Fountain Pens I Wouldn't Buy Again - My Pen Regrets
Some just aren't for me, some has small issues, and some are flat out terrible. Here is my list of pens I wouldn't buy again (most likely).
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#doodlebud #fountainpen #engineering
00:00 Introduction
00:42 Good but not for me
09:45 Almost good pens
20:02 Trash pens
Me watching this as a complete fountain pen noobie: “hmm, yes, i know some of these words”
😂😂
I concur. 😂😂😂
😂😂
😂 same
ha ha Daisy...good luck...keep going!
There's a trick to avoid cross threading I learned from Dave over at EEVBlog: as you press the components to be mated together, first turn them against each other in their *loosening* directions until you hear or feel a click, *then* tighten. The click indicates the threads of both parts are correctly engaged.
Isn't how you thread anything?
That’s what I’ve been doing for years. Thought everyone did that
@@HannahRosetheVeganNomadThere are Canadians involved here. Let them have their moment.
Right on man! I'm glad that you figured it out. This is my preferred technique whenever I'm screwing some threads that are tricky 👍
My regrets: Jinhao, Amazon Basics, Wing Sun, Pineider, one brand that had Sword in the name that escapes me. A Lamy or two has been crappy. The only brand that has NEVER let me down, and I mean NEVER, is Pilot.
Pilot is a petty damn good brand across the spectrum of price points
That is so true
That is making me feel better about my purchase
While I wouldn't get another Amazon Basics, it was my first fountain pen and convinced me to try others. My second fountain pen was a Pilot Metropolitan (still my favorite) and I realized how lacking the Amazon Basics pen is.
I own a Metro. I LOVE it. Only gripe is, if not used often, the ink reservoir will dry up, requiring a refill or disposable cartridge replacement. I have been VERY impressed with the Pilot Varsity. It writes a little wet, but I have one I've been writing with weekly, for two years, and it isn't empty yet. I have four more in the 5 pack I purchased.
Hey, I'm the Esterbrook guy! I've been using FPs for about 50 years. I've gone through probably 200 of them. This video reminds me that like any tool, if a pen doesn't feel good in my hand, even if it works perfectly and is beautifully made, it's not for me. Thanks for another interesting, informative, very enjoyable video!
I chuckled when you taped your pen to your windshield and drove it through a carwash. It instantly reminded me of the trials that John Cameron Swayze put Timex watches through in his commercials from the 60s, always concluding: "It takes a licking and keeps on ticking!"
Lol I remember the Columbia jacket ones too.
As someone who has never touched a fountain pen in my life I agree with your assessments
😉
I adore my Eco and Kaweco Sport! But I also have small hands so they feel very comfortable to me! But I totally understand they’re not everyone’s bread and butter!
The ink-barnacle buildup on the Curidas clone is one for the record book!
Ink won't flow to the tip to write but instead builds up into that crusty nugget!
What we need is s DoodleBud special edition fountain pen. I would love to see your logo on the nib because I would know that every part of the fountain pen has gone through rigorous quality control. Take care.
I second that!
Ditto!! 👍👍
Big YES
Me too!
Hoping at some point I can make it happen. I have many ideas in the works and am working on a special nib to see if what I'm hoping for is possible. If so, it would be SKOOKUM AS F**K!🤓
Your videos are entertaining and fun to watch and pretty well made with a lot of details covered. Keep doing the great work Bud.
The Trash Pen section at the end had me laughing out loud! I learned quite a few new pen terms. 😂. My husband was wondering what I found so funny on a pen review video, and when I repeated a few of your phrases he understood. Loved “I can’t remember the model number…don’t care…I hate this pen.” Hadn’t heard the great term “gnarly” for ages! Great video…thank you!
It was a gnarly ink booger
I’m not a fountain collector, but a user. I’ve bought 15 fountain pens in the last 6 years, and now I’m down to 6. If I’m not using a pen much I sell it. My two favorites are my Momento Zero stub, an ideal fit for my hand, and Pineider Avatar UR.
Great video. I went to the SF Pen Show yesterday and I saw some of those pens there. Thanks for your opinions on the build and functionality of these pens. It is very helpful. Pen mistakes can be costly
The great thing about pens is that one person may not like one brand, another person loves them. Twsbi is loved by many because of the price. Visconti is a brand I love, from lowest to highest. I have 2 Rembrandts, 2 van gogh without any of the problems noted in the video. I do agree with the Montegrappa problems though
I think I audibly gasped when I saw the Leonardo in the first case😲 lol. I appreciate your honesty and constructive criticism; because of your engineering background, you're able to point out defects and offer solutions. I hope the pen companies are watching (I'm looking at you, Conklin!) I have a Jinhao 166 (the penultimate pen you showed) and reminds me of a Faber-Castell "Hexo" - - cheap pen but hey, if you lose it, you won't cry about it.
P.S. I got the stainless steel Kaweco 'Sport' from Noteworthy Stationery in Burnaby, BC (online store only) and paid for it in 4 equal, interest-free payments via Sezzle 😁
LOL, that's why I wasn't overly excited about jumping in on the VPC Leonardo pen again LOL😆 Good pen but just doesn't turn my crank as much as I thought it would. Their larger piston filler pens look amazing, especially the ebonite ones! But damn they're pricey 😬. The 166 is pretty well build but the dry out again seems to happen pretty often. Gave one to my daughter in pink and she loves it but the hard starting creeps up again. But hey, for $2 what can I really expect LOL
@@Doodlebud Yeah, the VPC pen will probably be a regular-sized one, not oversized. Prices have gone up (for everything) so we want to keep the pen "affordable". I know it's a lame suggestion, but did you try different inks in the Jinhao 166 pens? You shouldn't /have/ to try >1 ink in a pen to determine if it has flow issues, etc.but I thought I'd ask anyway. But yes, for $2, it's not something to cry over lol.
My biggest regret by far is my TWSBI Eco. I'm a left-handed writer, and I don't have any issues with any of my other pens, but my Eco is scratchy as HELL when I write the way I usually do. I have to contort my hand into a position that mimicks a right-handed writer for it to be smooth, and that's just not acceptable IMO. Every other pen I own, I'm at least moderately happy with, but I've barely used my Eco since I bought it, and it makes me sad because it's such a nice-looking, well-made pen aside from the nib!
