Penbbs No. 152 Violet Ink Review

[truthpil]

Penbbs No.152 Mix Set Violet

 

Penbbs is a Chinese online fountain pen community similar to FPN.
They not only talk about inks but also produce their own inks every year. Each series consists of ten to fifteen inks and 2017 marks the release of Penbbs’ fifteenth ink series. Due to Chinese postal restrictions, these inks are virtually impossible to obtain outside of China. Within China they are extremely affordable (21 RMB or about US$3 per 60ml bottle) and can easily be purchased through the Chinese online shopping giant Taobao.

 

This ink up for review is from Penbbs’ twelfth series. It is one of seven “Mix Set” inks in this series that are designed to “mix to create miracle.” The color is true to its name, giving a nice deep violet. This ink is rich and deeply saturated with virtually no shading. It’s a beautiful vibrant hue that I enjoy seeing on the page.

 

Judging purely from scans in other reviews, I have a feeling that Penbbs No. 152 may be a good contender for a Lamy Dark Lilac substitute. [bTW, If anyone is interested in selling me their bottle of that precious elixir please let me know!! :puddle: ] It also seems to be darker and more saturated than Pelikan 4001 Violet, but I don’t have any on hand to compare.

 

No. 152 also has some great writing properties. There is a little feathering and bleed through on copy paper and Moleskine, but it isn’t significant. This ink also dries quickly and has good water resistance. When exposed to water the red component will lift, but the remaining dark purple line is still very legible.

 

This is the first of the Penbbs inks I’ve reviewed so far that has actually impressed me. It’s a nice color that behaves well and is a joy to write with. If you like purples/violets and are able to get a bottle of this, you won’t be disappointed!

 

 

 

Pens used (in order):

1. Pilot 78G Fine

2. Lamy Safari Broad

3. Pilot Plumix Italic

4. Noodler’s Nib Creaper Flex

5. Hero 5028 1.9mm Stub

 

 

Swab

 

Paper Towel Drop

 

 

 

80gsm Rhodia

 

 

 

 

 

73gsm Chinese Tomoe River Wannabe (brand unknown)

 

 

 

 

70gms Deli Copy Paper

 

 

 

 

 

Moleskine

 

 

 

 

 

 

Water Resistance

 

 

 

 

Comparison

 

 

 

Here is Penbbs’ image of the bottle and label for reference:

 

 

 

 

SDG

[visvamitra]

Too delicate for me.

[truthpil]

Same here. I prefer bold purples.

 

The photos actually turned out a lighter than the ink actually looks in person. The comparison photo is about spot on color-wise.

Edited February 18, 2017 by TruthPil

[amberleadavis]

Another great review. I do like that the ink has some water resistance. Thank you for sharing!

[truthpil]

My cartridges of Lamy Dark Lilac and Pelikan 4001 Violet finally arrived (and amazingly none of them exploded in the freezing temperatures here), so I'll add a new and improved comparison that includes those inks soon.

[mehandiratta]

nice detailed review...

[truthpil]

Here's an updated comparison that includes Pelikan 4001 Violet and Lamy Dark Lilac.

In a pinch, I think you could consider Penbbs 152 as a suitable substitute for Dark Lilac.

It doesn't shade as much, but I think it would work.