I just going to say it... I personally hate the look of the Lamy Safari and All TWSBIs.

[Arkanabar]

7 hours ago, Carloa said:

The liking of one is the disliking of the other. 
Therefore, liking is always also not liking.
If there were only liking, there would be no liking at all. Nothing would matter.

All more than true enough.

Quote

I personally don't like Montblanc. I have never held a Montblanc in my hand and have never written with one. Yes, I have never even seen one in the flesh. But I have been to Chamonix. I have seen the Montblanc. I know that a Montblanc is not a Montblanc. So many lies.

The question of design is another: How is it possible that people like something I don't like. What kind of people are they? 

They are human people.  No two are alike.  No two have identical needs.  Why should they have identical preferences?

Quote

The question of design is the question of strangeness. How am I supposed to understand a person who likes what I dislike? How am I supposed to understand myself among so many others.

This is a solipsist's question.  The tools for understanding are empathy, imagination, and caritas.

Quote

The question of design is the question of human loneliness. How can I live in a world, among people who behave as if there were a second one.

De gustibus non est disputandem, that's how.

Quote

It needs a completely different answer here. It needs a safari of the mind. An understanding of the jungle of vanities, of likes and dislikes and all the conflicts that come with them.
Hate is a wise beginning. Everything begins with hatred. Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel. 

Love came first, and is more wise.  In the beginning, God created.  God=love.  And nearly every evil is done in pursuit of some good -- even those of Adam and Eve, and Cain.

Quote

The question is: Can it end in love?

We are assured that it will.

[Carloa]

Once, when I had just died, I came to Peter at the gates of heaven and timidly asked, 'Going in or going down?'
Peter asked, 'What have you done in life?'
I said, 'I have held ink tests.'
'Ink tests?
'Yes; I compared different fountain pen inks, and in addition different fountain pens and different nibs and different ink colors and different papers, and of course different fountain pen designs, to find out the best combination.'
'And you did that in the service of God?'
'Yeah right! When God renews His contract with man, He needs a proper writing instrument. I can then assist him in an advisory capacity.'
Now Peter is interested, 'And what device do you recommend to God?'
Ha, that's my ticket to paradise! I say: 'Of course a Pelikan Sovereign 1000! To the sovereign a sovereign!'
'Aha', Peter says, 'are you quite sure about that?'
'Well, totally sure; I've written the sentence 'The quick brown fox...' 17594 times over all these years, and each time I've compared each sentence with all the others. That's a lot of work!'

Peter is skeptical. He says, 'God doesn't need ink samples. He who created a Montblanc doesn't care about all ink samples. It's better you go back and do something better with your life than ink tests.'
Then he closed the gates of heaven and I had to go back to existence.
I then went straight to Hollywood and sold this story to Brad Pitt.
I then used it to finance my Pelikan Sovereign 1000.
I thought, if I can't go to paradise, I at least want to be able to write paradisiacal.
He has his Montblanc. Let him be happy with his Montblanc.

But I don't like to write with the Pelikan. I much prefer a Lamy Safari.
On earth, one is not immune to any error.

[inkstainedruth]

Loved the part about selling the story to Brad Pitt!

I like my Pelikans -- none is as large as an M1000 though, because I have girly hands.  I also love my Safaris.  And my Pilot pens, and my Parkers (especially the 51s, but I have more Vectors because they're cheap little workhorses that come in a bunch of different colors and designs, and the one with "Puss in Boots" from the Shrek movies just made me laugh and laugh when I saw it and I just HAD to have it.  

So what does that say about me, other than I'm a Libra and God help ANYONE who tries to make me come to a quick decision about ANYTHING.... 

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[collectorofmanythings]

On 6/1/2021 at 3:19 AM, Carloa said:

I know that a Montblanc is not a Montblanc. So many lies.

I’m sorry, I really don’t understand this part. Could you explain it in detail? If a pen is made my Montblanc, and the large majority of people identify it as a Montblanc, then how could it not be a Montblanc?

