The Eco is a great pen. My TWSBI Eco was flawless for over 5 years. Then one day, the section where the nib and feed was inserted into developed a crack. Not sure what happened and the last time I cleaned it, I didn’t even take out the nib and feed, I just flushed the pen. But I sent an email to TWSBI asking if I could buy a new barrel. I mentioned the pen is old (5+ years). They replied and just asked me to send $5 for shipping. I got a new barrel and new life to my Eco.
@@HemingwayJonesHello! I have bought the Twsbi Eco with a Stub Nib. From my experience, it’s good however why do I find that my Jinhao x450 writes more smoother? I bought my Jinhao X450 for £7 ($8) and I bought my Twsbi Eco for £35 ($44)! I don’t know if the Twsbi Eco is worth it then since my £7 pen writes smoother. Is it just me? If so, do you have any customisations I can do to my Twsbi Eco to make it smoother? If not, do you have any other pen recommendations that are better than the Twsbi Eco and Jinhao’s. I am thinking of returning it, but I want to hear from your first.
@@masterness3874Well your eco is a stub nib. They write less smooth, as their tip isnt round but square, this can add flair to your writing but ckmss at the cost of smoothness
After a couple of decades absence, TWSBI was my reintroduction to fountain pens. I own a 580, a 700, and several Ecos in various nib sizes. I absolutely love them all. They are reliable, fantastic writers, and I have never had an issue of any kind with any of my TWSBIs. I agree that the Eco is an excellent entry level pen and one that will quickly push you down the "rabbit hole". I consider TWSBIs to be extremely user friendly, versatile , and outstanding values.
I'm so glad to learn I'm not the only one who thinks this. Thought I wouldn't like the twist cap at all after only owning snap/slip caps, but the sound kinda makes up for the annoyance.
TWSBI has become my go-to pen whenever I want to do anything that involves writing for 15+ minutes and I think I finally understand why. I own two 580s, one in Prussian blue and the other in rose gold. I regularly find myself slowly capping and uncapping it when I'm taking a small break, admiring the little details of the "diamond" portion of the barrel as I rotate it and it catches the light just right while also admiring the ink inside. I'm still fairly new to the hobby and own a few others (a kakuno, preppy, prera, and a Nahvalur) and enjoy writing with all of them but when it comes to those moments when I'm dedicating time to something like journaling (thank you for reigniting the love of journaling in me!) I always reach for my TWSBIs. I dont doubt for a second that I'll be adding an ECO or two to my collection as they are very affordable and have so many eye catching colors to continue to fuel my love for the pens and rainbow of inks. Another great video, as always! Looking forward to the next one.
Interesting theory. Personally, I don’t think so. TWSBI is steeped in Chinese symbolism, ergo their anagrammatic name. I don’t think they would go for Celtic inspiration. I have read that it could be three interconnected Wen symbols. Wen meaning script, language, or culture, but I haven’t found anything definitive. Yet. It looks much closer to a Japanese Kamom or family crest, but then, I’m not sure if they would look to Japan for inspiration either.
I own the TWSBI Diamond 580 with a broad nib, and write with it often. The internal cap prevents the nib from drying out. I like the fact that it holds a substantial amount of ink, and there is never a question as to how much ink remains in the pen. If I decide to add another TWSBI to my collection, it would probably be the Eco-T, due to the design of the grip. Well done, Hemingway. 👍
Hi HJ, in your recent video about your top 5 for 2023, one of them was a TWSBI Eco. I commented all my favorite reviewers - which includes you of course - like TWISBI pens, and I was tempted to buy one. I did, and now I too am a TWISBI Eco fan. It writes perfectly and smoothly right out of the box and filled with ink. I'm really amazed a modestly priced pen like the ECO can have such a great performing steel nib. Considering some much more expensive pens I've purchased had nibs I had to send to a nibmeister to correct, TWSBI knows you buy a pen to write - and write well. And I won't be very upset if I lose or break it, unlike many of my other pens. I'll just buy another one (or two...well, maybe even more).
