TWSBI 580 Prussian Blue • A Demonstrator, Prussian Blue, Stub...What's not to like?
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- Опубликовано: 4 июл 2020
- I tried my best to resist the pull of the Special Edition Prussian Blue 580, but I finally gave in and jumped on board. Why? It was that 1.1mm stub that got me. Was it worth it?
Start: 0.10
Unboxing & Design: 3:22
Specifications: 11:32
Size Comparisons: 11:55
Writing Sample: 13:32
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Oh wow the 1.1 stub looks a lot more usable for daily writing than I assumed! Beautiful.
I have a 700R with 1.1mm stub and am really enjoying rediscovering all my purple ink samples with it.
I love the story behind this purchase
Thanks for the review! What a beautiful pen
I enjoyed your review of the Prussian Blue version of the TWSBI Diamond 580 ALR. You asked a question about modern flex nibs versus vintage flex nibs. I am not an expert having never used either type, but I have listened to experts discuss this conundrum . Most theories are that knowledge was lost as the makers died without keeping the secrets of vintage written down and machinery was scrapped as writing styles and pens changed. Apparently, we are better at reverse engineering alien technology than vintage flex nibs!
I really enjoyed watching your review! You have a great personality and have a lot of enthusiasm for your writing tools :) I hope to own a TWSBI 580 one day! This is a beautiful color and it writes so well
This for sure is a great pen and it looks really nice in that colour. Good review as always. Take care and stay safe.
Nice honest review as usual.I may have a dabble into stub nibs after watching this video.
I love that ink in it too. Looks gorgeous in the demonstrator 😍
Thanks. I like the line variation from the stub nibs also. Good review. I also have this pen.
I have a Go and an Eco with 1.1 stub nibs, and they're really great! I use them regularly for Italic handwriting and calligraphy. A Diamond 580 AL was my first over-$50 pen purchase, but the grip is so slippery that my hand fatigued quickly, and I really never enjoyed writing with it. I recently purchased the purple Diamond 580 AL-R, and what a difference those little ridges make for the grip section! As soon as I held it in my hand, I knew it would be a favorite pen--I love it! I really enjoyed your review.
I love your story buying this pen. And although I don't have this one I totally understand the process in your mind. I enjoy your videos. Thank you. BLESSINGS
This may have to become my new "blue-black ink only" pen.
My favorite ink to write with is Noodler’s 54th Massachusetts and I think this pen would be perfect for that ink.
Such a beautiful pen. I too have my eye on a TWSBI Diamond. I think I am going to ask for one for my birthday. Thank you for a great review. I really enjoyed it! I love your ink color too! ❤❤❤
I'm a bit late watching this review but I am considering the 580. It's just a colour but I love the colour haha....great review and keep up the great work :)
I am no expert but it is to my belief that flex nibs used to be better than they are now primarily due to materials, nibs used to all be made by hand allowing for fine craftsmanship working and the use of softer metal ( nib gold used to be a much higher purity), the reason the metal alloys are harder now is to allow them to be made on machines without risking the errors that can occur from machining soft metals at a high rate. Working by hand allowed the maker to take as much time as they needed to perfect each nib. Hand making each nib is not possible for businesses these days because it takes a lot of time and highly skilled workers (and therefore expense for paying lots of highly skilled workers and long delays in manufacturing) another reason lower purity gold is used is just to save money, especially as gold prices rise as supply drops. The other factor is the feed used to be carved from ebonite which is a better material than the common modern polymer used but again this is not suitable for larger scale production because it cannot be made using machines such as injection moulders instead requiring a skilled worker to make and inspect each unit individually.
The other issue is that these skills have not been passed down as the are less needed and less profitable and many people sadly aren't interested in the trade.
The simple fact is that a lot of products used to be so much better quality just because they were hand made with skill and care rather than being produced in large volumes by machines just to make profit, makers used to care much more about the individual product and user.
14 karat gold from 50 years ago is the same purity as 14 karat gold today... 14 karat - 14/24, 18 karat - 18/24, etc.
Great intro👏👏👏 I love it😂😂😂
That is a gorgeous pen! I think you would have regretted not getting it. It’s obviously a perfect choice for you that you will be enjoying for a long, long time. As you say, stubs aren’t what you want to write with all the time, but with the easily swappable nibs, that isn’t an issue. I enjoyed your obvious pleasure in using this pen.
