Posts filed under Pen Reviews

TWSBI 580ALR Black Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

TWSBI has been up to a lot over the last few years, including the amazing GO and Eco, but I've been sleeping on the 580 ever since the AL models were introduced. Aside from new colors, what could I be missing, right? Turns out, TWSBI have made some small improvements that make this old classic something to consider.

The TWSBI 580 has been around for years. It replaced the 540 with more reliable parts and slightly higher quality finish. Instead of offering colored acrylic materials like the 540, the 580 just adds in accents of color at the section, band, and a few other small places. With the introduction of the aluminum (580AL) models, it's been a regular cadence of fresh new colors every year. I still use the orange 580AL that I picked up almost 10 years (!!!) ago. The ALR models add a little something special to the already great 580: texture.

The Black TWSBI 580ALR I have looks awesome on my desk, and I really enjoy using it. Just like previous models, it has dashes of aluminum accents around the grip section, cap band, and piston grip. The differences in this model are that the aluminum is a matte finish, and the grip section has a microscopic milled surface that provides plenty of traction while still looking smooth. Every time I pick this pen up, I have to squint and try to make out the tiny lines that wrap around the diameter of the section. You can see them if you look close enough, but they're seriously small and provide an excellent amount of grip. This small change on the grip section has renewed my love for this classic pen that I discovered early on in my fountain pen journey.

Everything else about the design of the pen is the same as older 580s. The length and diameter are the same, the ink capacity is the same, and the fit and finish are great. I'm really digging the matte finish on these accents, and the size feels really good in my hand when writing. This is a workhorse, and the better grip elevates it to a different level of comfort and control.

The fine nib in my unit worked flawlessly out of the box. The line width is what I'd expect, and the flow is good. Like all demonstrators, you have a full view into the status of your ink supply, and the piston filling mechanism works great. The clip on this version is a bit stronger than my old 580AL, and that's a welcome change.

There's no mistaking this pen for anything other than a TWSBI, and that's before you even look for any branding. Looking a little close, there's a TWSBI on the front side of the cap band, and a DIAMOND 580 AL R TAIWAN on the reverse side. And on the top of the cap there's a lovely TWSBI logo jewel nestled inside some more of the same textured aluminum used on the grip section. Aside from this and the grip, the other aluminum bits are a smooth matte finish — no milled texture.

Overall, the 580ALR is a solid pen that builds on the success of the previous models. Honestly, when Brad sent me this pen for review, I wasn't really excited because I assumed it would be just like the 580AL that I've had for years. I was wrong, and I'm here to tell you that this small change that the 580ALR brings with it is enough to merit another look if you already have a 580AL, and it for sure merits some serious consideration if you haven't had the opportunity to pick one up yet.

The TWSBI 580 is a classic vehicle for getting into the piston-filler game at a great price, and TWSBI's quality is to a point nowadays where you'll get plenty of use out of the pen before anything breaks (assuming you treat it well). If black isn't your thing, there are many, many colors to choose from. Whatever color you pick, you'll be getting a solid pen that packs a ton of value, utility, and whimsy.

(Vanness Pens provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on February 21, 2024 by Jeff Abbott and filed under TWSBI, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Nahvalur Horizon Twilight Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The Nahvalur Nautilus is a fountain pen that I really enjoy using, and it's also fun to see the different materials and colors that they experiment with. Outside of the Nautilus, I haven't tried any of the few other body styles that Nahvalur offer, but that changed recently. The Nahvalur Horizon is a more traditional shape, but it has all the magical goodness that I've come to love from my Nahvalur pens.

The Nahvalur Horizon is a line of pens that feature beautiful pearlescent materials (made by Starry Night Resins) that dance and shimmer as light changes around them. The colorway that I have is called Twilight, and it's a mixture of creamy pearl, dark and medium greens, some silvery grays, and reddish-browns. This iridescent quality is so beautiful in person and is paired with a dark gunmetal finish on this model. I'm a big fan of anything with iridescence, so I'm really loving this pen.

Like all Nahvalur designs, the Horizon's cap has a wavy bottom that carries the maritime theme. There's a small narwhal in the center of the scroll design on the cap band, but there's no other branding on this pen. The clip is a simple shape that works well with the cigar shape of the pen. And, it's really strong and has no problem attaching the pen to whatever can fit under the clip opening.

Unlike the Nautilus, this pen doesn't have the unique porthole ink windows, but it does have a traditional, large ink window that gives you a good view into how much ink is left in the reservoir. The piston filler mechanism operates smoothly and the reservoir holds plenty of ink for long writing sessions.

The grip section on the Horizon is a good size and doesn't taper, but there is a sudden diameter change next to the ink window where the body slims down to the grip. Interestingly, the threads on the grip section aren't at the top where it meets the body (which is the most common location for cap threads); instead, the threads are on the very end of the grip. This provides a really clean grip section with no threads getting dirty under your fingers while writing. And, they're at the very end of the section so that your fingers don't notice them as you're writing either — the threads serve as a boundary for letting your fingers know that you're getting close to touching the nib or feed (ink fingers ahead!).. I really like this placement, but I know that it isn't everyone's cup of tea.

