TWSBI Vac Mini: A Review
Yet again, I found myself unable to resist the frenzy of apple-esque fandom that has surrounded TWSBI since its inception. They do a very good job creating a phenomenon around each pen, releasing their own developmental 'leaks' which leave adoring fans to speculate for months if not years about release specifics. In the case of the Vac mini, that period lasted over three years. Why so long? I think it comes down to their priorities...there is no way it could take three years to develop something as simple as a pen. Whatever the reason, I always found myself sucked in(), but soon regretful: all of my previous TWSBIs--the mini, the Classic, and the Eco--met a new owner very quickly because they fell short of my expectations. By the time I sold off the especially-hyped Eco, I had become sure of one thing: that no matter how much a pen meets the faddish specifications of pen geeks (affordable, piston filling, demonstrator...etc), the proof was always in the pudding--execution is key. As I did some rapid-fire selling-off to fund this pen, I couldn't help but think, "Will this finally be the one to keep?" What follows is a working out of that very question.
But first, I've decided to add in some quick opinions:
(If you're looking for specifications, go to the Vac mini's product page on the Goulet's site)
Comparable Modern Pens for Context (mostly by ergonomic/design similarity):
TWSBI Mini (different model family (piston filler instead of vac), but nearly the same design in a smaller package)
TWSBI Vac 700 (same model family...)
Pilot Prera (similar price, size and demonstrator design)
Pelikan M400 (exact same size capped, similar section girth)
Pilot Custom 92 (similar demonstrator design and also non-c/c but a bit longer)
Pilot Stargazer (similar pocket-able size)
Pilot Custom 823 (same filling system (including ink-shutoff valve), translucent plastic)
Some Visconti (powerfillers), Eboya and Danitrio models; all Conid Bulkfillers (ink shutoff valve system)
And the ubiquitous..
Pros:
-large ink capacity
-ink shutoff valve
-completely maintainable (everything except cap can be taken apart w/ tools provided)
-pocket-friendly (small and reliable*)
-threaded posting cap
-modern, quirky design
-great balance
-nib units easily replaced
-high bang for buck (high quality product for $60)
-INDUSTRY-LEADING customer service attached!
Cons:
-small section diameter with large step--uncomfortable for many
-coarse threading is uncomfortable
-attention to design detail lacking (cross-threading on posting threads, clip wobble...)
-filling system hard to flush
-nib assembly design is flawed
-boring nib
-cracking issue looms as with nearly all TWSBIs***
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The nicely branded cardboard pen-coffin sleeve gives the presentation of the pen a certain legitimacy that was not there before it, and of course, the stylish coffin itself has become an iconic marker of TWSBI's aesthetic sensibilities and modernist values. Everything oozes the breed of refinement that comes with cold modernism. The pen itself, in this trim, continues this trend: the clear plastic/steel combination echoes today's glassy, airy architecture. It feels well-weighted in the hand, more so than the mini. This combined with the fact that it is the size of my favorite pen, the Pelikan (M)400, when capped made me very satisfied. Almost. Manufacturing oils of some kind were all over the pen (which I've never had happen on any of the TWSBIs I've bought before), and I felt injection molding seams when my fingers felt the section--not what I expected from cold, refined modernity--at least not at this price.
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Inking it up, I was impressed with the precise feeling and elegant mechanics of the vacuum filler, but the action (on the upstroke) could have been smoother. Of course, this is easy to fix using the included metal filling assembly wrench and a bit of silicone grease (also included), but I had expected more, especially considering that even the Eco's piston was butter-smooth. It fills consistently to a healthy 2/3 capacity, which I augment using the inversion method to get a full fill. When the barrel is filled with ink completely, it holds a very healthy 2 mLs by my measurements. I must contest, however, that this is less than the vintage Pelikan 400, which holds upwards of 2.2 mLs with no such 'every last drop' trickery. That pen also flushes easy as pie, which is one of the main detractors for vacuum fillers: good luck getting all the ink out without disassembly, which, it turns out, is totally doable with this pen. But while piston fillers make for easy flushing and filling, they have no way of containing their fill. Vacuum fillers like this one, with built in ink-shutoff valves, do. For anyone who is rough-and-tumble with their pens or wears them on their person, this is a huge advantage. More on that later.
