Welcome to Twsbi-verse. I would say the Twsbi Eco is a closer comparison to the Lamy Safari. I have Twsbi minis (one piston and one vacuum) that I use for travel. The huge ink capacity ensures that I will have more than enough for full week of writing from a single pen. The seals on the Twsbi are fantastic and there is very little evaporation from a pen that sits unused for weeks and even months, but also no leaks with pressure changes during flights or tossing about in a bag. TWSBI’s customer service is also very good. Because they encourage you to tinker with your pens it also means parts can be easily replace if damaged. I paid $5 shipping to replace the threaded section that had cracked. They responded same day. I’ve found the Twsbi nibs to be more consistent and compatible with a wider variety of inks than my Lamy’s (Al Stars for me). Both of these brands of pens are so affordable that you can buy several with multiple nib sizes. You can’t go wrong with either pen brand.
Yes, the ECOs (I have multiple basic and specialty like the rosegold versions) are $35... Similar in price to the Lamy Safari (also about $25-$30 with the ink converter).
I love how you go over all aspects of items you review & give respectful feedback. I can see the value in both items & I like that even though you prefer your original pens more, you found a way to use the new pens so you don’t waste money. Very smart!
Welcome to TWSBI world. You gave a clear, concise evaluation. Well done. The TWSBI mini was my first because that was what one of my students was using and he directed me to where he purchased it. I have Safaris, Ecos and 580s and enjoy them all. The 580s are worth the extra cost over the Ecos because of their ease of cleaning and nicer look. I use the Safaris frequently too.
I LOVE my TWSBIs. I also love my Safaris! I was glad to hear your solution for using both in different situations. Safaris are less precious, less of an ouch if they are damaged or lost during travel.
I have you to thank for introducing me to the Travelers Notebook and fountain pens. I went down the journal, stationary, and fountain pen rabbit hole last year and I have no regrets. I’ve moved on from the Lamy and TWSBI but I still will ink them up now and again (just inked one of my TWSBI ECOs).
I love how much ink the TWSBI pens store in the barrel AND how they just fit and work with their ink bottles. Cleaning and swapping out inks is super easy. Give it a moment on the nibs to soften up a little.
I have teeny tiny handwriting and the best nib I’ve ever used is from my EF platinum preppy. It’s a work horse and I’ve never had any problems with it skipping or drying out. They’re, what, 5 bucks to buy? IMO worth giving it a go for the price of a coffee (and, if you don’t like it, you can just give it away if someone shows interest in your other fountain pens).
Good choice on the ALRs! The TWSBI Diamond ALR and Safari are also my early go-to FPs for those no non-sense travels and client meetings. While the TWSBI Eco’s prone to cracking, the ALR holds up pretty well, esp paired with the ink well. I suggest to not leave ink in the inkwell as the metal rod can oxidize (my own experience) and become harder to clean after.
Would you/have you ever make a video to share more about your machinist side? As a manufacturing engineer, every time you show those mills or discuss metal fab, it makes me wanna learn more about your experience, what you make, etc!
Nice Sebenza! I have a couple of Safaris. I discovered that the triangular-shaped section is just too small for my fingers. I can use it for quick scribbling something down, but not for longer sessions. Between the 580 and the Safari, the 580 would win by default for my fingers. Enjoy your pens, I am glad that you can enjoy both.
I own both of these pens and I ultimately came to a very similar conclusion. I do have both in my regular daily rotation but when it came time to buy a pen specifically for my backpack, another Safari was an easy choice. It's insanely durable for the weight, you can just keep a couple spare cartridges with it for refills, it writes on the dryer side (especially with their own inks) so it's a safe bet with lower quality paper, and it just always works. Didn't hurt that the "strawberry" limited edition also fit my general preference to make as many of my backpack items a striking vibrant red so I'm less likely to leave it someplace on accident.
I always carry a pen and paper. Never gave it much thought about the pen, as long as I had one. I intentionally sought out a Lamy fountain pen because I thought I should? Dedicated pieces of kit v.s. that disposable and whatever is on hand approach. Im happy with the purchase. Its not changed my life, but its a little something nice and I love it.
Fountain pen afficionado here. I own both kinds of pens. The TWSBI nibs are superior to the Safari’s but the TWSBI barrels are also very brittle and easily crack when they fall. Considering how rigorous your travels and usage are, the TWSBI 580’s won’t serve your needs adequately
@@MitchellJBridges Yes. But Jowo nibs are still better than a Lamy Safari's nibs, IMO. The Lamy 2000 is, of course, another matter, as their nibs are immensely better
My first fp was a Parker Sonnet from my gramps a long time ago. These days I prefer the Sailor King of Pen. I need a fatter pen to grip. Try the Japanese brands. Kokuno by pilot, Preppy by Platinum, Lecoule by Sailor are all cheap starter pens. There's no looking back. My grail pen these days are Namiki, Nakaya.
Pilot pens and nibs are my favourites. Kakuno with the big con 70 converter and the B stub nib. I put a kaweco sport pocket clip on mine. I also use the Pilot 78g with the B nib.
been thinking about try out a fountain pin for a little will now and noticed some of your videos and they were a great help deffinatly going to try out the Lamy
Sure, I have Twisbis too (good pricepoint), but one thing to consider after a few years, the acrylic 'may' crack, and there are more parts to malfunction, more maintenance, higher price. My Twisbi cap cracked, on its own, without being dropped. I purchased another one because I love seeing the ink inside and for the capacity. But I have way more Safaris EF with the steel nibs (way, way more because of all the color choices and price). I love the grip on the Safaris and the feel of the matte finish (I never enjoy the Aluminums or the shiny plastic Lamys), and the price point, as I said. I think the way you are carrying your Twisbis on the outside of your journal could end itself to scratches, dropping, which will lead possibly to cracking in the acrylic, so it's great that you learned to leave them at home. Dropping is the thing. We all do that, even at home. The cap click on the Lamy is secure in my own use, and better than the Twisbi screw cap, imo. Also, as you pointed out for travel, with Lamy Safari you can take the cartridges easily without mess or fuss, in multiple colours as opposed to porting ink bottles. But the Twisbis do look impressive in use, which makes them fun, however, so do the Lamys look impressive, really, esp if you match the outside color with the ink, and especially when compared to any traditional pen. Overall, while I love Twisbi, and have several (more than 3), I continue to collect Lamy Safari (although I have my favourites Lamy colors always in rotation), and always will love and collect them. I've recently tried the Metropolitan too, because of price point, and honestly if you like a pen that looks traditional (metal, cigar shape) for the money, the nib is excellent, however their capacity is not that good, but they are fancy looking. : ) Fun vid. Thanks.
