TWSBI is a tremendous performer, as you stated. The Swipe has become my daily desk writer. The cartridges and converters hold a large volume of ink and the nib writes quite smooth. And retails sub-$35, including two converters and a starter cartridge.
@marjanderuijter37187 жыл бұрын
Thank you so much for this 'top 10' series, it's a joy to watch.
@dyloak64502 жыл бұрын
Is it "a joy"
@briancole34567 жыл бұрын
Wow! Platinum 3776 just gets an honourable mention. I would place it at one of the best pens in any price range. Comfortable pen, great converter, and the same nib/feed as the Nakayas.
@anguswhite82334 жыл бұрын
My favourite pen is definitely my Platinum 3776 ‘EF’ in Chartreuse blue w rhodium trim and J Herbin Eclat de Saphir ink: the perfect combination for someone with small handwriting:)
@DD-d6d37 жыл бұрын
Unusual list. Interesting choices. I'd love to hear your thoughts on top ten inks.
@thornupsb5507 жыл бұрын
Dee Dee Good idea. I'd like to see that as well.
@lusitanonl7 жыл бұрын
+TH[O]RN UPSB me too.
@estelle57984 жыл бұрын
I adore my TWSBI vac mini. Even in an EF, with the knob opened on the back it's a very wet pen. It's sturdy, looks really cool, and holds so much ink that I barely ever have to fill it! Big fan.
@erkschadeable Жыл бұрын
I loved the "what other cool pens are out there?" I completely understand!
@hoggif7 жыл бұрын
That's a supprising list and supprising order! Platinum 3776 is one of my absolute favourites. I've used one for years (with diffirent nibs to get some rotation). I would have rated it above Custom 74 which would have been in my list too, along with Pilot 91. Twsbi Vac700 is great in hand but a bit heavy. For desk pen I'd love that, for EDC pen I'd pick something lighter like 580. One of these would have been in my list as well, if not both. Not at top 1 place though! I'd consider Pilot prera not in this range, it is available around $30 in eBay. It should have been in below $50 category. (Would not have been my favourite for that category though) My samples of Prera have been worse than my Preppys. Either way, I'd not any day hesitate a Pilot 78G in the low range.
@senior_ranger7 жыл бұрын
Well done, David. Always fun to talk about these things. Both you and Sparky Armstrong hold the Plat 3776 nib in far less regard than I do. I have two mediums, and they are as good as anything I have. The music 3776 is by far the best writing nib I have, and I use it all the time and always for anything important. Matter of fact I'm about to order a second one from Mottishaw. Thanks, as always.
@pradipkadam47853 жыл бұрын
Great review. You could smile a little as well.
@Belsen853 жыл бұрын
I must say that among all the fountain pens I own, TWSBI are the most comfortable writers for the long sessions. And the pens that simply are always on my desk. I'm fully agree with the TWSBI domination in this list!
@kenmonk49296 жыл бұрын
This is exactly what I wanted to hear and learn about fountain pens. Off to place an order
@EGchristian7 жыл бұрын
Great video David, thanks for sharing. I particularly agree with your about disliking things that prentend to be what they are not haha.
@chrisrap527 жыл бұрын
Kudos on the Federico mention. I agree it is a great value. Heard (from Larry) that MarteModena is leaving eBay next year to focus on their website. I will miss them. All the other pens are great 50-100. I enjoy seeing some less common pens in your group. Your reviews have a lot of depth that is refreshing.
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Thanks, Chris...appreciate it.
@frankjohn10927 жыл бұрын
Cross Lapis Lazuli Rollerball has the same satisfying capping click as the Prera.
@dyloak64502 жыл бұрын
Great list I will be buying the Twisby Daimond now!
@abc-wv4in7 жыл бұрын
I've enjoyed all four Top 10 lists; thanks for doing these great videos!
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@sharonthibodeau46527 жыл бұрын
Thanks fot another great video David. Looking forward to the next list.