 

On 6/1/2021 at 3:19 AM, Carloa said:

How is it possible that people like something I don't like. What kind of people are they? 

Like @A Smug Dill said, they are your peers. They are fellow fountain pens lovers, who just have a different option than yourself. 

 

On 6/1/2021 at 3:19 AM, Carloa said:

How am I supposed to understand a person who likes what I dislike? How am I supposed to understand myself among so many others.

You look at their opinion, put yourself in their shoes, and explain you opinion. That’s how you are supposed to understand them. Focus on the larger similarities, not the tiny differences. We both love fountain pens, we are both on FPN, we both live on Earth and are human beings. You know yourself, so you can understand yourself and your differences from others.

 

On 6/1/2021 at 3:19 AM, Carloa said:

How can I live in a world, among people who behave as if there were a second one.

How am I behaving that there is another world? Basically, you are saying that because I don’t like a certain design of a fountain pen. If everyone was the same, had the same opinions and preferences, then the world would be a boring and depressing place. There is no need to get dramatic and philosophical, we are all nice people who love fountain pens and like to talk with like-minded people. 

 

On 6/1/2021 at 3:19 AM, Carloa said:

It needs a safari of the mind.

 Safari of the Mind?

 

On 6/1/2021 at 3:19 AM, Carloa said:

Everything begins with hatred. Adam and Eve, Cain and Abel. 
The question is: Can it end in love?

Me disliking a pen design is very different than killing my brother. And it can end in love, I just don’t find it likely. I am allowed to dislike a pen design. 
 

Basically @Carloa, I don’t want to argue. I just want to appreciate the design more, and know many people’s reasons for loving it, so I can appreciate it more. I hope you have a good day!

[collectorofmanythings]

On 6/2/2021 at 2:59 AM, Carloa said:

Once, when I had just died, I came to Peter at the gates of heaven and timidly asked, 'Going in or going down?'
Peter asked, 'What have you done in life?'
I said, 'I have held ink tests.'
'Ink tests?
'Yes; I compared different fountain pen inks, and in addition different fountain pens and different nibs and different ink colors and different papers, and of course different fountain pen designs, to find out the best combination.'
'And you did that in the service of God?'
'Yeah right! When God renews His contract with man, He needs a proper writing instrument. I can then assist him in an advisory capacity.'
Now Peter is interested, 'And what device do you recommend to God?'
Ha, that's my ticket to paradise! I say: 'Of course a Pelikan Sovereign 1000! To the sovereign a sovereign!'
'Aha', Peter says, 'are you quite sure about that?'
'Well, totally sure; I've written the sentence 'The quick brown fox...' 17594 times over all these years, and each time I've compared each sentence with all the others. That's a lot of work!'

Peter is skeptical. He says, 'God doesn't need ink samples. He who created a Montblanc doesn't care about all ink samples. It's better you go back and do something better with your life than ink tests.'
Then he closed the gates of heaven and I had to go back to existence.
I then went straight to Hollywood and sold this story to Brad Pitt.
I then used it to finance my Pelikan Sovereign 1000.
I thought, if I can't go to paradise, I at least want to be able to write paradisiacal.
He has his Montblanc. Let him be happy with his Montblanc.

But I don't like to write with the Pelikan. I much prefer a Lamy Safari.
On earth, one is not immune to any error.

Very funny story! 😆

[Carloa]

May I make a suggestion to all fountain pen haters?

 

I don't suggest going to a psychiatrist and saying there: 'I hate a poor, innocent Lamy Safari. Every time I see a safari, yes, just thinking about it already, the hatred overwhelms me. I want to find out if my hatred is justified. I want to know if there is something wrong with this Lamy Safari, or with me. I want to know if I'm a pathological case for unjustified hatred, or one of the few who have recognized the true, malignant nature of this pen.'

 

The reason I don't suggest this is because a therapy session is very expensive and therapists are usually biased. What if the psychologist himself writes with a Lamy Safari? Or hates it as well?

