Compiled from 10 sources; we haven't tested this product ourselves yet. How we research
Quick answer
The TWSBI VAC700R is a large clear demonstrator fountain pen from Taiwan's TWSBI that fills by a vacuum plunger: you pull the rod back, dip the nib and push down. Goulet Pens measures up to 2.37 ml of ink, 147 mm (5.8 in) capped and 35.0 g. A screw-down end cap shuts off the ink for travel.
On this page11 sections
The VAC700R in Clear, cap off, to scale at Goulet Pens' 134 mm.
Transparent resin body and cap, metal trim, stainless steel nib
Price range
$$$$20–75 per pen (multi-packs divided by the count)
Colors
Clear
Special editions
Rate it
No ratings yet. Be the first to rate this product.
Notes on these facts
Made by TaShin Precision (Taiwan). Made in Taiwan: Goldspot's VAC700R spec sheet says "Made in Taiwan". TWSBI's own product page doesn't print a country of manufacture; Pure Pens says TWSBI's roots go back to TaShin Precision, established in Taiwan in 1969. Source. Price: example listing.
Colors: names per TWSBI, checked October 24, 2026. Colors as TWSBI's US store lists the Vac700R; Goldspot calls the Iris a 2020 special edition. TWSBI describes the Iris as a titanium finish in which each pen's coloring differs slightly, and the Kyanite as an anodized finish (Kyanite Blue at Goulet Pens). Tints were sampled from TWSBI's product photos, with hand-picked values for Clear and the multicolored Iris. Tints are representative, not measured. Shops stock different colors.
Price bands are typical US retail, checked October 2026.
Key takeaways
Goulet Pens lists a maximum vacuum-fill capacity of 2.37 ml, about twice a typical converter; Pure Pens says about 1.4 ml from a single plunge.
Goulet lists 147 mm (5.8 in) capped, a 134 mm (5.3 in) body, a 15 mm barrel and 35.0 g; it says the cap doesn't post.
TWSBI sells it with steel nibs in EF, F, M, B and a 1.1 mm stub, and the nib units of the older VAC700 don't fit, per Pure Pens.
The standard Clear pen sits in our $$$ band ($20–75 per pen); the 2020 Iris edition costs more, in our $$$$ band.
Goldspot's spec sheet says made in Taiwan; TWSBI is the pen brand of TaShin Precision, a Taiwanese maker founded in 1969.
What is the TWSBI VAC700R?
The VAC700R is TWSBI’s large vacuum-filling demonstrator: the whole clear barrel is the ink tank, filled with one push of a plunger. TWSBI is the pen brand of TaShin Precision, which Pure Pens says was founded in Taiwan in 1969 and launched TWSBI in 2009.
The “R” marks a redesign of the original Vac 700. The Gentleman Stationer says the first version, sold around 2012 and 2013, could write dry, and that the redesigned filling system fixed it. Goulet Pens’ best-seller roundup names the VAC700R’s Iris finish as so sought after that TWSBI later added it to the TWSBI Diamond 580.
TWSBI VAC700R specs
Spec
Value
Maker
TWSBI (TaShin Precision), Taiwan
Filling
Vacuum plunger with shut-off valve; bottled ink only
Ink capacity
Up to 2.37 ml (Goulet); about 1.4 ml per plunge (Pure Pens)
Nib
Stainless steel: EF, F, M, B, 1.1 mm stub
Cap
Screw cap; not postable (Goulet, Goldspot)
Length capped
147 mm (5.8 in)
Length of body
134 mm (5.3 in)
Cap length
65 mm (2.6 in)
Visible nib
23.4 mm (0.9 in)
Diameter
15 mm body; 16 mm cap, 18 mm with clip; 10.0 mm grip
Weight
35.0 g (21 g body, 13 g cap)
In the box
Wrench and silicone grease
Figures are Goulet Pens’ unless noted; Goldspot and Pen Chalet agree within a millimeter. TWSBI’s store lists the Clear pen with the M nib as SKU M7445970.
