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I have a Lanbitou 3059, which I believe to be a clone of a TWSBI Eco, but I am not sure how close a copy it is. Anyway I want to remove the piston assembly to give the thing a really good wash out as I have been using it with Diamine Registrar's Ink, which is an iron-gall formulation I believe. Anyway, there's some ink between the two seals of the piston. It needs a thorough clean with warm soapy water before I contemplate using anything else in the pen. The Lanbitou 3059 really is a 'nothing' pen to me. It does have a really fine nib, which is it's saving grace. The huge ink capacity isn't that meaningful unless you have found an ink colour you like enough to buy a good sized bottle.

So it's just past my birthday, and every year I've been getting myself a little something in the FP world I've been contemplating a Platinum 3776 UEF or SF since last year, but lately I started thinking maybe I should try EF in the Pilot (my current fave EDC is a F nib Pilot Metro - primarily for the nib) I tend to write 20+ pages a day and prefer to use inks that have waterproof qualities - mostly due to climate here, coupled with my tendency to spill things! Which is disappointing as I love some of the Diamine inks for their sheen & the shimmer ones are so much fun! (that's another topic!) I've been using a 50/50 mix of R&K salix/scabiosa as my EDI in my Pilot and love it. I'll probably get some Platinum Classic to try out next. After reading lots of discussions I'm torn between all 3 of the Japanese makers and today after trawling the forums some more I am thinking maybe what needs to happen is a new nib on my TWSBI ECO. I love its capacity of the piston filler but the EF nib has been nowhere near the pleasant writing experience I get from my Pilot and more like a M nib, which is not fine enough for me. I am currently considering the following: Platinum 3776 chartres bleu in UEF Platinum 3776 in SF Platinum PTL-5000A in EF Sailor pro gear slim in EF Sailor 1911s in EF Pilot Celemo in EF Pilot Vanishing Point decimo in EF NIBS - ack so this is a new experience, I am totally open to suggestions here. I've read of success putting Sailor 1911s nibs on ECO, and also JOWO #5 and Franklin Christoph #5 But this would be a new venture of purposely buying a nib for a pen, and I wonder if I'll get something I love or be stuck with another pen languishing. (my poor Lamy does this despite having EVERY nib) So folks, what do you think?

When I got my Twsbi Eco with an extra-fine nib about 5 days ago and inked it up with Noodler's X-feather, the pen was so dry it wouldn't write without putting some weight on it while writing to flex the tines open a bit and when it would write it would skip like crazy. I then flushed the pen and inked it up with Parker Quink Blue-Black , the result was slightly better, it would somewhat write under it's own weight but would skip more often than it would put down a line. I heard Twsbi's EF nib should be a hair broader than Pilot's F nib but after comparing it to my Pilot Metropolitan, it seems to be a decent amount finer even though the tipping is bigger. I used a loupe to look at the nib and saw the tines were touching and very tight together so I tried to get the tines apart by following Pen Habit's video on the subject and flossing the nib with a post-it note and it worked to a degree. The pen doesn't skip anymore but still writes very dry making the ink look very light and hard to see with some colors. It seems to be a nib problem since I put in a juicy M nib and the feed kept up without issue. Any advice about how to fix the flow would be greatly appreciated. Here are some pictures comparing it to my Pilot Metropolitan :

Hello, wonderful community ... I've got ink- and silicon-grease stained fingers (all good), and a problem. Having reassembled my TWSBI Classic (making and correcting some of the usual errors outlined in Brian Goulet's life-saving video on disassembly / reassembly of the thing) ... I did a fairly creditable job ... but can't get the piston knob / endcap flush with the body of the pen. There's a little gap I can't seem to close - either by using the wrench, or titrating the threading. This gap is just a bit smaller than the thickness of the TWSBI wrench. The piston knob is 'locked tight' (turned clockwise to its resting point). No looseness there. The piston itself seemed to be in its optimal position before reinsertion: just a bit of wiggle space between it and its housing. The piston knob did come off several times, and I had to first seat it on the threaded housing, then reinsert the piston ...reseating it properly, for all I can tell. The ink capacity (using Brian's 'toothpick method') seems about right. A tad over half a toothpick. TWSBI reassembly seems a *very* fiddly operation....Anyone have a solution? I'm wondering whether this means (and it may) that the thing will also start leaking into the cap (another complaint I've heard about this fetching and affordable little pen). I'll also look at 'leaking into cap' posts to see if there's a solution there. Thanks in advance!

