Twsbi Eco

[suman5492]

Hello everyone, I am willing to buy a TWSBI ECO fountain pen. But If I do then it will be my most expensive fountain pen. I just need to have some feedback from the TWSBI Eco users here. As the pen is made up of a transparent plastic body, does the portion holding the ink gets stained with the ink colour? And is the body prone to cracks and scratches?

 

[Erggg]

I haven't had issues with staining on the body of the pen. However, I do have issues with staining on the nib when I used Noodler's Liberty Elysium (maybe I need to clean the nib better).

 

I experienced minor cracking around the nib and feed. However, that may have been caused by me when I jam the nib and feed in. I also want to mention that I have dropped my pen onto pavement and it only had a minor chip on the filler knob, no scratches at all!

Edited March 7, 2018 by Erggg

[Fermata]

I have two Eco pens. I have no cracking on these pens but they have both been stained with ink. Twsbi say that I should not have used saturated inks such as Diamine. I used Parker ink, no staining, filled it once with Diamine and the section is stained. After a lot of cleaning that staining is gone.

 

Other problems are that the pistons can stick in the barrel, which meant that I had to remove the nib and feed to push the piston. My own view is that you should not be disturbing the feed and nib unless essential.

 

Final problem is removing the filler unit using the Twsbi spanner. Mine was just locked solid and needed to be sent away for repair.

 

If a Twsbi Eco will be your most expensive pen purchase then I would be disappointed, in your shoes, if the pen was not perfectly reliable.

[Drubbing]

TWSBI sell an awful lot of pens. Whatever issues they may have, will be concentrated and magnified in a forum situation, which may not be representative of how they perform. People on forums are picky by nature and sometimes place expectations on products that are unrealistic of the price points they sell at.

 

In my short experience with the Eco, it's well... firstly it's hardly an expensive fountain pen. Anything cheaper is going to be of questionable durability and quality, and probably isn't designed for either anyway.

 

The Eco is a inexpensive workhorse type pen, and yet its design is following that of more expensive pens - that being a piston filler. And it can be easily dismantled and cleaned. I think it's a superior product to the Safari, which sells for around the same, because the Eco nib is smoother and softer feeling, it holds more ink, it's more aesthetically interesting and comfortable to write with.

 

As for staining, if that's a concern, don't buy a transparent pen. I'm sure this 'issue' has occurred for years with millions of pens and no one seen it, so never thought to worry about it.

[carlos.q]

The OP has expressed that if he buys a TWSBI ECO "it will be my most expensive fountain pen". This pen sells regularly for $28.99 (that is in US dollars). That amount of money is indeed expensive for a great majority of the world's population.

[Drubbing]

In the context of fountain pens, it's still cheap. That's more expensive for some countries, because the concept of a FP itself, is a luxury item to begin with. Even then, it's still going to be one of the cheapest available of those luxury items.

 

There aren't many pens that offer what the Eco does for the price, wherever that may be.

[LizEF]

Meanwhile, back on topic, and for what it's worth: I love the Eco. I bought two, and after about two years, each section cracked - not enough to easily see, but enough to get ink on my fingers. I contacted TWSBI and they shipped me new bodies for a trivial shipping fee. I don't know whether you get the same support in India (assuming the flag indicates you're in India) or not, but it's something to consider and perhaps research before buying.

 

Regarding staining, you can search the forums for that and find:

 

1) Notes on inks that stain (so you'll know the risk with the inks you use - assuming someone has reported staining with that ink).

 

2) The names of inks which actually remove ink stains - the two I can remember are Sailor Doyou and Noodler's Red Rattler Eel

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/297645-whats-your-cleaner-ink/

 

3) Instructions on how to remove stains (may or may not work, but you can read up on experiences)

 

My Ecos have never stained.

 

I recommend reading up on the staining issue before buying. As for the cracking issue - I agree with those who say that it appears worse than it is simply because we don't get people posting every day saying "My Eco hasn't cracked yet" - in other words, we only see the negatives on this issue, not the positives. But if it's not a simple process to have TWSBI customer support ship you a new body, then you might want to choose something else, or accept the risk.

[Erggg]

I just wanted to note that while my pen has cracked, it did not cause any leaking issues. I don't know if it will in the future, but I haven't seen the cracks expand for a period of several months.