The VAC700R is used unposted: the cap adds no length while you write.
How does the vacuum filler work?
You unscrew the end cap, pull the plunger rod all the way back, put the nib in ink and push the rod down; the vacuum behind the seal pulls ink into the barrel when the seal passes the wider end. The Gentleman Stationer advises waiting a few seconds for the barrel to fill and not overfilling the bottle, since the pen pushes out air on the downstroke.
TWSBI sells a matching VAC 20A bottle that the pen screws onto, which helps you fill the barrel as full as possible. For a general walk-through of plunger, piston and converter filling, see how to fill a fountain pen.
What does the shut-off valve do?
Screwing the end cap down closes a valve between the barrel and the feed, so the pen can’t burp ink on a plane or in a hot bag. Goldspot says the valve keeps ink in the barrel; for long writing sessions you open it a few turns so ink keeps reaching the feed.
That makes it a good travel pen, but a closed valve is also the usual reason a VAC700R starts writing dry after a page.
How does the VAC700R compare to other TWSBI pens?
It holds the most ink of TWSBI’s popular pens and is the largest, but unlike the ECO it doesn’t post.
Figures for the 580 and ECO come from their guides, all from Goulet Pens or Goldspot.
Which nib and finish should you choose?
Pick F or M for everyday writing, EF for small handwriting and the 1.1 mm stub for headings with line variation. TWSBI’s own nib guide says F is its most popular size.
The standard pen is Clear. Goldspot says the Iris, a 2020 special edition, has rainbow-colored metal trim, clip and nib, with each pen’s coloring slightly different; TWSBI also lists a Kyanite version.
Where is the TWSBI VAC700R made?
Goldspot’s spec sheet says “Made in Taiwan”. TWSBI’s product pages don’t print a country, but Pure Pens describes TWSBI as a Taiwanese manufacturer that spent decades as an OEM maker before launching its own brand.
Our TWSBI history explains why nearly every TWSBI fills from a bottle.
To fill it to the top, TWSBI’s Vac20A ink bottle screws onto the pen.
How much does a TWSBI VAC700R cost?
The Clear VAC700R is in our $$$ price band, $20–75 per pen, at the top end. On October 21, 2026 TWSBI’s store listed it at US$72.99 and the Iris edition at US$88.99, which puts the Iris in our $$$$ band. Spare nib units are sold separately.
Goulet Pens lists a maximum of 2.37 ml. Pure Pens says about 1.7 ml when filled completely and about 1.4 ml from one plunge, and Goldspot says over 2 ml, so expect roughly 1.4 to 2.4 ml depending on how you fill it.
Can you post the cap on the VAC700R?
Goulet Pens and Goldspot both list it as not postable. The Gentleman Stationer says the cap does fit over the end, but it makes the pen very long and unwieldy; Pure Pens gives 173 mm posted.
Why does my VAC700R stop writing after a page?
The shut-off valve is probably closed. Unscrew the end cap a few turns while you write so ink can flow from the barrel to the feed, then screw it down again for travel.
What is the difference between the TWSBI Vac 700 and the VAC700R?
The R is the redesign. Pure Pens says it has one valve instead of two and a larger feed, and that nibs from the original Vac 700 don't fit; The Gentleman Stationer says the redesign fixed the dry writing of the first version.
Does the TWSBI VAC700R take cartridges?
No. It fills only from bottled ink with its built-in vacuum plunger. TWSBI also sells the VAC 20A bottle, which the pen screws onto to fill more completely.
Is the TWSBI VAC700R made in the USA?
No. Goldspot's spec sheet says it is made in Taiwan, where TWSBI's parent, TaShin Precision, is based.
Which nib sizes does the VAC700R come in?
TWSBI's store sells EF, F, M, B and a 1.1 mm stub in steel; the nib unit can be swapped with a VAC700R spare nib unit.
