TWSBI Mini Review
TWSBI announced their Mini a long time ago, and it has finally landed in my hands. I only received a limited supply of them, but still couldn't resist shooting a video because I knew how many questions I'd get about them and how they compare to the 540. In fact, I didn't even get any of the ‘Classic' Minis, but had to Frankenpen one up to show what it looks like.
In the top video, I cover:
- TWSBI Mini unboxing (0:20)
- TWSBI Mini compared to 540 (1:58)
- Aligning the clip to the nib when posted (4:33)
- Mini, 540 Schmidt, 540 Bock nib comparison (6:22)
- Hack swap of a 540 nib on a Mini (9:35)
- Showing TWSBI Mini clear, black, and classic (11:00)
- Filling the Mini (12:35, 14:20)
- Removing the piston mechanism (13:20)
- Showing ink capacity of the Mini (14:58)
- Mini writing with EF nib (15:35)
- Mini EF nib compared to 540 EF nib (16:40)
In the video, I use the following materials:
- TWSBI 540 clear (no longer available)
- TWSBI 540 smoke, EF (no longer available)
- TWSBI Mini Clear, Black, Classic
- Noodler's Black
- Rhodia No. 16 top-wirebound dotpad
In the first video, I touched on the fact that I thought the 540 nib might fit on the Mini. I did a little further investigation, and it looks like it will work. I covered my findings in the second video, and I also clear up the difference between the older Schmidt 540 nibs and newer Bock nibs.
As always, I'm a retailer so take everything I say with that in mind. I carry these pens at my site thegouletpens.com but they're available at other retailers as well as directly from TWSBI, too. You can also see writing samples I did of all the TWSBI Mini nibs (EF, F, M, and B) and how they compare to all the other pens I have in the Nib Nook.