Re the cloudy plastic piece around the nib area of the cap: I suspect that was chosen for its physical properties rather than for appearance. My guess is that it is a different material, perhaps polyethylene, that is more resistant to ink staining and other challenges than the clear acrylic.
I put off buying this pen for about 3mos then found an excuse to get it (my first Diamond). I am in love with the nib and color, it is so smooth to write with, I also love that I can switch out the nib. Two days after getting it I made the mistake of letting several kindergarteners color with the shimmer ink in it (I knew better) and had to replace it, so much happier paying $20 vs $60 for that mistake. Will definitely be getting more Diamonds but will probably wait till the next color release.
Thanks, James. Looked like you had some condensation in the cap. I find that in every clear or translucent pen that I carry with me. If I
leave it on my desk, no problem. I have #6 stubs in .6 and .8 from Birmingham and find them very good and fun.
First another nice review, I have been trying not to pull the trigger on this pen as well it sure is pretty and TWSBI pend are great values. I will say though that the R in ALR stands for aluminum ribbed as that is what gives the section the texture.
Again thanks for your reviews 👍
First of all, this Texas girl loves your shirt! I’ve never used a stub nib. Your review makes me think it would be beneficial to me. I’ve purchased pens from Birmingham, but not inks. Also, I have three TWSBIs, but not a 580. I’ll definitely look into it! New sub! Blessings❣️
How funny. I just got my Prussian Blue 580 ALR (stub) in yesterday. My stub writes wet and exceedingly smooth. It’s very, very nice. I used Monteverde California Teal which is a great ink, but a little green-ish. I’ve got just a few jars of other inks here but think M’s Iced Cookie would be good. Many Japanese inks will be a good match, if someone wants a match. I’d go with frosty white on the inner cap too. All in all the 580 ALR is a gem. Love it. And yes, the Prussian Blue is very handsome.
Nice video James !
Yes, I was thinking of buying prussian blue with the 1.1 nib too :-)
Thanks!
Exactly what I was thinking every time before I ordered any new pen!!, thanks for your reviews, glad to know there’s so many people enjoying Chinese fountain pen:D
I have a clear D580 and an Eco with 1.1 stub nibs. Love them both; about to order a rose gold/white with 1.1 stub!
The R is not for revised. It stand for ridges or ridged. That is why the AL has a smooth sections and the ALR had a ridged grip section.
I caught that later. The pen store is where I got the "revised" take from originally. Oops.
I have the regular 580 with 2 extra nib sets. I discovered that 1.1 stub on the GO and I enjoy it on the 580 also. I have been a fan of interchangeable nib fp's since I was growing up in the sixties.
I'm not much into demonstrator pens, but if I were, the coloring on this pen would make me take the leap. Personally, I'd use a teal ink (like a Monteverde Carribean Blue would be perfect!). Great review, and your struggle, to buy or not to buy, was "comforting". Yes, that's the right word. LOL!!! That said, you made the right decision. Thanks for sharing.
Lovin' my Prussian Blue, and although I normally get a stub on TWSBI pens I jumped on the first one available which was a medium. It actually writes like a fine and I was considering replacing it with a stub but it's such a sweet writer I'm going to stick with it. All TWSBI pens are well worth the money in my opinion.
Great review! Looking forward to checking out more of your content. You've pretty much sold me on the 580 ALR. I'll be moving to it from a Lamy Safari fountain pen and looking forward to my first demonstrator pen with a piston filling mechanism.
I think you'll like it, this is one pen that I *always* have inked and in rotation.
I thought Safaris were great until I bought my first Twsbi. Now, nothing else will do. Smoother nibs, gorgeous pens, huge ink volume that looks beautiful sloshing around within the clear piston section. Good-bye Safari!
I already own TWSBI 580 Diamond ALR Grey colour. Can't explain how am holding myself from getting this model... It's such an attractive pen.
Laughing out loud. I have same pen and same nib AND had same head conversation with myself on how I didn’t need it - but I caved too!
Yeah! I think I'm heading for that rabbit hole!!!
Ha! That makes three of us! I fell victim to late night shopping just now and I’m waiting for my first stub nib with bated breath.
Hello James I absolutely loved your video. You were so funny trying to talk yourself out of the purchase. You mentioned bearings, I have a Twisbi eco just purchased does it have bearings and when I wash out the pen is there a particular way to do it so that I do not disturb the oil protecting the bearings?
Your inner dialogue about getting the pen is very like how i ended up with 6 horses. :)
I haven't had a horse in a very long time, but I can see how that could happen. 😆
Very good decision...
