Pen Refills Guide(unsharpen.com)
unsharpen.com
Pen Refills Guide
https://unsharpen.com/pen-refill-guide/
57 comments
I own a rotring 600 which my father used 40 years ago - indestructable. However my Pentel GraphGear 1000 is so much better: metal body, rectractable tip (so I can carry it in my pocket), great grip, great balance.
Rotring also makes a version of the 600 with a plastic body: the Rotring 500. It has the same excellent mechanism and very similar grip, and it's lighter, which some people prefer. It's also less than half the price. It's my favorite mechanical pencil.
I own a couple GraphGear 1000, and likewise is by far my favorite.
I'm still using the same (cheap) Pentel P205 pencils that I got in university in 1989. I've bought lots of different pencils over the years of all different price ranges and I always come back the pencil I have the most history with.
I used a single Pentel P205 pencil daily for 6+ years between high school and college. Those things are amazing.
Try the Rotring 800. It's all of those things. It's a bit more expensive than the Pentel, but if you're not prone to losing pencils, I think you'll like it.
Yes have eyed that up already, but much more expensive. I can loose the Pentel knowing it's "just" another £8.
That has a lead breaking issue; have they fixed it? I own the 800 and would recommend against it.
Do you have a favorite lead? There seems to be a trade-off for darkness and smearing.
I've been writing with Mitsubishi ball pens before but switched to a fountain pen - a simple Lamy with a fine feather - and I can really recommend it. The writing experience is very nice as the pen requires very little pressure to write and with a little practice the result looks very good. I also bought a small flask of black ink and an ink converter (a small ink cartridge allowing you to draw ink from the flask into the cartridge via the pen) to refill it, which I have to do roughly every two weeks. I've been almost exclusively writing with the pen since more than a year and went through less than a quarter of the flask so far, so it's more economic than using ball pens as well I'd say.
I tend to write with cross fountain pens these days, because I like the look of the Century I and II ranges mostly. I have converters and pots of black and purple ink, and I think some blue cartridges hanging around.
Always liked fountain pens, they slow me down a little which makes my writing so much more legible.
Always liked fountain pens, they slow me down a little which makes my writing so much more legible.
> refill it, which I have to do roughly every two weeks
Why is it that a fountain pen needs to be filled in a matter of weeks and a cheap Bic Cristal never runs out of ink?
I have an inexpensive Pilot Metropolitan that I do like writing with, but the amount of ink I put through it seems crazy for how much I write.
Why is it that a fountain pen needs to be filled in a matter of weeks and a cheap Bic Cristal never runs out of ink?
I have an inexpensive Pilot Metropolitan that I do like writing with, but the amount of ink I put through it seems crazy for how much I write.
Ballpoint ink is a lot thicker than fountain pen ink, and is presumably more heavily pigmented. Therefore, a ball point uses a smaller amount of ink to deliver its pigment, compared to a fountain pen. Which means that it uses significantly less ink.
Ballpoints and fountain pen deliver ink to the paper very differently! You can't really fill a fountain pen with thick ballpoint ink because it would jam the feed very quickly. Likewise, if you were to fill a ballpoint with fountain pen ink it would leak as soon as you touch its tip onto the paper.
However, thanks to fountain pen ink being thinner, you don't have to apply nearly as much pressure when writing. Like many things in engineering, it's all about tradeoffs!
Ballpoints and fountain pen deliver ink to the paper very differently! You can't really fill a fountain pen with thick ballpoint ink because it would jam the feed very quickly. Likewise, if you were to fill a ballpoint with fountain pen ink it would leak as soon as you touch its tip onto the paper.
However, thanks to fountain pen ink being thinner, you don't have to apply nearly as much pressure when writing. Like many things in engineering, it's all about tradeoffs!
Pilot cartridges are very easy to refill with a dropper, or a syringe with a dispensing needle; you can pull out the little plastic seal with tweezers, fill the cartridge, and then push the seal back in with the back of a chopstick or similar.
That way, you avoid the wastage of throwing out empty cartridges, which are effectively unrecyclable because of the leftover ink inside and also because they don't carry material markings. They also hold considerably more than a converter, and not all Pilot pens (such as my Decimo) can even take a converter in the first place; worse, even if your pen can take a converter, refilling one at work or similar is a messy, time-consuming pain in the neck, where cartridges are easy to carry and quick to swap.
Whether you use a cartridge or a converter, it's also worth noting that inks formulated for Western pens often have trouble flowing in the narrower feeds and finer nibs of Japanese pens; I've had considerable trouble with Herbin and Monteverde inks in my Pilots, while they flow perfectly well in Western pens with broader nibs. Something to keep in mind to avoid the frustration of constant hard starts and other flow problems. Pilot's Iroshizuku line is well matched to their pens, and offers an extensive range of colors; for a Metropolitan, especially one with a nib narrower than M, I'd recommend starting there.
