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Anybody have experience with the TWSBI Diamond 540 in bold and stub? I am wondering if for my next nib I should get one or the other. I have a Namiki Falcon SF, Lamy Safari EF (writes like a fine because Lamy), and my TWSBI Diamond was ground by Mike It Work to a Japanese EF so I think it's time for a larger nib. 
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Mar 6, 2013 02:53
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| # ¿ May 21, 2024 18:50 |
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Speaking of Falcons, my Namiki Falcon is probably the best pen I've ever written with, ever. Honestly I feel it was worth the $140 in full for how much use I get out of it and how much of a pleasure it is to write with.
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Mar 17, 2013 04:40
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Posting balances the pen so your upstrokes and downstrokes are equally functional. I used to hate it but now I can't live without it-- far more control than not posting. Some pens hate to be posted though. On the TWSBI, the cap is a bit too heavy but if you get a 5mm miniature socket you can take off the emblem and clip on the end and it makes the pen extremely balanced.
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Mar 18, 2013 18:58
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If you guys are looking for bulletproof inks, I'm thinking of tossing up an SA Mart thread for my Bad Blue Heron and Eternal Hunter Green inks since I can't get the Blue Heron to write well in my Lamy and I wanna try a Pilot green for my pens next. If there's interest I'll do it.
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Mar 21, 2013 14:36
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Ed Mungo posted:I'm interested! I was thinking about buying a bottle of Bad Blue Heron because I got a sample and really liked the color.  http://forums.somethingawful.com/showthread.php?threadid=3539696 Just put them up in SA Mart!
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Mar 21, 2013 21:23
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I'm thinking of selling my TWSBI 540 ground to a Japanese EF by Mike-It-Work to fund a Sailor Professional Gear. The nib work was around $70. How much do you guys think I could potentially get for something like this? It's a great pen and the nib is loving excellent but truthfully I love my Falcon and my friend's Sailor significantly more due to how they fit in my hand.
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Mar 22, 2013 01:03
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It's the TWSBI Diamond 540 (full, not mini)
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Mar 22, 2013 02:06
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I loved my preppy eyedropper. My Hero and 78G leaked everywhere (and the Hero actually cut my thumb and index fingers six times so deeply I almost needed gauze for the whole area) but that thing was a champ. 
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Mar 29, 2013 19:45
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The metal washer between the pen's head and the vacuum sack is sharper than my DE feather blades. Let's just leave it at that. 
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Mar 30, 2013 06:13
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Part of adjusting/modifying a Hero is to remove the awful metal that exists around the vacuum sack in order to allow for more ink storage. Unfortunately, whichever assembly worker in charge of making the washer that connects the body to the head decided it would be a brilliant idea to make this washer as sharp as loving possible, to the point where I didn't even feel my hand's several deep cuts until blood started trickling down my arm. Because injuring oneself from simply twisting a pen head shroud back onto the vacuum apparatus is unheard of and stupid and would never happen, or so we both thought. I was literally lacerated by routine fountain pen maintenance. I haven't even had bone-deep cuts working in engine bays that rival the brutality I witnessed with this. I felt like I was looking at kelp between my toes.
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Apr 1, 2013 01:38
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Just ordered a 1.1 calligraphy nib for my Lamy Safari. Can't wait.  I thought I'd like my TWSBI for mathematics, but as I'm finishing up my undergrad I am completely out of math courses to take and even so I like my Falcon and my Safari way better.  How much do you guys speculate I could sell my TWSBI Diamond 540 for? It's in great shape and the nib was professionally reworked from a B to a Japanese EF by Mike-It-Work (~$75 job) and could write smoothly and legibly on a grain of rice. It's also a #5 nib so you could put the unit in a Sailor if you really wanted to.
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Apr 5, 2013 23:26
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It isn't really a flex nib-- more of a soft nib, as the name suggests. It's every so slightly springier than a normal nib, a feature I like a lot. It's worth trying in person first but it's by far my favorite pen. Has the same body size as a Sailor, and having used a regular 1911, I'd say the build quality is a bit better too.
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Apr 6, 2013 08:42
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I've never hosed up writing so badly that 13 people ended up dead at a farmer's market either.  The Namiki ink sampler on Goulet Pens was out last time I checked, but I'm considering dropping $50 for a sample of each type and playing around with them. I love my Namiki Falcon but I can't decide if I want a green, red, or purple ink yet to complement my dark blue. Of all the things to obsess over in this world. 