Two of my favorite pens are the Waterman 94 Ripple and TWSBI Micarta. Unfortunately, both are out of production. So, for fun, I decided to make some micarta pens that "cross" these pen's properties. Shown are my first attempts at Blue Green, Orange, Rose and Olive Micarta TWSBI sized pens. Shown with them are the inspiration pens.

I purchased a Twsbi eco online, and it simply gushes ink very randomly. When I say gush, what I mean is the just spurts out a ton of ink all at once. I have used the ink in many other pens, and I don't think it is the ink. I am trying to work my way through a bottle of D'atriments scented ink. So I don't think it is the ink, I am 2/3 rds the way through a bottle. Any thoughts on what I can do about this pen?

The TWSBI Micarta fountain pen is made from a unique material (Micarta), which makes it a useful and versatile pen beyond the casual spectrum of the coffeehouse. Reviews about the TWSBI Micarta Version 1 and Micarta Version 2 have flourished on the FPN and other sites. I will not attempt another detailed review, but will provide a few points which determined my purchase and/also how the pen has performed. “Micarta was originally used in electrical and decorative applications. Micarta was developed by George Westinghouse at least as early as 1910 using phenolic resins invented by Leo Baekeland. These resins were used to impregnate paper and cotton fabric which were cured under pressure and high temperature to produce laminates.” - Wikipedia What is the “life state" of the TWSBI Micarta material when compared to the acrylic fountain pen, or pens made of various materials? I realize that TWSBI offers a stable product for sale. But, since it is made of a composite material, I would think that it would have a very minor shrink rate, as do acrylics/plastics, over many years. Antique stores are full of pens which seem far from their original size. I was hesitant to purchase this pen, due to its size. But, finally opted to make a purchase, since it is no longer in production (scarcity), and as an experiment with my man’s medium size hand. My pens have a #5 size nib, and are a size smaller than this pen. The Micarta is a light to medium weight pen with a section/grip diameter (max/min) = 12.3/10.8mm. I am hoping that the Micarta’s larger grip size will allow me to rest my fingers, while alternating between other pens. It’s an experiment. I chose the Micarta Version 2 / 805 over the Version 1 for the plastic insert lining to the cap, and the gold plated stainless steel 14 carat JoWo #6 nib. Although the Version 1 had a Bock nib, and I did not see a great deal of negative reviews on it, I thought the later version might be of interest. The number 805 appears on my clip version, while 803 appears on the version without a clip. The gold clip matches the colour of the nib. The clip is tight and fits easily within a man’s shirt pocket. I, also, ordered this pen to accompany my ’YES World Watch II’ from YES Watch Company. The gold on the Micarta Version 2 closely matches the rose gold on the YES watch. The pen has several unique stampings in black to the top of the cap (company logo), and around the base of the cap (Chinese lettering and TWSBI). All are indiscreet, while providing classic styling to the nature of the pen. The Micarta cap and body colour are matching on my pen. The Micarta material feels like a smooth pleasant resinous wood. I do not detect any odors emanating from the Micarta pen or barrel. I don’t find the pen to look like a ‘cigar' or appear as 'utilitarian’. It has a unique pleasant styling, which reminds me of visits to the Japanese gardens. I would not mind taking this pen with me to the gardens, but would not take a similar Japanese handmade wood pen, which costs 15 to 20 times as much, outside the house. The nib is not as wide as most #6 nibs, due to its smaller shoulders, which I prefer. The plastic feed is beautifully proportioned and constructed with a large air channel leading to approximately 15 “comb” serrations. The gold plated nib has the company logo imprinted on the top of the nib, along with scroll designs, the company name, and size of nib. These extras add to the presence of the pen. The tines on this nib, although not obtrusive to visualizing your script, are (in my opinion) long, but then again, I’m used to the #5 nib. The nib and tines are strong to prevent bending. (I write with a “light hand” and let the nib work for me.) Some reviews have stated that the EF Micarta nib writes like a ‘nail’, and does not provide enough flexibility. However, I found that the JoWo nib wrote like a true EF (probably due to The Writing Desk tweaking it), and that there was enough variance to the line, if one did not pressure it to perform like a medium or bold nib. In my opinion, writing with an EF nib takes some finesse and consistency. The rounded EF smooth nib is, also, one of the most forgiving nibs to those of us who print and scribble in notation. I have not experienced any problems with starting the pen during the day or after leaving it over night. Of course, the choice of paper and ink are a determining factor in any pen’s performance. The Micarta is a push-on convertor. It takes a dozen turns to open the barrel and reveal the convertor. I have not detected any leaks from the convertor, although I would prefer a more secure method of attaching the convertor to the pen. I always ink the convertor with a syringe to prevent staining. Four full turns secure the barrel to the cap, which prevents the nib from drying. When holding the pen further back from the grip area, I do not feel any sharpness from the barrel grooves. Although the ‘pen cap’ lacks a metal ‘cap lip’, the strength of the Micarta material should suffice to hold the cap to barrel without cracking or chipping. Also, a 'cap lip' would detract from the modern design of the overall pen. I ordered the EF nib and was not disappointed. I asked The Writing Desk, UK to align and smooth the nib before sending it to the USA. It arrived in MINT condition and performed perfectly with Sailor Epinard green ink. The EF Micarta V2 is presented in a specially designed TWSBI notebook 162mm x 190mm graph paper. Some pen enthusiasts have ordered other nibs from Pendleton Brown, Anderson, and Delta. The Delta Fusion Nib, and the TWSBI Vac 700 will, also, fit this pen. Best Writings To You, coffeetoofull

