I think this is my favorite filling system they have made to date. Easy and nice. It looks cool, could be done one handed so will be good for folx with manual dexterity issues, and it just cool engineering.
Thanks for your comment nuchtchas. I agree. No everyone has the dexterity to fiddle with converters or eyedroppers. The one-handed was a little difficult, but holding with one hand and pushing with the other was easy.
Thanks to subscriber Jen .Taylor for suggesting the music for this video: "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin. Also, note, I incorrectly called the pen sleeve a "kimono". The "kimono" pen sleeve opens at the top with a flap and has a cord with a bangle on it to wrap it up. This one is affectionately known as a "taco". :)
She is a beauty Doug - Just received my 'Tuzi' yesterday and am very impressed. You are a bad influence on us! At least I won't be able to get a Galaxie 500- 7 Liter anytime soon, though I "lusted" for one when they came out!
Thanks, pete! Hey! Aren't you the owner of a stunning Tuzi now? How is that bad? LOL... and yes, in 1966 a red Galaxie 500 7 litre was better than a Sears underwear ad to a 10 year old boy like me.
I like the jowo/twsbi nibs. But ugliness aside the possible comparison to Twsbi is that the Twisbi Go is too expensive, especially in Europe: €27.60. When a PenBBS 500, flat acrylic, is right now €28.28
Great video, great pen, great music. BTW: I'm a bit jealous that you, as a Canadian can get away with saying a pen "writes like butter." I can't do that on my videos, because when I say it, it comes out as "writes like buddah."
@@InkquiringMinds I found 1 lol. Got lucking guys want $35 for it. I bought a 489 in galaxy too. What I really want is a 456 in Tutsy if that’s the correct spelling lol
Hi! I appreciate a lot your videos. One suggestion, Pls do a review on the Kanwrite Heritage. It is a piston filler and sounds very good. I would love to see a take of your POV on this pen before I buy it. Thanks
@@InkquiringMinds They are very cheap ($40), the offer sounds very good, but your expertise will be appreciated. The Penbbs have gotten more expensive. Thus I was considering the kanwrite as a possibility.
Could see ....you have a very good selections....almost each n everyone well chosen.....looks elegant .....is there a choice for Medium to Double broad nibs...? Anyway I love the song when when I was a kid.....especially the part ......will be just like Me....🙄🙃
Hey, Allan. I did a video recently where I tuned up the nib on-camera. You can see it here (I've added the timestamp) ua-cam.com/video/zKHEvh59CZ4/v-deo.html I use a sparkplug gapping tool you can get at any automotive store. I follow ChrisRap52's technique of stroking the nib slit with progressively thicker shims but I've found that .004 inch gets me the wetness I need with my Penbbs fine "mini-fude" nibs.
@@InkquiringMinds One of the many advantages of getting older (I'm 67 next Monday), is that we are sometimes considered as giving sage advice. Many timed it's ignored, but we give it anyway. Agreed with your worst pens video apart from the Delike - I switched the nib to a Bobby mini fude & it's a dream, so long as you jam the cap on!
I wondered when someone would make the Ford connection; my mom's '66 convertible was maroon in color, and I still remember driving it on the PA Turnpike in March with the top down, the heater on full blast, in 60 degree weather at 70 mph.
Hey, Joel. I was going to theme the whole video on the Galaxie 500 but the Star Wars thing overcame me. LOL When I was ten I lusted after the Ford Galaxie 500 7 litre in candy apple red. OMG what a car. I think I made five or six models of that vehicle.
I also like everything about this pen... except that it doesn't post properly. Maybe that will be corrected in a future model. I love the simplicity of the filling system. Nice ink choice.
Hey, Kathy! That's the one thing that bugs me about this pen. Everything else I love. I don't NEED to post my pens, but I can't for the life of me figure out why they'd engineer that step on the bottom of the barrel and then botch the posting so badly. I love Asa Gao. It is a wonderful, bright blue.
