(Jeff Abbott is a regular contributor at The Pen Addict. You can find more from Jeff online at Draft Evolution and Twitter.)
The double-sided writing instrument certainly isn't a new thing. I'm sure we've all used or seen a doubled sided pencil at some point, or even a double sided Sharpie — one end a normal fine point Sharpie, and the other end a broad chisel tip. Pencil, pen, marker — they're all more useful than their single-ended counterparts!
A natural progression to this type of writing instrument is double ended fountain pen. I've seen them before, but normally only from bespoke pen makers, and not in a large quantity. If you wanted one and knew where to look, you could get one fairly easily. But it required some know-how and persistence. You couldn't just order one online in a matter of minutes. Well, the PenBBS 469 makes that possible. Curious about whether a doubled ended fountain pen would be useful or not? You can scratch that itch for $50.
We've reviewed several PenBBS pens here over the years, and they generally pack a lot of value into a relatively affordable package. I've personally been surprised and delighted with the other pens I've used from this maker, so I was intrigued when I saw the double ended fountain pen on JetPens a few months ago.
The color variant I'm using here is called Misty Mountains. It's a clear acrylic with some light and medium blue stripes that swirl through the material in a really pleasing way. There are a few other color options to choose from, and I think they all look really interesting.
Regardless of what material you like, the most striking feature of these pens is the middle area where it's obvious that something unconventional is happening. You can see two separate cavities right in the middle, which is the first indication that this pen is not your normal fountain pen. On closer inspection, you'll see that there are also two caps. And with that comes two separate nibs and feed systems. Essentially, this pen is two eyedropper pens connected back to back and divided by a small wall in the middle to keep the ink reservoirs separated.
I really love how everything about this pen is perfectly balanced. Each side of the pen is exactly 50% of the overall size. The caps are the same size, the ink reservoirs are the same size, the nibs are the same size, and the grip sections are also identical. The only difference between the two ends is the nib tip size. One side is fine while the other is medium.
Filling the pens is really simple. They use an eyedropper filling system, so you just unscrew one of the grip sections, fill the reservoir with ink, and replace the section. Repeat on the other side! There are o-rings on the end of the section to keep any ink from seeping out over time, and the fit and finish is really tight and well done. I have no concerns over either end leaking.
Writing with each pen is also what I've come to expect with PenBBS! The steel nibs are smooth, true to size, and perform really well. The grip is comfortable and the pen is still well balanced even with the extra length. Unfortunately, you can't post the cap on back of the other cap, so you're left holding or storing the cap while writing.
Despite the nibs being the same overall size, I was really surprised to see that they have different decorative scroll work designs. I assumed they would have identical decoration with just a simple "F" and "M" to differentiate them.
The only real complaint or disappointment I have about this pen is the lack of nib options. The perk of having a fountain pen with two ends is being able to have two dramatically different writing experiences (along with two different ink options). If I had my way, I'd choose an EF or F nib on one end and a cursive italic or stub on the other end. The fact that PenBBS limits this to one choice — F and M — is disappointing. I assume that this limitation is a cost saving measure. Can you imagine the headache of trying to stock these pens with all the possible nib combinations? Can't say I blame them for limiting the options, but I just wish they'd settled on a more interesting pairing! Even if custom italic and stub nibs aren't an option, I could pick a broad nib and have someone do a custom grind with something interesting. A medium nib doesn't have as much material to work with, so custom grinds are even a bit limited.
Despite the lack of nib options, this is still a really fun pen. Just having the ability to pack two different inks into a single pen is really cool. The clear body really shows off the ink washing around inside the ink reservoirs, and the blue swirls add even more visual interest. It's a conversation starter for sure.
At $50, the PenBBS 469 is a great price for two great pens in one body. I'm not sure how long they'll be available — this looks like what could be a short term experiment. If you are curious about a fountain pen with two ends, go for it! Trying it out with this pen is a great testing ground before deciding you want to go the full custom route.
(JetPens provided this product at no charge to The Pen Addict for review purposes.)
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