Twsbi questions.

[kxthor]

Hey guys, you all know I just got my first fountain pen. So now here comes a couple of questions. I ended up getting the eco model.

Im really liking the pen so far. But sooner or later I'm going to want to try a stub or different type of nib. Since I have the eco should I just get another eco? I'm not going to be really saving any money if I buy something like a 580 and then the nibs are around $20 a piece for them.

The other question is how often should I make sure I use the pens? Once a week? Once a month? If I have get a couple of different twsbi pens I don't want them to dry out. I would eventually like to try an italic and a stub though.

I want to try a few styles before getting into the expensive pens.

 

[Traveling Man]

I will say use your pen every day for a variety of reasons - relaxation, reflection, practice, entertainment, least of all, you don't want a hard-starting pen from non-use.

Boats are made to sail, not sit at the dock. Cars are made to drive, not be parked in the garage. Hammers are made to drive nails, not hang on a peg. Pens are made to write; let what's in your brain bleed beautifully on the page.

 

[Komboloi]

@kxthor might be asking how long he can safely let a TWSBI Eco sit before it dries out. If so, I'm not sure what the answer is, but others might. I live in an arid climate, so I only ink pens that I'll use in the next few days. And the time-before-problem varies from pen to pen because of the various cap seals. I don't know what TWSBI Eco's are capable of in terms of sitting capped.

Stub nibs: An inexpensive option right now is the Pilot Metropolitan available in a 1.0 stub. $15 for a pretty good pen IMO.

 

[Vacumatic]

I bought the Eco stub first and then bought an Eco with the medium.

I would suggest rather than leave the pink inked, if it is going to be a few days then empty the pen and refill when you want to use it again, only takes a moment.

 

[Dog Whiskerer]

But sooner or later I'm going to want to try a stub or different type of nib. Since I have the eco should I just get another eco?

I think a #5 Knox replacement nib will fix on a Eco.

 

[Runnin_Ute]

I have an Eco in the 1.1 stub. Currently it is inked, but I haven't used it in several days. I think I have gone 2-5 days without any use at all without hard starting. I do live in a semi - arid climate (northern Utah/Wasatch Front) as well. The ink came to me as a pre - production ink as a powder. This particular ink never made it to production. I added enough distilled water to make 62.5 ml of ink. Works out to about a 6.6% concentration (50 ml = 8%)

If you like the Eco get another. I like it but prefer my 580. Of course the custom nib has a little something to do with it.

But really if you are going to not use the pen for more than a few days at least some then leave it uninked. (like I take my own advice - I have about 12 pens inked currently)

 

[danek]

So, as I understand it, the Eco is your only fountain pen? Given that, my opinion is to get a completely different pen for a completely new experience. I would, however, suggest a pen that you can swab nibs for variety.

#6 is a readily available size of stand-alone nibs for replacement. So, if you have a pen that accepts that size, and friction-fit nib/feed units, then it'd be simple to swap nibs. Also, most Lamy pens use the same, easily removable nib, so you could go that route.

I would suggest that you shop for another pen; find one that you really like, with swappable nibs as a strong consideration. I enjoy using a stub occasionally for general correspondence, but because of their pickier sweet spot, I find myself reaching for a conventional, round nib 90% of the time.

 

[Alejandro Salemandro]

I have a twsbi mini vacation.

I have left it inked for months without any issue, in my desk without issue. I forgot it was there!

Not sure what you're worried about, but don't!

 

[kxthor]

Thanks for the input guys.

Is there a difference between the size nibs for the different pens? Like the 580? The nib looks bigger than the eco. Does that make it write better?

 

[kxthor]

So, as I understand it, the Eco is your only fountain pen? Given that, my opinion is to get a completely different pen for a completely new experience. I would, however, suggest a pen that you can swab nibs for variety.

#6 is a readily available size of stand-alone nibs for replacement. So, if you have a pen that accepts that size, and friction-fit nib/feed units, then it'd be simple to swap nibs. Also, most Lamy pens use the same, easily removable nib, so you could go that route.

I would suggest that you shop for another pen; find one that you really like, with swappable nibs as a strong consideration. I enjoy using a stub occasionally for general correspondence, but because of their pickier sweet spot, I find myself reaching for a conventional, round nib 90% of the time.

I was curious about this as well. If I would or wouldn't use the stub because they grab more.

 

[kxthor]

I have a twsbi mini vacation.

I have left it inked for months without any issue, in my desk without issue. I forgot it was there!

Not sure what you're worried about, but don't!

I wonder if it matters what type of ink that you use when you leave them for months.

 

[Alejandro Salemandro]

I wonder if it matters what type of ink that you use when you leave them for months.

Could be. Mine have been Diamine Oxblood, j herbin of various colors, lamy blues, and skrip.

Sent from my SAMSUNG-SM-G891A using Tapatalk

 

[danek]

Thanks for the input guys.

Is there a difference between the size nibs for the different pens? Like the 580? The nib looks bigger than the eco. Does that make it write better?

I can't note any discernible writing differences across varying nib sizes. The 580 uses a size 5 and the Eco uses a size 4. I doubt you'd notice a difference in how they write because of the size. The grind, the feed: these you will note the difference. The only thing I note about varying nib sizes is how far your grip is from the writing point and the sensation of staring at a larger or smaller point from which the ink hits the paper.

I actually prefer a smaller nib size (4 or 5) because I feel like I have better control. Having said that, however, my favorite pen uses a size 6. Any larger than that, and it feels oddly uncomfortable.

 

[nortac]

I second getting another pen that accepts easily swapped #6 nibs. Nothing against TWISBI (I have three), but I really like the Nemosine Singularity for swapping nibs. Nemosine makes different sized stub nibs as does Knoxx, both relatively inexpensive. Jinhoa X 750 is an inexpensive pen for swapping #6 nibs in, but may take a bit more fiddling to make it work right, QC is inconsistent, but I have been able to make mine write OK.