I really love your guitar intros! Keep em coming! (And also do more of them) I'll skip this model, but I have to say I envy you on your 355. If only I could get one transparent one... :(
Thanks, Nya. That's good to hear. I was just deciding today to drop them as I lose 90% of my viewers when I play a guitar into. I've NEVER seen a "clear glass" version of the 355. Mine is in "Aurora" which is nicely transparent and was GIVEN to me by a viewer that is so passionate about this model, he insisted I had to own one! Aren't people amazing in this hobby?
@@InkquiringMinds I remember the video! I was so envious and yet yeah, people are really kind in this hobby! Any transparent 355 would do it for me, although my heart belongs to the unobtainium Smog version :D Is it really the case that people don't like guitar intros? :( That's sad to hear...
Nya, the Penbbs Etsy store shows no 355s for sale at all. It makes me wonder if they have dispensed with the model as it had too many issues and not enough sales. Perhaps they feel the 500 has replaced the 355? It will be interesting to see if any come back to the store. And yes, people really do not like the guitar intros, or my fingernails, or my cutaways, or my comments, or my IQ. Such is life on the internet.
@@InkquiringMinds you do you! I used to play the piano so nails bothered me but I wouldn't pay attention to those who are upset over other people's digit choices. As for the lack of the 355 yeah, they're all out of stock and I can't stop beating myself about not having gotten the Smog last year when it showed up...
Beautiful pen. I agree about designs that frustrate. My ebonite pen from India has the same basic form factor and also wouldn't post, so I filed down my ebonite pen to make it fit. It's a eye-dropper, so much less danger of wrecking it. It would be nice if they used a knurled pattern on the piston end.
Yes, that knurled pattern would be a nice touch, but it is NOT significantly difficult to get loose. Also, I've noticed that it will unscrew itself easily now and then but there is no danger as the rod just slips in and out and doesn't engage with the piston unless you want it to.
I was watching a Shortie on this pen and found you had done a review 3 years ago. Beautiful pen. Have you used it since? Have your opinions changed on this? I wonder if you can still get the kimono sleeve.
Good video of what looks to be an stunning pen. I am about to order one, and I am talking to a seller that has 500-52, just as in your cover, but photos give me the impression that cap can be black! Possible? :O
It might look black but it is not. It also looks completely opaque but it is not. It is very dark, but it is possible from some angles and sides to see into the barrel and to see the spring. I have an Amber one on the way which is a lot more translucent. Congratulations too Parma! You'll love the pen... the Galaxy acrylic is truly amazing.
Nice review. I did not notice the bulge. We're all wannabe pen designers. That is fun. And we know what we want, not restricted by marketing or sales or manufacturing or accounting.
@@InkquiringMinds There is a Joke in the Pen'n'Paper or tableboard Roleplay-Communities, saying "If you are a Gamemaster, and show/tell people, there is one road you follow, they go like "Duh, that is so boooring! THEN you tell them, you are coming to a Y-Junction, will you go to the left or right?" And players go like "Duh, I can not witness all possibilities!" Just do as you please, cause they will never be!"
Thanks Perry. I buy the Penbbs pens directly from the official Penbbs seller on Etsy "PENBBSOfficialStore" run by Beini Zheng. She is a wonderful, young business woman who is always quick to answer and help with any issue you might have. She has a terrific Instagram account where she teases Penbbs lovers with new models and glamour shots of the various finishes.
One question, i'm student and i'm searching for a fountain pen for my diary routine, and i need to choose between the pennbs 500 and the penbbs 355 (both in galaxy theme, so beatiful and elegant), and i dont know, you, like a expert, what fountain pen would you recomend for my? Thanks PD: Sorry for my english, but english isn't it my native language, i'm spanish.