 

I rather suggest to use the money for the therapy hour to buy a Lamy Safari. You can get not only one, but - depending on the hourly rate of the doctor - up to five, even seven Lamy Safaris! You can then try practically all colors and all nibs! 
Yes, you could even buy only two Lamy Safaris, but one with a gold nib! 
(Because the Lamy Safari is the world's cheapest way to get a fountain pen with a gold nib: 20 for the fountain pen, 60 for the nib: 80!)

 

With these five Safaris, you can now fathom your hatred very directly, in a self-experiment, so to speak. There is not much risk involved. If necessary, you can hit the Lamys with a hammer.
In any case, however, you then have a direct and own experience that no one can take away from you and that is therefore absolutely valid and that is nothing from second or third hand or the opinion of anyone. One is then beyond belief and opinion. One is then in his own truth.

 

Of course, all this does not apply to Twsbis.
Why not?
Quite simply: Twsbis cannot be hated at all.
They break down first.

 

[collectorofmanythings]

9 hours ago, Carloa said:

May I make a suggestion to all fountain pen haters?

 

I don't suggest going to a psychiatrist and saying there: 'I hate a poor, innocent Lamy Safari. Every time I see a safari, yes, just thinking about it already, the hatred overwhelms me. I want to find out if my hatred is justified. I want to know if there is something wrong with this Lamy Safari, or with me. I want to know if I'm a pathological case for unjustified hatred, or one of the few who have recognized the true, malignant nature of this pen.'

 

The reason I don't suggest this is because a therapy session is very expensive and therapists are usually biased. What if the psychologist himself writes with a Lamy Safari? Or hates it as well?

 

I rather suggest to use the money for the therapy hour to buy a Lamy Safari. You can get not only one, but - depending on the hourly rate of the doctor - up to five, even seven Lamy Safaris! You can then try practically all colors and all nibs! 
Yes, you could even buy only two Lamy Safaris, but one with a gold nib! 
(Because the Lamy Safari is the world's cheapest way to get a fountain pen with a gold nib: 20 for the fountain pen, 60 for the nib: 80!)

 

With these five Safaris, you can now fathom your hatred very directly, in a self-experiment, so to speak. There is not much risk involved. If necessary, you can hit the Lamys with a hammer.
In any case, however, you then have a direct and own experience that no one can take away from you and that is therefore absolutely valid and that is nothing from second or third hand or the opinion of anyone. One is then beyond belief and opinion. One is then in his own truth.

 

Of course, all this does not apply to Twsbis.
Why not?
Quite simply: Twsbis cannot be hated at all.
They break down first.

 

Ah, ok then. I understand. I will just have to at some point buy a Lamy Safari to see if I like it. That’s fair. I know my brother is thinking about getting one so I may try his! Thank you for your response!

[Estycollector]

Just cleaned and refilled a LAMY Vista. Writes beautifully. What’s not to love? 

[Carloa]

If I could mention one last aspect:

Have you ever been on a date with someone who is not soooooooooooo pretty?
A girl who is no Sophia Loren, no Gina Lollobrigida, no Kim K.? 
A boy who is no Arnold Schwarzenegger, no Jeff Bridges, no Elon M.?

And then did this date - Surprise! Surprise! - turned out to be not so terrible after all, but possibly quite amusing, entertaining, yes, maybe even quite nice?
As so pleasant that one even considered a second meeting?
Because there are other things besides design, besides beauty: Loyalty, understanding, sympathy, reliability, naturalness?

Perhaps one could also risk a date with a Lamy Safari on occasion?
You don't have to get married!

Of course, all this applies only to Lamy Safaris and not to Twsbis.
You can't date a Twsbi.
Why not?
Twsbis have to go in for repair first.

 

[sirgilbert357]

On 6/1/2021 at 2:19 AM, Carloa said:

The liking of one is the disliking of the other. 
Therefore, liking is always also not liking.
If there were only liking, there would be no liking at all. Nothing would matter.

