PenBBS 456 Vac-filler Niangao Fountain Pen Review

[@stargazer1359]

Sir Doug: I like everything about this pen.

[@InkquiringMinds]

You are so right Stacy. Some pens are beautiful and are fabulous writers. But, some pens have an added story behind them that makes them truly special. This, being a gift from a new friend will make this pen special forever.

[@stargazer1359]

So, this pen is not available..... PenBBS better get busy making more of these as you have now created a demand. Sheesh. 😽

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@stargazer1359 There are some finish/model combination that are just extremely rare. Like a 456 in Amber is a Cat. This Niangao 456 is a few years old. I would guess Long only made about 20 at the most.

[@stargazer1359]

@@InkquiringMinds I know you are fond of your Amber.. 😸🖋 hehehe.

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@stargazer1359 I am. An Amber 355 is sitting somewhere just waiting to come to me in the mail.

[@mariatriesart8389]

I look forward to watching the red HongDian 1841 review. Red is my favourite colour. A dark red. full of wow! I might have to save up for something special when ot comes to that. I have loads of videos to go nack and watch...your humour just lightens my day!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Hope you enjoy it!

[@JuceePeachz67]

Because of you and Chris, I have become a fan of the PenBBS line. I own about seven pens. Love your videos!!!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, Marianne! What's not to love about Penbbs? :)

[@March22012]

That finish is simply stunning! Another great review, Doug!

[@InkquiringMinds]

It really is! Thanks, J!

[@helenbugsynelson]

my heart was beating! I do love a great finish, and then you pulled that unbelievably lovely pen out of your pocket and reviewed it in such a way that made me want one!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you so much, Helen! :)

[@lucm6476]

Nice pen . Thank you for sharing

[@InkquiringMinds]

My pleasure 😊 Thanks, Luc!

[@Detman101]

The "456" is definitely my favorite pen at this point in time. Affordable, feature laden, reliable and it holds a ton of ink compared to a converter. That shut off valve is just awesome and the way it sits in my hand....MAGNIFICO. I'll be happy when I get mine back from the shop...whenever that is. So anxious and impatience riddled....I ordered a "487" that will be here tomorrow. That will keep me busy until my "456" returns to me...

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, Detmam! What happened to your 456?

[@Detman101]

@@InkquiringMinds I replaced the feed and nib housing with an ebonite unit from FlexibleNibFActory and a flex nib from FPR. They were working perfectly in the pen until I decided to try some Pelikan 4001 DunkelGren ink (Ultra dry) to try and dry up the flow of ink from the pen. I was so unaware of how pens worked at that time....so when it stopped writing and would not start writing again, I thought the ink ruined my pen. Not realizing that the nib was the problem, I sent it off to Colin "Honeybadger" Martin to have it fixed. He committed to building a flexible nib for it that would work with the ebonite feed and housing. Well...weeks later now I'm still waiting and he sends photo updates and emails but I still have no flex pen. It's a loss of what...$60? it's ok...I've given up on the whole idea and just ordered a replacement penbbs-487 which will arrive tomorrow. I will purchase a new ebonite feed and housing unit from FnF again and use a working #6 Jowo Flex Nib that I have to complete the pen. The 487 doesn't have the shutoff valve but I'll at least have a flex penbbs again.

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@Detman101 That's very cool. Penbbs pens are such a great platform for doing custom things like this. You can basically build the pen you want for very little money on the base pen. Thanks for sharing!

[@chrisrap52]

Finally another cat in your PenBBS collection. My 355 Niango from Etsy still in China after a month.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I now have three cats; Amber, Niangao and Tuzi! I have Niangao, Amber and Galaxy 355's still in China waiting as well.

[@TheMagicalSock]

Doug, your guitar tone is brighter than my future.

[@InkquiringMinds]

That's kind of you Cam!

[@jpg5540]

Agree with your assessment of the 456.... we want more colors, amber, galaxy for sure and I’d like plain colors like Black, Red, Green... That RO ink is really nice.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, JP G!

[@AdrianMutu87]

That's a very nice writing sample. I often find the mini fude penbbs nibs skippy, especially on horizontal strokes, but it seems you have mastered their use.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, AdrianMutu87! I assume you mean the quote because I can never write properly with my arm wrapped around for the camera.

