Levenger True Writer

[welch]

Good review of an the Truw-write, an under-rated pen. The colors are outstanding (the purple water lillies, for instance); pen handles nicely whether posted or unposted. Nibs are about $20 and unscrew/replace easily...just like that older pen with the spectacular colors, the indestructible barrels, and the black jewel at either end.

 

I've bought three TWs, and find that the nibs are smooth enough, although not as nice as they could be if Richard Binder and Jim Baer tuned them before shipping.

 

My ideal: make the TW about five inches long, a shade narrower, call it the "Camden", and sell it for about $30 - $35. Modify the nib slightly to fit another pen made in Camden, NJ.

Edited November 28, 2010 by welch

[jde]

It's been nearly a year since I wrote this review! Over the last year the only complaint I have found with my True Writer is that the cap is very right on the barrel threads. To uncap the pen, I hold the cap end and unscrew the barrel end. Otherwise the pen has held up as a regular, smooth and beautiful writer.

[isildur]

Nice Review!

 

I have a Levenger True-writer and I have been using it as an Eye dropper. It seems to work fine. I was wondering if someone else has tried it.

 

Can someone tell me where I can find spare nibs for true writer?

 

Thanks!

[jde]

Nice Review!

 

I have a Levenger True-writer and I have been using it as an Eye dropper. It seems to work fine. I was wondering if someone else has tried it.

 

Can someone tell me where I can find spare nibs for true writer?

 

Thanks!

 

hey thanks!

 

Spare nibs: Levenger sells them.

 

Re. the eyedropper mode: I tried it once out of curiosity. (It held 3ml of ink.) The thing I'm not sure about is that the ring at the BACK of the pen. The general consensus is as long as there is no metal in the barrel, you are obviously good to go as an ED. Or at least to try it out to see how well the pen works that way. My Golden Tortoise looks as thought the ring is not coming through into the barrel so that there is no metal inside the barrel. Can't speak for any other True Writer but my one.

 

Cheers!

[Boston Brian]

In the past I bought three Levenger pens, yo cannot help but being attracted to the various colors and styles, but I always had flow issues with them. They all seem to develop a sort of mini airlock between the nib section and the ink.

[Mister John]

I used to dis True Writers based on the experience of gifting one to my mother only to have it skip, stop writing after a few strokes, etc. She hated the thing but did not want to hurt my feelings by returning it. When next I visited, I tried the flush technique plus a change in ink from the Levenger Cobalt, which I bought her to go with the pen (it was their blue one), to trusty Waterman Forida Blue. Not a good experiment because of the confound of the flush and the ink, but a happy ending nonetheless.

 

This year she returned the favor by getting me a Levenger true writer in Kyoto. Wonderful pattern, great weight, and demure, classy furniture. It is a wet writing, smooth medium with no problems whatsoever. It's also quite beautiful though darn difficult to capture in photographs. The lavender highlights amsdst the predominantly brown tones really make it for me. I'm very happy with it.

 

My only complaint now is that Levengers prices for the signature stub are highway robbery. Frankly, this nib should be available on all their pens and not just the boring black one, and they should not charge obnoxious prices for buying the nib standalone. My 2c.

[Mags]

I have the signature stub bold nib which has been smooth and a true wonderful pen right out of the box. I purchased one for my son, in a stub medium and it is crappy. It was on sale but I flushed it and tried all identical inks that flowed well in my own Truewriter .....He is not a fan of the pen I am afraid and it is not his Christmas treasure it was intended to be with his name engraved....

[jde]

I have the signature stub bold nib which has been smooth and a true wonderful pen right out of the box. I purchased one for my son, in a stub medium and it is crappy. It was on sale but I flushed it and tried all identical inks that flowed well in my own Truewriter .....He is not a fan of the pen I am afraid and it is not his Christmas treasure it was intended to be with his name engraved....

 

Sadly, no one is a fan of a pen that doesn't write! And a pen that doesn't write is, well, useless, ay? It seems to be the luck of the draw with these pens.

 

Levenger reportedly has great customer service, and they should be willing to make this right by you, sale or not. Give them a try. The problem is in in the nib unit and they will likely replace it.

[Mags]

The postage is a bit of a deterrent....crossing the line from Canada takes time and the tracked shipping is about $50 round trip so my cost of a return is almost negating the point. I will likely buy him another nib or as I did when he was using it lots and not too happy I swapped the other good nib in so he could appreciate it.....the children know they can take what they want from Dad's pens if they are careful.....

[jde]

The postage is a bit of a deterrent....crossing the line from Canada takes time and the tracked shipping is about $50 round trip so my cost of a return is almost negating the point. I will likely buy him another nib or as I did when he was using it lots and not too happy I swapped the other good nib in so he could appreciate it.....the children know they can take what they want from Dad's pens if they are careful.....

 

Wow. That's ridiculous. Levenger charging you for the return? That's almost the cost of a new pen.

 

Sorry you got a bum nib!

 

 

You're a good Dad.

[stacybean]

I believe that the TWSBI Schmidt nibs, including the 1.1 and 1.5 stubs fit nicely into True Writers as they also use Schmidt nib units. There are threads that discuss this. I enjoy my True Writers for office use. I would be unable to replace my more expensive pens if lost. My latest TW has a buttery broad nib.