I actually started out with more expensive pens but now use the eco as my daily driver for all the reasons you have expressed so well here. It just works and feels great writing.
Quite agree. Regarding the threaded cap, in return you get a great cap seal. During the day I jot notes constantly. My pen sits beside my notebook and I only engage a half turn or so of the threads. That limits air exchange enough so it can sit there for hours without drying out. The only TWSBI cracking I ever had was on a Vac 700R, and it was about two years old. Plastic. It can crack, but probably won't. Nice video! The TWSBI Eco, everyone should have a few.
So after 3 years into this hobby I recently was blessed enough to purchase my grail pen, and along with that order I picked up my first TWSBI eco in Indigo Bronze (1.1). I hate to admit this but I think the eco has had more use. I’m terrified of hurting my grail pen with weird inks, but that eco will feed anything with no worries and I love crazy inks.
Great video! Welcome those who are new to fountain pens. Also, the Ecos in Broad are great for showing off ink features! They can take an ink challenge.
Hi Hemingway. I agree, the TWSBI Eco is a great starter pen. A good range of colours and a lot of different nibs to choose from. One small thing you didn't mention, there is also the Eco T version that some people may prefer. I just own one Eco, mine has the glow-in-the-dark green cap and piston knob. I chose the EF nib and it's a beautiful nib. It's one of those pens I always have inked up.
Hello HJ. Another great video that shows that it doesn't take a lot of money to get into the wonderful world of fountain pens. I have never written with a Twsbi but it does sound like a solid choice at a reasonable price. Keep the videos coming.
Thank you very much for the kind encouragement. I want to be more at the affordable level. For me, they hold an equal amount of romance. Thanks for watching and for being here
Great video! I agree, this is a great pen for people just getting into fountain pens. I like how you break down all the features. Maybe I will get another one this Fountain Pen Day!
My TWSBI ECO is my favorite pen. I have it filled with Platinum Chou Kuro and even if I have not used it in a few days, there is no skipping or hard starts.
This video inspired me to get an Eco, my first fountain pen purchase. I am new to fountain pens - my only other being a gifted Namisu with a Bock nib. The flow and feeling of this pen is lovely and that experience inspired me and my writing. I thought I did not care for a demonstrator or a plastic pen, but the TWSBI surprised me. Especially when inked with Oxblood (a recommendation from this channel in another lovely video).
I have recently bought 2 of these in different colors. These are the first TWSBI’s in my collection. In general I love the looks and the filling system. I don’t quite care for the grooves in the grip, my fingers slide around on them, but the thing that gets me is the writing experience. It’s funny; but every time I pick either up to write with them, I instantly get a picture in my mind of a tiny cartoon hand coming out the point of the nib that contacts the paper and grabs on to the fibers of the paper, not wanting to let go. Mine have tremendous writing resistance even on good fountain pen paper and I have to fight getting them across the page. I will need to do some serious smoothing of these nibs. If I can get them to write smoother, I’m sure I will like them a lot more, but definitely good value for the money.
Anyone who has a copy of the Riverside Shakespeare is A-OK with this old Lit. nerd. Basically I just bought a TWSBI Eco and wanted some validation. Love the channel. Also love the choices of classical (technically Romantic era) music in the background. Top Class. Top marks!
I agree with this. Last year I discovered the existence of TWSBI Eco and was immediately sold. I have several other fountain pens (though I don't really 'collect' as such, 4 different pens is enough for me) but the 'geek' appeal of a piston fill demonstrator (similar to the appeal of a skeleton watch) fascinated me. Very pleased with it. It's a bit light (which is unavoidable with clear plastic construction) so it lacks the stabilizing mass that my Rotring 600 clone [correcting a typo in my original post] has, but still is a delight to use. And the ink capacity is far more than a cartridge or converter. One (perhaps unusual) thing that also appeals to me is its unobtrusive appearance. It does not draw unnecessary attention, especially when in the pocket of a casual shirt (looks like a generic roller ball). It doesn't seem out of place in a casual setting.
