Here's the dill (fellow Utahn here!): Longevity is a huge part of the argument for fountain pens in the 21st century. No one really cares much if their 5 cent BiC Crystal or 75 cent Uni-ball Signo cracks because those pens weren't ever intended to last anyways. Pens that aren't disposable pens should be able to withstand regular use for prolonged periods of time and, yes, should even be capable of withstanding some "user error."
@@ZackN85 so true!! I haven’t been in this game super long (a couple of years) and I’m not one that buys very expensive pens. My “expensive” pen is a TWSBI Eco AL since my two plastic ones cracked. But I have been through the “regular round” with Metropolitan, Safari, and Preppy. I kind of feel like it’s a game of finding a pen that suits your personality and way of writing. For me it’s first and foremost that I enjoy the writing experience, and second about how the pen looks. Would I appreciate an expensive and fancy pen if it was nice to write with? Yes, of course, but I think I would also be kind of a bit afraid to use it. As it is now, I can just enjoy my fountain pens. I have a couple that I use on a regular basis. And unless the price is around the one of a ball point pen, I would not expect it to be a dispensable. And… speaking of ball point pens… even those don’t break easily… 😊 I wish you a fantastic day 😊
@@Nora-jt9zy Honestly just get an expensive fountain pen, you are literally wasting time with twisbi. Also twisbi al is not cheap, it all adds up. Buy a Pilot fountain pen you wont regret it, custom 74,742 ,743, Justus95, metalFalcon.
I have a ton of TWSBI Ecos and I absolutely adore them. The nib is really good for the price and the ink capacity is unparalleled in the "beginner" price range. That ink capacity was really handy in law school when I was taking notes all the time. I also love how they can be taken apart for cleaning (which is particularly useful with shimmer inks). When I first started out with fountain pens, taking the pen apart helped me understand the mechanics. And that double-seal around the nib means that they don't dry out if I don't use them every week (my major sticking point with Lamy Safaris and Al-Stars). I'll admit there are some significant problems, though. For example, the special editions like the Irish Green are gorgeous, but almost double the price. And, like your Ecos, several of mine have cracked near the nib. Because the grip is clear acrylic and has visible seams, I didn't detect the crack until my fingers were already ink-stained. The only fix for this is completely replacing the barrel, which requires emailing TWSBI customer support. Don't get me wrong, they're amazing-- they not only responded quickly but also sent me a new barrel and a spare for the price of shipping (it was like $6 and got to me within a week). Is this a lot of hassle, particularly for a $30 pen? Yes. Is it enough to prevent me from getting Ecos in the future? Not at all.
I have 5 Platinum Preppys and they have no cracking. Had them over 2 years now. Not sure why you would experience that. The only issues I had was with the 0.3mm nibs, they were scratchy and didn't write well at all. I'm surprised I didn't bin them but kept trying and after a few months they started writing smoothly. I think they needed to be broken in. Happy with all of them now. They're cheap, I could get a bunch of them in different colours to experiment with and have a decent writing experience with fountain pens so I am very happy with them and would highly recommend them. Great entry level pens. Easy to replace, easy to buy refill cartridges. Lots to like.
I love the Platinum Preppy also! I use the M nib. I've never had any of mine crack. And I use them every single day for years. [I have different bodies - a standard Preppy, a Prefounte and a lovely white Kokuyo collab, but they really are all the same]. Maybe it's luck? I keep at least one in my work bag, one-two on my desk at the office. I've tried the TWSBI Eco, Lamy Safari, and a bunch of other pens and I go back to the Preppy with the Platinum Blue Black ink every time. Though I confess, I do like my TWSBI Go - just not quite as much as the Preppy.
My preppy needed to be broken in as well, but also suffered from the cracking issues. First was the clip (not the clip itself, but where it connected to the top of the cap), then the cap itself. Love how the pen writes (now) but wouldn't really buy a low end Platinum again.
Yeah~! I love my Platinum Preppy too~! The price point is super friendly to beginner and the using experience is fine. I am using a 0.3mm F, it's a little bit scratchy on some paper, but it's totally fine when I use it on Muji weekly notebook.
My experience with Preppy nibs especially the .3 has been great. But my first preppy developed a crack in the body after about a year of occasional use. I love the nib so much, I pulled it in case the next one wasn't as nice.
I’ve had mine 3 years and no signs of cracking. I reach for them more than any of my other pens. I think with many pens of the “cheaper” type people aren’t as careful with them and over tighten of bang them about too much because they are “cheap”. I just treat all my pens as if they were expensive and they last.
1. I will never buy again a Safari. Dont get me wrong, I love my safari so much. Its just that I prefer the writing experience with my Alstar more. For some reason, Alstar feels more premium!
I agree on this. I started using my Safari again recently and I love it, but the first time I tried the AL Star I gifted to my mom I knew immediately that one day I'd have to buy one. Now I own two of them and are probably my favourite pens.
I liked everything about my safari but the cap pretty much lost all of it’s retention after a few months of carrying. I moved away from fountain pens for edc after that and got a space pen. Carried that for a year but the clip left a lot to be desired and I moved to a tactile turn slim bolt mini. So far, so good with that one.
I have loads of Safaris AND AL Stars, and I love them both. Twice a year I change the colour combo I take to school, and that's where the AL Stars stay at home. They are just not made for a rough school environment as the metal finish can get scratched quite easily banged around in a pencil case (I see that with my pupils frequently). So for me: Safari, when I'm out and about, AL Star when I'm at home at my desk.
I have to agree with the Kaweco sport, same problems. For the fun of It I bought a pocket pen from Hongdian on Amazon. it looks like the Kaweco sport AL ($100+)but it's only $20. now with the Kaweco you have to pay extra for a clip, and extra for a converter. The Hongdian (is similar but not an exact copy) comes with a converted and the included clip is spring loaded. I love pocket pens and I don't feel like I'm being ripped off.
I loveeeee my Twsbis! I have 5 of them and have had no issues. I’ve switched nibs around and had no problems. Thank goodness. Also - for an inexpensive alternative fountain pen that I ADORE is the. Hong Dian 1862. I have all 4 of the color way options in fine and extra fine and I ADORE THEM. They’re my go-to pens!
@@scotosha I totally agree. I have two of them and a good number of different spare nibs and feeders. They have very good weight and balance when you use them and they are made with very good materials. They also take all kind of converters and universal type of ink cartridges.
How did you guys all cracked your Preppys ? I have had mine for years, it's even eyedrop converted with Baystate Blue (that's how confident I am with that pen) and never ever had any issues with it. It is my quick note taking pen, so it is always within arm's reach whereever I am, and while the pen has some visual deterioration from being transported all around the place including several 8+ hours plane trips, it has yet to show any strutural damage. TWSBI, sure. I had to replace the body of my Vac Mini pen because it cracked due making the vac filling leaking air and I had to fill it with syringe. Nothing hard tho, just contacted TWSBI support and have them shipped me replacement parts, only hard to pay for shipment fees.
My first Preppy that cracked was a green one that was eyedroppered with Noodler's Polar Green. I discovered the break at my desk because of inky fingers so the mess was minimal.
I love my Baystate Blue but I take no chances. There are legendary stories about leaking pens and a really good one about a gentleman who knocked over a full bottle of Baystate Blue. Old fountain pen users of BSB tell great stories. I'm trying not to be a story teller about BSB. 🥶
@@cmw9876 if you take good enough precautions with it, it will be fine. Just don't rush things around it, be slow and steady and there will hardly be anything happening. Plus, there isn't that many deeply saturated blue inks that are this level of water resistant
Same. My 0.2 Preppy is always inked with Baystate blue as my everyday writing. I even dropped it on the floor once or twice and it's still perfect. Honestly, can anybody find a better pen for 6 euros?
Very interesting! It seems like people either have a lot of problems or none at all. Do you have plastic Sports or the metal versions? That seems to be a distinguishing factor.
@@DowntheBreatherHole I have plastic. If yours were new pens with problems you should contact Kaweco. I’ve had a Yard-o-Led, TWSBI, and Safari that were defective and I complained to each business/company. They were more than happy to either replace the nib, or the pen itself. You shouldn’t try to rectify the issue if it was defective when new.
I've had my eye on them for a while. Heard mixed reviews. Some people get a dud, others get one good to go out of the box. I just got one for Christmas and it's currently my favorite pen. My only other fountain pen is a platinum preppy that hard starts, skips and writes a little scratchy. I'm planning on tweaking the nib on that one.
I agree about TWSBI. The cap of my Diamond 580 cracked, and they sent me a replacement. Recently I went to ink up my Eco and discovered a crack spiraling through the grip section. I've never removed the nib & feed, and the pen has been in storage without any movement! So far the only reliable TWSBI's I have are TWSBI Go's, which are a different plastic and holding up better. It's sad because their pens do appeal to me. Thanks for your video.
I have never had any issues with any of my Preppys but I must admit I do carry the Platinum Meteor more instead - they use the same nib and housing and slip-n-seal tech as the Preppy but they body seems a little more industrious and hardy than the Preppy. I totally respect and validate your opinion as you have had actual cracking experience, but I still think that they are amazing starter pen because of the slip-n-seal cap tech, and I think for $6 they are definitely worth a go for pigment inks that we dont want to put in our 'good' pens :) Thanks for sharing!
There's something about the Kakuno I like better than the Preppy. Maybe the distance between the grip & the end of the nib, & the feel of the acrylic/plastic material? And the pilot nibs are always like butter.
The Kakuno is ten times as good as the Preppy, IMO. I haven't talked about it as much as I probably should on my channel. It's a great pen for the price.
I only enjoy Kaweco broad, double broad or italic nibs. The other sizes are too thin and dry. I totally agree about the Platinum Preppy. I started out my fountain pen collection with 7 Preppy pens and they all very quickly cracked and were unusable. I had heard from other pen friends that switching nibs on Ecos causes them to crack. I have had 4 TWSBI minis crack. My favorite TWSBI is the 580 ALR. The extra fine Safari nibs are scratchy for me too, especially the black coated ones. I haven’t tried the Pilot that you mentioned. Your complaints all seem justified. Great video!
@@1sanjuan60 Replacement Kaweco BB nibs are available retail, for example from jetpens. Beware, however, they come in two different sizes, according to what pen they go in.
@ JetPens and probably other online retailers have Kaweco replacement nibs for sale of every width. The regular steel double broad and italic nibs are great. They also have the premium nibs which cost more, but are a bit more smooth. The nibs screw in to the larger pens like the Student, but for the Sport I think you need to pull the nib out of the housing and friction fit it in the pen. If you need more explanation of how to do it, let me know.
If you have a cracked Preppy or Prefounte, I highly recommend getting a Plaisir. It has an aluminum body, and uses the same section and nib as the Plaisir. Super easy to hot swap them, which is especially handy if you're an artist.
I have a few Preppys for many years.... Yes, they crack, but i solve the problem by putting tape around the rum of the cap and the body. Works like a charm wven after cracking, as if new. Still using the cracked ones even now. They last for a long time after re-enforcing the rims.
I understand what you are saying about every pen but I think that the preppy is a pen I will never regret just because I use to sketch using platinum carbon ink and it never dries out.