[@danielste-marie779]

Doug, gorgeous pen. And yes Claudia is amazing. The ink looks a lot like KWZ Gummiberry which I recently received from Claudia.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks for the info! I'll have to take a look at Gummiberry and ask Claudia about it because we're having difficulty finding more Copper Jelly!

[@agradoville]

SHARP, sharp looking pen. WOW. Love that finish there. Might have to come up with a metallic wall finish to match this. Would look great in a small powder bath. Never come away from these videos without learning something new. Thanks for that Doug. Congrats on the 1.5K moving up. For a fountain pen noob, how often do you recommend cleaning pens? Till next time Doug,

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, Andy. Again, I'm a noob too, only having just picked up this bug over a year ago. Now I have so many pens, I have to track how many are inked. But, if you are using a pen daily, if you're using a well behaved ink like Iroshizuku, there is no need to clean the pen. The constant ink flow will be fine. However, if your pen sits for a while, I'd say you should check on them every couple of weeks and perhaps clean it out once a month. When changing inks is a good time to clean the pen as you want all the old colour out.

[@agradoville]

@@InkquiringMinds thanks Doug. Good to know and amazing in just over a year you have accumulated so many pens....I'm on 3 and counting, with your giveaway number 2. Thx again. Starting to get the itch....

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@agradoville Welcome through the looking glass my friend. Now I'm off to start salivating over some Russian Benu pens... lol

[@jeffroberts532]

Doug, you are the coolest dude on the interwebz! Another great video where I learned so much and laughed loudly at your unexpected quips & cutaways. I've been meaning to ask you if there is a big difference between PENBBS and Moonman. I've been trying to find PENBBS models in amber on Etsy, eBay & Amazon and I keep getting referred to Moonman models. Some of them look very nice. I even have an amber Moonman m800 on order & hope I won't regret the purchase. Thanks again!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Wow, thanks! You're awesome, Jeff! There is a big difference between Moonman and PenBBS. They are different companies to start. Plus, Moonman works hard at copying other pen designs (M600=Duofold, M800=Leonardo Officina Italiana, T2 =Stipula etc etc. Whereas PenBBS have some very unique designs (323) along side some very classic ones (308), a variety of filling systems and a boat-load of resins and colours. Penbbs is a collection of pen enthusiasts that happen to make pens. That's a big difference. You won't regret your Amber M800. Awesome pen.

[@apurvatr2u]

Dough, first of all belated Happy Birthday. This pen is awesome. Could you also suggest some small size fountain pens. My hand is small. These pens feels a little bit heavier for me. So I always have to use un-posted.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Take a look at the PenBBS 323. I doesn’t post but is the most ergonomic pen I’ve ever used. You might also like the Moonman s1. Very slender pen with excellent resin. I have reviews of both.

[@Manuella_David]

Wow that is nice.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, Manuella!

[@orangeuapoet3114]

Very helpful

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thank you, orangeu apoet!

[@misswoodhouse5720]

Haha, Lee 127, I will have to remember this next time I am shopping for lights haha :) Another fab pen, still yet to get a vac filler myself, I may get a clear demonstrator when I pay off my afterpays haha

[@InkquiringMinds]

The clear glass 456 comes up quite often and is a great pen. It becomes whatever the colour of ink you use. I was a Roscolux fan, not so much for Lee. Lee was great because they adopted the old Cinemoid numbering system.

[@elizabethrosa1335]

PenBBS this, PenBBS that....I decided to buy one bc you keep gushing over them :) 306/266 model...not sure, but it is blue. And if I don't like it, I am blaming you! :) Great video! Very informative. I liked everything.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Hope you enjoy it! :)

[@ArtistWizardry]

Aww..I want one too.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I think you'd have to pry the other one out of Claudia cold hands Zarah! LOL

[@MissMarilynDarling]

yeah make more colors like galaxy i would buy one of those

[@InkquiringMinds]

Me too!

[@cjs_hobbies]

Doug have you ever had a 100% fill in any PenBBS pen? If not get a Pineider Traveling Inkwell. It is what I use for my Vac and Bulk fillers.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Yes, I have! Eyedroppering a 308 or 480 :). I've had my eye on the Pineider inkwell since it was released. Certainly much cheaper than the Visconti!

