Thanks, I'm glad you like my stuff! :) And yes, you can actually use the TWSBI inkwell with the Mini, as the pen body opening that fits onto the inkwell adapter is exactly the same as the 540. Did I not mention that in the video? Shoot, I should have.
It doesn't come undone easily on its own, especially since the cap grips onto the body of the pen and not the piston knob...that's one thing I didn't like about the 540, the cap sat on the knob. The Mini knob grips tightly when closed, and when you start unscrewing it, it will be easy to undo from there. I don't think you'll have anything to worry about with it in your pocket.
Yeah, I shot a separate video on it this afternoon, I'll try to have it up. It will work, at least in the short term. I don't know if there's any long-term ramifications (I don't think there should be).
Yes, they're not just similar, they're identical. The nib unit will actually screw into both pens (the grip section itself is different, but the nib housing appears identical).
I feel like I am the only person who does not ever fill a pen conventionally. Ever since I got an ink syringe from you guys [Goulets!], I always use it to fill all of my pens. I always found it to be much less messy and a smaller chance to get ink everywhere, and the nib doesn't get covered in ink and get all dirty (ink getting stuck in the logos or little designs on the nib).
The problem has resolved itself. I didn't change anything. I am using Diamine Majestic Blue. A similar issue with a Fermo/VP Medium nib seems to have been resolved by switching from that ink to Iroshizuku Asa Gao. Thanks for the follow up Brian.
Yeah, changes are coming. I'm not exactly sure when, but the 540 will be updated, just like the 530 was upgraded to the 540 a while back. The Mini is a whole separate pen.
If the problem resolved itself, then it was probably a machine oil issue. The oil breaks down after a bit of use with the ink, cleaning it out of there just speeds up the process a bit. I'm glad it's working better now!
Originally they told us yes, but we've yet to see them. I think they've been in the process of lining up a different nib manufacturer for their VAC-700 nibs, and that's been the holdup.
I have certain pens I usually fill with a syringe, others I use just the pen. Sometimes it depends on how handy my syringes are, too ;) I keep a roll of paper towels on my desk though, so usually just filling the pen is faster through the nib.
Oh gosh, plenty of people fill 'unconventionally'! I do it a lot too, just not in these types of videos because I don't want to make it seem like you need to have an ink syringe to fill it. That might confuse a lot of new folks. The nib thing about filling conventionally as opposed to with a syringe though is that the feed will already be primed and ready to write. It's a little messier because you have to wipe the nib off, but you also don't have to go clean out a syringe. Either works.
I haven't heard of cracking issues with the Mini like there were with the 530/540. You should be good...but TWSBI stands behind all that stuff if there ever is an issue.
Yup, that's a typo alright :P It definitely says Fillig! I didn't notice it during this video, but my crew noticed it and pointed it out to me later ;)
@@oneitalia2312 Heyyy... “Yup” is a fine word, and anybody can use it. Actually, the fact that you think it’s NOT ok for ‘Growed-Ups’ to say it or whatever says a LOT more about *YOU* than anything. Yup, that’s right; you’re a sketchy weirdo - and I’m only vaguely sorry that THIS is how you found out :\ o well tho
This is the first I've heard of it. You might try cleaning your pen, perhaps there are some machining oils in there slowing the flow a bit. If that's the case cleaning will help, or it'll eventually fix itself over time. What ink are you using?
Cool! That's what I try to do when I make a video like this on a brand-new pen. I'm a pen fan myself, so I really just have to think of what kind of questions would I want to ask!
I received my twisbi mini on yesterday and as soon as I start writing with it the pen leaked I was planning to get the Vac mini but now I'm about to change my mind on that now.
I found a way to have the threads stop you in the perfect spot! Hold the pen in your right hand so the bib faces right, you want the mob itself facing you. Then, hold the cap so it is parallel to the side of the bib and feed. Spin the cap away from you and the pen towards you and the cap away from you until you hear 2 quick clicks in quick succession. Then, tighten them like you normally would. Then, the threads will stop you in the exact right spot lol.