I had the same issue with TWSBI cracking but wanted a similar demonstrator pen. Landed on the Narvahlur Original and it hasn't failed me in almost a year of heavy use. Beautiful pen. Maybe it works for you!
Both pens are good products and offer the user a lot of pen for the price. As you said, it comes down to how the pen feels in your hand while in use, and how convenient it is to use. Another consideration is ink flow/wettness as you write with the pen. My Lamys tend to be a little “drier” and the ink bleeds through less than with my TWSBIs (but this is a combination of ink, paper and nib). The Lamy I am currently using gives me the exact feedback that I want when I write. I have both (Lamy and TWSBI) and like them both. I tend to use the Lamy more than the TWSBI, because the Lamy has a friction fit cap and is just more convenient to use. I have had my Lamy Safaris for over 10 years and they have always worked. You can also get a new nib for $14 to $16 USD, and the nib can be changed without emptying the ink. My early TWSBIs had crazing issues and eventually cracked; I sent note to TWSBI and they replaced the pen-their customer service has been great, as has my experience with Lamy. If you can help it, try not to take your pen apart too often-only when absolutely necessary because over time you can wear out the plastic parts, and you do have to make sure the piston “lead” screw is replaced correctly so it works optimally. You can save a few Lamy empty cartridges and cut off the back end and fit it to a bulb syringe, which makes it a little easier to quickly flush out your Lamy (sometimes it can be a little difficult to flush out the nib section, and this gives you better fit). Interesting video. Thanks! 🖋️✒️🖊️🔏🙂✍️
Thank you for showing us how to use the syringe to clean out a pen. I have been using LAMYs for decades, but I'm inclined to add more TWSBIs to my collection. I only have four so far!
Very well done video. Good narrative, interesting topic, objetive and descriptive. Everything I normally lack while watching videos on RUclips the last years. Keep on like this, you deserve every single like you get, specially mine. Kind regards.
Great video! I have both of these pens, and my TWSBI Eco is far smoother than my Lamy Safaris. In fact, my Safaris are the scratchiest fountain pens I own and while I like the way they look, I feel they are a bit style over substance. I also love my Kaweco Brass Sport, Hongdians and Pilot Metropolitan.
I loved my Twsbi, I had the same one in blue you showcased. Lasted me 3 years as my main grading pen as a high school teacher before it broke at the threading where the nib connects. That pen was a workhorse, but I'm currently running a lamy safari myself. We'll see how long it holds up to rigorous use!
My tip would be Kaweco. The oldest fountain pen manufacturer in Germany. Once you've written with a Kaweco, you don't want to go back. The entry-level model costs only 20 bugs.
I was so excited to watch this! You had something to do with my fountain pen journey 😉 My first ones were a TWSBI Diamond Mini and a Kaweco Sport. I still don’t own a Lamy Safari though! I have quite a collection of TWSBIs now and I am a huge fan. The Diamond 580 is one of my favourites ❤
Love this! I'm thinking of going the other way; I bought my first fountain pen last year and made it the TWSBI 580. I write with it every day and love it, buuuuut I also love the design of the Safari. I'm now on the hunt for those limited edition versions from 2021 because I love the colour of the orange one! Thanks for the video 🙏☺️
I totally swapped out my Safari for a Diamond 580 ALR; the new black variety. I needed something with greater ink capacity and a screw cap so the nib won't dry. I actually had a full Safari converter dry up on me. That turned me off. I'm a lot more happy now and don't see the need to buy any more fountain pens.
I'll be interested to hear how you get on with these. I've had a couple of bad experiences with TWSBI pens. The plastic they used was prone to cracking. Hopefully they've fixed that problem. Let's see.
I know this is about the TWSBI, but I love the base hit to home run model to gauge ideal outcomes in a spectrum. I would love to see more of how you plan and run discovery or strategy meetings
For business I use the typical Parkers, Mont Blanc, and Dupont. But for EDC for non-business I have found the Kaweco (German) pens very compact and easy in the pocket. I have both fountain and ball pens. Take a look, good luck, thanks for the great content.
Having used TWSBI for about five years now, I experienced cracking on my pen, especially at the cap where the screw thread is. While I am very careful with my pens and I never dropped them, the only possible reason for the crack is perhaps when I screw the cap back on the pen. Still, reasonably, I don't screw them down hard. Just normal force and I stop when it doesn't go any further. So yeah, this is the first thing that I am frustrating about. Another thing that frustrates me is the maintenance. I like to clean the pen thoroughly every time I finish the ink in it. When I have to take them apart, putting them back is the biggest pain in the ass, especially when you have to screw back the piston and the metal part doesn't aligned with the plastic body that well. I have to slowly find the beginning of the thread and screw it down. Any mistake will result in the metal thread damaging the thread on the plastic body. Very annoying. I think this is something to think about too. On the plus side, I do enjoy the large ink capacity which I can use it for a long time and reduce the frequency of refilling. However, I believe maintenance is still a very important part of owning a fountain pen. Therefore, I don't think I will be buying anymore TWSBI fountain pens until they have some improvements to address the problems that I faced with the pen.
Yea used mine for 3 years every day and it cracked near the nib, I sent them an email and they sent a new body, all I had to pay was shipping. 10/10 Customer Service
Pros: Huge ink capacity, nib doesn't dry out, really cool looking. Cons: twist-off cap, long-term maintenance and cleaning. Love my TWSBI 580 ALR, I have the Prussian Blue also :)
It’s definitely worth it to upgrade to a Pilot custom 912 ASAP. Cheap pens can be fun, but there is a reason that good pens cost more, and it’s definitely not just marketing.
