Which vintage pen to get - this noob needs inspiration!

[brianw]

Ouch! Tough crowd.
It might be more accurate to say that TWISBI seeks to be the Esterbrook of our day (certainly more than the modern Esterbrook). There are some obvious differences, like Esterbrook put far more effort into nib design and functionality while TWISBI puts more emphasis on filling systems. But in general, they occupy the same space in the market as a value-oriented alternative to other brands' low end offerings.

I've never handled a TWISBI in the flesh, so I can't speak to TWISBI's quality (or lack there of).

Anyway, I'm very happy the OP acquired an Estie, and I hope it works out for him.

Not a tough crowd at all.
Speedy trying to be the Esterbrook of today.....boy has he failed miserably.

In 50 years Twisbi's will be the joke of the fountain pen world... while Esties will still being used.

Never handled a Twisbi ? Well I have when Speedy WAS hawking his prototypes at the NY Pen show so many years ago. It was a piece of drek then and IMHO has continued in that vein.

As much as I don't care for chinese knock offs, I would give up all my vintage pens for those before I would ever own or suggest to anyone a *** twisbi

 

[rockviper]

So.... ummmmm, that would be a negative on the TWSBI recommendation then?

 

[brianw]

 

[Jut]

Not a tough crowd at all.
Speedy trying to be the Esterbrook of today.....boy has he failed miserably.

In 50 years Twisbi's will be the joke of the fountain pen world... while Esties will still being used.

Never handled a Twisbi ? Well I have when Speedy WAS hawking his prototypes at the NY Pen show so many years ago. It was a piece of drek then and IMHO has continued in that vein.

As much as I don't care for chinese knock offs, I would give up all my vintage pens for those before I would ever own or suggest to anyone a *** twisbi

Maybe Speedy will still be mailing out replacement sections in 50 years!

Sent from my SM-G950U using Tapatalk

 

[Northstonehill]

Well, came back to this thread to see if anything was posted anew. Just gotta say, I really like my new Estie, and I think my wife has just acquired a wonderful Swan for my upcoming birthday - but I still have to put it out there: I really like my 2 TWSBI’s...

Run - Forrest - Run!!!

....This coming from an vintage razor nut who would NEVER buy a Chinese razor.... But aren’t TWSBI’s made in Taiwan?

 

[Vacumatic]

Well, came back to this thread to see if anything was posted anew. Just gotta say, I really like my new Estie, and I think my wife has just acquired a wonderful Swan for my upcoming birthday - but I still have to put it out there: I really like my 2 TWSBI’s...

Run - Forrest - Run!!!

....This coming from an vintage razor nut who would NEVER buy a Chinese razor.... But aren’t TWSBI’s made in Taiwan?

Pleased that you like your Esterbrook. I have a friend who restores pens for most of his days and just doesnt get Esties at all, but I do. They were not very expensive when new but they were well made and a good design. I like to think of some worker at his bench, 70 years ago matching cap to barrel and boxing up the pen, quite a humble pen, without any concept that his work would still be in use in 2019 and beyond.

In terms of Chinese pens they have come a long way. i bought my first one in 1980 in Hong Kong, a very bad copy of the Parker 75 Cisele, I bought my next one in 2006, a Hero 616 which was okay but had its faults such as blobbing ink when you least expected it. Chinese pens have come a long way over the past 5 years and in particular there is a brand called Jinhao, the quality is high and they are very inexpensive, the same price that you would pay for a cup of coffee for a pen that will last 100 years. I suggest that you try one of three models, a 159 which is Montblanc inspired pen or a 450 or 750 both original designs and well made, I havent heard of any issues with these pens and will cost you less than $5 delivered.

I know of one father who bought four pens and sat down with his three daughters, all under 12, on a wet sunday afternoon and practiced handwriting with these 'new fangled' pens, all of them had an enjoyable afternoon. Another man, possibly on here, wanted to relearn how to write with a fountain pen so that he could write a letter to his daughter for the day she got married, you can imagine what he might have written.