Sounds like the nib just needs a quick 30 second adjustment. I have a playlist on stuff like that showing how to fix the most basic issues like that
Hm, I'm left handed too and write "really" left handed (I push directly left to right, no angled wrist) and found the Eco to be great. Maybe my standards are low, is there a pen you really like for left handed writing?
Funny that was my first fountain pen as well. It was a piece of junk 😂 I'm also a lefty.
That Esterbrook from the "nothing really wrong with them" box reminds me of my first fountain pen. Don't know what brand it was and it's long gone I'm sure. But it was one of Mom & Dad's old pens, just laying in a desk drawer along with the usual mix of ballpoints, pencils, and such. Probably from the 50's. Celluloid body and I remember that little lever for filling the pen. That fiddly bit, and a general liking for old things, was what got me started.
My Montblanc 149 has been a pen I regretted getting. I have $40.00 pens that write better. I have had absolutely no dry out issues with my Diplomat Aero, I have a gold nib in it. I agree with all your other comments.
You inspired me to ink up my metropolitan. First pen I ever bought and the one that convinced me I might like this kind of pen :). Still such a fantastic pen, maybe better than my Sailor 1911. I do recall the stepdown being rough for long writing sessions though.
I can tell that my eco and 580 was not in use for maybe 2 years and when I reuse the pens I find the same level of ink and both pens writing with no problems .........amazed me Sorry for my English but I am Italian ps great video
Great video. It was interesting to see the issues with design flaws on some models. Nice to have some knowledge when trying to diagnose what it is exactly that makes one pen great and another a polished turd 🙃
I learnt a lot about threads and thread stops from this video, I'll be watching more of your videos. Thank you.
Thanks Doodlebud, Been lovin' your take on fountain pens. Keep up the good work! I've gone down the fountain pen rabbit hole about 4 years ago and could write a novel on some regrets... I'll keep it to a couple of brands. Kaweco Sports; I like the form factor even though the plastic feels cheap and light. What drives me nuts is when my OCD kicks in due to the scratching round the barrel. I get it! Pens are made to be used but the fact that they scratch, For some reason, I can't ink them up. I purchased the stainless steel version a month ago, hoping would be more resistant however, I am now seeing some wear, so in the drawer it goes... Faber Castell; I purchased the Loom and was blown away by the pen so I decided to buy the Ambition in a 3D Croco print. Bad choice. For a $100 (CDN) pen, the cap does not seat well, as though it needs harder surface to but against. As always, it has it great nib, but the plastic print feels flimsy. Probably thinking that FC could have reinforced this with an internal brass sleeve. I could go on but these are a couple that stick out due to recency. Thanks for these videos!! Carlos
Great review, the thing is about Twsbi I can’t agree, I have 3 Twsbi Eco and about to buy one more, they are incredible, very smooth writing, holds a lot of ink, fun to use, very durable.
Good to hear you're really enjoying them
I absolutely love my Diplomat Aero. I have the Orange with the black section, and I feel like it's a hair more matte maybe? Or it's all in my head; I don't own more than that one to compare side by side. I would love to have a Gravitas section on it. The Momento Zero blind cap... (bought one last year?) still feels very very light and easy to break, lol. More importantly, the convertor end rattles around so much in there that it bothers me. But easily managed with paper shims.
To avoid the threads to gripe just put some vegetable oil on a rag and gently wipe it on the threads. Makes them very smooth.
I love my TWSBI Ecos! I mainly use them for drawing/sketching and find the EF nib makes just the right sized lines for my sensibilities. They're not perfect but they're reasonably priced so I have a few with my most regularly used ink colors ready to roll.
The Eco is a solid pen. I just never really connected with them for one reason or another, but I understand why most people do enjoy them
I couldn’t ever connect with my TWSBI either. The nib is so stiff and abhor the blocky design and feel of the pen.
I think the ECO is as perfect as a thirty-five dollar pen can get.
Since I started using TWSBI ECOs over 5 years ago, I've stopped using any other pens. I've never experienced any problems with them in all that time, and I now own at least 7 of them, with plans to buy more. I own a Pelikan M800, and I don't even use it anymore, because I love the ECO so much. They are gorgeous, work well, write well, and are cheap enough that if one gets lost or stolen or accidentally broken, I won't freak out. And I can almost completely coordinate them with the ink colors I use! I'm hoping for a solid red one for my red ink, but in the meantime, red ink goes in my clear ECO.
I find them quite expensive. I could by 2 Waterman Garduates for 1 TWSBI ECO. So for the price I wouldn't buy them although they might be very good.
@@someoneonyoutube1993 I live in asia so prices might be different its about 37 us dollars here is it different where you live?
This is me with Noodler's pens. As long as you give them a good clean before to remove any manufacturing oils, I haven't had problems. I'm very happy with the ability to tinker literally everything with the pen
@@erikw3105Concur, Noodlers fountain pens are great!
The last two out of the box are lovely pens. I was given the same Esterbrook but in green. I bought a new nib for it and I like it. The last one (leonardo) is a lovely colour to me.
Well done, Doodlebud. I do enjoy your more critical approach. FWIW there's an Omas 556 desk pen in front of me and I love it but, like you, they are soooo expensive. Cheers from Australia.
Loved this video. Very fun to watch and appreciate that you highlighted the good qualities of certain pens along with why you didn't get on with them.
Glad you enjoyed it and were able to differentiate between good pens that aren't for me VS total Trash Pens. Some people didn't get that LOL
@@Doodlebud Ha, of course. I was actually highly impressed at how structured this was. Pretty solid blend of objective views, engineering intelligence, and a sense of humor!
If you understood how I do my videos, you'd see there's literally ZERO structure or much planning ahead of time. I get an idea, think about it a bit, get my pens out, and just give'r!
1. Great video, thanks. Similar videos about inks and paper would be fun and if possible even more useful. 2. My opinion of Faber-Castell steel nibs is so high that I am very curious about their gold nibs. Unfortunately I believe they are only available on their super high end GVFC pens, which I can't afford. 3. Biggest lesson from this video: do not by anything on sale, never ever.
