TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR Prussian Blue with Mark Bacas Predator Grind: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Last week I reviewed the TWSBI Diamond 580 in Smoke and Rose Gold with an EF nib. So, why, you might ask, am I reviewing another 580 this week? Well . . . first, because the Prussian Blue has some distinct stylistic differences from the 580 in Smoke and Rose Gold, and second, because this 580 boasts a specialty grind by Mark Bacas.

I’ll start by discussing the Prussian Blue version of the Diamond 580 and how it is distinct from the Smoke and Rose Gold. The Prussian Blue arrives in the same plastic TWSBI box.

The aluminum trims on the pen have a dark teal matte finish which is still shiny but in a subtle way.

One thing I don’t like about this version of the 580 is that the clip is plain silver rather than the gorgeous Prussian blue color. I wish they had matched the clip like they did on the Rose Gold.

Unlike the Rose Gold 580, the cap finial and grip are machine-grooved. This gives the finial a special look and provides texture on the grip for your fingers.

Although the Prussian Blue is the same size as the Rose Gold 580, it weighs slightly less: 27 grams capped, with no ink, 17.9 grams inked and unposted. The grip diameter is just a smidge larger at 11 mm. Like the Rose Gold 580, Prussian Blue holds 1.8 ml of ink and is a piston filler.

I purchased my TWSBI Diamond 580 in Prussian Blue from Mark Bacas (nibgrinder.com) and requested a Predator grind. The Predator is created from a broad nib. It is ground so that when the pen is held normally, you get an extra fine line. When you hold the pen upside down, you get a medium to broad line. It is similar to a Sailor Cross Concord but without the doubled nib.

Here are several photos showing the Predator grind from various angles:

This nib grind is so much fun! The EF point is smooth and creates lovely delicate lines. Writing examples follow:

The B point offers substantive line width (it’s not so broad that its unusable for writing) and you can use it for both cursive and print writing.

I created a mandala using this nib and Sailor Yama-dori ink. It’s really great for artwork because you can create super fine lines and use the other nib side for broad lines or for filling in.

The fact that you can get this grind on a TWSBI 580 with its huge ink capacity makes this nib more practical than the Sailor Cross Point (which only comes on Sailor pens with tiny converters). Plus, it’s almost impossible to find Sailor Cross Point nibs anymore, and if you can, they are very expensive.

You can purchase this pen from Mark Bacas for $60 (if he still has some in stock; if not, he carries other TWSBI models). The Predator grind is an additional $50.

(I purchased this TWSBI Diamond 580 in Prussian Blue with the Predator grind with my own funds.)

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Esterbrook “The Journaler” Nib Review

It’s rare when I review a stand-alone nib product on The Pen Addict, but in the case of The Journaler, I think that it is more than worthwhile to discuss.

The Journaler is a collaboration between Esterbrook and Gena Salorino, of Custom Nib Studio. The idea behind this product was to create a nib grind that would mimic the experience of a vintage Esterbrook nib. In this case, the 9314M - a classic medium stub grind.

So to get us all on the same page here: A pen company I like is working with a nibmeister I like to create a modern version of a vintage nib style that will work perfectly my handwriting.

You had me at hello.

Before I get into the performance of this nib (Spoiler: It’s great.) I want to discuss the idea of this nib. Pen companies that go out into the community to work with other creators will always get my attention, and support. It’s a sign to me that these companies get it. I love to see it, and I will love seeing this continue, not only with Esterbrook, but with other brands who do the same.

To quote from Esterbrooks product page for The Journaler:

“The idea is that it’s smooth and friendly enough for everyday use, gives your writing some flair, all without being too huge for practical writing.”

I think this description is exactly right. I’ve been able to use The Journaler regularly over the past month, and it gives a perfect medium stub line. Being a steel nib it is firm, and the line variation is moderate. Vertical strokes are wide - I’m guessing somewhere around 1.0 mm - and horizontal strokes cut the line width approximately in half to give your letters a great look.

While this nib grind is tailor-made for my block printing handwriting style, cursive writers will enjoy smooth lines and good variation as well. All in all, it’s a complete joy to write with.

The Journaler, top, vs. TWSBI 1.5 mm Stub.

