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  1. I'm set on getting a model 456 from their Etsy shop, but the colours currently available aren't really my first choice, and restocking seems to be taking a long time. The pink acrylic, Marshmallow, still looks most fun out of all of them, but those are, of course, well-lit promo photos, and I can't find any reviews showing the acrylic (in any model) under more realistic conditions. To those of you who have the acrylic, are you happy? Is it more pastel rosé, or a really eye-searing Barbie pink? Photos would be much appreciated! Dominique
  2. PenBBS appears about to launch their new pocket pen, the PenBBS 471. It's one of two pens we've been told to expect this month, the other being a new twisted polygonal metal pen. Pictures (and video) from Beini's Instagram account indicate it will be available in at least her traditionally exclusive colours of Niangao Is a Cat, Amber Is a Cat, and Silence (purple and blue). It has a few interesting attributes that distinguish it from other current offerings in the Chinese pocket pen market. For example, it takes the normal PenBBS nibs, meaning (cap room permitting) it can take standard size 6 nibs. Photos from Beini have shown the pens with the new M nibs and rounded F nibs, but it hasn't yet been stated if these new nibs will be available on all new models. Beini has also stated that Long is including a loose ... cap band? It's a coupling ring with knurled/faceted edges that looks like a cap band, and it screws onto both the back end of the pen and the end of the cap. So this can be used to couple the cap onto the back of the pen with the ring in the middle. The cap can also be screwed onto the back of the pen directly without the ring by flipping it around, like the Wancai Mini, shortening the pen by a few millimetres. It also means, however, that two pens may be coupled together back-to-back with the ring, with the cap of one posted/screwed onto the cap of the other, for a new take on a double-ended pen. (Several pens appear to be able to be connected together if you have any desire for a two-foot pen.) When the pen is closed (and without the ring) it's just shorter than the Wancai Mini. When it's posted with the ring, it's just longer than the Wancai Mini. I haven't seen photos of it posted without the ring, but it's possible according to photos of several caps screwed together. (I don't know if the ring can be 'stored' on the section between the barrel and the cap when closed ... My brain hurts when I try to think about how it would work.) It's an eye-dropper fill, obviously (or maybe not obviously ... Long has been engineering some pretty crazy pens lately), with what appears to be a fairly small reservoir. Beini's stated on the Etsy shop that she's out of town this week, so I think we may have until at least next week before they're launched in the west. Or not. I've been wrong about basically everything I've guessed about this pen thus far.
  3. penzel_washinkton

    Penbbs Notebooks & Pads

    So... Just noticed that the notebooks game are gaining new players recently. Aside from Elia notebooks that was released late last year, this time around the Chinese PenBBS brand has released their own line of notebooks (and notepad/memo). I know that Beini has been teasing this stuff and finally it was released on their Etsy shop about 2 or 3 days ago and they have 5 models in total: 474 - Notepad/ Memo Blank 476 - A5 Notebook Black Cover Grid 477 - A5 Notebook Purple Cover Blank 478 - A5 Notebook Purple Cover Lined 479 - A5 Notebook Black Cover Lined https://www.etsy.com/shop/PENBBSOfficialStore All notebooks are sourced from Fabriano 85 gsm papers and are priced $8 for the notebooks and $5 for the pads/memos. Personally, if I am going to get one, it will be the black cover with blank layout since he ruling is strange to me (lined is 9 mm gap and grid is 4mm) but I can not say for other people. Unfortunately it isn't an option so I guess I will be getting the blank purple cover.
  4. NickiStew