So I just picked up the TWISBI Mini yesterday and have a question I suppose would apply to all piston filling pens: On filling the pen is it necessary to always ‘pull’ the piston all the way up? Or could I leave some slack and use the pen having filled it perhaps 3/4 and leaving the piston knob ‘unscrewed’ a bit? The reason I ask is I have other fountain pens which sometimes seem to ‘jam’ or ‘stick’. My working theory is that some dried ink has blocked the flow. I have tried a ‘Heimlich maneuver’ approach by advancing the piston quickly to ‘blow out’ whatever is there but that can be messy. If I had the piston only 3/4 the way up I figure I could do a ‘reverse Heimlich maneuver’ and pull any dried ink into the reservoir. What do you think?
What, the Mini or the 540? Well, the 540's discontinued, so that ends the contest right there....but honestly I do like the Miini better. The only real compromise is the smaller ink capacity, but 1ml is plenty for me (and most folks). If I want bigger ink capacity, I have the Vac-700.
@15:42...Is it normal to have ink inside the finger-grip area on my Twisbi Mini Vac? On my twisbi can see blue ink resting between the silver and the transparent part of finger-grip. I don't see any ink on Brian's inked-up pen @15:42. Did I do something wrong?
Yeah, it's a common issue. I had that problem with my Vac Mini as well. It comes with silicone grease that you can add to the threads to help seal it up. Since doing that, I haven't had the problem with ink getting on my fingers. - Colin
Alright I'm really having a problem here. I unscrewed the back and the whole thing came off leaving the piston rod stuck inside the barrel. I know I should have just unscrewed the nib unit - but I didn't ... now what do I do?
Hey Goulets! Awesome review! Hope you guys are safe and dry over there! Will you update us and let us know if the frankenib (540/mini exchange) worked out?
Do you have or plan on making any videos about cleaning this pen or the 580? I don't really trust the one video I found considering the guy was afraid to put the pen in water for fear that it would rust XD
For the AL models: Aluminum shouldn't rust, at least not like you think it should. Aluminum will oxidize but considering ink is mostly water I doubt it would cause an issue. For the resin models: I don't think rusting is an issue.
How long does a full cylinder of ink usually last? I have used fountain pens before, I use the pilot disposables daily, is something like this practical for daily use?
I was wondering... how would you compare the smoothness of the TWSBI mini EF to the Pilot Vanishing Point EF? Is there a particular ink brand you would recommend specifically for either?
Has anyone else noticed a "slow start" issue with this pen? Twice this morning, when I left the pen laying horizontal for short periods of time, the pen is completely dry when I try to write with it. I then turn it nib down and shake it a bit, and the ink begins to flow again. The flow is fine while I'm writing though. Anyone else? Or do I need to do something to improve the start problem?
Hey, I've been a long time fan of your reviews--they are fantastic and incredibly helpful! I was just wondering though, can you fill the Mini with the adaptor in the TWSBI ink well?
Not nearly as often as you might think. Really, when you feel like it's catching a lot on the sides of the barrel, that's when to do it. Not as a regular maintenance. Maybe once a year in my TWSBI experiences? - Colin
The pen's perfectly fine right out of the box. The grease is for the black piston seal that you see inside the barrel of the pen. It'll be a while before you really need to use it though. -Brian Goulet
The Goulet Pen Company Hi goulet can we get some comparison pics to the 580 and mini, as this video was made the 540 was compared and I would like to see the similarities compared to the three just because the differences between the 580 and 540 are comparable to the mini and it would be interesting to see if the "mini" is mini of the 540 or the 580.
