Twsbi Vac 700

[tonybelding]

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/vac_700/pen_in_box.jpg

 

I didn't want to be the first with a review of the TWSBI Vac 700, but I wanted to turn in one of the best and most exhaustive reviews. I waited until I could get my hands on the clear version -- which turned out to be a long wait indeed. That meant I had plenty of time to familiarize myself with the smoke version as I was waiting, and it also means TWSBI had time to correct some of the deficiencies before shipping the newer ones. So, brace yourselves for everything you could possibly want to know about this pen, and maybe a bit more!

 

I'll begin with the major distinguishing feature...

 

THE VACUUM FILLER

 

My past experience was vacuum-filling pens (or plunger-fillers as they are sometimes called) was with a number of vintage Sheaffer Balance and Triumph pens from the 1930s and 1940s. Those pens were avoided by collectors for a long time due to the difficulty of properly re-sealing and restoring them. Nowadays the procedure is more widely understood, but it's still more expensive than getting a lever-filler restored. I found that they do work very well once they've been properly overhauled.

 

There have been some modern vacuum-filling pens. Most notably, Stipula has made a few (including the "Suprema Nuda" demonstrator), Visconti makes several models, and Pilot has the Custom 823. All of these have been relatively expensive, and the workings of the vacuum-filler are still not too familiar to a lot of people, even here on FPN.

 

So here are the basics: You pull out the plunger, then put the nib into your ink bottle, then push the plunger back in. It forces air out of the pen, creating a vacuum, and then ink rushes up into the pen to fill the void. Some find this counter-intuitive at first, because it works opposite of a common syringe. Just remember that the plunger doesn't move ink, the plunger moves air -- like a tiny bicycle pump.

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/vac_700/cartoon_filling.jpg

 

Historically, the way to fill pens of this type was using a single quick-and-easy stroke of the plunger. It's more convenient than twisting-and-twisting the knob on a piston-filler! However, one stroke will not fill the entire pen barrel with ink. With other vacuum fillers (including my great old Sheaffers) it's not so obvious, but the Vac 700's transparent barrel makes it clear (literally!) that there's a lot of empty space remaining. So how much ink does it really get?

 

According to my measurement, a single stroke of the plunger will draw about 1.20 cc of ink. To me that is a very healthy load of ink. That's about double what a common Schmidt K5 converter holds, and it's a little more ink than my Bexley Corona (1.10 cc) or my Lamy 2000 (1.13 cc) piston-fillers. For most everyday use that should work just fine for most people. However, it is possible to fill the rest of the pen barrel if you know the trick.

 

Simply repeating what you did with the first stroke will result in disappointment, as it adds little-or-no ink to the reservoir. What works is to point the pen upward, extend the plunger, then carefully push it part-way in, enough to expel the remaining air. Then insert the pen into your ink bottle and push the plunger the rest of the way. You should get a full barrel or very close to it. This should bring you up to around 1.8 or 2.0 cc, which is close to the maximum for a pen this size. An eyedropper-filled pen or a bulb-filler could hold only a little more.

 

This two-stroke filling trick could be a bit hazardous. If you aren't careful, you could dribble ink onto your hands or even squirt it in your face. I'd suggest practicing a time or two with water before doing it with ink! Even when it's done carefully, it's possible for ink to bubble and "spit" tiny droplets out of the air vent, so you'd better not have any open books or notepads on your desk when doing this. The good news is that it's not hard once you get the hang of it, especially since the Vac 700's transparent body lets you see exactly what you're doing.

 

Aside from ink capacity, the other big advantage of the vacuum filler is that it makes flushing and changing inks very quick and easy. That plunger can pump a lot of water through the pen in a hurry, and the Vac 700 quickly became my top choice for testing new inks.

 

THE INK SHUT-OFF VALVE

 

Another feature of this pen that many will find unfamiliar is the ink shut-off. I never had a pen with this before. My vintage Sheaffers didn't have it, and I was skeptical about its usefulness. So, here's how it works...

 

When the knob is fully screwed down, ink cannot flow from the reservoir to the feed. You can write, but only for a short while until the feed runs dry. You might manage a page, more-or-less. If you want to keep writing, then you have to unscrew the knob and back it out just a little to open the valve. I unscrew the knob until the threads disengage and start to click.