[prashant.tikekar]

Meanwhile, back on topic, and for what it's worth: I love the Eco. I bought two, and after about two years, each section cracked - not enough to easily see, but enough to get ink on my fingers. I contacted TWSBI and they shipped me new bodies for a trivial shipping fee. I don't know whether you get the same support in India (assuming the flag indicates you're in India) or not, but it's something to consider and perhaps research before buying.

 

TWSBI ships replacement parts to India for Shipping cost of around 4 to 5 USD.

[Aditkamath26]

I own a white TWSBI Eco in medium. Here are my experiences with the pen:

 

1)When I was writing with it for the first time, it burped ink on the page. It was literally dripping. The medium wrote like a broad. I contacted TWSBI and they told me to re-seat the nib and feed. After countless trials to get the pen writing properly, I discovered a few cracks on the section. The feed was also defective as it wasn't seated properly on the barrel no matter what. Shortly after the feed also cracked. So I had bad first impressions.

2)I contacted TWSBI via email and they were prompt on replying and sent me a replacement barrel and feed for just 5 USD. But they kind of spoke as if it was my fault that the pen did not write properly.

3)After the replacements arrived, I assembled the pen and it was a huge change. Everything was seated properly and the pen wrote like a dream. It is one of my favourite pens. The medium was slightly dry so I increased ink flow. It has a whisper of feedback.

4)Staining the barrel purely depends on the ink I suppose. Somehow an older version of Waterman Purple stained the section slightly. That was the old barrel. The new one never stained with any of my daily inks- Waterman Purple, Pelikan Edelstein Smoky Quartz and Camlin Blue. Since you are from India, I recommend Camlin Blue as it is perfect in the pen for me. Especially if you increase the ink flow, the ink comes out in a very beautiful shade. You might want to avoid many Indian inks in red, pink and turquoises as they have reportedly stained demonstrators.

 

As an Indian, I know how you feel as the TWSBI Eco being the most expensive pen you have bought. I have been there too. If you do get a lemon, you can get replacements from TWSBI for 5 USD but be totally prepared to get a blame on yourself. I am quite certain that the body is not prone to cracks and scratches as many people rave about the ECO's quality. It was just that I am unlucky. But after you get the pen to work, you're in for a surprise. I love my ECO. DO tell me how it was for you and what nib size you got.

[Aditkamath26]

I would like to tell you something else. If you buy the ECO from TWSBI's website, they will charge 30 USD extra for shipping to India via FedEx. Or if you buy from US retailers, your minimum cost of shipping will be around 15 USD for First Class Intl. with no guarantee of delivery. My ECO never arrived through that option to the UAE so the retailer shipped a replacement for free via FedEx and that arrived with no problems. The pen is also overpriced in India at around 3000-4000 INR. So if you want to get the ECO, buy from fpnibs.com. I have never tried them but I think they charge around 7 USD for shipping and that is Priority Mail.

 

But I want to tell you an alternative. Buy an ASA Nauka in the demonstrator finish. It is a completely handmade pen. Here are my reasons for saying so:

 

1) Beautiful color options. You have white, orange and blue. All in the demonstrator version.

2) Cheaper than the ECO. The price for the white and blue is at 2800 INR whereas the orange comes at 3200 INR (The orange is a limited edition. I have only the orange and it is great.)

3) Nibs of the ECO and Nauka are made by the same company JOWO so you will get the same writing experience. The nib on the Nauka is way bigger than the one on the ECO. You can also buy replacements from ASA pens in case you need to. You can also get custom ground nib units from fpnibs.

4) Much more durable. Much more comfortable for me as well. The Nauka is an oversized pen and if you have moderate to large hands, it will fit your hand much better.

5) Can be filled with a cartridge, converter or eyedropper. And believe me when I say filling the white Nauka with an eyedropper creates one of the most beautiful pen looks.

6) Free shipping and great customer service.

[amberleadavis]

Okay - as a person who uses insane inks and I prefer the ones that stain - I can tell you that I can prove that cleaner inks can make a huge difference.