The Horizon is equipped with one of Nahvalur's own #6 steel nibs that has some lovely decorative scrolling and the same dark gunmetal finish as the rest of the trim. The stub variant that I have in this pen is similar to a broad stub, and it is capable of laying down some really thick, juicy lines while also staying very thin and crisp when making left/right lines. The nib is smooth on paper and flows easily, and the lines are crisp at the edges and transition flawlessly from wide to thin widths as you move the pen. I've noticed that the ink takes one down stroke to start flowing properly, but it's smooth sailing after that. Ink flow is terrific and I've been really happy when writing with this nib.

The nib paired with the body of the Horizon is a really comfortable writing experience. It's a "full-sized" pen, meaning it's about the same size as a Lamy Safari. As such, I don't like posting the cap when writing. The cap can securely post to the back of the pen, but it messes up the balance of the pen for my grip style.

The Nahvalur Horizon is available in Twilight (seen here), Dawn, Dusk, and Aurora. Seriously, good luck choosing one from that lineup — they're all beautiful. There are also plenty of nib options from the typical EF to B, and then some of the colorways also have some extra nib options like the stub shown here and a double broad. This is a fantastic writing instrument that doubles as a piece of art. At $168, they're also a fair price for what you get.

(Pen Chalet provided this product at a discount to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on February 7, 2024 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Nahvalur, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Sailor Dipton + Hocoro Ink & Dip Pen Set Review

One of the categories of stationery I’ve found myself enjoying recently are dip pens and nibs. Glass nibs, steel nibs, folded nibs, different handles … you get the picture. Why? Fun. Ok, quick ink testing, too, but mostly fun. Who doesn’t want to quickly and easily start slinging ink around on the page?

I’ll be reviewing more of this type of product in the future, but today I wanted to take a look at one of the more fun acquisitions I have made recently: the Sailor Dipton + Hocoro Ink & Dip Pen Set.

Sailor’s Hocoro Dip Pen is a recent offering, allowing users an easy access point into the world of dip nibs. The plastic barrels are simple and lightweight, and feature interchangeable nibs, so one barrel can handle all of the sizes (Fine, Medium, 1.0 mm and 2.0 mm Calligraphy, Fude) on offer. The Fude nib is what I was after this time, especially in combination with the Dipton shimmer ink they paired with.

What is a Fude nib? The end of the nib is turned upwards in such a way to mimic the strokes of a traditional Japanese calligraphy brush. This allows for line variation from wide to thin, depending on the angle of the nib, and the shape of your stroke. And if you simply intend to write normally, like I do most of the time, it works well while providing added character to your letters on the page.

Along with the Fude nib, the Dipton inks for these sets were designed specifically to be used as dip nib inks, not filled in a fountain pen. Could you, if you wanted to? Probably, but I wouldn’t. The glitter particles could clog feeds and filling systems, so if you want to use shimmer inks in your pens, I would buy formulations designed specifically for them, of which there are plenty.

This particular set had three ink variants: Mellow Forest, Coral Humming, and Ice Dance. I went with the dark and moody Mellow Forest for this test, as opposed to the two brighter options. Sailor has also made other sets of these available that feature sheening inks, so definitely shop around if shimmer isn’t your thing.

The line I get from the Fude nib at my regular writing angle is broad, and has that brush tip flair that works well with my letters. If I write holding the pen at a higher angle, the line gets finer, and the lower the writing angle, the wider the line. This is the perfect nib to get creative with.

It may not look like it from the pictures, but this nib holds a lot of ink. The feed design is trough-like, holding a good amount of ink in the middle area between the nib and the feed. This design is also easy to take apart, making cleaning a breeze.

As an ink, Mellow Forest looks great on the page, and in combination with the nib, allows for great shimmer coverage. One tip: make sure you cap the bottle after each dip, so when you go to shake up the bottle before the next dip you aren’t throwing ink across the room. I don’t want to hear this Horror Story! But to get full shimmer coverage, you do want to shake it each time, so be careful.

While I enjoy having the 10 ml bottle of shimmer ink to play with, I’ll get much more usage from the Fude nib in this set. It will work well with any ink, and I look forward to seeing what I can create with it.

You should think about creating with dip nibs and inks as well. They are easy to use, and provide a different experience than traditional fountain pens and nibs. This Sailor Dipton + Hocoro Ink & Dip Pen Set is a great choice, albeit a little expensive for a beginner at $29. It is nice to get an all-in-one kit up front to see if you like it, and then you can explore a world of different options out there.

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

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Posted on February 5, 2024 by Brad Dowdy and filed under Sailor, Dip Nib, Pen Reviews.