Twsbi Eco Cement Grey Re-View

Way way back at the beginning of this blog, I reviewed a Twsbi Eco; the first fountain pen I spent more than twenty dollars on. The pen was a delight to use, and an excellent jumping off point into the wider world of fountain pen design.

When I reviewed that pen I was a novice, a newbie penthusiast with a whole lot to learn. Now, a few years and several Twsbis later, I thought it pertinent to take a look with educated eyes at the pen at is foundational to my collection.

This is the Twsbi Eco.

The Basics

The Twsbi Eco is a plastic-bodied demonstrator pen which uses a piston-filling mechanism and steel Jowo nib. According to the Stationery Wiki the Eco holds 1.75 ml of ink, which greatly extends the time between refills.

The steel Jowo nibs are typically very high-quality, and those found in Twsbi pens are no exception. I’ve had the privilege of using every standard size offered on the line, from extra fine to 1.1mm stub, and they have all performed very well. The nibs are firm and smooth, and produce clear lines with even ink flow. The sizing is closer to western nib standards, as opposed to Japanese nibs, but in my experience they do run a little narrower than a Lamy nib, for example. The Eco comes packaged with a small bottle of lubricant for the piston mechanism, as well as a tool used to remove the assembly completely when it’s time for a deep clean.

The cap and piston knob are made of an opaque grey resin. While grey could be considered one of the more subdued colors to show up in an Eco edition, the color is beautiful in person. My photography doesn’t do the pen any justice. It’s a very good look.

Using The Pen

The Eco is an excellent writer. Period, full stop. But there is more to this pen than just how it writes. The entire Eco line, as well as most of the fountain pen offerings from Twsbi, are demonstrators. This term is generally used in the pen world in reference to a pen with a transparent outer housing that shows off or ‘demonstrates’ the inner workings of the device.

In the early days of pen sales and marketing, transparent or partially-cut-away versions of new pens were made by manufacturers. These pens were not functional and, as the name implies, for demonstration only. These days, demonstrator pens have become so popular, many pen manufacturers at every level of industry have some form of demonstrator offering.

And yet, Twsbi is the only brand I’ve returned to this many times.

There are many reasons a person may become a repeat customer to a specific brand. Beyond the exceptional writing experience, Twsbi pens are excellently designed. Outside of the faceted shapes and brand logo on the cap, the pen is straight forward and without excessive branding. Every time you go to write, you can see the filling mechanism, feed, and nib all in place as part of the greater device. And of course, the clear inkwell is very aesthetically pleasing.

Beyond style, Twsbi gets another gold star for their customer support. There have been a couple of times I’ve had to reach out to them for a cracked cap or grip. In every case, I had replacement parts in the mail for the cost of mailing a small parcel and the pens were restored to their like-new state.

Pobody’s nerfect. It’s good to see a company support their product.

Long Story Short (too late)

At the end of the day, there are more important things to do with your money right now than buying another fountain pen. That being the case, I’m always in favor of a little retail therapy. In my opinion, the Twsbi Eco is the best pen you can get for $30.

Check out Twsbi’s selection directly from Twsbi.com, or from any of the many online fine writing retailers.

Disclaimer: This product was purchased directly from Twsbi.com by The Poor Penman at retail price. All opinions stated are my own.