Ein schönes Video, was deutlich zeigt wie unterschiedlich die Wahrnehmung oder Bedürfnisse bei Füllfederhaltern sind. Ich schreibe mit meinen diversen Kaweco Sport (sowohl mit Patronen als auch mit Konverter) einige DinA4 Seiten voll bevor die Tinte überhaupt zur neige geht. Und dabei benutze ich immer breite Federn. Ich habe lediglich eine medium Feder, die natürlich noch mehr Seiten schafft, und nur bei meiner extrabreiten Feder im BrassSport habe ich das Gefühl merklich weniger Seiten füllen zu können, aber diese Federstärke schreibt auch wirklich mit sehr viel Tinte. Meine Preppy und andere Platinum Füller habe ich schon viele Jahre und sie schließen alle wie am ersten Tag, generell ist keinerlei Materialermüdung zu erkennen. Vom TWSBI habe ich mich tatsächlich aus den hier im Video genannten Gründen ferngehalten und bin nun umso glücklicher mit meiner Entscheidung. Das ist wirklich ein No-Go, vor allem bei diesem Preis. Lamy (Safari) fand ich tatsächlich schon immer total langweilig, was wohl daran liegt, dass es unsere vorgeschriebenen Schulfüller waren und ich daher die Nase von diesem Modell voll habe 😅 Es macht auf jeden Fall viel Spaß die Kommentare mit ihren unterschiedlichen Erfahrungen zu den gezeigten Modellen zu lesen, daher vielen Dank für das Video und weiterhin viel Spaß mit diesem wundervollen Hobby. ^^
Watched both of your videos: Top 6 Fountain Pens for Beginners and this Never Again video. I lack your experience, although I've been using fountain pens for 45 years (not counting my early elementary school days). 2 Montblancs, 1 Pelikan, 1 TWSBI ECO, 1 Lamy Swift, 1 Pilot Metropolitan. So I cover the range from beginner to luxury. I've had no problems with any of these pens. But then again, I don't tinker. I love the TWSBI ECO. Writes very well, converter works well. The TWSBI fine is a bit too medium for me. The Lamy Swift writes just a bit scratchy even in medium. The converter does not hold enough ink. The Metropolitan in fine is really nice. That's it. Maybe you tinker too much, too often?
Maybe I do tinker to much. In all honesty, I love the TWSBI Eco for so many reasons. They just haven't had the lifespan that I hoped they would. One lasted for five years, and the other for about two. And that's not necessarily bad for a cheap pen, but there are other cheap pens I have that have lasted much longer.
You said what was not mentioned by many other bigger pen channels. Good one for being brave! I will share this information with any of my circle of pen friends. Thank you for making this video. I never had a preppie/prefounte, I never had the pilot explorer. I do have some bronze kaweco, never had a plastic kaweco, and my bronze models work just fine. I suspect they do more quality control on the higher end kawecos. As for the twsbi eco, I never owned an eco. Having said that, I do agree that TWSBI should use better materials for their pens, I think nearly everyone would pay a bit more to have a more "crack-resistant" TWSBI. My Diamond 580s have been working fine for several years, but I admit I do not switch nibs on any of my pens. As for the Safari, I hate the triangle grip section, so do not own any Safaris. I do have a friend who has a Safari with EF nib, and I did try it. It felt like writing with a rusted nail. I let my friend try my Platinum 3776 with Soft-Fine nib, and my friend agreed, it is like night and day difference.
Thanks for your comment! From people's comments, it does seem that people have better luck with the metal Kaweco Sports than the plastic ones. It kind of makes sense, but it's also kind of a shame.
I have a platinum preppy, and it's great, no cracking at all. I had this pen for over 2 years and it's my first fountain pen. I use them a lot and it's very nice, I like the EF one, also my first fountain pen and my most used one so far but no cracking at all. But my preppy body is just have a lot of small scratches which is so normal and it's not a problem for me since I had it for few years and always bring that pen to my school.
I'm surprised to hear that about the Sport. I have 3 that I've eyedropper converted and use nothing but shimmer in them and have never had a single problem with them. I like how cheap the Preppy is but I've also had all of mine crack.
Not to sound like a snob, but this is why I (mostly) stay away from the more affordable end of the spectrum now. I do have a handful of Kawecos and Lamys, but I don’t feel like I need every new color that comes out. Thankfully, so far I haven’t had too many issues with my cheaper pens. What’s truly upsetting for me is when I spend over $50 and have QC/build issues. I’ve had to get rid of some beautiful pens because of that.
@@aprils. I had some annoying experiences with both, cheaper pens as well as with more expensive ones. But especially some of the cheaper pens, like Safari-price-range, are working without any problems since many years, easy to maintain, etc. I still like to have and use something more fancy but I think there should be better Q/C at prices of 50$ and above.
@@marcorothley6039 I absolutely agree! A little trouble with a cheaper pen is inconvenient, but $50 + is a more substantial investment. That’s expensive for a lot of people and should definitely reflect a sense of reliability.
I agree about the nibs. But, I have a dozen Lamy knock-off nibs I bought off ebay about 10 years ago for less than $10 USD. Sorry. Can't find the vendor now. Maybe they were forced out or they just could not sell enough to stay in business. But, I will say that the nibs are my go to for the Lamy. FYI. The Jinhao 35 also has a nib, without the breather hole, that is a copy of the Lamy nib and it works great. Have two and they both are smooth and work great with inkjet ink, my ink of choice. I have two Lamy Safaris and both came with bad nibs. Even with tuning they still didn't feel right. Have one more Lamy to arrive this week with to make sure I didn't get two pens that were rare exceptions to quality control. Humbly submitted for your consideration. Appreciate reviews that are detailed.
I wonder if local climate or conditions could have something to do with the cracks, like elevation air pressure or seawater spray or temperature changes.
I love Twsbi too for how much ink they hold. Great for writing copious notes. I live in SEAsia and Twsbi support in my country is awesome at responding to customer needs. I strongly recommend them. 🖋️
I've had three TWSBI ecos crack out of nine that I've purchased. Love them to bits. I need to contact them to see if I can get replacement barrels for them. Their material seems to be really vulnerable to cracking. Only removed the nib on one of those pens. I haven't had any trouble with more recent Ecos. My favourite part of the Lamy Safari is the Broad nib. Writes like a nail, but it's one of the broadest writing nibs I've come across on an inexpensive pen. The only Lamy nib I like better is the Lamy 2000 OBB nib. Fairly stiff with a light bounce and writes like a firehose.
I'm a teacher and I always have 3/4 Preppys loose in my tote bag, on which I usually throw some textbook, photocopies, my iPad, my phone and wallet... they never cracked. Maybe it just depends on the batch! Some of them are older, some are newer, like from last year. Never I had any issue!
I bought my first Preppy about 12 years ago on a trip to Japan. I just retired it this week because it started leaking. Yes, the cap cracked years ago, but a little bit of Scotch tape fixed that. 12 years of use for about $5 is not too shabby.
@@DowntheBreatherHole Actually, since I posted that reply last week, I saw a video on RUclips about fixing a leaky section with a little superglue. I tried it, and my original Preppy is back in service. No leaks. It may outlive me! 😁
I have 7 Preppys. Three of them have cracked caps, yet I put tapes around them and keep them in my rotation. I just can't let go. Got me first Preppy back in 2008.
I've had two TWSBI Gos for four years and used regularly. Nibs and feeds in and out like a fiddler's elbow. No issues. Two Preppies used regularly - no cracking or issues. Coarse handling must play a part for some people, and that means a crap user, not a crap pen.
I had the same issue with the Lilipup--which was more than ~$150. After tuning it, it became a usable pen as long as I just refill the catridge it came with. The new Kwaeco cartridges didn't work with it. I love the TWSBI eco. It's a decent and relatively cheap pens. So I can use them experimenting with tenting De Atramentis Document White Ink without worrying about destroying the pen.
Me too! I have quite a few Kaweco Sports in various editions… the AL, the Brass, as well as basic plastic editions. I have never, ever had an issue with any of them. I have even been quite bad for letting them sit around inked up for long periods of time. They have been great!
My experience with the Preppy, Prefounte and TWSBI were all on par with yours. I never carried them anywhere, yet they cracked. And the Preppy & Prefounte had issues writing. I no longer buy pens but have a few favorites including Narwhal Rockfish, Opus 88 and Leonardo Blue Hawaii.
I am getting rid of six “beginner mistake” pens; my Monteverde Ritmas (too heavy!), a Monteverde Invincia Vega (heavy and squeaky), a Hongdian 517D with a fude nib (it starts out writing strong, and then quickly fades away), an Ellington (too heavy) and I really don’t like the Lamy Safari grip. At this point in the journey, I usually save up and spend between $80 and, $250 on a pen). Because of those prices, I have fewer pens, but they’re mostly of better quality. But I do have a cheap Preppy that I’ve used every day for three years, and it’s still in great shape-a $6 investment that paid off! I also have a couple of Eco Stubs from which I don’t remove nibs. So far, so good. No cracking yet.
imo, safari absolutely belongs there, regardless of the tip. ive never understood the fascination with this pen. it looks bad and feels bad. and as far as it being "cheap" i have $4 jinhou's that look and feel 1000x better.
Haha I should do that. My main recommendations are the Lamy Safari (fine nib or larger) and the Pilot Metropolitan. The Pilot Kakuno is also a really solid beginner fountain pen.
I've only got one Kaweco Sport and it's one of my most reliable pens and has never dried out. Please note however that I prefer Broad and Double Broad nibs though so that probably factors in as I find that cartridge-only fed pens with Fine or extra fine nibs dry up more quickly and have more flow issues.
I had to tune a Visconti. Go figure. And how come your pens keep breaking? I had an old original TWSBI that cracked but since then I have 5 and no issues. Well, your blooper at the end answered my question.
I seriously have bad luck with pens. I actually just got a Benu pen that came with a crack in it. In hindsight, the blooper was not a great idea to include in this video. The funny thing is that it was the Kaweco Sport that I dropped, which is a pretty durable pen. The other funny thing is that I rarely drop my pens. I think it happened on camera because I was multitasking.
"Here's the dill" Lol. I'm in Utah too and I try really hard to not slip into the accent. I appreciate the bold opinions on these. For me: barrel-filled (eye dropper) pens. Unless they have the shut-off valve, I just really don't like the burping issue.
My Pilot Explorer cap liner cracked/split too after only a couple of months. Loved it when I first got it. Thought it was the perfect fp to replace the cheap ballpoint edc I kept in my shirt pocket. The Explorer was lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and a reliable writer. My first fp was the Pilot Metropolitan and the metal body sadly was too heavy to keep in my shirt pocket. Explorer could have been perfect. Sad to see someone else had problems with the cap liner breaking and no longer capping.
Yeah, with most of the pens I mentioned in this video, people's experiences vary widely, but it seems like 100% of Pilot Explorer owners who have commented have had the same experience, which is really disappointing.
I'm with you overall. Even though I've not had cracking issues with my TWSBIs, I find them okay -- not great or even good -- writers. Similarly, I have some good Kaweco sport/AL sport writers and others that stop just like yours for no discernible reason. Finally, the Safaris. I prefer EF (I write small) in my pens but discovered as did you -- not on fhe Safari family. At least they benefit from easy and inexpensive nib swaps! I'm much happier with them using a F, M or even a 1.1 stub.