Honestly, from someone who uses primarily dip pens... THE ONLY THING you actually gain for using gold in a nib is that it is resistant to rusting, oxidation, corrosion, and won't "react" with most chemistry in whatever you use as "ink"... I do a LOT of design and drawing, sketch to full-color portrait work... SO sometimes what I dip a pen into can be VERY different from the next person... If you get into "invisible" inks there's even more dubious chemistry... SO for some, gold is a benefit so they don't require a chemistry degree to know what and what NOT to use with their nibs... BUT for 99.99% of the population, a dab of jeweler's rouge (or plain black polishing compound from Harbor Freight) and a steel nib can be just as clean, shiny, and free of snags and burs as any softer metal... It can be quickly and easily rendered "to write as smooth as a baby's ass"... usually with a variable speed dremel or similar rotary tool and polishing "bit"... They're not difficult to use and can get you the results you always wanted with about a fifth or less the monetary cost... and a single stick of black compound can last you more than a decade... ;o)
I've several FCs and several GvonFCs (one in the steel nib, the others in 18k). The FCs write as well as their Graf counterparts. Buttery smooth. There isn't any noticeable flex with the 18ks in comparison to the steels (though I don't ever consciously flex my pens, so I might be wrong). One thing, however, that I'll say about the Graf gold nibs is the scrollwork is beautiful
@@user-qi5jw2hg1c thanks, you just saved me $600.
About twsbii and "Maturing" I totally agree. When i first started with the hobby i loved twsbii. I bought like 5 of them (two eco, two 580 and one vac). They were my favourite pens. But now im a bit 50/50 on them. I still really like one of my diamond 580s (I think the navy blue one) and i still use one of the Ecos fairly often as its my only broad and i use it for shimmer inks (Rn its got emerald of chivor in it). But in general i just dont think they appeal to me as much anymore. I still like them and still use them, but i think ive grown more fond of the "Standard" pen. Back then i hated the look of (I think theyre called cigar pens) but now my most used pen is a platinum century lol
Yup things change as you figure out what you like. I still take the buffet approach and try them all. I still recommend them to people as they are great pens, I just don't use them much anymore. A good travel pen since they hold a bunch of ink, work well, and seal not too bad.
Diplomat Aero: have it for 2 years, never had an issue with hard start or leak travelling by plane. It also has one of the best steel nibs in the market in my opinion, it’s a brilliant pen!
Funny the Eco is on the list because I’m thinking about getting the GLOW IN THE DARK ECO. If I do, it’ll probably be the only Eco!
Good to hear yours doesnt have any dry up issues. The nibs are great and my dry up is so frustrating as I'd use it more if it didnt have this issue.
@@Doodlebud it might be an ink issue, try a few different brands of ink. I have read on a Pen FB group that just by changing the ink completely changed the performance of the pen. I have an Aero and love it. I’ve had Diamine and Van Dieman’s in it without any issues.
Do you recommend it? I was planning gifting it to myself as a graduation gift
@@ZigLara go with the Aero. It’s a fantastic pen. I own one and it’s perfect.
I can agree with the TWSBI Eco. In the 4 years I've had it, my grip section has cracked twice, right at the bottom at the lip, and one cracked cap. I am done with TWSBI. The blind cap on the MZ I have, does not have the dust problem, and the threads don't feel sharp. I also have the Hawaii, but I don't know if it's from the same year, because the number on mine is 1827. The Rembrandt Azure I have closes well, but I have to turn it slightly and then the magnets snap the cap. It's the only way it closes. Not much of a problem, but not as annoying as your seems. Try my way, and see if that works for you. I have a 1.5mm stub on it. It writes well, but it does have it's start up issues, but once it gets going, it goes, and is smooth, wet, and nice. Looks like you really don't like treaded converters. I love them because them I feel the converter is secure, but I don't have any of the issues with the MZ, the Montegrappa Fortuna, or a Conklin Duragraph I have. That is the pity of it all, everyone should have the same quality experience. Either good or bad. It's nuts when two people have two different quality issues. Excellent video. Do one on pens you definitely would buy again.
Done with TWSBI because you ECO cracked? That's very, very extreme. TWSBI makes much better pens than the ECO, but TWSBI solved the cracking problem quite a while ago, and if one cracks now it is almost certainly caused by over tightening the cap. Or you just got an old pen. Something is terribly wrong because the ECO simply does not crack very often at all, even from over tightening, though that will crack or break any pen eventually. Anyway, TWSBI sells a staggering number of ECO pens, and cracks are extremely rare. The numbers are so miniscule they are almost nonexistent on a percentage basis. But buy a GO, a Swipe, or a 580, or a Vac700, or a Precision. They are all excellent pens. and pretty much never crack. Giving up on an entire brand because of one pen really is very extremely. Buy enough pens, and you'll have to give up on every brand out there because they can all have problems. And, really, you either got hold of an old pen made before they figured out what was causing the cracks, or you are simply way to muscular with your pens.
@@jamesaritchie1 Is TWSBI a personal friend of yours? Look Sir, this should really be light topic. It's supposed to be fun, swapping ideas, and helpful. I find your comments, not just the one you posted to me here , but other videos where I see your comments often sanctimonious. You don't know me. I treat my pens like they are made out of glass, so I can assure there is nothing "muscular" about the way I handle my pens. Second, the section cracked at the lip of the section, so not sure how a "muscular" tightening would have affected that. The crack on my cap was at the top of the cap, not near the band. Finally, the replacement barrel also cracked at the lip section. So I would have had an old barrel and then a year later a new barrel, and now 2 years after that I have a third barrel. The Eco was not supposed to crack according to TWSBI because of the solid piece. May be they have solved it now. May be the third barrel is the charm lol Finally, Eco cracking issues are becoming more and more now. When my barrel cracked a second time, (because I did wonder if I was doing something wrong) I searched around to find if others were experiencing the same issue. Guess what the result was? Same issue, same location. There are now YT videos on the cracking issue, and Doodlebud did a video on the issue as well, and the issue might relate to pulling the nib and feed. I would think if TWSBI wants you to be able to disassemble their pens to clean, then pulling the nib and feed should not be a problem. So extremely rare. Nah. Rare, may be, but not extremely rare. I have many pens from many pen companies. No pen is perfect, but one does come very close in my opinion, and despite certain issues, I won't give up those brands. Again, with that comment you come across as if you know who I am as a pen user. May be you are not intending to come across that way, but you are. Give it some thought, or not. Cheers
I enjoyed this. I don't have all these pens, but I shared your opinion on the ones I do have. I don't care for the Kaweco Sport. And I like the Esterbrook J, but I have plenty of other vintage pens I like better. I don't ink them up. When you brought up the Ondoro and mentioned the fingerprints I was sure we were on the same wavelength! I was glad to sell mine! We did finally disagree on the Diplomat Aero. That was one of my surprises of the year. I loved it.
