Moving up; Suggestions?

[red zeppelin]

Good morning everyone,
I have been using a TWSBI Eco for about a year now, since they were first released. It's my main, daily pen and I like a lot of things about it - the size, the price, its a demonstrator, and piston fed. I have noticed a couple of times though, the nib seems to 'slip' and get loose in the feed. I can't see this until the pen spews ink on my page, or my hand, or the cap starts to fill with ink. Now, since its a daily driver, it probably suffers more abuse than many pens, but that being said I try to be pretty careful with it so I am not sure what would cause this. Its fixable by pushing the nib back in, but when disaster strikes with this, its pretty bad.

I am thinking about moving up into a better pen since I do use them every day. I have looked at the Pelikan M204 and M400 (not sure what the differences are), but have just begun looking. Based on the requirements above, and trying to stay sub-$200, what would you suggest? I am alright with buying used via the web if need be. Thanks in advance.

 

[dws]

A refurbished Vac

 

[Rhody]

Take a look at Franklin - Christoph

 

[red zeppelin]

A refurbished Vac

is that the parker vacumatic (sp)?

 

[dws]

is that the parker vacumatic (sp)?

It is. Love mine. Mine was a gift by the original owner. Never refurbished, 68 years old, works like a dream. Easily found in and under your budget. Just a suggestion. There will be more, I'm sure.

 

[red zeppelin]

It is. Love mine. Mine was a gift by the original owner. Never refurbished, 68 years old, works like a dream. Easily found in and under your budget. Just a suggestion. There will be more, I'm sure.

Funny, I have looked at them in the past; I think that's what my grandfather used to carry back in the day. Are there specific models or years to look for/stay away from?

 

[dws]

Funny, I have looked at them in the past; I think that's what my grandfather used to carry back in the day. Are there specific models or years to look for/stay away from?

My only experience with them is with my own. So, unfortunately, I can't answer that with 100% honestly. I own a '49 Major, with a 14k nib. The reason I suggest it is I really liked mine, then I came onto The Nib and found out I wasn't the only one. Others can tell you what to avoid, though, I'd tell you to look for a Major without any hesitation. Great pen.

 

[Jut]

FWIW, I am making this suggestion based solely on your apparent enjoyment of the aesthetics of the TWSBI Eco (minus the nib issues and ink spewing)

I believe you should take a look at the Pilot Custom Heritage 92. It is a demonstrator like the Eco and is similar in size. Plus it has a 14k nib. Also, if you shop around, you can find one for well under $200.00 (I just saw one on a site that starts with an "A" ends with a "N" and in the middle is a "mazo" for about $110 shipped)

Pilots are some of the best made pens out there IMHO, and usually are good writers "right out of the box."

 

[Slivovitz]

FWIW, I am making this suggestion based solely on your apparent enjoyment of the aesthetics of the TWSBI Eco (minus the nib issues and ink spewing)

I believe you should take a look at the Pilot Custom Heritage 92. It is a demonstrator like the Eco and is similar in size. Plus it has a 14k nib. Also, if you shop around, you can find one for well under $200.00 (I just saw one on a site that starts with an "A" ends with a "N" and in the middle is a "mazo" for about $110 shipped)

Pilots are some of the best made pens out there IMHO, and usually are good writers "right out of the box."

I'd agree with that, and further recommend the FM (fine medium) nib for general writing. Besides the site named after the world's second longest river, you can find good deals from Japanese EBay dealers.

There's also the Custom Heritage 91, which is practically identical to write with, but uses a converter. It is one of the Pilot pens that can use the long, high capacity CON-70 converter (which you might have to buy separately).

Or there's the Custom 74, or various other Pilot "Custom" models. And of course, the Pelikans that the O.P. mentions. The trouble is that there are actually many good alternatives in the range from $70 (somewhat arbitrarily) to about $200, and a lot of it has to do with what specific things you're looking for. But pens like the Pilot CH92 or the Pelikan M200 series are what the TWSBI wishes it could be.

 

[Runnin_Ute]

How often are you pulling the nib/taking the pen apart to clean? Just because a wrench is provided by TWSBI doesn't mean y ou should. I have has my Eco since Feb or March of 2016. Continuously inked wit h one ink or another. Nib has never been out of it. It is more than clean enough just using the piston and I regularly change inks and I don't have the problem you are having.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

As others have mentioned, one of the Pilot Custom Heritage pens would be great. A Pelikan M200 or M205 would also fit the bill.

