Vac Mini Compared To Twsbi Mini (And Others)

[SNAK]

I have received my TWSBI Vac Mini, and thought there maybe people waiting to see/hear about the Vac Mini before they make their decision on their order, so I have done a few photo comparisons of a few TWSBI pens.

 

The biggest thing I was anxious to know about the Vac Mini was if it has swappable nib unit with TWSBI Mini and TWSBI 580 pens. And the answer is, Yes! The nib units are swappable, after you take off the little metal ring. TWSBI Mini has a kind of a one-piece skirt that goes around the nib unit which pops off. TWSBI 580 has a metal ring plus a plastic skirt that also pop off. So just get the nib units to their bare components of nib, feed, and the black plastic nib casing (I call this the nib unit), and the three pens' nib units can be swapped around easily. The actual plastic nib casing material is slightly different in the new Vac Mini in that the material feels matt and not as smooth and shiny as the materials used for the TWSBI Mini and 580 nib casing. The lip of the Vac Mini nib casing is more angular and thicker too. Also compared to how tightly the nib and feed were squeezed into the nib casing in TWSBI Mini, it is much easier to just pull out the nib and feed from the Vac Mini nib casing, but the fit is not as loose as it was with TWSBI Eco. (Note: the first time you take off the nib unit from Vac Mini, you may need to get a grippy material to grab the area of the metal ring close to the nib, and use the unscrewing motion to get it off. It was fairly tightly screwed in.)

 

The nib size (as in the diameter at the base of the feed) is still the same modern #5. Vac Mini has the exact same nib shape and size as TWSBI Mini and TWSBI Eco, but nibs for TWSBI 580 will also fit Vac Mini fine, because they all share the same #5 feed diameter. This is all great news to me as I have quite a few Franken TWSBI nib units that I put together with vintage nibs and TWSBI nib unit, so I am able to swap the nib units around very easily.

 

Size of the pen itself is much more manageable that the Vac 700, it's only slightly longer than TWSBI Mini. I am also very happy to see that the clip is polished and shiny just like the TWSBI Mini and 580 pens. None of the ugly matt whitish metal on the Vac 700. Overall I am loving this little pen. Especially if you have already invested in a few different size nibs in TWSBI, it is great for swapping and playing. Have fun and enjoy!!!

 

TWSBI Vac Mini (Left) and TWSBI Mini (Right)

 

L to R. TWSBI Vac 700, Vac Mini, TWSBI Mini, and TWSBI 580 (Red)

 

Caps of TWSBI Vac Mini (Left) and TWSBI Mini (Right)

 

Section and nib units on TWSBI Vac Mini (Left) and TWSBI Mini (Right)

 

Nib units taken off on TWSBI Vac Mini (Left) and TWSBI Mini (Right)

 

Section and Nib Units disassembled on TWSBI Vac Mini (Left) and TWSBI Mini (Right)

 

Swapped! TWSBI Vac Mini with TWSBI Mini's nib unit installed (Left), and TWSBI Mini with Vac Mini's nib unit installed (Right)

 

TWSBI Vac Mini with Franken nib unit using a vintage Swan 3H gold nib. Ink is Blackstone Barrier Reef Blue in the Vac 20A Ink Bottle (Blue)

[carlos.q]

Great comparison pictures!!!

How long is the uncapped TWSBI Vac Mini?

[inotrym]

Thank you so much for all the info!!

 

It seems that TWSBI makes an effort to improve even more the material quality and robustness of their pens. The metal lip on the grip looks awesome and it would make me feel a lot more comfortable when [ab]using this pen (let alone the fact that it now matches in style even better its big brother). They seem to have changed the nib collar and they addressed the nib unit disassembly problem, too!! What about the feed fins? Can you still bend them just by looking at them? If they made a step forward there, too, I can tell that this pen will be a total success!

 

At least we didn´t wait so long for nothing!

[Jamerelbe]

That's excellent - thanks so much for doing us a 'public service' like this! I wonder if the different materials used in the Vac Mini nib assembly will find their way over to the Diamond pens - I heard somewhere that they were changing up materials in their existing range because of cracking issues. Either way, good to know we can swap things around!

 

One other thing to consider: fpnibs.com are now selling a variety of gold and stainless steel JoWo nibs that (if I understand correctly) have been custom modified to fit into the TWSBI Diamond 580 (I now have on of those, a ruthenium coated gold B nib), but also now the Eco and the Diamond Mini. Gold nibs start from 45 Euro, but the stainless steel are around 8.50 - I'm thinking I might try out a couple of the latter...

[FOUR X FOUR]

I would have already ordered the pen and inkwell but my wallet is in my wife's purse. Damnit, man. Now, they're probably sold out

[SNAK]

Great comparison pictures!!!

How long is the uncapped TWSBI Vac Mini?

 

These are the photos of the uncapped and posted pens. Sorry they are not the same pens, but I took the uninked pens upstairs and I'm too lazy to go and get them. (Also the nibs are Franken-nibbed vintage ones but the length of the pens are about the same as the replacement nibs are roughly the same size.)

 

I also forgot to mention that Vac Mini posts like the TWSBI Diamond Mini, in that there are threads for the cap to screw onto securely. No way for the cap to fall off while you are writing. Although, for me even the TWSBI Mini is useable without posting the cap (I have small hands) so posting the cap is optional for me.

 

Pens uncapped. L to R. TWSBI Vac 700 (Amber), TWSBI Vac Mini, TWSBI Mini (White), TWSBI 580 (Green)

 

Pens' caps posted. L to R. TWSBI Vac 700 (Amber), TWSBI Vac Mini, TWSBI Mini (White), TWSBI 580 (Green)

[jet9]

Thank you for posting this - I have been very curious!