 

 

I saw this thread on page one and have only now come back to page 7...my, how it has evolved, LOL!!

 

I disagree with this bolded part. That's akin to saying if there were only good, there could be no evil. That is also not true. If every person on planet earth were "good" and did no evil, does the "good" they do somehow become less "good"? No, it is just "common". Everyone doing good all the time does not mean there is no good at all. The virtue of the acts cannot be wiped out just because there is a multitude of them.

 

By the same token, if everyone universally liked something -- say a pen -- does that mean there is no "liking" at all? How can that be? If there is affection or adoration for something, and it just so happens that EVERY party on earth agrees the thing is worthy of affection or adoration, then does that mean the affection and adoration don't exist??

 

No. That is called unity. The liking still exists.

 

Back on topic: I've had a couple of TWSBI's. All of them wrote fine, for about half a page. Then they would slowly run dry to the point of irritation. I found that in my longest writing sessions, even with the piston fillers from TWSBI, none of the feeds let enough air back into the ink chamber fast enough to keep up. I don't write particularly fast either. I found this same issue in several other pens with Jowo nib units too. I came to the conclusion that its just Jowo's design and not the fault of TWSBI (or the other handful of pen makers I experienced the same issue with). Regardless, I sold all of mine (and the 5 or so nib units in all different sizes that ALL had the issue) and never bought another TWSBI.

 

For all the negativity I've seen for Bock on this forum, none of the Bock nibbed pens I've ever owned or used has given me any trouble. Only Jowo has. Having said that, I think the Diplomat Aero uses Jowo and that nib is fantastic. It writes a tad dry for my tastes, but has never run dry like my previous Jowo nibbed pens. Perhaps during that couple of year span between the TWSBIs and the Diplomat purchases Jowo changed the design....or I just got unlucky with the myriad of Jowo nibs I had. Not sure...

[inkstainedruth]

2 hours ago, Carloa said:

If I could mention one last aspect:

Have you ever been on a date with someone who is not soooooooooooo pretty?
A girl who is no Sophia Loren, no Gina Lollobrigida, no Kim K.? 
A boy who is no Arnold Schwarzenegger, no Jeff Bridges, no Elon M.?

And then did this date - Surprise! Surprise! - turned out to be not so terrible after all, but possibly quite amusing, entertaining, yes, maybe even quite nice?
As so pleasant that one even considered a second meeting?
Because there are other things besides design, besides beauty: Loyalty, understanding, sympathy, reliability, naturalness?

Perhaps one could also risk a date with a Lamy Safari on occasion?
You don't have to get married!

Of course, all this applies only to Lamy Safaris and not to Twsbis.
You can't date a Twsbi.
Why not?
Twsbis have to go in for repair first.

 

Thinking now about the cocktail party scene from the movie Breakfast at Tiffany's when the model shows up with the "Latin lover" type and "Rusty Trawler" in tow.  And Holly?  She's ogling "the 9th richest man in America" -- NOT the Latin lover guy....

Ruth Morrisson aka inkstainedruth

[maclink]

On 6/8/2021 at 4:53 PM, Carloa said:

If I could mention one last aspect:

Have you ever been on a date with someone who is not soooooooooooo pretty?
A girl who is no Sophia Loren, no Gina Lollobrigida, no Kim K.? 
A boy who is no Arnold Schwarzenegger, no Jeff Bridges, no Elon M.?

And then did this date - Surprise! Surprise! - turned out to be not so terrible after all, but possibly quite amusing, entertaining, yes, maybe even quite nice?
As so pleasant that one even considered a second meeting?
Because there are other things besides design, besides beauty: Loyalty, understanding, sympathy, reliability, naturalness?

Perhaps one could also risk a date with a Lamy Safari on occasion?
You don't have to get married!

Of course, all this applies only to Lamy Safaris and not to Twsbis.
You can't date a Twsbi.
Why not?
Twsbis have to go in for repair first.

