I’ve never understood the fuss about the TWSBI. To me it’s just another Far Eastern pen, by no means the best of them. I’m told that it has a section to itself on Fountain Pen Network, but there are few things that surprise me about FPN. There are a great many reports about various TWSBIs developing cracks and even falling apart altogether. Probably better off with a Wing Sung, Pen BBS or Moonman, all of which seem to be more robust.
I had one briefly. It was supposed to be flexible but wasn’t. Perhaps that’s unjust. After all, you could flex a cold chisel if you can apply enough force. I sold it on, probably just in time before it collapsed into a pile of its component parts.
Perhaps you’re seething with rage by this time at the dreadful calumny I am inflicting on your favourite pen. You believe I am entirely wrong. Okay, convince me!
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I’ve never had a problem with any TWSBI, from the Go to the Vac, never had one crack or fall apart and pens are for using, so mine are not treated gently.
You might find this interesting – http://daverea.com/2015/09/twsbi-eco-wont-break/
So I’ll carry on using and enjoying mine. Maybe it’s time for you to give them another try?
Hi mrtuk,
Of course my article was designed to provoke, more than anything else. That said, my one experience of the TWSBI was not encouraging. That door’s not slammed shut, of course. Another may come my way some day.
Of course, but I think people are still put off because of the supposed cracking issues, that might have been an issue early on, but no longer seems to be the case, which is why I included that link.
I understand. Unfortunately, that kind of article seems as much alchemy as science to me. We just have to wait to see how they perform. As I said in the article, that was not what was wrong with mine. It was advertised as being flexible and that was just a joke.
I always say trust your mechanic when you ask them what cars to buy. An honest one will never steer you wrong. They will tell you which ones to stay away from.
I believe it should be the same with fountain pens and those of us who restore them professionally. I have seen far too much about them shattering in the user’s hand while writing with it the first time. I have seen macro shots from someone who bought 10 of the same model from different sources and shot macro photographs of the pens and all had small cracks in them that will develop and cause the pen to fall apart.
My advice is run far, run fast from TWSBI.
I bought a transparent one from a fancy pen shop in Toronto. They said that most people play around with the nib setting to get them to be flexible. I haven’t got around to it yet, I was on holiday when I got it and didn’t have anything with me to do it with (including ink) and since I’ve got back I’ve had much more interesting (vintage) pens to play with. I have tried it, but it tends to blob and so it is sat there on my fake shagreen effect Royal Doulton desk base with a mandarin senior Duofold desk pen in it waiting for me to get around to playing with it. It somehow seems to falling down my list of pen things to do not rise. The most notable thing about the pen is the unpleasant smell!
I had heard about the persistent smell which seems to reside in the plastic itself. My one didn’t smell especially. I assume they’re not all made of the same material. A mandarin Senior desk pen? Now that’s another matter!