Editing The Pen Addict 470/transcript (section)

== TWSBI Cartridge Converter ==


'''Brad:''' It's a converter with a spring in it. I don't get it.

'''Brad:''' I don't get that part.

'''Myke:''' I'm trying to figure this out myself. So, this was released, the, the, the marketing, the, the, the details of the pen were released to retailers around the world. The pen is not out yet until the end of the month.

'''Myke:''' When I first saw it, I thought this is Twisby Go version two, right? Because all you see when you open this picture, and we'll put a link in the show notes to this picture, is the spring, right? Pens don't have these large, gaudy springs, except for the Twisby Go, which we have famously talked about a million times. Um, so I thought, oh, this is like something with the Go series, Go V2, and it's not that at all. It is this this plunger converter insert that you can use or a cartridge insert you can use.

'''Brad:''' the real, the real actual big deal here is that Twisby have created a pen that takes cartridges. Yes. Right? Because they don't have one. And like, so that's, that's the actual deal here. Are these cartridges proprietary?

'''Myke:''' I don't know yet. Um, the coupling and the fitting on there looks standard international size at a distance, you know, as best as I can tell zooming into this. That's the aesthetic it has. I can't guarantee that until I see it. If I'm Twisby, I make it.

'''Brad:''' These cartridges look backwards, right? They don't look right when you look at the image.

'''Myke:''' Right. So it's like an inverted shape. But like,

'''Brad:''' are you supposed to spring load the cartridge in the pen?

'''Myke:''' I don't think so. I think it's two different options, right? It's a cartridge or converter. So like, just like any, just like a Lamy Safari, right?

'''Brad:''' You have a converter and a cartridge. If you look at Twisby's Instagram, right? You look at the image there. Like one of the images shows all of the parts and they have a cartridge with a spring behind it. What's that spring for?

'''Myke:''' I don't know. Yeah, I know. I see what you're seeing and in the diagram, right? Can you look at the, if you look at the diagram. Optional use

'''Brad:''' with cartridge not needed during normal use. Spring adds extra security for maximum engagement of cartridge during extreme movements. For example, dropping the pen on the floor. That's not a thing. No, I know why they've done this. I can see why they've done this.

'''Myke:''' Yeah, but that's not a thing that happens.

'''Brad:''' No, no, no, no, wait, just bear with me one second. All right.

'''Myke:''' Mm-hmm.

'''Brad:''' That cartridge is way smaller than the body of the pen. Yes. I know what you're saying, but I guess the concern is that the cartridge is going to pop out. this is what they're trying to help you against?

'''Myke:''' No. I mean, yes, you are correct. Then that's what they're doing. Yeah. And I'm saying that issue does not exist in the real world.

'''Brad:''' Yeah.

'''Myke:''' There, you, I would have to whip a pen against the wall as hard as humanly possible. and it only might dislodge from the feed. The cartridge might only maybe consider dislodging itself from the feed.

'''Myke:''' It just doesn't work that way unless they've made like a crappy cartridge, which then it's just going to leak. It's not going to, you don't need the spring to slam the cartridge

'''Brad:''' into the barrel. Brad, it's like with this pen it will come out. Right?

'''Brad:''' We have designed this pen so bad. We tested this and that thing will pop out of there.

'''Myke:''' Wow. We're, look at this cartridge. They're just jumping out all over the place. I set my pen down. Boom! Cartridge.

'''Brad:''' Someone's going to hold that in. You know what I'm worried about though?

'''Myke:''' Spring.

'''Brad:''' Like, I could just imagine trying to put the screw this thing together and then you accidentally like fling the body of the pen out, right? Like, it's just spring off there.

'''Myke:''' That's what this is. This is a cartridge shooter. Yeah. You just bring the pen. You don't like engage the cartridge. You just put the cartridge in the barrel and then you get to the office. We're spending

'''Brad:''' way too much time on this because this is actually big news, right? This is a $23 to $27 depending on where you live in the world.

'''Brad:''' Lamy Safari competitor. TWSBI are in this market now. They're making a cartridge pen, right? And a cartridge converter pen.

'''Brad:''' Fine. I wouldn't go there. But they're aiming at it. This is their aim at it, right?

'''Myke:''' Yes. I do not disagree with you.

'''Myke:''' I'm just trying to wrap my head around the whole idea, right? You have the TWSBI Go and you have the TWSBI Eco and you're saying, right, that, okay, well, those require bottles of ink to fill. This is our not bottle of ink filling pen in the same price range. And I think it's a big deal. I'll buy that.