Hey buddy good to hear from you! I wish my Diplomat didn't dry up so quickly! Such a nice pen & a great nib too. Same feeling on the esterbrook J. Great pen but I have several other vintage pens to use I go for those over the J series. I keep it for the rare nib. Maybe if I sell one day I'll make a few bucks on it
Bear in mind that my benchmark pen is a Pelikan M200. My first M200 was my first Pen of a Lifetime. I will never give it up. My wife later got me an aqua M205, and it is perpetually inked with Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku ink, which she also gave me. That's just about the only pen I always have inked. There are a few I would never bother to replace if lost. Jinhao X450. Too doggone heavy. And I don't like faceted sections. Jinhao X750. Not as heavy as the X450, and doesn't have the section facets. But it's still just a bit too heavy. And I've never had a Jinhao that I could call durable. Esterbrook SJ. I really like my medium manifold nib, which is kind of stubby. But this pen is too slim, and it's a bit of a pain to rinse, and I fret about sac failure when it comes to some inks. Platinum Plaisir. The first pen I ever bought two of for myself. These never dry out. They have the right weight and the right section profile for me -- about 10mm diameter +- 0.5mm, relatively straight. I recommend them as a good starter pen for people who think they might not like the slimness of the Metropolitan and Safari. But they're hard to flush, and a bit toothy. But I now have a better pen for jotting, the Jinhao 51A. Pilot Capless. Too heavy, and I don't like the clip where I hold the pen. Pilot Decimo. I got a stub for it, and it's nicely bouncy. It's not too big, and it's not too heavy, but I still can't stand that clip under my fingers. Parker 25. Probably the most affordable c/c Parker from before the company was ruined. I think Parker's FP cartridge is quite possibly one of the best ever designed. But I still find myself using the Jinhao 51A XF for jotting. Pilot 78G. Just a bit too slim. Pilot Metropolitan. I think it actually has the same section as the 78G. And the brass body makes it heavier. Lamy Safari. The section is too narrow, and then the facets take away even more girth. Between this, the X450, the Capless, the Decimo, and a triangular brass ballpoint that I've loaded with a Fisher Space Pen refill, I've concluded that there's no pen with section facets that I'm ever going to like. Noodler's Ahab. The section is just a little too small, and the barrel quite a bit too big. And some of them just dry out. Noodler's Konrad (resin). I would LOVE this pen if it didn't dry out in four hours. FPR Indus. It's a fairly close match to the M200 in form factor, just a little bit longer. But I've bought four or so, and they all dry out overnight. FPR Jaipur. These are hit or miss. I had a red Jaipur that was my favorite EDC pen ever, until one of my puppies got hold of it. I have a yellow caps demo Jaipur that's unusable, because the pen has to be pulled out of the cap after you unscrew it. I have two others that are largely serviceable, but nowhere near as nice as my emerald Himalaya, now my favorite EDC pen. Jinhao 992. Mine cracked at the end of the barrel, but never failed the way my Jinhao 599 did. I gave it away anyway. Jinhao 599. A Safari "homage" with all the problems that copying the Safari's section gives it. I lent it out to people for days or weeks at a time to get them to try and maybe like fountain pens. It broke into pieces. Beiluner BL-06, brushed stainless and chrome trim. Dried out worse than the Konrad. AND it's heavy, and the chrome plated section is slick and hard to hold. Dryden Designs. The clip has a 1mm ball welded to its underside. It's too slim. It dries out. The overall aesthetics are weird.
And how could I forget the worst of them -- a flex Stipula Splash. There was a 3mm gap between the tip of the feed and the nib when it was fully inserted. No heat setting, either, because the feed is injection-molded plastic.
Another good one DB! If you want to send that Leonardo MZ my way, I wouldn’t be mad about it! 😝😜😂
Great review. Pity about the Conklin. I have a number of Conklin pens and never had this problem with the threads or the feed. The nib is supposedly made by Jowo but I made had to do some refinement to the nibs. Something I have not had to do with other pens with Jowo nibs.
I have a Duragraph and it skips or gaps all the time. But I’m still trying to use up the original cartridge. I’ll try to tinker with the nib and eventually try a new ink.
This vid was informative & engaging with sone comedic elements in the delivery that made it great to watch! The “Trash Pens” overdub was really funny and i got a chuckle every time it made the announcement! No objections here, on any of the featured pens. It has to feel right. Some things are just manufactured so poorly they have zero redeeming qualities...which can be shocking given the price point for some of the items.
I bought a Stylograph during a pen chalet fountain pen day sale in 2020... Sound familiar? I also bought the Monteverde 20th anniversary Innova. My package was stolen by the neighbors and then they through it in the dumpster which i said, found, cleaned up and figured out why. Yafa owns both Monteverde and Conklin so they're not the great companies they once were. They use the same Chinese feeds as Jinhao and a few dozen others, they're China parts screwed together in California with a "made in the USA" sticker and price tag slapped on them. Aaannnddd... I know I'll have to hand over my own club membership for saying this but if Jowo is really making their nibs now I'd be embarrassed for Jowo. All of their other minds have a certain profile... Even the heavily modified ones... But these Monteverde branded "Jowo" nibs feel stamped and you can't even use with s standard Jowo feed housing like most all other Jowo nibs... Again... They feel more like Jinhao nibs...i bought a total of six yafa band pens over two years to see if they improved at all...3 we're broken out of the box, 2 broke while trying to clean/fix them out of the box, and the Inova does work but hard starts within an hour of being capped. But so of the spare parts they gave me made a while bunch of 5-10 Jinhao pens write real nice lol Thank you for all the vids and technical stuff...i look forward to every new one!