 

[jar_]

How often are you pulling the nib/taking the pen apart to clean? Just because a wrench is provided by TWSBI doesn't mean y ou should. I have has my Eco since Feb or March of 2016. Continuously inked wit h one ink or another. Nib has never been out of it. It is more than clean enough just using the piston and I regularly change inks and I don't have the problem you are having.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

^^^^^^^^^^^^^^

Don't take fountain pens apart unless there is absolutely no other option.

 

[kcore]

I moved up from a Eco to a Lamy 2000 and really enjoy that pen the material feels good in the hand the pen is a good size and is a piston filler my only complaint is my extra fine nib writes closer to a Japanese medium

 

[SAPed]

I got bit by the vintage bug pretty early on, but I have a Lamy 2000 (F) and a Pilot VP. I like writing with the Lamy more than the VP, but for a daily workhorse that will see a lot of frequent use, the VP is pretty tough to beat other than the small converter capacity. To get around that, I typically refill cartridges using a syringe which also lets me see my remaining ink level much better than with the Con-50.

One other to look at, considering you like the demonstator style, might be the Pilot Custom 74 which gives you somewhat of a demonstrator style and with a decent barrel length for quick writing without posting the cap. I don't have any experience with it, but I can't recall hearing any bad comments about it.

Good luck and enjoy the researching!

 

[red zeppelin]

How often are you pulling the nib/taking the pen apart to clean? Just because a wrench is provided by TWSBI doesn't mean y ou should. I have has my Eco since Feb or March of 2016. Continuously inked wit h one ink or another. Nib has never been out of it. It is more than clean enough just using the piston and I regularly change inks and I don't have the problem you are having.

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

I don't take it apart at all. Like you I have just cleaned it via the piston to re-ink it. The fact that I haven't taken the nib out makes it all the more surprising that its doing what it is.

 

[red zeppelin]

I got bit by the vintage bug pretty early on, but I have a Lamy 2000 (F) and a Pilot VP. I like writing with the Lamy more than the VP, but for a daily workhorse that will see a lot of frequent use, the VP is pretty tough to beat other than the small converter capacity. To get around that, I typically refill cartridges using a syringe which also lets me see my remaining ink level much better than with the Con-50.

One other to look at, considering you like the demonstator style, might be the Pilot Custom 74 which gives you somewhat of a demonstrator style and with a decent barrel length for quick writing without posting the cap. I don't have any experience with it, but I can't recall hearing any bad comments about it.

Good luck and enjoy the researching!

Thanks for the suggestions. Demonstrator ability is probably the least of the priorities, so that isn't a big deal. Ink capacity and a good fine nib are probably the bigger issues for me at this point. I had a VP before and didn't take to it and it seems like the Pilots are making a surge in the comments here, so I will begin looking at them. Have been looking at the Vacumatic as well, and the Pelikans. Can anyone tell the difference in the models of the Pelikans (200 vs 400, etc)?

 

[Jut]

Thanks for the suggestions. Demonstrator ability is probably the least of the priorities, so that isn't a big deal. Ink capacity and a good fine nib are probably the bigger issues for me at this point. I had a VP before and didn't take to it and it seems like the Pilots are making a surge in the comments here, so I will begin looking at them. Have been looking at the Vacumatic as well, and the Pelikans. Can anyone tell the difference in the models of the Pelikans (200 vs 400, etc)?

The 200 and 400 are nearly, if not identical, in size. The main difference is that the 200 has a gold plated steel nib, whereas the 400 has a 14 k gold nib. Also, the 400 has a fancier derby and a stressman barrel...the 200's barrel is solid with an ink window

Sent from my SM-S902L using Tapatalk

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

The 200 and 400 are nearly, if not identical, in size. The main difference is that the 200 has a gold plated steel nib, whereas the 400 has a 14 k gold nib. Also, the 400 has a fancier derby and a stressman barrel...the 200's barrel is solid with an ink window

Not all of the 200's have opaque barrels. My M200 is a Cognac colored demonstrator.

 

[red zeppelin]

Not all of the 200's have opaque barrels. My M200 is a Cognac colored demonstrator.

View attachment 793863

Very nice looking. How do you like its performance?

 

[Claudel Xerxes]

Very nice looking. How do you like its performance?

Thank you. I love it! For a while, it was my go-to pen. At first, there were a couple of things about it that just seemed like the pen was "off," but after I set it aside and came back to it after a few months, everything about it just seemed to click.

Edit:
I don't think the Cognac color is still available, but Aquamarine (transparent blue) can still be found for a little over the $100 mark.