@vilekPRO7 жыл бұрын
The Pelikan M200 is just $100 where I live and in my opinion it should be on the top of the list. I think it's better than TWSBI . but it is just a personal preference.
@shadesdragon7 жыл бұрын
Thanks David! I have 7 of the 10 pens you listed and I agree with you even the honorable mentions. By the way a little food grade silicon grease fixes the squeaks on the Federico. I have 8 of them. All different nibs. I don't have a TWSBI 580 but you give good inspiration for purchasing one! :)
@TonyRicciardi6 жыл бұрын
Hey David. I'm somewhat new to the hobby but I dove in head first and I'm hooked! In the video you mention eBay and Amazon which I'm aware of, but I'd love your take (or a video) on best places to buy pens. I live in NYC and go to Fountain Pen Hospital at least once a week. That being said, they don't stock everything. I for one would really appreciate a video comparing some online retailers you've purchased from in the past. Thanks! Great work.
@FigbootonPens6 жыл бұрын
Goulet, Anderson, Pen Chalet, Goldspot... There are others, but I have had positive experiences with each of these retailers.
@clau79977 жыл бұрын
This was one of your best videos, I just love it, congrats, you´re getting better and better
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Thanks. Appreciate the kind words!
@LarinaValarin7 жыл бұрын
I may have been writing with said Duragraph when I watched this. I also may have giggled a little... I've quite fallen in love with it. I still owe you some pictures but these days being home in daylight is a rare commodity so I haven't gotten around to it. Thank you for another wonderful video. This list has quite a few pens on it that I have my eye on, especially the TWSBI 580. The Lamy Studio is a favorite in our house - my husband has the brushed steel and I have the imperial blue and my early Christmas gift is the one in Palladium which is lovely with the gold nib.
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Those are the three Studios I own. :-) I love the color of the blue...but the section is rather slick for me. I like the gold nib on my Palladium as well.
@LarinaValarin7 жыл бұрын
My husband had the same issue with it, which is why we bought him the brushed steel one. I don't have a lot of issue with it, but I'm pretty used to metal sections from when I was younger so I just kind of unconsciously wipe my hands if I feel it getting slick. I haven't had any issues at all with the Palladium one - I really love the feel of that material!
@MrPollywalnuts7 жыл бұрын
Thank you for your reviews and knowledge. Your videos are a great deal of help. Again, thank you.
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching!
@sanjinp24167 жыл бұрын
Thank you for sharing your Top 10. Waiting for the next one...
@vijunair52987 жыл бұрын
thanks David. looking forward for your next list...
@urwholefamilydied7 жыл бұрын
love the vac mini. Actually sold (and gave away one) my VAC 700's. They're so big, and I thought they looked a bit gaudy. The mini for whatever reason didn't look gaudy to me... maybe cause it's smaller, it seemed more FUN. And the vac mini is NOT a small pen when posted. It's normal sized to big even. I happen to use my mini unposted. People in the fountain pen world put way too much emphasis on posting pens and size. (I have a space pen that's MEANT to be posted, when it's not it's very very short. Even that pen I don't bother posting it half the time).
@tbx10247 жыл бұрын
Glad to see the Studio so high in the list! It's also my first (and only) solid pen, and it's been great to take notes in engineering class :)
@pgc-686 жыл бұрын
Thanks for a really interesting and useful list. Found this very helpful.
@yisiang93146 жыл бұрын
Hi i may be just stupid but. Everytime i search google "delta dolcevita federico" ii see that the price of the pen starts at 300 400 plus all the way up to 1000. Why am i seeing this? Isint this a sub 100 dollars pen?
@FigbootonPens6 жыл бұрын
There are many different versions of this pen, which will affect the price...plus, since Delta is no longer in business, they are becoming more rare.
@createsinme36724 жыл бұрын
Would love to see an updated list as a few of them are no longer available, especially curious if there are any in this range with gold nibs
@benjaminvleugels56093 жыл бұрын
Damn the Stella 90s is discontinued I really wanted to buy one are there any similar pens to that one?
