This was FUN! Rachel needs to be outside holding up a poster through the window about Lamy's unfriendly grip for her kind of writing. And others can join her for that "morning news" vibe.
I have TWISBI Ecos (6). I have LAMY Al-Stars (6). Each pen is filled with a different colour. I use five of each in my artwork. Half are filled with waterproof inks and half with non-waterproof. I have a LAMY in my home office to write with. I have a TWISBI at my work office. I don't m8nd refilling the Lamy at home frequently (necessary because it holds so much less ink). I use the TWISBI at my work office because it holds a lot of ink and I can easily see how much is left. This is essential so that I don't head off to a meeting with a nearly empty pen. I love the triangular hold on the Lamy...it lets me have super control when sketching. I love the ink capacity of the TWISBI for long sketching sessions. Love them both.
I FULLY BLAME THE ECO FOR SENDING ME DOWN THE ROAD TO FOUNTAIN PEN TOWN. Safari was my first fountain pen, but it wasn’t until I got the ECO that I realized what a magical, fantastical world the land of fountain pens can be. The ECO forced me to buy an ink- which was oh so enjoyable to watch sloshing around the barrel. 3 more TWSBIs and 4 new bottles of ink were ordered a week after acquiring my TWSBI ECO and my collection continues to rapidly grow. With the Lamy Safari, I dutifully used the included ink cartridge… completely oblivious to the wonders that awaited me. ECO was the pen that got me addicted.
I am officially scared. I have 2 safari’s use them on and off, alternating with my normal Muji. but for the first time i have ordered TWSBI Eco with Pilot Yama buds ink… I cannot afford a new hobby :P
@@devanshi2193 Your fear is legitimate! 😂. There seems to be no end to the discoveries with pens, ink, paper, etc. For me personally, I find this hobby satisfies my need to be organized and my need for a daily dose of creativity.
The Lamy’s super friendly usage almost works against fountain pens. I got the TWSBI Eco first, and was a bit intemidated, but quickly fell in love watching the sloshing ink and smooth writing.
I considered the TWSBI Eco, Lamy Safari, and Kaweco Sport fountain pens (after almost giving up the hobby on a Preppy) as a beginner. I went with the TWSBI Eco because of the color variety and I adore my two glows. I also now own a bunch of Kaweco Sports because of their color variety, ease of nib changes, etc. I am a tinkerer who enjoys variety. Taking them apart, cleaning, using bottles of ink, buying a limited edition that calls to me.... that is where my joy is.
I have multiple copies of each of these pens (in various colors) and I tend to prefer the Safari. The ABS plastic used in the Safari makes it a better knock-around pen (ABS is a much tougher plastic than acrylic). Another feature that's overlooked is the ability to "hot swap" nibs on the Safari (i.e. no need to de-ink the pen). Long live the Safari !!
@@raeedibnzaman1 - I am not privy to the resins used by Lamy, however my guess is the Lamy Vista is not made from ABS (clear ABS is generally "milky clear", not crystal clear like acrylic or polycarbonate). If I were a Lamy engineer, I would choose polycarbonate, since polycarbonate is much tougher than acrylic (i.e. more in keeping with the rest of the Safari line)... but I am not a Lamy engineer so the short answer is, I don't know what resin they use for the Vista.
"OPERTAOIN & USE" - Made me crack up with a good heartfelt chuckle! I have both pens and love both equally. I went through uni with my Lamys and have many fond memories of study sessions with this fountain pain.
Safari was my first fountain pen and I have no complaints about it, *except* that it dries out if left unused for a while. I have *never* had the Eco be anything but juicy wet every single time I uncap it.
It's the Eco for me hands down, no contest. I had an old Eco on my shelf filled with ink for a year, it didn't dry up or clog, and I brought it to jury duty still writes great without any fuss. My first FP was a Safari and while it was great to get me into the hobby, I grew disappointed in them once I experienced other pens. I collected a decent range of pens since then. My favorites for a while were Sailors, but no matter what I'm carrying I also always carry an Eco. I feel they are reliable and satisfying to fill, hold, and to look at the ink swishing inside. It's a great FP experience IMO. The only thing I prefer about Safaris is that they use cartridges / converters. I like to syringe clean and refill cartridges / converters because I'm overly cautious about contamination. The ink capacity of the Eco is definitely a double-edged sword, but if you have a favorite ink, with an Eco you have it available year round
I love the creativity and humor that both of you brought to this video! And you made good comments about both pens. I have several TWSBI and Lamy pens and enjoy both brands and models for different reasons and different writing needs. I also have other pens and learned that each brand and each pen has a special personality that attracted me to add to my collection.
When I gifted my friend’s children with their first fountain pen I gave them all Safaris with bulb syringes and a bunch of different Lamy cartridges so they could change ink colors as kids love to do. I have a number of ecos, but they aren’t as easy for beginners, the feeds are delicate and the nibs often write like nails. Lamy nibs are far better save for the occasional lemon who is easily replaced.
Actually, I don’t have a problem with them either. But for beginners, I expect something more likely to be smoother is better. Good fountain pen friendly paper is also a must, so I included small journals for each which I forgot to mention. I wanted to make things easy as possible for them and it worked out nicely.
@@alohaboy96 I have three of them in EF/F write horrible recently. Two of them almost are writeable at all. I emailed them, they were eager to make an exchange for the nibs. I did have others several years ago. They work fabulously.