Hi! I received my first TWSBI—an Eco—and I was wondering how resistant it is to staining from "strong" inks. In particular, I am looking at filling it with Noodler's Kung Te-Cheng, which is a great ink but also something that people have described as "apocalypse-proof". I have lent it successfully to people when their ballpoints (ew) would not on the signature space on credit cards so it is that kind of special and stubborn. I don't have high hopes for its compatibility but if it has been tried and tested it would a welcome surprise. nb. I get the whole battle scars argument but I prefer my pens to be on the side of "pristine"

Long story short: I bought a TWSBI Vac mini since I love my Eco and was looking for a travel pen, figured this fit the bill. Just took it with me to a vacation in Costa Rica, filled with Noodlers Blue-Black, to journal while we're here and it keeps leaking. On the flight out I made sure to give it a FULL fill (using Brian Goulet's technique), and stored it nib up on the plane. When I uncapped it I got a handful of ink around the section and cap. Figured this was bound to happen despite my best efforts and shrugged it off. A couple days later it is still leaking, even after sitting in our room all day without any movement or pressure changes. Seems every time I uncap it to journal there is a smattering of ink inside the section and cap. Anyone have a similar experience or know what might be the problem? Perhaps I filled it TOO full or might have a crack in the plastic I can't see? I have kept the blind cap screwed down and sealed when not in use and unscrew it when writing. Any help is appreciated! Enjoy writing with this pen but surprised at its consistent leakage. ~AK PS - any of you looking for a getaway soon should seriously consider Costa Rica, it is an incredible place...Pura Vida!

Hey guys, for those of you who do not know me, I am Michael Dromgoole. I am the 4th generation future owner here at Dromgoole's. We are starting a podcast that showcases new product, interviews reps and customers, and we have some other cool stuff up our sleeve. Please enjoy, and feel free to give me feedback in any form possible. I appreciate you watching and hope to see you back in the future!

Goulet's Q&A mentioned that the next limited edition TWSBI Mini-AL will be gold. I searched for an image online and found one posted to TWSBI's instagram account. https://www.instagram.com/p/BZjTGMIjNTb/ They estimate they'll be in stock at the end of October. Decisions, decisions......

Hello all. To get down the the nitty gritty, I have a TWSBI 580AL and I LOVE it! I have it with an EF nib and find it to be very smooth. I was looking to get a replacement nib to play around with. I wanted to get a italic nib that is 0.6mm, 0.85mm or pretty much anything under 1mm. I know the mount size is a 5 for this pen I am just a having trouble finding a nib online I can order. If anyone can help me find a nib that matches that description Id be very grateful! I have found 1.1mm italic nibs that are size 5 but nothing under that. Thanks in advance!