    Penbbs Swatch Tests Part 01

    I've been aware of this Chinese brand for a while now, but it's hasn't been easy getting hold of samples to swatch test. Certainly, I've been onto AliExpress and had a look at the volume of inks shown, but as I don't speak nor read Chinese, I have no idea what's current/obsolete nor how much? I was very fortunate when just before Christmas Marjolein Coppens sent me some sample vials and here are the first batch. Many many thanks Marjolein! I don't have any names for these, they just came with a number. I've grouped them together by behaviour. PENBBS 335 - appears to be a deep damson colour with some very pretty chromatography bleeding out crimson greys with hints of turquoise. The reaction with bleach is a stunning bright neon gold. PENBBS 234 - appears to be a rich crimson colour with some subtle chromatography bleeding out lilacs at the outer edges. The reaction with bleach is a stunning bright neon gold. PENBBS 345 - a deep lilac blue colour with a dull gold in evidence when subjected to bleach. That flatness of colour reminds me of Herbin inks. PENBBS 342 - a complex olive green revealing forest greens, blue greens and hints of yellow. Plenty of shading in evidence and a bright reaction with bleach. PENBBS 346 - I didn't have much of this but it reminds me of Krishna Pencil which I thought was wonderful. You can just make out the reds and grey blue greens. A white gold when subjected to bleach and good shading. PENBBS 111 - This could be a dead ringer for Diamine Amber? PENBBS 160 - Appears to be mint green with bags of chromatography and shading. Turns a neon white gold when adding the bleach. PENBBS 339 - A lovely even cerulean blue bleeding out turquoise. Turns neon gold with the bleach. PENBBS 238 - An rich even red grading evenly with water. No chromatography. Turns a neon white gold when adding the bleach. PENBBS 108 - Interesting colour this. Starts as a chestnut brown and then turns into a walnut brown. Evidence of a deep sheen and some pinky grey chromatography. Turns a neon gold with bleach in the less dense areas of ink. PENBBS 135 - A rich rust colour which doesn't mix with water. Some reaction with bleach which was unexpected. PENBBS 85 - A deep Prussian Blue that gradates out wonderfully. The reaction with bleach is a stunning bright neon gold. I have a hunch that if I had the full range I could easily group these into definable areas of: agent resistant (Noodler's), flat and even (Herbin), shading and chromatography (Diamine & Robert Oster). I have another batch to post next week. I'd love to investigate this line further. So, if anyone can put me in touch with someone who could supply me with the full range of sample files that contact would be gratefully appreciated. All tests on Bockingford Rough 200lb watercolour paper.
  5. Has anyone else ordered something off the PenBBS Etsy store lately and had a bunch of pictures of the owner's cats included in the package? Because, uh
  6. Hi All! I just got my Penbbs 309 and inked it up so I thought I'd share. The paper is Clairefontaine. The nib is quite smooth, with less feedback than a Preppy on the same paper, while having a similar line width. The the fit and finish are actually really nice, and the nib has a tiny bit of spring. This is the "Autumn" color, which seems not be currently on Ebay, but it might be around other places. As you can see, it screws apart at the section. Although this cost a bit more than most of the Chinese pens, I feel like it was worth it. I was hoping for a gradient that was more orange on the ends, but at least it matches nicely! Under a loupe, the nib slit looked like it was cut off center, but it doesn't seem to affect the writing experience.
  7. visvamitra

    Radiant Orchid - Penbbs

    Penbbs is chinese fountain pen forum. It seems the guys are not only talking about pens but also mixing inks and the moment they've created approximnately 200 inks. Wow. I remember I've seen Lgsoltek reviews of their inks and I had a chance to try opuntia Stricta ink that was rather nice in terms of color and quite plesant to use. Recently I've received samples of few other Penbbs inks. Rhadiant Orchid is well behaved pinkish violet ink. I would describe it as medium wet. The color doesn't thrill me a lot but I'm able to understand it may appeal to people. The ink doesn't feather and performs well on variety of papers. Drops of ink on kitchen towel Software ID Color range Tomoe River, Kaweco Classic Sport, B Leuchtturm1917, Kaweco Classic Sport, B Copy paper, Hero 007, fine nib
  8. probablyobsessedwithpenstuff

