Itty bitty, teensie weensie, low-effort review of PenBBS 391 苏 拭 (Su Shi) (pigmented)

[PithyProlix]

[I did most of this as a response in another thread and I might as well make it its own topic.]

 

PenBBS 391 苏 拭 (Su Shi) is a pigmented, dark, sort-of Prussian blue. Su Shi was a noted poet, writer, calligrapher, painter, politician, and jack of other trades, from about 1000 years ago. I rather think the color is a close match to his robe in this painting of him.

 

 

It could easily be considered a blue-black and, while a conservative color, it is still different enough to be interesting. The color of the text in the photos below is not quite right - the ink actually leans slightly green, which shows more in the smears - it's not a typical, boring ball point blue. It shades tastefully, at least in the pens I've used it with. No significant show-through, no bleeding, and no noticeable feathering. Haven't experienced any clogging. Seems quite waterproof but I can't say anything about permanence. 

 

I purchased it for the equivalent of about $6 USD and it's a 60ml bottle - will likely be more expensive from the sources you can get it from but likely still an excellent value.

 

It's been my 'go to' ink for notes, filling out forms, and such on my current long trip away from home and I've been quite happy with it.

 

Below is using a Moonman 80s (extra fine maybe? I can't remember.) and Kokuyo Campus notebook (M221BN). The second pic is after running water over it in the sink for a few seconds. The paper was still wet when I took the photo, hence the grey blotches. I also tried blotting it with a tissue while the paper was still wet: no ink came off the page.

 

 

[yazeh]

Nice one @PithyProlix  

What are you doing in our neck of the woods, stocking up on inks ? 

This seems like a nice colour, if you ever get around  can you post a longer text, so we can appreciate it more?

 

 

 

[LizEF]

Great review, @PithyProlix, thank you!  Gets to the point, and I love that drawing / painting you added.  I'm not seeing this at US retailers right now (Vanness jump from 389 to 392! ), but I'll keep an eye out as it sounds worth sampling!

[PithyProlix]

28 minutes ago, yazeh said:

Nice one @PithyProlix  

What are you doing in our neck of the woods, stocking up on inks ? 

This seems like a nice colour, if you ever get around  can you post a longer text, so we can appreciate it more?

 

 

Thanks @yazeh! 

 

I brought a little bottle of this ink over with me (along with a bottle of Pilot Blue Black so I could test pens here) - I've had it for a few months. (But I did buy Fuyu Syogun at Crazy Alan's Emporium in Chapel Hill because I visited and wanted to at least buy something before I left. I also ordered Seiboku and Souboku because the price was very low.)

 

I didn't bring any of my wide-nibbed pens with me (doh!) so I might not be able to really show off this ink very well until I get back home. 

[PithyProlix]

34 minutes ago, LizEF said:

Great review, @PithyProlix, thank you!  Gets to the point, and I love that drawing / painting you added.  I'm not seeing this at US retailers right now (Vanness jump from 389 to 392! ), but I'll keep an eye out as it sounds worth sampling!

 

Thank you @LizEF!

 

If you promise to review it I will try to send you a sample before I go back overseas if I can find a suitable vial for it to send.

[LizEF]

41 minutes ago, PithyProlix said:

If you promise to review it I will try to send you a sample before I go back overseas if I can find a suitable vial for it to send.

Thank you!  Any ink you send me will be reviewed!  I might even jump it to the front of the line rather than waiting for the poll to choose it.   (See "About me" in my profile for the address - and if you decide to send a sample, please let me know when you do - USPS's "Informed Delivery" isn't working for my PO box right now. Also, please leave room for expansion - in case it freezes on the way.)

[PithyProlix]

On 12/8/2022 at 2:21 AM, yazeh said:

Nice one @PithyProlix  

What are you doing in our neck of the woods, stocking up on inks ? 

This seems like a nice colour, if you ever get around  can you post a longer text, so we can appreciate it more?

 

 

 

 

Here ya go. A quickie using a wide Speedball dip pen nib on Fabriano Ecoqua. 

 

 

On 12/8/2022 at 3:07 AM, PithyProlix said:

 

Thank you @LizEF!

 

If you promise to review it I will try to send you a sample before I go back overseas if I can find a suitable vial for it to send.

 

Sorry - just got too busy to look for a vial and now I am back home, overseas. 

[yazeh]

@PithyProlixGlad you're safe home and thanks. Really nice

[LizEF]

9 hours ago, PithyProlix said:

Sorry - just got too busy to look for a vial and now I am back home, overseas. 

  No worries!  I'm glad you made it home safe.  If you're like me, you're very happy to be home, no matter how good the trip was.

[yazeh]

2 hours ago, LizEF said:

  No worries!  I'm glad you made it home safe.  If you're like me, you're very happy to be home, no matter how good the trip was.

E.T. phone home?

 

[LizEF]

1 hour ago, yazeh said:

E.T. phone home?

 

  Exactly!  You humans are just too weird to tolerate all the time.

[PithyProlix]

16 hours ago, LizEF said:

  No worries!  I'm glad you made it home safe.  If you're like me, you're very happy to be home, no matter how good the trip was.

 

In this case 'home' means, most importantly, my wife, step daughter, and dog. I was away for over a month! 

[LizEF]

7 hours ago, PithyProlix said:

 

In this case 'home' means, most importantly, my wife, step daughter, and dog. I was away for over a month! 

Yes, home is always where your loved ones are!  Glad you're back.