+Mai Phan Theoretically yes, but the nib on the Mini is kind of tough to remove. It's easy to bend the fins on the feed and destroy it so you'd want to be really careful! In essence though, they're the same nib. -Brian Goulet
I did not know this has a screw to post.. god dang it I bought the passaporto and.. only thing I can say is the ppl at Goulet are cool.. that’s all I can say about the pen lol
Basically there are trim parts that are aluminum with the AL Silver vs resin with the Diamond. This blog is on the 580, but also applies for the Mini: blog.gouletpens.com/2014/07/twsbi-580al-and-twsbi-580-whats - Colin
Thanks, I'm glad you like my stuff! :) And yes, you can actually use the TWSBI inkwell with the Mini, as the pen body opening that fits onto the inkwell adapter is exactly the same as the 540. Did I not mention that in the video? Shoot, I should have.
I was just given a Mini by a friend and like it nearly as much as my beloved 580. A very nice review. Thanks, Brian.
Glenn Higley Nice! Yeah, they're pretty similar pens, just different sizes mostly ;) -Brian Goulet
Yeah, we're good. The storm mostly missed us, just gave us a few days of some cold, heavy rain.
It doesn't come undone easily on its own, especially since the cap grips onto the body of the pen and not the piston knob...that's one thing I didn't like about the 540, the cap sat on the knob. The Mini knob grips tightly when closed, and when you start unscrewing it, it will be easy to undo from there. I don't think you'll have anything to worry about with it in your pocket.
Yeah, I shot a separate video on it this afternoon, I'll try to have it up. It will work, at least in the short term. I don't know if there's any long-term ramifications (I don't think there should be).
Yes, they're not just similar, they're identical. The nib unit will actually screw into both pens (the grip section itself is different, but the nib housing appears identical).
Excellent. You have answered every question I would have had about this pen that could help in making a buying decision.
I feel like I am the only person who does not ever fill a pen conventionally. Ever since I got an ink syringe from you guys [Goulets!], I always use it to fill all of my pens. I always found it to be much less messy and a smaller chance to get ink everywhere, and the nib doesn't get covered in ink and get all dirty (ink getting stuck in the logos or little designs on the nib).
The problem has resolved itself. I didn't change anything. I am using Diamine Majestic Blue. A similar issue with a Fermo/VP Medium nib seems to have been resolved by switching from that ink to Iroshizuku Asa Gao. Thanks for the follow up Brian.
Yeah, changes are coming. I'm not exactly sure when, but the 540 will be updated, just like the 530 was upgraded to the 540 a while back. The Mini is a whole separate pen.
If the problem resolved itself, then it was probably a machine oil issue. The oil breaks down after a bit of use with the ink, cleaning it out of there just speeds up the process a bit. I'm glad it's working better now!
Originally they told us yes, but we've yet to see them. I think they've been in the process of lining up a different nib manufacturer for their VAC-700 nibs, and that's been the holdup.
I do the same. Even my piston filler Pelikan gets filled that way. Yay for ink syringes!
I have certain pens I usually fill with a syringe, others I use just the pen. Sometimes it depends on how handy my syringes are, too ;) I keep a roll of paper towels on my desk though, so usually just filling the pen is faster through the nib.
Love your reviews man! They are thorough and informative!
You mentioned that they look similar, but I was just double checking. Thank you!
Oh gosh, plenty of people fill 'unconventionally'! I do it a lot too, just not in these types of videos because I don't want to make it seem like you need to have an ink syringe to fill it. That might confuse a lot of new folks. The nib thing about filling conventionally as opposed to with a syringe though is that the feed will already be primed and ready to write. It's a little messier because you have to wipe the nib off, but you also don't have to go clean out a syringe. Either works.
I haven't heard of cracking issues with the Mini like there were with the 530/540. You should be good...but TWSBI stands behind all that stuff if there ever is an issue.
I just posted it, so you can go check it out now. I put a link in the description of this video, too.
Yup, that's a typo alright :P It definitely says Fillig! I didn't notice it during this video, but my crew noticed it and pointed it out to me later ;)
The Goulet Pen Company
"Yup"? Did you just say yup? What are you - 3 years old?