    Penbbs Section Swapping

    Does anyone know if you can swap the grip sections of a penbbs 309 with the 323 as i love my 309 but I like the look of the section on the 323 and the clip-less cap and i wondered if anyone who had both had already tried to put them together? Or if someone could give me the thread diameters so i can compare them. Yes i know they aren't expensive but im still fairly new (only a year) and im a student so i really have to justify buying anything, otherwise i would just take a chance and go for it.
  9. For a moment there, orange was my color of choice. I think I was coming off a sepia phase, but don't rightly recall. I got myself some Diamine Autumn Oak and took a flyer on J. Herbin Orange Indian. J. Herbin Orange Indien The Autumn Oak was a great success but I could never get the J. Herbin to work for me. None of the pens I tried would make a go of it. It was my first out-and-out ink failure. So when I unboxed the PenBBS 350, I did two things. First, I swapped out the fountain pen nib for the rollerball. Then I filled the pen with Orange Indien. I was being a little perverse. Like many, I write with a fountain pen unless I can't help it. You know the type. (You may be one yourself.) But I was impressed by the moxie PenBBS was showing by including a rollerball with the pen. They were thinking outside the box. To reward the daring, I gave the pen the hardest ink I have. To my surprise, it worked. Truth be told, I think the J. Herbin ink has darkened over time. Looking at some old notebooks, it looks a bit brighter. Conceptually, the PenBBS 350 combo hits it out of the park. I love the idea of including a rollerball in the mix. It fits the style of the pen and it writes very well. The line is satisfyingly bold and the rollerball is smooth, agile and consistent. Ergonomically, however, the rollerball isn't a complete success. The rollerball tip is much shorter than the the fountain pen nib - making the pen just that little bit smaller in the hand. The balance between the girth, length and writing experience is slightly awkward. After writing with the rollerball for a bit, I swapped in the fountain pen nib and felt much better. In its fountain pen configuration, the PenBBS 350 rocks: The size is perfect. The diameter is fat enough to be substantial and the unposted length is just right for my hand. The pen posts well enough but that's not how I use it.The weight is spot on. Weighty enough to feel intentional while remaining nimble. Long writing sessions are no problem with this pen.The texture of the pen is light but real: a matte finish with just little grip. Nice.The threads are fine and not bothersome. They work as a midpoint reference for keeping the pen oriented in the hand by touch.The cap comes off in under 1 1/4 turns making this a fast pen to cap and uncap.The cap facets keep the pen from rolling about when not in use and, of course, mean the cap is less likely to wind up on the floor when using the pen.The cap uses plastic interior threads so you don't have the potentially annoying metal-on-metal feeling when capping/uncapping the pen. The action is nicely smooth and precise.There's no clip but that's not a bother for me. I don't need one.The nib is the same PenBBS F No. 6 that comes with their other pens. It's a great nib and performed up to expectations out of the box. Given the aluminum construction and minimalist, industrial design, I put the PenBBS 350 in the workhorse camp. It's durable and functional and could easily serve as a beater pen for everyday use. It works as a full-sized pocket pen. Length capped: 130mmUncapped Rollerball: 117mmUncapped Fountain Pen: 122mmWeight capped (inked): 23.1gWeight uncapped (inked): 15.7g I like the style of the pen. It feels modern. I'm becoming a bigger fan of the PenBBS brand. It could easily be the best Chinese pen brand today. At under US$15 on Taobao, it's a heck of a value. Would I recommend this as a first fountain pen? Yes. If someone is going to catch the bug, this is as good a vector as any.Could this be someone's only fountain pen? Well, it could. If there are folks out there who can eat just one.Would this make a cool gift for a fountain pen friend? I think so. It fits the ideal of something different that lots of people might not pick for themselves.More pictures and comments here.
  10. After seeing a lot of glowing reviews about various PenBBS pens and especially about a good quality and consistency of their nibs, I bought a number of those pens myself. Unfortunately, in my case I found that while the pens themselves are indeed good, the nibs are basically unusable: even with well behaved inks (I use Pilot black & blue-black) the nibs have hard starts and skip constantly. One of the problems is clearly due to the fact that the tines are very tight near the tip of the nib and there is not even a slight gap between them, which seem to prevent a proper ink flow. Note: I have other good pens (like Pilot Metropolitan, Platimun Preppy and Lamy Safari, each pen both in fine and medium sizes) that write very well and in all of them I see a slight gap between the tines for the whole length of a slit - it is a bit wider for medium nibs and a bit smaller for fine ones, but it is always present. So it is not the case that