Gel Refills

[Jgrden]

I am leaning toward the making of pens with gel refills only. I admit not paying attention to the other articles about gel pens but has anyone converted to these on an exclusive basis, or on a majority inventory? I remember an article on inks that would not bleach, blend or blotch but gels were not in that category - I do not think.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

John, may I suggest the Private Reserve 9000 ez flow.
Reason #1 Gel will run especally in hot/humid areas....(do not load them if showing outdoors) DAMHIKT
Reason #2 writes as good and smooth as the Schmidt 5888 roller ball
Reason #3 see reason #1 and #2

Dawn and Ed sell them and some others are dealers for Private Reserve (Me included)

 

[Jgrden]

Roy, I looked at your site and interpreted those to be for fountain pans and roller ball. Is the gel ink limited to roller ball pens - only??

 

[Toni]

Great question John!! Now this is why IAP is the best pen site on the internet!!

 

[witz1976]

Roy, I looked at your site and interpreted those to be for fountain pans and roller ball. Is the gel ink limited to roller ball pens - only??

I found a genuine parker brand refill that uses gel. It wasn't a bad writer, but it was expensive as I found it at staples.

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

John, I up until a few weeks ago have not made a ball point in the last 3 years, so haven't updated my site with the ball point pens or the refills for them. The 9000 ez flow is one of the reasons I've added ball point pens. It is a parker style refill that will fit all componet pens that take the parker... PM me your address and I'll send you a sample....
P.S. hope to update my site soon with ball points and refills.. Ed and Dawn have them on their site. I'm more intrested in supplying my customers that have bought a pen from me at shows so I don't advertise here......

 

[alphageek]

I have to say the same thing... I used to suggest parker gel refills for my parkers as they flow nicer than normal parkers... Now that I've got the 9000's no-one looks at a gel anymore!

 

[ed4copies]

Roy,

This is gonna sound self-serving for exotics, but I will post it anyway.

Making Private Reserve refills available to your pen customers is a great idea. If I EVER get to my retail pen site (which now has lions on the header, never changed the template), I will advertise the 9000 refill for customers. HOWEVER, I would GIVE AWAY more than I sell--I hope.

Advertise the two pack at its retail price, BUT if the customer orders a "pen for a friend", they get the two pack FREE!! So, your $70 gift is really only costing you $60.

You could build a really nice page to promote this concept. "Keep one refill, give the other to your friend" or "Share great writing with a friend", well, I don't have to tell YOU how to market, but for everyone else reading this--use the RETAIL price of Schmidt and Private Reserve to reduce the cost of your "new pen program".

 

[bitshird]

One other thing Gel refills seem to have a lot less line per refill than either Roller balls or regular Ball points, I've use a lot of genuine Parker Gel's and they last about half as long as a Parker Ball point. I just got some of the Private reserve refills so I haven't had a chance to try them yet. but I recommend Private Reserve for all of my Fountain Pens.

 

[Smitty37]

One other thing Gel refills seem to have a lot less line per refill than either Roller balls or regular Ball points, I've use a lot of genuine Parker Gel's and they last about half as long as a Parker Ball point. I just got some of the Private reserve refills so I haven't had a chance to try them yet. but I recommend Private Reserve for all of my Fountain Pens.

I have very limited experience with gel refills but that has also seemed to be my experience.

 

[Mark]

John, I recently started supplying all my (parker refill) pens with the Easy Flow 9000 refills. The customers can have the stock refill, or for some extra $, I'll replace it with the Easy Flow 9K.

Once they write with it side by side with a stock cartridge, most agree the Easy Flow is sooooo smooth. Some buy it. Others figure they will worry about it when the stock ink runs out.

Just my $.02

 

[Jgrden]

John, I recently started supplying all my (parker refill) pens with the Easy Flow 9000 refills. The customers can have the stock refill, or for some extra $, I'll replace it with the Easy Flow 9K.

Once they write with it side by side with a stock cartridge, most agree the Easy Flow is sooooo smooth. Some buy it. Others figure they will worry about it when the stock ink runs out.

Just my $.02

That is what I am looking for. Thank you Mark.

 

[Jgrden]

I am beginning to understand.
Kits come with a standard Parker ball point
You can upgrade to a gel
The 9000 EZ flow is still a ball point, but superior and lasts longer than a gel.

Am I straight now??

 

[witz1976]

I am simply automatically upgrading all my pens to private reserve inks, the parkers get the 9000s the fountains get a cartridge (and converter if one came in the kit). I make sure the customer knows they are getting upgraded ink at no charge. I spend all the time making a nice pen and I want to write the best it can right "out of the box".

 

[OKLAHOMAN]

:good::good::good:

I am beginning to understand.
Kits come with a standard Parker ball point
You can upgrade to a gel
The 9000 EZ flow is still a ball point, but superior and lasts longer than a gel.

Am I straight now??

 

[dhammis]

I've been putting the Parker Gel Refills in my pens as well and have gotten great feedback. I put one in my personal Sierra as well and I love it. Can the private reserve refills be purchased at a store or is it strictly online?

 

[ed4copies]

Private Reserve works through dealers. But their products are made by Schmidt. So, if you want your customer to go into a Big Box store to buy the equivalent refill, they can. Just remember while they are there, they will also see DOZENS of nice pens that are cheaper than yours and write well.

So, IMO you are helping your competition.

 

[dhammis]

Thanks for the response. Being new I'm doing my best (as I'm sure the rest of you are) to find the best combination of quality and cost for materials. Since many of the nice folks here have already done a fair amount of trial and error it's been a great resource to learn from.