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/vac_700/cartoon_shutoff.jpg

 

This system prevents the pen from leaking due to changes in air pressure. This can happen when you ride on an airplane, ride up the elevator in a tall building, or simply warm up the pen by handling it. In these situations a pen with a large ink reservoir and a lot of air space can burp out some ink and make a mess. The ink shutoff prevents that from happening -- at least until you open it.

 

You should be aware that the Vac 700, like the Diamond 540, has a rubber O-ring that seals when you cap it. Thus, as long as that seal holds, the pen shouldn't leak while it's capped. If you point it upward when uncapping, air should escape without causing an ink spill. Thus, the ink shutoff is really an extra layer of redundant protection, for those belt-and-suspenders kind of guys.

 

During the design phase of this pen, I argued that the shutoff feature wasn't needed and that we'd be better off without it. So, I didn't get my way. However... It turns out, the shutoff can be disabled! All you have to do is disassemble the pen (using the included wrench) and remove the tiny rubber seal from the very tip of the plunger. Now you can keep the filler knob closed all the time and the pen will write and write, just like those old Sheaffers. If you later find that you don't like this, you can always put the rubber seal back in the pen, as long as you didn't lose it. It's easy.

 

When the ink level in the first (smoke) Vac 700 got low, I ran into situations where it started getting dry and skipping until I jiggled the knob and dislodged whatever air bubble (I assume) was stopping things up. This wasn't a big problem after I'd figured it out, but it's a bit of nuisance. At first I blamed the ink shutoff valve for this problem. However, even after disabling the shutoff, I still ran into the same phenomenon. Whenever it starts to get dry and skippy, I had to give the pen a little shake and get the ink flowing again. I don't know whether this was a common problem, or if it was unique to my pen. With the newer (clear) Vac 700, I have done some extended writing and never run into this problem. I think most likely this is something TWSBI knew about and fixed.

 

RELIABILITY & MAINTENANCE

 

Prior to the 700, I had two TWSBI Diamond 530s, and both of them experienced some cracked parts. TWSBI was very responsive and quickly sent replacement parts when I informed them of the problem. I know they've been working to revise their parts and stop the cracking problem, but progress has been slow. So, what about the 700?

 

Well, my 700 hasn't had any cracked parts, and I haven't heard about anybody else having a problem with them. I assume TWSBI learned from their experience with the 530/540 and applied that knowledge to make the 700 more robust. I've given the 700 some extended use, disassembled and reassembled it a few times, and haven't broken anything yet.

 

The one semi-serious problem I had was related to the rear O-ring seal, or "packing seal" as it's sometimes called. After I'd cycled the filler many times (testing and flushing a lot of inks!), the action become stiff and then one of the packing seals popped out! Before I realized what had happened, I managed to further damage it by screwing down the filler knob on it. The good news is that the pen kept right on working. The rear packing seal actually has three of these thick O-rings, and it kept right on functioning with only two of them in place. I eventually diagnosed the problem and stuffed the errant ring back in place (with some difficulty). I also realized the problem was caused by my failure to keep the plunger rod lubricated. The pen comes with a small vial of silicone oil, and it's meant to be used. If the plunger action starts feeling stiff, you must put some oil on there. I'm confident that problem isn't going to repeat since I figured this out.

 

One way to test the function of your vacuum filler is to take the empty pen in hand, extend the plunger, and then push it in about halfway and release it. Air pressure should cause it to pop back out. (This may work better if you keep your finger on the plunger knob while letting it out. Removing your finger completely can release the air seal prematurely.) If it's balky, then it either needs some lubrication or there's something wrong with the plunger head.

 

The TWSBI 530 & 540 broke new ground in user maintainability by providing a wrench, vial of oil, and disassembly instructions with each pen. Few fountain pens have ever been so friendly to tinkering by the owner. Even so, there are a couple of tricks that are easy to miss, and it's easy to mess up a 540 if you aren't attentive.

