TWSBI Vac700R Iris Review

/ figbootonpens
Figboot on Pens
P.O. Box 12430
Durham, NC 27709
[e-mail]
Instagram - @figboot11
Measurements music by Dan Pacaldi: www.danpancaldi.com

[@QueenB-ee]

My TWSBI Iris was the most impulsive 'impulse buy' I've ever made! I got an email from Pulp Addiction, saw it on sale, and clicked 'buy' immediately! I'm a Lamy Safari and AL-Star girl, so the fact I bought this on a whim is odd. I do not regret this purchase! It's one of the most satisfying pens to write with. So smooth and flawless ink delivery. I loaded it with Van Dieman's Freycinet Aquamarine and the result is beautiful! If I'd seen your review before buying, I definitely would've got one sooner!

[@Kenjiro5775]

This is one of the only times I bought a fountain pen just as all the reviews are rolling in on KZbin. The Iris' finish was so stunning, I had to own a copy. I found a very special variant from Pendleton Pens. It has a customized nib that is called BLS, for Butter Line Stub - Italic with his Falcon Flex modification. I am so in love with this nib and finish combination. I love fountain pens, but this particular pen really spoke volumes to me. I hope you enjoy yours too.

[@bryanmarsh9886]

The color effect is not a heat treatment. It is a titanium oxide coating. It is fairly abrasion resistant, but can wear away over time. I don't believe that any of the metals used in the trim of these pens could be heated for a color effect, and if they could, it would never be this colorful and wear away much easier than this coating.

[@Dk20Silver]

this is the most awesome and professional and good info channel ive seen about fountain pens. bravo!

[@fountainben2192]

Thank you for another detailed and helpful review. I especially liked the comparison to the regular 700. The improvements in this model are a further incentive to obtain this beauty.

[@nemesio888]

I appreciate the details this guy offers in reviewing the pen. I think he is the first reviewer I have seen who uses microscope to view the details of the pen! Great job!😊

[@dawnthierry9838]

I have purposely avoided fountain pen reviews for the past several months and consequently missed the release of this pen in November. I was lucky enough to find one at Cult pens-it is on it’s way to me now. My first vac filler-very excited!

[@CassandraReneeXOXO]

I just inked mine up this morning! I love mine....it’s so beautiful!

[@namope359]

Appreciate the reviews for not just the pen, but also for a sneak peek for ink reviews. Hopefully whoever wants this model gets it.

[@wendywander7]

Thank you for the tip on getting a complete fill with a vacuum filling pen, and for your review of this beautiful pen.

[@martinlebl631]

Easier way is to let in flow to the end of the pen, pull up the plunger till it touches the ink, but not past it, then put it in the ink bottle and plunge it to get secondary fill. Advantage is that you do not need to hold the vacuum in place as you turn the pen around and place into the bottle, so a bit safer as well.

[@Wushvuzulle]

Very thorough review, many thanks.

[@wilsonpaladin]

I just inked up my Iris when your review turned up!

[@johngrubb007]

My first reaction to this pen was "Cool". It might end up in my collection too.

[@jacobus57]

Good luck. Everyone is sold out. I don't understand where these pens went, unless all the dealers got three of them 🙄 It's a TWSBI, for criminy sake.

[@davidingham2216]

Nice review David, thanks. I am anxiously awaiting delivery of my Iris from Appelboom

[@trewyntamblyn]

1/4 of the way in, and already I can tell that I like this review - nice work man. Some of us out there DO enjoy seeing every little detail - it helps when looking at my next fountain pen, that isn't a bung Pilot VP with an 18k nib / Lamy (B) z55 14k gold nib - both of which have skipped and hard started straight outta the box. I've had two relatively inexpensive TWSBIs, both of which write juicy, beautiful lines, better than pens 3x their price. Thanks for the detailed review - think I need to get me one of these!!!!

[@mhsvz6735]

Thank you for another excellent review! Just ordered 2 (Bold and Stub), on Friday the 13th.

[@M3T2W01f]

I wanted the stub but I could only get an EF or a bold. I got the EF and I like it very much!