My first fountain pen was a Safari, and then I tried a slew of others just to see what was out there but always came back to my Mint Green Safari. My last purchase was the TWSBI Diamond 580 and it has been my daily driver ever since. I’ve had no issues. I still use my beloved Safari, but just not as often.
Both the Safari and the 580ALR are excellent pens and definitely provide, in my opinion, some of the best value one can get in fountain pens. They are both great as daily drivers.
Great review! Pedantic comment about '2x delta'. 2x means two times, delta means difference. So, 2x delta is an awkward term which, if anything, means a delta of 2x (of the LAMY) which would be 30 + 60 = 90. People on videos and podcasts use 'delta' much more than necessary 😅.
Yeah, my TWSBI Eco broke after less than 6 months of use, but my Lamy Safari, I dropped off the second story balcony onto concrete and that thing is fine. I do prefer the Al-Star, though, as it has a bit more weight to it.
These TWSBI diamond pen are way too gorgeous, truly a great craftsmanship. Unfortunately too expensive for me in my country 😅. Only way to use these if these are being gifted to me.
I don’t mean to be cynical and love both pens. I’ll just say I still have every Lamy safari I’ve ever purchased, however, every Twsbi I’ve ever purchased has cracked in less than 2 years. Don’t toss you Lamy because that Twsbi will crack lol.
Yeah anything made with that clear plastic seems to break way more easily than the plastic the Safari is made of. Personally I think the Safari looks way better and I prefer cartridges over the piston design these have, I only have 1 Safari so being able to change ink colors without dumping all the ink back into the bottle is nice.
Love the TWSBIs but ever. Single. One. Has cracked on me. 540, 580, and 3 ecos. And I’m VERY careful with mine and they are always in a case. Oh. And my ink wells leak too.
I love my TWSBI ALR. Lamy safari are great, iconic, and well built. I have a few of them. But my TWSBI goes for a long, long time without refills and piston refilling the whole barrel is awesome for a workhorse. Great nib and overall great quality. I actually had a problem with one, emailed the customer service rep and had a new nib within a week.
I've been using the TWSBI 580 series pens for about 3 months and they provide such a nice writing experience. I really like how much ink the pen is able to store and how easy it is to maintain the pen.
After having started with Lamy's Al Stars, I MUCH prefer TWSBIs. They always start out-of-the-gate, which is important to me. While I have some more expensive TWSBI models, the TWSBI Swipe is my pen of preference now.
Funny enough the Diamond 580 in Prussian Blue was my first FP. I absolutely love the quality of it. It’s the pen I use with my journal. My second pen was a Lamy Safari and that’s more my daily writer. Both pens are awesome though. I know a lot of people don’t like the Lamy nibs cause they think they’re scratchy. I find the tactility of using them quite comfortable.
I've used a Diamond 580 and a classic. Both had a cracked body or cap. One day my 580 stained and I decided to just trashed it. I just gave up on Twisbi after that. My Lamy 2000 is my favorite I must say.
At the beginning of my pen journey I bought several beginner contenders, including safari and twizbi. I liked the look of the safari but it felt too light in hand, and I didn't like the narrower collar, personal preference. I used the twisbi eco for a while, and then bought a pilot custom 42, which has been one of 2 everyday pens, the other being the Jinhuo 450. The pilot is a remarkable pen for me, the jinhuo is amazing for the price but will not always write right away if it's sat for a few days. . Pens are very personal. There are no bad choices, just pens that do or don't work for you.
The cap on my lamy safari stopped clicking and was replaced under warranty. And the EF nib is like the F or even M nib from other manufacturers. And the pen is beautiful.
Beautiful looking pens. But they look a bit too beefy for me. Plus, as a lefty, fountain pens are not a good choice for lots of writing. But I love ‘em.
I personally believe TWSBI Swipe is the best option for EDC. The ECOs definitely are too brittle and always tend to Crack just in few months of use but Swipe or even Go are pretty good
I only have one fountain pen and its a charcoal lamy safari, I can see myself dropping it from a 9th floor capped and it surviving. I want to get a cursive nib eventually and maybe another AL-star or something 🤔
When I travel, it is typically by air. My TWSBI Precision’s always perform much better than Safari’s. Much higher capacity so I don’t need to take bottles of ink, and never have to worry about leaking from pressure changes, or issues with a converter.
Absolutely love my diamond ALR! I’ve got several fountain pens, but I keep buying more TWSBI’s. Vac mini, diamond ALR Prussian blue have been my favorite pens hands down. Now I’ve got the vac700R kyonite en route. I just picked up a Lamy vista (love demonstrators) and while I love how smooth it writes, the feel is going to take some getting used too. As a lefty, my grip doesn’t really fit the triangular section, but it’s a quality pen and with keeping around.
I have tried both the Safari and TWISBI ECO's and prefer the TWISBIS. They fit my small hand like a glove and feel like an extension of my fingers. For some reason, I never felt equally comfortable with the Lamy Safaris. Which are fine writing instruments. I also have a Diamond 580AL but I find it a bit on the heavy side and almost never use it. I have a very light touch. I use my TWISBI ECOs all the time. I have them in several different colors
I like the ink container on the Twsbi, it's more like how the Lamy 2000 works. But the rest of the pen, I think I'll stick with Lamy. As you say it's all personal preference. I do grip a pen tightly and the grip on the Safari just "feels right". Also I'm often not looking at the pen or paper when writing (a habit I picked up in school) and I like that confirmation I'm holding the pen correctly before it even touches the paper.
The Prussian Blue 580 ALR was my very first actual fountain pen. I had been using Chinese knockoffs for a few months beforehand to see if I liked fountain pens.
Welcome to the Twsbi-verse :D we have the same pens 😃 been using Twsbi's for years and I own Lamy's but my every day use is my Twsbi and now I am trying my first Kaweco sport, just waiting for it to ship but I been reaching a small fine nib for quick sketchnoting and lots of little drawings but I want a smaller fountain pen but not the experience and so I got my first one but that Prussian blue and I need to grip a lot more relaxed so I think it will be a better fit :)
My first fountain, 23 years ago, was a prelude sheaffer and then I bought a Lamy Safari... Over the years I bought many pens from different brands... money wasted... my favorites are still the first ones I bought.