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Apr 23, 2013 04:58
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I've found that if you budget like an adult it doesn't matter if you buy $400 fountain pens. It's a hobby like anything else, and we all know there's an entire forum dedicated to hobbies that make your wallet and future childrens' college funds truly cry. Now, the real problem? Being interested in both. Sweet pen dude.
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Apr 23, 2013 18:22
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fivre posted:Dorkroom also. Maybe not to the same degree. Actually my girlfriend's into cameras and her friend is a professional photographer and I can say without a doubt he's spent more on his equipment than I have on all ~six of my car projects. Combined. poo poo's terrifying to think about.  Anybody have any luck ordering Sailors from Morita? http://morita.ne.jp/hikkigu/sailor/professionalgear-morita-original.htm shadysight posted:Frig, I was just washing my Noodler Ahab out and knocked it onto the floor. Now the tip has a nice bend in it. If the feed isn't damaged I'd say try bending the tines back carefully using a pair of needle nose pliers with some soft or rubber material at the end to prevent scratching but anything past this is gonna cost more than just replacing the nib. 
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Apr 24, 2013 07:56
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SnakesRevenge posted:
The Falcon is one of the best pens I've used. I feel that even in this price range it outperforms Sailors until the Professional Gear line: you get the aesthetics of a $250 pen with a sturdier, more refined clip and a nib that's equally as fine and soft. I feel the Noodler pens are way too physically large, but I'm a small cigar pen sort of guy I guess.
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Apr 25, 2013 19:00
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Brightman posted:I might need to see it in person, but I prefer Syo-Ro over Tsuki-Yo. Granted when you use Syo-Ro with a fine nib it looks more like a cross between the two, much less green. I just like the shading I get with it so much, but I also prefer green over blue in general, and I also might lack sense as I have Ina-Ho and Chika-Rin too, which are like writing with gold~copper and lime respectively. Although using the Chika-Rin in my bright green Lamy seems pretty great, which reminds me, I need to try the Ina-Ho in that since it's my 1.5 italic nib, sorta want to see how it and Syo-Ro do with that. That's why I just bought Shin Ryoku to go along with my Tsuki-Yo. I can mix the two to get Syo-Ro!
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May 9, 2013 07:46
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So I've been using Rhodia dot pads for a week now and I have to say that they truly do own as much as people say. I need to figure out a solution for storing notes, though, once they're ripped from the holder. I'm thinking of a two-hole punch with rings for school flash cards. Anybody have any other ideas? Also been writing in a 50/50 ratio of Tsuki-yo to Shin-ryoku. It goes on blue and dries blue-green. It's pretty hypnotizing to watch. 
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May 20, 2013 04:07
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I'm using the 5x8 pads for school and general notes. It's a waste to not use the back, which have no bleedthrough even with my wettest pens. They're the perfect size for flash notes. Everything else I use HP #32 dot paper cut into halves.
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May 20, 2013 07:35
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May 25, 2013 09:24
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May 27, 2013 22:21
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I have the 540 and the Safari and despite the bevels in the Safari being weird at first and the 540 being a piston fill, I still use my Safari almost every day. I feel the size and weight of the Safari is far more pen-like than the TWSBI lineup because TWSBI jumps right into the deep end of fountain pens. I think if you're in that budget range, I'd buy a bunch of $8-10 pens and figure out what pen size you like best before you're stuck with a $50+ pen that you might find too heavy for daily writing. A big $20 Noodler pen and a Pilot 78G would be my personal starting opinion, along with a Lamy Safari. This way you have a gigantic piston fill, a small Japanese cigar pen, and a middle of the road Lamy which is also virtually indestructible. Also, get a bottle of Heart of Darkness, which comes with a free Pilot Preppy, another pen that is too good for how much they charge for it. It's also by far my favorite ink for these pens.
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May 28, 2013 00:41
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 Click for big Tsuki-Yo is the best ink  Also macroeconomics is the worst academic
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May 29, 2013 05:40
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Nah, it's just equations used to determine dynamic aggregate demand and supply in a closed economy. In two weeks this class means nothing to me. :I My favorite Montblanc ink is the Violent / Lavender Purple by a longshot and the burgundy is nice too. I'm actually a fan of the ink RustedChrome used in the above pictures as well. What is it? So far I have Tsuki-Yo, Shin-Ryoku, and Heart of Darkness. Gotta get myself a red next, definitely. 