Surprisingly, i can't argue with any of your "written-off" choices: the issue with TWSBI is is something of an open secret by now, and the only cheap pen that hasn't packed it in on me is Pilot's Kaküno. (my only other pens are a pair of Pilot Custom 823s and a Vanishing Point.) As deep into Lamy as I was over a decade back, I always found their nibs beyond M a hit-or-miss affair; I even had a F nib on a 2000 unusually rough and in need of tweaking. Interesting video!
yea i think in the booklet they send with the twsbi they say not to disassemble the pen, probably for this reason 😅 i guess not a lot of people have a reason to remove the nib but it's shocking the problem is so well known
I love the Platinum Little Shooting Star/Small Meteor it goes by 2 names one of the best pens I have ever written with I had moved house 2 years ago I havent written with my fountain pens since moving but I made a choice I will journal and write more in the new year and I went to go clean my pens I had forgot about and it still writes AFTER 2 years with in still inside crazy I lost my note on what ink was it in so just washed it but wow I was blown away Wow I am actually surprised about you not liking Twsbi Eco I have this pen more than any other just brought another one the other day and waiting for another one to be released as the colours are beautiful and affordable. these still could also write after 2 years with wetting the nib to get them going as they still had ink inside but cleaned them I did pull them apart with also taking the nibs out as I knew I had some sheening and possibly shimmering inks but no cracking here but I guess something to be aware of but hey I do wanna get a 580 iris as I got the iris Vac when it was release but not a fan of the vac system much prefer a piston
Appreciate your insights! The barrels of my Preppy and two Jinhao Sharks cracked. I am holding them together with washi tape. The Sharks were only $3.95 though... I love my metropolitan, but I dropped it, it is misshaped, and now it won't post. Soooo annoying because the balance is off without the cap posted. My workhorses, honestly, and I have had them for 15 years, are my Jinhao x750s.
Thanks for making this, I was worried I was just gripping my ECOs too hard, but nope mine cracked just the same. I repaired the cracks with glue but it still sucks, and I don’t really use them anymore for fear they’ll crack again. Luckily my 580 hasn’t betrayed me yet! Haha
I hope your 580 stays strong! Apparently TWSBI will send you replacement parts for the price of shipping. One of these days I plan to take them up on that offer.
The reason TWSBIs crack is that some pens are made from parts that have been poorly processed during injection moulding. It’s nothing to do with handling errors. Residual stress arises in the faulty parts and they fail, even in light handling. Not every part suffers the moulding heat issues in manufacturing. Hence some TWSBI owners never suffered a failure. $5 Preppies crack, perhaps expected? But $30-100 TWSBIs cracking??? BTW I have never heard/seen reports of Kakunos cracking. I have two in my EDC used frequently. No failures and caps still hold firm after 4+ years. Maybe the Explorer team need to learn from the Kakuno team at Pilot.
So that’s the issue? The nib size? I own several Lamy Al-Star pens with EF nibs, and each of them writes differently. One feels a bit dry, another scratches, and the third tends to dry out. Only one black pen filled with Chou Kuro ink meets my expectations-it doesn’t dry out even after two weeks of no use.
Yeah, for me I've just never had luck with the extra fine nibs. The fine nibs have been consistently better, and sometimes finer, than the extra fine nibs.
I've had more TWSBIs crack than any other brand. The Swipe in particular has, I think, a design flaw with the clip, since the cracks occur in exactly the same place for 3 different pens, and I've seen others have cracks in exactly the same area. The cost of replacement (i.e. shipment from Taiwan) is high enough that the warranty is, IMO not really worth it. I am not hard on pens, and have many of them that have never had any problems.
Completely agree with the Kaweco, and that makes me really sad because it's such a pretty pen and they have a nice color selection, but I've had one splotch all over my paper like crazy... Plus they are empty sooo quickly because they are so tiny. The TWSBI surprised me to be honest, because I LOVE the ecos and just ordered the Irish Green. The Indigo version is my to go pen ever since it came out, I'm carrying it to the office and back and I've never experienced the pen crack... Hope I won't because it's one ov my favorite fountain pens.
I can kinda understand what you mean by the Preppy. It’s a starter pen, after using it you should know that you’re into fountain pens and move on to something better. So yeah no reason to buy again. I probably would have used it longer if it didn’t flex in the middle.
Lamy Safari EF is my first fountain pen. I agree it is scratchy. If I use Lamy ink or Lamy cartridge, it doesn't have problem with skipping. But when I use Parker or other ink, it will alwaya dry up when ink level reaches a ceetain level. I always have to push the piston down a bit when it happens.
I have an example of every model you listed except the Safari - I only have a couple of Al-Stars. They are all from different manufacturers and the materials, I imagine, are slight variations of the same material. Think about this - what does each of your pens have in common?? The answer would be you!! I can tell you i have never experienced the issues you have in over a years time. You may want to reconsider how you are handling your pens, or at the least analyze how the current pen handling plays a part in the pens longevity.
G’day. I have too use a piece of paper or blotter, I have oily skin & sweaty skin if I don’t use a blotter paper 📄 when I write ✍️ the ink ✍️ skips & misses. Hope this is helpful. Dave. ✍️
I wear calligraphy gloves to avoid such problems. They only have 2 fingers, the 2 smallest, that contact the paper. Yes they look really stupid so I wouldn't use them in public.
Agree about the brittleness of the plastic used in Preppies. I think that's a deal breaker for school use. Same problem with the Kakuno. Conversely, no problem with the Kaweco Sports. I have two - F and EF - and they've written beautifully and without problems for several years.
I definitely tuned my Kaweco Sport and now I like it, but it's not my favorite overall as I can't put any drier inks in it and that really annoys me. I love my Platinum Preppy, although I haven't had it for a year yet, no idea how you've cracked yours, though, because mine is my designated "beater pen" that I toss in a bag and forget about, drop all the time, etc. Mine I only bought bc it was cheaper to buy it than it was to pay shipping for an order, so I just added it. The fact the cap seals so well that it can be inked for over 6 months and still reliably write has made me a lover of them, although I probably won't buy another simply because I find them boring. My TWSBI Eco is a pen I have mixed feelings about. I love how it looks and feels in the hand, was my second pen overall and also my first piston filler. Having said that, my nib came with baby's bottom that caused my pen to hard start so badly that I could write about 2 words because the pen would actually write and it would continue to skip afterwards. I have since used it as a practice for nib grinding as I have since changed my mind about broad nibs and decided I hate them. It now has a (sort of) stub nib on it 😅. It wasn't the mist successful grind, but hey, it writes now! My knob on mine is also kinda messed up from being over tightened a few times too many and taken apart further than probably intended so mine is super lose now. Otherwise? Not a bad pen, just wish it was easier to get nibs for it instead of buying a whole new pen or having to just have someone grind it for you or try and do it yourself. I plan on using mine for the first time in a good while some time soon, probably once one of my others is out of ink as I keep no more than 4 pens inked up at once. I totally understand the longevity issues, though, and I agree that the whole point of a fountain pen is that they last a long time. It seems so silly to drop $30 on a pen that isn't going to last very long and also might not even write well out of the box. I've been lucky enough to be able to fix all of my nib problems I've had over the year and a half I've been collecting, but I have unfortunately gotten 4 pens that I have had to adjust myself as they were otherwise poor writers (Kaweco Sport, FWP Carousel (which I seriously do NOT recommend), TWSBI Eco, and a Pelikan M405 (this one I was mad about because its like a $300 pen 😒 but it was, luckily, an easy fix). I did buy a pen second hand that had nib with the tines misaligned, it was a Sailor Pro Gear Slim, surprisingly. I think the person I bought it from had done something to it because the nib looked like someone that didn't know what they were doing had messed with it but luckily I was able to fix it with minimal effort and now it writes as good as my one I bought new.
Good to see that I never wanted any of these five pens. There's one pen that I was super into but will not buy again after buying three of them, Parker Sonnet. The cap design is so flawed that the pen dries out in no time. Especially frustrating for people who don't do super long writing sessions
Finally some truth about these pens! My Platinum Prefounte has also cracked after minimal use. My TWSBI Eco is a fantastic writer, but the nib sits so loose in the section it has fallen out on occasion, so unreliable. And while I love my Safari, Vista, AL and Lx, the Lamy nibs are SO unreliable. I reckon I get a 50% chance of a good nib everytime I buy one. Thanks for the video!
The loose Eco nib is actually the problem I mentioned in the video that I contacted TWSBI about. They told me to remove the nib, place it against a slimmer round pen, like a disposable BIC, and flex the neck of the nib out a bit. After doing that, I put the nib back in and it stayed in place just fine. But fast forward several years and that pen is cracked. I don't know if what I did to the nib caused the crack though.
The TWSBI Diamond 580alr, from what I have heard, has some features that make it potentially more durable than the Eco, such as the metal components and full nib unit instead of a friction fit nib that puts pressure on the grip section. If you're looking to get your first fountain pen, I recommend checking out my recent video about the pens I recommend: ruclips.net/video/a_QyTXsnjGI/видео.html
I've never had the Kaeweco, but I agree on the Lamy. I also had one fail like the Pilot cap problem you noted. My Preppy cracked, but it writes so great I'm thinking I'll get he aluminum version and just swap the EF nib into it. My TWISBI Eco has not cracked (though I did pull it out and look!) but it is way to prone to plopping a big old drop of ink and making a mess of things for me to trust it, which is a shame, because I think it's a great pen beyond that.
I got lucky - my Lamy EF is a good writer. But I use it in a Studio, because I just don’t like the Safari’s styling. Their 1.1mm stub is nice too. As for TWSBI, my Diamond 580 cracked in the cap. The company sent a replacement, but I’m done with them as well. As an alternative to the ECO at the same price, the Asvine P20 is a much nicer pen.
Thank you for your review. Different things work for different people. YMMV. I have about 40 pens, but of them all, I have one TWSBI Eco that was never out of rotation. I have 4 TWSBI Ecos -- the baby blue; the white rose gold; the indigo blue with bronze; and the creme rose gold. The baby blue's been my workhorse pen, inked and never returned in its box since I purchased it. I do have a couple of Kaweco Sports and 5 Lamy Safaris. I don't use them as much, except for the Lamy Safari Stripe Japan Limited Edition.
My Kaweco Sport is reliable, but the fine nib is much too scratchy for me to enjoy writing with it. On the TWSBI front, I have never bought one of their more expensive pens and probably won't. What I do like is the TWSBI GO with the spring in it. I buy them in the broadest nib I can find, and at their price point, I keep them filled with inks I don't use often--my rare Iroshizuku's and such. They're great for that, and I don't have to worry about the acrylic construction, which I'd heard about from other people. Several years ago, there was a mania for giving certain pens an eyedropper fill. Two pens were primarily used--the Platinum Preppy and the Pilot Varsity. The Preppy was easier to convert, so I went with those. I bought a few, bought the o-rings and the silicone goo, and set to work. It was tedious and finicky, but I filled several. I do have to say that I have a couple of them lying around that are still working wonderfully with the remainders of their original fills. They just don't dry out. As for my Safari, I bought it when they first came out in the US, and that may be almost 30 years ago. It has a medium point. I loved it when I first filled it, and I still do.