TWSBI nib units, that is. I have an italic and a fine, just lying there pathetically, and no bodies to host them. They are from the 540 series, I believe....so, what inexpensive and easily attainable not-metal pen bodies (besides Noodler's Ahab) will these fit? Thanks for your suggestions!

Can I use visconti HM oversize dreamtouch nib to twsbi vac 700? I saw some article that it can, and some said it can't.

After weeks of searching for a bottle of Noodler's Black Ink, my local brick and mortar finally received a shipment and reserved a 3oz bottle for me. I was told that the while the ink performs very very well on cheap paper and has amazing water resistance, I was advised by the worker that I shouldn't use this ink in demonstrator pens like the TWSBI Diamond 580/Vac 700 or any clear pen at that, because "the ink will stain the inside of the pen." Is that statement true? If that's the case (or not the case), will this Noodler's Black be safe to use in converters such as the LAMY converter or Platinum converter?

Hi all I was questioning the performance of my new pen (TWSBI Diamond 580, stub 1.1mm). Sometimes the ink just stops flowing during a couple of characters. Then everything goes normal again. When this happens, I have to stop and repeat the missing lines. The samples below illustrate the problem. On the first image, the same text is repeated several times: see how some characters (or sometimes whole words) are "skipped". The same with the spirals on the second image: a part of the line is missing. I was wondering if this should be considered normal behavior of a stub nib (I wouldn't believe it), or is there really a problem with this pen or nib? Any opinions/suggestions? EDIT: I forgot to say that the pen was flushed with distilled water before inking. Other pens with the same ink work normally on the same paper, so no problem with ink or paper.

Introduction: The TWSBI Eco fountain pen was a birthday gift from my day. There is quite an interesting story with this pen. I ordered this from The Goulet Pen Company and chose USPS First Class International because it was the cheapest option. But…. the package never reached Abu Dhabi. I informed GPC about this and they took care of me by shipping another one through FedEx- for free. They have great customer service. The pen reached me within a week and when I inked it up for the first time, I was…. disappointed. It wrote way too wet with Waterman Purple. I thought it must be the ink so I changed it to Pelikan 4001 Royal Blue but still no use. So, I thought that is the characteristic of the ECO so I let it be that way and filled it back with the Waterman. One fine day, I sat down to do a project for school and the pen dripped purple ink on the paper and of course, the project was ruined. Fast forward to a few months, the section cracked and the feed stem broke. I never reviewed the pen due to my experience. With some hesitation, I ordered replacement parts (feed and barrel) from TWSBI and now, I am as happy as I could be. Packaging: The TWSBI Eco comes in a frosted plastic box which I just seem to love. It doesn’t take up much place but does what it needs to. It holds a vial of silicone grease, a TWSBI wrench, the pen and two manuals. It does its job perfectly. I wouldn’t be grading packaging from now because it doesn’t impact the usability of the pen in any way. Construction and Looks (9/10): The TWSBI Eco is TWSBI’s most economical pen at around 30 dollars. They minimized costs by reducing the amount of metal in the pen but haven’t cut down on quality. It has a very minimalistic design with a nice geeky elegance. The only metal parts being the nib, clip and cap band are highly polished. The clip reads ‘TWSBI’ and ‘ECO TAIWAN’. The white of the plastic accents the clear smooth barrel well. The cap and piston knob are faceted. The nib is a small nib which is very brightly polished and has the TWSBI logo stamped on it. The only place of dislike for me is the cap insert of the TWSBI logo. It feels really cheap especially after trying the Diamond 580. But for 30, I can’t complain much. Filling and Cleaning (8/10): The TWSBI Eco though economical, comes with a piston filler. It has a nice ink capacity and is really smooth to use with just a bit of resistance that makes you realize you’re turning a knob. Filling is a breeze and so is cleaning. You can take apart the pen completely with the exception of the clear section. But at times, in the small groves just before the section, ink can get stuck and is quite difficult to remove. Other than that, I have no problems. Maintenance (9/10): As I said before, the pen can be taken apart which makes maintenance very easy. TWSBI provides with a wrench made of plastic to take the pen apart and a small vial of silicone grease which can be used to grease and smoothen the piston system. The only problem is that it is a liquid kind of silicone grease which can get into the section if you aren’t careful. Also, it doesn’t resist water as well as the thick one. Writing (10/10): The TWSBI Eco is a workhorse of a pen with a beautiful medium nib and a perfect ink flow (with the new feed). The nib is on the finer side of western medium which writes very smooth with a whisper of feedback. I use the pen with Pelikan Edelstein Smoky Quartz that I received at the Pelikan Hub 2017 Abu Dhabi. This is my favorite nib in my collection with the ASA Nauka nib being a close second. I have no complaints here whatsoever. Conclusion (9/10): The TWSBI Eco fountain pen is a serious pen for any beginner and I would recommend it to anyone. Yes, it can have some problems but TWSBI will take care of you if it does. I would place this pen leagues above the Lamy Al-star/Safari/Vista and Pilot Metropolitan. The pen is really a great value for the money. For something of an interesting nib, the 1.1 stub is awesome. I tried it at the Pelikan hub 2017 Abu Dhabi. I will also use a new way of describing a pen here- Closer to my hand- Writes great, workhorse and comfortable. Closer to my heart- Something special with an emotional story behind it. Closer to my wallet- Economical and nice quality. This pen is both closer to my hand and wallet. I give it a big yes. Thank you for reading my review of the TWSBI Eco and let me know your thoughts below.