I love the TWSBI Eco, and I often recommend it as a first or second pen to my FPC (fountain pen curious) friends and acquaintances. I only have two, but I love them. I have the clear demonstrator and the Turquoise limited edition from a few years ago. I couldn't resist the Indigo Bronze one that's out now. I ordered it with a 1.1mm stub nib, and I can't wait until it arrives. Thanks for this video! I can't believe I haven't run across your channel before, but I'm a subscriber now.
Hello Again! It appears that we like many of the same pens. I adore TWSBI and their stub nib. I am glad that you have discovered us. And I love that Indigo Bronze, Excellent choice.
I’m getting back into writing with fountain pens after years of having them stored. I had issues with the Twisbi 580 feed base cracking 2x and leaks, where I had to reorder parts. I don’t have issues with the Eco so far and am pleased.
Been using a safari for a few months now, but I have an eco coming soon as a fathers day present. After your review I'm now looking more forward to getting it. Good job 👍
@@HemingwayJones today my daughter presented me with my eco and it hasn't disappointed. I immediately took to it. The nib, the flow, the weight, all perfect. The amount of ink it holds is impressive. I got the black version with the silver clip. Filled with platinum carbon it has a very elegant appearance. It writes as good as it looks.
Hemingway a lovely presentation once again, thanks. A lot of care has to be taken when unskrewing the nib and feeder, the funs are not so sturdy and might be bent out of shape. Gentle handling. I might get one of these for the J Herbin's Emerald of Chivor for the very same reasons that you quote.
I prefer the TWBSI Diamond 580 but the ECO is for sure a very good, very "democratic" and very collectible pen. The 1.1 Stub nibs of TWBSI (i.e. JOWO) are one of the best writers (at least for me).
I love the ECOs. I love it for note taking and especially as my everywhere carry. Loss or theft is not my concern when I bring these to work as much as when I bring my Pilot Cutstom 823 or Pilot Vanishing Point. Within my stub nibs I store shimmer inks and it's been months without cleaning it out. With that said, the nib works each time when inspired to write with shimmer. I guess I sort of treat my ECOs like ink sample holders and match the cap to the colors I enjoy. Such a fun pen and cannot wait to get the new Rosso soon...😃
I love this pen. It feels so good to write with. I just wish I could switch out the nib for a Japanese nib, though. The EF nib was surprisingly thick compared to my F Pilot nibs.
I love the Eco but would suggest the standard Diamond 580 and buy the nibs in each size. That will allow you to find your preferred line width preference.
Thank you! I have been doing it on the side lately. I have a weakness with sound mixing. I feel that some of my videos had music that was too loud because I was mixing for the speakers. Now I mix for headphones so you should see some improvements! I have learned so much since starting this Channel 2 years ago and am open to suggestion! (Also, the Rhode clip on Mic sounded awful.)
Mr Jones, I am considering getting a fountain pen and cannot decide to buy an eco or 580. The 580 has swappable nibs and I want to experiment with different nibs (and inks) so the 580 seems to be the obvious choice. On the other hand 580 nibs are almost the same price as a complete eco so it all boils down to the comfort in the hand and overall writing experience. Although that's personal I really appreciate your opinion in this matter. Looking forward to your response and whish you happy holidays.
Hello! You caught me at a good time. The Eco has swappable nibs too. Super easy, barely an inconvenience. But do you mean swapping them while it is filled? It is very easy to just unscrew the entire nib section on a 580, but the Eco just pulls out and then you slide off one nib and put on the other. I do it all the time. (You need a TWSBI 1.1mm Stub, it is awesome!) Does this help? Thanks for watching! Also, I am a big Eco fan.
Really like the look of it as well as the piston filling mechanism as opposed to something like the Lamy Safari and its converter, but that screw cap! I'm the kind of person that caps and uncaps all the time, so the screw cap would drive me nuts!