Own them both. both good value for the price. If I could only keep one it would be the Eco. Feels better in my hand--more substantial. Love being able to see the ink.
I have Goulet Pen's Lamy Vista in black. And I absolutely adore it. And I have a TWSBI Eco in Orange and I absolutely adore it. I carry my Lamy Vista to work with me because of that nice click on cap. It really is a workhorse especially with that mountain climbing crabiner-like clip. The TWSBI I leave at home (I'm worried I'll over torque the cap and ruin the threads-so I don't use it as much)
SO GOOD! I've always loved these type of debates, but extra fun with the suits and stacks of papers. Also, love the idea of a poll for the community to decide. Super cool!
Between my wife and I we have at least five TWSBI ECOs, with the full range of nibs, all of which get used on a regular basis. There's one Safari, in the house a pen my wife bought because it was yellow, which never gets inked because neither of us like the grip section and the way the pen writes.
I love these guys. Truly inspirational what the Goulets have done with their business. I mean, I still remember when Brian started. And when the gentleman in the video started as well. As for the pens here: they cater to different types of users. But both can be enjoyed by all. If you like tinkering, then twsbi. If you want a classic design (the safari has been around a *while*), go safari. If you like pens and all that goes with them, get both.
Guys, thanks for the insightful video. I just purchased a TWSBI Eco with a Fine nib a few days ago. I inked it with a Jacques Herbin Terre d’Ombre. Guess what? Starting writing in the office, initially (the first few minutes), I kind of impressed by its smoothness. Keep writing, with a normal note-taking pace, the flow started drying out. Gradually, the letters started becoming thinner and thinner; I started reaching a point where there was a readability issue coming out clearly! With continuing writing, in addition to that “thinning” of the letters (not aware whether there is a dedicated term for that), I started having skipping problems. Today, I referred back to the retailer (a UK retailer, since I am in England) for giving me a solution. Conclusion: I am not sure if it happened I was that unlucky to end up with a problematic pen (i.e., the way it has been manufactured by the company), but if not, there is no the slightest comparison with the ample flow capacity of a LAMY! Not the slightest chance! I own like 6 LAMYs so far, and had never had aaaaaaaaanyyyyy issue with them! Their reliability is to be studied. On the contrary, the aforementioned TWSBI is my first ever TWSBI, and come out either problematic, or not a fountain pen model with sufficient flow capacity to support everyday writing activity in the office. I highlight that the TWSBI has a fine nib. I do not know if things would be different with a medium. However, even if they would, the fine nib option would not be a suggestion from me as a “workhorse”, … except (of course), if I had been that much unlucky with my first TWSBI Eco purchase! In any case, though, this first TWSBI purchase of mine came with a disappointment. 😢😢😢
I got an extra fine TWSBI and expected it to have quite a bit of feedback. To my surprise, it was so smooth and I couldn’t believe it was an EF!! I love mine!
Really wishing this video came out before I bought my Safari. I love the Safari, but there’s so many things about the Eco I didn’t think about that Brian mentions and it blows me out of the ink jar
This was a fantastic discussion. I also own both of these pens. Safari was my first and I would still suggest it to anyone. Having said that, my Twisbi is the one that stays on my desk constantly. And of course the Kawco sport in my pocket. Nice work guys!
My first fountain pen was a Stypen at Secondary School here in the UK in 1973. We had to write with a fountain pen in English lessons. The Stypen used short IS cartridges. I soon changed to a Platignum Varsity that took the long IS cartridge. Cartridge pens are by far the best to start with. I do have a load of Lamy blue cartridges in my drawer that have never been used though...
I had the same Yves Klein blue moment. It's like one of those Kubrickian details which conspiracy addicts can't get enough of. 😏 Best wishes from Vermont ❄️
I own a couple of Ecos and one Safari, I use the Ecos far more often. In part because of the visibility of the ink and they always write when I need a pen. The forced grip on the Safari may be an issue too, I just gravitate towards the TWSBI s.
Ok first, I’m definetively Team Both. As germans we used Fountain pens since 2nd grade (i got a Lamy ABC while my brother got the Pelikan Junior), in 5th grade we got the Safari like almost all our Classmates. I think i got my first TWSBY Eco 2022? Don’t remember, but it was when the Glow in the Dark launched. And let me say, it writes reliable, for a long time, the weight is ok, but i just wished it didn’t come with a screw-on-cap. That’s the only reason it will never be my designated diary pen, cause when i want to take quick notes i just don’t have the patience to unscrew it every time. And yes, when i leave it uncapped it gets dry. Also, if i want to see the cartridge/converter better i just use the Vista (that IS a demonstrator Safari, same build just clear)
As a new person to the community/Hobby I have both. But I was disappointed how quickly I ran out of ink in the safari and I write a lot by hand. So yes I had to get acquainted with bottles quickly so I could refill the safari and use the Eco. Especially since the cartridges are so small for Lamy, I think bottle is the more efficient way to go. So because I write a lot by hand I would say Eco because of the higher capacity it will hold.
Buy BOTH. My first Lamy was a gift in 1987, I've got close to 20 Lamys altogether. Also have a few TWSBI Ecos, they are also great. They rarely dry out and hold tons of ink.
I got a Lamy as my first pen. It writes amazing straight out of the box, not a fan of the grip though. Got into Kaweco Sports and been using those. Although they are not as reliable nib wise. Just ordered a Twsbi mini. Excited for it to get here. I’ll come back with my winner once I’ve had a week or so to test it out.