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May 29, 2013 09:58
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The Platinum pens look awesome. I just wish I had use for a music nib. Anything larger than a medium is way too big for me.
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May 31, 2013 17:57
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I'd post a pic reply but my phone is currently sitting next to me, completely broken.  Plumix can take both the CON-20 and CON-50 converters. The CON-20 holds more ink but the CON-50 is a very nice twist converter. I personally enjoy filling pens and found the added ink reservoir of the 20 doesn't make up for not seeing how much ink I have left, which is another bonus of the 50 and would accompany the transparency of the Plumix nicely. I'd go for the CON-50.
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Jun 5, 2013 00:03
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It's completely normal and is likely just residual ink after a fillup. Also, ink on fingers owns and is part of the craft.  Sweet pen, by the way!
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Jun 7, 2013 04:19
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Various inks have various lubricating and viscous properties, in addition to the actual hue and shading of each. Same with drying time, water and smudge resistance, etc. What are you looking for in a black ink?
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Jun 7, 2013 08:54
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I run with HoD in my Falcon right now and it is a very, very wet ink, but it's so smooth that you don't even feel the nib on the paper-- surreal. The only reason I like my Lamy as much as I do is because HoD smoothed it out and makes it feel like a $100+ pen. 
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Jun 7, 2013 17:14
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Oh yeah, if you guys are looking for a good black that isn't Heart of Darkness, Sailor's Carbon Black is pretty much the blackest thing out there. It's pigmented, though, so you have to flush the pen every so often (but you should be doing this anyway!)
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Jun 7, 2013 23:34
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If you're new to all of this, my recommendation is to buy the cheapest large metal pen you can find and play with it. The nib isn't as important as what your hand thinks at this point. I thought I'd like larger pens since I have 3XL hands but I quickly found that anything larger than the width of my Safari and Falcon are uncomfortable and make my handwriting look like garbage. Also this looks rad as hell: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/216656-my-bamboo-fountain-pen/
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Jun 10, 2013 18:29
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I went to Maido in San Jose and tried out a bunch of fountain pens today in person, something I'd never been able to do. Anyway: Lamy 2000 -  Actually incredibly light. I love the cap system and it's a great writer. A realistic everyday note-taking pen. I honestly might buy this one! Lamy Dialogue 3 -  Felt really flimsy. The nib was cool but for $300 there are infinitely better pens out there, such as: Pilot Custom 823 -  Wonderful pen all around, but I actually don't like piston fillers that aren't demonstrators. Felt solid and lighter than I'd expect, but Pilot Custom 845 -  Was the best pen there, by far. It uses a con-70 converter, which I honestly like better than piston fillers, and the two-tone nib is beautiful. I was testing it on a brown paper bag which was the only paper he had available, but even so the nib was loving smooth. Worth $500? That's Nakaya and Sailor Emperor territory. Tempting, though. I also had the pleasure of trying a Pilot Vanishing Point (clip wasn't too bad but I prefer Japanese cigars), Custom 74 (which I liked better than the sailors!), Sailor 1911, Professional Gear, and Sapporo, as well as a ton of other Japanese pens, all great, but truthfully not worth deviating from my Namiki Falcon and Mike-It-Worked EF TWSBI 540. Also, I legitimately love my Safari. I think the only unique pen that's missing from my entourage is the Lamy 2000. I have the Japanese cigar, the demonstrator piston filler, the indestructible Safari. I'm not a fan of stubs or broad nibs and the pen weight is perfect, as is the size. My pens are Japanese EF (0.2mm), Japanese SF (Falcon), and Western XF (Safari). Would a western fine Lamy be the next plausible option in this lineup? Or should I save for something different?
