Replacing Lamy Safari - Twsbi 580?

[AnonymousMuggle]

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!)

Edited April 24, 2014 by AnonymousMuggle

[ralfstc]

I like my 580 a lot, though it tends not to get a ton of use. I think the fine nib would be good for you (it's not a fine fine, but a meaty fine, at least mine is). I have no reason to believe that it's not as robust as anything else, though to be fair the Safari is extra robust. It does hold a ton of ink (more than a Safari) and I think it feels better in the hand, being just a wee bit heavier.I would expect that it would serve you well.

 

Good luck with your choice!

 

Ralf

[zombywoof]

Based on my experience (I have a couple of Safaris and a couple of TWSBIs, Mini and 540) my vote would be to get another Safari...you might also consider the Lamy Al-Star (like a Safari, but with an aluminum body/cap rather than plastic).

Edited April 24, 2014 by zombywoof

[AnonymousMuggle]

Thanks guys for the responses!

 

ralfstc - I think these are the reasons I really want to try the 580! In all honesty, I'd like to have both, but I have limited funds to be spending willy-nilly like that, so part of me wants a good excuse to buy a new pen! The extra capacity is quite a seller. I run out of ink in my Safari after 2-3 days on average (80 mins when my English teacher feels particularly cruel!) and always forget to refill it. If the F is not finer than the Safari F nib, then I'll probably get that. I might actually write bigger because of my M nib rather than the other way around.

 

zombywoof - What exactly didn't you like about the TWSBIs? I saw some complaints in a different thread about the ink skipping just out of the box or barrel cracking in some places after prolonged usage. I've seen the Al-Star, and while it's super tempting, I don't think I could convince myself to spend 15 bucks more for the shiny aluminium.

 

Aargh! Only now do I really appreciate how much I rely on a FP! I will definitely take better care of pens from here on out!

[casualmerlinconstant]

Stick with the safari, the thing is legendary for reliability and durability. Twsbi *had* some problems with their plastic whereby their pens would crack for no good reason. This has been reportedly solved, but people still complain about it occasionally.

Edited April 24, 2014 by superglueshoe

[Runnin_Ute]

I think you could do a lot worse than the Safari/Al Star/Vista triplets. One thought......

 

Why not a Safari AND say a Pilot Metropolitan? Only an extra $15 and it writes/feels like a much more expensive pen.

[setriode]

I found the 580 heavier and in sessions of prolonged writing to be more tiring to write with. I no longer have mine and prefer the Safari.

[GUNGA GALUNGA]

  On 4/24/2014 at 12:17 AM, zombywoof said:

Based on my experience (I have a couple of Safaris and a couple of TWSBIs, Mini and 540) my vote would be to get another Safari...you might also consider the Lamy Al-Star (like a Safari, but with an aluminum body/cap rather than plastic).

Hey zombie wood, would you consider trading TWSBI's for Lamys? My reason for this

, I can get Lamys all day but I can't any TWSBI demonstrators

Edited April 24, 2014 by GUNGA GALUNGA

[Drone]

If you are going to be doing a lot of writing and dragging the pen through the daily grind of school or college - stick with the Safari or Vista. I doubt the Lamy Al-Star's finish would hold up to the daily grind - less so the TWSBI 580. I own all three pens, My Vista and Carcoal Safari are in regular rotation. The Al-Star is used infrequently. The 580 sits in its box for the most part.

 

If you do get a TWSBI 580, it's a good thing you never write posted. The 580 is not really designed to post. I always write posted and posted, the 580 is hopelessly top heavy.

 

My TWSBI 580 M nib is very much like My Safari when fitted with an M nib.

 

I agree with "superglueshoe", the 580 is too big and heavy for an hour or two of serious in class note taking.

[Gump]

My 580 hasn't been inked in months, meanwhile I have two Safari's and a Vista inked up currently between my writing desk and office. Todd at isellpens still has $4 EF-B Lamy nibs available, I'd put that extra $18 towards a few nibs and some of the discounted green ink cartridges. Lamy green looks great on my legal pads.

[Water Ouzel]

  On 4/24/2014 at 3:15 AM, GUNGA GALUNGA said:

Hey zombie wood, would you consider trading TWSBI's for Lamys? My reason for this

, I can get Lamys all day but I can't any TWSBI demonstrators

Goulet Pens has 'em.

[GUNGA GALUNGA]

Is goulet pretty reputable? Thanx wAter I'll check them out

[ac12]

@AM

 

For a school pen, here are some of my choices:

• Lamy Safari
• Pilot 78G (F,M & stub), approx $12 at isellpens.com, including the converter
• Pilot Metropolitan (currently on M, soon to be available in F), $15 at many places, including the converter
  note that the Metro is heavier than the 78G and the Safari.

