Twsbi 580

[Colin8]

@colin8 - I'm a TWSBI using left-hander, and from your complaints about writing I guess you are either a side writer or hook-over writer.

 

Have you tried using a post-it note to cover text you have just written over? It works well for me and I can use whatever ink I want.

 

I'm new to FP so I'm not exactly sure how to categorize my handwriting. I think it's a hook though.

 

And I'll have to try out the post-it note trick, but wouldn't the post-it kind of smear the wet ink? I'm using PR Black Cherry and I'm telling you, some of the letters take up to 30 seconds to dry.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/colin8/IMG_20130317_232036.jpg

 

And pay no attention to the polar bear PJs, it's freezing in Louisville!

Edited March 18, 2013 by Colin8

[Fabienne]

I am loving my 580 still. TWSBI is the bomb!

[sh0ebox]

For those with the 1.1 stub, are any of you experiencing hard starts? I have been having some issues after short pauses getting the pen to lay down ink.

[xHaishou]

@colin8 - I'm a TWSBI using left-hander, and from your complaints about writing I guess you are either a side writer or hook-over writer.

 

Have you tried using a post-it note to cover text you have just written over? It works well for me and I can use whatever ink I want.

 

I'm new to FP so I'm not exactly sure how to categorize my handwriting. I think it's a hook though.

 

And I'll have to try out the post-it note trick, but wouldn't the post-it kind of smear the wet ink? I'm using PR Black Cherry and I'm telling you, some of the letters take up to 30 seconds to dry.

 

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v257/colin8/IMG_20130317_232036.jpg

 

And pay no attention to the polar bear PJs, it's freezing in Louisville!

Many people use a sheet of blotting paper. it will absorb the wet ink instead of smear it around

[notVirtuThe3rd]

Great review! Thanks for the sharing this. :clap1:

[seymour]

Hi

 

I like your enthusiasm. In my case, Twsbi were too good. I have 2 530s and am so happy with them that I didn't try the 540. Is there a big enough difference between 530 and 580 to make it worth buying one?

 

Chaim

[amantadine]

For those with the 1.1 stub, are any of you experiencing hard starts? I have been having some issues after short pauses getting the pen to lay down ink.

 

I've been using my 580 (with the 1.1 stub) pretty much non-stop since it arrived and with nice paper (e.g. Rhodia) it is awesome - I only have somewhat hard starts when it has been left uncapped for a while. On the paper I have at work, however, I can get some hard starts and I need to use a little more pressure to get the ink flowing nicely. But the paper I use at work is either: recycled copy paper , or some blue paper with an "I hate fountain pens" coating.

 

Another thing - I'm not sure if it is the ink I am using but I am finding the 1.1 in my 580 to be a little wider than my 1.1 in my Vac 700! Anyone else finding this?

[Koyote]

amantadine, I presume you are an over-writer? That would explain why, with your stub, the horizontal strokes are broader than the vertical strokes.

[amantadine]

amantadine, I presume you are an over-writer? That would explain why, with your stub, the horizontal strokes are broader than the vertical strokes.

 

 

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is an over-writer?

 

A quick google and I understand - I am right-handed and am not an over-writer. I do hold my pen at a 45(ish) degree angle to the direction of text, however. But then I also prefer to have the paper at 90 degrees (if that makes any sense at all - perhaps a picture?)

Edited March 18, 2013 by amantadine

[alonenotalone]

Do you think that nibs can be echanged between the Mini and 580 ?

[sh0ebox]

For those with the 1.1 stub, are any of you experiencing hard starts? I have been having some issues after short pauses getting the pen to lay down ink.

 

I've been using my 580 (with the 1.1 stub) pretty much non-stop since it arrived and with nice paper (e.g. Rhodia) it is awesome - I only have somewhat hard starts when it has been left uncapped for a while. On the paper I have at work, however, I can get some hard starts and I need to use a little more pressure to get the ink flowing nicely. But the paper I use at work is either: recycled copy paper , or some blue paper with an "I hate fountain pens" coating.

 

Hrm... I'm not sure what the issue is with mine. At home I've been using it in my Staples Arc notebook, and I experience some slight issues with hard starts... especially after pausing for a few seconds between words. It basically only occurs with down strokes, but if I wait 5 seconds and then try to write a down stroke, sometimes it will take me 5 tries to actually lay down ink. When at work and using it with low quality paper, it can take significantly longer for me to get it to write.

 

I am currently using Diamine Oxblood in the pen. When I first got it, I did flush the pen with some tepid water (no soap, and only flushed by filling with water and emptying using the piston... no extra force from a bulb syringe or anything) a few times before inking it. This is also the 2nd ink I've tried... the first being Apache sunset which worked fine when I first inked it up but then began suffering from start up issues.