@kirangopakumar42873 жыл бұрын
Hi, just curious to know if cross pens aren't worthy enough to take slots in your top 10 ?
@pnmoura7 жыл бұрын
Hello my friend....I've got 4 of the pens you mentioned in your video: TWSBI 580AL, TWSBI VAC 700, Lamy Studio and Delta Frederico. Keep up the good work!
@AnzanHoshinRoshi7 жыл бұрын
Thank you, David. Interesting list.
@johnodak7357 жыл бұрын
Ok list with some unusual choices, but three TWSBIs??? Really? Too many clear pens, but also a few cool ones. I'm sure at least one Monteverde (Invincia) should be in here, though.
@ABC-ov6lm7 жыл бұрын
man these top 10s are a joy to watch. i bought faber castells - loom as well as twsbis - diamond 580al due to your recommendation. with the loom i am very pleased, the twsbi is very scratchy though. its so scratchy, that i have to return it...
@BILLHENRY2397 жыл бұрын
Take a look at the Parson's Essential or The Churchman's Prescriptor made by Italix. These pens are less than $100.00 with a variety of nib grinds.
@joegreen56787 жыл бұрын
Love your video. I bought a Sailor Promenade following your recommendation. I just love the feedback the Sailor nib gives. I am considering buying another Sailor pen. My questions are 1) are all Sailor 14k nibs (i.e., the one on Promenade, the one on Pro Gear silm, 1911S) the same? If they are then I will not not be interested buying another 14k. 2) How the 21K on Pro Gear compares to the 14k? Is it a big jump on performance? Are they flex at all?
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
In regard to if the nibs on those pens are the same, I'm not 100% certain, but I *think* they are. The Pro Gear 21k is a larger nib which has some distinct feedback that differs from that of the 14k. They are by no means flex, but you can get a little more line variation out of them compared to the 14k. Thanks for watching!
@jamesaritchie14 жыл бұрын
@@FigbootonPens But if you want a real flex nib, get a 14k. 18k and up are too soft for flexing. You can destroy an 18k or 21k with extremely little pressure.
@danlevene54787 жыл бұрын
Hi David, a great bit of infotainment. I do enjoy your videos and do find them useful. Thanks. By the way, I have an X-Pen Aura in red which is a really nice pen. Under 50, but I have never seen anyone review them?
@richardsyt337 жыл бұрын
I have a question. I want a pen with an extra fine nib to write scriptures from the Bible. Is either the Loom or the 580 a better choice? Or, some other option?
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
While I haven't tried either in EF, I've heard many good things about TWSBI's F/EF nibs.
@bowen117 жыл бұрын
Hey, I was wondering what you thought of the Platinum 3776 Century. I saw that the Kawaguchi was on your next tier but I don't know what the differences are aside from the design. You said that in your other 3776 pens the nib was different, could you elaborate a little bit on that for me? When I was looking between getting the 3776C and the Pilot C74 I went with the Pilot soft fin nib as they are both in the same price range, have similar looks, and I had yet to pick up a softer nib.
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Bowen Ressler My medium 3776 C has a nib which is a bit springy compared to the Kawaguchi. I have heard varying opinions on this...some folks don't feel theirs has much spring...so possibly it is just my specific pen. But the 3776 is a very nice pen regardless.
@thepenhut47137 жыл бұрын
nice video. will you be making an updated list in the near future?
@dirku635 жыл бұрын
You value the TWSBI Diamond 580 much more than the TWSBI eco. Is there much of a difference in regards to the nib itself, or is it more the general value? Same with for example the Pilot Stargazer / Stella and the Pilot Prera or the Pilot Metropolitan?
@FigbootonPens5 жыл бұрын
More the overall value I feel each pen brings to the table. The Diamond 580 feels a bit more solid, and in my opinion looks nicer. The Stargazer is essentially a metal Prera, with higher quality materials than a metro...in addition to having a gold nib.