I am unable to see the gap in PenBBS' case - it really is missing there, or that it is normal for a nib to have tight tines. I tried to floss between the tines to create a slight gap (using 0.002" (0.05mm) & 0.003" (0.08mm) gauge feelers), but no matter how I tried the tines always snapped back together - in the end I just ruined one of the nibs by applying too much pressure and bending the very tip of the nib (the part which contains the tipping alloy) and creating a 'V' shape where the two prongs of the 'V' are tips with the alloy and the point where they meet is a point a couple of millmeters higher between the tines - and at this point even after all the brutal handling the tines were *still* tight together, without any gap. I forced the tips back with pliers (nothing to loose here anyway) and the nib does write - though now it creates a much wider line: and it still skips constantly. After all those adventures I lost my illusions about PenBBS' nibs and understood that if I want to use the pens, I have to buy properly made nibs separately. Now, there are a number of problems here: first, I have read that PenBBS uses #6 nibs, which means that feed's diameter is supposed to be 6mm. But in reallity PenBBS' feed is 6.5mm in diameter in it's widest point (the part near the nipple) and 6.35mm-6.4mm in other parts (the feed is not completely cylindrical - it is a bit flattened). So the question is: can this difference between the specs for #6 nib and PenBBS' feed create a real problem? Another isse: I saw a Pablo Carrasco (who is the owner of fpnibs.com) in one of his videos (here) explain a difference between the standard and BF Jowo's nibs: standard Jowo nibs & feeds are curved, and BF nibs are straight. Looking at PenBBS' feed I see that it is a straight feed, but the nib is curved (see the attached pictures). First of all, it make me wonder: maybe this is one of the causes for the poor ink flow - is it possible that the curve of the nib prevents a proper contact with the feed? And in general, why in the world did PenBBS decide to use a curved nib with a straight feed!? In addition - and this is probably the most important question now: which nib should I buy - a standard one or a straight one? Or maybe it would be better to buy Bock's nib instead of Jowo's one: as I understand, Bock's 'standard' nibs (unlike Jowo's 'standard' ones) are straight, and so maybe would be a better choice. In particular, I have some hopes that maybe I can replace PenBBS' feed with a different feed, but BF Jowo nibs sold by fpnibs.com are sold without a matching feed. So if it happens that a straight nib matches PenBBS' better, then if I buy Bock's nib I will have a better chance of success: if the nib matches PenBBS feed well enough then I will use the original feed with the new nib. If it doesn't, then there is still a chance that a replacement feed will fit. If I buy BF Jowo nib though and the nib doesn't fit the feed, then I am stuck. What are your experiences and opinions about all this? Here is how the feed looks: And here is the nib:
  11. Over the last few months a new brand of Chinese fountain pens has been generating a lot of interest due to a combination of moderate price, interesting designs and beautiful materials. This is my second PenBBS fountain pen, my first being a 323 in the lovely blue/purple acrylic. While I liked that pen quite a bit, I really think this particular pen is definitely worth crowing about. I'm going to take a look today at the PenBBS 308 in the lovely "Hawa'ii Gradient" acrylic resin. Design 8/10: The PenBBS is modeled after the well-known Sheaffer Balance fountain pen which was first introduced in 1929. Similar to the Balance, the 308 is a long, streamlined pen with torpedo shaped ends, a single cap band, screw on cap and flared grip section. This is a pretty classic shape for a fountain pen copied by any number of fountain pen makers over the years, with the Edison Nouveau Premiere another modern interpretation. There are some differences, however. The 308 has a cap band that encompasses the entire cap lip, and the clip, instead of being inset in to the cap, is on a separate ring with the finial screwed down on top. Moving on from the basic design, the 308 is a rather large pen, utilizing a #6 sized, stainless steel nib. The nib is engraved with standard scrollwork, and the words "PenBBS" "Since 2005", "F", and "China", The engraving is clean, even and well executed. The cap band encompasses the entire bottom lip of the cap and is engraved with "PenBBS", the PenBBS logo, and "266". 