Twsbi Micarta V2 ~ Video Review

[Earthdawn]

This weeks review is of the TWSBI Micarta version 2

 

Making it of Micarta was a great idea as it has a nice warm feel and a very rugged appeal about it. This updated version now sports a JoWo nib instead of the Bock nib it had before. It also has a cap liner to keep the nib from drying out. This was a problem for some who had the original. It also ships inside a TWSBI journal notebook. Pretty neat marketing idea too being that they just released their new notebooks about a month ago. It writes with a nice even and smoth line. No dry nib here, which was another complaint about the original. While mine came with the logo on the cap slightly askew it is a great pen that is really different but pleasant and fun to write with.

On a final note, being it takes a #6 nib I removed it and placed a Delta Fusion stub nib into it for a test drive... easy and fun. I show that in the last 3 minutes of the video.

 

 

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/ac10/thevaporcafe/Micartanib_zpsf789828c.png

 

http://i880.photobucket.com/albums/ac10/thevaporcafe/36CE55C5-0143-48FA-AD44-8C7A6A90E9C1-1847-0000010403BEC17E_zpsd1eb9a60.jpg

 

 

 

Edited June 25, 2013 by Earthdawn

[J Jordan]

Good review. I collect, use, and make knives. MIcarta is an extremely popular handle material due to its superb toughness and high resistance to outside forces. The micarta used in knife grips will be around after the blade is.

 

Thanks for the review.

[dspeers58]

Philip Wang sent me one of the new nibs for my Micarta 1, and it writes beautifully! I had the version 1 nib adjusted and writing well, but the new one is even better, and TWSBI has been more than generous with their support!

[JGA]

Love your review the the Micarta V2 it answered a lot of questions I had. I have a 540 with a EF nib and all I need to decide is if I go for the EF or an F. The nib switch makes me more comfortable that if I'm not satisfied I can probably handle the switch.

[myn]

Thanks so much for doing this review. It really showed what a great pen this is, but it also means I need to put this on my wish list.

[nomadhacker]

Yep. The Micarta is on the list for one of my next pens. Thanks for sharing the video.

[JGA]

I bought the Micarta V2 with an EF nib. Came yesterday within 3 days of order - very fast cross country. I was hesitant to go with ordering the EF nib as I had heard about some dryness issues with the nibs in general. But I like the way my 540 with EF nib writes so I took a chance and ordered it.

 

First impressions are very positive. First off, as others have said, the pen is more rugged and precisely made than one would expect looking as pictures of the threads with friable pieces of linen. But the pen feels solid, lightweight and well balanced (without posting). But most impressive was it wrote like a champ on the first fill, first touch of nib to paper. And more pleasing is that the nib on Micarta V2 writes just like the 540 EF - that is tending to be wet and is similar in width to the Lamy EF or the Pilot Lucina F nib. I'm using Noodler's Heart of Darkness. Even though the Micarta nib is about 3/16 inch longer than the 540's nib there was no discernible difference in the feel of writing - they are both stiff nibs. I filled the converter (came with the pen) with a syringe to avoid challenging the new pen's section with stains - I'm sure I'll find out if staining is an issue sooner or later. So overall I'm very pleased with the pen, feels sturdy, looks like it will be durable as an everyday writer, and the nib feels smooth on a variety of cheap to expensive paper.

[renderboy]

I have a Diamond 580 with a broad nib which I love, this is seriously one nice broad (after a minor amount of smoothing work to it from new), and I was thinking of buying another TWSBI and the unusual nature of the Micarta really appealed to me and ordered the 'new version' of the Micarta with a broad nib. However, the nib is very different, much larger, and when coupled with the larger section of the pen it feels clumsy to me and I'm not loving it.

 

It was a fairly dry writer from new, though flow was reliable out of the box (or rather notepad!). After a cleaning and a bit of flossing it writes much nicer, but it's still sitting on the sidelines out of my daily rotation as I don't enjoy it.

 

I was hoping I could swap a pelikan nib into it, but my M600 nib is far too small - I probably need one off then M800, but the cost puts me off as I'd have to buy one new just to try it out, making it a bit of an expensive experiment!

 

Has anyone done any swapping around with other nibs other than the Delta Fusion shown in the video (awesome btw!!)?

[nomadhacker]

Micarta takes a number 6 sized nib. So a Knox nib from xfountainpens or a gouletpens nib kit nib from meisternibs which also would have gold options, or any Jowo...basically any number 6 nib should fit.

[renderboy]

Micarta takes a number 6 sized nib. So a Knox nib from xfountainpens or a gouletpens nib kit nib from meisternibs which also would have gold options, or any Jowo...basically any number 6 nib should fit.

 

Thanks for the info, lots of options there. The company I bought the micarta from are going to exchange my broad nib for a fine at no cost so I'll see how I feel about it then. This pen has really underwhelmed me tbh.