Cool video! Great visuals. I've decided to get an Eco. I'm also gonna go with Noodler's Red Black. I'm very indecisive and can't decide between the F and M nib haha. It's hard to tell line width in videos. I mostly write with a 0.7 gel Parker Jotter and I want something slightly wider than that line. I don't want to have to buy too many so I'm hoping I get the right size on the first go haha. 🤞🏼
I think I’ve seen Worf carry an ECO on Star Trek for a couple episodes lol. I own 4, diamond 580’s and love them. I should pick up an eco. The diamond 580 feels and writes like 200$ pen to me. I’m always surprised when I use my pilots or sailors with gold nibs and then grab a TWSBI how similar the experience is for substantially less money…
Nice video, HJ. I didn’t read all the comments and someone may have mentioned this. The ECO (at least when I bought mine) includes a little jar of silicone grease and a piston removal wrench. How cool is that?
I personally like TWSBI, but I have problems with my ECO. One day the cap got stuck and I had to open it with force. Also the nib gets loose after some writing. But I have no problems with the TWSBI Go and the TWSBI Swipe. They are my favorite.
I just picked up a Indigo and bronze ECO my self along with a Toyama teal Kaweco sport and Petrol Lamy AL-Star. I am hoping these pens will be great additiongs along side some of my other favorites like my jinhao x750, Baoer 801, Pilot metropolitan, Waterman laureat, and Parker 45 classic.
Вы забыли упомянуть, что эта ручка вмещает в себя такое количество чернил, что просто забываешь, когда ты её последний раз заправлял😊. Она действительно способна заменить шариковую ручку. Т.к. обладает всеми достоинствами перьевой автоматической ручки, и в то же время лишена её главных недостатков( она не потечет в кормане. Чернила в ней не засохнут или не закончатся неожиданно😊). И она действительно качественная и красивая.
Hi mate, love the channel. I'm going to try fountain pens after watching your channel for some time. I think this will be my first venture in. Can I ask what nib is on this pen in the video? Also for a first timer is there anything nib type you'd recommend. I guess it's a personal thing right, but I really like how your pen in the video writes! Thanks again.
Thanks so much! Welcome to the hobby! I hope you enjoy it. So there are two nibs in this video: a fine and a stub. The stub is the one with the fat line in the downstroke. It’s the more dramatic one. If that’s the one you like, then go for it. There is no reason you cannot start with a stub. If this is where you find your inspiration, follow it! Welcome. Stop by again soon.
@@HemingwayJones thanks mate. I think I’ll jump in with the stub nib! I’m also going to order your favourite blue ink to start with! Really enjoying your other videos too mate. Inspiring for my own. 👏👏
I must say that it is not my favorite fountain pen, but I just use it too much, certainly surpasses many that I prefer by design, but its practicality and performance make it special.
My first real fountain pen was the Lamy. Had to change out the cartridges once a week. And they tended to dry out more often. My twsbi change out the ink once a month, tips don't dry out
I believe the “cracking “ problem was an issue with the older Diamond 530 model. Surprisingly the 530 is the only TWSBI I own and haven’t experienced any cracking after all these years.
I hear from a lot of people that they have cracking issues but I have never experienced anything myself. They tell me this for almost every model. I can only report my own experience. I debated mentioning it, but I hear it so much. Weird. Thanks!!
Not a fan of Twsbi pens at all. Mainly because of the nibs. I have found them to be thoroughly disappointing. Overly stiff, and a tendency to dry out after writing for a while. And just a very meh experience, overall. Never liked the Eco, though I understand its continuing appeal to so many others. I once owned three Twsbis; gave them all away. I prefer the faceted barrel, cap, and all round aesthetics of the ‘Diamond’ Twsbi pens. And despite the subtle triangular section, I think the Eco-T is a little nicer than the standard Eco. If the Eco is the only pen I was allowed to own, I wouldn’t be a fountain pen user at all. 🙂
We all like different things. What I appreciate is that you watched a video about a pen you don’t really enjoy. This makes me very happy and I appreciate it very much. I strive to make entertaining content about whatever pen or ink or journal I am addressing that week. I appreciate your watching and being here. Thanks!
I am starting to think the cracking is from users who disassemble their pen a lot or poorly. Just noticing those that don't report cracking are also not disassembling their TWSBI pens regularly.