 

You're good.

I've used this sort of analogy quite often, my favourite being that my relationship with a particular pen was like a short fling.   

[collectorofmanythings]

On 6/8/2021 at 11:53 AM, Carloa said:

If I could mention one last aspect:

Have you ever been on a date with someone who is not soooooooooooo pretty?
A girl who is no Sophia Loren, no Gina Lollobrigida, no Kim K.? 
A boy who is no Arnold Schwarzenegger, no Jeff Bridges, no Elon M.?

And then did this date - Surprise! Surprise! - turned out to be not so terrible after all, but possibly quite amusing, entertaining, yes, maybe even quite nice?
As so pleasant that one even considered a second meeting?
Because there are other things besides design, besides beauty: Loyalty, understanding, sympathy, reliability, naturalness?

Perhaps one could also risk a date with a Lamy Safari on occasion?
You don't have to get married!

Of course, all this applies only to Lamy Safaris and not to Twsbis.
You can't date a Twsbi.
Why not?
Twsbis have to go in for repair first.

 

I understand what you mean, of course, but pens are very different than people. But, as I have mentioned before, I am a student, so throwing around ≈$42 after shipping and tax and a converter is not something I can just do. Maybe someday I will try it, but now I can’t afford to spend that much on something which I most likely won’t like. Even if it write great, I highly doubt it would write any better than a JoWo or Pilot or Diplomat nib (yes, I know Diplomat uses JoWo, but they must tune them themselves because they are so different than your standard JoWo, especially on the Magnum) that I already have. 

[Carloa]

Perhaps one very last comment:

Hate is an important tool to protect oneself from the foolish and absurd practices of cultural psychopathology.

Hate provides independence. (Not really, but in gesture).
Usually the game goes like this:
Someone buys a fountain pen and then shouts, 'Super part! Really, really great! I'm super happy! I love this pen!'
So he makes his enthusiasm known to others. He says, 'I have something that puts me in a great mental state!'
It's like a rush.
In the listeners, who, like every other human being, are stuck in human misery, in deep dissatisfaction, this immediately triggers envy and a desire to have. 'I would also like to be so happy! 
And if it's so easy to do, by simply buying a fountain pen, well, then I'll buy one too.'

So you start collecting. You accumulate things. But that doesn't work.
The thing is, things don't make you happy. No sooner have you acquired one thing than you're already squinting at the next. You enter into the endless routines of buying, buying, buying, without ever reaching an end. No sooner do you have one thing than you want the next.
You say, "Well, I wasn't happy with this one fountain pen, so I'll just try another one.'

You can do this for years.

Some people who see through this madness then ask for the exit fountain pen: the fountain pen that ends all the others.
Now hate also ends this game.

Hate says: Stop!

Hate says: I'm not playing this game anymore!

Hate frees. (Not really, but in principle).
That's why it's important and good to hate Lamy Safaris.

 

None of this applies to Twsbis, of course.
You can't hate Twsbis because they don't write at all.
Why not?
Because the spare parts are still on the way by sea.

 

[maclink]

6 hours ago, Carloa said:

Hate is an important tool to protect oneself from the foolish and absurd practices of cultural psychopathology.

If hate takes you away from something, it means you are going to something, whatever that is.  It is not the important tool you make it out to be.

 

6 hours ago, Carloa said:

Hate provides independence. (Not really, but in gesture).

 

Actually, you are very dependent, i.e., on those things you don't hate.

 

6 hours ago, Carloa said:

Some people who see through this madness then ask for the exit fountain pen: the fountain pen that ends all the others.
Now hate also ends this game.

Hate says: Stop!

Hate says: I'm not playing this game anymore!

Hate frees. (Not really, but in principle).
That's why it's important and good to hate Lamy Safaris.