I got the black AL R and I wish I had gotten the Prussian Blue. I think the black is lovely but the blue is gorgeous
I got a free bottle of Monteverde Iced Cookie ink from Dromgooles when I bought my white & rose gold TWSBI ECO. I picked 3 possibles and that’s the one they sent. It was my #1 pick. WooHooo! Why did I want it? Because it is THE perfect perfect match for my Prussian Blue TWSBI Diamond 580! If you’re looking for a good ink that’s a color match...this could well be your best bet.
Thank you for the very interesting video. I really liked the intro to the history of your purchase decision. I also own a Diamond 580 AL R with a stub nib. But I opted for the "colorless" version so that I had more "freedom" when choosing the ink. I really like it. In my opinion, the Diamond is the "most valuable" piston filler from TWSBi, especially the aluminum version. What confuses me a little is why does TWSBi have the ECO manufactured in China and other models come from Taiwan?
Sold on the stub. just bought a mini vac. medium. played safe. stub nx time
I totally agree. There are no good justifications for not being able to do now what we were able to, not that long time ago (we are not talking here about rebuilding the pyramids of Giza).
It reminds me about that saying that it would be impossible to reproduce the Apollo missions today.
One more thing, The ALR version is not „revised“, it’s an addition to the AL line, but with a more subtle matte finish and the aluminum grip is somewhat ribbed. Other than that, there is no difference to the AL.
just happened to step by browsing some pen reviews on YT, you've done nice work and I see why u struggled... I found that TWSBI is quite good at pushing these various color-featured demonstrators and it IS HARD not to grab all of them in the demonstrator collection. I mean, just look at that Prussian blue beauty, or the iris special-plated models, or the rose gold feature models... Well, I do manage to pick just one of them recently in a store, but packed up all the available nib sizes in stock there. Pairing with some nice shimmery J. Herbin inks, the demonstrators are just too awesome to reject
Well timed post, I’ve been using this 580 all week and really enjoying it after having to set it aside too long to keep up with pens I’m reviewing.
Hi James ... I really like TWSBIs I have 5 ... Vac700.. Vac700R.. Diamond 580 AL.. Vac Mini and my latest, a Diamond 580RG ll
S O when your review of the Diamond Prussian Blue 580 AL R came up I was wondering what the R was for ... as opposed to the one I have...thanks for the explanation. TWSBI are really smart pens and you can spend stupid money on Vac Fillers and Piston Fillers (not counting the Chinese copies.) TWSBI was the only one I could afford some years ago. This Prussian Blue 580 AL R is a real temptation, its a beautiful colour and would go nice with my others.
Must agree with you...the smokey inner cap is my only dislike...it DOES look dirty...your right.
Stubs can be a pain to write with, you need to have in mind the orientation of the nib, no rotating the pen...
I now write E or EF and a couple of mine have Goulet nibs...initially I bought B but that was a mistake...so those nibs are in my spare tin now. Someone in the UK could have them if there was a way of working out addresses ... ? I dont know how to do that on here.
This is not the cheapest of pens but the 'high end' TWSBIs are a good buy for yourself or for someone who uses fountain pens as a present...
Best wishes to all PenPeople.
LeZc
@@
I think we all need help, haha. Just got 4 Kawecos in the other day 🤦♀️. Nice review, thank you!
Ha!
I have 6 of these pens! 1 of each color, but 3 Prussian Blue! Love love love it!
I fail to see the point in that 1 would do and there are so many other pens out there with different qualities you could’ve got
I put different ink in each one. Why does one buy 6 Fuji apples when Honeycrisp are also red? The same argument can be made for thousands of situations. I guess the best answer would be, “Because I could!”
@@JenShaw22 I guess to each their own to me it seems like buying 6 of the same cars when different ones work for so many new scenarios but the diamond is still a lovely pen regardless!
I have several pens from MontBlanc to Lamy…TWSBI is just my favorite!
@@JenShaw22 I hope one day I could have a collection like you right now I’m just starting out this hobby with just a safari to kick off.
