Drill Log Titanium Dip Pen Review: A Machined Writing Instrument Unlike Anything Else

Introduction

Drill Log makes metal dip pens, and they are among the most distinctive writing instruments you will come across. The company behind the brand is Shion, based in Honcho, Japan. Shion runs a factory specializing in precision metal processing, mainly for aircraft parts, and also produces metal home goods under its Neighboring Craftsman brand. Drill Log is their writing instrument line, and it carries that precision-machining DNA into every nib and barrel.

The design is polarizing at first glance and genuinely charming up close. The nib looks like it was turned on a lathe, all grooves and clean metal edges, almost like a drill bit ready to cut through rock. But this is a writing tool, and a surprisingly practical one.

One Pen, Two Purchases

The first thing to understand is that buying a Drill Log means buying two separate things: a titanium nib and a body. The nibs unscrew directly from the barrel, so you can mix and match to build the pen you want.

The nibs come in two widths, 0.5mm and 0.8mm. The original standard nib has a significant number of grooves that capture and hold ink, feeding it down toward the tip as you write. The newer gradient nibs arrive in two colorways, Sunrise and Sunset, and bring one meaningful improvement: the tip profile is more rounded than the older squared-off tips, which makes for noticeably smoother writing with less catching on paper.

Bodies and Finishes

Drill Log offers a wide range of bodies. The Classic line uses aluminum (labeled AL) and includes flat-ended models such as the Classic Spiral and the Classic Mirage, which features large, striking grooves. The Classical line has a rounded top and a twist-to-post mechanism, and comes in blue, green, gold, beige, red, purple, and Nocturn Blue, the last of which has different trim from the rest.

For stainless steel fans, there is the Classic Material SUS, where SUS stands for Steel Use Stainless, a Japanese industrial standard. And then there is the Twin Mirage A, a unique body that accepts two nibs at once, one on each end, so you can load the 0.5mm and 0.8mm nibs together and switch between them by flipping the pen.

Writing Performance

Dipping is the whole point of this pen, and it works well. The grooved nib soaks up a large amount of ink on a single dip, and it holds it without dripping excessively. The 0.8mm nib is genuinely pleasant to write with, laying down a smooth line. The nib is stiff, so do not expect any flex or line variation.

In a real writing test, the 0.8mm nib ran out of ink after several paragraphs. Interestingly, the smaller 0.5mm nib lasted roughly twice as long, likely because its narrower line draws less ink. If longer writing sessions matter to you, the smaller nib is the better pick, even though it is the scratchier of the two. That said, the improved rounded tips on the gradient nibs mean even the extra-fine 0.5mm writes smoothly enough without ripping paper.

One practical note: the long nib forces your grip to sit further back on the barrel than you might naturally want, which is worth getting used to, since a grip creeping over the tip area can make a mess when the nib is freshly loaded.

Ink Swatching and Everyday Use

For many owners, this pen’s best use case is ink swatching. Instead of filling up a fountain pen just to write a label, you dip, write, rinse, and move on. Cleaning takes seconds: a dip in water is enough, no scrubbing required.

For drying, air drying is the safe route. If you use a cloth, choose a low-fiber one. Tissues risk leaving fibers caught in the sharp grooves, which could inhibit ink flow. A pen turner can even make you a custom holder, which turns an already unusual pen into something even more personal.

Things to Consider Before Buying

• The pen system adds up: barrels run about $150 and long nibs about $150 as well, and nib and body are separate purchases.
• With the Twin Mirage A loaded on both ends, it is easy to forget which nib is on which side; there is only a small text marking to help.
• The nib is stiff, with no flex, and the 0.5mm still leans scratchy relative to the 0.8mm.
• Dip pens are inherently less convenient than a capped fountain pen for daily writing.

Buying Advice

If you do a lot of ink sampling, calligraphy-adjacent experimenting, or you simply want a conversation-piece pen that performs, the Drill Log is easy to recommend. Pick the 0.8mm gradient nib for smoother everyday writing, or the 0.5mm if extra-fine lines and longer dip-to-dip endurance are your priority. If you can try one in person, the brand has shown at the San Francisco Pen Show, a well-run event worth attending.

Conclusion

Drill Log has built something rare: a machined metal dip pen that looks industrial, writes well, and fits real workflows like ink swatching. With improved rounded nib tips, a tempting range of bodies, and a clever twin-nib option, it is a genuinely unique instrument for anyone who enjoys the ritual of dipping and writing.