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I wish I cared more about how it wrote, but I'll admit it: I didn't really give a shit. TWSBI nibs, with the exception of stubs, italics, and maybe this posh 'architect's point' fad, are heartless creatures, and I've become numb to them. Take them in your hand as pure functional tools, detached from romanticism or expression (and take what I write with a good dose of sodium chloride.) Yes, the fine-that-writes-like-an-extra-fine on this pen is relatively smooth with crowd-pleasing middle-of-the-road wetness, but when compared with any of my nibs that provide line variation (whether mechanical or natural), it is a killjoy. It's perfect for practical purposes--filling out forms, writing on mediocre paper and all of that--but when I have good paper around, it sees little use. And it's not just the lack of flexibility or line variation (I do not disdain all modern nibs!)--the specific combination of toothiness with absolutely no give whatsoever makes the nib on my pen quite objectionable for any 'real' writing. Before you chalk it up to being a dud, I'll say that my Mini, Classic and Eco wrote similarly. Suum cuique. That said, the current nib universe is quite conducive to modification ('grind yours to that double-broad flexy oblique you've always dreamed of, or send it to someone who can!'), and for those who don't like such hassles, TWSBI offers what I hear to be a fine stub nib (1.1 or 1.5 mm standard). But perhaps the most intriguing option is to replace the nib altogether with a vintage one. (see here: http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...ni-and-others/) Then, you have a throughouly modern, super-reliable nibholder for your favorite vintage nib. Hmmmm. One more thing: though this nib assembly is interchangeable with the Diamond mini's, the designs are slightly different which makes for a difference is seating between the two: while the original mini's nib collar extends out past the metal section ring, the Vac mini's is now elegantly flush.
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What is it like in the hand? For me, it is not as comfortable as I hoped, but there are a few features that make this quite a desirable pocket-pen for certain people. First is the section design. It's long, thin and straight profile make it quite comfortable for those who can tolerate a thinner grip--unlike with the mini, there is really space to position one's fingers. Second is the balance. There is a perceivable backweight to the pen, both posted and not, that is absent on the mini. In both cases, the balance is quite nice--at no point have I felt the pen trying to 'lift itself' off the page, or slip downwards out of my grip. At 27 grams wet (why not use automotive terms?), it feels stoutly made, yet sprightly enough to be used for long periods of time. The third key ergonomic feature are the section threads, and they illuminate the janusian nature of TWSBI's 'Vac-filling pen aesthetic': the coarse threads, linked to a defined downward step between the barrel and the section, allow for two different gripping diameters, but at the same time, make holding the pen on the threads very uncomfortable for many (myself included). This would not be a problem were it not that that distance from the nib tip is quite a nice one for those who prefer the comfort side of things on the nib-control/hand-relaxation continuum. The original mini doesn't do much better in terms of thread design (again thick and deep), but its lack of any net step between section and barrel allows for one to position the fingers at a more shallow angle that is more comfortable (you don't feel your fingertips digging into the threading as much). All this is irrelevant if you can deal with the thin (m400 thin) section, and as someone who can, I can say that is moderately satisfying. If I had my way, of a slight concavity (achieved through increasing the diameter at the section ends) would be added to the section for comfort.
