Penbbs 535 Year of the Ox Limited Edition

[m949]

Hello everybody,

 

first things first... this is NOT a typo, I didn't mix up numbers such as 355 to 535, as a matter of fact you have read correctly. Penbbs has issued a new pen the 535 as a Limited Edition with only 999 pieces built. Second, please be kind this is my first review and my very first posting. I have decided to make this review because for the life of me I couldn't find any information on this pen on any aficionado forums, not even on the original Penbbs forum. Last I would like to extend a big thank you to everybody who made the effort to post reviews, recommendations and advice. Many of the pens I have bought since I got the FP bug are the result of the invaluable treasure trove at FPN, and it never has let me down. Thank you for keeping your enthusiasm, it does make an impact rest assured. Let's start this review.

 

Design and Construction

 

The Penbbs 535 is a very long pen with a total length of 16 cm (15.4 cm unposted) and a weight of 25 g. The filling system is equivalent to the modified system in the 355, so it is a bulk filler, more on that later. The shape of the pen is reminiscent of a piece of bamboo. The section is somewhat wide but does lie good in the hand due to the rounded shape. The cap is s screw cap, a little short, but good to post. The cap has a engraved plate on the top with the words "Penbbs 2021 Year of the Ox" and a picture of a cow. The serial number is engraved in the cap (in my example I was able to chose the number upon ordering which is 989- a lucky number in China- of 999). The body is transparent. The section is not removable, so replacement Penbbs sections cannot be installed. The nib is a medium steel "round" nib, Penbbs offers the 535 also with F "blade nib" and F "round nib". The nib is golden (not a gold nib) and has the image of a cow as well as the Chinese characters of Year of the Ox engraved. The construction quality is positively impressive and the pen does look great.

 

Filling System:

 

The Penbbs 535 is a bulk filler. According to Penbbs the modified 355 filling system is employed. Instructions for filling the pen in Chinese and English language are provided. The piston head sits on the top end of the pen and is separated from the piston rod. To fill the pen the piston head is screwed into the piston head. Then the piston is pushed all the way down. Now the pen section is submerged into the ink glas and the piston pulled up. Now the rod is unscrewed from the piston head and the rod pushed back down without the head. Some ink may be pushed out through the nib during this action. Finally, the ink shut off valve (just like with an Opus 88) at the end of the body is closed. For writing this has to be opened. I guess (as I don't know for sure) that the 535 holds about 6-8 ml of ink. At least my 15 ml Iroshizuku Ku-Jaku Ink glass was half empty after I filled this pen.

 

Nib:

 

I have chosen the "round" M nib. The pen was immediately ready for writing without flushing. The nib seems to be a bit dry,  but I have heard that Penbbs tend to be on dry side. Using a wet ink such as Irsohizuku helps and ink flow can be regulated with the valve. The nib is relatively smooth, not Pilot smooth, but isn't scratchy. It's a comfortable nib and it is fun to write with this pen.

 

Cost and Value:

 

The 535 is not one of the cheap pens in the Penbbs portfolio. The price in China is about USD 48 (EUR 40). If this pen ever should be available outside of China, it will probably be at a higher price point. The limited edition, its beautiful form, the unique filling system, the good writing and the good quality of this pen add to the value of this writing instrument.

 

Conclusion:

 

The Penbbs 535 is a fascinating writing instrument. The filling system is unique and the pen writes great out of the box. It is an aesthetically pleasing pen, which however is not suitable for business meetings due to its length. The clip is a bit short for carrying it in a shirt even if you do happen to have a shirt with a long enough pocket. I was positively surprised about the construction quality. It is a pen which I can recommend to any fountain pen enthusiast. Whether the 535 will be offered internationally is difficult to say, the Limited Edition was limited to 999 pieces, I assume that it will be sold out in China very soon. However, Penbbs may offer a non-limited 535 in the future, at least that's what I would do given that this pen so unique.

 

 

Edited April 9, 2021 by m949
Corrected some orthographical mistakes

[Naoki NISHIKAWA]

23 hours ago, m949 said:

Whether the 535 will be offered internationally is difficult to say, the Limited Edition was limited to 999 pieces, 

 

Chances are good, they (5350001=Regular F, 5350002=Round F and 5350003=Round M) will be available on the official PenBBS store on Etsy April 15.

 

As the dead line for the option for you to be able to choose serial number at Taobao was April 10, I do not think you can choose serial number at the Etsy store. That is to say I do not think you can say I want to have serial number 888, but even if you are lucky enough to be able to buy one at the Etsy store on and after(? while supplies last.. how long?) April 15, the serial number will probably be randomly selected by PenBBS from their stock as they ship out.

Edited April 10, 2021 by Naoki NISHIKAWA

[Detman101]

I've moved on from Penbbs after my last run around with them and loving Opus-88 much more.
But wow that's a long pen!
Nice to see they're still making new designs.

[Nyoko]

Thank you for the review. I just ordered one with RM nib from their Etsy store. What a unique looking pen and interesting design! Also, it's quite affordable. I'm looking forward to it.

[Naoki NISHIKAWA]

I have ordered RM.

[vagelis]

I just received mine.

796 of 999

 

Great writer in RF, evenly balanced, the bulk filler mechanism is a bit finnicky.

Overall, very pleased with it.

 

 

[vagelis]

...The Pen is great in the hand, the metal piston rod of the bulk filler gives it a firm and balanced weight, great heftiness, without being too heavy. The natural curve of the body also contours between your hand's grip nicely. The section is just right, and it flares in a way that you can grip at any preferred location. Nib is standard PenBBS fare, Rounded Fine not too wet, but not dry either, I gave it Douglas Rathburn's Signature 7 Downward strokes and it became much wetter. I used a tiny bit of micro meshing after that to bring it to my perfect smooth and feedback balance. Lots of ink capacity, you can post or not without affecting the overall balance. Unique styling, what's not to not like? Another PenBBS Hit. 
You will definitely not regret getting this. The more I use it, the more it climbs to the top of my 77 or so fountain pen collection. There is a subtle poetry in its design, that grows on you. You'll notice the little things that show attention to detail, like the little transparent 'collar' that connects the section to the rest of the barrel. I have inked it with Diamine Writer's Blood that is a super wet red-black ink, and for me, it matches the rose gold accents superbly. If I were to nitpick, it would be great if the bulk filler piston rod and parts were also rose gold TWSBI-style, but you really don't notice too often to be off-putting. The pen is longer than usual, but nothing feels out of proportion at all. Of the 10 PenBBS's in my collection (which includes 492 Year of the Rat, 487, 456, 323, 355, 352, 480, 469) this 535 is now my top pick.

[lehi53]

Thanks

[kodreaming]

Definitely feeling pretty stupid. It took me a while to really get how the filing system work(and made a mess), but I am still stuck...

 

The problem is, after I get the ink in. When I try to unscrew (turn clockwise), I can't get rod seperate out from the piston head (the silver part yes), so I push the rod down, it is pushing all the ink out. 

 

What am I doing wrong...🤢 This is definitely on my to sell list, but at least want to make sure the pen is functioning before I list it. 

[columela]

Thank you to those who took the trouble of making a review of this pen. I just bought one of these, and I am quite impressed by the construction quality and the cleverness of the design. It looks like the clip is made of a true stone called Labradorite, which is quite special in the way it changes colour depending on the light. The nib is quite smooth and flawless from the start. It is a long but comfortable pen. It is my first PenBBS pen, and I must say that it has made me rethink my perception of PRC made pens. I am not sure if I will keep it in the long term but I am finding it quite fun.