Titan Pens Torpedo Review: A Big, Girthy Piston Filler With Real Character

Introduction

Some fountain pens chase subtlety. The Titan Pens Torpedo does the opposite. This handcrafted pen from the United Kingdom is large in both length and girth, comes as a piston filler with a generous ink capacity, and is built around oversized number 8 size nibs. It is a pen with a clear point of view, and that is exactly what makes it interesting.

This pen is made by William Shakur, the UK maker behind Titan Pens, who also crafts custom nib collars and nylon feeds. The example reviewed here was fitted with a special nib setup, but as sold, the Torpedo typically ships with one of the maker’s number 8 titanium nibs paired with an ebonite-style feed. That is the configuration this overview reflects.

First Impressions: Size and Shape

Next to a Pilot Metropolitan, the Torpedo looks like a different species. It is big in every dimension, and that appears to be a trademark of the brand. The name Titan is not an accident.

The torpedo shape is executed well: thin at one end, thicker through the middle, thin at the other. The taper is uniform and genuinely attractive, and the cap finial is made from the same solid material as the rest of the cap. If very girthy sections are not your thing, this is a pen to pass on. If you love girth, it is a great pick.

Design Details: Cap, Engraving, and Ink Window

The pen carries a blind engraving reading “Titan Pens United Kingdom,” along with a circular emblem featuring a small ball at its center. The cap comes off easily and quickly, so the pen is ready to write in a moment.

Because this is a piston filler, the barrel is a big ink reservoir, and it fills really nicely. The wide ink window lets you see both the ink level and some of the inner workings. The piston turning knob is nicely shaped and comfortable in the fingers.

One practical note: the threads sit right at the front of the barrel where you dunk the pen into ink, which is not a favorite placement. The good news is that these threads are so wide that any ink caught there wipes away quickly with a tissue, so it rarely becomes a mess on your hands.

Posting is possible, and once posted the pen becomes even bigger. Because the body is 3D printed from a relatively light material, the top-heaviness is barely noticeable, and it stays comfortable posted.

Writing Experience

The stock configuration pairs a number 8 titanium nib with a handmade feed, and the feeds keep up well with the ink demand of large number 8 nibs. The feed on this example is a clear nylon feed that takes on the color of the ink inside it, which is a neat touch.

The nib fitted here for testing was a number 8 stub, ground by Mike Masuyama and filled with Monteverde ink. It is a relatively soft, very pleasant writer with natural line variation from the stub grind, and it handles fast, flowing calligraphy-style strokes well. Upside-down writing does not really work with a stub like this, but that is hardly a surprise.

What We Like

• The translucent gray resin is lovely: slightly cloudy, visible from a distance, and it lets you see the nib clearly even before you get up close.
• It is a piston filler with large ink capacity, which suits long writing sessions.
• The tapered torpedo shape is comfortable and looks great.
• Posting works well, and the light 3D-printed material keeps it balanced.
• The handmade nylon feeds handle the demands of big number 8 nibs.

Things to Consider Before Buying

The main caveat is size. The section is very girthy. It is comfortable if your grip suits it, but if you have smaller hands or prefer slim pens, this is not the pen for you. It may not look as huge as some other Titan Pens models, but the girth is real.

Price information was not available for this review, so interested buyers should contact the maker directly for current pricing and availability.

Buying Advice

The Torpedo makes sense for writers who want a large, comfortable piston-filler with big-nib character and handcrafted details. If you love girth, translucent resin, and generous ink capacity, it is easy to recommend. If you like it slim and skinny, look elsewhere.

Conclusion

The Titan Pens Torpedo is a distinctive handcrafted pen: big, well-shaped, beautifully finished in cloudy translucent resin, and a genuinely pleasant writer. For lovers of large pens, it is a strong choice.