 

So... Shortly before the Vac 700 came out, I heard a rumor that it wasn't going to allow that sort of user maintenance. I'm happy to say that was wrong! The Vac 700 comes with the same wrench and oil vial, and is easier to disassemble and reassemble than the 540. It simply screws apart and screws back together, and there's really nothing to trip you up. The parts of the 530/540 that needed careful alignment have been eliminated in this design.

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/vac_700/box_bottom.jpghttp://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/vac_700/o-ring.jpg

 

 

The Vac 700 also uses a lot of rubber O-rings, which seems to be almost a TWSBI fetish. Mine came with a couple of spare O-rings. At first it was unclear which seal these rings were supposed to fit, but the second pen came with a scrap of paper showing where they go.

 

THE NIB

 

Like the 530/540, the Vac 700 comes with a German-made steel nib. This time it's bigger! Despite being a full-sized pen, the 540 has a number five nib, which is normally used on more compact pens. The 700 ups that to a number six nib, which is more typical of full-sized, premium pens. This is what you'll see on most full-sized models from Bexley, Taccia, Edison, Monteverde, etc.

 

I got a medium nib on my first, smoke-colored 700, and it proved to be a painfully dry writer. I've heard from a number of people with this complaint -- not everybody got a dry nib, but it seems like at least half did. TWSBI have posted a video showing how the owner can perform minor adjustment to the ink flow. I followed the example shown, but it didn't increase the flow enough to make me happy. I eventually had to apply my feeler gauges, some nylon pliers (from Richard Binder) and some extended tinkering before I was happy with the flow. There was nothing else fundamentally wrong with the nib, and it writes well since I adjusted it.

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/vac_700/nib.jpg

 

When the clear Vac 700 arrived, I heard TWSBI had gotten an improved nib for it, but I didn't know what the improvement was. I ordered a fine nib this time, and the first thing I did was hold it up to a bright light and inspect the nib slit. It appeared to be perfectly adjusted, with the slit tapering down to an exquisitely tiny, barely-visible gap at the tip. As soon as I inked it up and begin writing, it was obvious that the ink flow was perfect (at least for my taste). It's wet but not gushing, doesn't skip, and is a true-to-size fine tip. Smoothness is good, perhaps slightly better than the average for modern steel nibs, although nothing like the slickness of my vintage Sheaffers. I feel no urge to change anything about this one.

 

Do keep in mind, though... It's not that hard to swap nibs in the Vac 700! You can buy number six nibs from Meister Nibs that will fit it. The feed and housing that comes with the nib won't fit the Vac 700, but the nib itself swaps right in. These are quality nibs and are not expensive.

 

Want a gold nib? TWSBI doesn't offer this (understandably, since the cost of the nib is greater than the retail price of the whole pen!), but you can easily get a gold nib and swap in. If you like gold, the pen is worthy, and there's nothing stopping you except your wallet.

 

 

THE CAP AND POCKET CLIP

 

Some people tend to gloss over the cap and pocket clip, but I consider these very important items. In particular, I feel a cap needs to seal tightly and keep the pen from drying out when it's not in use. All my TWSBIs have been excellent in this regard, and I credit the O-ring at the base of the cap threads.

 

Another thing I take seriously is the clip, and it looks like somebody at TWSBI does too. Much like a Lamy 2000, the Vac 700 has an articulated clip that is hinged with a spring concealed inside the cap. I've read that this clip is made from beryllium bronze, a high-strength and corrosion-resistant alloy that is rather expensive to work with. It has good clearance, just the right spring tension, and a shape that won't chew up pockets (unlike the Lamy 2000). Somebody sweated the details on this one.

 

One peculiarity is the frosted metal finish on the clip (resembling the texture of my Macbook Air) which I've never seen on a pocket clip before, and which does not match the shiny trim on the rest of the pen. It doesn't look bad... I think it looks good, but it's different.

 

ERGONOMICS & STYLE

 

This is a big pen. The 540 is a big pen, and I think the 700 is a smidge bigger. I'd call it a medium weight pen, with a lot of that mass concentrated in the cap. This makes it tail-heavy when writing with the cap posted. However, the pen is long enough to write easily without posting.