I'll just paste my 'about me' from my profile. I'll not get on the soap box again, thanks to you all already -BIn the second half of my life, I'm using my time while retired/disabled after 23+ years as an Officer of Marines; CWO4 (Marine Gunner) and former Master Sergeant (prior to my Officer lobotomy) I stay busy when not swamped with stuff or just feeling down right horrible as a book reviewer, editor, and still continue analytical work for various people/businesses and occasionally still do consulting work for the Marine Corps and DoD ....... Advocating for Liberty and Veterans who suffer with Traumatic Brain Injury (TBI), Severe Memory Impairment, Post Traumatic Stress Disorder (PTSD), Traumas, and those with Crohn's Disease and Seizure Disorder. Of course too I may muster the courage to begin my Scale Models again but in addition to it all fight pain,tremor, and atrophy caused by neuropathy so bad that it maybe something best to just hang up and sell off. I've lost nearly every enjoyable skill and struggle with the idea of "doing it at all if I can't do so to the ability I once had". My 1965 Galaxie 500 LTD and Harley are gone as a result of the desires and memory issues so that and losing the opportunity of a second careeer sucks big time. I'm most busy with doctors appointments and maintaining my 118 year old house, my shop, ranting, retirement, and sometimes more... I spend most of the day in my library/study and may sometimes blog aside from my other stuff. My blog was begun right before my health, career, and entire life's direction was wildly changed, so though the page is 3+ years old, it is bare boned. My wonderfaul wife and partner of 21 years and I have 3 daughters (23, 20, & 10) and my service/seizure dog 'Reagan' (a Transylvania Hound).I have always insisted upon myself, my Marines, and my girls that their handwriting and deliverables that leave their desks are an example and often a first impression of their own character of professionalism and disciple. If it's your notes or your journal, that's one thinks; but if it is going to be seen by someone else it must be your best. I don't have extremely expensive pens, but what I have are of good quality and they are used extensively with my very rarely using a ball point pen or marker. Of course math/hand-analysis and editing markup is still often done with pencil, but everything aside is ink 'properly. I had to learn to read and write all over again after my brain injury, but I continue my journal that is now beginning it's 27th year and in addition I still write my wife of 21 years a love letter each day. I look forward to learning from each of you and pray I will be of assistance to many as well. I have much experience with different mediums aside from fountain pens to include, dip, technical pens, pastels, pencil, and alcohol pens with a solid background in what works and what doesn't with all brands, mediums, and surfaces while making sure the combination matches the intended purpose.Semper Fidelis, CWO4 Shannon Beaman USMC'Smooth is Fast, Fast is Smooth' Edited for errors only, content not altered. -B