 

Hate is but the reflection of the same pattern.  Hate will simply move you on to doing the same with something you love.  Novels.... know anyone who reads a lot of fiction and shares their latest and greatest with fellow fiction lovers.  Same for non-fiction, movies, art, travelling etc. etc.  IOW's, there's nothing particularly crazy  about fountain pen accumulation in particular, when considered on relative terms to other human pursuits.  However, I do agree with the human search for happiness and the frustration in trying to find it through material pursuits.  Of course, one can enjoy pens and even accumulate them without having a 'crazy' attachment/obsession.  

 

Although hate says stop; right behind it, there will be the urge to start something else.  Something else that you 'love' or are attached to in a positive way.

 

The key is to neither 'love' nor hate for things material, i.e., no attachment.  Once there is hate for something material you are just as entrapped/attached.  Hate is just another form or attachment which is the basic issue.  'Love' is an elusive word with so many different meanings for different people and situations that I have to put it in quotations.  By 'love', I mean a positive attachment.

 

[collectorofmanythings]

On 6/11/2021 at 5:46 AM, Carloa said:

Perhaps one very last comment:

Hate is an important tool to protect oneself from the foolish and absurd practices of cultural psychopathology.

Hate provides independence. (Not really, but in gesture).
Usually the game goes like this:
Someone buys a fountain pen and then shouts, 'Super part! Really, really great! I'm super happy! I love this pen!'
So he makes his enthusiasm known to others. He says, 'I have something that puts me in a great mental state!'
It's like a rush.
In the listeners, who, like every other human being, are stuck in human misery, in deep dissatisfaction, this immediately triggers envy and a desire to have. 'I would also like to be so happy! 
And if it's so easy to do, by simply buying a fountain pen, well, then I'll buy one too.'

So you start collecting. You accumulate things. But that doesn't work.
The thing is, things don't make you happy. No sooner have you acquired one thing than you're already squinting at the next. You enter into the endless routines of buying, buying, buying, without ever reaching an end. No sooner do you have one thing than you want the next.
You say, "Well, I wasn't happy with this one fountain pen, so I'll just try another one.'

You can do this for years.

Some people who see through this madness then ask for the exit fountain pen: the fountain pen that ends all the others.
Now hate also ends this game.

Hate says: Stop!

Hate says: I'm not playing this game anymore!

Hate frees. (Not really, but in principle).
That's why it's important and good to hate Lamy Safaris.

 

None of this applies to Twsbis, of course.
You can't hate Twsbis because they don't write at all.
Why not?
Because the spare parts are still on the way by sea.

 

First off, the TWSBI part is hilarious! 😆

 

and for the parts before that… I do t know how to respond. It’s absolutely food for thought, and I am not quite done chewing, so I may write again in a few days once I have fully digested it. Thank you for your response.

[Muncle]

It's an interesting question. It made me get out my Safaris and Al-stars and TWSBIS and really think about it.

 

Much has been said about the Safari, and I especially appreciate the point of how distinict they looked in the 80s, compared to more traditional pens. I also appreciate that they are a pen I can clip inside a polo shirt, a jeans pocket, or inside my backpack easily.

 

I have a TWSBI Vac700, and a Eco in Rose Gold.

 

For the Vac, I'm always liked being able to see the insides of things. Maybe you don't remember, or weren't around, when clear phones were a thing. I thought they were cool. So a clear pen that shows all the workings is something I appreciate. Plus, as a teacher, it draws student's attention and gives me a chance to talk about my hobby and answer questions.

The Vac is also a large pen, which suits me fine.

 

I will admit the Eco is not that attractive. I'm not a fan of the solid color/transparent barrel look. Mine is a "smoke" which means the end knob and the cap are also translucent, which I feel suits it better.

 

I disagree with those who feel like the TWSBIs are made out of cheap plastic. I have a few cheap ($3) pens, and there definitely is a difference. The Vac is a heavy pen, especially when filled. And while I appreciate that some people might want durable pens, there is a bit of a fetish for "ultra-durable" heavy brass or steel pens that can be run over by a truck. Yet too heavy to write with comfortably.