266 was the model designation for the earlier version of this pen, as the threading was moved from the grip section to the barrel. The reason for the change was that there were complaints that people were having the barrel unscrew when they tried to remove the cap. Instead of junking the already engraved cap bands, the maker decided to just use them anyways. Hey, fine by me! Saves waste. Again, the engraving is clean, deep, even and well executed. The barrel tapers down to point, and is made of a single piece of resin. This pen can be used as an eyedropper, and comes with an o-ring installed, sitting in a groove machined in to the grip section. Now let's get it out of the way - the material gorgeous. The coloration starts as a bright yellow at the tip of the barrel, moves through a light green and in to a bright, almost turquoise blue, and then back to yellow. The transitions are well done, the colors go well together and I think the effect is really, really lovely altogether. The polish is perfect, and the entire body, cap and grip are all made of the same material. As I mentioned before, this is a relatively large and lightweight pen. Measurements are as follows: Length (Capped): 143mm Uncapped: 129mm Posted: 164mm Cap (Widest): 15mm Body (Widest): 13.5mm Grip (Widest): 11mm Grip (Narrowest): 9.5mm Weight Capped or Posted (Inked): 20.7g Weight Uncapped: 12.5g Fit and Finish 8/10: Considering the price, I'm quite happy with the fit and finish. The polishing is well done, the threads, while not the smoothest I've experienced, don't rub or gall in any way that would lead me to have concerns about the longevity of the pen. The body and cap are approximately 2mm thick at the joints, and thicken towards the ends. The cap band encompasses the entire cap lip and should help prevent any cracking issues. One thing that I was quite happy with was the number of quality touches on the pen, from both a design and build quality standpoint. I've mentioned before that the an o-ring was installed in the section, but there are a few other things to note. First, the barrel is quite a bit thicker towards the "tail" of the pen, so much so that the knob for the included converter fits relatively closely in to the end of the pen. Second, the converter fits quite securely in the section, and even when shaking the pen it does not rattle around in the body. Lastly, the maker took some effort to match the coloration between the different body parts. It's more noticeable in person, but the barrel section happened to end in the lightest color of the different resins used. Care was taken to ensure that the section, where it screwed in to the barrel, also started at that same, bright yellow color. This demonstrates a standard of care in construction that you simply wouldn't expect at this price. My favourite brand of fountain pen is Delta, and I own 17 of them right now. From the standpoint of fit, finish and materials I'd happily put the 308 on the same level of some of the lower end Deltas like the Unica, Virtuosa, Italiana or Vintage. I'd even go so far as to put it a half step above the Virtuosa or Unica with their laser-engraved nibs and trim. Filling System (6/10): It's a cartridge converter. Nothing special, but the included converter is of decent quality and holds a good amount of ink. It is pretty much identical to the converters that come with current Jinhao pens. The only real complaint I have here is that there's no agitator. If you don't care for C/C. PenBBS does make a piston-filled fountain pen, the 309. They are also working two styles of Vacumatic-filler fountain pens, one plunger fill (similar to a TWSBI Vac/Mini Vac), and one pump fill (similar to the classic Parker Vacumatic or modern Edison Menlo Pump Filler). Nib (7/10): The nib on this pen was really, really good. Stainless steel, smooth, well adjusted and a very reliable writer, though quite stiff. In a vacuum I'd probably give it at least another half point or so, but I'm averaging the performance between the two PenBBS pens I've received. While the nib on the 308 reviewed here was excellent straight out of the package, the nib on my 323 was overly dry and needed some work before it wrote in the way I wanted. The nib is stamped as a fine, and I'd say it matches fine nibs from my Western pen brands rather than my Japanese/Taiwanese/Chinese pens. The nib and feed are a standard #6, and the pen worked perfectly well when replaced with a few spares I had laying around. One thing to note is that PenBBS nibs has slightly upturned tipping compared to most modern pens. While I wouldn't go so far as to call it a Waverly nib, it is definitely noticeable when viewed through a loupe. Cost and Value (9/10): The "Gradient" color series of PenBBS pens are currently the most expensive pens from this brand, selling for anywhere from $27-30US. Given the fit and finish, looks, nib quality and design details, I think it's a heck of a pen.
  12. Hi everyone. This is my first posting, but I'll introduce myself properly another time! For the moment, I've just seen this advert on ebay for the PenBBS 349. I've checked the forum and I can't find any mention of it. Looks like it's using the familiar acrylics, but in a shape a bit like the forthcoming Wing Sung 626.
  13. Hello Community, My wife is going to be traveling to Shanghai in the 3rd week of May. I'm putting together a wish list of fountain pens for her to pick up. These include the Hero H718, Penbbs Pens, and Lecai pens. Are there any specific shops she can get these from? Super if you can share their names / locations and also add some fountain pen recommendations to this list - I have a fondness for pens made of acrylic resin and celluloid. Thanks, Tarun
  14. Seems like a pretty obvious copy unless there's another brand that did this design first? Doesn't have the finial or tassie, but it's pretty close. https://www.ebay.ca/itm/NEW-PENBBS-350-aluminum-alloy-golden-Fountain-Pen-Nib-with-a-pen-bag-/263563679034
  15. visvamitra

