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Hi, I was thinking about buying my first TWSBI pen and I'm confused about which one I should buy. I've shortlisted the TWSBI Eco, TWSBI 580 and TWSBI Vac 700. If it were up to you, which pen would you buy and recommend?

I am trying to think a little ahead, here, and get an idea of a goal I want to start shooting for. I am thinking of getting my next fountain pen in the $50-$100 range in the next several months. Currently I own a Pilot Metro (F), Pilot 78G (B ), and a TWSBI Eco (EF). I tend to write small, and generally with about a 50 degree angle to the page. Eventually I would like to own both a VP and a Lamy 2000. So, here's the dilemma: neither the VP with a gold nib, nor the Lamy 2k are in the desired price range right now, so they'll probably be a couple years out. I am both a student, and a full-time employee in a law office. Piston-fillers and a super-easy deployment both have a lot of draw for me. I can get the TWSBI in the States for around the $50-$70 range, depending on model, and I can get that "Special Alloy" VP shipped from Japan for around $90. I have been stalking reviews on both for months now, but I am having a really hard time picking one over the other. It's also nice to think I can swap out nib units for either if I want to switch (in the case of both) or upgrade (in the case of the VP). Do any of you have experience with both? Preferences for one over the other (and why)? The pen will be used as my edc, the daily go-to for notes and dictation in the office, light notes for school, and my future "Ink Tests for the Common Office" reviews. Right now, my Eco with the EF nib is lasting between one and two weeks per fill, and I am not bothered by having to fill more often. Any help would be greatly appreciated.

All, I'm in a dilemma with my current TWSBI pen. Bottom line: I have a Vac Mini which I enjoy but am wondering if I would appreciate a 580 more. I love the design of most of TWSBI's pens (Precision notwithstanding...) and I like having a demonstrator with swappable nib units (though I have yet to buy an extra). As for the Vac Mini itself, I do enjoy the novelty of the plunger/vacuum filling system though it's not a selling point to me, and the nib writes very well. But...my Vac mini has been very "fiddly" which I don't love: the plunger knob keeps coming off when I unscrew it despite my best efforts and help from Philip Wang on how to reattach. I had to order new barrel O-rings because one just fell off, so it doesn't post well at the moment, and it's a PITA to clean. I bought it as a "travel pen" and the one time I flew with it, I had ink leak significantly despite a full fill, ink chamber sealed, and storing it nib-up (thankfully it was in a Ziploc bag). Finally, it's reasonably comfortable to write with posted (I have relatively small hands), I don't find myself reaching for it because of the effort to post/unpost constantly when writing, and the section is a bit narrow. Do any of you own both a 580 and a Vac Mini? If so let me know if you think I'd enjoy the 580 more over the Vac based on my issues with it -- I've made a decision to self-limit my pen collection so this would be a "swap" -- I'd likely sell or trade the Vac Mini to any interested and buy a 580. I don't like the look of the Vac 700 but am reconsidering it as well. ~AK

Do you have any pen and ink recommendations for book signings? My book of poetry just came out, and I've done two books signings with my Platinum Plaisir (fine) and Noodler's Baystate Blue. It actually worked out great, but I'd like to try out some other colors and would like to use some nicer pens. I'm a fairly new fountain pen collector, and I'm just starting to experiment with nicer pens. About my experience with the Plaisir/Baystate combo: I loved the bright color, it dried quickly (even though it's not supposed to be fast drying), and didn't smear. The Plaisir did fine, but being a cheaper pen, it writes scratchy. I do have some nicer pens, but I was worried the Baystate Blue would stain the pen (so I didn't have to be concerned if it stained the inexpensive Plaisir). Here are the other pens I have: TWSBI 580AL (M) - Love this pen---ink doesn't dry out in pen if I leave it in a long time, but I think the M nib might be too broad for book signings, and I'm afraid it would be prone to smear/not dry quickly enough. Pilot Urban Premium (M) - Same feelings as about the TWSBI. Noodler's Ahab, Konrad flex, Konrad flex Essex acrylic: I like the Ahab and Flex acrylic, but they are prone to leaking at the nibs and sometimes putting out too much ink. Not happy with the Essex--not reliable, leaks, inconsistent look on paper. Platinum Plaisir (F) - Doesn't dry out in pen, not afraid it will get stained or stolen---but it's scratchy to write with. Pilot Metropolitans (F & M) - Pretty pens, but dry out quickly, nibs get damaged easily, and the writing scratchiness is inconsistent. I went a little crazy on eBay and just got these pens---but I'm nervous about what inks to use in them. Visconti Van Gogh Starry Night - M Platinum Chartres 3776 - F What do you recommend? What types of ink should I look for (dries quickly, water resistant?)? I liked the look of Baystate Blue---but is it safe to use in more expensive pens? I also tend to like purples and teal/turquoise. Nib size? Are there be other types of fountain pens I should consider? Thanks!