 

This is also not my first italic nib. My other is a Lamy Safari 1.1 which works great with all the inks I own and have inked it with. Therefore I don't think it has as much to do with writing angle, as I do hold the nib at roughly a 45° angle to the paper

Edited March 18, 2013 by sh0ebox

[Koyote]

amantadine, I presume you are an over-writer? That would explain why, with your stub, the horizontal strokes are broader than the vertical strokes.

 

 

Sorry for my ignorance, but what is an over-writer?

 

A quick google and I understand - I am right-handed and am not an over-writer. I do hold my pen at a 45(ish) degree angle to the direction of text, however. But then I also prefer to have the paper at 90 degrees (if that makes any sense at all - perhaps a picture?)

 

No, don't go to the bother of a picture - I can visualize it from your description. The standard stub effect, from the nib's shape, is broad vertical strokes and thinner horizontals. Your technique reverses that. It really works, though, especially since you have nice handwriting.

[Earthdawn]

Do you think that nibs can be echanged between the Mini and 580 ?

 

The unit itself ... no ....I tried. The metal ring does not fit right and the plastic shield is different as well.

 

BUT according to Speedy the nibs on the 540 and 580 are... I have not stripped them down to check this yet.

 

I took a Pendleton Brown custom nib for a 540 and put it on my Mini without any issues at all... The Mini has a smaller nib so if it does fit it may look a little odd on a pen that is a bit larger.

 

Ill strip them down to the nibs later and take a look though.

Edited March 18, 2013 by Earthdawn

[teenytina]

@Colin8: That would be a side-writer. Mottishaw (I think it's Mottishaw) has a good summary of left-handed writing positions here: http://www.nibs.com/...d%20writers.htm that he provides in an attempt to sell oblique cut nibs. I personally do not use oblique cut nibs because it's an added and I feel unnecessary cost when you can adjust your pen hold to compensate (which you would have to do for flexy writing and flex calligraphy anyway).

 

Some people do use blotting paper as xHaishou suggested, but I use a "guide sheet" improvised from a sticky note. It's just enough to keep the ink from smearing without the added cost that blotting paper can bring, and also provides the benefit of being available wayyy more widely than blotting paper. It took me years to figure out that blotting paper was different from regular paper, much less expect that other people might have any on hand when you're in a pinch. With a sticky note guide sheet, you can pretty much grab one any time.

 

I paid no attention to the PJs but your notes are quite fascinating. ;-)

Edited March 18, 2013 by teenytina

[Colin8]

@Colin8: That would be a side-writer. Mottishaw (I think it's Mottishaw) has a good summary of left-handed writing positions here: http://www.nibs.com/...d%20writers.htm that he provides in an attempt to sell oblique cut nibs. I personally do not use oblique cut nibs because it's an added and I feel unnecessary cost when you can adjust your pen hold to compensate (which you would have to do for flexy writing and flex calligraphy anyway).

 

Some people do use blotting paper as xHaishou suggested, but I use a "guide sheet" improvised from a sticky note. It's just enough to keep the ink from smearing without the added cost that blotting paper can bring, and also provides the benefit of being available wayyy more widely than blotting paper. It took me years to figure out that blotting paper was different from regular paper, much less expect that other people might have any on hand when you're in a pinch. With a sticky note guide sheet, you can pretty much grab one any time.

 

I paid no attention to the PJs but your notes are quite fascinating. ;-)

 

Thanks for all the info! I will definitely try the post-it note idea.

 

And yes, you probably can't tell by the picture, but don't hold it where the indentions are on the grip. It was weird at first but I quickly got used to it.

 

As for the notes, I'm at seminary right now in Kentucky and those were notes from a youth conference that I attended for a class.

[swanjun]

For those with the 1.1 stub, are any of you experiencing hard starts? I have been having some issues after short pauses getting the pen to lay down ink.

 

Somewhat. I did *not* flush mine before filling, though. I'm using Diamine Blaze Orange. Occasionally this happens on a downstroke, but it's not very severe. I was thinking that flushing and trying an eel series ink next might help.

 

Another thing - I'm not sure if it is the ink I am using but I am finding the 1.1 in my 580 to be a little wider than my 1.1 in my Vac 700! Anyone else finding this?

 

I don't have a Vac 700, but this is certainly wider than my Lamy 1.1!

[amantadine]

My 580 1.1 is most definitely wider than my lamy 1.1! I have got the same ink in both my TWSBI stub 1.1 pens, so I should be able to perform a better comparison, though I find my vac 700 to be quite a wet writer.

[amantadine]

A quick update...

 

I was perhaps a little eager when uploading my review - but now that I've had the chance to use it for just under a week (almost non-stop) I wanted to update my impression of this pen!

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8098/8576496762_ab8220f311_o.jpg

 

Secondly...

 

Here is a comparison between the two TWSBI 1.1 stub nibs (580 vs Vac 700)

 

http://farm9.staticflickr.com/8111/8575400637_c89815abf4_o.jpg

[pellidon]

TWSBI posted a video on their Facebook page highlighting the differences between the 540 and the 480. For inquiring minds.