Penbbs 308

[FPscribe]

Nice colour DasKaltblut! I think "Iridium Point Germany" is more like a marketing term - companies can purchase the right to say it, even of no Iridium is involved and it was not made in Germany.

[DasKaltblut]

I'm not sure they buy it, I suspect they just do it.

[jekostas]

 

Hawa'ii Gradient

[DasKaltblut]

So these take a Parker compatible converter...and interestingly, the converter in my PenBBS 308 is the exact same converter that came with my Moonman 80 (P45 clone).

[WJM]

I was late for green acrylic Lingmo Lorelei..

 

And a few days ago I ordered a Penbbs 308 in green acrylic on eBay, only to be informed by the seller next day that the green ones have been sold out and aren't manufactured anymore. It's just my (bleep) luck.

 

Well, the seler kindly apologized and asked me to choose another color, so out of all those nice, colorful acrylics I chose the solid black one. For some time now I was thinking about looking for some inexpensive, classic, black cigar-shaped fountain pen, something like Jinhao X450 or 159, but hopefully a bit better made and most of all, not made of metal. I hope this will do.

Edited February 5, 2018 by WJM

[DasKaltblut]

I was late for green acrylic Lingmo Lorelei..

 

And a few days ago I ordered a Penbbs 308 in green acrylic on eBay, only to be informed by the seller next day that the green ones have been sold out and aren't manufactured anymore. It's just my (bleep) luck.

 

Well, the seler kindly apologized and asked me to choose another color, so out of all those nice, colorful acrylics I chose the solid black one. For some time now I was thinking about looking for some inexpensive, classic, black cigar-shaped fountain pen, something like Jinhao X450 or 159, but hopefully a bit better made and most of all, not made of metal. I hope this will do.

 

Which green? The dark is gone, but there is a listing on Ebay right now for the bright green.

[FPscribe]

I was late for green acrylic Lingmo Lorelei..

 

And a few days ago I ordered a Penbbs 308 in green acrylic on eBay, only to be informed by the seller next day that the green ones have been sold out and aren't manufactured anymore. It's just my (bleep) luck.

 

Well, the seler kindly apologized and asked me to choose another color, so out of all those nice, colorful acrylics I chose the solid black one. For some time now I was thinking about looking for some inexpensive, classic, black cigar-shaped fountain pen, something like Jinhao X450 or 159, but hopefully a bit better made and most of all, not made of metal. I hope this will do.

 

I just bought a dark green marbled one a couple of days ago, the UK eBay seller is JPZH11-UK I just checked and I must have bought the last one... it is now out of stock.

 

P.S. The same seller is now offering the blue marbled resin for £22 instead of the usual £14. This may be a sign it is about to go out of stock, as other eBayers have run out of this one too.

[fuddmain]

What's the story on the availability of PenBBS pens? If these are going out of stock, can we expect another batch soon? I've been holding off making a purchase until the 348 comes out. However, I quite like some of the 308s and 309s, particularly the transparent versions (green, blue, fluorescent). If they are going away for good I may have to act now.

 

Cheers.

[jekostas]

At least some of the colours seem to be limited production runs. The "gradient" colours for sure, don't know about others.

[Mech-for-i]

AFAIK, they are batch production on all all variant and colors. Some in quantity and some not so .. In the end, we will have to see how PenBBS about to keep up with the stock. Its too early to say but so far one of the big complain from customers are surely lack of stock

[truthpil]

AFAIK, they are batch production on all all variant and colors. Some in quantity and some not so .. In the end, we will have to see how PenBBS about to keep up with the stock. Its too early to say but so far one of the big complain from customers are surely lack of stock

It seems to be the same with Penbbs inks as well. They make a big batch and that's it. My guess is they weren't planning on becoming such a big hit.

[fuddmain]

Not to hijack the thread, but I pulled the trigger on a couple of 309s based on the availability uncertainty. I purchased the transparent dark green (absinthe?) and transparent blue. For some inexplicable reason I'm drawn to the fluorescent version, but a third pen would put me even more hot water with my sainted wife.