HI. I am a school teacher working and living in South Korea. I have three pens: a TWSBI 580, Pelican M800, an artisan turned deer-horn IPN and a Shaefer Calligraphy pen from the set I got when I was 13 years old. I started to use fountain pens regularly in University where I would buy $1 fountain pens in lots of five since one or two in every five would work. Nowadays, I usually use my TWSBI to go to work and the Pelican at home. I like that Pelican so much that I rarely take it out since I often misplace sunglasses and fountain pens. Also the cleaning ladies in Korean Universities are relentless about pocketing anything left behind....sunglasses, coffee tumblers, even my class logs...you can't leave anything behind. I've lost two Lamys, a Pelicano and another cheaper Pelican to these ladies. ... anyway they are fine people, you just hvae to be careful when leaving the room....if they clean it, anything not bolted down goes. So looking forward to using this forum. Colin

OMAS as you already know is a 90 year old Italian manufacturer of fine writing instruments and related luxury goods. Founded in 1925, it does carry the name of its founder, Armando Simoni. OMAS as it is, stands for Officina Meccanica Armando Simoni, which means workshop for machinery And initially from 1919 - 1925 this workshop had been producing parts and safety mechanisms for pens.. OMAS had launched its first fountain pen in 1927 and had also copied Duofolds for a while. The turning point for the company came in 1932 with the Omas Extra, a faceted celluloid pen. Today, OMAS is no longer a 100% Italian company as it was earlier, after international acquisitions, first with the French LVMH stake in 2000 and then a 90% controlling equity investment of the Hong Kong based luxury conglomerate Xinyu Hengdeli Group in 2007. Below is a link to this review on my blog with more eye-candy . So here it goes: Omas Art Vision Review As for the Arte Italiana Collection, the twelve faceted or dodecagonal pens were first launched in 1930s and they never got out of fashion over all these years. In Italy it’s called Faccettata, which is also representative of Greek Doric Columns. The Vision along with Milord and a larger Paragon belong to the same collection. They are still assembled in Omas boutique job shop one after the other, manually. The Vision comes in two distinct designs - Liquid Blue & Liquid Green limited to 331 pieces per colour. However these pieces are not individually numbered like the Ogiva Vintage runs. Liquid Blue comes trimmed with bright rhodium decor while Liquid Green is trimmed with dark ruthenium decor. The colours are inspired from watercolour shades. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-rwB2R_oPcX4/Vebk2XYHZdI/AAAAAAAAFXc/1dU-X7ggqak/s1600/1Designs.jpg PRESENTATION The Art Vision comes in a luxurious cardboard box encased within a silvery grey paper box. The heavy box is inlined with grey felt resembling the shades of steel grey. Once you remove the top cover, you can find the pen nesting inside a grey pen sleeve, placed on a custom made bed. The inside of the lid muses with the following motto customary to Omas: Italian Creativity, History, Craftsmanship. The Pleasure of Writing. Once you flip open the velvety separator, you would notice that there are two beds for two of your pens. Underneath rest the manuals and warranty card for this pen in a separate section. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-KtUuS-0Y-wg/VeblYyOvHKI/AAAAAAAAFZE/79L3CKGNrVA/s1600/box2.jpg DESIGN - THE SONG OF DARK & EMERALD (6/6) It’s the Game of Thrones playing in my mind or these colours of liquid green and dark ruthenium play a beautiful symphony of light and dark. These pens are made of Omas proprietary Cotton Resin which constitutes of blended cotton seeds and resin polymer derivatives. The cotton resin feels quite substantial and does reflect a luxury in its own terms of rendering hues. The entire pen gleams with emerald tunes, entrapped within hushed darkness of ruthenium giving something that is not very common to this world of art. You can actually visualise the pen as a doric column which separated long ago and fell right into your palms. The clip gleams like an arc quite subservient to an emerald haze. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ragZY5aUAho/Vebk9mVwxeI/AAAAAAAAFXs/iT_R5_AXqHU/s1600/DSC_5849.jpg The piston knob concludes the structure with a raised dome. The cap feels light and unscrews with a single turn, revealing a dark ruthenium plated nib converging with gleaming shades of its metallic section. It reminds me of my gun-metal frames. The section starts with a dodecagonal structure (12 sides) stepping down for commencement of the efficient threads before tapering down to a comfortable grip section, before ending with a raised loop. These are the times when soulful geometry transforms into art. I did not find the grip uncomfortable or slippery and I hold the pen 0.4 - 0.5 cm above the nib. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-HtVo0taFm3k/VeblKWrDUyI/AAAAAAAAFYY/SlThMQlpxdc/s1600/DSC_5863.jpg Now in case you are wondering about palladium, rhodium and ruthenium icing, along with some silver cake, here goes a picture. The other one (m625) has a silver section, coated with palladium along with a rhodium coated nib. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-8ykeiq8Kqy8/VeblGlyDApI/AAAAAAAAFX8/BeNvKoeSwGk/s1600/DSC_5869.jpg The clip acquires the shape of a convex arc before ending with a tender concavity. It has the OMAS classic roller disc (since the 1930s) which slips and secures the pen in your pocket. The finial has a dome like the piston knob and its polygonal planes define triangular precision finally being betrothed to the famous OMAS O dazzling subtly in dark ruthenium. You can see the distinct outlines of the cap insert. The centre band is engraved with OMAS and ITALY at either ends, interlocked with an architectural pattern known as the Greek key or Meandros. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-Fln51t2uEzg/VeblZS_bRtI/AAAAAAAAFZM/UtGH4GfPblE/s1600/cap.jpg FILLING SYSTEM (5/6) The piston filling system has a sturdy but small knob and is embellished with what seems to be a single loop. The knob requires three turns for the piston to move to its end stop which reveals the loop to be a part of the piston connector. The piston is smooth and efficiently draws ink from the bottle. The piston end does go down inside the metallic grip section of the pen while filling ink, which provides the additional ink capacity compared to the similar cartridge/converter model of the Milord models. The barrel along with the grip provides a decent ink capacity of 1.2-1.4 mL http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-ZcK9uDBWbk8/VeblJ7_r6II/AAAAAAAAFYQ/F5WehzFwoxY/s1600/DSC_5920.jpg NIB - ALL THAT MATTERS (5/6) The nib comes rhodiated or rutheniated in 14k (Extra Flessible ones) or 18k alloys across four stock widths - EF (14k, Extra-Flessible), F (14k, Extra-Flessible), F & M and seven special widths - BB, OM, OMD, OBD, OBBD, Stub & Italic (untipped). This has a 18k semi-flex and comparatively responsive nib with the usual shaded geometries of the Milord/Paragon series. The size M is mentioned on the wings of the nib while the gold content is mentioned towards the tail. The content resides within an elongated hexagon. It’s kind of hard to describe the parallel hatching and geometrical patterns on the nib and you can see it for yourself. It has got some thick inclined hatching around the breather hole with OMAS branding residing in between the symmetry of it, and thinner lines of straight hatch and plains keep recurring as you move towards either of the tines. The nib is a darling to write with. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-OYydDE20yew/VeblJjtJEEI/AAAAAAAAFYI/ETlXcPzKJKg/s1600/DSC_5936.jpg The heat set black ebonite feed has thinly spaced fins and two capillaries which ensure a good ink buffer and an extremely wet ink flow. Ebonite attract water (these are hydrophilic) as opposed to hydrophobic plastics which repel water, thereby wetting it more efficiently under the nib. Having said this, I find my plastic pelikan feeds even more efficient in this regard. http://1.bp.blogspot.com/-56Cm-GHTpXM/VeblLJIYzYI/AAAAAAAAFYc/7bIhFrpWbYQ/s1600/DSC_5961.jpg PHYSICS OF IT (6/6) – RELATIVELY SPEAKING For me, this pen is very comfortable for writing without posting the cap. The overall uncapped length is around 13.2 cm, with a decent girth of more than 1 cm. Cap has heft and weighs a third of the total weight. The section is dark and metallic with the signature ruthenium coating although I did not find it slippery as such. The section feels quite substantial along with the cotton resin and I happen to grip the pen around 0.4-0.5 cm away from the nib. Its does feel a delight to write with, simply with the responsive nib. It’s a heavy and long pen to post and you may not prefer posting the Vision. Closed Length ~ 14.5 cmPosted Length ~ 17.7 cmNib Leverage ~ 2.4 cmOverall Weight ~ 33 g (without ink, Cap ~ 11 g)Capped and uncapped comparisons with a TWSBI 580 and a Pilot Custom 823 go below for your reference. http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-PAKrd4EbDuY/VeblSHBosxI/AAAAAAAAFYo/cL8P8mDnd5o/s1600/DSC_5972.jpg http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-jtl9O4qfY74/VeblSKnTcGI/AAAAAAAAFYs/zCzzTTslBEY/s1600/DSC_5992.jpg ECONOMIC VALUE (3/6) The Visions retail at USD 495 and I am not sure if it’s a good or bad price since I do not usually find Omas pens selling at great discounts. I had a got a good, I will say steep discount from my longtime local distributor/reseller on this one. Since I have a lot of blue demos with rhodium trims, I rather went ahead with this song of dark and emerald. After the steep discount, the pen again could not make sure of value for money, but let’s not judge a piece of Art by monetary values alone! OVERALL (5/6) These 18k nibs are extremely smooth, somewhat flexible with a very wet flow. A little pressure increases the ink flow and results in thicker lines. The horizontal lines are a tad thinner than the verticals. I am not allured by flex, partly because of my bad handwriting, but I can assure these are delightfully soft and springy nibs, the best perhaps for a long long time. Being extremely wet writers out of the box, the Medium nib puts a line which takes around 30 seconds to dry GvFC Moss Green ink on MD Paper. Go for it, if you love this pen, substantial, differentiated & limited (331) with a befitting nib! http://3.bp.blogspot.com/-GblHlov2XAc/VeblUPJPe6I/AAAAAAAAFY0/Qp6MI6AlW7I/s1600/DSC_5998.jpg OTHER DEMONSTRATOR REVIEWS Pilot Custom 823 Pelikan m605 Pelikan m625 Pilot Custom Heritage 92 TWSBI 580 REFERENCES Omas Art Vision Manufacturing Process Steps Factory Visit Greek key Thank you for going through the review. You can find some more pen and paraphernalia reviews here.