1. Interesting to hear about the hardware problems you have had. I don't carry my pens around too much, and tend to keep them well protected. So I have hardly ever had hardware problems with my pens. I did mess up a couple of TWSBI Eco pistons when experimenting but that's my bad. 2. I have been fortunate with my Kaweco Sports- have 4 pens from F to BB nibs and they all write great. 3. My personal list of pens I will never try again: - Diplomat Aero (2 pens, both very poor nibs. Not for me) - Lamy Studio (don't see the value) ,- all Nahvalur pens - overhyped pens in my view. They look great but nibs are just too dry
I actually gave my Lamy Safari to my son. I bought it in fine and it wrote like butter on a hot skillet, but I hated the fact that it felt so very cheap for the price point. Also, when unscrewing the barrel, it got "stuck" for some reason and I had to twist a little harder to get the barrel to come off so I could get to the converter. When I did that, I heard a crunch inside and wondered what happened. All I did was apply a little more pressure to twisting, but I didn't manhandle the pen or pull on it or anything. When the barrel came away, I noticed one of the "teeth" where the converter slides in, was chipped and coming apart. I had NO idea how this happened as the only thing I did was twist the barrel like normal to get the thing unscrewed. So I basically took that one "tooth" off and it worked fine after that. But to break like that for doing something normal, no, not going to support anything Lamy after that. So, I gave it to my 9 year old son who had been eyeing my growing collection of pens. I also bought him a Wing Sung 3013 as a starter pen because they are so cheap and excellent writers. My bad experiences have mainly been with Jinhao and Hongdian pens. Hongdian N12 recently when the finial came off and the threads seem stripped as the finial will not screw back on. I just got this pen recently and it's already broken and unusable. I will not be buying this model again, but my other Hongdian pens are working great.
Yeah, I tend to avoid cheap Chinese pens. A lot of people love them, but I have concerns. Your experience with the Safari is very strange. I've never heard of that happening! It sounds very defective. I have quite a few Lamy pens, and for all of them the place where the converter inserts into feels pretty sturdy. Still, it's a bummer that you had that experience with the Safari.
@@DowntheBreatherHole Yeah I definitely checked every facet of the pen to make sure that it was a legit Lamy and everything checked out as it being real. However, where I got it, an Asian online store, kind of like Shein, Amazon or AliExpress, sent me the Lamy with a converter but no box. When I asked him where the box was because every review about the Lamy on his store page showed customers who received a box, he said that he was "sold out." Of a box? Don't all the pens come in their own box? How can they be sold out. The second red flag had to do with the price. For one, the Safari does not come with a converter, I checked a kiosk who said that I have to buy the converter separate as it is the low end pen. And the final red flag would be the price I paid for the pen. I paid under 10 dollars for the pen with the converter. I looked at how much this pen was online and at retailers and it is about 20 bucks. BUT, that said, everything checked out. It was a legit pen. I don't understand it. I got the pen with the cardboard ring intact, the pen was just thrown in a ziploc bag with the converter and cartridge and wrapped i bubble wrap. No real care was given. Did I get an authentic Lamy? It wrote VERY well and I loved how it wrote, but I couldn't get past how cheap it felt and that broken piece almost immediately. Since I paid so little for it, I didn't want to send it back, also it had been past 7 days since I bought it and the seller would have refused. Anyways, sorry for the LOOOOOONG response, but I wanted to share my one and only experience with a Lamy pen. I also didn't like the clip. I know it's different from all other pens, but I got more a paperclip vibe than a pen clip. hahah
@@Introversitive Your experience is very strange. It could be a real Lamy, but who knows? As for the box, Safaris are often on display in brick and mortar stores without the box. Sometimes they are in a cup on a shelf with a lot of other Safaris. So that could explain why yours didn't have a box. If you want to try again, I recommend going through a reputable online retailer, such as Goulet, Goldspot, Altas Stationers, Truphae, Jet Pens, and the list goes on. There are a lot of good ones out there!
@@mikedpp8595 oooh my bad. That's my Kaco case. I got it off of Amazon. I have two and I love them. Here's a link to my review: ruclips.net/video/ZLtHSKGPKhQ/видео.html
I have forced my preppy to survive by taping the cap closed. I love them, and I'm willing to do a little work to avoid throwing them away. I hate having to throw away things, so that's just a me thing.
I'm similar. I hate throwing things away, which is why I avoid the Preppy. But good for you for patching yours up and continuing to use them! That is awesome! I threw the bodies of my Preppies away, but I kept the nibs, feeds, and grip sections. Someday I hope to figure out how to turn them into dip pens.
I’m also in Utah, so hello. I’m new to the channel. The pen that I would add also and I am sadden to say this but I must is the Conklin Old Glory limited edition. The nib is horrible. I have had to really work on the nib. Just to get the pen to write. It dries up in the middle of my time journaling. And it’s a hard start. I paid 60 dollars for it. Which is way too much for a bad experience.
I have the Kaweco Brass Pocket pen (F) and absolutely love it. But I also love my 20 dollar Sailor Fude de Mannen. Out of all my pens. Oh, and my Diplomat Aero EF nib. I bought a TWSBI eco and when I inked it it kept leaking. I took it back.
I had the same problem with the pilot explorer but the cap problem came like in just 1 month after purchase. I would love the explorer to be better and fix the cap, but the metropolitan is the one that works best for me.
The Muji is a wonderful pen but it is too small for my hand. Two TWSBi GO simply couldn't get ink flowing and the TWSBI Swipe was a favourite until the caps started cracking 😅
I had issues regardless of what ink I used, but I'm beginning to think that Lamy has been getting better with their nibs lately. Maybe I need to try the EF nib again.
That's really interesting. From the many people who I've talked to about this issue, it seems like people generally have more luck with the metal Sports than the plastic ones. I wonder if they step up the quality control for the fancy pens.
Good video. In my case, what I can't stand about a pen is the feeling of touching the thread on the grip. I see that this doesn't bother many people, but for me it's definitive. From the list, I can't use the Kaweco Sport. I have them in a drawer so I can't see them.... The Pelikans also have this problem of sharp thread and short grip section, but they are saved because the nibs are excellent... If the grip section is short, at least the thread should be smooth!!..
Well you have to stop dropping them :) Be careful about "always" and "never" ... those words can bite. I have had nothing but great experiences with all of the pens listed but I totally get it. If you had a bad experience "once burned, twice shy". Great channel and be safe!
If you want an Extra Fine on your Safari, get an LX nib! They write finer and the feed back is more pencil than scratchy. Or even a fine since it will thin the line down a bit anyways.
Yeah, I'm good with their fine nibs. They are just as fine, in some cases, as the extra fines. But the LX nib idea is interesting. I have wondered if Lamy takes greater care with the nibs on their more expensive models.
@@DowntheBreatherHole the LX have a PVD coating, which gives it that different feel. They are more but still steel so $25 vs $16. Basically the only nibs I use. The aion nibs are smoother than the regular ones but not as fine. But if you don't mind the thicker line give them a try, still $16
I haven't tried the pens of your list aside the Lamy ones which I agree that are not that good pens but not because of their nibs. The thing that I don't like in Lamy pens is the way that the front part of these pens is made with the cut flat shape for fingers that doesn't work for me. I also don't like these pens because they take only proprietary cartridges, only the Lamy ones that are not available everywhere. I use my fountain pens for urban sketching and it is more convenient to hold with me sealed spare cartridges instead of a bottle of ink in order to refill a converter. But the Lamy pens don't take the universal cartridges which are available filled with De Atramentins, Diamine, Kaweco, Platinum, Diplomat and other inks. My favourite pens are the JinHao that I bought years ago along with a set of different nibs including the fude ones. I can change or replace the nibs on these pens along with their feeders and they have a very nice and balanced for the hand shape.
I was actually pretty pleasantly surprised by my first Kaweco Sport. The ink flow was constant and smooth, and the nib never scratched or failed, no matter the paper. I've been using it at work every day for at least two years now (which is why I can't be too particular about the paper quality there). The only downside is that I have to re-ink it often due to its limited capacity. About the nib sizes: I believe German fountain pens generally are better with medium to broad nibs, while the Japanese ones have great fine to extra fine nibs. About cracking: So far, I've never had a problem with cracking on any of my fountain pens (touch wood). That being said, while I use them regularly, carry them around in my pencil case etc., I'm careful not to be too rough with them. That falling pen at the end there was a jump scare. 😅🙈
Great list! I just started Red Rising so I am excited you have it so high. The guts to list Potter. Way to go. Potter #1, Song of Ice #2, Lotr #3. Need to get to Gwynn.
Had a friend who had issues with pens drying up. Turned out his house was dry as a bone due to an environmental issue. Added a humidifier with a mild setting and problem gone.
I have had similar issues with the TWSIBI Eco, but the 580 AL Diamond has been pretty solid to date. I have a number of Lamy Safaris, ALs and LXs, and I generally use EF, F, and M nibs with no scratchiness except one. I used a brass shim to clean it up and get working smoothly. I would add the TWISBI Sharp to the list. The clip is unusable-the second week of use and it snapped, and overall the one I had did not work well at all.
Want to know what pens I do recommend? Watch this video: ruclips.net/video/a_QyTXsnjGI/видео.html
I think every fountain pen user has pens they will never buy again.
Here's the dill (fellow Utahn here!):
Longevity is a huge part of the argument for fountain pens in the 21st century. No one really cares much if their 5 cent BiC Crystal or 75 cent Uni-ball Signo cracks because those pens weren't ever intended to last anyways. Pens that aren't disposable pens should be able to withstand regular use for prolonged periods of time and, yes, should even be capable of withstanding some "user error."
@@ZackN85 so true!! I haven’t been in this game super long (a couple of years) and I’m not one that buys very expensive pens. My “expensive” pen is a TWSBI Eco AL since my two plastic ones cracked. But I have been through the “regular round” with Metropolitan, Safari, and Preppy. I kind of feel like it’s a game of finding a pen that suits your personality and way of writing. For me it’s first and foremost that I enjoy the writing experience, and second about how the pen looks. Would I appreciate an expensive and fancy pen if it was nice to write with? Yes, of course, but I think I would also be kind of a bit afraid to use it. As it is now, I can just enjoy my fountain pens. I have a couple that I use on a regular basis. And unless the price is around the one of a ball point pen, I would not expect it to be a dispensable. And… speaking of ball point pens… even those don’t break easily… 😊 I wish you a fantastic day 😊
@@Nora-jt9zy Honestly just get an expensive fountain pen, you are literally wasting time with twisbi. Also twisbi al is not cheap, it all adds up. Buy a Pilot fountain pen you wont regret it, custom 74,742 ,743, Justus95, metalFalcon.
I have a ton of TWSBI Ecos and I absolutely adore them. The nib is really good for the price and the ink capacity is unparalleled in the "beginner" price range. That ink capacity was really handy in law school when I was taking notes all the time. I also love how they can be taken apart for cleaning (which is particularly useful with shimmer inks). When I first started out with fountain pens, taking the pen apart helped me understand the mechanics. And that double-seal around the nib means that they don't dry out if I don't use them every week (my major sticking point with Lamy Safaris and Al-Stars).
I'll admit there are some significant problems, though. For example, the special editions like the Irish Green are gorgeous, but almost double the price. And, like your Ecos, several of mine have cracked near the nib. Because the grip is clear acrylic and has visible seams, I didn't detect the crack until my fingers were already ink-stained. The only fix for this is completely replacing the barrel, which requires emailing TWSBI customer support. Don't get me wrong, they're amazing-- they not only responded quickly but also sent me a new barrel and a spare for the price of shipping (it was like $6 and got to me within a week). Is this a lot of hassle, particularly for a $30 pen? Yes. Is it enough to prevent me from getting Ecos in the future? Not at all.
I have 5 Platinum Preppys and they have no cracking. Had them over 2 years now. Not sure why you would experience that. The only issues I had was with the 0.3mm nibs, they were scratchy and didn't write well at all. I'm surprised I didn't bin them but kept trying and after a few months they started writing smoothly. I think they needed to be broken in. Happy with all of them now. They're cheap, I could get a bunch of them in different colours to experiment with and have a decent writing experience with fountain pens so I am very happy with them and would highly recommend them. Great entry level pens. Easy to replace, easy to buy refill cartridges. Lots to like.