[@MrGyges]

Ah, how I lust after Iris...and your review made me even keener. Well done sir

[@rsb67]

Love the TWSBI pens! This rainbow iris is gorgeous & looks like a great pen! The only thing I’m not a fan of is the big step between nib grip & body because I like to loosely hold pens higher up & have my hand further from paper - arthritic thumbs down the weight & lovely resin are divine. My perfect pen would be an ECO Grande with #6 nib! I would need about 10 for showing off all the great ink colors one can possess today & this Apollo ink shows wonderfully! Thanks!

[@anthonylastrape8203]

Great shirt... DJ went nuts this week.

[@ZenMasterIDontThink]

Excellent video as ever. I loaded mine (broad) with Cross Violet, which is an exact match to the nib, and a joy to write with. I notice that the 700R broad is oh so slightly smoother than the older 700 broad; something tickles my memory that Twsbi changed their nib supplier from JoWo to either Bock or Schmidt. Or did I dream that? In UK Cult Pens still have stock.

[@deannahowell4986]

I just received my TWSBI 700R Iris for Christmas 2021. Thanks for the tips on filling. Also, I didn't know the wrench and extra O rings were in the bottom of the case. :)

[@Sonicman415]

A green tower. Nice. Always a great review.

[@bikkies]

I quite like this finish but it doesn't completely blow me away. I can definitely see how many would like this. I only received my first 700R a few weeks ago and have not yet inked it up. I already had a Vac Mini but that hasn't seen ink from me either yet. I find the filling mechanism of these to be the coolest thing with me, but I really don't do enough writing to need such a large supply, so it's more of a hoarding thing. I had filled up a PenBBS 456 with what I thought would be a nice safe ink, J Herbin Éclat de Saphir, and it has somewhat stained the pen. I prefer the double O Ring seal from (say) an Eco or 580, where ink shouldn't get behind the piston assembly. It looks cleaner to my eye than a mechanism where, by design, ink sloshes through the whole barrel and approaches the filler knob. I had an ink accident with a Wing Sung vac filler where I backed off the retaining ring rather than just the knob, and it's not something I want to repeat. I'm sure that won't happen with my 700R/Vac Mini, but I have yet to try.

[@micheletancredi2187]

Bellissima penna !!!!!! La Tuisbi fa penne di grande qualità. Bella presentazione Grazie. Un saluto dall Italia

[@yennykoh965]

Great review

[@rubenbajapantydj]

You are the reason I started to use fountain pens since I have not used them since middle school I was trying to find the twisbi iris have had no luck

[@VickiEllen]

Very useful review, thank you

[@joeymorris4589]

I picked up this pen in EF when it was released. It’s really gorgeous in person. Looks 🔥 🔥 filled with yama budo. Maybe just luck, but it’s also the best writing Twsbi EF I’ve tried.

[@curtism5333]

When I saw this video, I managed to find one the following day since I agree with David’s assessment especially the price point when compared to the regular model. I will never understand the huge markup on some special editions. Anyway, I’m happy I bought it. My nib is a fine and works really well.

[@christopherdecock4256]

I just received one and inked it up with yama-budo and the color matches perfectly. I would strongly recommend trying it out!

[@mikeyhill6224]

Hey! I just did haha but I used my eco stub that writes so well. I have other twsbi pens but will try sailor, diamine, noodler's ink, etc.

[@ZolaneG]

Thank you for another wonderful review! I was wondering if you have ever tried a shimmer ink in this pen and if so, is the vacuum converter difficult to clean?

[@AwesometownUSA]

Nemosine (RIP) had a series of “Re-Entry” #6 nibs that were multicolored by torch (I believe), but it was more of a matte discoloration - I really liked them and was glad to’ve picked up a few when I had the chance. I’ve never seen it done like this, though, where the discoloring is iridescent. Which other pens have you seen that are like this? Either way, I hope this becomes a micro-trend and we see other brands employing the design element.

