My New Twizbee

[Ispriluc]

Hello,

 

today I received my new TWSBI, it`s a 580 Diamond with a 1.1 nib. I`ve been using a TWSBI 540 for 5 years, ever since I wanted a piston filled demonstrator and Pelikans were too expensive. During the last year I noticed cracks appearing in the cap and section but I`m ok with that, I think the pen still has good value for the money so I bought another one. The 580 is supposed to have more resistant parts, but as far as I`ve read here cracks are still appearing. We`ll see.

 

I like the balance of this pen, it just fits right in my hand, and I like the fact that it is a demonstrator and I can see the ink inside, especially if I use an unusual colour. I`m also into stubs and line variation and couldn`t decide between the 1.1 and 1.5 nibs, but after using a Lamy 1.5 for everyday writing I decided that 1.1 will better suit my small script.

 

 

The 580 next to some of my other pens:

 

 

 

I tried some close-ups of the nib:

 

 

 

 

After flushing the pen with a mix of cold water and 2-3 drops of dishwashing liquid, I filled it with Diamine Brandy Dazzle Shimmertastic ink. This is a truly glorious ink, but sadly it clogged the feed after a few minutes. I admit that I filled the pen after shaking the bottle, when all the "gold" particles were in suspension; I haven`t tried filling it after the gold particles settle on the bottom, but I think it will not clog that way. As a side note, the same ink does not clog the Lamy Safari 1.5.

 

 

 

 

I then tried the Diamine Sargasso Sea, which made the nib very wet, too wet for my taste but acceptable. I stil haven`t tried a Pelikan ink, which is supposed to be drier, or the Diamine Oxblood and Autumn Oak, or the J. Herbin Lierre Sauvage, which all work great in the 540. Anyway, I`m sure I won`t have problems in finding a suitable ink for this pen.

 

 

The Sargasso Sea also has good sheen, but I couldn`t really capture it.

 

 

I find that the width of the 1.1 nib is just right for me, for my handwriting. I also have a 0.7 stub but I`ve always wanted more line variation and this nib is right. I also have a 1.0 mm left oblique P51 on the way and that may be the ultimate nib for me, but until then I think the 1.1 is very appropiate for short notes, letters and signatures - which is what I use my pens for.

 

Thank you for your attention

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

[inkstainedruth]

I've been looking a bit at the 580 AL in pink recently. I had tried someone's TWSBI Mini a few weeks ago and that was a nice size and weight, but I've been worried about how much more the 580 would weigh. I see that you've got a photo of yours next to a Safari, and I was wondering how the weight compared between that and your Diamond. Thanks.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Ispriluc]

I've been looking a bit at the 580 AL in pink recently. I had tried someone's TWSBI Mini a few weeks ago and that was a nice size and weight, but I've been worried about how much more the 580 would weigh. I see that you've got a photo of yours next to a Safari, and I was wondering how the weight compared between that and your Diamond. Thanks.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

The 580 is heavier than the Safari but I like that, like I said, I find it to be well balanced in my hand.

I hope this helps. Both pens full, measured in grams.

 

http://i.imgur.com/8WzBVPu.jpg

 

 

 

 

http://i.imgur.com/Q141VaM.jpg

 

Without cap the Safari weighs 10.2 and the 580 16.1 grams.

Edited January 5, 2017 by Ispriluc

[inkstainedruth]

Hmm. Looks as if I'm going to have to get a good scale (and see what my heaviest pens are). Or wait till I'm at someplace like a pen show where I can actually try one.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[Out0Mind]

Hmm. Looks as if I'm going to have to get a good scale (and see what my heaviest pens are). Or wait till I'm at someplace like a pen show where I can actually try one.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

This may help a bit. According to Goulet, the standard (non AL) variants of the pens have the following weights:

 

Mini:

Body: 10g

Cap: 9g

Total: 19g

 

Diamond 580:

Body: 14g

Cap: 14g

Total: 28g

 

Overall, the Diamond 580 is significantly heavier than the Mini. That said, something to keep in mind: the Mini is meant to be written with posted (the cap screws onto the blind cap of the pen), while the 580 is not. With that in mind, the Mini is meant to be written with weighing 19g, while, the Diamond 580 is meant to be written with at 14g. I've found that writing with the 580 is more comfortable than the Mini due to better weight distribution.