Very good video gents! You guys both look very sharp in those suits, classy! I have both the Lamy and the TWSBI pens and I learned a couple things I did t know by watching this video. Thanks again for doing these videos. They are educational as well as entertaining!👍
I love the suit and ties! I love when you guys debate which pen is the better pen. I did buy the Lamy Dark Lilac ink and I love it! I am wondering what is the best paper to use it on, I notice the shimmer doesn't shine on many of the papers I use.
Iroful will show the shimmer. Most other papers cannot compare with regard to displaying color and shimmer. And, it's great paper in all the other aspects, as well.
I must admit that I agree with Drew here. I find the Safari to be much more durable that the Eco. All of my Ecos have cracked in different places despite my being very gentle with my pens. Also, recently I gave a Safari and an Eco to a friend who had never used a fountain pen before. After a few months, my friend returned the Eco to me. He said that the Eco wasn't very comfortable to use and he didn't like the Eco piston sticking and didn't want to take the pen apart. I agree.
Best debate I have watched all season!! My first pen was the twsbi Ecco. Loved ‘em and have gotten a lot of pens since. I am looking to purchase my first Lamy Safari this weekend, and am pretty excited, getting the cursive nib with my purchase.
My first fountain pen was a Lamy Al-star with a converter, basically a metall safari. The second pen was a TWSBI eco 🤗 Both pens are really good, but I really liked that the eco never dried out. The third pen and most recent is the TWSBI 580 Diamond. At the moment I have the 580 Diamond and the Lamy inked up, both are reliable and good writers 😊
The interesting thing about the safari clip is that its both big and simultaneously small On the pen it's huge but clipped on my sweater it legitimately disappeared I had to feel around for it, the wire is pretty thin
Somehow missed this when it dropped two months ago, but it's aged pretty well. Both TWSBI and Lamy have been prolific this year with these models, Lamy dropping 6 new editions of the Safari only half way in. I kind of forgot about my Al-Star, came back to it today, threw some Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo in it; what a pleasant pen to write with. Only wish the Z28 converter came apart (like Platinum and Sailor converters do) for ease of cleaning.
Hi. Enjoyed the battle, and as always, you guys are fantastic! After I purchased my first Safari a few years ago, I have been 'fetishly' attracted to them when I came across the 2020 SEs, so much so that I went on to acquire more SEs thereafter to pair each with a matching ink color. After learning more about the ECOs - thanks to you guys - I became ambitious and too a dive into the ECOs recently to use them with shimmering inks. Both are great pen models that I equally like for what they are.
You guys crack me up. Drew seemed fully committed to his role, and Brian looked like he was trying not to laugh throughout. The Safari was my first writing fountain pen, have had one for more than 12 years, and more recently added the Twsbi Eco for sketching. I agree that the Safari is the better entry-level pen, and appreciate the Eco's ink capacity, but the lack of ease in switching out nibs is a limitation that I hope Twsbi can solve in the future.
I'm not sure how you mean lack of ease switching TWSBI nibs. I don't have any issues removing and swapping them and I don't really hear about people having issues with it unless they're being extra rough.
I mean the ease of changing nibs in the sense that they don't sell spare nibs (8:42), where you have a variety of nibs to choose from with Safari@@sharkpopsicles. As a sketcher my dream would be to put a fude nib on an Eco... (someone may have done this but I haven't figured it out).
TWSBI did solve the nib-swap limitation but did so with their Diamond 580 model. The nib/feed unit unscrews from the grip like a vintage Esterbrook nib unit. If you keep your 580 in nib-up position when you do this, you don’t even have to empty your pen of ink before swapping the nib. If TWSBI did this with the Eco, they would have to remake the Eco mold/machine the pen differently by adding a set of threads for the nib/feed unit to screw onto. That may incur extra expense in the pen’s manufacture and would raise the cost point on the pen itself.
I use stub nibs and so I have to order a 15.00 nib + converter with every Safari...so, the eco wins since the stub nib isn't an extra 15. But I still order a Safari now and then...loved the new blackberry/pink beautiful with blackberry ink...such a win!!
The showdown I didn't know I needed LOL I've been a die hard Lamy Safari supporter since I was... ahem... 10??? But you know, maybe I should try the TWSBI Eco to see for myself.
This is so amusing! My first Fountain pen i bought is a Lamy Safari and my second one is a TWSBI Eco and I like both for specific uses. Also, love the facial expressions. Thank you! ahahahah
Fantastic video! Love them both and they are by far the most extensive part of my collection -more than a dozen of each- As starter pen, Safari. If you want to explore a little bit more, ECO is the next step.
I was super new at fountain pens when I received my first TWSBI Eco. I love to tinker so of course, I took the whole thing apart because they dangled a little wrench in my face. Ten minutes later I was frantically searching the internet to try to figure out why the pen looked right, but wasn't right enough to write. DREW BROWN TO THE RESCUE! I found your TWSBI Eco video explaining the "wrench zone" and the "space and no space" with all of the extremely helpful sound effects (which I also used) and in seconds my pen was ready for the beautifully pigmented tears of the gods (Diamine Marine). I personally love the TWSBI but if I'm gifting a pen, the Lamy Safari would be the winner. That all being said, I had so much fun playing with my pen and learning how it worked and I'm super grateful that your video was there to help me find my mistake. Both pens are winners! Thank you for this fun comparison. ❤
I have a LAMY safari in my bag all the time. Get lots of complements on it. However, I have a TWSBI Diamond 580 (in Iris, so pretty I couldn't resist) and use it quite a bit at home. Will probably pick up an ECO soon just for fun. I am not sure whether to love or hate you guys, as you got me back into collecting pens (a hobby I had abandoned about 25 years ago when all my antique pens got destroyed in a flood). But I am having fun with them....both are very nice pens.