 

Cheers.

[WJM]

I got my black Penbbs 308 (stamped 266 on the cap ring, well, who cares).

 

First impressions are overall positive. Despite not getting the green acrylic version I was after, I'm sort of glad I got the black one. A very classic, black, tapered design. The nib is also really well designed, with the stylish "PENBBS" and "F" engraved it's one of the best looking Chinese nibs out there.

 

It also seems to perform very well, although the nib is a bit ... dissapointing. Not that it doesn't write well, it does pleasantly enough - but it's a fine... very fine, and a bit dry-ish too. Not dry like in bad ink flow, just dry like in very fine nib. Frankly I would much prefer to have a broad or medium on this pen but I gues fine will have to do.

 

Edited February 26, 2018 by WJM

[truthpil]

 

It also seems to perform very well, although the nib is a bit ... dissapointing. Not that it doesn't write well, it does pleasantly enough - but it's a fine... very fine, and a bit dry-ish too. Not dry like in bad ink flow, just dry like in very fine nib. Frankly I would much prefer to have a broad or medium on this pen but I gues fine will have to do.

 

Agreed. I just put a JoWo #6 broad nib in mine and now it's an amazing pen.

[DasKaltblut]

I got my black Penbbs 308 (stamped 266 on the cap ring, well, who cares).

 

First impressions are overall positive. Despite not getting the green acrylic version I was after, I'm sort of glad I got the black one. A very classic, black, tapered design. The nib is also really well designed, with the stylish "PENBBS" and "F" engraved it's one of the best looking Chinese nibs out there.

 

It also seems to perform very well, although the nib is a bit ... dissapointing. Not that it doesn't write well, it does pleasantly enough - but it's a fine... very fine, and a bit dry-ish too. Not dry like in bad ink flow, just dry like in very fine nib. Frankly I would much prefer to have a broad or medium on this pen but I gues fine will have to do.

 

What you have is definitely a 308. They just reused the cap ring from the 266 for all the 308s. You can tell becuse on the 308, the threads are on the barrel. On the 266, the threads are on the top of the section. Edited February 27, 2018 by DasKaltblut

[dcwaites]

I am waiting for mine. I pulled the plug on a white pine style a couple of weeks ago, and got a message that the vendor was away on holidays.

 

Patience...

 

Is it here yet?

 

Is it here yet?

 

Is it here yet?

 

 

I have replaced the nib on my 267 with a #6 from another pen, which is finer, and longer and thinner than it is broad. I have left the nib in my 323 as it was, other than adjusting its wetness a little.

I have a nice, crisp stub #6 that I might put in the 308, or maybe leave it alone, and put it in the 323.

 

Decisions, decisions...

[WJM]

The writing quality of my 308 (with the stock nib) improved significantly now that I eyedroppered it.

 

I noticed that in the converter the ink often gets stuck at the top which obviously was bad for the ink flow. I tried to disassemble the converter, perhaps it would work better without this thing inside, but I was unable to do so.

[truthpil]

The writing quality of my 308 (with the stock nib) improved significantly now that I eyedroppered it.

 

I noticed that in the converter the ink often gets stuck at the top which obviously was bad for the ink flow. I tried to disassemble the converter, perhaps it would work better without this thing inside, but I was unable to do so.

 

I had the same problem with the stock converter. Using a Parker converter helped somewhat, but eyedroppering it turned it into a fantastic pen!

[WJM]

This Penbbs converter is a piece of work, I thought I just unscrew the metal band like you'd do with Jinhao converter, but it won't budge, even pliers did nothing.

Edited April 6, 2018 by WJM

[taike]

 

I've had my 308 for a week or so now and am duly impressed. I love the larger size of the pen and, of course, the no. 6 nib.

 

The quality, fit and finish are easily satisfying and the F nib, smooth out of the box, writes nicely wet and broader than I expected.

 

I especially appreciate the spare packaging. The money goes into the pen and not the box.

 

Hats off to PenBBS! They've won me over.

 

More photos and comments here.

Edited April 7, 2018 by taike