[@petemanherz7296]

Oooooohh, what a beauty! You are a bad influence Doug!

[@stargazer1359]

Sir Doug is so bad, yet so good. 🖋😉

[@InkquiringMinds]

I blame Claudia.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Sir Influencealot! ;)

[@ameliabuns4058]

how good is the cap seal?

[@InkquiringMinds]

It is excellent.

[@ameliabuns4058]

@@InkquiringMinds NOICE. I'm sooo buying one!

[@mariatriesart8389]

So, you can swap out all the nib sections out on penbbs pens that arent glued on, that screw on?? I bought a 456 black transparent acrylic clear "EF" nibbed pen and would like a Fine instead. Where would I buy a Fine penbbs nib ?

[@InkquiringMinds]

No nib parts are glued on any Penbbs #6 size nib. The nibs and feeds are friction fit inside a clear plastic nib unit which unscrews from the section. If you want to swap out the nib for another Penbbs nib, just unscrew and replace. You can buy individual Penbbs nib units from the official Penbbs Etsy store, but they are only in stock now and then and are snapped up quickly. The units come in an acylic sleeve attached to a ring and are called "nib charms". The model number is 353 and they are around $5. But when you can't find them directly from Penbbs, you can find them for substantially more from eBay or AliExpress. Here is an EF from Aliexpress: tinyurl.com/y39uzmhx

[@mariatriesart8389]

@@InkquiringMinds I went to the url and they have 7 different coloured fobs.. From $16cad and up. Other sellers might sell cheaper on there? Im going from a EF on my 456 to a F. Is there a special nib I can get? I saw the calligraphy pink fob there too.

[@mariatriesart8389]

@@InkquiringMinds Thank you Doug. You are a really good guy and a great help, you're kind too. I appreciate your help.

[@ichirofakename]

Waiting on my 308, to try out that Waverly.

[@InkquiringMinds]

I hope you get a good one Ichiro! What finish?

[@ichirofakename]

@@InkquiringMinds Dark blue.

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@ichirofakename The clear dark blue? That's "infinite" . I have one with gold trim and it is stunning.

[@richardingraham6353]

Do you think they will ever make a true Japanese eyedropper????

[@InkquiringMinds]

I doubt it!

[@chriscairns7915]

my next pen i think. If its good enough for Monty Python its good enough for me!

[@InkquiringMinds]

Good on ya Bruce!

[@flabbybum9562]

How do penbbs shape up against say the TWISBI Echo?

[@InkquiringMinds]

Well I've been asked this a lot. People keep recommending TWSBI to me and they have a huge fan base. So I went, in person, to my fountain pen store and tried all of the models they had there, including the ECO, Diamond 580 and the Vac700. I was not impressed by the feel of these pens. Having glossy, chatoyant, turned acrylic resin in your hand feel completely different from injection molded plastic no matter how nice the acrylic is. I found the TWSBI too feel way too "plasticy" compared to Penbbs and I couldn't bring myself to pay the high price tag even to try one out. I have a friend who has a TWSBI ECO and he loves it so I might borrow it from him and give it a workout and a head to head with Penbbs. The Vac700 is no match for the 456 given the price differential.

[@flabbybum9562]

@@InkquiringMinds Thanks for the reply. Yes, I've found TWISBI to be solid and competent, but somehow lacking soul and character. I've ordered my first penbbs from Amazon a 308-70SF. It looks amazing.

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@flabbybum9562 Character is what PenBBS has in spades.. and in KOI! :)

[@amyr.862]

Now I want a slice of nian gao. The cake, not the cat. Rice flour cake has a texture I like. It's got chew. I think this might be my next level pen purchase! I would like this colorway too. I grew up with a cat that looked like Niangao and it would be a nice tribute to her. (And it's less than a Sailor) We'll see.

[@InkquiringMinds]

It sounds great, but don't you have to wait until Chinese New Year?

[@amyr.862]

Nah. Dessert needs no occasion 😁 Trader Joe's even has boxed mochi cake mix for convenience. It's good stuff and I shouldn't be thinking about it because health.

