580 VS 580 AL

[tommym]

I may pick up another 580 for use at home. Is the 580 AL any more reliable / durable than the 580, or is it just cosmetics?

 

Thanks,

 

Tommy

[maclink]

Cosmetics, I'd say....

 

Unlike the TWSBI Vac that has been modified somewhat, for functional reasons with the filling mechanism, the Diamond line has been pretty much the same with only cosmetic changes to improve appearance and go with the incredible flow of upgrade/change to get interested returning customers to collect the different colours/finishes, or perish.  

 

But isn't the 580ALR Prussian Blue just great to look at?  

[tde44x]

I have 2x580AL's, 2x580ALR's, and 1x580.

 

Functionally they are all the same. Haven't had any problems with any of them so can't speak to durability. I will say that I prefer the feel and cosmetics of the AL/ALR over the plain one. And, of the 2, prefer ALR's.

[tommym]

Thanks for the replies!

 

I have since purchased three 580AL Silver Fine Nib and three different color inks! These will be community pens for the family's use; they chose the three colors noted below. Should be a lot of fun for the family!

 

Pilot Iroshizuku Chiku-rin Ink (Bamboo Forest) - Green 

Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-gaki Ink (Persimmon) - Red

Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki-shikibu Ink (Lady Murasaki Shikibu) - Purple

 

Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-same Ink (Misty Rain) - Grey (with the demise of Montblanc's Oyster Grey, this is now my go-to ink for my Montblanc)

 

The one thing that drew my concern when removing the 580AL pens from the case was how tightly the cap was tighten to the body, and how tightly the end cap was screwed down. Holy Cow, it took a lot of heft to loosen these items. At the back of my mind was the barrel cracking issues from the past. I know this issue was supposedly resolved or minimized, but over tightening these items to this degree (from the factory) can't be a good thing for the plastic barrel and threads. 

 

Tommy

 

 

 

 

[tunney]

On 4/5/2021 at 8:15 PM, tommym said:

Thanks for the replies!

 

I have since purchased three 580AL Silver Fine Nib and three different color inks! These will be community pens for the family's use; they chose the three colors noted below. Should be a lot of fun for the family!

 

Pilot Iroshizuku Chiku-rin Ink (Bamboo Forest) - Green 

Pilot Iroshizuku Fuyu-gaki Ink (Persimmon) - Red

Pilot Iroshizuku Murasaki-shikibu Ink (Lady Murasaki Shikibu) - Purple

 

Pilot Iroshizuku Kiri-same Ink (Misty Rain) - Grey (with the demise of Montblanc's Oyster Grey, this is now my go-to ink for my Montblanc)

 

The one thing that drew my concern when removing the 580AL pens from the case was how tightly the cap was tighten to the body, and how tightly the end cap was screwed down. Holy Cow, it took a lot of heft to loosen these items. At the back of my mind was the barrel cracking issues from the past. I know this issue was supposedly resolved or minimized, but over tightening these items to this degree (from the factory) can't be a good thing for the plastic barrel and threads. 

 

Tommy

 

 

 

 

How did you get the end cap off? I am really struggling to change the nibs.

[tommym]

On 5/5/2023 at 12:31 AM, tunney said:

How did you get the end cap off? I am really struggling to change the nibs.

Sorry, maybe my choice of words could have been clearer.  The end cap that I was referring to is the exposed cap of the piston assembly; the part that you twist to extend and retract the piston to draw ink into the barrel.  

 

Tommy

[inkstainedruth]

I have one 580-AL and one 580-ALR.  And the main difference between them (besides the trim color and the nib widths), is that the ALR has a grooved section, which makes it hard to wipe clean after filling the pen.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[ErrantSmudge]

On 5/8/2023 at 1:12 PM, inkstainedruth said:

I have one 580-AL and one 580-ALR.  And the main difference between them (besides the trim color and the nib widths), is that the ALR has a grooved section, which makes it hard to wipe clean after filling the pen.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I also find the grooved section on my ALR (the Prussian Blue) really slippery to hold.  I don't have an AL to compare with, but I think I would have been happier with the AL instead.

 

[taimdala]

On 5/8/2023 at 4:12 PM, inkstainedruth said:

I have one 580-AL and one 580-ALR.  And the main difference between them (besides the trim color and the nib widths), is that the ALR has a grooved section, which makes it hard to wipe clean after filling the pen.

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

 

I dislike dipping my pen into the ink for refilling. 

 

One of the features of the 580 that made me fall in love with it is the fact you can unscrew the section from the barrel and syringe-fill it from the top. 

 

You can also hot-swap the nib without first dumping the ink or writing the pen dry.

 

Either case: no muss, no fuss. ❤️

 

[Doc Dan]

I don't YET have an AL or ALR. I have both of the rose gold 580's (smoke and white). What wonderful writers! They are the best writing pens in my stable of pens, many much more expensive (which makes me question their purchases). Write on, brutha. (yes, this dates me).