TWSBI ECO Lime Green Fountain Pen 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 release of the TWSBI ECO can fairly be described as a pen world sensation. We needed an affordable, piston-fill demonstrator, and the wizards at TWSBI made it happen. And they did it without sacrificing many of the features we've come to love on their more expensive models.

In fact, the only difference I can find between the ECO and the Diamond 580--that relates directly to the function of the pen and not to personal taste or aesthetics--is that the ECO nibs can't be as easily swapped. They still can be, but they lack the screw-in nib and feed unit of the 580. It's a feature that clearly takes more time and effort to manufacture, so it's understandable that it would need to be dropped from the ECO model.

There are a few other things that I don't like about the ECO, but they're more matters of personal taste. I find the smooth plastic section to be too slippery, and the odd triangular barbs at the end of the section that seem to be there to stop your fingers from sliding forward just end up jabbing me, instead. If there was a flared shape all the way around the section, it might work better for me. Those barbs, though, are a real pain in the callus. I grip my pen close to the nib, and this pen wants to punish me for it. It's not as much of a problem for making quick notes, but I do start to notice it during longer writing sessions--and everything else about this pen seems designed for longer writing sessions. But if there's one thing that takes a pen off the "great for long writing sessions" list, it's a bad section.

Another issue that can be a deal-breaker for some is that it doesn't post well. It's wobbly, unwieldly, and I sense a distinct risk of accidentally turning the piston knob. But at least the faceted cap won't roll around on the desk.

There's a lot that I love about this pen, too. I like the look of it. It's made almost entirely of clear plastic, so you can see all its guts, plus your lovely HUGE pool of ink sloshing around inside. The piston knob and cap are made of the prettiest, limeiest, greeniest plastic that stole my heart the minute TWSBI revealed it. I wasn't going to get an ECO, originally--I figured since I had a 580, there wasn't much point. The Lime Green changed my plans.

The #5 steel nib is a little dreamboat. I have pens that cost four times this much that don't write as well. The extra-fine is not as fine as a Japanese EF, but it's finer than the European EFs that I've tried. The medium is also a shade finer than my western mediums. Both have a little feedback, but aren't scratchy. They're nicely wet, especially the medium, and even the EF shows some shading in the ink I'm using (Robert Oster Signature Summer Storm--it's a good thing I love this ink, since I have two TWSBI tanks full of it, now!). All the inks I've tried have flowed well.

The clear section gives a neat view of the ink running through the feed. It made me a little nervous at first to see ink pooling right under the plastic, but I've had no trouble with leaking at all. The nib and feed seem well-fitted enough to keep the ink from escaping.

If you do need to do any maintenance on your pen, the nifty box also contains a wrench and some silicone grease, which you can use to seal threads or lubricate the piston. If you do decide to take your pen apart, I recommend watching some YouTube videos to learn how. The paper instructions are helpful, but aren't much of a substitute for a demonstration.

Overall I would say this is an excellent everyday pen, and it plants itself firmly at the top of my list of pens I'd recommend for beginners. This is the pen I wanted when I was in college, fumbling with cartridges in the lecture hall. I hope they keep making fun new colors, and I'm looking forward to seeing what TWSBI's next game-changer pen will be.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

Cleo Skribent Classic Palladium Fountain Pen Review

One of the best parts about this job is there is no shortage of products to review. Whether it is a new release of a favorite Japanese gel pen or a new-to-me German pen brand, I love exploring, learning, and sharing what they are all about.

Cleo Skribent falls into the latter category. I had heard the name in passing, but had never tried one until my friend Renso at Papier Plume sent me one to check out.

Founded in 1945, this brand is everything you would expect from a respected German manufacturer. The designs are classic, the build is quality, and the performance is excellent.

The model I have on loan is the Cleo Skribent Classic Palladium, one of their entry level steel nib models. While it looks simple on the outside, it has a few added touches that make it a very enjoyable writer.

First of all, it is a piston filler. Hidden under a blind cap at the end of the barrel, the piston works smoothly and effectively. I had no issues drawing a full barrel of ink into the pen on my first go. And I have a soft spot for any pen with a full, clear ink window like this pen does.

Secondly, the nib is fantastic. I shouldn't be surprised given its German heritage, but wow, this steel nib sings. The model I'm testing is a Fine nib, and from the moment it hit the page it was smooth, clean, and had excellent flow.

Finally, the price. At $110 it is cheaper than the pen it compares most favorably to: The Pelikan M200 series. I think the piston mechanism in the Pelikan is better, likely because it might be the best in the world, but other than that, these pens are very comparable.

The Cleo Skribent Classic is longer than Pelikan's entry level model, and has a straight-taper section as opposed to Pelikan's lip at the end of the section. And, gun to my head and recency bias and all that, I think I prefer the Cleo steel nib.

Even though the comparison is made most easily to Pelikan, there is one thought I couldn't get out of my head the entire time I held this pen: This is a bigger, awesomer Pilot Prera. The Prera XL if you will.

If you have ever used a Prera, you will understand what I am about to say. It is an airy pen to write with. Lightweight, but somehow rock solid. That's why it is so well loved. The Cleo Skribent Classic feels the same way to me, except in a larger size and with a better filling system. If this pen were stamped Pilot at this price point we would all be having puppies over it.

Consider me a fan of Cleo Skribent. I'd like to try a few of their other models, especially in the brighter barrel colors they offer. The Classic has been an excellent introduction.