[maclink]

Of the TWSBI's, I like the Eco Most.  It's one of the more reliable writers I've encountered, in my experience.  It seals extremely well, ensuring a pen ready to write immediately, even after months in storage.  I had one inked for over a year without problems at all.  I've pondered TWSBI's falling apart.

 

I've personally not experienced this.  However, I do feel that it's a combination of the plastic as well as the ability to assemble and disassemble the pens.  Reassembly, especially when wrenches and tools are used, leaves the plastic vulnerable to over-tightening.  Add that to significant temperature variations and spontaneous breakage becomes possible and more common.  The urge to disassemble is also a lot stronger when those very visible, unsightly ink stains have to be removed thanks to the pens having clear barrels and caps.

 

I personally minimise disassembling pens and have fully disassembled only one of my TWSBI's.  I haven't had any of them crack or break.  

 

My TWSBI vac mini currently has SouBoku ink stains in the barrel.  I have to disassemble to get it out since the soaking isn't working.  However, my Eco that had Rohrer and Klingner Documentus Black in it for 2 months washed out just fine.

 

[collectorofmanythings]

10 hours ago, Muncle said:

It's an interesting question. It made me get out my Safaris and Al-stars and TWSBIS and really think about it.

 

Much has been said about the Safari, and I especially appreciate the point of how distinict they looked in the 80s, compared to more traditional pens. I also appreciate that they are a pen I can clip inside a polo shirt, a jeans pocket, or inside my backpack easily.

 

I have a TWSBI Vac700, and a Eco in Rose Gold.

 

For the Vac, I'm always liked being able to see the insides of things. Maybe you don't remember, or weren't around, when clear phones were a thing. I thought they were cool. So a clear pen that shows all the workings is something I appreciate. Plus, as a teacher, it draws student's attention and gives me a chance to talk about my hobby and answer questions.

The Vac is also a large pen, which suits me fine.

 

I will admit the Eco is not that attractive. I'm not a fan of the solid color/transparent barrel look. Mine is a "smoke" which means the end knob and the cap are also translucent, which I feel suits it better.

 

I disagree with those who feel like the TWSBIs are made out of cheap plastic. I have a few cheap ($3) pens, and there definitely is a difference. The Vac is a heavy pen, especially when filled. And while I appreciate that some people might want durable pens, there is a bit of a fetish for "ultra-durable" heavy brass or steel pens that can be run over by a truck. Yet too heavy to write with comfortably.

Yes, the Eco is also very unappealing to me. Also, as a student, having something that can be mistaken for a vape pen is very problematic.

[collectorofmanythings]

10 hours ago, maclink said:

Of the TWSBI's, I like the Eco Most.  It's one of the more reliable writers I've encountered, in my experience.  It seals extremely well, ensuring a pen ready to write immediately, even after months in storage.  I had one inked for over a year without problems at all.  I've pondered TWSBI's falling apart.

 

I've personally not experienced this.  However, I do feel that it's a combination of the plastic as well as the ability to assemble and disassemble the pens.  Reassembly, especially when wrenches and tools are used, leaves the plastic vulnerable to over-tightening.  Add that to significant temperature variations and spontaneous breakage becomes possible and more common.  The urge to disassemble is also a lot stronger when those very visible, unsightly ink stains have to be removed thanks to the pens having clear barrels and caps.

 

I personally minimise disassembling pens and have fully disassembled only one of my TWSBI's.  I haven't had any of them crack or break.  

 

My TWSBI vac mini currently has SouBoku ink stains in the barrel.  I have to disassemble to get it out since the soaking isn't working.  However, my Eco that had Rohrer and Klingner Documentus Black in it for 2 months washed out just fine.

 

Well that’s great for you! As I hope I have said before, I wish I would love these pens as I would collect every single one I can get my hands on, like I do with Kaweco Sports (by the way, have any of you seen the new colors coming out? There is a periwinkle-type color, a dark blue, and a red).