Thank you, CruzRCB! If posting your pens is an issue, neither of these pens post so you can write comfortably posted. Both pens will hold a LOT of ink and I think both are easy to use - I haven't tried the new 355 yet of course, but it looks like it makes it easy to use. The one main difference between the 500 and the 355, other than the filling system, is the 500 does NOT have a shut off valve and the 355 does. That means if you are changing elevations a lot, like on an airplane, the 355 would be safer. It will keep the pen from shooting ink into the cap when changing altitudes or there are air pressure changes. I prefer the 500 over my old-style 355 but will wait to see the new-style 355 to pass judgement on it. Saludos!
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks!! My pens are a wing sung 698, a parker im and a lamy safary. Sorry i didn't know about the new 355, only two questions, first do i need to unscrew the bottom of the pen in the old 355 to write? Second, do you know about the improvements of the new style? Thanks!! Sorry for so many questions.
@@CruzRCB Yes, you unscrew the bottom piston of the 355 to open the shut-off valve and allow ink into the section. This is a safety feature so the pen won't gush ink with air pressure changes. Other pens like the Penbbs 456 and the Visconti Homo Sapiens have this feature as well. The improved version of the 355 has a bayonet mechanism behind the piston that will lock the piston in place so you can unscrew the piston rod to slide it back into the pen after filling. I'll have a review of the improved 355 soon.
Hey Shahriar! That is a calligraphy pen I got from my kids for Christmas. It is a custom, locally made pen with three stub nibs. I will do a review soon!
Yes. You can order it with EF, F, and M nibs. You can get just the nib assemblies in a “nib charm” all from the official PenBBS Shop at Etsy. You can also put in #6 nibs from Jowo or Bock or Schmidt.
With the step on the barrel, God forbid Doug, the great pen designers that you rightfully praised; made a design error ……mmmm? I can understand your confusion.
@@InkquiringMinds, I do really enjoy your videos and would not even think of teasing you; mate. Matter of fact I can appreciate the gentle bulging curve of any pen that sits comfortably in my hand. Case in point is one of my all-time favourite and still is, my trusty Penbbs 266 which part of my EDC. Apart from being a great workhorse, when capped it sits very nicely in my hand, without being too long. It’s simple and iconic cigar shape remains timeless as far as I am concern. Keep them videos coming.
@@InkquiringMinds oops! totally misread this one. Another favourite EDC that sits nicely in my hand, which I think is one of the most-owned Chinese pen; is the Wing Sung 699. To complete my EDC 3-pen pouch to work daily, I have the Moonman M600S and I rotate their usage depending on how I feel on the day. As you can see I do like different make of pens. I only use the Wing Sung at meetings/conferences as in my opinion, it is most appropriate one for such occasions; and also make a good conversation piece :-)
I think this is my favorite filling system they have made to date. Easy and nice. It looks cool, could be done one handed so will be good for folx with manual dexterity issues, and it just cool engineering.
Thanks for your comment nuchtchas. I agree. No everyone has the dexterity to fiddle with converters or eyedroppers. The one-handed was a little difficult, but holding with one hand and pushing with the other was easy.
I just ordered mine :). Now I have Galaxy in 355, 456, and now the 500. I swear I'm done...promise! 🙃
Really? Wait until you see my PenBBS 491 in Galaxy!
Happy Saturday, Doug!
Happy Saturday, Stacey! Two videos today! I had to get up at 5:30am to do the giveaway video! Ugh. I'll find a better way next time. LOL
Thanks to subscriber Jen .Taylor for suggesting the music for this video: "Cat's in the Cradle" by Harry Chapin. Also, note, I incorrectly called the pen sleeve a "kimono". The "kimono" pen sleeve opens at the top with a flap and has a cord with a bangle on it to wrap it up. This one is affectionately known as a "taco". :)
I love that song!
She is a beauty Doug - Just received my 'Tuzi' yesterday and am very impressed. You are a bad influence on us! At least I won't be able to get a Galaxie 500- 7 Liter anytime soon, though I "lusted" for one when they came out!
Thanks, pete! Hey! Aren't you the owner of a stunning Tuzi now? How is that bad? LOL... and yes, in 1966 a red Galaxie 500 7 litre was better than a Sears underwear ad to a 10 year old boy like me.