    Ink No. 184 - Penbbs

    Penbbs is chinese fountain pen forum. It seems the guys are not only talking about pens but also mixing inks and the moment they've created approximnately 200 inks. Wow. I remember I've seen Lgsoltek reviews of their inks and I had a chance to try opuntia Stricta ink that was rather nice in terms of color and quite plesant to use. Recently I've received samples of few other Penbbs inks. Ink no. 184 (can someone who knows chinese follow the link and translate it to english?) is well behaved yellow ink. It looks rather nice in broad Kaweco nib and the shading potential is strong. The ink isn't crazy wet but neither it's dry. It's pretty well behaved. I believe the sample came from Lgsoltek - thank you Drops of ink on kitchen towel Software ID Color range Tomoe River, Kaweco Classic Sport, B Leuchtturm1917, Kaweco Classic Sport, B Clairefontainte Triomphe, Kaweco Classic Sport, broad nib
  16. There's been mention and a few reviews of inks out of China by a group of fountain pen and ink aficionados; they are PenBBS by name. They have been fairly difficult to obtain as one had to use the Chinese sales sites which typically don't take Paypal, and CC transactions can be a bit risky. Today I was cruising over at Vanness and noticed they had a section for these inks. So they have 36 inks up now. The PenBBS range is extensive but I think sometimes they are really just special or limited editions. So if you find an ink you just love to the ends of the Earth, be aware that it could disappear one day, never to return. Rather than thinking of them as an ink company or business, they are more like pen fans making inks. At least that is my understanding. They've made some interesting inks, and there might be some to your fancy or worth tossing in some samples when ordering something else. Edit: And it looks like these have been popular as many bottles are sold out with only samples available.
  17. Hi all, I'm interested in getting a few PenBBS inks when I visit China next week and in particular the latest "series", #16, holds quite some promise. However, I am slightly concerned if the swabs the manufacturer provides are accurate. Can anyone offer a true swab? These two sets should be identical: Likewise, No.219 and No.223 are vastly different from the manufacturer's swab and TruthPil's swab:
  18. antichresis