[@paulmchugh1430]

Just got mine from the UK. If you look you can find the pen. There is a premium for the pen, now. Love the colors and if you match ink to the color of the pen, you have many options. In comparison to the Pilot 823, I think this pen is auch better value. It does not have a gold nib but I do not miss the gold. The steel nib is very smooth, even the EF nib which I have. Great review.

[@dab7963]

Oh boy David. I have been in this hobby only a month and have 6 pens already and 2 of them are twisbi and I needed to hunt for this one but I found a twisbi 700r iris. The rainbow color is so amazing. I will be putting in some violet ink. The color on the Nib is amazing. Do you greese your twisbi pens when you first get it? Thanks for your videos.

[@TylerEaves]

That is this pen. All 700s are vacuum fillers.

[@dab7963]

@@TylerEaves yes I found one. I went on a crazy buying spree and have like 15 pens now. Finally slowed down now. Love my Sailor KOP any the Montblanc 149.

[@omeryehezkely3096]

Several years ago I experienced way too many cracks with my twsbi pens (some before even using them) that I no longer care about their pens. I believe that since then they did some modeffications. However, it's too late for me.

[@Seefood73]

They since changed materials and improved their QC, they are actually one of the few eastern brands that really listen I'm told. However, you should also give PenBBS a look. I think they are better built, prettier and cheaper

[@GeraldCollinsJr73]

I'm with you. I've had 2 580 caps crack. 2 classic cap breaks, and my 700 back cap unscrewed. They are great to back their products but I just can't risk any more $$$ for anything over the go or eco.

[@namhokim3932]

Me too

[@joeymorris4589]

I had similar concerns too. I bought a few Twsbi’s and a couple of them cracked, but to be fair that was about 4 years ago. I picked this one up last week and on first glance the material used does seem to be better than the ones I had. The material looks clearer and feels harder/heavier...if that makes sense.

[@Danny.._]

the best and easiest way i've found to fill a vacuum-filler pen is using a pineider pen filler or visconti traveling inkwell

[@MintyCanRead]

I really like the finish on the nib but not so sure about the rest of the pen. Still, it certainly caught my eye when I first saw it.

[@13noman1]

Just ordered mine, too (direct from TWSBI). Nib sizes are running out.

[@stef1196]

I love your review.

[@richardsims6016]

David, You were quite correct: Most places have sold out their TWSBI Vac 700r Iris pens. I asked to be emailed if any come in. Thanks for another interesting review. Cheers!

[@FigbootonPens]

You should try purchasing directly from TWSBI. Someone mentioned they might still have some available.

[@richardsims6016]

@@FigbootonPens I did just that. Thank you.

[@SunshineFL]

Just ordered one from jet pens with the extra fine nib. Waiting for its arrival. On their website they said that there will be no more of them ever after this. They only had 5 left of the extra fine nib ones available when I ordered mine.

[@mattartiste7214]

Hello Figboot, congratulations for all your tests, I need a little help I am looking for a fountain pen to draw with a regular line that glides well medium and resistant tips with a regular flow and very dense ink do you have a model for me advise

[@jclpuddy]

I hate that you can’t put the cap on the end

[@greggregson1365]

I think oil spill is a pretty tacky finish for almost anything (though it's mainly cheaper knives), but that nib is gorgeous

[@WritingDelight]

Yes, the Vac Iris is really something special. At least with this nib. That was the point why I had to buy this nice pen. Great review and thanks for the comparison.

[@chrislj2890]

The colors aren't from a heat treating process, it's just a rainbow PVD (ion) coating. The new design does have an advantage over my original Vac 700 with that little seal sometimes getting stuck.

[@bzmudaifyd]

Petition for Lamy to make a 2021 Vista Iris special edition

[@geroldatlarge1841]

If you find the pen not flowing , pull the plunger out a bit and just write. The problem seems to be an airlock issue.

[@hellbreakfast1590]

Goddammit, I am now a guy that watches pen reviews, fuck me. I bought one of these, btw. It's precious to me, now. I didn't know they were so limited, maybe I ended up with a re-release, I bought it on JetPens in 2023. I just saw pretty color when looking at their pens, and brain went brrrrrr. There's still some on that site, if you're going brrrrrr as of right now, too. (I watched the review, because this was my first real Big Boy fountain pen with a fancy mechanism, and I wanted to make sure I didn't break it- nearly a hundred bones for a pen is still not a pen you want to destroy carelessly, even if it is small potatoes in the fountain world.