@@oneitalia2312 Heyyy... “Yup” is a fine word, and anybody can use it. Actually, the fact that you think it’s NOT ok for ‘Growed-Ups’ to say it or whatever says a LOT more about *YOU* than anything. Yup, that’s right; you’re a sketchy weirdo - and I’m only vaguely sorry that THIS is how you found out :\ o well tho
@@severalwolves You sound like the exact idiot I'm talking about - yup, sure do, you moron!
love, love, LOVE my mini!!!! bought it from Goblet Pen Co.
hahah “goblet pen co.”
that rules haha
This is the first I've heard of it. You might try cleaning your pen, perhaps there are some machining oils in there slowing the flow a bit. If that's the case cleaning will help, or it'll eventually fix itself over time. What ink are you using?
I should have them in a few weeks, we wanted to carry them but TWSBI didn't send us any in this first shipment.
Okay got it - After watching this video over and over again.
AWESOME! I look forward to (all) your vids! :)
Cool! That's what I try to do when I make a video like this on a brand-new pen. I'm a pen fan myself, so I really just have to think of what kind of questions would I want to ask!
I received my twisbi mini on yesterday and as soon as I start writing with it the pen leaked I was planning to get the Vac mini but now I'm about to change my mind on that now.
They feel like the 540 to me, just a tiny bit of give, but they're still relatively stiff.
The the piston knob (right term?) have a good amount of resistance? Or is it easy to accidentally twist it if the pen was in a pocket?
I found a way to have the threads stop you in the perfect spot! Hold the pen in your right hand so the bib faces right, you want the mob itself facing you. Then, hold the cap so it is parallel to the side of the bib and feed. Spin the cap away from you and the pen towards you and the cap away from you until you hear 2 quick clicks in quick succession. Then, tighten them like you normally would. Then, the threads will stop you in the exact right spot lol.
Hi Brian! How does the TWSBI Mini compare to the Pilot Stargazer in regard to size and ink capacity?
So I just picked up the TWISBI Mini yesterday and have a question I suppose would apply to all piston filling pens:
On filling the pen is it necessary to always ‘pull’ the piston all the way up? Or could I leave some slack and use the pen having filled it perhaps 3/4 and leaving the piston knob ‘unscrewed’ a bit?
The reason I ask is I have other fountain pens which sometimes seem to ‘jam’ or ‘stick’. My working theory is that some dried ink has blocked the flow. I have tried a ‘Heimlich maneuver’ approach by advancing the piston quickly to ‘blow out’ whatever is there but that can be messy. If I had the piston only 3/4 the way up I figure I could do a ‘reverse Heimlich maneuver’ and pull any dried ink into the reservoir. What do you think?
Is this the same as the TWSBI Vac Mini Fountain Pen, and does it work with the Diamond 50 inkwell?
What, the Mini or the 540? Well, the 540's discontinued, so that ends the contest right there....but honestly I do like the Miini better. The only real compromise is the smaller ink capacity, but 1ml is plenty for me (and most folks). If I want bigger ink capacity, I have the Vac-700.
I'm bummed the eco doesn't just unscrew! The entire set can be had for only 20$. So you can try all and choose and have replacements
@15:42...Is it normal to have ink inside the finger-grip area on my Twisbi Mini Vac? On my twisbi can see blue ink resting between the silver and the transparent part of finger-grip. I don't see any ink on Brian's inked-up pen @15:42. Did I do something wrong?
Yeah, it's a common issue. I had that problem with my Vac Mini as well. It comes with silicone grease that you can add to the threads to help seal it up. Since doing that, I haven't had the problem with ink getting on my fingers. - Colin
Thanks Colin. I have another question for you on the Neponset video. Its regarding the newly added 'white collar nib". :)
Yeah, I saw that. I was checking with Brian/Customer Care team to see if they have more clarity on it. - Colin
I got the twsbi mini black classic and it's extra fine
hope you guys at Goulet Pen Company are all safe after the storm =)
Alright I'm really having a problem here. I unscrewed the back and the whole thing came off leaving the piston rod stuck inside the barrel. I know I should have just unscrewed the nib unit - but I didn't ... now what do I do?