I can’t believe all these people claim to be fountain pen users/lovers and yet nobody has informed you that you don’t have to, nor are you supposed to remove the nib and grip section when filling the pen. Putting the nib directly into the bottle allows the feed to be pre primed and ready to go instead of having to wait for the nib to fill.
He used the fancy ink bottle that was designed for the pen. Not sure about others experience but, my pilot metropolitan is kinda messy to fill that way.
The biggest difference for me was the smooth nib on the Lamy, and the pencil like nib on the TWSBI. I don't use my 580AL for this reason. The Lamy will dry out quickly, the TWSBI never seems to dry out.
I love my TWSBIs and have multiple of each style. I love my Lamy Studio as it is a very smooth writer but my experience with the Safaris was not the best. They may hold up to travel better but I like a bit more aesthetics as well. I have a travel Classic TWSBI that I use in my backpack and I will use it after three months of not touching it and it ALWAYS works perfectly without priming. My everyday pen is a TWSBI Eco or ALR but sometimes use other brands like Esterbrook - I switch each week. I am considering getting a new Lamy Safari with the new colors, though.
Great video! Wish I had the same luck with Lamys, they haven't been bad but being a lefty, even with the LH nib hasn't been the best for me. Have you tried a Kaweco though? Works great for me with how smooth it is and compact for travel.
I've used the Safari, but never owned one. Good choice keeping them for your travel pens because the plastic used in the TWSBI is nowhere near as durable as that used in the Safari. The TWSBI is a nicer pen, for sure, but not one that will last super long. Two pens I refuse to recommend to new fountain-pen users are the Platinum Preppy and anything by TWSBI. Neither stand up to time and use very well. The TWSBI 50 bottle, however, is amazing! But it's glass, not plastic.
If you are prone to misplacing pens or beating the crap out of them, then the Safaris are perfect. If you lose or wreck one (if that is even possible), you will have no regrets and might actually enjoy picking a new vibrant colour. If you wreck or lose a TWSBI, you will simply feel sad and remorseful… missing it every day.
Great video, funny your safari video convinced be to buy a safari, and i just bought a twsbi eco without seeing this video haha! I was searching for a next good second FP. Almost got a noodlers ahab but didnt due to reviews about smell.... anyway thabks for the video.
Must have been so fun buying your TWSBI pens in Taiwan. I enjoy pocket fountain pens and stub nibs, so imagine my delight at discovering that I could get both in the same package without having to swap nibs. Have had a TWSBI mini AL and a TWSBI Mini Vac for about five years (the same as another commenter). Seeing how you appear to rely on your Safari snap cap with your pen holder, I wonder if the threaded cap on your TWSBI pens will eventually become tiresome when you want to quickly deploy a pen. Funny coincidence, but today I ordered my first Lamy AL-Star and a Lamy Lx.
Yes! I have a Lamy Vista and that is the pen I take to work. I love it. And the clip doubles as a built in pen stand! At home I have two TWSBI's, the Eco in Saffron I think it's called. It's orange. And I have a Vac700 R with a broad nib. Few things beat the TWSBI on their ability to write after having not used them for some time. My only problem with the Lamy is the grip section. It's a bit too small for my hand and I find myself having to adjust it each time I use it. And the converter size. TWSBI's will spoil you on ink capacity. Especially the Vac700! Instead of oil tanker, I call it my ink tanker. lol
Welcome to Twsbi-verse. I would say the Twsbi Eco is a closer comparison to the Lamy Safari. I have Twsbi minis (one piston and one vacuum) that I use for travel. The huge ink capacity ensures that I will have more than enough for full week of writing from a single pen. The seals on the Twsbi are fantastic and there is very little evaporation from a pen that sits unused for weeks and even months, but also no leaks with pressure changes during flights or tossing about in a bag.
TWSBI’s customer service is also very good. Because they encourage you to tinker with your pens it also means parts can be easily replace if damaged. I paid $5 shipping to replace the threaded section that had cracked. They responded same day.
I’ve found the Twsbi nibs to be more consistent and compatible with a wider variety of inks than my Lamy’s (Al Stars for me). Both of these brands of pens are so affordable that you can buy several with multiple nib sizes. You can’t go wrong with either pen brand.
@@CinkSVideo TWSBI pens are trash. Jinhao is better.
Ok.... i prefer Lamy Safari..
Yes, the ECOs (I have multiple basic and specialty like the rosegold versions) are $35... Similar in price to the Lamy Safari (also about $25-$30 with the ink converter).
@@MitchellJBridges This is a very hot take. Jinhao in my experience has little to no QC or nib consistency, and I use a Jinhao fairly often
Agreed, everything I'd say about twisby. It's way safer and more reliable writer than Safari I always hated safaris being so dry and cheap feeling.
I love how you go over all aspects of items you review & give respectful feedback. I can see the value in both items & I like that even though you prefer your original pens more, you found a way to use the new pens so you don’t waste money. Very smart!
Welcome to TWSBI world. You gave a clear, concise evaluation. Well done. The TWSBI mini was my first because that was what one of my students was using and he directed me to where he purchased it. I have Safaris, Ecos and 580s and enjoy them all. The 580s are worth the extra cost over the Ecos because of their ease of cleaning and nicer look. I use the Safaris frequently too.
Oh, and try turning your nib parallel with the paper. It will smooth out. Their nibs are fantastic.
I LOVE my TWSBIs. I also love my Safaris! I was glad to hear your solution for using both in different situations. Safaris are less precious, less of an ouch if they are damaged or lost during travel.
I have you to thank for introducing me to the Travelers Notebook and fountain pens. I went down the journal, stationary, and fountain pen rabbit hole last year and I have no regrets. I’ve moved on from the Lamy and TWSBI but I still will ink them up now and again (just inked one of my TWSBI ECOs).