Note the Pilot nib grades are finer than the corresponding Lamy nib grades, so a Pilot M is like a Lamy F.

As was mentioned, I also prefer lighter pens for heavy use in school. I don't want my hand to hurt from holding up a heavy pen all day.

 

I would get 2 pens; #1 a Safari and #2 a 78G. This way you have a backup pen in case pen #1 runs out of ink or has a problem.

 

gud luk

[Drone]

  On 4/24/2014 at 4:19 AM, GUNGA GALUNGA said:

Is goulet pretty reputable? Thanx wAter I'll check them out

 

I can vouch for Goulet Pens. I've ordered a bunch of times from them with only one minor error that they sorted out right away at their cost. The only issue with some items is that if something is new or popular, they may run out of stock for awhile due to insufficient stock at the manufacturer or distributor.

[hypnostene]

  On 4/24/2014 at 2:49 AM, setriode said:

I found the 580 heavier and in sessions of prolonged writing to be more tiring to write with. I no longer have mine and prefer the Safari.

 

I had the same experience. After a few hours of writing the 580 gets slightly too heavy and I switch to the Safari.

However, for slightly shorter writing, I prefer the TWSBI.

 

Comparing the two: the TWSBI nib has a bit more spring (the Safari is a nail), but it's not as smooth (TWSBI F v Safari EF).

 

For school I'd probably recommend another Safari.

[Serafinachantal]

I can't say anything about the TWSBI, not owning one, but 42 $ for a Safari is pretty steep. In Germany they cost 18, the Twsbi comes for maybe 60 shipped. It is a piston filler which should hold a ton of ink, the Safari converters are tiny. I feel you get a lot more for your money with the TWSBI comparing to the price of the Safari.

 

On the other hand the Safaris are indestructable and write always, no matter what. I always have a handful of them inked. But you should consider buying online, Im sure you get a much better price for a Safari.

Edited April 24, 2014 by Serafinachantal

[FountainPenCowgirl]

Both are everyday carry for me. You won't make a mistake with either. I will second the observation that the TWSBI is heavier and *may* be a little more fatiguing with extended, heavy use. Personal preference is the Lamy, but both have been reliable and wonderful pens.

[Stu L]

I'm agreeing with Serafina here - $42 seems steep. I own both a Safari and a 580 and my Safari was half the price of my 580.

 

  On 4/23/2014 at 11:59 PM, AnonymousMuggle said:

....... the frankly rather majestic 580?

 

 

I think this answers your question. If you find it majestic, go ahead and get one. Certainty worth the extra $18 in my opinion.

My 580 and Safari have been my every day pens for almost a year and they've both held up just fine. For the classroom I prefer the extra ink capacity of the 580.

Edited April 24, 2014 by Stu L

[flyingfox]

+1 for Safari as well as Metropolitan.

 

I do own a 540 that I should have never purchased in the first place. It is in bright orange... my least favorite color, in the glaring shade of it (so bright I cannot even look at it straight) and it doesn't post. I thought I could get used to not posting, but... no. I know, lame reasons, possibly totally irrelevant to you. YMMV.

 

 

  On 4/24/2014 at 4:19 AM, GUNGA GALUNGA said:

Is goulet pretty reputable? Thanx wAter I'll check them out

Goulet is absolutely fantastic, one of the best sellers in the cyber world, IMHO! I have ordered from them several times, and always had a great experience.

 

isellpens.com also carry TWSBI. They are another great online store, I have ordered from them a few times and only had good experience. Their prices tend to be slightly lower.

Edited April 24, 2014 by flyingfox

[AnonymousMuggle]

Thanks guys for all the responses!

 

Well, I just came back from school and I couldn't find my Safari in any of my classes, so that's pretty much that.

 

I decided not to get the TWSBI at the moment. I'm not the most careful person ever and there's always the slight possibility I'd just lose my new pen due to the nomadic and finders-keepers nature of high school. One day, when I have a dedicated office or at least desk, and when $60, $100, $200 is less valuable to me, I'd really love to try out more expensive pens.

 

Right now I'm going to get the Pilot Metropolitan (Gold, Zigzag, M) because I really can't see anything online wrong with it, especially for $25 (including the CON-50 converter and shipping to Canada from Goulet as per recommendations in this thread). It actually costs exactly the same at the local pen store, but without the CON-50, which is a must for me. Funny thing, my eleven-year-old brother walked in on me researching, and we're going to get one for him too (Black, Plain, M). He's had a Lamy ABC before, which he lost after only about two months of use! It runs in the family apparently.

 

Anyway, really appreciate all the help.