Twsbi Nib Comparison

[nibl]

Do the nibs on the higher value, non-Eco, TWSBI pens offer a much better writing experience than the TWSBI Eco? Or is the main quality difference in the barrel finish and filling system?

 

I know the nibs differ, but its really the writing experience that matters to me.

[almoore]

Hi Nibl

 

I have both the Vac 700r and the Eco (I also have a 580 AL & Mini in eternal storage) and I find a difference between the two when writing; but I have to qualify that by saying the nibs are different sizes (both are Mediums) as are the pens so they will feel different in use.

 

The pens themselves are different in size and design and have different filling mechanisms; if you like a larger pen get the 700r or if you prefer a more standard sized pen consider the Eco or the 580. I have found they both give a good writing experience and are very reliable and I would recommend them both.

 

If you can find someone with one or ideally both try them out, I bought the Eco on a whim not expecting much from it but was very happily surprised but if I had to recommend one of them it would be the 700r.

 

Hope this helps.

 

Al

Edited November 29, 2017 by almoore

[Jamerelbe]

Do the nibs on the higher value, non-Eco, TWSBI pens offer a much better writing experience than the TWSBI Eco? Or is the main quality difference in the barrel finish and filling system?

 

I know the nibs differ, but its really the writing experience that matters to me.

 

I can't speak for the Vac 700/700R, as I don't own one, but the Eco has the exact same nib and feed as the Diamond Mini, Vac Mini, and Classic pens. I find the writing experience very smooth (except maybe for the EF nib, but those are generally pretty good too!). The Diamond 580 nib is slightly wider in its wingspan, and in my experience just a little 'springier'.

 

In all honesty, the Eco is excellent value-for-money, and I find it writes wetter than the Diamond Mini despite the fact that they have the same nib and feed. I probably like the Diamond 580 best (I don't have a Vac 700 or a Classic, but do have *at least* one of the other models), but for reliability and flow characteristics (not so much looks!) the Eco would probably come second. This is a very personal preference, though - your mileage may vary...

[nibl]

Thanks so much for your replies. I forgot to mention that I have an Eco, but no other TWSBIs. Despite that, I might just go for another Eco. Its been dependable and very nice to write with.

[JulioPB]

Hi:

 

I have 10 or 11 TWSBIs in different models,

My favorite model is the ECO.

 

since TWSBIs nibs are made by Bock (as I understand) the nibs are much better than before,

 

All my nibs are mediums and find no difference between models.

 

Hope helps,

 

Julio

[Jamerelbe]

Hi:

 

I have 10 or 11 TWSBIs in different models,

My favorite model is the ECO.

 

since TWSBIs nibs are made by Bock (as I understand) the nibs are much better than before,

 

All my nibs are mediums and find no difference between models.

 

Hope helps,

 

Julio

 

This is not correct: TWSBI nibs were *originally* supplied by Schmidt (I believe), then later by Bock... but for the past several years (since introducing the Diamond 580) they've been using custom nibs manufactured for them by JoWo. They're good nibs, though, and I've found mine to be pretty reliable writers.

[anemography]

I've had Eco nibs in fine, medium and stub, and 580 in medium and broad. I haven't noticed a difference between then apart from the stub, which came scratchy. Smoothed it out and it's fine now though.

[Torrilin]

I believe TWSBI uses 3 nib sizes. The eco size, the 580 size, and the vac size. Haven’t tried the largest, maybe it is nicer. Dunno. I tend to like smaller/lighter pens, so a vac700 is not on my wish list.

 

I can’t tell the difference by eye between work drawn with my 580 and eco, both with ef nibs. I have to know which pen had which ink for a given drawing. Or I have to take notes. I’ll get more variety of line from the ink than from the nib. Your mileage may vary. Maybe my nibs are quite similar. There definitely are posters who notice different line width from pens with the same marked width but different nib sizes. Still, I’d check that the inks match before saying one is different. For width it’s about comparable to a pilot metropolitan fine, or an 03 Platinum Preppy. I have a rogue Lamy xf nib that’s finer.

 

Thus far, they seem to need refills at the same rate. The ink reservoirs are close in size.

 

The 580 is more flexible to use with ink samples. If you want wild colored ink, it’s probably worthwhile to have a 580. A lot of useful writing inks tho will not be very pretty in the barrel. If you want the wild barrel color effects, you may need very strong light or inks that are less suited to reading. If you’ve got an ink where you genuinely need to always have it in a pen, the eco will be perfect.

[Dattebayo]

I have 2 Mini, 2 Eco, 1 580AL.

 

1 Mini, 1 Eco, and my 580 are staub 1.1mm and my remaining Mini and Eco are Medium nib.

 

From my experience, the Eco has a much more ink flow, I think due to the ink feed delivering more ink compared to the Mini - which causes the Eco to have a thicker line than the equivalent Mini. The 580AL, despite also being a 1.1mm staub, lays down a significantly larger line than both the Eco and Mini.

[akrohn2010]

I own an Eco and a Vac Mini. The Eco has the slightly better nib of the two, in my opinion, but they're about the same. Both are EF nibs and are supposedly identical, but the Vac Mini was scratchy when I first got it; the Eco was not. After some use and ink changes they write almost identically, however, so I believe it may just be a QC difference.

 

The Eco is a phenomenal value for writing experience: the main difference I see in the Vac Mini (besides design) is that it feels a bit heftier and more solid -- though the Eco is by no means fragile.

 

~AK

[Jamforpen]

The nibs of 580 and eco are produced by SCHMIDT, while the 540's is produced by Bock.

Bock also produces the nib of pelikan m200, Visconti and so on. Their steel nibs is very famous.

[Jamerelbe]

The nibs of 580 and eco are produced by SCHMIDT, while the 540's is produced by Bock.

Bock also produces the nib of pelikan m200, Visconti and so on. Their steel nibs is very famous.

*All* current TWSBI pens use nibs made by JoWo, not Schmidt. They switched to JoWo from Bock while still manufacturing the Diamond 540,do if you purchase one of these older model pens, you're 50/50 to get a Bock nib instead.

[minddance]

My 580 1.1 stub writes broader than my Eco 1.1 stub. Both very very dry pens. I don't know if the stub feeds are different from the fine nib models. I also have a 580 M and Eco EF and find no difference in feed compared to the stub and broad models (at least by observation with a loupe). And they are 'equally' dry. Anyone who spots/knows the difference(s) kindly chip in.

 

There seems to be a rather serious air exchange inadequacy/problem in the two twsbi models I own. I opened the tines of the nibs and ink flow is still very much prohibited by the feed. They all have very unwilling feeds.

 

And my Eco broad burps ink onto paper.

 

And do not discount the barrel/cap cracking issues reported by many others.

 

Will I buy another Twsbi? Passionately no.

Edited December 29, 2017 by minddance