Jump to content

Penbbs 456 First Impressions

truthpil

By truthpil
in Fountain Pen Reviews

 Share

Recommended Posts

truthpil Collectors Item

truthpil

Posted
  • Author
Posted

You may be better off getting a 456 before a 355 anyway. Many people have reported problems or at least difficulty using the 355 while the 456 has become Penbbs' most beloved model. Enjoy!

fpn_1451608922__truthpil_signature_small

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • Replies 69
  • Created
  • Last Reply

Top Posters In This Topic

  • truthpil

    19

  • Honeybadgers

    9

  • Driften

    7

  • Karmachanic

    7

Popular Days

Top Posters In This Topic

Popular Days

Karmachanic Donor Pen

Karmachanic

Posted
Posted (edited)

I'm here reporting no difficulty filling or using the 355.

I prefer the section and the piston knob over the 456, which has found a new home.

Edited by Karmachanic

Add lightness and simplicate.

 

Link to comment
Share on other sites
taike Rare

taike

Posted
Posted

I'm here reporting no difficulty filling or using the 355.

I prefer the section and the piston knob over the 456, which has found a new home.

 

I started out liking the shape of the 355 over the 456. But over time, the 456 has won me over.

 

I4ZuUp7l.jpg

 

Visually, the 355 has a more of a classic shape but in the hand the 456 has proven more comfortable.

 

My full 456 review here.

Check out my assembled FP reviews.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
penzel_washinkton Vintage

penzel_washinkton

Posted
Posted

I still feel that the length of the piston knob of the 456 can be shortened a bit to make it look better (of course IMO)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sirgilbert357 Antique

sirgilbert357

Posted
Posted

There was a re-stock of 355 about 2 weeks ago but recently there are only an updated 456 stocks in a variety of patterns.

I think the 355 will come up again sometime in the future.

 

They must have sold out right away. I was checking quite often, almost daily, but I don't have Etsy notifications turned on, so I must have missed it.

 

Anyway, I think I'm going to like the 456 better anyway, so I'm not looking to add a 355 to the collection anymore. This is why I usually wait much longer to think about a pen purchase - after evaluating, I tend to change my mind or find something about the pen that deters me.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
sirgilbert357 Antique

sirgilbert357

Posted
Posted

You may be better off getting a 456 before a 355 anyway. Many people have reported problems or at least difficulty using the 355 while the 456 has become Penbbs' most beloved model. Enjoy!

 

Yeah, I think a new user just has to get used to how much to screw the rod end into the plunger, etc. I don't think I would have had any issues long term, but I prefer the section shape of the 456 and I've been wanting a vac anyway. I wish the knob on the 456 had the same shape as the 355's, because I don't like the taper on it, but oh well...

Link to comment
Share on other sites
JollyCynic Rare

JollyCynic

Posted
Posted

The last 355 restock was a bit of a fiasco. A reseller (apparently) bought all of the clear ones, so only a few Galaxy were left. The pens haven't surfaced online yet.

 

It's led to the Etsy shop considering a limit of the same pen at one time for the popular models or colours. (People have suggested a limit of two of the same in one purchase.) We haven't seen the policy implemented yet.

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Gloucesterman Antique

Gloucesterman

Posted
Posted

I've only managed to damage the feed in one of my 7 or 8 penBBS models and I was very harsh on it. I routinely remove them all.

 

The feeds are not what I'd call a weak point as long as you don't abuse it.

 

I have inked both of my 456's and both had very dry, boring nibs. I swapped one for an ultra extra fine custom ground steel nib, and the other I just opened up the original nib and it's now a nice wet medium.

 

Fit and finish are superb. Easily worth every penny they ask and then some

What are your thoughts about swapping in a vintage 14k semi-flex nib?

 

Just curious as I recently got a demonstrator (second hand) and also JUST bought a no-name with a 14k semi-flex.

“Don't put off till tomorrow what you can do today, because if you do it today and like it, you can do again tomorrow!”

Link to comment
Share on other sites
Honeybadgers Donor Pen

Honeybadgers

Posted
Posted

What are your thoughts about swapping in a vintage 14k semi-flex nib?

 

Just curious as I recently got a demonstrator (second hand) and also JUST bought a no-name with a 14k semi-flex.

 

No reason not to if the nib fits. I don't expect the feed will be very accommodating but it can't hurt. the body of the 456 is far and away the best thing about it.

 

I have a $300 14k flex nib in my VAC700R.

Selling a boatload of restored, fairly rare, vintage Japanese gold nib pens, click here to see (more added as I finish restoring them)

Link to comment
Share on other sites
  • 2 years later...
phoenixxes New

phoenixxes

Posted
Posted

Thanks for the review! What's the name of the green PenBBS acrylic in the size comparison pictures?

Link to comment
Share on other sites

Create an account or sign in to comment

You need to be a member in order to leave a comment

Create an account

Sign up for a new account in our community. It's easy!

Register a new account

Sign in

Already have an account? Sign in here.

Sign In Now
 Share
Go to topic listing

  • Most Contributions

    1. amberleadavis
      amberleadavis
      43844
    2. PAKMAN
      PAKMAN
      33553
    3. Ghost Plane
      Ghost Plane
      28220
    4. inkstainedruth
      inkstainedruth
      26724
    5. jar
      jar
      26101

  • Upcoming Events

  • Blog Comments

    • Shanghai Knife Dude
      Links to web pages or articles about Chinese typesetting, signwriting, etc.

      By Shanghai Knife Dude · Posted

      I have the Sailor Naginata and some fancy blade nibs coming after 2022 by a number of new workshop from China.  With all my respect, IMHO, they are all (bleep) in doing chinese characters.  Go use a bush, or at least a bush pen. 
    • A Smug Dill
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      It is the reason why I'm so keen on the idea of a personal library — of pens, nibs, inks, paper products, etc. — and spent so much money, as well as time and effort, to “build” it for myself (because I can't simply remember everything, especially as I'm getting older fast) and my wife, so that we can “know”; and, instead of just disposing of what displeased us, or even just not good enough to be “given the time of day” against competition from >500 other pens and >500 other inks for our at
    • adamselene
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By adamselene · Posted

      Agreed.  And I think it’s good to be aware of this early on and think about at the point of buying rather than rationalizing a purchase..
    • A Smug Dill
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By A Smug Dill · Posted

      Alas, one cannot know “good” without some idea of “bad” against which to contrast; and, as one of my former bosses (back when I was in my twenties) used to say, “on the scale of good to bad…”, it's a spectrum, not a dichotomy. Whereas subjectively acceptable (or tolerable) and unacceptable may well be a dichotomy to someone, and finding whether the threshold or cusp between them lies takes experiencing many degrees of less-than-ideal, especially if the decision is somehow influenced by factors o
    • adamselene
      Skeleton of a primer for a budding hobbyist

      By adamselene · Posted

      I got my first real fountain pen on my 60th birthday and many hundreds of pens later I’ve often thought of what I should’ve known in the beginning. I have many pens, the majority of which have some objectionable feature. If they are too delicate, or can’t be posted, or they are too precious to face losing , still they are users, but only in very limited environments..  I have a big disliking for pens that have the cap jump into the air and fly off. I object to Pens that dry out, or leave blobs o

  • Chatbox

    You don't have permission to chat.
    Load More

  • Files






×
×
  • Create New...