Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen Review

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Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen Review

The Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen offers something unique in the way it holds a Pilot G2 ink. It also features a laser engraved (“LE”) design on the body.

Official Specs and Features

Here’s the official page for the Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen.

Versions

At least two versions of the Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen are available. There’s this Super Shorty and a longer version – the Shorty. That’s specifically for the Tiki LE in brass with Grid, though. There are many other designs, including some that aren’t grid, some that aren’t LE (laser engraved), some that aren’t Tiki, and many metal options. You’re likely to find one that suits your taste if the design idea is appealing!

Price

The Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen currently sells for $164 and only the Shorty is available. The version in this post is the Super Shorty.

Short Review

The Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen is a very solid short pen. Pens of this size are right in my size preference – remember the Bic Clic Stic pen I customized? I love the fidget nature of the magnetic cap (I just love the magnets in general!) I also like that the magnet usage here is clever.

Long Review

What’s Included

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen what's included

  • Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen

Package

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen box

Packaging is minimal but sufficient.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen box

There is no manual. (You won’t really need a manual.)

Build Quality and Disassembly

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen

I like brass items. They have a certain heft that I appreciate. I like laser engraved items. This Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen is both! The grid grip are even captures some of the popular “frag” look – so this pen has a lot!

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen cap end view

The cap (above) has just the slightest dome, which causes it to resist “cap standing.” That’s a minor point but I wish it matched the tailcap (below). I would even abide an exposed magnet here, too!

There are magnets in three places here. Below you can see the only exposed magnet, which is in the tail.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen tail end view with magnet

The cap also has a magnet. This is the only inaccessible magnet. You might be able to pry it out but generally it’s not intended to be removed.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen standing on tail end

The other magnet is right at the tip of the Pilot G2 ink and is only captured when the pen is closed. This is one you will want to be careful not to lose when swapping inks! Technically you’d want to be careful not to lose the magnet in the tail of the pen, too. However, for swapping ink, you’ll remove the tip area, and so you may never interact with the tail magnet.

I like the Tiki design, even though I don’t resonate with it. This version was available at a sale price, so I snatched it up! But while the Tiki is just “neat” to me I can very definitely say that the work done on the pen to engrave the design is fantastic. Flawless, even! I would love to see this type of engraving on other items (like flashlights!)

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen parts blow up

Not shown above are the parts out of the tailcap. There are thee parts – a large cylinder magnet (not a donut!) and two spacers. The spacers allow you to run the Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen without a pocket clip (and no gap!)

Three magnets – again, there are three magnets. You may get the pen snapping to things you don’t necessarily intend it to attach to.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen magnets showing off

Here you can see into the cap. There’s a donut in there. I think that donut is a spacer, but Ti2 also uses donut magnets in the pen tip. Either way, it’s into this donut that the ink goes when the cap is in place.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen inside cap

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen cap wall thickness

As I said above, there are multiple sizes of the Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen. This is the Super Shorty. The Shorty (and probably any other size) probably differ only in the length of cell tube. It’s likely that the tip, tail, and cap pieces are all the same.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen pen with body and ink

Size

Barrel diameter — 3/8″
Cap diameter — 7/16″

Regular 5.75″ — Our longest TechLiner variant featuring a classic pen length

Shorty 5.0″ — The perfect balance between a classic pen length and a compact footprint

Super Shorty 4.0″ — Ultra compact and easy to carry

Here’s the Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen with the venerable Convoy S2+. The version below is a custom laser-engraved Convoy S2+ host by GadgetConnections.com. I did a full post on an engraved orange host right here! Or go straight to GadgetConnections.com to buy your Convoy S2+ now!

Also above is the pen beside a TorchLAB BOSS 35, an 18350 light. I reviewed the aluminum version of that light in both 35 and 70 formats. I also reviewed that specific edition, the “Oveready BOSS FT Collector Vintage Brass” 35. I love it!

Finally, for size comparison is a nonstandard Bic Clic Stic pen. I modified this one. It also includes magnets, but the magnets are NOT the same as what Ti2 uses. They’re similar in size but magnetized in a different direction!

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen with custom bic clic stic pen

Retention

The Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen offers a pocket clip. I believe it’s titanium (non-ferrous, anyway) and it attaches on the tail end.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen pocket clip detail

It’s a collar-style clip, and so very secure. It is also removable, but I’d recommend avoiding that generally. It doesn’t really thread off the light, so requires a bit of wiggling. That’s fine – the threads can seem to take it, but still, that is probably not great for the threads. Inside the cap is a cylinder magnet and two spacers – if you remove the clip, also remove the spacers and the tail end will still sit flush against the body with no gap!

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen titanium clip side view

The clip seems aggressively spacious in the shoulder area. I dislike how far the shoulder sits from the body enough that I think the Super Shorty (at least) should be offered with a spacer and no clip.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen titanium clip profile view

The clip placement though, makes perfect sense. With the clip where it is (that is, “not deep carry”) the cap can be posted.

The tail magnet is also strong enough to hold the Super Shorty as seen below. I would imagine the longer pens might not share this feature.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen strong tail magnet

Why you’d want to do this, I don’t know, but I do like to stick pens in places so I still consider it a useful feature.

Lock

This is a cap pen, so “Lock” is not too meaningful of a section. (As opposed to clicky pens, which do in a sense have a “lock.”) But coincidentally the Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen cap does lock thanks to these strong magnets in the tail and tip.

They lock snugly enough, in fact, that snapping the cap in place is a pleasant fidget experience!

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen fidgeting the cap

Anthony Sculimbrene of everydaycommentary.com would probably say the Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen has a high Fidget Factor!

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen fidgeting the cap

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen cap details

Writing

As far as writing goes, the Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen uses the ubiquitous Pilot G2 ink. This 4″ Super Shorty uses specifically a Pilot G2 Mini.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen exposed tip for writingIt ships with one, of course, but I believe to get a refill, you’ll need to buy a full Pilot G2 Mini pen and harvest the ink. That’s fine, I get it – Pilot doesn’t sell mini ink separately (that’s on them). But I am still annoyed by it.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen tip with donut magnet

From the photo above, it may look like there could be some play around the tip but there is not – the writing experience here is great. (Or, as great as any Pilot G2 experience. I personally do not love writing with G2 ink!)

Below you can see that tip magnet more clearly. There’s also a bigger plastic spacer, which is hard to make out against the black parts of the ink. Neither of those pieces is secured against the ink, so again, be careful and don’t lose those! (Ti2 does sell replacements.)

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen Pilot G2 Mini with donut magnet and spacer

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen ink in body parts

Here’s where the clip really annoys. You’ll need to hold the Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid pen in a specific way to get the angle right and have a good writing experience.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen writing

I like short pens and the Super Shorty is definitely that. Fortunately, there are longer versions available if 4″ is not right for you.

Ti2 Techliner Brass Tiki Grid Pen writing

Conclusion

What I like

  • Small size
  • Neat design (particularly that it’s laser etched!)
  • Great price (when on sale)
  • Nice size option (three sizes)
  • So many magnets!
  • The brass has a great weight, even in this 4″ size
  • Uses standard (even “ubiquitous”) ink (but the Mini may be harder to get?)

What I don’t like

  • The pocket clip protrudes so far
  • The cap. I really wish the cap was the same diameter as the body. (Yes I know that would change a lot about the pen!)

Notes

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