My first review here at FPN. After reading a lot about the TWSBI pens on FPN, I was really tempted to try one of them. So, I purchased the recently released TWSBI Diamond 580 with a medium nib (and later on bought an EF nib too) directly from TWSBI. The pen cost me $80 ($50+$30 for shipping). An aside, noticed today that the TWSBI website has increased the shipping cost by $10, which means, you may have to shell out nearly as much as the pen if you are from India, like me. Edit: as pointed by hari317 below, the shipping rate is still $30 (when not logged in through a mobile) Coming back to the pen, the first time I wrote, I was blown away by the smoothness of the pen. The medium nib is really that smooth. And though I feared that the pen might be huge, looking at the images, but never felt so after actually handling it for a while. Also, I found the grip of the pen very pleasing and now, I am really comfortable with the length, grip as well as the weight of the pen. But my initial pleasure of using such a smooth nib vanished very quickly as the nib skipped a LOT and got dry very soon. I wrote to TWSBI and Philip Wang was quick to respond, asking me to press the nib using my thumb and index finger to stop the skipping issue. I followed that but didn't find much of a difference, but when I followed what TWSBI has demonstrated on their , I was surprisingly able to correct the issue and pen never skipped afterwards. With regard to the drying of the pen, unfortunately, the issue still persists, The solution, though not entirely pleased with it, is turning the piston knob to push the ink and then do it again after about a page. Meaning, if you are using the pen for longer periods, this might be bit of an irritation. When it comes to the extra fine nib, I had requested Philip Wang to test it and make sure that the nib doesn't skip, and then ship it. Thanks to TWSBI, my EF nib never skipped, but unfortunately, even that faced the same drying issue. After about a page, the nib/feed started getting very dry. Apart from that, the EF nib is, naturally, not as smooth as Medium and was too dry for my liking. So, followed the same method suggested by TWSBI, mentioned earlier, to make it wet and it worked and now, happy with the ink flow. (I separated the nib from the feed while following their method) Have to mention that I have changed the ink lot of times and it is a very easy and quick process to clean the pen. Overall, my experience with TWSBI, if I have to summarise in just a line, is it gives one of the smoothest writing experiences, except when it gets dry. I like the look of the pen a lot (pardon my photography skills) [original image] Writing sample of EF nib [original image] Writing sample of Medium nib [original image] Initial skipping of the nib (M) [original image] You can notice the difference between the dry nib (EF) and the wet nib immediately after turning the piston ring [original image]

