Which Demonstrator Pen Should I Buy And Why?

[Miz Black Crow]

Hey guys. I'm thinking of branching out into the world of clear demonstrator pens, and looking for something both pretty and sturdy. You can see the options above for ideas of what I'm looking for: something inexpensive and dependable (price point is $50 or under).

 

I have a lot of experience with the Noodler's Ahab and really enjoy it (I own two), and am curious about the Konrad. But I also enjoy working with the Lamy Safaris that I own, though I made the mistake of buying two in the same color (and discovered that I dislike XF nibs; I really need to buy a wider nib for that second Safari). So having a Vista would not only give me a pretty demonstrator pen, but it would allow me to tell them apart VERY easily.

 

I've never handled a TWSBI pen, though I've heard a lot of good things about the 580 from places like Goulet, SBREBrown, and of course FPN. I would probably be buying one in M. Kind of hate the bright red logo, but the pens look to be amazing and would involve branching out. It's also the most expensive of the litter...

 

So what should I get, guys? Stay with what I know and like? Go for the least expensive? Take the plunge on a brand I've never tried? Let me know what you think!

 

"Vote early and vote often" -- Al Capone

[FountainPages]

Never been fond of demonstrators. To me, they look like cheap plastic. I have had a couple TWSBI Mini's in black and clear but all have cracked and are unusable.

Edited February 15, 2015 by FountainPages

[benbot517]

The TWSBI 580 is my workhorse pen. Super comfortable in hand unposted. TWSBIs have had problems with cracking in the past, but the majority of issues (from what I hear) are resolved in the 580.

[Notgatherox]

TWSBI 580 - and if you don't like the logo, get the USA one, which has the American flag instead of the TWSBI logo.

 

 

 

 

~Epic

[DonLeone]

Lamy vista is pretty cool but the red converter is distracting. Get the black one, it apparently fits just as well. I have one, behaves just like any other lamy safari or alstar.

 

The Shiny LAMY logo on the barrel wears off over time, making it look weathered.

 

The ink itself is not all that visible. You have a part of the section, some threading, the weird ink window holes, etc. kind of covering up the ink.

 

Lamy vista:

• Be aware the two different colors of converter
• Being a demonstrator, doesn't actually have much to show off
• As a demonstrator, has threading in front of part of the converter
• For some reason the ink window was kept on this pen while it clearly isn't needed.
• Ink window and other holes in the barrel prevent it from being used as eyedropper
• Built like a tank.
• Interior not that interesting.
• Molded grip.
• Nib is pretty good for a steel one. Very reliable.
• Can be taken apart for cleaning.
• Never started any conversations or managed to steer away from dreaded small talk. "My pen is awesome." "Yep, looks like a pen to me, so where are you really from?" "Uranus -.-"

 

The TWSBI 580 has this diamond thing going on and shows off the insides much better than the Vista imo. I only have the AL version so far. AL stands for aluminium version. It has more shiny stuff inside. The diamond thing I mentioned means it spreads light around that passes through it. So you get a little bit of a light show if you put it on a table or play with the light a bit.

 

It seems the logo and text is laser engraved into the metal parts so they don't seem to wear off.

 

The ink is prominently visible, which shows off the huge ink capacity and the ink itself. Even with just standard Lamy Blue ink it looks pretty cool.(I always fill all pens with lamy blue to benchmark their performance, before using a different color)

 

It does a very good job at demonstrating the inner workings of the pen, which is, afaik, what demonstrators were made for in the first place. Because it has the piston mechanism, there's actually something interesting to look at.

 

It's a newish company though and there seems to be a large proportion of damage reports involving cracks. In a recent video, SBREBrown pleaded to please use better plastic. Gourmet Pens herself reported a disproportionate amount of damaged pens of previous iterations (530/540). I only have one and it hasn't failed me yet. I feel I should put emphasis on "yet". On the other hand, I can say the same things about my Watermen. Of the 4 Waterman pens I'm staring at now, 3 didn't work properly when I got em. Of the 4 parkers lying next to the watermen, 3 didn't work properly when I got them either. The reports on TWSBI issues should be further nuanced by the fact that most of the people buying them, are probably internets FP aficionados. We're more likely to complain about stuff online than euhm, whatchamacall em... "regular pen users" <8]

 

The TWSBI has a lot of parts, threads, pressure points, etc. So someone who handles them in a rough manner would probably break them. If not by slamming the pen down as some people like to do, then maybe by overtightening. I personally cringe when I hear people opening a threaded cap pen and it does this "crick". I feel sorry for the pen. Poor baby <8[

 

I tend to use my pens lately to steer conversations towards something more interesting. I'm one of them small-talk haters. I tend to think about (supposedly) Eleanor Roosevelt's quote "Small minds talk about people, average about events, great minds about ideas" and try to change from horrendous small-talk about the weather or someone's attitude or weight to something way more interesting through association and lateral thinking. For example: "yeah it's only a steel nib but for a steel nib it's pretty good, see the very small amount of springiness? Gold nibs tend to have that a bit more, like Lamy nibs, ever heard of those? Gold price been going up though, usually happens during recessions and depressions" Convo can go to for example, fear buying, human behaviour, psychology, etc. to maybe greece, the European Central bank, politics, to maybe metallurgy, old timey stuff, great writers, ideas of those great writers. Last TWSBI-convo was about gold content in 14-18-24k, whether it is a good idea to invest in jewelry (it's bad).