 

The 540 is known for posting in a peculiar way, with the cap hanging way off the end of the filler knob. (It's not the only pen with this quirk, as my Bexley Corona does the same.) This made it pretty long when posted, and has also led to a few mishaps when somebody thoughtlessly twisted the cap and ejected ink from the pen. The Vac 700 partially corrects that situation. The cap slips over the filler knob and comes to rest on a metal trim ring provided for this very purpose. It's still a long pen when posted, although a fraction shorter than the 540, and it's still rather tail-heavy.

 

One big ergonomic difference is that, unlike the 540, the 700 has a pronounced step down from the pen barrel to the cap threads, followed by another step down to the grip section. I've used the pen enough to confirm that it's not a problem for me, with the way I hold my pen. However, the step is there if I feel around for it, and if you are one who tends to be bothered by such things, this is likely to bother you.

 

One other subtle difference between the 540 and 700 is that the 700 is happy to roll off your desk when uncapped. It's round. The smooth body does give a lovely view into the ink reservoir, though.

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/vac_700/both_pens.jpg

 

I wish I could say the Vac 700 is a beautiful pen. I think the best word I can use is "eccentric". You aren't going to mistake it for any other fountain pen, and it's very much a case of putting function first and styling second. Every design decision seems to have been driven by the question of "how can we make this work better?", and the natural result was a big, clunky-looking pen that works great.

 

The fat cap band and chunky filler knob look awkward to me, and the pocket clip (despite being rather pretty) doesn't match the rest of the trim. I think the best comparison I can come up with might be the Pilot Vanishing Point, which is another pen I consider homely, but I can overlook that because it's so well designed, constructed and finished.

 

And it is well finished! Eccentric styling aside, the Vac 700 feels solid and doesn't look cheap at all. It looks more expensive than a pen at this price point has any right to.

 

DEMONSTRATOR JOY

 

Not everybody loves a demonstrator. I'll admit my bias... I love them! I love showing them off too. People who might not otherwise find my pen interesting sometimes perk up when they see the ink moving around inside it. They have a childlike fascination with an unfamiliar gadget.

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/vac_700/pen_in_hand.jpg

 

I also find a visible ink supply addictive, and the more I use pens like this, the more unhappy I am with otherwise excellent pens that don't have it. The most fun inks to use in the Vac 700 are dry-ish inks, because they bead up and run off the walls of the reservoir instead of coating it. This creates a more dynamic look as the ink sloshes about, and it makes the ink level always obvious at a glance. Dark-and-wet inks that coat the walls of the reservoir are slightly more difficult to monitor, as I sometimes have to hold the pen up to the light for a few seconds.

 

When first filling the clear Vac 700, I noticed that ink beaded up on the interior in a rather ugly way. I blamed excess oil in the pen. I opened up the pen and tried wiping out the excess with a swab, but that didn't solve the problem. Next I filled the pen with one of the wettest inks I've got -- Noodler's Legal Lapis -- which after a short while seemed to dissolve the rest of the oil.

 

By the way, the clear Vac 700 is not entirely clear. The section and the filler knob are smoke colored, and the plastic plug housing the seals at the rear of the pen is solid black. My guess is that clear plastic may not be as durable, and therefore wasn't used in parts that were subject to stress. Whatever the reason, I think it looks okay, and the clear body (and ink reservoir) is the main attraction.

 

VALUE

 

This seems to be a point of contention. Looking at another review, on a pen blog, I saw a lot of outraged comments about the painfully high price of the Vac 700. Eighty bucks, are you kidding? That's thirty more than the TWSBI 540. You could get two Lamy Safaris (with converters!) for that much money.

 

Those are the kind of criticisms I saw, and I struggled to understand where this attitude came from. This is a remarkably well engineered and constructed pen with novel features, and it's highly functional. It should prove to be a real workhorse -- and it's $80 from Goulet. If you look for any other pen on the market with similar features and build quality (the Lamy 2000 and Bexley Corona come to mind) it's going to be $130+. From where I sit, the Vac 700 is a fantastic bargain.