/ can so relate I did the very same... a 1.1... Best decision 1 never wanted to make
I have enjoyed using fountain pens over the last few years, and the TWSBI 580 is my favorite because it’s a beautiful writing experience for the budget I have. I do have a question about the stub, though. I’ve found I *love* the EF nib on the 580 (though I usually stick to the F nib on the Eco) on the Tomoe River paper of the Nanami Paper Cafe Note (my go-to journal); it’s just the right amount of ink for me. I know the beauty of the stub nib is the line variation, but I’m worried that it would be too inky for my taste, if that makes sense. Can you advise here on the amount of ink I can expect from the stub, for someone who doesn’t have any experience beyond those two nibs? It’s hard for me to spend that kind of money on a nib when I’m just not sure, especially when there’s no real resale value because they’re fairly easy to come by.
Mine is not too wet at all, and because the stub nib spreads the ink, I don't have any more issues with this pen bleeding through than with most medium and fine nibs. This will also depend on the ink. Basically, I can write with this on the same paper as my Eco, and can't with the same as the Eco as well.
James, thank you for this review. Question...at 12:17 the cap looks to be full of condensation. Your observation?
And I think I have made my choice...to WAIT. Heart? or Head?
I don’t recall, but I know I’d just cleaned it out before inking it up for the review, so it could be that. It isn’t a recurring issue, though, I can tell you that.
Mine, clear version with stub nib 1.1mm, arrived today and I'm in love with it 😎😊 such a sweet writer on dotted Rhodia paper.
At 12:48: A thought, probably repeated elsewhere (no claim to originality): If you didn't want perspective and foreshortening to mess with the pen-size impressions, you could just arrange them next to each other, vertically to the picture's plane... :-)
Привет, Джеймс! Отличный обзор :)
Спасибо!
If you want a flex nib that is modern but as good as the old - Fountain Pen Revolution Jaipur V2 with Ultraflex nib and ebonite feed. It is amazing and inexpensive as well as a JOY to write with. I have no financial link to FPR - I am just a raving fan.
Thanks.
I'm a Prussian descendant (from TX Mennonite community near San Antonio) so I might get this pen just because of that 🦅🖋️
A great tie to your roots, and a cool reason to choose that color.
I choose my pens and my wine by the color of the pen/color of the label!
nice review..funny too
How would you compare this nib to an Eco Stub? I’ve tried an Eco with Organic Studio Nitrogen and it was quite wet.
I would think they would be quite similar, with the main difference being the grip feel. The nib and feed would be the same. The advantage of the 580 is that nib units are easily swappable.
I have a Twsbi Go with a factory-supplied 1.1 stub. It's a very nice nib indeed. Also I don't think you need help. You need more pens. At least that's what I keep telling myself. 505 FPs is obviously not enough for me yet...
I think the Go is an underrated pen. 505? I'm clearly just a beginner. lol
Love the Luther fountain pen mug. Where did you get that?
I really like that quote, too. I had discount code for a photo mug and ordered this to celebrate my first 1,000 subscribers. That quote was the end screen at the end of my review of the Hong Dian Black Forest.
I too have found that Stub & Italic nibs are easier to show line variation than flex nibs. I think flex nibs are an aquired skill. ( I don't have the skill )
Wow. The audible feedback is so much louder than on my lamy 2000 which is whisper quiet.
That's really the mic (that issue has been a learning curve). The nib is not much different in sound in person.
@@JG3Reviews I was considering checking out the ECO. You think it's on par with Lamy 2000 in smoothness?
@@JG3Reviews it was only a curiosity. I realize they are different caliber pens 🙂
12:00 do you keep your house cold? look at the condensation inside the cap!
That may be it. It was probably 75 F in the house, probably 100 F outside.
I got the Rosegold stub 1.1 - and I also need help.. One thing I noticed: the 580 RG II 1.1 stub, is broader than the Twsbi eco 1.1 stub!?
I've not gotten the TWSBI stub in one of the smaller nib pens like the Eco, but I've noticed that all my stubs of the same size do vary some in actual line width even with the same sizing, and from the same nib manufacturer.
There’s a video that compares the stub Eco with stub 580 and they found the 580 to be noticeably broader.
Interesting. I have the ECO 1.1 stub and it is my first stub. I was surprised that it is not wider....
which of your ECO or 580 is wider?
@@sleepawkeen The 580 is wider than the Eco.
would you prefer this over the twsbi precision 1.1 ?
I've looked at the Precision, and it has a cool asthetic. I think I preferred the feel of the 580. The nibs should be pretty much the same (same nibs, but not the same nib units, iirc).
@@JG3Reviews thanks , because i am having a hard time trying to decide one over the other
Is the metal grip a problem with this pen?
I don't think so, it is grooved to improve grip, and I think it is just fine. Just depends on preference.