I have both. Love both! Twsbi for my really cool bottle inks shimmer. LOL its Swashability is a must! LAMY for my go to just laying around my office, house, kitchen, car, on the go pen and use normal pigment inks.
The ABS of the Safari is certainly tough. Never had any cracking issues with them. I've had multiple Ecos crack in the section near the sides of the nib in normal usage. Love them both though. If you don't write much, the Safari's cap seal can be a potential problem. The TWSBI caps do seal nice, so they seldom develop problems drying out. I did find the huge capacity of TWSBI pens to be a little frustrating starting out since I frequently wanted to try different inks.
Two great pens for sure... I wouldn't have thought to consider them "head to head" as they seem to take radically different approaches... Maybe that's what makes them fun to compare!
Order my first Lamy Safari this weekend. Super excited for it ✒✒✒ Of course, I ordered from The Goulet Pen Company. I am one of your Hampton Roads neighbors.
I prefer the satisfaction of snapping the cap onto the Safari, but I love the sloshability of the Eco. I enjoy seeing Noodlers SW Sunset in my Eco, but it doesn’t write well. I love the stub nib on my Safari. It really shows off the sheening of Birmingham Tesla Coil, and the nib is smooth as silk.
Big fan of both! Lamy might not include the converter, but it comes with an ink cartridge, which is pretty beginner friendly. Twsbi Eco, you would need to buy ink, and that can be overwhelming…
Twsbo Wco White Rose Gold (About 70USD if u buy in India: while Lami costs almost same), however, its still worth it. Granted i almost messed it up while cleaning bcoz i forgot which way the piston opens, and i had a hard time putting it back (to the extent i was willing to take it to a pen hospital). That being said, its one my of my best pens (baring Metropolitan for its smooth nib). And i realise 1 thing, after few days, the nib of Eco is really really really smooth too. Also, its very flexible considering its a steel nib
The ink window is kinda pointless when the competitor is transparent lol
Lol I was just about to say this too
😂 my thoughts exactly
but it is the clearest ink window possible! That was one heck of a argument, I was laughing my butt off.
Lmao
There are transparent lamys@@Duyanh2806
Came for the arguments, stayed for the facial expressions.
Anyway, thank you!
Brian and Drew certainly do not disappoint in the expressions department!
"Where are you pulling that data from, Drew?"
"My brain."
😂😂😂
Source: voices in my head. 😂
@@rangeldi 🤣
This was FUN! Rachel needs to be outside holding up a poster through the window about Lamy's unfriendly grip for her kind of writing. And others can join her for that "morning news" vibe.
I have TWISBI Ecos (6). I have LAMY Al-Stars (6). Each pen is filled with a different colour. I use five of each in my artwork. Half are filled with waterproof inks and half with non-waterproof. I have a LAMY in my home office to write with. I have a TWISBI at my work office. I don't m8nd refilling the Lamy at home frequently (necessary because it holds so much less ink). I use the TWISBI at my work office because it holds a lot of ink and I can easily see how much is left. This is essential so that I don't head off to a meeting with a nearly empty pen.
I love the triangular hold on the Lamy...it lets me have super control when sketching. I love the ink capacity of the TWISBI for long sketching sessions.
Love them both.
TWSBI - T has a slight triangle grip that i love
“More cartridges than the Eco has” 😂🤣😂🤣😂🤣 Drew is hilarious! I love it!
You guys have to keep doing these. This was hilarious!😂
Sloshitude? Brilliant! Thanks for that, gentlemen.
I FULLY BLAME THE ECO FOR SENDING ME DOWN THE ROAD TO FOUNTAIN PEN TOWN. Safari was my first fountain pen, but it wasn’t until I got the ECO that I realized what a magical, fantastical world the land of fountain pens can be. The ECO forced me to buy an ink- which was oh so enjoyable to watch sloshing around the barrel. 3 more TWSBIs and 4 new bottles of ink were ordered a week after acquiring my TWSBI ECO and my collection continues to rapidly grow. With the Lamy Safari, I dutifully used the included ink cartridge… completely oblivious to the wonders that awaited me. ECO was the pen that got me addicted.
100% agreed. I too blame TWSBI ECO to make me start spending a huge chunk of my hobby money to fountain pens..😊
same
I am officially scared. I have 2 safari’s use them on and off, alternating with my normal Muji. but for the first time i have ordered TWSBI Eco with Pilot Yama buds ink… I cannot afford a new hobby :P
@@devanshi2193 Your fear is legitimate! 😂. There seems to be no end to the discoveries with pens, ink, paper, etc. For me personally, I find this hobby satisfies my need to be organized and my need for a daily dose of creativity.
The Lamy’s super friendly usage almost works against fountain pens. I got the TWSBI Eco first, and was a bit intemidated, but quickly fell in love watching the sloshing ink and smooth writing.