Got my Stylograph longer ago but doesnt surprise me you've those issues too. The design is just bad and that wont fix itself over time. I'm just staying clear of Yafa brand pens for now.
@@Doodlebud agreed... Besides... For one yafa pen you can get several Jinhao x159s. I got one with a really super nib out of the bag but the threading is pretty thin and weak so I got several more for "replacement barrels" lol
Darn, you are so good. My sentiments exactly, on the Leonardo especially.
Dear Mr Doodlebud, I really enjoyed this video, I liked how you gave good as well as bad points to these pens. I agree the Moonman M8 is a terrible pen, I had two and sold both of them for next to nothing. However, I kinda like the Moonman P135 (the little Prince inspired by), it's got a little mini fude nib, and it feels better made in the hand. I enjoy that Moonman. Great video, thanks Chelsea
The Eco is a good pen and I have no problems with it, so the following observations should be tempered by that. It's smooth but because of the smaller, number 4, nib character comes from the ink. Obviously a lot of pens share slightly modded rebranded German nibs (like Schmidt, Jowo, Bock ...) so there is a certain amount of convergence but, and I think the Kaweco Sport has the same issue, I can usually tell which of my pens I've written with regardless of ink but not so much the Twsbi Eco because it could be a host of other pens with similar nibs. It's also a positive because like a good general purpose badminton racquet it has quite a large sweet spot. I find the T version better to write with, my hands are big but not especially big and I generally hold the pen that way. The ink capacity is, simultaneously, useful for its duration and annoying for duration, if a person wants to change ink but hates waste. I think it is a safe daily carry because of cost, build and capacity. With intermittent use a full ink chamber can be a slog.
I'm on board with the Eco being a great pen. I don't have any beef with the pen but just have so many other options now I don't end up using the Eco a while lot anymore. I think it's great for the price and works quite well.
Jinhao 100. I've bought 3, now. I'm sure that many will deride me just for mentioning the brand, but I'm a happy user of them. First one was a treat for myself based on positive reviews and it is an extremely smooth writer. Second was for my youngest who is a tomboy who loves pink, and it was the first pink fountain pen that showed up on Amazon when she was sat with me looking for one; this, also, writes beautifully smoothly. Third has just arrived, and is a christmas gift for my Mum who writes with a fountain pen. Of course I tried it, and it too writes beautifully smoothly. Very comfortable to hold and write with, very smooth nib, and the only snag is that the thread on the cap doesnt have a proper stop and takes multiple turns to put on or take off.
Yup it's one of their better pens it seems. I haven't used one personally but have heard great things. Of course they have some really bad ones, but there are also many really good ones especially factoring in the price
Had two. Pretty, writes ok, but super dry out with nibs dry by day 2. No surprise as there is no seal in the cap. No more Jinhao’s (or any Ch#%@) pens for me. Not worth the time & effort.
I'm a fan of Jinhao pens too, with a little work on the nibs they can be really nice.
@@ac5aa I stopped buying any pens from China a long time ago, but the x750 pens I had would stay wet for several weeks, minimum. Some stayed wet for three months.
@@muskndusk Not really. If you want a good nib you have to buy a new one. Jinhao nibs may be smooth, but that doesn't make them good. The tipping is pure crap, and the metal of the nib itself is no better. I wore flat spot in the tipping of a Jinhao nib in six months using it part time. The "brass" barrel and cap are made from Chinese "brass" which doesn't even quality as brass by western standards. It dents easily, and probably has dents in it when you receive it, but the coating that gives the pens their colors hides the dents. That coating is usually extremely think plastic shrink wrap, and if it gets scratched, it can flake off. The grip section is also "brass, and if you use the pen heavily, you can easily wear through the coating in a year or less. I have a number of friends in China, some in knife manufacturing, and some doing the same with fountain pens. Both tell me that Chinese manufacturers specialize in making children's toys that outsiders believe are adult tools.
Thank you for taking the time to do this! I'm 6'6" so my hands are huge, pen size matters for long writing sessions. Therefore my Kaweco Brass Sport is my "quick" writer due to how small it is for me.
I'm 6'6"as well 😁 My favorite pockets pens are the Gravitas pocket and then Ensso Piuma Titanium. They fit my hands better.
A surprising update on the Montegrappa Chrysocolla. I inked it up with Diamine Eau de Nil about 6 months ago and haven't had ANY hard starts/ drying out while actually using it about once a week.
I have to thank you for your video on ultrasonic cleaning. I tried it on my Stipula Etruria 1407 which has been a hard starter since I purchased it, no matter how much I cleaned it. I decided to try my ultrasonic cleaner with a little amount of Windex in the water. I left it in much longer than I wanted, but it has not had any trouble writing since its ultrasonic cleaning. Thanks again for the tip!
Hey thats great to hear!
@@Doodlebud It was amazing thatm it worked!
The new Leonardo’s are not metal for the blind cap. I was worried from this review but they have quickly become one of my favorites (the internal piston fillers). I have 1 cartridge. They write beautifully out of the box and as you said their stubs are ridiculously good.
I have a Pilot Metropolitan too and while there’s nothing wrong with the pen it just isn’t one of my favourites. But I really like Pilot pens (the light plastic Pilot Kakuno was my first fountain pen) and so for my birthday I got a Pilot Cavalier because I like its slim profile and have been very happy with it.
Same. The metropolitan was my first real pen purchase (found a free jinhao & later got a cheap one on aliexpress) & i was disappointed. In combination with the shape+grip section + metal body i couldnt use it comfortably. It was on the heavy side too. Being that it was my first EF nib it felt scratchy so i gave it away. It didnt put me off completely from fountain pens tho & i have a couple kakunos & kawecos & a now sailor on top of some chinese pens.
My regret: TWSBI Diamond 580. I like to post. Can't comfortably post the 580; too long. Also, the posted cap can inadvertently turn the piston causing an ink disaster all over one's paper, desk, and/or hands. I really like the look of the pen, the feel of the nib, the ink capacity, and the fact that it seals very well. But having a cap all loose on my desk creating a situation where I could potentially lose it, or drop and damage it, because I can't post it, drives me crazy.
Totally agree on dry out and screw in converters. That is one area were twsbi and opus 88 are major winners - although I don't know the durability of opening the valves yet.
