Twsbi Writing Performance?

[ateebtk]

Hi,

I've heard alot about the piston filling fp ... its affordable, piston filling, large size , demonstrator but how it its nib + writing performance ?

 

For reference, here are the pens I own ... Lamy Safari F , Lamy 2000 M , Pelikan M215 F , Hero 329

 

 

Thanks

[USMCMom]

I have a medium nib and it writes very well ... smoothly ... I'm happy with it and intend to get another, but will be happier when my 1.5 piston arrives. Just wish TWSBI was offered with a broad nib.

[Ernst Bitterman]

I would put it somewhere between the two Lamys you've got. There is a little bit of spring in the point (my TWSBI is a medium), ink flow is good, and I think only a very sensitive person could accuse it of having any tooth.

[farmersmums]

I installed piston version 1.5 today and now my TWSBI is awesome- that little smidge of ink behind the seal was bugging me! In response to your question, though, it wrote wonderfully straight out of the box and I'm using it more and more often. I have a fine nib and always use it unposted- the balance is much better that way. I feel like I have great control with it and my handwriting looks better than usual as a result. The design, fit and finish are all great- it feels like a much more expensive pen than it is. I highly doubt you'll be disappointed if you spring for one.

[devaldez]

I love my TWSBI and its writing feel...smooth, straight-forward, forgiving. I intend to get more once the financial missiles stop. I have a F nib.

Edited September 14, 2010 by devaldez

[easirois]

Hi,

 

I have an EF version and it my daily writer. I'm primarily using it on non-friendly fountain pen paper (Blueline notebook). I have more FP friendly notebooks ready to go. just need to finish this one other one first. I have used MB BB and Diamine BB with it. Hoping to try some of FPN Noodler's ink soon. It lays down some good ink, not too much, not too little. The pen is great for the price point. I was using a Parker Sonnet as my daily writer prior to the TWSBI. Once I started using the TWSBI, I gave the Sonnet for my wife for her to use. This was my first piston filler and it's fun to use. I let one of the students at the office try it out. He seem to like it quite a bit and was planning to buy one for himself before going back to school.

 

Eric

[tonybelding]

I got a M nib which was too dry at first. I forced the blade of a utility knife between the tines (as described in Da Book) and got it flowing. Since then it has been a smooth and superb writer.

 

And for what it's worth, I had to do exactly the same thing with my Pelikan M200.

[rwilsonedn]

Mine is an F nib, and it is an excellent writer. The balance and fit for my hand are great, the pen feeds very consistently and never skips, it's just the degree of wetness I like (maybe a 6 on the 1-10 scale) and it starts every time. It it also very smooth--not legendarily smooth like a good vintage Skyline or a Filcao, but pleasant, like the better Chinese nibs. For my light touch I would say the nib is rigid.

ron

[OldGriz]

I have one of the prototypes that I got just before the Raleigh Show in June... it is a fantastic writer, smooth as silk and aside from the time taken to replace the seal with the new one it has been constantly inked since I got it...

Know anyone who knows my absolute love of Vacumatics and 51s will realize that I must really like this pen to keep it inked that long.

[John Cullen]

I have one of each: XF, F, M.

 

The ink flow on all three is excellent, even and smooth. The XF is a bit wider than Platinum's XF or a Pilot Elite XF. The Fine is a nice full Fine. The Medium is not an overly wide or wet medium.

 

All three were smooth out of the box, but there is a very slight bit of tooth to each, easier to feel on the XF and F than on the M.

 

I would say the Fine and Medium nibs are not quite as greasy smooth as the Lamy 2000 Fine and Medium nibs I have but the TWSBI nibs are much more tolerant of how they are held than are the Lamy 2000s.

 

I prefer the TWSBI to the Lamy 2000. Personally I think the TWSBI is a really good pen.

[TWRDO]

I have an F nib as well, and am very happy with it. Smooth with just a touch of tooth (read that as feedback, not scratchiness). I was having some minor flow trouble that flushing wouldn't cure, but a minor hack-a-feed job fixed that easily; blame that on Schmidt, not TWSBI. Overall, I think the decision to go with Schmidt nib units was a good one. My early flow problems are the exception, not the general rule.