Greeting All, Found this pen in a garage sale for $2. Marked as a TWSBI. I found the company, but I cannot locate any serial numbers or model numbers to identify ink cartridges. I would prefer a refillable cartridge to use my own ink, but would settle for disposable cartridges. I simply have no idea what types to use. Could anyone help identify this? I enjoy the weight and feel of the wood, though I have no idea what the quality is like. I've never owned a TWSBI, mostly just stick to my Pilot Vanishing Point. Thanks, Mike

I need a highlighter pen. Tried the Lamy Safari with 1.1 nib route, but the converter is too small so I run empty very quickly. Now I am leaning towards a TWSBI Diamond Mini with a 1.5 stub. Is anyone using the TWSBI as a highlighter pen? How is the 1.5 nib out of the box? Having read about breakage, cracking plastic, and finnicky nibs in the TWSBI forum, I'd like to hear your experience with the Diamond Mini, particularly the 1.5 stub nib. Also, if your experience steered you away from TWSBI, please share if you found a better alternative. The highlighter ink will be Diamine, probably Yellow or Sunshine Yellow. Thanks, everyone!

Hello All, Due to certain requirements, I will be traveling to Brisbane/Toowoomba during the month of May. I would like to gauge interest to see if anyone wants to do a meet up either or both in Brisbane/Toowoomba. I will be staying at my Toowoomba residence. As a plus side for those interested, during my trip, I willing to do nib work like Binderizing Nibs (Smoothing and Tuning), custom grinds like italics and so on. As an official TWSBI Dealer, I am also be able to bring down stock from Singapore and give a good price on TWSBI Pens. (Ask me for what other items I can arrange to bring from Singapore as well) Is there any interest for a meetup? Thanks.

Today was new pen day. The Vac 700R I ordered Friday when they went on sale showed up in my mailbox. I have not had much time to do more then wash it out and fill it. I love the feel of the pen so far. It's a nice weight for me. It excludes quality compared to the ECO's I have. I find the section comfortable to hold and the step of the thread to the body does not bother me at all. I ordered it with the 1.1 Stub after I had so much fun with that nib on the ECO. I do like the smaller line size better on the ECO's nib, but if I am doing larger writing this will be nice. I wanted to pair the pen up with my favorite ink (Kon-Peki) but I did not have enough to cover the section. I was only able to get a small amount of that ink in the pen. So took one of my full bottles of blue-black ink in this case Private Reserve Midnight Blues. It will do until I can order some bottles of the colors of ink I like better these days. I was able to get an almost complete fill by doing the normal 1/2 fill then turning it nib up and pushing the air out before finishing the fill stroke in the bottle. That got it to about 90% which might as well be full. The nib puts down a wet line. It feathers easy on junk paper and is juicy on Rhodia Dot Pad. It does not bleed though the 80 g/m2 paper. I need lots of practice with stub nibs so forgive my hand writing. I have not written enough with the pen to know if it will keep up the flow after a few pages with the valve open. So far I don't expect it to have the issue the old 700 did. The pen still has the 700's satin clip with its textured finish. The only thing I don't like about this pen is the nib sits to the right/left of the clip when the cap is on fully. Don't know why but on a demonstrator I am a bit fussy about the nib lining up with the clip. Guess I should learn to get over that. I can see myself ordering the F nib as well as the Vac20 bottle in the future. http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/TWSBI-700r-1.jpg http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/TWSBI-700r-2.jpg http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/TWSBI-700r-3.jpg http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/TWSBI-700r-5.jpg http://driften.dragonsightsoftware.com/images/TWSBI-700r-4.jpg

Hi! Which would you recommend based on that I like my Pilot metropolitan and which would be easier for me grip wise and maintenance wise? Or if you can recommend me other brands, that would be helpful as well. Thanks for any input!

Mine just came in, and I assume others are receiving theirs as well. Show your first scribbles with it, or just let us know your quick impression of it. This is my first TWSBI, and I'm impressed. I've handled an acquaintance's 580 and like that, too, but I feel the ECO holds its own. A nice piston filler that has a good, solid feel in my hand at a price competitive with other intro pens like the Lamy Safari or Pilot Prera. Writes smoothly out of the box, for me. I wouldn't hesitate to point my friends to this one.

Don't know if anyone else has posted this........... I've seen a few posts on the VAC50 inkwell availability, for those who are interested, I just noticed that TWSBI has them back in stock as well as Amazon. If this is old news, please disregard.