Just ordered a TWSBI 580ALR in a 1.1 stub to accompany my two Lamy Safaris. This channel is a bad influence haha
I love how much ink the TWSBI pens store in the barrel AND how they just fit and work with their ink bottles. Cleaning and swapping out inks is super easy. Give it a moment on the nibs to soften up a little.
I have teeny tiny handwriting and the best nib I’ve ever used is from my EF platinum preppy.
It’s a work horse and I’ve never had any problems with it skipping or drying out.
They’re, what, 5 bucks to buy? IMO worth giving it a go for the price of a coffee (and, if you don’t like it, you can just give it away if someone shows interest in your other fountain pens).
My Preppy writes better than my Pilot Vanishing Point!
Good choice on the ALRs!
The TWSBI Diamond ALR and Safari are also my early go-to FPs for those no non-sense travels and client meetings.
While the TWSBI Eco’s prone to cracking, the ALR holds up pretty well, esp paired with the ink well.
I suggest to not leave ink in the inkwell as the metal rod can oxidize (my own experience) and become harder to clean after.
Would you/have you ever make a video to share more about your machinist side? As a manufacturing engineer, every time you show those mills or discuss metal fab, it makes me wanna learn more about your experience, what you make, etc!
Nice Sebenza! I have a couple of Safaris. I discovered that the triangular-shaped section is just too small for my fingers. I can use it for quick scribbling something down, but not for longer sessions. Between the 580 and the Safari, the 580 would win by default for my fingers. Enjoy your pens, I am glad that you can enjoy both.
I own both of these pens and I ultimately came to a very similar conclusion. I do have both in my regular daily rotation but when it came time to buy a pen specifically for my backpack, another Safari was an easy choice. It's insanely durable for the weight, you can just keep a couple spare cartridges with it for refills, it writes on the dryer side (especially with their own inks) so it's a safe bet with lower quality paper, and it just always works. Didn't hurt that the "strawberry" limited edition also fit my general preference to make as many of my backpack items a striking vibrant red so I'm less likely to leave it someplace on accident.
I always carry a pen and paper. Never gave it much thought about the pen, as long as I had one. I intentionally sought out a Lamy fountain pen because I thought I should? Dedicated pieces of kit v.s. that disposable and whatever is on hand approach.
Im happy with the purchase. Its not changed my life, but its a little something nice and I love it.
One of the best pen reviews I have seem in some time!
Fountain pen afficionado here. I own both kinds of pens. The TWSBI nibs are superior to the Safari’s but the TWSBI barrels are also very brittle and easily crack when they fall. Considering how rigorous your travels and usage are, the TWSBI 580’s won’t serve your needs adequately
TWSBI pens just use Jowo nibs. Nothing special. Parker makes the best nibs as far I've seen.
@@MitchellJBridges Yes. But Jowo nibs are still better than a Lamy Safari's nibs, IMO. The Lamy 2000 is, of course, another matter, as their nibs are immensely better
@@MitchellJBridges parker? I had a really bad experience with them
My first fp was a Parker Sonnet from my gramps a long time ago. These days I prefer the Sailor King of Pen. I need a fatter pen to grip. Try the Japanese brands. Kokuno by pilot, Preppy by Platinum, Lecoule by Sailor are all cheap starter pens. There's no looking back. My grail pen these days are Namiki, Nakaya.
Pilot pens and nibs are my favourites. Kakuno with the big con 70 converter and the B stub nib. I put a kaweco sport pocket clip on mine.
I also use the Pilot 78g with the B nib.
been thinking about try out a fountain pin for a little will now and noticed some of your videos and they were a great help deffinatly going to try out the Lamy
Sure, I have Twisbis too (good pricepoint), but one thing to consider after a few years, the acrylic 'may' crack, and there are more parts to malfunction, more maintenance, higher price. My Twisbi cap cracked, on its own, without being dropped. I purchased another one because I love seeing the ink inside and for the capacity. But I have way more Safaris EF with the steel nibs (way, way more because of all the color choices and price). I love the grip on the Safaris and the feel of the matte finish (I never enjoy the Aluminums or the shiny plastic Lamys), and the price point, as I said. I think the way you are carrying your Twisbis on the outside of your journal could end itself to scratches, dropping, which will lead possibly to cracking in the acrylic, so it's great that you learned to leave them at home. Dropping is the thing. We all do that, even at home. The cap click on the Lamy is secure in my own use, and better than the Twisbi screw cap, imo. Also, as you pointed out for travel, with Lamy Safari you can take the cartridges easily without mess or fuss, in multiple colours as opposed to porting ink bottles. But the Twisbis do look impressive in use, which makes them fun, however, so do the Lamys look impressive, really, esp if you match the outside color with the ink, and especially when compared to any traditional pen. Overall, while I love Twisbi, and have several (more than 3), I continue to collect Lamy Safari (although I have my favourites Lamy colors always in rotation), and always will love and collect them. I've recently tried the Metropolitan too, because of price point, and honestly if you like a pen that looks traditional (metal, cigar shape) for the money, the nib is excellent, however their capacity is not that good, but they are fancy looking. : ) Fun vid. Thanks.
I had the same issue with TWSBI cracking but wanted a similar demonstrator pen. Landed on the Narvahlur Original and it hasn't failed me in almost a year of heavy use. Beautiful pen. Maybe it works for you!
Both pens are good products and offer the user a lot of pen for the price. As you said, it comes down to how the pen feels in your hand while in use, and how convenient it is to use. Another consideration is ink flow/wettness as you write with the pen. My Lamys tend to be a little “drier” and the ink bleeds through less than with my TWSBIs (but this is a combination of ink, paper and nib). The Lamy I am currently using gives me the exact feedback that I want when I write. I have both (Lamy and TWSBI) and like them both. I tend to use the Lamy more than the TWSBI, because the Lamy has a friction fit cap and is just more convenient to use. I have had my Lamy Safaris for over 10 years and they have always worked. You can also get a new nib for $14 to $16 USD, and the nib can be changed without emptying the ink. My early TWSBIs had crazing issues and eventually cracked; I sent note to TWSBI and they replaced the pen-their customer service has been great, as has my experience with Lamy. If you can help it, try not to take your pen apart too often-only when absolutely necessary because over time you can wear out the plastic parts, and you do have to make sure the piston “lead” screw is replaced correctly so it works optimally. You can save a few Lamy empty cartridges and cut off the back end and fit it to a bulb syringe, which makes it a little easier to quickly flush out your Lamy (sometimes it can be a little difficult to flush out the nib section, and this gives you better fit). Interesting video. Thanks! 🖋️✒️🖊️🔏🙂✍️
Thank you for showing us how to use the syringe to clean out a pen. I have been using LAMYs for decades, but I'm inclined to add more TWSBIs to my collection. I only have four so far!
