TWSBI Mini Review

(Everyone say hello to Jeff Abbott, the latest writer to join me here at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution, Twitter, and App.net. Welcome aboard Jeff!)

Small pens and comfortable writing experiences do not normally appear on a list describing the same pen. But ever since this TWSBI Mini entered my collection, I've been continually impressed by its portability and quality writing experience. The particular model I have is a clear body with a black cap and piston. It currently has an EF nib, and it's my favorite non-Japanese small nib. I currently have Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-peki in the pen, one of my favorite go-to inks.

A lot of mini-sized pens have significant trade offs in the actual usage of the pen, but the TWSBI Mini isn't one of them. I love the size. It's portable and small, but still maintains the proper proportions of a larger pen that makes it easy to hold for long sessions or a quick commute in my pocket. When the cap is posted, the weight is perfectly balanced for my hand. I really enjoy posting the cap on this pen because the cap actually screws on to the end of the pen. This gives it a solid, secure feel in the hand and I don't have to worry about twisting the cap and moving the piston, which might result in a nasty ink spill on the page.

The nib is extremely smooth and consistent (especially for an EF nib), which is one of the main reasons that I pick this pen up in the morning. I've never had issues with the ink stopping or skipping in this pen. Even with other inks loaded, it performs admirably. While we're talking about inks, it's worth pointing out that this little pen holds a large amount of ink.

I've used the pen on a variety of papers, from cheap copy paper and composition notebooks to Rhodia and Clairefontaine papers. It feels smoother and nimbler on the premium paper, but it also gets the job done nicely on cheap papers. In my mind, this is what qualifies a pen for everyday use.

The relatively low cost of entry for this pen is another huge plus. I paid $55 for my copy from Amazon, which is hard to do with a piston filler fountain pen.

I wouldn't necessarily recommend this pen to someone just starting on their fountain pen journey, but if you want something small, charming, and deceptively refined, then give the Mini a try. The Mini comes in three color variations: black and clear, completely clear, and all black. You can pick the nib size you want, but like other TWSBI models, the nib section is incredibly easy to swap out later if you want to try other sizes.

TWSBI Diamond 540 ROC 100 Fountain Pen Review

I’m not sure if I am crazy, or crazy like a fox, but this newfound fountain pen obsession is going to cost me for sure. I’ve mentioned on Twitter and on the podcast over the past few weeks that I have purchased a TWSBI Diamond 540 ROC 100 fountain pen and I wanted to share my initial thoughts.

TWSBI is a company that many of you outside the fountain pen world may not have heard of. While they have been around for decades as an OEM manufacturer they only recently created their own fountain pen product line. In just a few years time they have become a well respected brand in fountain pen circles. After a few weeks with my Diamond 540 I can see why.

If you haven’t already noticed, this is a striking looking pen. The translucent barrel with red and blue sections really pop. It looks as good in person as it does in the pictures. I’m not wild about the faceted cut in the clear mid-section of the barrel (I would have preferred smooth) but it blends in well and I am willing to overlook it.

Since I am just starting to spread my wings in the fountain pen world there were a couple of things that took some getting used to. While the Diamond 540 would not be considered a large pen, compared to the Lamy Safari and Pilot Prera it is bigger and more substantial feeling. I would say this is very normal sized compared to most fountain pens. It took me almost no time to get used to.

Secondly, the nib is larger physically than any other fountain pen I own. Again, I would say this is more of the norm in the grand scheme of things. I chose an EF nib and it writes wonderfully. It is very smooth and comparable in line width to both the Kaweco and Lamy EF nibs.

I was a little concerned as to how the piston filling system was going to work for me but it couldn’t possible be any easier to use. A quick dip and a twist and I was ready to write in a matter of seconds. I love how I can see the ink sloshing around in the barrel.

The TWSBI Diamond 540 is going to get a lot of use around the house and would be a good choice as my ink testing pen. I will have to see how easy it is to clean - my guess is not too difficult.

From what I have experienced in my limited TWSBI use I am very pleased with their products. Looking through their various lines I can see myself purchasing several other pens in the future. Are there any other TWSBI fans out there? I would love to hear about your experiences and your favorite TWSBI models so please let me know!