Why the heck should I pay fifty dollars for a cheap plastic pen?—those were my initial thoughts as I fresh review after review raving about how magnificent a pen the new TWSBI was. This was 2011, when the TWSBI Mini had just flooded the market, generating a parade of followers with size rivaling those of Pelikan’s and Lamy’s. Twenty-eleven was about a year after I had begun my fountain pen collecting journey, a time when I still put my fullest beliefs in solid, heavy brass-barreled cartridge/converter pens, when I believed every-bit that weight represented quality. So I brushed TWSBI aside as a fad, partly because I didn’t believe in lightweight pens, and partly because I was scared away by the numerous pictures and posts about cracking issues, and slowly waited for TWSBI to eventually disappear, bound to the obscure edges of the fountain pen world. But it always stayed, looming so strong in the distance, reviewers raved about the fantastic pens, and TWSBI’s pens showed up on list after list of must buy pens. It would not be until 2014—a good three years later—that I would finally give in. By then, I had warmed to the idea of plastic pens. I had owned a couple plastic pens—namely a Pelikan and a Pilot 823—which I absolutely loved. I had slowly begun to understand the long-term value of a pen that was light and easy to wield, a pen that could beautiful dart between the purple lines of crisp Rhodia paper. It was November 1, 2014—that was the day I ordered my first TWSBI, a clear demonstrator 580. I had $50 in my Amazon account that was burning a hole in my pocket, and my qualms about the cracking issues had finally been set aside slightly by the commensurate posts about TWSBI’s great customer service. I figured there was nothing to lose in purchasing a TWSBI, and I figured if all went to hell, I could just return the pen on Amazon. The pen arrived just two days later, peeking out at me with its yellow envelope. And I was blown away. Reading the reviews, I had always expected the TWSBI to made of cheap Bic pen plastic. I had expected the pen to be something that I would have to replace in about a year—a consumable pen, which I so much abhorred. But the TWSBI 580 was something of a next level pen. It’s plastic bore a sort of familiar heft, and the way the plastic was molded on the barrel—the absolutely striking diamond design—blew me away. I was startled by the creativity behind TWSBI, the idea to cut the barrel a certain way so as to add some depth to the basic cylindrical design that plagued so many other demonstrator pens. In the light, it resembled the crystal bases of whiskey glasses, creating a dance of light and reflections as I slowly turned the pen in the sun. And then I lost my TWSBI 580. Just a week later, it was gone. I set it down somewhere, and that was it. It was the first time I had lost a fountain pen, and the fact that it was a TWSBI, made it that much more heartbreaking. It felt as if I was just beginning to discover a pen that could very well be everything I was looking for—and then, it just disappeared. Later that year, and into 2015, I would order a couple other pens—a Lamy 2K that was way overdue, a Visconti Homo Sapiens, among others—but I always felt my mind coming back to the TWSBI 580. Both the Lamy and the Visconti were absolutely fantastic pens—don’t get me wrong—but I always had this sense that TWSBI could do better—TWSBI could easily make the same pen at a far lower price. But I couldn’t bear—at the time—the thought of owning another TWSBI 580. The wounds of my loss were too fresh, the TWSBI was like a dog that had passed away—I couldn’t just go out and get one that looked just like it. June 3rd, I finally ordered another TWSBI. This time it was a TWSBI Mini with an extra-fine nib. I knew I would love the TWSBI Mini because it had everything I loved about the 580 in a smaller—and postable—form factor. Like last time, the TWSBI Mini came two days later. I can confidently say now that the TWSBI Mini is my favorite fountain pen. Expensive pens like Viscontis and Pelikans are fantastic, but I’ve always been plagued with the fear of losing them, and thus those pens rarely leave the house with me. Chase Jarvis has said that, “The best camera is the one that’s with you”. Similarly, my great Holy Grail pens are fantastic, but—unlike the little TWSBI—they are never with me, and therefore the TWSBI is my best pen. It is pen that is available at a price point where it will always be with me. Furthermore the absolutely stellar customer support at TWSBI means that I don’t need to worry if any problems ever arise. I can’t think of a single other fountain pen brand—not even Pelikan or Omas—where I can personally e-mail the owner and immediately get a problem fixed. If purchases are a union of trust between the seller and buyer, then I have every reason to trust the people at TWSBI. In a way, I feel inspired by TWSBI’s story. TWSBI began as a manufacturer churning out uninspiring, cheap unbranded ballpoint pens for other brands. But then TWSBI decided that it would create its own brand, that it would manufacture absolutely fantastic fountain pens at a low cost. TWSBI to me represents the classic story of trading financial security for passion. The people at TWSBI decided that they wanted to create something that absolutely delights and inspires its customers, instead of basic cheap ballpoint pens. Today, I would purchase a TWSBI fountain pen even if they weren’t good, knowing that I would be supporting a company that seeks passion. But TWSBI pens aren’t just good, they’re fantastic, which makes purchasing that much easier. And every time I pull out my TWSBI, I am reminded of the great quality and writing experience, and I’m reminded that if the desire to pursue a passion can create a fountain pen this great, then I have every bit the reason to pursue what makes me happy. In a way, TWSBI inspires me to ignore the basic securities and pursue—throw myself head-first—into whatever it is I love. And perhaps, just perhaps, I can create something as great as a TWSBI fountain pen.