 

This last conversation starting/redirecting property of the TWSBI Diamond is a very important property not that many pens have. Sure any FP is an FP and to non-FP users is either strange or just an FP. A Sonnet looks like a fountain pen; an hémisphere looks like an FP; a 149 looks like an FP. A TWSBI looks like a machine with a red eye and a cool looking liquid inside of it. I'd even say kudos on the smoke inner-cap that requires a second look to see it houses an FP nib.

 

TWSBI Diamond 580 (AL)

• Red logo on cap isn't that distracting
• Being a true demonstrator, has cool stuff to show off and demonstrates it well
• Big ink capacity which makes it a great epic writing pen of epic writings. Think written essay exams. You won't worry about running out of ink. (I have an F nibbed one)
• Probably not built like a tank. Maybe built more like a banana. You can slide a banana into your bag but you can't really sit on it... Or maybe built more like an IPhone. Get a reinforced pen pouch.
• Interior extremely interesting, maybe more so on an AL one.
• Metal grip but brushed/matted so not slippery.
• Nib is incredibly good for a steel one.
• Can be taken apart for cleaning.
• Seems to catch people's eye more easily and is great at making people stop asking stupid questions.

 

If I had to choose between a vista and a twsbi... or 2 vistas and 1 twsbi, considering price, I'd take the twsbi. If I had to take it into a rough work environment (less desk, more location stuff or crappy small desks like a school) then maybe a Vista but I'd get the twsbi anyway.

[Consulting_Detective]

Well, to my understanding, the TWSBI is 56 Dollars... or I could be wrong, but anyway... I hand my vote for the TWSBI because I personally like the looks alot, holds alot of ink, and their nibs are extra smooth (I own a EF-580 myself and I use it all the time for notes and such).

 

-RTMC

[benay148]

For a demonstrator I really like the Nemosine Singularity. It is under 20 bucks on amazon and they come in some interesting nibs. They are really easy to disassemble and clean, come with a converter and take any #6 nib you want to throw on it. Not to mention it can easily be converted into an eyedropper and have an ink capacity that will put any twisbi to shame.

 

-BP

[wspohn]

Be a big spender and reach out for a much nicer pen.

 

I recommend a Sailor 1911 Demo - great nibs.

 

I bought one on ebay a few years ago for $125. I see one for $150 BIN at the moment

Edited February 15, 2015 by wspohn

[Freddy]

Be a big spender and reach out for a much nicer pen.

 

I recommend a Sailor 1911 Demo - great nibs.

 

I bought one on ebay a few years ago for $125. I see one for $150 BIN at the moment

For your consideration....

I echo what Bill suggested..in Sailor 1911 Demo in medium or large size..

 

Outstanding nibs out of the box...

 

Fred

 

[Tasmith]

Love my Pelikan M200 demonstrator. Great to see how everything works and where the ink can hide during cleaning. Great writer and the nibs are easily swapped out. Got mine on sale for just about $100 a year ago at the Pen Boutique.

 

They have a blue M205 demonstrator on sale right now for $88.

 

http://www.penboutique.com/p-5125-pelikan-demo-m205-blue-fountain-pen.aspx

Edited February 15, 2015 by Tasmith

[WaskiSquirrel]

It goes against everything in me because I love the brand, but I would not buy a Noodler's Konrad demonstrator. In my experience, they look great when new, but they get scratched, they stain, and they end up looking bad when they get old. The colored demonstrators are a lot nicer.

 

TWSBI makes some attractive demonstrators and the Mini and 580 are both in your price range.

 

I like the Kaweco pens, and they have some demonstrators, though you'll likely be limited to cartridges: the converter is a pain. The Lamy pens are also pretty nice, so you could try the Lamy Vista.

[fountainpenlady]

TWSBI 580 - and if you don't like the logo, get the USA one, which has the American flag instead of the TWSBI logo.

 

 

 

 

~Epic

I am in a similar frame of mind, in that I am interested in purchasing one final pen for a while. I too keep hearing things about the TWSBI. I use an extra fine nib exclusively and planning on purchasing the one you mention. It doesn't hurt I live in a military town, often go on base and think it would be a nice way to show pride.

[Miz Black Crow]

Has anyone had any experience with the Monteverde Artista Crystal? Damn that SBREBrown for expanding my search....