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Were this a c/c filler, I would be done with this section of the review now, and simply say, 'meh.' I think this is a case of a filling system absolving--or at least mellowing--a pen's sins. The mechanism isn't just cool, but completely functional. I've already mentioned it holds a great amount of ink, but I think its other feature, the ink shutoff valve, deserves some special mention. I would be remiss to not tell you that this feature was the breaking point for me buying this pen. And it deserves to be, in my opinion. Having no regrets about taking a sweaty run to the library with the Vac mini tumbling about in your sweatpants' pocket is wonderfully liberating. There is simply no need to baby this pen (trust me, I threw it out of a second-story window earlier today). This is not to say there is no nib creep, no condensation in the inner cap and no droplets of ink all over the nib after an accidental drop, but rather that this pen cannot, in its factory state, have any 'big accidents'. Some people would rather not have the feature (which is possible by simply removing the seal at the end of the filling rod), citing the fact that for longer writing sessions, you will have to open the valve by twisting the blind cap. I think that's ridiculous: is a return to the traditional constraints of fountain pen reliability really worth it? **
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Good design has been one of TWSBI's selling points for years. In 2010, the Diamond 530 model won the Red Dot Design Award, a fact the Taiwanese company was quick to add to the pen's case. Until final prototype shots were released in 2014, the design differences between this pen and it's piston-filling cousin were mysterious, both because of the nature of prototypes and TWSBI's reticence towards verbalizing their differences. Thus it was a pleasant surprise to learn that TWSBI had made subtle alterations to the 'mini' design in their newest pen. The Vac mini hybridizes the design of its namesake and its mini-series cousin to create a pen that looks very much like a larger (in every dimension) Diamond mini when capped, and an odd progeny of that and the Vac 700 (mainly because of the straight section) when uncapped. Considering the popularity of the Diamond series and the general enthusiasm around its modern, slightly glitzy design, this was probably the right choice, both from a sales perspective and a philosophical one. It is thus not that much of a surprise for those who follow the brand. This is not to diminish what I see as some excellent subtle design improvements and alterations. My favorite is the taper they added to the filling knob, whose straight design on the the mini I always felt was out of place and awkward. To my eye, this pen looks really balanced when capped. The others are more functional: the more traditional faceted barrel serves pretty well as a roll-stop, and the faceted as opposed to smooth cap works well with this design. Also present here is a screw-in section, which means no more creaking as with the mini, whose 'sandwitched' section design is atrocious. But as much as these subtleties will likely appease those versed with TWSBIs , when used alongside higher-grade pens, the quirky freshness fades and a lasting impression of unoffensive mediocrity becomes this pen's contribution to this pen-geek's habitus: the proportions when uncapped are undeniably a bit odd, especially when posted, and the flashiness of the thick cap band and slightly mismatching trim designs have a surprising effect towards this. If you're looking for good industrial design in the broader sense--an object imbued with a sense of purpose (in TWSBI's case, that of a user-maintainable, everyday pen)--the mini, as with most of TWSBI's pens, will fulfill, but if you want industrial art; well, look elsewhere.
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There are a few other differences between the mini cousins, but these are more relevant when we speak of this pen's quality. The clip has been given wiggle room (some speculate this is to prevent cracking), which lends itself to a cheap feel, though I have the feeling you can prevent this perception by not touching it.
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In sum, I am quite pleased with the Vac mini. It looks better, feels better, fills better, and is, I think most saliently, more reliable than the mini, and in fact, most modern pens. It blurs the line between pocket pen and full-size pen: I don't feel as though its main attribute and selling point is 'portability', but rather its unique combination of unpretentious, user-catering modern design, affordability, and reliability. It is flawed, of course, and for some, its flaws might be fatal. But no pen can please everyone. Perhaps this will only please a meager 'some'. I happen to be one of them. Yes, self of "First Impressions", this is the one to keep.
**I use "traditional" for rhetorical purposes only. Leakproof pens have been around since the turn of the last century, if not even earlier. See here: http://www.vintagepens.com/Onoto.shtml and here:http://www.vintagepens.com/safety_pens.shtml. My Waterman's 14s Saftey is just as reliable, if not more reliable, than the Vac mini, but it is a full century old(er), and deserves some peace and quiet.
*While the short notes I wrote in testing the pen for review didn't show me this, more extensive use has turned up the ink starvation problem that Stephen Brown and others have reported. While it is concerning that this issue is not considered as such by the company (http://www.fountainpennetwork.com/fo...formance-poll/), this problem is rare and not necessarily a deal breaker if you're only taking short notes.
***I'm sad to report that the Vac mini of this review (now sold unrelated reason) has developed cracks in many of the common places: on and above the cap threads, barrel threads and filing knob threads. Their plastic is still flawed, but it won't change, it seems.
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Originally Posted by reprieve
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