That way, you avoid the wastage of throwing out empty cartridges, which are effectively unrecyclable because of the leftover ink inside and also because they don't carry material markings. They also hold considerably more than a converter, and not all Pilot pens (such as my Decimo) can even take a converter in the first place; worse, even if your pen can take a converter, refilling one at work or similar is a messy, time-consuming pain in the neck, where cartridges are easy to carry and quick to swap.
Whether you use a cartridge or a converter, it's also worth noting that inks formulated for Western pens often have trouble flowing in the narrower feeds and finer nibs of Japanese pens; I've had considerable trouble with Herbin and Monteverde inks in my Pilots, while they flow perfectly well in Western pens with broader nibs. Something to keep in mind to avoid the frustration of constant hard starts and other flow problems. Pilot's Iroshizuku line is well matched to their pens, and offers an extensive range of colors; for a Metropolitan, especially one with a nib narrower than M, I'd recommend starting there.
The ink is very different. A Bic crystal uses a very oily, very pigment-dense ink compared to the water-based, free-flowing ink used in fountain pens.
Used to use the pilot disposable fountains myself, they're pretty good.
Used to use the pilot disposable fountains myself, they're pretty good.
I guess the ink, since it is water based, would also evaporate. I keep my pen firmly capped, so that's probably not a huge factor.
The ink will evaporate, yes, and leave its pigment behind. Which is one reason you sometimes need to wash out a fountain pen if you haven't used it for a while.
> so it's more economic than using ball pens
I wonder if this is also better from an ecological perspective. At first sight looks better (less waste), but I would like to be able to do the calculations just to confirm it.
I wonder if this is also better from an ecological perspective. At first sight looks better (less waste), but I would like to be able to do the calculations just to confirm it.
I, too, love fountain pens.
Except when I forget to take my daily out of my pencil case before flying. :(
Except when I forget to take my daily out of my pencil case before flying. :(
Sounds like someone needs a Conid with the sealed ink reservoir ;)
Past edit window, but TWSBI Vac Mini is another (much cheaper) one that can seal the nib off from the reservoir.
Since air expansion in the reservoir is why low pressure pushes ink out the front, a seal between reservoir and the feed means they're safer to fly with.
Since air expansion in the reservoir is why low pressure pushes ink out the front, a seal between reservoir and the feed means they're safer to fly with.
One nice thing about refills is that it gets you into a much nicer class of pen body - it's amazing how much difference a nice texture and better weight and balance can make. Of course, then you need to be careful to not lose them!
I habitually carry multiple pens - at very least, a fountain pen and a disposable ballpoint that I like (Uni-Ball Jetstream). The ballpoint is for signing receipts mostly, so I don't have to use whatever they give me, and for loaning to people who suddenly need a pen. I assume I'll never get it back when that happens.
I sometimes carry a fine Sharpie as well, for things where I want a wider line on whatever sorts of surfaces. And if I'm really swinging, I'll have other disposables.
For a while, I was carrying a Retro51 Tornado (beautiful and affordable) with a Monteverde blue-black gel refill that is maybe the nicest-looking ink I've found. But it's a bit broader than I like, and they don't make a finer point.
I also really love the Pilot Hi-Tec-C, but unfortunately, they don't really make proper refills for it, and the disposable bodies are trash, to put it nicely. Absolutely the best fine-line disposable writing experience, though.
I habitually carry multiple pens - at very least, a fountain pen and a disposable ballpoint that I like (Uni-Ball Jetstream). The ballpoint is for signing receipts mostly, so I don't have to use whatever they give me, and for loaning to people who suddenly need a pen. I assume I'll never get it back when that happens.
I sometimes carry a fine Sharpie as well, for things where I want a wider line on whatever sorts of surfaces. And if I'm really swinging, I'll have other disposables.
For a while, I was carrying a Retro51 Tornado (beautiful and affordable) with a Monteverde blue-black gel refill that is maybe the nicest-looking ink I've found. But it's a bit broader than I like, and they don't make a finer point.
I also really love the Pilot Hi-Tec-C, but unfortunately, they don't really make proper refills for it, and the disposable bodies are trash, to put it nicely. Absolutely the best fine-line disposable writing experience, though.
