TWSBI diamond 580 fountain pen - unboxing and comparison review vs LAMY Safari

Today we are unboxing and giving a first impressions review of my new TWSBI diamond 580 fountain pen!

There are some really key parts to this pen - the extra fine nib, the unique filling mechanism and it's weight and hand feel. We'll cover all of this and more :)

You can find it here (affiliate link):

We'll compare this delightful TWSBI 580 to the LAMY safari - both of which I'm using with an extra fine nib.

And I'll also explain to you exactly how much I know about TWSBI and their ECO and 580 pen ranges!

All in all, we'll have fun with this first impressions and unboxing of a lovely fountain pen that I'm looking forward to getting to know better and use for my sketches in the future!

If you enjoy my videos please LIKE and SUBSCRIBE - it's a huge support to my little channel 😀

Audio Credits:
Licensed under Creative Commons By Attribution 4.0 License
00:00 Introduction
00:45 Why I bought it
02:24 Unboxing
02:52 Diamond 580 vs TWSBI ECO
04:16 How it feels
06:15 How to fill it
08:29 Comparison vs LAMY Safari
10:00 Sketching practice
11:36 Trying the LAMY now
13:57 Final thoughts
#urbansketch #howtosketch #tobyurbansketch

[noman]

Oh, I gotta warn you...one fountain pen to start, then two...before long, you're addicted! I have a 580 ALR (and others), probably my favorite TWSBI. One thing I've observed in a lot of my fountain pens is that the ink flow is a bit miserly at first. I suspect it takes a bit of time for the feed to get nicely saturated and sometimes the nib tines are just a tad too tight. Someplace like Goulet pens and others will sell you brass shims and micromesh paper to smooth nibs if needed.
One of the good things about the TWSBI (especially using carbon black) is they're fully disassemble-able. The box includes a disassembly wrench and a small bottle of silicone grease for piston greasing every so often (see the excellent videos by SBREBrown). Enjoy your new pen!!

[TobySketchLoose]

I've had this pen a month now - and I'm really loving it. It's not as flexible as the LAMY safari, but does offer a little more feedback and more control. It's a nice middle ground between loose fountain pen and controlled fine liner.

Don't forget to check out www.sketchloose.co.uk for more tutorials if you want to join me :)

[antoniomonteiro]

I recently bought a 580AL R Navy Blue because I love the colour! I ordered it with a stub nib because I had never had tried those nibs. My handwriting with it is much better than with normal nibs, which I can't explain. I'm using the Noodler's 54th Massachusetts ink. I love writting with this pen. And I also like to draw with it. I also have a fine nib on as Eco T with Carbon Black for drawing and watercolour.

[berolinastrassmann]

Yes! TWUSBI pens are amazing. Love them. I started with a TWSBI Eco, then a go and then another ECO. These are amazing in the hand and on the paper. I heard on Goulet Pens (great YT cgannel for fountain pens) that the difference between ECO and this one is also on the resin that is used, as well as the metal hardware. So glad you are enjoying it. I enjoy how easy they are to clean. This is especially important with water proof ink which tends to have some pigment in it that deposits. I have used Rohrer & Klingner Sketch Ink, which us water proof.

[jaimejaime]

Hi Toby. Jim from Madrid, Spain.
One thing that's really good about TWSBIs is the sealing cap, which allows for the ink not to dry up for large periods of time and something necessary due to the large ink capacity. I bought the ECO due to price, but the 580 comes with a #5 nib (ECO has a #4) and the 580 has more swappable nibs in different sizes (EF, F, etc...).
I have a Lamy Safari in EF and I am currently looking to get another Fountain Pen with am EF do I can have 2 inked with different colours. From what I am researching (In my case price is a key element in my final decision) I am probably going to buy the Platinum Preppy with the 02 nib (Japanese EF nib size = .02 mm I think) which should be very fine. The price for the Preppy through Amazon Spain is under 10€, and theoretically it can be converted to an Eyedropper with a silicon O ring and some silicon grease on the threads. One thing that's also good on the Preppy is the sealing cap mechanism (they say ink can last over a year without drying up...). You can also use the Platinum converter but for the price of the Preppy I'll start by refilling the cartridge it comes with. I will let you know how this experiment works out...
BTW... I really like the 580... and I use my ECO as my EDC for everything (writing, drawing...). Enjoy your 580!
Cheers from Sunny Spain!😁😎👍

[alfonsorey]

Thanks for your video. As a fountain pen user and collector I think the Twsbi is an excellent value for money, great for sketching

[nerveending]

The 580 is not postable, unlike the ECO. However, all TWSBIs can be repaired either by yourself or if you have it sent to their main office in Taiwan. I just had my 580 serviced (it had had issues for years!) and now it writes like a dream again!

