TWSBI Vac Mini Fountain Pen Review

I appreciate TWSBI as a company. They aren’t afraid to experiment and do things other companies don’t, or can’t. Does that lead to issues sometimes? Without question. TWSBI had many quality issues in the early days that turned customers off their product completely, and rightfully so. But they keep pushing forward and innovating, and have improved the quality of their products as the years pass.

The TWSBI Vac Mini is a prime example of their innovation. What other company is able to manufacture a pen like this, or even want to? A vacuum filling mini fountain pen? “Not possible,” I imagine most companies saying. And for many reasons, not only technical. TWSBI is positioned well the sub-$100 pen market, with only Lamy and Kaweco as real threats. Most companies don’t compete here, which has allowed TWSBI to do things no one else would consider.

But enough of why I like TWSBI as a company, let’s get into this pen. If you have never used a vac filling system in a fountain pen, here are some things to know before purchasing:

• It is simple to fill.
• It is difficult to clean.
• It can be sealed off for travel.
• It needs to be open when writing.

It is far from hard to use, but beginners need to keep these things in mind. It is a different animal than a cartridge/converter pen. I wouldn’t recommend this pen as a first fountain pen for example. But for a fun, unique fountain pen I am all over it.

In comparison to the TWSBI Mini, which I am also a fan of, the Vac Mini is longer, including a longer grip section, and has a larger ink capacity. I’ve never had an issue writing with the regular Mini unposted and the added length of the Vac Mini makes it even better for me. For those who like to post their pens, the cap screws on the back to give you a more full length pen writing experience. The nibs are the same size, but the nib units are not, so it will take more effort than unscrewing to swap nibs.

On the negative side of the ledger, the only issue I have is with the clip. It wiggles too much and I would worry about it eventually breaking if I carried it clipped to my pants pocket. In a shirt pocket or a pen case it’s fine, but for a portable pen the clip needs to be stronger.

I don’t see the $60 price tag as a negative, but that does put the TWSBI Vac Mini in a strange place amongst the rest of TWSBI’s lineup. If you have never owned a TWSBI and are looking for the best pen of the brand, I would recommend the 580AL, which is their full length piston filler and is the exact same price. For beginners, the TWSBI ECO is the clear choice at half the cost. The standard Mini runs between $50-$55 depending on the nib, but I would pay up for the slightly larger and more ink capacity in the Vac Mini.

To me, the Vac Mini is your second TWSBI. You’ve bought a 580 or an ECO, enjoy the style and performance of the pen, and want to add something a little different to your collection. This is that pen.

(Goulet Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Clairefontaine Triomphe A5 Notepad Review

International Correspondence Writing Month is almost over, but that is no reason not to have a nice pad of letter writing paper on your desk. Sure, you could use the Clairefontaine Triomphe as a high quality notepad, but where it really shines is for letter writing, and is one of the best options around.

Clairefontaine has long been known for making wonderful fountain pen friendly paper. The Triomphe pad is perfectly smooth and extra white, both features which make your writing pop off the page.

It handled any pen or pencil I threw at it, with fountain pens being the standout of course. My nib choices tend to lie at the extremes, with extra fine needlepoints mixed in with fine cursive italics. Soft, rolling nibs these are not, and they all performed flawlessly. When I branched out to medium nibs, the Triomphe paper handled it in style, with no feathering of bleeding to speak of.

Rollerball inks did well too. They are the most similar to fountain pen inks since they are water based, and I saw no issue with them. Gel inks did well, as did ballpoints and pencil. The one pen style I did not enjoy on this paper were plastic tip pens. My beloved Kuretake and Copic felt waxy on the page, even though there is not much coating on the paper as best as I can tell.

Outside of pure performance, there are two small features that make this pad perfect for letters. One, the glue binding allows for clean page removal, and two, the pad includes a lined guide sheet. I can write somewhat straight lines on my own, but getting the neat output like I got below only comes from guide lines.

When I have a size option, A5 is usually my first choice, but there is an A4 pad option as well, with envelopes to match. The price is reasonable too: $6 for 50 sheets of A5, $9 for 50 sheets of A4. If you are looking for quality letter writing paper I would look no further than Clairefontaine Triomphe.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Pilot Stargazer in Ruby Red: A Review

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

The Pilot Stargazer is a beautiful little pen made of lacquered brass. It comes in a presentation box with a clear plastic cut out. It's not as glamorous as some boxes, but it's nice enough that you could certainly give the pen as a gift.

The Stargazer is a small pen that requires posting to feel well balanced. Even though it's small lengthwise (120mm capped; 134mm posted), it has quite a bit of heft to it since the barrel and cap are made of brass. At 27 grams, it feels substantial in the hand.

It's smaller than a Pelikan M600 when it's capped. But when you post it, it's about the same length as the Pelikan capped.

The ruby red lacquer is gorgeous. It's a deep red with a luminous finish.

The pen boasts a number of decorative details. The cap sports a rhodium-plated clip. The bottom of the cap has a large rhodium ring, set off by engraved black rings above and below. The words "Pilot Japan" are also engraved in the ring.

Rhodium rings circle the grip where the nib is inserted and the area between the grip and the barrel. Another ring is near the base of the barrel. These details accentuate the pen quite nicely.

The grip appears to be made of plastic, not brass, which makes it easy to hold. Sometimes metal grips make for sweaty fingers and slippery writing. But not with this pen.

The nib is 14K gold plated in rhodium. It's a tiny nib, but still features beautiful scroll work along with Pilot's name, the gold content, and the nib size (this one is a fine).

The nib is fantastic. It writes like an extra-fine (Japanese nibs tend to be more narrow than their Western counterparts). Even so, it writes smoothly with no scratchiness, hard starts, or skipping. Pilot nibs are almost always trouble free in my experience.

The pen uses a cartridge/converter filling system and comes with a Con-50 converter.

The Stargazer is an impressive little pen. It is well made and has more decorative features than some more expensive pens. It would make an excellent pocket pen and/or small notebook pen. The cap snaps on securely, and the pen is small and substantial enough to be an EDC.

You can find the Pilot Stargazer in Ruby Red, Sapphire, Black, and Pearl for $152.00 at Goulet Pens.

Pros

• The Stargazer is a small, balanced, well-made fountain pen.
• The nib is excellent.
• Ruby Red is a beautiful lacquered color.
• The pen works well as a pocket pen and/or as an EDC.

Cons

• It is a small pen, so people with larger hands may find this pen too small for comfort.
• The Con-50 converter only holds .84ml of ink.

(Goulet Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)