Very well done video. Good narrative, interesting topic, objetive and descriptive. Everything I normally lack while watching videos on RUclips the last years. Keep on like this, you deserve every single like you get, specially mine. Kind regards.
Great video! I have both of these pens, and my TWSBI Eco is far smoother than my Lamy Safaris. In fact, my Safaris are the scratchiest fountain pens I own and while I like the way they look, I feel they are a bit style over substance. I also love my Kaweco Brass Sport, Hongdians and Pilot Metropolitan.
I loved my Twsbi, I had the same one in blue you showcased. Lasted me 3 years as my main grading pen as a high school teacher before it broke at the threading where the nib connects. That pen was a workhorse, but I'm currently running a lamy safari myself. We'll see how long it holds up to rigorous use!
My tip would be Kaweco. The oldest fountain pen manufacturer in Germany. Once you've written with a Kaweco, you don't want to go back. The entry-level model costs only 20 bugs.
I was so excited to watch this! You had something to do with my fountain pen journey 😉 My first ones were a TWSBI Diamond Mini and a Kaweco Sport. I still don’t own a Lamy Safari though! I have quite a collection of TWSBIs now and I am a huge fan. The Diamond 580 is one of my favourites ❤
Love this! I'm thinking of going the other way; I bought my first fountain pen last year and made it the TWSBI 580. I write with it every day and love it, buuuuut I also love the design of the Safari. I'm now on the hunt for those limited edition versions from 2021 because I love the colour of the orange one! Thanks for the video 🙏☺️
I totally swapped out my Safari for a Diamond 580 ALR; the new black variety. I needed something with greater ink capacity and a screw cap so the nib won't dry. I actually had a full Safari converter dry up on me. That turned me off. I'm a lot more happy now and don't see the need to buy any more fountain pens.
I'll be interested to hear how you get on with these. I've had a couple of bad experiences with TWSBI pens. The plastic they used was prone to cracking. Hopefully they've fixed that problem. Let's see.
I’m harto the SF Pen Show in August and a Twisbi is definitely on my list.
I know this is about the TWSBI, but I love the base hit to home run model to gauge ideal outcomes in a spectrum. I would love to see more of how you plan and run discovery or strategy meetings
For business I use the typical Parkers, Mont Blanc, and Dupont. But for EDC for non-business I have found the Kaweco (German) pens very compact and easy in the pocket. I have both fountain and ball pens. Take a look, good luck, thanks for the great content.
I’ve been wanting the toyama teal kaweco for a while now 😭
Having used TWSBI for about five years now, I experienced cracking on my pen, especially at the cap where the screw thread is. While I am very careful with my pens and I never dropped them, the only possible reason for the crack is perhaps when I screw the cap back on the pen. Still, reasonably, I don't screw them down hard. Just normal force and I stop when it doesn't go any further. So yeah, this is the first thing that I am frustrating about.
Another thing that frustrates me is the maintenance. I like to clean the pen thoroughly every time I finish the ink in it. When I have to take them apart, putting them back is the biggest pain in the ass, especially when you have to screw back the piston and the metal part doesn't aligned with the plastic body that well. I have to slowly find the beginning of the thread and screw it down. Any mistake will result in the metal thread damaging the thread on the plastic body. Very annoying. I think this is something to think about too.
On the plus side, I do enjoy the large ink capacity which I can use it for a long time and reduce the frequency of refilling.
However, I believe maintenance is still a very important part of owning a fountain pen. Therefore, I don't think I will be buying anymore TWSBI fountain pens until they have some improvements to address the problems that I faced with the pen.
Yea used mine for 3 years every day and it cracked near the nib, I sent them an email and they sent a new body, all I had to pay was shipping. 10/10 Customer Service
Pros: Huge ink capacity, nib doesn't dry out, really cool looking. Cons: twist-off cap, long-term maintenance and cleaning. Love my TWSBI 580 ALR, I have the Prussian Blue also :)
glad to see you using TWSBI now!! one of my favorite brands!
It’s definitely worth it to upgrade to a Pilot custom 912 ASAP. Cheap pens can be fun, but there is a reason that good pens cost more, and it’s definitely not just marketing.
Yassss! You’ll see that the TWSBIs are simply the best fountain pen for the price point! I love my mini diamond , it works beautifully!
I have been using my Lamy pens for years. They are my work and personal use favorites.
My first fountain pen was a Safari, and then I tried a slew of others just to see what was out there but always came back to my Mint Green Safari. My last purchase was the TWSBI Diamond 580 and it has been my daily driver ever since. I’ve had no issues. I still use my beloved Safari, but just not as often.
I think the Lamy Safari and the TWSBI pens are essential for every fountain pen collection. ❤
I have several (over 20) TWSBI pens and I absolutely love them.
Both the Safari and the 580ALR are excellent pens and definitely provide, in my opinion, some of the best value one can get in fountain pens. They are both great as daily drivers.
Great video, I’ve been using both the Lamy Safari and the Twsbi Eco for over 5 years. They are both great fountain pens with their own merits.
Those new pens are indeed lovely, but...the Lamys are superb with your TN, and did actually encourage me to get my own two aswell :)
Great review! Pedantic comment about '2x delta'. 2x means two times, delta means difference.
So, 2x delta is an awkward term which, if anything, means a delta of 2x (of the LAMY) which would be 30 + 60 = 90.
People on videos and podcasts use 'delta' much more than necessary 😅.