    Need Help Matching Some Blues

    Hi guys, would you know of ink (or inky mixes) that closely matches No.54 and No.59 in the image below? These are from the old PenBBS series and are now discontinued/unavailable. Photo:
  19. Penbbs is a Chinese online fountain pen community similar to FPN. They not only talk about inks but also produce their own inks every year. Each series consists of ten to fifteen inks and 2017 marks the release of Penbbs’ fifteenth ink series. Due to Chinese postal restrictions, these inks are virtually impossible to obtain outside of China. Within China they are extremely affordable (21 RMB or about US$3 per 60ml bottle) and can easily be purchased through the Chinese online shopping giant Taobao. This ink up for review is from Penbbs’ eleventh series. It is named after the Greek island of Santorini. In 2015, this island was named one of the world’s most beautiful islands. The color of this ink is undoubtedly meant to portray the beautiful blue waters of the Aegean Sea which surround the island. I’ve never been there, so I’d love to get an opinion from anyone who has, but I think the color is spot on. This ink is the first I’ve reviewed from Penbbs so far that made me say, “Wow!” after first seeing it on the paper. It’s vibrant, cheery, and should be ranked up there with the best of the bright beachy blues. The closest color I found to it is Montblanc for BMW, but Santorini shades, sheens (!), and has just a tad more “pop” than that much more expensive counterpart. No. 128 has some great writing properties. There is a little feathering and bleed through on copy paper and Moleskine, but it isn’t intolerable. This ink also dries quickly and flows freely. The only thing that keeps me from buying a bottle immediately is that the ink has absolutely ZERO water resistance. As you can see from the soak test below, it completely vanishes into the ether when exposed to more than a few drops of water. Other than that one disappointment (which may be a non-issue for others), this is a great ink with amazing color. It behaves well, looks fabulous, and is a joy to write with. Pens used (in order): 1. Pilot 78G Fine 2. Lamy Safari Broad 3. Pilot Plumix Italic 4. Noodler’s Nib Creaper Flex 5. Hero 5028 1.9mm Stub Swab Paper Towel Drop 80gsm Rhodia 73gsm Chinese Tomoe River Wannabe (brand unknown) 70gms Deli Copy Paper Moleskine Water Resistance Comparison* *Special thanks to FPN member lapis for the samples of Montblanc for BMW and Sailor Yama-dori used in this comparison. Check out this sheen! Here is Penbbs’ image of the bottle and label for reference: SDG
  20. Penbbs No.152 Mix Set Violet Penbbs is a Chinese online fountain pen community similar to FPN. They not only talk about inks but also produce their own inks every year. Each series consists of ten to fifteen inks and 2017 marks the release of Penbbs’ fifteenth ink series. Due to Chinese postal restrictions, these inks are virtually impossible to obtain outside of China. Within China they are extremely affordable (21 RMB or about US$3 per 60ml bottle) and can easily be purchased through the Chinese online shopping giant Taobao. This ink up for review is from Penbbs’ twelfth series. It is one of seven “Mix Set” inks in this series that are designed to “mix to create miracle.” The color is true to its name, giving a nice deep violet. This ink is rich and deeply saturated with virtually no shading. It’s a beautiful vibrant hue that I enjoy seeing on the page. Judging purely from scans in other reviews, I have a feeling that Penbbs No. 152 may be a good contender for a Lamy Dark Lilac substitute. [bTW, If anyone is interested in selling me their bottle of that precious elixir please let me know!! :puddle: ] It also seems to be darker and more saturated than Pelikan 4001 Violet, but I don’t have any on hand to compare. No. 152 also has some great writing properties. There is a little feathering and bleed through on copy paper and Moleskine, but it isn’t significant. This ink also dries quickly and has good water resistance. When exposed to water the red component will lift, but the remaining dark purple line is still very legible. This is the first of the Penbbs inks I’ve reviewed so far that has actually impressed me. It’s a nice color that behaves well and is a joy to write with. If you like purples/violets and are able to get a bottle of this, you won’t be disappointed! Pens used (in order): 1. Pilot 78G Fine 2. Lamy Safari Broad 3. Pilot Plumix Italic 4. Noodler’s Nib Creaper Flex 5. Hero 5028 1.9mm Stub Swab Paper Towel Drop 80gsm Rhodia 73gsm Chinese Tomoe River Wannabe (brand unknown) 70gms Deli Copy Paper Moleskine Water Resistance Comparison Here is Penbbs’ image of the bottle and label for reference: SDG
  21. Penbbs is a Chinese online fountain pen community similar to FPN. They not only talk about inks but also produce their own inks every year. Each series consists of ten to fifteen inks and 2017 marks the release of Penbbs’ fifteenth ink series. Due to Chinese postal restrictions, these inks are virtually impossible to obtain outside of China. Within China they are extremely affordable (21 RMB or about US$3 per 60ml bottle) and can easily be purchased through the Chinese online shopping giant Taobao. This ink up for review is from Penbbs’ eighth series. It is named after Chinese architect Lin Huiyin (known as Phyllis Lin in the West). She is famous in China for being the first female architect in modern China and for her involvement in designing the flag and national emblem of the People’s Republic of China. You can read more about her here. I love my purples, and this one doesn’t disappoint. No. 95 is a deep purple very similar in color to Noodler’s La Reine Mauve but much better behaved. To my eye it looks like a pure purple, leaning neither red nor blue. It is quite saturated but does shade a tad with wet nibs on non-absorbent paper. This ink dries quickly, but also displays some feathering and bleed through. However, it doesn’t feather or bleed nearly as much as the other two Penbbs inks I’ve reviewed (Nos. 132 and 157). Also unlike those inks it has passable water resistance. Penbbs No. 95 could be someone’s perfect dark purple for daily use with a fine nib on regular paper. My conclusion is that this is a decent ink I can live without and we could all use a little more Waterman Tender Purple in our lives. Pens used (in order): 1. Pilot 78G Fine 2. Lamy Safari Broad 3. Pilot Plumix Italic 4. Noodler’s Nib Creaper Flex 5. Hero 5028 1.9mm Stub Swab Paper Towel Drop 80gsm Rhodia 73gsm Chinese Tomoe River Wannabe (brand unknown) 70gms Deli Copy Paper Moleskine Water Resistance Comparison Because I ordered so many samples, the Taobao seller kindly gave me a free empty ink bottle that just happened to be for this ink. Chinese inks bottles are usually quite ugly and impractical, but this one is neither. The octagonal shape and decent-sized opening allow for you to trap the last drop of ink in a corner to suck up with a pipette. The full color label is also a nice change from the typical boring design. You can tell these inks were made by and for fountain pen enthusiasts.
  22. Uncial

