When I ordered the PenBBS replacement nib from Ebay, I wondered if it would make a cool keychain-style dip nib. Honestly, at about $10, I just thought it would be cool to have a nib on my keychain in a way that only other pen nerds would appreciate.
The nib is screwed into a keychain base and features a resin cap. The cap is a bit pointier than might be safe for most pockets but the translucent resin is pretty. There were other color options available.
When compared with my favorite pen-testing-on-the-go tools, it was clear that the PenBBS replacement nib is WAY too short to be useable like this. So what can I do with it?
It turns out the nib unit can be untwisted from the keychain base to reveal a fully functional nib unit. This is really a replacement nib!
The nib unit fits the following PenBBS models:
- 267
- 308
- 309
- 323
- 355
- 352
- 480
I pulled one of my PenBBS pens out of the archive and lo and behold! The replacement nib really is an exact match.
I was able to swap out the EF nib in my pen with this “M” (its an F nib with a slightly fude tip) with no issues and pop the old nib into the “replacement nib” keychain.
Who needs this? Not very many people but if you use PenBBS pens and wanted to purchase a different nib size, this is a great way to do it and get a protective cover for it as well.
Is your green pen the 491? Of course, this is the model I want but I can’t tell if it will accept the nib change.
I’m trying to get an order in with the Etsy shop, but I’ve had a heck of a time getting confirmation on the sizes that the calligraphy nibs will fit.
I’m so grateful for your listing above!
The pen I used for this review was the Pen BBS 323.