 

CONCLUSION

 

I had a few difficulties with the first version, but the revised pen has cleared them up. Words fail me, I don't have enough superlatives. Since I've been testing it, this has gradually become a favorite of all my modern pens, including the likes of my TWSBI Diamond 530s, Bexley Corona, Sheaffer Targas, and Edison bulb-fillers (all of which are still fabulous, of course).

 

The TWSBI Vac 700 brings a lot of new and novel advantages. It's an affordable vacuum filler. It's a demonstrator that holds a lot of ink. It has a safety shutoff valve for air travel. It's easy to disassemble and maintain. You can swap in almost any number six nib. It's amazingly engineered and crafted at this price point. What's not to like?

 

Highly recommended.

 

http://zobeid.zapto.org/image/pens/vac_700/writing_pad.jpg

[eroe]

Thank you for a wonderful and in-depth review! I was hoping to get some information from people who have had the newer versions of the Vac 700 before buying one for myself .

[ravantra]

I have a blue one and it is a great pen. Now I want a clear. Thanks for the pics. Love the one with the red ink.

[Mauricio]

Thanks for your very comprehensive review of this pen. Lots of great information. I have become very fond of my Vac 700 in amber color, which I upgraded with a larger sized vintage 14k flex nib. It gets lots of rotation time. The TWSBI company have a very promissing future ahead.

[hanryy]

Very nice review.

 

Just a personal preference, but I prefer the wetter inks that coat the inside of the barrel. I like the way those look in the demonstrator. To each their own.

 

If you don't mind me asking though, what is that red ink?

[tonybelding]

That "red" ink is, in fact, Montblanc Mahatma Gandhi, which appears bright blaze orange when written out onto the page and has a pleasant odor of saffron. It's good stuff, although not something I find much use for on a day-to-day basis.

[mge01park]

Could you advise where these upgraded nibs can be acquired?

Thanks.

 

 

Thanks for your very comprehensive review of this pen. Lots of great information. I have become very fond of my Vac 700 in amber color, which I upgraded with a larger sized vintage 14k flex nib. It gets lots of rotation time. The TWSBI company have a very promissing future ahead.

[mge01park]

Fantastic review and appreciate your time in doing this. I just received my clear 700 w/medium nib from Twsbi directly and intending to get it rolling during the holidays, your step by step info helps in getting started.

Edited December 24, 2012 by mgepark

[m0rr1s]

Thank you for this review. In its original guise I liked everything but the nib and feed. It seems, yet again, that TWSBI have listened and acted. I have a new one on order; I cannot wait to receive it.

[raging.dragon]

Could you advise where these upgraded nibs can be acquired?

Thanks.

 

 

Thanks for your very comprehensive review of this pen. Lots of great information. I have become very fond of my Vac 700 in amber color, which I upgraded with a larger sized vintage 14k flex nib. It gets lots of rotation time. The TWSBI company have a very promissing future ahead.

 

Mauricio sells them here:

 

http://www.vintagepen.net/-modern-wvint-flex.html

[mge01park]

I see great custom nibs and pens there first class. I was actually looking for a nib replacement or alternate scenario similar to the Ahab swap choices from like X-Fountain, etc., not sitting with the $ for a complete first class vintage pen but will keep it in mind. Thanks much.

 

Could you advise where these upgraded nibs can be acquired?

Thanks.

 

 

Thanks for your very comprehensive review of this pen. Lots of great information. I have become very fond of my Vac 700 in amber color, which I upgraded with a larger sized vintage 14k flex nib. It gets lots of r otation time. The TWSBI company have a very promissing future ahead.

 

Mauricio sells them here:

 

http://www.vintagepen.net/-modern-wvint-flex.html

[raging.dragon]

I see great custom nibs and pens there first class. I was actually looking for a nib replacement or alternate scenario similar to the Ahab swap choices from like X-Fountain, etc., not sitting with the $ for a complete first class vintage pen but will keep it in mind. Thanks much.

 

Nibs that fit the Ahab should also fit the TWSBI 700.

[hanryy]

I see great custom nibs and pens there first class. I was actually looking for a nib replacement or alternate scenario similar to the Ahab swap choices from like X-Fountain, etc., not sitting with the $ for a complete first class vintage pen but will keep it in mind. Thanks much.

 

Nibs that fit the Ahab should also fit the TWSBI 700.

