Twsbi Diamond 850 Metal Design Reversion 2.0

[Harlequin]

TWSBI as a manufacturer should listen to what the vast majority of its userbase and fans are specifically requesting, not dismiss it on personal preference. People who don't post their pens won't care if it is postable, but people that do post won't buy a pen in many cases, just b/c it won't post or post properly.

Edited February 27, 2013 by Harlequin

[Jimmy James]

I think perhaps the non-posting and for that matter the clipless movements are Eastern in origin and TWSBI's decision about posting may reflect that bias.

[Bill Wood]

I say again for the posters on this topic and a proposed metal TWSBI is the sheer weight of the cap. Take the clip off and the pen posts well. I notice that the new 580 will arrive shortly. It looks as though this will post well but balance will be back heavy, big time. Remove that 14 gram weight from the back of the cap, leaving the clip and you've got an answer.

[Harlequin]

Whether it is horribly unbalanced, almost the same, or perfect is not really the issue. The issue is a manufacturer that continually seeks input from the community on what it wants shouldn't just dismiss a feature out of hand simply b/c the manufacturer doesn't believe in it. I personally can't stand hooded nibs, but can you imagine if Parker had decided to never use them just b/c someone at the top may not like them? TWSBI (speedy) has said a couple of times here on FPN I think that if a pen is balanced without posting, there is no need to post it. That may be how he feels personally and may make a lot of sense, but it's just not a good idea to essentially tell prospective buyers that it doesn't matter if it's definitely a feature most users ask for, it won't ever be given serious attention in any way. Some people like to post their pens regardless of whether it makes them off balance or not.

[mAnuscript69]

Whether it is horribly unbalanced, almost the same, or perfect is not really the issue. The issue is a manufacturer that continually seeks input from the community on what it wants shouldn't just dismiss a feature out of hand simply b/c the manufacturer doesn't believe in it. I personally can't stand hooded nibs, but can you imagine if Parker had decided to never use them just b/c someone at the top may not like them? TWSBI (speedy) has said a couple of times here on FPN I think that if a pen is balanced without posting, there is no need to post it. That may be how he feels personally and may make a lot of sense, but it's just not a good idea to essentially tell prospective buyers that it doesn't matter if it's definitely a feature most users ask for, it won't ever be given serious attention in any way. Some people like to post their pens regardless of whether it makes them off balance or not.

It is nigh impossible to satisfied the needs of everybody with a single product.

The 530 and 540 is designed to be used unposted. Posting the cap on these pens will severely throw the pen's balance way off to the back. In order to satisfy people who post their pens, TWSBI released the Mini, which is designed specifically to be posted. When the Mini is posted, the length of the pen is equivalent to an unposted 540.

 

In short, if you don't post your pens, the 540 is for you. If you absolutely have to post every pen you own, the Mini is for you.

At the end of the day they're both great pens and I am more than willing to adapt to posting or not posting the cap where necessary.

[mana]

Have to chime in here a bit also... Harlequin, could you tell me where you got the numbers that indicate and prove that postability is a feature that "a vast majority of its userbase and fans are specifically requesting"? I for example do not post any of my normal sized or large pens be they light or heavy. Despite that I do not make assumptions based on a personal preference and some vocal people on an internet forum.

 

To be commercially viable TWSBI has to ship quite a number of pens. They are constantly innovating and bringing out new products on a market that is not exactly the easiest in the world. I do not think that they would be able to operate unless they took their users opinions into consideration.

 

Personal observation: rOtring 600 is a full metal pen. Now, if the 850 metal is anything similar I do not see any sense in making the pen postable, the weight of the cap would throw the balance off in a major way. If the pen (and especially the cap) was more light then posting the cap might allow for personal fine tuning of the balance. If the pen was really short it would also afford a bit more barrel and thus make sense (but it is not).

 

I really can't tell if the pen would require the cap to be posted to operate the best until I have had the chance to experience the pen in person and that is something that applies to everyone. If it was designed to be optimally balanced without posting then there is no need for the pen to be postable.

[speedy]

About the posting or not, we have a few criterial to concern

1. length of the pen

2. weight distribution of the pen

3. aesthetic design of the pen.

 

2+3 ok we make the pen post

2 is not ok, no posting

1 is too short, can sacrify 3 make it post

.

.

.

[Wheatflower]

Have to chime in here a bit also... Harlequin, could you tell me where you got the numbers that indicate and prove that postability is a feature that "a vast majority of its userbase and fans are specifically requesting"?

 

Yeah, I was wondering this myself. I personally don't post my pens, but since I somehow avoid commenting about this in every thread that remotely touches on the topic, how would anyone know?

[raging.dragon]

Have to chime in here a bit also... Harlequin, could you tell me where you got the numbers that indicate and prove that postability is a feature that "a vast majority of its userbase and fans are specifically requesting"?

 

Yeah, I was wondering this myself. I personally don't post my pens, but since I somehow avoid commenting about this in every thread that remotely touches on the topic, how would anyone know?

 

So, does anybody (not including my Toronto area friends) know whether or not I post my pens?

[Cognaticrotty]

Only pen I post is my mini....other than that I don't post any of them...nor do I want to......

[risingsun]

I realized I mentioned this in the 580 thread as well, but there are 4 new photos of the 850 up on TWSBIs Facebook page this morning...

[Harlequin]

Not "new" as much as "in a presentation box" kind of pictures.

 

 

[denix]

I don't post my pens either, and never want to. With that being said the 580 looks awesome

 

Guy

[yolrgrand]

Aside from the MINI, I don't post any of my pens. I find they tend to get in the way, manage to squiggle around so your constantly having to adjust them, imbalance most pens (mine tend to the oversize) and I don't want to look at a $1,000 pen a few years from now and look at an obvious section of wear to the barrel caused by posting. I write mostly at a desk or on the train and simply place the cap in my desk pen holder, stand it up somewhere on my desk or clip it to my shirt. So I would prefer Speedy on his full size pens to make the barrels ample for comfortable gripping sans the cap. Thanks

[Jimmy James]

About the posting or not, we have a few criterial to concern

1. length of the pen

2. weight distribution of the pen

3. aesthetic design of the pen.

 

2+3 ok we make the pen post

2 is not ok, no posting

1 is too short, can sacrify 3 make it post

.

.

.

 

I don't think 3 is really a concern of TWSBI, to be frank. I know you want to make pens that look nice, and that's terrific. You don't have to photograph your pens posted or even advertise the feature just as long as it happens! Similarly, there are few pens that are improperly balanced if they are created to work well both posted and not posted.

 

I didn't expect the 850 would post since it appears to be a substantial metal pen with a substantial metal cap. I did think since the 580 appears to not post well having the "slim" model post would be a very good idea to offer a range of pens for people who have different posting preferences. That's what sort of disappointed me when I learned it wasn't even a consideration.

 

ETA: By the way, it's funny to me to say this, but my mini actually works better for me unposted than you'd imagine. Even though it's a short pen, I can write well with it unposted. It just happens to fall exactly right for me with the shape of my hands. This is just one reason why it would be ideal for TWSBI to offer pens that post even in sizes that don't seem to make sense in your personal hands.

Edited March 2, 2013 by Jimmy James

[CAG_1787]

I'm another of the "Never Post" types, so the TWSBIs have always worked perfectly in that respect for me.

[fabrimedeiros]

The 850 looks gorgeous! The ink window looks great as well. My only concern is the mechanical stress on the ink window.