“The faintest ink is better than the worst memory…”
Chinese proverb
One of my favourite ever fountain pens (yes there have been a lot), was the TWSBI Diamond 580. It was a sensation when released about a decade ago, a stylish looking flagship pen from an upstart Taiwanese company, challenging the established Japanese pen manufacturers. It was my first demonstrator pen and my first big boy piston filler. What we have here is different pen, the 2026 Monteverde MP1 Bright Blue Limited Edition. It looks almost identical to the TWSBI 580, right down to the triangular grip section. I am not sure how they managed to get this past copyright. I also hope it is not entirely identical. The TWSBI 580 was immensely popular, but if had a fatal flaw, annoyingly poor manufacturing. Over time most 580s developed a fracture of the acrylic, just where the section meets the barrel. The result was a sudden and catastrophic breach of the ink chamber. My pen was a complete write off, as was the shirt I was wearing. Naturally, I have rushed out and bought an early model of the Monteverde MP1, wish me luck. #potentialfailuresitehighlighted #letsmakelemonade
Pen Paint and Scalpel 