I've been on the hunt for the "perfect" body for years after having gone way too in depth into testing refills and obsessing over minutiae of the writing experience, but I seem to want the opposite of what most people do. I want the perfect "cheap" capped body for a Pilot G2 1.0mm refill. I've tried all the other equivalent refills and this is my jam. The closest body I have found is the Energel Deluxe capped body, but it requires modification that often breaks the tip opening so that a Pilot refill can fit through it since it annoyingly has a larger tip on the 1.0mm than the other compatible refills like Energel, Sarasa etc. Pilot doesn't make a refillable capped body like this. I don't like the heavy or metal fancy pen bodies most people are drawn too, which is good for me as they cost too much anyway and I don't have disposable income, but it's one of those little annoying first world issues in life I wish I could solve. My perfect body would be a clear demonstrator type capped body (easy to see ink level and color) of the diameter I like, with a decent grip material. Really the Energel above, clear, with the proper tip for the G2, and a better clip, would be 90% there for me. Small problems.
I also habitually carry fountain pens, a ball point or gel pen, and a mechanical pencil (Pentel Graphgear 1000). My EDC fountain pens typically includes a Visconti Homo Sapiens Maxi Bronze Age, Pelikan Souverän M805 Ocean Swirl, and a Lamy 2000 (inked with Montblanc Oyster Grey) in a leather pen case. I also carry a Kaweco Liliput with a Monteverde green refill when I'm traveling and it is impractical to carry/use my pen case.
The vast majority of my writing, however, is in fountain pen. It may not be as convinient as a ball point or gell pen, but the writing experience is just far better--especially for more expensive fountain pens.
The vast majority of my writing, however, is in fountain pen. It may not be as convinient as a ball point or gell pen, but the writing experience is just far better--especially for more expensive fountain pens.
I'm mostly using a Super5 fountain pen, about on par with a Lamy Safari, with Monteverde blue-black ink. Totally agree on the writing experience... a fountain pen just feels so much better than any ball-type or felt-type pen. So my EDC is just the Super5 and a Uni-Ball Jetstream (mostly for receipts), but I really should carry another pen as a sacrificial "Hey, do you have a pen I can borrow?"
I also like the Hi-Tec-C refills. I wanted to use them with a pen that takes a (IIRC) Parker style refill so I used a 3d-printer to print an adapter I slide over the refill.
If it ever seems like the refill/pen is dried but you can clearly see ink still in there on a rollerball or gel pen, dip the tip in some really hot water for a few seconds and it'll revive most refills.
As an aside, a little tip my father taught me was to always carry a handkerchief/towelette sort of thing in your pocket to clean the nib of your pen before you write. That'll take away the smear of leftover ink that collects at the tip, and makes your writing generally turn out neater/ with less mess.
Also strongly recommend cross-referencing the guide on Well-Appointed Desk: https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2014/06/epic-refill-guide-...
The OP article has a good focus on the more technical details, while the guide I linked above gives large lists of specific pens/refills compatible which each refill.
The OP article has a good focus on the more technical details, while the guide I linked above gives large lists of specific pens/refills compatible which each refill.
A list like that is not very useful because there is a wide variation in quality between refills of the same size. Better to find a comparison between refills of a given size, like this one for D1s.
https://penpaperpencil.net/comparison-of-d1-refills-part-two...
https://penpaperpencil.net/comparison-of-d1-refills-part-two...
This would be incredibly useful if I didn't always lose pens before they run out of ink.
I've found pens to more commonly break before they run out of ink anyway. And my preferred roller ball pens (Uniball Air Micro) aren't refillable anyway.
But I've taken to using a Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen more often anyway, and that's easily and cheaply refillable from a bottle of ink.
But I've taken to using a Pilot Metropolitan fountain pen more often anyway, and that's easily and cheaply refillable from a bottle of ink.
Heh. I've found that my odds of breaking a pen are negatively correlated to the price of the pen. I switched to using pigma microns at the beginning of the year. Just starting on my 3rd pen. The first two are not only not broken, but they are also neatly arranged in my stationery drawyer. Marked as finished.
Wish they had a way of refilli g the inks on these pens. I wanted to try fountain pens but couldn't find archival quality ink (waterproof + smudge proof once dried) for them.
Wish they had a way of refilli g the inks on these pens. I wanted to try fountain pens but couldn't find archival quality ink (waterproof + smudge proof once dried) for them.
Noodler’s Bulletproof Black is pretty darn archival-quality. I bought a bottle when I was briefly fascinated with fountain pens (it’s cheap too!) and tested the strength claims by soaking the paper overnight. No ink loss, though the paper came apart when I tried to get it back out.
I'm switching frequently between Pigma Micron and Pilot Drawing Pen.
I like the ink of the Micron, overall the feel are similar enough that both are fine for me, but the Pilot simply lasts longer.
I've a set of both, and what I've found is that when unused for a while (despite being neatly capped) the Micron will simply dry out and stop working. I've almost never had this with the Pilot.
For oddball diameters and colors which I use rarely it's a nuisance.
I like the ink of the Micron, overall the feel are similar enough that both are fine for me, but the Pilot simply lasts longer.
I've a set of both, and what I've found is that when unused for a while (despite being neatly capped) the Micron will simply dry out and stop working. I've almost never had this with the Pilot.