I chose Robert Oster Blue Water Ice to use with this nib to see what shading I could get out of it, and it was a solid choice for that. The way stub nibs work is that the wide part of the nib on the downstroke pulls the ink down, giving the top of the line a lighter color than the bottom, where the nib lifts up and the ink pools. Shading is the best feature of fountain pen inks, in my opinion.

The Journaler has been a great nib for me, and I think many of you would like this as an option if you are looking at picking up a new Esterbrook Pen. This nib isn’t available separately, but is available as a $50 upgraded nib choice (check the dropdown) when buying a Standard or Oversized Esterbrook Estie. That puts it in line with getting a custom grind on your nib at any pen show.

I love this product, and I love this concept even more. I can’t wait to see what’s next from Esterbrook, and from other brands who are looking to work with other makers in our community.

(Kenro Industries provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!

TWSBI Diamond 580 Smoke and Rose Gold Fountain Pen: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

I own several TWSBI fountain pens, from the TWSBI Mini to the Eco to the 580, and all of them have been excellent. I’ve enjoyed the different colors that TWSBI offers (usually leaning towards the blue ones, of course), but I don’t think I would have considered the TWSBI Diamond 580 in Smoke and Rose Gold for myself. The photographs I’ve seen didn’t make the color combination look all that interesting. I am so glad JetPens sent the Smoke and Rose Gold for review, because this is a gorgeous fountain pen in person. I hope my photos can do it justice.

The pen arrives in typical TWSBI packaging--a brown outer cardboard box and an inner plastic display case. (Um . . . the pen doesn’t really arrive already inked--I forgot to take pictures of it before I inked it!)

Nestled beneath the white plastic stand you’ll find a TWSBI branded wrench (for removing the piston mechanism for cleaning and lubing) and a tiny bottle of silicone gel.

The 580 is a medium-sized pen, measuring 5.5 inches/140 mm capped, 5.1 inches/130 mm uncapped, and 7 inches/177 mm posted. The grip diameter is 10.4 mm. Un-inked and capped, the pen weighs 30 grams. Unposted and inked it weighs 18.2 grams, so it’s a fairly heavy pen due to the metal piston and trims. I find it well balanced and comfortable unposted. Posted it becomes too unwieldy.

The pen is quite beautiful with rose gold trims from top to bottom--even the inner piston mechanism is rose-gold plated.

The cap, grip, and piston knob are translucent smoke colored--and this is really what makes the rose gold stand out. The faceted barrel is clear allowing your ink color to show through.

The only thing that detracts from the beauty, in my opinion, is the red TWSBI finial on the cap. There’s just something about bright red that clashes with rose gold, but I realize that changing the finial color to please me probably isn’t a priority for TWSBI.

The 580 is a piston filler that holds a glorious 1.8 ml of ink. Originally, I inked my pen with Robert Oster Sushi, and I loved how the ink complemented the rose gold on the pen. I switched over to Bungubox 4B for this review to test the pen with a wetter ink.

My pen came equipped with an extra fine nib. I’m more of a stub/italic gal, but this EF nib writes smoothly and I’m enjoying using a much more delicate nib point. The nib is steel with rose gold plating. It is decorated with some scrollwork, the TWSBI logo, the TWSBI name, and the nib size.

Although I haven’t had any problems writing with the nib, my macro shots reveal tines that look misaligned--almost twisted.

Maybe this is just due to some extra tipping left behind on the top of one of the tines, making them look misaligned. I’m not sure.

Inked with Bungubox 4B, the nib writes a smooth line, obviously without any line variation due to the fineness of the nib.

Writing long passages was pleasant and trouble free. I encountered no hard starts, scratchiness, or skipping despite the strange looking tines.

The EF nib was perfect for creating this delicate mandala (pictured also in last week’s review of Robert Oster Sushi ink).

As I said at the beginning of the review, I have not experienced any problems with my TWSBIs so far. I think these pens are a terrific value for the price, and they are built solidly. However, I know from reading other reviews and discussions on fountain pen forums that quality control can be an issue for TWSBI fountain pens. Some customers complain about cracks in the plastic, poor nib quality, scratches, and other issues (such as unhelpful customer support). I hope that most TWSBI customers have a positive experience with the brand, as I have.

You can purchase the TWSBI Diamond 580 in Smoke and Rose Gold from JetPens in EF, F, M, B, and 1.1 stub for $87.00. As of this writing, JetPens is currently out of stock in all nib sizes, but you can ask for a restock notification.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.

Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!