Hey Goulets! Awesome review! Hope you guys are safe and dry over there! Will you update us and let us know if the frankenib (540/mini exchange) worked out?
Brian, does twisbi 580 have any staining issues?
Does the twsbi come in any translucent colors?
Do you have or plan on making any videos about cleaning this pen or the 580? I don't really trust the one video I found considering the guy was afraid to put the pen in water for fear that it would rust XD
For the AL models: Aluminum shouldn't rust, at least not like you think it should. Aluminum will oxidize but considering ink is mostly water I doubt it would cause an issue.
For the resin models: I don't think rusting is an issue.
Is that a typo on the box at 0:30? Does it say mini Pison Fillig Fountain Pen? It looks like Fillig on the video....
I've heard that there are changes coming to the 540. Is it going away, or maybe just getting redesigned to be more like the Mini?
Brian, would you consider selling the "Future" version of the minis? I quite liked it!
How long does a full cylinder of ink usually last? I have used fountain pens before, I use the pilot disposables daily, is something like this practical for daily use?
I was wondering... how would you compare the smoothness of the TWSBI mini EF to the Pilot Vanishing Point EF? Is there a particular ink brand you would recommend specifically for either?
Has anyone else noticed a "slow start" issue with this pen? Twice this morning, when I left the pen laying horizontal for short periods of time, the pen is completely dry when I try to write with it. I then turn it nib down and shake it a bit, and the ink begins to flow again. The flow is fine while I'm writing though. Anyone else? Or do I need to do something to improve the start problem?
Wait so will #5 or #6 bock nibs fit?
How i'm a extesive writer i can assure you those threads are a nice feature in short pens but normally the cap unballance the pen.
Hey, I've been a long time fan of your reviews--they are fantastic and incredibly helpful! I was just wondering though, can you fill the Mini with the adaptor in the TWSBI ink well?
I just got the Mini yesterday and it still has the typo on it! :P
Hi. How often would you need to dab some oil on the plunger section of the converter? Hope someone can help. Thanks.
Not nearly as often as you might think. Really, when you feel like it's catching a lot on the sides of the barrel, that's when to do it. Not as a regular maintenance. Maybe once a year in my TWSBI experiences? - Colin
@@Gouletpens Thanks Colin 👍🏻
Would you recommend a 1.1 nib for everyday use?
Brian, what does the silicone gel grease? Can I use it right out of the box or do I need to put the gel on something first?
The pen's perfectly fine right out of the box. The grease is for the black piston seal that you see inside the barrel of the pen. It'll be a while before you really need to use it though. -Brian Goulet
The Goulet Pen Company Hi goulet can we get some comparison pics to the 580 and mini, as this video was made the 540 was compared and I would like to see the similarities compared to the three just because the differences between the 580 and 540 are comparable to the mini and it would be interesting to see if the "mini" is mini of the 540 or the 580.
Hi Brian, I just got a twsbi mini with 1.1 nib. Can I swab the nib with twsbi eco broad nib instead? Thanks for informative vid!
+Mai Phan Theoretically yes, but the nib on the Mini is kind of tough to remove. It's easy to bend the fins on the feed and destroy it so you'd want to be really careful! In essence though, they're the same nib. -Brian Goulet
So in your opinion which is better?
Kinda bummed out my TWSBI Mini is all cracked up :(
I did not know this has a screw to post.. god dang it I bought the passaporto and.. only thing I can say is the ppl at Goulet are cool.. that’s all I can say about the pen lol
(Between the mini and the 540)
"$50 for any piston filling pen is pretty great"
And then they made the ECO... Hahahaha
what is difference between mini diamond and mini al silver fountain pen
Basically there are trim parts that are aluminum with the AL Silver vs resin with the Diamond. This blog is on the 580, but also applies for the Mini: blog.gouletpens.com/2014/07/twsbi-580al-and-twsbi-580-whats - Colin
Love your reviews man! They are thorough and informative!