TWSBI Vac700 Review

You will find wildly varying opinions of the TWSBI Vac700 across the internet. For some, it fits their needs perfectly. For others, there are too many design quirks to overlook. Without first hand experience myself, I fell into the second camp. The Vac700 didn't speak to me from the get go, and reading reviews of the pen only solidified those thoughts.

A kind reader named Becky fell into that second camp too, although she only found that out after making the purchase. She didn't care for the Vac700 (for reasons we will get into) so she offered to send it to me. Not loan it to me. Not sell it to me. She knew I'd be interested in checking it out and had no love for it, so she just flat out gave it to me. That says a lot about the pen, but also how awesome Becky is. Thank you!

She sent me the Smoke model with a bold nib and my first impressions on the feel and appearance were positive. It's no secret I am a TWSBI fan, so I knew I would like a lot about what the Vac700 had to offer. But there are several things that keep this from being a pen I can recommend blindly like the TWSBI 580.

First off, the size of the Vac700 is a barrier to entry. That's fine, because that is part of what this pen is. It has a vacuum filling system so the pen requires a larger ink tank to accommodate the plunger and bigger than normal ink capacity. It's a feature, but the size and weight may be uncomfortable for those with smaller hands.

Secondly, there are some interesting design elements in play here. The big one for me is the extra large step down from the barrel to the grip section. Again, it's almost a requirement due to the mechanics of the filling system, but it does get in the way when I am writing. Not horribly, but noticeably.

The brushed clip is another oddity. It doesn't affect the performance of the pen but it is a strange choice when the rest of the chrome is polished and shiny and the clip is dull. Each chrome element on its own is fine, but mixing finish styles on the same pen does not work visually.

It's not all bad though. The filling system is the primary feature of the Vac700 and it works well. A few pumps of the plunger and you have more ink capacity than you know what to do with, keeping even the most prolific writers happy for days. The nib is great too, which I fully expected. I hadn't use a TWSBI bold nib before this pen and it is fantastic. It is really smooth and a joy to write with.

In the end, poor comfort outweighs good performance for me. Your mileage may vary, so make sure to read up on the TWSBI Vac700 if you are interested in making a purchase. It may be the perfect pen for you. If not, it makes for a beautiful paperweight.

More TWSBI Vac700 reviews:

Pentorium

FP Geeks

Ed Jelley

That One Pen

FP Quest

TWSBI Inkwell Review

When I first became interested in fountain pens and the variety of inks that are available, I made a large bet on Noodler's Heart of Darkness. This was at a point in my fountain pen journey before I knew about ink samples. So, I purchased a 4.5 oz bottle of Heart of Darkness from Amazon that I soon discovered was impossible to use with a fountain pen converter because the bottle opening was too narrow. It was meant to be used with an eyedropper only. I was disappointed, to say the least.

I got by with a syringe for a while. I filled my converter pens with the syringe after dunking it in the large bottle.

Then I discovered TWSBI. I love the two TWSBI pens I own, and their inkwell caught my eye at first because it was, well, eye-catching. But I soon realized that this would be my solution to the awkward Heart of Darkness problem I got myself into.

So what makes this inkwell special? It makes filling TWSBI pens extremely easy, and also works with all other fountain pens.

Before we dive in, it's important to note that only the TWSBI Diamond and Mini lines work with the proprietary TWSBI port on this inkwell.

How it works with TWSBI fountain pens

Using the inkwell with TWSBI fountain pens is a piece of cake. Simply give the inkwell a light shake and unscrew the top lid to expose the TWSBI refilling port. To fill a TWSBI, just unscrew the nib section and plug the barrel section into the port on the inkwell. Fill the pen as usual, remove the barrel section from the inkwell, and replace the nib section. That's it! No mess, no fuss.

There's a small metal tube that goes into the bottle that allows the pen to draw up the ink. If you don't think very hard about it, it seems like magic as you fill the pen.

How it works with all other fountain pens

For all other fountain pens, the inkwell works like most every other bottled ink out there. Unscrew the second lid section to expose the traditional ink filling cone. The cone is rather large, so I imagine it will accommodate most fountain pens no matter their size. Filling is the same as other ink bottles -- dunk the nib into the ink, and fill the pen. The downside to this method is the clean-up after filling the pen. Let's be honest, the clean-up isn't difficult, but the TWSBI filling method is so cool!

I really appreciate the quality of the TWSBI inkwell. The 50 mL reservoir is made of glass, and the lids are made of aluminum in your choice of color. This inkwell solved my Heart of Darkness problem, and I've even considered getting another (or more) just because I like how it looks so much. If you have a troublesome ink bottle, then this just might be the inkwell for you.