[ac12]

Have a Vista and a TWSBI 530.

 

I would go for the TWSBI 580, cuz you can see the ink easier and better than on the Vista.

 

TWSBI 580

• Because the ink is in the barrel, you can see the ink easier and better than on the Vista where it is in a converter in the barrel.
• But this is also a negative, if the ink stains the pen barrel, it is stained.
• The TWSBI was not designed for posting. When I post on the 530, the pen becomes tail heavy and unbalanced. So I use my 530 unposted, and hold the cap in my left hand.
• The 580 is version 3 of the TWSBI pens. I think they got some/most of problems of the 530/540 fixed in the 580.
• The traditional nib on the 580 gives you the option of finding a different nib (like a Pelikan) and swapping nibs.
• The TWSBI is a screw cap pen. Some people don't like or do well with screw cap pens.

Vista

• Because the ink is in a converter, you can't see the ink as easily as you can with the TWSBI.
• With a converter, if the ink stains the converter, you can simply replace the converter with a new one, stain gone.
• As was mentioned, you should get the converter with the BLACK knob. The plastic is clear and easy to see the ink, the red knob converter uses a frosted plastic converter tube. The black knob is less attention grabbing than the red knob of the Safari converter.
• Lamy replacement nibs are cheaper than TWSBI replacement nibs ($13 vs. $20).
• The Lamy nibs are unique to Lamy, you cannot use other nibs on the Vista.
• The Vista gives you the option of using cartridges, if you travel, and don't want to hassle with a bottle of ink.
• Unless you write a horrendous amount during the day, I don't see the smaller ink capacity of the Lamy converter as being a negative.

Comments for both pens.

• If you decide you don't like the nib on the pen, replacement nibs are available for both pens, so that is not an issue. XF, F, M, B, 1.1, 1.5, 1.9(Lamy only)
• On both pens, because you can see how much ink you have, you can refill ahead of time.

[LionRoar]

I don't know about those pens. I like my Pilot Prera. It has a very nice feel to it, just like a Pelikan M200 but without the annoying threads on the grip section.

 

But as someone said above about demonstrators, it looks like a cheap plastic pen and not worth the $40+ it costs.

 

(Note: I see that you can buy the non-demonstrator Preras at Amazon for under $30, but they come without a converter.)

Edited February 15, 2015 by LionRoar

[23Larsen]

One more vote for the Diamond 580.

 

I don´t normally like demonstrators. Like many others i find them kind of cheap-looking. The 580 is the only one that actually looks nice in my opinion.

Usually i prefer CC-fillers, but in a demonstrator i can't really imagine anything other than a piston-filler. I love seeing the ink slosh around in there. I have had mine for 8-9 months now and i take it with me everywhere. Basically its been exposed to much more wear than any other pen i have. No cracks, no scratches or problems of any sort.

 

If you know how to tune nibs you can really get those jowo nibs to shine!

[parnesh]

TWSBI if you are on the budget. However for me the best value pen currently has to be the Pilot Custom Heritage 92. You can get these for about $100 + shipping. A great demonstrater with great out of the box gold nibs that fits in between TWSBI and the pelikan m200.

[Miz Black Crow]

First, I want to say thank you to everyone who's commented so far, especially Gary and Don Zardeone, for their pretty epic side-by-side comparison of the Vista and the 580. Waski, your warning against Noodler's comes as a surprise; I know how much you love them (it's a love we share); I will take it seriously. Benay, thank you for suggesting the Nemosine! It's a nice surprise to find another demonstrator under $15 (the only other one I can think of down there is the Nib Creaper). It may very well join another pen as a two-pen purchase.

 

I appreciate the thoughts of everyone who are suggesting pens that are more expensive, but many of the suggestions are hitting double my stated price range. I'd like to keep things affordable, please. Not all of us can afford to be "big spenders", as much as I'm sure we'd all like to be. I'll open the price cap up to $75, but please, unless you know a place to buy these pens *new* for under $75, I'm going to ask you to keep your suggestions within the price window.

 

Remember, a pretty clear demonstrator pen is no good without also being able to also buy pretty inks to put in it....

Let the voting continue!

[Runnin_Ute]

The only demonstrater I have is the 580. I wasn't sure how I would like it for a long time. Tried out one on the loaner program. That was all it took to convince me. I got one with a B nib. It gets used almost daily.

[FOUR X FOUR]

The LAMY Vista and the TWSBI 580 are both great choices. I'd give a slight edge to the 580. Why don't you throw caution and 20 bucks more to the wind and a TWSBI Vac 700? Or, eat Ramen noodles for the next month and buy all three?

 

I just noticed that you asked for a strict 75 dollar limit. The TWSBI VAC 700 is by and away the best demonstrator for 70 bucks. You seem pretty stoked about getting one of these.if you go with the 700 I'll cover your shipping.

Edited February 16, 2015 by FOUR X FOUR