'''Brad:''' I think them actually finally making a cartridge-based pen is a big deal because I think that people are intimidated, rightly so, I think, if it's their first fountain pen or whatever, to go with the bottle of ink route. Yeah, I agree. I think TWSBI's products are really good and I think people should try it. So as well, this is, and I found it on their Instagram, it is standard international and it will take any standard international and you can also use their non-spring loaded converter as well. If it's standard international, it will go in here. So I do think this is a big deal. I think it looks great too,

'''Myke:''' by the way. If you're trying to compete with Lamy Safari, let's just be direct and just say Safari. Why have a spring at all? Why make people ask that question, what is this for?

'''Brad:''' Yeah, I don't know. I think, honestly, that's how I look at it. I don't disagree

'''Myke:''' with anything you're saying. I think the

'''Brad:''' spring is branding, Brad.

'''Myke:''' I agree with that. That's our thing. TWSBI. We have springs.

'''Brad:''' We have

'''Myke:''' springs in our pens.

'''Brad:''' But the thing is, I don't disagree with that because we all freaked out about the TWSBI Go because it had a spring in it.

'''Myke:''' Yeah, but it was because it was a piston. It sucked up the ink, Myke. this is trying to solve a problem that literally no one has. It's just adding confusion to, hey, I would like to buy my first fountain pen.

'''Brad:''' Yeah, but pens have springs in them. You know what I mean? People buying their first fountain pen, they've been used to a ballpoint pen which has a spring in it. I don't think the spring is going to make people think something weird is going on. I think this is a really interesting product. I look forward to getting one. I think this could be a real sleeper hit. It is weird. Look, when you look at it on paper, this is why we're talking about it, they've done something strange here. There's a lot of strange things like why do their cartridges look like that? Why do they have a spring in the converter? It's strange, but I wouldn't be surprised if that's part of what they're going for.

'''Myke:''' Yeah. I will say just from a design perspective, I dislike the clip greatly. It looks like either the Schaefer or no, the Statler or the Pelican child pen. Looks like aggressive.

'''Brad:''' There's too much clip on this pen, but I like the body and I like the two finishes they have, the kind of smoky and the blue finish.

'''Myke:''' I wasn't talked out of it. I mean, you're talking me a little bit more into it. Obviously, I'm going to get plenty of them, but I'm just like I have a real thing that I get really stuck on solving companies trying to solve problems that don't exist, right? Like I get stuck on that. And that's an independent thought from is this a good pen or not, right? And I'm having a hard time separating those two in this case. Usually, I'm pretty good at separating, say, is this a good product? Yes or no? You know, are there things that could be changed from a design perspective? And this one, I'm lumping all that in together. I'm having a little bit difficulty separating them.

'''Brad:''' I mean, we'll find out, right? Because we were a little bit skeptical

'''Myke:''' at the Go. Yeah, turns out the Go is pretty great. So, yeah. What an episode today, Myke. This is my kind of episode. This is a big show. We can't even get to ask TPA.

'''Brad:''' Too much hashtag content.

'''Myke:''' Too much stationery. Do you know when this

'''Brad:''' TWSBI is going to be available? Is it just soon? Yeah,

'''Myke:''' a couple weeks.

'''Brad:''' That typical TWSBI release of like, it's now or never.

'''Myke:''' Everyone, everyone got the PR. So, I think it's like a week from now. I think they've probably ordered, I think retailers have probably placed their orders to receive these pens, would be my guess. And they're going to have them in like a week or two. End of the month.

'''Brad:''' Okay.

'''Myke:''' Yeah, cult pin says 23rd. So, yes, very soon.

'''Brad:''' That's very soon. All right, I'm going to try and get one.

'''Myke:''' Oh, yeah, for sure.

'''Brad:''' If you want to find links to what we've spoken about today, you can go to relay.fm slash penaddict slash 470, but you can also find them in your podcast app of choice. If you want to find Brad online, go to penaddict.com, twitch.tv slash penaddict. Go and follow there. Brad streams many days a week. You can also find Brad, he's penaddict on Instagram, downdeals, I'm on Twitter, and Brad on micro.blog. Yeah, buddy. I'm I, Myke, I-M-Y-K-E. Thank you so much to Squarespace and Pen Chalet for the support of this week's episode. And as always, thank you for listening. We'll be back next time. Until then, say goodbye, Brad. Goodbye, Brad.

[[Category:Podcast Transcripts]]
[[Category:The Pen Addict Podcast Transcript]]