@ashleyrobinson32987 жыл бұрын
Figboot, I am looking into either getting the TWISBI vac 700 or 580 but can't decide on the nib size I want. What is the size difference or line variation of a TWISBI nib compared to a Pilot metro F or M?
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
You're not going to get a ton of line variation with any of these options. Of the group, the Vac700 will have slightly more, mainly due to having the largest nib...but again, it won't be tons.
@loganbabcock61797 жыл бұрын
The stargazer should really be called A Streetcar Named Desire. ;-)
@BILLHENRY2397 жыл бұрын
For 2017 pens at this price point see 1st class pen co. (churchill and 707 are my favorite)
@matthewbeddow32787 жыл бұрын
Thanks David interesting list
@MicheleLHarvey7 жыл бұрын
Interesting choices David. I'm wondering...I know all 3 TWSBis have the same nibs, and having one myself can attest to its excellent usability. are all 3 the same nib size? Do all 3 pilots share the same nibs? Are they the same size? (I have a custom 74 which is an excellent writer as well.) I'm wondering how much the nib sizes have affected your placement choices. I love my 3776's (enough to have more than one.) You mention you don't care for the nib, because it "has too much spring." Is it a soft F or soft M, or is it a regular nib? (I can go back through your videos for the answers.) I do in fact find it a more precise writer than the custom 74, but that's what makes these top 10 videos so interesting. I enjoy looking over 'someone else's garden gate.' Thanks for the fine and entertaining video! I look forward to the rest!
@Shub997 жыл бұрын
interesting review.. thanks for doing this. .
@theodoretrisvei67625 жыл бұрын
Love the Federicco!!!
@Ryan983916 жыл бұрын
The Levenger is a steal at 34.00.
@susanbradford45437 жыл бұрын
Great video with interesting choices. I use fountain pens for sketching. I would love to see your choices of pens & waterproof inks for sketching.
@okinawapunter3 жыл бұрын
How about dip pens for general everyday writing?
@sachakahn20527 жыл бұрын
In this range you could find yourself a Parker 51...
@danielkazda18227 жыл бұрын
Great video, man! Quick question: All things being equal, which of these pens houses the smoothest nib?
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Your mileage may vary, but in regard to the specific pens I reviewed, it is either the 580 or the Mini.
@ladyofthewinds82677 жыл бұрын
where can i go to find fountain pen discounts?
@allen319517 жыл бұрын
I really enjoy your channel and perspective on all that involves pens. To put you on the spot.....if you could only own pen and one ink, what would you choose?
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Classic Pens LB5 Tensui...and Pilot Iroshizuku Kon-Peki. A perfect match! :-)
@ladyofthewinds82677 жыл бұрын
hi, nice video but i have two question, where can i go to find fountain pen discounts and/or used pens? and the second question is what material are twsbi made from? (hope it's not plastic for that price)
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
eBay or Amazon would be the least expensive routes...but there are varying risks involved in purchasing from these sites rather than an established retailer. Yes, TWSBI's are made from plastic, but I don't find them to feel "cheap" in any way.
@ladyofthewinds82677 жыл бұрын
Figboot on Pens ouch i still find it hard to justify the price for plastic material and a couple of metal and rubber pieces...i know, for many people in fountain pen community this is pocket change and very inexpensive but for me it looks a bit silly...guess i could try the twsbi eco first and get a proper opinion about twsbi.
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
TWSBI in my opinion provides one of the highest value to cost ratios. With their pens, I consistently feel I receive more value than the cost of the pen.
@ladyofthewinds82677 жыл бұрын
Figboot on Pens i guess its simply a bias i have against plastic, but i will definitly have to try it out for myself before judging it.
@parisdblack17117 жыл бұрын
I just got a TWISBI 580 with a 1.1 Stub and I like it very much 😊
@Vegetablefather7 жыл бұрын
I'm curious what the wettest sub $100 pens are.
