Nibs For The Twsbi Eco

[Jamerelbe]

Hi,

First post! I have read through the thread, I don't think the answer to my questions is in here but my lack of technical understanding of fountain pens may have meant that i overlooked something!

 

Anyway I was wondering are all TWSBI nibs equally firm, i.e. does the "F" Eco nib have the same *feel* as the "F" 580 nib etc.

 

I ask because I have been using a "F" ECO for the last month and have been really impressed, great flow and smooth writing have covered up exactly how stiff the nib actually is. I only realised when I unwittingly picked up my Lamy 2K, now I am just thinking that the ECO is a bit of a "nail" to write with!

 

I want to fall back in love with the pen, but more so the brand, do the more expensive pens have nicer nibs? What would be a good aftermarket nib that would match the feel of the 2K?

 

Best regards,

Chris

As other commenters have pointed out, all TWSBI pens come fitted with steel nibs, regardless of price point. So yes, they're pretty uniformly "stiff". If you want a "springier" nib, you could check out fpnibs.com - they sell gold JoWo nibs, custom modified to fit TWSBI pens. I bought a B nib for my Diamond 580, plus a couple of custom ground steel nibs for the Diamond Mini (these latter will also screw in to a Vac Mini). The gold nib is wonderfully juicy and smooth - but cost almost as much as the pen itself!

 

Edited to add: if you are who I think you are (DevonReviewer on YouTube?), I've enjoyed watching some of your videos - though it looks like you've added a few more since I last checked in!

Edited February 24, 2016 by Jamerelbe

[joshkerr]

I got a nib from fpnibs.com for my Eco in 18K gold. It cost about $100 which is a little crazy considering the pen costs $37. Still, I love my Eco and the gold nib is a wonderful upgrade. There isn't anything wrong with the twsbi nib, its just the gold one is a little softer.

 

http://i.imgur.com/V1xzVcS.jpg

[Frozz]

what is that ink filled in your ECO ?

fuyugaki ? yu yake ?

[thomdavies2053]

I like many of you "love" my TWSBI even if it is an ECO. I like some you are looking to "up-grade" whether it be buying into the 580's or just getting better nibs. I followed the conversation about the #5 and #5.5 but am not sure of the rationale for the difference. I have been playing with stubs on my Ahab so I was leaning in that direction for my ECO. I wrote TWSBI to see what they had to say and seeming they came out of left field.

 

The following was their answer to my question, what am I missing?

"You can try whatever sized nibs you want on it. However, the Eco uses a size 4 nib. So you must find any size 4 nib otherwise it will not fit in the Eco. You can use the feeder that is on the Eco, otherwise you would have to find one with the exact same dimensions on your own."

 

I was looking at FPR and their assortment. Any recommendation on the feed: Assume 5.1 mm but with stub do I want normal or flex for stubs?

[Jamerelbe]

I like many of you "love" my TWSBI even if it is an ECO. I like some you are looking to "up-grade" whether it be buying into the 580's or just getting better nibs. I followed the conversation about the #5 and #5.5 but am not sure of the rationale for the difference. I have been playing with stubs on my Ahab so I was leaning in that direction for my ECO. I wrote TWSBI to see what they had to say and seeming they came out of left field.

 

The following was their answer to my question, what am I missing?

"You can try whatever sized nibs you want on it. However, the Eco uses a size 4 nib. So you must find any size 4 nib otherwise it will not fit in the Eco. You can use the feeder that is on the Eco, otherwise you would have to find one with the exact same dimensions on your own."

 

I was looking at FPR and their assortment. Any recommendation on the feed: Assume 5.1 mm but with stub do I want normal or flex for stubs?

 

I've had trouble fitting the FPR nibs into my Eco pens - the feeds are a different shape and size, so there's no point trying that, but I find that the nibs tend to sit away from the Eco feed and break the capillary action. I've come across a few posts from people who've been willing to heat set their (plastic) feeds, and who say it works well - but I'm been unwilling to try that, personally, as I want to be able to fit the original nib back in!

 

My suggestion would be to try fpnibs.com, who sell JoWo nibs that are identical to those found in the Eco, Diamond Mini and Vac Mini pens, for somewhere around €5-6 for the bare nib. I have several of these, some of which they custom ground for me (at a very reasonable price), and they fit perfectly. I've been planning to do a post on this for some time - maybe in the next week - showing my growing 'collection' of fpnibs...

[thomdavies2053]

Thanks Jamerelbe.

 

You apparently own a couple/few ECO's. All I have heard is how delicate they are as far as the feeds. Has this been your experience? I don't know if people are just trying to pressure me/others into giving up on the ECO's and then going to the big boys/girls, i.e. 580's and VAC's! In the same vein there is a lot of difference between $7.50 a nib and $25-30/ nib. Are the feeds and nibs that difficult to pull out? The reason I ask is that if I basically look at the Ahab wrong the nib will pull out and I have not attempted it on the ECO.

 

I had another Ahab fall into my lap and I already had 8 nibs in a variety of sizes so I am just playing with them for the time being. Christmass is coming up so I may see about another ECO.