For oddball diameters and colors which I use rarely it's a nuisance.
As snazz says, Noodler's bulletproof is pretty good, smudging is still a possibility with it but depends more on the paper you use. Another good one is De Atramentis Document Ink (better than the Noodler imho)
One of us! one of us! (the fountain pen ppl)
Any one else prefer writing with an extremely fine felt tip? My preference is the artline series. Gives the benefits of fountain – no pressure required, but also gives control and speed
I sometimes use Micron art pens, and the Sharpie pens aren't too bad either. But I'm a fountain pen user 90% of the time, so I'm spoiled.
Speaking of which, I have to give Wancher a shout out for publishing this guide on how to refill Japanese vintage fountain pens: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ejuLvB08-nA
What is the most environmentally friendly analog writing tool?
How is ink made? Is it less invasive than mining graphite, etc?
How is ink made? Is it less invasive than mining graphite, etc?
> What is the most environmentally friendly analog writing tool?
I don't know how practical it is, but the wax tablet[1][2] is perhaps the closest thing meeting this description that I've seen currently available [that I can think of, anyway]. No personal endorsement or any agreements or experience one way or the other with the seller, just something I found and thought was interesting.
[1] https://www.scribalworkshop.com/shop/historic-wax-tablet
[2] https://www.scribalworkshop.com/blog/2019/6/5/how-to-use-a-w...
I don't know how practical it is, but the wax tablet[1][2] is perhaps the closest thing meeting this description that I've seen currently available [that I can think of, anyway]. No personal endorsement or any agreements or experience one way or the other with the seller, just something I found and thought was interesting.
[1] https://www.scribalworkshop.com/shop/historic-wax-tablet
[2] https://www.scribalworkshop.com/blog/2019/6/5/how-to-use-a-w...
Write on vast amounts of acid-free paper, which will happily sequester some carbon for a thousand years.
Blood? It's renewable.
Here is another similar one I had saved:
https://www.wellappointeddesk.com/2014/06/epic-refill-guide-...
The rise and fall of the pocket protector...
https://www.americanscientist.org/article/rise-and-fall-of-t...
https://www.americanscientist.org/article/rise-and-fall-of-t...
zebra sarasas (cobalt color) are my faves! they smear less than other gel pens like the G2’s, which is good for lefties. great to know they’re an ISO standard size (parker-style G2).
+1 for Zebra Sarasa. (I was excited to see it mentioned as well.) I'm a fan of them (for 15+ years) since someone I knew who owned an office supply store introduced them to me. They look a lot like G2's but if you look closely at a G2 you see a brown smear of color at the top of the refill which Sarasa doesn't have.
However, I cross out things often (to do lists), and sometimes draw a line across the page (as a divider), and if you do that, you will get a big blog of ink on the next letter you write. Another issue I've had is that some batches I've gotten were unreliable.
I recently got into fountain pens (which I thought this article would mention; figuring out refills was confusing for me at first). I have a cheap one (as far as fountain pens go, $18 but it's refillable (Sheaffer VFM)) and it's really great: no more blob issues at all.
However, I cross out things often (to do lists), and sometimes draw a line across the page (as a divider), and if you do that, you will get a big blog of ink on the next letter you write. Another issue I've had is that some batches I've gotten were unreliable.
I recently got into fountain pens (which I thought this article would mention; figuring out refills was confusing for me at first). I have a cheap one (as far as fountain pens go, $18 but it's refillable (Sheaffer VFM)) and it's really great: no more blob issues at all.
yah, blobs seem to be an issue with many ink pens, gel or otherwise. when i need to draw lines, i usually pull out a tissue or napkin to dab off the extra ink after each line.
You might wanna try out Pilot Vpen [1] - its a disposable fountain pen available in a couple of colour options. I've been using them for 3 years now without issues, and no blobs form (generally, unless the paper was a tissue paper or smth)
[1] https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Vpen-Disposable-Fountain-Pen-B...
[1] https://www.jetpens.com/Pilot-Vpen-Disposable-Fountain-Pen-B...
Have you tried the Pilot 78G? It's a quite reliable and yet cheap fountain pen: https://www.penaddict.com/blog/2013/11/27/pilot-78g-fountain...
Are the 78Gs still manufactured, or have they been replaced with the Metropolitan? I haven't directly compared the 78G with Metropolitan, but I've been disappointed with how wide my Metro writes despite having a fine nib.
You got it backwards. The linked article says that the Zebra Sarasa is a “Pilot-style G2” refill, not “Parker-style”.
They're well-built, stylish, and incredibly durable. They do not look or feel cheap, and they're perfectly weighted.
After years of experimenting with different models and refills, I've found the one brand I'll stick with forever.
Do yourself a favor and look them up.