@GregSplond7 жыл бұрын
I have the Vac 700 as my number one over the 580 AL because I strongly dislike the aluminum short section. I wish I had gotten the regular version of the pen. I have the plastic section since I have a fine and a medium nib units. I just have not taken the time to switch them out. I really like the section of the Vac 700 better but then again I have big hands.
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
The Vac700 is a great pen. I wish the 580 had the same nib size.
@GregSplond7 жыл бұрын
Figboot on Pens It would definitely change the dynamic of the pen if it did have a larger nib. Do you review any Chinese pens? Wing Sung, Baoer, Hero, and etc.
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Greg Splond I do own some...so I will eventually get around to reviewing them.
@MultiRock387 жыл бұрын
How come no Monteverde Invincia?
@mattrdillon7 жыл бұрын
I know you've mentioned it doesn't matter to you personally as much, but would you mind just quickly showing the boxes the pens come in? I love a good box : )
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
shift 2first I typically show boxes in the full reviews for each pen.
@jacobliddiard1582 жыл бұрын
I do not see these suggestions commonly. If I may share my opinion, I would like to see more camera shots from closer view, to see the details. Thank you
@FigbootonPens2 жыл бұрын
There are full, in depth reviews of virtually all of these pens on my channel. There you will find all the close up shots you need.
@jacobliddiard1582 жыл бұрын
@@FigbootonPens Hey, thank you so much for letting me know. I am sorry I am new in this channel. Thank you so much for your content.
@FigbootonPens2 жыл бұрын
@@jacobliddiard158 No problems...thanks for watching!
@kcorella897 жыл бұрын
this was an excellent list as I am looking for my next level pen that is a gold nib I was thinking of getting a pilot custom heritage 91 but that sailor promenade looks very tempting as well
@christophersambrelizarazo7 жыл бұрын
is the sailor promenade the same as the 1911 standard
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
It can get a bit confusing...but the Promenade and 1911 Standard are different pens. Very similar, though.
@harrier61773 жыл бұрын
Your right, this isnt my first pountain fen
@97adhib7 жыл бұрын
Will you be doing a full review of the Promenade? I'm thinking of buying it as my first gold nib!
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Eventually. I don't currently have it slotted for an upcoming review, though.
@techtruth90776 жыл бұрын
The Conklin All American should of made this list but that's my opinion.
@saadrehmanshah5 жыл бұрын
It would be so cool if you'd given links to buy them as well :)
@FigbootonPens5 жыл бұрын
I didn't want to show preferential treatment to one retailer over another. Each of these pens are available to purchase from a number of different sources.
@fubartoo11117 жыл бұрын
Too much spring on 3776!? My (perfect) M nib is hard as a nail!
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Yah, it's a bit odd. The M's on my Chartres Blue and Yamanaka feel about the same...a bit too much bounce for my tastes. The M on my Kawaguchi though is much more firm...and I care for that much more. I double checked to make sure they weren't SM's or something like that...nope...straight up M's.
@alephomega3867 жыл бұрын
Have you used the Noodler's Neponset?
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
I haven't had the greatest experiences with Noodler's pens, but have yet to try the Neponset. Is that a model you care for?
@alephomega3867 жыл бұрын
It's by far the most expensive Noodler's pen and it has a flexi music type nib, from what I can gather, they're more intended to fiddle around with, which is annoying to a point but the price and line width variability are a huge plus with the Noodler's. I'll have to try one out but I'm trying to gather as much subjective opinion as I can to see how people like them.
@alephomega3867 жыл бұрын
Put it this way. I need something that will work 100% of the time.
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
In my experience (as well as what I hear from others), Noodler's pens are fairly inconsistent. At times, they will write great, and there are folks that love them...but at other times they will hardly work at all. If you are looking for something to tinker with, then Noodler's pens might work for you. But if you are looking for a pen that is virtually certain to perform great out of the box and be reliable day in and day out...then it might be best to look elsewhere.
