TWSBI Vac700R Fountain Pen Overview

TWSBI Vac700R Review

If you thought that the existence of fountain pens was a rare sight to behold, the subcategory of vacuum-filling fountain pens is even rarer. Yet, this type of pen has several advantages over a standard cartridge/converter pen. In this post, we look at what makes the TWSBI Vac700R a great pen for serious writers.

Design and Build Quality of the TWSBI Vac700R Fountain Pen

The Vac700R is the largest and heaviest pen in the TWSBI lineup. It has a modern, industrial design with accents of luxury. The smooth, clear resin barrel gently tapers down toward the faceted end cap. The metal vacuum piston rod and mechanism are visible inside the barrel.

TWSBI Vac700R Fountain Pen Overview

Much like the other TWSBI fountain pen designs, the main visual appeal of the Vac700R is the crystal clear transparency of the resin. Besides the obvious heft and larger size of this pen, the enhanced details make it the most luxurious TWSBI writing instrument.

The Vac700R's transparent resin cap is diamond-faceted like the body of the Diamond 580. The tension-fixed clip has a textured metal feel unlike the polished clips of other TWSBI pens. The round jewel atop the cap displays the red TWSBI insignia. An inner cap sleeve helps the nib stay freshly-inked while capped. Unscrewing the cap reveals a translucent resin grip section that terminates at a polished chrome ring and the stainless steel nib.

TWSBI Vac700R Fountain Pen Overview

Comparing the TWSBI Vac700R with Other Fountain Pens

Here is the TWSBI Vac700R compared with other vacuum-filling fountain pens like the Pilot Custom 823, the Visconti Homo Sapiens Skylight, the Penbbs 268, and the TWSBI Vac Mini.

TWSBI Vac700R Fountain Pen Overview
*Measurement* Penbbs 268 Pilot Custom 823 TWSBI Vac700R Visconti Homo Sapiens TWSBI Vac Mini

Length Closed/Capped

5.55 in. / 141mm

5.9 in. / 149mm

5.79 in. / 147mm

5.75 in. / 146 mm

4.91 in. / 125mm

Length Uncapped

5.00 in. / 127mm

5.2 in. / 131mm

5.28 in. / 134mm

5.20 in. / 132 mm

4.50 in. / 114.5mm

Length Cap Posted

Cannot be Posted

6.5 in. / 164mm

Cannot be posted

6.83 in. / 173.5mm

6.00 in. / 151.7mm

Barrel Max Diameter

0.47 in. / 12mm

0.5 in. / 12.5mm

0.59 in. / 15mm

0.56 in. / 14.5 mm

0.52 in. / 13.3mm

Section Grip Diameter

0.39 in. / 10mm

0.40 in. / 10.5mm

0.39 in. / 10mm

0.43 in. / 11 mm

0.39 in. / 10mm

Pen Weight

0.80 oz. / 22.6g

1.0 oz. / 29g

1.23oz / 35g

1.45 oz. / 41g

0.85 oz. / 24g

Nib Options and Writing Experience with the TWSBI Vac700R Pen

To accommodate most handwriting styles, the Vac700R features number 6 stainless steel nibs available in extra-fine, fine, medium, broad, and 1.1mm stub tip sizes. You can swap with a replacement TWSBI Vac700R nib unit by unscrewing and replacing the section.

TWSBI Vac700R Fountain Pen Overview

Filling Mechanism

Besides the obvious use of writing, the most exciting aspect of the Vac700R is the filling mechanism. The one-stroke plunger mechanism draws over 2ml of ink with ease. For a cleaner, quicker fill, TWSBI designed the Vac 20 ink bottle to work specifically with the Vac700R and Vac Mini fountain pen.

If you're familiar with the Pilot Custom 823 or with Opus 88 eyedropper fill pens, the Vac700R's shut-off valve works in the same way. When you have the barrel end cap completely closed, the shut-off valve will prevent the ink inside the barrel from accessing the feed. This is to protect from accidental ink burping while traveling. Unscrew the end cap for longer writing sessions to keep the ink, and creativity, flowing.

Comfort and Maintenance of the TWSBI Vac700R

The translucent grip section has a pleasant length to hold. The pen feels comfortable in-hand without posting the cap on the back. The stainless steel nib unit of the Vac700R is larger than all other TWSBI nibs and it feels significantly smoother to write with, yielding a wet flow of ink.

TWSBI Vac700R Fountain Pen Overview

To give the writer more ownership of their writing instrument, TWSBI provides a wrench, replacement o-rings, and silicone grease with instructions on how to properly disassemble and reassemble the Vac700R when it might require thorough cleaning or maintenance. This is particularly useful for those who need to return their pens to spotless condition.

Thank you for checking out our review of the TWSBI Vac700R fountain pen. Goldspot Pens is an official retailer of TWSBI fountain pens including the Vac700R. If you have any questions, please feel free to contact us directly by phone or e-mail and we'll be glad to help you.

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