I love the Platinum Preppy also! I use the M nib. I've never had any of mine crack. And I use them every single day for years. [I have different bodies - a standard Preppy, a Prefounte and a lovely white Kokuyo collab, but they really are all the same]. Maybe it's luck? I keep at least one in my work bag, one-two on my desk at the office.
I've tried the TWSBI Eco, Lamy Safari, and a bunch of other pens and I go back to the Preppy with the Platinum Blue Black ink every time. Though I confess, I do like my TWSBI Go - just not quite as much as the Preppy.
My preppy needed to be broken in as well, but also suffered from the cracking issues. First was the clip (not the clip itself, but where it connected to the top of the cap), then the cap itself. Love how the pen writes (now) but wouldn't really buy a low end Platinum again.
Yeah~! I love my Platinum Preppy too~! The price point is super friendly to beginner and the using experience is fine. I am using a 0.3mm F, it's a little bit scratchy on some paper, but it's totally fine when I use it on Muji weekly notebook.
My experience with Preppy nibs especially the .3 has been great. But my first preppy developed a crack in the body after about a year of occasional use. I love the nib so much, I pulled it in case the next one wasn't as nice.
I’ve had mine 3 years and no signs of cracking. I reach for them more than any of my other pens. I think with many pens of the “cheaper” type people aren’t as careful with them and over tighten of bang them about too much because they are “cheap”. I just treat all my pens as if they were expensive and they last.
1. I will never buy again a Safari. Dont get me wrong, I love my safari so much. Its just that I prefer the writing experience with my Alstar more. For some reason, Alstar feels more premium!
I agree on this. I started using my Safari again recently and I love it, but the first time I tried the AL Star I gifted to my mom I knew immediately that one day I'd have to buy one. Now I own two of them and are probably my favourite pens.
And I’m a huge fan of the Safari, not the Al-Star. I prefer the feel of the plastic more than the aluminum.
I liked everything about my safari but the cap pretty much lost all of it’s retention after a few months of carrying. I moved away from fountain pens for edc after that and got a space pen. Carried that for a year but the clip left a lot to be desired and I moved to a tactile turn slim bolt mini. So far, so good with that one.
I have loads of Safaris AND AL Stars, and I love them both. Twice a year I change the colour combo I take to school, and that's where the AL Stars stay at home. They are just not made for a rough school environment as the metal finish can get scratched quite easily banged around in a pencil case (I see that with my pupils frequently). So for me: Safari, when I'm out and about, AL Star when I'm at home at my desk.
Where do you get the alstar?
I have to agree with the Kaweco sport, same problems. For the fun of It I bought a pocket pen from Hongdian on Amazon. it looks like the Kaweco sport AL ($100+)but it's only $20. now with the Kaweco you have to pay extra for a clip, and extra for a converter. The Hongdian (is similar but not an exact copy) comes with a converted and the included clip is spring loaded. I love pocket pens and I don't feel like I'm being ripped off.
I loveeeee my Twsbis! I have 5 of them and have had no issues. I’ve switched nibs around and had no problems. Thank goodness. Also - for an inexpensive alternative fountain pen that I ADORE is the. Hong Dian 1862. I have all 4 of the color way options in fine and extra fine and I ADORE THEM. They’re my go-to pens!
I have 3 Hongdians, they are beautiful writers.
If you want an extra fine nib for your Lamy Safari, buy a Jinhao 80 and swap the nib. The nib is great and the whole pen costs less than a Lamy nib.
Works pretty good. Thanks for the hint!
Awesome idea, because my Lamy EF is really not very fine. Thank you!
Jinhao are awesome. All of them. And dead cheap.
@@scotosha I totally agree. I have two of them and a good number of different spare nibs and feeders. They have very good weight and balance when you use them and they are made with very good materials. They also take all kind of converters and universal type of ink cartridges.
Agreed. Jinhao has gotten so much better in the past decade or so. Love them too. 🖋️
I must have been lucky - my Kaweco Sport Steel is infallible! I won’t buy another but I love it dearly
Same with my AL sport
I have a Piston Sport M and the nib is amazing
@@softmkr how’s the piston mechanism? I’ve thought about one of these too…
My 1991 Sport is also great. I see lots of complaints about poor QC in current line up.
How did you guys all cracked your Preppys ?
I have had mine for years, it's even eyedrop converted with Baystate Blue (that's how confident I am with that pen) and never ever had any issues with it. It is my quick note taking pen, so it is always within arm's reach whereever I am, and while the pen has some visual deterioration from being transported all around the place including several 8+ hours plane trips, it has yet to show any strutural damage.
TWSBI, sure. I had to replace the body of my Vac Mini pen because it cracked due making the vac filling leaking air and I had to fill it with syringe. Nothing hard tho, just contacted TWSBI support and have them shipped me replacement parts, only hard to pay for shipment fees.
Maybe older batches where more durable...
My first Preppy that cracked was a green one that was eyedroppered with Noodler's Polar Green. I discovered the break at my desk because of inky fingers so the mess was minimal.
I love my Baystate Blue but I take no chances. There are legendary stories about leaking pens and a really good one about a gentleman who knocked over a full bottle of Baystate Blue. Old fountain pen users of BSB tell great stories. I'm trying not to be a story teller about BSB. 🥶
@@cmw9876 if you take good enough precautions with it, it will be fine. Just don't rush things around it, be slow and steady and there will hardly be anything happening.
Plus, there isn't that many deeply saturated blue inks that are this level of water resistant
Same. My 0.2 Preppy is always inked with Baystate blue as my everyday writing. I even dropped it on the floor once or twice and it's still perfect. Honestly, can anybody find a better pen for 6 euros?
I have two Kaweko Sports and I’ve never had any issues at all with either of them. They write beautifully.
Very interesting! It seems like people either have a lot of problems or none at all. Do you have plastic Sports or the metal versions? That seems to be a distinguishing factor.
@@DowntheBreatherHole I have plastic. If yours were new pens with problems you should contact Kaweco. I’ve had a Yard-o-Led, TWSBI, and Safari that were defective and I complained to each business/company. They were more than happy to either replace the nib, or the pen itself. You shouldn’t try to rectify the issue if it was defective when new.
I have 4 and they have been bulletproof for me! Used them through college with no issues (and I'm an English major!)
@@DowntheBreatherHolethe plastic ones. Pale blue and a burgundy one.
I've had my eye on them for a while. Heard mixed reviews. Some people get a dud, others get one good to go out of the box. I just got one for Christmas and it's currently my favorite pen. My only other fountain pen is a platinum preppy that hard starts, skips and writes a little scratchy. I'm planning on tweaking the nib on that one.
I agree about TWSBI. The cap of my Diamond 580 cracked, and they sent me a replacement. Recently I went to ink up my Eco and discovered a crack spiraling through the grip section. I've never removed the nib & feed, and the pen has been in storage without any movement! So far the only reliable TWSBI's I have are TWSBI Go's, which are a different plastic and holding up better. It's sad because their pens do appeal to me. Thanks for your video.
I have never had any issues with any of my Preppys but I must admit I do carry the Platinum Meteor more instead - they use the same nib and housing and slip-n-seal tech as the Preppy but they body seems a little more industrious and hardy than the Preppy. I totally respect and validate your opinion as you have had actual cracking experience, but I still think that they are amazing starter pen because of the slip-n-seal cap tech, and I think for $6 they are definitely worth a go for pigment inks that we dont want to put in our 'good' pens :) Thanks for sharing!
During many years of use I have NEVER had ANY problems, dry nibs or anything else, with any Kaweco Sport
There's something about the Kakuno I like better than the Preppy. Maybe the distance between the grip & the end of the nib, & the feel of the acrylic/plastic material? And the pilot nibs are always like butter.
The Kakuno is ten times as good as the Preppy, IMO. I haven't talked about it as much as I probably should on my channel. It's a great pen for the price.
I only enjoy Kaweco broad, double broad or italic nibs. The other sizes are too thin and dry.
I totally agree about the Platinum Preppy. I started out my fountain pen collection with 7 Preppy pens and they all very quickly cracked and were unusable.
I had heard from other pen friends that switching nibs on Ecos causes them to crack. I have had 4 TWSBI minis crack. My favorite TWSBI is the 580 ALR.
The extra fine Safari nibs are scratchy for me too, especially the black coated ones.
I haven’t tried the Pilot that you mentioned.
Your complaints all seem justified. Great video!
Another vote for Kaweco BB nibs.
can you buy kaweco broad or double broad or italic nibs to screw in or put in ?
@@1sanjuan60 Replacement Kaweco BB nibs are available retail, for example from jetpens. Beware, however, they come in two different sizes, according to what pen they go in.
@ JetPens and probably other online retailers have Kaweco replacement nibs for sale of every width. The regular steel double broad and italic nibs are great. They also have the premium nibs which cost more, but are a bit more smooth. The nibs screw in to the larger pens like the Student, but for the Sport I think you need to pull the nib out of the housing and friction fit it in the pen. If you need more explanation of how to do it, let me know.
If you have a cracked Preppy or Prefounte, I highly recommend getting a Plaisir. It has an aluminum body, and uses the same section and nib as the Plaisir. Super easy to hot swap them, which is especially handy if you're an artist.
I have a few Preppys for many years.... Yes, they crack, but i solve the problem by putting tape around the rum of the cap and the body. Works like a charm wven after cracking, as if new. Still using the cracked ones even now. They last for a long time after re-enforcing the rims.
I'm glad you fix them rather than throwing them out! That's great!
I understand what you are saying about every pen but I think that the preppy is a pen I will never regret just because I use to sketch using platinum carbon ink and it never dries out.
Ein schönes Video, was deutlich zeigt wie unterschiedlich die Wahrnehmung oder Bedürfnisse bei Füllfederhaltern sind.
Ich schreibe mit meinen diversen Kaweco Sport (sowohl mit Patronen als auch mit Konverter) einige DinA4 Seiten voll bevor die Tinte überhaupt zur neige geht. Und dabei benutze ich immer breite Federn. Ich habe lediglich eine medium Feder, die natürlich noch mehr Seiten schafft, und nur bei meiner extrabreiten Feder im BrassSport habe ich das Gefühl merklich weniger Seiten füllen zu können, aber diese Federstärke schreibt auch wirklich mit sehr viel Tinte.
Meine Preppy und andere Platinum Füller habe ich schon viele Jahre und sie schließen alle wie am ersten Tag, generell ist keinerlei Materialermüdung zu erkennen.
Vom TWSBI habe ich mich tatsächlich aus den hier im Video genannten Gründen ferngehalten und bin nun umso glücklicher mit meiner Entscheidung. Das ist wirklich ein No-Go, vor allem bei diesem Preis.
Lamy (Safari) fand ich tatsächlich schon immer total langweilig, was wohl daran liegt, dass es unsere vorgeschriebenen Schulfüller waren und ich daher die Nase von diesem Modell voll habe 😅
Es macht auf jeden Fall viel Spaß die Kommentare mit ihren unterschiedlichen Erfahrungen zu den gezeigten Modellen zu lesen, daher vielen Dank für das Video und weiterhin viel Spaß mit diesem wundervollen Hobby. ^^
Watched both of your videos: Top 6 Fountain Pens for Beginners and this Never Again video. I lack your experience, although I've been using fountain pens for 45 years (not counting my early elementary school days). 2 Montblancs, 1 Pelikan, 1 TWSBI ECO, 1 Lamy Swift, 1 Pilot Metropolitan. So I cover the range from beginner to luxury. I've had no problems with any of these pens. But then again, I don't tinker. I love the TWSBI ECO. Writes very well, converter works well. The TWSBI fine is a bit too medium for me. The Lamy Swift writes just a bit scratchy even in medium. The converter does not hold enough ink. The Metropolitan in fine is really nice. That's it. Maybe you tinker too much, too often?
thats a fountain pen , its meant to be used...