I used the aluminum version and had no problems with the handle. It has a light, comfortable structure that doesn't make it slippery.
Great way to showcase your ink, and priced right where you could be tempted to collect them all. Beware.
Could a left hander use this pen equally as well? I really fancy trying a stub nib
im not sure but it could be possible that you get the reversed effect based on how you write, i dont know if it will look as intended
I’m lefty and have no problems with this, or any other fountain pen 🖋️
Sir i m from pakistan...city lahore.. I want to purchase this pen..plz tell method for this.. And what would be prise ..with regards
Unfortunately, I am not familiar with the fountain pen market in Pakistan, or what is the best way to obtain it there. The current MSRP in the US (which may vary, of course) is $65.
You'll have to import it, either from the US or from Taiwan. And it's going to be very expensive. You could also try importing it from India if sellers have it.
@@methamphetamememcmeth3422 thank you for your kindness in providing the needed information. I hope that 'Pakistan' sees your post.
Trying to match a non-black pen with an ink is basically a fool's errand, you'll never get it perfect. Unless the manufacturer sells a matching ink. One generally gets just close enough for a clash between the colors, which I don't care for. Better to go for a contrast. I'd consider a brown or orange for this very pretty blue pen.
I like to complement rather than match. This combo was inspired by 90s Nike cross trainers. lol
Where do you buy the ink from?
It's from Birmingham Pen Co.: www.birminghampens.com/collections/bottled-ink
@@JG3Reviews What would you say is the closest match to what they currently offer?
I haven't used the pop part purple they have right now, but it looks similar. It's all they have in stock that is similar at the moment, but that changes regularly.
I think I am thinking what you think I think you're thinking. lol
I don't think you need help. Honestly, I want to own one but, I'm on a budget so, it's cost prohibitive for me. 🙁
The Eco is a good choice if on a budget. The Wing Sung 698 is also a real keeper for me. If I had to choose between the Eco and the 698 then, if my life depended on it, I'd probably go with the 698. However they are both very competent and have never yet disappointed me.
I understand that. This one was a gift card purchase, like a couple others I've reviewed. That made the decision easier. When I looked at the regular 580 a year ago, I just didn't want spend that much. A lot of my pen purchases have come from funds I've earned judging UIL high school/middle school debates (so that's dried up this year!). You think real hard about a pen purchase when it it equals those hours. ;-)
The secret proprietary knowledge of flex nib manufacture had been lost. No one made one true wet noodle of old in 70+ years. The trouble is most manufacturers of pens don't make their nibs like they did back then, and Bock, Smith, Jowo sell all they can make due to the recent boom, so have no need to throw engineering resources into something like that. That R&D would likely get us flex nibs like those of old in short order, but no one making nibs sees the return on investment in developing a true flex nibs, so we are left with less than satisfactory modern "flex" that is nowhere close to the real thing.
Wow, you wrote "James" in Cyrillics)
Long, long ago and in land far, far away I had to do that a lot. 😉
Unfortunately your camera's too far away for us to really be able to see that there's any line variation, or even most of what you're writing( at least on my cell phone screen)..
But I do love your reviews.. very thorough and informative..
I was using a larger pad at the time, and tried to get the full width. I definitely see your point. I'm always tweaking, so I appreciate the feedback. Thanks for watching!
Overall I like the look of this pen, but there is something 'off'' about it which I couldn't place at first. Now I know what's up with it. There are 3 snags.
1) It's not a small pen but it has a no.5 nib which looks undersized. It would look far better with a 6.
2) That grubby cap insert is a bloody eyesore. I have a Wing Sung demonstrator with the same grotty cap insert. I haven't used it for years & took it apart to clean. I'd forgotten the cap liner was supposed to look that way so soaked it in bleach. Of course it made no difference.
What is the point of making a crystal clear faceted pen then cramming a coal grimed liner in it's crystal clear lid? If I had one of these I'd remove it altogether.
3) As it is, £60 is mooring at Mockery Bay. At this price it should be faultless.
Agreed, but I'm good with it because it keeps the nib from drying out for far longer than without it.
Doesn't look very prussian blue. Looks more cerulean
Джеймс?
Yep.
Je suis hyper dégoûté, j’ai fait tomber mon stylo plume préféré sur la plume. Il est hs complet. La plume n’est pas remplaçable. Je vais réfléchir à m’acheter ce stylo là.
Джеймс?)
Да. Это мое имя в транслитерации.
@@JG3Reviews просто удивился кириллице)