[@fatagnus3153]

does the vac mini have the same improvements as the 700r? thanks!

[@blonch1358]

Hello I heard that vac700R uses bock 250 nib. Is it can swap unit or just nibs?

[@mina-kfpunemployedemployee6708]

Its out again :D

[@sahizzurp]

i love the design but i switch out my inks so often that even converters are too large for my needs. i'll probably get it anyway. 😉

[@Yanimalyan]

Do you have a dip pen?

[@helenbugsynelson]

I was going to say I have a pen that I don't want to fill, so I just dip it. I can write a couple of A5 pages on one dip

[@martinlebl631]

Once you have enough pens no need to switch inks, just ink each in different color, and have all the inks ready to go. And it justifies all those pens you have, so win-win.

[@sahizzurp]

@@martinlebl631 Ha, don't enable me! I've just ordered pen #2 from Japan and this is what I'm considering for my third.

[@martinlebl631]

@@sahizzurp I love vac fillers of all sorts. They are my favorite filling system. Love seeing the ink sloshing around. Most of mine are transparent enough to enjoy the ink. And with ones like this where the section is easy to remove for cleaning, even troublesome inks can be used. No enabling necessary. You start with one pen, and before you know it you have as many as you have inks. ;) It is fun after all.

[@ghostbug2011]

I bought this pen after watching this review. Thanks. This is my first vac-filling fountain pen, so I'm a little bit confused about conditioning. Do I need to apply silicone grease to this pen every time I wash this?

[@FigbootonPens]

You only need to add some additional grease if you totally disassemble the pen to give it a "deep clean" for just normal flushing, it is not needed.

[@ghostbug2011]

@@FigbootonPens I appreciate your helpful comment.

[@angelopaola9985]

Nice pen but tough to beat the 580 diamond series

[@d.molina5644]

This nib would be a perfect match for an abalone/raden pen or one of those alumalite pens

[@d.molina5644]

I mean alumilite

[@kilodi]

Hi I need your help! Vac filler not inking at all! After doing a lot of research (e.g. your videos) I finally bought my first vac filler, Pilot Custom 823, however the pen never takes any ink in just a few drops not even like the first fill that most videos show. I though this was just a problem with vac fillers and I ordered myself a visconti travel container but now that you explained few aspects of them in this video I am wondering if there is a legit fault in my pen and how can I fix it. I live in Germany and the pen was ordered form Japan, I prefer trying to fix it and hopefully learn something about maintaining vac pens as well.

[@FigbootonPens]

I would reach out to the European offices of Pilot to see if they would accommodate a warranty repair. Sounds like something isn't quite right with your pen.

[@kilodi]

@@FigbootonPens thank you I'll try to find out about Pilot in EU, have you experienced or heard something like that before cause I bought three vac fillers, 2 have this problem, only one works perfectly. Also do you know if certain parts of the pen are available separately for sale or is it only the nibs that are usually sold?

[@adrianbolam5359]

​@@kilodi I have 3 Custom 823s and one behaves like you say yours does. It's because the rubber 'plunger' doesn't quite sit right on the downstroke. It is designed to take two positions relative to a metal collar just above the plunger on the piston assembly. When you withdraw the piston (upstroke) it sits clear of the collar to let air around it when it travels up. When you push the plunger back down, it is supposed to sit tight against the collar to form a seal which allows a vacuum to be drawn above it on the downstroke. The piston on the dodgy pen sits cocked against the collar on the downstroke so the seal isn't there, no vacuum is drawn and no ink is sucked up. I've had the pen fully apart - if you do this, do NOT remove the plunger by pulling it off the end of the assembly; this will tear the plunger and it will forever be useless. to remove it, pull it over the collar itself towards the top cap of the pen (which can be removed to get the plunger right off). However, for some reason I cannot figure out, the action of the plunger didn't improve. That said, you can get it to seal but the technique is a bit of a faff. Practise with no ink first, then perhaps with water... Starting with the plunger fully withdrawn: as you begin to push the plunger in, 'waggle' the end knob around (I cannot think of a better descriptive verb). This should seat the plunger properly against the collar and a vacuum ought then to be drawn.