I've never, ever had a converter go bad because of this. I use TWSBI pens because I love how they write, but I prefer cartridge/converter pens as a rule. Many of my pens have one kind of piston fill or another, but I bought them despite that, not because of it. I've found converters are far more reliable than any kind of piston fill, including screw in converters. There simply is no need to tighten a converter to a point where it's a problem, and cartridge/converter pens are all so quick and easy to clean that all other sins are forgiven.
Now I feel like I need a video of your very favorite pens or pens you would recommend/buy again if you lost them. I realize you've done cheap and expensive pen videos, but I would love to see an overall video.
I could do something like that
My Father had an Easterbrook in his desk, looked just like the pen @ 5:42. There is also a matching mechanical pencil.
Great review! I generally agree with your assessments or at least understand them. I do, however, have three Aeros and an Elox and none of them dry out. The sections are no problem for me, either, but that may be a personal thing. Otherwise, excellent reviews! Well done!
Man that's great to hear about your aero. I wish mine didn't dry up so quick. I've heard mixed stories from viewers. Bunch have the same issue and about the same number have no issue at all 🤔🤔🤔
Back in the 90s , I was a gold nib snob. But these days I love a good inexpensive (Jowo or Schmidt) steel nib. I have lots of ECOs, and a bunch of Opus 88s. And I like these, in addition to the wonderful 20 year old Pelicans and Shaeffers. With you, I feel that nib dry out is a deal buster.
I laughed when the first pen you pulled out was the Kaweco Sport. I love it because it’s so small. It’s perfect for my hands. It’s the pen that lives in my purse. It’s a fine point, a tiny bit scritchy, but I like it. To each their own, I guess. 😂 The Metropolitan was my very first fountain pen. I didn’t love it as much as I thought I would. I don’t even know where it is now. I have added many more fountain pens to my collection. Of all the fountain pens I’ve owned, it definitely was my least favorite.
I lost my Jl Esterbrook . still have the swapable nibs for it. Schneider black ink is a good option for pens that drie out. It stays quite oily and work quite normally when you begin using and after a word or two the pen works normally. A fantastic and super dark black ink. Man, that Omas is quite wonderfull.
Kaweco sport: try the brass! Similar heft to the stainless steel and will patina. I think you'd like it Wood Ondoro: this goes below trash tier for me. Even its excellently smooth nib cannot save it for me. I had the smoked oak version and the facets are hilariously uneven such that the way it seats the cap means it dries out within half a day. Faber Castell's Canadian branch was supremely unhelpful, to the point that I'll never buy a pen from them again though, the GvFC higher end ones I may consider second hand.
I like my Esterbrook J-pen. It has the hardest nib ever. Then I found out that they made these nibs really solid to deal with copy paper. Imagine that, a fountain pen for copy paper! Still the nib writes well. The pen needed some care but now it's a solid writer. I often have red ink in it for marking up papers so it doesn't get used that often but I enjoy using it whenever I take it out.
I have the exact same Ondoro (gift), for me the problem was the grip section. I think It's just too concave and slippery for me (I have very small thin hands). I can never write for long with it. Also although I love the look of the wood, with the metal cap and grip section it's incredibly unbalaced for me.
hahaaa Doodlebud coming for ya faves! lol Im with you all the way on that Diplomate Aero. I already have a case for my travel toothbrush. 😎 Killer video!
Great video! Subscribed! Can you tell me, what can of pencase you use (where the pens are in, sorry don’t know the exact word) and where you can get them?
"Pen Case" is correct! I've been writing with fountain pens since I was 5. Love seeing alllll the fountain pen love!!!
Heres the video review with links in the description kzhead.info/sun/i7qbaLqasX6ni30/bejne.html
So much to agree with and so much that isn't on the same vibe at all :) I'll trade you my medium MB149 for the Omas in a heartbeat...
Hmm, interesting list that overlaps with some of my experiences as well. I have a few Kawecos (one sport, one Al sport) that are (literally) handy for summer but now that fall is near, off to storage they'll go. The Diplomat Aero: while I don't think of the sections as slippery, I find myself constantly adjusting my grip (so it is slippery) to the point where the barrel comes half-unscrewed. Mine is in brown -- kinda a fall color so I'll soon put it in rotation -- do love that nib! -- but just for a few months. Ah, the Montegrappa Chrysocalla -- a beautiful resin and a beautiful pen -- that spends most of the time in storage for much the same reason as yours; it dries out pretty quickly (3-4 days) and then has a hard start, pretty annoying. I'll disagree with you (partially) on the Leonardo -- I have the "regular", the Grande and the Magico (piston filler) with the latter as my favorite.
Put a very narrow strip of double-sided carpet take around the Aero grip, not far from the bottom.
@@jamesaritchie1 Thanks, I might try that though I take umbrage at manufacturer design "flaws" that require such work arounds. Ran into the same thing with Karas Kustoms Ink (Version 1). They fixed in V2 but us V1 folks were out of luck except tape, etc work arounds a design flaw.
My Diplomat Aero dries out too. The grip section doesn't bother me, but it it a little on the heavy side , for longer writing sessions for me. But that could be forgiven if I could leave it around inked for when I want to use it for notes, but I can't, because it dries out after a few days.
I love your reviews and I hate your reviews 😂. Really I appreciate your engineering perspective. You’ve made me look at fountain pens in many ways and yes some are OK-Good-enough but I don’t always want to use. Thank you for your perspective.
I too have the Goulet Montegrappa, but mine is the next iteration. I had the same nib and drying out experience. I tuned the nib no problem. I solved the dry nib by loading it with Private Reserve Infinity Turquiose. The ink claims to never run dry. So far, I can leave the Elmo stored vertical, nib up for a week, and it writes. The ink is worth a try as it has improved a few other pens with poor flow or dry nib.
Thanks for the tip on the ink. I'm not a fan much of Turquoise ink, but maybe I can find another ink that will help with the dry out
@@Doodlebud Yes, check out the Private Reserve Infinity line as they have a limited selection of basic colors to suit any preference.