 

I will confirm that ahab nibs "fit" the clear vac 700s. I have tried it, but it didn't write. in sure if I spent the time to heat set the nib it would work just fine. I don't know how well the feed will hold up to a flex nib in regards to ink demand.

[parnesh]

Great review. I was thinking of getting a Pilot 823 as my next pen but am considering this now. If anyone has both, could you comment on the pro's and con of each and which would you recommend?

[tonybelding]

Great review. I was thinking of getting a Pilot 823 as my next pen but am considering this now. If anyone has both, could you comment on the pro's and con of each and which would you recommend?

 

I don't own both, but I have examined a Custom 823, and I've owned other Pilots. So, at the risk of stating the obvious...

 

They are both large pens that use the same type of filling mechanism. The 823 is obviously much more expensive than the 700. The 823 is more streamlined and classically styled (reminiscent of MB), and it comes with a 14K gold nib made in Japan by Pilot, so you know it should be the best. Pilot have been making fountain pens for decades, and they have a high standard of fit-and-finish, so they are way past figuring out basic stuff like durability or reliable ink flow.

 

If you buy a gold nib for your TWSBI it'll still add up to around $180 versus $280 for the Pilot, but the TWSBI won't have a Pilot nib, and it'll still be sort of clunky. Furthermore, if you get a gold nib from Meister Nibs, they only have 14K gold nibs in medium. Any other size you have to get 18K gold, which I think is somewhat inferior. (I personally am not hung up on gold anyhow; steel works for me.)

[mrul]

Many thanks for this detailed, deep, excellent review

[el.Fakir]

Thank you for this very informative and in-depth review!

 

I appreciate what TWSBI has been doing for fountain pen users and I’m sure this is also a very well-made pen, with a not-so-common filling system, at an affordable price point. The only thing that stops me from buying one is the section and not only due to possible ergonomics issues but also I think the design is aesthetically unpleasing.

While TWSBI works on a newer design with plunger filler (VAC 740, maybe?) I’ll be enjoying writing with 540s I have.

[mge01park]

Is the section issue you refer to the grip with the threads sitting there? I can relate to that, although, I've become used to it with different pens like the True Writer, etc. The 700 being large and heavy can even create an insecure grip feeling. I've found the 700 to be an amazing novel writer and feel Twsbi has revolutionized many things in the pen world (pun not intended). I'm a large pen person so I've become an admirer of the Ahab also.

 

Thank you for this very informative and in-depth review!

 

I appreciate what TWSBI has been doing for fountain pen users and I'm sure this is also a very well-made pen, with a not-so-common filling system, at an affordable price point. The only thing that stops me from buying one is the section and not only due to possible ergonomics issues but also I think the design is aesthetically unpleasing.

While TWSBI works on a newer design with plunger filler (VAC 740, maybe?) I'll be enjoying writing with 540s I have.

Edited December 25, 2012 by mgepark

[el.Fakir]

Is the section issue you refer the grip with the threads sitting there? I can relate to that, although, I've become used to it with different pens like the True Writer, etc. The 700 being large and heavy can even create an insecure grip feeling. I've found the 700 to be an amazing novel writer and feel Twsbi has revolutionized many things in the pen world (pun not intended). I'm a large pen person so I've become an admirer of the Ahab also.

 

Thank you for this very informative and in-depth review!

 

I appreciate what TWSBI has been doing for fountain pen users and I’m sure this is also a very well-made pen, with a not-so-common filling system, at an affordable price point. The only thing that stops me from buying one is the section and not only due to possible ergonomics issues but also I think the design is aesthetically unpleasing.

While TWSBI works on a newer design with plunger filler (VAC 740, maybe?) I’ll be enjoying writing with 540s I have.

Yes, the main issue for me is the big step between barrel and section and the threads there. I tend to hold my pens higher (I mean further away from the nib) and I fear I'd have to hold the VAC 700 right at the threads which wouldn't be comfortable enough to hold for long durations.

Edited December 25, 2012 by halidak

[StrangerT]

What a thorough review. Now I'm considering getting one. Will this go out of production any time soon? I hope not - I gotta get my fund going.