I considered the TWSBI Eco, Lamy Safari, and Kaweco Sport fountain pens (after almost giving up the hobby on a Preppy) as a beginner. I went with the TWSBI Eco because of the color variety and I adore my two glows. I also now own a bunch of Kaweco Sports because of their color variety, ease of nib changes, etc. I am a tinkerer who enjoys variety. Taking them apart, cleaning, using bottles of ink, buying a limited edition that calls to me.... that is where my joy is.
Please do more of these! 👍🙌 Totally entertaining with great humorous banter and I learned a bit more about each pen. Thanks!
We'll have another one this week! - Drew
I have multiple copies of each of these pens (in various colors) and I tend to prefer the Safari. The ABS plastic used in the Safari makes it a better knock-around pen (ABS is a much tougher plastic than acrylic). Another feature that's overlooked is the ability to "hot swap" nibs on the Safari (i.e. no need to de-ink the pen).
Long live the Safari !!
Do you know if the Lamy Vista also uses ABS?
@@raeedibnzaman1 - I am not privy to the resins used by Lamy, however my guess is the Lamy Vista is not made from ABS (clear ABS is generally "milky clear", not crystal clear like acrylic or polycarbonate). If I were a Lamy engineer, I would choose polycarbonate, since polycarbonate is much tougher than acrylic (i.e. more in keeping with the rest of the Safari line)... but I am not a Lamy engineer so the short answer is, I don't know what resin they use for the Vista.
@@danielklopp7007 Thank you so much for your comprehensive reply!
TWSBI Eco all the way!! ❤
Totally agree!
Sure, until the pen cracks..
Totally agree. I started with 2 Safaris and then found the Eco. Eco all the way. So reliable and so beautiful.
I love watching calligraphy writing clips on UA-cam but down here in Maiduguri, Nigeria no fountain pen in our markets.
"OPERTAOIN & USE" - Made me crack up with a good heartfelt chuckle!
I have both pens and love both equally. I went through uni with my Lamys and have many fond memories of study sessions with this fountain pain.
I love how Brian tried to wrap it up when Drew started talking about the disassembly of the ECO. LOL
Safari was my first fountain pen and I have no complaints about it, *except* that it dries out if left unused for a while. I have *never* had the Eco be anything but juicy wet every single time I uncap it.
So true, the eco is so reliable!!
I love the trivial and entertaining bickering! You two are absolutely awesome! Thank you!
It's the Eco for me hands down, no contest. I had an old Eco on my shelf filled with ink for a year, it didn't dry up or clog, and I brought it to jury duty still writes great without any fuss.
My first FP was a Safari and while it was great to get me into the hobby, I grew disappointed in them once I experienced other pens. I collected a decent range of pens since then. My favorites for a while were Sailors, but no matter what I'm carrying I also always carry an Eco. I feel they are reliable and satisfying to fill, hold, and to look at the ink swishing inside. It's a great FP experience IMO.
The only thing I prefer about Safaris is that they use cartridges / converters. I like to syringe clean and refill cartridges / converters because I'm overly cautious about contamination. The ink capacity of the Eco is definitely a double-edged sword, but if you have a favorite ink, with an Eco you have it available year round
I love the creativity and humor that both of you brought to this video! And you made good comments about both pens. I have several TWSBI and Lamy pens and enjoy both brands and models for different reasons and different writing needs. I also have other pens and learned that each brand and each pen has a special personality that attracted me to add to my collection.
When I gifted my friend’s children with their first fountain pen I gave them all Safaris with bulb syringes and a bunch of different Lamy cartridges so they could change ink colors as kids love to do. I have a number of ecos, but they aren’t as easy for beginners, the feeds are delicate and the nibs often write like nails. Lamy nibs are far better save for the occasional lemon who is easily replaced.
I've never had a twsbi nib write bad. I do almost always use broad nibs though.
Actually, I don’t have a problem with them either. But for beginners, I expect something more likely to be smoother is better. Good fountain pen friendly paper is also a must, so I included small journals for each which I forgot to mention. I wanted to make things easy as possible for them and it worked out nicely.
@@alohaboy96 I have three of them in EF/F write horrible recently. Two of them almost are writeable at all. I emailed them, they were eager to make an exchange for the nibs. I did have others several years ago. They work fabulously.
@@yangsu2235 interesting. I've never used the smaller nibs. I just like the look, feel, and juiciness of broad nibs
You two are looking dapper today
Wow, suits! Fancy 😎
Love this surprisingly agenty style. Love the variations and contrasts of sensations. A great "opertaion" to see the merchandize, and compare.
Own them both. both good value for the price. If I could only keep one it would be the Eco. Feels better in my hand--more substantial. Love being able to see the ink.
I have Goulet Pen's Lamy Vista in black. And I absolutely adore it. And I have a TWSBI Eco in Orange and I absolutely adore it. I carry my Lamy Vista to work with me because of that nice click on cap. It really is a workhorse especially with that mountain climbing crabiner-like clip. The TWSBI I leave at home (I'm worried I'll over torque the cap and ruin the threads-so I don't use it as much)
Can't unsee the potato peeler hahahahhaha oh my!
Im a both/and. Love them both
I’m waiting on the arrival of my first TWSBI Eco in the mail, ordered from Goulet! Perfect timing.
Usually Brian will speak formally and Drew will make funny faces. This time roles are reversed 😂
SO GOOD! I've always loved these type of debates, but extra fun with the suits and stacks of papers. Also, love the idea of a poll for the community to decide. Super cool!
Between my wife and I we have at least five TWSBI ECOs, with the full range of nibs, all of which get used on a regular basis. There's one Safari, in the house a pen my wife bought because it was yellow, which never gets inked because neither of us like the grip section and the way the pen writes.
I think you've found your next sticker! Sloshitude! Love it!
NEED MORE OF THESE!!!! Hilarious and informative
That was fun and entertaining. I have both of them but since childhood I always return to the Safari. So, Team Safari, of course 👍
I like the lamy and appreciate the fact that they are still made in Germany
You 2 are really and truly BOTH VERY ENTERTAINING !!
RS. Canada
I completely agree with the giftability of the Safari!! Now I'm looking into the Eco and i'm excited to get into this world!
I love these guys. Truly inspirational what the Goulets have done with their business. I mean, I still remember when Brian started. And when the gentleman in the video started as well.
As for the pens here: they cater to different types of users. But both can be enjoyed by all. If you like tinkering, then twsbi. If you want a classic design (the safari has been around a *while*), go safari. If you like pens and all that goes with them, get both.
Guys, thanks for the insightful video. I just purchased a TWSBI Eco with a Fine nib a few days ago. I inked it with a Jacques Herbin Terre d’Ombre. Guess what? Starting writing in the office, initially (the first few minutes), I kind of impressed by its smoothness. Keep writing, with a normal note-taking pace, the flow started drying out. Gradually, the letters started becoming thinner and thinner; I started reaching a point where there was a readability issue coming out clearly! With continuing writing, in addition to that “thinning” of the letters (not aware whether there is a dedicated term for that), I started having skipping problems. Today, I referred back to the retailer (a UK retailer, since I am in England) for giving me a solution.
Conclusion: I am not sure if it happened I was that unlucky to end up with a problematic pen (i.e., the way it has been manufactured by the company), but if not, there is no the slightest comparison with the ample flow capacity of a LAMY! Not the slightest chance! I own like 6 LAMYs so far, and had never had aaaaaaaaanyyyyy issue with them! Their reliability is to be studied. On the contrary, the aforementioned TWSBI is my first ever TWSBI, and come out either problematic, or not a fountain pen model with sufficient flow capacity to support everyday writing activity in the office. I highlight that the TWSBI has a fine nib. I do not know if things would be different with a medium. However, even if they would, the fine nib option would not be a suggestion from me as a “workhorse”, … except (of course), if I had been that much unlucky with my first TWSBI Eco purchase! In any case, though, this first TWSBI purchase of mine came with a disappointment. 😢😢😢
I love my Lamy and ALWAYS have it inked. I plan on getting a TWISBY soon.
I got an extra fine TWSBI and expected it to have quite a bit of feedback. To my surprise, it was so smooth and I couldn’t believe it was an EF!! I love mine!
Really wishing this video came out before I bought my Safari. I love the Safari, but there’s so many things about the Eco I didn’t think about that Brian mentions and it blows me out of the ink jar
This was a fantastic discussion. I also own both of these pens. Safari was my first and I would still suggest it to anyone. Having said that, my Twisbi is the one that stays on my desk constantly. And of course the Kawco sport in my pocket. Nice work guys!
Eco all the way.
My first fountain pen was a Stypen at Secondary School here in the UK in 1973. We had to write with a fountain pen in English lessons. The Stypen used short IS cartridges. I soon changed to a Platignum Varsity that took the long IS cartridge. Cartridge pens are by far the best to start with. I do have a load of Lamy blue cartridges in my drawer that have never been used though...
This was hilarious and useful! Endless one liners: "LAMY Safari: no malarkey" 😂😂
I got a little shiver at 0:52 when the blue behind the words 'Pen Battle' was the exact same shade of blue as Brian's shirt.
I had the same Yves Klein blue moment. It's like one of those Kubrickian details which conspiracy addicts can't get enough of. 😏
Best wishes from Vermont ❄️
Or when "Round 2: Opertaion & Use" came on the screen. 🙂
Now that you mention it, I think that's a white shirt that Brian spilled Baystate Blue on.
I own a couple of Ecos and one Safari, I use the Ecos far more often. In part because of the visibility of the ink and they always write when I need a pen. The forced grip on the Safari may be an issue too, I just gravitate towards the TWSBI s.
Ok first, I’m definetively Team Both. As germans we used Fountain pens since 2nd grade (i got a Lamy ABC while my brother got the Pelikan Junior), in 5th grade we got the Safari like almost all our Classmates.
I think i got my first TWSBY Eco 2022? Don’t remember, but it was when the Glow in the Dark launched. And let me say, it writes reliable, for a long time, the weight is ok, but i just wished it didn’t come with a screw-on-cap. That’s the only reason it will never be my designated diary pen, cause when i want to take quick notes i just don’t have the patience to unscrew it every time. And yes, when i leave it uncapped it gets dry.
Also, if i want to see the cartridge/converter better i just use the Vista (that IS a demonstrator Safari, same build just clear)
As a new person to the community/Hobby I have both. But I was disappointed how quickly I ran out of ink in the safari and I write a lot by hand. So yes I had to get acquainted with bottles quickly so I could refill the safari and use the Eco. Especially since the cartridges are so small for Lamy, I think bottle is the more efficient way to go. So because I write a lot by hand I would say Eco because of the higher capacity it will hold.