 

Thanks again.

[Jamerelbe]

@thomdavies2053, I own 3 Ecos (one in each colour) - but shhh, please don't tell anyone! [i also have an assortment of Diamond 580s & Minis, and a Vac Mini.]

 

The Eco could possibly be the most robust of the TWSBI pens released to date - because it's the simplest of their designs. Contrary to the advice you've been receiving, I'd say it's also the easiest pen to swap nibs in and out of.

 

To explain what I mean, the first thing to note is that *most* TWSBI pens have the same nib and feed arrangement - the Vac 700 and Micarta are different, they use a larger (#6) nib and feed, and the Diamond 530/540/580 have a *slightly* larger nib, but the TWSBI Classic, the Diamond Mini, the Vac Mini and the Eco all use the *same* nib and feed. What marks the Eco out is that the nib and feed are *very easily removed* - they're friction fit, it doesn't take a lot of effort to get them out. In fact, some people have found the nib and feed almost *too* loose, and prone to pull out when you're not even trying!

 

The other pens with the smaller nib size, by contrast, though they're also friction fit, are *extremely* tightly wedged into their nib assemblies [especially the Diamond Mini] - so much so, that the grip force you need to apply to hold and pull is likely to damage the fins on the underside of the feed. It's *possible* to swap nibs in and out, but not advisable to try unless (1) you know what you're doing, or (2) you're willing to pay US$20 for a replacement nib unit if you muck it up. This is where the reports arise about a fragile feed - the problem really *isn't* the feed, but the amount of force people apply trying to remove them.

 

In short, of all the TWSBI nibs you might want to swap nibs on, this is the easiest, because the fit of nib and feed into the grip section is so loose, comparatively speaking. Try it and you'll see - just watch you don't apply too much force to the fins (though really, that shouldn't be an issue!), and I'm willing to bet it'll prove to be as easy as shelling peas. Or replacing the nib in your Ahabs, perhaps!

 

Hope that's clear enough - Pablo from fpnibs.com has a couple of videos explaining the possibilities and pitfalls of swapping TWSBI nibs around -

 

... for the Diamond Mini:

 

... for the Vac Mini (primarily):

 

... and for the Eco (popping in a gold nib, but the principle is the same!):

Edited October 25, 2016 by Jamerelbe

[CatHerder]

Just bought 2 nibs for my Ecos from fpnibs.com; an F to replace a stock EF, and a B reground to a cursive italic, which replaces a stock 1.1 stub (nothing wrong with the original nibs, just wanted some options). Cost a grand total of about $31 including shipping. Both of the new nibs are PERFECT. I have to agree with jamerelbe re ease of swapping the nibs - was startled at how easy the nib/feed came out!

Edited November 19, 2016 by CatHerder

[Bounce792]

I went to FPnibs.com and couldn't find anything nibs for the Eco on their site. Can someone give a link? I can only see them selling them selling the standard TWSBI options (Vac 700 + Mini, Diamond 580 + Mini) and offering regrinds on them.

[JakobS]

They had been sold out for a few weeks now, and as you mention it appears they have removed the ECO section under Nibs for TWSBI. Probably contacting them would be best to find out if this is permanent or temporary change. You can also order a Jowo #5 nib that they still sale which costs a little more, but still cheaper especially with a nib modification than other sources. You would have to remove the nib from the feed, but that is easily done by gently pulling them out of the housing.

Edited December 14, 2016 by JakobS

[Jamerelbe]

I went to FPnibs.com and couldn't find anything nibs for the Eco on their site. Can someone give a link? I can only see them selling them selling the standard TWSBI options (Vac 700 + Mini, Diamond 580 + Mini) and offering regrinds on them.

 

FPnibs.com now seem to have become a distributor for TWSBI - and it wouldn't surprise me to discover that they've been asked to stop selling (or at least to stop advertising) their TWSBI-compatible nibs. I've emailed them to ask what the story is, and will report back to let you know what I find out.

 

If you *do* want to order an Eco nib, I wouldn't just assume that their #5 JoWos will fit - as @JakobS suggested, send them an email first and ask, to avoid (potential) disappointment!

[Bounce792]

Thank Jamerelbe. Look forward to hearing any updates.

 

If they have ceased making compatible nibs for the Eco, I have no reason to buy anything from them. I have noticed that they do not really offer anything interesting to the stock TWSBI options.

Edited December 15, 2016 by Bounce792

[JakobS]

FPnibs.com now seem to have become a distributor for TWSBI - and it wouldn't surprise me to discover that they've been asked to stop selling (or at least to stop advertising) their TWSBI-compatible nibs. I've emailed them to ask what the story is, and will report back to let you know what I find out.

 

If you *do* want to order an Eco nib, I wouldn't just assume that their #5 JoWos will fit - as @JakobS suggested, send them an email first and ask, to avoid (potential) disappointment!