I like the jowo/twsbi nibs. But ugliness aside the possible comparison to Twsbi is that the Twisbi Go is too expensive, especially in Europe: €27.60. When a PenBBS 500, flat acrylic, is right now €28.28
Wow, seriously? 27 Euros for a TWSBI Go? That's outrageous.
Great video, great pen, great music.
BTW: I'm a bit jealous that you, as a Canadian can get away with saying a pen "writes like butter." I can't do that on my videos, because when I say it, it comes out as "writes like buddah."
I dunno... wasn't it Canadian Mike Myers who did "Coffee Talk" on SNL? "Talk amongst yourselves..." ua-cam.com/video/XVloHiUCKyg/v-deo.html
@@InkquiringMinds Surely, but since I don't have his level of talent, I can't do a "reverse Mike Myers."
@@WhatIInk LOL! OMG I'm vverklempt!
Thanks great pen
Glad you like it!
I’ve been thinking about purchasing the 308 in Galaxy. I’ve looked for others but it’s the only 1 I’ve found for a reasonable price
Good luck finding one!
@@InkquiringMinds I found 1 lol. Got lucking guys want $35 for it. I bought a 489 in galaxy too. What I really want is a 456 in Tutsy if that’s the correct spelling lol
@@escapingdeception5799 I have a 456 in Tuzi - email me at inkquiringminds@gmail.com
@@InkquiringMinds I emailed you figured I’d let you know in case it sends me to your junk mail
Hi! I appreciate a lot your videos. One suggestion, Pls do a review on the Kanwrite Heritage. It is a piston filler and sounds very good. I would love to see a take of your POV on this pen before I buy it. Thanks
So, you want me to buy a Kanwrite Heritage? I'll have to check my petty cash first. :)
@@InkquiringMinds They are very cheap ($40), the offer sounds very good, but your expertise will be appreciated. The Penbbs have gotten more expensive. Thus I was considering the kanwrite as a possibility.
I’ll check it out!
Could see ....you have a very good selections....almost each n everyone well chosen.....looks elegant .....is there a choice for Medium to Double broad nibs...? Anyway I love the song when when I was a kid.....especially the part ......will be just like Me....🙄🙃
Thank you, Ho Keat seng!
I agree on the PenBBS running dry. Please advise best use of a feeler gauge. Love your videos BTW, and your very English sense of humour.
Hey, Allan. I did a video recently where I tuned up the nib on-camera. You can see it here (I've added the timestamp) ua-cam.com/video/zKHEvh59CZ4/v-deo.html
I use a sparkplug gapping tool you can get at any automotive store. I follow ChrisRap52's technique of stroking the nib slit with progressively thicker shims but I've found that .004 inch gets me the wetness I need with my Penbbs fine "mini-fude" nibs.
Douglas Rathbun thank you so much for your sage advice, much appreciated.
@@ZenMasterIDontThink Sage. Hehehe. That's funny! :)
@@InkquiringMinds One of the many advantages of getting older (I'm 67 next Monday), is that we are sometimes considered as giving sage advice. Many timed it's ignored, but we give it anyway. Agreed with your worst pens video apart from the Delike - I switched the nib to a Bobby mini fude & it's a dream, so long as you jam the cap on!
I wondered when someone would make the Ford connection; my mom's '66 convertible was maroon in color, and I still remember driving it on the PA Turnpike in March with the top down, the heater on full blast, in 60 degree weather at 70 mph.
Hey, Joel. I was going to theme the whole video on the Galaxie 500 but the Star Wars thing overcame me. LOL When I was ten I lusted after the Ford Galaxie 500 7 litre in candy apple red. OMG what a car. I think I made five or six models of that vehicle.
I also like everything about this pen... except that it doesn't post properly. Maybe that will be corrected in a future model. I love the simplicity of the filling system. Nice ink choice.