Maybe I do tinker to much. In all honesty, I love the TWSBI Eco for so many reasons. They just haven't had the lifespan that I hoped they would. One lasted for five years, and the other for about two. And that's not necessarily bad for a cheap pen, but there are other cheap pens I have that have lasted much longer.
@@DowntheBreatherHole twisbi is not cheap it do ad up.
You said what was not mentioned by many other bigger pen channels. Good one for being brave! I will share this information with any of my circle of pen friends. Thank you for making this video.
I never had a preppie/prefounte, I never had the pilot explorer.
I do have some bronze kaweco, never had a plastic kaweco, and my bronze models work just fine. I suspect they do more quality control on the higher end kawecos.
As for the twsbi eco, I never owned an eco. Having said that, I do agree that TWSBI should use better materials for their pens, I think nearly everyone would pay a bit more to have a more "crack-resistant" TWSBI. My Diamond 580s have been working fine for several years, but I admit I do not switch nibs on any of my pens.
As for the Safari, I hate the triangle grip section, so do not own any Safaris. I do have a friend who has a Safari with EF nib, and I did try it. It felt like writing with a rusted nail. I let my friend try my Platinum 3776 with Soft-Fine nib, and my friend agreed, it is like night and day difference.
Thanks for your comment! From people's comments, it does seem that people have better luck with the metal Kaweco Sports than the plastic ones. It kind of makes sense, but it's also kind of a shame.
I have a platinum preppy, and it's great, no cracking at all. I had this pen for over 2 years and it's my first fountain pen. I use them a lot and it's very nice, I like the EF one, also my first fountain pen and my most used one so far but no cracking at all. But my preppy body is just have a lot of small scratches which is so normal and it's not a problem for me since I had it for few years and always bring that pen to my school.
That's really interesting! I wonder what makes the difference in people's experiences.
Agree about the Preppys and cracking issues, but I only buy Lamy EFs and they’ve all been fine.
You should get a refund!
I'm surprised to hear that about the Sport. I have 3 that I've eyedropper converted and use nothing but shimmer in them and have never had a single problem with them. I like how cheap the Preppy is but I've also had all of mine crack.
Which nib sizes?
Not to sound like a snob, but this is why I (mostly) stay away from the more affordable end of the spectrum now. I do have a handful of Kawecos and Lamys, but I don’t feel like I need every new color that comes out. Thankfully, so far I haven’t had too many issues with my cheaper pens. What’s truly upsetting for me is when I spend over $50 and have QC/build issues. I’ve had to get rid of some beautiful pens because of that.
@@aprils. I had some annoying experiences with both, cheaper pens as well as with more expensive ones. But especially some of the cheaper pens, like Safari-price-range, are working without any problems since many years, easy to maintain, etc. I still like to have and use something more fancy but I think there should be better Q/C at prices of 50$ and above.
@@marcorothley6039 I absolutely agree! A little trouble with a cheaper pen is inconvenient, but $50 + is a more substantial investment. That’s expensive for a lot of people and should definitely reflect a sense of reliability.
I agree about the nibs. But, I have a dozen Lamy knock-off nibs I bought off ebay about 10 years ago for less than $10 USD. Sorry. Can't find the
vendor now. Maybe they were forced out or they just could not sell enough to stay in business. But, I will say that the nibs are my go to for the Lamy.
FYI. The Jinhao 35 also has a nib, without the breather hole, that is a copy of the Lamy nib and it works great. Have two and they both
are smooth and work great with inkjet ink, my ink of choice. I have two Lamy Safaris and both came with bad nibs. Even with tuning they still
didn't feel right. Have one more Lamy to arrive this week with to make sure I didn't get two pens that were rare exceptions to quality control.
Humbly submitted for your consideration. Appreciate reviews that are detailed.
I wonder if local climate or conditions could have something to do with the cracks, like elevation air pressure or seawater spray or temperature changes.
I have about half a dozen TWSBI Ecos and none of them has ever cracked
That's good to hear!
I love Twsbi too for how much ink they hold. Great for writing copious notes. I live in SEAsia and Twsbi support in my country is awesome at responding to customer needs. I strongly recommend them. 🖋️
I love my Twsbi too. They have great customer support where I live. I recommend eco for copious notetakers 😊
I've had three TWSBI ecos crack out of nine that I've purchased. Love them to bits. I need to contact them to see if I can get replacement barrels for them. Their material seems to be really vulnerable to cracking. Only removed the nib on one of those pens. I haven't had any trouble with more recent Ecos.
My favourite part of the Lamy Safari is the Broad nib. Writes like a nail, but it's one of the broadest writing nibs I've come across on an inexpensive pen. The only Lamy nib I like better is the Lamy 2000 OBB nib. Fairly stiff with a light bounce and writes like a firehose.
What are 6iu doingbto your twsbi pens?
@@oraghailligh Writing with them. they aren't being abused or anything. The resin is just prone to cracks in that part of the pen.
I'm a teacher and I always have 3/4 Preppys loose in my tote bag, on which I usually throw some textbook, photocopies, my iPad, my phone and wallet... they never cracked. Maybe it just depends on the batch! Some of them are older, some are newer, like from last year.
Never I had any issue!
Weird! Maybe you're right.
I bought my first Preppy about 12 years ago on a trip to Japan. I just retired it this week because it started leaking. Yes, the cap cracked years ago, but a little bit of Scotch tape fixed that. 12 years of use for about $5 is not too shabby.
Not too shabby indeed!
@@DowntheBreatherHole Actually, since I posted that reply last week, I saw a video on RUclips about fixing a leaky section with a little superglue. I tried it, and my original Preppy is back in service. No leaks. It may outlive me! 😁
The EF Nib is the only one that fits my writing style. I never had problems with scratching
I have 7 Preppys. Three of them have cracked caps, yet I put tapes around them and keep them in my rotation. I just can't let go. Got me first Preppy back in 2008.
Hey, if it works, it works! If tape keeps a good pen running, then that's great!
I've had two TWSBI Gos for four years and used regularly. Nibs and feeds in and out like a fiddler's elbow. No issues. Two Preppies used regularly - no cracking or issues.
Coarse handling must play a part for some people, and that means a crap user, not a crap pen.
I had the same issue with the Lilipup--which was more than ~$150. After tuning it, it became a usable pen as long as I just refill the catridge it came with. The new Kwaeco cartridges didn't work with it.
I love the TWSBI eco. It's a decent and relatively cheap pens. So I can use them experimenting with tenting De Atramentis Document White Ink without worrying about destroying the pen.
Never had any issues with my Brass Sport medium nib. One of my favourite pens!
Me too! I have quite a few Kaweco Sports in various editions… the AL, the Brass, as well as basic plastic editions. I have never, ever had an issue with any of them. I have even been quite bad for letting them sit around inked up for long periods of time. They have been great!
@@hthrlandry Same! Mine gets left inked for months at a time :D
My experience with the Preppy, Prefounte and TWSBI were all on par with yours. I never carried them anywhere, yet they cracked. And the Preppy & Prefounte had issues writing. I no longer buy pens but have a few favorites including Narwhal Rockfish, Opus 88 and Leonardo Blue Hawaii.
Thanks for confirming that I'm not crazy. haha
I am getting rid of six “beginner mistake” pens; my Monteverde Ritmas (too heavy!), a Monteverde Invincia Vega (heavy and squeaky), a Hongdian 517D with a fude nib (it starts out writing strong, and then quickly fades away), an Ellington (too heavy) and I really don’t like the Lamy Safari grip. At this point in the journey, I usually save up and spend between $80 and, $250 on a pen). Because of those prices, I have fewer pens, but they’re mostly of better quality. But I do have a cheap Preppy that I’ve used every day for three years, and it’s still in great shape-a $6 investment that paid off! I also have a couple of Eco Stubs from which I don’t remove nibs. So far, so good. No cracking yet.
An excellent presentation. I totally agree with you.
Thanks!
imo, safari absolutely belongs there, regardless of the tip. ive never understood the fascination with this pen. it looks bad and feels bad. and as far as it being "cheap" i have $4 jinhou's that look and feel 1000x better.
The Lamy Safari isn't for everyone, but I honestly adore them. I couldn't tell you exactly why, but they have effectively endeared themselves to me.
So can you make a video of the replacements for this list since every pen I ever thought about buying is on it ?
Haha I should do that. My main recommendations are the Lamy Safari (fine nib or larger) and the Pilot Metropolitan. The Pilot Kakuno is also a really solid beginner fountain pen.
I've only got one Kaweco Sport and it's one of my most reliable pens and has never dried out. Please note however that I prefer Broad and Double Broad nibs though so that probably factors in as I find that cartridge-only fed pens with Fine or extra fine nibs dry up more quickly and have more flow issues.
I have heard good things about Kaweco's larger nibs.
I had to tune a Visconti. Go figure. And how come your pens keep breaking? I had an old original TWSBI that cracked but since then I have 5 and no issues.
Well, your blooper at the end answered my question.
Twisbi cracks for everyone, its just a mater of luck, temperature or just time. Its trash
@ in the old days I would agree. I haven’t had any issues with their new pens.
I seriously have bad luck with pens. I actually just got a Benu pen that came with a crack in it. In hindsight, the blooper was not a great idea to include in this video. The funny thing is that it was the Kaweco Sport that I dropped, which is a pretty durable pen. The other funny thing is that I rarely drop my pens. I think it happened on camera because I was multitasking.
"Here's the dill" Lol. I'm in Utah too and I try really hard to not slip into the accent. I appreciate the bold opinions on these. For me: barrel-filled (eye dropper) pens. Unless they have the shut-off valve, I just really don't like the burping issue.
Greetings, fellow Utahn! Yeah, since leaving and then coming back to Utah, I've tried hard to be careful with how I pronounce my vowel sounds.
Can u please share the source of that serpent holder and its name ?
I've got a video all about it here: ruclips.net/video/njngPKT0InQ/видео.html
I never had my preppy pen crack. I like that it doesn’t dry out. Manuscript pens dry out too fast.
My Pilot Explorer cap liner cracked/split too after only a couple of months. Loved it when I first got it. Thought it was the perfect fp to replace the cheap ballpoint edc I kept in my shirt pocket. The Explorer was lightweight, relatively inexpensive, and a reliable writer. My first fp was the Pilot Metropolitan and the metal body sadly was too heavy to keep in my shirt pocket. Explorer could have been perfect. Sad to see someone else had problems with the cap liner breaking and no longer capping.
Yeah, with most of the pens I mentioned in this video, people's experiences vary widely, but it seems like 100% of Pilot Explorer owners who have commented have had the same experience, which is really disappointing.
I'm with you overall. Even though I've not had cracking issues with my TWSBIs, I find them okay -- not great or even good -- writers. Similarly, I have some good Kaweco sport/AL sport writers and others that stop just like yours for no discernible reason. Finally, the Safaris. I prefer EF (I write small) in my pens but discovered as did you -- not on fhe Safari family. At least they benefit from easy and inexpensive nib swaps! I'm much happier with them using a F, M or even a 1.1 stub.
