TWSBI Eco nib not quite as good as wished

February 23

I bought a TWSBI Eco as one of my first ever fountain pens when the bug first bit and I was really pleased with the way it looked, the capacity of ink it held and the way it felt in my hand. However, I have never been 100% satisfied with the way the nib writes. It's OK for the odd quick note, but it seems to dislike most writing papers I use for letter-writing. It's a fine nib, and maybe I should have got a medium. Should I have a go at smoothing it a bit with micromesh (and where can I get that?), take it to a nib meister, or swap it? (I have read somewhere that all TWSBI nibs are interchangeable with the exception of the Ecos! Is this so?). Or should I just retire the pen and get a new one, as they are relatively cheap? Suggestions, comments please!

February 23

Can't solve a problem until the problem is clearly identified. I suggest digging around in the nib section of the forum, starting here:

https://www.fountainpennetwork.com/forum/topic/281780-nib-info-references/#comment-3228532

February 23

34 minutes ago, Scriptum est said:

I bought a TWSBI Eco as one of my first ever fountain pens when the bug first bit and I was really pleased with the way it looked, the capacity of ink it held and the way it felt in my hand. However, I have never been 100% satisfied with the way the nib writes. It's OK for the odd quick note, but it seems to dislike most writing papers I use for letter-writing. It's a fine nib, and maybe I should have got a medium. Should I have a go at smoothing it a bit with micromesh (and where can I get that?), take it to a nib meister, or swap it? (I have read somewhere that all TWSBI nibs are interchangeable with the exception of the Ecos! Is this so?). Or should I just retire the pen and get a new one, as they are relatively cheap? Suggestions, comments please!

First, Eco nibs are interchangeable. They are the same nib as on the Go and Diamond Mini.

Second, when did you buy the pen? If it was recently, you can ask the shop where you bought it to change the nib. If not, you can buy a new nib and replace it yourself. There are videos on YT showing how. It is just a press/friction fit and there is a way to slide it in so it is oriented properly.

I have an Eco with a fine nib that I like so much I am going to buy another in a different color. I'm sorry you haven't had that satisfaction, but it is easily solved.

February 25

Many thanks! That is useful to know. I'll try swapping the nib for a different one and see if that makes any difference. I am at the London pen show this time next week so maybe I'll be able to pick up a new nib there. Failing that, a new TWSBI Eco!

Thursday at 08:52 PM

I'm sought of in the same boat with an Eco Royal Jade F which has the gold-plated. I'm unhappy with it as the flow seems stingy and it's a little scratchy. The first nib I've not been happy with in 11 years of buying these. I seated and re-seated the nib, cleaned the feed, and tried various inks. I'm using Private Reserve Infinity Violet in it now.

Friday at 05:05 PM

That's exactly how I felt my TWSBI Eco nib was - restricted flow and too scratchy. (I don't mind a bit of feedback, but there is a point where it becomes plain scratchy!). It's only human but that experience can put us off the brand forever. It was my first TWSBI and I am reluctant to buy another. However, I did get some micromesh out of the incident and learn how to open up the tines a little and I have done that with a couple of other nibs which weren't quite where I wanted them to be, so it has been a positive experience in the long run!

Friday at 06:09 PM

Sometimes, I'm just expecting too much perhaps. It's a fine nib and a #5. It's not going to be like a Sailor F or EF or even Opus 88 Koloro Demo, which are both also #6 nibs in the ones I use. I usually go with B on Twsbi, so perhaps I'm out of reality a little. It's performing fairly well I guess. 😀

Saturday at 05:09 PM

I think the one I bought had a medium nib on it. I tend to fight shy of broad nibs as I don't think that thickness of line suits my handwriting and if I wrote larger to accommodate a B then I'd use up much more precious writing paper (another can of worms there!).