Hey, Kathy! That's the one thing that bugs me about this pen. Everything else I love. I don't NEED to post my pens, but I can't for the life of me figure out why they'd engineer that step on the bottom of the barrel and then botch the posting so badly. I love Asa Gao. It is a wonderful, bright blue.
I really love your guitar intros! Keep em coming! (And also do more of them) I'll skip this model, but I have to say I envy you on your 355. If only I could get one transparent one... :(
Thanks, Nya. That's good to hear. I was just deciding today to drop them as I lose 90% of my viewers when I play a guitar into. I've NEVER seen a "clear glass" version of the 355. Mine is in "Aurora" which is nicely transparent and was GIVEN to me by a viewer that is so passionate about this model, he insisted I had to own one! Aren't people amazing in this hobby?
@@InkquiringMinds I remember the video! I was so envious and yet yeah, people are really kind in this hobby! Any transparent 355 would do it for me, although my heart belongs to the unobtainium Smog version :D Is it really the case that people don't like guitar intros? :( That's sad to hear...
Nya, the Penbbs Etsy store shows no 355s for sale at all. It makes me wonder if they have dispensed with the model as it had too many issues and not enough sales. Perhaps they feel the 500 has replaced the 355? It will be interesting to see if any come back to the store. And yes, people really do not like the guitar intros, or my fingernails, or my cutaways, or my comments, or my IQ. Such is life on the internet.
@@InkquiringMinds you do you! I used to play the piano so nails bothered me but I wouldn't pay attention to those who are upset over other people's digit choices. As for the lack of the 355 yeah, they're all out of stock and I can't stop beating myself about not having gotten the Smog last year when it showed up...
My friend who gave me his Aurora said he had TEN! 😱
Beautiful pen. I agree about designs that frustrate. My ebonite pen from India has the same basic form factor and also wouldn't post, so I filed down my ebonite pen to make it fit. It's a eye-dropper, so much less danger of wrecking it. It would be nice if they used a knurled pattern on the piston end.
Yes, that knurled pattern would be a nice touch, but it is NOT significantly difficult to get loose. Also, I've noticed that it will unscrew itself easily now and then but there is no danger as the rod just slips in and out and doesn't engage with the piston unless you want it to.
I was watching a Shortie on this pen and found you had done a review 3 years ago. Beautiful pen. Have you used it since? Have your opinions changed on this? I wonder if you can still get the kimono sleeve.
I gave this to my son and he has used it almost every day at work. I’ve not seen a sleeve in a while.
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks, Doug. It seems like a nice pen and maintenance looks very easy.
Good video of what looks to be an stunning pen. I am about to order one, and I am talking to a seller that has 500-52, just as in your cover, but photos give me the impression that cap can be black! Possible? :O
It might look black but it is not. It also looks completely opaque but it is not. It is very dark, but it is possible from some angles and sides to see into the barrel and to see the spring. I have an Amber one on the way which is a lot more translucent. Congratulations too Parma! You'll love the pen... the Galaxy acrylic is truly amazing.
Thanks. Seller has told me the pen is out of stock... Even so, he still has it for sale, and you can click Buy now and pay!!! :-(
Nice review. I did not notice the bulge. We're all wannabe pen designers. That is fun. And we know what we want, not restricted by marketing or sales or manufacturing or accounting.
Thanks! Yeah, the designers can never win. It is either, why did you change that I liked it or why didn't you change that I hated it!
@@InkquiringMinds There is a Joke in the Pen'n'Paper or tableboard Roleplay-Communities, saying
"If you are a Gamemaster, and show/tell people, there is one road you follow, they go like "Duh, that is so boooring! THEN you tell them, you are coming to a Y-Junction, will you go to the left or right?" And players go like "Duh, I can not witness all possibilities!" Just do as you please, cause they will never be!"
Beautiful pen! I was wondering where you order your pens? Specifically which seller?