@lez77677 жыл бұрын
Hiya David, I was introduced to you via Matt Armstrong of The Pen Habit, and being honest thought Oh! hummm, another jumping on the review wagon, but I'm a cynical son of a bitch. Anyway, I watched a couple more reviews over a few weeks and found your presentations good and pleasant to listen to, so now I'm working my way through all your posts. You're good, well good in my book. Right, well, sorry I digress,,, this top ten list is really enjoyable and it came as no surprise that the TWSBI's were in it. My first favorite is the VAC 700 which is the only vacuum filler I will ever be able to afford, second is the Diamond 580AL, fantastic pen, if I was buying a pen as a gift for someone it would be this. So David Im enjoying your postings and thought I'd let you know. Thank you for your dedication and passion for pens and for being interested enough to create a channel to share that interest. Best wishes. LeZc @@
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Thanks for watching. These lists have been fun to put together. Glad to hear you're enjoying the reviews!
@sgist78245 жыл бұрын
I feel I need number 10 as I share the name 😀
@magnoliamike2 жыл бұрын
Do you want to join the PEN-15 CLUB?
@FigbootonPens2 жыл бұрын
No...I want you to check out the reply to your comment on the Conklin Endura review.
@CyrilViXP3 жыл бұрын
Most boring range imo. I don't like the look of any of them. I've bought Coweco Al Sport and still think it's overpriced. Maybe only Lamy worth it's price because how modular it is
@DD-d6d37 жыл бұрын
Too many by twsbi. They still have cracking issues and they charge $5 for shipping replacement parts.
@danielkazda18227 жыл бұрын
Twsbi has addressed this issue by changing some of the materials they use. Also the 580AL would be a good choice for you since the aluminium is said to be more durable. Like David said, Twsbi has really dominated the sub $100 portion of the fountain pen world.The nib performance is great, you get a piston/vacuum filling pen, and they are downright cool.
@DD-d6d37 жыл бұрын
Daniel Kazda the aluminum makes the grip slippery (and it spins!) and the aluminum piston makes it back heavy. Overpriced for pens so badly designed. IMO
@Andytk337 жыл бұрын
Is that una reddit shirt?
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
A group of us got together from r/golf a while back and made some shirts with Snu in a golf outfit...
@Andytk337 жыл бұрын
Ahhhhhhhh! Oh btw, since we're here, I had a small question for ya! I just got my Platinum 3776 in Soft Fine. Recently I realized that the soft fine makes me unable to use the pen everyday which is the reason I bought it so maybe a medium would be better. Do you know a way of getting a Medium Platinum 3776 nib? Muchas Gracias Don David
@FigbootonPens7 жыл бұрын
Sorry...I am unaware of any place which sells replacement Platinum nibs. Did a little searching and could only find folks looking...but no one seems to have found a source.
@marcsebastian19806 жыл бұрын
Not to hate but your videos are not convenient. Meaning that you need to get to the point and stop rambling at the beginning.
@remogaggi826 жыл бұрын
Marc Sebastian he has minute markers posted in the description. Not to hate but if you were smart enough, you would have realized that and made your sad life convenient. Meaning that you didn’t need to type rambling drivel on KZbin, and you could have gotten straight to the point of each pen he reviewed.
@dyloak64502 жыл бұрын
You don't belong here. Most youtube videos purposely ramble, his is all with a purpose and has time markers which most videos don't eve have.
@xxxwlodzio5 жыл бұрын
Make videos shorter, not longer than 10 min, use images for every pen. You can use stock images from google. I like what you did at the end of the video, but you need to make it clear throughout the video. At least give a number in the left corner, so people can skip to the pen they are interested in.
@sgist78245 жыл бұрын
He does provide minute markers in the description if you had taken the time to look
@dyloak64502 жыл бұрын
You don't belong on KZbin. He did a good job with this video and I'm glad he took his time. The time markers with description are on the time meter...