel nib. The argument for the pen is that it is exceptionally well made and well engineered, and adding a gold nib would likely push the price toward $900, which may have felt like too much for this offering. That suggests a deliberate compromise was made. Some buyers will still look at the price tag and expect gold. Others will find that the nib’s performance and the pen’s construction justify the compromise.

Buying Advice

Buy the Titan Ultimum if you want a limited-edition, heavily engineered ultra pen with an outstanding filling system and a large, capable nib, and you are comfortable with steel at this price. Skip it if a gold nib is non-negotiable or if you prefer lightweight, pocketable pens. It is also worth remembering that only 250 units exist, so availability may be limited over time.

Conclusion

The 5040 Titan Ultimum is a confident first effort from a young Irish company: beautifully machined, cleverly filled, and a pleasure to write with. The price-without-gold debate is fair, but the overall performance is outstanding, and it will be interesting to see what the 5040 team does next.