[@Scott-wi7rm]

Great job Doug, if you like those mini fude, my favorite pen ever, is a $10 pen, wing sung "666", no shit. Chris's did a video on that "666" pen, great video , check it out, best nib ever there so smooth. Thanks Doug.

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, Scott! Sounds like the Wing Sung 666 might be cursed! LOL I have a Wing Sung 699 which is awesome but still no match for the 456. I did a shoot out between them a few months ago.

[@BC7Bill]

Very entertaining review. I want quite sure if you were enthusiastic enough. 😁

[@BC7Bill]

Does PenBBS give you a discount. They should! 😊

[@InkquiringMinds]

No! Not at all! PenBBS doesn't need to send out freebies to reviewers. Almost every launch of a new model or a new finish gets snapped up by Penbbs lovers pretty much instantly.

[@InkquiringMinds]

LOL. I try to remain neutral and impartial in my very academic and stoic reviews. ;)

[@pietervandenberghe]

Has anyone ever used or seen the (two-tone) REF nib from PenBBS? Any thoughts? I've never seen it reviewed...

[@InkquiringMinds]

I've never seen one in the wild Pieter. I'm sure there are out there.

[@pietervandenberghe]

Douglas Rathbun There's a 456 with one on the way to me, and I'm curious as to how fine/wet/smooth it will actually be.

[@InkquiringMinds]

@@pietervandenberghe I would guess it would be rather dry Pieter. The regular fine nibs are always on the dry side. But that is a really easy fix.

[@trafalgarla]

@@pietervandenberghe I got the 456 with a REF nib earlier this year. It produces a very very fine line (finer then the EF Jowo nib I have on another pen) and it writes very smooth when it's wet. Trouble is that the pen doesn't like to stay wet. I've tried some of the nib tuning tips from people like sbrebrown which has made it a bit wetter and I was going to try Doug's method that he showed on his recent 355 video.

[@pietervandenberghe]

@Panurge Thanks for your feedback!

[@stephanfeinen3923]

The 456 (and the 355) suffers from a small design flaw resulting from using the same feed for all pens. The feed protrudes far into the secondary ink chamber so the pen will starve long before this chamber is empty. Someone suggested cutting off the protruding part of the feed: www.penexchange.de/forum_neu/viewtopic.php?t=23813 Sorry, the text is in german but the pictures should explain what I mean. If you have the spare parts collection this is easy as there are enough parts (a feed and a clear collar) for a try. It was a quick operation with a very sharp knife and now I can write much longer before I have to open the shutoff valve. And before I forget this: You're doing this at your own risk, this may void your warranty and (if you screw this up) may render your pen useless 8-)

[@InkquiringMinds]

Thanks, Stephan. I've not experienced ink starvation in either my 456 or my 355. If ever my ink runs out, I kinda slap my forehead and remember to unscrew the blind cap and can write for hours with no problems. But an interesting issue of the same feed for all models. Thanks for the link.

[@davidmcguigan5497]

Is there such a thing as innocent glee beyond the age of six? I think I witnessed it when you beheld that pen. Am I wrong or does Penbbs offer fewer of the colors/designs people want most, i.e., Amber, Niango, ...?

[@InkquiringMinds]

Obviously there is glee after 60! LOL You are not wrong about Amber, Niangao, and Tuzi. These premium finishes seem to be produced in different batches perhaps from a difference supplier and less often than the other finishes. I saw Tuzi once in the 323 model and pounced on it immediately. Amber seems to come up more frequently and we're seeing more Niangao these days but Tuzi is very rare.

[@yominrak7975]

No more niangao in aliexpress. Haha

[@jameshunter-davis5629]

No charge for your rhyme, you lost at least a dime!

[@InkquiringMinds]

All hail! The check is in the mail!

[@Raul1971xxx]

Hello there Dough.. Hmm.. Rice cake.. Well, we in Spain have a dessert names Rice with milk (Arroz con leche).. Very good and tasty.. 😊👍🇪🇸

[@InkquiringMinds]

We have the same thing, Raul! We add milk and it goes SNAP, CRACKLE and POP! ;)

[@Raul1971xxx]

@@InkquiringMinds Aha, well, the Spanish milk rice is made from normal rice 🍚