Thanks Perry. I buy the Penbbs pens directly from the official Penbbs seller on Etsy "PENBBSOfficialStore" run by Beini Zheng. She is a wonderful, young business woman who is always quick to answer and help with any issue you might have. She has a terrific Instagram account where she teases Penbbs lovers with new models and glamour shots of the various finishes.
One question, i'm student and i'm searching for a fountain pen for my diary routine, and i need to choose between the pennbs 500 and the penbbs 355 (both in galaxy theme, so beatiful and elegant), and i dont know, you, like a expert, what fountain pen would you recomend for my? Thanks PD: Sorry for my english, but english isn't it my native language, i'm spanish.
Thank you, CruzRCB! If posting your pens is an issue, neither of these pens post so you can write comfortably posted. Both pens will hold a LOT of ink and I think both are easy to use - I haven't tried the new 355 yet of course, but it looks like it makes it easy to use. The one main difference between the 500 and the 355, other than the filling system, is the 500 does NOT have a shut off valve and the 355 does. That means if you are changing elevations a lot, like on an airplane, the 355 would be safer. It will keep the pen from shooting ink into the cap when changing altitudes or there are air pressure changes. I prefer the 500 over my old-style 355 but will wait to see the new-style 355 to pass judgement on it. Saludos!
@@InkquiringMinds Thanks!! My pens are a wing sung 698, a parker im and a lamy safary.
Sorry i didn't know about the new 355, only two questions, first do i need to unscrew the bottom of the pen in the old 355 to write?
Second, do you know about the improvements of the new style?
Thanks!! Sorry for so many questions.
@@CruzRCB Yes, you unscrew the bottom piston of the 355 to open the shut-off valve and allow ink into the section. This is a safety feature so the pen won't gush ink with air pressure changes. Other pens like the Penbbs 456 and the Visconti Homo Sapiens have this feature as well. The improved version of the 355 has a bayonet mechanism behind the piston that will lock the piston in place so you can unscrew the piston rod to slide it back into the pen after filling. I'll have a review of the improved 355 soon.
My 500 came in a moonman box!!??
Yes. Many sellers offer the box at a higher price.
Congrats on finally getting it, haha Also what is the pen on the stand in the let hand side? :)
Hey Shahriar! That is a calligraphy pen I got from my kids for Christmas. It is a custom, locally made pen with three stub nibs. I will do a review soon!
can this nib be replaced with medium nib, if so where? :)
Yes. You can order it with EF, F, and M nibs. You can get just the nib assemblies in a “nib charm” all from the official PenBBS Shop at Etsy. You can also put in #6 nibs from Jowo or Bock or Schmidt.
Not even halfway through the video and I already ordered one..... I really need better self control.....
They still have some finishes available Justin!
With the step on the barrel, God forbid Doug, the great pen designers that you rightfully praised; made a design error ……mmmm? I can understand your confusion.
I know right, Richard? I mean, I really don’t care if it posts so much, just don’t tease me! ;)
@@InkquiringMinds, I do really enjoy your videos and would not even think of teasing you; mate. Matter of fact I can appreciate the gentle bulging curve of any pen that sits comfortably in my hand. Case in point is one of my all-time favourite and still is, my trusty Penbbs 266 which part of my EDC. Apart from being a great workhorse, when capped it sits very nicely in my hand, without being too long. It’s simple and iconic cigar shape remains timeless as far as I am concern. Keep them videos coming.
Richard Han LOL no, meant the pen designers were teasing about the posting ability of the 500. I love the way the 323 sits in the hand the most.
@@InkquiringMinds oops! totally misread this one. Another favourite EDC that sits nicely in my hand, which I think is one of the most-owned Chinese pen; is the Wing Sung 699. To complete my EDC 3-pen pouch to work daily, I have the Moonman M600S and I rotate their usage depending on how I feel on the day. As you can see I do like different make of pens. I only use the Wing Sung at meetings/conferences as in my opinion, it is most appropriate one for such occasions; and also make a good conversation piece :-)
The Wing-Sung 699 is a winner in my book!