Posts filed under Pen Reviews

PenBBS 469 Double Ended Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

The double-sided writing instrument certainly isn't a new thing. I'm sure we've all used or seen a doubled sided pencil at some point, or even a double sided Sharpie — one end a normal fine point Sharpie, and the other end a broad chisel tip. Pencil, pen, marker — they're all more useful than their single-ended counterparts!

A natural progression to this type of writing instrument is double ended fountain pen. I've seen them before, but normally only from bespoke pen makers, and not in a large quantity. If you wanted one and knew where to look, you could get one fairly easily. But it required some know-how and persistence. You couldn't just order one online in a matter of minutes. Well, the PenBBS 469 makes that possible. Curious about whether a doubled ended fountain pen would be useful or not? You can scratch that itch for $50.

We've reviewed several PenBBS pens here over the years, and they generally pack a lot of value into a relatively affordable package. I've personally been surprised and delighted with the other pens I've used from this maker, so I was intrigued when I saw the double ended fountain pen on JetPens a few months ago.

The color variant I'm using here is called Misty Mountains. It's a clear acrylic with some light and medium blue stripes that swirl through the material in a really pleasing way. There are a few other color options to choose from, and I think they all look really interesting.

Regardless of what material you like, the most striking feature of these pens is the middle area where it's obvious that something unconventional is happening. You can see two separate cavities right in the middle, which is the first indication that this pen is not your normal fountain pen. On closer inspection, you'll see that there are also two caps. And with that comes two separate nibs and feed systems. Essentially, this pen is two eyedropper pens connected back to back and divided by a small wall in the middle to keep the ink reservoirs separated.

I really love how everything about this pen is perfectly balanced. Each side of the pen is exactly 50% of the overall size. The caps are the same size, the ink reservoirs are the same size, the nibs are the same size, and the grip sections are also identical. The only difference between the two ends is the nib tip size. One side is fine while the other is medium.

Filling the pens is really simple. They use an eyedropper filling system, so you just unscrew one of the grip sections, fill the reservoir with ink, and replace the section. Repeat on the other side! There are o-rings on the end of the section to keep any ink from seeping out over time, and the fit and finish is really tight and well done. I have no concerns over either end leaking.

Writing with each pen is also what I've come to expect with PenBBS! The steel nibs are smooth, true to size, and perform really well. The grip is comfortable and the pen is still well balanced even with the extra length. Unfortunately, you can't post the cap on back of the other cap, so you're left holding or storing the cap while writing.

Despite the nibs being the same overall size, I was really surprised to see that they have different decorative scroll work designs. I assumed they would have identical decoration with just a simple "F" and "M" to differentiate them.

The only real complaint or disappointment I have about this pen is the lack of nib options. The perk of having a fountain pen with two ends is being able to have two dramatically different writing experiences (along with two different ink options). If I had my way, I'd choose an EF or F nib on one end and a cursive italic or stub on the other end. The fact that PenBBS limits this to one choice — F and M — is disappointing. I assume that this limitation is a cost saving measure. Can you imagine the headache of trying to stock these pens with all the possible nib combinations? Can't say I blame them for limiting the options, but I just wish they'd settled on a more interesting pairing! Even if custom italic and stub nibs aren't an option, I could pick a broad nib and have someone do a custom grind with something interesting. A medium nib doesn't have as much material to work with, so custom grinds are even a bit limited.

Despite the lack of nib options, this is still a really fun pen. Just having the ability to pack two different inks into a single pen is really cool. The clear body really shows off the ink washing around inside the ink reservoirs, and the blue swirls add even more visual interest. It's a conversation starter for sure.

At $50, the PenBBS 469 is a great price for two great pens in one body. I'm not sure how long they'll be available — this looks like what could be a short term experiment. If you are curious about a fountain pen with two ends, go for it! Trying it out with this pen is a great testing ground before deciding you want to go the full custom route.

(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on January 11, 2023 by Jeff Abbott and filed under PenBBS, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Lotus Author Purple Nebula Fountain Pen Review

Lotus Author in Purple Nebula Fountain Pen Review

(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)

Want to know what my favorite thing is about custom fountain pens? Absolutely the unique colors of the materials that these artists create. There's so much variety and bold representation that can fit any preference or whim. Just when you think you've seen every color combo or mixture, you see a new material that makes you take a second look. Before you know it, you're sitting down to discuss your nib preferences so they can adjust the nib for you after buying the pen.

I'd never heard of Lotus Pens prior to setting eyes on this custom Author model. The pen is made by Lotus Pens in India, and the fit and finish are top notch. In this case, though, the material was poured by Teri Morris at Peyton Street Pens in Santa Cruz, California. It's made of Alumilite resin, and this particular creation is dubbed "Purple Nebula." Put the word nebula in anything, and I'm already ready to buy.

The pen looks sleek and dark at first glance in normal lighting, but if you put it under direct light or close to a lamp, it really comes alive. There are rich purples, blues, and light grays with just a hint of shimmery reflective material to make it look like it's moving under the surface. The silver trim is the perfect complement to the cool tones used in the material. I haven't gotten tired of rotating this pen under the light to see how all the colors shift and change from different angles. There's an illusion of depth that is mesmerizing to me.