How broad and wet is the twsbi bold nib? Most of the reviews here are for the other nib sizes. I've got a twsbi 580al with bold nib coming my way in about a week, so I was wondering. For comparison, I've been using my only fp so far (platinum 3776 century m nib).

Inspired by a post on instagram by fpgeeks (http://instagram.com/p/vbuDA_PvwT/?modal=true) about fitting a Nikko G nib on a TWSBI 540, I decided to try it out with my TWSBI 580. Here are the steps: 1) procure Nikko G nibs Easy enough, just ordered them on ebay and received them in about a week time. 2) fitting the nib on the TWSBI Nikko G nibs are not designed for fountain pens. So, in its origina shape, it will not fit the TWSBI 580. In order to be able to mount it, it is necessary to make the nib shorter and thinner. The picture below (from left to right) shows the original nib, the nib shortened and finally thinned (by grinding). Each square in the background has sides 5 mm long (for reference). http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww229/ugopvn/TWSBI%20580%20Superflex/TWBSIFlex2_zps7a0f8379.jpg Shortening the nib is quickly done with a file. What takes a lot of time and patience is the thinning. However, if you persevere, results are very satisfactory as shown below: http://i722.photobucket.com/albums/ww229/ugopvn/TWSBI%20580%20Superflex/TWBSIFlex1_zpse5351be6.jpg Once you manage to fit the Nikko G nib on the TWSBI you have a superflex pen. Railroading is not an issue (unless you want to write real fast) and it is quite enjoyable to use.

Among all new pens, ignoring marketing b.s. (example MBs) and ignoring heavily ornamented pens (diamond encrusted, intricately decorated: Dunhill-Namiki Sakura Rose), which pens do you think really demonstrate a technical achievement in pen technology?

Can anyone tell me if the TWSBI stubs for the mini are the same width as the stubs for the 580? I recall reading a post from someone saying that the 580 1.1stub is closer to 1.3mm. Can anyone corroborate this? My real question is: how big is the 1.5 stub for 580? Going on the supposition that the.1.1 is closer to 1.3, would this make the 1.5 much bigger than stated?

Hey everyone! First of all, I'm new here. I've lurked around a bit and I actually thought I'd made an account before but it seems not under a name I can remember, so… But I'm not a regular Internet forum poster person, so if I'm breaking any rules posting this here, sorry! Anyway, here's the situation. I've used my first and only fountain pen, a Lamy Safari with a M nib, since late 2010 with pretty much no issue. Today, I left it somewhere at school and it is possible I may never find it. Then again, I might come across it tomorrow, but it got me thinking again about fountain pens. In the event that I do not find my pen in the next week or two, I'll probably have to get a new FP, but which one? I heard of the TWSBI 580 last year or so, and I'm curious as to how much better it is than the Safari. The local fine pen shop has the Safari at $42 and the 580 at $60. There may be better prices online, but I'll probably go to the brick-and-mortar shop anyway to support a local business and for convenience. So is the 580 worth $18 more? Or should I just get another Safari which I know works well for its price, even if it does seem a little boring compared to the frankly rather majestic 580? I would use my pen everyday at (high) school, so theft, dropping, and general misfortune could happen to it. Would the TWSBI hold up? I've heard that their quality control is not the best. Are there any other suggestions you guys have? I think $60 is my limit, given that I'm only an as-yet unemployed high school student and a bit prone to losing things. And my fallback would always be the Safari, which is awesome and reliable. I hope I can track down my pen, but I guess it's not a big deal if it's gone. I'll just have to get a new one eventually! The only thing is, I've got a test coming up early May that comprises three essays back-to-back that must be done by hand! I just don't know if I can go back to ballpoint for such an extended writing session! Thanks in advance, AnonymousMuggle EDIT: I thought I'd just add some detail as to how I write. I write generally in cursive, on pretty cheap lined paper. My writing is pretty big and scrawly too, so the Safari M nib is perfect. Which is the TWSBI equivalent? Also, I don't post my cap, ever, and my ink of choice is Aurora Blue. (Reminds me, I have a whole lot of ink that I can't use if I don't buy/find a pen!)