My thanks to Papier Plume for loaning me this pen for purposes of this review.

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If Ever There Was a Christmas Pen, This Is It: The Namiki Yukari Royale Vermillion

(Susan M. Pigott is a fountain pen collector, pen and paperholic, photographer, and professor. You can find more from Susan on her blog Scribalishess.)

Happy holidays to all the pen addicts out there! I’m certain we all asked for at least one fountain pen (or fountain pen related gift) for Christmas or Hanukkah, and I hope you all get what you wished for. Me? I asked for a Montblanc Rouge et Noir in Coral which I got in July and already reviewed. But I was a very good girl. I put it back in its box and am waiting to open it for real on Christmas day.

In the meantime, however, I wound up purchasing what I consider to be a true Christmas pen due to its vibrant red color: The Namiki Yukari Royale Vermillion.

The Namiki Yukari Royale is a large pen made of brass and coated with Urushi lacquer. The vermillion color is an intense, deep red that simply glows. The artist achieves this glow with a polishing method called Roiro Urushi Shiage (Non-oil lacquer finish). The artist polishes the pen with a special charcoal and then repeatedly rubs raw lacquer over it. The process can take as long as three months. (Source: Chatterly Luxuries).

The pen comes in some very impressive packaging, as you would expect at this price point (see below). There’s an outer golden-hued cardboard box. Inside is a large softwood box stamped with the Namiki logo. When you open this box, the pen and a large bottle of ink are nestled in plush red velvet. It’s a beautiful presentation, and it elicited a happy “ooooh” from me. Normally, I don’t care about packaging, but I appreciate a bit of pizzazz when I buy an expensive pen, and Namiki does pizzazz well.

The pen comes with some paperwork: a warranty card, a certificate of authenticity, and instructions for filling.

This is one elegant pen. It is made entirely of brass coated with urushi. The adornments are limited to a gold clip embedded in the cap (not around the cap) and a circlet of gold at the base of the cap.

The clip is engraved with the Namiki name, and on the top is a lot number.

The pen uses the Pilot Con 70 converter. Although it works well (it’s a push button converter), it is not my favorite filling system, mainly because it is almost impossible to get clean. That said, it is simple to use and it holds a respectable amount of ink (.9ml).

Because the pen is made of brass, it has some heft to it. It weighs 45 grams uncapped, so people who prefer light pens will probably find this pen too heavy. I, however, love the weight. When you pick this pen up, it feels substantial yet it is perfectly balanced. The barrel sits comfortably in the space between your thumb and index finger offering an effortless writing experience.

You can see how thick the barrel of the pen is.

The pen is about 150mm capped and 135mm uncapped. I would not advise posting this pen because it is already so heavy.

Of course, the most important quality of a fountain pen is the writing experience which is largely determined by the nib. This nib is a #20 in single-tone 18k gold with the Namiki logo and Mount Fuji engraved on it. It has a long oval breather hole. On the side of the nib the number 914 appears, which I think means the pen was manufactured in September of 2014.

The feed is red plastic coated in urushi. It is one of the few pens you can get with a matching feed. I love how the vermillion feed lends a unity to the overall aesthetic quality of the pen.

I chose a medium nib because Japanese nibs tend to be much finer than their Western counterparts. The medium writes smoothly with just a hint of feedback, but no scratchiness. The nib is not flexible, but it isn’t hard as a rock either. You can certainly press into it and feel its softness, but it doesn’t create line variation. The ink flows generously from the nib most of the time.

I flossed the nib to create more flow, and that seemed to help. However, sometimes I have to shake the pen a bit to get the ink flowing. I’ve been using Robert Oster Astorquiza Rot in the pen, but I need to try other inks to see if they have better flow. It may be my imagination, but Japanese pens seem to write better with Japanese ink.

One irritating thing I discovered about the Namiki is that when I unscrew the cap, the barrel tends to unscrew as well. I’m not sure what causes that, but I usually have to tighten the barrel before I begin writing.

Though some would say this pen’s design is boring and uninspired, I find it incredibly elegant. Its color is stunning but the pen remains zen-like because of its simplicity. As John Mottishaw writes on Classic Fountain Pens, “Perhaps this is what a haiku would look like if it took the shape of a fountain pen?”

I purchased this pen from Chatterley Luxuries after stewing for a long time over a Danitrio I had ordered previously. Bryant was very patient with me as I tried to decide between the Danitrio and the Namiki. Ultimately, I chose the Namiki and I’m very pleased with this pen. The retail price for the Namiki Yukari Royale is $1200. However, if you go to Chatterley Luxuries, they will email you their price which is significantly less than retail.

Pros

• The Namiki Yukari Royale was a grail pen for me, and it has definitely earned its status in my view.
• This pen is absolutely stunning both because of its gorgeous smokey-red color and simple, elegant design.
• This pen feels amazing. The urushi lacquer warms to your hand, and even though the pen is heavy, it is perfectly balanced.
• The nib is excellent, soft and smooth.
• The converter holds .9ml of ink and is easy to fill.

Cons

• This is a very expensive pen.
• When you unscrew the cap the barrel unscrews as well which is rather irritating.
• The Con 70 converter is difficult to clean.
• I’ve had some flow issues with the pen, but I need to try it with some different inks. It’s just that Astorquiza Rot goes so well with the pen I’ve not wanted to change inks!