I think I’ve given away nearly all of the 2020 planners I had sitting around, so it’s time to get back into the pens! This is a fun one too, as TWSBI keeps releasing great limited colors for the ECO like Translucent Purple. I have one in a medium nib to give away, so read the rules below and enter away.
Posts filed under Eco
The TWSBI Eco T: A Review
(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)
The TWSBI Eco T is a pen made especially for beginners--whether those beginners are new fountain pen enthusiasts or children who want to emulate their fountain pen addicted parents. The grip of the Eco T has a rounded triangular shape to assist beginners with proper finger placement. It is a very comfortable grip (much more comfortable than the Lamy Safari), and even experienced pen users will enjoy a grip that helps them position their fingers properly.
You can see the shape of the grip here
The Eco T is a transparent demonstrator. It has a stainless steel clip and cap ring. The cap ring is engraved with the words “TWSBI Eco T Taiwan.”
The cap finial is red with a raised TWSBI logo. You’ll notice that the cap has the same triangular shape as the grip.
Inside the cap is a plastic sleeve that keeps the nib from drying out.
The Eco T is a piston filler, so it is very user friendly. It pulls in a good amount of ink (1.5ml), and the ink is easy to see in the demonstrator body.
You can post the cap by pushing it over the rubber O-ring near the piston. I find posting makes the pen unbalanced, however.
The pen is a medium size (5.5 inches/139.7mm capped; 5.2 inches/132mm uncapped; and 6.3 inches/160mm posted) and should be comfortable for most users. The body weighs only 12 grams without ink.
I thought my pen came with a medium nib because the model number on the box started with an “M.” But I quickly realized that it’s actually a 1.1 mm stainless steel stub. It writes very smoothly and with generous ink flow. I had no difficulties with hard starts, skipping, or scratchiness. In fact, I am impressed with how beautifully this pen writes. The stub nib gives the lines character and a bit of shading (with the right kind of ink, of course).
One cool thing about TWSBI pens is that you can completely disassemble them for a thorough cleaning. Included in the box is a special wrench to unscrew the piston and silicone grease to lube it.
In addition, you can remove the nib unit to clean out the ink that collects in the grip area.
I’ll be honest. When I realized that the Eco T was a “beginner’s pen” I thought I would be disappointed with it and find it “toy-like.” I was wrong. This is one of the most comfortable TWSBI pens I’ve used. The triangular grip keeps my fingers in an ideal position for writing, and the 1.1mm nib is fantastic.
The ink used in this review is Kyo-no-oto Adzukiro
I highly recommend the TWSBI Eco T whether you’re just beginning to use fountain pens or you’re a pro user. The price point is really great for a piston-filling demonstrator. You can purchase a TWSBI Eco T from JetPens for $31.50 in EF, F, M, B, and 1.1mm Stub.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
TWSBI ECO-T Yellow Green Review
(Sarah Read is an author, editor, yarn artist, and pen/paper/ink addict. You can find more about her at her website and on Twitter.)
The TWSBI ECO-T is an update to the original ECO released a few years ago. Not a lot of changes were made and people seem divided over whether or not the changes were improvements. The old version is still available, though, so whichever you prefer, you're good.
I prefer this new version. The main body of the pen is the same, but the cap, piston knob, and grip have been made triangular. The old version had a hexagonal cap and knob, and the grip was rounded with three flared barbs at the end to stop your fingers from sliding forward. Some people loved the grip, but I found the barbs uncomfortable, and I like that the ECO-T has opted for a more subtle, molded grip. The triangular grip does encourage a certain hold, but it's rounded enough that it may not be too intrusive for alternative grips. It's definitely not as bossy as the Lamy grip section.
Another small improvement they made is to put a rubber o-ring at the back end of the pen to help with secure posting. It does work--the pen posts with no wiggle--but it's very long and back-heavy when posted. It may work okay for larger hands, but I suspect it's a bit much even then.
Otherwise, my experience is the same as with the previous ECO. The nib writes wonderfully and starts up right away every time. I love the sloshy ink tank and the alarming key-lime color.
After several broken TWSBIs, I still have the TWSBI jitters--I feel like I'm waiting for the other shoe to drop. But this model has fewer moving pieces and fewer threads, so I'm hoping it might be more durable. I haven't babied it--it's been a purse and pocket carry for a few weeks now without the cracking and leaking issues I've had with my other TWSBIs. So I find myself, once again, cautiously hopeful. I've had too many sour experiences to consider myself a fan of the brand, but I am enjoying the heck out of this pen. I want to believe! If it holds up, this pen could easily be a daily writer for me.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
Enjoy reading The Pen Addict? Then consider becoming a member to receive additional weekly content, giveaways, and discounts in The Pen Addict shop. Plus, you support me and the site directly, for which I am very grateful.
Membership starts at just $5/month, with a discounted annual option available. To find out more about membership click here and join us!
