My First Twsbi, A Vac 700... Starting In The Friend Zone...

January 29, 2016

http://i.imgur.com/hWL4f5B.jpg

http://i.imgur.com/xYNXeGV.jpg

January 30, 2016

So how do you like it so far? It certainly is a good looking pen.

January 30, 2016

I've written a few pages with it tonight. It'll get used, but it's definitely not displacing any favorites.

February 27, 2016

Well, now that you've had it about a month, how much ink is left and what do you think?

February 27, 2016

Well, now that you've had it about a month, how much ink is left and what do you think?

For a little while I left it cleaned out & empty on my desk... just to have it in eyeshot and agitate me to action.

Then I replaced the nib with a Goulet 1.5mm stub and found myself using it a little more. But such a nib is impractical for day to day writing. It didn't get used a lot.

Last night I looked at the original TWSBI "F" nib under a loupe and found some bad tine alignment issues. I got that sorted out and mildly polished the tipping material on micromesh. I cleaned the pen out and filled it with my own mix I call "Purple Nurple, Mk I" which is kind of a well-lubricated purple-black ink. I think I've gotten used to the ergonomics, which I can't say I "love", but I've softened to it. Still not crazy about their steel nib in "F".

The irony of that nib malaise, and my earlier TWSBI malaise, is that my 580AL in green should be arriving today... in Fine. Woops. I couldn't have disliked my TWSBI that much if I jumped on the new 580AL within minutes of its availability being announced on Facebook. Since I love my Pilot gold nibs, I might do something crazy and look for a good deal on a Pilot Custom 74 (cheapest Pilot with a #5 gold nib, I think) and move the nib over to the 580AL.

No cracks yet.

February 27, 2016

Somebody has suggested fpnibs for gold 580 nibs. Might be a cheaper and easier route than meddling with a nib not made for the pen.

February 27, 2016

Somebody has suggested fpnibs for gold 580 nibs. Might be a cheaper and easier route than meddling with a nib not made for the pen.

Yup, I was just admiring that last night. Though there are great stories here about Pilot #5 gold nibs ending up on the 580 series without requiring any hacking/modding. If I go the fpnibs route, it'll be for the Vac 700.

EDIT: I mention the Pilot because I have a Pilot Custom 823 and I really love the nib on it. You can get the whole Pilot Custom 74 for the cost of a JoWo gold nib from fpnibs if you shop around.

Edited February 27, 2016 by magnus919