The TWSBI inkwell is available on Amazon in an assortment of colors.

Tools of the Trade: A Review of the TWSBI 580 F Nib and Noodler's Bernanke Black Ink

(This is a guest review by Chase McCoy. You can find more from Chase at chasemccoy.net.)

If you know me at all, you know that I am a lover of analog tools. I am particularly fond of pens and paper. Any pen addict knows that entering the world of better-than-average pens is a hobby that grows as rapidly as your wallet shrinks.

Inspired by the Pen Addict himself, Brad Dowdy, as well as his co-host on The Pen Addict Podcast, Myke Hurley, I have recently begun using fountain pens. There is something about a fountain pen that just feels right. It is an entirely different experience than using a gel ink pen. Until I purchased the TWSBI 580, however, all of my fountain pens have been cartridge filled models like the Lamy Safari and the Kaweco Classic Sport. Both of these are fine pens, but I was ready to take it to the next level.

After researching my options, I decided that the TWSBI 580 was going to be my next pen. Those who have used the pen rave about its spectacular nib and relatively cheap cost. I picked one up from Goulet Pens for $50 along with a bottle of ink and I am quite impressed.

Construction

The TWSBI 580 comes in a few color combos, but I chose the clear demonstrator model. I like being able to see the ink slosh around in the barrel. Plus, I can easily tell when it’s time for a refill.

The 580 is made out of a durable clear plastic with some chrome accents. The cap of the pen screws onto the pen so that you don’t have to worry about leaks. The pen also features a bright red TWSBI logo on the very end of the cap, which adds a nice accent.

One thing that I really like about the pen is that the barrel is not completely round. It is actually many flat sides. I like this because the pen doesn’t roll around when you put it on a flat surface. While that may not seem like a big deal, it relieves a lot of frustration.

Another cool thing is that the nib simply unscrews off the barrel. This means that if you want to try out a different nib size, all you have to do is buy it and screw it on.

Filling

The 580 is the first fountain pen that I have owned that utilizes a piston filling mechanism.

The pen itself is essentially a converter. There is a piston inside the barrel that creates an airtight seal with the inside of the pen. To fill it, you simply unscrew the end of the pen so that the piston is extended towards the nib. Next, you insert the nib into your bottle of ink and twist the piston back up into the pen. This suction draws ink up into the barrel of the pen.

Filling this pen is a simple as could be. Cleaning it should be pretty easy, although I haven’t had to yet. All you should have to do us unscrew the nib and flush it out, and then just wash out the barrel.

Writing

The moment of truth comes after you’ve filled your pen. I purchased an F nib, and I am quite happy with it. If you have a Lamy Safari F nib, the TWSBI is slightly finer. I like my Safari F nib, but I have aways wished that it was a touch finer. I have tried the Safari in an EF nib, but it was too fine. The TWSBI 580 is a happy medium.

I had some issues with my pen at first. It was skipping and having hard starts. Fortunately, flushing the nib solved the problem. I did not flush my nib before I filled it the first time, but I definitely will in the future.

I am happy to say that the 580 writes really well. The pen is smooth and really different from the cheaper fountain pens I have used in the past.

The only problems I have experienced with this pen is that sometimes the pen skips a bit when I first start using it. It is usually a little thin on the first character that I write, but it never lasts longer than a letter or two. I have a feeling that this has to do with the ink that I am using, which I will talk about a little later.

I am really happy with my 580. It writes great and it feels great to write with. If you are looking to step up your pen collection with a smooth, affordable pen, the TWSBI 580 is for you. Plus, a pen like this lets you have a lot if fun with the hundreds of inks out there.

Noodler's Bernanke Black ink

When I set out to find an ink for my pen, I was looking for two things: dark and quick drying. I like black inks, and so I wanted a black that was deep and dark. I was tempted by Noodler's Bulletproof Black, but all of the reviews said that it was very slow to dry.

I settled on Noodler's Bernanke Black because people seemed to really like it and it is a fast drying ink.

So far, I am pleased with the dryness of this ink. It dries almost immediately when you put it on the page. The ink is also nice and dark. It could be a bit darker for my tastes, bit I am pleased with its shade of black.

One issue that I have had with this ink is that because it is a fast drying ink, it tends to dry up a little bit if my pen is sitting out uncapped for a little bit. Usually this means that the pen skips a bit on the first letter that I write. It’s not a huge inconvenience, but I look forward to trying out some other inks in my 580.

Conclusions

I am really happy that I settled on this pen. The TWSBI 580 is a great way to jump into fountain pens and inks. If you are interested, I suggest you purchase yours from Goulet Pens. They have incredible customer service and are based in the U.S.