Surprisingly, i can't argue with any of your "written-off" choices: the issue with TWSBI is is something of an open secret by now, and the only cheap pen that hasn't packed it in on me is Pilot's Kaküno. (my only other pens are a pair of Pilot Custom 823s and a Vanishing Point.) As deep into Lamy as I was over a decade back, I always found their nibs beyond M a hit-or-miss affair; I even had a F nib on a 2000 unusually rough and in need of tweaking. Interesting video!
yea i think in the booklet they send with the twsbi they say not to disassemble the pen, probably for this reason 😅 i guess not a lot of people have a reason to remove the nib but it's shocking the problem is so well known
I love the Platinum Little Shooting Star/Small Meteor it goes by 2 names one of the best pens I have ever written with I had moved house 2 years ago I havent written with my fountain pens since moving but I made a choice I will journal and write more in the new year and I went to go clean my pens I had forgot about and it still writes AFTER 2 years with in still inside crazy I lost my note on what ink was it in so just washed it but wow I was blown away
Wow I am actually surprised about you not liking Twsbi Eco I have this pen more than any other just brought another one the other day and waiting for another one to be released as the colours are beautiful and affordable. these still could also write after 2 years with wetting the nib to get them going as they still had ink inside but cleaned them I did pull them apart with also taking the nibs out as I knew I had some sheening and possibly shimmering inks but no cracking here but I guess something to be aware of but hey I do wanna get a 580 iris as I got the iris Vac when it was release but not a fan of the vac system much prefer a piston
Appreciate your insights!
The barrels of my Preppy and two Jinhao Sharks cracked. I am holding them together with washi tape. The Sharks were only $3.95 though...
I love my metropolitan, but I dropped it, it is misshaped, and now it won't post. Soooo annoying because the balance is off without the cap posted.
My workhorses, honestly, and I have had them for 15 years, are my Jinhao x750s.
I haven't had those problems, but I don't remove the nibs from my Eco's. I don't care for the Kaweco Sport's because they are so small for my hand.
Thanks for making this, I was worried I was just gripping my ECOs too hard, but nope mine cracked just the same. I repaired the cracks with glue but it still sucks, and I don’t really use them anymore for fear they’ll crack again.
Luckily my 580 hasn’t betrayed me yet! Haha
I hope your 580 stays strong! Apparently TWSBI will send you replacement parts for the price of shipping. One of these days I plan to take them up on that offer.
@ oh dang, I might try that. I did buy them a long while ago but I’d be happy to have them in full condition again :0
The reason TWSBIs crack is that some pens are made from parts that have been poorly processed during injection moulding. It’s nothing to do with handling errors. Residual stress arises in the faulty parts and they fail, even in light handling. Not every part suffers the moulding heat issues in manufacturing. Hence some TWSBI owners never suffered a failure.
$5 Preppies crack, perhaps expected? But $30-100 TWSBIs cracking??? BTW I have never heard/seen reports of Kakunos cracking. I have two in my EDC used frequently. No failures and caps still hold firm after 4+ years. Maybe the Explorer team need to learn from the Kakuno team at Pilot.
That would certainly explain why some people have a great experience and some don't!
I’ve had long use of the Prefounte pens in terms of body build and holding ink.
So that’s the issue? The nib size? I own several Lamy Al-Star pens with EF nibs, and each of them writes differently. One feels a bit dry, another scratches, and the third tends to dry out. Only one black pen filled with Chou Kuro ink meets my expectations-it doesn’t dry out even after two weeks of no use.
Yeah, for me I've just never had luck with the extra fine nibs. The fine nibs have been consistently better, and sometimes finer, than the extra fine nibs.
I've had more TWSBIs crack than any other brand. The Swipe in particular has, I think, a design flaw with the clip, since the cracks occur in exactly the same place for 3 different pens, and I've seen others have cracks in exactly the same area. The cost of replacement (i.e. shipment from Taiwan) is high enough that the warranty is, IMO not really worth it. I am not hard on pens, and have many of them that have never had any problems.
Completely agree with the Kaweco, and that makes me really sad because it's such a pretty pen and they have a nice color selection, but I've had one splotch all over my paper like crazy... Plus they are empty sooo quickly because they are so tiny.
The TWSBI surprised me to be honest, because I LOVE the ecos and just ordered the Irish Green. The Indigo version is my to go pen ever since it came out, I'm carrying it to the office and back and I've never experienced the pen crack... Hope I won't because it's one ov my favorite fountain pens.
I can kinda understand what you mean by the Preppy. It’s a starter pen, after using it you should know that you’re into fountain pens and move on to something better. So yeah no reason to buy again.
I probably would have used it longer if it didn’t flex in the middle.
Lamy Safari EF is my first fountain pen. I agree it is scratchy. If I use Lamy ink or Lamy cartridge, it doesn't have problem with skipping. But when I use Parker or other ink, it will alwaya dry up when ink level reaches a ceetain level. I always have to push the piston down a bit when it happens.
I use the EF version with the Black coating it feels a bit scratchy but it doesn't bother me at all.
I have an example of every model you listed except the Safari - I only have a couple of Al-Stars. They are all from different manufacturers and the materials, I imagine, are slight variations of the same material. Think about this - what does each of your pens have in common?? The answer would be you!! I can tell you i have never experienced the issues you have in over a years time. You may want to reconsider how you are handling your pens, or at the least analyze how the current pen handling plays a part in the pens longevity.
Dissenting opinion here. Don't change the way you write to accommodate the pen, find a pen that accommodates the way you write.
G’day.
I have too use a piece of paper or blotter, I have oily skin & sweaty skin if I don’t use a blotter paper 📄 when I write ✍️ the ink ✍️ skips & misses.
Hope this is helpful.
Dave. ✍️
I wear calligraphy gloves to avoid such problems. They only have 2 fingers, the 2 smallest, that contact the paper. Yes they look really stupid so I wouldn't use them in public.
Thank you
I've heard many people complain about the Lamy EF. And the TWSBI cracks. I'm thankful that none of mine of these brands have problems!!
That snake pen holder is so awesome! ! Where did you get that?
I company sent it to me! Here's my review of it: ruclips.net/video/njngPKT0InQ/видео.html
I've got three kaweco sport pens and they're my go to pens. Haven't had any problems at all.
I wish I could say the same. They really are cool pens.
Agree about the brittleness of the plastic used in Preppies. I think that's a deal breaker for school use. Same problem with the Kakuno. Conversely, no problem with the Kaweco Sports. I have two - F and EF - and they've written beautifully and without problems for several years.
I definitely tuned my Kaweco Sport and now I like it, but it's not my favorite overall as I can't put any drier inks in it and that really annoys me.
I love my Platinum Preppy, although I haven't had it for a year yet, no idea how you've cracked yours, though, because mine is my designated "beater pen" that I toss in a bag and forget about, drop all the time, etc. Mine I only bought bc it was cheaper to buy it than it was to pay shipping for an order, so I just added it. The fact the cap seals so well that it can be inked for over 6 months and still reliably write has made me a lover of them, although I probably won't buy another simply because I find them boring.
My TWSBI Eco is a pen I have mixed feelings about. I love how it looks and feels in the hand, was my second pen overall and also my first piston filler. Having said that, my nib came with baby's bottom that caused my pen to hard start so badly that I could write about 2 words because the pen would actually write and it would continue to skip afterwards. I have since used it as a practice for nib grinding as I have since changed my mind about broad nibs and decided I hate them. It now has a (sort of) stub nib on it 😅. It wasn't the mist successful grind, but hey, it writes now! My knob on mine is also kinda messed up from being over tightened a few times too many and taken apart further than probably intended so mine is super lose now. Otherwise? Not a bad pen, just wish it was easier to get nibs for it instead of buying a whole new pen or having to just have someone grind it for you or try and do it yourself. I plan on using mine for the first time in a good while some time soon, probably once one of my others is out of ink as I keep no more than 4 pens inked up at once.
I totally understand the longevity issues, though, and I agree that the whole point of a fountain pen is that they last a long time. It seems so silly to drop $30 on a pen that isn't going to last very long and also might not even write well out of the box. I've been lucky enough to be able to fix all of my nib problems I've had over the year and a half I've been collecting, but I have unfortunately gotten 4 pens that I have had to adjust myself as they were otherwise poor writers (Kaweco Sport, FWP Carousel (which I seriously do NOT recommend), TWSBI Eco, and a Pelikan M405 (this one I was mad about because its like a $300 pen 😒 but it was, luckily, an easy fix). I did buy a pen second hand that had nib with the tines misaligned, it was a Sailor Pro Gear Slim, surprisingly. I think the person I bought it from had done something to it because the nib looked like someone that didn't know what they were doing had messed with it but luckily I was able to fix it with minimal effort and now it writes as good as my one I bought new.
Good to see that I never wanted any of these five pens.
There's one pen that I was super into but will not buy again after buying three of them, Parker Sonnet. The cap design is so flawed that the pen dries out in no time. Especially frustrating for people who don't do super long writing sessions
Finally some truth about these pens! My Platinum Prefounte has also cracked after minimal use. My TWSBI Eco is a fantastic writer, but the nib sits so loose in the section it has fallen out on occasion, so unreliable. And while I love my Safari, Vista, AL and Lx, the Lamy nibs are SO unreliable. I reckon I get a 50% chance of a good nib everytime I buy one. Thanks for the video!
The loose Eco nib is actually the problem I mentioned in the video that I contacted TWSBI about. They told me to remove the nib, place it against a slimmer round pen, like a disposable BIC, and flex the neck of the nib out a bit. After doing that, I put the nib back in and it stayed in place just fine. But fast forward several years and that pen is cracked. I don't know if what I did to the nib caused the crack though.
Is the twsbi diamond 580alr version a good buy?
I want to buy my first fountain pen
The TWSBI Diamond 580alr, from what I have heard, has some features that make it potentially more durable than the Eco, such as the metal components and full nib unit instead of a friction fit nib that puts pressure on the grip section. If you're looking to get your first fountain pen, I recommend checking out my recent video about the pens I recommend: ruclips.net/video/a_QyTXsnjGI/видео.html
I've never had the Kaeweco, but I agree on the Lamy. I also had one fail like the Pilot cap problem you noted. My Preppy cracked, but it writes so great I'm thinking I'll get he aluminum version and just swap the EF nib into it. My TWISBI Eco has not cracked (though I did pull it out and look!) but it is way to prone to plopping a big old drop of ink and making a mess of things for me to trust it, which is a shame, because I think it's a great pen beyond that.
I got lucky - my Lamy EF is a good writer. But I use it in a Studio, because I just don’t like the Safari’s styling. Their 1.1mm stub is nice too.
As for TWSBI, my Diamond 580 cracked in the cap. The company sent a replacement, but I’m done with them as well. As an alternative to the ECO at the same price, the Asvine P20 is a much nicer pen.
I definitely agree with the Lamy extra fine. It has its uses, for example on cardstock, but overall I will likely not buy anymore of that nib.
Thank you for your review. Different things work for different people. YMMV. I have about 40 pens, but of them all, I have one TWSBI Eco that was never out of rotation. I have 4 TWSBI Ecos -- the baby blue; the white rose gold; the indigo blue with bronze; and the creme rose gold. The baby blue's been my workhorse pen, inked and never returned in its box since I purchased it. I do have a couple of Kaweco Sports and 5 Lamy Safaris. I don't use them as much, except for the Lamy Safari Stripe Japan Limited Edition.
Nice! And yes, mileage varies widely.