 

Also, non-sequitur, but I've found the clip on the Mini is weak and not reliable. I had the clip of one of my Mini's get weak and break off while in my pocket and fall out in a cab without my noticing. Unfortunately, I was out of the country and had no way to get it back (oh well).

 

If it'd help, I have a couple 580s and 580ALs. Shoot me a PM if you'd like and I'll lend you a TWSBI to try out for a few weeks.

[amberleadavis]

Terrific review. Thank you.

[inkstainedruth]

Well, I've bit the bullet. Picked up one of the Al-580s, with a B nib, yesterday.

Any advice from those who have them? I'm a bit concerned about possible language/translation gaps in the paperwork, such as whether "bearing grease" (which it says isn't included) is the same stuff as silicone grease (which *is*). And just what is that (included wrench) for? Removing the nib unit? Disassembling the piston mechanism? Something else entirely? Although it's thoughtful of them to have designed the packaging for it....

Also, for those who have them, do TWBSI tend to be wet or dry writers? Trying to decide what to ink the pen up with first.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[DarkAudit]

Well, I've bit the bullet. Picked up one of the Al-580s, with a B nib, yesterday.

Any advice from those who have them? I'm a bit concerned about possible language/translation gaps in the paperwork, such as whether "bearing grease" (which it says isn't included) is the same stuff as silicone grease (which *is*). And just what is that (included wrench) for? Removing the nib unit? Disassembling the piston mechanism? Something else entirely? Although it's thoughtful of them to have designed the packaging for it....

Also, for those who have them, do TWBSI tend to be wet or dry writers? Trying to decide what to ink the pen up with first.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

The wrench is for disassembling the piston assembly for maintenance, and the grease for lubricating the piston. I don't have one yet (c'mon payday!), but I've been watching a bunch of YouTube reviews.

[Tasmith]

Well, I've bit the bullet. Picked up one of the Al-580s, with a B nib, yesterday.

Any advice from those who have them? I'm a bit concerned about possible language/translation gaps in the paperwork, such as whether "bearing grease" (which it says isn't included) is the same stuff as silicone grease (which *is*). And just what is that (included wrench) for? Removing the nib unit? Disassembling the piston mechanism? Something else entirely? Although it's thoughtful of them to have designed the packaging for it....

Also, for those who have them, do TWBSI tend to be wet or dry writers? Trying to decide what to ink the pen up with first.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

Brian Goulet explains TWSBI 580 disassembly: https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-mozilla-002&hsimp=yhs-002&hspart=mozilla&p=disassemble+twsbi#id=6&vid=a205c6dd28741aad73f0e65708e01043&action=click

 

TWSBI's tend to be dry writers. I've flossed between the tines of my ECO and 580 with a .002 inch brass sheet to help increase the ink flow. Seems to have helped a bit.

 

Check out TWSBI's blog for advice on the 580 AL greased aluminum parts https://www.twsbi.com/blogs/news .

Edited April 10, 2017 by Tasmith

[inkstainedruth]

Brian Goulet explains TWSBI 580 disassembly: https://video.search.yahoo.com/yhs/search?fr=yhs-mozilla-002&hsimp=yhs-002&hspart=mozilla&p=disassemble+twsbi#id=6&vid=a205c6dd28741aad73f0e65708e01043&action=click

 

TWSBI's tend to be dry writers. I've flossed between the tines of my ECO and 580 with a .002 inch brass sheet to help increase the ink flow. Seems to have helped a bit.

 

Check out TWSBI's blog for advice on the 580 AL greased aluminum parts https://www.twsbi.com/blogs/news .

 

Thanks for the links.

I ended up inking the pen with De Atramentis Sky Blue, which might be a little wet (De Atramentis inks tend to be on the wet side, other than the Document line inks, which I've had flow problems with). I'm not sure whether mine is a wet writer after all, or it's just a really wet ink: I'm getting little to no shading and the pen was drippy at first (but seems to have settled down since this morning).

The pen is a little longer than most of my other pens, but I'm getting used to the extra weight when posted (yeah, yeah, I can hear the grumbling and gnashing of teeth from here ) but I really dislike pens I can't post, and while it's a bit top heavy it's still portable. And my pen, so there.... (really wish we had a smiley .gif that blows raspberries).

I don't generally like pens that I consider demonstrators. But I do like piston fillers, and I do like the pink section and piston, because it's a sophisticated pink: it's not overly "girly" (and I say this even while currently wearing a bright pink chambray shirt with little red-pink hearts on it )and it's not a kiddie bubblegum pink.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth