Fake Pen Summer Ep. 1: Lanbitou 3059 Vs. Twsbi Eco

[@martynsnan]

Stephen, I agree with every point you made in this review. The problem I have with my Lanbitou pens, 3059 and the Curidas copy, is that they dry out very quickly and have to be primed to restart. I had partial success using silicon filler in the hole around the clip and the seating of the cap finial on the 3059. Sadly, it only extended the working time a little. Thanks again for an interesting video.

[@stepheninks]

Interesting.. I did not have this issue with this pen, but I did with the Curidas copy. When that video is published, I’ll be sure to talk about how I fixed the issue.

[@martynsnan]

@@stepheninks Thanks, I look forward to that.

[@themisterchristie]

A lot of these copies are a great way for someone to get a close experience for people getting into fountain pens who can't afford the original. A good example from other reviewers is the Majohn/Moonman A1 vs the Pilot Vanishing Point ($55 vs $250 Canadian). I see the primary market for these copies as the people with the lower budgets. However that is a double-edged sword, the copies that are built well, offer a good experience, while the clearly cheap built ones, can actually ruin the experience. Nice to see this Lanbitou is one of the first group.

[@stepheninks]

Yeah, this pen is impressive for its price. At the end of the day, it really is just a copy of someone else’s work though, which is sad because it could totally be something more. I have plans to talk about the A1 in a future video!

[@themisterchristie]

@@stepheninks that is the sad thing with these companies. Companies like Majohn, Lanbitou, Jintao, Sipliv/Hero, have the ability to create something unique, but most go for the blatant copies. Majohn and Jintao I know have some more original products, some which are clearly influenced by another, but not a direct copy.

[@stepheninks]

@@themisterchristie definitely, and sometimes the difference between “homage” and “rip-off” is quite fine.

[@starr-starr]

Love the drawing, and thanks for the review!

[@stepheninks]

Thank you!

[@JanvierSoldat]

You’re having fun in the sun! And while our lower back doesn’t engage like that, our knees definitely do 👨🏻‍🦳

[@stepheninks]

I got my left knee torn up in a traffic accident about 10 years ago, so it’s really everything from the shoulders down for me!

[@JanvierSoldat]

@@stepheninks 😲

[@unknowncrash1]

Oh yesss, I've been waiting for this. More homage pens please 🤣

[@stepheninks]

Next one coming in a week!

[@valc9726]

I think I would have fun with the clicking mechanism! Cute drawing. I liked the wooden slats! :)

[@stepheninks]

Thank you for your kind words about my slats.

[@penoutoften3984]

Great video Stephen! These comparison videos are such a great idea! You might have actually saved me some money. I have the Lanbitou 3059 it's a solid writer my problem with it is how thin the section is and I found the clear plastic kinda of disappointing, compared to for example a Moonman M2. I'm tempted by the Twsbi but if the section is as thin and the clear plastic looks the same, it's a pass for me. Thank you so much for sharing

[@stepheninks]

Very little difference between this and the Eco, so yeah, if you don’t like one, you probably won’t be into the other.

[@penoutoften3984]

@@stepheninks thank you 🙂

[@ftkinney]

I agree 100% with your take on the issues of copying and how they could have made it their own. I have read that the Labitou pens tend to dry out very quickly. I would love to hear if that’s been your experience.

[@stepheninks]

I’ve had three pens from Lanbitou for this series. Of the three, only the 3088 (copy of the Platinum Curidas) was a really dry writer. I attribute that to how tight the nib tines were. I had to run brass sheets through them for days before that pen was fun to use. The section immediately cracked on that pen. The other two, including the pen in this video, functioned essentially just as well as the pens they were modeled after. My only gripe is that I would rather own the original pen, so this and the other pen that worked really well were the subject of a giveaway a few months ago.

[@ftkinney]

@@stepheninks thanks for the reply that’s very helpful.

[@HJKelley47]

Own 10 Lanbitou 3059s. Did exchange F-nibs with M-nibs. Tend to ink a Lanbitou and Eco at the same time, and enjoy writing with both of them. Have had them for 3-5 yrs, and have had no cracking or leaking from my Lanbitou pens. So many men in the FP community love looking at the ink in a demonstrator pen. I've often wondered why.? You can't beat the price for the Lanbitou. Yes, the TWSBI Eco is more expensive. I own 8 Ecos, one-TWSBI Vac, two-Eco-T and one Diamond 580.

[@stepheninks]

Who knows why people like what they like? I enjoy a good piston demonstrator, and this one is excellent for the price. I also happen to think that the Twsbi Eco is still worth its price for various other reasons, but pen tastes are very individual. I find that I only want one of each type, so this pen is a bit redundant for me, since I have an Eco already.

[@deanandreoli1975]

Awesome video, Stephen. You know were I stand on the homage pens... right in the middle of the action. I can't resist a pen that offers a consistant fine line. Also, I love the odder, lighter more uncommon inks. I think as fp artists, they offer a paticular allure. Im a fan of the 3059. i got a pack of 4 diff colors for about 20 bux. a great bargain, in my humble... Love your content. please keep it coming. And I repeat, you should have a Patreon account so we could all contribute a bit to your channel and thank you for your time and effort. Cheers, pal. p.s. the lanbitou feed does take a Lamy nib very well... if you had any laying around. #frankenpen

[@stepheninks]

Really? I did not even think to try a Lamy pen in this, and now I’m curious. Something for tomorrow, because I am tired and will now sleep. I feel like in particular instances, lighter colored inks are fun. I do feel, however that dark colors make things easier to digitize. I have had to do that a lot for a more recent project, and I have found black inks to be easier. That being said, I think this orange ink has a definite summer vibe that made the art in this one more successful than if I had used a more traditional color.

[@deanandreoli1975]

@@stepheninks Im putting some really neat inks in this package im building for ya. i have waaay too many inks and it's imperative that i share the wealth. Clayton, our 8 year old, loves your videos too. He's a real budding artist and he said i should send you some, so i do what the little king tells me to. 😎

[@stepheninks]

@@deanandreoli1975 I’m sending you postcards. Have him do one!

[@davidmcguigan5497]

Thanks, Stephen, good fun! Like the ink, too. I've been enjoying some of the yt takes on the siege of Minas TWSBI by the orcs of Moonjohn and Narwhal. Clearly, the Lanbitou is the superior pen as you have demonstrated. 😉

[@stepheninks]

Lanbitou is The Silmarillion. (I have no idea what that means, actually)

[@AntW11]

thanks for the post. As you point out, the pen stands on its own and didn't need to shamelessly copy the twsbi design. Hopefully Lanbitou will take the time to come up with its own designs.

[@stepheninks]

It would certainly make me feel better about owning one!

[@SilverSeaOT7]

Over Memorial Day I finally got a Twisbi brand pen. Perhaps I should have seen your video first! I really enjoy the Twsbi, but the ink gets lighter and lighter as I write. It is a medium nib which is very smooth and it feels comfortable for journaling. I keep fidgeting with the piston and getting air out as I go to help with the fading. Just hoping it is just user error and I will figure it out.

[@stepheninks]

Interesting, I have never had that experience with a Twsbi pen. You should try reaching out to their customer service, as they have a really good warranty system, and there might be something wring with your pen. The genuine Twsbi pen I own has not given me any flow issues like you are describing, but it may be that I just got lucky. Either way, Twsbi should be able to fix your issue, or at least reimburse you.

[@adrianmuino3412]

I totally agree, why to mimic another pen if your is as good or better. I guess that it is simpler to use a pen to make your "molds" than to build the model by yourself, beyond that it makes no sense to me.

[@stepheninks]

This pen in particular is such a waste! It could be its own thing with just a few small changes!

[@avriltbdt]

Great video as always, the pen seems ok (I, for some reason, prefer to have a tool to take apart my pen) but I agree with you on the other point, a pen with that price point, that work this good, should stand on its own feet. P.s. love the drawing!

[@stepheninks]

Thank you! To be honest, even considering the price difference, if given the choice, I am still team Eco. It’s still the better pen… just by a surprisingly narrow margin.

[@amyr.862]

I keep looking at this pen but never hit the add button. Now I'm tempted. This looks like an extra fine that actually writes that way, something I'd like to have on hand. I have a Jinhao pen with the same type of nib and it writes fat. The only thing that concerns me is if the cap has a rust prone screw in it. The Jinhao pen does and it's gross. I'm buying a bottle of resin or something to seal any future burner pens 😂

[@stepheninks]

Your comment just made me look at the cap to see, and yes, it looks like the screw probably could visibly rust over time. The good news is it looks like there’s decent clearance between the nib and the end of the cap, so a thin layer of resin would probably be okay. Not to frighten you more, but a recent pen purchase of mine included a resin-sealed screw, and the clip somehow became loose, and now I can’t tighten it! 😢😢😢

[@amyr.862]

@@stepheninks Well crap 😂 I'll find a way to keep it thin. It would still be fun to play with at that price. Thank you the extra info!

[@ZeteBoundless]

To be Honest, this is the one I´ve been specting the most for you to test it, and turns out what I already spected, a Twsbi Eco copy. But, in some way, I wanna know if it will have durability...

[@stepheninks]

Yeah, I think it’s pretty solid though. I have filled it twice, having received it back in February. I have not noticed a change in quality. But only time can tell that.

[@LordWhatever]

It's kind of funny seeing you avoiding to directly mentioning Twsbi new policies regarding Narwhal pens. It's certainly a "sticky" and awkward matter. In another subject; may I suggest a video (or several) on the subject of Frankenpens? Since most of us fountain pen aficionados like to tinker with our pens. Obviously it may only be based on your experiences and materials you may have in hand. It could be fun. I (and other willing viewers) would be willing in sending version of favorite "FP" for you to "review" so others viewers can decide to do their own versions of it. Until your next video. 🙂👍🏽

[@stepheninks]

I talked about the Twsbi controversy in my last video, so I didn’t really mention it much here. Basically, I still like the pen, and think that they have really good policies regarding returns/repairs, but I don’t think they should be using their market share to force other makers out of the community (when they likely don’t have enough to make it a formal law suit) is dumb and destructive. I definitely have thought about the Frankenpen thing, and will probably do it in the future.

[@alexsandra9000]

Thank you for this video. I buy copies all the time. I've been into fountain pens for about 3 years now and I try to limit the pens I purchase to $10 and under. I figure, why spend more money on a pen than I have to, especially when I've seen YT reviewers say, "it's just as good as __________ for less than $10!" I get that expensive pens are also works of art, and the price reflects that. But a TWSBI is just plain ugly, stain just as much as my Wing Sungs, and hard start all the time. The chance to try different types of pens - piston, vac, eyedropper - and different nibs - is another benefit of trying all the dupes I can get my hands on without breaking the bank.

[@stepheninks]

There is definitely a lane of pen lovers who prefer cheaper pens and don’t go for the legacy brands. Equally valid, equally welcome. Myself, I like the 10-20USD range, but I really love it when pens try to do something unique. Sure, give me a Lamy Safari, but put a new spin on it! The challenge with these cheaper pens is to find something that is good, and that is reliable. There’s a lot to sift through to find the good stuff. This Lanbitou is a gem, especially for its price.

[@zinncomicsandart8811]

Although I like the fact that the pen has an actually fine nib ( twsbi fine is pretty thick , even the ef nib is about a japanese medium or thicker ) I just cannot bring myself to buy anything knock off . It just isn't right that the rest of the world respects intellectual property , copywrights etc. and China just ignores it and gets away with it . Imagine if you worked to design something , testing , refining , improving until you had a great product , then somebody comes along and just copies it and they mass produce it and sell it cheaper , all on the back of your hard work .....

[@stepheninks]

I’m in the same boat with you. I bought this to see what the similarities and differences are, but the originality of the Eco is a huge factor for me. Im kind of annoyed that it’s pretty much the same thing, and works well. There are lots of cool pens with ef nibs that aren’t absolute clones of something else that I would definitely recommend first. Also, next week, get ready for a review of a pen that I absolutely loathe. Most of these copies are an absolute joke.

[@Chris_the_Muso]

Pen people have really weird ideas about what intellectual property is. IP can be a patent, a copyright, a trademark, or a trade secret such as a formula for something that can't be copied with a set of callipers (such as an ink formulation for example). The original patent for the piston filler was taken out by Pelikan in the 1920s. That patent ran out, allowing TWSB to use the idea in their pens. For them to get upset about Moonman/Majohn or anyone else using "their" piston is a little OTT. That's not what IP is. As you noted, Lanbitou actually made a slight improvement in the piston with the click stop. Maybe TWSB should incorporate that in their design? One thing that China is good at is making copies, and I don't think we should be too upset at that. If you're the kind of person to buy a $300 fountain pen you will probably do so anyway, no matter how many copies of the Vanishing Point you have. (I've heard lots of good things about the Majohn A1 BTW). No foul there. What is concerning is the true fakes - those that replicate a pen right down to the fake branding with a view to maybe deceiving the buyer. They are normally done really badly and are easy to spot though. caveat emptor. It would be more of a serious issue if the badly made fake pen is way overpriced and I think that "Monte Blanc" fits that description since you could buy four or five Jinhau pens for that price. For that reason I think it's good that Lanbitou put their name on the products. That is a homage, not a fake. You could make a case that copying design aesthetics in detail is bad taste, but bad taste is not actually against the law anywhere. Refusing to renew dealership agreements because of perceived "infractions" however is engaging in antitrust behaviour, and that definitely is against the law in many countries. For something like fountain pens though, it's probably just going to damage your own business more than your competitors. Occasionally you see something really interesting, such as that Safari brush pen. I've just ordered the same thing in an "everlasting pencil" form. It will look great next to my Safari, and Lamy doesn't actually make anything like it. Similar examples are found everywhere in the fashion industry. A handbag that is obviously similar to a Louis Vuitton is one thing, but the fakes that use the LV logo in an attempt to deceive consumers are a completely different thing. gao duanjin translates as "high end gold" or "pressed gold", so it's sure to be a fake finish, maybe anodised aluminium or a painted finish. You would have been better off picking the actual brass pen, if that is what it really was.

[@stepheninks]

I think you’re right about the difference between homage and outright fake (the intention to deceive being there or not). But it’s also true what you said about the line of what constitutes “fake” or “knockoff” being different for each person. In a legal sense it’s very clear. But in a conversational or speculative sense, the lines are blurry. For better or for worse, niche products like pens (and even handbags, as you mentioned), are more than a transactional relationship. People are loyal to brands, and they react when poor decisions are made. That TWSBI nonsense is a great example. I actually think that a lot of interesting innovation is coming out of the Chinese pen industry right now. I think it’s easier to innovate at a lower price point. The risk is easier to cover if it doesn’t go well. This industry certainly cannot survive on $100+ pens. The ones that most people can afford to buy are coming out of China. In fact, many of the western fountain pen companies produce their lowest cost pens through contracts with Chinese companies, so there are lots of smug pen elitists walking around with Chinese pens in their pockets without even knowing it. P.S. I bought that Safari brush pen. There’s a video about it on this channel. It was one of the worst things I have ever used.

[@farmerfox3332]

I suspected this would be a good pen. Perhaps the company will see your video and make some changes to it.

[@stepheninks]

In a perfect world, I suppose. Given that three of the pens I will be talking about in this fake pen summer are from this company… I suspect this brand identity is largely based on taking other people’s ideas.

[@farmerfox3332]

@@stepheninks sadly it must be working for them.

[@ichirofakename]

Lanbitou:Eco = 1911:149

[@stepheninks]

I had to read that about 3 times until I understood what you were talking about, but yes. I agree.

[@afrog2666]

A fake pen would be if it said it was something it`s not, which it doesn`t, it`s not even a clone, it`s a copy and not an exact one, so calling it "fake" is inaccurate. It more closely copies the Wing Sung 698 to be honest, which again, is a closer copy of the Eco, but still not a 1:1, so, not fake, not a clone, but a close copy. I actually HAVE a fake pen, it`s a copy of a WingSung 698, which is a copy of an Eco. So that`s a clone of a copy of a copy, and THAT one IS fake, because it was sold as a WingSung, but it`s not ;) What it is though, is the reason I`ll be purchasing an actual Eco, mostly because I found that I like the shape and size, and because I want it with a broad nib 💪🖋👀

[@stepheninks]

To be fair, “fake pen” is most definitely an exaggeration here, and there is a pretty wide spectrum of pens that fell into this series. This one is more copied, and has a lot of potential to be its own, awesome thing (still pretty awesome, even as a copy IMHO). It’s a shame though, because I like unique pens. But fair point, it isn’t a 1:1 copy and it isn’t claiming to be a pen that it is not. Believe it or not, I actually recommend it.