Hello sir. Thank you for wonderful videos. I am a new fountain pen beginner, 38 yrs old and want to write daily about new technology, and other subjects. I got a platinum preppy, but did not like it atall. I need your suggestion on getting a pen quoting the pricing in my country- India. 1. Lamy Vista( INR 3,000= USD 36) 2. Twsbi eco black (INR 4,000= USD 48) 3. Twsbi eco (rose gold) really love the color scheme(INR 6625 = USD 80) 4. Twsbi vac 700 iris, again love the color (INR 11,000 = USD 132) this is a bit out of budget too. 5. Any other suggestion pls. Also, request the nib size suggestion (fine, medium ,etc.) Thank you.
Thanks so much for the kind words and a warm welcome to you! With your pics, I would go for the TWSBI Eco Black. There is a lot of value there. I think it's one of the pest pens, full stop! Thank you!
I have a side question that is related to less expensive fountain pens. I bought a Lamy Safari with a fine nib but when I write with it or sketch, the black ink comes out grey. Is there something faulty in the pen? I was initially going to buy a TWSBI Eco but they are $50 in my country. :(
@@HemingwayJones Thanks for the recommendation. When I tried my dip pens with it last night, it came out dark black like it was supposed to. I even asked other artists what they use with their fountain pen and they all said Noodler's Black Eel, so that's what I bought.
No piston-fills for me. In the same price range I vote for the Sailor Compass, with a more traditional design, lots of colors, and a CARTRIDGE/CONVERTER. For piston lovers, TWSBI is the best choice.
I really like my Sailor Compass, too. I like the flat topped Lecoule a little more. I prefer these steel nibbed Sailor pens any day over comparably priced Lamy Safaris or Twsbi Ecos. The sole downside to the Sailor Compass is the fact that it comes only with a MF (medium-fine) nib. No other nib option. If Sailor offered at least an F and an M nib for the pen, I’m sure more of them would be sold.
@@sajjadhusain4146 I am saddened by the way Sailor is rolling back their extensive nib palette more and more, especially with new and limited models. Sigh...
Eco fans might want to try out the Nahvalur Peter Draws special editions too. Mine writes exactly like an eco with the added bonus of the Peter Draws quirky and spectacular artistry…. btw, the TWABI tool works on the Nahvalur Peter Draws perfectly!
I love my collection of TWSBI's you just can't clean with Alcohol or use hand santizer on your hands before using them. Not that you have to be extra careful with them, but you do need to be mindful. Out of the 30 plus that I have of them I only had to get one cap replaced because of user error. I had a replacement within 24 hours. Their customer service is great. I just love the colors that they have - The only two colors I don't have is the Original Tourquise and the Sunset Orange (Chinese Exculisive) when these two pens come up, they sell quickly and for well over 200. I have now been getting them with special grinds on them by Kirk Spir from Pen Realm so they can be unique. For the new one, in Rosa - I am getting it with the Waverly,
I will respectfully disagree. The Kaweco Sport is one of the very best fountain pens full stop. And it costs even less than the Twsbi. If you can't stand pocket pens, the HongDian 5010 is beautiful and a great writer.
Enjoy what you like! It’s all about inspiration. Personally, I love this one because you get the full fill-from-a-bottle experience. That is amazing at this price point. Kaweco Sports though are brilliant. Love them. Thanks for watching!
Hi! I am totally new to fountain pens but im excited to learn! My TWSBI Eco came in a small kit with a small jar of "silicone grease" & a wrench... can anyone tell me what that is for?
If you don't use it, you lose it. Haven't had a job that required writing since about 1985. I have been using a fountain pen for 3 weeks and my handwriting is much more legible.
Dude, the Audio Technica mic that you have is a SIDE ADDRESS microphone. You're talking into the wrong end of it. Should be upright and you talk into the side. Just my 2 cents...
Hi! I am totally new to fountain pens but im excited to learn! My TWSBI Eco came in a small kit with a small jar of "silicone grease" & a wrench... can anyone tell me what that is for?
Hello there and welcome. You made a great choice! That silicon and wrench are for disassembling your pen, which you may never need to do, but you can. You will need to grease it up again, if you do. Enjoy!