My Kaweco Sport is reliable, but the fine nib is much too scratchy for me to enjoy writing with it. On the TWSBI front, I have never bought one of their more expensive pens and probably won't. What I do like is the TWSBI GO with the spring in it. I buy them in the broadest nib I can find, and at their price point, I keep them filled with inks I don't use often--my rare Iroshizuku's and such. They're great for that, and I don't have to worry about the acrylic construction, which I'd heard about from other people. Several years ago, there was a mania for giving certain pens an eyedropper fill. Two pens were primarily used--the Platinum Preppy and the Pilot Varsity. The Preppy was easier to convert, so I went with those. I bought a few, bought the o-rings and the silicone goo, and set to work. It was tedious and finicky, but I filled several. I do have to say that I have a couple of them lying around that are still working wonderfully with the remainders of their original fills. They just don't dry out. As for my Safari, I bought it when they first came out in the US, and that may be almost 30 years ago. It has a medium point. I loved it when I first filled it, and I still do.
Wow! A vintage Safari like that is a treasure!
Both TWSBI and Lamy Safari EF you are bang on!
1. Interesting to hear about the hardware problems you have had. I don't carry my pens around too much, and tend to keep them well protected. So I have hardly ever had hardware problems with my pens. I did mess up a couple of TWSBI Eco pistons when experimenting but that's my bad.
2. I have been fortunate with my Kaweco Sports- have 4 pens from F to BB nibs and they all write great.
3. My personal list of pens I will never try again:
- Diplomat Aero (2 pens, both very poor nibs. Not for me)
- Lamy Studio (don't see the value)
,- all Nahvalur pens - overhyped pens in my view. They look great but nibs are just too dry
I actually gave my Lamy Safari to my son. I bought it in fine and it wrote like butter on a hot skillet, but I hated the fact that it felt so very cheap for the price point. Also, when unscrewing the barrel, it got "stuck" for some reason and I had to twist a little harder to get the barrel to come off so I could get to the converter.
When I did that, I heard a crunch inside and wondered what happened. All I did was apply a little more pressure to twisting, but I didn't manhandle the pen or pull on it or anything. When the barrel came away, I noticed one of the "teeth" where the converter slides in, was chipped and coming apart. I had NO idea how this happened as the only thing I did was twist the barrel like normal to get the thing unscrewed.
So I basically took that one "tooth" off and it worked fine after that. But to break like that for doing something normal, no, not going to support anything Lamy after that. So, I gave it to my 9 year old son who had been eyeing my growing collection of pens. I also bought him a Wing Sung 3013 as a starter pen because they are so cheap and excellent writers.
My bad experiences have mainly been with Jinhao and Hongdian pens. Hongdian N12 recently when the finial came off and the threads seem stripped as the finial will not screw back on. I just got this pen recently and it's already broken and unusable. I will not be buying this model again, but my other Hongdian pens are working great.
Yeah, I tend to avoid cheap Chinese pens. A lot of people love them, but I have concerns. Your experience with the Safari is very strange. I've never heard of that happening! It sounds very defective. I have quite a few Lamy pens, and for all of them the place where the converter inserts into feels pretty sturdy. Still, it's a bummer that you had that experience with the Safari.
@@DowntheBreatherHole Yeah I definitely checked every facet of the pen to make sure that it was a legit Lamy and everything checked out as it being real. However, where I got it, an Asian online store, kind of like Shein, Amazon or AliExpress, sent me the Lamy with a converter but no box. When I asked him where the box was because every review about the Lamy on his store page showed customers who received a box, he said that he was "sold out." Of a box? Don't all the pens come in their own box? How can they be sold out. The second red flag had to do with the price. For one, the Safari does not come with a converter, I checked a kiosk who said that I have to buy the converter separate as it is the low end pen. And the final red flag would be the price I paid for the pen. I paid under 10 dollars for the pen with the converter. I looked at how much this pen was online and at retailers and it is about 20 bucks. BUT, that said, everything checked out. It was a legit pen. I don't understand it. I got the pen with the cardboard ring intact, the pen was just thrown in a ziploc bag with the converter and cartridge and wrapped i bubble wrap. No real care was given. Did I get an authentic Lamy? It wrote VERY well and I loved how it wrote, but I couldn't get past how cheap it felt and that broken piece almost immediately. Since I paid so little for it, I didn't want to send it back, also it had been past 7 days since I bought it and the seller would have refused. Anyways, sorry for the LOOOOOONG response, but I wanted to share my one and only experience with a Lamy pen. I also didn't like the clip. I know it's different from all other pens, but I got more a paperclip vibe than a pen clip. hahah
@@Introversitive Your experience is very strange. It could be a real Lamy, but who knows? As for the box, Safaris are often on display in brick and mortar stores without the box. Sometimes they are in a cup on a shelf with a lot of other Safaris. So that could explain why yours didn't have a box. If you want to try again, I recommend going through a reputable online retailer, such as Goulet, Goldspot, Altas Stationers, Truphae, Jet Pens, and the list goes on. There are a lot of good ones out there!
I like the holder you have your Lamy pens in. Can you share where you got that?
Yeah! It's super cool! A company sent it to me to review a while back. Here's a link: ruclips.net/video/njngPKT0InQ/видео.html
@@DowntheBreatherHole thank you, but I was actually referring to the case you showed near the end of the video at the 7:30 mark.
@@mikedpp8595 oooh my bad. That's my Kaco case. I got it off of Amazon. I have two and I love them. Here's a link to my review: ruclips.net/video/ZLtHSKGPKhQ/видео.html
@ thank you!
I love my ef safari nib. It writes very smoothly and I’ve never had a problem. Sorry to hear that you’ve had such problems with them.
Thanks! I have a hunch that they are getting better with their nibs, so maybe I will try again one of these days.
I agree with you on the Lamy extra fine. I like them but they are just a bit too scratchy.
I have forced my preppy to survive by taping the cap closed. I love them, and I'm willing to do a little work to avoid throwing them away. I hate having to throw away things, so that's just a me thing.
I'm similar. I hate throwing things away, which is why I avoid the Preppy. But good for you for patching yours up and continuing to use them! That is awesome! I threw the bodies of my Preppies away, but I kept the nibs, feeds, and grip sections. Someday I hope to figure out how to turn them into dip pens.
I’m also in Utah, so hello. I’m new to the channel. The pen that I would add also and I am sadden to say this but I must is the Conklin Old Glory limited edition. The nib is horrible. I have had to really work on the nib. Just to get the pen to write. It dries up in the middle of my time journaling. And it’s a hard start. I paid 60 dollars for it. Which is way too much for a bad experience.
I have the Kaweco Brass Pocket pen (F) and absolutely love it. But I also love my 20 dollar Sailor Fude de Mannen. Out of all my pens. Oh, and my Diplomat Aero EF nib. I bought a TWSBI eco and when I inked it it kept leaking. I took it back.
I had the same problem with the pilot explorer but the cap problem came like in just 1 month after purchase. I would love the explorer to be better and fix the cap, but the metropolitan is the one that works best for me.
The Muji is a wonderful pen but it is too small for my hand. Two TWSBi GO simply couldn't get ink flowing and the TWSBI Swipe was a favourite until the caps started cracking 😅
Oh TWSBI...durability is not their strong suit. I've heard great things about Muji though!
My favorite Lamy Safari nib is EF. It’s not scratchy if you use smooth inks like iroshizuku.
I had issues regardless of what ink I used, but I'm beginning to think that Lamy has been getting better with their nibs lately. Maybe I need to try the EF nib again.
My Kaweco works the same... i tried to tune it...but it fails.
Sorry to hear that! Did you check out my Kaweco troubleshooting video?
My Brass Sport writes instantly every time I pick it up, even after months. Love it!
That's really interesting. From the many people who I've talked to about this issue, it seems like people generally have more luck with the metal Sports than the plastic ones. I wonder if they step up the quality control for the fancy pens.
@ my theory is that the metal threads seal everything so that very little water can evaporate from the ink while it’s screwed closed.
Good video. In my case, what I can't stand about a pen is the feeling of touching the thread on the grip. I see that this doesn't bother many people, but for me it's definitive. From the list, I can't use the Kaweco Sport. I have them in a drawer so I can't see them.... The Pelikans also have this problem of sharp thread and short grip section, but they are saved because the nibs are excellent... If the grip section is short, at least the thread should be smooth!!..
I hear you on the threading. It doesn't bother me too much, but I know it bothers a lot of people, and that's valid.
Well you have to stop dropping them :) Be careful about "always" and "never" ... those words can bite. I have had nothing but great experiences with all of the pens listed but I totally get it. If you had a bad experience "once burned, twice shy". Great channel and be safe!
Thanks! You are right. Absolutes usually don't hold up.
If you want an Extra Fine on your Safari, get an LX nib! They write finer and the feed back is more pencil than scratchy. Or even a fine since it will thin the line down a bit anyways.
Yeah, I'm good with their fine nibs. They are just as fine, in some cases, as the extra fines. But the LX nib idea is interesting. I have wondered if Lamy takes greater care with the nibs on their more expensive models.
@@DowntheBreatherHole the LX have a PVD coating, which gives it that different feel. They are more but still steel so $25 vs $16. Basically the only nibs I use.
The aion nibs are smoother than the regular ones but not as fine. But if you don't mind the thicker line give them a try, still $16
I haven't tried the pens of your list aside the Lamy ones which I agree that are not that good pens but not because of their nibs. The thing that I don't like in Lamy pens is the way that the front part of these pens is made with the cut flat shape for fingers that doesn't work for me.
I also don't like these pens because they take only proprietary cartridges, only the Lamy ones that are not available everywhere. I use my fountain pens for urban sketching and it is more convenient to hold with me sealed spare cartridges instead of a bottle of ink in order to refill a converter. But the Lamy pens don't take the universal cartridges which are available filled with De Atramentins, Diamine, Kaweco, Platinum, Diplomat and other inks.
My favourite pens are the JinHao that I bought years ago along with a set of different nibs including the fude ones. I can change or replace the nibs on these pens along with their feeders and they have a very nice and balanced for the hand shape.
I was actually pretty pleasantly surprised by my first Kaweco Sport. The ink flow was constant and smooth, and the nib never scratched or failed, no matter the paper. I've been using it at work every day for at least two years now (which is why I can't be too particular about the paper quality there). The only downside is that I have to re-ink it often due to its limited capacity.
About the nib sizes: I believe German fountain pens generally are better with medium to broad nibs, while the Japanese ones have great fine to extra fine nibs.
About cracking: So far, I've never had a problem with cracking on any of my fountain pens (touch wood). That being said, while I use them regularly, carry them around in my pencil case etc., I'm careful not to be too rough with them. That falling pen at the end there was a jump scare. 😅🙈
Great list! I just started Red Rising so I am excited you have it so high. The guts to list Potter. Way to go. Potter #1, Song of Ice #2, Lotr #3. Need to get to Gwynn.
Did you mean to put this comment on my video?
Had a friend who had issues with pens drying up. Turned out his house was dry as a bone due to an environmental issue. Added a humidifier with a mild setting and problem gone.
just buy pens with screw cap, they last year+
That is very interesting!
I have had similar issues with the TWSIBI Eco, but the 580 AL Diamond has been pretty solid to date. I have a number of Lamy Safaris, ALs and LXs, and I generally use EF, F, and M nibs with no scratchiness except one. I used a brass shim to clean it up and get working smoothly. I would add the TWISBI Sharp to the list. The clip is unusable-the second week of use and it snapped, and overall the one I had did not work well at all.
The TWSBI Swipe? Yep, that clip is the worst. I actually have a video about how mine cracked. It's not a bad pen otherwise.