Its more than an assumption, the "ECO" nib is merely a loose Jowo #5 nib, it matches my Jowo #5 I bought for Meisternibs, and is the reason why other Jowo #5 nibs from pens such as Franklin Cristoph can be exchanged easily. What was special about the nibs were that they were offered without a feed/ housing since those are not needed for a ECO, which is uncommon for #5 nibs. You see the #6 loose more often as its a popular nib to exchange for Noodlers pens and thus offered at many popular online pen shops in the US at least. Definitely ask about it, but I am pretty confident you can still get a customized nib for your ECO from them, you'll just get the feed and housing too, which being friction fit is easily to remove the nib from.

 

Thank Jamerelbe. Look forward to hearing any updates.

 

If they have ceased making compatible nibs for the Eco, I have no reason to buy anything from them. I have noticed that they do not really offer anything interesting to the stock TWSBI options.

I am not sure what is meant by stock options, but as long as they have the nib size in stock, they appear to offer even more options for nib grinds with their Twsbi pens than with the loose nibs. Edited December 15, 2016 by JakobS

[Jamerelbe]

Thank Jamerelbe. Look forward to hearing any updates.

 

If they have ceased making compatible nibs for the Eco, I have no reason to buy anything from them. I have noticed that they do not really offer anything interesting to the stock TWSBI options.

 

Not quite true: they offer customisations to the stock nibs (cursive italic grinds, architect grinds, XXF regrinds etc, PO or Waverley adjustments, heart-shaped breathing holes!), just as they did with their generic JoWos. But you're buying the whole nib assembly (which is in some ways an advantage, for everything bar the Eco), and you're paying more for the product (which is not so great)...

 

Haven't yet heard back from Esther or Pablo, but it's not yet 6am in Spain, so I guess that's not surprising!

[Jamerelbe]

Its more than an assumption, the "ECO" nib is merely a loose Jowo #5 nib, it matches my Jowo #5 I bought for Meisternibs, and is the reason why other Jowo #5 nibs from pens such as Franklin Cristoph can be exchanged easily. What was special about the nibs were that they were offered without a feed/ housing since those are not needed for a ECO, which is uncommon for #5 nibs. You see the #6 loose more often as its a popular nib to exchange for Noodlers pens and thus offered at many popular online pen shops in the US at least. Definitely ask about it, but I am pretty confident you can still get a custonized nib for your ECO from them, you'll just get the feed and housing too, which being friction fit is easily to remove the nib from.

 

Thanks for this info - it's good to know! The Diamond 580 nib is often referred to as a #5 nib, and the Mini as a #4 - I know that's wrong, because both nibs have the same curvature (to fit a 5mm diam feed), but wasn't sure which nib (if either of them) actually matched the stock standard JoWo #5.

[Jamerelbe]

Hi all, FYI I received advice from Pablo of fpnibs.com that the #5 JoWo nibs they were previously selling for TWSBI pens were all modified in-house (i.e. by Pablo), to fit more snugly with the TWSBI feeds. They decided to discontinue selling the bare nibs because, although they pre-adjusted and pre-tested every nib before they left the workshop, some customers reported difficulties fitting them into their own pens.

 

Based on the above information, it seems that the 'original' (unmodified) #5 JoWo nibs from fpnibs.com, or any other supplier for that matter, may not fit snugly enough in a TWSBI Mini / Vac Mini / Eco unless you're able to adjust the nib slightly yourself.

 

If you want further details on what products and services are still available from fpnibs.com, your best option is probably to email them - I've always found them very helpful to deal with!

[Bounce792]

 

Not quite true: they offer customisations to the stock nibs (cursive italic grinds, architect grinds, XXF regrinds etc, PO or Waverley adjustments, heart-shaped breathing holes!), just as they did with their generic JoWos. But you're buying the whole nib assembly (which is in some ways an advantage, for everything bar the Eco), and you're paying more for the product (which is not so great)...

 

I see why my options were so limited. The default was to select an EF nib and I didn't click on a M or B to see a wider variety of options.

 

What is the advantage, if any, to a heart shaped breather hole? Or is it purely for aesthetics?

 

Thanks for the update.

Edited December 16, 2016 by Bounce792

[Jamerelbe]

I see why my options were so limited. The default was to select an EF nib and I didn't click on a M or B to see a wider variety of options.

 

What is the advantage, if any, to a heart shaped breather hole? Or is it purely for aesthetics?

 

Thanks for the update.

 

Yep, I'd say a heart shaped breather hole is purely aesthetic!

[JakobS]

I recieved a Jowo #5 nib and housing from FPnibs a few days ago. I removed the nib from the housing and placed the nib on my ECO feed. The tines reach a smidge farther out from the tip of the feed than the nib that came with the pen, but does not touch the inner cap. It sits against the feed as it should. It writes perfectly. I got a left oblique stub broad nib which has nice line variation to it. Considering the difference in price was ~ 2 euro compared to the loose nib, it's still a great deal for a customized nib that would be three or four times as much elsewhere.

Edited January 1, 2017 by JakobS

[davecheng]

Interesting to know that yours fit. I emailed Pablo about the standard #5 JoWos fitting an Eco this morning. His reply was no, they do not. I'm looking for an architect grind, and I'm tempted to just but the entire pen to get it.