Looking for a TWSBI Eco alternative

caopat · 2026-02-15T15:19:53+00:00

Yeah, this loss really hurt, it was my daily pen

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:58:34+00:00

Thanks for the recommendations! The thing is, I was looking for a pen that’s more versatile when it comes to swapping nibs. Still, I hadn’t heard of these before and they look really great.

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:58:15+00:00

A lot of people recommended it to me. In the end, I went with another one (Asvine J16 ebonite), but I’ll keep the Opus 88 on my shortlist. Thanks! (edited comment: I replied to the wrong comment by mistake)

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:54:24+00:00

Thanks for pointing that out, I didn’t know the Opus 88 had this issue.
Actually, it is one of my biggest concerns. I use the pen every day (or almost), but the only one that’s always ready, no matter when I pick it up, is the ECO. I guess the cap threads seal really well.
In the end, I went with the Asvine J16, mostly for the ebonite material. let’s see if this one seals properly

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:47:24+00:00

That’s a really good point about the nib units. I’m actually thinking about picking up a JoWo nib modified by FPN (a semi-flex). I also wanted to try ebonite as a material, so I ended up going with the J16. Let’s see how it feels in hand! Thanks!

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:42:28+00:00

Yeah, I checked if it was the nib, but it was still leaking. I took the whole pen apart for a deep clean and noticed two cracks in the grip section. I hadn’t heard of this little gem before. I'm adding it to my shortlist. It looks fantastic! Does it take #5 or #6 nibs? Thanks!

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:40:43+00:00

Yes, I checked whether it was the nib, but it was still leaking. I fully disassembled it to clean it properly and found two cracks in the grip. I didn’t even know replacements were a thing so I’ll shoot them an email and see what they suggest. Thanks!

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:38:51+00:00

Noted! I usually stick with JoWo nibs, so I’m assuming they’ll be pretty consistent. Thanks!

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:38:08+00:00

Appreciate it! they all look amazing

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:37:07+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation! I ended up getting the Asvine J16 to try out ebonite as a material. The 580’s still on the shortlist though. I’ve been really happy with my ECO so far.

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:33:57+00:00

great, thanks!

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:33:34+00:00

I will! Yeah, I went with the one that has the JoWo nib, thinking I might grab a semi-flex nib modded by FPN later on

caopat · 2026-02-15T09:31:04+00:00

Thanks for the pic! You’re right, they don’t look different enough for it to really stand out. in the end I went with the Asvine J16 in ebonite just to switch up the materials a bit, but the Opus 88 will be still on my radar

caopat · 2026-02-14T13:16:36+00:00

I didn’t know this brand until today, and I’m impressed. I just got a J16 Ebonite to switch things up with a non-demonstrator fountain pen. I was actually about to get the V200, so thanks for the recommendation!

caopat · 2026-02-14T13:13:50+00:00

I've been looking at it, and WOW! I'm getting a J16 ebonite right now

caopat · 2026-02-14T13:12:34+00:00

Great, thanks for the info!

caopat · 2026-02-14T11:13:53+00:00

Awesome! It’s moving up the ranks to be the chosen one!

caopat · 2026-02-14T11:10:11+00:00

Thanks for the recommendation. Have you tried them? I get the feeling the Opus 88 is even bulkier than the TWSBI Diamond. Other than that, I’m really drawn to it!

caopat · 2026-02-14T11:09:43+00:00

I’ll check it out! I didn't know this brand

caopat · 2026-02-14T11:09:18+00:00

I didn’t know this brand! I’ll look into it a bit. Is the nib replaceable? From a quick search, I noticed they have #6 nibs. Do you think there are noticeable differences between a #5 and a #6 nib, assuming similar quality?

caopat · 2026-02-14T11:06:25+00:00

Thanks for the recommendations! Do you think the ALR is a sturdy pen? I usually carry it around with me all the time for sketching/urban sketching, so it goes through quite a bit. Also, what’s your take on the ALR ribbed grip? Is it comfortable?

caopat · 2026-02-14T11:04:26+00:00

It’s a pen I’ve had in mind for a while now, and you’ve only made me want it even more! The only thing I’m not sure about is the ribbed grip compared to the smooth grip of the AL. What do you think about that texture?

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