Jump to content

TWSBI: Vac Mini vs "Regular" Mini: What's the difference?

lectraplayer

By lectraplayer
in Fountain & Dip Pens - First Stop

 Share

Recommended Posts

lectraplayer Extremely Rare

lectraplayer

Posted
Posted

I noticed on Goulet that the Vac Mini is now on stock and there is now a non-Vac version of the Mini, or at least the name Vac is not in the title. From what I can tell by looking at the photos and specs, it looks like the same thing. Is the "Regular" Mini the new name for the Vac Mini or is there an actual difference? Are both still the smaller sibling of the 700R?

If it isn't too bright for you, it isn't bright enough for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 12
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • lectraplayer

    5

  • Misfit

    3

  • Runnin_Ute

    1

  • jccebollero

    1

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Runnin_Ute Museum Piece

Runnin_Ute

Posted
Posted

They are different filling systems. The "regular" mini is a piston filled pens, while the "vac mini" is vacuum filled.  A piston fill pen has a piston attached to a rod that you twist the knob on the end to draw ink into the pen. A vac filled pen is a push-pull system that creates a pressure difference in order to fill the pen. My only vac filler is a vintage (1940's) Parker Vacumatic but I have multiple piston fill pens from Pelikan,  TWSBI among others. 

Brad

"Words are, of course, the most powerful drug used by mankind" - Rudyard Kipling
"None of us can have as many virtues as the fountain-pen, or half its cussedness; but we can try." - Mark Twain

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lectraplayer Extremely Rare

lectraplayer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

So basically Eco with a different look?

 

If it isn't too bright for you, it isn't bright enough for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
jccebollero New

jccebollero

Posted
Posted

The regular mini is the sibling of the diamond 580. It has the piston filling mechanism that is also compatible with the Twsbi inkwell. The only vacuum filler I have is the Pilot Custom 823. Twsbi has some interesting portable inkwells for their vacuum line. I wish they made something similar for the 580s. I know those pens hold a lot of ink, but if you’re traveling on an art expedition, you’re going to need extra ink.
 

Anyway, regular mini is piston filling and the vac, well it’s a vacuum filler…

Link to comment
Share on other sites
WalterC Rare

WalterC

Posted
Posted

The TWSBI classic mini is slightly smaller than the vac mini in most dimensions (Goulet has detailed dimensions).  The  vac mini has a large ink capacity for a small pen (vac mini 1.98ml, classic mini 1.17ml). The classic mini is also called the Diamond mini.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lectraplayer Extremely Rare

lectraplayer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

I guess related, have they discontinued the Vac Mini or something? I'm not finding it now except on the Bay of E.

If it isn't too bright for you, it isn't bright enough for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Misfit Museum Piece

Misfit

Posted
Posted

The Vac Mini is still on the TWSBI website. I was looking at it before I saw this post. Both the Vac Mini and Diamond Mini have metal parts, so not like the Eco. They are at least $20 more than an Eco. 
 

Both the Vac Mini and Diamond Mini have caps that screw on to post. I’ve found the Vac Mini is harder to get a full fill unless you have the Vac 20A ink bottle. It really helps getting the pen full, and works with the Vac as well. 
 

There are more color choices with the Diamond Mini. 

spacer.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lectraplayer Extremely Rare

lectraplayer

Posted
  • Author
Posted
10 hours ago, Misfit said:

The Vac Mini is still on the TWSBI website. I was looking at it before I saw this post. Both the Vac Mini and Diamond Mini have metal parts, so not like the Eco. They are at least $20 more than an Eco. 
 

Both the Vac Mini and Diamond Mini have caps that screw on to post. I’ve found the Vac Mini is harder to get a full fill unless you have the Vac 20A ink bottle. It really helps getting the pen full, and works with the Vac as well. 
 

There are more color choices with the Diamond Mini. 

I'm not sure why, but the normal stomping grounds I go to for finding pens don't have the Vac Mini for some reason. They might have one listing but it's showing sold out. ...though I'll plus 1 the inkwell. I have a couple and find them quite handy. There's also a couple of my other pens those fit as well. ...though I also like the Diamond inkwell as well, and intend to get a couple more before long.

If it isn't too bright for you, it isn't bright enough for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
lectraplayer Extremely Rare

lectraplayer

Posted
  • Author
Posted

Hmm... Hopefully that means the outage is temporary. 

If it isn't too bright for you, it isn't bright enough for me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
TSherbs Donor Pen

TSherbs

Posted
Posted
On 2/27/2026 at 3:22 PM, WalterC said:

The TWSBI classic mini is slightly smaller than the vac mini in most dimensions (Goulet has detailed dimensions).  The  vac mini has a large ink capacity for a small pen (vac mini 1.98ml, classic mini 1.17ml). The classic mini is also called the Diamond mini.

 

My memory also claims that the sections were slightly different in size and shape. But I have not seen the vac-Mini in some time, and my memory, well....

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Misfit Museum Piece

Misfit

Posted
Posted

Here are the TWSBI Diamond Mini on the left, and Vac Mini on the right. Both are the clear versions. 
 

large.IMG_2261.jpeg.589400d88d1921440354ee7218f5064d.jpeg

spacer.png

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43972
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      35606
    3. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      31488
    4. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    5. Bo Bo Olson
      Bo Bo Olson
      27747

  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Misfit
      On my second trip to Japan in seven months, while the going is good

      By Misfit · Posted

      Oh to have that translucent pink Prera! @migo984 has the Oeste series named after birds. There is a pink one, so I’m assuming Este is the same pen as Oeste.    Excellent haul. I have some Uniball One P pens. Do you like to use them? I like them enough, but don’t use them too much yet.    Do you or your wife use Travelers Notebooks? Seeing you were at Kyoto, I thought of them as there is a store there. 
    • A Smug Dill
      On my second trip to Japan in seven months, while the going is good

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      It's not nearly so thick that I feel it comprises my fine-grained control, the way I feel about the Cross Peerless 125 or some of the high-end TACCIA Urushi pens with cigar-shaped bodies and 18K gold nibs. Why would you expect me or anyone else to make explicit mention of it, if it isn't a travesty or such a disappointment that an owner of the pen would want to bring it to the attention of his/her peers so that they could “learn from his/her mistake” without paying the price?
    • szlovak
      On my second trip to Japan in seven months, while the going is good

      By szlovak · Posted

      Why nobody says that the section of Tuzu besides triangular shape is quite thick. Honestly it’s the thickest one among my many pens, other thick I own is Noodler’s Ahab. Because of that fat section I feel more control and my handwriting has improved. I can’t say it’s comfortable or uncomfortable, but needs a moment to accommodate. It’s funny because my school years are long over. Besides this pen had horrible F nib. Tines were perfectly aligned but it was so scratchy on left stroke that collecte
    • stylographile
      Bits and bobs to bring with me to in-person meets

      By stylographile · Posted

      Awesome! I'm in the process of preparing my bag for our pen meet this weekend and I literally have none of the items you mention!! I'll see if I can find one or two!
    • inkstainedruth
      My notes and advice on fountain pen cleaning

      By inkstainedruth · Posted

      @asota -- Yeah, I think I have a few rolls in my fridge that are probably 20-30 years old at this point (don't remember now if they are B&W or color film) and don't even really know where to get the film processed, once the drive through kiosks went away....  I just did a quick Google search and (in theory) there was a place the next town over from me -- but got a 404 error message when I tried to click on the link....  Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth 

  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More

  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...