23 May 2018

re-visiting the TWSBI Diamond 580AL in Purple with a fine nib

When I first got this pen a few years' ago, I loved the design but I didn't particularly love the nib or how unsteady it felt with the cap posted. Fast forward to now and well, I actually really like it but due to already having many pens I love more, I am undecided about whether to keep it or sell it.

Design

This was my first piston filler pen and boy was it an introduction and a half! At the time, it was one of the cheaper piston fillers out there and the reputation was a good one. And it did not disappoint on this front. The purple accents were what initially drew me to this pen - this was before Lamy came out with the Dark Lilac Safari and the options for a purple fountain pen were limited. 

Usability

This pen is definitely a pen you can leave for a while, pick up and expect for it to start writing straight away. And with its huuuuuuuge ink capacity, this might be a legitimate thing that can happen to many of its owners. 

In hand, it is a fairly weighty pen to the point where it could even double as a paperweight! As someone who is used to the lighter pen in the form of the Lamy Safari or Al-Star (the pens I usually use for work), it does take a bit of adjusting initially. However, I've come to love this weight and it is a well-balanced pen with the cap unposted. 

Nib

I plumped for the fine nib and whilst it is fine enough, I do often wish it was finer. However, it writes smoothly and perfectly and it is still finer than my Lamy extra fine nibs (I think I have about five of them now!). There is some beautiful engraving on the nib too. 

Overall

The fact that this pen is a limited edition colour which is fairly difficult to find, writes like a dream and has a huge ink capacity makes it a huge winner. 

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