I have one no one should ever know or use: it’s a fountain pen I bought at five below on a whim. No brand, just from five below. It had two pens actually, for two different nibs, and 4 ( very small ) non-refillable cartridges that don’t last very long and dry out extremely quickly even when you have the cap on tightly secured. You might get a couple days of writing out of it before it dries out, and you might run out of ink quickly if you write several paragraphs every day, but even then it probably wouldn’t support more than a 3 page essay. ( I used mine to draw, so I wouldn’t know ) It was sooo bad and the ink bled and feathered out a Lot with every stroke, no matter how light. I look forward to investing in an actual fountain pen someday lol
I had the same issue with a twsbi eco. Customer support taught me how to fix it.
When I first got into fountain pens as a hobby, Kaweco was one of the first brands I looked into. But after handling the pen at a local pen shop a few times, I knew that the grip section is too skinny for me. For the Leo I don't really see the point of the blindcap as I can't see how full my converter is. I'm better off unscrewing the barrel. On mine the cap threads want to crossthread, and I always have to go back half a turn. Annoying! I still want a Diplomat Aero in the copper orange - or maybe the flame finish. I'll have a closer look at the pen shop before I make my final decision. The Lanbitou is nasty! I saw the Curidas and thought it looks like it came from the dollar bin at the stationery store with a sign "Everything must go" over it. And the Lanbitou (which sounds like crappy pen to me) is just... ewww! It was a hard pass for me.
I started using nib pens in the 50s when we were learning cursive writing. We had the ink wells in our desks, and using them at that time was a challenge. Overfilling and splatters were common. My funniest memory was when a classmate accidentally sprayed turquoise ink on a girl's white sweater. She sat in front of him and had her sweater on the back of her seat. Part of the problem was that the desks were not attached to the floor, so she had her desk touching the front of the desk behind her. 😂 I decided I would go back to cursive writing as I approach my 75th birthday, so thank you for all your recommendations.
This is gonna be a good video when the first two pens in the bin are some of my favorites so far. 😂😂😂 I'll follow up with more after I've finished the video
I'm surprised to see a vintage pen in the box, too! 😮 Of course, maybe some pens just aren't meant for certain people. I guess those pens that we hold onto should be passed onto other people if they don't hold any use for ourselves, but that's always up to the person. 🙂
OH Moonman with the sticker pen. 🙈 I do not see it and I do not acknowledge it.
I agree re: the Kaweco plastic sport, but man the brass sport is one of my favourite EDC pens.
Same here. I really, really liked the Brass Sport with the medium steel nib that came on it, but I then bought the Kaweco gold nib, which costs way too much, and now I love the Brass Sport. My other two always carry pens are the Visconti Homo Sapiens Bronze Age, and the Scribo Feel. I never would have guessed that the Brass Sport would fit in with these two pens, but it does. It did with the steel nib. Writing with the blasted thing is almost addictive.
I wanted an M8 badly when they came out, and I regretted not buying one. Now that I've seen how yours aged, I'm so glad I didn't get it! And I definitely agree about the Lanbitou Curidas knockoff. It's just awful.
Both are perfect examples of TRASH PENS! I made that sound effect just for this video 🤣📹 Just for terrible pens like those
I don't own very many pens, and half of them were in that first box lol. I'm also not too fond of the Pilot Metropolitan. Love my TWSBI Eco though. My first "fancy" pen is the TWSBI Precision because the ECO hooked me on the brand.
My regrets: Parker Frontier, IM and Parker maybe an Urban? The IM performed solidly, until two months later until it started scratching like crazy! Never dropped any of them. The Frontier nib section started falling apart on me from week two during my exams. The IM... oh my good lord the IM... So the nib died on me for no reason, but the cap started getting loose, the feed was either super dry or super wet, and also fell apart, but in a far more spectacular fashion. The nib section had three partitions, the nib and feed inside the pen itself, a chrome/shiny metal pieceholding the feed and a barrel around the chrome piece. The barrel part was held onto the chrome piece by some sort of elastimer/epoxy that held it in place on the pen as it was too short to touch the end of the section, but that disintegrated into the cap and left crud all over the barrel that was impossible to see. With the barrel now unsupported, it rattled, span and made it incredibly difficult to write with. The maybe an Urban's feed is awful, being dry and draggy and in general a pain to use. This might be a function of it being second hand and mistreated, so I need to do another full clean. I am currently looking into that Majohn A1 mentioned after seeing the engineering breakdown that you posted, as my Nahvalur Original Plus was taken out of my jacket pocket while I wasn't looking.
My biggest grip with fountain pens is when they dry out. I like to use several at the same time also. I think by this time in the history of fountain pen should be able to write no matter how long since you have written with it.
Im the same way. Nib dry out should no longer be an issue with a pen. Its very simple to address this issue in the initial design and there are several simple ways to take care of this depending upon material selection and manufacturing methods used.
From your "nothing really wrong, just not for me" list of pens I agree 100% about Kaweco Sport, TWSBI Eco and Pilot Metro. I gave away the only Pilot Metro I ever bought and cringe a little when they're recommended for beginners...I have some Kaweco AL-Sports which are okay. The heavier aluminum body makes them feel less cheesy that the regular Sport. I have a Conklin Duragraph garbage pen that's beautiful to look at, but the nib was garbage. I sent it to a nibmeister to have the nib replaced and I still don't ever use the Conklin...
I understand your logic on the pens. For me the Kaweco Spoert is my EDC in my shirt pocket for quick note taking during the day. TheMetropolitan is my daily work note taking pen, snap cap, drop it and it is ok and if you loose it is not a financial burden. m nib for notes, F nib to annotate documents with my custom mixed Orange ink. great video, thanks.
Very interesting, thank you. Personally, I make a difference between pens that I no longer use that much because I've moved on to other pens (like my Pilot MR/Metropolitan), and pens I regret buying, which is something totally different. In this latest category, I include the Faber-Castell Loom (not scratchy, but the nib is so hard that I feel like I'm writing with a nail), the Platinum 3776 (way too thin for me), and the Platinum Curidas (poor build quality, the mechanism sometimes fails). The Diplomat Aero, I would buy it again, it is one of my best steel nibs and it is very nice to the touch.
The nib on my diplomat is really good, but the section & dry up issue I have just seem to undermine all the great parts about the pen for me 😕
@ Because it is simply not the same feeling. The Jowo steel nib is not a soft nib by any definition, but it does support the act of writing in a pleasant manner.
