Pilot Prera Demonstrator Vs Twsbi 580?

[OakIris]

I am trying to choose between the two pens listed in the title and wanted input from the knowledgeable folks here to help me decide which pen it should be. (I have a feeling I will eventually end up with both, but right now the budget says "Only one!")

 

Price-wise, the pens are comparable, though the Pilot Prera, if ordered directly from a seller in Japan, is at least $20 or so cheaper, including shipping, than the 580. The nibs I am most interested in are the 1.1 stub italic for the TWSBI and the CM nib - aka 1.0 stub Italic or calligraphy nib - for the Prera. In case you missed it in the title, I am looking at the clear (ignoring the inner cap anomaly) demonstrator version of the Prera.

 

I have a couple of TWSBI's already, a Micarta V.2 and a Mini, and also have some inexpensive Pilot pens - Metropolitans, 78G's and Varsities. I have had no problems with any of the pens and find the nibs to be very nice, smooth with good flow. I enjoy writing with them. (The mini is my EDC pen but the nib has a Pendleton butter-line stub grind on it so that sends the nib to the next level up, IMHO, not really a fair comparison to the stock nibs.)

 

Which of these pens, in your opinion, should be my next pen, and why do you feel this way? Comments about build quality, writing experience, ease of cleaning, etc., are all appreciated. Oh, and I do like to post the caps of my pens and from what I read posting the cap on the 580 is not recommended - looks and feels a bit awkward and makes the pen too long - while the Prera posts nicely, so comments on your experience with posting the pens would also be helpful.

 

Thank you!

 

Holly

[Kataphract]

These are both pens I have been looking at but haven't pulled the trigger on. The Prera has the advantage in price - about $20 as you note. The Twsbi smacks it all over the room on ink capacity, something not as vital for EF nibs but of more importance for something dumping out as much ink as a stub. The comments I have read on the Twsbi stub is that it seems to run wide for a 1.1 (owners please feel free to confirm or dispel that). I'd think the Mini was a closer match in size to the Prera, and it posts securely.

[Gloucesterman]

I have both pens and find them to be very different in many ways. The Prera is a lot smaller and lighter and holds let ink. In addition it's a Japanese nib (I have the fine) which may be slightly less fine than the TWSBI - EF that I have.

 

Personally I will easily pop my Prera in my pocket if I am heading out without a backpack or carrying case, whereby I rarely would do that with the TWSBI.

[FlyFast]

I've used both and own two Prera's, one with the CM nib. It is finer than some other italic/stubs but mine writes exceptionally well and is very smooth. I've tried a friends 1.1 Twisbi and it was ok but just ok. I vote for the Prera.

[Koyote]

I have two Pilots and both have been flawless. I have two TWSBIs and both are failures.

 

Plenty of other people have different experiences, but that is mine.

[pendexter]

These are both pens I have been looking at but haven't pulled the trigger on. The Prera has the advantage in price - about $20 as you note. The Twsbi smacks it all over the room on ink capacity, something not as vital for EF nibs but of more importance for something dumping out as much ink as a stub. The comments I have read on the Twsbi stub is that it seems to run wide for a 1.1 (owners please feel free to confirm or dispel that). I'd think the Mini was a closer match in size to the Prera, and it posts securely.

 

My 580 1.1 Stub was approximately the same width as a Lamy Safari 1.5 italic. Way wider than I expected...

 

The Lamy had more defined lines, while the TWSBI was more of a smooth stub. I ended up getting a TWSBI fine nib and putting the 1.1 nib away. I'll probably play around with it and try to get it down to a 'real' 0.9 mm italic one day...

 

I've never used the Prera, so can't comment much on that pen. But the TWSBI big... Comparing the dimensions between the two on Goulet's website, they are in separate classes...

 

Weight w/o cap: 7 grams (Prera) vs 14 grams (TWSBI)

Length w/o cap: 107 mm vs 130 mm

body diameter: 12 mm vs 13.3 mm.

 

Pilot has a better reputation for quality (especially their nibs) so you'll probably have an easier experience with the Pilot. However, it comes with a Con-50 converter, which is useless. you're gonna have to pay another $5 for a con-20 converter, or use a syringe to refill the cartridge.

 

The TWSBI is a piston fill, which I enjoy. It also comes with a wrench, which lets you diassemble the entire pen, which I enjoy doing on occasion.

 

Small granny smith vs large Fuji apples... same but different...

[DukenDuke]

For what it's worth....

 

Prera vs. TWSBI: Smaller and lighter, Finer nib (CM), Postable, Easy to Carry

TWSBI vs. Prera: More substantial feel, Broader 1.1 smooth nib, Larger ink capacity, Looks better (my opinion). Not Postable (technically you can post it, but it make the pen unwieldly)

 

Here's a suggestion, why don't you get the Prera and also buy a 1.1 nib for your TWSBI Mini? Best of both worlds?

 

Hope this helps......

 

[OakIris]

Thank you all for your responses. My decision is getting more difficult instead of easier, lol.

 

I knew that the Prera was considered a small pen, but for some reason I hadn't looked up the actual dimensions until Kataphract stated that the Prera was similar in size to the TWSBI Mini. I compared the Mini and the Prera on the Goulet Pens site and, of course, he was correct. I like them, but I was not looking for another pocket pen at this time so I may be ruling out the Prera after all, due to size alone. (Sometimes, size DOES matter. )

 

I also hadn't paid much attention to the fact that the Con50 converter held less ink than the Con20 (approximately .3 ml less;) buying the Con20 converter is an option, but what would that look like in clear demonstrator?!? Ugh - can't even see the ink! I do like piston filling pens better than C/C pens, and certainly a demonstrator with a C/C filling system is less appealing than one with a 'proper' filling system - I love seeing the ink sloshing about in my TWSBI Mini.

 

It looks as if the TWSBI 580 is winning this round. I should have thought this through a bit more as well as doing ALL of my homework before posting here. It is not likely that I will be able to find another piston-filling clear demonstrator at/near the same price point as the TWSBI 580, but I am going to look. Perhaps in my next thread I will be asking you to compare oranges to oranges instead of to apples!

 

Holly

Edited November 5, 2014 by OakIris

[TSherbs]

For what it's worth....

IMG_0004.JPG

 

Prera vs. TWSBI: Smaller and lighter, Finer nib (CM), Postable, Easy to Carry

TWSBI vs. Prera: More substantial feel, Broader 1.1 smooth nib, Larger ink capacity, Looks better (my opinion). Not Postable (technically you can post it, but it make the pen unwieldly)

 

Here's a suggestion, why don't you get the Prera and also buy a 1.1 nib for your TWSBI Mini? Best of both worlds?

 

Hope this helps......

 

?? The Mini is totally postable. The cap screws on to the back of the barrel.

[OakIris]

?? The Mini is totally postable. The cap screws on to the back of the barrel.

I believe DukenDuke was talking about the TWSBI 580, not the Mini.

 

Holly

[Zoe]

Interesting question. I would have voted for the 580, and you did. The Prera is a nice pen and easy to use, light weight, but as you have a mini this would be just as small.

[TSherbs]

I believe DukenDuke was talking about the TWSBI 580, not the Mini.

 

Holly

oh, my bad. I lost track through the thread of which TWSBI was being compared. The Prera isn't even close to a 580, so....

[OakIris]

oh, my bad. I lost track through the thread of which TWSBI was being compared. The Prera isn't even close to a 580, so....

 

I know, and that was MY bad - I didn't realize just how small the Prera was when I started this thread, so erroneously asked for a comparison between the Prera and 580 - apples to oranges, as I wrote previously.

 

Holly