Firebreakline On The Bay

[Left FPN]

anyone know where this seller is based.

 

Typical

 

Item Location states South United Kingdom but some feedback states goods came from China.

 

Also, does not answer questions.

[northlodge]

I once purchased a pen from this guy which never arrived. The tracking details provided suggested it was from HK.

 

I recently received a pen from Firebreakline that had been purchased by a friend in the USA, and who had it shipped to me only because it appeared to be a UK item. It was sent from a UK address I think, was far from acceptable condition, and I ended up having to return it to a HK address.

 

So:

1. the pens come from more than one location

2. the centre of the operation seems to be Hong Kong

3. The quality of product is not (consistently) satisfactory

Edited February 8, 2014 by northlodge

[JonSzanto]

"Quick, Reginald, my 10-foot pole. I need to not touch something with it!"

 

From what I've heard, a highly suspect source for pens.

[mirosc]

I have bought from him with mixed experience. I had bought a vintage pen in allegedly perfect condition, even with perfect photos. Upon arrival the nib was badly damaged and the pen was not properly restored. The pen came from HongKong which I didn't know of, so I had to show up at customs and pay additional taxes (which I wouldn't have had to pay if the pen were from UK as stated), plus I got some major bollocking from the officer about why the parcel was marked as gift which it wasn't and on top of that marked with a completely wrong value. When contacting the seller, he offered partial refund (which I took to cover the costs for a real nibmeister) or sending the pen back to UK (!?). After sales communication was perfect, the sale itself far from it.

 

So my guess (after reading similar but also positive experiences):

It seems that he is just some front (maybe in UK) for a group of other people around the world who have quite mixed skills in restoring pens.

[dcpritch]

I once bought a pen from this seller - same issues as above: great pics, pen not quite as described, came from Hong Kong instead of UK, not very well restored. I re-restored the pen and have since adopted Jon's ten foot pole approach.

[rhr2010]

I think it is a group of sellers pooled under that umbrella. Generally pens are very pricey with detailed description. A bought 2-3 pens from them when I felt the price was fair. They were ok, but I think they came from different locations, one HK one UK. If I remember correctly I even had an email exchange with them and it sounded like a UK expat to HK.

[rbrummer]

I bought a vintage Conway Stewart some time ago via auction (so not one of the higher fixed-priced items) and I had no complaints or difficulties. Unfortunately I don't recall the shipping either but the HK reference rings a bell.

[terim]

I've always wondered about this seller. Their listings look great on eBay and they present a very professional appearance, so it is interesting to hear what is going on "in the back room," and to learn where in fact their back room is located.

 

Fortunately, I don't set my prices based on theirs, or I'd be out of business. But it is sad when someone looking to sell their collection uses these prices to fuel their expectations ....

 

Teri

[mirosc]

Fortunately, I don't set my prices based on theirs, or I'd be out of business. But it is sad when someone looking to sell their collection uses these prices to fuel their expectations ....

 

They have an interesting strategy: First they put a pen on display for several weeks/month with a high fixed price - no one buys, but it shows up as a reference. Then, after a little pause, they put up the same pen as an auction so that all the people who had wanted this pen while it was on showcase can start bidding/overbidding (with the old overpriced tag still in mind).

I have observed this on many pens I had found interesting.

[Procyon]

They currently have a Parker 51 aerometric set in Nassau Green on eBay. Of course, that is a pen that doesn't exist, as far as I know. The pictures do look like Nassau Green and not Forrest Green, however. A ten foot pole is not long enough for me.

[Paul80]

Hi

 

They are based in Hong Kong and have a fake address registered with eBay which claims they are in Portsmouth on the south coast of the UK. So expect items to take much longer to be delivered and expect to be stung with import duties as well.

 

Report them to eBay for having a fake location, I did and eBay assured me they had sorted it out, but clearly they did not, but if enough report him they might, go on give it a go.

 

Paul

[JonSzanto]

A ten foot pole is not long enough for me.

 

I'm sorry, but those are all we have in stock. I can sell you, for a... reasonable sum, an extension pole. PayPal accepted!

[redbike]

I have never bought from this seller, but have them in my "saved sellers" list because their pens always look good in their pictures.

[Azuniga]

I bought once from Firebrakeline on ebay. Not through bidding but through "buy it now", I was satisfied - a Leverless Swan- it was well packed, not too long to wait and the pen was as described, my feedback was accordingly. That was around two years ago.

Although they seem to be in UK, the pen came from HK.

Since then I have made several offers for some attractive and rightly priced pens but never got an answer and it was only one offer which I assume was mine.

The auction was over and the pen is listed again. No new offers have been made.

Just sharing my experience.

Regards, Ariel

[gregamckinney]

Have always avoided like the plague. I had not heard of many bad experiences (before this thread,) but his intentionally misleading ads are a disqualifier for me.

 

greg

[cakibler]

Several years ago I purchased what was described as a Waterman Hundred Year pen. It was a clear red plastic, but was obviously not a hundred year pen and was not in as good as shape as described. I don't rememeber where it was shipped from, but when I expressed concerns about it to the seller, I was pretty much rebuffed. I resacced it and adjusted the bib as best I could and resold it on ebay at a loss, but learned a valuable lesson as a result. I still see the sellers acutions on pens and they are almost always overpriced. I avoid him like the plague. I only buy from reputable established sellers on ebay these days.

[Cepasaccus]

Bought a Parker Vacumatic / Pencil set. They arrived from HK. Pictures were with fully blue diamond. Actually it wasn't. From a closer look at the pictures I assume they were photoshoped (or gimped). Seller was eager to get a good rating and offered a refund. So if you buy from him you should thoroughly check the merchandise before giving him a good rating.

 

Cepasaccus

[Mardi13]

This is all VERY interesting. I just got a pen in the mail today from them, and at first didn't think it was from them because it came from Hong Kong. There was a very weird note inside in less than precise English talking about complaints on ebay and referring to the "former owner" in the third person, and saying that "ebay is implementing new and harsh way to measure a seller's performance." Also asking that any problems be dealt with by directly emailing "firebreakline." Hmmmmm.

 

It was the pen I bid on, and seemed much as they described (Parker Duofold Vacumatic, red/black/pearl stripes and a nicely engraved wide gold band on the cap.) There is some wear to the gold rim on the very top of the cap but I suppose that could be called "normal wear." Everything else about the pen is as described (but I'm a noob, remember) except for a bit of a scratchy nib, which I think I can smooth out. Looks like I got off easy. I appreciate the warnings here and will not buy from this seller again.

[Guernseytim]

I've bought a pen from them in the past - a vintage parker.

 

The pen was okay but after some use did give me very inky fingers. I doubt it had been serviced to the extent they claimed.

 

Can't recall where the package came from though.

[yogalarva]

I was just taking a look at one of their listings and it does appear that they have this disclaimer buried in there:

 

We are international vintage pen collector and we collect pens all round the world. The pen may be dispatched from our buying offices outside UK. So please allow at least 6-8 working days to receive the pen.

 

Not sure if that is a recent addition? But it is a bit misleading that it says UK way up at the top and only one like in a swamp of text to the contrary...