Buy BOTH. My first Lamy was a gift in 1987, I've got close to 20 Lamys altogether. Also have a few TWSBI Ecos, they are also great. They rarely dry out and hold tons of ink.
I got a Lamy as my first pen. It writes amazing straight out of the box, not a fan of the grip though. Got into Kaweco Sports and been using those. Although they are not as reliable nib wise. Just ordered a Twsbi mini. Excited for it to get here. I’ll come back with my winner once I’ve had a week or so to test it out.
How'd it go?
I have one safari.
I have 29 ecos in 29 different colors.
Pretty obvious whose team I'm on!
Same! One Safari, eight Ecos.
Very good video gents! You guys both look very sharp in those suits, classy! I have both the Lamy and the TWSBI pens and I learned a couple things I did t know by watching this video. Thanks again for doing these videos. They are educational as well as entertaining!👍
i giggled the whole video, Brian your commentary to Drew's speech had me on the floor
I love the suit and ties! I love when you guys debate which pen is the better pen. I did buy the Lamy Dark Lilac ink and I love it! I am wondering what is the best paper to use it on, I notice the shimmer doesn't shine on many of the papers I use.
Iroful will show the shimmer. Most other papers cannot compare with regard to displaying color and shimmer. And, it's great paper in all the other aspects, as well.
I must admit that I agree with Drew here. I find the Safari to be much more durable that the Eco. All of my Ecos have cracked in different places despite my being very gentle with my pens. Also, recently I gave a Safari and an Eco to a friend who had never used a fountain pen before. After a few months, my friend returned the Eco to me. He said that the Eco wasn't very comfortable to use and he didn't like the Eco piston sticking and didn't want to take the pen apart. I agree.
This is the best debate I have watched in a long time since I am avoiding all political debates. 😅
Best debate I have watched all season!! My first pen was the twsbi Ecco. Loved ‘em and have gotten a lot of pens since. I am looking to purchase my first Lamy Safari this weekend, and am pretty excited, getting the cursive nib with my purchase.
My first fountain pen was a Lamy Al-star with a converter, basically a metall safari. The second pen was a TWSBI eco 🤗 Both pens are really good, but I really liked that the eco never dried out. The third pen and most recent is the TWSBI 580 Diamond. At the moment I have the 580 Diamond and the Lamy inked up, both are reliable and good writers 😊
The interesting thing about the safari clip is that its both big and simultaneously small
On the pen it's huge but clipped on my sweater it legitimately disappeared I had to feel around for it, the wire is pretty thin
Somehow missed this when it dropped two months ago, but it's aged pretty well. Both TWSBI and Lamy have been prolific this year with these models, Lamy dropping 6 new editions of the Safari only half way in. I kind of forgot about my Al-Star, came back to it today, threw some Pilot Iroshizuku Yama-budo in it; what a pleasant pen to write with. Only wish the Z28 converter came apart (like Platinum and Sailor converters do) for ease of cleaning.
I own both, buy both, be happy both. Both both = smiles
You guys!!!! I love this video so much! MORE MORE MORE!
Hi. Enjoyed the battle, and as always, you guys are fantastic! After I purchased my first Safari a few years ago, I have been 'fetishly' attracted to them when I came across the 2020 SEs, so much so that I went on to acquire more SEs thereafter to pair each with a matching ink color. After learning more about the ECOs - thanks to you guys - I became ambitious and too a dive into the ECOs recently to use them with shimmering inks. Both are great pen models that I equally like for what they are.
Loved this video! More like this please!
You guys crack me up. Drew seemed fully committed to his role, and Brian looked like he was trying not to laugh throughout. The Safari was my first writing fountain pen, have had one for more than 12 years, and more recently added the Twsbi Eco for sketching. I agree that the Safari is the better entry-level pen, and appreciate the Eco's ink capacity, but the lack of ease in switching out nibs is a limitation that I hope Twsbi can solve in the future.
I'm not sure how you mean lack of ease switching TWSBI nibs. I don't have any issues removing and swapping them and I don't really hear about people having issues with it unless they're being extra rough.
I mean the ease of changing nibs in the sense that they don't sell spare nibs (8:42), where you have a variety of nibs to choose from with Safari@@sharkpopsicles. As a sketcher my dream would be to put a fude nib on an Eco... (someone may have done this but I haven't figured it out).
TWSBI did solve the nib-swap limitation but did so with their Diamond 580 model. The nib/feed unit unscrews from the grip like a vintage Esterbrook nib unit. If you keep your 580 in nib-up position when you do this, you don’t even have to empty your pen of ink before swapping the nib.
If TWSBI did this with the Eco, they would have to remake the Eco mold/machine the pen differently by adding a set of threads for the nib/feed unit to screw onto. That may incur extra expense in the pen’s manufacture and would raise the cost point on the pen itself.
@@taimdala good to know, thanks for sharing!
@@Jazmin_Ortega you're welcome! 😊
My first Lamy pen arrived today and I love it. But I also love my glow in the dark Eco.Both, I love them both lol
who’s idea is this anchor news setting?!? brilliant!!! u guys made my day😍🤩🙌🏻
I've never had a Twisbi Eco, so now I definitely need to get one to make my own comparison.
Started off with a TWSBI 580ALR, stuck with a Lamy Safari because I can just yank the cap off and write. Love both, but I use the Lamy more day to day
I use stub nibs and so I have to order a 15.00 nib + converter with every Safari...so, the eco wins since the stub nib isn't an extra 15. But I still order a Safari now and then...loved the new blackberry/pink beautiful with blackberry ink...such a win!!
TWSBI all the way!!🖌️❤️👏 I’m with you, Brian!
Hot swapping the nibs on an inked-up Safari is a nice feature.
The showdown I didn't know I needed LOL I've been a die hard Lamy Safari supporter since I was... ahem... 10??? But you know, maybe I should try the TWSBI Eco to see for myself.
I love both! My EDC pens: Safari, Eco, & a handmade fp that I purchased on vacay.
I own a Twsbi Eco, but I own a lot of Lamy Safaris. I put my favorite ink in the Eco, Ottoman Roses, because I like looking at it.
This is so amusing! My first Fountain pen i bought is a Lamy Safari and my second one is a TWSBI Eco and I like both for specific uses. Also, love the facial expressions. Thank you! ahahahah
Fantastic video! Love them both and they are by far the most extensive part of my collection -more than a dozen of each- As starter pen, Safari. If you want to explore a little bit more, ECO is the next step.
Love them both and have multiples of each! Both are forgiving of the weird way i write so i can't complain!
Great presentation guys so fun
I was super new at fountain pens when I received my first TWSBI Eco. I love to tinker so of course, I took the whole thing apart because they dangled a little wrench in my face. Ten minutes later I was frantically searching the internet to try to figure out why the pen looked right, but wasn't right enough to write. DREW BROWN TO THE RESCUE! I found your TWSBI Eco video explaining the "wrench zone" and the "space and no space" with all of the extremely helpful sound effects (which I also used) and in seconds my pen was ready for the beautifully pigmented tears of the gods (Diamine Marine). I personally love the TWSBI but if I'm gifting a pen, the Lamy Safari would be the winner. That all being said, I had so much fun playing with my pen and learning how it worked and I'm super grateful that your video was there to help me find my mistake. Both pens are winners! Thank you for this fun comparison. ❤
Oh my Gosh 1 minute in and you guys have me in stitches 😂
So entertaining! My cheeks hurt from laughing.
My favorite thing about the Eco's clear barrel is that you get such an unobstructed view of the ink leaking all over you when it cracks.
😂😂😂
That cracked me up. Pun intended. 😂
I have a LAMY safari in my bag all the time. Get lots of complements on it. However, I have a TWSBI Diamond 580 (in Iris, so pretty I couldn't resist) and use it quite a bit at home. Will probably pick up an ECO soon just for fun. I am not sure whether to love or hate you guys, as you got me back into collecting pens (a hobby I had abandoned about 25 years ago when all my antique pens got destroyed in a flood). But I am having fun with them....both are very nice pens.
I have both. Love both! Twsbi for my really cool bottle inks shimmer. LOL its Swashability is a must! LAMY for my go to just laying around my office, house, kitchen, car, on the go pen and use normal pigment inks.
The ABS of the Safari is certainly tough. Never had any cracking issues with them. I've had multiple Ecos crack in the section near the sides of the nib in normal usage. Love them both though.
If you don't write much, the Safari's cap seal can be a potential problem. The TWSBI caps do seal nice, so they seldom develop problems drying out. I did find the huge capacity of TWSBI pens to be a little frustrating starting out since I frequently wanted to try different inks.
I say conquer both! I own both. Buy both. They're not hideously expensive.
Nice talk guys! But my favorite is kaweco! Kicked myself when i bought all the nibs( now i just want pen bodies)
I enjoyed the video, but one important thing that was not covered is the writing feel of the nibs. Here the TWSBI pens are far and away the smoothest.
Two great pens for sure... I wouldn't have thought to consider them "head to head" as they seem to take radically different approaches... Maybe that's what makes them fun to compare!
I have both, Safari and Eco. Love them all. My husband prefers Safari because od the swapable nibs.
Order my first Lamy Safari this weekend. Super excited for it ✒✒✒ Of course, I ordered from The Goulet Pen Company. I am one of your Hampton Roads neighbors.
I prefer the satisfaction of snapping the cap onto the Safari, but I love the sloshability of the Eco. I enjoy seeing Noodlers SW Sunset in my Eco, but it doesn’t write well. I love the stub nib on my Safari. It really shows off the sheening of Birmingham Tesla Coil, and the nib is smooth as silk.
I use the quad grip to write, and my favorite pens art TWSBI Eco-T, and LAMY Safari Vistas. You guys are hilarious!
18:38 Combinations: if you have a few Lamys, you can DIY change barrels and sections to match your taste.
Absolutely love the setting, both of you are looking very dapper too. Really enjoyed this thank you. #teamsafari over here 🤓
I would go eoth the Eco. Very versatile BUT when are going to restock the Indogo Blue with the bronze trim????
Big fan of both! Lamy might not include the converter, but it comes with an ink cartridge, which is pretty beginner friendly.
Twsbi Eco, you would need to buy ink, and that can be overwhelming…
Twsbo Wco White Rose Gold (About 70USD if u buy in India: while Lami costs almost same), however, its still worth it. Granted i almost messed it up while cleaning bcoz i forgot which way the piston opens, and i had a hard time putting it back (to the extent i was willing to take it to a pen hospital). That being said, its one my of my best pens (baring Metropolitan for its smooth nib). And i realise 1 thing, after few days, the nib of Eco is really really really smooth too. Also, its very flexible considering its a steel nib