Yeah, my TWSBI Eco broke after less than 6 months of use, but my Lamy Safari, I dropped off the second story balcony onto concrete and that thing is fine. I do prefer the Al-Star, though, as it has a bit more weight to it.
That dual holder for Safari is something I'd love to have, quite hard to find here in Germany.
Where can you find that double pen holder? I couldn't find it on Amazon, would you have the link? Thank you
@@pcarmonac I still couldn't find it.
These TWSBI diamond pen are way too gorgeous, truly a great craftsmanship. Unfortunately too expensive for me in my country 😅. Only way to use these if these are being gifted to me.
I don’t mean to be cynical and love both pens. I’ll just say I still have every Lamy safari I’ve ever purchased, however, every Twsbi I’ve ever purchased has cracked in less than 2 years. Don’t toss you Lamy because that Twsbi will crack lol.
Yeah anything made with that clear plastic seems to break way more easily than the plastic the Safari is made of. Personally I think the Safari looks way better and I prefer cartridges over the piston design these have, I only have 1 Safari so being able to change ink colors without dumping all the ink back into the bottle is nice.
Love the TWSBIs but ever. Single. One. Has cracked on me. 540, 580, and 3 ecos. And I’m VERY careful with mine and they are always in a case. Oh. And my ink wells leak too.
Excellent presentation. I agree with “yes and no” enjoying both pen types. Thanks.
I will ship you the two I bought. Cleaned and cleaned and they always have a dry start. I hope you have better luck!
I love my TWSBI ALR. Lamy safari are great, iconic, and well built. I have a few of them. But my TWSBI goes for a long, long time without refills and piston refilling the whole barrel is awesome for a workhorse. Great nib and overall great quality. I actually had a problem with one, emailed the customer service rep and had a new nib within a week.
Can't go wrong with Twsbi pens, they hold lots of ink for copious writing. They're amazing. Welcome to the Twsbi side. 🖋️
I've been using the TWSBI 580 series pens for about 3 months and they provide such a nice writing experience. I really like how much ink the pen is able to store and how easy it is to maintain the pen.
2:50 LOLLLLLL 🤣 came here to hate on switching from LAMY, they're just so dang good... but that refilling & ink chamber 😱
Given they are prone to cracking issues, I wouldn't edc a twsbi. Specially "out in the open" like the safaris.
After having started with Lamy's Al Stars, I MUCH prefer TWSBIs. They always start out-of-the-gate, which is important to me. While I have some more expensive TWSBI models, the TWSBI Swipe is my pen of preference now.
God damn how did I get on fancy pen RUclips and why can't I stop watching.... Do I need fancy pens????
Funny enough the Diamond 580 in Prussian Blue was my first FP. I absolutely love the quality of it. It’s the pen I use with my journal. My second pen was a Lamy Safari and that’s more my daily writer. Both pens are awesome though. I know a lot of people don’t like the Lamy nibs cause they think they’re scratchy. I find the tactility of using them quite comfortable.
I've used a Diamond 580 and a classic. Both had a cracked body or cap. One day my 580 stained and I decided to just trashed it. I just gave up on Twisbi after that. My Lamy 2000 is my favorite I must say.
TWSBI pens are nice, but they are delicate compared to the Safari. Both of my TWSBI Ecos are cracked. Meanwhile, all of my Lamy pens are going strong.
At the beginning of my pen journey I bought several beginner contenders, including safari and twizbi. I liked the look of the safari but it felt too light in hand, and I didn't like the narrower collar, personal preference. I used the twisbi eco for a while, and then bought a pilot custom 42, which has been one of 2 everyday pens, the other being the Jinhuo 450. The pilot is a remarkable pen for me, the jinhuo is amazing for the price but will not always write right away if it's sat for a few days. . Pens are very personal. There are no bad choices, just pens that do or don't work for you.
The cap on my lamy safari stopped clicking and was replaced under warranty. And the EF nib is like the F or even M nib from other manufacturers. And the pen is beautiful.
Beautiful looking pens. But they look a bit too beefy for me. Plus, as a lefty, fountain pens are not a good choice for lots of writing. But I love ‘em.
My Twsbis cracked after a few months. My Lamys still going stong years later with no problems.
Lamys are like the tanks of fountain pens. 🤣
I personally believe TWSBI Swipe is the best option for EDC. The ECOs definitely are too brittle and always tend to Crack just in few months of use but Swipe or even Go are pretty good
I only have one fountain pen and its a charcoal lamy safari, I can see myself dropping it from a 9th floor capped and it surviving. I want to get a cursive nib eventually and maybe another AL-star or something 🤔
My kakuno are immortal
Both of my TWSBIs cracked. LAMYs still going strong.
...And so it begins... Soon he'll have 200 different fountain pens and make videos about how he rotates them in use. 🤗
When I travel, it is typically by air.
My TWSBI Precision’s always perform much better than Safari’s.
Much higher capacity so I don’t need to take bottles of ink, and never have to worry about leaking from pressure changes, or issues with a converter.
Absolutely love my diamond ALR! I’ve got several fountain pens, but I keep buying more TWSBI’s. Vac mini, diamond ALR Prussian blue have been my favorite pens hands down. Now I’ve got the vac700R kyonite en route. I just picked up a Lamy vista (love demonstrators) and while I love how smooth it writes, the feel is going to take some getting used too. As a lefty, my grip doesn’t really fit the triangular section, but it’s a quality pen and with keeping around.
I have tried both the Safari and TWISBI ECO's and prefer the TWISBIS. They fit my small hand like a glove and feel like an extension of my fingers. For some reason, I never felt equally comfortable with the Lamy Safaris. Which are fine writing instruments. I also have a Diamond 580AL but I find it a bit on the heavy side and almost never use it. I have a very light touch. I use my TWISBI ECOs all the time. I have them in several different colors
Nice, 7:28 what’s the green pouch any link please ?