[@susanfoley8360]

If I played around with the ink as he does I'd have orange ink all over my desk.

[@raclark52]

Great review as usual. Love TWSBI pens but not this one. I love my Vac 700R but I don’t care for the colors here.

[@SevenDeMagnus]

Cool, rainbow anodized. I wish the plastic was made of Gorilla glass so it's all premium without being too expensive. God bless.

[@tobymulder196]

Nice green theme

[@shadowmihaiu]

This is not a heat treatment. Heat treatment discoloration is caused by oxidation and will wear off, usually relatively quickly.

[@chair5728]

The Kaweco Lilliput has this issue with its fireblue version. Bit of a shame.

[@DangerousWordsPodcast]

How do you not link to the pen in your description?

[@FigbootonPens]

This pen was not provided by a retailer. It would be unfair of me to link to only one of the dozens of retailers who carry this pen.

[@funcounting]

Hey man, have you ever used a pan with a platinum nib? I mean the actual metal, not the penmaker.

[@humanfirst11]

What's a penmaker?

[@funcounting]

@@humanfirst11 The company that makes the pen, there's one that's called "Platinum".

[@alextaplin7354]

I love this finish but I'm not much of a fan of vacuum fillers, they are difficult to clean and that is something that isn't good for someone like me who changes ink colour every week if there isn't a definite match to the pen and you can't fill from a full bottle of ink otherwise the displiced air will cause it to overflow. I'm also not too much of a fan of the size and style of this pen.

[@martinlebl631]

Inevitably when I see a TWSBI I like it is a limited edition that is already sold out. :( (Happens all the time.)

[@jennstns9]

Still available on the twsbi website

[@max_ishere]

This kind of heat treatment precision is most likely a simple repolish or a chemical treatment.

[@tedariesdaguro6517]

Kaweco liliput fireblue, meet your gigantic half brother from Asia

[@Seefood73]

The lilliput is actually colored in flames. Here the colors are too perfectly fine, especially on the very precise lines of the nib, I'm pretty sure this is titanium fume treatment and not a blow torch (cc @figboot11)

[@Crimson_626]

can this pen be capped?

[@FigbootonPens]

I'm guessing you mean "posted". I discuss that at around the 6-minute mark of the review.

[@Crimson_626]

@@FigbootonPens Yeah Posted....LOL. This is SOOOO important to me when it comes down to fountain pens. Really really bothers me when you cannot post a pen, its not a deal breaker but just really annoying not to be able to post it. I just bought a Scribo Piuma and that thing is a beauty but just wish the people at Scribo could have made it so it CAN be posted as well as the Feel Model which i also just bought but have not received yet in the mail. Thanks sooo much for your reviews, they are VERY good!!!

[@FigbootonPens]

@@Crimson_626 Thanks for watching.

[@Crimson_626]

@@FigbootonPens Do a Review on the Scribo Piuma!!! that think is a beauty, thanks !!!

[@mtbrdude]

Sold out on Wonderpens :(

[@squaaak]

Back in stock this week!

[@namhokim3932]

really Easy to be broken while carrying this pen in my back pack. Just use it at home with no pressure.

[@MrAndrew1953]

I have a 700R. This one has just a little too much bling for my liking.

[@user-br3sl9go3b]

Reminds me of carnival glass.

[@roscoestanyon1847]

Twsbi is highly over rated. I have 3. The first writing experience was positive. But 1 skips often. The other two have nibs which constantly come loose. Totally unacceptable.

[@alecgladkov8573]

first

[@hetul784]

Missing the beard :(

[@bbbbbdddbbbbbdb]

do you smoke weed

[@arpitagarwal5565]

So much time spent on trying to tell people to buy this model...