So, to recap the material used in this pen: It's beautiful, and I love it.

What about the rest of the pen? This is my first encounter with both Peyton Street Pens (where the resin rod was created) and Lotus Pens (the shop that turned and assembled the pen). There's always a chance that a new experience could prove to be negative, but that's happily not the case here. Everything about the fit, finish, and performance of this pen are top notch. It's sleek, feels solid, and has tight tolerances between all the mated parts.

The clip is a minimal profile with a slight taper down to the tip, which is actually a rolling wheel that makes clipping this pen to stuff easier.

There's zero branding on this pen — not even on the nib (which is a stainless steel JoWo #6). There's no fancy scroll work on the nib, and you have to look really hard to find the nib size indicator on the right shoulder.

And speaking of the nib, that reminds me that this pen isn't only a collaborative effort between two parties, but three! The nib on this unit has been modified by Nivardo Sanchez into a buttery smooth architect shape. Since this nib started as a standard broad, there's a delicious amount of line variation between up and down strokes. The downstrokes are similar in width to a 0.38mm or 0.5mm gel pen, while the lateral strokes are what you'd expect from a broad nib (somewhere between 1 to 1.2mm line width). Despite the drastic difference in line width, the writing experience is incredibly smooth. Tuning nibs to this kind of shape can sometimes lead to scratchy edges. The lines are normally exceptionally crisp in this case, but writing isn't as enjoyable (for me, anyway). This nib hits the balance dead center and provides crisp, confident line edges with plenty of width variation while also remaining glassy smooth. Bravo.

The pen comes with a standard Schmidt cartridge converter, but you could also use standard cartridges. The product information advises against using this pen as an eyedropper, and I have no intention of trying it out.

I'm a huge fan of this pen and especially the material. I can happily recommend it to anyone, but the only bad news here is related to the supply. There were only 11 of these beauties made, so they won't last long at all! Especially considering the price. The model I have is listed at $175, which includes an extra $25 charge for the custom nib grind. All I can say is, if you like how it looks and have the money to spare, just buy it. You have plenty of nib options to fit your writing style. If you opt for a standard nib size, the pen rings up to a cool $150. Along with the pen, it also comes in a super soft kimono and a decorative wooden box that can double as general storage for small items.

Can't wait to see more of the materials and pens that come from Peyton Street Pens and Lotus!

(Peyton Street Pens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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Posted on January 4, 2023 by Jeff Abbott and filed under Lotus, Peyton Street Pens, Fountain Pens, Pen Reviews.

Bullet Journal “The Pen” Review

Do you need a special pen to Bullet Journal? Of course not. But it doesn’t hurt to have one you enjoy using, and the team behind the Bullet Journal hopes it might be their own model, The Pen, designed in collaboration with long time partner Leuchtturm1917.

The simple name belies its design. The Pen is small and narrow, with a lightweight aluminum barrel and brass ends. The twist mechanism is simple, and finishes off a design that is right at home next to your favorite notebook.

If the design looks familiar, it is because it is based around Leuchtturm’s popular Drehgriffel pen. The standard model was released in 2020, featuring a German design aesthetic from 100 years prior. It was modernized with a dozen different barrel colors, and features a ballpoint ink refill, in blue or black.

The Pen differs aesthetically, with black on black barrel text as opposed to the standard white stamping, and with the use of an 0.5 mm gel ink refill-a better choice in my book, and maybe for Bullet Journaler notebooks, too. It certainly caught me by surprise. Not that it was gel ink per se, but the 0.5 mm tip size. 0.7 mm is usually the default. Having a Parker-style 0.5 mm gel ink refill as the stock option is rare these days.

The refill works well, too. It’s not as glassy smooth as other mainstream gel ink refills, but that is a fair trade for the finer line. I saw no skipping issues, and the lines were clean and mess free.

There are a few minor considerations if you are thinking about this pen for yourself. The most minor one is the Bullet Journal logo if you aren’t a user of the system. As I mentioned before, the black on black text makes it barely visible-it’s only there if you go looking for it.

A bigger issue could be the elongated nose cone that extends into the grippable area of the pen. This is part of the traditional Drehgriffel design. I’m a low-gripper, so my fingers cross into the brass area most of the time, where the pen narrows out. I didn’t have an issue with that, because my grip and writing style mesh with the fine gel refill. The thinness of the faceted barrel does allow you to grip it further back comfortably, if needed.

The biggest issue is the price. At $31.95, I think it is completely reasonable. I’d guess many readers of the blog feel similarly. That puts it in the same class as the Retro 51, and more expensive than many Lamy ballpoints and rollerballs, which are another great upgrade option over the basics. Of course, you can #BuJo with any pen or pencil, and could buy a fistful for $30. What will fans of the Bullet Journal system think?

Combined with an upgraded 2nd Edition of the Bullet Journal notebook, The Pen is a nice addition to the BuJo ecosystem. And, as a stand-alone product, it’s pretty darn good in its own right. I think Bullet Journal fans will enjoy it, as will general stationery lovers.

(Bullet Journal provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)

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