[prsjackal]

Having owned several Safaris, I thought I’d try a TWSBI after watching a pen reviewer stated that when she gives a pen away, it’s always a TWSBI. I can attest that the TWSBI (and mine is an ECO) is a much better pen for just about anything. I also use the Carbon ink and found it works perfectly. So very smooth, effortless, dries quick and most importantly, always dependable. The Lamys tend to dry out quickly, need far more maintenance and honestly, I found the nib often felt like it was scraping across the paper. The TWSBI is miles ahead of the cheap, almost disposable Lamy…and it’s difference in price is certainly worth the investment (though the ECO is not that much more expensive).

[sandrift]

I’ve gotten into sketching through fountain pens but the person who said fountain pens can become a deep hole was right. I have a diamond 580 and several Lamys, among others. The TWSBI (“twizzby”) is not meant to be posted, I believe, but you can check the instructions. Enjoy having all that ink!

[barbaraa.]

I own a TWSBI Eco (Fine) and a Diamond Mini (1.1 stub). Both don't dry out - even not after some weeks - unfortunately my Lamy does after a few days.The Lamy nib size according to their website ranges from 0.30-0.42 mm for the extrafine (0.4-5.2mm for the fine nib).
The TWSBI extrafine is 0.3mm, the fine nib is 0.4mm.
Nib exchange is much more expensive for the TWSBI Diamond.

[collywolly]

I've decided to get a Lamy Safari as my first fountain pen for urban sketching thanks to your great videos and advice.
My only problem is what ink to buy, as I intend to get a converter.
Id like waterproof ink but worry about the pen being blocked with it.
Will fountain pen ink be too easy to blotch and run if I add a wash over it?
Thank you.

[julielarry]

I have 580 and an Eco. Eco is smaller and has sides on the grip section, similar to Lamy. My favorite fountain pen for sketching is a Pilot 912FA. More expensive than those you’ve purchased. Mine was a special gift. Pilots are my favorite maker. Always reliable and smooth. Keep up the great videos!

[Mitch.Wasserman]

Thanks for this video. I didn't know the carbon ink has a tendency to clog pens. I've started using that ink when I discovered the Noodler's ink wasn't waterproof enough when using watercolor over it. I'll have to keep after it to prevent clogging. Also, I'd be afraid of the ink squiring out if I inadvertently twisted the back end of the pen. I like the idea of the very fine nib.

[rachelg]

because of you I just bought one of these pens! Haha. I will blame you. ;). Can’t wait to try this pen. I use a sailor fude or lamy safari lately. Now I have a new toy!!

[Joanne]

Hi again Toby, I always use a pencil..any pencil. I'm a starter, begun a drawing from the wonderful 'Lighthouse Keeper's Lunch' and will give it to a little one here,
only thing, my house looks like it's falling off of the cliff😄..
Ah well, very Scottish eh!

[markdonovan]

Good review, but after my unsatisfactory experience with TWSBI Eco a few years ago, I prefer to stay clear of that brand.
I much prefer the Lamy Safari and the Sailor Fude de Manen pens.

[berolinastrassmann]

PS: all Lamy pens have a interchangeable nibs which are sold separately. Again, Goulet Pens YT channel has videos showing how to change the Lamy nibs easily. I tried it using their videos and it is very easy indeed. I have two pens and several nibs, which I change as needed. Hope you are still having fun with your TWSBI

[hmadrone]

Don't throw the box out! There's a wrench and silicon grease underneath.

[JimmyDashJimmy]

So you can accidentally roll the top of the pen and got all ink flooded onto paper?

[arlenealennox]

You bought a new pen because you are sliding down the rabbit hole!