[benbot517]

The section of the Vac Mini appears to be molded into the body with the nib unit screwing in. Is this the case?

[SNAK]

The section of the Vac Mini appears to be molded into the body with the nib unit screwing in. Is this the case?

 

Yes, that is the case. The clear plastic bits are all one piece in the Vac Mini, and nothing comes off from the cap thread area on the barrel.

 

Nib unit (the black plastic) doesn't have the coloured or clear plastic sleeve like the TWSBI Diamond Mini and 580, instead it just has the metal collar at the end close to the opening where nib and feed are inserted.

 

Edited to add: The way the nib unit screws off by grabbing onto the metal ring at the nib end in Vac Mini is similar to Vac 700. Whereas Diamond Mini and 580 had a skirt/sleeve that went over the nib unit, then you screwed the whole thing on to the barrel.

Edited December 18, 2015 by SNAK

[sirgilbert357]

This is the thread I have been waiting to see. Thank you thank you thank you. Sadly, the nib collars are not EXACTLY the same, but one could always pull the feed and nib from the collar and shove it in the other collar...although doing this often will lead to premature wear on the parts involved.

 

I commend you for your efforts in this thread, SNAK, but one thing is missing: What's the ink capacity man???!!!

[twdpens]

The section of the Vac Mini appears to be molded into the body with the nib unit screwing in. Is this the case?

No, it's a separate part. It screws into the barrel like the section does on the Vac 700.

 

HTH,

 

Martin

[twdpens]

Great review, SNAK. I just feel I have to clarify one aspect:

 

This is the thread I have been waiting to see. Thank you thank you thank you. Sadly, the nib collars are not EXACTLY the same, but one could always pull the feed and nib from the collar and shove it in the other collar...although doing this often will lead to premature wear on the parts involved.

 

I commend you for your efforts in this thread, SNAK, but one thing is missing: What's the ink capacity man???!!!

 

As you wrote, the nib collar on the Vac Mini is not the same as that on the Diamond mini (the Vac mini uses the same collar as the Classic). The latter has a bigger front flange so it doesn't sit correctly in the front metal ring. This causes two issues:

1. The cap doesn't screw on as far as the inner cap stops on this flange.

2. Because the Diamond mini nib collar doesn't screw into the front section as far, the rear "nipple" (where a cartridge or converter would fit on a more conventional pen) doesn't sit as far into the channel at the rear end of the front section. Whether this actually causes a problem or not is yet to be determined.

 

I hope that TWSBI will produce replacement nib units for the Vac Mini soon.

 

HTH,

 

Martin

[Tas]

Lovely comparison SNAK but the Vac 700, for me, is so so much more beautiful in both design and looks.

(I've been this close, a few times, to buying another . . . )

[sirgilbert357]

Great review, SNAK. I just feel I have to clarify one aspect:

 

 

As you wrote, the nib collar on the Vac Mini is not the same as that on the Diamond mini (the Vac mini uses the same collar as the Classic). The latter has a bigger front flange so it doesn't sit correctly in the front metal ring. This causes two issues:

1. The cap doesn't screw on as far as the inner cap stops on this flange.

2. Because the Diamond mini nib collar doesn't screw into the front section as far, the rear "nipple" (where a cartridge or converter would fit on a more conventional pen) doesn't sit as far into the channel at the rear end of the front section. Whether this actually causes a problem or not is yet to be determined.

 

I hope that TWSBI will produce replacement nib units for the Vac Mini soon.

 

HTH,

 

Martin

 

Very good information; thank you for that clarification. I guess it would be wise to give TWSBI time to offer extra nib units for purchase (as opposed to yanking feeds/nibs from collars every time you want to switch nibs) if one felt the need to have multiple nibs to choose from. This approach defeats the original plan I had of buying the Vac Mini and using my Diamond Mini nibs in it...so I guess I'll be keeping my Diamond Mini Classic for the foreseeable future after all...

[deacondavid]

This is excellent news and exactly what I wanted someone to report on. Thanks for the detailed information and the great pictures!

 

Now I have to hope that stock holds until the "can't order anything before Christmas" moratorium is lifted. I already know that I am not getting a Vac Mini for Christmas. I don't know if my wife ordered the nib unit I requested. Until then, I will keep my fingers crossed...

[amberleadavis]

GREAT REVIEW! Thank you! I ordered now.

[inotrym]

The more I see it online, the more I like it.

Although I wish that they had skipped the threads (and cheap-feeling rubber o-ring) for posting.

[TSherbs]

The new Vac Mini grip section looks narrower (thinner) than the Diamond Mini. Is this true?

[EricTheRed]

The new Vac Mini grip section looks narrower (thinner) than the Diamond Mini. Is this true?

The top of the nib section is the same on both pens, but whereas the diamond-mini flares wider towards the piston end, the vac-mini stays straight. Hope this makes sense. I prefer the vac-mini's design to the diamond mini as its more comfortable for longer bouts of writing IMHO. Its also easier to carry around than its larger brother, the full size vac. The vac-mini is an amazing design and was well worth the wait. The one I received, which has a medium nib, is currently filled with Sailor Yama Dori and writes with a very consistent, wet line. At $60, its a tremendous writng instrument...

[EricTheRed]

The top of the nib section is the same on both pens, but whereas the diamond-mini flares wider towards the piston end, the vac-mini stays straight. Hope this makes sense. I prefer the vac-mini's design to the diamond mini as its more comfortable for longer bouts of writing IMHO. Its also easier to carry around than its larger brother, the full size vac. The vac-mini is an amazing design and was well worth the wait. The one I received, which has a medium nib, is currently filled with Sailor Yama Dori and writes with a very consistent, wet line. At $60, its a tremendous writng instrument...

Sorry for the typo above, I meant the top of the grip secton not the nib section...