 

TWSBI said this Vac700 would forever be stained. But here are the results:

 

 

 

So, from this:

 

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/2016-Ink/Pens/Vac700/20160125_155223.jpg

 

To this:

 

http://www.sheismylawyer.com/2016_2_Ink/08-August/slides/IMG_20160826_205052.jpg

[amberleadavis]

Cleaning or Not & Stain Removal
Inky T O D - Do You Ever Use Samples Because You're Feeling Lazy?
https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/267347-inky-t-o-d-do-you-ever-use-samples-because-youre-feeling-lazy/
Inky T O D - Cleaning Between Inking - What's Your Process?
https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/266313-inky-t-o-d-cleaning-between-inking-whats-your-process/
Inky T O D - How Long Does Any One Ink Stay In Your Pen?
https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/index.php/topic/269697-inky-t-o-d-how-long-does-any-one-ink-stay-in-your-pen/

 

Stain Removal

Operation Exterminate Bsb Stains

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/303281-operation-exterminate-bsb-stains/

Informal Review - Noodler's - American Eel - Rattler Red

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/258169-informal-review-noodlers-american-eel-rattler-red/

What's Your Cleaner Ink?

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/297645-whats-your-cleaner-ink/

[guttaperk-0]

Love my Eco. No problems.

[Torrilin]

I like my eco, and yeah a $29 price isn’t cheap. Before TWSBI tho, I believe the cheapest piston fillers ran around $140-200, so do bear that in mind.

 

Mine got bought to eat a steady diet of my favorite ink. So far, so good. I do clean it out thoroughly between uses, because that’s just good sense. And my favorite ink is a pigmented one that could theoretically cause problems, so it’s better to be cautious.

 

Keep in mind that there aren’t a lot of Indian made pens and inks available in the US. I believe Noodler’s pens are mostly Indian made, but otherwise, we’re not going to be super familiar. And if you compare the reviews of Noodler’s pens to TWSBI, you’ll get a better idea of what to expect.

 

If price is a big concern but you’d still like a reliable pen, you might consider a “disposable” fountain pen. There’s a nice current thread over in Inky Thoughts discussing good ways to refill them and good ink choices. A number of Japanese pen makers make this style of pen and they work quite well.

[inkeverywhere]

I own several Twsbi pens, one being an Eco. In Australia an Eco goes for about sixty dollars.

 

I had nothing but trouble with my Eco, at my cost I was sent parts by Twsbi and these new parts did not fix the problem, ink burping out whilst writing. My other Twsbis have given no trouble what so ever.

 

If budget is a serious consideration do yourself a favour buy a Wing Sung 698, far cheaper and far far more reliable. It is supposedly a clone of an Eco, but without the burping.

 

 

Greg

[Drubbing]

I've had no issues with my Eco, also Australian bought. I did get a F nib to try out and when I swapped it, I did get a little gushing and a burp.

 

I read that sometimes piston fillers can trap air, and this is often a cause. So I re-seated the nib and feed again, then wound the piston down to expel any air. Seemed pointless, as you have to wind the piston back up anyway, but I've had no problems since. Didn't bother with this for subsequent fillings, and have had no further issues.

Edited March 11, 2018 by Drubbing

[paddrino]

I bought my Eco with an extra fine nib from the second batch that Goulet pens got in when the pen was first released. I have used it nearly every day since then with only one ink: Private Reserve Sherwood Green Quick Dry. It has never stained the pen. I keep it in a Nock lookout in a backpack. It has been through flights, backpack tosses, and two re-greasings. It is still going strong with no issues. The worst it has is some minor scuffing on the cap band that could probably be polished out. It is my primary office work pen. Anecdotal evidence for sure, so take it for what it is worth.

[prashant.tikekar]

I have a couple of ECOs, one black and one white both in Fine nibs. Both bought in India and both are trouble free. I have been using it in and out of rotation with wet inks like Diamine iroshizuku and camlin daytone. Diamine saffire blue has given it very light purple tinge on section which is visible only when nib and feed is removed. No staining in barrel. I completely disassemble it while cleaning and never faced issues like cracking and gushing inks in subsequent use. The size and balance of 540 / 580 vac 700 and Eco is perfect to my liking and hence one of these is always in rotation. I use my TWSBIs regularly as I am sure that if it gets cracked or broken, I will get replacement parts at the cost of shipping for sure.

[almoore]

Hi

I've got three Eco's and they are great pens, I don't use them anymore as I prefer the Vac700R. I experienced no cracking or flow problems and only one of them stained slightly; all three were loaded with Diamine ink and I have a little bit of blue which may simply be my fault for not being thorough enough when cleaning.

I preferred the standard over the 'T' version but again I prefer round sections rather than shaped so it's down to personal preference and if you know anyone with one that will let you try it out I would recommend a test run first.

Al