I like the ink container on the Twsbi, it's more like how the Lamy 2000 works. But the rest of the pen, I think I'll stick with Lamy. As you say it's all personal preference. I do grip a pen tightly and the grip on the Safari just "feels right". Also I'm often not looking at the pen or paper when writing (a habit I picked up in school) and I like that confirmation I'm holding the pen correctly before it even touches the paper.
Loved this video Maurice. I’ve never tried one so will keep an eye out for one. I’m a big fan of Lamy Safari for the money. 💪🏼
The Prussian Blue 580 ALR was my very first actual fountain pen. I had been using Chinese knockoffs for a few months beforehand to see if I liked fountain pens.
I totally agree. Both are great pens on their own.
Welcome to the Twsbi-verse :D we have the same pens 😃 been using Twsbi's for years and I own Lamy's but my every day use is my Twsbi and now I am trying my first Kaweco sport, just waiting for it to ship but I been reaching a small fine nib for quick sketchnoting and lots of little drawings but I want a smaller fountain pen but not the experience and so I got my first one but that Prussian blue and I need to grip a lot more relaxed so I think it will be a better fit :)
My first fountain, 23 years ago, was a prelude sheaffer and then I bought a Lamy Safari... Over the years I bought many pens from different brands... money wasted... my favorites are still the first ones I bought.
I can’t believe all these people claim to be fountain pen users/lovers and yet nobody has informed you that you don’t have to, nor are you supposed to remove the nib and grip section when filling the pen. Putting the nib directly into the bottle allows the feed to be pre primed and ready to go instead of having to wait for the nib to fill.
He used the fancy ink bottle that was designed for the pen. Not sure about others experience but, my pilot metropolitan is kinda messy to fill that way.
May I ask where you bought the pen holder the Safaris are in? Looks like just what I need! Excellent video!
The Superior Labor, Japan
Hi, I’m wandering where I can get the pen clip you’re using that holds onto the notebook.
Loved the video!
Great review of TWSBI. Subscribed.
The biggest difference for me was the smooth nib on the Lamy, and the pencil like nib on the TWSBI. I don't use my 580AL for this reason. The Lamy will dry out quickly, the TWSBI never seems to dry out.
Really fantastic video! Btw, what's the name/brand of that beautiful 2-pen leather case that you attach to your notebook? Thanks in advance!
Thank you Maurice, I have now so much EDC that I can open a shop.
I love my TWSBIs and have multiple of each style. I love my Lamy Studio as it is a very smooth writer but my experience with the Safaris was not the best. They may hold up to travel better but I like a bit more aesthetics as well. I have a travel Classic TWSBI that I use in my backpack and I will use it after three months of not touching it and it ALWAYS works perfectly without priming. My everyday pen is a TWSBI Eco or ALR but sometimes use other brands like Esterbrook - I switch each week. I am considering getting a new Lamy Safari with the new colors, though.
My 580 ALR Prussian Blue is my favorite pen!
Good choices with the TWSBI.
I prefer them to my Lamy Safari. I also love the large ink capacity
Great video! Wish I had the same luck with Lamys, they haven't been bad but being a lefty, even with the LH nib hasn't been the best for me. Have you tried a Kaweco though? Works great for me with how smooth it is and compact for travel.
I've used the Safari, but never owned one. Good choice keeping them for your travel pens because the plastic used in the TWSBI is nowhere near as durable as that used in the Safari. The TWSBI is a nicer pen, for sure, but not one that will last super long. Two pens I refuse to recommend to new fountain-pen users are the Platinum Preppy and anything by TWSBI. Neither stand up to time and use very well. The TWSBI 50 bottle, however, is amazing! But it's glass, not plastic.
Stick with Lamy. Much more durable, stylish and better nib in my view.
The TWSBI pens are great. I have 10 and use them with different colors in office or home. I don’t carry in a plane for travel.
I’ve had constant issues with my twisbi and went back to the simple Lamy Safari.
I haven't had any problems with either of them. But I like the piston fill, so I just bought 4 more TWSBI Eco's. I gave my Lamy's to my grandbabies.
My favorite pen of many is my TWISBI Diamond Mini.
If you are prone to misplacing pens or beating the crap out of them, then the Safaris are perfect. If you lose or wreck one (if that is even possible), you will have no regrets and might actually enjoy picking a new vibrant colour. If you wreck or lose a TWSBI, you will simply feel sad and remorseful… missing it every day.
Those are the OG colors of Safari from as far back as I can remember these, sometime in the late 1980s or 1990s IIRC.
Like seeing you branch out to new products. TWSBIs are a nice premium addition to your EDC. Taiwanese products FTW!
Great video, funny your safari video convinced be to buy a safari, and i just bought a twsbi eco without seeing this video haha! I was searching for a next good second FP. Almost got a noodlers ahab but didnt due to reviews about smell.... anyway thabks for the video.
I love my TWSBIs! Hope you enjoy them! (I’ve also had no issues with them leaking while traveling and I fly for a living) 🖊️
Have fun with cracking and parts breaking off.
@@MitchellJBridges had them for over five years with no issues. Thanks for being negative
Must have been so fun buying your TWSBI pens in Taiwan. I enjoy pocket fountain pens and stub nibs, so imagine my delight at discovering that I could get both in the same package without having to swap nibs. Have had a TWSBI mini AL and a TWSBI Mini Vac for about five years (the same as another commenter). Seeing how you appear to rely on your Safari snap cap with your pen holder, I wonder if the threaded cap on your TWSBI pens will eventually become tiresome when you want to quickly deploy a pen. Funny coincidence, but today I ordered my first Lamy AL-Star and a Lamy Lx.
One key difference is lamy don’t need to twist to open. You just get that satisfying click and off you go
Yes! I have a Lamy Vista and that is the pen I take to work. I love it. And the clip doubles as a built in pen stand! At home I have two TWSBI's, the Eco in Saffron I think it's called. It's orange. And I have a Vac700 R with a broad nib. Few things beat the TWSBI on their ability to write after having not used them for some time. My only problem with the Lamy is the grip section. It's a bit too small for my hand and I find myself having to adjust it each time I use it. And the converter size. TWSBI's will spoil you on ink capacity. Especially the Vac700! Instead of oil tanker, I call it my ink tanker. lol