I bought myself a Christmas present:
I bought myself this TWSBI Diamond 580 White Rose Gold II with a 1.1 stub nib. I already had the Smoke version so I knew I would love it. I do. I had started out to buy the Mini version of this pen, but I accidentally clicked on this one. The shop was going to be nice enough to swap the order, but then they went the extra mile and checked the Mini. It was a display. I was okay with that. However, it had a small mark on the barrel. I wasn't okay with that. Someone may have dropped something on it. I don't know. Anywho, I went with the order I placed and I am sure glad that I did. I love TWSBI stub nibs, they are so smooth it is like writing on sea fog. This pen just glides across the page as if it were itself a whisp of fog. Wonderful.
I am not going into specifications as anyone can find those on so many videos or by going to the TWSBI website. I will say that the cap comes of effortlessly in slightly over one turn, close enough to call it one, really. The pistol cranks down and up without issue and it pulls a bucket of ink up into the barrel. I know from experience how much ink this really is after writing many pages of lengthy narrative poems. Though these are wet nibs, the ink lasts a long time. Perfect.
The feel in the hand is, I think, important. Unposted the pen has a great balance and feels very deft in the hand. The grip is not so wide as to feel blocky, like some pens can, nor is it too thin, as many pens can be. I have large, thick manly hands and this pen works, but it isn't too big for people with smaller hands. I know this because I let my doctor and my tiny wife use the Smoke version and they both loved the way it felt and wrote. The White is the same in that regard.
Another important issue is, does it leak? No, not even a drop. Even shaking the pen doesn't produce any drips, yet when the pen touches the paper, it starts writing immediately.
Now, one thing to note is that I used Diamine Bougainvillea ink in this pen. I love the color, but when I inked up the pen, the white grip was smeared with the color of the ink, especially after wiping. Well, all was not lost. I simply wet a tissue and the ink wipe off and left no permanent stain behind.
As far as looks, well it is a good looking pen. I prefer the looks of the Smoke RG II, even so. But, they make a nice salt and pepper/day and night pair like my favorite pair of Thiers Issard straight razors.
My final thoughts are that I don't miss a gold nib with this pen because it writes so well and is so comfortable to use. I'm a happy buyer.
I bought myself this TWSBI Diamond 580 White Rose Gold II with a 1.1 stub nib. I already had the Smoke version so I knew I would love it. I do. I had started out to buy the Mini version of this pen, but I accidentally clicked on this one. The shop was going to be nice enough to swap the order, but then they went the extra mile and checked the Mini. It was a display. I was okay with that. However, it had a small mark on the barrel. I wasn't okay with that. Someone may have dropped something on it. I don't know. Anywho, I went with the order I placed and I am sure glad that I did. I love TWSBI stub nibs, they are so smooth it is like writing on sea fog. This pen just glides across the page as if it were itself a whisp of fog. Wonderful.
I am not going into specifications as anyone can find those on so many videos or by going to the TWSBI website. I will say that the cap comes of effortlessly in slightly over one turn, close enough to call it one, really. The pistol cranks down and up without issue and it pulls a bucket of ink up into the barrel. I know from experience how much ink this really is after writing many pages of lengthy narrative poems. Though these are wet nibs, the ink lasts a long time. Perfect.
The feel in the hand is, I think, important. Unposted the pen has a great balance and feels very deft in the hand. The grip is not so wide as to feel blocky, like some pens can, nor is it too thin, as many pens can be. I have large, thick manly hands and this pen works, but it isn't too big for people with smaller hands. I know this because I let my doctor and my tiny wife use the Smoke version and they both loved the way it felt and wrote. The White is the same in that regard.
Another important issue is, does it leak? No, not even a drop. Even shaking the pen doesn't produce any drips, yet when the pen touches the paper, it starts writing immediately.
Now, one thing to note is that I used Diamine Bougainvillea ink in this pen. I love the color, but when I inked up the pen, the white grip was smeared with the color of the ink, especially after wiping. Well, all was not lost. I simply wet a tissue and the ink wipe off and left no permanent stain behind.
As far as looks, well it is a good looking pen. I prefer the looks of the Smoke RG II, even so. But, they make a nice salt and pepper/day and night pair like my favorite pair of Thiers Issard straight razors.
My final thoughts are that I don't miss a gold nib with this pen because it writes so well and is so comfortable to use. I'm a happy buyer.