I'm looking for a pen that costs around £40(price of converter included). I would prefer it to be a wet writer, or just not dry. I'm considering the Faber-Castell Ambition, TWSBI 580, Parker Urban and Lamy Studio Any thoughts or suggestions?

Enjoy: http://i42.tinypic.com/imjdj9.jpg http://i40.tinypic.com/30sy4gi.jpg

Hello all, I've been loitering around FPN for a while but this will be my first attempt at making a "real" post! After much debate about where to stick this, I decided that this was a better fit than either the TWSBI or stipula forums... (the pictures aren't great but hey that's what i get for using a tablet to take 'em!) Anyway, as the story goes, a couple of weeks ago I was able to get my hands on a TWSBI 580 thanks to fellow FPN-ner dcrosier76... The 580 was a nice surprise; a pretty hefty pen that feels nice and solidly built; for comparison, it is close in size to the Pelikan M800 which you can see in the initial pictures here. The body is well balanced and perfect unposted but posted becomes an little awkward due to the extra length.. not a problem for me since I generally don't use my pens posted... Pelikan M800 and TWSBI 580 The TWSBI 580 came with a medium nib and the first thing I did was load up my brand new bottle of Iro. yama-budo to take it for a test drive... imagine my disappointment to find the pen writing more like a broad nib and just WET... for someone who prefers a fine japanese nib generally, this was a big issue... So, going along with the number of mods and nib exchanges posted by many before me, I went in search of a possible spare nib that would fit... the noodler's flex seemed too small, the ahab/konrad too big, a spare arnold gold nib too big, an old vintage mallat nib with the wrong curvature... and so on until I'd just about given up.. Then just as I was about to call it quits, I saw a stipula nib that was just sitting around due to a cracked collar... well, I'd tried everything else so why not the little stipula steel nib as well figuring it was probably just a tad too small... low and behold, not only did the nib fit pretty well but the pen now writes like a dream! With that I present to you the TWS-PULA 580-1... the arrows on the last picture kind of point out where the size difference between the nib and feed is pretty clear... TWSBI 580 pen with Iro. yama-budo Stipula steel nib Behold the TWS-PULA! TWSBI M nib compared to the Stipula nib Stipula nib and TWSBI feed

My next pen is going to cost around $50 and I'm considering the 580 and the Parsons. They may seem an odd pair to compare. I'm attracted to the Parsons because of the tuned nib and the classic look. I'm attracted to the 580 because of the piston fill and its extra capacity. I also like the ability to take it apart. As for the appearance, I go back and forth on the demonstrator look. Background information: * I'll be using whichever pen I get as an every day carry, which means an office environment on weekdays and "who knows what" on evenings and weekends. * My current EDC is a Lamy Safari. My "good pen" is a Conklin Crescent Filler Mark Twain. * I've been using FPs for a year, * I prefer a smooth, wet, fine nib. Note the lowercase "f". That's a generality, not a specific nib designator because they are so variable. My handwriting has gotten a bit larger since I began using an FP, but it's still smallish. I'd like to hear from people who have both pens and could tell me what I'd gain/be giving up if I chose one over the other. If I'm overlooking a pen that I should be considering, please let me know (and say why, of course). Note to TWSBI owners: I know that asking most of you to compare the TWSBI to anything else is like asking an 8-year old whether they prefer a hot fudge sundae or steamed prunes. Please do your best to be objective. Thanks.