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Jun 13, 2013 09:01
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Kessel posted:I'm not sure if you noticed, since it can be fairly not-obvious when you're just trialing the pen at a store, but the 823 is actually a demonstrator of sorts. Look at the picture you posted. Oops, yeah, you're right! Barely noticed until that pic.  It's an awesome pen, but my TWSBI is almost the same dimension and weight and the nib, albeit steel, is comparable after the grind in smoothness.I feel that the Lamy 2000 or Custom 74/91 are the two pens I still need to complete my arsenal. For the price of the 823 I can get both (one for my girlfriend and one for me!) and have both a vacuum pen Japanese cigar and a unique fiberglass body. Also, the TWSBI nib is interchangeable with the Custom 74's so I can put the EF on it and put the Custom's nib on the TWSBI to mess around with. Knot My President! fucked around with this message at 18:29 on Jun 13, 2013 |
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Jun 13, 2013 18:24
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Preppies are some of my favorite pens and I'd highly recommend them even if you have a million other pens. I got mine with my Heart of Darkness, actually! As for projects, I use my Rhodia pads and pens every day for outlining hobbies and activities. I also have a journal I keep where I write down every good thing that happened that day along with every interesting thought I have. You begin to realize the things you say aren't as dumb as you think they are when revisited and you can build a great arsenal of future ideas and positive thoughts this way. I realized a long time ago that negative events are far too easily remembered and often overshadow many of the great things that happen in life. A journal definitely helps you realize that your life has some awesome moments and is a pretty good ego boost. I also use my Falcon with Heart of Darkness for lineart. Fountain pens are great for drawing because you don't press down on the paper and it makes your inked drawings look way, way better when they're done.
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Jun 14, 2013 19:04
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Nask26 posted:I've had my twsbi 580 for a little while now, The pen just doesn't feel very comfortable for me. The pen is awesome but I'm not sure I will be able to write notes every day with it. I was thinking about getting a safari? The Safari looks thinner and lighter then the twsbi. Any thoughts? It's really an issue of how the weight is distributed on the TWSBI. I've found it's far too unwieldy for daily writing and I perform better with smaller pens, even without cap and with the cap added but the metal clip removed. Have you tried Japanese cigar pens? I'd say look on Engeika for a Pilot Custom 74 or start with a Pilot 78G to see if you like that size better.
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Jun 19, 2013 03:41
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It's a piston filler with a good nib, but personally if you don't really care about the filling system as long as it works (plus filling pens is fun so who cares about reservoir size right??) go for any pen you like and get the nib done at a nibmeister. My Japanese EF writes smoother than my Lamy 1.1 italic and the 845 Custom in M that I tried because the guy who did the nib work worked for Sailor for over 20 years. If you like the style, go for it, but remember to check out nibs.com and look at all the crazy offerings in your price range. For $300 I'd rather have a $200 pen with a $100 nib job than a $300 pen that's a good writer out of the box. Pen size, weight, and nib material (10k or 14k for a soft feedback or steel for a nail) are the largest factors for a pen you like. That said, I'm fairly certain my next pen will be either a metal Falcon or a Custom 74 with a SF nib:  
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Jun 23, 2013 23:44
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Thelonious Monk posted:I just picked up a resin Namiki Falcon. You know, the one that does not fit the larger-capacity CON-70 converter. Why that and not the metal one? Because it's half the price. To be fair, the CON-50 is not a terrible converter, but loads of people seem to hate it. I don't really mind it since it's easier to use than the CON-20. 
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Jun 24, 2013 18:20
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Outside of Heart of Darkness and I believe Zhivago, yes. Unless you absolutely need a bulletproof ink, I wouldn't bother, as all but wetter pens with a fairly good nib surface will exemplify this issue. There are tons of amazing inks made by Diamine and Iroshizuku that have way better properties and similar colors. Engeika online has Iroshizuku for $15/bottle (plus shipping) but if you're in the market for a few colors you like from samples you get elsewhere (iSellPens and Goulet), it's the best place to shop outside of the nibmeisters' pages, such as Richard Binder and Mottishaw of nibs.com.
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Jun 27, 2013 18:47
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They're extremely not-permanent, but they won't do anything like that. Just don't get any water or sweat on it (like any other ink) and it won't smear. I am half way through a bottle of Tsuki-Yo and my girlfriend writes pages and pages with it and hasn't had an issue yet. Iroshizuku really is one of the best inks on the market.
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Jun 27, 2013 21:04
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| # ¿ May 21, 2024 18:50 |
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It's okay. Just never get into automotive hobbies and you'll be fine. ...
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Jun 27, 2013 21:25
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