Thank you for presenting them with ++ and ---. The last part (garbage pens) was really fun! :))
Thanks for the vid. I don't know the others but love the TWSBI Eco.
There are a lot of pens out there that look nice, but the Kaweco doesn't do it for me (despite the rave reviews), neither the Twsbis or the Pilot Metropolitan, nor anything with a metal sections, or metal threads. I like 'serious' piston fillers, Montblancs, Pelikans, the Lamy 2000 etc. Quality will always stand out.
Dont know if it would help, but whenever going plastic to metal or the other way, spin backwards until you feel start of thread and then screw it in. Worked on copiers for a long time and that worked well for me...Enjoy your videos.
I’ve recently learned about the Monteverde “Tool Pen” and it’s unique…combination of features. Wondering if it’s down Doodlebud’s engineering ally for a review? And if it’s a keeper or a tosser 🧐
I've seen those & even tried one. Cool idea but didn't seem much of a good writer. And realized I wouldn't really use it as a level, ruler, or screwdriver either LOL. So decided not to bother
@@Doodlebud are you an engineer as well? Funny how many of us like fountain pens.
Have you used any of the other Jinhou pens? If so are the others much better than the one in the video? I have their x350 and feel it writes really well, the ink it came with was crap, but i plan to see how it goes with better ink, im eyeing a bottle of van diemans ink atm.
Some others are much better pens
Any noodlers fountain pens. I got a big one and a small one from them with different fill mechanisms. They both leaked when stored nib down and the ink dried up in them after just 15 minutes with the caps on and stored nib up. Literally unusable. They were my first fountain pens and they really soured the hobby for me. I didn't touch a fountain pen for years after that until I decided to buy a nice used fountain pen from the flea market for $8 that writes like a dream. Do you guys have recommendations for affordable pens with fun and unique fill mechanisms?
Those dang sales! They get me too! Maybe I can program my browser to pop up a warning when my mouse hovers over the “Checkout” button on a pen site.
I used to be in the same camp of kaweco until I met the stieel version with a sweet fine nib. Bought it cheap to boot cause it was dinged !
nice video, straight to the point , I agree with a lot of the content, same frustrations
While it won’t cure your dry out time issues. I had the section of my Diplomat media blasted to add texture to mitigate the slick section issue.
The Kaweco sport was my first FP. I think it was a random amazon recommendation. Im not the biggest fan either and decided to get a Lamy safari as my second pen and it was a huge upgrade in my opinion. I still have it as a traveling pen. One that i won't be super sad about if it gets lost. I also have the Esterbrook J. Havent used it yet as i have just re-sacd it, and waiting to run out of ink on a couple other pens before inking it. And an Omas 360 is a grail pen for me!
for the diplomat aero... I reckon if you polish the section mirror smooth you'd actually gain more grip from it, might be worth a try.
The section is anodized aluminum which doesnt polish. I'd have to remove the anodizing then polish the bare aluminum. I've debated about engraving a grippy pattern on the section using my laser to improve the grip.
FWIW: be careful what you wish for. In the '90s, I had a 5 pen grail list. I already owned one (the MB 149), and got a windfall, so I bought my Pelikan M1000 instead of the OMAS 360. I kept buying others and then, oops - OMAS went under. Prices of the 360 went way up, and eventually I found a 360 Midi at a price I liked. Yippee! I found that I could not tolerate that sharply cut grip shape (because I "roll" my pens a bit when I write). I sent the 360 along to someone who appreciates it. Moral of the story is, try one before you buy one, unless you know that shape and the sharp edges won't bother you.
I got to try one at a pen meet and loved it even more! That sealed the deal for me.... Hopefully one day
Did you attempt to rotate the nib a little? That could have compensated for you rolling the section. An oblique nib might have just worked wonders for you on the 360. I have a 360, and another on the way. I find the 360 to be the most comfortable pen I have ever used, whereas I can't stand the Safari. It hurts my fingers. I can't figure it out. I also have an ASC Triangolo,, and is as comfortable, but the section tapers from a triangle to a circle. But I would take a 360 over a Triangolo anyday, if I could, mostly due to the clip and the filling system.
Nice little video , where did you purchase t house colorful cloth pen bags/cases ?
Review and details are in the description kzhead.info/sun/i7qbaLqasX6ni30/bejne.html
I can't stand piston filler pens, or the ones that have a syringe-like filler. Anything where you can't squeeze or screw the ink sack to make a drop of ink almost come out of the pen. The whole point of a fountain pen is to be able to push more ink to the nib two or three times per page. I have never yet found a pen with good enough ink flow, except for an old Parker 51 which used to splurge so much ink it was like writing with an oil slick. My favourite pen is Lamy Safari, definitely not for the design, purely for the cost and writing performance. The caps on Lamy pens lose their grip and start falling off over time so I use the cap from a plastic eternal pencil (looks just like a Lamy Safari and all the body parts screw and click together which is great as these plastic pencils are less than a pound or dollar each, far cheaper than getting a new pen). If anyone can recommend a fountain pen with truly generous ink flow and I do mean generous, I'd love to hear about it, but I've been using fountain pens since the 1980s and haven't found one yet! Also does anyone know of a good broad or better still extra broad nibbed pen, I mean something with a round point nib, not oblique or italic? I was going to get a Kaweco Sport purely for the BB nib, it's the only modern pen I know of available in extra broad.
How much did the Momento Zero Grande cost in the end (and would you sell it?)🤗
Thank you very much for this review. Only for one pen I can not agree with you. That blue / grey blue Jinhao 166 is one of my favourite Jinhao pens. This pen (anyway my one) writes great. It is a perfect pen for me. I have no issues with drying out. I was amazed what a great pen it is for almost nothing.
I got one for my daughter as well and she has the same dry up issue. It's really too bad as it's pretty damn good for the $2 😕
My Visconti Rem. dries out quick as well! I rarely use it because it hard starts in 24 hours and my TWISBI pens stay inked for months at a time and never hard start. I don't have that problem with my Diplomat Aero, it's been quite reliable.
Damn, guess I got a bumb aero. Just might have to have a closer look to see if I can find the issue with dry out. Mind asking what size nib point you have in yours. Mine is an XF and I'm wondering if those are a it more prone to dry out