[jde]

I believe that the TWSBI Schmidt nibs, including the 1.1 and 1.5 stubs fit nicely into True Writers as they also use Schmidt nib units. There are threads that discuss this. I enjoy my True Writers for office use. I would be unable to replace my more expensive pens if lost. My latest TW has a buttery broad nib.

 

Very, very good point!

 

A generic JoWo #5 nibs should/might fit. http://meisternibs.com/steel-nibs/

Maybe Mags can find a Canadian source.

 

The postage is a bit of a deterrent....crossing the line from Canada takes time....

 

 

Also, Mags, if you are not going to replace this nib from Levenger, you might take the nib unit apart and take a look at the feed. Maybe it could take a bit of flossing along the channel.

Edited February 2, 2013 by jde

[EKE]

I believe that the JoWo #5 nibs DO fit in the True Writer. I sent my TW Obsidian to Tim Girdler to have him fit and tune a new JoWo for it, and I will be getting it back soon - ill report here on the nib once I get to test drive it. I can confirm that the TWSBI nibs are interchangeable with the TW nibs.

 

I have to say I love my True Writers. I have several, and they just suit my hand. Weighty without being too heavy, well made, and beautiful in shape and finish. I just bought a new UltraViolet on eBay and its just so pretty, and the M nib was a smooth writer right out of the box.

 

My TW Sea Glass is a real favorite of mine, and always gets comments when I pull it out of my pocket - that's one that they don't make anymore, unfortunately. But I like the look of it so much that I bought a fantasy Parker 51 shell in the same Sea Glass material, so soon I'll have a Sea Glass P51!

 

http://i646.photobucket.com/albums/uu188/ErikEvens/IMG_1961-1.jpg

Edited February 2, 2013 by EKE

[Mags]

I believe that the TWSBI Schmidt nibs, including the 1.1 and 1.5 stubs fit nicely into True Writers as they also use Schmidt nib units. There are threads that discuss this. I enjoy my True Writers for office use. I would be unable to replace my more expensive pens if lost. My latest TW has a buttery broad nib.

 

Very, very good point!

 

A generic JoWo #5 nibs should/might fit. http://meisternibs.com/steel-nibs/

Maybe Mags can find a Canadian source.

 

The postage is a bit of a deterrent....crossing the line from Canada takes time....

 

 

Also, Mags, if you are not going to replace this nib from Levenger, you might take the nib unit apart and take a look at the feed. Maybe it could take a bit of flossing along the channel.

 

I purchased a TWSBI in bright school orange for my son but swapping a nib I will try that now....he may like that True Writer. Thanks to all for suggestions....I have yet to floss tje nib also ..

[jde]

I believe that the JoWo #5 nibs DO fit in the True Writer. I sent my TW Obsidian to Tim Girdler to have him fit and tune a new JoWo for it, and I will be getting it back soon - ill report here on the nib once I get to test drive it. I can confirm that the TWSBI nibs are interchangeable with the TW nibs.

 

<snip>

 

My TW Sea Glass is a real favorite of mine, and always gets comments when I pull it out of my pocket - that's one that they don't make anymore, unfortunately. But I like the look of it so much that I bought a fantasy Parker 51 shell in the same Sea Glass material, so soon I'll have a Sea Glass P51!

 

 

Thanks for confirming for us!

 

Also: The Sea Glass is gorgeous. If I had a 2nd TW it would be in this out of production material. So neat you found a Parker 51 in the material!

[EKE]

 

Thanks for confirming for us!

 

Also: The Sea Glass is gorgeous. If I had a 2nd TW it would be in this out of production material. So neat you found a Parker 51 in the material!

 

Levenger has a habit of bringing discontinued pens back for a return engagement, so keep an eye out on their website - the Sea Glass may return.

 

Yeah, I'm excited about the Sea Glass Fantasy 51. Tim Girdler saw the parts on eBay and recognized them as the Sea Glass material, and since he was doing a nib-tuning on my TWs at the time, he knew I'd be intrigued. He sourced a P51 aerometric as a donor pen, and is restoring and assembling the Fantasy pen for me. I'm sure the P51 purists will be aghast at my Frankenstein's monster, but I had to have it! I'll post some photos when it's done.

Edited February 3, 2013 by EKE

[EKE]

BTW, to the original poster: Nice review! I think your new pen is really super pretty. I like the TW with gold furniture. I have my eye on the TW Teal Appeal which Levenger is currently selling, which also has the gold trim + plated nib. I dig it!

[Notebookish]

I really like TrueWriters and used them for a long time. I had to replace nibs a couple of times, which was annoying cos they cost $35, but I eventually started using Twsbi nibs as replacements; they aren't as silky smooth but seem more durable.

 

One thing though ... after about three years for one pen and just one year for another, the round thing at the back end of the pen fell off so that there was just a hole at the end of the pen. One of them I lost for almost six months. I didn't bother to put them back because they just kept falling off. After this happened to two pens, I switched to Twsbi (which cracked in three places within six months ... *sigh* ... you know, a Lamy Safari I've had for four years has lasted much longer than pens twice as expensive).

Edited February 3, 2013 by Notebookish

[Maelstrom]

Thank you all for your comments! I've had my TW since 2007 and it gives a consistent and wet line. The Fine nib writes more more like a Medium, which is not my preference. I gravitate to the thinner lines for regular use, but enjoy this one enough to keep it close at hand and use regularly.