    Penbbs No. 218

    This is a review of an ink made by Penbbs, the Chinese FPN equivalent. It claims to be a red ink with gold glitter. It seems more deep orange to me. Well behaved and waterproof, no sheen and little shading but a very nice ink. I'm quite tempted to filter out the particles. I bought this from a seller on eBay. The glitter has a tendency to clog a little but not as badly as my experience of Diamine's shimmer inks. I put this in a demonstrator which may have been a little foolhardy but no signs yet of staining. The ink pulls away from the inside to reveal a clearness. If I find it does stain I will update this thread later. Please note that the scans make it look much more red than it actually is. It's more like a burnt orange.
  23. Penbbs is a Chinese online fountain pen community similar to FPN. They not only talk about inks but also produce their own inks every year. Each series consists of ten to fifteen inks and 2017 marks the release of Penbbs’ fifteenth ink series. Due to Chinese postal restrictions, these inks are virtually impossible to obtain outside of China. Within China they are extremely affordable (21 RMB or about US$3 per 60ml bottle) and can easily be purchased through the Chinese online shopping giant Taobao. This ink up for review is from Penbbs’ tenth series. It is named after the cornflower (centaurea cyanus) which can be various shades of blue or lavender. Personally, I think this ink is too dark and too purple to match the flower, but it’s a nice purple nonetheless. No. 116 is noticeably bluer than No. 95. It is very saturated (more so in person than in the photos) and has virtually no shading. This ink dries quickly and only shows a little feathering and bleed through with wet nibs. There is slight water resistance as well; the blue and purple components separate and leave a feint line. This is the best performing ink of the four Penbbs inks I’ve reviewed and is the only one I’d be comfortable using regularly on average paper. Penbbs No. 116 is a nice, vibrant blue-leaning purple that behaves itself, but doesn’t stand out as particularly interesting or exciting to me. Pens used (in order): 1. Pilot 78G Fine 2. Lamy Safari Broad 3. Pilot Plumix Italic 4. Noodler’s Nib Creaper Flex 5. Hero 5028 1.9mm Stub Swab Paper Towel Drop 80gsm Rhodia 73gsm Chinese Tomoe River Wannabe (brand unknown) 70gms Deli Copy Paper Moleskine Water Resistance Comparison Note: The comparison shows the ink's color more accurately than the other photos. It really is this dark. Here is Penbbs’ image of the bottle and label for reference: SDG
  24. mrdjdude

    Penbbs: No. 89 章丹

    Penbbs is a Chinese fountain pen forum that has their own line of inks. They produce them on a "season" basis and distribute them to taobao.com stores, where you can purchase them in 60 mL bottles or 5mL samples (I'm sure some of them do international shipping) I purchased a 5ml sample of 章丹, a orange ink that means an ancient person who was apt at dancing. The ink is pretty bright on the eyes but shades very well, ranging from a brownish-red to a light orangish-yellow. The scan I did was using a software called Cam Scanner on my phone that actually did a better job of portraying the color than our family's printer scanner, but the ink in the scan looks a lot more red than it is in real life. It isn't waterproof and flows decently. I like this color, but it is a little more red than a standard orange. I will probably use this for journaling.
  25. white_lotus

    Penbbs #184 Gamboge

    Another of the Penbbs inks, a fairly new one, someone thought the Chinese characters translate as "Gamboge", a fugitive yellow to yellow-orange color made from garcinia gum resin. I'm not fond of yellow inks, but I can see why folks that do would like this one — a lot of shading. Pen: Edison Premiere (M-steel) Papers: MvL=Mohawk via Linen, TR=Tomoe River, Hij=Hammermill 28 lb inkjet, Rhodia=Rhodia 90g ivory. Camera: iPhone 7





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