 

My 1.5 piston came today too. I never had problems with the original, but since the pen just got flushed last night for a color change I went ahead and put it in.

[deckerbj]

I am very pleased with my F nib. It is a daily writer and has been filled twice - once with Visconti Blue, once with Noodler's Bad Belted Kingfisher. I have to say it is drier than I prefer, but that helps control the fine line on my office pads. I have absolutely no complaints. Funny thing - I ordered both an M and an F. The M is still in the box b/c I am so pleased with the F. I will soon find someone special to gift the M to, in hopes of spreading the brand.

 

Give it a go!

[mrloco]

I too bought a pair of TWSBIs. One EF and one M. I'm using the EF right now and it's wonderful. Gorgeous pen; gorgeous feel--weight and balance. Very comfortable writer (un-posted). Very smooth nib with just the faintest touch of 'tooth' - more than my VP fine but less than most fine pens I try. Very reliable starter and it holds a lot of ink. I highly recommend this pen.

[ethan961]

Well, I have two EFs. One is good and one is not so good. One I think has a bad nib, I plan to ask them what I should do about it. It came out of the box like this and no amount of cleaning did anything. I'm no FP expert so I don't really want to try any DIY stuff.

However, please do not let that sway your decision. I must be the only one to have experienced this before, as I have not read of it in all my reading.

 

For things where I want to be neat, I use the 78G in F as it also is a great writer. For plain old writing I use the TWSBI in EF as it's so nice and smooth, and is a bit on the wet side. However, I was previously using Blue-Black Quink in the TWSBI. I just switched to Noodler's plain blue and it seems a lot better, not as thin. I'm much happier with it now than with the Quink. Before it bled a bit and it really soaked it up with my cheap Staples brand plain lined paper. Now it's just about perfect, with no bleeding and the perfect amount of flow. I use the 78G for diagrams, math, etc. Things I want to be neat. I also use it for notes, as they are nice and clean with the fine line laid down by the Japanese F nib. I also use the TWSBI for notes, but mainly for lengthier writing sessions since it's so buttery smooth and simply a joy to write with. It has a tiny bit of feedback, but to me (reminder, I'm a relative FP noob) the feedback feels a little out of place since it's so smooth. I guess that says something in itself. However I do like the little feedback, otherwise my handwriting goes a bit out of control. It still does sometimes compared to the 78G, mostly because my handwriting is, well, sloppy. I also only just got out of the habit of the 'death grip' with my switch back to FPs.

 

In summary: Especially with the 1.5 version piston, you really can't go wrong with this pen unless you absolutely must post your caps. Even then, it's not bad when you get used to it, but I just leave it off. I don't need anything messing up my messy writing.

 

In final summary: if you like demonstrators at all and want a nice, functional, every day pen, what are you waiting for?

[Cricket]

 

In final summary: if you like demonstrators at all and want a nice, functional, every day pen, what are you waiting for?

 

Just waiting for them to actually go on sale...

[ethan961]

 

In final summary: if you like demonstrators at all and want a nice, functional, every day pen, what are you waiting for?

 

Just waiting for them to actually go on sale...

Email info@twsbi.com and they'll hook you up. However, US stocks for the eBay store are apparently arriving very soon.

[ateebtk]

thanks for all the detailed responses; I really appreciate it.

 

I really like WET writing nibs , so I will probably order a B one once ebay store is stocked.

 

Thx again.

[thrage1]

The eBay store just got restocked. Just ordered my first twsbi in ef. Only 5-8 days of waiting left

[mr T.]

In final summary: if you like demonstrators at all and want a nice, functional, every day pen, what are you waiting for?

 

 

An online or B&M shop in Europe that will sell Twsbi products.

[ethan961]

In final summary: if you like demonstrators at all and want a nice, functional, every day pen, what are you waiting for?

 

 

An online or B&M shop in Europe that will sell Twsbi products.

Well, if really want to avoid customs, that's a valid point. But, let speedy know, nothing I can really do about that myself. I'm in Canada. I can't imagine customs would go too crazy on a $40 though, no?

I guess it depends on how lazy if a customs worker you have too, my shipment from Taiwan was declared in TWD. I

I've had $500 shipments from Russia pass with no tax. The value was declared in rubles, and my guess is the postal worker didn't bother to convert.